Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC) organized a Trade Mission to Palm Springs, as part of the world’s largest LGBTQ+ business event, United States’s National LGBT Chamber of Commerce’s (NGLCC) International Business & Leadership Conference, to promote Canadian businesses within the 2SLGBTQI+ global community.
Supported by the Government of Canada the mission connected Canadian 2SLGBTQI+ SMEs with international corporate partners and supportive business leaders in the United States, to create growth opportunities and further collaboration across borders. CGLCC has organized Global Trade Missions to diverse regions worldwide, including South America, Europe, and various U.S. locations.
Since 2018, these missions have enabled over 100 Canadian delegates to establish valuable international relationships. With eighteen (18) Canadian businesses and twenty-one (21) delegates participating this time, our delegation forged many valuable connections and unlocked even more new opportunities with U.S. businesses and suppliers on our largest mission to date!
A standout moment of the mission was the Canadian VIP Corporate Supplier Breakfast, a packed room of 60, with attendance from over 20 corporate representatives. This event offered valuable networking opportunities, an exchange of best practices with peers, and a showcase of our delegates’ pitching skills.
The breakfast also featured welcome remarks from the Government of Canada’s Minister of Small Business, the Honorable Rechie Valdez, and an update on the Canadian diverse supplier landscape from CGLCC’s CEO and Co-Founder, Darrell Schuurman.
A new addition to the CGLCC team, Kailey Gilchrist (Corporate Business Development Manager), has participated in missions before as a CGLCC supplier. CGLCC Trade Missions to the NGLCC Conference have supported Kailey and her company for years in opening doors to new corporate relationships and providing a global platform for her business growth.
This year, Kailey was proud to attend as part of the CGLCC team and was thrilled by the active participation of so many corporate partners in the Canadian breakfast event, as well as their meaningful interactions with suppliers throughout the conference.
“I am greatly looking forward to continuing conversations with many corporate prospects from the US who are looking to expand their Supplier Diversity programming here in Canada!” added Kailey.
The agenda in Palm Springs included a range of activities such as bootcamp sessions, receptions, panels, Corporate/Supplier Walk & Talks, and matchmaking opportunities for the Canadian delegation.
Cass Elliott, Global Manager, said “[t]his mission was a game-changer. Over 90 B2B meetings sparked meaningful interactions that led to 190 new leads and forged connections that really impact the businesses involved. I am so happy to hear that our participants walked away with fresh insights, valuable contacts, and new opportunities that they can leverage to propel their businesses to the next level.”
“It is very exciting to see!”
In the words of Iona Sky (Owner and Principal Consultant of I Sky Consulting), one of the delegates who attended the mission, “[t]his trade mission was a life-changing experience for me as a queer immigrant entrepreneur, as having my own business and being able to explore new global markets is a dream come true. Through this mission, I was able to learn new business skills, meet new contacts and corporations that were otherwise inaccessible to me and be able to represent what Canadians can offer to the global DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility) space.”
The success of this Trade Mission highlights the significance of promoting diversity and inclusion in international trade and points to promising future collaborations between Canada and the United States.
CGLCC extends its gratitude to the Government of Canada, NGLCC, and Air Canada. For updates on future trade missions and collaboration opportunities, keep an eye on CGLCC’s Global Program.
Photos of the Trade Mission to Palm Springs can be found here.
Read more about the Canadian delegation here: Trade Directory
