On October 5, the small business community of Elgin County and St. Thomas is invited to gather at the Elgin County Railway Museum for the annual Bridges to Better Business event; an incredible celebration of local food and small businesses. 
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Small Businesses are at the heart of our community and we value the contribution that every business makes. 2023 has continued to bring challenges to our small business community in St. Thomas & Elgin County. In those challenges, we saw many businesses face them head-on. Determined to do whatever they could to keep their head up. Our small businesses are here to serve the community and the community continues to step up and wrap around them in celebration and support. We want the community to know how much that has been appreciated. And we want our small businesses to know that we see their struggles and their triumphs and are here to support and celebrate at all times and in all circumstances.

We are honoured to be in the position of advisors within the local small business ecosystem and so proud of what can be accomplished together. Bridges is our opportunity to bring everyone together to celebrate those accomplishments in community. 

Our speaker this year is Comedian and Food Lover – James Cunningham. James is a Canadian Comedian and host of Food Network Canada’s Eat St, a TV show about North American Street Food that debuted in 2011. Other television appearances include Last Comic Standing, Just for Laughs, and the Marilyn Dennis Show.  He wrote and hosts Funny Money, a stage show designed to teach students about finance. James will bring the laughs and help us celebrate a Taste of Elgin County and St. Thomas, our local food showcase.

We hope you'll join us!

Spotlight on our Speaker

The name James Cunningham is synonymous with excellence and professionalism in the entertainment industry. He has made quite a name for himself as one of Canada’s funniest and most versatile performers. His remarkable and diverse career knows no boundaries.
 
From the smash success of his award-winning Funny Money lectures to his nightly stints on comedy stages across North America, Cunningham is simply one of the best. If it’s a master of ceremonies, keynote speaker, or just a fabulous evening of entertainment you’re looking for — look no further!  He has proven, time and again, that he is one of the most skilled professionals on- and offstage and has a long list of repeat clientele to prove it. He has been asked to host shareholder and annual business conferences across the country and around the world, repeatedly. Pepsi, Frito-Lay, Starbucks, KRAFT, Canadian Tire, McDonald’s, STAPLES, Nestle Purina, Walmart, GoodLife Fitness, BMO, Scotiabank, Proctor & Gamble, Medtronic, Ingram Micro, and Grant Thornton International are just a few of his past corporate clients.
 
On television, James has been featured multiple times, including two of his own hour-long Comedy Now standup comedy specials for CTV and The Comedy Network, two Just For Laughs "Galas" for CBC TV, five seasons as a writer and actor on the award-winning television series Comedy Inc., and on NBC’s Last Comic Standing. He is also known internationally for hosting five seasons of Eat St., which gave audiences a curbside view of North America’s tastiest, messiest, and most irresistible street food. The food truck-themed show aired on Food Network Canada, Cooking Channel in the US, and in dozens of countries around the world. Cunningham’s Eat St. cookbook (Penguin/Pintail) was a North American bestseller.
Cunningham has performed at and hosted events for the nation’s top corporations and distinguished crowds of all ages. His clean and audience-appropriate performances have earned him countless recommendations. Combining his knowledge of the stage and his experience as a standup comedian, he has entertained at over 1,500 shows in the corporate arena. His personalized presentations guarantee laughter and delight at every type of event and function imaginable. Whatever the theme or purpose of your next corporate gathering, Cunningham will provide the humour necessary to make it an especially successful and memorable one.
 
Additionally, James continues to host sold-out events across Canada for THE POWER OF SUCCESS, where he has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with former US President Bill Clinton, Tony Robbins, Sir Richard Branson, Martha Stewart, Barbara Walters, Andre Agassi, Suze Orman, and Hilary Swank, to name a few. He can also be seen regularly on The Marilyn Denis Show on CTV.
One of the most exciting elements of our annual Bridges to Better Business is the opportunity to highlight local food. We are absolutely THRILLED to be working with local businesses to bring you a TASTE of Elgin County and St. Thomas in 2023!

We have such an incredible line up this year for our guests to enjoy! Sweet and Savoury small bites that are sure to leave you wanting more - even once you are stuffed! *Conveniently* all of the participating businesses are local so you have the chance to visit them at their locations for more opportunities to enjoy their menu offerings!

The Food Showcase is included as part of your event ticket - no additional sampling tickets required.

Spotlight on Small Business

Each year, we have the opportunity to meet with some incredible people and it’s exciting to be able to celebrate a few of them with awards during Bridges to Better Business. We can't wait to share with you all the exciting things that have been accomplished by our local small business owners this year. But until we make those announcements - Congratulations to the 2022 winners honoured at our event last year!
Elgin County Small Business Award – Abby Mae's Gluten Free Bakery
St. Thomas Small Business Award – The Long Box
St. Thomas Economic Development Award – Geerlinks Home Hardware
Elgin County Economic Development Award – The Wayside Dining & Bar
Libro Small Business Award – Caps Off Brewing Co.
Downtown St. Thomas Award – Susan Boldt, Limitless Tattoos
Inspirational Entrepreneur Award  – Minsoo Lee, Plaza Sushi
Under 40 Award – Josh Ford, Fitborough
Starter Company Plus Award – Streamline Plumbing
Summer Company Award – Owen Rodgers, Rodgers Swim School
Promising Start-Up Award – Love Gigi
Lifetime Achievement Award – Simply Pure Water

Congratulations to the 2022 Small Business Award Recipients

Thank you to our 2023 Event Partners!