Entrepreneur fair, Black Business Expo in Surrey for Small Business Week<\/p>\n
Published 2:00 pm Tuesday, October 13, 2026<\/p>\n
Events in Surrey celebrate Small Business Week, Oct. 19-25, 2026.<\/p>\n
The fifth edition of Metro Vancouver Black Business Expo<\/a> happens Saturday, Oct. 24 at Surrey City Hall. Admission is free and open to the public, noon to 4 p.m.<\/p>\n Two days earlier (Thursday, Oct. 22), the 10th annual DIVERSEcity Entrepreneur & Small Business Fair<\/a> is held at Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel from 3 to 7 p.m., at 15269 104 Ave., Surrey.<\/p>\n Focused on DIVERSEcity\u2019s Diverse Entrepreneurs Business Incubator, the Oct. 22 event is about \u201csupporting diverse, grassroots entrepreneurs with one-on-one support and guidance as they navigate the complex barriers and challenges of being a small business owner in BC,\u201d said Florence Kao, manager of self-employment programs with DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society.<\/p>\n \u201cStarting a small business is a brave path that\u2019s not for the faint of heart. It takes belief in one\u2019s idea, determination, curiosity and the willingness to ask questions from those who have walked the path before them,\u201d Kao added.<\/p>\n The business fair in Guildford will include a live business-pitch competition and a \u201cfireside chat\u201d with Emre Ozgur and Andrea Kloegman, founders of Safe Sweat, a Surrey-based company that appeared on TV\u2019s Dragons\u2019 Den. Register for the free event on dcrs.ca\/entrepreneurfair<\/a>.<\/p>\n Kao says it\u2019s a tough environment to start up a business in B.C. right now, with the trade war and local politics, but many British Columbians are still entering the entrepreneurial space \u201cwith a side hustle or small business idea they\u2019re passionate about. Nearly one in four have a side hustle to help with the high cost of living and many more are considering it, according to a new Ipsos survey.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd they are diverse, with Gen Z leading the way,\u201d Kao added. \u201cNewcomers, women and other diverse groups are also consistently rising demographics in entrepreneurship. But many don\u2019t have the right information and confidence they need about running their business.\u201d<\/p>\n