Squamish Women Mean Business

By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: Dec. 8, 2012

Amy Remark first met Lisa Princic about a year and a half ago at a women’s networking group in Squamish.

Princic, the owner of Changemaker’s Toolbox, is now working with Remark, as a business coach. A shared business interest is also evolving into a growing friendship.

“Working with Lisa has kept me focussed,” said Remark, the owner of Green Clean.

Their relationship embodies the model and vision of Squamish Women Connecting, a venue for local women to meet other women business owners.

Now, Remark is exchanging her cleaning services for photography skills of another business owner who she met, once again, at the women’s connect group.

“This group has helped me make new friends, new allies, and new clients,” Remark said.

That synergy could be felt at a recent women’s connect meeting at Sea to Sky High Lifestyles on Third Ave, where 35 women business came together to talk business and life.

As Lisa Princic interviewed Amy Remark, along with Jill Lee, and Stock Home Design owner, the purpose of the group became clear.

“We learn from each other and inspire each other, but we are also learning about our community,” Princic said.

For someone new in town, the group also acts as an instant plug-in into the community.

It’s what Natasha Wrenshall discovered when she moved to Squamish three years ago.

“This was a great way to meet like-minded people,” Wrensall said.

The women’s connect first started as Squamish Womens Networking about four years ago by Lisa Princic, Amber Kirk, and Erica Rigik.

Sitting at the Brew Pub, both Princic and Kirk decided there was a need for a women’s business group.

They have hosted six connect events since, and have helped connect 300 business women with each other and Squamish.

Princic said the atmosphere in the group is informal and relaxed , perhaps made possible by the fact that it’s a women’s only group.

“I think women are more spontaneous and more open,” Lisa said.

The women’s connect group plans to hold a Christmas event. Search for the group on Facebook.