Our Mission:
CARIN’s mission is to foster the entrepreneurial spirit that is present in Central Alberta and help technology and knowledge-based companies move from idea to export in a faster, more seamless way. Our goal is to add diversity to the Central Alberta economy through the support and promotion of companies seeking innovations in smart agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and energy, among other sectors. CARIN’s members offer advisory on many different fronts; from mentoring to exporting, to help you find funding, there is a CARIN member that can help your business grow.
Cathy Forner – Biography:
Cathy Forner has more than 25 years of experience in virtual and in-person projects and business management and specializes in tackling complex organizational challenges with clear, actionable steps. With a contagious enthusiasm for life, when Cathy champions an initiative, results are sure to follow. Cathy has coordinated building brand new business ventures to large national projects scaled across a diverse range of industries.
Utilizing her extensive skills and abilities, she can combine the corporate vision and culture, with the necessary details to create something new and exciting. Her approach focuses on the strategic development of processes through the identification of goals, which results in increased operational efficiencies and profit.
Cathy is the owner of C4ner Consulting and an award-winning Senior Project Manager. She has led change across a diverse range of organizations and industries. Her unique approach, effective for small businesses and scalable for municipalities and not-for-profit. She utilizes her extensive skills and abilities by combining the corporate vision and culture, with the necessary details to create something new and exciting. Her approach focuses on the strategic development of processes that achieve goals, which results in increased operational efficiencies and profit.
C4ner Consulting:
C4ner Consulting focuses on providing coaching, training, and consulting services to Small to Medium Enterprises’ (SME) and Social Enterprises for growth and sustained success by:
Mentoring Entrepreneurial Strategy, Organizational Design, and Planning
Enhancing Project Management practices, Organizational Development
Optimizing Procurement and Operational System Design, Business Operations, Process Improvements.
Offering Dynamic, High Impact Leadership Training & Train the Trainer both in-person and online.
Support From the Community:
Driven by the core values of Collaboration, Knowledge, Dedication, Respect, Insight, Trustworthiness, and Transformation. A few past customers include the City of Red Deer, Access Prosperity, Red Deer College, Catapult Entrepreneurs, Town of Blackfalds, Stettler Board of Trade, Clearwater County, Central Alberta Economic Partnerships (CAEP), Central Alberta Regional Innovation Network (CARiN), Community Futures, Alberta Innovates, City of Lacombe, the Lacombe and District Chamber of Commerce, Sylvan Lake Chamber of Commerce, Flagstaff County and Great Parenting Simplified.
Skills and Experience:
Award-Winning Senior Project Manager - Building and supporting local and national systems and programs for over 30 years and in the past 3 years have shifted these skills to focus on Small to Medium Enterprises (SME) in Central Alberta. Through this work, relationships have been established with Economic Development, Tourism, and Chambers of Commerce throughout the area.
Recent Projects Include:
Working with the Central Alberta Coaches Coalition (CACC), coordinated the development of an online Coaching Panel to support businesses address issues and find solutions.
Launched an online virtual conference that provided parents with resources to raise great kids and find access to a parent coaching program.
Managed a diverse team of Central Alberta stakeholders to deliver a pitch competition for local businesses to provide them with opportunities to find investors and gain more business experience.
Created a Project Charter outlining the steps to create a new Social Enterprise for a non-profit organization.
Coaching and Training – With over 35 years of providing and developing coaching, mentorship, and training, which includes personal and professional growth, zeroing in on both skillset and mindset development. We work with our clients to address ever-changing challenges that allow a business to think outside the box and build something that has never been created or thought of before. Our more recent or current experience is listed below.
Delivering presentations designed to help local businesses see opportunities to grow their business.
Coaching business start-up clients for Catapult Entrepreneurs.
Coaching entrepreneurs to assist them with preparing for a pitch competition.
Teaching an Advanced Management – Business Process Mapping course for Red Deer College (RDC).
Teaching the Mount Royal University, Project Management Certificate program for RDC.
Managing and developed online learning training across several learning management systems.
Currently taking a Principle-Based Business Coach Course with Michael Neill – with a focus on helping people lead from the inside out and create deeper connections.
Certifying Train, the Trainer for First Aid
Coaching (NCCP Certified) swimming and triathlon
Organizational Develop and Business Operations – 30 years of leading new initiatives, establishing new businesses and developing National training programs, organizational operations, process improvements, program implementations, business improvements, and creation of best business practices, policies, and standards.
Disaster and Emergency Response - Planned for and responded to emergencies and disasters for over 30 years, including the Los Angeles Earthquake, the Manitoba Floods, the Southern Alberta Floods, and the Asian Tsunami to name a few.
Innoweave - Leading Through Crisis Mentor – A National Mentorship Program with mentors who have 20 plus years in disaster and emergency response with a goal to provide coaching support to Non-profit and Charitable organizations impacted by Covid19.
Worked in partnership with the Yellowknife Fire Department to develop and provide training for an emergency response program in the NWT.
In addition to numerous designations and certificates such as a Bachelor of Science Degree, National Coaching Certification, First Aid Trainer and Mentor, and the prestigious Certified Management Consultant designation, which is an ethical standard for the industry.
Cathy calls Sylvan Lake, Alberta home, and when she is not honing her skills as a consultant, coach, or trainer; she can be found out on the water with her family and friends or exploring her Metis heritage.
Catalyst Incubator – Powered by CARIN
There are many different reasons why someone would want to be an entrepreneur, from the flexibility it gives you to wanting to change the world with your idea. In Alberta, we are lucky to have so many resources at our fingertips to help start, finance, and build a company.
An incubator is a program to help identify and accelerate the most promising startups. Are you thinking of starting a business but not sure if it’s for you or where to start?
From idea to export, the new incubator is here to help build new business in Central Alberta. To sign up for the incubator, fill out the form at https://www.ca-rin.ca.
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