A message from Jaipaul Massey-Singh, CEO of the Brampton Board of Trade:
Six months ago I joined the team at the Brampton Board of Trade.
My journey with BBOT started in 2006, when I first joined as member, and then began attending meetings of the Policy and Advocacy Committee. From there I went on the join the Board of Directors, where I led initiatives related to Diversity and Inclusion, and ultimately became Board Chair in 2015. Along the way I’ve had some great opportunities to contribute back to Brampton both directly and indirectly as part of BBOT and see my present role as CEO as the logical next chapter; one where I can bring my experience as a member, resident, and community activist to an organization I hold dear.
To say this has been a great move for me is an understatement. The staff at the Board of Trade are fantastic in their roles and do their work with a passion and energy for making change that’s contagious. We’re also extremely fortunate to have a Board of Directors that’s composed of experienced and insightful community leaders who share their input and empower us to think boldly. Finally, I get to connect daily with BBOT members, city staff, elected officials, and civic leaders who believe in the potential of Brampton and support the work we do through their participation and sponsorship. I feel truly lucky.
So what have we been up to over the past six months? A fair bit actually, including:
- 21 events at which we hosted 2,059 attendees; including after-business networking, educational forums, luncheons with municipal and regional leadership, and our annual awards dinner
- Welcoming 44 new members across a variety of sectors and sizes to BBOT, many of them just starting their businesses in Brampton
- 31 member visits to better understand the needs of local businesses and shine a light on the work being done to contribute to our city’s economic growth
- 42 visits to our weekly Open Office Hours where we got to chat and learn about others in our community
- 8 delegations hosted from other countries looking to understand the business opportunities in Brampton
- 13 community events attended where we could show support for those making Brampton an even more socially responsible, progressive and sustainable city
But most importantly, since taking on the role I’ve been trying to hear as many perspectives as possible – those of our members and Directors, but also those of the business community broadly, other boards of trade, and Brampton community stakeholders of all kinds to understand where BBOT is adding value and where we can improve. And we heard some great feedback, among the key messages:
- Events are delivering – between connecting, learning, and being inspired you enjoy spending time with us!
- BBOT has my back – you believe we listen and put effort into linking you to the solutions your business needs
- Advocacy works – our collective voice is effective in bringing stakeholders together and championing issues
- Help us raise our profile – you want BBOT’s help in being discovered by others and want to see new tools and programs to help them
- More ‘relevancy’ through focused content and events – whether it be by demographic or business segment you want to collaborate with others that share your challenges and opportunities
- Let us get involved – this was the best one to hear. Whether through our networks, making time to meet, or volunteering at our events you don’t just want BBOT to address your needs, you want to be part of the process with us!
And so what does this all mean for where the Brampton Board of Trade is going? We’re still very much in the process of formally planning what the coming years looks like, but we have some clear strategic directions we’ll be going in over 2024 and the beginning of 2025. These include us delivering more programming for small and medium-sized businesses, finding new and novel ways to engage sponsors, creating new member networks, and expanding our influence both locally and regionally. But more than anything, the Brampton Board of Trade will become more of a community-focused organization, committed to being a champion for Brampton and showcasing the best our city has to offer.
A key step in being that community leader was taken last week, when BBOT hosted our Summer Social and Town Hall. This free event was open to everyone and brought together almost 250 attendees to enjoy food, live entertainment, and fun in Garden Square, while also having the opportunity to engage with a number of civic partners and businesses to learn about what they’re doing to improve prosperity and liveability in Brampton. This was followed by a Town Hall in the Rose Theatre where over 100 attendees got to hear updates on BBOT’s activities, priorities, and insights on trends affecting growth. More importantly, it was also an opportunity for our Board Chair, Lou Vouloukos, and myself to hear input and answer questions from the room. We weren’t able to get to address them all in the time we had but we’re committed to good communication and I’ll be posting responses on our LinkedIn and Instagram platforms over the coming weeks.
If you were able to attend and share your input I thank you – the energy all evening was tremendous and we needed to hear your voice. I appreciate your commitment to helping BBOT improve. If you weren’t able to attend don’t worry, we’re not done listening. A copy of the presentation we shared at the Town Hall may be found here to help you get caught up and we have a number of ways for you to give us your input, including signing up for one of our upcoming focus groups on member networks, responding to the surveys we’ll be sending out in the coming weeks, or by reaching out to me directly at jaipaul@bramptonbot.com
Our aspiration at the Brampton Board of Trade isn’t simply to represent the Brampton businesses of today, it’s to work toward a vibrant and prosperous Brampton of the future. I’m confident that by working together we can succeed and look forward to working alongside you to make it happen.
Jaipaul Massey-Singh
Corporate Executive Officer, Brampton Board of Trade
