Events

Upcoming event

Leave your can't at the door - Cochrane Business Network event 8 Sep 12-2pm The Station with Michael Emery, Unique Soapstone Experiences

Leave your CAN’T at the door 

Getting out of your head and into your hands. 
Most of us spend our days living in our heads – thinking, planning, analyzing, worrying, and trying to solve every challenge with our minds. Yet the very tool we rely on can become the thing that keeps us stuck.
 
What happens when we step away from constant thinking and reconnect with our
hands?
 
In this hands-on session, you’ll discover why creativity isn’t reserved for artists and why confidence isn’t something you think your way into – it’s something you experience. 
 
In under 45 minutes, using a clean, water-based carving process, you’ll shape your own soapstone worry stone and feel first-hand how stepping out of analysis and into direct experience can unlock creativity, sharpen problem solving, and change the way you approach challenges in business and in life.
 
This isn’t an art class. It’s an invitation to trust the process, instead of chasing
perfection – and discover what becomes possible when you do.
 
No artistic experience and no materials required – just 45 minutes and a
willingness to try. 
 
Every participant leaves with a handcrafted keepsake, a small reminder you can carry in your pocket, and what Michael calls the USE effect: a small stone, a short session, a shift in perspective that outlasts the afternoon.
Get your ticket

Spots are limited to make sure everyone has plenty of table space, so grab yours early!

Event Details
  • Tuesday Sep 8
  • 12pm – 2pm
  • Location: The Station at Cochrane Crossing, 360 Railway St W, Cochrane, AB T4C 2E2
  • $25 per person – lunch included
About our speaker

Michael Emery is the founder and Creative Lead of Unique Soapstone Experiences – a mobile experiential learning company based in Cochrane, Alberta.

With a background spanning leadership, facilitation, and business development,
Michael has spent decades designing experiences that help people discover what
they’re capable of.

Today he works with corporate teams, schools, libraries, and community organizations, creating hands-on sessions that build confidence, creativity, and connection – often in less time than it takes to read this bio.

His work draws on a framework he calls The Creative Core. His signature message is simple: Leave Your CAN’T at the door. Get out of your head and into your hands.

Find out more at: https://uniquesoapstoneexperiences.ca/

Get your ticket

Spots are limited to make sure everyone has plenty of table space, so grab yours early!

Lunch caterer to be announced!

We thank Steelhead Ventures for donating bottled water for our events.

FAQs

Will this session be messy? Do I need to wear certain clothes?

The session shouldn’t get anyone wet or dirty. You will have hands in water but there will be small towels to dry hands.

Parking is available opposite the Station in the Cochrane Public Library car park

Each month, the Cochrane Business Network aims to support a local Cochrane catering business, helping to create exposure and keep investment within our community.

Ticket pricing reflects catering costs, along with essential administrative and marketing expenses that allow CBN events to run smoothly throughout the year.

The Cochrane Business Network operates as a not-for-profit, with any proceeds reinvested directly back into our local business community.

No! The Cochrane Business Network is a non-member organization! Just pay-as-you-go for the events you wish to attend!

We love welcoming new faces and sometimes offer promotions that allow members to bring a guest for free. When available, these will be clearly promoted. Standard tickets are $25 per person.

Arrive from 12pm! We have allowed time for you to arrive, network and grab some lunch. Presentations will aim to start at 12:30pm.

Yourself, a great attitude for learning and connection – and your business cards!

If you would like to become a CBN volunteer or request to be a speaker, please email us at contact@cochranebusinessnetwork.com

Get in touch! Email us at contact@cochranebusinessnetwork.com

2026 Schedule

Don’t want to miss an event? Save these future dates in your calendar!

  • Tuesday Sep 8
  • Monday October 19 – Friday October 23: Small Business Week (events all week in collaboration with the Cochrane Community Innovation Team)