2026 – Grande Prairie Downtown Association

M3M Marketing Wins Diversity & Inclusion Award of Distinction

January 30, 2026

The Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce celebrated outstanding local entrepreneurship at the 2025 Small Business Awards of Distinction, honouring businesses that continue to drive innovation, community support, and economic growth. The Downtown Association is proud to share that three of this year’s award recipients are located right in the heart of the city’s downtown core – showcasing the strength, creativity, and resilience of the businesses that help shape our vibrant city centre.

Each winner embodies the values that make Downtown Grande Prairie a unique and thriving place to shop, dine, and connect. Their dedication to excellence and commitment to community have not only earned them distinguished recognition but continue to elevate the downtown experience for residents and visitors alike.

M3M Marketing — Diversity & Inclusion Award

M3M Marketing was recognized with the Diversity & Inclusion Award at the Small Business Awards of Distinction, highlighting their commitment to fostering inclusive practices within their business and across the broader community. As one of three downtown-based winners, M3M reflects the creativity, compassion, and innovation that define the heart of Grande Prairie’s downtown business core.

M3M Marketing is a content-forward, creative marketing agency that supports the marketing efforts of small businesses and organizations. Their services include marketing strategy and planning, video production, content marketing, creative services, paid advertising, and website design. While rooted in the Peace Region, M3M serves clients across Canada. In 2023, the agency expanded with the launch of M3M Studios, a first-to-market studio rental space offering hourly access to professional production facilities for video, photography, podcasts, and voiceovers- empowering creators, businesses, and media professionals to elevate their digital content.

We spoke with the team at M3M to find out more about their successful downtown business. See our interview below.

Congratulations on your win of the Diversity & Inclusion Award! What does winning an award like this mean to you and your team? Why do you think it is so important to celebrate Diversity and Inclusion in business, and how do your business practices reflect that?

“Winning this award means the world to us! M3M has spent the last year really focusing on giving. Supporting local non-profit groups, businesses, solopreneurs, and a lot of diversity and inclusion causes. Meanwhile, giving young professionals a chance, whether they are enrolled in post-secondary education or have recently graduated, and providing internship opportunities. We would like to thank our many clients who continue to make diversity and inclusion a priority, as well as the incredible efforts you make in our community. We want to share this award with you all!”

What makes the Grande Prairie (and more specifically, the Downtown GP) business community so great to be a part of?

“The Downtown GP business community is so great because everybody just wants to see others succeed. There’s a real camaraderie and mutual respect among downtown businesses and business owners.”

Why did you choose the downtown as the home for your business?

“We opened our downtown location in 2023 to support our agency’s growth and expand our services. Our CEO’s vision was a headquarters for herself and her staff that also serves the community by providing space for photography and content creation. From the start, our goal has been to spark collaboration and support the growth of local businesses and creative entrepreneurs. As the region’s first content studio, it’s a privilege to do business in the downtown core, where our community’s commerce was born and where its entrepreneurial spirit still thrives. We think there’s a strong sense of community in Grande Prairie’s City Centre; we feel more connected by being located in the center of it all.”

Downtowns are often hubs of creativity and culture in their communities – how does creativity play into your business’ success?

“Creativity is everything when it comes to our business. Whether it’s the collaboration with our clients when crafting creative marketing material for their business or providing a space for photographers, podcasters, and videographers to elevate their craft, creativity is the cornerstone of everything we do at M3M.”

Please join us in congratulating the team at M3M on winning this award, and all their success as a small business!

Nine10 Inc. Wins Leading Edge Award of Distinction

January 30, 2026 Members

nine10 Inc. — Leading Edge Award

Nine10 Inc., a full-service digital marketing agency and training academy located in the heart of downtown Grande Prairie, was recognized with the Leading Edge Award, celebrating their continued commitment to innovation and forward-thinking leadership. As one of three downtown businesses honoured at the Small Business Awards of Distinction, Nine10 exemplifies the strength, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit at the core of the city’s downtown business community.

Nine10 helps small and medium-sized businesses build strong brands, websites, and marketing systems while empowering them with the knowledge and confidence to manage their own digital presence. Through their Training Academy, they teach entrepreneurs how to navigate digital marketing and the rapidly evolving world of AI. Their mission includes ensuring local businesses stay competitive in a technology-driven economy.

We spoke with Ryan and Marcus, the owners at Nine10, to get some insight on their success. See our interview below.

Congratulations on your win of the Leading Edge Award! What does winning an award like this mean to you and your team? Why is being on the leading edge of new technology important to Nine10?

“Winning the Leading Edge Award is incredibly meaningful to our team. It recognizes not just what we build for clients, but how we help them adapt to change. Staying on the leading edge of technology is part of Nine10’s DNA. From introducing businesses to social media in the early 2010s to now, guiding them through the adoption of artificial intelligence. This award reinforces our commitment to lifelong learning and innovation is making a real impact on the business community we serve.”

What makes the Grande Prairie (and more specifically, the Downtown GP) business community so great to be a part of?

“The downtown business community in Grande Prairie is vibrant, collaborative, and full of hustle. There’s a strong sense of mutual support; businesses genuinely want to see each other succeed. Being surrounded by fellow entrepreneurs who are creative, resilient, and community-minded makes downtown an inspiring place to work and grow. For example, the 3 finalists for the Leading Edge award were all friends of ours – it’s nice to have such a friendly business community.”

Why did you choose the downtown as the home for your business?

“Downtown Grande Prairie has always been the creative and cultural heartbeat of our city, which makes it the perfect home for Nine10. It’s central, full of hustle, and full of character. It’s a place where ideas and people naturally connect. We’ve always believed that being downtown keeps us close to the pulse of the business community and the people we’re here to serve.”

Downtowns are often hubs of creativity and culture in their communities – how does creativity play into your business’ success?

“Creativity and attention to detail are at the core of everything we do. Whether we’re developing a new brand, designing a website, or teaching entrepreneurs how to use AI tools, creativity & detail drive how we solve problems and tell stories. It’s not just about design. Our work is about creative thinking, finding fresh approaches, while maintaining an immense focus on detail. The details always matter. When our clients look to us for this type of leadership, it’s very rewarding.”

What exciting things are on the horizon for your business?

“We’re continuing to expand our work in AI education and adoption. Nine10 is actively collaborating with organizations, businesses, and community partners to make AI more accessible across the Peace Region. We participate in public education webinars, workshops, summits, and speaking engagements that help demystify AI and show local entrepreneurs how these tools can support their work. Our focus is simple: AI shouldn’t be something only big companies can use. It should be available to every business owner in Northwestern Alberta, and we’re working hard to make that a reality.”

Please join us in congratulating the team at Nine10 on winning this award, and all their great work and success in the community!