How to create a training program that builds relationships and increases sales
There is a lot of on-the-job training required when it comes to creating an effective sales team. A massive amount of information, after all, is needed to learn the job if it is to be done well. But in addition to book knowledge, sales skills require a lot of practice if your team hopes to…
We don’t recognize that times and technology have changed, we’ve been holding the organization back or we’re just exhausted by our years of leadership
It wasn’t the several times I almost died on the job. It wasn’t when I fell off roofs or rolled heavy equipment. But I can remember the day and time I knew I had to get out of construction. It was -35C and I was demolishing a gas station for my employer. As I went…
In the gig economy, more and more of us will be out on our own. That means we need to hone new skills to help our enterprises succeed
As 2019 morphs into 2020, more than numbers on the calendar are changing. Technology, communications, media, weather – even the way we work and earn our livings – aren’t what they used to be. It used to be jobs, jobs, jobs. That’s what we wanted for ourselves, our partners, our kids; it's what politicians promised…
Only half of small businesses in Canada survive their first five years. Digital tools are critical to their success
Social media levels the playing field for Canadian small businesses and unlocks economic growth, says new research revealed Tuesday by Facebook Canada. The report, Empowered In The Digital Age: Leveling the Playing Field For Canadian Small Business, said only half of small businesses in Canada survive their first five years and accessible digital tools are…
As National Lead, Women Entrepreneurs for BDC, Laura Didyk works with, and learns from, smart, successful women business owners
Laura Didyk, is Vice President and National Lead, Women Entrepreneurs, Business Development Bank of Canada What is your role with the BDC and what do you do? Didyk: The BDC is only bank dedicated exclusively to entrepreneurs. After I worked there for 25 years, it created my dream job, working with women entrepreneurs. As National…
If we’re focused on thriving and growing during periods of difficulty and change, our brains look for these opportunities
While the overall economic numbers seem to indicate that the Canadian economy is firing on all cylinders, there are still areas geographically and by industry where businesses are struggling. Having lived through a number of difficult times in my 30-plus years owning and running businesses, I’ve learned there are a number of ways to improve…
Karisa Marra is a business expert at Square. She works with businesses of all sizes and types across Canada: from coffee shops to landscapers to restaurants. In her role, Karisa partners with business owners to help them overcome their challenges in running and growing their business. What is Square and what does it do? Marra:…
Fifty nine per cent of consumers would rather purchase new products from brands they know and trust
Building a company is hard work, but building a brand is even harder. Brands, after all, have the power to outlive the products and services that hold the company together. Branding is about the beginning-to-end customer experience. It includes everything from your social media presence, customer engagement, content, copywriting, company culture, and graphic elements. The…
Make a written list, set priorities, breathe and relax, and then focus on one task at a time
I recently woke up sleepless at 2:30 am. If you’re in a leadership role in a business or even in your household, you probably know the drill. My mind was spinning with the long list of tasks I had to complete. The 75-unit project I’m working on for a client; the three people who need…
CFIB urges government to make policy changes that support entrepreneurs
More than nine in 10 Canadians say that small businesses are vital to their communities, according to a public opinion poll released on Wednesday by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). “Canadians value entrepreneurs and the contributions they make to their communities. One in two are even considering starting a business one day,” said…
It’s time you set some goals, tracked your progress and celebrated your successes
Tim Gilbert told me it would be tough but I never realized how tough tree planting was until I stood in the bush in the middle of nowhere, bugs swarming around my head, as I was exposed to the raw elements of a northern spring. With my bag of trees strapped across my hips, shovel…
Shane Murphy on how Founded Technologies is striving to be an essential online tool for small Canadian businesses
Shane Murphy is co-founder of the legal automation company Founded Technologies. What is Founded Technologies and what does it do? Murphy: Founded Technologies makes the legal side of entrepreneurship easy. It’s an online legal automation platform that takes routine legal tasks that small businesses face (think incorporating, managing a minute book, creating contracts) and makes…
When we determine achievable goals and develop workable plans to reach those goals, our teams get clarity. And that brings productivity
The city had been socked in with a heavy layer of fog for weeks when I decided to drive up to an area I hadn’t been to before. As I climbed through the layers of cloud, I wondered where I was going and why people would live up such a steep hill. But as I…
By Troy Media Cash may have once been king but a report released on Wednesday shows that digital payments are taking over. The annual Payments Pulse Survey: Small Business Edition from Payments Canada revealed that nearly 80 per cent of small businesses surveyed conduct fewer than 25 per cent of their transactions in cash compared…
Property tax imbalance erodes political accountability, discourages business investment and ultimately hurts employment
By Josef Filipowicz and Steven Globerman The Fraser Institute In many cities and towns across Canada, residential properties are increasing in value, while some local businesses are struggling to survive. There are different reasons for this development, including factors well beyond our borders. But in most of those municipalities, business property tax rates are higher…