Business Advice

Personal Practices that will Put You on Top of Your Game

Success comes from within. Studies on entrepreneurship have found remarkable similarities among those that thrive. So, what makes the difference between a mediocre entrepreneur and successful one?

Relentless Learning

“Change is the end result of all true learning.” – Leo Buscaglia, author and teacher

Forbes magazine lists avid reading as a leading characteristic of successful entrepreneurs. Why? Because they are aware of their own limitations. Like the old saying goes, “You don’t know what you don’t know”. Entrepreneurs that succeed do so because they put effort into personal growth and education. Greater understanding gives you a competitive advantage. Read journals, read books, listen to podcasts. Attend seminars and stay up to date with the latest industry trends. Consistent learning puts you in the right place at the right time—with the right idea.

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Simple Steps Your Business Can Take to Outsmart Scammers and Avoid Being a Target for Fraud

An email from “the Financial Minister of Nigeria” may be easy to write off as a fraud, but not all scams are so obvious. Today’s scammers are clever and the money they steal is no joke. In 2019 alone, Canadians lost nearly $100 million to fraud.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre lists over 16 types of scams that target businesses specifically. Your business may present a tempting target to scammers, but there are ways to minimize the risk.

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Subsidy and Benefit Information and Links for Canadian Small Businesses

Yes, these are interesting times. Trying to wade through the new (and ever changing) COVID-19 advice and information can feel like a fulltime job. When you’re running a small business at the same time it can quickly become overwhelming.

To help you out, we’ve pulled together a list of Federal, Provincial and private company resources currently available to Canadian small businesses. These programs, subsidies and benefits are designed to create a way forward so that your business will be ready to thrive when COVID-19 is a thing for the history books.

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Essential Tips to Controlling and Keeping Your Cash Where You Need It

Cash flow management is critical to your business’s survival. Cash is king and nowhere is that more apparent than in the day-to-day finances of a business.

Poor cash flow planning can leave you short — struggling to pay employees or cover operating expenses. You may have plenty of business coming in, but it won’t help if you need funds now. Good cash flow management means you plan ahead and minimize those gaps.

Simply put, cash flow management is postponing capital expenditures as long as possible while encouraging anyone who owes you money to pay as quickly as possible. The first step to taking charge of your cash flow is evaluation.

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Move Your Business to the Next Level and Increase Your Revenue Stream with a Strategic Plan

Feel like your business has hit a glass ceiling? Sure, you’re paying the bills, but maybe you are looking for a little more. If growing your business and profits is the goal, you need to plan strategically. Business growth rarely happens by accident and sustained growth never does.

Greater profits are within your reach. But it won’t happen without a plan and diligent follow through. Obviously, the details look different for every business, but the following are bedrock concepts and strategies at the heart of any successful business growth plan.

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