Protect Yourself from Online Equipment Scams
How to Stay Safe in 2023
Online scams are becoming more complex but many of the common sense ways to protect yourself will still work. Find out what’s new and what you can do to stay out of harm’s way!
How a Small Construction Company Can Compete with the Big Dogs
Focus on Service, Flexibility, and Dedication
Construction is a competitive industry, so you need to find what sets you apart and make the most of it. Build strong customer relationships, be flexible enough to make the most of your opportunities, and be dedicated enough to do the tough stuff.
Personal Service Builds Strong Relationships
Offering good customer service is crucial. Without it, you won’t be able to get repeat customers. That means you’ll lose out on the regular income they could bring.
And there’s another good reason you need satisfied customers: their word-of-mouth advertising can win you new customers without you spending a cent.
Buying and Selling Equipment Safely Online
Save Money, Time, and Heartache by Detecting Scams & Fraud
Online scams can be costly and damaging to your business, so it pays to take some steps to protect yourself.
Make Sure Everything Passes the Smell Test
Avoid shopping on websites that just don’t seem right. Maybe the content isn’t well written, or the design is shoddy, or the links and buttons don’t work. Whatever it is, a bad website is a clue that the company doesn’t value it’s customers and might not be entirely above board.
How a Small Construction Company Can Compete by Participating in the Community
How to Grow Your Construction Business and Beat the Big Guys
While big construction businesses seem to dominate the market, small businesses can carve out a niche in their communities. In fact, if a small construction business can integrate with the local community, they will have no trouble getting contracts and growing their business.
Of course, it takes some skill and dedication – and a mindset to contribute to your community. If you follow these tips, your business might become a formidable competitor in your region.
5 Tips and Tricks for a Successful Online Equipment Search
How to Minimize Hassle and Find the Best Equipment for Your Business
More than ever before, businesses are moving online to buy and sell equipment.
Equipment sale aggregator websites offer a truly staggering inventory of new and pre-owned equipment—and that is great news for small business. But buying online is not always smooth sailing. Anyone who has tried it knows finding what you need can be a real challenge. Too often searches deliver a stack of irrelevant listings, poor condition equipment, overpriced assets—or no matches at all.
The good news is that searching for quality used equipment does not have to be a frustrating experience. In this article, we offer five tips designed to help you search smarter, cut the clutter and achieve a successful online equipment purchase.
10 Key Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs
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.
What It Takes to Get Approved for Your Equipment Lease
The Basics Your Lender Will Want to See and How You Can Optimize for the Best Rates
Equipment leasing is a powerful business growth tool and is a lot more flexible than a traditional bank loan. Leases are easier to qualify for, offer more stress-free terms and can usually be obtained without a down payment.
Though the up-front costs to you may be minimal, they do represent a major investment for the lender. Your lender will be playing it safe, especially in this day and age, and looking for indicators that your business is a good credit risk.
Lease brokers have specific measures they look for in a lease application. Some of these are things you can optimize, like a strong business plan and a solid credit score. Some are factors out of your control, like the number of years you’ve been in business and your credit history.
Knowing beforehand what the lender wants to see is key to a successful application.
Don’t be a Target: How to Recognize Common Business Scam Tactics
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.
COVID-19 Financial Lifelines for Your Canadian Small Business
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.
The Hidden Costs of Cheap Equipment
Buy Smarter by Calculating Equipment Operating Costs
We all like a good deal and, as business owners, we all need to watch the bottom line. It’s tempting to look at the equipment’s price first and its specs/maintenance records/user rating second – if at all. But this can be a costly mistake.
The real cost of a piece of equipment can only be calculated once you include the actual operating costs. The dent in your cashflow when you purchase is only the first of many costs associated with owning heavy equipment. Labour, maintenance, efficiency and downtime are all business costs too. If you get a “deal” on a cheap machine, but it is less efficient to run, breaks down more often and requires more expensive parts, is it really saving your business money?
Low prices do not always mean a better deal.