Starting up your own business is not as hard as you think.
This video walks through the critical logistical steps you need to be taking to get started.
1. How to select and check your business name?
2. Business location
3. Sole proprietorship vs. corporation
4. Registering for HST, Payroll, WSIB
5. Protecting your intellectual property
6. Taking your business online
7. Get Started!
Contact the Expert
www.bdc-canada.com
Universal Management Principles
It is impossible to be good at everything. In this webinar, SEF Canada teaches us that we don’t have to be!!
Success lies in understanding that all of the functions of a business can never be done perfectly by one person. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. By knowing what you are best at and what you love, you will simply be more successful.
What do you love to do? Isn’t that what you should be doing if you are starting your own business?
Here are the main buckets of skill sets that you need to have in your business. Now that you know, you can get started in the right direction.
Contact the Expert
Suzette McFaul
SEF Canada
suzette@sefcanada.com
The Secret To Getting More Sales
The Secrete to Getting More Sales is all about following these 7 keys steps:
1. Do pre-contact research
2. Tell better stories
3. Ask better questions
4. Get commitment
5. Get broader agreement
6. Influence the influencers
7. Justify the cost
Great 35-minute video that will make a huge difference in how you look at sales!
Contact the Expert
Adrian Davis
adavis@whetstoneinc.ca
Latest & Greatest Social Media 2014
Social media is always changing!! It is important as a small business owner to stay 
on top of these changes and how this will impact your business online.
This 30 minute video talks about how social media is changing and where it is headed. Specific new tools are reviewed and any way that you can use them in small business is discussed.
After the webinar, a few questions were asked.
1. What other goals can you have for your social media?
– you can do market research, marketing testing, and find out how your customers actually feel about your business.
2. How do you decide where to spend your time?
– start with the basic ones, LinkedIn and Twitter are more stable to invest time into. Explore the new social media platforms when you have ‘free time’.
3. How can you think out of the box and become viral in your social media marketing?
– social media isn’t as viral as we all think it is. It is all about reaching a certain threshold where your video or post is highly ranked in its search. To get there, promote to your network and friends. Once you hit the threshold this becomes easier and easier.
Contact The Expert
Allan Pollett
allanp73@gmail.com
Resources
http://www.snapchat.com/
https://vine.co/
http://www.houzz.com/
http://www.impossible.com/
http://www.mobli.com/
http://www.yioop.com/
http://www.linkedin.com
http://www.twitter.com
http://www.facebook.com
Top Home Based Businesses
Starting up a business from home is a viable option. In fact over 50% of self-employed people run their small business from the comfort of their own home.
Find out why you should consider working from home, some surprising stats, the top trending home based small businesses, the top home based small businesses in operation, and if it is right for you.
Finally this 20 minute video reviews some best practices to help you start and keep your own small business at home.
Contact the Expert
The information from this webinar was gathered from small business resources and Stats Canada. For more information, please contact us at info@smallbusinesssolver.com
Like the Slides? Top Home Based Businesses
Action Planning
Get Started. Keep Going! This is the life of the small business owner and entrepreneur in 2014 trying to get their business ramped up or growing.
The number one reason why a small business owner is successful in the short term is based on how much they are moving forward. Every time that you say the words ‘I will’, are you? Not that you necessarily have to be on time, but you need to do it if you said you would. Being action oriented and getting things done is critical to success.
The Action Planning Process includes the following steps;
1. Goal Setting
2. Action Planning
3. Implementation
4. Measure the Results
5. Assess/Reassess
Contact Information
Gary Brown
gary.brown@fsainc.ca
Like the Slides? SBS-action planning webinar
Cold Calling Basics (Part 2)
Cold calling is the most effective way to get new business to business prospects aware of what you are doing. But most small business owners and people in general dread the idea of picking up the phone.
Learn the more advanced tips of how to cold call with specific attention of what to actually say on the phone and what to do after that first phone call.
The tips that will be covered are;
1. Show them the money.
2. Minimize their commitment.
3. Maximize your credibility.
4. Appointment setting and closing.
5. Get a ‘no’ from them ‘yes’ man.
6. Have a goal.
7. Keep it simple.
8. First impressions on the phone.
9. Follow up tips.
10. Keep up your momentum.
Contact The Expert
Carla Langhorst
Carla@smallbusinesssolver.com
Like the Slides? Cold calling basics-part 2
What’s Your Business Worth?
Business valuation is critical for all small business owners as there is a high probability that you will be needing to evaluate how much your business is worth due to needing a loan, going through a divorce, or selling your business either voluntarily or involuntarily.
When it comes down to it, the value of your business is the price that someone is actually willing to pay you for it. But if you are trying to put a dollar value on your business without this step or before this step, there are some things to consider;
1. Net tangible assets
2. Identifiable intangibles
3. Goodwill (transitioned and non transitioned)
4. Redundant assets
If you are selling your business, there are some great ways to increase the value of your small business. And there are some specific value drivers to be aware of.
If you are buying a business, there are some specific details you should be looking for and specific circumstances where you may buy a small business for a lesser amount.
Watch this video for all of the details.
Contact The Expert
Fabyelle Chevalier, CPA, CA
Manager – Financial Advisory Services
BDO Canada LLP
Direct: 705 726 6331 ext. 8523
fchevalier@bdo.ca
Like the Presentation? Valuation Presentation
Finding Time For Yourself
Finding time for yourself is critical in running your business for a ton of different reasons.
1. It helps you perform better when you are working.
2. It increases personal satisfaction.
3. It allows for worklife balance and overall satisfaction.
4. It prevents burnout which is one of the leading causes of business failure.
5. It is better for your personal well being and health.
When all is said and done, making time for yourself could be the difference between business success and failure.
Contact The Expert
Elise Manolakos
elisemano7@gmail.com
About Elise: Her main inspiration comes from providing physiotherapy treatments to long-term care patients and living with her 85 year old Greek grandmother.
A quote that keeps her going: “Thinking is easy, acting is difficult and to put one’s thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world.” – Johann Wolfgang Goethe
Like the Slides? Making time for yourself
Analyzing Your Numbers
Financial management and understanding numbers is a daunting topic for many entrepreneurs. However, this is a vital skill when speaking with investors and bankers that will help your business grow and/or survive.
This video will give an outline of what numbers are important and some basic ratios to test on your business.
Some concepts that are very important are;
1. Reviewing your past performance and changing trends can spot problems early.
2. If you don’t have past performance you can also track against industry averages. This can be done based on the industry that you are in and the size of your business.
3. Financial ratios help you determine if there are problems in specific areas in your business.
– the quick ratio and acid test
– accounts payable and receivables turnover
– debt-equity ratios and interest payable
4. Creating a 1-page business performance dashboard helps you see all of the financial metrics in one spot.
Contact Your Experts
Fabyelle Chevalier, CPA, CA
Manager – Financial Advisory Services
BDO Canada LLP
Email: FChevalier@bdo.ca
Gregg Miyasaki, CGA
Mid-Market Commercial Account Manager
BMO Bank of Montreal
Email: gregg.miyasaki@bmo.com
Like the PowerPoint? Analyzing Your Numbers
More Resources
If you are looking for places to find industry standards;
– Stats Canada: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/start-debut-eng.html
– Your financial institution
– Your accountant
