How-To January 2013

BUSINESSVANCOUVER

speci a l i nfor m ation featur e

Solutions for your business needs

how to | Hire a certified general accountant

how to | Green your business

how to | Create a gateway to your business opportunity in Merritt

how to | Increase the value of your building at no cost to you

how to | Take the stress out of managing your properties and feel secure

how to | Increase the number of qualified prospects coming to your website

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BUSINESSVANCOUVER january 15–21, 2013

hire a certified general accountant The designation CGA means you’re getting proven professional expertise to help you build a successful business.

Bring a certified general accountant (CGA) onto your managerial team to help you build a successful, growing company.

Wherever accounting and financial management are required, from major corporations to entrepreneurs, CGAs can advise in industry, commerce, finance, government and public practice.

The CGA designation is important because it distinguishes those who have successfully completed the very demanding CGA program from those who only call themselves “accountants” with little or no formal training.

A CGA can: •produce financial statements; •p rov i d e p ay ro ll , t a x a n d m a n a ge m e nt-

consulting services; and •advise on investment and obtaining financing, as well as on personal inheritance, tax-form preparation (personal and business), estate planning and retirement planning.

In times of crisis, your CGA can analyze problems in your business and help you improve profitability.

Find your nearest CGA public-practice firm at www.cga-bc.org. A business looking to recruit a CGA to its staff can use the association’s online job board, www.CGAjobs.org, which allows employers in B.C. to find information about CGAs and about CGA students.

The Partners in Employment Program (PEP) connects employers around the province with CGA-BC members and students.

CGA-BC can also help employers connect with

from major corporations to entrepreneurs, cgas can advise in industry, commerce, finance, government and public practice

new graduates who wish to obtain employment and pursue the CGA designation.

Ideally, you will work with the same accountant for many years, so take the time to meet with your prospective accountant to see if your needs are compatible with the CGA’s character and personality. To ensure that the firm understands your type of business, make sure the CGA has experience in your industry.

If meeting with a CGA: •Before your appointment, gather information about business or personal financial decisions under consideration so that you can ask the CGA specific questions.

•Be organized: Save yourself unnecessary fees by maintaining good financial records.

•Be open: CGAs are in the best position to advise you and serve your interests when they understand your goals and expectations.

•Be open to advice: CGAs have vast experience and can assist you with your problems and concerns. Their objective advice may directly improve your financial stability and cash flow.

•Keep your CGA informed of changes in your personal and professional life.

For more information, visit www.cga-bc.org. •

We see more than jobs. We see careers.

If you want access to the largest pool of accounting professionals in B.C., look no further than CGAjobs.org.

Whether you’re an HR professional looking to hire the best accountants or a CGA student looking for a rewarding career, CGAjobs.org is your hub. Using CGAjobs.org puts career opportunities in front of qualified professionals to ensure you get what you need. Gain access to the breadth of knowledge and experience that a Certified General Accountant adds.

Get connected today. Go to CGAjobs.org.

We see more than numbers.

LEADERSHIP

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EFFICIENCY

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PRODUCTIVITY

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S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

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MANAGING RISK

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BUSINESSVANCOUVER

january 15–21, 2013

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green your business Efficiency is key to sustainability and helping your bottom line.

Sustainable business practices are a nice goal, but in tough economic times, they’re just not financially feasible, right?

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” says Dr. Will Low, a professor in Royal Roads University’s faculty of management, who teaches courses in sustainability and business. “Sustainability is not just good for the environment, it’s good for business.

“It’s all about efficiency,” says Low. “If you start with a clear vision of where you want to lead your business, you will often find that savings and sustainability go hand in hand, and that’s good for the bottom line.”

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to going green; each organization must find its own way. But sustainable practices don’t require reworking your entire business model. Even small changes add up.

Low gives some examples: delivery services or businesses that otherwise use vehicles can have drivers minimize making left-hand turns and plan their routes in advance. This will not only save money and reduce collisions but will also reduce emissions. Providing heaters for the cabs of commercial trucks (so that drivers don’t have to run the engine to stay warm) will have similar results.

Meanwhile, businesses that sell a product can rethink design and make packaging more efficient, saving money on shipping costs while

if you start with a clear vision of where you want to lead your business, you will often find that savings and sustainability go hand in hand

Sustainability is a key theme running throughout Royal Roads University’s programs, highlighting the fact that sustainability and best business practice go hand in hand

helping to preserve the environment. Businesses can also find a valuable resource in recent graduates of Canadian universities, such as Royal Roads, which offer courses on sustainable business practices.

“Opportunities to cut costs while focusing on sustainability are unique to each business, and every business can find them if they look,” says Low. “Things that are damaging don’t have to be. It’s up to you to lead the way.” •

Learn it here, apply it out there.

Our expert instructors know business; they’re industry specialists with real-world experience, able to show you how to master global management and find success within the business sector.

Complete your bachelor’s or master’s degree on campus or choose online learning with on-campus residencies. Discover how the Royal Roads University experience is anything but ordinary.

We’re ready when you are: 1.877.778.6227

life.changing

royalroads.ca/business

“Sustainability is not just good for the environment, it’s good for business,” says Royal Roads University professor Will Low

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BUSINESSVANCOUVER january 15–21, 2013

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create a gateway to your business opportunity in Merritt Merrit has four major highway systems, a baby boomer and baby bounce population, progressive taxation policies and affordable real estate and property taxation.

Located at the intersection of key transportation routes in the province, the City of Merritt offers access to efficient transportation and distribution, training facilities, a youthful labour force and an urban lifestyle in a country setting.

But Merritt is so much more.

If you are looking for a long-term sustainable environment in which to grow your business, look no further than the City of Merritt. Merritt has significant “baby boomer” and “baby bounce” populations. Of the 7,300-strong population, 30% is under 25. Merritt has a diverse business community. With such a mix of experience and youth, the labour force can meet the long-term sustainable growth of your business.

But Merritt is so much more.

The Nicola Valley Institute of Technology offers university degree programs and university transfer programs, trade and skills programs, adult education and upgrading, BCIT technical skills training and other customized programs to meet local business needs.

Progressive taxation policies to encourage business growth, expansion and attraction are the cornerstone of Merritt’s business-friendly environment. The City of Merritt has two revitalization tax exemption bylaws that offer up to 100% tax exemption for up to five years, depending on project, location and bylaw criteria.

Merritt has an urban lifestyle in a country setting. There are modern facilities to meet your recreational needs, national chain retailers, unique shopping, cafés, diverse dining and access to the outdoors at your doorstep.

But Merritt is so much more.

If you want to know more about how to create a gateway opportunity in the City of Merritt

John McCurrach, owner, Purity Feeds: Merritt is a business-friendly environment with its progressive taxation policies that encourage business growth and expansion

•Only 2.5 hours from Vancouver, 1.5 hours to the Okanagan, and one hour to Kamloops

•30% of the population is under 25 years of age •100% tax exemption for five years for downtown revitalization projects

•Five-year sliding scale city-wide tax exemption on new and existing business development, including Class 1, 2, 5 and 6 development projects •Dry, mild climate, with more than 2,000 hours of sunshine per year

for your business and lifestyle opportunities, contact James Umpherson, economic development manager at the City of Merritt. •

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BUSINESSVANCOUVER

january 15–21, 2013

increase the value of your building at no cost to you Kemp Agencies, in conjunction with the Fortis Gas High Efficiency Boiler Rebate Program, has been helping building owners increase the value of their building while saving them operating expenses.

The building heating load is calculated at 2,300,000 Btu/hr input, and the domestic hot-water load is calculated at 700,000 Btu/ hr input. Fortis Gas provides rebates for both applications as follows:

As an example, we have a standard residential apartment building that was built in the 1980s and has both the heating and domestic hot water heated by natural gas boilers. In this example, the heating boilers do both heating operations through a heat exchanger (to heat the domestic hot water).

The current boilers were installed approximately 30 years ago and are older pieces of equipment with below standard combustion/ operating efficiencies.

We will assume that the current heating costs (cost of natural gas usage) for the year is approximately $50,000.

There are two boilers sized at 1,500,000 Btu/hr each operating for a total 3,000,000 Btu/hr input.

Heating boiler •2 , 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 B t u / h r i n p u t ; r e b a t e i s a t $12/1000 Btu •Total rebate: $27,600 Domestic hot water boiler •700,000 Btu/hr input; rebate is at $5/100 Btu •Total rebate: $3,500.00 •Grand total rebates: $31,100 In this application, the total installed cost would be approximately $85,000.

This ins tallation will s ave your b uilding approximately 30% of your current fuel costs and would equate to approximately $15,000 per year.

Based on strictly the payback of fuel savings, the new boiler retrofit would be paid back in 3.6 years.

The magic In this example, we will use an 8 Cap Rate for our calculations: Based on an 8 Cap Rate, the $15,000 in fuel savings would equate to an increase in value of your building of approximately $187,500. If a building owner were to take this value increase to a lending institution and were to get a 70% loan to value mortgage, one could conceivably get a mortgage in the neighborhood of $131,250. Not only would this mortgage be more than enough to pay for the complete boiler installation, there would be considerable monies left for the building owner to use as they see fit.

The other excellent advantage of this transaction is the simple fact that the money saved in the reduced fuel costs will more than pay for the cost of the complete mortgage. •

Increase the Value of Your Building!

And do it with a Payback of Less Than Three Years!

Kemp Agencies and Camus Hydronics are Proud to be a Strong Partner with Let Kemp Agencies increase the energy efficiency of your building hot water heating system and/or domestic hot water heating system with an upgrade of your existing hot water boilers to a condensing or nearcondensing high efficiency hot water boiler by Camus Hydronics Ltd. Not only Save Operating Costs but also Increase the Value of your Building Asset.

Kemp Agencies is pleased to introduce the new Camus DynaForce and DynaMax Fully Condensing Hot Water Boilers with effciencies to 97%

For more inFo on how a

DynaFlame high-eFFiciency

boiler can increaSe PerFormance anD SaVe money, conTacT:

KEMP AGENCIES LIMITED 3590 Commercial Street Vancouver, BC V5N 4E9 email: merlin@spearssales.com

PHONE: FAX: TOLL FREE:

1.604.876.9297 ext. 137 1.604.876.1199 1.800.663.6169 ext. 137

Serving the British Columbia HVAC Industry Since 1943

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BUSINESSVANCOUVER january 15–21, 2013

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Take The sTress ouT of managing your properTies and feel secure Secured Security Group offers a one-stop shop for your peace of mind.

Imagine going to sleep at night knowing that no matter what happens with your building, there’s a company that can step in with your best interest in mind, field any emergency phone calls, take care of what needs to be done in the moment and provide you with a summary the next morning.

Nowadays, there are so many contractors to deal with when managing a building, it’s hard to keep track of what everyone is up to. That’s where Secured Security Group comes in. It specializes in providing security guards, mobile patrols, alarm response and remote video monitoring,

but this professional company also specializes landscaping, janitorial site maintenance, snow removal and even parking enforcement with a 24/7 response. Your complete synergy solution!

Proven to work in Europe where the Secured leadership team concept developed.

“We’re taking a lot of stress and headaches away from property managers because we give them 24-hour coverage and an overview as soon as they wake up,” explained Bal Jouhal, president and CEO of Secured Security Group. “They know before the tenants complain.”

What really draws clients to Secured Security Group is that it is an ISO certified company so its services are held to the highest international standards.

We give them 24-hour coverage and an overview as soon as they wake up. They know before the tenants complain

“If a client calls with a complaint, there’s a procedure we follow from the moment the complaint comes in to the moment we close it off,” said Jouhal, whose business covers an area stretching from Langley to Whistler and Vancouver Island, from small residential buildings and multi-level malls to highrise office towers.

A typical service that Jouhal provides would be to respond to after-hours emergencies on the client’s behalf.

“We have emergency contact details for all the tenants to let them know right away what’s happening in real time because we are doing the supervision at night,” said Jouhal. “So we take care of the emergency when alarm bells go off at 2 a.m., not 8 a.m. when people are getting to work.

“Property managers don’t want to spend all morning cleaning the mess from the night before,” said Jouhal. “They can go to sleep knowing that their properties are in safe hands.

With Secured Security Group on their team, they are Secured in our hands.” •

Building Relationships for Life by Exceeding our Client’s Expectations

"The Future is Secured"

Security Guards Mobile Patrols Alarm Response Private Investigations Security Consultants Snow Removal

Concierge Parking Enforcement Services Remote Video Monitoring Janitorial Services Landscaping

T: 604 385 1555 F: 778 574 0847 E: info@securedsecurity.com Suite 1400 Marine Building, 355 Burrard Street, Vancouver, V6C 2G8

www.securedsecurity.com

An ISO 9001 Certified Company

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BUSINESSVANCOUVER

JANUARY 15–21, 2013

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INCREASE THE NUMBER OF QUALIFIED PROSPECTS COMING TO YOUR WEBSITE This is done by increasing your rankings on Google by using the right keywords.

How to choose the right keywords – Go to the Google AdWords Keyword Tool. Type in one or more phrases related to your business. The list that appears at the bottom of the page will show you approximately how many people are searching regularly every month for each of the keyword phrases.

Then you can cull them and sort them. If you have a large Search Engine Optimization budget you can choose one of the high volume keyword phrases at the top of the “Local Monthly Searches” column. If you have a small SEO budget you need to choose one of the keyword phrases near the bottom.

Where to put the keywords – The best place is at the beginning of the title tag in the head section of the source code for every page on your website. Then write a couple of short sentences in the most enticing way possible about your website, and put them in the description meta tag, also in the head section of the source code of each of your pages.

It’s good to have at least 300 or 400 words of text on your homepage, and insert your keyword phrases once every 150 words in a way that the grammar flows naturally. Also include your most important keyword phrase in the H1 tag on each page. Google gives more weight to words in that are in bold type, in bullet points, and in links to other pages of your website, so it’s good to do this with your keywords.

Google+ Local – A Google+ Local account is for local businesses that have a physical location with a unique street address. Google will display a small map with a red dot showing your location on page one of the search results when prospects search for your keywords. When setting up your account fill in all the questions they ask, and make sure your contact information is listed identically on your Google+ Local account as it is on your website.

A blog – One of the recent major changes to Google’s ranking criteria is called “Freshness” or

It’s good to have at least 300 or 400 words of text on your homepage, and insert your keyword phrases once every 150 words in a way that the grammar flows naturally “Fresh” because no matter now great your website is, if you’re not continually adding fresh content of value to your customers they will drop your rankings. Having a blog on your website is the easiest way to add Google-friendly fresh content.

Inbound links – These are links on other

websites that when clicked take people to your website. This is a very important part of ranking well on Google. There are many ways to get them, such as issuing press releases, publishing articles on other websites, blogs, forums and internet directories. ■

Standard Marketing giving an SEO seminar at the ESN Fall Expo September 24

if you’ve got lights we’ve got a business opportunity for you.

BC Hydro is offering substantial financial rebates to small businesses that invest in energy efficient upgrades. Upgrades that will lower your power bill and improve your bottom line. Our network of contractors can help you identify energy saving opportunities that will benefit you the most and guide you through the process.

To find out more call our business help desk at 1 866 522 4713 or visit bchydro.com/upgrade

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