March 2013 Inside this issue: GM’s Report Member Spotlight Events Recap New Staff Introduction Business Succession Calendar of Events
CHAMBER at a glance
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a publication of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE How do we become a top entrepreneurial city? Did you know in 2011 the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) report on entrepreneurial rankings for the top 100 cities in Canada (population 25,000+) had Brandon ranked number 29? Fast forward to 2012 and Brandon has moved up two spots to number 27 overall. Some would say this is not bad, but it should be noted that the top nine overall highest scores for the most entrepreneurial cities come from Alberta or Saskatchewan. The report is called Communities in Boom.
growth plans. Finally, Policy represents indicators associated with the actions local governments take with respect to business taxation and regulation.
Where we did match up to the top 10 cities was in the category of Presence. This includes areas such as business establishment growth, business establishments per capita, selfemployment as a percentage of total employment, and industry diversity. From 2011-2012 we did show a minimal improvement in this area of scoring. We There is no single best way to measure also showed minimal improvement in the entrepreneurship quotient of cities the scoring area of Perspectives. This so CFIB used a wide range of approaches includes expected future business to arrive at a performance, series of future full-time scores. CFIB hire expectations, “We as Chambers must used 14 overall state of continue to foster different business, indicators and commercial favourable environments grouped them industrial and for entrepreneurship” into three institutional main building permits categories. They are Presence, and life satisfaction. The Perspective and Policy. Presence is a area to watch, and where we did lose representation of the scale and growth some traction, was in policy. Policy of business ownership as well as its includes cost of local government, local industrial diversity. Perspective covers government tax balance, local indicators associated with optimism and government sensitivity to local
Nate Andrews, Chamber President businesses, local government regulations and the availability of biz pal. This message is congruent with the message we continue to send to our local government. Business has concerns about how government spending affects taxes, short and long term, because any increased costs can hamper a businesses ability to succeed. For small business, property tax can be one of the most burdensome taxes. When there is a higher ratio of commercial property tax to the residential rate, the worse off a municipality is on fairly taxing commercial business. Our local government must continue to understand the importance of small business and what promoting its success can do for the growth of a city. Finally, regulatory burden plays a huge role in creating a negative business environment. Local governments must make this environment favourable for (Continued on page 6)
FROM THE DESK OF...
GM’S REPORT
Mid-Year Recap The Chamber strives not only to be the voice of business, but to offer members an opportunity to grow their business and network, as well as provide opportunities for professional growth. We have hosted some very dynamic and interesting speakers at our luncheon series, but we also offer workshops through our Business Information Series (BIS) that provide for a more interactive experience.
utilize smart phones in business – who workshops knew they could be used for more than just was the idea phone calls and texting! of being an expert in your Over the last couple months, we have field and continued to host some great workshop possessing a Carolynn Cancade, presenters. In January, we hosted a positive General Manager workshop on Customer Service presented attitude by Sales Expert, Dan Debreuil. A dynamic about what you offer and how to speaker, Dan covered the basics of communicate that to others. customer service and the importance of While focused on the needs of our identifying your key customers. In February, While all our workshops offer valuable members, I often attend in the hopes of we hosted the ‘Entrepreneurial Trap’ information on the specifics of the topic, getting a nugget or two of valuable presented by Jeff Roziere and Cathy sometimes the most valuable thing that information that we can use in our office. Snelgrove. This was a great presentation attendees walk away with is a different way Over the years, we have learned tips for that challenged participant’s thought of thinking, a different way to tackle a implementing social media (hence we are process about success and growth. To seemingly ordinary issue. Whether looking now regular users or Twitter and Facebook) quote Henry Ford “Whether you think you to refresh old information or learn and we have learned better communication can, or you think you can’t – you’re right”. something entirely new, most attendees strategies in dealing with co-workers and walk away with something that they can customers. We have learned to better One of the key messages from both (continued on page 6)
Welcome New Members AGRI-TREND Business Management
Brandon Computers Sales & Service
The Dock on Princess
Brandon, MB P: 204-761-6128 E: csenchuk@AGRI-TREND.com W: www.agrigrend.com
1229 Richmond Avenue Brandon, MB R7A 1M5 P: 204-717-4365 F: 204-717-0409 E: info@brandoncomputers.ca W: brandoncomputers.ca
1133 Princess Avenue Brandon, MB R7A 0R1 P: 204-726-1234
Qdoba Mexican Grill 2-1830 Park Avenue Brandon, MB R7B 0R9 P: 204-717-3622 F: 204-717-4839 W: www.qdoba.com/locations/mb-brandon-r7b0r9-002786
G Squared Business Solutions Suite 342, 1300 18th Street Brandon, MB R7A 6X7 P: 204-721-9422 E: Harley@g2businesssolutions.com
ReframeHR #202-37 11th Street Brandon, MB R7A 4K2 P: 204-979-7218 E: michelle@reframehr.com W: www.reframehr.com
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Brandon Photographics foto source 848 18th Street Brandon, MB R7A 5B7 P: 204-727-3263 F: 204-728-1170 E: lab@brandonphoto.com W: www.brandonphoto.com
RAMADA Viscount Gort Hotel 1670 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3J 0C9 P: 800-665-1122 F: 204-772-2161 E: info@viscount-gort.com W: www.viscount-gort.com
Design Your Home Magazine 55 Frobisher Crescent Brandon, MB R7A 5J1 P: 204-573-3790 E: designyourhome@mymts.net W: www.desginyourhome.ca
Scentsy Family Site 240 Box 37 RR#3 Brandon, MB R7A 5Y3 P: 204-729-8211 E: talkscentstome@wcgwave.ca W: talkscentstome.scentsy.ca
Ryan Shields—Century21westman.com 244 10th Street Brandon, MB R7A 4E8 P: 204-573-1060 E: ryan.shields@century21.ca
www.brandonchamber.ca
MEMBERSHIP
member
SPOTLIGHT
The Brandon Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome Power Play CrossFit to our membership.
Power Play CrossFit is located at #3C, 389 Park Avenue East. We had the opportunity to meet up with owner Gary Wallace to check out his new facility and chat about his new business.
What type of services do you offer? CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program for everyone who is interested in improving their fitness, regardless of your age or ability. As the founder of CrossFit, Coach Glassman put it; ”The needs of Olympic athletes and our grandparents differ by degree not kind. Our terrorist hunters, skiers, mountain bike riders and housewives have found their best fitness from the same regimen.” The CrossFit workout of the day (WOD) is constantly varied, consisting of functional movements performed at high intensity. You’ll never be bored or wonder - what should I do today? Each class is an hour long. We warm you up, stretch you out, and take you through the WOD. Every WOD is scalable so each participant is challenged just enough to deliver measurable results, quickly. CrossFit Kids is a strength and conditioning program that is specially designed for kids and teenagers which helps them to develop a lifelong love of fitness. Watch them excel in most other aspects of their lives with improved confidence along with their increased fitness abilities. Trust your kids will be kept safe, while getting very fit in Brandon’s only registered CrossFit Kids Program. Visit www.crossfitkids.com for more information. Get results. No matter your age, you’ll be leaner, faster and stronger. Promise.
What are your business goals? We want to help people get into better shape and improve their quality (and length) of life. Live better, longer. Whether you’re already in shape and want to take it to the next level, or quite out of shape and know it’s time for a change, we have the program that will get results.
What is your business motto? Our business motto is “Be Your Best Self” Power Play CrossFit is open for business! The classes start at 6:00 AM with last class at 7:00 PM. Please arrange your class a day in advance by phone at 204-720-0974. Check out their website at www.powerplaycrossfit.ca.
**Promotional discount of 50% off a monthly membership, limited time offer** (the first class is always free)
@BdnChamber
www.brandonchamber.ca
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EVENTS
Chamber Events Review The following Chamber events took place between January and March 2013. A big thank you to our sponsors and attendees who help make these events possible. If you are interested in sponsoring a Chamber event, please contact the External Relations Coordinator at external@brandonchamber.ca or 204-571-5344. Local Business Climate Luncheon
BA5: BU Healthy Living Centre
Customer Service 101
Federal Issues Luncheon
Entrepreneurial Workshop
January 17, 2013 Chamber President Nate Andrews along side Carla Milne of MNP LLP presented the results of the 2012 Business Climate Survey. The survey was conducted in the fall of 2012 by MNP LLP. A summary of the results can be found on the Chamber website, www.brandonchamber.ca.
January 22, 2013 With over 75 people in attendance, Brandon University showcased their new Healthy Living Centre. The new facility stretches 79,000 square feet, hosting state of the art cardio equipment, indoor walking/jogging track, three gymnasiums and much more. Membership is open to student, faculty and the general public.
January 30, 2013 In this complimentary workshop, Manitoba Marketing Network's, Sales Expert, Dan Debreuil shared his expertise in defining customer service, factors that contribute to great customer services, how human resource strategies can help you deliver better customer service and more.
February 7, 2013 A crowd of over 250 attendees heard from Member of Parliament & Finance Committee Chair, James Rajotte at the Federal Issues Luncheon. Rajotte answered questions about the Task Force on Financial Literacy, defining it as knowledge, skills and confidence to make responsible financial decisions.
February 20, 2013 This complimentary workshop presented at the Chamber office to over 20 participants encouraged each to think about business and the convention of business in a different way. This workshop was presented by DiscoverYou’s Cathy Snelgrove and Jeff Roziere. The duo also discussed performance levels in relation to your way of thinking.
Thank you to luncheon sponsor, Corral Communications
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Thank you to Brandon University Healthy Living Centre.
Thank you to the Manitoba Marketing Network’s Sales Expert, Dan Debreuil.
Thank you to luncheon sponsors Dirty T-Shirt Productions.
Thank you to DiscoverYou
www.brandonchamber.ca
EVENTS The Chamber Would Like to Welcome...
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Glen Lea Golf Course
Sponsorship Opportunities Available
We would like to welcome Becky Farguson, the newest office member to the Brandon Chamber of Commerce as the Internal Relations Coordinator. A true Brandonite at heart, she did take a brief hiatus for schooling but moved back and started her family. Having a young family, she appreciates that Brandon has the amenities of a much larger center but still the feel and safety of a smaller community. Her past work experience has given her the connection to locals and visitors alike and strongly promotes supporting local businesses. Becky will be happy to assist you with all event registrations, invoice payments and general Chamber inquiries. She can be reached by email at internal@brandonchamber.ca.
Call 204-571-5344
Is a labor shortage affecting your business? We may have the solution! The Brandon Chamber of Commerce is proud to partner with the InterProvincial Association on Native Employment (IANE) Westman Chapter to host this event, designed to connect aboriginal job seekers with employers. We encourage job seekers to come prepared with resumes ready to meet potential employers. For more information contact Ashleigh at external@brandonchamber.ca or 204-571-5340
www.brandonchamber.ca
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Working for you... (GM’s Article, continued from page 2) you think would be valuable please let us know. implement in their business right away. Sometimes in the ins and outs of the everyday workday you can get caught up in Sincerely, doing things as you have always done. These workshops offer some suggestions for change and offer a different perspective on some important issues that affect all businesses. We are currently working on a other workshops as well, so be sure to regularly check out our calendar of events to make sure you don’t miss out. Workshop topics of interest are typically identified by members, so if you have any ideas on a topic that
Carolynn Cancade, General Manager Brandon Chamber of Commerce Carolynn can be reached by email at gm@brandonchamber.ca
(Presidents Article continued from page 1)
growth and cut the red tape whenever possible. Small and medium enterprises (SME) are the engine of Canada's growth. SME's employ approximately 52% of all Canada's working population. We as Chambers must continue to foster favourable environments for entrepreneurship and we must continue to lobby our local governments, and other levels of government, to provide a policy framework that is advantageous for entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs must be given an environment to flourish as they will be the drivers behind our modern global economies. There is no one way to foster this and each region will need to create its own framework for growth. We must play our own part, but continue to lobby our local governing bodies to help us create an environment that will generate current and future prosperity in our City and in our region. Brandon has been recognized as a Community in Bloom, now let’s make our mark as a Community in Boom.
Yours in business,
Nate Andrews, President Brandon Chamber of Commerce Nate can be reached by email at president@brandonchamber.ca
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www.brandonchamber.ca
Business Succession Ensure you have a choice By Jeanne Millis, CA (BDO Canada LLP)
One day you will sell your business– either voluntarily at a time that is right for you, or involuntarily when death, ill health, reduced profitability or other external factors drive your decision. Discover how to create a choice. Thom Penmaen is 65 years old and under pressure from his family to retire. As the owner/manager of Penmaenship Tool and Die, Thom has spent over 40 years building his company. He has a great vision for the future of his business and has much he still wants to accomplish. Most veteran entrepreneurs can relate to Thom’s position. The last thing on their minds is exiting the business before they are ready. How and when to transition their business is a choice every business owner should have. However, by not planning ahead, Thom is actually reducing the likelihood that he will have that choice, and diminishing the chances of realizing his vision for the business. Thom needs to consider what’s required to ensure his goals will be met even if he is not physically able to lead the charge. One day Thom will sell – either voluntarily at a time that is right for him, or involuntarily when death, ill health, reduced profitability or other external factors drive his decision. Thom needs to be proactive in ensuring he has the choice to sell voluntarily. Thom can sell to someone inside the family or business (an internal sale), or to someone outside the family or business (an external sale). To give himself maximum choice in selecting the right buyer, Thom should plan ahead. Every veteran business owner like Thom needs a concrete plan of action and the ability to monitor that plan regularly. Fortunately, planning for an internal sale also enables the choice to sell externally. For example, preparing for an internal sale involves building a management team that can carry the torch beyond Thom’s tenure. While Thom is grooming a prospective successor for an internal sale, he is also enhancing one of the key drivers for a viable external sale. He is also ensuring he has more control over the timing of an external sale to avoid selling during a buyer’s market.
www.brandonchamber.ca
Preparing for a Voluntary Sale When preparing for the sale of your business, you must build a system that eventually sees the day-to-day decision-making pass from you to one or more persons within your business. Create a management group that could successfully carry the business should something happen to you. Building this system takes years, but is critical to enabling an internal sale. Imagine yourself out of the picture. What needs to be done to ensure your business can function? How long will that take? What are the priorities? This process is called “professionalizing the business” and it incorporates the following steps: Identify what’s most important to you regarding the future direction of your business. Share that vision with key members of your family and management team to define a group focus or common interest in moving forward. Involve this group in developing a concrete plan to achieve your common interest. Determine the capabilities needed to implement this plan. Then take inventory of the strengths currently in-house. Look closely at your own role. Identify the areas that do not utilize your core strengths. Match these functions to people who would get more energy from working in these areas. This is the beginning of the process to ensuring the business can function well without you. Assign the authority and accountability to go along with each of the responsibilities awarded. Create a mentoring plan to increase the skill sets and confidence of the management team and groom prospective successors. Check how the system is running without you by taking increasingly longer vacations. If you are reluctant to take an extended vacation, chances are the business is not yet ready for sale. Most importantly, recognize that this management transition is a long-term objective rather than a short-term goal. This process is creating an investment that is attractive to buyers from both inside and outside the business – prospective buyers can see how the business can continue to thrive without you. Remember, this preparation doesn’t mean that either you or Thom are necessarily going to sell any time soon – only that your businesses are ready for sale when the time is right. Jeanne Millis is a partner with BDO Canada’s Brandon office. She has many years experience working with entrepreneurs to grow and transition their businesses. Jeanne can be reached at jmillis@bdo.ca or (204) 727-0671. 7
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Brandon Chamber of Commerce Calendar of Events 2013 CALL FOR NOMINATIONS 130th Annual Dinner Masquerade
2012-2013
Board of Directors Nate Andrews, President Guild Insurance Brokers Inc. Craig Senchuk, Vice-President Agri-Trend Business Management Todd Birkhan, Secretary/Treasurer BDO Canada LLP Cam Clark, Past-President CKLQ-StarFM Frank Arndt myITsource.ca/MTS Connect Corral Centre Denny Bouchard Mazergroup Daniel A. Burns Burns Maendel Consulting Engineers Ltd.
In April, the Election Committee will be accepting nominations to stand for the election to the Board of Directors of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce. Keep your eyes open for nomination forms. For more information contact Carolynn Cancade, General Manager at 204-571-5342 or gm@brandonchamber.ca The Chamber is the voice of business. Make your voice heard.
Terry Carlisle Cando Contracting Ltd.
Friday, March 15, 2013 Keystone Centre—Manitoba Room 5:45 PM Cocktails Sponsored in part by: BDO Canada LLP
State of the Province Luncheon Thursday, April 18, 2013 Keystone Centre—UCT Room 11:30 AM—1:00 PM Sponsor: Westman Communications Group
BA5: Keystone Centre Thursday, April 25, 2013 5:00 PM—7:00 PM
State of the City Luncheon Thursday, May 16, 2013 Keystone Centre—UCT Room 11:30 AM—1:00 PM Sponsor: Brandon First
Presidents Luncheon & Changeover Thursday, June 6, 2013 Victoria Inn—Grand Salon 11:30 AM—1:00 PM Sponsor: Crocus Credit Union
Karla Dane Meighen Haddad LLP Jordan Ludwig Brandon Business Interiors Carla Milne MNP LLP
www.brandonchamber.ca
Bonnie Nay-Draper Manitoba Entrepreneurship, Training & Trade Sharon Shepherd West-Fit Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic Chad Wallin Joe Beeverz Bar & Grill
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Chamber at a Glance is published six times per year by: The Brandon Chamber of Commerce 1043 Rosser Avenue | Brandon, MB R7A 0L5 Phone: (204) 571-5340 | Fax: (204) 571-5347 www.brandonchamber.ca
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EDITING & DESIGN: Ashleigh Salo PRINTING: Leech Printing Ltd.
Ashleigh Salo, External Relations Coordinator 204-571-5344 external@brandonchamber.ca
Who we are: The Brandon Chamber of Commerce is an independent, membership funded, non-profit organization that represents Brandon business from the grassroots level. Our Mission: To encourage growth in the Brandon community by fostering a progressive business environment favorable to enhancing existing and attracting new business.
Carolynn Cancade, General Manager 204-571-5342 gm@brandonchamber.ca
Becky Farguson, Internal Relations Coordinator 204-571-5340 internal@brandonchamber.ca
www.brandonchamber.ca 8