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Vivian Kaye : An Inspiring Woman Entrepreneur to Follow

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Teara Fraser

Teara Fraser

Vivian Kaye

An Inspiring Woman Entrepreneur to Follow

Founder & CEO, KinkyCurlyYaki

What do you call a woman who never succumbed to societal pressures and made her way through to success? We call her Vivian Kaye! She is the Founder of KinkyCurlyYaki, the first-ever hair extension company made for the Black women, by a Black woman. She is a Ghanaian immigrant and as one among four sisters, she never conformed to the societal norms of attending school and then getting into a stable job. She, however, got her entrepreneurial stint from her mother, who used to sell wares at a Ghanaian market, tucking Vivian on her back. Vivian is an effervescent and empowered Black woman, who never fit into the mould and strived hard to do something for the women belonging to her community.

How KinkyCurlyYaki Started?

Vivian, after finishing high school, realized that she wasn

’t meant for the traditional way of getting a college degree for herself. She knew that she was a confident, bold, young woman who can make her way through to being a successful woman entrepreneur in the future. She started working at call centers and this led her to a job in an organization that supported entrepreneurs. She soon got a lot of encouragement from her boss who would push her to try new things at work.

She started with her own wedding business as a side hustle and within a few more months of being into it, she understood that she really had to do something for the Black women who are always on the lookout for hair extensions that would suit their appearances.

Vivian had already started her venture, Vivian ’ s

Décor. So, whenever she would go out for meetings, she always wanted her hair to look presentable. That’ s when she thought of doing something on her own. While she would frantically search for a hair extension that would suit her complexion and her curly and kinky hair texture, she only found silkier, blonde options. She soon realized that the entire market of Black women would be having the same issue with their hair extension needs and it was then that her KinkyCurlyYaki came into existence.

About KinkyCurlyYaki

Vivian, being the owner of kinky and curly hair, has always been proud of it. However, she soon found out that there were several Black women out there, who damaged their hair in search of getting artificial hair textures. She also found out that the hair extension companies mostly dealt in silky, blonde hair textures which would look too artificial on a Black woman. So, the idea of KinkyCurlyYaki struck her mind.

This company is all about the kinky and curly hair extensions and clip-on for Black women. These natural-looking hair extensions are already a hit amongst Black women in Canada and the US. So much so, that when she had started with this brand, she soon hit the $1 million mark with just word of mouth! She didn ’t place a single ad to sell her products and it all worked out through influencer marketing. To know more about the company, visit https://www.kinkycurlyyaki.com/

To know more about Vivian Kaye, an inspiring woman entrepreneur in Canada, visit https://viviankaye.com/

For more such updates on strong women entrepreneurs in Canada, do not forget to subscribe to our monthly CanadianSME Small Business Magazine.

Marketing for Manufacturing Businesses: 7 Tips to Do It Better

Making use of proper marketing techniques is essential for any business. However, most manufacturing businesses in Canada feel that they do not really require the help of the internet to stay ahead of their competition. They are wrong, though! The Internet can always help any business to reach more people than ever before.

A few years back, manufacturers would create goods, train their staff, and send their sales professionals to connect directly with their potential customers at various trade shows, seminars, offices, etc. Even a decade ago, such sales-only relationships with partners worked just fine. But in today ’ s competitive business landscape, manufacturers need to take help from internet marketing to up their business game.

How COVID-19 Impacted the Manufacturing Industry

The pandemic took a toll on the manufacturing businesses. As per the reports by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) in Feb-March 2020, around 35.5% of manufacturers faced issues related to supply chain management. Also, 78% of them felt a kind of uncertainty towards the running of their business due to COVID-19. And this resulted in the manufacturing businesses dwelling more into the solutions of digital marketing.

However, the B2B digital sales grew at a whooping rate of 10.9% and generated nearly $9 trillion. For a long time, the manufacturers stayed away from the e-commerce segment. However, they are now realizing the worth of the internet and thinking about ways to promote their business better with the right kind of marketing strategies.

In 2020, the manufacturing and distribution sales grew by 1.7%, which is $17.5 trillion.

Top Seven Tips of Marketing Your Manufacturing Business Better

1. Content Advertising

This technique is a tried and tested one. And advertising is generally the easiest way to promote your services in front of your target audience. In order to make your product name heard and seen by others, you should have a robust content advertising technique. The internet makes it easy to advertise through different means. Whether it’ s through a website, search engines, print, social media, or television, you can find several options to promote your advertising content for your brand.

2. Website Management and Digital Marketing

Despite the fact that online marketing is the best way to promote a business today, several manufacturers are still lagging behind. However, you can take this leap and improve your brand’ s sales better with a fresh website design, an improved business listing on Google, and a robust SEO strategy. This will help you gain better ROI in no time! After all, the postpandemic scenario is the best time to make a digital impact on your manufacturing business in Canada.

3. Press Release and Emailers

Now, although you might feel that these two will come under the whole spectrum of digital marketing, the truth is, you need to give a lot of importance to press releases and email marketing as well. So, if you have any new product coming up, or you want to let your clients know about any particular upcoming event, press releases can help. You can also let them know through emailers. These two modes will make it easier for you to grab the attention of your target audiences and clients better.

4. Take Part in Events

Business events are an amazing way to meet new people. Being a part of such events can also boost your brand recognition and build trust amongst your consumers. You can also sponsor such events and negotiate a deal that could be beneficial for both parties. Today, events are less likely to be held in person. However, virtual events and webinars are very common marketing tools these days that can help you generate a great number of leads while magnifying your potential client base.

5. Take Part in Award Shows

If you own a small manufacturing business in Canada, you might already know that 97% of the nation ’ s economy is generated by small businesses. And we, at CanadianSME, ensure to be in full support of the small and medium enterprises in the nation. For this, we have yearly award shows which are dedicated to the small business owners and their professional accolades. These award shows are an amazing opportunity to network and grow within a community.

6. Striking Business Cards

Even though digital marketing has its own perks, we shouldn ’t forget the effects of the humble business cards! You should have a properly made business card as a physical token to be handed out to your potential clients while networking. If you can get in touch with the best printing company, you can avail some great offers for your bulk orders related to business cards. Do not forget to do some research about the designs before making one for your manufacturing business.

7. Share Samples with Clients

No matter whether you create a physical product or a service, you can always share a few samples with your customers or clients. This is a great way of marketing and is usually done by some biggest brands in business events and seminars. This is also an amazing way to increase trust amongst your client base, boost consumer satisfaction and show your confidence regarding your products.

Wrapping It Up

Manufacturing businesses in Canada should now totally take the marketing leap for better ROI. Marketing for manufacturers was often looked down upon in the past. However, times have changed and it’ s now necessary to ensure that your services and products are reaching the right people, even though we all are working from home. And what' s a better way of doing that than digital marketing? For more such amazing updates on small businesses in Canada, subscribe to our monthly CanadianSME Small Business magazine.

Small Business Magazine

Empowering Small and Medium Businesses

CM&E

Manufacturing Business in Canada

The manufacturing industry in Canada is a cornerstone for its modern economy. The industry accounts for around $174 billion of the nation ’ s GDP. And the manufacturing sector represents more than 10% of the total GDP in Canada. Manufacturers in this country exports more than $354 billion every year, which represents around 68% of all of the nation ’ s merchandise exports. All of this adds up to around 1.7 million full-time jobs all across Canada. The fact that the manufacturing sector is now modernizing with innovative and high-tech tools, the manufacturing businesses now have more skilled workforce including researchers, designers, programmers, technicians, engineers, traders and so on.

What is CM&E? Their Vision and Values

Since the first industrial boom in Canada, the CM&E (Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters) has been supporting the member interests. The company is nearly 150 years strong and has already earned several accolades for its extensive track record for working with more than 2000 leading manufacturers in the country and helping them grow. CM&E’ s success comes from their integration with the best of industries, which are run by the topmost manufacturers. The company is led by a national board of directors who have been senior leaders in diversified Canadian manufacturing businesses of all sizes. CM&E deals with the challenges of manufacturing organizations.

The company has member-driven services and programs which are meant for helping manufacturers work towards their businesses. CM&E partners with the businesses to strengthen their competitive advantages and to build their capacity in some of the key areas in business. CM&E can be the advocate of the manufacturing businesses to project them better in front of the government of Canada. They actively work for influencing and recommending effective policies which will allow the manufacturers to compete in the country as well as abroad. CM&E has a few core values which it swears by:

Innovation is important for success in every business. And CM&E believes that every organization should be innovative with their ideas to succeed. Hence, the company provides great value to investment in technological advancements, as they believe it to be the key to boosting competitiveness and success.

The company believes in the fact that the manufacturing industry plays a huge role in the nation ’ s economy. Hence, it proposes different policies to enable growth, competitiveness, and innovation.

The core value of CM&E is trust and integrity. The company is solely guided by data and represents only its members ’ interests to fulfill their mission.

CM&E is not here to influence but to advocate. The organization is already able to influence its regulatory policies on behalf of its members.

Their Mission for the Upcoming Years

CM&E’ s mission is to enable its members to compete positively in Canada as well as with their international counterparts. The company also ensures that the manufacturing industry is recognized by the public as well as the policy-makers as a crucial part of the nation ’ s economy.

The company aims to support its members through various programs and help them specifically address some of the top concerns in the manufacturing industry like labor shortage, productivity issues, capital access, and so on.

Denis Darby – President and CEO, CM&E

After being the CEO of the Ontario Pharmacists

’ Association, and an exciting 24 years of career in senior management roles in Procter & Gamble, including leadership roles in Europe and the US, Denis joined CM&E in 2017. He earned a degree in Chemical Engineering and Management from McMaster University in 1984. He is also an accredited corporate director and got his ICD.D designation in 2011. The company also aims at facilitating opportunities for manufacturers to meet and learn from each other, grow together, by being a part of events and several B2B networks.

The company influences decision-makers at the federal & provincial levels as a strong voice of the manufacturing industry, whether on behalf of a company or an entire sector.

CM&E recognizes the manufacturing and exporting industry of Canada and aims at being a driving force behind its members to become a global leader and innovator in advanced manufacturing. If you are a manufacturing business in Canada, get in touch with CM&E to take your organization to the next level of success.

To know more about the CME&E, click here https://cme-mec.ca/.

For more such updates on different organizations in Canada, do not forget to subscribe to our monthly CanadianSME Small Business magazine.

WHY EMBRACING CHANGE IS KEY

TO SUCCESS FOR CANADIAN MANUFACTURERS?

The manufacturing industry has been a significant contributor to the economy of Canada. In British Columbia itself, it is the third largest source of employment. More than 400,000 jobs in the country depend on manufacturing. Some industry experts might say that the manufacturing sector has become unpredictable since the market collapse in 2008. However, what is becoming more apparent is the fact that a huge transformation has already occurred in this sector, and with the advent of technology, the manufacturing industry in Canada is making way for all new process-oriented approaches.

Manufacturing Productivity Growth in Canada

Industry 4.0 has transformed the manufacturing industry around the world. The advent of digital, biological and physical revolutions has lowered the operating costs, increased flexibility, reduced waste and improved the overall product quality. And technological advancements have opened new doors for innovation. Canada always had a poor investment record in terms of innovation in the manufacturing sector. The manufacturers have been underestimating the role of technology in the industry. As a result, the productivity growth has been slowest in the last 15 years or so.

However, times are now changing. Canada is home to several dynamic manufacturing companies that are at the forefront of technology adoption. And these businesses are benefiting from greater effectiveness, lower costs, and an increased capacity in delivering innovative and customizable products. As a result of which, the manufacturing industry in Canada is seeing rapid growth.

As per CME’ s Management Issues Survey 2018, 40.1% of respondents currently use advanced manufacturing technologies. Indeed, it is a huge growth in terms of Canadian manufacturing companies who are embracing Industry 4.0. In 2016, the percentage was 37.9. This means, there has been a steady growth in the numbers. Also, the report stated that more than half of the respondents in 2018 have plans on investing in newer technologies in manufacturing in the next three years.

Today, the fact remains that more than half of the manufacturing businesses in Canada are not investing in advanced technologies. And close to another half does not have any immediate plans of doing so. The report also states that there have not been many investments done in terms of embracing technology in the manufacturing sector since 2010 in Canada. The 2017 report by BDC, Industry 4.0: The New Industrial Revolution, suggested that even though digital technologies have gained traction in Canada, the manufacturing sector is still at a very early stage of embracing the rules of Industry 4.0.

State of Advanced Technology in the Canadian Manufacturing Industry

The report stated that only 3% of businesses have implemented the Industry 4.0 projects, while the rest 36% are halfway through the process. Meanwhile, 42% of the manufacturing companies in the nation have not done anything at all yet.

As a result of this, the Canadian manufacturing businesses are lagging behind in terms of investments in new machinery, technologies, and equipment from their international counterparts.

OECD data also suggests that the Canadian gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) has only risen by 6% in the last five years. That is quite below the average of OECD which is 24.6 %. The GFCF growth rate in the US was 26%, EU was 30% and Ireland and Iceland have recorded double growth in the last five years.

Technological Gaps in Small Manufacturing Businesses

CME’ s Management Issues Survey in 2018 pointed out that there has been a significant gap in the tech adoption rate in small-scale manufacturing companies. The survey also stated that only 26% of the small businesses have incorporated advanced manufacturing technologies. For the large businesses, the percentage went up to 61%. Naturally, small businesses are less likely to invest in advanced technologies even in the future. When they were asked about whether they are considering making such investments in the future or not, 40% of them answered in affirmative.

The small manufacturing businesses were also of the view that the Canadian government isn ’t supportive enough towards them. Also, they felt that the government tax and regulatory policies were been less supportive towards them over the past three years. The survey findings also focused on the need for specific policies which are tailored just for the small manufacturers. Small businesses also wished for the government to provide them with investment incentives that would be better suited for their requirements so that it can promote their growth and reduce the overall cost of doing business in the country.

Why Canada isn’t Taking the Leap Yet?

As we can see, digitization in the manufacturing industry has been proven beneficial in almost every nation. Then why is Canada lagging behind? There isn ’t any particular answer to this. However, the local business culture, the overarching economic conditions, and corporate leadership might be stated as a few reasons. Three major reasons for this could be –

A lack of data about the technologies that are available. This is preventing businesses from making confident, informed, and strategic decisions related to digitization.

High purchase costs and uncertain ROI which is causing companies to hesitate on pulling the trigger while making new technological investments.

Labour and skills shortages are preventing the manufacturers as well in optimizing the use of those newer technologies.

Wrapping It Up

Industry 4.0 is revolutionizing the manufacturing sector all around the world. Companies that have already embraced digitization will realize extraordinary improvements in terms of work efficiency, greater flexibility, adaptability and lower operating costs. Although Canada is lagging behind other countries, we can still hope that it catches up real soon. If the nation wishes to maintain a competitive manufacturing sector, it is important to include manufacturing technologies and digitization in its work processes.

5 Ways to Improve Productivity

in the Manufacturing Industry

By CanadianSME

The manufacturing industry in Canada represents more than 10% of the nation ’ s total GDP, which accounts for almost $174 billion of the same. In the manufacturing sector, productivity equals money. And in today ’ s fierce marketplace, the manufacturing industry needs to be on the competitive edge and accept digitization for better end results. But before that, the manufacturing companies need to ensure that they are productive enough to rise higher.

Why Productivity in Manufacturing is Vital?

COVID-19 has resulted in a disruption in the global supply chain. Before that, however, the demand for goods was on an incline. As markets are slowly getting stabilized and companies adopting the new normal, there has been an increase in productivity as well as operational efficiency for competing on a global scale. And quite naturally, the manufacturing industry in Canada should follow suit.

So, how to measure productivity in manufacturing? Of course, there are a few simple ways which the manufacturing businesses can follow to achieve higher rates of productivity.

1. Integrate Digital Communication Tools

COVID-19 has resulted in a disruption in the global supply chain. Before that, however, the demand for goods was on an incline. As markets are slowly getting stabilized and companies adopting the new normal, there has been an increase in productivity as well as operational efficiency for competing on a global scale. And quite naturally, the manufacturing industry in Canada should follow suit.

So, how to measure productivity in manufacturing? Of course, there are a few simple ways which the manufacturing businesses can follow to achieve higher rates of productivity.

2. Prioritize on Employee Training

For you, starting with your team would be an effective way to attain productivity in your manufacturing business. You should employ proper coordination between the teammates and should have a very transparent business process. Also, employee training should be an integral part of your productivity strategy. Not only the regular safety training programs should be a priority but you should also incorporate detailed training logs every now and then.

3. Follow Waste Management Practices

Even if most manufacturing businesses might think that producing more waste is equivalent to being more productive, the reality is slightly different. You can also produce more waste if your productivity isn ’t of high quality and not good enough to be sold to the customers. Both your employees and your machines are capable of making mistakes and hence, it’ s important to train people in your organization better in order to manage wastes better.

4. Carry Out Workflow Inspections

For you, starting with your team would be an effective way to attain productivity in your manufacturing business. You should employ proper coordination between the teammates and should have a very transparent business process. Also, employee training should be an integral part of your productivity strategy. Not only the regular safety training programs should be a priority but you should also incorporate detailed training logs every now and then.

5. Incorporate Digital Manufacturing

Industry 4.0, with advanced technological inventions, has powered every single industry. The Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) is helping manufacturers worldwide to overcome their productivity-related challenges more effectively. So, the implementation of augmented reality will help you to reduce time and cost of training your employees, and will help you generate production at a faster rate.

Wrapping it Up

If you wish to improve your manufacturing productivity, you need to understand that embracing the new technological advancements will help you sort the issues better. Also, having clear communication with your team will help you understand their concerns better. And the abovelisted 5 points will help you to get a head start in improving the overall productivity in your manufacturing business in Canada.

Government Procurement –

Modernizing For a More Accessible Marketplace

The Government of Canada is one of the largest purchasers in the country, spending on average $22 billion annually on a wide variety of goods, services, and construction.

Wondering if this marketplace is right for you? Interested in adding the federal government to your client list? Want to learn how to pursue these opportunities and grow your business?

Procurement Assistance Canada (PAC) can help!

PAC, as part of Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), is here to help increase access for smaller and diverse businesses to federal contracting opportunities. Upcoming PAC Ontario Events

Best Defence Conference

Canadian Small Business Women

Government to Business Fair

Federal Procurement Virtual Drop–in Café

Innovation Information Forum

Nov 16-17

Nov 20

Nov 25-26

Nov 24

Dec 9

You May Have Noticed We Rebranded!

Procurement Assistance Canada (PAC )was formerly the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME).The new name emphasizes the procurementrelated services offered by PAC, with a stronger focus on the participation of under-represented businesses in federal procurement. PAC will continue to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), with an increased focus on businesses owned or operated by Black, Indigenous, sexually diverse, and gender diverse individuals; women; youth; and people with disabilities, as well as businesses that focus on accessibility and green or clean technology.PAC will also continue to inform, assist, and guide businesses throughout their federal procurement journey with a number of education and support services, including self-serve reference tools, webinars, workshops, and personalized one-on-one assistance.

An Action PAC-ked Small Business Month How You Can Get Involved

Small Business Month is always an exciting period for PAC-OR, as the team participated in more than 20 events to celebrate the growth of small businesses in Canada. The Small Business Diversity Forum, Supply Chain Canada National Conference, Circular Procurement Summit, Doing Business with Government: Mississauga Edition, and supplied Knowledge Exchange are a few of the notable PAC-OR-led and partnered events in October.PAC-OR also partnered with the CanadianSME for the Small Business Summit with a virtual booth and workshop to support small businesses bid on federal procurement opportunities. PAC can help you to better understand how the government buys goods and services, and how you can access the process to bid on federal contracting opportunities and grow your business.

In 2022, PAC Ontario and partners will host three unique Innovation Information Forums. The first will center on SMEs in the green and clean technology sector, the second will emphasize Black-led or owned businesses and the third will focus on businesses owned or led by women.

G2B Information Fair & Workshops is Back

On November 25-26, 2021, PAC-Ontario will host its annual Government to Business (G2B) Information Fair and Workshops in partnership with Invest Windsor-Essex. The two-day virtual conference will focus on supporting the growth of women-led businesses with presentations, panels, and virtual cafés from government and local partners. The conference will also include interactive sessions to support small businesses, along with government procurement opportunities and innovation programs and services.

Interested in attending the PAC-OR G2B conference? Register now to secure your seat for the conference. Join us for all of our special and regular event offerings or contact the PAC Ontario office at 1-800-668-5378 or email us if you have any questions. For support outside Ontario or in the National Capital Area, we have PAC regional offices across Canada to help support you.

Business Woman of the Month

Mandy Rennehan

CEO & Founder at Freshco.ca The Amazing Blue-Collar CEO

Mandy Rennehan is redefining the Blue-Collar jobs. She is called the BlueCollar CEO for a reason. With her uncensored style of doing business, she has navigated between the white and bluecollar employment spheres.

What is she good at apart from being this huge change in the entrepreneurial industry? Well, she helps people move away from their fears, ignore their worrywarts, and unleash their superpowers. She is truly determined to help solve the global shortage of skilled trade and redefine the term ‘blue-collar ’ . Also, she believes that the world should encourage the youth to go for a blue-collar career with the same kind of zeal that they get while going for white-collar career options.

How Did it Start?

Mandy was born in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. She was raised in a humble household, with her father being a lobster fisherman. Her family of six faced several challenges as they had to rely on seasonal fishing. And this struggle motivated her to look out for a different life with no financial hardships. So, when her fellow kids were busy playing, she was busy hunting for baits and selling them to the local fishermen to gain profits. She was soon named as the

‘local fish broker ’ , with an entrepreneurial vision at the age of 10!

She left her home when she was 18 with a desire to make her parents ’ lives easier and comfortable. She started working night shifts for local contractors for free, just to gain experience about the industry. Soon after, her ability to lead people and find cracks in the industry spread all across Halifax, Nova Scotia. And in 1995, Freshco came into existence.

What is Freshco?

No, it’ s not the departmental grocery store you may think about. Rather, it’ s the very first 24/7, fullservice, on-call retail maintenance provider with full coverage across Canada and the eastern USA. Today, the company is one of the most successful and financially responsible maintenance businesses in the country with three collective divisions –Projects, Maintenance, and Reconstruction. Freshco now serves some of the major retail giants like Apple, Anthopologie, Banana Republic, Home Depot, Bell Media, LuluLemon, Restoration Hardware, Nike, RBC, Sephora, Tiffany & Co., and a lot more.

A Little Bit More on Mandy the ‘Bear’ Rennehan…

She is often termed as the humble ‘Bear ’ in

business, but she

’ s done things right for which she has been awarded several accolades including, Canada ' s Most Admired CEO, Atlantic Business Magazine ' s CEO of the Year, the Toronto Region Board of Trade Business Leader of the Year, Top 25 Women of Influence, the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur “Momentum ” Award, Growth 500 Excellence in Innovation, (WXN’ s) Top 100 Most Powerful Women – Hall of Fame, CGLCC LGBT Business of the Year and Atlantic Business Magazine ’ s Top 50 CEOs.

To know more about here, visit https://mandyrennehan.com/about-mandy/

To know more about Freshco, visit https://freshco.ca/

And to know more about such amazing women entrepreneurs in Canada, do not forget to subscribe to our monthly CanadianSME Small Business Magazine.

10 Tips to Integrate Security Into SME Cultures

By Jon Druker

ProductMarketingManager, OVHCloud

Creating a strong culture is important for businesses of any size and there’s an increasing need for security protocols to be a central part of a company’s identity.

Small businesses make up over 97 percent of enterprises in Canada and many have had to shift their operations to a more digital focus due to the pandemic. Information Technology (IT) teams were thrust into figuring out several challenges employees faced, including staying protected from cyberthreats.

Conversations between team members through online platforms along with data and information being shared over networks have meant more reliance on IT systems to keep sensitive data secure. Some of the online scam attempts seen over the last 20 months include phishing, identity fraud, and impersonation that all propagated a large amount of malware, such as ransomware and Trojan horse viruses.

As small business owners look to grow the companies and expand consumer bases, instilling the necessary security protocols to ensure sensitive information isn’t reached by bad actors is vital.

Here are 10 tips for SMEs owners to talk with their employees about to keep their company secure:

1. Keep the software on your device updated.

2. Use your device and/or secure remote desktop for

professional purposes only.

3. Use a VPN for connections with your internal systems.

4. Regularly change your passwords, including your home

router password.

5. Do not install unauthorized software or applications.

6. Do not share confidential information in non-encrypted

emails.

7. During video conferencing, ensure your visual environment

is secure and that you won ’t disclose confidential data by

accident.

8. While on the phone, make sure to identify whom you are

speaking with. If in doubt, don ’t disclose any information.

9. Be careful what you publish on social media. For example,

photos of your home office may reveal confidential

information.

10. Follow your security team ’ s guidelines and stay alert. The digital transition period also saw, and continues to see, companies shift their infrastructure to the cloud. If you’re a small business owner and you’re looking for a cloud service provider, look for one that has worked to establish open and trusted cloud security protocols. These providers will have adapted their scope to ensure compliance and certify data isn’t intercepted or analyzed by authorities overseas while implementing security best practices across the board.

Hybrid working models are looking increasingly likely of staying put, leaving SMEs at a greater risk of malicious threats. While these guidelines can’t provide immunity from threats, they do provide a useful starting point for companies looking to reduce risks and develop robust security operations. Company secrets and financial data need to stay secure, and this updated working model has put new responsibility on companies and IT teams.

Collaboration between cloud service providers, businesses, IT professionals, and employees will need to be increased to maintain strong security practices.

Iceberg Digital Marketing Agency

Your Perfect Small Business Partner in Canada

About the Company

If you own a small business in Canada and if digital marketing is on your mind, get right into conversation with Iceberg Digital Marketing Agency. This digital marketing agency aims at providing small businesses with affordable marketing strategies for the digital space. Wish to know more? Keep reading!

Iceberg Digital Marketing Agency is a full-service agency based out of Canada and also has an Australian branch. It provides digital marketing in Canada, focused on helping small businesses navigate through the space better with strategies that work for them! The team at Iceberg Digital strives to be affordable as well as effective without skimping on quality service; their experts are committed towards providing clients what they need: tricks up your sleeve when attracting customers or ensuring retention rate doesn 't slip away too quickly.

About the Founders

Lilly Liu

Digital Strategist

Lily Liu is the digital strategist and the cofounder of Iceberg Digital Marketing Agency. She has a Master ' s degree in Business and Marketing, along with more than 12 years of experience in the field of digital marketing. She has worked in countries like India, Australia and Canada, and she realised quite early in her career that providing companies with the right kind of digital marketing strategies is the need of the hour. She has worked for companies like Renault and Whirlpool, and also led quite a few enterprise-wide digital transformation projects, along with the creation of high-conversion websites. Fiona Carvalho

Accounts Director

Fiona is the creative influencer and accounts director at Iceberg Digital Marketing Agency. She is great at delivering solutions that are financially viable and functional. Besides her passion for aesthetic designs, she also has a strong commitment towards consistency, clarity, and conversions in the sphere of digital marketing. She has exceptional project management skills which she offers in this company to acquire clients, retain them and streamline projects accordingly.

To know more about the company and to avail their customized digital marketing solutions for your small business in Canada, visit https://www.icebergdigital.marketing/.

Ayming Canada: Partnering with Small Businesses for Supporting their Growth

Are you looking for ways to grow your small business in Canada? At Ayming, they see things differently. They believe that earlystage companies need and deserve proper support to ensure that they can grow and innovate in a non-dilutive manner. Ayming ’ s services are strategically focused on helping companies of any size, big or small, leverage lucrative government funding.

A global consulting firm specializing in government funding for over 35 years, Ayming helps companies secure millions of dollars annually through federal and provincial grants, SR&ED Tax Credits, and optimization of indirect expenditures.

Ayming’sServices

The Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) Tax Credit Program offers some of the most lucrative tax credits in the world. This program provides more than $3 billion to over 20,000 claimants annually, making it the single largest federal program to support innovation in Canada. In addition, every year, the federal and provincial governments allocate billions of dollars in the form of non-repayable grants and interestfree loans to support Canadian businesses. The main objective is to facilitate growth and prosperity in the economy by encouraging investments and continuous innovation. Ayming Canada is a consulting firm that specializes in securing these tax credits and government grants for its clients.

Setting themselves apart from any other firm in Canada, Ayming can increase your overall return by offering a combined funding approach. Their experts prepare you not only to apply for lucrative SR&ED Tax Credits but also prepare you for secure federal and provincial grants in the areas of hiring, training, R&D, capital purchases, clean technology, and export growth. This combined strategy of SR&ED and grants results in significantly increased funding for their clients.

Several early-stage companies don

’t realize that they pre-qualify to claim R&D grants and see value in working with Ayming because they can assist with a comprehensive offer on both SR&ED and grant funding. Having one firm handle your SR&ED and grant applications ensures that there is consistency on how the R&D projects are being presented and positioned and that there is no duplicating of expenditures. The end result of this strategy ensures that companies subsidize a much higher chunk of their R&D and technical costs versus just claiming SR&ED alone.

Ayming

’ s team of experts will take the time to understand your current and future planned projects. They will then immediately align these initiatives to all available programs to provide you with the highest ROI and the highest chance of approval. Ayming Canada has been helping businesses fuel their growth. For the last 35 years, the company has been providing government funding and cost reduction services in 15 countries around the globe. Ayming delivers practical solutions to small businesses by becoming an integral part of their decision-making process.

Ayming’sExpertise

Their expertise lies in 4 key areas: SR&ED Tax Credits, Government Grants, Cost Optimization and Tax Recovery.

Ayming is the only firm in Canada to launch a national grants practice and an Express service designed exclusively for earlystage businesses and start-ups. If you own a business in Canada and would like a free analysis of the immediate funding opportunities for your business, visit – www.ayming.ca.

WhyChooseAymingCanada?

Ayming is truly a global firm with operations in 15 countries internationally, securing over $1.5 billion for their 20,000+ satisfied clients. Ayming is the first-ever consulting firm to establish a national grant practice in Canada. Their proprietary AI-driven database of government grants provides real-time access to various programs, which includes custom snapshots of all federal and provincial grants currently available to your business. In case of a government review or SR&ED audit, Ayming will support your business with no extra charge.

Apart from the above-mentioned benefits, with Ayming, businesses will not have to wait for the government agencies to process their SR&ED or grant applications to receive money immediately. This is because Ayming has an exclusive fund of $150 million which can provide its clients with accelerated access through their attractive nondilutive financing offer. In addition to this, they also provide cost optimization services for which they have been ranked #1 worldwide by Capital Magazine. Ayming also boasts a 98.5% success rate on every government claim submitted and they work on a success-fee remuneration, at no risk to you. WrappingitUp

Whether you are a start-up, early-stage business, or established company there are highly lucrative funding options to support you. With offices in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, Ayming ’ s team of experts are spread across the country to better serve you. The company is committed to providing sustainable strategies to businesses for their overall funding and profitability. To know more about them, visit https://www.ayming.ca/about/.

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