CanadianSME Small Business Magazine - February 2023 Edition

Our February issue is officially here and we are very excited about all the great content we have included in this month’s issue! We strive to be Canada’s top magazine in providing exclusive insights, strategies, and advice to small business owners and entrepreneurs. Our mission is to include the best of the inclusive interviews and top business insights from reputable industry experts Our team works very hard in delivering the most valuable content to our readers to ensure that you stay up to date on all the latest business trends Empowering small and medium-sized businesses is our prime goal

CanadianSME is focused on Black History Month and is proud to celebrate the achievements and stories of Black Canadians this month with a special focus on Black History, inspiring business leaders, advice for small businesses, corporate and business travel and much more. With an array of inspiring individuals, it's sure to be a memorable celebration!

“Uncover the Contributions of Black Canadians in Canada and Beyond” with Mona-Lisa Prosper, Director, Black Entrepreneurs at Futurpreneur; “10 Success Stories To Inspire You”; Tiffany Callender, CEO of the Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE) Shares “How FACE Is Making A Positive Impact On The Black Community”; Read Xero’s "Dear advisor" piece with Melissa Lenos, an executive interview with Aaron Doucet "Common myths about questions and what you should be asking yours" and Allison Hawkins article titled: “Tax season anxiety? A CPA answers small business FAQs ”

Enter your company for the 2022 Canadian SME National Business Awards in association with Google Canada by February 25th, and you could win big!

We, at CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, understand that during this new year, small and medium-sized businesses need more support than ever before. These articles provide insights into the tools and resources available and 2023 trends to keep top of mind this year We hope that this month’s issue will help give you the knowledge and information you need to stay ahead in the market

Don't forget to subscribe to our magazine to get the latest trends and stay up to date on all of our events

Until next month, happy reading!

Mentalhealthdrugclaims skyrocketamongyoung Canadians

MENTALHEALTH

Theneedformentalhealth supportishugeandcontinuesto grow Wehaveanimportantrole toplayandareworkingto provideaccesstoquality treatmentthroughworkplace benefitplansacrossCanada,” saidMarie-ChantalCôté,Senior Vice-President,GroupBenefits, SunLife “We’velaunchedseveral innovativesolutionstohelp employerssupportemployees withtheirmentalhealth Fromnew programsandpartnershipsto digitaltoolsandresources,weare committedtotacklingthemental healthcrisisheadon

SMALLBUSINESS

Smallbusinessconfidence remainsmutedinJanuary; governmentcanhelpby addressingtherisingcostof doingbusiness Smallbusinessconfidenceseems tobebetterbutthere’sstillalotof uncertaintyintheeconomy Forthis timeofyear,thelevelsarestillquite low,”saidAndreeaBourgeois, DirectorofEconomicsatCFIB “Many businesseswillcontinuetostruggle underpandemicdebtandrising pricesunlessthegovernmenttakes action”

ConsumerGenius,Canada’s 15thFastestGrowingCompany NominatedfortheSMETop BusinessoftheYearAwardfor 2022bytheCanadianNational BusinessAwardsPresentedby Google

BUSINESSAWARDS

ThankyoutoGoogleandthe CanadianNationalBusinessAwards FinTechandTechnologyFirmshave seenhugesuccessoverthepast fewyearshowevermanyhavealso seenandfacedhugechallenges,” saysPaulHadzoglou,thecompany’s President

Employersmakingprogressonanti-Blackracism,butemployees feararecessioncoulderodeprogress

EMPLOYMENT

Nearlysevenin10(69percent)thinkBlackandracializedpeoplewillbeamong thefirsttolosetheirjobsinapotentialrecession Additionally,73percentbelieve anti-Blackracismeffortsandbroaderdiversity,equityandinclusioninitiativeswill be putonthebackburner’bytheiremployerduringaneconomicdownturn

Uncovering the Contributions of

Black Canadians in Canada and Beyond

We had the pleasure of speaking with Mona-Lisa Prosper, Director of Futurpreneur's Black Entrepreneur Startup Program, who shared her insightful opinions on the most crucial details of black history that must be remembered to make Black History Month more meaningful for all those involved She also discussed the biggest obstacle black entrepreneurs face when starting a business Additionally, she spoke about the crucial improvements in view of the Black Entrepreneur Startup Program's second-anniversary celebrations, the positive results they have observed with program participants, and finally, the fascinating plans Futurpreneur has for the Black Entrepreneur Startup Program in the future

Mona-Lisa is the Director of Futurpreneur's Black Entrepreneur Startup Program. A lawyer by trade, she also gained experience in entrepreneurship, human resources, and economic development through her diverse career. Very involved in her community, she served as the President of the Women’s Young Chamber of Commerce of Québec for the past two years and continues to sit on multiple other boards A proud ambassador of the importance of inclusive governance, she is also involved with different organizations promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion With a penchant for media and communications, she is a collaborator on the show “Zone Économie” on Radio-Canada, hosts the first ever Futurpreneur podcast, Startup + Prosper, and is a guest blogger for the Journal Les Affaires where she highlights entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds in her French blog called "Diversité Prospère"

How can we ensure that Black History Month is more meaningful for everyone involved? What are the most important aspects of black history that need to be remembered?

There are so many things that have been left out of mainstream history books about Black history that it is hard to name just one! In my opinion, the key is to celebrate the impact that Black individuals have had in Canada and the world through time, all while recognizing the barriers that Black communities still face today We should also take this time to assess and plan for how to continue working towards removing these systemic barriers Lastly, the biggest mistake is to have a short-term approach to the initiative created February is indeed Black History Month, but that does not mean that it’s the ”only” month where Black communities should be highlighted and thought about

Mona-Lisa Prosper DirectorofFuturpreneur'sBlack EntrepreneurStartupProgram

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing black entrepreneurs when starting a business?

Lack of access to resources and networks, as well as a lack of business financial literacy Too many Black entrepreneurs solely use personal finances to start their business and are unable to properly scale, but thankfully things are moving in the right direction! A very strong ecosystem for Black entrepreneurs is being built to specifically address these challenges I am excited to see how things evolve within the next 5 years.

Congrats on the Black Entrepreneur Startup program ' s 2nd anniversary! Can you tell us a bit about what the program entails and important updates?

Thank you! We are very excited to be celebrating our second year! The Black Entrepreneur Startup Program is a tailored version of our offering We offer up to $60,000 of loan financing combined with mentorship for 2 years to young Black entrepreneurs aged between 18-39 all over Canada After 2 years, they can come back to us to access up to $40,000 of follow-on financing, which is a first for Futurpreneur since we normally only help startups during their launch period With the follow-on financing component, we are able to help young Black entrepreneurs scale and reach new heights March 24th, 2023, will mark the start of the access to the additional financing, and we are excited to see how it goes

How has the program progressed since it launched two years ago? What kind of success have you seen with participants in the Black Entrepreneur Startup Program?

Since year one, the program has been getting lots of traction, and we have surpassed our projected numbers, which is amazing! During our first year alone, we helped 136 young Black entrepreneurs launch their businesses, and this year, we ’ re on track to surpass that number, which is very promising. The continued success of this program validated its existence!

Can you share any exciting plans

Futurpreneur has for the Black Entrepreneur Startup Program in the future?

We are committed to having a lasting impact on the entrepreneurs we help, so we are always looking to improve and add value to our programs This year, we have extended our team to include a dedicated Programs Specialist to help develop and deliver training that will help more entrepreneurs succeed and receive a loan from us This will also help create more networking opportunities for young Black entrepreneurs throughout Canada

TanyaHayles:TheStorytellerBringing BlackWomenTogether

Tanya Hayles is an award-winning creative, published author, and #Tedx speaker, telling stories, evoking emotions, creating change, building movements, and coloring in white spaces

Tanya grew up in Toronto, Canada, and attended the University of Ottawa She is a writer/speaker who uses her unique and real voice to discuss topics important to her heart, such as parenthood, entrepreneurship, and Black culture.

She knows many ways to tell a story and puts all the puzzle pieces together, using the world's oldest form of connecting with others As a true believer in the power of words, she tells stories to bring visions to life

She handles multiple forms of teaching, including hosting, moderating, keynotes, and panels, as an authentic way of sharing She believes that people learn best when spoken to and not spoken at

Tanya Hayles

Founder of Black Moms Connection

She understands the potential of content and words, from social media captions to op-ed pieces, to evoke emotion, create change, and sway spending She writes editorial pieces about pop culture, social issues, parenthood, race relations, and more In addition, she writes as a ghostwriter and helps clients translate the voice in their heads into books on paper

She is the founder of Black Moms Connection, an online global village of 20,000 and a non-profit that provides culturally relevant programs and resources to educate and empower black mothers and their families

In addition, she also launched the anti-Black racism consulting business Color In White Spaces to work on diversifying motherhood, changing the conversation of diversity and inclusion, and making it real and relatable

Tanya does speaking engagements at conferences, groups, workshops, and events on building online communities, anti-Black racism, and parenting She focuses on the three core pillars: entrepreneurship, parenthood, and Black culture (diversity, inclusion, and representation) She does this in a way that fans, friends, and followers alike, trust her word because she knows they mean things

No matter the medium, Tanya brings her fresh brand of authenticity everywhere, using storytelling to change the world

From community building to freelance writing, from anti-Black racism advocacy to public speaking, Tanya brings her fresh brand of authenticity everywhere she lands

Building A Global Village

Black Moms Connection is a global village of almost 30,000 moms and an incorporated non-profit providing culturally relevant tools, resources and financial grants to empower and educate Black women

When Tanya launched Black Mom Connection as a Facebook page in 2015, they started with 12 women in Toronto By the time the spring of 2016 came, they had gone from 400 to 4000 in 2 months They were becoming a safe space for Black women to connect, share and unite

By the fall of that year, they incorporated as a non-profit in Canada to take the conversations offline and ensure everything they do is tangible and has maximum impact

Today, Black Moms Connection is an online global village of almost 30,000, with chapters in various North American cities and Asia

Through their initiatives, Black Mom Connection strives to increase the social, emotional, financial, and well-being of the Black family and positively impact the communities and economies we live in

They envision being a voice at government and key stakeholder tables, building a community hub which includes much-needed child-care facilities and leveraging themselves as media and brand resource to speak authentically of the Black motherhood experience

Black Mom Connection offers emergency financial grants for moms in need to help them not get caught in the payday loan cycle or add additional burdens to their lives Their BMC Emergency Fund and BMC Rent Bank allow some breathing room for moms across North America

In addition, they offer financial literacy programs and events For example, FinLitU is an 8-week masterclass program and an extension of the BMC FinLit Summit, a 2-day event created for and by the Black community to increase competence and confidence around money

They also offer wellness workshops and retreats through their new vertical: You Ok Mama Often the last to be asked if they are okay, this stream focuses on the moms ' physical, emotional, and mental wellness.

They sit on government roundtables and advocacy committees and show up when the media needs a voice for Black parenting

The Skilled Profesional

Tanya Hayles' interests include pop culture, social justice, event planning, entrepreneurship, parenting, and social media She is a professional in op-eds, corporate writing, biography writing, news reports, speech writing, blogging, interviews, sponsored posts, and event planning

She won multiple prestigious awards that honour her initiatives to better the lives of Black moms. She was the recipient of 2021 Canada's Top 25 Women of Influence, won the 2020 L'Oréal Canada Woman of Worth Award, and was honoured with the 2019 Bank of Montreal Community and Charitable Giving Award In 2017, she was chosen as one of Canada's Top 100 Black Women to Watch and was awarded the 2016 CBC President's Award

Her words can be found on CBC, Global TV, CityLine, The Globe and Mail, CityLine, The Toronto Star, and more She has also done panels, and sessions for Collision Conference, Unilever Canada, and Facebook appeared in media such as Today com, Washington Post, USA Today, The Real, and Associated Press, and written for Teen Vogue, Today's Parent, HuffPost, and more

Tanya Hayles speaks about parenthood, entrepreneurship, diversity and inclusion, building online communities, and more For more information, visit the website at https://www tanyahayles com/

The definition of an entrepreneur is redefined by the innovative ideas that small business owners bring to the industry To read more about their creative concepts, subscribe to CanadianSME Small Business Magazine https://lnkd.in/dbqmSKN. For the latest updates, visit our Twitter page at @canadian sme

In February 1926, African American scholar Dr Carter G Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) began Negro History Week in the USA They chose the second week of February for the celebration as it coincided with the birthdays of the greatest allies of Black freedom, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass

Celebrations in Canada began in the 1950s when community organizations such as the Canadian Negro Women's Association recognized the significance of Toronto's black population's history In 1995, Canada's House of Commons officially recognized February as Black History Month and honoured Black Canadians.

Black History Month is an occasion to honour Black Canadians' past and current contributions to all development fields, making Canada a more culturally diverse, compassionate, and prosperous country.

The events invite the public to learn about and celebrate African Canadian heritage, traditions, and culture The theme for Black History Month 2023 is “Black Resistance,” recognizing how Black people have historically overcome oppression, discrimination, and prejudice

Janelle Hinds is the founder and executive director of Helping Hands, which advocates for youth engagement with a determination to improve the system. While pursuing her Electrical and Biomedical Engineering degree, she launched her first initiative, DeltaHacks In 2015, she founded Helping Hands, an app that connects schools in Ontario with volunteer opportunities at local organizations in science, technology, mathematics, and engineering (STEM) It helps students give back and log community service hours to fulfill graduation requirements while organizations better serve their client populations They also offer workshops for disadvantaged youngsters, providing opportunities to attain their full potential

As part of celebrating Black History Month in Canada, here are 10 success stories to inspire you.

Felicita Ovadje is a lawyer who was trained in criminology and sociology But she decided to open her community-oriented makeup emporium to bring BIPOC-owned brands to the mainstream market She launched Felicheeta Artistry to fill the beauty and lifestyle industry gaps by helping put BIPOC beauty founders on the world stage Felicheeta believes that BIPOC brands deserve recognition for their quality and strive to make the North American beauty and lifestyle retail space more representative of the multicultural society by offering amazing black-owned beauty and lifestyle brands. Their product selection includes brands from Canada, the United States, Nigeria, and Jamaica

Evangeline Chima has nearly 20 years of expertise in offering transformational solutions to enterprises through information technology services, business analysis, and project management In addition, she has extensive knowledge of DEI techniques, workplace safety and inclusion, coaching, and mentoring Her experiences with institutional racism and bias as a Black professional woman in Canada inspired her to found Black Mentorship Inc BMI inspires, assists, and mentors Black professionals as they strive to achieve their full potential, build community, and effect change It is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the professional and personal development of Black professionals through education, mentorship, and skill development

Chris-Beth Cowie is a renowned social entrepreneur, mentor, speaker, and entrepreneurship instructorbusiness advisor She wanted to develop an environment where entrepreneurs could see their worth in themselves and build a place where they could network and communicate while building businesses with an impact focus In 2014, she launched Empowered for Excellence as an entrepreneurial leadership training company, which she rebranded as EMPOWERED 4X in 2019 They seek to make the business landscape more equitable and to assist customers in developing their capacity as social entrepreneurs and leaders by providing training, advice, mentors, networks, and funding opportunities

Chioma Ifeanyi-Okoro is a certified public accountant, certified management accountant, millennial coach, and co-founder of My African Corner, an innovative digital media platform that transforms word-of-mouth marketing in the African Diaspora. She was the Toronto ambassador for United Nations Women's Entrepreneurship Day in 2017 and is currently a CPA Emerging Leaders Advisory Board member She is the founder and CEO of the Black Professional in Technology Network and has been recognized by Points International Ltd for her exceptional commitment to community development

Tamar Huggins is an award-winning social entrepreneur, author, and pioneer in technology education Tamar discovered the necessity of seeing positive representations of young girls and children of colour in the tech business after assisting black and female tech innovators in raising capital to begin their digital startups in Canada Tamar founded Tech Spark, Canada's first tech and design school, in 2015 to empower children of colour, girls, women, and teachers through innovative education They are experts in developing, updating, and teaching inquiry-based, student-centred K–12 curricula through technology, entrepreneurship, and equity lenses.

Nadia Hamilton grew up assisting her autistic brother Troy with daily duties by making simple crayon hand drawings that provided step-by-step directions for him to follow and re-enact to perform things independently She worked as a support worker at university and realized that many families were dealing with a similar problem and that the world was not structured to accommodate their loved one ' s specific requirements So she launched Magnusmode, a company dedicated to removing the barriers affecting an individual's ability to thrive worldwide It provides the MagnusCards solution, a digitalized version of the hand-drawn solution she created for her brother

was born in Jamaica and raised in Ontario She is a ing consultant, inventor, advocate, mentor, and speaker, and was a former Canadian Parliamentary Member's Assistant She is an alumna of the University of Ottawa, Concordia University, and Columbia Business School, specializing in administration, political science, policymaking, and marketing Her career began in Canadian politics and progressed to the nonprofit sector In 2015, she started her career in technology as the marketing and business manager for a local tech startup in Montreal She is the founder and CEO of Wofemtech Solutions, a virtual collective platform that connects learning and technology to benefit women and girls worldwide

Black businesses are a symbol of resilience and perseverance. Their consistent contribution to various development fields has significantly impacted Canada's progress. Their determination to overcome the barrier of race and discrimination that has for generations held them and their commitment to turn their dreams and passion into reality has led to many success stories.

In 2020, Kerin John made a new year resolution to support Blackowned businesses. But the endeavour became challenging when it came to discovering eligible companies. She resolved the issue by creating an Instagram account, "Black Owned Toronto," as an online directory for small businesses Soon, the Instagram handle gained momentum, and Kerin had to develop a website to contain the repertoire of Black-Owned companies in Canada to ensure the exposure and support they deserve Today, the business has expanded by opening two brick-and-mortar stores where customers can find products from small business owners listed in the directory

Black History Month is a celebration of the contributions and successes that allow the Black Community to strive for greater heights and attain their full potential. To read more about these success stories, subscribe to CanadianSME Small Business Magazine

https://lnkd.in/dbqmSKN. For the latest updates, visit our Twitter page at @canadian sme

We had the chance to speak with Aaron Doucet, Partner Success Manager at Xero, about some of the most common myths surrounding accountants, how small business owners can make sure they are getting the most out of their relationship with their accountant, and forecasts for the future of accounting and bookkeeping Additionally, he discussed his experience as a Xero accountant and offered recommendations to small business owners on choosing an accountant to assist them in navigating change

Aaron Doucet, CPA, is a partner success manager at Xero and a former tax accountant in Ontario. Aaron joined Xero in 2020 after working in tax at ConnectCPA, an accounting firm fully based in the cloud, and then at MNP where he helped launch a national cloud bookkeeping program. Through his career of driving cloud accounting change, both at the firm level and now at Xero, Aaron has deep knowledge of cloud accounting technology and is passionate about how it can enable small businesses across Canada while also empowering their advisors

What are some of the biggest misconceptions about accountants?

It's a common misconception that the moment you have the three letters “CPA”, behind your name, you should be able to handle any accounting conversations – from simple personal tax, all the way through to complex corporate restructuring However, like any profession, there are lots of specialty areas that accountants might dive into, whether it be small business tax, audits for large public companies, mergers and acquisitions, or even outsourced advisory services.

Another misconception is that a lot of small businesses in Canada think that their business isn’t complex enough to warrant working with an accountant In reality, it’s usually a good idea to speak to an accountant regardless of your business stage or level of complexity – they can help you make sure that you ’ re running a compliant, efficient, and profitable business

Aaron Doucet - Partner Success Manager At Xero

When searching for an accountant, look for accountants that specialize in working with other businesses that are similar to yours so that you get the best possible support as a small business.

How can small business owners ensure they're getting the most out of their relationship with their accountants? What are some questions that they should ask their accountants?

Small business owners should ask their accountants about cloud accounting technology Cloud accounting technology is accounting software that can help automate a lot of timeconsuming administrative tasks – such as data entry, bank reconciliation, and financial reporting The term “cloud” here just means that the accounting software is available anywhere you have access to the Internet, which is great for business owners who are on the go For small business owners who spend their Sunday mornings wrangling paper invoices and getting lost in spreadsheets, cloud accounting software can be a game-changer.

Cloud accounting software like Xero is also changing the way small businesses can engage their accountant It allows the accountant to become the advisor of the future for their clients by making a small business’s financial data readily available – allowing businesses to get financial advice from their accountant on a regular basis I'll use a cheesy Canadian analogy to highlight what I mean: historically, small businesses worked with their accountants like a hockey stick – they never spoke to them throughout the year, but at tax time, that communication level shot up through the roof Taking the above steps and adopting cloud accounting software can smooth out this work across the year, rather than it all becoming a blitz at year-end – and it can help small businesses ensure they’re getting the most out of their accountant

How has your experience as an accountant changed since you started working at Xero?

I have been fortunate enough in my career to work at very cloud-forward accounting firms. My first job was at a purely virtual firm where that serviced all their clients on Xero It was here that I was able to see firsthand how beneficial cloud accounting software was to those small business owners that worked with us

Since starting at Xero, I have seen even more opportunities for small businesses in Canada to gain efficiency with software The Canadian market is quite slow to adopt cloud accounting tech (research from Xero estimates that less than 12% currently use cloud accounting software) With the current financial climate, it’s more important than ever to understand your business’s cash flow, and using cloud technology enables you to do that Accountants in Canada have an important role to play in championing this tech for the small businesses they serve

Do you have any predictions for the future of accounting and bookkeeping?

The future of accounting and bookkeeping changes all the time with the technology that becomes available Small business owners dont have to navigate this change alone – there are resources out there to help them get through It all starts with small businesses having the desire to evolve – many understand the importance and value of investing in efficiency, yet they sometimes put progress on the back burner to save time upfront

What advice do you have for small business owners when choosing an accountant to help them navigate change?

My advice for small businesses is to not just look for an accountant – instead, focus on finding a business partner. Small business owners wear many hats, and some are out of their comfort zone. Focus on what you do best, and look for an accountant that can help you grow

While many service-based businesses often conduct their work in the field rather than in an office or storefront, building an online presence is still paramount to their success.

Your online presence is often the first time people interact with your business We don’t want it to be the last

A healthy online presence includes accurate, compelling and complete information about your business anywhere online That can be anything from a listing on Yelp, a Google search, your website or your Facebook business page

Fix Your Search and They Will Find You

Potential customers begin looking for a plumber the same way they do for a bookstore – with an online search

Showing up at the top of search results or – even better – in the Map Pack (local businesses notated on the Google map) is the best way to catch their attention

When your business shows up in one of these locations, it shows customers that you ’ re a legit company, especially if your information is up-todate and accurate

How do you imrpove your search results? Start with your Google Business Profile Make sure it is fully filled out with pertinent info like hours, areas serviced, etc Then add relevant before-and-after photos and well as answers to commonly answered questions

The more information you add to your Google Business Profile, the more searchers will interact with it

and Google will reward you for that with higher placement on search

Claim Your Listings – And Keep Them Clean

When you think of online listings, names like Google, Yahoo and Yelp usually surface to the top But in fact, there are hundreds of online listings sites that pick up your business’s information.

While you might not know it, your business information can be published in an online listings site without your knowledge or say-so Consumers, data mining firms and even other listings sites submit business information to be published online every day

When you take the time to claim your listings on various sites, it gives you more control over what’s published, you can respond more quickly to customer reviews, search engines trust you more (because it’s accurate, up-to-date info) and – best of all – its free

Claiming your online listings from the start takes far less time than it does to correct inaccurate information later on. If you havent already done so, start claiming your listings so you can get the most out of them

Evolve with SEO

For small businesses, the key way to win with search engine optimization is to post excellent content that shows Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness – or EAT.

Expertise: Understanding your industry is just the first step Communicate your expertise with blogs and how-to videos that really resonate with your audience and showcase your knowledge

Authoritativeness: When creating website content, show your authority by citing and linking to content created by like-minded people Adding these links will build the creditability of your site

Trustworthiness: What better way to show that you are trustworthy than through your customers’ own words? Ask for reviews so potential clients will see how happy your current customers are And if you come across a negative review, respond kindly and show that you ’ re working to fix the problem All of that effort shows good will to anyone reviewing your site.

Ultimately, better SEO will improve your visibility in your area and get discovered in near-me searches Keep in mind that SEO trends evolve What worked for your business in 2019 will not necessarily work in your interest now

Maintaining your online presence can feel a bit overwhelming An all-in-one business management software tool can help you claim your listings, boost reviews and fine-tune your SEO Discover more here

5 Ways Grants Can Help Grow Your Business in 2023

Whether you ' re growing your customer base, entering new markets or adding new products, it's no secret that growth costs money for many businesses. Learn how government funding can help you achieve your growth goals.

By Diane Amato

When companies are looking to move beyond “business as usual” and explore growth opportunities, one of the first steps is to determine how growth will be generated Will it be achieved by increasing an existing customer base or by boosting the engagement or usage of existing customers? Will growth come from introducing new products and/or services or entering new markets with the current offering?

However you ’ re planning to grow, expansion of any kind takes investment, which is often a barrier for businesses with limited cash flow Fortunately, government grants and incentives can provide much-needed funding for businesses with growth plans, particularly if they align with Canada’s economic priorities As GrantMatch Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Mike Janke, explains, “The recently tabled “mini-budget” by Canadas Finance Minister’s plans for an additional $30 6 Billion in program-based spending aimed at positioning the country for future economic growth ”

GrantMatch is Canada’s leading grants & incentives management firm, offering a range of software and servicebased solutions to assist Canadian businesses maximize funding attained from government incentive programs Janke adds that these programs signal an upcoming opportunity for businesses to expand and grow through capital investments that are grant eligible in areas such as job creation, training, innovation, technology, and ecological efficiency

Businesses can tap into tomorrow’s workforce with the help of the Government of Canada’s Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) that provides employers with wage subsidies up to $7,000 to hire post-secondary students for paid work experiences

Grants for Hiring and Training

Whether you need to grow your workforce to boost production or upskill existing talent to drive innovation, a commitment to create new jobs and develop current employees can position your business for grant and incentive programming This is because both federal and provincial governments have a hearty commitment to job creation, particularly as it relates to the countrys transition to a green economy, our competitiveness on the world stage and the economic vitality of local communities

Hiring and training to support Canada’s pursuit of a net-zero economy is a key federal priority –in the November 3rd Federal Fall Economic Update, $250 million was earmarked for green skills training over five years, including: Sustainable Jobs Training Center: This new initiative is designed to assist in the training of up to 15,000 workers in low-carbon jobs such as the sustainable battery industry

“One way to improve your chanc government funding is to create that aligns with the most promine program themes for the year ahe you can plan investments that are receive grant funding support.”

Sustainable Jobs Stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP): Adding onto UTIP’s two existing jobs streams that support apprenticeship training and innovation, this recently announced stream focuses on green skills training in trades, impacting up to 20,000 apprentices

There are also several open funding programs from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), which support jobs, training, and social development across a range of industries Further, provincial and territorial governments offer funding opportunities for job creation and upskilling to address regional priorities

Grantinaction:

Walpole Island Algonac Ferry Ltd received $82,000 from the Canada-Ontario Job Grant for a Ferry Captain Training program to train up to 12 participants Training is provided through Georgian College’s Marine Studies Program and will take place at their Owen Sound campus and onsite at the Walpole Island Ferry facility in southwestern Ontario Upon completion of the course, trainees will receive an industry-recognized certificate of Master Limited over 60 Tonnes and will have the opportunity to work as part of Walpole Island Ferry’s expanded ferry service between Canada and the U S on the St Clair River

Grants for Technical and Digital Innovation

In order to compete and grow in today’s market, businesses of all types and sizes need to add technology to their business or apply digital innovation to be competitive Whether it’s scientific research and development, new product design, digital tools to support client engagement, improved industrial processes or supply chain enhancements, adding technology and digital innovation are essential levers within a business’ growth strategy

Grants and incentive programs designed to boost regional and national economies and make them more competitive can help businesses tap into the technologies that can help them thrive. For instance:

The Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) offers grants to help owners add technology to get online, reach more customers, operate more efficiently and propel their businesses forward.

The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRCIRAP) – The primary role of NRC-IRAP is to help small and medium-sized Canadian businesses with mentorship and funding so they can grow and develop innovative technologies The program offers grants to fund R&D project costs from $50,000 to $500,000

What’s more, the 2022 Federal budget includes the development of the $15 Billion Canada Growth Fund – a fund designed to make it easier for private companies to spend on research and technology.

Grantinaction:

Canadian ingenuity advancing global wastewater treatment solutions

Recently, the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) provided advisory services and funding to Vancouver – based Axine Water Technologies to help the company to develop high-efficiency, advanced industrial wastewater treatment systems.

These systems can treat highly toxic, concentrated pharmaceutical wastewaters on site instead of being transported to remote specific locations for treatment The technology not only helps solve environmental pollution in Canada, but the company sees export opportunities for a worldwide market

Grants for Infrastructure, Equipment & Facilities

If the growth of your business relies on new or improved manufacturing infrastructure, equipment and facilities, there are grant and incentive programs dedicated to enabling necessary construction and expansion Because these projects can be capitalintensive, it’s important to note that is recommended to apply for the grant well ahead of starting the project as there are differing terms and conditions for each grant

“An exciting example of a recently announced program to keep an eye on if you are planning capital expenditures is the Canada Growth Fund. Originally announced in the 2022 Federal Budget, this $15 billiondollar federal program launching in early 2023 is designed to attract and encourage business investments by providing funding to projects that reduce carbon emissions, accelerate the deployment of key technologies such as hydrogen, create new jobs, or capitalize on Canada’s abundance of natural resources and strengthen critical supply chains.” – Mike Janke, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at GrantMatch.

Grantinaction:

Canadian ingenuity advancing global wastewater treatment solutions

British Columbia’s Refeed is on a mission to develop programs, best practices, and new products to help fix our broken food system With the help of funding secured through the BC Accelerating Manufacturing Scale-Up Grant Program, ReFeed was able to pilot their Circular Nutrition™ technology in a new 3,000 square foot custom facility

The investment resulted in job creation, a scale-up of technology, and the ability to expand into North American and global Cleantech markets

Grants for Environmental & Green Investments

There are several grant and funding opportunities offered by all levels of government that support projects aimed at protecting or conserving the environment Businesses making investments in processes, technologies or equipment that reduce their carbon footprint may be eligible for grant funding that makes such projects more attractive or feasible

Tax Credit for Clean Technologies Clean-tech tax credits are available for businesses that invest in net-zero technologies, battery storage and clean hydrogen

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) Funding Programs: The government of Canada offers funding through a variety of grants and contributions programs A complete listing of programs can be found here

Grantinaction:

With the help of GrantMatch, Waterloo Brewing secured $414,830 in funding through the CME Smart Green Program for a new canning line pasteurizer that significantly reduced natural gas consumption

The brewery was also successful in securing funding through the Climate Action Incentive Fund to support an investment in a new compressed air system.

Grants for New Businesses and Start-ups

Getting access to funding is one of the biggest challenges new businesses face, and admittedly most of the grants and funding opportunities out there apply to companies that have been up and running for at least a year But there are grants and other sources of funding that start-ups can qualify for, helping entrepreneurs launch their ideas

Funding for start-ups:

The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) – The previously mentioned NRC-IRAP program is a diverse program and includes providing mentorship and funding to start-ups so they can grow and develop innovative technologies The program offers grants to fund R&D project costs from $50,000 to $500,000.

The Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) funds and provides continued mentorship to Cleantech start-ups that already have a proof-of-concept (POC) yet haven’t commercialized their product or service yet They offer an equity-free grant of up to 40% of eligible project costs

The Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) is a tax credit program to encourage businesses, including start-ups, to invest in R&D It’s the largest tax incentive federal program in Canada, offering tax credits in three forms: a tax deduction, a tax credit or a cash refund Companies can receive up to 35% of qualifying R&D costs as a tax credit and reduce their future corporate taxes.

Funding for young and underserved entrepreneurs

For new and aspiring business owners who have historically faced additional obstacles in obtaining funding, credibility and access to networks, there are new and evolving funding sources designed to enable specific segments of the population

4. Business Growth

Futurpreneur: A national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18-39 Further, their internationally recognized mentoring program matches young entrepreneurs with a business expert from a network of more than 2,400 volunteer mentors.

Coralus: Formerly SheEO, Coralus pools money from 500 women and non-binary Activators and loans it at zero percent interest to ventures led by women and non-binary owners To qualify, ventures must be creating a better world through their business model, product or service

Black Entrepreneurship Program: The Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) is a partnership between the Government of Canada, Black-led business organizations, and financial institutions

With an investment of up to $265 million over four years and providing loans up to $250,000 it is designed to help Black Canadian business owners and entrepreneurs grow their businesses

Searching and applying for government grants and external funding can feel like a daunting task. Take these four steps to get started:

It all starts with your plan for growth – take some time to review and update your business plan >

There is help out there! GrantMatch is an expert in navigating the grant process and can help boost your chances of successfully tapping into the government funding that is available

Start with applying for non-competitive grants and funding opportunities, which are available if you meet the criteria and are eligible for funding

One of the most important planning exercises that we practice with our clients is to pause before making a significant capital investment to consider which active grant programs might be available to help cover a portion of project costs This is an important practice to adopt as many grant funding programs require approval before eligible costs can be incurred If you have control over the timing of your investments, in some cases it may pay off to delay or accelerate your timelines to align with funding program intake schedules.

When planning future investments in your business, it is also important to keep in mind that grants are designed and administered by governments at all levels in Canada to influence and reward business practices that have positive impacts on society, the economy, and the environment A business can improve their likelihood of grant success by aligning strategy and growth trajectory with the investment priorities of current governments, which are reliably signaled in Federal and Provincial budget publications ”

Co

Founder and Managing Partner, Mike Janke

Bottom Line

While grants and incentives can be gamechanging funding sources for your business, the government grant landscape is both complex and dynamic and you may need help in determining grants that apply to your business

ThisarticlewasoriginallypublishedonRBC’sDiscover& Learnblog

Let’s delve into the elements of a beneficial succession process!

Worker experience is one of the Canadian manufacturing sector’s most important resources Alas, this resource isn’t unlimited as workers age out of their positions and begin to retire, keeping what they’ve learned inside of your company can be a difficult task If employees approaching retirement aren’t able to pass on their knowledge to their colleagues, manufacturing methods and processes could be lost

To overcome these barriers, long-time employees may need coaching to understand why succession planning is taking place: for the collective benefit of the company Consider that if a longtime employee leaves a company without passing on what they’ve learned,

Through effective succession planning, long-time employees have an opportunity to keep their experience alive and well within their organizations - even after they retire – all while ensuring that new workers have a strong foundation of expertise to build upon Let’s delve into the elements of a beneficial succession process!

To make succession planning effective, both the employee and successor must have shared goals in mind, and both should be willing to teach and learn from each other Oftentimes, long-time employees may be unwilling to share what they’ve learned throughout their careers with newer workers, feeling that these parties may not be able to

understand something that has taken years (or decades) to develop or should be required to sort through it on their own To overcome these barriers, longtime employees may need coaching to understand why succession planning is taking place: for the collective benefit of the company Consider that if a longtime employee leaves a company without passing on what they’ve learned, the company will be without that knowledge entirely Even if a successor is unable to fully comprehend a process or lesson, retaining a part of that knowledge will still provide the company with a net benefit Strong communication is key to providing workers with context for their goals

Of course, successors must also be willing participants in the succession planning process For this reason, select an employee successor you are confident will engage in the process, demonstrates the willingness to learn, and are committed to longtime employment with your company. The act of choosing a worthwhile successor should be a thorough, involved process that ensures the original employee’s talents remain actively utilized in your business Ideally, an employee’s successor should also be an effective teacher themselves, which can help propagate and spread knowledge throughout your entire organization Remember that while the early stages of succession planning may only be possible between two employees, the right successor can help make pieces of specialized information into standard operating procedures!

As many employed by the Canadian manufacturing sector continue to retire from their roles, effective succession planning is critical for businesses to remain competitive in a globalized economy By selecting the right combinations of knowledgeable, experienced employees and enthusiastic, motivated successors, even the most obscure methodologies and processes can be continuously understood and employed by your workers. Stoke a culture of sharing and spreading knowledge throughout your business, and you’ll find that consistent innovation and progress become easy to achieve

Are you onboarding new employees? Are you building the workforce for the future of your organization? EMC’S WILWorks Graduate program will help Ontario Manufacturers hire, train, and retain the next-generation employees to be the future of your company as well as the future of the manufacturing industry

EMC’s WILWorks Graduate online preorientation courses complement existing onboarding procedures by training recent new hires to be strong communicators and team players primed for success to increase productivity The program offers support and training for eligible recent new hires, ages 1529, with an incentive of up to $5000 to offset new employee onboarding costs. In addition, recent graduate new hires are provided free industryleading EMC training.

EMC’s WILWorks Graduate program is for employers in the manufacturing sector (or an allied industry) who provide training and jobs in Ontario

For more information, we welcome you to visit our website.

Shares How FACE Is Making A Positive Impact On The Black Community

We had the pleasure of speaking with Tiffany Callender, CEO of the Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE), about FACE's initiatives for the black community, the significance of having a month dedicated to Black History, some practical strategies for enforcing change for Black people in Canada, the most significant advancements in Black people's equality in Canada, and the issues that still need to be resolved with regard to Black history and economics

Community developer and social entrepreneur Tiffany Callender have spent her 16-year career developing and implementing programs to support Montreal’s Black community In addition to being the youngest female Executive Director of one of the oldest Black organizations in Quebec, she was recognized by MIPAD as one of the 100 most influential people of African descent under 40 in 2020.

In 2021 Tiffany was named the inaugural CEO of the Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE). FACE is a coalition of Canadian Black business support organizations that worked with the federal government to co-develop and administer the $160 million Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund

Tiffany has presented recommendations for policy change to public institutions, notably as a signatory for Montreal’s consultation on racism and systemic discrimination as well as Quebec’s Laurent commission on the overrepresentation of Black children in Youth Protection She also regularly presents sensitivity and equity training to private institutions. Her career is inspired by her personal life, as she is a proud mother of three.

Thank you for your work in promoting Black history and economics Can you tell us more about what FACE does?

FACE is a national and bilingual Black-led nonprofit organization focused on providing resources and information to the Black community across Canada with the aim of accelerating wealth creation for Canadians of African descent

In partnership with the Government of Canada, FACE created a Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund to help Black business owners with access to capital investments, working capital, or additional business resources for expansion

Why do you think it’s important to have a month dedicated to Black history? What are some effective ways to enforce change for black people in Canada?

It is important to recognize the contributions made by all members of society We know that historically, there has been a myopic presentation of those who advanced our world in positive ways. This is why Black History Month is important; it allows for a real and fair recognition of people of African descent in all aspects of human life In fact, recognition and acknowledgment are the first steps to addressing change to inequities within systems in order for meaningful change to take place

Tiffany Callender

CEOofFederationofAfricanCanadianEconomics(FACE)

In your opinion, what are some of the most important strides that have been made in terms of advancing equality for Black people in Canada?

The struggle for equality for Black people in Canada has been ongoing for centuries Despite this, several important strides have been made toward achieving equal opportunity over the last 10 years One of the most significant strides has been the acknowledgement of the systemic racism that exists within Canadian society.

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the ways in which institutions and systems in Canada have discriminated against Black people

This includes everything from the over-representation of Black people in the criminal justice system and discrimination in renting to the under-representation of Black people in leadership positions Another positive development is that “anti-racism” is no longer just on the pages of legislation or a topic to be discussed every February There is continuous public awareness and political discourse Also, there has been a growing awareness of the need to address anti-Black racism in the workplace and other areas of life While there is still a long way to go in achieving equality for Black people in Canada, these strides demonstrate that progress is being made It is essential to continue to build on these efforts and to push for further change in the years to come.

What challenges still need to be addressed regarding the black history and economics in Canada?

Black history and economics in Canada are complex and multifaceted issues shaped by centuries of discrimination and marginalization Despite some progress that has been made in recent years, there are still a number of challenges that need to be addressed in order to achieve true Black economic equality in Canada

One of the major challenges is the ongoing issue of exclusion in economics in Canada Most corporations are still hesitant to do business with Black business owners Black businesses are at the fringe of the economic landscape in this country

Our organization is committed to the development of a loan program specifically for Black-led businesses because they are underserved and have limited access to financing and resources, ultimately, this limits their ability to grow and thrive These economic disparities significantly impact the overall wellbeing of Black communities and limit their ability to contribute to the country’s economic development

How can others get involved with FACE and support its efforts? Are there any specific programs or initiatives that you think would be beneficial to Black-led businesses?

FACE supports Black businesses across Canada to start and expand their companies by offering loans from 10,000 - 250,000 But these companies need the public’s support to continue to grow; our call to action is for Canadians to commit to buying products and services from local black-owned businesses

Do you have any advice for Black entrepreneurs looking to start a business in Canada?

My advice to Black entrepreneurs is to seek out and use the programs available to help strengthen their businesses Take advantage of resources to support you while you develop your company You will have many questions throughout your entrepreneurial journey, just remain determined and relentless in finding sources for the most reliable solutions

A CPA answers Small Business FAQs Tax season anxiety?

ByAllisonHawkins

Taxseasonisastressfultimeoftheyearformany businessowners,especiallyiftheydon’tkeeptheir booksandrecordsuptodatethroughouttheyear.

As a CPA, I witness a similar pattern year after year: many small business owners often have absolutely no idea how much tax they are going to owe the CRA, so they put off gathering the information for their accountant and bookkeeper and bury their heads in the sand This just compounds the problem because not only do they still owe the taxes, they now owe interest and penalties With the CRA increasing their interest rates each quarter, its getting more and more expensive to be late with your taxes

Even if small business owners keep their books and records up to date, thinking about taxes is often associated with anxiety. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to relieve some of that anxiety – using technology like Xero accounting software can provide insight into where their business stands Their accountant can then estimate what they owe well before the payment is due and can provide a plan for the balances owing

In addition to using accounting software like Xero and integrations with various financial apps, there are some ways that small business owners can better prepare for tax season Here are some answers to frequently asked questions

Co-Founder, Hawkins & Co

WhatdoIneedtokeepintermsoffinancial documentationformybusiness?

At the simplest level, you need to keep anything relating to something you ’ ve purchased for the business and anything you ’ ve sold through the business The better the documentation, the more likely it will be accepted if CRA ever audits you

Whatmakesasolidpieceof documentationintheCRA’seyes?

If you purchase something for your business, at a minimum, you want the receipt to have the following:

Name of the company you purchased from Date of the purchase

The total amount paid and the tax amount

If there is a tax amount (GST/HST/PST), there should also be a 9-digit business number shown on the receipt

If you paid the bill, you should also have proof of payment – a credit card receipt, a cleared cheque stub, or something clearly marked as “paid” from the vendor

The same details hold true for your sales information, but you will have details on the other side of the transaction –this means the money coming into your bank, including how much you charged, any tax amounts, how it was paid and any processing fees you paid from credit/debit card companies

In short – no The CRA will accept digital documentation in the event of an audit as long as your digital records are complete and consistent (Just make sure you back up any digital files!)

During COVID-19[1], we saw a big increase in the number of small businesses that are leveraging technology to help them prepare for tax season and keep their records up to date. We continue to encourage people to use technology as it allows clients to work with accountants and bookkeepers that are the right fit for them, regardless of location

The best thing to start with is an app that supports data collection and automation There are many out there, like Hubdoc, that allows you to capture and store receipts and invoices online (i e , by simply taking a photo with your phone) This will provide you with a fully searchable archive that doesn’t degrade over time like paper These apps also integrate with your accounting system and allow your accountant or bookkeeper to take it from there Say goodbye to the dreaded shoebox full of receipts!

The best thing to start with is an app that supports data collection and automation There are many out there, like Hubdoc, that allows you to capture and store receipts and invoices online (i e , by simply taking a photo with your phone) This will provide you with a fully searchable archive that doesn’t degrade over time as paper does These apps also integrate with your accounting system and allow your accountant or bookkeeper to take it from there Say goodbye to the dreaded shoebox full of receipts!

WhathappensifIdon’tpay myselfthroughpayroll?

For those of you with these types of corporations, the biggest thing to understand is how much money you drew out of the company for personal use This will determine what your dividends for the year will be

Depending on when your corporate year-end is, there's the ability to defer this income to the next personal tax year; however, this really only happens in the first year if you continue to draw money out of the company each year. Again, technology can help with this. Keeping your accounting up to date gives you ongoing visibility into where this balance stands and gives you the opportunity to repay funds or plan for the coming tax bill.

HowdoIemployan accountantorbookkeeper?

All in all, working with a bookkeeper or accountant throughout the year and getting set up with the right technology can turn a stressful tax season into a breeze If youre interested in working with an advisor, you can check out Xero’s advisor directory, which can help you find an accountant or bookkeeper based on your industry and needs.

This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice

ByMelissaLenos,CPB,PCP,

Dear advisor, I have a shoebox full of business receipts and every tax season is hectic Is there a better way for me to do this?

As a bookkeeper, I get to work with small businesses on a daily basis and in many different fields Over the years, I have seen enough to write an epic novel (which I hope to do one day); however, for this question, one story, in particular, came to mind

Small business owners often have no idea what they are doing on the financial side of things because they are busy working in the business, instead of on the business So, it was not uncommon for them to come by my office with a grocery bag or shoebox full of receipts, hoping to exchange it for a nicely drawn-up report for their accountant One day, a client of mine dropped a pizza box full of receipts off on my backstep Mistaking the pizza box for garbage, I quickly threw it out and blamed my husband for being unable to walk two extra steps to the trash bin Needless to say, I soon found myself digging through said trash bin to recover those important documents so I could file everything accurately

ProfessionalBookkeeperandownerof KingBusinessSolutions(KBS)

This month features Melissa Lenos, CPB, PCP, Professional Bookkeeper and owner of King Business Solutions (KBS). KBS provides accurate and timely bookkeeping solutions to clients across Canada.

I knew there had to be a better way to help my small business clients manage their paper documents

This was when the accordion folder was introduced to my bookkeeping business back in 2009 Each client had their own accordion that was set up specifically for their business. The client would then drop off their full folder each month or quarter, and we would give it back empty – no more receipts disguised as garbage in my house! Still, sorting through all that paper sounds like a lot of work, huh?

Fast forward a decade, and I was introduced to “receipt capture” technology that would make my and my clients' lives so much easier Tools like Hubdoc, a document collection and management software, allowed our clients to simply take photos of bills and receipts for record-keeping purposes

Conversations with our small business clients were filled with reasons why software such as Hubdoc was a necessary evolution to the small business landscape. At the time, some were ready to give it a go, and others not so much.

Then came 2020: the COVID-19 pandemic managed to do the convincing where I could not, and those clients who had been wary of Hubdoc were calling to get set up Gone were the days when an in-person paper drop-off was the norm My clients were able to gain efficiency by taking photos of their receipts and forwarding emails and invoices in near real-time This not only made their bookkeeping so much less timeconsuming – it also meant they got to have a proactive (vs retroactive) look at their business while in the comfort of their own home And it helped make preparing for tax season a breeze for our clients and us – we had all the documentation we needed, easily accessible in one secure location.

Coming out of the pandemic, I’m finding that the landscape is changing yet again Small business owners are no longer always holding office space and are evolving into remote or hybrid environments, sometimes taking on jobs that are halfway across Canada

Software like Hubdoc is continuing to help us adapt, allowing us to work with clients that are five minutes away or on the other side of the country Those that are close by, like the fact they can take a picture at the time of purchase, file it away, and never think about it again. Clients that far away appreciate that we can take care of them without the expense of couriers or postage My client pool (and my employee pool) grew from those in and around my immediate physical location and expanded across all of Canada

What’s the best part of all of this? We get to let technology do the data entry at the click of a button We then manage and look at those numbers to provide timely information to help grow the small businesses our clients so lovingly tend What’s the use in having information that is months old, when accounting technology can let us know what is happening in a small business at any given moment?

If you’re looking for a better way to manage your business receipts and make tax season less hectic, and get better insights into your business –look to technology. Technology doesn’t have to be too complicated or feared – if you can take a photo on your phone, you can use tools like Hubdoc and reap all the benefits.

In conversation with Alison Simpson,

President, and CEO, Canadian Marketing Association

We had the privilege of interviewing Alison Simpson, President and CEO of the Canadian Marketing Association. She discussed her career as an award-winning marketer with expertise across a wide range of marketing disciplines, her thoughts on being chosen as the new President and CEO of the Canadian Marketing Association, the advantages her award-winning experience would bring to the Canadian Marketing Association, and the most important marketing strategies for the success of any business

Alison is an accomplished executive leader and an award-winning marketer with extensive brand and agency experience Prior to CMA, she was president of several agencies and has served as marketing lead for top-tier brands, including Holt Renfrew, Rogers Communications, and TMX Group She is a director of the CNIB Foundation (Ontario + Quebec Regions) and serves on the Advisory Board for the Master of Management Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Program at the Smith School of Business

How will you describe your journey as an award-winning marketer with expertise across broad marketing disciplines, holding executive roles and leading brand, digital, loyalty, integrated marketing, and customer experience teams for top-tier brands?

It’s been an amazing journey I’ve worked across diverse brands and industries, including Holt Renfrew, Tim Hortons, TMX Group, Apple, Cineplex, Ford, Scotiabank, and Rogers, to name a few

I love our profession. Helping companies thrive in an increasingly challenging environment by ensuring their brand provides a differentiated competitive advantage that inspires employees, motivates consumers, and grows the business is highly rewarding work

Being open to challenges and embracing change have given me a breadth of industry experience, and depth of brand, customer and business strategy, along with Board experience I attribute my success to my customer-centric and innovative approach, and the high-performance teams and strong relationships I develop

What are your thoughts on being selected as the new president and CEO of the Canadian Marketing Association?

I’m thrilled to be leading the CMA at such a pivotal time. It’s a truly exceptional opportunity to make the marketing profession that I built my career in and that I love, even better

I’m excited by the calibre of the team, the Board and our many volunteers and the opportunity to help the CMA grow.

The CMA’s impact on the marketing profession is inspiring We raise the profile for the vital role that marketing plays in Canada We drive regulatory change and advocate to make sure marketers’ and consumers ’ needs are met We help marketers at all levels increase their knowledge and learn new skills We lead the profession in crucial areas like diversity, equity and inclusion We bring the profession together to discuss and debate and to network and celebrate I’m here because I want to be part of the CMA’s vision to make the marketing profession stronger and to meet the needs of every marketer in Canada

I’m also here because of the potential that I see The pace of change – and the breadth of what marketers are expected to understand and manage – continues to expand dramatically This creates exciting new opportunities for how the CMA can innovate and support the profession

We represent an incredibly dynamic, engaging, and diverse profession. The CMA has a very strong foundation We also have an opportunity to embrace how marketing is evolving and to ensure the association is as dynamic, engaging, and diverse as the profession we represent

What benefits would your awardwinning experience bring to the Canadian Marketing Association after serving in senior marketing positions at several companies?

After being the President at several marketing agencies, holding executive marketing roles at leading Canadian brands, and entrepreneurial leadership roles in the start-up community, I have firsthand experience in the challenges and opportunities that our members are facing This qualifies me to champion marketing’s strategic role as a key driver of business I’m excited to help marketers develop professionally, contribute to marketing thought leadership, build strong networks, and strengthen the regulatory climate for business success

The marketing profession is diverse, dynamic and constantly changing, just like the customers it strives to reach. The CMA has a strong foundation to build on and Im keen to apply my expertise to help the Association continue to evolve, support and advocate for the vital industry that we represent

I’m proud that our profession provides meaningful contributions to Canada’s economy Canadian marketers punch well above their weight when it comes to developing award-winning marketing campaigns that deliver results The CMA Award Gala last month was a great way to showcase this, with awards bestowed upon more than 50 brand teams, agencies, media companies and content studios.

Continuing to evolve your approach and staying on top of the changes in how customers are engaging with brands is paramount Meeting customers where they are (which is primarily on their phones) and embracing innovative technologies is one example. Conversational marketing and social media optimization are two ways this can be leveraged

Now more than ever before, marketers need to deliver personalized messaging and excellent customer experiences in engaging and differentiated ways We need to connect emotionally with consumers The good news is that Canadian’s willingness to share their data is growing as they begin to better understand the value of the data exchange While the number is still small, it has doubled since last year That is pretty dramatic

Which marketing tactics, in your opinion, are the most crucial to the success of any business?

Successful marketing starts with a strong understanding of what needs your product or service delivers for your customers and prospects and what makes it unique in the marketplace

Once you have clarity on your product-market fit and an understanding of your customer, you can determine where to reach your customers and how best to customize the marketing tactics and message to differentiate your brand from the competition and motivate customers to buy

What recommendation do you have for businesses that are thriving in the marketing industry?

The significant societal changes over the past few years have increased the importance of having the right technology, people and processes in place to better understand consumer needs and provide more authentic and relevant customer experiences

With the increased comfort comes an increased expectation from customers that the businesses they share their data with will use it to provide personalization and benefits and ensure their privacy Businesses need to build and maintain consumer trust by protecting their personal information, and by being transparent and having an open dialogue (especially if there’s an issue) Trust also requires consistency across channels and over time, and ensuring alignment with the brand's core values

The value of agility and resilience, whether its platform reinvention, creative problem solving, greater reliance on real time customer insights, or adaptive thinking, has also risen to the top of skills that businesses need to cultivate or hire.

Craig Goodliffe CEO/Founder of Cyberbacker

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Craig Goodliffe, CEO and Founder of Cyberbacker, who discussed his inspiration for starting the company, the best ways to scale a small business, the precautions that small businesses should take to ensure that their KPIs and ROIs are aligned, tools that help small business owners develop emotional intelligence, and the most efficient methods of customer acquisition.

Craig Goodliffe is an entrepreneur, job creator, and CEO/Founder of Cyberbacker, the leading provider of virtual assistance and administrative support services from anywhere in the world to anyone in the world Goodliffe is a member of the Forbes Business Council and shares his insight as a MAPS coach who helps clients earn seven-figure incomes Cyberbacker is changing the lives of small business owners and remote workers through world-class business solutions

Scaling A Small Business: Craig Goodliffe's Advice On How To Do It Right

What motivated you to create Cyberbacker, the industry's top supplier of virtual assistant services? And what do you hope to accomplish through your work?

Simply helping out a friend working from the moment she woke up until she went to bed, seven days a week She asked how I was doing more than her, and I had my nights and weekends off too I told her I had a great assistant, and I helped her find a great assistant

Then someone asked me for help in one of the communities I was in I learned that many other people were also working from when they woke up in the morning to when they went to bed seven days a week. And truthfully, they needed help. So that's what I set out to help with first!

Considering that so many companies use a remote work model or are experimenting with hybrid models, what do you think are the most effective strategies to scale a small business?

I think the most effective strategy to scale a small business is to look to prioritize key performance indicators over hours spent working If you meet each week to review the KPIs, you will be able to identify what is and what is not working When you micromanage time, and you start getting into how people use one hour of their time, we notice a lot of micromanagement, and people end up dreading that work model, whether it's remote or in-office

What steps should small businesses take to make sure their KPIs and ROIs are in aligned? And what are the potential means of doing so?

To make sure KPIs and ROIs are aligned, KPI has to go ahead and translate into revenue at some point Each hire should bring in a very calculated ROI to your business If they don’t, your KPIs and ROIs are not aligned correctly To calculate this, I recommend creating a flowchart or a step-by-step process This process should build the recipe for the job and what you ' re expecting it to do This helps leaders visualize the end-to-end process

What elements do you think help small business owners develop emotional intelligence? How would these help them?

When you ' re going to develop your emotional intelligence, you also have to start developing your emotional awareness Your emotional awareness is how aware you are of what you ' re feeling and how aware you are of what other people are feeling, and the average person can only identify a small handful of emotions It's important to understand the emotions, know how they're labelled, and know what you ' re experiencing before you can understand what other people are experiencing, and that increases your level of empathy

What are the strategic steps to build a humancentric company from the ground up? And why do you think small businesses need to offer mentorship opportunities?

The first and most important thing is setting clear expectations, and number two, hiring to those expectations. This is not very human-centric, but setting clear expectations for your workforce and finding the right person is where it starts If you can get that right It's easier to go ahead and make everything else more human-centric from there

Another important element is transparency You can't fake it; you care about people at the end of the day, or you dont Just because you choose not to be in business with someone, or they're not right for the position, doesn't mean they matter any less as a human being or they have any less rights than a human being should

What do you think small business offer mentorship?

I think every single week, the leader of the company needs to be in front of their people, talking about their personal development and their personal growth, and sharing with others what that has done for them In companies where they can see that the leader is a learner, the people in the company are more likely to seek opportunities to learn as well When they dont know if the leader is growing and learning, when they don't see them as someone who is like them, then it's harder for them to want to go ahead and operate at the same level

What, in your opinion, will be the most effective customer acquisition tactics for small businesses in 2023?

Number one, I would get clear on what problem my business solves It’s important to remember that when there are fewer choices, people are more likely to choose. So don't try to solve every problem. Just just take one, two, or maybe three problems that you ' re going to solve and then look for the people who have those problems Another important element is that if it's too big or broad of a market, it's gonna be harder to break through The more focus you put into identifying who your target customer is and what problem you solve for them, that is going to lead to better customer acquisition

Quietly Quitting vs. Boldly Growing

Thisisn’tthetimetofadeaway!Makea positivechangeandloveyourworklife again

ByJohnCollins

Despite what you may have read, “quiet quitting” is not new. In previous generations, it was called “going through the motions” or “burning out ”

Whatever you want to call it, it points to the problem of a person who is so unmotivated and disinterested in their job that they just give up They do enough to get by and collect a paycheck but not one iota more What a sad situation – not only for the employer who puts up with lackluster performance so they can avoid hiring and training someone new in a tough job market but also for the employee who is profoundly unhappy

It doesn’t have to be that way Those in the “quiet quitting” camp can take control of their futures and turn things around by creating a more fulfilling career for themselves Franchising may be one solution to helping people rediscover what motivates them

At Kumon North America, we have seen an incredible influx of former teachers, IT professionals and engineers who, frustrated with legislative mandates or bored with doing the same thing every day, decided to take charge of their lives and open their own businesses In doing so, they have been able to find joy in their work again

How do they do that? Kumon Instructors cite a number of factors that contribute to both their success as a business owners and personal fulfillment:

They enjoy working with kids.

Bonneva Ezekiel, a Kumon Center owner and former childcare director, said, “I’ve worked with children my entire life The rewards outweigh the challenges As my program grows, I learn from the children as much as they learn from me ”

They love learning and value education.

Kumon Instructor Trung Tran was asked why he left a lucrative job as an aerospace engineer to open a Kumon Center He replied, “Helping students improve their grades is more meaningful to me than being an engineer ”

They embrace the challenge of building their own business and working for themselves.

Christina Mitchell, a former teacher who owns a Kumon Center in Montreal, said she explored opening a Kumon Center because she wanted to be an entrepreneur but still work in an industry she knew, and the comprehensive training program made that possible “I definitely knew how to deal with kids and parents, but I had zero business experience,” she said

They are proud to make a difference in their communities by creating jobs and bolstering education.

Lydia Chan, who worked for the New York City Department of Education before opening her Kumon Center, said, “The policy side gave me the opportunity to work at a macro level, but Kumon gives me a chance to make a difference at a micro level ”

To people who are on the verge of quietly quitting – giving up, checking out or whatever you want to call it – I say: Seek joy instead.

Discover what motivates you and make a bold move Start your own business in a field you love Franchising gives you the opportunity to own your own business but get the training and support you need to be successful

There’s never been a better time to choose to be happy

John Collins is Kumon North America’s vice president of Center Network Development.

will define the future of fulfillment

ByRezaBafandeh CEOofDarwynnLtd

This past year, headlines around the world highlighted just how interconnected and vulnerable the global supply chain really is While the pandemic fueled a 30% increase in demand for online shopping, Canadian e-commerce businesses, and smaller sellers in particular, struggled to keep up – logistical disruptions only made things worse, and consumers experienced longer-than-expected wait times for their orders to reach their doorstep At a time when most consumers expect 2-3 day shipping to be the baseline, businesses need to find innovative ways to fulfill their orders and meet these growing expectations

There are three major factors that can be attributed to the future of the fulfillment landscape – robotics and automation, data and analytics, and sustainability

Robotics and automation are driving innovation

Warehouses and fulfillment centers are increasingly implementing automation and robotics, such as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS), to improve productivity and efficiency. While these technologies may reduce the need for manual labour, they do not necessarily replace human workers In fact, automation and robotics can help to enhance the value of human capital by allowing workers to focus on more strategic, value-added tasks

Businesses that use automation and robotics in their fulfillment centers experience not only improved productivity and cost efficiencies but also improved employee experiences. As we approach a potentially recessionary environment in 2023, cost savings are a top concern for many businesses Automation and robotics can help to reduce labour costs while still maintaining a robust human workforce

The use of robotics and automation in fulfillment centers allows for faster and more efficient order packaging and shipping As technology continues to advance, it is becoming increasingly important for fulfillment centers to consider the integration of automation and robotics into their operations

Sustainability is a priority

In Canada, about 33 million tonnes of plastic ends up in landfills With the ban on the production and importation of single-use plastics, the country is on a mission to reduce plastic waste and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 As the government looks to make sustainability a priority, it’s critical for businesses to make sustainability a focus in every part of their operation too Whether it’s packaging, transport or delivery, there's a massive opportunity for the fulfillment industry to be more environmentallyfriendly

Data is a valuable asset for any business, regardless of size or industry A sophisticated data infrastructure can provide insights into inventory levels, order status, and other important aspects of fulfillment processes. However, many small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that rely on third-party logistics (3PL) providers may have limited access to this data

Lack of access to fulfillment data can be a barrier for SMBs trying to compete with larger retailers in the eCommerce space When businesses have access to this data, they are better able to manage their end-to-end operations and have more control over their fulfillment and logistics processes

Fulfillment data is valuable because it can level the playing field for sellers and merchants of all sizes in the eCommerce industry With full transparency into data associated with their orders, businesses can provide a better overall experience for their customers By democratizing access to this data, businesses of all sizes can compete and thrive in the growing eCommerce market.

A major way fulfillment solutions can be made more sustainable is with a multi-tenant system An effective multi-tenant system allows orders from various merchants to be consolidated, so shoppers can receive their goods with less packaging Another consideration for going green is with delivery and transportation. Whether it’s the usage of electric vehicles, or reducing the number of delivery trips, businesses should take advantage of technology, data and existing infrastructure to reimagine the last-mile experience that prioritizes sustainability

Going green isn’t just great for the environment, it’s great for business too With 46% of Canadians preferring to buy items with eco-friendly or less packaging, brands that consider sustainability will be the ones to thrive in the future

People want to shop and see their orders at their doorstep, faster than ever before A perfect last mile delivery solution needs a perfect fulfillment solution

you can’t orchestrate an efficient system without perfect fulfillment And in order to do so, innovating the industry with robotics, data and sustainability is critical to continue to meet these demands of consumers in 2023 and beyond

Reza Bafandeh is CEO of Darwynn Ltd., a fulfillment solution that is building a world-class ecosystem that enables anyone and everyone to compete in e-commerce. Based in Ontario, Darwynn national network and fulfillment ecosystem utilizes industry leading technology and automation, and focuses on system flexibility to cost-effectively meet the fulfillment requirements of customers

Data and analytics can democratize the industry

Research conducted by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada shows that Canadian businesses with five employees or less have a 62 5% chance of making it to 5 years in operation

There are many reasons for the failure of SMEs, but poor financial management is one of the most common. Not knowing how to manage money, look after the bottom line or maintain a steady cash flow can all prove fatal fast Cash flow can be a challenge to manage, but if you can get it right, it can absolutely make or break your business, no matter how big or small

However, learning the basics of money management is crucial for any SME And once you ’ ve got it down to a fine art, you can focus your energy on other aspects of business that push it forward

Keep Tabs On Your Burn Rate

Your burn rate is how quickly you spend your allocated budgets

When businesses exhaust their cash reserves too early, it jeopardizes every financial move going forward

To stop this from happening, keeping a close eye on your burn rate can ensure that spending stays within set limitations and no borrowing from the future is necessary

Here are some more tips for successfully and effectively managing your SME’s burn rate:

Be realistic and conscious of changing expenses

Rather overestimate than underestimate your burn rate Understand the motivations behind your spending

Identify issues before they become significant

Even though tracking these kinds of expenses can be stressful, doing so will significantly reduce the potential for future financial problems The sooner you can identify issues, the better

Organization is the first (and probably the most important) step towards financial security Knowing exactly what your overhead costs are, where your budget lines lie, how much money comes in and out of your business all of these factors provide crucial information about the state of your finances

There is a wide variety of FinTech (financial technology) tools and platforms designed specifically to keep your financial affairs in order Take advantage of them They can help you take a more efficient, streamlined approach to money management that requires little direct input from you and your employees

One of the best ways to reduce stress around any scenario is to demystify it as much as possible. The more you know about your finances, the less scary and unpredictable they will be

Create An Emergency Fund

If your business is still in the early phases of development, an emergency fund might seem too far out of reach But even if you can only put aside a tiny percentage each month, those small contributions will add up over time and they’ll get you into the all-important habit of financial discipline

An emergency fund will help to lift the weight off your shoulders. Knowing that there is some money no matter how little set aside for future situations can make a huge difference to your financial stress

If you can’t set aside money, make sure that you ’ re eligible for a small business loan by keeping your financial affairs in order Taking a loan isn't always a bad option, especially if you ’ ve done your due diligence and know that you can repay it

Get Professional Financial Help

If you ’ re in a position to obtain the professional help of a financial advisor, you absolutely should And if it’s not possible right now, make it a future goal

Balancing budgets and balance sheets is a complex task that people dedicate entire careers to So don’t get down on yourself if you struggle to maintain a strong grip Your expertise is simply in something else But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get help where you can, even if it’s just part-time, on a consultation basis, or from some of the many financial and tax tools available online.

A professional financial advisor can take all that money stress you have and turn it into something much more understandable and sustainable They can keep track of expenditures, draw up specialized budgeting plans, do your taxes, and handle all the financial admin you don’t have the time or energy for It’s a win-win

Focus On ROI

ROI (Return On Investment) is another important component of business to keep track of if you are looking to reduce financial stress Being able to track your growth over time is an enormous advantage for any SME, and can help alleviate the strain of financial management

ROI is a metric that every SME business owner should maintain sight of throughout the fiscal year, because it sheds crucial light on your expenditure rates and whether or not your current budgets are sufficient for long-term growth Don’t leave it out of your financial management strategy!

Nurture Employees

Your employees are what drives your company Without them, profit would be impossible and office life would be miserable By nurturing your employees, you can encourage greater productivity and engagement levels, and make it generally easier to tackle challenges head-on

It’s important to look after the needs of the people who work for and around you because they are the life force of your business. Plus, they deserve it. You can nurture your employees by:

Asking for feedback on their work experience

Providing flexible work hours

Offering hybrid work options (if applicable)

Recognize and praise accomplishments

When you look after your employees on an emotional as well as physical level, you invest in the morale and productivity levels of your company

Maintain A Long-Term Perspective

Looking beyond the day-to-day and into the future is a great way to reduce financial stress. It’s easy to get lost in the haze of numbers and bills, but when you focus on your long-term goals, you have a roadmap that guides you Remember to think ahead and maintain a higher perspective

The Bottom Line

Managing money matters may be tough, but it is always worth the effort With these tips for reducing financial stress in your business, anyone can develop a healthier relationship with money management

Once you have a clear way forward and a future plan, growing your SME and maintaining your cash flow will no longer feel as daunting

Smash + Tess: How Ashley Freeborn

Is Helping Fuel The Brand's Success

FounderofSmash+Tess

We had the opportunity to speak with Ashley Freeborn, the founder of Smash + Tess, who discussed her reasons for starting the business, crucial factors to take into account for professional development, the value of developing relationships online, working with well-known influencers and celebrities, crucial considerations for female leaders, and the significance of equity, diversity, and inclusion in decision-making.

Born and raised in Vancouver, B.C., Ashley graduated from Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., with a BA in English, a BEd, and an MEd. She taught school for a decade before co-founding Smash + Tess with her mother in 2016.

The idea for Smash + Tess rose out of Ashley’s recognition of an unfilled niche in fashion a void in the loungewear market Deciding to fill that void with affordable, stylish, comfortable loungewear, she attended the summer fashion program at Conde Nast in London, UK Bootstrapping her idea to life, S+T has grown from two employees to a team of 50+ in six years In the last fiscal year, S+T brought in $27 million in revenue, which was 26% YoY growth

As CEO, Ashley oversees everything from designing to financial planning to dreaming up fun and creative marketing campaigns. Under her direction, S+T has grown exponentially in revenue and transnationally in market share and public notoriety. Passionate about creating clothing that celebrates femininity, strength, style, and

comfort in women of all shapes and sizes, Ashley is also committed to giving back S+T has spearheaded several charitable endeavours, raising tens of thousands of dollars to support organizations like Matriarch Movement, Mamas For Mamas, Marsha P Johnson Institute and more

In 2020, Ashley was named one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40, which recognizes the most outstanding leaders in the country She also led Smash + Tess through exponential growth, landing the company on The Globe and Mail's Top Growth Companies for the past three years in a row. Ashley is a published author, and her children's book, Frankie and the Magical Romper, can be purchased at Chapters Indigo. She is also a celebrated presenter, touring North America to speak on topics including building a successful brand, e-commerce and D2C sales, authentic collaborations, and social media strategy.

What was your motivation behind founding Smash + Tess? And how will you describe your entrepreneurial journey?

We started S+T to shake up a typically elitist industry and bring fashion back into the hands of women everywhere, no matter their shape or size! We wanted to create a safe online space for women to build community, feel seen and represented, and be celebrated We started with a few items of clothing and a dream, and we ’ ve experienced rapid growth over the past 6 years we ’ ve been in business! Now we have over 320K IG followers, and 180K email subscribers, and we ’ ve pioneered what we like to call “The Romper Revolution ”

Which elements do you consider to be most crucial to an individual's professional development?

Mentorship is so important Having other entrepreneurs, in particular women entrepreneurs, take me under their wing to help me make ‘fewer’ mistakes has been pivotal Having a network of like-minded professionals is such a gift They will celebrate with you when there is a success, commiserate when things are hard, and bolster you when you need a little extra support.

How important do you think it is to build relationships in the digital world? And how can you establish an online network and work with well-known influencers and celebrities?

Being digitally focused allows you to scale quickly and effectively It also removes geographic obstacles and, in many ways, allows your community to be more accessible Having a great PR firm to make introductions to influencers or celebrities is super helpful, and it never hurts to reach out directly on Instagram Personally, I always say “YES ” I say yes to invites to new digital networks, I say yes to podcast opportunities or mentorship opportunities You never know where anything will lead!

What are the essential components that female leaders must take into account? How significant are equity, diversity, and inclusion in positions of decision-making?

Women need to know that we can dream big and we can dream actively. Having women modelling what it means to be a woman and be a leader makes it all more achievable Having more women at the table will ensure we will help close the gender pay gap, ensure policies favour both men and women, and encourage further diversity in the workplace

What challenges and possibilities will small business owners encounter in 2023? What are some possible strategies to take advantage of chances and get beyond obstacles?

We are in an extremely challenging macro environment at the moment that is extremely promotional Our inboxes are flooded with sales and heavy discounts, applying a ton of pressure on small businesses Interest rates are continuing to rise, and life is expensive right now I imagine 2023 will be more of the same So, building a very loyal and supportive community base will help us weather the storm.

What specific advice do you have for striving women? And why do you believe it's crucial for female business owners to share knowledge?

To be authentic to who you are For decades, centuries really, women have tried to act more “masculine” so that we are taken seriously in the workplace I say being a woman is our superpower Lean into that empathy, that matriarchal energy, it only helps us be stronger leaders

Fancy Face:

An Internationally Trusted Source Of Beauty Expertise

By Brittany Gray

We had the opportunity to speak with Brittany Gray, the Founder and CEO of Fancy Face, about her path to becoming an internationally recognized and trusted source of beauty expertise, empowering women of all ages to put their best face forward by equipping them with the skills and providing them with a variety of beauty services In this interview, Brittany deep dives into how she transformed her talent as a makeup artist into a business that brings in more than $1 million annually, her inspiration for launching The Rosé Room before the pandemic, and the challenging circumstances that motivated her to launch her business.

An internationally renowned and trusted source of beauty expertise, Brittany Gray empowers people to amplify the beauty within through her respected and muchloved brand Fancy Face Established over 16 years ago, Fancy Face was inspired by Gray’s boundless passion for the transformative power of makeup, which she discovered while working in film/television as an actress/singer/dancer on some of the most highly coveted Hollywood films today, including Oscar Award Winning ‘Chicago’ (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and ‘Amelia’ (Hilary Swank) Gray’s focus on inclusivity, approachable luxury, and timeless yet also stylish beauty has resonated with people around the globe. As a contributor to GMA, Cityline, The Social, ET Canada, and more, Gray shares tips, techniques, inspiration and beauty products that help viewers feel empowered, gorgeous and the best version of themselves both inside and out. Gray’s work can be seen in Vanity Fair, FASHION,

Hello! Canada, Wedluxe Magazine, and Grace Ormonde, and on some of the most influential faces, including Candace Bushnell (Sex In The City), Jillian Harris, Melissa Grelo, Dina Pugliese, Sangita Patel, and more, further cementing her reputation as Canada’s most trusted beauty guru As a testament to her expertise and talent, Gray’s Fancy Face product line has also been featured in the iconic British Vogue Gray has also created beauty looks for icon brands, including Maison Birks and Greta Contstanine Over the past 16 years, Gray has built a renowned and coveted beauty team that has worked with thousands of brides, providing them with timeless bridal glamour on their special day. In 2019, just before the pandemic, she also opened The Rosé Room, the Fancy Face storefront offering clients the chance to shop her signature beauty line while also being pampered by amazing artists for their weddings or special event. Gray’s passion and knowledge for beauty and business extend into her natural ability to inspire and lead other entrepreneurs to success In 2022, Gray was the

keynote speaker at the First Sundays event, hosted by the Run the World Summit, where she shared her knowledge to educate and inspire aspiring female entrepreneurs As a philanthropist and champion for women, Gray partners with charitable events and organizations, including Mamas for Mamas Toronto for which she is the community ambassador.

When did you start your career? And how does it feel to become an internationally renowned, trusted source of expertise for faces across the nation and empower women of all ages to develop these skills and tactics to put their best face forward through your diverse beauty offerings?

I officially started my company in 2006, but my career and passion for makeup began long before that, at the age of fifteen. For the next eleven years, until I was about twenty-six years old, I developed my makeup skills and gained an immense amount of professional experience in the beauty field while I was working in the performing arts and entertainment industry It was during this time that an idea came to me, and I decided to open Fancy Face when I was twenty I knew I wanted to provide hair and makeup services for women so that they could feel like celebrities and so they wouldn't have to travel to the salon to get their makeup done I wanted every woman to have an all-inclusive, luxury experience in the comfort of their own home

Fast forward to the right before the COVID-19 pandemic, and our company was in a place where we had almost over 500 weddings booked a year Things were growing steadily for our business, and the future was bright Around this time, I began noticing just how many women expressed feeling “lost” when they went into large beauty department stores There were just so many product options of a wide range of prices and on top of this, many women felt like they spend on a beauty routine for the realized that I wanted to do more community of women.

I could relate to these women and especially because I was also go phases of being engaged, marrie a mother, as well as being an ent mother I really started to connec wanted to see us get ready and f amount of time So we launched that was not overwhelming, and i components in each makeup and women look and feel fantastic, qu

It feels fantastic to be in a place where I can encourage women to put their best face forward! At Fancy Face, we always say that “fancy is a feeling,” and it's a feeling that comes from within But sometimes, when people are going through trying times, they don't feel great on the inside And in those times, one thing that can actually be helpful in caring for yourself from the outside in Taking time for a relaxing skincare routine or putting on a gorgeous new lip colour can really lift your spirits, even on a bad day And I love inspiring people, both when it comes to entrepreneurship and their beauty routine It’s an honour to be able to empower these women, and I don’t take it lightly I do my best every day to wear my different hats with grace and ensure I add a little fancy to my every day while helping teach women to do the same

What do you have to say about turning your skill as a makeup artist into a company that brings in more than $1 million annually?

It took a lot of grit and perseverance to move from being a solely service-based enterprise to creating a product line during COVID When the pandemic began, our service side of the business had completely dried up, and it was a scary time for us I had to enter into a sort of fight or flight mode, pouring myself into learning everything about e-commerce and retail and that was not something I was trained in! But I had a knack for sales, and I also just loved teaching women about beauty We recognized there was a gap in the market with a lot of confusion around makeup and skincare And so, to be a voice of reason for women and to show them how to simplify their beauty routine was really what helped us pull through

The other piece of the puzzle for me is that you have to be really good at something For example, when it comes to my skill set, I'm really good at knowing what products will work. I like things to be effective. I like them to provide results. I will never sell something if I don't believe in it So I think people can see that genuine passion and feel like they can then trust your recommendations because its not just about making money; it’s about helping women feel great And if that converts to having a successful business, that’s wonderful, but the intent is to do something good for them

we needed to be more efficient when it came to utilizing our time. I was also always dreaming of creating a space that best told the world our story and who we were. And so, as soon as I found the perfect storefront space, we went through with the renovations We took what was then a 70s pharmacy and transformed it entirely I worked with an amazing designer to help my vision come to life and we built it from the ground up in terms of the aesthetic of how the company would look when it came to a brick-and-mortar space

Today, in the Rosé Room, we provide hairstyling and makeup services for special events and weddings We also have makeup lessons, both private and group lessons We also offer virtual lessons I've always been a big believer that being a master of one thing is better than being a jack or jill of all trades I really think it's important to stay true to who we are, which is why at Fancy Face, we don't offer nail services and facials and tanning or other beauty services We do makeup and hairstyling, and we do it extremely well

What inspired you to launch The Rosé Room prior to the pandemic? And what services does it provide to customers?

When I first started my company, from the years 2006 to 2019, I had an office and a small studio space in my house It was pretty crazy having people come and go at our house, especially when I was engaged, getting married, and having babies, and it was really out of a dire need to open a storefront that we opened, The Rosé Room. We had grown to the point where we needed to do multiple services, and we were 30 women working on the team, so we needed to be more efficient when it came to utilizing our time

What difficulties did you experience because you were a woman business owner? What strategies did you employ to overcome those difficulties?

I think the difficulty, for the most part, has been finding my way through the business world I was just twenty years old when I started my company and lacked a lot of experience Also, I’m selffunded, and my company is self-financed, so it has been a continuing struggle for me as an entrepreneur who had to balance wanting to grow quickly but also realizing that bootstrapping a business is about the long game When you ' re

self-funded, you can't just make massive moves quickly as if you were VC-funded But I almost like that in the sense that we ' ve grown at a comfortable enough pace that we can manage each growth phase as opposed to growing at an exponential rate and having the customer service and quality drop

And then there’s this other side of growing the business outside of Ontario that I would say has been challenging Originally when we started the company, we were able to grow our reach through word of mouth and social media. Now with all of the algorithm changes, it's hard to stay on top of different social media trends and expand our reach beyond the following we originally grew And so, a real challenge for us has been breaking out of Ontario We have a huge following across the province, but we also ship within North America, and so we ’ re still working to break down those barriers of where we ' re popular and get our name out in new regions

I feel lucky to say that I’ve never really faced difficulties because Im a woman business owner I never let that hinder me I also think that because I didn't take the corporate route and was able to be my own boss, I never felt any limitations I always saw myself as capable as anybody else And when I see men succeeding in business, I always think to myself, “well, women can do it too!” And I've had enough female role models that I look up to who have been trailblazers when it comes to being a female entrepreneur So I really didn’t see a ceiling I just knew it was our time as women to go after whatever it was that we felt called to do And luckily, I have a very supportive husband and parents who always cheer me on.

What are the strategic tips you would like to offer to women entrepreneurs that will help them thrive in the business industry?

Surround yourself with people who are more experienced than you, whether that’s getting yourself into an entrepreneurial group or networking–and lean in to that experience! Make sure that you ' re not the smartest person in the room and whenever you notice that happening, it’s your sign to change things up

I would also really spend some time finding people in your industry (or even outside your industry) that you admire so that you have a guiding light when you ' re feeling lost Read their stories, learn about what they've done and try to find people that are doing it similar to you For example, I wouldn’t necessarily admire a company that has raised a lot of outside funding Rather, I want to learn about Sara Blakely from Spanx who's done it all herself That's an example of trying to find people that are building a business similar to how you want to do it and then looking up to them and using their experiences as a guide.

My last piece of advice would be to trust your gut, follow your heart, and do something that you are deeply passionate about. Doing what you love makes the hard days easier because you can look back and remind yourself of why you started in the first place.

I hope that these tips will help you follow your passions to start and scale the business of your dreams.

How Fullmoon Digital

Helps You

Make Data-Driven Decisions & Grow Your Business

We had the opportunity to speak with Derek Chew, the founder and CEO of Fullmoon Digital, who discussed his motivation for starting the business, his predictions for the advertising budgets for 2023, the types of search engine marketing he believes will be successful in that year, the impact pay-perclick ad platforms will have in the run-up to the new year, and his specific advice for companies looking to maximize their digital marketing budgets.

Derek Chew is the Founder & CEO of Fullmoon Digital, a former early Yahoo! employee (where he cut his teeth in digital marketing), and is one of the few 100% independent digital marketing agencies in the United States The firm is cross-functional with deep experience in SEO, digital strategy, programmatic, analytics, performance marketing, paid media, social advertising, and creative They push the envelope of what is possible in terms of marketing and technology, all the while providing best-in-class digital marketing service to their “pack” of clients For more information, please visit www fullmoondigital com

What inspired you to start Fullmoon Digital? What do you hope to accomplish through your work?

Fullmoon Digital is my second company The first one was a 2-man SEO company I started with a friend in 2002, which lasted for about one year. Even though I am passionate about marketing, I realized that I did not possess all the necessary skills to build an agency and needed more experience before trying again I have become a career marketer with the goal of learning as much as I can to be a well-rounded marketing professional Over the next years, I worked for brands and companies like Yahoo!, LegalZoom, 7 For All Mankind, True Religion, Organic com, and many more It took many years to fine-tune my skills, but in 2017 was when it all came together

My wife, Geanina, played an important role in the birth of Fullmoon Digital She had always asked me why I wouldn’t start a digital agency Admittedly, I was afraid to fail again But she doesn’t give up easily, which was a good thing for me Finally, in August of 2017, while we were hanging out in our backyard, I decided to give it another shot and go all in this time Of course, we needed to find a name for this new agency. I went through the cliché digital agency names, but none of them clicked. We looked up at the night sky, saw a full moon, and the rest was history

Derek Chew FounderandCEOofFullmoonDigital

Since the beginning, my mission has been to bring good people together to make their mark by doing great work One thing I am passionate about is finding ways to give back to communities in meaningful ways Starting in 2023, we will be joining hundreds of other companies as a member of 1% for the Planet I’m excited that Fullmoon Digital is in a position to start doing its part in tackling environmental issues

What do you think about the new forecast for 2023 advertising budgets, which states that expenditure on advertisements is anticipated to decline by as much as 6%?

2023 will be a challenging year for many businesses as the economy continues to be fluid and unpredictable I’m not clairvoyant, but there are indicators that things will reset and level off in the next 12 to 18 months

If we learn from the past, then businesses and brands that have the budgets should be taking advantage of competitive pullback and lean in What I’ve seen too often is the idea of “keeping a reserve ” in uncertain times Sure, that’s a sound financial adage, but history proves that businesses that took a leap and continued advertising wisely have better chances to dominate their industry during a recovery Whether it’s a Fullmoon client or not, I urge businesses to rethink their advertising strategies, work with your agency to find pockets of opportunity, and double down with a complete commitment to winning hearts and minds

I can tell you that 90% of Fullmoon’s client budgets are increasing in 2023, perhaps not as aggressively as we want to, but it’s a healthy indicator for our clients Street talk about reduced budgets is not a global phenomenon, and I really wish that digital marketers and industry leaders do not over-sensationalize the topic There are still untapped opportunities, and as a digital agency, our responsibility is to find those and create a plan for our clients to strategically attack it

What sort of search engine marketing do you think will be successful in 2023? Furthermore, how would this benefit the digital marketing agencies?

This is a timely question as we ’ re seeing significant changes with analytics, cookie tracking, privacy laws, and advertising platforms There are also so many advertising software to choose from – it’s getting more crowded more than ever With PPC cost increasing every year, agencies must learn to balance their earned, owned, and paid media strategies If your business is over reliant on a single channel, you need to take a closer look and evaluate your distribution Marketing agencies that are integrated with its clients will stand a better chance of being successful in 2023 and beyond

As algorithms and platforms get more advanced with AIassistance and more intelligent targeting, we’re going to see a shift in what it means to be a search engine marketer. Search advertising platforms are pushing hard for automation from campaign set up and smart bidding to efficiency optimization and targeting. We’re going to notice a shift in talent pool.

Because there’s less need for marketers to understand the intricacies and nuances of the search engine marketing platforms, marketers in the next generation will lose key skills with the over-reliance on automation, albeit forced by the platforms. To make a difference and be successful, marketing agencies must focus on the quality of work and creativity of assets like videos, images, and content.

At Fullmoon Digital, we work closely with our client partners to dig deeper into their marketing channels We spend time to understand our client’s business, from inventory management and margins to advertising budgets and cross-channel strategies When clients are willing to share information, it makes the job of marketing agencies a lot more effective, more flexible with creativity, and come up with ideas that challenge the status quo

What impact do you think pay-per-click ad platforms will have ahead of the new year? Will that turn out to be beneficial for them?

Automation is an area in which PPC platforms are headed It’s fair to say that in the next few years, as the field of AI expands, we will see more automated features introduced into the platforms Automation puts more control back in the hands of the PPC platforms while making it easier for businesses to advertise. But this means marketers will have less direct control over what can and cannot be done with the PPC platforms For example, Google Ads' new Performance Max campaign is a good example There’s a high level of automation from machine learning and process automation and less manual work for basic settings With the rollout of Performance Max, Google Ads also took away the ability for marketers to add negative keywords (you have to reach out to a rep for help), limited analysis of source data (hopefully, we see more transparency in the future), and lower level of control

At Fullmoon Digital, we realize that PPC platforms will continue to be an essential advertising channel for businesses in the years to come The changes that are here and the ones yet to come can be a double-edged sword for the industry On the one hand, automation lowers the barrier to entry On the other, it makes it less attractive to advanced marketing agencies who want more control over their client’s campaigns Having been involved with the PPC industry since the early days (before Google Ads), I am excited to see how PPC platforms continue to evolve their features and what marketing agencies are doing to stay relevant in the coming years.

What specific suggestions do you have for the businesses that will help them make the most of their budgets for digital marketing?

Businesses that understand where PPC falls into their media mix will succeed in acquiring customers at an efficient cost It is relatively simple to spend advertising dollars, and marketing agencies know this What will really make a huge difference for any business is focusing on elements that can cause meaningful shifts in core metrics Three things business should pay close attention to commit resources and time on - improve site conversion rate, first-party data collection, and creative-to-audience mapping The results will be cumulative and expectations must be reasonable if businesses want to win in the long-game

The Ultimate Guide To The Steps You Need To Take Now Growing Your Business In 2023:

As the new year begins with new hopes and aspirations, small businesses must utilize the freshness that it offers to bring in new ways of conducting business by investigating the old practices and revamping the existing ones, formulating innovative strategies, and reimagining every aspect of business operations

With 2023 opening with new possibilities, here is the ultimate guide to growing your business in 2023 and the steps you need to take now.

To strategize a growth plan for 2023, business owners must first review their 2022 plan. They must take a close look at the decisions they made, the investments they made, the tools and resource incorporations into operations, and the creative formulas they developed in sales, customer services and marketing A holistic analysis of every aspect of decisions and incorporation must be made to have a clear report for 2022

The year 2022 saw a massive digital revolution of small businesses, with many deciding to incorporate digital tools and resources into their operations The trend will continue in the new year, with innovations occurring in many more aspects of business operations and tools being enhanced to allow for more efficient and seamless operations Digital transformation helps small businesses to grow, scale and expand at an easier pace without extra investments

A new year brings a new beginning Entrepreneurs must use the freshness that a new year gives to study the upcoming trends in businesses that will sweep 2023 They must analyze which suits their business operations and which incorporations will provide the best return on investment and help make everyday tasks and functions seamlessly The digital and technological innovations in the business industry are booming, and entrepreneurs must make judicious decisions that help them make the most of 2023

Customers search for brands online to know more about their products, services, ethical and sustainable practices, values, and guiding principles In addition, customer behavior has evolved drastically in the past few years, and they expect brands to have an online presence and offer ecommerce options

Hence, small businesses must revamp their websites by developing more customer-friendly features, especially mobile adaptive websites.

services As a result, they must devise innovative offers, discounts, and services to establish their brand as the first choice for clients.

Marketing strategies are becoming more innovative and competitive with the passing years In addition, digital marketing is bringing in efficient company tactics because these incorporations are datadriven, offering entrepreneurs a clear picture of the success of their marketing investments As a result, entrepreneurs must regularly examine their digital marketing strategies to assess the benefits they have contributed to their businesses.

In 2023, small businesses must explore opportunities for strategic collaboration They must find and connect with brands that will complement their products and services and strategize combined marketing techniques that will result in a mutual benefit. Lately, there have been immense examples of brand collaborations that have helped in marketing, sales, and branding for the parties involved

Even after years, the significance and effectiveness of certain strategies remain Email and video marketing have the capacity to optimize search engines and bring potential buyers to your website Small businesses can reach out to potential clients by signing up people to establish an email subscriber list and sharing relevant content via email and newsletters They must make short videos and employ video SEO tactics to keep on top of marketing trends.

The flexibility that digital tools and resources provide allows branding techniques to be implemented at a low cost Small businesses can ensure that their brand name reaches a bigger customer base by utilizing digital marketing methods, brand collaborations, influencer marketing techniques, and other creative and innovative techniques With a vast populace having access to mobile phones and social media handles, branding is an easy task for small businesses to complete

In 2023, entrepreneurs would prefer to engage freelancers to complete tasks rather than hire fulltime staff This enables companies to obtain the services of professionals in the relevant field for the duration required, relieving them of the burden of managing a large workforce. As a result, using freelancers will grow more popular as a costeffective and timely method of completing tasks

Small businesses are an integral part of the Canadian economy

As a result, it is critical that the industry remains innovative and adapt to changing times In 2023, the business industry will continue to evolve as digital tools and resources pave the way for data-driven strategies and tactics As a result, small businesses must adapt to these developments by implementing tactics that best suit their operations

Changing times call for changing operations

Entrepreneurs must devote time and effort to rethinking their customer services Brands must recognize their responsibility to attract customers to their brand in an increasingly competitive market where customers have numerous options for getting their products and

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https://lnkd.in/dbqmSKN. For the latest updates, visit our Twitter page at @canadian_sme.

We had the opportunity to speak with Jamile Cruz, the founder and CEO of I&D 101, who discussed her inspiration for starting the business, being named one of the “100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining” by Women in Mining UK, positive developments in I&D in the mining industry, challenges she faced as a female business owner, the company’s future objectives, and advice for the aspirant women

Jamile Cruz, is a recognized, award-winning industry leader Her passion for empowering people and driving equity and inclusion led her to create I&D 101, with the goal of creating inclusive spaces that support all talent Jamile holds a Project Management Professional designation, a Master’s Certificate in Project Management, and a Bachelor of Engineering Degree Her extensive resume includes the following:

Recognized as one of the “100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining by Women in Mining UK” (WIM100) in 2022 Recipient of the 2021 Business Changemakers Awards by the Globe and Mail and the 2020 Canadian Institute of Mining Distinguished Lecturers Award Twenty years of transforming highperforming organizations through the creation and implementation of strategies to reduce operational costs and achieve business goals Executive advisor to multiple organizations leading the investment review of major capital projects and business transformations International experience across multiple industries, including mining, design engineering, and management consulting, working directly for Hatch, Vale, and Accenture Extensive volunteer experience including her roles as Founding Director of Women in Mining Brasil, as a former Board Member for Women in Mining Canada, as the Board Member for the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce and D&I Committee Chair Board member and chair of the ESG Committee for ATEX Resources, a Latin America-focused exploration company.

She founded I&D 101 to help business leaders assess their organizations, clients, customers and markets and to understand how an Inclusion & Diversity strategy combined with the right investment will drive more value creation and innovation. She wants to help people and organizations on their journey toward realizing the profound impact of inclusive and inspired work environments

Jamile Cruz is also a respected speaker She is frequently invited to lead workshops, presentations, and speaking engagements and drive change and awareness on Equity & Inclusion She believes that together we can turn organizations into places where the potential of individuals and teams is unlocked, and everybody is inspired to participate and bring their best selves to the table

Jamile Cruz

FounderandCEOofI&D101

What motivated you to launch I&D 101? And how will you describe your journey as an award-winning industry leader with more than 20 years of expertise in project design, programme implementation, and other areas?

I&D 101 was born from the desire to create change by combining lessons learned from operational excellence, culture design and business transformations (i e change management) and the need to build more inclusive and sustainable organizations.

The experiences that built up my 20year-plus career all helped in my understanding of the changes we would need to see in our organizations to create truly inclusive cultures Every project, relationship, presentation, business trip, and conference made an impact I am grateful for the continuous learning process that my career has provided

How does it feel to be recognized as one of the“100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining” by Women in Mining UK? Which elements do you consider to be the main drivers of your success?

It is gratifying to see people engaging with the projects and ideas I put on the table Being nominated to the WIM100 program shows me that this engagement exists and that people around me believe that working on these projects can generate the positive changes we want to see in this world

The work proposed by I&D 101 is transformational, and having organizations willing to collaborate and create the space to implement our tools and enable these transformations is an incredible feeling. Also, the ability to employ people and have multiple collaborators who believe in the work we have proposed is beyond satisfying. I have amazing mentors, sponsors, promoters, clients, collaborators, and they all play a critical part in the impact I want to have in this world.

How did you get your start in mining and inclusion and diversity work? What beneficial developments have you seen in I&D in the mining industry, and how has it changed?

The mining industry came into my life once I decided to explore an international career and ended up with an internship in the mining group of an engineering firm in Canada I’ve stayed and continue to stay because it is a very interesting, multidisciplined industry full of possibilities There is learning involved every step of the way There are opportunities to transform, create and positively impact our world

I started to work with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) when an organization I was working for created the space for me to challenge the current ideas and create new ways of approaching DE&I work After seeing the results we could drive, I grew into the idea of engaging with multiple organizations and helping leaders understand the value of DE&I.

Our work supports the understanding that it takes more than good intentions to transform the mining industry As with any business priority, the implementation of a DE&I Strategy that brings results requires an action plan focused on the challenges identified in the culture of each organization, associated with clear responsibility lines, resources, budgets and metrics Moving an organization towards a defined goal takes work, and if the defined goal is an environment where everybody, independent of their identities, can succeed, we need to apply the required level of effort

In terms of results, you would see in mining the same change adoption curve you see in other sectors, with early innovators and early adopters starting to show great results and a large portion of the industry still waiting for more pressure from investors, market and talent to adopt strategies, without understanding how much early adoption of DE&I strategies could create real business advantages

What difficulties did you encounter as a female business owner? How did you get through those obstacles?

The list is long access to financing, legal support, decision-makers at client organizations, how to build a support network we could go on I think what got me through the challenges was getting very clear on my “why” Defining my purpose, the reason why I&D 101 was created, and what we were set to achieve was essential I go back to these definitions every time things get hard, it helps me to find the courage to keep moving forward As I said before, the other crucial part is creating a network of supporters and people who understand your vision These are the people you can call to test ideas, to be inspired, and to get the support you need to continue on your journey

What are the future goals for I&D 101? What specific advice would you give to the aspiring women out there?

I want to see growth! For all the organizations we work with, this means moving along their maturity curve and making real progress toward inclusion. For the I&D 101 team, it means further developing our tools and approaches to enable more projects and engage more organizations, which would result in a bigger impact in the communities we participate in

My advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to invest the time to develop strong relationships, cultivate mentors and sponsors, and learn key processes that will help you be efficient in the areas you chose to operate. There are so many possibilities and so many unsolved demands in this world … don’t be afraid to create, to change, to challenge, to ask for what you want, to invest in your development, to demand inclusive and respectful environments, and diverse teams in the organizations you associate with. We need to use our power as customers in everything we do.

We had the opportunity to sit down with Joel Melnichuk, co-founder of Happy Heart Coffee, to talk about the reasons for starting the business, the health advantages of their special ingredient “Lion’s mane,” the idea of making a mushroom mixture, the products they have in store for customers who don’t like coffee, and the long-term goals of their company

How did you come across the “Lion's mane ” ingredient? And what are the health benefits associated with it?

When did you start your career? What inspired you to start Happy Heart Coffee?

I have had many occupations in my life, from collecting garbage to newspaper route to working in restaurants to being a grocery clerk, to being a pastor, and now entrepreneurship This latest business venture began about a year ago My brother-in-law and I were trying to come up with a different and creative business idea and, in that process, stumbled upon mushroom coffee and the rest is history

The way I came across Lion’s mane was I was researching ingredients in different energy drinks and pre-workout supplements. I began to notice this ingredient called Lion’s mane in many of them. So then I started doing some more research and found out it is actually a mushroom that is loaded with so many powerful health benefits It has been shown to enhance cognitive function, help with mental focus and clarity, help with regenerating brain cells, and even help reduce the effects of dementia and Alzheimer's It is one powerful mushroom, and so we have based our products around this one ingredient

Joel Melnichuk Co-FounderofHappyHeartCoffee

How did you come up with the concept of creating a mushroom mixture? How did it go when you sold the first batch of the product?

Creating the mushroom mixture was quite fun and interesting Realizing how powerful Lion’s mane was, led me to research mushrooms in general and discover that mushrooms are considered a superfood and offer so many incredible health benefits So for the Happy Heart coffee, I put together 6 mushrooms that contain health benefits that range from enhanced cognitive function, decreasing stress and anxiety, skin health, gut health, and so much more! We also have a product called Happy Heart Mix, which is a mixture of 8 mushrooms No coffee, just pure mushroom extract

We had awesome success with the first launch. The first batch of coffee that we launched sold out in about 3 days. So we were super excited about that and were not expecting it to sell that quick.

What does your business have to offer those who don't drink coffee, as mushroom coffee is only for coffee lovers?

Yeah, so as I mentioned previously, we have created an 8-mushroom mix that we call Happy Heart Mix It is strictly mushrooms This product is best when mixed with shakes, smoothies, or in your baking For those who may be wondering about if there is a strong mushroom taste, there isnt at all In fact, I add a happy heart mix to my protein shakes (protein powder, water, HHM), and I cannot even taste it at all The same goes for coffee You won’t even know that there are mushrooms in it.

What are the long-term objectives of your business? What new products do you intend to release in 2023?

Being that we are quite new, there is tension between being patient with where we are and having a vision for the future There are a couple more products that we are hoping to launch in 2023 Those are mushroom hot chocolate and our Happy Heart Mix but in capsule form We dont have a specific release date on those as of yet, but they are in the works

Vikram Bhandari

Founder&CEO,Yantra

We had the pleasure of speaking with Yantra's founder and CEO, Vikram Bhandari, who discussed the wide range of services Yantra provides to businesses around the globe, effective strategies businesses can employ to stay resilient during times of recession, potential applications for digital transformation to improve business operations, and the role that digital transformation plays in helping CFOs and CIOs prepare for the company ' s future

With over 25 years of experience in professional consulting and entrepreneurship, Vikram leverages a diverse set of capabilities to lead the strategy and development of companies across the Retail, Software, Hitech, and Manufacturing industries globally As an entrepreneur steeped in innovation and transformation, he combines his bold vision, operational rigour and innate market understanding to support high-growth businesses.

Vikram is a Board Member and Advisor to some of the most dynamic and admired companies across the globe. His ambitious goals and views are the key drivers of Yantra’s growth. His teams are responsible for creating, designing, and implementing meaningfully differentiated products that diverge in the way they’re conceived, built and implemented Yantra is one of the largest Oracle NetSuite and SFDC consulting firms globally

Vikram is married with children and resides in Silicon Valley, San Francisco

What are the numerous services offered by Yantra to businesses throughout the world as a management and technology consulting firm?

Yantra has been a trusted partner for our clients in different verticals, i e Technology, Finance, Retail, etc , since 2009 As a management and technology consulting firm, we offer a unique blend of industry experience and customized systems and technology

We are a leading provider of business consulting services We offer a range of services, including application management, product engineering, data analytics, managed services, machine learning and artificial intelligence (ML&AI), robotic process automation, data harmonization, and process orchestration

Additionally, we have expertise in enterprise and financial systems like NetSuite/Salesforce and other Oracle Fusion services Our clients come to us to deploy industry-standard business processes across their entire operations life cycle We help them streamline and manage their operations while having real-time visibility at various levels across functionalities This results in efficient and effective business operations

Our networking and partnerships with the decision-makers allow us to approach the company ’ s vision at both macro and micro levels It gives us an understanding of the overall perspective and leads us to execute a successful solution both judiciously and expeditiously By truly listening to our client’s concerns, we are able to brainstorm and brew a tailor-made solution that helps them realize their vision The collective goal is not just to automate but also to optimize processes to turn their goals into reality

What successful tactics and methods do you think companies should use to stay resilient when a recession approaches?

There are several strategies and methodologies that companies can implement before or during the onset of a recession that can help to increase their business operations and performance First and foremost, creating a roadmap is essential to progress while being financially continuous Then revenue and budget prioritizing is a critical challenge that enterprises, especially small and medium-sized ones, look out for

On the other hand, they should plan to diversify their revenue stream to reduce their reliance on any particular stream, adapt to the evolving demands of the consumers, and increase their overall stability Adapt new technologies and processes to streamline their operations to sustain the competition and external challenges and maximize the return on investment

Besides, businesses should focus on more data visibility and integrate data from across the functions to gain a distinct edge in planning and forecasting, as it is important to stay afloat Informed decisions provide a sense of security and stability

Last but not least, keep a close eye on market trends! The changes in the economy help businesses anticipate potential challenges and adjust their strategy accordingly

What are the ways through which digital transformation may be used to enhance business operations and performance both during and after the recession, as it seems to continue to be one of the top priorities for expenditures that organizations pick to recession-proof their businesses?

Digital transformation brings more flexibility and adaptability by automating manual processes By using software and automation tools, businesses can reduce the need for manual labour and risks associated with the nature of work, hence, saving costs and increasing productivity

For example, NetSuite Analytics Warehouse (NSAW) is a tool to integrate and get the most simplified analytics and reports for every complex data available across platforms. It gives

access to over 30 pre-built dashboards covering the areas that matter most in your business such as Finance, Order Management, Inventory, Procurement, and Sales Such tools help the organization to come out of the operational roadblocks and focus their time and skills on more important aspects

During the recession, many businesses might struggle with maintaining traditional revenue streams By expanding and offering digital products or services, they can tap into a new market and generate income that may not have been possible before They are also able to provide efficient customer experience and enhance their competitive advantage by adopting new technologies and processes

Real-time data and insights generated from a digitalized and automated system allow CFOs to improve financial forecasting and better predict future outcomes

Furthermore, with an advanced process backed up by digital technologies, CIOs can help in organizational advancement, security and protection of processes

Beyond internal data, a digitized system is able to provide insights of the market’s needs and preferences to help enhance the experience, build loyalty and improve relationships with customers.

Digital transformation is a team effort that needs actions across departments It is an integral contributor to corporate decision-making and streamlining operations, reducing cost and increasing efficiency This is extremely helpful regarding future growth, cost and resources management

What specific advice would you provide businesses to help them get the most out of their investments in technology during the economic crisis?

Be ready with both a short-term and long-term plan to make sure that you have a strong foundation for consistent work in digital transformation and for support, maintenance and security Digital transformation is not a one-off project; it’s a journey! Digital technology will help you streamline business processes to support the adaptation to any change Furthermore, stay up to date with trends and the competition, and make sure to choose the right customized strategy to address the unique challenges and opportunities for your business and industry

What role does digital transformation play in assisting CFOs and CIOs in getting prepared for the future of the business by utilizing data and producing insights to seek solutions to either internal issues or external challenges?

In the era of “Data is King,” digital tools enable CFOs and CIOs to gain a deeper understanding of the business with increased transparency and visibility to identify new opportunities and even potential risks, to make more informed decisions for strategy adjustments and mitigate negative impacts if any

When working with my clients to find an answer on how to respond to economic downturns, especially when the worries of a recession hit the global economy, I always tell them, as business owners, they should keep a cool head to think of what is the most suitable approach instead of rushing to find a solution Be open to taking a few steps back and evaluating the progress to avoid investment in a dead upgrade or investing in an upgrade that is too far ahead of the times There is no single, definitive solution to any business problem, but rather a range of possible options The key is to find a strategy that is well-suited to your specific needs and to implement it with a consistent, sustained effort And not hesitate to consult with an expert to discuss scalability and the future needs of your business

The value of asking the Right Questions

A lot of entrepreneurs see financial advisors as investment brokers But most don’t know that some advisors are highly qualified professionals that are a source of tremendous knowledge Here are 5 questions an advisor can answer that will have a profound impact on your business

KarlA Nour, SeniorWealth Advisor

ArandeepBiryah, AssociateAdvisor

Winston Churchill said: “He who fails to plan is planning to fail ”

With constant change, entrepreneurs must adapt to stay competitive Continuous improvement to financial strategies can help capitalize on business opportunities and allow entrepreneurs to stay ahead of the curve and adapt to market changes

While short-term strategies are important for business growth and raising capital, long-term considerations are crucial for risk mitigation and longevity For example, attention to cash flow management, tax efficiency and risk management can make the difference between a smooth execution and a turbulent ride

As the business evolves, its financial needs and goals also change For startups, business advice can focus on securing funding and managing cash flow As the business grows, the focus may shift to tax planning and investment strategies to support long-term growth Once the business has matured, risk management and insurance come to the forefront Finally, the focus may shift to succession planning, exit strategies and estate planning for the owners

Some examples of tax strategies that businesses may use include maximizing deductions and credits, establishing retirement plans, deferring income, and structuring the business in a way that creates the most tax-efficient form of organization

Tax laws and regulations are subject to change, and it is always recommended to consult with a professional to ensure compliance with the current tax laws and regulations

One important yet commonly neglected example of a long-term strategy is retirement planning Entrepreneurs often neglect to plan for their own retirement for several reasons One reason is the exceeding focus on shortterm goals and growth at the expense of considering the long-term implications of their financial decisions Another reason is simply that it is complex and overwhelming

A recent study conducted by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business reported that 76% of Canadian small and medium-sized business owners are looking to exit their business within the next 10 years However, only 9% of those have a succession plan in place

An important element of exit planning is assessing the tax impact on selling one ’ s business Often, the lifetime capital gain exemption is not sufficient to offset the tax liability In this case, an individual pension plan and a retirement compensation agreement can be employed to minimize the overall tax burden.

This employee or partner maybe someone who has unique skills, knowledge, or relationships that are critical to the businesss success and difficult to replace A loss of a key person may heavily impact the company ’ s operations and potentially result in a decline in revenue

Key person insurance can help to mitigate the financial impact of the loss of such a person, allowing the business to continue operating and potentially recover from the loss

High-quality financial advice involves not only investment advice but also tax strategies, retirement planning, insurance solutions, and succession planning These questions are just a few examples of strategizing that can be implemented in collaboration with a professional advisor, but most people don’t know where to receive reliable and accurate help That is why we built a comprehensive program that systematically approaches business challenges in a developmental fashion. To learn more about these powerful tools, reach out to our dedicated team today

Karl Nour is a Chartered Investment Manager and Senior Wealth Advisor at Nour Private Wealth Inc.

For over a decade, Karl has been providing imperative wealth management solutions to affluent business owners and high net–worth families

One example is a buy-sell agreement, which outlines the transition of the shares when a partner is unable to attend to the business needs due to disability or because of other unexpected life events This can be funded through an insurance vehicle that is structured in a manner to provide tax-free funds needed to cover the transaction

The goal is to achieve greater confidence in his client’s financial future and a longer-lasting legacy for their families. Karl’s investment strategy is to follow a pensionstyle approach while diversifying portfolios with nontraditional asset classes This means he can explore the most innovative strategies without compromising his conservative and disciplined values

Over the years, Karl has been nominated for multiple awards. Most recently, he was the recipient of the Top 50 Advisors and Young Gun of the Year awards by Wealth Professional Having over a decade of experience, Karl is actively looking for different opportunities to bring to his clientele He is committed to furthering his knowledge through additional educational endeavours to provide the most cutting-edge advice.

We recently had the chance to speak with Birgir Jónsson, CEO of Play Airlines, who discussed his entrepreneurial journey, his thoughts on PLAY's Canadian expansion, the benefits that travellers will experience in light of the commemoration of the first flights from Canada, popular European destinations tourists can visit without going over their trip budget, beginning of the first airline flights from Canada to Europe, and its pay-what-you-need business model.

Birgir Jónsson is CEO of Play Airlines. He has extensive experience in international management and operations. He was Ossur's Regional Director in Asia, based in Hong Kong, CEO of Iceland Express and later Deputy CEO of WOW air He lived and worked in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary, where he was CEO of Infopress Group, one of the largest printing companies in Eastern Europe He was CEO of Iceland Post and has also been involved in many projects in the field of restructuring and transformation across a diverse range of industries

Birgir holds an MBA from the University of Westminster in London and a BA (Hons) from the University of the Arts London.

How will you describe your journey with an extensive experience in international management and operations, having served in senior positions in various organizations?

That is right; I´ve been around the world serving various positions I was a regional director for Össur in Asia, based in Hong Kong, CEO of Iceland Express and the Iceland Post and lived in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary This experience has taught me a lot about workplace spirit and how it is important to get the team chemistry right to maximize the company ´ s potential And I think the results of that are showing We were awarded the Startup of the year at Capa Awards last year and the Satisfactory Scale in Iceland So, the industry and our passengers are noticing the good work being done at PLAY

Birgir Jónsson CEOofPlayAirlines

What are your thoughts on the Canadian expansion of PLAY's services?

We're proud to expand PLAY service to Canada with service in Hamilton, offering both Canadian and European travellers a new way to reach iconic destinations With our reliable and affordable flights, Travellers can spend less on their flight tickets and enjoy more of their destination

How many people have flown on PLAY flights since its inception?

In 2022, PLAY flew 800,000 passengers across Europe and North America with an on-time arrival rate of over 96%

What exactly is its pay-what-you-need business model?

And what are the advantages that travellers will enjoy in view of the commemoration of the first flights from Canada?

To celebrate PLAY’s inaugural flights from Canada, we are offering travellers tickets for as low as $169 to 13 destinations across Europe, including Berlin Brandenburg (BER), Brussels (BRU), Copenhagen (CPH), Dublin (DUB), Gothenburg Landvetter (GOT), London Stansted (STN), Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and to Keflavik (KEF) for only $129 This deal is valid for the Canadian departing flight of a roundtrip booking for flights scheduled between August and October 2023. The $129 and 169 price is inclusive of all mandatory taxes, fees and carrier charges and is available from January 10-31 at midnight Eastern Time

What popular European destination may tourists visit without going over their trip budget, in your opinion, when the first airline flights from Canada to Europe beginning in the summer of 2023?

The first flight from Canada to Europe will be on June 22, 2023 We will operate daily flights to and from Hamilton every week the whole year round

For as low as $169, Canadian travellers can fly to popular destinations such as London, Paris, Dublin, Liverpool, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Berlin, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Brussels, Athens, Copenhagen, Billund, Aarhus and Aalborg Only destinations that have direct connectivity with our Hamilton flights are covered under the special promotion

At PLAY, we run on a “pay-for-what-you-need” model, which keeps our fares affordable A personal item is included for the flight, and passengers can choose which upgrades they need for their trip, such as a carry-on, checked bag, special bags for items such as golf sets, skis, strollers, and musical instruments, seats with extra legroom, cancellation protection and more

What sets PLAY apart from other big airlines?

In 2022, PLAY recorded a World class punctuality with an on-time performance for the full year at 87%, so you can be sure of that if you book a flight with PLAY; our record shows that we are reliable, safe and on time We have the most modern fleet in Europe, with 10 Airbus A320/321neo´s and 4 of them are brand new ones right out of the Airbus factory in Toulouse in, France Our oldest model is from 2017

We give customers the option to pay for the services they want to use. Passengers can add extra services themselves through the MyPLAY portal, whether checked baggage, seat selection, or more.

Facing Adversity : Expectations of Recovery

By:TommyM.OnichBBA,CTP

Bytheendoflastyear,wehadclearwarning signsofloomingeconomicdifficultiesnotonlyin Canadabutglobally

Theseincludedmanyfactors,suchasrising interestrates,declininghouseprices,rampant inflation,heavyloadsofpersonalandsovereign debt,andawarinEurope

Asournewyearbegins,manyeconomistspredict thatCanadawillbeinforamoderaterecession in2023 TheEconomistmagazinepositsthata Globalrecessionisinevitable,whichcouldhit Canadaveryhard.

RecentlyPrimeMinisterTrudeauassertedthat Canadianswouldbeinfora”toughyear.”

Previously I have written about issues to help a small business strengthen its position in good times and provide resilience facing adversity Published in SME, these articles include such topics as Performance Management, Leadership, and Family Dynamics

Today many businesses are already facing difficulty or distress, and the issue concerning their expectations of recovery is particularly resonant

All businesses should be viewed as present on a continuum with both Health and Distress on opposite ends A healthy business will enjoy such things as profitability, growth, liquidity, and access to capital

Distress may include such things as operating losses, poor liquidity, high employee turnover, and creditor pressure or collections. At its extreme, it is fatal.

A company ’ s position on the continuum is not static; neither Health nor even serious Distress is permanent

Over time all businesses will move along this continuum It is crucial for any business to act quickly at the first sign of trouble

An early decline is much easier to address than it will be later As early decline becomes actual distress, resources of all sorts become diminished, including access to capital, customer problems develop as will a loss of clients, morale problems develop along with increased employee turnover, and threats will also develop from creditors.

Increasingly this situation becomes a downward spiral which is much harder to fix Left unchecked, it will result in the insolvency of the organization

Running a company as a custodial manager is already difficult, and as distress increases, management faces a daunting task Additional management resources are required

So are different management skills because the skill sets in managing an attempt at recovery are somewhat different from custodial management

There is hope even for companies that are a long way toward disaster For those businesses now in despair, it is worth having an understanding of the criteria or parameters for success

Additional management resources are necessary for a turnaround Distress places huge additional demands on a number of operational areas and stakeholders Existing management is occupied full time “putting out brush fires ” This leaves little time to deal with operational issues such as quality financial information, marketing, searching for capital and human resource issues, among many others

Existing management also may lack experience and some of the skills necessary as a turnaround manager.

Reorganization and restoring financial performance will take some time Additional resources will be necessary to make changes and improvements, which will likely have depth and scope throughout the organization

Ultimately success will be driven by the sale of a core product that will yield profits It is possible that an existing product is lacking profitability and can be improved

However it is important that the path to profitability, driven by the core can be seen

Top 5 Cybersecurity

ByArtemMykhailov

At the very dawn of your journey as a small business or startup, the line between before and after is often blurred You don’t clearly realize when you ’ ve crossed over Just yesterday, your laptop was for personal use only (education, some side projects, watching movies); today, lots of personally identifiable information, credentials to the production environment, and other sensitive businessrelated information are stored and manipulated on the only computer you own Probably, like the majority of users, you do a full disk backup once in that rare moment of cautiousness when one of your friends loses everything to ransomware

No matter what you think of your business and how much you believe that it’s too early for hackers to be interested in you, the truth is that you ’ re exactly in a hacker’s sweet spot If you ’ re a new startup, then probably you ’ re trying to onboard your first customers And if you ’ re a B2B startup, your next customer could be a gigantic corporation

This is exactly why governments and corporations develop and enforce cybersecurity supply chain regulations they want to build trusting relations with those who understand the risks and care about their cybersecurity. Moreover, you should take

cybersecurity seriously not only because it’s expected of you but also because your clients may be at greater risk than you are.

One of the biggest mistakes is thinking that your organization’s cybersecurity is just a question of a relatively small investment Yes, it should be affordable There’s no sense in starting a business if you spend more on cybersecurity than you earn But the ugly truth is that to build solid cybersecurity, you need to change the way your organization works Cybersecurity is a risk-based domain, which means that you need to manage your cybersecurity risk just like any other risk, work with probabilities, and mitigate threats You can accomplish this only by changing your mindset and implementing a cyber/information security framework a set of rules and processes that allow you to manage your cybersecurity risks

Sure, you want to keep a cozy family feel within your team: no controls, approvals, or boring meetings. You think this is your huge advantage as an employer. But while you might be right about the impact on your employer brand, the cybersecurity risks don’t decrease due to a smaller headcount

By the time you start thinking about your cybersecurity, your favorite customer or an industry regulator has likely already informed you that in order to continue your business development journey,

You think it’s too early to focus on cybersecurity

You first thought cybersecurity was too expensive and now think it’s just a matter of spending a few bucks per endpoint

you’ll need to achieve compliance with one of the popular cybersecurity frameworks such as SOC2, ISO27k, or the NIST family of standards. And if you havent thought about your cybersecurity before such a conversation happens, you surely will start thinking about it afterwards

Luckily, a simplified cybersecurity standard, SOC2, is now accepted by most stakeholders and makes everything a little bit easier Okay, you think I need to implement this, and cybersecurity will come automatically

The truth is that while following a framework such as SOC2, ISO27k, or NIST standards is mandatory for sustainable cybersecurity, it’s not sufficient Cybersecurity is not a state; it’s a process This means you should constantly monitor what’s happening in your infrastructure A cybersecurity framework makes sure you ’ re not monitoring complete chaos You can think of it as a labyrinth for hackers, where all the routes can be monitored so you can spot an anomaly quickly and respond easily

Compliance can be faked in order to get a piece of paper confirming you ’ ve implemented SOC2 requirements In reality, however, this is a ticking time bomb that will detonate during the next APT (advanced persistent threat) attack Thus, compliance without due care is wasted money

and explain why you need to stop using your favourite tool and instead buy a whole list of special software to make your attack surface monitorable and controllable.

You should ideally have a manager dedicated to cybersecurity who runs the sometimes boring cybersecurity operations and keeps an eye on all internal cyber-related activities This is the correct approach, but it should not mean that you fully delegate your cybersecurity to a manager employed by you.

Don’t forget that cybersecurity is a risk-based domain And the final owners of this risk are the CEO, the co-founders, and the management board

A good Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) will study, prepare, and implement lots of things, but eventually they will come to you to justify the costs

The unfair truth is that even after years of investments and focusing on your cybersecurity, you’ll still be vulnerable It is the nature of cybersecurity and the rapidly growing tech industry to evolve

There is no final destination in cybersecurity It’s like cleaning your teeth you do it every day and still visit your dentist twice a year

No destination means this is an endless road for as long as your organization lives, and over time you will lose some employees and gain new talents That’s why regular cyber hygiene and cybersecurity awareness programs are essential element for the sustainability of your cybersecurity

You may hold or have held one of the above beliefs, and you ’ re not the only one On average, it takes five years to raise a cybersecurity pro However, as a company that has been fighting some of the most devastating cyberattacks in history over the last fourteen years, we know that half-baked security measures are not the best option for innovative companies

If you want to secure your business today, you should cover all vital aspects of the startup’s cybersecurity journey: compliance, hardening of your infrastructure and actual attack prevention, incident detection, and response It’s the only way to mitigate the potential consequences of a cybersecurity incident and save your company, money, digital assets, and reputation.

An Effective Growth Tool For Startups Is Branding: 5 Reasons

By Daniel Martin

Starting a new business can pose a bit of a challenge If you are an entrepreneur wanting to share your ideas, you are also likely to be balancing a million ideas with the shortage of staff support and so on

With this much on your plate, it is quite understandable that you may have missed one of the most important parts of planning for your startup branding

According to research, startups were responsible for almost 1 7 million employment opportunities in 2019. During this year alone, there were more than 420,000 startups.

Everything we know about the products we use is because of effective branding. It is the link that connects the customer to the business. Branding for startups tells your customers why you exist, and it gives your audience a strong reason to buy from you.

This includes everything from business culture to logo and customer service operations The way you present your brand is the way it will be received by customers, so any startup that wants to succeed has to be planned when branding

Image Source: Pixabay

Reasons Why Branding for Startups Is an Effective Growth Tool 5 5

The right branding helps you get noticed by potential customers, even in a crowded market filled with competitors Imagine yourself in a supermarket where you are faced with a shelf filled with similar products; which do you reach for?

Most of the time, an average customer will pick the product that he has heard most about It might not be the best product or even the cheapest The reason for this increased sales is good branding

Good visual branding should be what people think about you when your brand is mentioned It is not enough to make a good product; it allows you to introduce your company

The visual presentation gives your brand even more weight than before. Also, if your startup is not a creative firm, it is advisable to hire branding services for startups to create your visual identity

The colour, fonts, and logo you use will be the first notion you make about new consumers and how they will remember you as they continue to form opinions about your brand

Getting the right marketing agency for startups helps you get noticed by potential customers You must also put enough money and effort into developing yourself as a brand.

Remember, the product that sells more is the one people can easily recall, so build on that branding

When you think about all the establishments that are well-received today It is noticeable that they have one thing in common, and that is excellent branding

Your brand message should make your customer the hero who wins because of your products This is a great opportunity for startup agencies to grab their consumers ' attention

As you are creating, always focus on the benefits you are offering to your consumers Keeping them at the center of the story will be a good foundation for your brand

As of March 2021, only 80% of startups survived after one year mostly because they lack expertise Branding is about unbroken promises; you want your customers to feel trust and confidence when they see your logo.

That dependability strengthens your customer’s mind that you’d always come through Once trust is established and you have proved that you can keep the promises your brand is making, your customers will become loyal to you

Whether you are a startup trying to gain relevance in the corporate market of today or you already have a standard company There is one thing you need to have to survive, and that is having a unique identity

The customer will trust that when they purchase your product, they will always have a positive experience

They have a habit of always returning because they have identified with the brand on a personal level and because of the continuous satisfaction they get. This one is simply habitual.

You have become a known brand that they can depend on to deliver quality services and products Their influence will introduce people to your startup

Your establishment needs to stand out before competitors, investors, and customers. It is only when you are identified as a trusted firm that you will get more opportunities The best way to achieve this is by emphasizing and building on your branding techniques

Branding will help your target consumers develop a good impression of your establishment You not only want them to be able to identify your product, but you also want to show them how your idea is different from the competition

Using imagery and colour with the help of a design agency for startups can help connect your brand emotionally with your consumers. Your branding can communicate the feeling, lifestyle, or mood that you want your audience to emulate.

A professional can advise you on which colours and fonts will best describe the overall message of your brand

The cost of starting up an enterprise depends on your model of the business and how fast you want it to scale The first investment will go towards product development, the members needed to implement the idea and technology.

Some of the reasons why startups crash are poor market analysis, weak strategy execution, bad marketing, lack of money, unforeseen economic collapse, and so on

The essential components to starting a startup are ideas, time, and investment. You need to be working in all areas at the same time, and find the right support system necessary to secure funds to boost your startup

We had the pleasure of speaking with Myla Pilao, Global Director for Technology Marketing at Trend Micro, who shared her experience as a visionary leader with profound experience in multiple streams, her thoughts on Trend Micro's recently revealed cybersecurity predictions for 2023, the practical measures that companies can take to safeguard themselves against business email compromise (BEC) scams, and some practical tactics that may be used to shield organizations from malicious users.

Myla Pilao leads security research communications at TrendLabs, Trend Micro’s Research and Development Center. She heads the division of the company that monitors the security threat landscape, including high-profile attacks like advanced persistent threats (APTs) and prevalent digital security threats like mobile, cloud, and critical infrastructure She oversees a team that monitors and manages critical incidents and developments in the threat landscape Myla is a strategic communications expert with over 10 years of experience as a security spokesperson and evangelist She has since handled numerous public and media engagements in Europe, Asia Pacific & the Middle East, where she shares awareness and insights on digital threats and their real-world impact, along with countermeasure strategies for the computing public.

Unlocking the Future of Cybersecurity:

Myla is also an active supporter and advocates for the protection of children’s online and international movements of stopping the online commercial distribution of inappropriate images of children. Myla holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the National University of Singapore. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Letters, major in Communication Arts, from the University of Santo Tomas.

How will you describe your experience as a visionary leader with profound experience in public relations, marketing, media and communications, and supporting international organizations on cyber defence intelligence and child protection?

After more than two decades of working in the industry, I continue to believe that cybersecurity can be a force for good I am passionate about bridging technology, security, and empathy, and consider myself fortunate to work with a team of researchers and story makers who have front-row seats to the latest trends in technology From modern robots and complex industrial machines to big data and machine learning, we are constantly looking into how threats and security risks can escalate. Cybersecurity is integral to the fabric of our modern business and infrastructure We know that millions of people enter this space on a daily basis, from very mature security-conscious individuals to the most naive and vulnerable, including children That is why we have no room for complacency and must continue to discover, innovate and take chances to make the road to our current and future digital journey smarter and safer for everyone

What do you think about Trend Micro's newly revealed cybersecurity predictions for 2023? How can these trends aid in protecting companies on several fronts?

Our focus, more than identifying emerging security risks and trends, is to determine ways to improve and respond to modern threats For this year ’ s predictions, I am amazed and unbelievably proud of our team’s work and the collective expert insights of our Trend Micro research leaders Predicting the future isn’t easy – a careful analysis of attack vectors and techniques is needed to gaze ahead and analyze forecasts

This year, well see businesses and employees adapting to this postcovid environment as they continue using a hybrid work model Moreover, organizations have gone through a radical and rapid transition, so preparing for the risk of an expanding attack surface is more important than ever As we outline potential security threats and risks in detail, we hope it will spark a wave of recalibration of security practices and policies that will help organizations redefine their business priorities, keeping security in the centre of all activities

What are some effective strategies that may be used to protect organizations from cloud ransomware as more companies are storing their crucial data there?

There has been a constant rise in ransomware deployment, mostly in organizations as they deepen their cloud adoption and usage. We have already observed threat actors targeting cloud infrastructure and platforms like TeamTNT. Therefore, organizations are being encouraged to upgrade their cloud visibility and monitoring strategy

The security teams should have better access and knowledge of what critical data/values/services are within their cloud infrastructure Having access to timely information and the right protection tools to mitigate potential risks is key

What are the efficient tactics that businesses can use to protect themselves from business email compromise (BEC) scams?

BEC is one of the attacks that cybercriminals continue to adapt by combining recycled techniques with a modern toolbox, resulting in a 20% increase in this type of attack. To curb BEC challenges, organizations can use a two-pronged approach:

Don’t just trust but verify –organizations should empower and enable their user not just with education but with tools on how to carefully scrutinize emails, communication, files Create a culture of security compliance that provides way to verify, report and isolate the issue

The use of advanced security solutions is imperative - BEC continues to evolve rapidly, organizations who have the capability to use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to defend against BEC is advisable

One of the core problems in ransomware attacks is initial access Therefore, having a solid solution and process to combat initial access must be prioritized over combating ransomware alone

Measures such as hardening internal and external systems, vulnerability management and tailored fit solutions in addition, are additional effective strategies that can be used to protect organizations from cloud ransomware

How can we defend our home VPNs against malicious users? And what are the benefits of Zero trust strategies?

Stop piecemeal solution – as our enterprise perimeter extends beyond the corporate environment, primarily in the wake of remote work, it is key to provide a holistic solution that focuses not on the traditional workspace parameter but rather on data tracking and protection Solutions and practices should accommodate the needs of both in-office and at-home employees with a zero-trust approach

Never trust, always verify - Zero trust strategies are built on “ never trust, always verify” principles to minimize damage without sacrificing productivity and business continuity

Lastly, don’t burden IT /security defenders by flooding them with daily alerts It's crucial to have greater visibility into all organizational assets and ways to centrally manage protection across multiple environments, networks and operating systems

TrendMicroSecurityPredictions: https://wwwtrendmicrocom/vinfo/us/security/research-andanalysis/predictions/2023