FINANCIAL POST
T H U R S D A Y, J A N U A R Y 2 8 , 2 0 1 6
C A P I TA L Q U E S T I O N
HOW DO YOU MAXIMIZE GROWTH WHILE DELIGHTING CUSTOMERS AND STAFF? Calgary entrepreneurs talk about balancing growth and support “Managing and maximizing growth while keeping customers happy can feel like you’re walking a tightrope most of the time. For us, it’s been a careful balance of taking on the right clients, the right number of clients and hiring the right people in the right roles to run the business and bring in new clients. At the end of the day, I think having excellent and happy team members who are doing what they do best will help ensure your customers are happy and growth is ongoing.” Kamea Zelisko, owner of MKT Communications, mktcommunications.ca
“The bottom line at The Entrepreneur’s Accountant firm is that it all starts with valuing our team. If our team members are happy and productive then that sentiment trickles down to our clients. We are mindful when to add to the team as business grows and we empower our people by providing exceptional options for work-life balance. This inevitably boosts their engagement and willingness to invest in the success of our firm. We also attract experts in the field, productivity stays high during busy periods and so does our ability to make deliverables. Our clients benefit from having personalized service in a warm, friendly, approachable environment. Investing in team is a win-win!” Richard Presland, founder of The Entrepreneur’s Accountant, preslandcorp.com
“Maximizing growth and delighting existing customers do not have to be mutually exclusive. I would look at the existing customers and team members as the source of delight and growth. Then the growth is maximized and the delight increases from being part of the (r)evolution.”
Ryan Jorden, managing partner at VR Business Brokers (vrcgy.com), says maximizing growth and delighting customers starts with a great team. “Staff and customers are just two sides of the same transaction. There is no stronger or surer way to grow your business than through word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied customers. (There’s) no smarter way to start that ball rolling than by having staff who believe in what they do and are excited to share that with everyone who walks through the door. That energy is contagious and results in both staff and customers feeling value has been created for everyone involved. This creates a positive business environment that easily attracts new quality staff to deal with the increased pressures of a growing customer base. Add in a team of quality outside advisors (business coach, accountant, etc.) and you’ll be able to not only manage growth but thrive on it.” S UPP LI ED PHO T O
Ave Peetri, coach/director at Confident Marketing Coach, confidentmarketingcoach.com
“We have been very strict at segregating our duties. It’s easy in a down climate to become frantic and have everyone do everything. Our plan is to stay the course and have our sales team ‘do sales’, our marketing team ‘do marketing’ and our social media team ‘do social media’. The one change we have made is to bring them together. We have been guilty of operating in silos and this new year brings a new opportunity. We can have our three teams work together to work on what they do best. The smartest person in the room is in fact the ‘room’. This will allow us to balance growth and focus on our clients to keep them happy in the most efficient way possible.”
CA LG A RY H E R A L D
B5
CAPITAL IDEAS UPCOMING EVENTS FEBRUARY 10: KENT HEHR: CALGARY’S PRIORITIES FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Liberal MP and cabinet minister Kent Hehr shares what he plans to do to support Calgary’s business community. ■ Where: Hyatt Regency Calgary (700 Centre St. S.E.) ■ When: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. ■ Admission: Member: $79, Non-member: $99. More info at calgarychamber.com FEBRUARY 11: VENTUREQUEST BUSINESS IDEA COMPETITION Support Bow Valley College students at the third annual pitch contest as they compete for more than $20,000 in cash and prizes. ■ Where: Bow Valley College (345 6th Ave. S.E.) ■ When: 4:30 to 8 p.m. ■ Admission:$70. More info at bowvalleycollege.ca/ venturequest For more great events, visit capitalideascalgary.com/ calgaryevents
C A P I TA L QUESTION
What are some creative ways to market a new business?
Don O’Dwyer, CEO of Raven Bay Services, ravenbay.com
These answers are from some of this year’s nominees for the Alberta Women Entrepreneurs Celebration of Achievement awards.
“Our company was founded during a downturn and that was 30 years ago. It is important to watch costs and make smart decisions, but always keep a strong conviction to entrepreneurship and don’t shy away from risks. We’ve learned that using the team around us to help with creative ideas has huge benefits. Tough times are when great teams step up and innovation happens.” Dayna Morgan, vice-president of Britt Land Services, brittland.com
“By focusing on my client experience I enable those around me to feel comfortable and pampered. By focusing on generating art (art can be defined by your industry, it’s not limited to a painting) we focus on something exciting and new but also something that demands a reaction and pulls from the heart.”
Elizabeth Bernardin, president of Blushed Beaute, blushedbeaute.com
“We love to keep our clients and staff engaged and talking to one another. We offer exclusive after hours events just for them where dieters might participate in a presentation, hear testimonials from other successful clients, sometimes enjoy steak dinners on us, all while building loyalty and increasing awareness of our brand. Existing clients love the new ideas and gathering at the clinic to mingle and hear from ‘real’ people just like them. We are maximizing growth in that clients and staff now bring their friends and family to these events to sign up and get healthy too!” Melissa Hozack, owner, pharmacist and head coach of ideal protein at Redcliff Pharmasave, redcliffweightloss.com
“Prioritize your agenda. Make daily to weekly to monthly lists of the activities and prioritize accordingly. Make it count. I find keeping communication open and being transparent with my team and those I work with helps.”
Trena Olfert, CEO at Trena Laine Makeup Artist, trenalaine.com
The above answers are in response to a question posed by Angela Santiago, CEO and owner of The Little Potato Company (littlepotatoes.com). Angela is among the 76 business owners nominated for this year’s Celebration of Achievement awards from Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE). On February 17, nominees will gather in Edmonton for a day of learning and a networking reception. Find details on the events and the full list of this year’s nominees at awebusiness.com/celebration-of-achievement.
Social media, newsletters, online marketing, traditional advertising, word of mouth, events — the ways to get the word out about a new business seems endless and continues to grow with digital innovations. That’s why Wellington Holbrook, executive vice-president of ATB Business, wants to hear how you would stand out: What are some creative ways to market a new business? You can answer the question in two ways: Open today’s Capital Ideas email if you’re a member or visit capitalideascalgary.com. We’ll publish the best answers, along with your business name and website address, on Feb. 4.
NEXT EVENT
Is your business ready to launch?
Business owners helping business owners
JOIN US! When: Today, noon to 1 p.m. Where: Glenbow Museum (130 9th Ave. S.E.) RSVP at capitalideasyyc13.eventbrite.com Left to right: Panelists Craig Pearce of DaycareIQ, Joel Olandesca of SOS Charging Solutions and Melissa Gunning of Wean Green.
Join three Calgary entrepreneurs to talk about the steps to launching a business and learn how they got their ideas off the ground. Tickets are free, and a light lunch will be served.
Join our LinkedIn group: Capital Ideas Alberta • Follow us on Twitter: @capitalideasyyc
✔ Get expert advice on your biggest challenges
✔ Share insights with entrepreneurs like you
✔ Appear in the Calgary Herald
S I G N U P AT : capitalideascalgary.com