July 2012 Issue

Volume 2, No. 11 July 2012 FREE

Business Beat:

diSTRICTLY delightful Social media:

Facing Facebook Your health:

Lower your back pain

Glenn and Sherry Forrester Pets 4 Life Cover story: page 3

Incorporating St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce

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July, 2012

PUBLISHER’S LETTER An expression of gratitude

by Terry Carroll ..............................page 4

BUSINESS/COMMUNITY Technology Facing Facebook

by Peter Atkinson ............................page 5

Working in St. Thomas Elgin A program for going green

by Bruno Castellani ........................page 6

Personal Health Social media, not too tough

by Ryan Huffman ............................page 7

Agriculture Farmers get-aways?

by Janine Lunn ................................page 8

BUSINESS BEAT The Front Page

BUSINESS/COMMUNITY Leadership HOMESTYLE Decorating

Goodbye to big corporate life

Soft, comfortable

by Renée Carpenter ........................page 24

Hello to long hours, and more fun at work

Optimize what you do

by Bryan Vine ................................page 23

Self development Attitudes are important

by Sharon Lechner ........................page 25

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT Savour Elgin Guiding you anew

by Kate Burns ................................page 26

Wine & Food

MP MPP Luncheon returns ............page 9

Member News diSTRICTLY Business ..................page 10

Chamber News EmployerOne ................................Page 11

Legal Business

Go figure

by Jamie Quai ................................page 27

HEALTHY LIVING Everyday Health Lower back pain

by Dr. Greg Johnston ....................page 28

Tips for home buyers

by Monty Fordham ........................page 12

LIFESTYLES That’s Life!

Member News

Summer freckles

by Elizabeth VanHooren ................page 29

Awards thanks ................................page 13

Positive Exposure Some people see this

by Allan Weatherall ........................page 14

Cover Story

Time On My Hands A real throw-back

by Duncan Watterworth ................page 30

Pro Text Getting value

by Joanne Fisher ............................page 15

New Members Be seen, be heard, belong ..............page 16 S P E C I A L F E AT U R E

FINANCING A NEW BUSINESS Two ways to go What’s your style?

by Terry Carroll ............................page 18

Transferring a farm Family matters

by Ellen Luft ..................................page 19

Your credit rating It does make a difference

by Kim Coaker ..............................page 20

Great questions

by Terry Carroll

For most of his working life, Glenn Forrester was a controller for major American corporations. But as those positions began drying up in this area, he became very interested in going into business for himself.

His wife Sherry was happily retired after a career working in group benefits and, later, the restaurant business. It took a little friendly persuasion, but Glenn convinced her to join him in a new venture.

In July of 2010, they purchased Pets 4 Life, a manufacturer of raw, holistic pet food. Later that year, they relocated the business from Owen Sound to a larger, more modern facility in St. Thomas. In the fall of 2011, the company purchased the assets of The Ultimate Diet and added organic pet food to its product line.

Glenn says with a chuckle, “I work lots of hours, make less money, but I enjoy working more than I have for years . . . something about the entrepreneurial spirit in your gut.”

Pets 4 Life takes restaurant-grade raw meat, fruits, vegetables and other natural ingredients, and combines them to produce an exceptionally nutritional food for dogs and cats.

Glenn and Sherry changed the product from an unformatted tub of food to producing one-ounce medallions in a re-sealable stand-up pouch. The final product, in seven protein varieties, is sold frozen at specialty pet food stores.

The company is soon launching an eight-ounce patty for large dogs. Pet owners thaw the food as needed, and feed the medallions raw – a healthy, natural diet for pets. For cats, Glenn and Sherry created a format of ground bits, which appeals to feline eating habits.

Growth has been strong, from about 112,000 lb. of food in the first year under new ownership to over 140,000 lb by June 30 of this year.

Seven to ponder

by Shane Wyler ..............................page 21

Capital financing

Cover photo by Philip Bell, Shutter Studios

Equipment and vehicles

by David Van Dither ......................page 22

Carroll Publishing Inc. President Terry Carroll Secretary-Treasurer Nancy Kelly Carroll

Elgin This Month Publisher & Editor Terry Carroll Associate Editor Anita LaRue Section Editor Business Beat – Bob Hammersley

Graphic Design / Production Jim McHarg Sales Representative Greg Minnema Office Manager Laura Bart

Elgin This Month is a monthly magazine focusing on business and lifestyle issues and includes Business Beat, the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce newsletter.

The publication is available for pickup at no charge at news stands and other locations around Elgin County, as well as distribution to businesses and selected households.

Published monthly by Carroll Publishing Inc., 15 St. Catharine Street, St. Thomas, ON N5P 2V7 519-633-1640 www.theweeklynews.ca/etm July, 2012

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

An expression of gratitude to our staff, clients and mentors With a pitch to the Dragons’ Den thrown in

by Terry Carroll

This is a revised version of a speech I made at the St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce Free Enterprise Awards Dinner June 20. Dianne Buckner from the Dragon’s Den was the keynote speaker. We were presented with the Free Enterprise Master Award at that event. (The joke I didn’t make that evening is this: Now that we have won, the name of the award really should be changed to the Masters of None Award).

My wife Nancy and I would like to thank Bob Hammersley and everyone at the Chamber for this honour. We deeply appreciate it. And we would like to congratulate the other award winners. Your stories are inspiring to everyone in the room.

We would like to acknowledge a few people. First, and foremost, our staff, most of whom are able to join us tonight, and who believe in doing the impossible almost as much as we do. Although we don’t use the term around the office, this is a team effort, and these are the members of the team.

Along with our wonderful staff, we would like to thank Dorothy Gebert who was our editor until recently and helped shape and grow The Weekly News and Elgin This Month. We are happy she is able to join us tonight.

Also, Bryan Vine, of The Growth Coach who is with us. His work ties in well with the thinking of Michael Gerber, in the book The Emyth Revisited, a book that has been important to our business. We’d like to thank another former editor, James Todd who introduced us to that book and inspired the paper in the early days. We are grateful to the staff at Elgin Business Resource Centre who are an excellent resource, and also, John Scott from Graham Scott Enns . . . and it’s time to stop naming names before we acknowledge everyone in the room.

We want to pay tribute to our clients. We are constantly inspired by the work you do and the examples you set for us in business and the community.

St. Thomas and Elgin are without parallel in this regard.

This being our Academy Award moment, we would like to thank our parents, our families and God. In the early months of 2009, when we were losing gobs of money a month, and nothing seemed to be changing in a hurry, I turned to God when there seemed to be nowhere else to go. In retrospect, I suppose it was either God or Kevin O’Leary from the Dragons’ Den. What do you think, Dianne? To Kevin, that might have been close to the same thing?

Speaking of the Dragons’ Den, we want you to know, Dianne, that we are a small business in St. Thomas and Elgin. We’ve grown sales by 67 per cent since we opened. We’d like to offer the Dragons 10 per cent of our company for $50,000, and we’d like Arlene as a partner so we have help in the marketing area. We need it badly, now that Rob and the myFM team are in town.

They know how to market themselves like nothing we’ve ever seen!

Again, thank you very much everyone. Give yourselves a round of applause for helping us on this journey, and enjoy the rest of the evening.

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it’s time to stop naming names before we acknowledge everyone in the room

Terry Carroll is the publisher of the St. Thomas /Elgin Weekly News and Elgin This Month.

M O N T H

July, 2012

BUSINESS / COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY

Let’s talk about latest the 500pound gorilla of the online world: Facebook. Its 900 million users - including half of all Canadians - generally accept how Facebook works, trading some personal information in exchange for the excellent job it does of letting them communicate with friends and familiy. Facebook is free and it makes communication between an organization and its customers very, very easy. But is it right for your business?

Businesses work with Facebook in two ways: through advertising and by posting content to their own Facebook ‘pages’. (People get ‘profiles’ on Facebook. Organizations get ‘pages’).

With a Facebook page, people ‘Like’ the page and become ‘Friends’, giving you permission to communicate with them through your page.

To do this effectively, two things become very important: a communications plan, (including how you’ll handle any negative comments and at least three months worth of what and when you’ll be posting – though you can create additional posts as opportunities arise), and, if you haven’t already, spending some time really understanding your brand.

This is extremely important on Facebook because of the endless opportunities to communicate. It would be rude to make every message a sales pitch, but every message can and should reinforce your organization’s brand.

One of the great things about online content is that you don’t have to create it all yourself. It’s perfectly acceptable to link to an article, photo or video on another website or Facebook page. In fact, a recent wrinkle to Edgerank, Facebook’s content scoring tool, makes links to other

Facing the everchanging reality of Facebook Perspectives on whether or not it’s right for your business

“

GM recently stopped advertising on Facebook

content very effective.

The higher the Edgerank score, the more people see your content, which also builds your list of ‘Friends’. And this is the power of Facebook; when you post something, it’s seen by your friends but, depending on their account settings, it can also be seen by their friends; an organization with 200 friends could reach over 100,000 people.

Facebook also lets you create ads which can link to your Facebook page or website. The adage that ‘half of all advertising dollars are wasted,

but no one knows which half ’ doesn’t apply here; you set your budget and a target profile of people who will see your ads. You also have the option to pay per click, meaning you don’t pay a cent until you get results. (Google Adwords works similarly but Facebook has the added advantage of ongoing communication with the people who also like your page).

The target profile can be very specific, including gender, age, location and interests. So you can advertise across Canada if you want but you

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tives to their Facebook friends. And many companies are even transacting on Facebook, using tools like Payvment and Wix to turn a Facebook page into an online store.

Even if you’re a local business, there are almost 300,000 Facebook users within 40 kms of us here in Elgin County. It’s worth investing the time to do some research and a bit of planning to understand if Facebook should be a part of your organization’s marketing plan.

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can also advertise only to, say, females over 50 located within 20 km. of your postal code who enjoy gardening. Or to foodies in France aged 20 - 25 or any other group that might be interested in your business.

There’s been some debate about their effectiveness – GM recently stopped advertising on Facebook – but the most recent data suggests that these ads do drive purchases. Of course, there’s really only one way to know if they’re right for your business.

Facebook is also slowly rolling out ‘Offers’, their shot at GroupOn, letting companies offer special incen-

“

by Peter Atkinson

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BUSINESS / COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY

The Program The production of energy using renewable natural resources such as wind, sunlight, biomass, geothermal heat etc., has gained global acceptance in recent years. The new Renewable Energies Technician diploma level program at the St. Thomas Elgin Campus of Fanshawe College represents a response to the increasing need for quality training in the Renewable Energies sector.

The Renewable Energies Technician program will be focused on the primary applications of Renewable Energy in our province. The program will appeal to individuals seeking formal training to enable them to enter the Renewable Energies field as employees or entrepreneurs.

The program will give the student a solid foundation in the science as well as the design and installation techniques required to work with various Renewable Energy solutions. Included components will be Solar Energy, Wind Turbines, Biomass Energy and Geothermal Energy Systems. The best industry practices of health, safety and environmental conserva-

Renewable Energy Technician Program set to launch this September

St Thomas Elgin Campus of Fanshawe College tion will play an integral role in all of the courses delivered within the program.

Graduates will possess an in-depth working knowledge of current practice in the installation, commissioning

and routine maintenance and repair of Photovoltaic and Wind Turbine generating systems enabling them to function effectively in the utility scale Wind Turbine and Solar Photovoltaic industries.

Rationale Our province has embraced the Renewable Energies sector for environmental and economic reasons. As such our communities have changed their views toward Renewable Energies. Escalation of energy costs and an inordinate reliance on fossil fuels has resulted in a much greater interest in sustainable energy technologies at federal and provincial government levels as well as at the individual citizen level. Government incentives have also created increased interest in the sector. As a direct result, the related utility and construction industries are undergoing a radical change in operating practices that has ushered in numerous renewable energy projects

based upon utility scale wind turbine, large and small (MicroFit) solar photovoltaic installations, biomass, small scale hydroelectric as well as a greater emphasis on building conservation systems.

Our program will be uniquely positioned in the training marketplace and will provide the region with graduates skilled in the application, installation and maintenance of the most important Renewable Energy technologies.

Target Student The Renewable Energies Technician program will appeal both to displaced workers seeking to enter a new and exciting job sector as well as to direct entrants from local secondary schools.

Our target student will be one seeking practical functional skills designed to facilitate direct entry into one of the emerging Renewable Energies technologies.

The production of electrical energy produced by the Renewable Energies sector is projected to increase to account for 20 percent of North American electricity production by 2030.

The Renewable Energies Technician program will provide a fast track to high demand, well paying jobs.

“

“

by Bruno Castellani

The program will appeal to individuals seeking formal training to enable them to enter the Renewable Energies field as employees or entrepreneurs...

Bruno Castellani is the Program Coordinator at Fanshawe College

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July, 2012

BUSINESS / COMMUNITY PERSONAL HEALTH

Developing a social media presence It may be easier than you think

by Ryan Huffman

More and more organizations these days are figuring out how social media applies to them and how it can bring the greatest benefit to their clients and staff. The experience at Elgin St. Thomas Public Health (ESTPH) reflects this, and we are happy to report that implementing social media was not as challenging as you might think.

This is a good news story about how we at ESTPH managed to achieve the goal of using social media successfully in the workplace.

Our story begins with the assembly of a team of committed and enthusiastic people. While forming the right team was a great start, the ball really started rolling once the project's main objectives were in place. It was soon clear that social media would be a great way of increasing the public's awareness of what we do at ESTPH. Although Public Health has been online via www.elginhealth.on.ca for

years, developing a social media presence was a completely different experience. Our goals were similar to those of many organizations; we wanted to share information between ESTPH and the community, to engage in discussions and we wanted to be able to respond to questions from clients as they came up. Using Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn platforms (the most popular already in use by Elgin County residents), we wanted to improve access to quality health and emergency response information.

Not everything went smoothly.

Leaping right into the online world quickly changed to taking careful steps to plan thoroughly for the use of social media. We had concerns about using this new public and everlasting medium to communicate health information. How should we govern the platforms for users? What should we do when we receive negative comments? Who and how will we set up accounts? While these concerns were

legitimate, they were based a lot on perception. In reality, with commitment, dedication and a lot of research these fears could all be overcome.

While resources are plentiful online, careful internal planning has been crucial. To develop a social media plan for Public Health, gathering input from everyone involved at all levels of the organization was essential. Having the opportunity to provide feedback encouraged interest in our plan and built confidence among those who would be using it. The good news is that getting started was as simple as asking these two questions: 1) What are our goals?

2) Who is our audience?

Feedback from our staff illustrated their current understanding of social media and highlighted any development opportunities. The responses we received to those questions gave us the baseline knowledge of social

media at our organization.

From there, we established a plan for use based on the needs, goals, and knowledge gaps of our team.

Social media is not a fad and it has tremendous potential for communication when used correctly. The lessons we learned while implementing social media have been invaluable and we hope you will come and see it for yourself at facebook.com/ESTPH or twitter.com/elginhealth.

Ryan Huffman is the Manager of Strategic Initiatives for Elgin St. Thomas Public Health.

He coordinated the planning and implementation of its new social media strategy.

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Bryan Vine 519-207-4865

Gordon Hall 519-854-6274

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M O N T H

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Agriculture FARMING

Getting the farmer away from the farm

It’s tempting to postpone vacations indefinitely

by Janine Lunn

As the spring days got warmer, our children began counting the days until summer. With visions of camping and water parks dancing in their heads, we turn our eyes to the calendar. How can it still look so blank when we have so many ideas of how to fill it? Our kids don’t realize the whole concept of ‘summer vacation’ is based on our heritage as an agrarian population. School children were needed as extra hands to help with the busy seasons of growing and harvest, so the timing coincided with the needs of busy farm families. And while our crew are not put to work stacking sheaves of wheat like their pioneer counterparts, we can think of plenty of jobs do, to make the most of every sunny day for the whole two months, and then some!

When you’re in the business of growing food in this climate, you really need to ‘make hay while the sun shines’.

But of course we know that getting

away is good for us all. Children are only young once, and summer trips are what memories are made of. The wish list is long, but weekends ‘off’ are not in great supply. Being a natural planner, I gently broach the topic of summer plans with the thought of cornering some of those precious days on the calendar. My resident farmer replies, “Good luck with that.”

The list of reasons not to leave is endless: it’s going to be a busy season; we don’t know when wheat harvest will be; the garden will need weeding; if it’s sunny we’ll have second and third cuts of hay to do; if it’s rainy we’ll have office work to do.

This could be our year to really get ahead.

It’s hard to get farmers away from the farm. They pour so much heart and soul and work into this land; these animals. Sometimes it seems that the closer a proposed getaway comes, the more panic sets in: What

if we miss an invasion of army worms that needs spraying? What if it something breaks down and our employee can’t fix it? It’s tempting to just postpone again, and take the time off in the winter when things are slower again. Easier said than done.

Some farmers consider it a badge of honour to count in decades the last time they truly got away. And despite their pride in sticking with the farm through it all, you can sense that they (and their families) might have enjoyed a change of pace now and then. Perhaps a lot of it is just the burden of the to-do list that every entrepreneur lives with. It’s hard to turn off the drive, and the worry, and responsibility of it all. But sometimes, no matter how much the farmer loves this chosen life, there’s that glance across the way, seeing the 9-to-5 way of life, and wondering what it would be like to just punch the clock and be truly ‘off’.

As it stands, we have our usual mix of day trips to mix in amongst the weather and the crops, and one family vacation, in pen, on the calendar.

But in the end, I’m willing to bet that some of our best memories together will include that timeless mini-vacation, dripping ice cream cones on a Sunday drive. What better way to get away from the farm than to take the family on a drive so we can check on the neighbor’s crops!

Janine Lunn hosts the Belmont Corn Maze, and lives on a sheep farm with her family.

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St.Thomas

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• JULY 2012 • June diSTRICTLY Business Event

Chamber Member Services Representative Linda Crawford, right, does ambassador duties with Rachel Larmer from London’s Lovers at Work at the regional Chamber event diSTRICTLY Business in June. More on page 10.

Business Beat Table of Contents diSTRICTLTY Business, yahoo! ......................page 10 EmployerOne for youpage 11 Home buying top tenpage 12 Huge thank you........page 13 First impressions ......page 14 Insuring to value ......page 15 New members ..........page 16

Save this date – Tuesday August 14 MP & MPP Luncheon re-scheduled The Chamber is pleased to announce a re-scheduled date – Tuesday August 14 – for our MP / MPP Luncheon. With events of May 24 making it impossible for us to complete our program as planned, Member of Parliament Joe Preston and Member of Provincial Parliament Jeff Yurek have been working with us to agree a new date, and both are enthusiastic about this face-to-face opportunity for dialog with the Chamber and our Members.

Tickets purchased for our May 24 function will be reissued to all buyers. For those who had not previously purchased them, tickets are now available through the Chamber office at $25 per person (plus tax), with reserved seating on single orders of 4 tickets or more. Admission by advance sale only. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. and our program will start at 12 Noon with remarks by both speakers, followed by a question-and-answer session. The Chamber will welcome questions from all Members via email in advance of the event, or from the floor during it. The event will conclude by 1:30 p.m.

Team building?

Another date – October 17

Business After 5 Wednesday July 11, 2012 Sponsored & Hosted by: Quai du Vin Estate Winery 45811 Fruit Ridge Line, St. Thomas Doors open at 5pm.

Sponsor remarks and prize draws start at 6:15pm.

Free admission for anyone from a business organization that is a Member of the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce.

Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and your favourite beverages.

July, 2012

Lunch is included in the same “bistro” style format used for our event with the Mayors in February and will be available to everyone attending as soon as they arrive.

Information about on-line ordering for tickets will appear in our weekly Green Mail email broadcasts, along with links to order forms that can be faxed or brought to the Chamber. Orders can also be made by telephone to the Chamber office at 519-631-1981.

Plan now for National Small Business Week and our annual Business Sample Show at St. Anne’s Centre. The Chamber’s Sample Show happens Wednesday October 17 and is always a sell-out on exhibitor space. Pricing and the full event agenda are to be completed soon, but the Chamber staff can accept booth space reservations now at 519-631-1981 or via email: events@stthomaschamber.on.ca National Small Business Week will include various local events, and hundreds more across the country, between October 14 to 20 this year.

The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce is looking for volunteers. We’re committed to a vision and mission “to serve as the Voice of the business community and to work to ensure economic success in the St. Thomas District.”

Our Member Services Committee is looking for ambassadors to connect on Members’ needs and expectations plus help plan and deliver special events. Our Public Sector Liaison Committee is involved with government, legislation, health, education and advocacy.

Both committees are welcoming new members now.

If you’re part of a business or organization that is a Member of the

St. Thomas & District Chamber, and you’d like to make a difference, call us for more at 519-631-1981.

Take part in our August feature Running a Succesful Small Business To take advantage of excellent advertising opportunities give me a call at 519-633-1640 (ext. 22) Greg Minnema, Advertising Sales

or email me at gregthismonth@theweeklynews.ca August Edition Advertising Deadline is July 16th

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BUSINESS BEAT

MEMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members

Chamber Office Assistant Julie Forrester connects with Kate Burns from Elgin County’s Economic Development & Tourism department.

diSTRICTLY Business event a complete success Our first-ever “diSTRICTLY Business” event on June 14 was a complete success by every measure.

Hosted jointly by five area Chamber offices (London, Strathroy, Ingersoll, Tillsonburg & St. Thomas), our goals to attract 200 exhibitors and over 1,000 attendees were met and exceeded.

Staff from the St. Thomas & District Chamber used the show as ambassadors on a mission to market our community and our Members to all participating businesses. We met each exhibitor and provided copies of our current Business Directory/Buyer’s Guide, copies of our district street map, and contact info for Chamber personnel.

Ian Pryce and R-Safety, one of 20 St. Thomas-based exhibitors at diSTRICTLY Business.

[above] Starwood Hotels & Resorts Customer Contact Centre team, on-site to promote their brands and employment opportunities.

[left] Staff from Libro Financial Group’s area branches staffed their exhibit including, right, Jesse Brown from the St. Thomas branch.

1.59% 6.9¢ 1.64%

Photo credit: All photos by Mark Girdauskas, Photos by MG

Published by Carroll Publishing Inc. and delivered to businesses in St. Thomas and Elgin County For complete information on the St.Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce, reach us at: 115-300 South Edgeware Rd., St. Thomas, Ontario N5P 4L1 Telephone: 519-631-1981 Fax: 519-631-0466 E-Mail: mail@stthomaschamber.on.ca Website: www.stthomaschamber.on.ca President & CEO Accounting Coordinator

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T H I S

Susan Munday

Member Services

Wes Bailey

Member Services

Linda Crawford

Office Assistant

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Bob Hammersley

M O N T H

Julie Forrester

2012 Board of Directors Chair: Jason White Steelway Building Systems 1st. Vice-Chair: Paul Smith P.J. Smith & Associates 2nd. Vice-Chair: Laura Woermke St. Thomas Elgin Art Centre Treasurer: Mark Lassam, CA Kee, Perry & Lassam Chartered Accountants Past Chair: Linda Sawyer BMO Bank of Montreal Director: Beth Burns K & K Locksmiths Director: Renee Carpenter Jennings Furniture Director: Pete Charlton Charlton’s Quality Meats Director: Monty Fordham Monty Fordham Law Office Director: Jeff Kohler Presstran Industries Director: Debra Mountenay Workforce Planning & Development Board Director: John Regan Elgin Business Resource Centre Director: Darren Reith Reith and Associates Insurance & Financial Director: Allan Weatherall St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation Director: Rob Mise myFM 94.1

July, 2012

BUSINESS BEAT

CHAMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members

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“

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It’s not what you earn...

It’s what you keep.

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organization! The survey can be taken anytime within the month of January and can be done progressively by saving the answers.

The EmployerOne Survey was created with consultation of key individuals and organizations in both the public and private sectors to ensure the survey meets its purpose. The to survey will start with a three-year plan that has been developed to give the survey the time it needs to establish itself.

The following items have been put in place to ensure its success: 1. A Memorandum of Understanding to ensure all partners will work, to the best of their abilities, towards the success of the survey 2. A sophisticated survey software program is being used to collect all responses and break down data 3. All the aggregate data and the labour market intelligence that comes of it will be shared with the partners who will in turn use it in ways that ultimately serves the needs of the region's labour market The EmployerOne Survey aims to take the initative in demand local market information. The survey needs participation of employers in the Elgin, Middlesex and Oxford region in order to ensure this outcome can be reached. The potential benefits that come with the EmployerOne Survey ore than outweigh its cost and will provide much needed data to produce quality information on workforce needs of our regions employers.

Accounting Auditing Business Plans Tax Services

• • • •

Cash Flow Preparation Management Consulting Small Business Services Bookkeeping Services

At Kee, Perry & Lassam we ensure our clients recieve the service and expertise they need to succeed.

Please make a call to our office your first step on the road to success.

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“

Research by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, among many other agencies, continues to confirm that a key problem faced by Ontario businesses of all types and sizes is compliance with “red tape” – the bureaucracy and paper burden of dealing with government.

The EmployerOne Survey is a project of the Reducing the paper Workforce Planning and Development Board and is funded by the Ministry of Training, Col- our member leges and Universities. The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce is one of several local partners supporting and promoting the project. Our support is based on the concept of the project making reducing the paper burden to our Members, and in the knowledge that we need to look at local workforce and labour market data in new ways, especially in terms of productivity and job creation.

We are forced to think differently about productivity and growth because: 1. Globalization is expanding more than ever creating a highly competitive market 2. Incredible movements in technology are ushering a new technological age 3. There is a demographic shift in a population that is aging rapidly For the past year a collaboration of Workforce, Economic and Business Groups have brought together a number of partners in order to provide a way for employers to receive reliable local labour market information. The EmployerOne Survey is designed to get this information while respecting employer's confidentiality and limited time. The EmployerOne survey allows employers, once a year, a chance to communicate an employer's workforce needs directly to stakeholders who provide solutions.

Direct benefits to our Members will include a timely and dependable reflection of workforce needs will assist in human resource decisions and better control of turnover rate by communicating the needs of business the marketplace and agencies that deliver planning, training and skills development services.

There will be no cost to any local business to participate or use data obtained in the study. The survey, taken once a year in January, should only be about 15 minutes to one hour to complete, depending on the size of your

E L G I N

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www.kpl-accountants.ca M O N T H

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BUSINESS BEAT

LEGAL BUSINESS Legal News and Issues for Business

Ten top tips for house hunters

by Monty Fordham

St. Thomas and Elgin has seen an influx of many newcomers over the last couple of years and the most recent 2011 census data confirms our population continues to grow. The following are my top ten tips for new buyers.

1. Engage the services of a reputable real estate broker early in the hunt. If you are new to real estate purchasing, your own real estate representative can provide insight into market trends and favourable locations. If you are new to the area perhaps your home town real estate sale representative can make a referral to a local realtor.

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2. Get involved with your lending institution through which you intend to arrange your mortgage, if any. At this stage a professional mortgage broker can be particularly helpful in finding the lowest interest rate and most favourable terms.

Mortgage brokers do the “leg work” and their commissions are most often paid by the lending institution.

At this stage, you may obtain a “preapproval” for a mortgage. However, in reality, this is only a “rate hold”, pending the formal mortgage ap-

E L G I N

proval process. (See #7 below) 3. Through discussions with your realtor you will now determine the locality in which you wish to focus, your price range, style of home, proximity to schools, etc. Try not to look at too many homes during too short a period of time.

Realtors tell me this only serves to confuse you (and annoy them) and often the details of specific properties become blurred.

4. Once a suitable home has been identified, thoroughly review the “vendor disclosure statement” if it is available. Often (but not always) the disclosure reveals items which limit the value of the property or indicate significant future expenditures.

However, disclosure statements don’t replace thorough inspections .As well, the disclosure is only to “the best of the knowledge” of the seller.

That, and a nickel... oh you know the rest.

5. You should now thoroughly inspect the property from top to bottom. Get the stars out of your eyes.

This is your chance for a completely critical review of your future home.

Take whatever time you need. If something appears to be hidden by furniture or other objects, speak to your realtor and be satisfied there are no hidden defects; at least, any that would be visible upon a reasonable inspection. (See #8 below) 6. If you are now ready to submit a serious offer to purchase the property, bear in mind this is likely to be the most significant single purchase you will ever make. You might consider reviewing the proposed offer with your lawyer. Contrary to popular opinion, lawyers generally prefer to put out fires before they become raging infernos. In my experience, clients usually prefer this as well.

7. The offer to purchase should contain a number of conditions, which if not satisfied will cancel the purchase. These will include arranging satisfactory financing ( in other words, getting a written commitment from a lending institution to lend you the amount of money you require to buy the specific property.)

Other conditions may require satisfactory home inspection, satisfactory environmental tests, etc. Generally, any outstanding question after inspection should be the subject of a

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condition in the offer. Once again, it is wise to review such conditions with your lawyer.

8. At this point, I would like to make a special note regarding home inspections. Some people insert a condition requiring a satisfactory home inspection and then proceed to remove the condition without the inspection. Don’t do this. An inspection performed by an experienced home inspector may point out serious mechanical and physical issues which can seriously affect the marketability, value and insurability of the home. ( Ref:: knob and tube wiring, asbestos, urea formaldehyde, blue mold, old oil tank, etc.)

9. If you have a home to sell, of course your offer to purchase a new home should be made conditional upon a binding agreement to purchase your home. Once you have sold your old home, the closing dates of the two transactions should be coordinated. The closing dates do not, however, have to be identical. (See “bridging” below) 10. In situations where people are moving from out of the area, often “bridge financing” is arranged in order to allow the purchase to close ahead of the sale. I have personally observed several clients (especially ones with small children) manage to keep their sanity during a move by utilizing this simple technique.

Bridging also allows for some repairs or renovations to be completed without the interference of furniture.

Talk to your banker about this one.

It’s worth it.

Welcome to St. Thomas and happy hunting.

Lawyer Monty Fordham prepares this monthly column for the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce and our Members. Monty is also a volunteer serving on the Chamber’s Board of Directors. Questions, comments and suggestions for future columns are welcomed by Monty at his Law Office, 4 Elgin Street, St. Thomas. Telephone 519-633-4000, FAX 519-633-1371 or e-mail: montyfordham@4elgin.ca

July, 2012

BUSINESS BEAT

MEMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members

Counterfeiting in the Canadian market: How do we stop it?

It’s more than just fake money.

The Canadian Intellectual Property Council (CIPC) concludes that Canada’s intellectual property rights (IPR) regime continues to have serious weaknesses that undermine our country’s innovation capacity and economic prosperity.

The CIPC is an organization of businesses under the banner of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce focused on improving and protecting intellectual property rights in Canada.

“The problem of counterfeit and pirated products infiltrating the traditional and on-line market place continues at an unabated pace. Canada’s system is outdated and unfortunately, no progress has been made on the creation of IPR institutions or an Intellectual Property crime task force,” said Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. “This is impacting our competitiveness on many fronts, and it is critical that the Canadian Government take a proactive stance to allow Canadian businesses to fully participate in the global economy.”

The RCMP produces intellectual property crime statistics on a quarterly basis. In the most recent update, the value of infringing goods continues to grow at an alarming rate. China continues to account for 80% of counterfeit goods found in Canada. 30% of counterfeit goods seized posed risks to the health and safety of Canadians. And finally, pharmaceutical counterfeits are now at 7% of all products seized, up from 4% in 2011.

A newly published report titled “Counterfeiting in the Canadian Market” exposes the extent of the world’s current counterfeit problem and illustrates the risks associated with counterfeit products and their illicit distribution. To view the 31-page report, please visit our website to read or download it at www.stthomaschamber.on.ca Canada has a number of weak spots with respect to intellectual property rights, leaving it vulnerable and hindering its ability to fully participate in the global economy. The report examines international best practices in hopes of better understanding how to combat IP infringements and highlighted five areas where urgent action is required to modernize Canada’s current system.

Canada has no tools to track and report on the instances of counterfeiting that are detected. For example, the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) does not have a mandate for reporting on IP crime at the border. This lack of clear and credible information poses a real problem for decision makers.

The Chamber’s position on this issue is that action is needed – now.

The Canadian Intellectual Property Council (CIPC) is a coalition of business groups working together under the banner of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to improve Canada’s economic competiveness by ensuring the adoption of worldclass intellectual property protection.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is the vital connection between business and the federal government. It helps shape public policy and decision-making to the benefit of businesses, com-

munities and families across Canada with a network of over 420 chambers of commerce and boards of trade, representing 192,000 businesses of all sizes in all sectors of the economy and in all regions.

THANK YOU

th

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The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce sincerely thanks our event sponsors for supporting our 36th Free Enterprise Awards Program

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www.disbrowe.com 13

BUSINESS BEAT

POSITIVE EXPOSURE Doing Public Relations Right

F1GUR471V3LY 5P34k1NG? F1R57 IMPR355ION5

by Allan Weatherall

I received the paragraph below in an e-mail. Most of us have seen something similar with letters out of order, but this is the first time I've seen it with numbers included. It is a good example of a Brain Study. So, if you can read it you have an interesting mind!

7H15 M3554G3 53RV35 7O PR0V3 H0W 0UR M1ND5 C4N D0 4M4Z1NG 7H1NG5!

1MPR3551V3 7H1NG5! 1N 7H3 B3G1NN1NG 17 WA5 H4RD BU7 N0W, 0N 7H15 LIN3 Y0UR M1ND 1S R34D1NG 17 4U70M471C4LLY W17H 0U7 3V3N 7H1NK1NG 4B0U7 17, B3 PROUD!

often does, have a huge bearing upon getting the position or not. It takes just a quick glance, maybe three seconds, for someone to evaluate you at a first meeting. In this short time, the other person forms an opinion about you based upon your appearance, body language, demeanour, and mannerisms.

With every new meeting with someone, you are evaluated and yet another person's impression of you is formed. These first impressions can be nearly impossible to reverse or

ing late and is the first step in creating a great first impression.

Be yourself, be at ease If you are feeling uncomfortable and on edge, this can make the other person ill at ease and that's a sure way to create the wrong impression. If you are calm and confident, so the other person will feel more at ease, and so have a solid foundation to make that first impression a good one.

First impressions are a very important part of any society. We all judge

undo, making first encounters extremely important, for they set the tone for all the relationships that follow. So, whether they are in your career or social life, it's important to know how to create a good first impression. Here are some useful tips you’ve likely heard before but with the thought that a little reinforcement can be good.

Be on time Someone you are meeting for the first time is not interested in your ‘good excuse’ for running late. Plan to arrive a few minutes early thus allowing flexibility for possible delays in traffic or taking a wrong turn. Arriving early is much better that arriv-

others on first impressions and many times the conclusion or ruling of these judgments are totally out of our control. However, this should not take us away from understanding how we are being judged, as well as the process that goes on in the mind of others Making a good first impression is important for building relationships with other people. In business networking (i.e. the Chamber’s monthly Business After 5 events). A positive first impression is crucial for creating profitable, sustainable, long-term partnerships to help build your business and keep it thriving.

Be it face-to-face, over the phone,

e-mail or video conference, it is very important to come across positively, especially the first time around.

BU7 0NLY C3R741N P30PL3 C4N R3AD 7H15.

If you are one of those who can actually make sense of what is written I say ‘well done’!.

The whole issue of communications comes down to ways and means of getting your thoughts or message out in a variety of ways.

I have been involved with music my whole life and many years ago someone told me that people listen with their eyes as much as with their ears. If you are a performer, people watch you walk on stage and the way they first see you is a major part of their impression of how you will ultimately perform. For example, if your shoes are not polished, you will be communicating how much pride you take in what you will present.

We have been told, too, that in a job interview the first few moments are absolutely critical in making that ‘first impression’ which could, and

SO 7HA7 IS MY ME55AG3 FOR THI5 MON7H C U at BU5SIN355 After S!

This article has been prepared for the Chamber and our Members by Allan Weatherall, B.A., CFRE, APR – Executive Director of the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation.

He received accreditation (APR) from the Canadian Public Relations Society in 1993 and a CFRE (certified fundraising executive) in 2000.

He welcomes your comments via email to: aweather@stegh.on.ca or telephone 519-631-2030 extension 2247.

Is your mortgage coming due in the next 6 months?

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3-9 Princess Ave., St.Thomas, ON N5R 3V3 Powered by

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The Mortgage Group™

Tony Milles, AMP Mortgage Agent

July, 2012

BUSINESS BEAT

PRO TEXT Business Management News & Issues

Insuring your home or building to its proper value

by Joanne Fisher

Insuring to value is an issue the insurance industry deals with regularly.

Many consumers are unwilling or unable to understand that insurance values are not a reflection of what the property was purchased for; rather it is what it will cost to replace. Of concern, recently, is the fact that over the past number of years the cost of building materials and labour have increased 4% - 7% annually. In 2008, there was an increase of over 20% in the new housing construction cost index (1). Not only did the cost of construction on new homes increase but so did reconstruction/replacement costs. This means your most valuable asset needs adequate protection to reflect today’s costs and values.

A residential/commercial building valuation by your insurance broker is your first step.

Brokers rely on experts in the estimation/appraisal field to help determine replacement cost. This is done through computer software provided by a numbers of companies such as Marshall & Swift Boeckh. The program requires that certain construction details of the home or building be inputted to determine costs associated with material, labour, debris removal etc.

Not only is it important that your home or building be insured to accurately reflect replacement cost, it’s also a prudent to re-evaluate the replacement cost every few years to ensure any changes in the cost of construction, building materials and labour in your region are accurately reflected in the insured value of the building. If any renovations, upgrades or alterations are completed at any time, it’s wise to re-evaluate the building cost also.

The purpose of Insurance to Value (ITV) is to determine what the “re-

placement” value is, if your home or building was severely damaged or destroyed. This value is NOT what someone would pay if your home or building was listed for sale or built new, but the costs (labour, materials and equipment) that an insurance claim would incur to “replace” the property.

Replacement cost is very different from market value, actual cash value or tax assessment value. Insurance premiums are not based on the current resale value of your home or building, but on the cost to replace it.

Market value is based on a number of factors that have no direct association to your home or building’s replacement cost. Some of those factors include location, land value and market value of surrounding homes or buildings. Replacement cost factors, on the other hand, can include material costs, fuel and energy costs, the cost and availability of skilled labour, debris removal, site accessability, winter heating of the construction site and changing construction codes.

Your insurance policy may also contain a “co-insurance” clause. Common co-insurance limits are 80%, 90% or 100%. This is the percentage of the replacement value that your property must be insured to in order to be fully reimbursed for a loss. If you don’t insure to the minimum value determined by your broker by the “Replacement Cost Valuation”, you may be penalized in the event of a claim. Really, this means that if you insure your property for less than the determined “Replacement Cost” amount, then you might only get a portion of your claim paid.

Regardless of a properties age, when rebuilding a home or building with severe damage, there are costs associated with reconstruction that are not part of the original construction costs.

As a result, these additional recon-

struction costs need to be considered when determining the amount of insurance needed for your home or building.

A reconstruction firm purchases smaller quantities than a general contractor and does not receive volume discount from building suppliers.

These firms have to factor in their profit and overhead (20 - 30%) based on building one home or building, as apposed to many.

Before any reconstruction can begin on an existing property, debris from the damages must be removed. When removing debris, reconstruction firms must work without damaging existing driveways, landscaping, utilities, sewer systems and any undamaged portion of the building that may be remaining. The time and expense to work around these obstacles add to the cost of the overall project. The site may also have to be extensively cleaned as the soil may be contaminated.

When rebuilding, you may need to meet the newer and more demanding building codes. Building Code changes can add thousands of dollars to the cost of restoring a damaged building.

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E L G I N

This article has been supplied to the Chamber by Reith & Associates Insurance and Financial Services.

Joanne Fisher RIB (Ont), is a Business Services Broker/Advisor with the firm and welcomes your comments or questions on this column at her office at 462 Talbot Street, St. Thomas; by telephone at 519-631-3862; or via email: info@reithandassociates.com

LISTEN TO YOUR CAR....

135 South Edgeware Rd, St Thomas 519-631-7117 www.stthomasautoguys.com

www.accountingwithyou.com • gail@accountingwithyou.com 300 South Edgeware Rd., St. Thomas, ON N5P 4L1 519-633-7597 (Ext. 405) July, 2012

Reconstruction includes the cost to re-construct at current prices, an exact replica of your dwelling, using like kind and quality materials particular to your home or building. Older structures are more difficult to match and include extra costs. Rebuilding older properties often require many independent specialists which can add to the final price.

A broker’s commitment to you is getting you back into your home as soon as possible. This “urgency” usually costs more in materials, delivery fees and contractor’s fees.

Remember, you are protecting your most valuable asset! Insurance to Value does not cost, it pays.

• Source: Statistics Canada, Capital Expenditure Price Statistics – October to December 2008

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St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce

be seen be heard

belong!

The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome the following businesses and individuals as our newest Members. The staff and management of the organizations shown below were accepted as registered Members from May 16 to June 15, 2012.

The Princess Banquet Hall and Convention Center Inc. 18 Princess Avenue St. Thomas, ON N5R 3V3 Phone: 519-633-9527 Email: princessbanquethall@hotmail.ca Contact: Ms. Laurie Price, General Manager Buyer’s Guide Categories: Banquet Facilities; Halls & Special

Event Facilities Products & Services: The Princess Banquet Hall (formerly the Elgin Labour Temple) offers 2 banquet halls in one site, with adjacent parking in their own lot and a large municipal lot beside the building. The main hall holds up to 400 people, and the upper hall up to 100. 3 licensed bars on the premises and capacity to host a wide range of social, business, community and special events.

The Fitness Definition 658 Talbot Street, Upper Level St. Thomas, ON N5P 1C8 Phone: 519-777-6164 Email: russ_hicks_23@hotmail.com Contact: Mr. Russ Hicks, Per-

sonal Trainer Buyer’s Guide Categories: Personal Trainer; Sports, Recreation & Fitness Products & Services: The Fitness Definition offers personal training, and owner Russ Hicks will work closely with you through a custom designed program to get you started in the right direction.

Call Russ anytime to find out more about the many fitness programs and find out what he can do for you and your family.

Rail & Traction Canada 113 Gaylord Road St. Thomas, ON N5P 3S3 Phone: 519-633-1222 Fax: 519-633-6888 Email: info@railtraction.ca Website: www.railtraction.ca

Contacts: Mr. Stephane Claveau, Vice President/General Manager; Ms. Michelle Carroll, Accounting / Office Manager Buyer’s Guide Categories: Distributors; Manufacturers; Railway Transportation Products & Services: Rail & Traction Canada (RTC) is St. Thomas’ newest manufacturing and distribution business. RTC is a leading manufacturer and distributor of rail parts and has designed and manufactured traction motors and related components, used in over 30 countries, for over 15 years. Their distribution network is strategically centralized to enable quick distribution to the end user.

Your Advantage Home Inspections 2 Confederation Street St. Thomas, ON N5P 3N9 Phone: 519-207-0889 Email: jefferymacintyre@gmail.com Contacts: Mr. Jeff MacIntyre, Home Inspector/Owner; Mr. Mijo Ilic, Home Inspector/Owner Buyer’s Guide Category: Home Inspection Services Products & Services: Your Advantage Home Inspections (YAHI) is a home inspection company focusing on thorough and detailed inspections of properties based on education and experience. The owners are graduates of Fanshawe Colllege’s Home Inspection Certificate Program. At YAHI they believe that "two sets of eyes are better than one", so every inspection has two Home Inspectors present.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DIRECTORY Save 3.5¢/litre Chamber members qualify for Esso’s Direct Billing Program; you pay 3.5¢ off the posted retail pump price whenever you fuel up.

You may also get a convenient, detailed monthly invoice and also qualify for Speedpass®. For an application, contact:

Lynhurst ESSO & Variety 16

Wellington Road at St. George St. 519-633-0002

EXTERIOR WASH & INTERIOR CLEANING Both for

26.55

$

Rob Blaxall: President

+ HST (Car only) (larger vehicles extra) *Note: Vehicles with pet hair / extra dirty additional charge.

“Our customers are not just satisfied...they’re satisfied...they’re impressed!”

Now offering

160 Burwell Rd., St.Thomas 519-631-5502 E L G I N

T H I S

• Voice/Voice Mail • Data Communications • CCTV Video Surveillance • Security • Sound/PA Systems • Business Phone Systems

M O N T H

voip business systems

P.O. Box 20155, St. Thomas (519) 633.0080 • rblaxall@sympatico.ca

Residential • Commercial • Industrial July, 2012

St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce

be seen be heard

Allan Hughson Owner, Williams Funeral Home 45 Elgin Street St Thomas 519-631-0850 www.williamsfuneralhomeltd.com Williams Funeral Home has been a registered Chamber Member for 118 years.

The Chamber provides a great forum to network and build longterm business relationships.

“

I like the Chamber because it’s about personal connections.

George Fischtner

Owner, Sparkle CARSTAR Collision

15 Queen Street St Thomas 519-631-6769 george@sparklecarstar.ca

Sparkle CARSTAR Collision has been a registered Chamber Member for 13 years.

The Chamber is very active in the Community to build and promote our area.

“

I like the Chamber because of the Community involvement.

Phil James Owner, New 2 You Auto 175 South Edgeware Rd. St Thomas 519-631-6420 www.new2youauto.ca

“ “ “

It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.

Ann Marie Perry Partner- Kee, Perry & Lassam 15 Barrie Boulevard St Thomas 519-631-6360 www.kpl-accountants.ca Kee, Perry & Lassam has been a registered Chamber Member for 29 years.

We have met so many people from so many different types of businesses, that we are able to get any of our questions answered easily at any time...and we are able to answer their's as well!

It's all about networking for us.

Ginette Minor Suzanne Edwards Co-Owners, Genuine Stitches St Thomas 519-494-0787 www.genuinestitches.com Genuine Stitches has been a registered Chamber Member for 4 years.

With over 700 businesses and organizations included as Chamber Members, the pool of resources, ideas and energy is incredible

“

“

I like the Chamber because it’s about people.

The Chamber events are a great networking opportunity to meet new business colleagues and reconnect with others.

“

It brings together people who share our desire to build business and improve our community.

“

“ “ “

belong!

The Chamber helps keep our name in front of our customers.

New 2 You Auto has been a registered Chamber Member for 7 years.

Kim Marcotte

President and C.E.O, Quantum RBS

154 Fifth Avenue, Unit #6 St Thomas 519-633-8903 www.QRBS.ca Quantum RBS has been a registered Chamber Member for 1 year.

Joining the chamber provides you one of the best opportunities to develop your business. You can take advantage of the great benefits we offer to help you not only grow your business but also to grow your network, increase your exposure, build your customer base and make a direct impact on the business community. You will be entitled to some of the best savings, but in addition to savings programs, monthly newsletter, and special offers, your membership will entitle you to enjoy many more learning and networking opportunities. Call Membership coordinator Linda Crawford at 519-631-1981 to talk about how you can join over 700 community business in growing business and community.

July, 2012

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S

P E C I A L

F

E A T U R E

Financing A New Business P

E R S O N A L

S

T Y L E

Two styles of financing Are you a bottom feeder or do you pay yourself first?

by Terry Carrol

There are several criteria for receiving financing from Elgin Business Resource Centre, and one is that you must be turned down by at least two banks. Here’s the standard joke that follows: “And that’s not hard.”

The beginning, struggling years can be frustrating for a business owner who feels like calling out in frustration, “The only people who get money from banks are the people who don’t need it.” The basic reality is that banks generally want a business start-up loan secured by a tangible asset they can seize if necessary: land, equipment, a vehicle. Or they want to see positive cash flow. Since that may be hard to come by, the struggling entrepreneur has to get creative if her ship is going to stay afloat.

Business owners approach this question in two different ways, depending on their personal style.

Some owners believe it’s important to have an impressive presence right from the get-go, and to “pay yourself first.” Typically, this type of owner believes the business exists to support a substantial lifestyle. To do that, sales must be strong right from the beginning. And since marketing drives sales, a big marketing budget is important. After all, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.

This requires considerable start-up capital, but the banks are still going to want to see a great business plan and positive cash flow before advancing a substantial business loan.

Where to turn?

Often the “pay yourself first” individual will go to high net worth family members, wealthy people in the community or even venture capitalists who expect high rates of return in exchange for the risk they are taking. Several credit cards may be involved and personal property secured to the hilt in order to obtain line of credit approvals.

At the other end of the spectrum is the bottom feeder. This business

owner will make sure that all loans are secured, just so she can sleep at night. If the business fails, the house may be lost, but at least the bank will be paid back. Additional financing may come from family members who are loaning more with their hearts than with their heads.

Bottom feeders tend to pay themselves last while they work very hard to turn the business into a profitable situation. They are credit card adverse and sometimes spend so little time or money on marketing that they may be all but invisible. The term “sweat equity” applies to their entire theory of operation.

The risk for the “pay yourself first”

The Home Based Business Association There are many benefits to joining

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Barbara Beechey Senior Account Manager, Business and Personal RBC Royal Bank 1099 Talbot St. E., St Thomas 519-631-7480 barbara.beechey@rbc.com

• 3 Annual Showcases • Monthly Network Meetings • Guest Speakers and Business Spotlights

The HBBA is open to all home based businesses. www.thehomebasedbusinessassociation.com tel: 519-207-1115

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18

operator is that his reach for the stars may come crashing to the earth if sales do not materialize and fast. The risk for the bottom feeder is that he will starve before enough potential clients even know he is in business.

Or he will get so accustomed to feeding at the bottom that he can never enjoy material things if they begin to come his way.

Few entrepreneurs are purely one or the other – most are somewhere in between. But it’s a good idea to know your style before opening for business. That style is a big factor in determining how much financing you will need, and where you will need to go to find it.

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Making a farm transfer to a family member while alive The tax challenges and opportunities

by Ellen Luft

Transfers to a Child Ordinarily, when property is transferred to another person or entity, the Income Tax Act (ITA) assumes that the transfer is a deemed disposition at the Fair Market Value at the time of transfer, regardless of the proceeds received. This will typically result in the realization of capital gains (or losses) by the transferor depending on the Adjusted Cost Base (ACB). However, pursuant to Section 73 of the ITA, where the transfer consists of farm property to a child, the capital gain or loss for the transferor can be reduced or eliminated. This provides definite tax advantage through tax deferral. Before discussing the process, some important terms need to be defined: Farm property in regards to transfer to a child includes: Land Depreciable property (equipment for example) Eligible Capital Property (a dairy quota for example) Interest in a farm partnership Shares in a family farm corporation The farm property must be located in Canada and must have been used principally in the business of farming immediately before the transfer.

Farming Business in regards to the transfer of a child is not clearly defined in the ITA and the CRA refers to certain guidelines when making that determination. Some of the criteria considered are: The nature of the farming operation in relation to other farming operations in the immediate area, particularly size. If the farm is too small to provide any expectation of profit it will probably not be considered a farming business. Even if the farm appears to be large enough to be profitable it would probably not be considered a 'business' if the land is not actually being utilized, particularly where the individual has other sources of income - in other words, a 'hobby farm' The property will probably not be considered a business if the owner spends a substantial amount of his/her time in other income producing pursuits and not tending to producing crops/ income from the property How much time and investment July, 2012

the owner has directed towards the property such as machinery, buildings etc.

The eligibility of the owner for various types of provincial farming assistance which assumes some sort of eligibility tests As with any financial decision, your financial advisor should be part of the planning process. With their guidance you will be assured that

your decision will be the best financial decision.

This article was prepared by Ellen Luft who is an Investment Advisor with DWM Securities Inc. a DundeeWealth Inc. Company. This is not an official publication of DWM Securities Inc. The views (including any recommendations) expressed in this article are those of the author alone, and they have not been approved by, and are not necessarily those of, DWM Securities Inc.

Ellen Luft is an Investment Advisor with DWM Securities Inc. in St. Thomas.

The views expressed are her own.

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Financing A New Business S T A Y

F O C U S E D

Does your personal credit history matter?

And can I get a loan without a business history?

by Kim Coaker

NEED A BUSINESS LO LLOAN? AN? Elgin Business Resource Reso ource Centr Centree pr provides ovidess loans up to $150,000 $150,0000 for fo or larger pr projects ojects but w wee can also me meet eet those small business busineess needs with micro-loans micro-lloans ffor or o $5000 or les less. s.

Call Glenn ffor or o inf information formation o on our loans pr programs: ograms:

If you’re going into business for the first time, you may be wondering how a bank decides to give you a loan.

Entrepreneurs who have started businesses before already have a track record, and banks can use that record to decide if they’re good candidates for financing.

But what if this is your first company? Even without a long business track record, a strong personal credit history and a good business plan can help you qualify for financing.

Your credit history is comprised of information gathered from financial institutions, utilities, retailers, and other lenders about how you’ve handled credit in the past, so it can help prove that you are financially responsible. If you have a mortgage,

car loan, credit cards, or student loan, your credit history will show whether you regularly pay your bills on time—key things a lender looks for when deciding whether to extend credit.

Besides your personal credit history, you’ll also need a well thoughtout business plan that tells the bank how you intend to use the loan, and projections of cash flow that will allow you to repay the loan. Get started on developing your business idea by working through the Scotia Starting Line for Business, a tool that gives an overview of what’s needed for business startups.

Kim Coaker is a Small Business Advisor with Scotiabank, Elgin County

We help customers by providing practical advice and relevant financial solutions.

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Financing A New Business I D E A S

The truth about financing Seven questions to ask yourself There are several key questions to ask as you explore the right financing options for you and your organization. Let's explore the truth about financing using the following seven questions to bring you the clarity you need.

What is financing?

Financing is to provide funding for a person or enterprise. In discerning why you need financing, when you need it and what the right type of financing is for you, much of the process depends on you and your plans.

Why is financing needed?

It is important to know your reasons for financing. Understand your reasons and find out how the financing will work into your whole strategy. You may be able to finance your business with resources you already have. Perhaps raising your prices or serving a new market is all you need. Be creative and take a look at all the options you have. Whatever option you choose you want to make sure that it increases your profit and profitability, empowering you to gain the effectiveness and efficiency you need.

When is financing needed?

To answer this question, look at your projections. Detailed projections will go a long way for you. In detailing your projections, you will gain the clarity you need to assess and determine if financing is the best tool to use. Consider all the options and opportunities you have before you.

Again, you may be able to raise the funds you need using the tools you already have available.

How do you gain access to financing?

You will need a plan and strategy The plan and strategy are first and foremost for you. A plan is what you are going to do and the strategy is how and why you are doing it that way. Sim-

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ply plan your work and work your plan. As you work your plan you will gain new insight. Allow this new insight the room it deserves and if you need to adjust, do so accordingly. Be sure to share your plan with someone you trust and that has experience in the strategies you are exploring.

Once you have your plan and strategy you will need to seek out the right financing for you.

What is the right financial tool for you?

To answer this, you will need to know your options and all the details of those options. Do your research so that you have the knowledge to make the wise decision. Desire without knowledge is not good. Ask the hard questions now before you commit.

Who is the right person to manage your finances?

It may not be you.

What systems do you need to manage your finances?

This is key. The right person will empower you with the right systems bringing the effectiveness and efficiency you need to manage your financial strategies. You already have some financial systems in place. Analyze these and find out how they are working. Will they be able to handle the financial load you are going to be putting on the them?

Take the time now to answer these questions and know your options in detail. With your financial plan and strategy in hand, proceed with your eyes open and be available to the new insights that will come as you move forward.

Shayne Wyler, CEO of Seven, works with people and organizations that need clarity. By asking the right questions, Seven clarifies your direction, giving you the clarity you need.

TD Canada Trust

Running a small business is hard enough. We can help.

David Van Dinther, B.A. (Hons) Brian Dempsey Small Business Advisor Small Business Advisor 378 Talbot St. & 417 Wellington 378 Talbot St. St. (Mondays) St.Thomas Thomas St. (519)631-7070 631-7070, (519) ext.ext.

231231 (Talbot St.) 268-1384 Cell: (226) (519) 633-4640 brian.dempsey@td.com (Wellington St.) david.vandinther@td.com

We’d like like to to introduce introduce David Brian VanDinther Dempsey asas your Small We’d your Small Business Advisor.

Advisor.

Business With over 10 years the of banking experience andofa owning local David understands unique characteristics resident, Brian understands the pressures of owning and and operating a small business or farm in St. Thomas and is operating a business or farm in St. Thomas and is committed committed to to helping helping you you by by providing providing services, services, products and adviceand tailored to your needs. products advicespecifically tailored specifically to your needs.

Drop by by the the branch branch to to talk talk to to your your Small Small Business Advisor Drop Advisor and discover we can make your business and discover how we how can make your business banking banking easier.

We look forward to seeing you easier. We look forward to seeing you soon. soon.

July, 2012

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Financing A New Business I D E A S

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Funds for modern equipment or vehicles One financing option for small business

Are you a Small Business Owner?

Then you should meet our team for your personal and business needs.

Get expert help on: • saving time and money • operating your business more effectively • managing your personal and business banking seamlessly

by David Van Dither that have annual gross revenues of Occasionally small businesses less than $5 Million. The loans struggle to get off the ground because range from $10,000 (minimum) to a they can’t secure the funds needed for maximum of $500,000 and can be modern equipment or vehicles. Or used to finance: a more established business has to • The purchase or improvement of pass up on an opportunity to expand buildings or land to a bigger location because it has • Commercial vehicles difficulty financing the new prem• Purchase new equipment • Production equipment ises.

Small businesses are essential to the Small businesses create most of the overall prosperity of Canada. As jobs in the private sector and are a disuch, the Federal Government estab- rect contributor to Canada’s overall lished the Canada Small Business Fi- prosperity. But they face many chalnancing Program (CSBFP) in 1961. lenges – one of which is accessing fiThis program is designed to help nancing to support growth. Making small businesses secure the funding it easier for Small businesses to obthey need to update, expand or inno- tain financing to start-up, expand vate their operations, and is one of and even modernize helps the econthe tools financial institutions can omy and benefits Canada as a whole.

To apply for a CSBFP loan, contact use. The CSBFP programs main oba Small Business Advisor at a particjectives are to: • Help new businesses get started or ipating financial institution. Your established firms make improve- Small Business Advisor will discuss your financing needs and help you ments • Provide improved access to loans understand the application, rates and that would not otherwise be available the other terms of the CSBFP program. Both fixed- and variable-rate to small businesses • Support economic activity and options are available, with amortizajob creation in the small business sec- tion periods of up to ten years. tor For more information on the While supported by the Federal Canada Small Business Financing Government, the program is actually Program, contact your local Small administered by leading financial in- Business Advisor, or visit the Federal stitutions. The Federal Government Government website. helps make the loans possible by sharing the risk with the Financial Institution.

David Van Dither is a Small Business The CSBFP is open to small busi- Advisor with TD Canada Trust in nesses operating for profit in Canada St. Thomas

MARK A WALES

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July, 2012

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP To master the art of optimization, you need to adopt an opportunity mindset. To leave the status quo behind, you need to ask continually the following types of questions: • • • • • •

What is the best and highest use of our time, talent, and treasures?

What resources are we underutilizing?

How can we maximize our returns/output and minimize our input?

How can we work smarter, not harder?

Which strategies will give us super-sized results?

What processes or departments within our business are under-performing? • What past or current relationships could we more fully leverage (i.e. customers, employees, vendors, suppliers, advisers, etc.)? • What other industries could provide us with some innovative best practices? • Where are the hidden opportunities within our business, our employees, our suppliers/vendors, our business partners, our customer base, our competitors, and our business processes? • How can we get a greater return/payoff using the least amount of money, time, risk, etc? • How can we be more effective, more productive? • How can we get better every day in every way? • What suggestions from our customers should we pursue first?

Expand your mind and your leadership potential and your business Bryan Vine and opportunities expand exponenis co-owner of tially. The more you grow as a leader, The Growth the more your business grows as a Coach in market leader. Think optimization, St. Thomas. not status quo.

Ask yourself and others better questions...

Adopt the mindset of optimization

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Win Awesome Prizes!

by Bryan Vine

As a CEO, you need to elevate your mindset and obsess about getting more from your current resources and efforts. You must ask yourself and others better questions. You must start to ask yourself, “How can our business get greater results from every action we take, every expenditure we make, every effort we expend, every relationship we have�? Avoid status quo like a deadly virus. You must embrace fully the philosophies that, “good enough never is� and “we can always do better�.

Optimization (also known as leverage) is a mindset of maximizing your results while simultaneously minimizing the amount of time, effort, risk, money, and energy you expend. It’s all about getting greater productivity, performance, profitability and payback from your ideas, assets, knowledge, systems, processes, practices, people and opportunities. Overlook nothing; leverage opportunities are everywhere.

Optimization is all about using your mind and limited business resources in new and better ways. It’s about using your creative intelligence as an incredible force to increase your sales, customer satisfaction, profits, quality, etc. Optimization is about freeing yourself and your organization from limiting beliefs, the “we’ve always done it this way� attitudes, and established industry practices. Optimization is searching for opportunities within and without your company where the application of focus or force will yield substantially multiplied results. For example, if you start using telephone calls to follow-up your direct mail campaigns, you may multiply your sales results by staggering amounts.

Just as a tire jack can lift the tremendous weight of a car for a tire change, so too can the strategy of optimization help you significantly lift your company’s revenues, improve operations, and lighten your daily load. A lever, fulcrum and slight force can lift significant weight if you know how to use these tools. Learn about leverage so you can begin to elevate and optimize your business results.

July, 2012

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HOMESTYLE DECORATING

Padded headboards

by Renée Carpenter

Once upon a time padded headboards were only found in grand hotels. But today this lush hot trend is in our personal bedrooms, customized to fit any budget, whether simple or elegant. And what a statement they make! Their mere existence adds a softness and comfort to

a room that otherwise can feel quite stark with all the wood pieces.

Colour, texture, pattern, or whatever design element the décor needs can be provided with a padded headboard, often making it the focal point in the room.

Styles and fabric or leather options are endless. A wide range of design looks, from Hollywood regency to

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Adding softness and comfort to the bedroom

tailored masculine are showcased in magazines and model homes. The really tall headboards are ‘in’, along with tufting and nail heads. The fact that padded headboards are available in any size, style, colour or fabric to fit the room make them very desirable. Not all rooms can handle really tall. The room dictates the piece.

An upholstered headboard can be mounted to the wall or attached to the bedframe. Or, the entire frame can be upholstered. Narrow down the options by first asking yourself the following questions: • What style or shape?

Traditional, contemporary, etc…

• What type of bed? Padded with posts, platform bed, daybed, etc.

• What size of bed? Twin, full, queen, king…

• Wall mounted, attached to a metal bedframe, or a complete upholstered bed?

• How big can it be? Wide, high, shaped, framed, the focal point, etc.

• Does the room need texture, pattern, or leather?

• What colour do you have in mind?

• Will it be tufted or panels?

• Do you want nail heads? If so, what colour or size? Double row or single?

• A framed or a wrap-around style?

When choosing a style, such as traditional or contemporary, many options exist within this one decision!

For instance, if you like the more simple, neutral colours, a contemporary headboard with its clean lines provide the added touch, whether

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tufted or not. They can be mixed with metal or wood that have straight or gently curved lines.

For a more traditional look, the sleigh bed is a classic that has survived. Whether leather or cloth, it is still very popular, although leather seems to be the most common with this style. The graceful lines of an upholstered sleigh bed provide a luxury in any room. When going the traditional route, the completely padded bed tends to provide a more complete look.

Just as wingback chairs have stood the test of time, the same goes for padded wingback beds. And as we see today, they can surprisingly be modern or quite traditional, depending on the treatment. The same comfort from the chair carries over to the bed. Wingbacks are available in both tufted and plain styles.

And last but not least is the canopy bed. I remember as a child the sheltered and almost cocooned feeling they provide. When upholstered it can be even more comforting.

When dealing with the elephant in the room, you want it spectacular.

Have an expert interior stylist help you with the selections to bring the room to life and enjoy it for many years to come. It’s called a BEDroom for a reason, so make it the focal point. And, don’t forget the bedding! It’s the icing on the cake.

Renée Carpenter is the owner of Jennings Furniture and Design in St. Thomas.

July, 2012

HOMESTYLE SELF DEVELOPMENT

Employee morale shows in customer service Low-cost ways to recognize good performance

by Sharon Lechner

This week I made several trips to a nearby retailing centre. Like all of them, it had temporary employees working in the centre. On the three different occasions that I shopped there, I was assisted by four different employees. Three of the employees were women of varying ages but all three of the women had body language that told me they wouldn’t be returning to work next year. The oldest of these three women actually sighed continually as she rang up my purchase, clearly annoyed that the items I was purchasing weren’t registering on the scanner. Only the fourth employee who waited on me seemed to have a remote sense of liking his work. He offered to carry my purchase to the register and then to my car. I left the place feeling very sorry for the three women working in positions that clearly didn’t bring

them happiness.

Yeah I know, we don’t all have the luxury of working in positions that we love but surely there must be something to make every work experience a more pleasurable one. If employees enjoy their work, this will result in higher productivity and thus higher profits for the company. It’s a winwin situation so what can we do to make workplaces more enjoyable?

Why not start with surveying the employees and asking them what would make coming to work a more pleasant experience?

Money is tight for a lot of employers right now but there are lots of low cost things employers can do to recognize good performance. Instead of giving an employee an increase in pay why not consider the following rewards for good performance: • A gift card for pet grooming • A cleaning person for six months • One day at the spa

• Enrollment in art classes • A coffee per day for one month • Dinner for two for the employee and his/her partner I read an article on LinkedIn this week where Richard Branson spoke about seeing a group of uniformed students walking down a street in London and several of the students had cut off the bottoms of their ties.

Apparently, they were protesting wearing ties but in keeping with the school’s procedure that they wear them, they cut them shorter since there was no mention in the policy regarding the length of the ties. Branson went on to say that he loved the fact that he hardly ever has to wear a tie and has only recently started wearing jackets and that is only because of the climates he works in.

On Wednesday I was in a local store ordering some printed materials and I said hello to a colleague of mine.

She said she didn’t recognize me because she was used to seeing me wear a suit. Wow did that feel good. One of the greatest pleasures in being selfemployed is the ability to choose what you want to wear to work each day. I truly believe being comfortable on the job is linked to productivity as well.

I encourage employers to look

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Sharon Lechner is a certified master life coach and owner of Reach for the Stars Empowerment in St. Thomas.

KEITH HUNT

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July, 2012

around their work spaces and allow employees some flexibility in designing their own personal spaces. I once worked with a girl who had mini lights on her cubicle and lots of personal memorabilia spread about her space. She was by far the happiest person I have ever worked with.

There are lots both employers and employees can do to make the workplace a better place to be but as always, if you are an employee whose body is giving you signals that something isn’t right, maybe it’s time to explore a new career. You spend way too much time at work not to be happy with what you are doing. I think Nick Williams said it best when he said “if all of the hidden talents and potential in this world were unleashed, imagine what kind of world we would live in.”

20 Harvey St., Aylmer, ON

www.keithhunt.ca T H I S

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D I N I N G & E N T E R TA I N M E N T SAVOUR ELGIN

Savour Elgin: A new guide, new experiences

by Kate Burns

www.savourelgin.ca With three successful years, winning awards for marketing and branding at the provincial, national and international levels, the NEW 2012 Savour Elgin Guide is sure to be another winner.

The new guide features recipes for every taste bud including; Bull’s Eye Onion Burgers using Railway City’s Iron Spike Amber Ale, Rush Creek Wine’s Summer Peach Smoothie, Harbourtown Marshmallows and Windjammer Inn Lake Erie Pickerel Cakes to name but a few.

New to Savour Elgin in 2012 is Harboutown Fudge in Port Stanley.

Beyond the popular maple and chocolate fudge, Jon and Vicci Couglin are always experimenting, with creations such as Cran-Raspberry, Pineapple Rum and Cappuc26

cino Cream fudge. From fudge to chocolate fish, local honey and maple syrup, there is something to satisfy even the most discerning sweet tooth.

Howe’s Family Farm Market is also a new addition for 2012 in the market section. The Howe family opened the doors in June 2010 to their new facility located on the corner of John Wise Line and Rogers Road. This is where the word fresh was invented, from strawberries to beans, beets, peppers, tomatoes and more, the produce is from the surrounding fields and onto your plate.

In addition to new members, Savour Elgin has partnered with the Elgin Arts Trail, combining both programs into one handy tour guide.

Separated with a joint map with all the locations conveniently plotted and suggested travel routes, the new E L G I N

combined guide is sure to keep everyone busy throughout the year.

Savour Elgin launched in August of 2010 with sixteen members and a mission to celebrate local food, wine, and agri-tourism in partnership with quality restaurants and has grown to twenty members for 2012. To explore Savour Elgin visit www.savourelgin.ca with member profiles, recipes and an interactive map.

The Elgin Arts Trail was launched in the fall of 2011, and features fourteen studios and galleries exhibiting diverse collections of artwork. Ranging from original painting to pottery, fibre art, candles and more there is a type of art for everyone to enjoy. The Elgin Arts Trail can be discovered by visiting www.elginartstrail.ca with full program information, events, workshops and more.

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Savour Elgin is a program with a goal to promote and enhance culinary tourism in Elgin County and St. Thomas. The Savour Elgin trail is a route through Elgin County that visits some of the best restaurants, farms, wineries, and other culinary attractions that focus on food and drink that’s local and unique to Elgin County and St. Thomas.

Kate Burns is the business development coordinator at the County of Elgin.

July, 2012

D I N I N G & E N T E R TA I N M E N T WINE & FOOD

What’s happening in the wine industry?

Ten Numbers for every Ontario wine lover

by Jamie Quai

Have you ever wanted to know how big the Ontario wine industry is? Ever wonder how much tax, fee, and levy money is added to the cost of a bottle before you buy it? We want to know we’re getting the value for our money, but where does that money go when you buy a bottle of wine?

Canada’s per capita consumption on the rise, but how much do we go through every year? This month, I’ve chosen ten trivia numbers that might be of interest to wine lovers. Enjoy!

6.1 per cent is the tax rate added to bottles of Ontario wine by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. This is in addition to the HST. The additional tax rate is raised to 16.1per cent if the wine is an import, or blend of foreign and domestic wines. This tax rate is only applied to private stores and at wineries. The LCBO have

different rates . . .

58 per cent markup is the standard number that the LCBO adds to the wineries price for every bottle of wine. This would amount to approximately $2.65 on a $10.00 bottle of wine. This markup is then subject to HST. Ontario wineries are able to apply for some of these funds back if they choose to be VQA. This rebate was designed to help Ontario producers compete with low cost imports.

There is also a $1.13 per bottle LCBO Levy added to each bottle before taxes.

When a licensee, like a restaurant or bar, buys a bottle of wine to serve in their establishment they don’t pay the same price an ordinary consumer would – they pay 90 per cent of the regular price.

Only businesses with a liquor licence are able to get these discounts.

8.93 cents of the cost of every bottle sold in Ontario is a levy referred to as the Environmental Levy. This is applied to every non-refillable bottle and was originally introduced to help subsidize curbside recycling programs. This levy is in addition to the 20 cent return deposit consumers are required to pay on all wine bottles sold. Unlike the return deposits, the 8.93 cents is not refundable if you recycle the bottles through a collection depot like the Beer Store.

VQA is a voluntary seal Ontario grape wine producers can apply for to demonstrate to their customers that what is in the bottle is Ontario-only product. As of 2011, the VQA market share is 9.2 per cent of total wine sales by volume.

The total amount of wine sold last year in this province topped 155 million litres. This number accounts for all domestic, foreign, u-brew, and multi-national blended wines. Since a standard bottle is 750ml, this means the equivalent of over 200 million bottles of wine were sold.

311 is the number of the Federal Government’s Bill to ease up a Canadian law from 1928, called the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act; that says it is illegal to move any alcohol across provincial borders without going through our government sales channels. Most Canadians don’t realize that not declaring wine or cider brought home from Quebec, for example, is as illegal as bringing it from the United States without declaration. Individual provinces are already drafting conditions to limit how much wine a person could bring. The provinces will also move to ensure it will still be illegal for wineries to ship out of province.

And finally, grape growers in the province harvested 64,495 tons of fruit this past vintage. The top five grape varieties by tonnage, in order, were: Vidal, Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

Jamie Quai is head winemaker at Quai du Vin Estate Winery in Elgin County.

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H E A LT H Y L I V I N G EVERYDAY HEALTH

Reduce disability recurrence in work related low back pain Health Maintenance Care is the key

by Dr. Greg Johnston B.H.K., B.Ed., D.C

The concept of maintenance is not an unusual concept in the everyday world. Most of us accept that investing some time and/ or money to maintain things is generally a good idea. Most people accept that they should take their car in for an oil change every five thousand kilometers or have a technician check out their furnace or air conditioner before the appropriate upcoming season. The idea is to catch small minor problems and correct them before they lead to larger more serious problems.

Although most people accept and follow the concept of maintenance in many facets of their lives, somehow people become more skeptical when discussing using a maintenance program for their health. “Health maintenance care� is a concept familiar to most chiropractors conceptually aimed at reducing recurrence of a particular condition and/or enhancing general health.

It is important to realize that such care can involve a range of interventions including offering physical treatment or rehabilitation or perhaps just simply expert advice.

In a recent edition of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine a new study showed some promising preliminary results supporting the use of chiropractic maintenance care in the reduction of recurrent lower back injuries and in the reduction in the associated disability due to chronic reinjury. This study is one of the first of its kind offering supportive data from a work related low back pain perspective.

In this study an analysis was conducted of 894 patients suffering work related low back pain from their first episode of disability through their subsequent return to work. The subjects were followed for a one year period. The authors of the study discovered that receiving chiropractic care during both the initial disability (injury) period and subsequently after recovery during a health maintenance care period (preventative) was associated with lower disability recurrence. In general those who saw chiropractors utilized fewer opioids, underwent less surgery and had lower medical costs and shorter periods of initial disability than those who consulted other providers.

The advantages of the above seem reasonably clear however the concept of 28

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maintenance care remains controversial across the spectrum of different healthcare providers. Although theoretically the concept of maintenance care seems reasonable in actuality there is relatively little research in this area. Some practitioners feel that it may not be proper to treat seemingly asymptomatic patients and to do so often rely on tests and or observations that have not necessarily been found to be scientifically validated. The exciting part of this new study is that we now have the preliminary evidence to justify further research but more importantly there is now supportive evidence that may in fact practically help patients.

Although the concept of maintenance care may not be generally accepted it is generally accepted that many musculoskeletal injuries, perhaps the most notorious being lower back pain, have their origin in cumulative small microtraumas that build over time eventually resulting in an injury. This explains why so often the genesis of an acute episode of lower back pain often is a seemingly benign activity such as bending over to tie a shoe or to pick up a piece of paper off of the floor. We do these activities literally hundreds of times with out incident yet somehow on that unfortunate time we hear that notorious click and feel that inevitable spasm in our lower back which signals an acute bout of lower back pain.

It appears logical that if some type of intervention were to be employed before things had degraded to such a point that the next bend or twist was going to cause a bout of back pain then the bout could be avoided entirely. Previously, we had only theory and anecdotal evidence to suggest that this concept was valid. Make no mistake Dr. Greg Johnston that more research needs to be done to is a chiropractor completely validate this idea but in the and partner in mean time perhaps many should conFamily Health sider the possibility of using chiropracOptions Treatment tic to not only treat current episodes and Resources of back pain but to also help prevent Centre in possible future episodes.

St. Thomas.

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July, 2012

LIFESTYLES THAT’S LIFE Nothing says “healthy,” “cute,” and “summer,” like a smattering of freckles on your nose, unless you truly are a Ginger. And I am by definition a Ginger; red hair, pale skin and freckles.

The fire in my hair has faded. A lucky few have seen my Grade Five school picture as photographic evidence that it once existed. I don’t know what my mother was thinking when she dressed me that day in a red checkered blouse. It accentuated my permed red hair and literally made my freckles explode off the page.

Over the years, my red hair and freckles have proven to be a source of pride and embarrassment. Red hair only occurs in 1 – 2% of the population. Indeed, I was the only one in thirteen grandchildren to inherit the gene, which granted me special recognition from my grandmother who shared the same Ginger traits.

A speech on my speckled skin won me top honours in the regional oratory contest in public school. I still have the trophy.

Nevertheless, a life with red hair and freckles can make you feel like you are on display. My sister once tried to count the freckles on my arm. She lost interest when she hit 100 in an area

are raising two fair, red-haired destined to be freckled-faced boys.

And without being too biased, the small bridge of freckles forming across their noses is “healthy,” and “cute,” and “summer.” Still, in their short lives they have not stepped a foot outside without a hat and a layer of sunscreen.

At times applying sunscreen to a toddler is like trying to grease a squealing piglet. But in our household it is a necessary evil of summer. I will raise my boys to be proud of their carrot-tops, deflect mean taunts about their dotted faces and value the protection of a good sunscreen.

Life with red hair and freckles It can make you feel like you are on display

“

by Elizabeth VanHooren

“

the small bridge of freckles forming across their noses is healthy, and cute and summer.

the size of a quarter. I’ve had young children stare at my face and declare emphatically, “You have a lot of freckles.” Even a Walmart clerk couldn’t help but marvel at the freckles on my lips declaring, “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

In a cruel twist of genetics having fair skin just compounds the freckle issue every time you step into the sun.

I don’t tan; I burn. I’ve never had a tan line, just a permanent tattoo of freckles outlining my bathing suit lines that got more pronounced with each burn. For the most part, it was my own fault. I often forgot the sunscreen or neglected to reapply after swimming.

In a perfect storm of genes, my husband (who is also a Ginger) and I are

Elizabeth VanHooren is general manager of the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority.

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LIFESTYLES TIME ON MY HANDS

Spearheading new technologies The early days: A mammoth undertaking

by Duncan Watterworth

I am no techno-geek. But some technologies do intrigue me, and are such game changers for humanity that they deserve to be celebrated.

Let’s start with the atlatl.

And let’s start at the Stone Age and Primitive Arts Festival, held annually near Sopchoppy, Florida. My bucket list got shorter at this stone and bone fest last winter when I finally had a chance to put an atlatl through its paces.

Being interested in cave men and such, I had occasionally read about atlatls, but had never gotten my hands on one. In fact, the closest I

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had come to seeing one was gazing at a picture carved into a red sandstone cliff – a centuries old aboriginal petroglyph – in the Nevada desert.

The atlatl, fans of the Stone Age will know, is a spear throwing device that allows a person to propel a spear much farther and faster. The atlatl acts as an extension of the throwing arm. Its invention was a great leap forward for us. Consider this: If you wanted to feed your family some woolly mammoth, or other Ice Age megafauna, would you rather run up close and toss a spear, or stand way back and rocket a few spears from behind a tree?

Our ancestors have been reaping

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the benefits of atlatl technology since Upper Paleolithic times, the earliest evidence going back 17,500 years in France. Of course, there have been refinements along the way, such as finger holes (version 2.0), and small stone weights (version 3.0). Atlatls were used on every continent but Antarctica, and, though mostly supplanted by bow and arrow technology, are still used by some Inuit, and Aborigines in Australia.

My kayaking buddy Jim told me about the atlatl opportunity in Florida, and we waited a year to attend the Festival and its atlatl contest. We soon learned it’s not easy to fling a spear by its back end. My first spears thudded right into the ground, or arced skyward, but finally one sunk deep into the target. I’m not saying the centre of the target, but at least I hit the pile of hay bales, which was about the size of a mammoth. Start the campfire!

After the atlatl contest, we took in demonstrations of other milestone technologies. Buckskin clothing – so functional that European settlers in North America adopted it - was made by tanning deer hide using a paste made from the deer’s brain.

Flint knappers were also working their primitive magic. Their stone knives were marvels of utility and art.

Back home on the internet, I quickly learned that atlatl technology has attracted all sorts of paleo-techno

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freaks. They are a colourful mosaic of academics, kill-what-you-eat survivalists, craftsmen, and regular folks.

Several American universities field competitive atlatl teams for distance and accuracy contests. Atlatl hunting is recognized in some states, including Alabama and Missouri. The World Atlatl Association (who knew?) stages an annual spear throwing event in Nevada, close to where I saw the atlatl petroglyph. And then there’s the techno-leaping, timewarping Facebook Page for “Atlatl Warriors Reincarnated.”

My favourite internet find was the Anchorage Atlatl Day. Show up there, and you can fire a few spears at a full size, 3-D woolly mammoth or woolly rhinoceros target, or even a six-foot carrot target “for vegan atlatlists”. Or you can try using an atlatl while seated in a kayak, as some Inuit seal hunters still do.

The kayak – now there’s another game changing technology that deserves celebration.

Duncan Watterworth is recently a retiree and emptynester in St.Thomas.

July, 2012

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