Th e
B lu e Book Your Essential Guide to Business S e rv i c e s o n V a n c o u v e r I s l a n d , w i t h E x p e r t T i p s a n d S t r at eg i e s
Good Service Grows Business
I n n ovati o n
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G r ow t h
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S t r at e gy
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B u si n e ss
2016
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P r o d u cti v it y
Get Organized New ideas require space to grow, so make sure you start the new year right with a floor-to-ceiling organizational cleanup.
Reboot your business
by kerry Slavens
How to Start a New Year of Growth and Opportunity
As the new year approaches, it’s a great time to clear out the clutter, think about what’s working — and what isn’t — and reboot your business for success. Here are 10 ideas that will help you start 2016 off right.
1 Find Your New S Curve
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38 Douglas
The rise of a new curve emerges every time you break away
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Picture your business on a path that looks a bit like the letter S. As a startup, you Time to start climb the curve as your business grows, thinking of the but eventually most businesses reach next big thing a point where that growth begins to flatten out. That’s when it’s time to really boost your company’s The start of a innovation and make the leap to your successful path next S curve to begin a new phase Staying in the comfort of growth. The beginning of a new zone is easy, but year, when you are in a fresh frame of greatness happens mind, is a great time to figure out how when you escape from it to make that leap.
Think about the items you use daily and make a firm decision to get rid of what you no longer need. Make note of the spaces where clutter accumulates. If the shelves by the copier are always overflowing, invest in a new, closeddoor cabinet system. If cables for digital devices are scattered everywhere, there are great cablemanagement systems available. If the mail always piles up on the reception desk, find an attractive shelving solution that hides the mail from visitors. Think modularly by establishing work zones (supply area, meeting area, etc.) to keep clutter under control and away from client areas. Studies show most people function better in a clutter-free environment, and clients feel more confident about clutter-free offices. Don’t wait for the perfect time to declutter. Now is good.
The condition of your office
YOU’VE CHOSEN THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED…
sends a signal to clients and others who work with you — and clutter sends the wrong message.
Helping you turn YOUR Dreams into Reality! Small business owners and individuals Tax, business and financial planning, and tax returns
2 Get Rid of What’s Not Working
Profit plans Business strategies and coaching
A clunky business strategy, a bad website design, an uncomfortable office chair, a broken printer? Why surround yourself with things that symbolize failure? Shred, refresh, rethink and recycle your way to a better frame of mind for you and your team.
Vancouver Island Excellence in Customer Service Award winner (5 years)
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250-386-4466
3 Decide to Delegate
If you want a job done right, you need to do it yourself, right? We all know that’s not true, but many of us tend to run our businesses that way. Get a smarter start on the new year by making a commitment to delegate or outsource those tasks that take you away from working on your business. For instance, do you need to do all of the social media yourself, or is it smarter to hire a savvy university student who can do it twice as fast, freeing you up to innovate, pursue opportunities and lead your team? The same goes for bookkeeping. Is your time worth more to your business when you are balancing the books or prospecting for new clients?
711 A Broughton Street (by Victoria Public Library)
Chartered Professional
Accountant
www.andrewsgreene.bc.ca
4 Set Your Intentions
New Year’s resolutions aren’t just for losing pounds; they are for businesses too. This is a great time of the year to make a list of the business goals you plan to accomplish in 2016. Keep it in front of you and keep it simple. You can add it to your business plan later, when you’re ready, but in the meantime don’t bury it in a report. Create a poster of your intentions. Share it with your team. Make it your manifesto for the year ahead.
5 Break Bad Habits
Meetings that always go on too long? Continual budget overruns? Sales targets that always fall short? Left untended, bad habits can begin to echo the broken-window syndrome, where broken windows that aren’t repaired simply attract more broken windows. Douglas 39
Decide now to take action to create better habits and put in place strategies to succeed. Start the new year off with a new meeting format that saves time. Stop budget bleeds by working collaboratively with your team to create realistic goals and reporting protocols. Likewise, work with your sales team to set doable, concrete sales goals.
The Road to Reinvention: How to Drive Disruption and Accelerate Transformation by Josh Linkner, CEO of Detroit Venture Partners, explores purposeful transformation and why it’s important to make reinvention a regular part of your business strategy.
6 Think About Your Customers
Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance delves into the mind and ideas of one of the world’s most talked about entrepreneurs.
Like you, your customers will also be thinking about the new year and how to improve their businesses. You want to be part of that process, so start now to strategize how to boost your customer service — and then schedule new year’s meetings with clients to test the waters and find out how you can help improve their businesses in 2016.
How to Fly a Horse: The Secret History of Creation, Invention, and Discovery is a fascinating look at world-changing creative endeavours. Author Kevin Ashton, the man who invented the term “the Internet of Things,” tells us how the Wright brothers set out to “fly a horse,” how the stealth bomber resulted from a 25-cent bet, and more.
7 Get Smarter
If your business is quiet during the holidays, take the time to catch up on your reading. Comb the Internet for ideas from inspiring sites like springwise.com or sit down with some of the year’s most influential business books for inspiration. Some of the top picks from 2015 include:
8 Give Back
Start the year off by committing to finding ways to contribute to the community through your business. You and your team will feel good
about helping out, and you may even find that you reach new audiences. Decide what you and your team are passionate about and then reach out to community organizations to find the best fit.
9 Expand Your Network
When you are a new entrepreneur, you are constantly reaching out to expand your network, but sometimes the longer you are in business, the more you tend to work in a closed-loop system of already-established contacts. This year, resolve to reach out beyond your business’s typical boundaries to expand your network, hear fresh ideas and meet new potential clients. Join a new business organization or, if you prefer something less formal, simply resolve to reach out to a few new contracts every week.
10 Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
This is the year to let go of things that are no longer rewarding or paying off. Take a pause to to clear the way for your business to achieve more revenue, reach and rewards. By setting your intentions, you’ll position your business and yourself to achieve great things in 2016. ■
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What, When and How to Outsource A guide for your small business
by athena Mckenzie
A
s a small-business owner, outsourcing may seem like an extravagance. However, your time is your most valuable commodity and wasting it on energysapping tasks is not the best route forward for your business. From managing day-to-day chores with contracted service providers to building your business with consulting professionals, outsourcing may be an integral part of your success. When it comes to outsourcing, the good news is that you can contract out almost any business-related task.
Timing is Everything The first question many small businesses have is: When should I outsource? The truth is that for very small businesses, it could make sense to start outsourcing from day one. You might start
TOO MANY HATS?
How many employee roles do small business owners fill on a given day?
0 = 1% 1-2 = 8% 3-4 = 46% 5-6 = 30% 7-8 = 7% 9-10 = 3% 11+ = 5%
Sources: Staples, eVoice, gnapartners.com
Your business is our highest priority We’re about making your business better with competitive pricing and customized service.
COURIER, FREIGHT & LOGISTICS
maxcourier.com info@maxcourier.com 250.721.3278 42 Douglas
with a bookkeeper, add a virtual assistant when needed and then grow your team from there. For others, the answer is just as simple: when you and your employees are unable to manage the day-to-day business of your company and continue to build the business at a satisfactory rate, it is time to seriously consider outsourcing. To create more time and opportunity for your company to grow, there are several key areas where it makes sense to outsource.
Confused about importing?
Bookkeeping
Ask any small-business owner where they’re falling behind and it’s usually with the financials — bookkeeping is routinely touted as the entrepreneur’s most neglected task. But this is a slippery slope, and once you’re on that slide it’s hard to get off. You should be monitoring each month’s numbers to have a firm understanding of your small business’s health and future. By outsourcing your basic accounting to a professional bookkeeper, you will have all the financial information you need at your fingertips to run your small business successfully. And a bookkeeper will do your accounting work faster — and more accurately — than you. Ask another entrepreneur or your tax accountant for a recommendation for a bookkeeper. This is an affordable addition to your outsourced team that can make a huge difference in the management of your business.
Let us chart a smooth course for your business.
Essential Services Are you spending weekends cleaning your office and not your home? Consider these providers to regain your work-life balance.
Office cleaning service Coffee and vending service
Save Money Save the Environment Save Time
Personal assistant service IT services
WARNING!
Payroll
If T4s and deductions and remittances keep you up at night, you’re not alone. By outsourcing your payroll, can you not only alleviate the time you spend calculating payroll, determining those tax obligations and preparing cheques, but you also sleep easier come income-tax time knowing that everything is in order.
250.891.7421 info@e-quick.ca www.e-quick.ca
EQuickVictoria @EQuickYYJ
Douglas 43
Payroll firms also make your life easier with automated signatures, envelope stuffing and the direct deposit of cheques. In addition, they can set up services such as retirement plans, allowing employees to designate automatic deductions from their paycheques. Most important, payroll firms stay on top of any government regulations and changes.
Administrative Support
There’s an old saying that administrative assistants rule the world, and the reason is simple — they keep many companies, large and small, in proper working order. Utilizing a virtual assistant — someone who provides help remotely — is a cost-effective way to handle those routine tasks that make you wish you had an extra set of hands. Use a virtual assistant to keep your personal schedule, maintain a database, prepare company mailings, email newsletters, make travel arrangements and handle those basic smallbusiness duties that often get left until the wee hours of the night.
Marketing
Bringing your marketing efforts to a creative agency that can strategize and execute across multiple marketing channels could be key to your success, especially if you are launching a new product. Additionally, you get all the perks of having experienced marketing experts working for your
Just released...
business, but you don’t have to carry them on your payroll. This provides flexibility and you can access professionals with a high level of expertise.
Social Media
It’s not an overstatement to say that social media has evolved into a crucial marketing platform. Which means it’s not really something you can do effectively off the side of your desk. Luckily, there are talented marketing consultants and social media marketing agencies ready to develop your social media strategy and web content. By using a specialist, you gain consistency in message and form. This is an area where some small-business owners have trouble conceding control. Find a consultant you trust and be prepared to let that person be the voice of your company. It’s also important to remember that social media is a long-term strategy, so this is not necessarily a quick-fix outsourcing contract.
NoT AN EXCUSE TO Slack One thing to remember is that outsourcing is not an opportunity to dump the less desirable tasks. The things that are important to your core business should remain in house. By outsourcing, you take advantage of the talent of others and focus your attentions on things that you do best — all for the benefit of your business. ■
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top
Outsourcing Small Business Benefits
1 I ncrease sales opportunities
2 Enable business
to focus on core competencies
3 Prevent missed opportunities
4 Reduce annual costs 5 Make time and resources available
2015 STATE OF THE ISLAND ECONOMIC
Th first report of its kind for Vancouver Island! The This new VIEA publication looks at the trends, Th challenges, solutions and opportunities that ch exist right here at home. YOUR copy is available ex for download in the VIEA PROJECTS section fo at: at
Save the Date...
State of the Island Economic Summit S
44 Douglas
October 26-27, 2016
Business Resources Your reference guide to Essential business services This directory is made up of Vancouver Island businesses and organizations who have supported Douglas during 2015 in our mission to provide 100 per cent local coverage on key topics such as business, innovation, technology and leadership.
Accommodations
Premiere Executive Suites premieresuites.com
Eclipse Creative eclipsecreative.com
The Beach Club Resort
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Victoria DoubleTreeVictoria.com
Holy Cow holycowcom.com
Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa
The Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort & Spa westin.com
Chateau Victoria Hotel and Suites
Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort& Conference Centre tigh-na-mara.com
Accent Inns accentinns.com beachclubbc.com
brentwoodbaylodge.com
chateauvictoria.com Hotel Grand Pacific
hotelgrandpacific.com Hotel Rialto
hotelrialto.ca Inn at Laurel Point laurelpoint.com
Advertising Agencies/Media Barlow Media Inc. barlowmedia.com
Hot House Marketing hothousemarketing.com Integral Creative integralcreative.ca Leap Leapxd.com McAllister Marketing mcallistermarketing.com Mediactive Inc. mediactive.net Media Experts mediaexperts.com
St. Bernadine Mission Communications stbernadine.com TAXI Canada Ltd taxi.ca Trapeze Communications trapeze.ca Treehouse Media treehousemedia.ca Vizeum vizeum.com Wasserman + Partners Advertising wasserman-partners.com
Three Point Motors threepointmotors.com Volkswagon Victoria vwvictoria.com
Business Apparel Ann Louise Jewellers annlouise.ca Bay Centre, The thebaycentre.ca D.G. Bremner & Co dgbremner.ca
YAM Magazine yammagazine.com
Heart & Sole Shoes heartandsoleshoes.ca
Automotive
Hughes hughesclothing.com
CTV Vancouver Island vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca
Noise Digital Inc. noisedigital.com
Circle Communications getcircle.ca
Page One Publishing Inc. pageonepublishing.ca
Magnolia Hotel & Spa magnoliahotel.com
Cossette cossette.com
Rep Lab replab.ca
Oak Bay Beach Hotel oakbaybeachhotel.com
DSA Media dsamedia.ca
Salt Magazine saltmagazine.ca
German Auto Import Network gain-vi.ca
The Parkside Spa Ltd parksidevictoria.com
Douglas Magazine douglasmagazine.com
Skunkworks Creative Group skunkworks.ca
Island BMW islandbmw.ca
Inn on Long Lake Emerald Isle innonlonglake.com
Porsche Victoria porschevictoria.com
BMW/Mini Victoria bmwvictoria.ca
Mayfair Shopping Centre mayfairshoppingcentre.com Outlooks for Men outlooksformen.com Woodgrove Centre woodgrovecentre.com Douglas 45
Business Services
Delivery Services
Acacia Landscape acaciavictoria.com
E-Quick Courier Service e-quick.ca
Atlas Audio Video Unlimited avu.ca
Maximum Express maxcourier.com
Beanstream beanstream.com BWest Interactive bwest.ca Camacc camacc.com Capital Regional District crd.bc.ca
Educational Institutes Brentwood College School brentwood.bc.ca Camosun College camosun.ca
FunctionFox functionfox.com
Royal Roads University royalroads.ca
Island Photobooth islandphotobooth.com
University of Victoria uvic.ca
King Bros. Ltd. kibro.com
Vancouver Island University viu.ca
Level Ground levelground.com
Event Planners
Return-It return-it.ca
Brink Events brinkevents.ca
Synergy Enterprises synergyenterprises.ca
Lewis and Sears Event Management lewissears.com
University of Victoria Degrees Catering degreescatering.ca
Catering Toque Catering toquecatering.com Truffles Catering Group trufflescatering.net
Construction + Engineering Coastal Construction coastal.cn Omicron omicronaec.com Stantec stantec.com
Consulting Angus One Professional Recruitment Ltd. angusone.com Chemistry Consulting Group chemistryconsulting.ca
Financial Services Adamek Financial adamekfinancial.com Andrews-Greene Chartered Accountants andrewsgreene.bc.ca BDO Canada bdo.ca Beacon Hill Wealth Management beaconhillwm.ca BMO Nesbitt Burns bmo.com/nesbittburns Business Development Bank of Canada bdc.ca Canadian Western Bank cwbank.com First West Credit Union firstwestcu.ca MNP LLP mnp.ca Odlum Brown odlumbrown.com
Food + Drink Canoe Brewpub canoebrewpub.com Cascadia Liquor cascadialiquor.com
Urban Smiles urbansmilesvictoria.com
Legal Services Cook Roberts cookroberts.bc.ca Dwyer Tax Lawyers dwyertaxlaw.com
St. Michaels University School smus.bc.ca
Property Management + Office Space Equitex Realty Ltd. equitex.ca
Reed Pope Law Corporation reedpope.ca
Watershed thewatershed.io
Nautical Nellies nauticalnelliesrestaurant.com
Robert S. Sheffman Law Corporation immigrationlawbc.com
Real Estate
Swans Hotel and Brew Pub swanshotel.com
Meeting Space
Victoria Real Estate Board vreb.org
Metro Liquor Specialty Liquor Stores metroliquor.com
Vancouver Island Brewery vanislandbrewery.com Willie’s Cafe & Bakery williescafebakery.com
Furniture Graphic Office Interiors graphicoffice.com Luxe Home Interiors luxevictoria.ca Max Furniture maxfurniture.ca Monk Office Supply Ltd. monk.ca
Gas, Fuel + energy BC Hydro bchydro.com FortisBC FortisBC.com
Mary Winspear Centre at Sanscha marywinspear.ca Victoria Conference Centre victoriaconference.com
Organizations + Associations Canadian Public Relations Society VI cprs-vi.org CFA Victoria cfavictoria.com CHBA Vancouver Island chbavi.com CPA cpacanada.ca Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce victoriachamber.ca
Peninsula Co-op peninsulaco-op.com
Institute of Corporate Directors icd.ca
Health + Wellness
Tourism Vancouver Island tourismvi.ca
Baker Rejuvenation Centre bakerrejuvenation.com Clinic 805 clinic805.ca Core Personal Fitness corepersonalfitness.ca Diamond Eyecare diamondeyecare.ca Float House floathouse.ca Maycock Eyecare maycockeyecare.com
Vancouver Island Construction Association vicabc.ca VIEA Vancouver Island Economic Alliance viea.ca
Printing Hemlock Printers hemlock.com
Engel & Volkers luxurybchomes.com
Self-Publishing FriesenPress Inc friesenpress.com
Special Interests Abra-Kid-Abra abra-kid-abra.com Ann Louise Jewellers annlouise.ca The Avenue Gallery theavenuegallery.com Baggins bagginsshoes.com Butchart Gardens butchartgardens.com Crate West Gift Boxes & Co cratewest.com IMAX Victoria imaxvictoria.com The Pedaler Cycling Tours thepedaler.ca Victoria Symphony victoriasymphony.ca
Transportation BC Transit transitbc.com Harbour Air Ltd harbour-air.com Helijet International Inc. helijet.com Nanaimo Airport Commission nanaimoairport.com/ commission
Relax the Back relaxtheback.com
Private/ Independent Schools
ScotiaMcLeod mcnaughtonwealth.com
Rosenthal Clinic rosenthalclinic.ca
Pacific Christian School pacificchristian.ca
Wilsons Transportation/ YYJ Shuttle wilsonstransportation.com
TD Canada Trust tdcanadatrust.com
Sapphire Day Spa sapphiredayspa.com
St. Margaret’s School stmarg.ca
View this directory online at douglasmagazine.com ■
JC Scott Design Associates jcscott.com
PI Financial Corp stevebokor.com iandavidclark.ca
Motivated Coaching motivatedcoaching.ca WCG Services wcgservices.com 46 Douglas
Timeline Bookkeeping Services time-line.ca
Port Alberni Port Authority portalberniportauthority.ca
The dollars add up. Some retailers have been saving with our incentives. Upgrade to energy-efficient products, and you could also receive an average incentive of $2,617.* That’s smart savings. The incentive, plus the dollars saved on your power bill, means you can reinvest in what matters most–your business. And yes, that could include giving your customers a bag worth keeping. Five minutes is all it takes to get started or to request more info. Make a smart saving at bchydro.com/express. *Incentive amount based on an average of 3,630 projects completed between 2010 and 2013.