MOBMARCH09

MINDING OUR

BUSINESS CENTRE WELLINGTON

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3

Building in Centre Wellington March 2009 PUBLISHED IN COOPERATION WITH THE WELLINGTON ADVERTISER

MILE STONES Heritage Awards In celebration of Heritage Week, Kathy Baranski of Heritage Centre Wellington, presented five Awards of Excellence to businesses to formally acknowledge the renovations and restorations of heritage properties.

Clockwise top left to right: Paul Martin and Malcolm Crooks of Edge Realty, formerly the Old Livery Reina Todd and Janette Feniak of VanGali’s Ron, Amy and Graham Wilkin of Ron Wilkin’s Jewellers Brian McCulloch of Fryett Architect and Rosslyn Bentley, Executive Director of Upper Grand Family Health of the new medical facility, formerly the Dalby House in Elora. photos by Sherry Clarke

New Roof AM Roofing has relocated their office, warehouse and showroom to 515 Dickson Drive, Fergus.

Phone number - 519.787.0926 and email – info@amroofing.ca remain the same.

New Business Shawn Legrow has opened Sink The Ink Tattoo & Design, at 729 Tower St S, Fergus. Shawn may be reached at 519. 216.3439. or visit the website at www.shawnlegrow.com

New Move and Merger C’est Bon has moved and merged with Bailey’s Restaurant at 146 Metcafe St Elora.

Anne and staff invite you drop in or call 519.846.8880 for reservations.

MINDING OUR

BUSINESS

is mailed to all registered businesses in Centre Wellington.

Not registered as a business with Canada Post? Misplaced your copy?

Pick up a copy of Minding Our Business at: Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce, The Wellington Advertiser, Fergus BIA, Elora BIA, Wellington-Waterloo Futures Development Corporation

PAGE 2 | March 09

about

THIS ISSUE

MINDING OUR

BUSINESS

Minding Our Business is a business magazine focusing on items of interest to commercial, retail, industrial and service businesses in Centre Wellington.

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Openings | Awards | Moves

COVER Our cover story focuses on the building industry in Centre Wellington.

Pictured on our cover is Bob Foster, Chief Building Official for Centre Wellington.

MILESTONES

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FERGUS BIA We’re off to the races!

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ELORA BIA Oh Canada!

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BDC Don’t Fear Global Supply Chains

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general policy

David Meyer

Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of typographical error, that portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for the signatures, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisements will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell, and may be withdrawn at any time. Persons wishing information regarding circulation, rates and additional service are invited to contact our office for further details. The publisher accepts responsibility for claims and honors agreements made by himself or by regular staff on his behalf.

No responsibility is accepted for actions by person(s) not in the employ of the paper, or otherwise over whom the Publisher has no control. All Advertising accepted is done so in good faith. The Publisher maintains the right to approve or reject advertising and articles submitted for publication.

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contact

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THE CHAMBER PAGES 10

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Box 252, Fergus, Ontario N1M 2W8 519-843-5410 telephone 519-843-7607 facsimile

On the Web: All you have to do is ask.

Chamber Calendar Meet the Members: SHAW MUSIC

TRACY GROUP BENEFITS: Prescription Drugs in Employee Benefits

CNW GROUP LTD. Recession Lessons

MINDING OUR

BUSINESS

MANY BUILDING PROJECTS COMING TO CENTRE WELLINGTON

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EDC The Creative Economy in Centre Wellington

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CONTACT LISTING & BUSINESS DIRECTORY March 09 | PAGE 3

T he Fergus BIA THE CENTRE OF YOUR COMMUNITY

We re off to the races ...

Ladies and Gentlemen, another round of great spring time events is about to happen.

Fergus is the centre of the universe - for your shopping, culinary, business and entertainment needs.

Fergus is the ideal place to live work and play - mark your calendars NOW!

Murder on the Nile March 26th - 28th At Fergus Grand Theatre Agatha Christie s classic suspense, presented by Vision Productions.

Three performances starting at 8PM call (519) 787-1981 for information and tickets

The BIA s 3rd annual Fashion Extravaganza April 8th at 7PM At Fergus Grand Theatre and for all you fans, ELVIS is in the building!

It s now or never get in style with the newest Spring Fashions the world has to offer - provided by PAGE 4 | March 09

Broderick s Fashion for Women, Special Effects & Broderick s Apparel for Men. Entertainment provided by “Elvis” (Peter Schofield) and The Shaw Family. Decor by Abby Rose Floral Boutique.

Proceeds to Camp Freedom (a children s camp for the visually impaired).

Tickets $12.00 at the BIA office, The Grand Theatre, Broderick s and Special Effects & Shaw Music.

Call (519)787-1384 for information.

Downtown Fergus Art Walk and Folk Fest June 20th - from 10 AM untill 9PM. St Andrew Street, Templin Gardens, and The Fergus Market.

Music, Art, Entertainment.

Food, - a delight for all your senses. A great, free of charge family event, and it s just before Fathers Day, so bring him down, and find him a special Fathers Day gift. You ll be sure to find it in Downtown Fergus.

Call (519)787-1384 for information.

OH CANADA! Good news seems hard to come by these days.

Wherever I go looking for my daily dose of current events – CBC Radio One,The Globe and Mail, Maclean’s – it seems that everyone is playing the same tune, and it goes something like this: The global economy is in the midst of a deep recession.

The Canadian economy is, likewise, in the midst of a terrible economic crisis.

Your business – whether you realize it or not – has already suffered (or is likely to suffer within the next ten minutes) a number of tremendous setbacks.

You were born greedy, you’ve always been greedy and now you’re getting what you deserve.

Sometimes that song goes on for days without interruption, and I find myself starting to believe it.

But then, every once in a while, and often from an unlikely source, a little sun shines through.

Having caught a ray or two myself today from south of the border, I thought I’d pass these good vibes along.

Fareed Zakaria is the editor of the American magazine Newsweek and a regular guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

He’s also one of the most respected journalists in North America. Reprinted in its entirety for your amusement and edification is an article of his that appeared in Newsweek on February 16.

Buck up Canada: looks like things might not be so bad after all.

WORTHWHILE CANADIAN INITIATIVE Canadian banks are typically leveraged at 18 to 1- compared with U.S. banks at 26 to 1.

The legendary editor of The New Republic, Michael Kinsley, once held a "Boring Headline Contest" and decided that the winner was "Worthwhile Canadian Initiative."

Twenty-two years later, the magazine was rescued from its

economic troubles by a Canadian media company, which should have taught us Americans to be a bit more humble. Now there is even more striking evidence of Canada's virtues. Guess which country, alone in the industrialized world, has not faced a single bank failure, calls for bailouts or government intervention in the financial or mortgage sectors.

Yup, it's Canada. In 2008, the World Economic Forum ranked Canada's banking system the healthiest in the world. America's ranked 40th, Britain's 44th.

Canada has done more than survive this financial crisis. The country is positively thriving in it.

Canadian banks are well capitalized and poised to take advantage of opportunities that American and European banks cannot seize. The Toronto Dominion Bank, for example, was the 15th-largest bank in North America one year ago. Now it is the fifth-largest (and the Royal is even bigger). It hasn't grown in size; the others have all shrunk.

So what accounts for the genius of the Canadians? Common sense. Over the past 15 years, as the United States and Europe loosened regulations on their financial industries, the Canadians refused to follow suit, seeing the old rules as useful shock absorbers. Canadian banks are typically leveraged at 18 to 1 compared with U.S. banks at 26 to 1 and European banks at a frightening 61 to 1. Partly this reflects Canada's more riskaverse business culture, but it is also a product of old-fashioned rules on banking.

Canada has also been shielded from the worst aspects of this crisis because its housing prices have not fluctuated as wildly as those in the United States.

Home prices are down 25 percent in the United States, but only half as much in Canada.

Why? Well, the Canadian tax code does not provide the massive incentive for overconsumption that the U.S. code does: interest on your mortgage

isn't deductible up north. In addition, home loans in the United States are "nonrecourse," which basically means that if you go belly up on a bad mortgage, it's mostly the bank's problem. In Canada, it's yours. Ah, but you've heard American politicians wax eloquent on the need for these expensive programs - interest deductibility alone costs the federal government $100 billion a year because they allow the average Joe to fulfill the American Dream of owning a home. Sixty-eight percent of Americans own their own homes. And the rate of Canadian home ownership? It's 68.4 percent.

Canada has been remarkably responsible over the past decade or so. It has had 12 years of budget surpluses, and can now spend money to fuel a recovery from a strong position. The government has restructured the national pension system, placing it on a firm fiscal footing, unlike our own insolvent Social Security.

Its health-care system is cheaper than America's by far (accounting for 9.7 percent of GDP, versus 15.2 percent here), and yet does better on all major indexes. Life expectancy in Canada is 81 years, versus 78 in the United States; "healthy life expectancy" is 72 years, versus 69. American car companies have moved so many jobs to Canada to take advantage of lower health-care costs that since 2004, Ontario and not Michigan has been North America's largest car-producing region.

I could go on. The U.S. currently has a brain-dead immigration system. We issue a small number of work visas and green cards, turning away from our shores thousands of talented students who want to stay and work here.

Canada, by contrast, has no limit on the number of skilled migrants who can move to the country.

They can apply on their own for a Canadian Skilled Worker Visa, which allows them to become perfectly legal "permanent residents" in Canada - no need for a sponsoring employer, or even a job. Visas are awarded

Elora BIA Tim Horton based on education level, work experience, age and language abilities. If a prospective immigrant earns 67 points out of 100 total (holding a Ph.D. is worth 25 points, for instance), he or she can become a full-time, legal resident of Canada.

Companies are noticing. In 2007 Microsoft, frustrated by its inability to hire foreign graduate students in the United States, decided to open a research center in Vancouver. The company's announcement noted that it would staff the center with "highly skilled people affected by immigration issues in the U.S." So the brightest Chinese and Indian software engineers are attracted to the United States, trained by American universities, then thrown out of the country and picked up by Canada - where most of them will work, innovate and pay taxes for the rest of their lives.

If President Obama is looking for smart government, there is much he, and all of us, could learn from our quiet - OK, sometimes boring - neighbor to the north.

Meanwhile, in the councils of the financial world, Canada is pushing for new rules for financial institutions that would reflect its approach. This strikes me as, well, a worthwhile Canadian initiative.

March 09 | PAGE 5

BDC

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK OF CANADA

DON’T FEAR GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS ...

DOING NOTHING IS A FAR GREATER THREAT Globalization isn’t just a big corporation game anymore. Whether you employ 50,000 or 50, the market potential for your product or service is no longer limited to Canada or the United States.

BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada) 519.571.6680 Don Cubbidge don.cubbidge@bdc.ca

Many companies are looking beyond their traditional markets and discovering new opportunities – and profits – by focusing on what they do best, and by bringing value to global supply chains.

This could include outsourcing manufacturing to countries with a lower cost base, while focusing your core operations on high-value components such as innovation and design.

Unfortunately, too many small companies stick with the status quo, and

Join

the Food Bank in delivering our service. we require donations year round!

Visits to the Food Bank have increased Please donate food to help fill the needs within the Community.

Tax receipts will be provided for financial donations 170 St. Andrew St. E. Fergus | N1M 2W8 519-787-1401 email: cwfoodbank@wightman.ca

www.cwfoodbank.org

PAGE 6 | March 09

that’s a very vulnerable place to be, warns Jean-René Halde, president of the Business Development Bank (BDC) of Canada.

“To think you can carry on business as usual in today’s global marketplace is a very large assumption to make. Small companies no longer have a choice – they have to start paying attention to supply chain opportunities,” he says.

Often, the biggest hurdle entrepreneurs face is their own lack of comprehension about the current status of their market and the changes taking place in that market, adds Halde. The first and most difficult step is taking time to explore the opportunities. It’s important to know where you stand when it comes to global supply chains.

“Understand what you’re trying to achieve, know where you’re weak, where you’re strong and then figure out how you can be better at what you do,” he explains.

LOOKING BEYOND CANADA Not all companies start out with an international focus. AGF Steel Inc. has spent most of its 60-year history focusing exclusively on the Canadian market. The company, which has operations in three provinces, became globally renowned as a designer and installer of reinforced steel from decades of working on large infrastructure projects in Canada, including the St. Lawrence Seaway and Hibernia. It is now exporting that knowhow to the Middle East and other regions of the world.

AGF began purchasing reinforced steel and welded wire mesh materials from international suppliers just a decade ago.

Those suppliers may be from Turkey, China or Brazil – depending on the nature of the job, the quantity of materials required, terms of payment and the price.

“Our suppliers change all the time. It’s a never ending journey for us,” says Serge Gendron, president of AGF, which has operations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Caribbean.

Sourcing materials from global suppliers didn’t come naturally at first for AGF. Gendron says there was concern within his own company, and among their customers, that anything fabricated outside of Canada would be of inferior quality.

“And that’s just not the case,” he explains.

“Not only could the price be interesting, but sometimes the quality is even better.”

BE AWARE OF THE CHALLENGES While there are more opportunities than ever for small businesses to take advantage of global supply chains, competition is fierce and they need to keep close tabs on what other companies are doing. Large corporations, for example, routinely source globally, so businesses should expect to compete not only on price, but quality and reliability of delivery as well as design and engineering.

Delays in shipping, substandard materials or glitches with IT can lead to higher costs and tarnish your reputation with your customers.

“If you’re doing business on an extended basis around the world, it’s important to be able to manage the quality of your suppliers,” says Jayson Myers, president of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.

Similarly, it’s critical to always know where your company fits within a supply chain.

It’s not enough to have current information on your customers and suppliers, but on their customers and

suppliers as well. If one link in the chain changes, it could have a devastating ripple effect on your business.

Flexibility is the name of the game when it comes to supply chains. The global economy is constantly in flux, which puts pressure on companies to respond quickly when circumstances change.

China may be one of the hottest outsourcing markets for now, but that could change as a result of high fuel costs, a strengthening Chinese currency, rising wages and the removal of some export tax credits.

“Companies that are operating on a global basis have to remain very flexible and manage these changes on an ongoing basis,” says Myers.“There’s no silver bullet for companies that think they’re going to reduce costs simply by outsourcing to China.”

Those changes could also mean moving operations to another country.

Increasingly, large corporations are demanding that their suppliers move with them when they open new production facilities abroad.

Lastly, Myers recommends changing how you view and market your company – from one that provides a specific product or service to one that delivers solutions.

“The core value of your product may not be the product itself, but the technology, knowledge or service that is embodied in your product. You don’t want to outsource the core value of your business to other companies. I see that mistake a lot.”

MINDING OUR

BUSINESS Sherry Clarke DISPLAY AD SALES call to reserve your ad space!

519.843.5410 mob@wellingtonadvertiser.com 905 Gartshore St., Fergus March 09 | PAGE 7

the chamber OF COMMERCE

ON THE WEB

Chamber Calendar UPCOMING EVENTS NETWORKING BREAKFASTS Wednesday, March 25, 2009 between 7:30-9:00 AM at Elora Mill Inn. Janet Harrop will speak on the Agricultural business in Centre Wellington.

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009 between 7:30-9:00 AM at JJ’s Family Dining.

Kevin Coghill will be speaking about The Door Youth Centre.

Cost is $15 for Members and $20 for Future Members.

RSVP to chamber@cwchamber.ca or 519-843-5140

NARDO KUITERT nardo@ ucwebs.com.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK… Starting a website is usually no easy task.

There are many things to consider, like: • What should the design look like?

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Wednesday, March 28th, 2009 starting at 5:30 PM. Our host will be A.O. Smith-GSW. RSVP to 519-787-5536 or email jmackenzie@hotwater.com

• Which images should be included?

Awards of Excellence The Deadline to submit Nomination forms is Friday, March 6th at 4 PM! Get your nominations in now so you won’t be disappointed that someone who you think is an EXCELLENT candidate didn’t win. Nomination forms are available at the Chamber office or online at www.cwchamber.ca

• What should I be writing about?

Call to book your seat or table today for Awards of Excellence Gala evening…

Centre Wellington – Arrghhh! It’s a Treasure Thursday, April 23rd at the Community Sportsplex.

Events to mark on your calendar…

May 20th, 2009 – Breakfast with Michael Chong, MP May 27th, 2009 – CW Chamber of Commerce AGM Breakfast meeting October 7th, 2009 – Business Luncheon October 21st, 2009 – 2nd Annual Table Top Trade Show

PAGE 10 | March 09

• Do I already have a good logo, or is this the time to revisit my corporate identity?

Many people get a headache just imagining thinking about all of this. But you reap what you sow; without thinking these matters through, you can only expect your website to exist – not to perform.

Asking a friend or family member for help is always a good idea, as you expand your horizons a little bit. Getting input from a professional web developer is very valuable as well; he or she will be able to help you organize your thoughts and develop a site structure that works.

One area where professional feedback can be of even greater value is in “Call to action”. What does this mean? I have been on many pages where I wondered what the site owners wanted me to do.

Or even worse: I did not wonder about anything at all, and just left – confused.

The fact that I have to ask myself “OK, what next?” means that the site owner did not put enough thought into his or her site. Because if the content of a site is not obvious and effortless, I’m out of there; to see if the next website is more customer-oriented.

Do your pages have an invitation for the visitor to act, like “Subscribe To Our Newsletter,”, “Add To Cart” or even just a “Contact Us Today?” Without these clear calls to action, many visitors will just click around your site aimlessly – and leave.

A FEW TIPS: • Many call to action items are rectangular buttons; people expect them.

• Make those buttons stand out, so people see them immediately when scanning the page.

• Orange seems to be the best colour for those buttons, with red or yellow as second best.

• Send a clear message with your buttons. So, not the ambiguous “Click here” (just the phrase “click here” does not indicate why people have to click), but something targeted like “Get Your Free Whitepaper,”, “Ask For Your Free Quote” or “Enroll Now!” • Don’t just place the buttons near the end of the page, but also “above the fold.”

Want your visitors to do something on your site? All you have to do is ask…

For more information: contact Nardo Kuitert at nardo@ferguswebsites.com or 519-787-7612.

MEET THE MEMBERS SHAW MUSIC It has been almost three years since the Shaw Family took over the downtown Fergus music store from Nicholson’s. Adam and colleague Jane Glazier worked at Nicholson’s for many years so they were not strangers to this business. “I only know two things: how to play instruments and how to cook – and I did not want to work in a restaurant.” Adam quips. Adam and his mother not only teach musical instruments, they also do the purchasing, accounts receivables and payables, customer service and some repairs. But they would not be able to do it all by themselves, so they really appreciate their excellent teaching staff and the many hours that Jane Glazier spends helping in the store.

The new management more than doubled the items they had in stock, lowered the prices and changed the name to Shaw Music. The business picked up dramatically.

Shaw Music sells and repairs instruments and provides quality musical instruction to students of all ages. They are also available for in-home lessons. About the only instrument they do not teach in-house is the banjo, but they will happily refer you to a local private teacher.

Shaw Music offers lessons in piano, guitar, bass, drums, vocals, violin, cello, ukulele, flute, clarinet and theory. “You really need lessons. Playing a guitar is a little more difficult than playing Guitar Hero,” Adam says. He does think however, that video games like Guitar Hero have sparked a new interest in playing real instruments with today’s youth.

This spike in interest might be attributed to a number of other factors besides music in video games. There is also the wider availability of independent music on the internet and the therapeutic music linked to alternative health practices. As an example of increased interest in therapeutic music Jane mentions the sharp increase in the number of female drummers. Drumming circles and other alternative influences are being credited for that.

the chamber OF COMMERCE

It is not just the youth that has picked up more instruments, though. A good 20% of music students are adults – many of them are retirees. You are never too old to learn how to play an instrument. Most popular instruments in this group are piano, guitar and violin.

Every year Shaw Music organizes a recital in which their students get a chance to play for an audience.

Last year this event was held in Grand Valley and over the course of two days about 80 students performed. But this is not the only event with live music they manage. Once a year they organize a fundraiser to support Camp Freedom, a summer camp teaching life skills to visually challenged youths. They also connect many local musicians with local bars and restaurants that offer live music.

“There is a lot more live music these days,” Adam says, “and more kids are in bands; the Centre Wellington High School has probably five to six bands and many folk/indie bands use non-traditional instruments, like mandolins and violins.”

their instruments need servicing or explains coated strings may be a little more expensive, but last much longer and save money in the long run.

Shaw Music has its roots in Fergus, and supporting local schools and minor hockey only seems natural. The Shaw family also started a trust fund for neighbour Peter Chang when the owner of the Golden Dragon restaurant was unable to work due to an accident. “You help your neighbour, right?” Adam said.

Good advice like this is appreciated a lot, and fosters word-of-mouth advertising.

And since Fergus is a bedroom community Shaw Music stays open late, usually until 8:30-9:00. “It would be nice to see more retail stores downtown,” Adam says. “It would facilitate more local buying, which keeps more money in our own community.”

“The Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce has many benefits; this is why we are a member,” Adam says. “You get good rates for the debit machine, there are great events like the breakfast meetings and you can save money on all kinds of deals.

And saving money is always a good thing, especially in these economic volatile times.”

During the winter months business normally slows down at Shaw’s. “It is the time that our service has to be up to par”, according to Adam. He reminds people

If you want to learn how to play an instrument, need sheet music for those wicked AC/DC songs or a new cover for your keyboard you can contact Adam Shaw at 519-787-5487 or visit the website at www.shawmusic.ca.

March 09 | PAGE 11

Tracy GROUP BENEFITS

Barney Tracy CFP, FLMI

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS IN EMPLOYEE BENEFITS Whenever we get into a discussion about the cost of prescription drugs the finger gets pointed at every stakeholder in the process – governments set the rules for everyone else in the game, pharmaceutical companies charge exorbitant prices, doctors prescribe too much, pharmacy dispensing fees are too high, and patients want a quick fix to their ailment. The solution involves all the aforementioned players in this process.

We can start with the pharmaceutical companies. They bear tremendous research and development costs and deserve, as commercial businesses, to earn back their costs. Whenever a new drug is released for public consumption, we never hear about the many that didn’t make it, and the developer wants their money back one way or the other. Generic drugs were once seen as a solution, but the rules by which they play their role are prescribed by the government. They have been fighting to get into the market sooner, but patent rules prohibit them from making a new drug for years after it is first released in its brand name form.

Physicians have the finger pointed at them for wanting to prescribe the latest and greatest drugs, but who can blame them? New drugs often have fewer side effects than the older ones they replace, but they are more expensive.

Patients often go to see their doctor and don’t feel they’ve been “treated” unless they get some form of action – and a new prescription fills that need.

Like most of the people reading this piece, the pharmacies are in business to make money.

They charge a dispensing fee to cover the cost

of the advice you receive when you get a new prescription. Often it will be your pharmacist who knows that drug A and drug B don’t react well to each other, so they are providing a vital role in the process.

Governments create the rules with which all the players participate – the length of patent protection for a new drug, how much the doctor gets paid for your visit to their office, rules around which drug gets dispensed by the pharmacist, etc. So they share the blame for the amount we spend on prescription drugs.

Lastly, and by no means least, is the role played by us – the consumer of these new miracles of medicine. A Health Canada report showed that 70 per cent of healthcare costs in Canada were for lifestyle-related chronic conditions. A survey done by one company in the business showed that the top five drug classes in terms of expense were to treat cholesterol, blood pressure, ulcers, depression and diabetes. Given this information, we can see that if we led a healthier lifestyle we would reduce our dependence on prescription drugs.

Premiums for extended health plans are where they are because about 75 percent of the claims received by insurers are for prescriptions.

Rather than restricting which drugs an employee benefit plan will cover, should employers be looking to implement healthy lifestyle programs for their employees? Food for thought.

Barney Tracy is a broker in the fields of group benefits, life and disability insurance. He can be reached at btracy@groupbenefits.on.ca or (519) 820 1283.

While you’re looking after business, who’s looking after you?

Barney Tracy, CFP, FLMI Ph: (519) 820 1283 e-mail: btracy@groupbenefits.on.ca PAGE 12 | March 09

RECESSION LESSONS CAREER EXPERT IDENTIFIES MOST COMMON MANAGEMENT MISTAKES MADE IN DIFFICULT ECONOMY Managing employees is never easy, but it poses a particular challenge when times are lean and the economy is uncertain.

While some of the obstacles businesses are grappling with may be new, the strategies they can use to foster teamwork in a troubled economy are not, according to specialized staffing service Robert Half International.

The firm's just-released guide, The 30 Most Common Mistakes Managers Make in an Uncertain Economy, outlines prevalent pitfalls and how to avoid them.

"With increased business pressures in an uncertain economy, supervisors are often required to accomplish more with fewer resources," said Mike Gooley, branch manager of Robert Half International's Toronto operations. "By learning from the strategies managers have employed in past downturns - both those that worked well and those that did not - companies will be better prepared for when the economy eventually rebounds."

Following are seven of the most prevalent mistakes managers make in a downturn and how to avoid them, according to Robert Half: 1. Thinking your staff can't handle the truth. If you haven't before, now is the time to treat employees like business partners. Talking openly about the effect of the downturn on your firm can help staff members feel they have some measure of control. Discuss issues that arose during the last business slowdown.

How did things turn around? What was learned from that experience?

2. Blaming those at the top. If you're a middle manager who has to deliver bad news, you may be inclined to tell employees that you would have done things differently, but the choice wasn't yours. While this may temporarily take the heat off of you, it sends the message that you are out of sync with the company's leaders, which may be disconcerting to staff. Instead, present changes and the reasons behind them,

including how your firm will persevere.

3. Feeling people are lucky just to have a job. It may be true that many employees feel fortunate to have a stable position, but this doesn't mean managers can ignore staff members' desire for positive recognition and career support. Top performers, in particular, require extra attention; not only are their contributions especially critical now, but they are always attractive targets for competitors.

4. Not asking for employees' help in expanding client relationships. Ask staff members to think about things they can do to help achieve business goals without sacrificing productivity. You may be pleased to discover how resourceful they are.When appropriate, involve your team in efforts to generate new business. This can mean expanding relationships with existing clients as well as identifying and pursuing new prospects.

From the Newswire Robert Half International, www.rhi.com, has more than 360 staffing locations worldwide. Readers can learn more about The 30 Most Common Mistakes Managers Make in an Uncertain Economy and request a free copy of the guide at www.rhi.com/30Mistakes.

5. Making work "mission impossible."

Hiring freezes and tighter budgets may mean that one person is doing the work of two or more people. If this is the case, help your employees identify which projects are mission-critical. Delegate remaining tasks, bringing in temporary professionals if necessary, or put these items on hold. This will help you avoid overwhelming your staff.

6. Shifting the focus from the front lines.

Client service matters even more when times are tough. Are you doing everything possible to make sure your front-line professionals have the right attitude and send the right messages? If these employees come across as indifferent or inexperienced, you could lose both prospective and existing customers.

7. Waiting to try new things. Even in uncertain times, playing it safe can backfire. If you have a promising new service offering or client niche you want to pursue, don't wait for a turnaround to act. By taking well-calculated risks, you can get a jump on competitors and possibly carve out an additional revenue stream.

March 09 | PAGE 13

economic DEVELOPMENT

Dave Rushton You hear it every day in the media: we are in a recession.

These days are said to be the beginning of the worst economic crisis since World War Two. Experts predicted this crisis, but they have also provided the solution. Doom and gloom might be swallowing the world, but creativity is the solution. You are living in a community that has the potential to embrace the future with creative solutions based on a dynamic combination of skilled labour, ingenuity, the incredible growth potential here and the geographical location to Ontario’s urban corridor from Ottawa to Windsor.

In the February 2009 Martin Prosperity Report, Ontario in the Creative Age, authors Roger Martin and Richard Florida outline our province’s opportunities in this, the creative age. Through their research, Martin and Florida believe the current global economic crisis has increased the importance of Ontario’s position as a leader in the knowledge or idea-driven creative economy. While governments support a protectionist stance of corporate bailouts and past preservation, they are only delaying the inevitable.

PAGE 14 | March 09

THE CREATIVE ECONOMY IN CENTRE WELLINGTON According to their research, our future success depends on our ability to build a creative economy that is more technologically advanced, inclusive and sustainable. To make that happen, we must invest in our people, our businesses, our institutions and infrastructure.

A focus on productive and future-oriented investment is the key to generating longterm prosperity.

People are our greatest resource. Their creativity, innovativeness and talents will enable business and industry to grow with our provincial culture of openness, tolerance and diversity, to gain an economic advantage. Ours is a job climate that is shifting from physical skills and repetitive tasks to requiring analytical skills and good judgment. We need to compete on a level of creativity and distinctiveness.

It’s about taking a high-road for today and equally as important, for future generations tomorrow.

Centre Wellington has the potential to be a hub of this creative movement. In fact, in Centre Wellington’s two largest industries, like A.O. Smith (GSW), the engineering team has made incredible strides in their production and designs by using their creativity; and Jefferson Elora has built their business on creative solutions and production techniques that have made them competitive in a very tough marketplace.

While they are the largest, many of our business operations rely on their creativity to survive and thrive. We also know from census information that we

export from the township several thousand people a day that already work in creative industries or creative occupations.

Geographically, we are within thirty minutes of three of the most innovative universities in the country for business, agriculture and technology, not to mention other stellar programs. Our link to regional colleges is equally impressive, with a graduating population of skilled workers. The Kitchener-Waterloo Cambridge - Guelph region has been identified as one of the three key areas in the province because of its technology sector and research/post-secondary institutions. The talent base is here. Our ability to keep it here and capitalize on those skill-sets makes us a great location for future growth.

But it is more than that.

Martin and Florida talk about the need to develop and connect a mega-region in Ontario – a region that stretches the corridor from Ottawa to Toronto, to the Golden Horseshoe through to Windsor – including the municipalities and smaller cities that provide the employment bases. Through geographic clustering and concentration of skills and industry, it is the challenge for Ontario to build the infrastructure that connects business and people from the outside to this mega-region. In Centre Wellington, we are in a prime place to be involved in the growth of this density.

The off-shoots of taking such a bold step include increased social cohesiveness, creating a social safety net that

encourages family support and community services to ensure a quality of life component, and in Centre Wellington, we are well on our way to encouraging this growth for the betterment of us all.

To quote Martin and Florida, “Economic transformations, like the current one, are opportunities for jurisdictions to change the terms of prosperity and competition.

Ontario is well-positioned to compete in the global creative economy.

The current economic crisis provides a once in a lifetime opportunity to leapfrog the competition and to gain significant firstmover advantage. By taking bold action now, Ontario can simultaneously remake its economy for the future, improve its position in global competition and ensure a higher level of prosperity for its citizens.”

This is how we need to see our future in Centre Wellington. We have the potential to grow in a creative economy and in many ways, we already have. In the challenges present today, there is the potential for positive change if we see the light beyond the crisis. To do that, we have to think outside the box. We have to be creative. We can do that. In coming months, you will hear about a new eco-friendly office park that will be home to many of our creative minds.

For more information on the Martin Prosperity Institute’s Ontario in the Creative Age visit www.martinprosperity.org.

CONTACT LISTING Ministry of Labour www.employeradviser.ca WCB - 1.800.387.0774 Employment Standards 1.800.531.5551

Waterloo-Wellington M.P.P. 519.787.5247 Ted Arnott ted.arnottco@pc.ola.org

Ontario Government www.gov.on.ca

Wellington - Halton Hills M.P. 519.843.7344 1-866-878-5556 Michael Chong chong.m@parl.gc.ca

Revenue Canada www.cra-arc.gc.ca Service Canada www.servicecanada.gc.ca

The Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce Phone: 519.843.5140 E-mail: chamber@cwchamber.ca

Township of Centre Wellington 519.846.9691 www.centrewellington.ca

BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada) 519.571.6680 Don Cubbidge don.cubbidge@bdc.ca

WCB 1.800.387.0774 www.employeradviser.ca

Elora BIA 519.846.2563 Esther Farrell elorabia@execulink.com Fergus BIA 519-787-1384 fergusbia@wightman.ca Centre Wellington Economic Development 519.846.0971 Dave Rushton drushton@centrewellington.ca Minding Our Business The Wellington Advertiser Box 252, Fergus, Ontario N1M 2W8 519-843-5410 mob@wellingtonadvertiser.com

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