Small Business Learning Sessions: Fall 2012 Schedule

September 27th, 2012

 

Brought to you in partnership with 'The Business Link', these valuable cost-effective sessions are available for your viewing in our video-conference facility.

Please call us for more information at 403-934-8888 or toll-free at 1-888-881-9675 or email to carolyn@cfwildrose.ca to register and book the facility.

Wednesday, October 3, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - Promotions: Creating Buzz for Your Biz on a Shoestring - Limited budget? Want to create a buzz about your product, service or company? Join us to learn cost-effective and often free promotional tips and techniques. Find out how to effectively promote using traditional and electronic methods for a wide range of products and services. In this session: understand how promotion differs from advertising, discover often forgotten promotional techniques, learn how to identify new opportunities and find out how to leverage online technologies to increase your visibility.

Presenter: Greg Gazin - Gadget Guy/Parallel 2000 Corp.  Cost: $20

 

Wednesday, October 3, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Managing Shared Assets in the Family Business - How does one transfer a shared asset to the next generation smoothly so that their children and grandchildren can also enjoy the legacy? Learn about the technical solutions as well as the governance structures you can use to prevent or resolve conflict concerning shared assets. This session will cover: real life experiences in family asset management, tax and legal tools for asset transfers, establishing fair processes for asset owners, governance structures to support lifestyle and enjoyment of assets and guidelines and agreements for avoidance of conflict.

Presenter: Alberta Business Family Institute, University of Alberta School of Business  Cost: $15

 

Thursday, October 4, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Effective Market Research & Working With Partners Abroad - Implementing a formal market intelligence program in your business growth operations is of utmost importance for success. This session will introduce you to the processs of market intelligence and the many (often free) resources that are available to gather this information. Also covered is a very practical overview of different forms of international partners and ways to effectively use their services, as well as what trade missions have to offer and how to participate. This session will review: market intelligence sources (primary and secondary) and its applicability to business operations, how to use market/industry overview and political risk analysis templates, tips and strategies for successful market intelligence, ways to effectively work with and use the services of international partners, Canadian government services abroad (plus foreign government partners), and how to plan for trade missions and who benefits from participating.

Presenter: Marek Drywa, MPA, M.Sc. (Econ.) - Calgary Economic Development, Global Business Centre  Cost: $20

 

Tuesday, October 9, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - Achieve Your Goals and Still Have a Life - Today's entrepreneurs and business owners are over-committed and overwhelmed. Increase your personal and professional productivity and balance your time more effectively. Explore practical ideas and innovative techniques that free up time for the important people and activities in your life. In this session, you will learn to: recognize and minimize your time wasters, recapture your idle time for productive use and schedule your priorities to regain your balance.

Presenter: Bob 'Idea Man' Hooey  Cost: $20

 

Wednesday, October 10, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. - How to Prepare for the Bank - What information should be compiled and prepared for your first appointment with your business banker? This session will shed light on the lending criteria and provide insight into how commercial lending decisions are made. The objective of this session is to take the mystery out of banking.

Presenter: Michael Yakymishen - ATB Financial  Cost: $15

 

Thursday, October 11, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. - Starting a Food Business: Regulations, Permits and More - Just getting started in the food industry, or looking to expand? Are you interested in running a commercial food operation or a "home-based food business?" Come learn about the regulatory requirements in Alberta. This session will highlight: the differences between the requirements for vendors in Farmers' Markets in comparison to other food venues. What is required to get a Food Handling Permit? How do I apply? What does it cost? When is it needed? Explore the options, benefits and drawbacks of home-based food operations, kitchens owned by third parties, and commercial retail spaces and what other approvals may be necessary.

Presenter: Nyall Hislop, M.Sc., CPHI - Alberta Health Services  Cost: $15

 

Thursday, October 11, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - How to Use Social Media for Business - As an entrepreneur, business owner or marketing professional, you know opportunities are passing you by every day if you don't have a plan for social media. It's not too late to jump into the social media game - especially with a leading expert to show you exactly how it's done. Gain an understanding of social media as a communications tool for your business. You will discover: a simple yet effective system for networking, how to connect and build a loyal following online, the social shift in consumers' buying decisions and how to use this to your advantage, and why the perceptions of authority and expert matter most and how to position yourself.

Presenter: Jeff Schneider - Marketing Ninjas  Cost: $20

 

Monday, October 15, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Start Your Business! - This is one of Alberta's most informative small business seminars. It's packed with valuable information to help you start off right and increase the odds of your business being successful. The session will address: reasons for starting a business, how good business ideas are discovered and evaluated, why and how business plans are developed, important marketing aspects to consider, financing sources available and pros and cons of the three common legal structures of business.

Presenter: Jay Krysler, MBA - NAIT, JR Shaw School of Business  Cost: $40

 

Tuesday, October 16 Open House and Start-Up Expo at The Business Link

 

Wednesday, October 17, 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Do-It-Yourself Market Research - Learn how to find and understand basic market research information to make planning, starting, or operating your business successful. Topics include demographics, consumer spending, industry performance data, company information, competitive analysis and more. The focus is on free information sources - many of them online.

Presenters: Eric Brant and Andrea Steinhauer - The Business Link  Cost: $30

 

Thursday, October 18, 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. - Preparing a Business Plan - Preparing a good business plan will require a significant investment of time and research on your part. Attending this session will only be the start of a process that will lead to developing your own business plan. It will provide you with a general overview and basic understanding of: the purpose and the components of a typical business plan, the use of a business plan as an ongoing tool for business success, how marketing, operations and finance are inter-related, and the importance of finding further information for your plan.

Presenter: Jim Ewing - The Business Link  Cost: $40

 

Tuesday, October 23, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. - Hiring Basics: What You Need to Know - Discover the best practices for hiring staff, including the legal parameters related to employment. In this session, you will learn what you need to know to have a successful experience when choosing candidates for positions within your business. Employment labour laws that you need to be aware of will also be discussed. In this session, you will: become familiar with what's required to make good hiring decisions, gain awareness of how to ask questions that are legal and that will assist in making hiring decisions and learn to navigate 'sticky' areas.

Presenter: Don Schepens, MBA, CHRP, CCP - Grant MacEwan University, School of Business  Cost: $10

 

Wednesday, October 24, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Selling to the Public Sector - This session offers vendors a look at the commonalities between how the Governments of Canada and Alberta do business with vendors. Learn what determines their buying practices as well as tips on how to sell to the governments. Topics covered will include: what they buy, who buys for the governments, how they buy and what you as vendors need to do.

Presenters: Darlene Chuka - Public Works & Government Services Canada and Chelle Busch - Government of Alberta  Cost: $15

 

Thursday, October 25, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Setting up a Facebook Page for Business (webcast only) - In this tutorial session, you'll walk step-by-step through the process of creating a Facebook Page for your business. You'll also learn some easy ways to use it effectively to build awareness for your business. You will learn: how to set up a Facebook Page, some easy application add-ons to make your page stand out, and what kinds of status updates to make.

Presenter: Jeff Schneider - Marketing Ninjas  Cost: $10

 

Thursday, October 25, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Success Toolbox for Entrepreneurs - This interactive session is filled with success tips, tools and techniques for entrepreneurs who are willing to take their business to the next level of success. The world is changing so fast and entrepreneurs need to change and adapt in order to make progress. Learn applied tips on leadership, communication and management that help you embrace change, get out of your comfort zone and achieve long-term success. This session will: empower you to implement new tools and techniques for the success of your business, help you and your team take your business to the next level of performance, productivity, and profit, and assist you in creating balance between your personal and professional life.

Presenter: Dr. Kamran Akbarzadeh - International Academy of Leadership & Management  Cost: $20

 

Tuesday, October 30, 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Getting to Know Your Industry and Market - This session will provide an overview on the wide range of data products Statistics Canada offers business owners. Gain a basic understanding of selected standard geographic and industry classifications. Learn how to conduct basic market and industry research on Statistics Canada's website, specifically: demographic and socio-economic characteristics of local population, household spending patterns, population projections, size and sales of an industry, number of businesses with an industry and trends of selected industries.

Presenter: Pamela Borland - Statistics Canada  Cost: $15 - Recording not available for this session.

 

Wednesday, October 31, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - How to Tailor Your Business to Market Trends - We live in a world of unprecedented social, political and technological change. So you need to look around and ask yourself, what problems or needs are created as a result of these changes and how can I convert these needs into opportunities for my business. What are the trends out there? In this session, you will learn about: what baby boomers are doing next, cultural shifts and societal changes, buying behaviours in 2012 and opportunities you may not have thought about.

Presenter: Jim Spiers - Microbusiness Training Centre  Cost: $20


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