Community Futures Stuart Nechako | Video Conference Seminars

Develop your ONLY statement ("We are the only company that..."). Learn how to write key messages, and how to test whether you are truly unique in your industry and if not, how to fix it so that you are.

Social media is word-of-mouth on steroids, and if your business is not strategically participating in at least one of these online outlets, it's time to ask yourself why. Businesses need to know about this!

Monica Morong has worked in public relations and marketing with companies including the Bank of Montreal, BBDO Advertising, Nintendo, Vonage, Invest Ontario and many local small businesses in BC. She is a social media and branding expert, and recently re-branded David Chalk. She enjoys working with companies to refine their unique selling proposition and connect with their target audiences. Monica will share her expertise in a special limited engagement with us, and is offering a follow-up session during Small Business Week to answer any questions and see how things are going for those who implement her recommendations

In today's cluttered marketplace where businesses are constantly competing for people's attention, it is more important than ever for your business to clearly present its unique selling proposition (USP) and key messages so that your customers can quickly and clearly understand what you do and how you differentiate yourself from others in your industry. This session will explain how to develop your ONLY statement ("We are the only company that..."); give you some examples of key messages, how to write them and where to publish them; and how to test whether you are truly unique in your industry and if not, how to fix it so that you are.

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Blogging, Flickr... the list goes on. These are the latest social media networking platforms to help connect people and businesses with like interests, share information and establish your credibility in your field. Social media is word-of-mouth on steroids, and if your business is not strategically participating in at least one of these outlets, it's time to ask yourself why. Learn about the basics of each social media tool and how it can help you get the word out about your business online, enable customers to spread the good news about your brand beyond friends & family, and hopefully generate some profit!

Presented by The Community Futures British Columbia Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program

Seminar Packages

This highly anticipated new program covers the 12 essential elements of running and operating a small business in just a few short weeks. Topics include marketing, online business, tax and financials and much more! Sessions are presented by industry experts with real small business experience; choose daytime or nighttime classes to meet your busy schedule. Learn it all and learn it faster! This package will save you more than 50% on individual seminar registration.

Thursday’s starting September 8, 2011, for 6 consecutive weeks between 9-4pm.

Tuesday’s starting October 4, 2011 for 11 consecutive weeks between 5-8pm.

Public Works and Government Services Canada’s (PWGSC) Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME) helps small and medium businesses understand how the federal government does it’s purchasing. This 3 day seminar will help you understand the fundamentals of selling goods and services to the Government of Canada. Learn how to navigate and find opportunities on MERX, the Government Electronic Tendering Services website. MERX has leveled the playing field so that businesses of any size can have easy and affordable access to billions of dollars in contracting opportunities with the Government of Canada. This seminar will also guide you through the procurement process and responding to bids, with general advice and guidance on how to analyze the Request for Proposal (RFP) process and requirements, how to respond to a request to proposal (RFP), and how bids are evaluated.

3. Understanding the Government of Canada Procurement Process and Responding to Bids

This package explores how to determine, evaluate and forecast your business finances. In this seminar you will learn how to analyze the financial viability and determine the strength of your businesses cash flow for potential investors. This package will save you 15% on individual seminar registration.

This package explores the basic costs and steps of setting up a website for your small business. You will learn how to optimize your online presence and measure its success. This package will also help understand social media and how you can use it to increase your small business presence. This package will save you more than 15% on individual seminar registration.

Monday, September 12, 2011 10-12pm and Thursday, September 15, 2011 9-1:30pm

Register for this package to learn from the professionals how and when the best time is to move from a proprietorship/partnership to an incorporated company. Gain valuable knowledge on setting up the legal entity of a corporation in this all day tax and legal information package. This package will save you more than 15% on individual seminar registration.

The Start Smart Series combines four introductory seminars giving you a step by step guide to starting your business right. Learn what resources will help you get started, the business structures you need to consider, how to protect your business and how to use market research to evaluate your business idea.

Selling Online Series

This package explores the concept of selling online 24-7. Discover what it takes to have an ecommerce site, the legal principles involved and some of the considerations you should have in mind. You will also learn how a social media strategy can help to grow sales, and as an added bonus, Primus Canada will help you understand business continuity and applications of cloud computing. This package will save you more than 15% on individual seminar registration.

1. Ecommerce and Understanding Online Payment Systems

2. Legal Tips for Your Online Business

3. Cloud Computing – Prepare for the Future of Your Business

4. Getting Serious with Social Media

Tuesday, September 27, 2011 10-3pm and Wednesday, September 28, 2011 9-2:30pm

Thursday, November 17, 2011 9-2:30pm and Friday, November 18, 2011 10-3pm

Cost $69 plus taxes

Other Seminars

This seminar covers basic small business start-up information and is designed for the client in the thinking stage of starting a business. Included in this seminar is an overview of all the basic requirements including: name registry, business structures, municipal licensing requirements,HST registration and an overview of employment standards. Small Business BC resources are highlighted with emphasis on business planning tools, market research, business planning and trade services, a demonstration of our website(s) and methods to evaluate your business idea and its viability in the market place.

Delivered by Mark Eversfield from Small Business BC.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Starting a new business and would like to understand the differences between proprietorship, partnership and incorporation? Come to this seminar for legal tips to help you get started. Topics covered include: business structures, nonprofit societies, cooperatives the advantages and disadvantages for each. Come prepared to gather information that will help you make the right decision for your business entity.

This seminar was formerly named Proprietorship, Partnership, Incorporation - Legal Information.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Learn about the fundamentals of selling goods and services to the Government of Canada. This seminar provides information on how to market to the federal government, how the government does its buying, and how to keep track of opportunities to bid on Canadian government purchases. This the first seminar in the series of three seminars on information about working with the Public Works.

Delivered by Lisa Banxachai or Tess Menges or from the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME).

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Why build a brand? Brand is a promise made by a business that is consistently delivered to its customer. This promise is what builds trust and increases customer loyalty. The rate at which a business succeeds is directly related to how CLEAR the vision is. Branding your business is your way to ensure your clients understand your corporate message.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

This seminar will help you get focused on what your business has to offer and how you can communicate your message successfully. You’ll learn how to craft your message and select the right tools to effectively reach your target market. Various media choices will be discussed with particular emphasis on the changing media landscape and how digital media is altering the consumer decision-making process. Cost effective marketing options for small business will be emphasized. Delivered in a fast paced, interactive style filled with examples to get your entrepreneurial ideas flowing and leave with the next steps for a marketing plan.

Delivered by Mary Charleson of Charleson Communications.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Are you considering importing as a component of your small business but don't know where to begin? Come to this introductory seminar to learn about some of the technical aspects of importing commercial goods into Canada. Topics include; developing an import business plan, dealing with customs brokers and international freight forwarders, means of payment, Incoterms, import regulations and documentation required by Canada Customs, along with relevant regulations on specific products.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

This workshop focuses on understanding social media, what is it and how it’s connecting people. Discussions will include how/if social media is an important part of your small business marketing strategy, a focus will be given to understanding what opportunities exist for small business owners to leverage social media for business growth and prospecting.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Delivered by WorkSafeBC, Insurance Bureau of Canada, Oyen Wiggs Green Mutala LLP and the BBB (Better Business Bureua).

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Come to this seminar and explore what should take priority in vendor sales calls to retailers and the methods retailers use to decide what products they will buy for their stores. This workshop will introduce you to the challenges retailers face, how and why they buy. You will learn a few cardinal rules that vendors should follow, especially if they are making their first sales pitches to prospective accounts. The information supplied will assist you in planning your call and crafting a crucial part of the blue print for your overall business plan. Learn the terminology, technology and measurements retailers use to decide which products will make the cut and a repeat buy. In addition to information about the retailer and their business, learn what other items should prepare you for a meeting with a prospective customer.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Pre requisite to this seminar is: How to Do Business with the Federal Government.

MERX is the most complete source of Government of Canada tenders. Access to these federal government tenders is free and this seminar explains how entrepreneurs can register in the system and quickly evaluate opportunities. MERX has leveled the playing field so that businesses of any size can have easy and affordable access to billions of dollars in contracting opportunities with the Government of Canada. Join us on a guided demonstration of the MERX system.

Delivered by Lisa Banxachai or Tess Menges or from the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME).

This seminar also includes:
*1 - an online demonstration of the Supplier Registration Information (SRI) service and
*2 - a demonstration of the Government Electronic Tendering system (MERX™).

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

This is a workshop designed for the complete beginner. Learn the basic costs and steps necessary to register your domain, find a hosting company and have your website developed. This seminar will review the different types of websites and options on finding a web designer/developer.

Delivered by Kevin McLeod at Yardstick Services.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

In this workshop you will learn how people arrive at your website, how they navigate through your site and how the user interacts with your online buying process? This seminar will help you understand more about your customer what keywords your customer’s are using to access your website and the importance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This seminar will present you the tools analyze your web site traffic, and make sure you are listed in the right search engines.

Delivered by Kevin McLeod at Yardstick Services.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

This seminar is designed for the non financial business owner who is interested in knowing how to record and maintain financial records for your small business. Finance is a language, and once you understand the language you can better understand financial concepts. Learn how to read financial statements such as balance sheets, income statements, and gain a greater knowledge on retained earnings and how to make this money work for you in your business. You will identify the difference between market and book value, amortization and capital cost allowance as well as understand the difference between income

Delivered by Bill Erichson of Pacific Training Innovations.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Do you have a special skill, ability; talent that you feel can serve others and earn an income? Consider the consulting and contracting field. Come to this session to learn how to transition your skills into an income stream, price your service, and learn where to find clients. Establish your business, build your market and hear from the experts about their many experiences of running a consulting business.

Presented by Dave Schulte and Ian Marshall of Vancouver Consultants, a membership organization with a mandate to provide the best vehicle to connect independent professional consultants to the market in order to facilitate and enhance opportunities for both.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Are you between 18 and 34 years of age and looking to start a business? Join the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) and Small Business BC as they teach new and prospective entrepreneurs tips to create a business plan, how to establish good credit ratings, how to evaluate good and bad cash flows and how to apply for CYBF financing and mentorship.

You will also hear from a successful CYBF client who will inspire you with a story of starting a successful small business and how they got to where they are now. Come prepared with your questions!

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Do you want to understand the legal steps and applications of trade-marks? Attend this seminar and find out how trade-marks are classified and what they mean for your product/service.Not sure of the types of intellectual property protection available? Visit www.cipo.ic.gc.ca to find out the options available to you; then join Jennifer Marles to learn the legal steps involved in protecting your trade-marks.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Market research is an important part of your business plan since it offers an in-depth study of your business. This seminar will save you time and money and outline the tools you need to understand your competition and your customers. Market research will also enhance your marketing effort. By carefully studying your industry, competitors and customers, you will have a much clearer idea of how to target these areas effectively. You will be introduced to primary and secondary research methods, quantitative and qualitative data, and discuss how to design and conduct surveys.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Understanding the Government of Canada Procurement Process and Responding to Bids

Prerequisites to this seminar are: How to Do Business With the Federal Government and MERX - The Government Electronic Tendering Service, Understanding the Procurement Process and Responding to Bids provides businesses general advice and guidance on how to analyze the Request for Proposal (RFP) process and requirements, how to respond to a request to proposal (RFP), and how bids are evaluated.

Delivered by Lisa Banxachai or Tess Menges or from the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME).

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Do you have unpaid accounts that you need to collect on? Do you know what the law can and can’t do for you in these situations? Join Dan Barber and Mitch Dermer, Associates at Singleton Urquhart Legal Counsel, as they walk you through the sometimes daunting path of collecting debts for your small business, and how to collect those debts economically and efficiently.

Attend this seminar find out about:
• the basics of debt collection
• the different routes available to you
• when best to use the expertise of a lawyer
• ways debtors can protect themselves from creditors

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

You're thinking of starting or have already started a small business but are unclear on how to structure your business or what to do to keep the bank and the tax man happy. Come to this workshop to understand more about the differences a sole proprietor, partnership and corporation can provide to you. Learn what defines taxable income, allowable deductions, subcontractors versus employees, payroll traps and tax requirements. You will learn about tax issues that apply to you and how your financial statements information is viewed by others.

Delivered by Gabrielle Loren of Loren, Nancke & Company, CGA.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Starting a business is an exciting time, establishing your financial records and bookkeeping system should be one of the first orders of business. You will need to establish a separate bank account, put together a filing system, decide how to Invoice your clients. These are all parts of your business strategy. Come to this seminar to learn the different financial statements your company will need. Gain an understanding of the components and difference between the balance sheet, the income statement and understand what a cash flow statement is. Learn how daily business transactions affect your financial statements and review CRA’s requirements for record keeping.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

At what financial point in your business is it a good idea to incorporate? How can a registered corporation help separate you from your business or partners while optimizing tax benefits? This seminar discusses the advantages of moving your proprietorship or partnership to a corporation. Learn about the tax advantages of being a registered corporation, the benefits of using a holding company, deferred income, hiring family members, medical trusts, and how you can utilize the small business capital gains exemption.

Delivered by Gabrielle Loren of Loren, Nanke and Associates, CGA

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Attend this seminar to learn about corporations, how to get incorporated and legal tips that will help you with “life after incorporation”. In this seminar you will learn the advantages of corporations and the roles of shareholders, directors, officers and others in the corporate structure, the essential steps that must be followed to properly create and organize your corporation and the additional steps that may be necessary if you’re incorporating an existing business, e.g. a proprietorship, and the common pitfalls to avoid and the mandatory corporate requirements that must be followed each year to keep your corporation alive and in good standing and some helpful legal tips for carrying on business as a corporate entity after the incorporation is done. This seminar is ideal for anyone who wants to get incorporated properly and learn how to carry on business as a corporate entity!

Delivered by Jason Harris, Simply Legal Law Corporation.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Come to this seminar to learn how to take the next steps in growing your consulting business, learn how to levearage your client base, invest in your clients work and how to get your clients to help build your network for you. This workshop visits costing the value of your time, creating products and services that compliment the work you already do and extending your services beyond the face to face consulting work you already do.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Advertising is expensive; publicity costs very little, and often offers far more benefit, because of the credibility that comes with having your name or business mentioned by an independent third party. In this seminar, you’ll find out the 7 best steps to a productive media relationship, 5 roadblocks to getting coverage, 3 secrets for a really, really good media interview, and the 1 thing you need to do in your media strategy. Seminar attendees will take away a checklist to use for drawing up a media strategy plan; a format to use in writing and sending out a news release; a list of “do’s and don’ts” to use if they are asked for an interview, and a self-evaluation tool they can use on an ongoing basis, as they develop their media skills.

This seminar was formerly named Getting Your Story Told: Making the Most of Media Opportunities.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

This workshop covers legal principles and concerns applicable to internet-based businesses. Topics will be adjusted based on the interests of the audience and may include: creation of contracts online; consumer protection legislation; privacy obligations with respect to information provided by users; potential liability for acts of users; intellectual property issues; and, jurisdiction and the internet.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Delivered by Matthew Lane from webnames.ca.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Are you currently using social media for your business but want to find out more how to maximize your presence and focus your actions? Then the Getting Serious with Social Media seminar is for you! Learn about the strategies and effective tactics that will improve your success. Find out how Facebook and Twitter can deliver the results you need and how to measure your success.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Once your online business is up and running, the work has only begun. Learn how to create an effective business environment through cloud computing and establishing business continuity that will move with your business as it grows. Attend this workshop and prepare for the future demands of your business: increased amounts of data, and security and compliance requirements, at a cost that you can afford.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Do you know all the essential elements for successfully operating a business? Come join our small business expert, Bridget Field, and find out the key to a successful Operations Plan and explore how you can determine WHO (your team) does WHAT (the activities), WHEN (how often), WHERE (the facility) and HOW (the logistics) and most importantly WHY.

Book today and take your first step in preparing to set up and manage your small business operations efficiently and effectively.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

The sale itself is the heart of the matter. As a small business owner, you can be completely knowledgeable about your product/service, your customer groups, your market area and how they all fit together, but if you can’t make the sale, your efforts have been wasted. This seminar is all about learning how to close the sale whether you are with the customer in person or on the telephone. You will find out why prospects don’t buy, how to tell when a prospect is ready to buy, how to handle objections, including a sales process that works for you.

Seminar Content
• Understanding Yourself and Others
• The Sales Process Defined
• Effective Prospecting Calls
• Prospects Buying Motivates
• Common reasons why a prospect does not buy
• Lead and Referral Management
• Benchmarking your success for future growth

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

In the business world, the art of contract negotiation can make or break a business. Brian E. Rudy, partner of Synergy Business Lawyers will talk about the basics of commercial contracts: what are they and how they are negotiated? This seminar will provide an overview of issues important to business people, and will touch on more in-depth topics such as payment options, holdbacks, security, indemnities, restrictive covenants and intellectual property provisions.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Many entrepreneurs launch businesses based solely based on the idea alone. Successful businesses are profitable, or have the potential for profit. Come join Bill Erichson to learn how to identify the costs to start and operate your business for the first year… and then calculate the starting capital and annual sales required to break even.

This seminar provides hands on information on:
• The three kinds of start-up costs
• Determining your start-up requirements
• Understanding your overhead costs
• Mark-up, margin and cost of goods – your variable costs
• The break-even…the first goal of any business

Whether for a starting business, or for a new and expansion stage for an existing business, book this seminar today and find out how to determine the financial viability of your business.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Just because your business is profitable, does not mean it is viable. Cash flow is arguably the most crucial part of your financial plan. Without strong cash flow, you run the risk of going broke before achieving your break-even point.

In this session you will learn:
• Three factors that determine how cash enters your business each month
• Forecasting your monthly cash out flows
• The cash flow calculations
• The real causes of cash flow problems
• Doing ‘what if’ calculations to plan for success

There is an old saying:”There are two ways to go broke. No profits is the slow painful way…no cash flow is the fast painful way.”

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

This seminar covers basic small business start-up information and is designed for the client in the thinking stage of starting a business. Included in this seminar is an overview of all the basic requirements including: name registry, business structures, municipal licensing requirements, HST registration and an overview of employment standards. Small Business BC resources are highlighted with emphasis on business planning tools, market research, business planning and trade services, a demonstration of our website(s) and methods to evaluate your business idea and its viability in the market place.

Delivered by Mark Eversfield from Small Business BC.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

This seminar was formerly named Proprietorship, Partnership, Incorporation - Legal Information.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Are you considering buying a business or starting one from scratch? Learn the advantages and disadvantages of both and discover which route is best for you. Join Marion Van Keken Rietkerk from Pacific Business Brokers to understand what you should be looking for in your search for a business; explore issues of due diligence and find out Marion’s key tips for success.
Attend this seminar and help us direct you on the right path towards your new and exciting venture.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Delivered by Mary Charleson of Charleson Communications.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Do you want to understand the legal steps and applications of patents? Attend this seminar to find out how to protect your ideas through patents. Jennifer Marles of Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala will take you through the patent process including: how to start, how long it takes, the costs involved, and the process to maintain your patent rights.
Not sure of the types of intellectual property protection available? Visit www.cipo.ic.gc.ca to find out the different forms of intellectual property available to you and Jennifer Marles to learn the legal steps involved in patenting your small business.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Is your business ready to grow and you’re beginning to think about hiring your first employee? Are you wondering how your small business will compete with the big guys for talent? Come along to the Attracting and Hiring Top Talent seminar and find out the first steps you’ll need to take to not just build a team, but to build a talented team that will see your business prosper...

At the seminar you will learn how to create, design and implement a cost-effective and efficient recruitment and selection plan tailored to your business . Great planning = great results! By Sandra Miles, President & CEO, Miles Employment Group Ltd., Miles Startup HR – moving your company forward.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Public Works and Government Services Canada’s (PWGSC) Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME) helps small and medium businesses understand how the federal government does it’s purchasing.

This 3 hour seminar will help you understand the fundamentals of selling goods and services to the Government of Canada. Learn how to navigate and find opportunities on MERX, the Government Electronic Tendering Services website. MERX has leveled the playing field so that businesses of any size can have easy and affordable access to billions of dollars in contracting opportunities with the Government of Canada. This seminar will also guide you through the procurement process and responding to bids, with general advice and guidance on how to analyze the Request for Proposal (RFP) process and requirements, how to respond to a request to proposal (RFP), and how bids are evaluated.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Life is risky; entrepreneurs know all about taking risk and reaping rewards. Protecting yourself and your business is an important factor to the success of your business. Legal requirements regarding intellectual property, trademarks, patents and designs will be discussed as well as employment standards including bonding, employees and running a small business. This seminar is designed for the launching business client who is working on a business plan and is presented by WorkSafeBC, Insurance Bureau of Canada, Oyen Wiggs Green Mutala LLP and the BBB (Better Business Bureua).

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

This seminar will explore basic costs and steps necessary to register your domain, find a hosting company and have your website developed. Learn the different types of websites and options on finding a web designer/developer. In addition to getting your business online you will learn how people arrive at your website, how they navigate through your site and how the user interacts with your online buying process. Kevin McLeod of Yardstick Services will also present the tools to analyze your web site traffic, and make sure your online campaign is successful! Learn more about your customers, what keywords your customers' are using to access your website and the importance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Expanding your business and/or thinking of buying a business, this seminar will cover commercial real estate agreements and law. Topics include types of commercial real estate, roles of various professionals: agents, accountants, banker, inspection, lawyer for bank, lawyer for buyer, surveyors and insurance, the closing process, due diligence, contracts and common pitfalls in the process.

Delivered by Howard Wong of Synergy Law Corporation, this seminar will help explain the process, time frames and help you understand contract terms as they relate to commercial real estate and the law.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Are you thinking of selling your business? Learn the key points to successfully preparing your business to sell, what buyers are looking for and the alternative options to selling. Help us prepare you for success in maximizing the value of your business and managing your exit strategy.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Delivered by Gabrielle Loren of Loren, Nancke & Company, CGA.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Hiring employees for your business? Come to this seminar and learn the differences in employee versus independent contractors and the laws and CRA consequences for each. This seminar will explain the elements of employee law, termination notice periods, severance pay, human rights code, workers compensation board matters and constructive dismissal. This seminar will touch on intellectual property and the importance of employee agreements to ensure your company knowledge and resources are protected. Come prepared to gather information that will help you make the right decision for your business entity.

Delivered by Brian Rudy of Synergy Business Lawyers.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Have you started an import business or are you ready to start one? Register today for the Importing Regulations for Small Business seminar and learn about the rules, regulations and standards involved in having a successful import business. This seminar will be part informational and part roundtable discussion; so be sure to come prepared with relevant questions to help you succeed at importing into Canada.

Presenters Include:
Small Business BC on Import Resources
Health Canada on Product Safety, Health Products, and Chemical Substances
Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Food Labeling
Canada Border Services Agency on Import Declaration and Documentation

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Delivered by Gabrielle Loren of Loren, Nanke and Associates, CGA

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Do you plan to export products but do not know where to start and what to do? In this seminar you will determine the key elements of building your export plan and the step-by-step process required to export successfully. In this seminar you will learn how to evaluate the competitiveness of your business in the global market, identify the demand for your product or services and who your competitors are, identify the different distribution channels available to your business, understand the means of payment and the use of the incoterms, and how to know the government requirements before shipping your goods. Book this seminar today and prepare your business to be export ready in a strategic and planned way.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Do you want to understand the legal steps and applications of copyrights? Find out who owns your business’ intellectual property - you, your business, your employees or the consultants you have hired to do work for you.

Not sure of the types of intellectual property protection available? Visit www.cipo.ic.gc.ca to find out the options available to you; then join Jennifer Marles to learn the legal steps involved in protecting your copyrights.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Delivered by Bill Erichson of Pacific Training Innovations.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Setting prices is both an art and a science. The science is determining your costs … and the art is understanding the underlying role price makes on customer buying behavior. This seminar is both a marketing and a financial topic as we get to the heart of how pricing plays an important part in your overall business success. Topics include:

·         Costs, Constraints, Customers & Competition (the 4 C’s of Pricing)

·         Fixed Costs, variable costs and total absorption costing

·         Pricing as a comparative

·         Pricing for sales vs. pricing for profits

This session will make you question your assumptions about pricing, costing and how they fit into your business strategies. Whether you are experienced in business or you just want to get started on the right foot, pricing and costing is time … and money well spent!

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

This seminar covers basic small business start-up information and is designed for the client in the thinking stage of starting a business. Included in this seminar is an overview of all the basic requirements including: name registry, business structures, municipal licensing requirements, HST registration and an overview of employment standards. Small Business BC resources are highlighted with emphasis on business planning tools, market research, business planning and trade services, a demonstration of our website(s) and methods to evaluate your business idea and its viability in the market place. Delivered by Mark Eversfield from Small Business BC.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

This seminar was formerly named Proprietorship, Partnership, Incorporation - Legal Information.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

This seminar is delivered by Lisa Banxachai or Tess Menges or from the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME).

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Pre requisite to this seminar is: How to Do Business with the Federal Government.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Whether for a starting business, or for a new and expansion stage for an existing business, book this seminar today and find out how to determine the financial viability of your business.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Delivered by Gabrielle Loren of Loren, Nancke & Company, CGA.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Carbon neutral business...eco-efficiency, triple-bottom line management... What does all this jargon mean ...and why should you care? Consumers are becoming more discerning about the environmental performance of businesses; even in the midst of this economic down turn consumers are seeking green brands. How will this shift in public interest impact your business and how can you capitalize on it? This workshop will introduce you to opportunities and challenges of greening your business. We'll examine what businesses in BC are doing to go green and explore eco-efficiency options for your own business.

Maureen Cureton, Green Business Manager for Vancity facilitates this session drawing on her experience with the local small business community.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Considering selling your product online? Concerned about security online? Are you already using PayPal? Do you need a merchant account? This seminar will take you behind the scenes of an online payment system and show you how transactions are processed, credit cards are charged and how to handle taxes and shipping. This seminar is presented by Matthew Lane from webnames.ca.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Understanding the Government of Canada Procurement Process and Responding to Bids

The USA represents a huge market that is very receptive to Canadian ideas and products, whether manufactured in Canada or imported into the USA from lower-cost international countries. Unless your company has a One million budget, you will need to learn and employ practical, cost-effective methods and strategies. This introductory seminar will help you define your USA market, and introduce you to the basic essentials of marketing and logistics (packaging, shipping, warehousing and US Customs compliance). You need to know these basics before you commit to the design, manufacture or purchase of your product or service. Brought to you by Jim Pettinger of International Market Access and April Collier of Pacific Custom Brokers. This seminar allows time for the speakers to answer specific questions about your business ideas. This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

April Collier is a Senior Compliance Adviser with Pacific Customs Brokers USA. Her import background encompasses commodities from around the world, arriving into the United States via all modes of transportation. April is a broker licensed by U. S. Customs & Border Protection, and a Certified Customs Specialist with over 25 years of industry experience. April has conducted many seminars and workshops on importing, in addition to classes on Preparation for Customs Broker Licensing.

Jim Pettinger is president of International Market Access, Inc. He is a Canadian citizen who has owned a business in Washington State since 1984. His company provides office, warehouse, distribution and return/repair services for more than 130 Canadian companies that market and distribute to USA markets. Jim is a frequent speaker on the topic of Doing Business in the USA, and has participated in several export seminars conducted by the British Columbia and Canadian governments. He is currently a director of PACE - Pacific Corridor Enterprise Council, a private-sector cross-border trade association.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

There is an old saying:”There are two ways to go broke. No profits is the slow painful way…no cash flow is the fast painful way.”

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Delivered by Kevin McLeod at Yardstick Services.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

You will also hear from a successful CYBF client who will inspire you with a story of starting a successful small business and how they got to where they are now. Come prepared with your questions! Delivered by a Small Business BC and CYBF Representative.
This seminar was formerly named Young Entrepreneurs Start-Up Financing

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Do you have a roadmap set out for your business? Every business has a life cycle, and knowing when to transition your business is critical in maximizing the value of your company. Come and explore the deciding factors of when to hold, sell or grow your business with Pino Bacinello of Pacific Business Brokers. Learn how to examine your businesses state of Change Readiness ™ and understand the value of your company in order to make good financial decisions.