Whether you are already in business or thinking of starting a business, Business Victoria’s Workshops are designed to enhance entrepreneurial business skills and provide small business owners the opportunity to get real business assistance from our local industry professionals and volunteers.
Our workshops are open to both the public and our members. Please see our monthly calendar here: contact us and we will provide you with the next date it is being offered.
Market Research You are convinced this business concept will work. Now we’ll show you how to prove it. The three types of Market Research (Industry, Competitive and Customer) are explained to you in a professional, helpful manner with valuable hands on tips for where to start gathering the critical information about your market. Includes an introduction into survey writing. Without Market Research you February not succeed and we’re here to make sure you do! Art Charlton, ProSpeak.
Get the Most out of your Business through Graphic Design The workshop will focus on how small businesses can get the most out of their business image through graphic design. Topics include what is a brand, how it’s influenced by your logo, print media and online presence as well as some tips about marketing and what to look for in a design and a designer. Kevin Cave of www.Fusecreative.ca has been doing graphic design for about 12 years. The main focus of his business is to help other small companies and entrepreneurs get the most out of their budget and help them compete with big business. Kevin Cave, FuseCreative
Marketing Marketing is the link between your company and the consumer. It is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives. In other words how and what gets them to buy. This course teaches you how to market your business in a step by step process which makes it all easy to understand and even easier to do. Art Charlton, ProSpeak
Business Plan Is your business idea profitable? What decisions you need to take to stay and succeed in business? Putting together a successful Business Plan is your first step to success. It is not just about writing a report, it should reflect the unique personality of your business. Learn how to create a dynamic business plan and make your business idea work. Art Charlton, ProSpeak
Bookkeeping and Taxes Important to the success of any business is the tracking and recording of financial information. Without a good understanding of the financial condition that your business is in, you are not equipped to make sound business decisions. In this course we introduce you to basic bookkeeping concepts that will help you learn to track and record financial information on a timely basis, as well as pass on a few taxation tips. Bill Stafford, Cheques and Balances Bookkeeping Ltd.
Organization/Time Management This workshop will reveal a full spectrum of time management skills including practical tools and techniques you can implement immediately. This workshop provides you with a step by step process on how to get organized, increase personal productivity and lead a stress free life. Art Charlton, ProSpeak
How to Use Social Media Effectively for Your Business Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linkedin and more. Many businesses use these powerful social platforms to market themselves to the world. But the question is should they be? It’s not effective or necessary to reach everyone, everywhere, with every tool available. It’s critical to reach the right people in the right way, with the right tools. Integrating social media into your marketing strategy requires a well-conceived plan that makes sense for your business. This workshop will focus on the value of social media for business and how to connect people with your brand by creating relationships that matter. Tracy McAllister, McAllister Media
Financial Planning for Business Owners This seminar is effective for all business owners, as it focuses on the first two stages of the business life cycle: Start Up and Growth with light focus on Maturity. 1. Start Up, Turning your cash flow into tax-advantaged income 2. Growth, protecting your success from creditors – creditor proof and guaranteed investment options 3. Risk Management for Business Owners – key strategies to protect your business income and assets Lorretta Sims and Chris Shepherd, Investors Group
Financial Future Take action on debt management to regain control of day to day finances and move you into building wealth. This workshop will discuss how debt consolidation can work for you. •good debt vs. bad debt • free up cash flow to use in your business or invest for your future• building a financial safety net • charting a course toward long-term goals • how to use your home equity to achieve your goals. Discover how I can help you pay your bills and invest too by managing debt effectively. Loretta Sims and Christopher Shephard, Investors Group
Exit Strategies Exit Planning is a proven process that can maximize the financial return, minimize tax liability, plan for contingencies and increase the likelihood of a successful transfer of a business. Every business owner is faced with the absolute certainty of leaving his or her business – voluntarily or otherwise – at some point in time. Its a once-in-a-lifetime event for most business owners, and the process of leaving a business is not something the average business owner knows much about. Without a plan, the process can appear daunting. As a result, most owners wait until it is too late to undertake it. Brent Boyd, Business Exit Strategies
Intellectual Property for Small Business (copyright/trademarks, patents) An introduction to the main categories of intellectual property patents, trademarks and copyright as they relate to small businesses. The presentation will focus on avoiding common pitfalls associated with intellectual property, especially with respect to branding and trademarks. Michael Cooper is a patent agent, trademark agent and lawyer.
How to do Business with the Federal Goverment Are you interested in learning the fundamentals of doing business with the Government of Canada? This is a condensed seminar providing information on how the government does its buying, how to register to sell to the government, how to keep track of opportunities, how to market to the federal government, and how to bid on opportunities. Additionally, learn from a representative of the Canada Revenue Agency about your specific business requirements. In this seminar the following topics will be discussed:
• How goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) works • who has to register • overview of obligations and entitlements • books and records • where to get help
The Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME) and Canada Revenue agency.
Understand 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. This seminar is delivered by Lisa Banxachai or Tess Menges or from the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME).
How to Do Business with the Federal Government 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. This seminar is delivered by Lisa Banxachai or Tess Menges or from the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME). An introduction to the MERX and SRI systems is included.
How to Do Business with the Government of Canada and Understanding the Tender Process 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. 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. The Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME) and Canada Revenue agency.
Importing and Exporting Canada Border Services Agency will offer a two hour seminar for individuals and small business owners interested in learning about importing and exporting commercial goods to and from Canada and exporting commercial goods from Canada. The seminar will provide an overview of the rules and regulations for importing and exporting, tariff classification, origin and valuation and provide you with resources to help unravel the government red tape. Canada Border Services Agency
Law: Structuring your Business (proprietorship and incorporation details) Structuring your business can have important implications relating to set-up and dissolution, liability, taxes, borrowing implications, employee relations, ect. This seminar will largely focus on incorporation and explain the benefits and limitations of this form of organization compared to other forms of business organizations. Presented by the University of Victoria Business Law Clinic.
Elevator Speech for Small Business Do you have an Elevator Speech for your small business? An Elevator Speech describes your business in an impactful and meaningful way. You can use it when networking, introducing yourself at a meeting, or when speaking to possible clients or funders. This workshop shows you how to craft your Elevator Speech, and tailor it to any business situation. Sarah Daviau, Piece of Cake Communications
Using Publicity to make your Company Famous Publicity is media coverage – free advertising with the implicit credibility that comes with someone else telling your story. Free is good but the downside is that you have little control. This course gives you the tools to create and execute a basic campaign to generate and stick-handle publicity for your operation. Moira Dann has been publicist for CBC Radio, the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, and the Confederation Centre for The Arts in Charlottetown. She was editor of Facts & Arguments in The Globe and Mail, a news writer at ‘A’ British Columbia, a producer at CBC Victoria and an acclaimed writer, filmmaker and communications consultant. Moira Dann
Stress Strategies for Entrepreneurs Experience a fresh approach to a well known problem! Chronic stress is rampant in our culture, and has an enormous impact on health, relationships, and the workplace. In this seminar, you will find out how to use your energy to create vitality instead of stress. Learn important facts about how the body reacts to stress and practice simple stress reducing techniques you can apply anywhere even in your office. You will also create a personalized Visual Stress Strategy Map to help you integrate the techniques into your daily routine. Lisa Edwards, Radiate Corporate Wellness
Focus Groups Doing Market Research the FUN way! Do you wish you knew the best way to approach your potential customers? How do they perceive your product or services? What products and services do they really want? The best way to find out ask them! Focus groups are an interactive and informative way to learn exactly what the people in your target market are thinking. This session is for you if you are wondering: Will a focus group work for my business? How do I plan and implement a successful focus group? Who are the best participants to invite? How do I create a meaningful discussion? How do I capture the information and integrate it into my marketing plan? Join us to find out how to maximize the potential of this underused form of market research! Lisa Edwards, Radiate Well
