Trudy Belanco

EXPERT ADVICE
Trudy Belanco
“…identify the risks your business may be exposed to and
provide customizable insurance solutions…” p13
VOLUME 5, ISSUE 6, FEBRUARY 2010
www.BUSINESSLINKNEWSPAPER.com
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED
HOW TO MANAGE YOUR OPERATIONS
Then maximize profit and customer satisfaction
BY KEITH NARSANSKY
E
very business has three main business departments. Marketing creates interest in your product or service; sales
takes that interest and turns it into a sale and finally operations
fills the order. There is nothing worse then making the sales but
not being able to fill all the orders.
In a properly run business, marketing will have a monthly
forecast of the interest they expect to generate. Sales will have
a monthly sales forecast and a real-time, predicable sales funnel.
With a proper system, operations should know well in advance
the number of orders they have to fill and when.
Having a system would be next to useless unless you were
constantly monitoring the system and making adjustments
to operations as required. To maximize profit and minimize
customer’s wait for their order to be filled, operations has to
have Just in Time Inventory along with a labour pool that can
expand or contract as volume rises and falls.
You need to find ways to increase operational efficiency. This
may be accomplished by employee training or better tools and…
PAGE 2
EMPLOYMENT
SPECIAL FEATURE
COMMUNITY EVENT
Employers Hire “AbilitiesFirst”
Economic Development
Developing relationships between
community employers and persons with
disabilities PAGE 4
The region isn’t just experiencing record
growth of late—it’s just getting started. See
for yourself in our Special Feature. PAGE 7
The 2009 Cornbread and Roses
Event Was A Resounding Success
“The Cornbread and Roses event attracted
30 vendors and over 300 visitors.” PAGE 12
SOCIAL MEDIA WITH ADAM WHITE
COUNT YOUR CONVERSATIONS,
NOT YOUR FOLLOWERS
Locally Owned and Operated
As a thought experiment, ask yourself if your posting habits on Twitter
or Facebook would change if your follower count was hidden?
PUBLISHER
The Business Link
86 Brant Avenue
Brantford, ON N3T 3H3
Tel: 519-751-LINK (5465)
email: ted@BusinessLinkNewspaper.com
www.BusinessLinkNewspaper.com
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
“Each day employees can
come to work and decide
what they feel like doing,
or you can have a system
in place so everyone knows
what needs to be done.”
A D V E RT I S I N G
Ted Lehman
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
K. Narsansky, A. White, J. Salvatore,
J. Christiansen, K. Lehman, W. Rowe,
M. MacIntosh
C I R C U L AT I O N
The Business Link is published 12 times per
year and distributed to approximately 8,000
businesses in the Brantford, Brant County,
Haldimand/Norfolk and Oxford Counties via
Canada Post
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Publishers’ discretion. The Publishers will not
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transmitted in any form or by any means, without
prior written permission of the Publishers.
2
THE BUSINESS LINK
How to
manage
your
operations
BY ADAM WHITE
S
ocial networking sites like Twitter and
Facebook provide a deceptively simple
metric of success: the number of friends or
followers you have amassed. However one should
never mistake an account with a huge number
of followers for an account that actually impacts
people. This is particularly true on Twitter, the
140 character messaging phenomenon, where
an account doesn’t even necessarily represent a
single person (in the walled-garden of Facebook
it is a little more cut and dry). This is compounded
by the fact that many opportunistic users use tools
to automatically find and add followers on the fly.
Try mentioning the word “marketing” in a Tweet
and see how many accounts tied to marketing
consultants instantly follow you. This is not real or
useful social interaction, it’s just more spam.
Does the follower count matter? It does, but
only as one piece of the puzzle. Unless they are
a well known celebrity or tastemaker, a user who
is followed by thousands of accounts and in turn
follows thousands themselves is probably not a
real person. Few human beings could sift through
such a massive influx of messages. Ideally a person
would be followed by many but only follow a
select few. The list of accounts you yourself follow
is public on Twitter, and it should be a resource for
your audience. It provides an insight into who you
find useful, interesting and important.
So what is a better metric for gauging your
Twitter success? Try counting conversations. Count
the number of people you reply to who actually
reply back. Count the number of times your brand
is mentioned by others. Count the number of useful
links you pass on to your followers and how often
they pass that information on themselves. If you find
that you are unable to strike up conversations then
perhaps that is a sign that you should reevaluate
who you are trying to connect with. As with all
business endeavours you should be setting clear
measurable goals for yourself and working hard to
meet them. Treat social networking the same way,
just make sure your metrics are meaningful.
As a thought experiment, ask yourself if your
posting habits on Twitter or Facebook would
change if your follower count was hidden? If
all you had to go on was the conversations you
participated in, how would you measure success?
You would measure it by how many actual
human beings you have impacted. That is how it
works in real life, where there is no convenient
list of friends, and that is how you should conduct
yourself online. Nobody is impressed with your
follower count but yourself.
AdamWhite (adamwhite.org) is a software developer
at JMR SoftwareSystems (jmr.ca) and a news editor at
Punknews.org. Find him on Twitter @adamwhite, at
905-374-2878, or adam@jmr.ca.
Continued from page 1
…machines that allow employees to fill
more orders in less time. It is important
to note that operations need to do continuous improvement, always looking for
ways to improve the quality of your product or service while increasing capacity
and lowering cost. You need to do quality
assurance, ensuring that your product or
service consistently meets or exceeds your
quality standards.
Easier said than done, but you can bet that
your competition is trying real hard to continuously improve, and if you are not careful,
they can leave you behind in the dust.
You need to know the status of every order and whether or not you will make the
promised delivery date/time. By staying on
top of your order status, you can be proactive and avoid missed deadlines. You need
to manage your work force in relationship
to the order. You would want to schedule
employees to certain tasks of completing
the order. This allows employees to know
what is required and for management to
know everything is taken care of and is
running smoothly.
Your business may need to manage
raw material inventory, third party inventory and possibly finished goods inventory. Again, remember we are striving to
minimize inventory and maximize customer satisfaction, which is at opposite
ends of the spectrum.
Each day employees can come to work
and decide what they feel like doing, or
you can have a system in place so everyone knows what needs to be done, by
who, and when, so that you maximize
profit and customer satisfaction.
Keith Narsansky, CMA is the Software Architect
and Business Process Engineer at The Business
Solution. The ultimate marketing and management software and web system (including
CRM) that helps small business save time and
money; improve customer satisfaction; increase
sales; and run their company with ease.
www.thebusinesssolution.com
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
FEBRUARY 2010
GREEN POWER
“Under the MEER program, more than 30 million dollars is available for capital improvement projects that reduce electricity
consumption. Participants may be eligible for an incentive of up to 50% of the total project cost…”
HERE ARE SOME ENERGY SAVING
TIPS FROM BRANT COUNTY POWER:
BY KEVIN LEHMAN
The Business Link
B
rant County Power is working hard to keep
on top of issues affecting the environment. This is evident in the programs that are in
place to help you reduce your energy consumption, save you money and help save the environment in the process.
Programs such as Peaksaver, the Great Refrigerator Roundup, the Home Energy Audit Program,
Power Saving Blitz and the Electricty Retrofit Incentive Program, are in place in Brant County to aid in
this continuing process.
More recently, the MEER (Multifamily Energy
Efficiency Rebates) program, targeted at the
owners of existing multifamily residential buildings was introduced. Under the MEER program,
more than 30 million dollars is available for capital improvement projects that reduce electricity
consumption. Participants may be eligible for an
incentive of up to 50% of the total project cost
when upgrading energy items such as lighting
(re-lamping, fixture changes, compact fluorescent installation), motors, drives, HVAC upgrades,
controls, appliances, even ground-source cooling
systems and solar thermal installations.
FEBRUARY 2010
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
• Changing the type of lightbulbs you use can make a difference. Compact
fluorescents are designed to fit most standard light fixtures, last 10 times
longer, and use 70% less energy, while Halogen bulbs use 50% less energy
than incandescent bulbs, last two to four times longer, and are compatible
with dimmer switches.
• Going on a holiday? Programmable timers turn selected lights on and off at
specified times, saving money and making your house look occupied.
Compact flourescents last
10 times longer, and use 70%
less energy than your typical
light bulb.
• Motion sensors turn on lights automatically when movement is detected and
turn off when lights are not needed.
• Set your refrigerator to 3°C (37°F) and your freezer to -18°C (0°F) and replace
worn doors seals on refrigerators and freezers.
• Wash with cold or warm water and always rinse with cold water.
To find more energy conservation tips visit the Brant County Power website
at www.brantcountypower.com and click on the link Conservation and Demand Management or contact them by telephone in Paris at
519-442-2215 or Toll-Free at 1-877-871-2215.
Brant County Power is taking its environmental responsibilities very seriously
and wants to work together with you for a greener tomorrow.
THE BUSINESS LINK
3
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST
ADVANTAGE OF GOING BACK
TO SCHOOL AS
A SENIOR?
Back to school at 100 years young!
BY JANE SALVATORE
Learning Centre Program Coordinator
Warren Crawford
,
Instructor with
Reid Macfarlane
,
100 Year Old Stud
ent.
• If you cut classes, no one calls your parents.
• Better yet, what is the biggest advantage of going back to school as a charming 100 year old senior?
• You get to redefine the ‘age old saying’... “You’re never too old to learn”.
EMPLOYERS HIRE “ABILITIESFIRST”
Developing relationships between community employers and persons
with disabilities
PRESS RELEASE
A
bilitiesFirst connects local business with the untapped labour pool of persons with disabilities.
We are committed to providing the employer with information resources to assist with their
hiring needs. First launched in June, 2007 AbilitiesFirst will continue into 2010. With funding from The
Ministry of Community and Social Services Ontario Disability Support Program Employment Supports,
the businesses of Brant, Brantford, Haldimand and Norfolk will continue to receive acknowledgment
for encouraging diversity and inclusion in the workplace by recruiting, hiring and retaining people with
disabilities. Employers will continue to have several opportunities to participate in workshops and
information forums courtesy of AbilitiesFirst.
ARE YOU AN ABILITIESFIRST EMPLOYER?
An AbilitiesFirst Employer:
• understands that the greater the diversity of the workforce, the greater the ability
to serve the community
• The Bigger & Better Journey Learning Centre Team recently had the honour of teaching internet skills
to a brilliant gentleman, who just happens to be coming up on his 101st birthday.
• has dispelled the myths typically associated with hiring people with visible and invisible disabilities
• There is an abundance of resources available to seniors of all ages and it is inspiring to see someone
who has celebrated with 100 candles on their birthday cake, taking the initiative to learn new skills
using today’s technology.
• recognizes and hires based on an individuals abilities first
• Our seniors should always be encouraged to learn and grow...to wake up every day and ask “How old
would I be if I didn’t know how old I was?”
Melanie Crawford & her husband Warren own and operate the Bigger & Better
Journey Learning Centre with over 25 years of combined experience in educating &
empowering others. Their commitment to fostering growth in the local community
is made evident through their multiple volunteer engagements, relationships with
local service agencies and through their Benevolence Training Program. For more
information contact the Learning Centre or visit the website at
www.biggerandbetterjourney.ca
• is aware that people with disabilities are a large, growing consumer market
Become an AbilitiesFirst Employer and be part of this growing group!
A Swent and Sons, Selkirk, A&P Brantford, Airvent Metal Products, Alzheimer Society of Haldimand-Norfolk,
Automotive Edge, Best Western Brant Park Inn. BIA of Simcoe, Bridge Staffing, Bryan Fretz Financial,
Deliveries Unlimited, Food Basics Lynden Road, Gorilla Brake and Components, Grand Oaks Emporium,
Haldimand County, Haldimand Flyer Force, Haldimand-Norfolk Resource Centre, Helping Others Thrift
Store, Simcoe, Home Depot Brantford, Hydro One, Instore Focus Inc., Lockwood Manufacturing, Maravox
Solutions Inc., Marco Sales and Incentives, Martin Building Maintenance, Mary Poppins Preschool,
McDonald’s Simcoe, Moose Winooski’s Brantford, NCO, Park Road Veterinary Clinic, QuicKlean, Rona
Simcoe, Rosa Flora Dunnville, Salvation Army Caledonia, Sears Canada Brantford, Sears Canada Simcoe,
Sifton Properties Ltd., Sobey’s Simcoe, Snyders Sweet Corn, The Brantford Golf and Country Club, The
Cobblestone Public House, Tija Ceramic Studio, Trebax Clinics, Unique Boutique, Walmart Brantford,
Wendy’s Restaurant, Icomm Drive, Zehr’s Food Market Caledonia
What AbilitiesFirst Can Do For You!
• Connect you with your local Service Provider and employment candidates
• Educate and assist with understanding The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005) and
your requirements as an employer and business owner
• Help you achieve “AbilitiesFirst Employer” status
• Tour your business and provide input towards workplace accessibility
• Assist with job development and job accommodation
www.abilitiesfirst.ca • Serving Brant, Brantford, Haldimand and Norfolk Communities
4
THE BUSINESS LINK
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
FEBRUARY 2010
COULD ANGER COST YOU YOUR JOB?
You bet your paycheque it could!
BY JULIE CHRISTIANSEN
T
hose who work in human services (mental
health, brain injury, and youth employment),
can tell you that anger is often identified as a “preemployment issue” for people seeking work. In other
words, people with temper problems often had difficulty obtaining and maintaining gainful employment.
But it doesn’t stop there.
For years we have read in the papers and in various
magazines about workplace bullying and the toll
it can take on a workplace. In fact, the provincial
Government of Ontario is in the process of reviewing Ontario’s health and safety laws to ensure that
issues of workplace bullying, mobbing, and other
forms of violence are adequately covered.
According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), workplace
violence is “any act in which a person is abused,
threatened, intimidated or assaulted in his or
her employment.”
Workplace violence is not limited to the actual
work site; for example, a threatening call received
at home from the workplace constitutes an act of
workplace aggression. This phenomenon is not
isolated to public employees like postal workers,
as many would like to believe. Anyone who works
with the public is a likely perpetrator OR victim of
workplace violence. Road rage can happen in the
back of a cab. Air rage is as traumatic for the employees of the airline as it is for the passengers
on the plane. Parent rage at a junior “A” hockey
game can become an act of workplace violence
against the referees, coaches or assistants of a
team! An unwanted slap on the server’s bottom as
she leaves the kitchen with an order is harassment.
As I said before, if you work with people, you’re
bound to experience some kind of conflict. More
often than we care to realize, conflicts escalate
into some form of violence.
While some folks have difficulty obtaining work
because of their anger or attitude, there are many
who can land the job and keep the job. And then,
they make the workplace miserable for everyone
else. They are intimidating. They may be loud and
boisterous. They may be quiet and subversive. And
www.southcoastbookkeeping.com
“Denying that workplace
violence exists will not make
it go away. By implementing
a sound strategy, and ensuring all employees are on the
same page, employers and
workers alike can reduce the
risk and make work a safer
place to be.”
maybe, they even are outright violent in the workplace. Whatever the case, it is often difficult to let
people like this go, especially if they manage to
work their way into positions of power.
So what can you do if you find yourself in
this situation?
Water cooler talk is not the answer. Learning from
the evil master and taking on his or her aggressive
or subversive personality is not the answer either.
There are ways to deal with these difficult personalities, but it takes knowledge, skill, and perseverance.
First you must take responsibility for your own
safety. Find out what your company’s policies are
surrounding health and safety, and be aware of your
rights and responsibilities as a worker. Talk about incidents as they occur, and know where your super-
www.millards.com
visors stand on the overall issue. Agree with your
coworkers that you will not let minor incidents pass
unnoticed; this will help to nip more potentially dangerous occurrences in the bud before they escalate.
Have backup systems in place, and ensure that no
one is ever left in a vulnerable situation.
Employers in Ontario are required to take all reasonable precautions to protect the health and safety
of their employees. Officers and directors need to
establish a workplace violence prevention policy
that must be promoted by upper management.
Human resource managers should examine and
improve hiring practices; implement prescreening
techniques; utilize background checks; encourage
employees to report threats or violent behavior;
establish termination policies; and, provide posttermination counseling. All employees need to be
made aware of the warning signs of aggressive
or violent behavior. Management should also be
trained on how to assess threats and to de-escalate
potentially violent situations. Training in the areas of
conflict resolution, and resolving workplace anger
will also prove invaluable.
Denying that workplace violence exists will not
make it go away. By implementing a sound strategy,
and ensuring all employees are on the same page,
employers and workers alike can reduce the risk and
make work a safer place to be.
Julie Christiansen is an Anger Resolution Expert and
President of Leverage U. To learn more about Leverage U’s corporate coaching programs in the areas
of conflict resolution and preventing workplace violence, contact her at www.juliechristiansen.com.
www.businessbyreferral.ca
INCREASE YOUR WEBSITE TRAFFIC!
Call 519.751.LINK (5465) or Email info@BusinessLinkBrantford.com
FEBRUARY 2010
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
THE BUSINESS LINK
5
NEW CORPORATE DONORS
ON BOARD WITH TWIN PAD
CAMPAIGN
“It is very important for all of us to support the youth of today. The Twin
Pad complex addresses both urban and rural needs and we are glad to
be involved.”
From left to right: Shelly Sutton, Councillor Coleman, John Innes and Mayor Eddy.
rooms and 300 parking spaces.
Located at 944 Powerline Road at Rest Acres
Road, adjacent to Highway 403 in Paris, construction
he Dumfries Mutual Insurance Company, began early in August 2009 and is scheduled for a
founded in May, 1856 in the Village of fall 2010 completion date.
Roseville, has generously given a $45,000 boost to
Your Neighbourhood Credit Union, on January
the Twin Pad campaign. Dumfries Mutual Insurance 29, also stepped up to contribute to the campaign,
Company is the oldest Ontario farm mutual donating $5000 to help with the project. Your
insurance company and has grown from a company Neighbourhood Credit Union, with a long history
that was strictly an insurer against fire perils to one in the area, currently serves approximately
that now offers Residential, Agricultural, Automobile 29,000 members and delivers a full spectrum of
and Commercial coverage. Today,
financial services.
Dumfries Mutual Insurance
Kate Neff, Vice President of
“We are looking
is based in Cambridge, with
Member Services and Marketing
forward to the
customers throughout Brant and
offered, “The campaign committee
Brant County.
presented us with a very nice
completion of
Dumfries Mutual Insurance,
that showed the
the complex and proposal
a long-time supporter of the
importance of this project to Brant
seeing people
4H movement in Ontario sees
County. Your Neighbourhood Credit
the creation of the Twin Pad
Union wants to be a part of people’s
getting out and
Complex in the same light. “It’s
everyday lives and be seen as a
enjoying it.”
for the kids”, says manager
part of this community”.
Shelley Sutton”, “We are a strong
Neff adds, “We are looking
supporter of 4H and this recreational complex falls forward to the completion of the complex and
into the same category, helping youth”. Sutton adds, seeing people getting out and enjoying it.”
“It is very important for all of us to support the youth
Your Neighbourhood Credit Union, with two
of today. The Twin Pad complex addresses both urban branches in Brantford and one in Paris are a full
and rural needs and we are glad to be involved”.
service financial institution, offering a choice of
The Twin Pad Complex will be a welcome addition personalized banking services to fit your needs, your
to sports facilities in the County of Brant and to the schedule and your budget.
people who are concerned with the welfare of area
youth. The fully accessible complex will have two Anyone interested in making a contribution can
NHL regulation sized rinks, seating for approximately contact Marilyn Campbell Davis at the Twin Pad
335 for each rink, 12 dressing rooms with two that Campaign Office in Paris at 519-442-6324, ext
are fully accessible, two separate entrances, a large 3019 or by email at marilyn.campbelldavis@brant.ca
community room, two additional multi-purpose
BY KEVIN LEHMAN
The Business Link
T
6
THE BUSINESS LINK
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
FEBRUARY 2010
SPECIAL FEATURE: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Economic Development & “Inventing a Better Mousetrap”
“BUSINESS TODAY IS ALL ABOUT KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS…”
BY KEVIN LEHMAN
E
conomic Development today often revolves around speed and reliability of
communications. Fiber-optic technology
is one of the newest evidences of inventing the
better mousetrap and is steadily replacing copper wire as a modern means of communication
signal transmission.
Brantford Hydro Inc. (BHI) provides highspeed fiber optic telecommunication connections
through its NetOptiks division. “Business today is
all about keeping in touch with your customers”,
says James Nagle, Director of Business Development. “That means being able to rely on your communication system. Fiber-optics systems allow us
to supply that reliability. We’ve reached the point
where we can provide customers with virtually
any service they require and we also want to hear
what services they’re looking for.”
NetOptiks can now service most commercial
and industrial areas of the City and provide customers with state of the art connectivity to their
local, national and international facilities.
NetOptiks’ marketing plan includes telling
Southern Ontario about the expanding range
of telecommunications services it can provide
customers. There are many applications in the
NetOptiks repertoire, including Wholesale and
Retail Business Internet Services, Point to Point
Transparent LAN Services, Point to Multi-point
Connectivity, Wide Area Network Design, videoconferencing, Voice-Over Internet Phone, Corporate
domain, web, e-mail and e-commerce hosting
services and offsite data storage services.
Their clients benefit from state-of-the-art
technology for a full suite of voice, video and data
services with one point of contact, excellent service and competitive pricing. NetOptiks provides
one stop shopping for all their connectivity needs.
It allows the customer to do what they do best,
run their business.
Around the region, NetOptiks has forged relationships with local service providers to make their
product and service available. NetOptiks, through
Brantford Hydro, has enjoyed a strong working relationship with Brant County Power Services Inc.
and Norfolk Energy Inc. for as long as the three
companies have been in existence.
Tim Roberts, manager of Energy Services for
Norfolk Energy in Simcoe, Ontario also has high
praise for the medium. Norfolk Energy sees their
mission as offering competitive, community based
services to their customers. Their partnership with
NetOptiks, in his words, “allows us to provide
big-city services to large-sized companies in our
predominantly rural area. Our role in the fiber
optic business is to provide the fiber over which
NetOptiks provides their services”.
NetOptiks offers secure and reliable virtual
private networks (VPN) for community-wide
networking requirements. This enables businesses
that need to communicate from several office
locations to transfer their confidential data and
communications over a guaranteed, 24-hour
secure fiber optic connection.
NetOptiks is dedicated to providing the best
FEBRUARY 2010
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
James Nagle, Director of Business Development. Inset: The servers housed at NetOptiks.
customer service possible, continually looking to
provide additional services that will benefit their
customers. They have been in the utility business,
through Brantford Hydro, for nearly a century.
They understand the need to serve their customers
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Nagle adds, “We are a tool of economic development. We say to any business—you can come to
Brantford and we can service you just as well
as any major metro area.” He goes on to say
that NetOptiks has spent a lot of dollars to do
upgrades that allow them to minimize any service interruptions. They can and do guarantee
99.999% reliability. This reliability is at the very
core of their strength.
All service upgrades are done online. Once
connected through Fiber-optic systems, responses
are almost instant. It is like turning on a tap; once
a system is online, everything is available at the
flip of a switch.
The limits of Fiber-optic technology are only
theoretical. They have never been tested. The only
known limit is the imagination of the system
designer and the physical limitation of the
equipment used.
Fiber-optics is the backbone of current-day
long distance as well as local phone systems and
many cyber network systems. Other users include
cable television services, university campuses, office buildings and industrial plants.
NetOptiks offers secure and reliable virtual
private networks (VPN) for community-wide networking requirements. This enables businesses
that need to communicate from several office
locations to transfer their confidential data and
communications over a guaranteed, 24-hour secure fiber optic connection.
NetOptiks is dedicated to providing the best
customer service possible, continually looking to
provide additional services that will benefit their
customers. They have been in the utility business,
through Brantford Hydro, for nearly a century.
They understand the need to serve their customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
THE BUSINESS LINK
7
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ENTERPRISE BRANT SHARES WITH OUR COMMUNITY
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
On January 28th at the Best
Western Brant Park Inn Enterprise
Brant held their Annual General
Meeting and a mini-trade show.
The meeting and show are
open to the public as this event
is Enterprise Brant’s way to report
back to the community their
accomplishments during the
past year.
Immediately following the trade
show was the Annual Awards
Banquet. At the Banquet, clients
from the past were recognized
for their contribution to the
community as a result of having
started a new business with the
assistance of Enterprise Brant.
Clients were recognized for
8
THE BUSINESS LINK
5, 10, 15 years in business. In
addition, there were two clients
recognized that started their
businesses 20 years ago.
The by invitation only dinner
was very well attended with
over 130 guests. After dinner
a brief presentation was made
by Colleen Miller a well known
entrepreneur and community
booster in Brantford. Colleen
is founder of Colleen E. Miller
Enterprises Inc. and was a
former client and past Board
member for Enterprise Brant;
she shared her experiences in
starting and growing her own
business. Colleen has been a
facilitator presenter to Enterprise
Brant’s Business Seminar Series.
John Wiacek Chairman of the
Board of Directors noted
“...Enterprise Brant is proud to
have had the opportunity to
help so many fine businesses get
started in our community. What
you are seeing here this evening
is only the tip of the iceberg. It’s
an honour to be able to serve on
the board.
One of the features at the
trade show was the unveiling
of Enterprise Brant’s new
website. This website features
new interactivity and an
updated look as well with
the tools to assist you in your
business.
John Wiacek
Chairman Board of
Directors
Enterprise Brant
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
FEBRUARY 2010
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Celebrates Our Clients Success
20 YEARS CONTRIBUTING TO BRANTFORD/BRANT
Window Works
Jo-Anne Finucane
L&L Shuttle
Lou Mestekemper
15 YEARS CONTRIBUTING TO BRANTFORD/BRANT
Harold Davis
Heating & Cooling Inc.
Harold Davis
Stevans Sales & Marketing
Ann Fitch
Marlin Travel Downtown
Marisa Brooks
Patricia Spidle
10 YEARS CONTRIBUTING TO BRANTFORD/BRANT
Crazy Bills Inc.
Anne-Marie Boake
Lloyd’s Lock & Security
Lloyd Howley
Runner’s Den
Deborah Jones
KMS Kirby
Mechanical Services
Guy Kirby
Mindspin Studio Inc.
Tanja Neil
Best Foot Forward
Quality Shoe Repair Inc.
Malcolm Ross
5 YEARS CONTRIBUTING TO BRANTFORD/BRANT
Jason Gibson Personal
Chef Services
Jason Gibson
ENTERPRISE BRANT
FEBRUARY 2010
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
Build Mourra Muscle
Ron Mourra
Silhouette Landscape
& Design
Joy & Rick Paul
330 West St., Unit 10, Brantford ON
Rogers Custom
Greenhouse Mfg. Inc.
Paul & Tracy Rogers
Email: info@enterprisebrant.com
Ken’s Computers
Ken Shipman
Website: www.enterprisebrant.com
THE BUSINESS LINK
9
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The Future Of Any Progressive County Is CHANGE
“THE COUNTY OF BRANT IS NOT RESTING ON THE LAURELS OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THEY ARE GEARED TO THE FUTURE…”
BY KEVIN LEHMAN
“T
he County of Brant recognizes that
significant economic changes are
occurring, and will occur, with implications to the Community. Facing these issues
squarely, understanding them and making plans to
meet them head on is the imperative today.”
This statement is part of the County of Brant’s
Values to Guide the Mission of Economic Development and it is the backbone of the development
policy driving the County.
In 2009 much was accomplished. Road improvements, a new ambulance station on Powerline Road, the groundbreaking of the new twin pad
arena, improvements to the South Dumfries community centre and water system, improvements in
Cainsville and other areas number among those
accomplishments.
The County of Brant is not resting on the laurels of their accomplishments. They are geared
to the future: development through growth,
improvement and local prosperity that will be
self-sustaining.
On January 27, 2010, the people of Brant
were invited to attend a community consulta-
The Twin Pad complex construction continues, with completion targeted for fall 2010.
tion with the aim of hearing your feedback; discussing your values and having you share your
ideas to help shape the future. This is a key part
of the development of a 5 year economic Devel-
opment Strategic Plan.
The turnout, according to Eric Rowen, Manager of Economic Development & Tourism for the
County “was fantastic. More than we anticipated
and a great indication of interest from County
citizens”. The attendees filled out questionnaires,
asked and answered questions and demonstrated
the desire of all to play a key role in shaping the
future of the County of Brant.
This strategic plan is being prepared by WCM
Consulting, an experienced firm in this field and is
targeted to be completed by late spring 2010.
The Twin Pad complex construction continues, with completion targeted for fall 2010.
a community room, a referee room, staff offices
and an Ontario Provincial Police sub-station.
The rink slabs will be removed and the new
refrigeration will be installed at the facility. The
project is worth $3 million and is being financed
under the Recreational Infrastructure Canada
(RInC) program. One third of the funding is being provided by the province, a second third by
the federal government and the balance by the
County of Brant.
On the business front, 2010 will see the
30th anniversary of Beauti-Tone Paint and
Home Products. Beauti-Tone was founded in
Burford and will celebrate the event with an
“Windmill Country Farms in Mount Pleasant will complete their
transformation this year. Last year they more than doubled their seating
capacity in order to accommodate their 400 to 500 daily customers.”
Located at 944 Powerline Road at Rest Acres
Road, close to Highway 403 in Paris, it is an important project and is seen as very important to
the families and youth of Brant and important
to the local economy.
The fully accessible complex will have two NHL
regulation sized rinks, seating for approximately
335 for each rink, 12 dressing rooms with two
that are fully accessible, two separate entrances, a
large community room, two additional multi-purpose rooms and 300 parking spaces.
The Twin pad complex is a culmination of
years of efforts to determine the proper way to
develop a recreational facility of this size and
complexity. A little over $14 million of the total
$20 million price tag is being provided by the
federal and provincial governments, with the
balance being provided by the County of Brant
and by the capital campaign.
The Burford arena is also undergoing major renovations in 2010. A 6,500 square foot expansion is
planned that will allow four more dressing rooms,
10
THE BUSINESS LINK
open house and tours of the facility on Brian
Drive on Saturday June 12.
Windmill Country Farms in Mount Pleasant will
complete their transformation this year. Last year
they more than doubled their seating capacity in
order to accommodate their 400 to 500 daily customers. When the project is completed this year,
their premises will have grown to 5,800 square
feet of interior space.
While Ontario continues to emerge from these
challenging economic times, Brant will continue
in its efforts towards providing a balanced place
to live, work and play.
Visit the County of Brant website at
www.Brant.ca often to keep in touch with
ongoing projects and events.
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
FEBRUARY 2010
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Haldimand County Puts Success In
The Path Of Industry
“…THE COUNTY FEATURES THE LARGEST GREENFIELD INDUSTRIAL PARK IN ONTARIO WITH ITS
UNIQUE INDUSTRIAL INFLUENCE AREA.”
SUBMITTED BY HALDIMAND COUNTY
B
usiness investors are discovering first hand the Haldimand
County advantage. Lower land costs and reasonable taxes
can make facility ownership more affordable than leasing
for many operations. Part of Canada’s Greater Golden Horseshoe, the
county features the largest greenfield industrial park in Ontario with
its unique industrial influence area.
Haldimand offers road, rail, seaway and nearby air access to
America’s industrial heartland. Local highways access Ontario’s
main highway corridors. In a day’s drive are the homes of 130
million people, most of North America’s car and light truck plants
and 56% of its industrial market. The County’s dedicated workforce
costs less than Ontario’s average—and nine nearby colleges and
universities help keep skills current.
An emerging energy hub with the Ontario Power Generation Nanticoke
Generating Station as the anchor can be found in Nanticoke. A hydro
corridor with transmission lines runs north from the station and
proposals for natural gas, wind, solar and biomass energy generation
are moving forward.
Situated in a picturesque region with a rich heritage, Haldimand rises
north from the Lake Erie shore on either side of the Grand River. Over
600,000 tourists visit every year to enjoy waterfront recreation and
the County’s many fairs and celebrations. Haldimand residents share in
the relaxed, small-town lifestyle, four-season recreation options and a
full range of social, emergency, healthcare and community services.
Companies located in Haldimand County include: U.S. Steel Canada
Lake Erie Works; J.M. Smucker (Canada) Inc.; Ontario Power Generation
Nanticoke Generating Station; Imperial Oil; Canadian Gypsum
Company; Georgia Pacific Co. Inc.; Kvaerner Sheafer Townsend Ltd.;
Total Distribution Systems Ltd.; Cayuga Materials and Construction
Company Ltd.; Transport Sales and Service; Innophos; R.F. Almas
Company Ltd.; TEME Engineering and Laidlaw Transport—Hagersville.
Haldimand County also hosts growing tourism and film industries—
and a developing food processing cluster with a basis in the County’s
well-developed agriculture sector.
For a closer look at how you can take part in the opportunities
presented by these sectors, visit www.BusinessHaldimand.com or
call 1-800-863-9607.
FEBRUARY 2010
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
THE BUSINESS LINK
11
GRAND RIVER EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PRESENTS:
CORNBREAD AND ROSES 2010
BY KEVIN LEHMAN
The Business Link
G
rand River Employment and Training (GREAT)
is a community organization that delivers
employment and training programs and services to
Six Nations members. GREAT works in partnership
with employers and organizations to increase
employment and training opportunities through the
Workforce Connections Program.
On February 12 2009, GREAT held the first
Cornbread and Roses event. Cornbread and
Roses was intended to bring together Six Nations
businesses and business people from the Brant
and Hamilton area to promote interest in increased
employment and business partnerships. The event
was another step in introducing area businesses to
the Workforce Connections Program.
The Cornbread and Roses event was a resounding
success, attracting 30 vendors and over 300 visitors.
Cornbread and Roses 2010 is scheduled for
Thursday, February 11 and will be an evening of
networking, shopping and a sample of traditional
and contemporary cuisine.
Cornbread and Roses 2010 will run from 6:00pm
to 9:00pm at the Six Nations Community Hall
located at 1156 Fourth Line Road in Ohsweken,
ON. GREAT personnel will again be on hand answer
questions and meet the attendees. Everyone is
invited to attend and it is free of charge.
Funding for the Workforce Connections Program
is provided by the Government of Canada’s PanCanadian Innovation Initiative in partnership
with GREAT. The intent is to provide employment
readiness skills training and a subsidized
employment placement to selected participants.
The effect is to provide Brant and area employers
with a fully trained employee and have the costs
offset by this program.
The benefits to employers from dealing with
“The Cornbread and Roses
event was a resounding
success, attracting 30 vendors
and over 300 visitors.”
Workforce Connections are many: The first and most
obvious is that this program provides a 12 week
wage subsidy after placements are negotiated. The
aboriginal workforce is young and many are fully
trained with skills that are not being utilized. Hiring
aboriginal people could lead to new markets by
increasing exposure to Aboriginal customers.
GREAT’s 2010 Cornbread and Roses event offers
opportunities for community members to learn more
about businesses, products and services available in
surrounding communities as well as opportunities
for job seekers to explore employment possibilities.
GREAT personnel hope that you will plan to go
and enjoy this evening out, meet people and make
some new contacts.
For more information, contact Grand River
Employment and Training in Ohsweken at 16
Sunrise Court, by phone at 519-445-2222,
toll free at 888-218-5230 or online at
www.greatsn.com. Offices are also in
Brantford at 120 Colborne Street, Suite 101,
phone 519-758-9210; in Hamilton at 712
Main Street East, phone 905-548-9593; or in
Fort Erie at 796 Buffalo Road, phone
905-871-8931.
12
THE BUSINESS LINK
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
FEBRUARY 2010
ASK THE EXPERT WANT SAGE ADVICE? YOU’LL GET IT HERE!
Teresa Bujouves
MORTGAGE MASTER
HUMAN RESOURCES EXPERT
QUESTION
QUESTION
Why does everyone tell you
NOT to pay your Taxes with
your mortgage? Are you
paying more to the bank if
you do so???
How do employers get
employees to re-engage
in 2010?
Annette Grant
Branch Manager
ANSWER
This is a question or concern that comes up with almost every transaction that I am involved in. It’s a
valid concern, especially when most consumers are not given a choice when they enter into a high ratio
mortgage, now that insurers are insisting all high ratio mortgages must have property taxes included
in their monthly payments. So, myth dispelled!! Firstly, a consumer that pays property taxes with their
mortgage payment is not paying any interest on this portion of the payment to the bank. Consumers
will pay 1/12th of the annual taxes on their monthly payment and nothing more. Does the bank make
money?? Absolutely, YES, but not from the consumer directly! All lenders enter into negotiations with
municipalities to pay property taxes on behalf of the consumer quarterly or yearly. Therefore, they
collect 1/12th of every consumer’s payment, invest this money in an interest bearing account, and thus
make interest on all the money accumulated until such time as the payments are made!! I must caution
you. When your property taxes increase, please advise your lender. If you do not, by the time the lender
learns of the increase, you may be several months behind and the lender will request the difference in
full, which may catch you off guard!!!!
ANSWER
In a recent online survey by Express Employment Professionals, readers
were asked if they would “job hop” for a better job opportunity. Of nearly
800 respondents, 81 percent said, “Yes,” they would job hop in 2010.
Attrition cost companies thousands of dollars per lost employee. If these surveys are indications of what
is to come, employers could see profits disappear. If employers want a chance to rebound in 2010 and avoid
turnover, they must refocus their efforts on employee engagement.
One tried and true method for rebuilding trust and increasing employee engagement is…communication.
That’s honesty about where the company stands financially, plans for the future, and the necessary steps
to get there. Employers should avoid sugarcoating the truth about the situation and making promises they
can’t deliver. When employers give employees opportunity to feel connected to the rise and fall of a business,
workers feel personally involved and are usually willing to do whatever it takes to help.
An open door policy is a great strategy to keep the lines of communication flowing. Employers should
encourage their employees to ask questions, no matter the topic, and address concerns honestly. Employees
are more inclined to stay loyal and engaged to a company when they feel their concerns are being
considered.
2009 had a huge impact on the workforce, those who have lost jobs, as well as those who are worried
they’ll be next. It’s critical to remember that the real reason companies are successful is because of their
people. Businesses that invest in and value engagement will achieve higher levels of employee satisfaction,
loyalty, and in turn, success.
tel: 519.750.0111
32 Market Street, Brantford
annette.grant@expresspros.com
www.expresspros.ca
tel: 519.770.0044
39 King George Road, Brantford
annette.grant@expresspros.com
BUSINESS RESOURCES EXPERT
FINANCIAL RESTRUCTURING EXPERT
QUESTION
QUESTION
How can I decrease my risk
in business?
What are some of the
warning signs of serious
financial debt?
ANSWER
You can’t always avoid risk, but you can insure against those situations.
A business insurance agent can help you identify the risks your
business may be exposed to and provide customizable insurance
solutions to cover these risks.
To ensure that all your obligations are covered, it’s important to consider
separate policies for the business and your family. Some important kinds of business insurance coverage to consider
include:
General Liability Insurance protects your business from lawsuits due to injuries or damages to others or their
property cause by your products or while on your premises.
Trade Credit Insurance to protect your accounts receivable from losses due to a customer’s inability to pay or
insolvency.
Commercial Property Insurance protects property owned by the business against situations like fire and theft.
Error and Omissions Coverage protects you from lawsuits made due to a mistake or oversight in the
performance of professional services.
Commercial Auto Insurance covers vehicles owned by the business in the event of an auto accident.
Business Interruption Insurance helps cover lost earnings and other expenses if there is a temporary shutdown
of your business due to an insured situation.
You could also consider a business owner’s package that bundles your most essential insurance coverage into one
convenient, cost-effective policy.
Group Benefits Insurance, financial protection for common health-related expenses for you and your employees.
Business Creditor Insurance, to help cover insured outstanding balances on common business lending products.
Trudy Belanco
tel: 519.756.4269
1 Market Square, Brantford
tbelanco@brantford.ca
www.businessresourcecentre.ca
ANSWER
Steve Borsellino
If you are lying awake at night worrying about money, you may be
in a serious debt situation.
What are some of the warning signs of serious debt and financial risk?
• The total amount of your debt increases each month.
• You have not reduced your total debt for six consecutive months.
• You have accumulated debt without a plan to be debt free.
• You are unable to make routine minimum monthly payments on credit cards and loans.
• You are at or over your limit on credit cards.
• You skip paying some bills in order to pay others.
• You are receiving phone calls and letters from collection and credit agencies.
• You are making day-to-day purchases like groceries and movie tickets on credit cards because you
do not have the cash to pay for them.
• You write cheques that bounce.
• You argue with your spouse or family about money or are afraid to talk to your spouse or family
about money.
• If you are experiencing just one of these stressors...
Talk to us... call today for a free discrete consultation... with our caring and compassionate advice...
In Niagara Falls call 905.356.8463
In Welland call 905.732.9100
For other locations in South Central Ontario call 1.866.549.8463 for a location near you.
Steveb@vine.on.ca
www.vineandwilliams.com
www.vine.on.ca
ADVERTORIAL
FEBRUARY 2010
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
THE BUSINESS LINK
13
WHAT DO YOU DO AFTER HOURS?
The pressure of the “afterhours” warrior is real.
Vancouver BC, home of the 2010 Winter Olympics
BY WILL ROWE
The Business Link
W
ow! From February 12 to February 28,
Canada and the world will be engrossed
in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Canada will be at the
height of it’s pride in presenting the winter spectacle of achievement and glory. Most of us will be
planning or attending Olympic parties or watching
the events on new TV’s just purchased for the occasion. We will all be living vicariously through our
fellow Canadians that have trained for years and
even lifetimes to conquer a podium position. But
it’s not just the athletes we need to think about. The
process of bidding for the Olympics takes years. The
committee hours for many would be unthinkable.
But this is how many spend their “afterhours”.
But it goes even deeper than that. Just think of the
boards that people sit on, the service clubs people
devote their free time to and the volunteers that
impact all of our lives. When many people think “Afterhours” it is true that it can be the time to relax,
or greet business associates in an informal social
setting. But for many, it is the beginning of another
day. It is time away from their families or being
“AWOL” from a meeting they were double booked
for. The pressure of the “afterhours” warrior is real.
They give of themselves unselfishly for the betterment of the community. It is the unseen effort of
the few that we all benefit from and through them
we all win gold. So at the next event you attend or
even when you watch the Olympics, remember the
countless hours of dedicated volunteers that made
it all possible. Cheers to those unsung heros!
WHAT EFFECT WILL BILL 168
HAVE ON YOUR BUSINESS?
“I believe that there are three things that smart workplaces need to
do today to manage a successful implementation of Bill 168.”
just means posting new policies and providing a
brief session to introduce them to the employees.
id you know that Bill 168 passed its third With Bill 168 the government has legislated aspects
reading in December? That means that by such as completing a full risk assessment, implesummer the Occupational Health and Safety Act mentation of the results of the assessment, training
will be modified to include workplace violence. and yearly updates.
Many business are not aware how this new legThe last step you need to take to be prepared
islation will impact their work place. I believe that is to spend time getting supervisor and managers
there are three things that smart workplaces need to understand the significance of the Bill. A key
to do today to manage a successful implementa- aspect of this Bill is going to be training. But in
tion of Bill 168.
this case I am referring
First, it is important
to getting buy in from
“With Bill 168 the
to understand the Bill. I
your managers up front,
realize this is an obvious
government has legislated before the implemenstatement. But for many
process so your
aspects such as completing tation
business owners, HR mantraining dollars are well
agers and Health and
a full risk assessment,
spent. Having employSafety people making the
ees understand Bill 168,
implementation of the
time to understand Bill
the different types of viresults of the assessment, olence that it addresses
168 is difficult. There is
lots of great information
and the business case
training and yearly
on the internet. I have a
behind it will allow staff
updates.”
previous blog post and an
and managers to fully
article in Health, Wellness
support it will increase
& Safety Magazine (page 23 at http://bit.ly/6ogcx the value of the training dollars you will be spend—hard copies of the Magazine can be found at ing later to implement your new policy.
the office of The Business Link, 13 Secord Dr., Unit
These three steps can be taken now so that your
3, St. Catharines). As well, the Legislative Assem- company is well on the way to managing all the difbly of Ontario has great information on Bill 168 ferent aspects of this unique Bill as it becomes implehttp://bit.ly/8pdr5u.
mented in your business model by this summer.
Second, you need to know that this Bill impacts
all companies with more than 5 employees and that Michelle MacIntosh is the owner of Symmetries
complying to this Bill will take time, effort and train- – Balance for Work, Balance for Life. To learn more
ing dollars. This fact surprises a lot of small busi- about Bill 168 contact Michelle at 905-941-0000
nesses owners. Implementing other policies often or visit www.symmetries.ca
BY MICHELLE MacINTOSH
D
Workplace Violence
The definition of work related violence that has received
pan-European acceptance is as follows:
“incidents where people are abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances
relating to their work, involving an explicit or implicit challenge to their safety,
well-being or health”.
This can involve violence resulting from industrial disputes, although this is not a
major factor in most incidents. –wikipedia
14
THE BUSINESS LINK
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
FEBRUARY 2010
BUSINESS EVENTS
LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE! JUST EMAIL THE DETAILS TO INFO@BUSINESSLINKNEWSPAPER.COM AND WE’LL MAKE SURE TO
LET THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY KNOW ABOUT IT!
BUSINESS BY REFERRAL
Meets Wednesdays at 7:00am
Location: Sherwood Restaurant, Colborne Street
East, Brantford
Find out more at: www.businessbyreferral.ca
Guest Speaker Michelle Kwasnik, NLP Master
Practitioner
Member cost: $36.75 – Non-members: $47.25
Register online at…
BRANTFORD-BRANT CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE: BUSINESS AFTER HOURS
February 9, 2010
5:00-7:00pm
BDO Canada
505 Park Road North, Unit 1, Brantford
No charge for this event…just show up with your
business cards
BRANTFORD-BRANT CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE: MP & MPP BREAKFAST
February 19, 2010
7:30am
Best Western Brant Park Inn
Holiday Inn Drive, Brantford
Member cost: $18.00 – Non-members: $24.00
Register online at…
www.brantfordbrantchamber. com/index.php?page=eventdetails&eventid=225
Brantford Golf and Country Club
Learn about Job Accommodation and Creating an
Accessible Website
Cost: No charge
To register, contact paula.hall@abilitiesfirst.ca
or call 519-754-2208
BRANTFORD-BRANT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE:
BUSINESS GROWTH LEARNING SERIES
February 25, 2010
9:00am-11:00am
Chamber Offices
77 Charlotte Street, Brantford
No charge for this event
an AbilitiesFirst Employer will speak on his
experiences employing people with disabilities
Cost: No charge
To register, contact paula.hall@abilitiesfirst.ca
or 519-754-2208
ENTERPRISE BRANT-SEMINARS FOR BUSINESS
SUCCESS: MARKETING STRATEGIES
March 9, 2010
9:00am-Noon
330 West Street, Brantford
Cost: No charge
To register, call 519-752-4636
or email info@enterprisebrant.com
www.brantfordbrantchamber.com/index.php?page=eventdetails&eventid=230
PARIS AND DISTRICT CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE: BUSINESS AFTER 5
February 10, 2010
5:30-7:30pm
IQ Tax & Bookkeeping Service
40 Curtis Avenue North, Paris
No charge for this event…just show up with your
business cards
ENTERPRISE BRANT-SEMINARS FOR
BUSINESS SUCCESS: MARKET RESEARCH
February 23, 2010
9:00am-Noon
330 West Street, Brantford
Cost: No charge
To register, call 519-752-4636
or email info@enterprisebrant.com
PARIS AND DISTRICT CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE: CURLING FUNSPIEL
February 12, 2010
12:30pm–4:30pm
Paris Curling Club
14 Oak Avenue, Paris
Members: $15…Non Members: $20
Contact Sue Swinton at 226-208-1159
or email sinjsswint@rogers.com to register
ENTERPRISE BRANT-SEMINARS FOR BUSINESS
SUCCESS: BUSINESS PLAN WRITING WORKSHOP
February 23, 2010
1:30pm-4:30pm
330 West Street, Brantford
Cost: No charge
To register, call 519-752-4636
or email info@enterprisebrant.com
ENTERPRISE BRANT-SEMINARS FOR
BUSINESS SUCCESS: TIME MANAGEMENT
February 16, 2010
9:00am-11:00am
330 West Street, Brantford
Presented by Colleen Miller
Cost: $35 – free for clients currently on
OSEB contract
To register, call 519-752-4636
or email info@enterprisebrant.com
BRANTFORD-BRANT CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE: PST/GST HARMONIZATION…
ARE YOU READY?
February 24, 2010
5:00-7:00pm
Best Western Brant Park Inn
19 Holiday Drive, Brantford
Presented in partnership with KPMG
Chamber Members: $15…Non Members: $25
Register at...
ENTERPRISE BRANT-SEMINARS FOR
BUSINESS SUCCESS: S.M.A.R.T.S. WORKSHOP
March 2, 2010
1:30pm-4:30pm
330 West Street, Brantford
Learn how to ‘work on’ your business not
just ‘in it’.
Cost: No charge
To register, call 519-752-4636
or email info@enterprisebrant.com
ABILITIES FIRST
Bridging Employment: Supporting an Inclusive
Workplace
March 3, 2010
5:00pm-7:00pm
Brantford Golf and Country Club
Mr. Mohan Chohan of Airvent Metal Products and
ENTERPRISE BRANT-SEMINARS FOR
BUSINESS SUCCESS: BUSINESS PLAN
WRITING WORKSHOP
March 9, 2010
1:30pm-4:30pm
330 West Street, Brantford
Cost: No charge
To register, call 519-752-4636
or email info@enterprisebrant.com
HALDIMAND COUNTY COUNCIL 2ND ANNUAL
SPRING BUSINESS BREAKFAST & BUSINESS
EXCELLENCE AWARDS
March 31, 2010
7:30am-9:00am
15 Thorburn St., Cayuga—Please RSVP by March
12, 2010 to 905-318-5932 ext.231 or 1-800-8639607 or email opportunity@haldimandcounty.on.ca
www.brantfordbrantchamber.com/index.php?page=eventdetails&eventid=229
BRANTFORD-BRANT CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE: WOMEN IN BUSINESS
February 17, 2010
5:00pm
Best Western Brant Park Inn
Holiday Inn Drive, Brantford
FEBRUARY 2010
www.BusinessLinkBrantford.com
ABILITIES FIRST
Job Accommodation/Creating an Accessible
Website Employer Forum
February 25, 2010
8:00am-Noon
THE BUSINESS LINK
15