F M OCUS anitoba

ManitobaFOCUS
First Quarter 2010
Entrepreneurial Spirit • Community Values
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Two industry
experts explain
how to harness
the power of
change
Bob Cox, Winnipeg Free Press
Sean McKay, Composites Innovation
Centre Manitoba Inc.
PM#40787580
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THE MCC’s VISION:
• Policy development that brings together businesses of all sizes,
from all sectors, and communities across Manitoba.
• Non-partisan public debates of integrity, that criticize government
where necessary, praise government where warranted, and
disdain personal attacks and exaggeration.
• A Business community that demonstrates high ethical standards
in all it does.
•B
usinesses dedicated to the vitality of their communities,
the prosperity of their employees and the sustainability of the
environment.
Contents
6 Manitoba Matters
News and Notes Relating to our Province and its
Business Community
• A province that understands the nature and value of entrepreneurship
and promotes the competitive enterprise system.
• A provincial government with sound, long-term economic
strategies that are focused without ignoring opportunity, flexibility
and diversity.
•G
overnment policies and spending that are efficient and
effective, delivering the programs that Manitobans need and
helping the disadvantaged.
• A Manitoba that promotes the progress of all its citizens toward
individual freedom, dignity and prosperity, and opposes any form
of negative discrimination or needless control.
8 Exploiting Chaos
Two industry experts explain how to harness the
power of change
11 Diary of an Entrepreneur
By Florence Leung, President and CEO of PeerFX
THE MANITOBA CHAMBERS
OF COMMERCE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS 2009-2010:
OFFICERS
Chairman
Mr. Dennis Brownlee
Immediate Past Chairman
Mr. Ken Wilk
Vice-Chairman
Mr. Wayne McWhirter
Vice-Chairman
Ms. Carol A. Paradine
Vice-Chairman
Mr. David Bayluk
Vice-Chairman
Mr. Frank Sottana
Treasurer
Mr. Chris Dyer
Corporate Secretary
Mr. Jim Forestell
Legal Counsel
Ms. Tracey L. Epp
REGIONAL VICE-CHAIRMEN
Capital Region
Mr. Jack Wilson
Central Region
Mr. David Bayluk
Interlake Region
Mr. Lorne Floyd
Mid-West Region
Ms. Blue Moffat
Norman Region
Mr. Terry Brown
Parkland Region
Mr. Ron Clement
Pembina Valley Region
Ms. Judith Sawatzky
Western Region
Mr. Stuart Olmstead
CHAMBER REPRESENTATIVES
Assiniboia Chamber of
Commerce
Mr. Gerry Glatz
Brandon Chamber of
Commerce
Mr. Chris Griffin
Chambre De Commerce De
Saint Boniface
Ms. Heather Miller
Dauphin & District Chamber
of Commerce
Mr. Brian Chita
CHAMBER REPRESENTATIVES
CONT’D...
Flin Flon & District Chamber
of Commerce
Mr. Doug O’Brien
Morden & District Chamber of
Commerce
Mr. Ross Ariss
Portage & District Chamber
of Commerce
Mr. Daniel Bolton
Selkirk & District Chamber of
Commerce
Mr. David Bayluk
Thompson Chamber of
Commerce
Mr. Keith MacDonald
Winkler & District Chamber
of Commerce
Mr. Ken Thomas
Winnipeg Chamber of
Commerce
Ms. B.J. Reid
DIRECTORS AT LARGE
Mr. Sean Barnes
Mr. Gurpreet Brar
Mr. David Chan
Mr. Scott Craig, CA
Mr. Wadood Ibrahim
Ms. Jamie Alyce Jurczak
Mr. Leonard Loboda
Ms. Michelle Painchaud
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
PAST CHAIRMAN
Mr. Joe Barnsley
Mr. Brian Kelly
Mr. David Newman
Mrs. Julie Turenne-Maynard
Mr. Jeff Zabudsky
EX OFFICIO
Corporate
Mr. Pierre R. Cronier
Aboriginal Chamber
Ms. Sandra Jackson
Young Associates
Ms. Silvia De Sousa
Education
Mr. Digvar S. Jayas,
Mining
Ms. Mary Ann Mihychuk
Social Justice
Mr. David Northcott
Agriculture
Mr. Gary Stott
14 The MCC: Making a Difference
- MCC Presents 2010 Pre-Budget Submission
- PeerFX Offers Online Currency Exchange Savings for
Members of the MCC
- Think You Know the Ministers?
- MCC Experiments with Live Updates during CentrePort Mission
- Business Tips Online (BTO)
18 Work and Play on the Road
By Matthew Bradford
20 Postcards from the Business Edge
- Ref-Nyota
- Sound Strategy Communications Ltd.
22 Focus on Management
Breakthrough Results with Performance Drilling
and Behavioural Embedding
By Rob Johnston, Regional President, Manitoba, Saskatchewan
and NW Ontario, RBC Royal Bank
Publisher
Robert Thompson
Senior Vice-President
Robert Thompson
Editor
Ali Mintenko
Branch Manager
Nancie Privé
Sales Manager
Sharon Komoski
Published by:
Sales Executives
Nolan Ackman, Kari Morgan,
John Pashko, Marlene Moshenko, Pat Johnston
Production Team Leader
Adrienne N. Wilson
Senior Graphic Design Specialist
James T. Mitchell
President
Kevin Brown
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Manitoba Focus is published quarterly
by MediaEdge Publishing for the
Manitoba Chambers of Commerce.
The views and opinions expressed in this
magazine are not necessarily those of
the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, or
MediaEdge Publishing.
Please Return Undeliverable Copies To:
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First Quarter 2010 Manitoba FOCUS • 5
Manitoba Matters
News and notes relating to our province and its business community
For more details on these stories and other Manitoba News, go to www.mbchamber.mb.ca
CN Selects Children’s
Hospital Foundation of
Manitoba as Community
Charity for 2010 CN
Canadian Women’s Open
E
ach year since 2006, CN and the
Royal Canadian Golf Association
(RCGA) have generated funds to
support a children’s hospital by
matching donations made through
initiatives associated with the CN
Canadian Women’s Open. In the
past four years, this program has
raised more than $3.5 million for
children’s hospitals.
Cargill Captures “Do
Good” Stamp From
Ladies’ Home Journal
T
o receive the stamp, an
independent advisory panel must
decide that a company’s charitable
works are innovative, results-oriented
and involve its consumers
and employees.
Manitoba Egg Farmers
Leads the Country with
New Welfare Policy
M
anitoba Egg Farmers is
committed to the care and wellbeing of our laying hens. As a result
of advancements in behavioural and
welfare research, it is recognized and
accepted that husbandry systems
for hens should provide for the Five
Freedoms. After 2018, all new housing
facilities for laying hens in Manitoba
will be required to meet this policy.
Viterra to Acquire
Dakota Growers
Pasta Company
B
ased in Carrington, North Dakota,
Dakota Growers operates one
of the largest durum mills in North
America and is the third largest
producer and marketer of dry pasta
products, primarily supplying the
ingredient, food service and private
label retail markets.
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6 • Manitoba FOCUS First Quarter 2010
Province Launches New
Safe Farms Check
Program to Help Reduce
Injuries, Deaths: Struthers
T
he launch follows a two-year pilot
project and will offer Manitoba
producers a safety and health plan
template that can be customized to
individual farms.
Thompson Dorfman
Sweatman LLP Receives
National Recognition
F
or the 3rd year Standing Lexpert
has recognized TDS as the Leading
Manitoba Corporate Law Firm. TDS is
the only Manitoba firm to be placed
at the centre of its 2010 “Bulls-Eye”
ranking of such practices in Winnipeg.
Cangene’s Winnipeg
Plasma Centre Relocates
to New Facility
“T
his plasma centre actually
started out at the University of
Manitoba many years ago, so I think it
really is great that we are able to bring
this full circle and move back to the
campus after all this time,” said Centre
Manager, Cheryl Lawson.
Kevin Chief Wins
Award For Exceptional
Community Service
C
hief is a role model and advocate
for Winnipeg inner-city children
and youth and is an inspirational
Coordinator of UWinnipeg’s Innovative
Learning Centre team.
EPIC Information
Solutions has been
Named one of the Top 50
Best Small and Medium
Employers in Canada!
E
PIC Information Solutions is No.
9 on this year’s list, which was
compiled by the Queen’s Centre
for Business Venturing (QCBV) at
the Queen’s School of Business in
Kingston, Ontario.
Edward Kennedy, North
West Co., Profiled as Top
Retail Executive
T
he North West Co. has long been
a provider of daily necessities
to people living in remote northern
communities. However, under
Kennedy’s leadership, the company
has also become an essential part of
life in other remote regions, such as
the South Pacific.
CIBC Becomes First
Major Canadian Bank to
Offer a Mobile Banking
App for iPhone
T
he App gives CIBC clients the
flexibility to use their iPhone or
iPod touch to check account balances,
transfer funds, pay bills and even send
Interac email money transfers.
Budget Plan Earns
International Award
For Excellence
“T
he award and additional
recognition earned in four
categories this year reflects our
continued efforts at seeking excellence
in all aspects of budget presentation,”
said Winston Hodgins, Manitoba
Lotteries President and CEO.
Cargill Is Piloting Video
System To Audit Food Safety
B
y watching near real-time video,
Arrowsight’s third party auditors monitor
how consistently employees perform their
work and provide constructive statistical
feedback to plant management.
Local Collette Vacations
Rep Scores Four Awards
R
yan Mikucki, District Sales Manager
for Manitoba, Saskatchewan and
Northwestern Ontario received the awards
during Collette Vacations’ sales meeting
which this year was held in Israel and Jordan.
$60,000 for Red Cross
P
eak of the Market’s announced target
was to raise $40,000 for the Canadian
Red Cross - 20 cents at a time. The final
total exceeded all expectations with 259,341
bags of locally grown vegetables sold.
First Quarter 2010 Manitoba FOCUS • 7
I
t is standard wisdom to say newspapers are dying.
But it is not true.
Newspaper circulation and readership are growing,
thanks to the introduction of free papers in larger cities
and the reach of the Internet. The Winnipeg Free Press
is read daily around the world.
Newspapers are not dying. They are changing so quickly
Bob Cox
that they are going through what economists call
“creative destruction.”
Creative destruction leaves a lot of immediately apparent damage, but also
sows the far less visible creative seeds of revitalization.
The process can be chaotic, but you can accomplish a lot, as noted by
Jeremy Gutsche in Exploiting Chaos: 150 Ways to Spark Innovation During
Times of Change.
Gutsche suggests exploiting chaos by fighting complacency and resistance
to change, challenging existing business cultures, avoiding retreating to
your comfort zones and exploring uncertainty.
That is not how newspaper people normally operate, but chaos can change that.
In 2009, the Winnipeg Free Press was already adjusting to the digital world.
Then a strike in October 2008 cost about $4 million. Next came a recession
that cut ad revenues by 20 per cent. Then it faced a refinancing deadline
that required finding $60 million in a frozen credit market.
Free Press managers acted unlike traditional newspaper people. They realized that they needed to reorganize the business permanently. The resulting
changes were unimaginable a year ago:
• Eliminated home delivery on Sundays and created one big weekend paper.
• Replaced free printed papers for schools with electronic editions.
• Reorganized newspaper distribution, closing depots and reducing staff.
• Reorganized classified advertising, which had been set up to take ad
orders over the phone.
• Started a Sunday tabloid only available for single-copy sale.
• Launched online sites for key advertising, including autos and homes.
• Started a community newspaper for southwest Winnipeg.
• Integrated Canstar community newspapers into the Winnipeg Free Press,
eliminating an entire carrier force.
Some of these moves seem crazy.
But Gutsche advises you to question rational thought, and to intentionally
destroy in order to create.
Most rational thinking was that the Sunday paper could never be stopped.
But it was never profitable.
Eliminating Sunday delivery allowed the Free Press to create tremendous
value in the weekend paper, which is better than any paper the Free Press
has ever produced.
That is what management tried to do across the organization — not simply
cut costs, but build something new and more sustainable.
The creative destruction and chaos is not over. But the paper is better positioned
to thrive because it has learned how to adapt to change coming at a dizzying pace.
Bob Cox is the publisher of the Winnipeg Free Press and Canstar Community News. He has also served as editor of the Free Press, which has been
publishing continuously in Winnipeg since 1872.
Check out an expanded version of Cox’s article at www.mbchamber.mb.ca
8 • Manitoba FOCUS First Quarter 2010
I
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Jeremy Gutsche’s Exploiting Chaos:
150 Ways to Spark Innovation During
Times of Change argues that chaos
is the cutting edge, and the ability
to harness power of that tempest
separates the winners from the
“also rans.” And he points out that
sooner or later every business
will experience the chaos of a
changing environment.
Culture of Revolution
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
1. Perspective
• Assume tremendous potential in rival ideas
• Avoid retreating to your comfort zone
2. Experimental Failure
• Don’t ask, “Do you like it?” Ask, “What’s wrong
with it?”
• Don’t celebrate the attainment of the summit,
celebrate the style of the climb
3.Customer Obsession
• Fight the confidence that you know your
customer
4. Intentional Destruction
• Celebrate that nothing is precious
Trend Hunting
“Innovation and strategic advantage hinge
on your ability to anticipate trends and
identify the next big thing.”
1. Reset: Erase your expectations and start with
a blank slate.
2. Hunt: Study customer needs, market
dynamics, and random sources of inspiration.
3. Cluster: Identify meaningful patterns, not
macro trends.
4. Re-Cluster: Force yourself to look beyond
your initial bias.
W
G
N
N
I
TI CCHHAAOOSS
Gutsche offers a self-described “quintessential road map” for all those
seeking opportunity in times of change.
Here is a breakdown of his basic
framework, examples of his insights,
and how two leaders in Manitoba have
coped with the “chaos” surrounding
their fields. You can find out more
about Gutsche and his ideas at
www.TrendHunter.com.
Adaptive Innovation
“…think big while acting small.”
1. Be methodical, but circular
• Define a clear customer need
• Ideate like it matters
• Synthesize in a smaller team
• Create rapid prototypes
• Test and optimize
• Repeat
2. Manage innovation like a stock portfolio
• Diversify
• Control the size of your bet
• Don’t overreact
• Bigger risk = bigger reward
• Pursue alpha (disproportionate value)
• Ignore sunk costs
Infectious Messaging
“Well-packaged stories travel
faster than ever.”
• Create something that is interesting to your
customers, and your product will have the
potential to become viral.
• Package your product like it’s the best in
the world.
• Whether your story is conveyed through text,
image or sound, adapting to the lifestyle of
your customer can have a profound effect.
e are in one of the oldest cutting-edge fields
around. Composites are made from two or
more materials that combine to create a
better, more durable material. The first composites
date back to ancient times when straw was mixed with
clay to make bricks. Today, advanced technologies are
combining materials like fibreglass, carbon or graphite,
aramid, polypropylene, and even natural materials such
as flax, hemp and straw in everything from aerospace to
the automotive, biomedical and sporting goods markets.
Sean McKay
Gutsche is right; you need to be methodical as you pursue innovation.
It’s a fine balance of pursuing a wide, wild range of ideas in a way that
doesn’t take you off track and returns to your fundamental goal - value to
your customers.
The Composites Innovation Centre’s innovation process may not exactly
match the framework developed by Gutsche, but they are kindred spirits.
Our “project pipeline” process seeks to identify, assess and select projects.
During the initial definition process projects are described, the client and
collaborators are identified, its purpose is cross-checked against performance measures aligned to our strategic objectives, and an estimate of
resources and cost is combined with a preliminary assessment of the
funding that would be required.
Our key strategic objectives relate to Gutsche’s fundamental point that innovation needs to deliver value. We look at whether the innovation will bring
in new clients, repeat clients, develop a new capability and/or transfer a
technology to our industrial partners.
Once the level of effort is defined, a candid look at our ability to take on the
initiative is conducted regarding whether the resources it will demand will
eclipse the result we expect.
The screening process looks at feasibility in terms of technical risk and
economic viability. The technical risk is balanced against economic risk
and, together with the strength of its match with our strategic directives,
provides for a determination as to whether funds will be allocated and how
much is warranted.
Next we move on to the planning process. We refine the work statement with
the customer and develop what the deliverables are going to be, how we’ll
accomplish it, who is to perform the work and what it will cost.
A review process is then enacted that includes senior management, and
often a project review committee comprising members of our board of directors. The committee assesses and confirms whether the project is actually
aligning with our strategic objectives and whether the technical and financial
contributions are reasonable and within our established guidelines.
One thing Gutsche seems to miss is the power of partners to extend your
innovation. We have developed a comprehensive network of industry partners and institutions like Red River College, the University of Manitoba and
NRC laboratories in order to effectively meet our client requirements.
Sean McKay is Executive Director of Composites Innovation Centre Manitoba Inc. (CIC), a not-for-profit organization whose main goal is supporting
economic growth of composite component manufacturers. It is governed
by an industry-led board of directors consisting of many key industries in
Manitoba including Boeing Winnipeg, Magellan Aerospace, Motor Coach
Industries, Structural Composites Technologies, Schweitzer Mauduit Canada
and Acsion Industries. www.compositesinnovation.ca
First Quarter 2010 Manitoba FOCUS • 9
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10 • Manitoba FOCUS First Quarter 2010
Diary
Diary of an
Entrepreneur
An inside look at the joys, struggles and
successes of being an entrepreneur
T
his issue features Florence Leung,
President and CEO of PeerFX,
an online peer-to-peer currency
exchange that changes exchanging by bringing people together to
exchange with each other, cutting out
unnecessary fees in the process. Additional information may be found at:
www.peerfx.com.
Feb 1
Finished proposal for a partnership where
we would get passive income. The way to
set up a partnership is to provide our back
end system to the partner, which is essentially streamlined with low overhead, and
have the partners manage the sign-ups of
their members to our services. We also
look at providing incentives such as revenue
sharing with affiliates so that they market
our services to their customers. I am a
huge proponent of making the pie bigger so
everyone gets a piece.
Feb 3
Team meeting to look into our sales numbers
from the past month and recruiting efforts.
Five interviews and one moving on to the
next round. A lot of companies say they hire
based on personal skills and qualifications
they see on the resumé – but what does it all
come down to in the end? The person has
to be likable, and we need to feel that they
can do a great job of whatever we pass their
way. How do we test for this? We give them
a task to work on and see how they do!
Feb 5
Presenting my workshop on business
implementation at the Enterprize Business
Plan Competition, a national business conference for the brightest minds in business.
Totally kicked butt on this one – I’ve done
PeerFX proud.
Feb 6
On a jet plane to Toronto and pumped to
bring on our future Director of Sales. Looking forward to meeting him in person after
eight months of emailing.
Feb 8
Spent an hour trucking out on the GO train
to meet our potential hire; he didn’t disappoint and I can see that his experience,
energy and ability to get things done will be
an invaluable addition to our team. At the
point where we are now, hiring key people
to the core team takes a LOT of time, as it
should. As the president of a small start up,
it costs a lot to on-board a new employee,
to train them and familiarize them with the
business, so it’s not just the cash flow that
goes to the employee. For me it took eight
months for both the senior sales executive
and myself to be comfortable and trust each
other. You know you’ve hit this point when
you can talk about strategy, sales and all aspects of business openly.
Feb 10
Had a 15 minute meeting with my advisor
in Toronto; I look up to him because he’s
super efficient with his time, asks the right
questions to get the necessary information
about the company and gives to the point
and executable advice. By the “right questions,” I mean he doesn’t ask about things
that don’t matter. He defined sales volume
as the key goal in the business right now,
so he asked what the trend has been for
our sales, whether it’s growing, whether
current volumes are sustainable and how
we plan on growing our sales as we forecasted. Things that don’t matter are things
that don’t drive sales. For example, signing up a new partner is great, but how
long does it take to fully on-board this new
partner? Are sales going to come in right
away? If not, then it’s not an immediate
matter. In a small business there are usually 5,000 things going on at once, and it’s
prioritizing using the above method that
gets us focused in on what’s important.
First Quarter 2010 Manitoba FOCUS • 11
Diary
Feb 12
Phone meeting with government advisor on
getting financing out in Asia; taking some
time to reflect on where the best opportunities are for a company such as our own,
Vancouver itself just isn’t a financial service centre. I have always pitched PeerFX
to technology investors, since we have a
patent-pending process that will change the
way small businesses and individuals exchange their money. Upon reflection, PeerFX is actually a branding business; the initial
draw for our customers is the savings, but
the retention happens with our brand, which
includes the service, credibility, our partnership network, etc. Financers in Asia look to
strategic investments, and places such as
Hong Kong and Shanghai have investors
that are attracted to these opportunities.
Currency exchange is a commodity market
that has been boring for a long time, and
PeerFX is here to make it sexy.
Feb 15
Got a chance to catch up with another
awesome entrepreneur today via phone. He
is in the non-profit space running an online
charity that uses the funds collected to
microfinance businesses. He shared some
of his past experiences in terms of getting
financing and provided me with insight into
how to pitch investors with what PeerFX
currently has. He said it’s okay not to have
everything in place right now, but paint the
right picture and let the investors know what
their funds can do for the business. What
milestones will their money help us achieve?
What does that do for them in terms of
growing shareholder value?
Feb 19
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the finest executive class suites in Winnipeg
Daily and extended stay accommodations
Leather furniture, granite countertops, 32” flat screen HDTV
Free wireless high speed internet
Well appointed kitchens with new appliances
Spent the day dealing with our system
developers to see how we could speed up
the process to hit our end of March deadline. When you sign a contract you expect
things to be completed on time. Let me tell
you what…with developers/programmers/
engineers alike, you can expect that 90 per
cent of the time you will discover something
new along the way that has to be built and
the project won’t be finished on time. Do
you tell them not to develop these additional new features/functionalities they have
discovered? I chose to let them develop all
the features they recommended and push
them for the same deadline. When you can
get everyone on the same page and convey
how much it means to you that the project
gets done on time, 99 per cent of the time
they will work harder to help you meet your
goal. My developers are awesome.
Feb 28
www.placelouisriel.com
190 Smith Street, Downtown Winnipeg, MB, Canada TF: 1.800.665.0569
12 • Manitoba FOCUS First Quarter 2010
PLA 11366-MB Focus Ad-FIN.indd 1
This is probably the best way to finish off my
diary of an entrepreneur submission – Canada
Men’s Hockey takes GOLD. We wrap up the
month with new sign-ups every day, and more
social media coverage and website traffic.
Time to ramp it up in March!
9/22/09 3:25:06 PM
The North American tour.
We do that, too.
NORTH AMERICA’S RAILROAD
We’re CN. And with our extensive rail network reaching every major market on
the continent, we’re North America’s Railroad. Proud sponsor of the CN Canadian
Women’s Open, the CN Canadian Women’s Tour, the CN Future Links junior golf
program, and CN Miracle Match, a national charitable initiative supporting
children’s hospitals.
When you make a donation to CN Miracle Match leading up to and during
the CN Canadian Women’s Open, CN will match your gift. This year supporting
The Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.
Lorie Kane,
LPGA touring professional
www.cnmiraclematch.ca
www.cn.ca
August 23-29, 2010
St. Charles Country Club, Winnipeg
www.cncanadianwomensopen.com
TICKETS AT 1-866-571-LPGA (5742)
THE MCC:
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Think You Know
the Ministers?
MCC Launches “Meet the Ministers”
Video Series.
This new video series is dedicated to
helping Manitobans find out a bit more
about their political leaders. Each video has a Minister answering five
questions:
Graham Starmer, MCC President (l),
makes a point with Finance Minister
Rosann Wowchuk
• What is the biggest surprise relating to
your new department?
• What is the biggest challenge in relation
to your department?
MCC Presents 2010 Pre-Budget Submission
For the fifth year in a row the MCC’s Pre-Budget submission championed the Chambers’
Great Jobs Agenda.
“I am proud that for five years we have presented a consistent and comprehensive vision to
enhance Manitoba’s prosperity in a knowledge-based economy that is increasingly global,”
explained MCC President Graham Starmer. “Indeed, these challenging times and a growing
number of authorities are proving the wisdom of our advice.”
The Great Jobs Agenda is an eight-point plan that places the goal of “great jobs” as the focal
point. In turn, the agenda argues that creativity is the key to great jobs.
For the first time the MCC prepared a summary “Agenda Scorecard” to help gauge the progress
that has been made on the Great Jobs Agenda.
To find out more go to www.mbchamber.mb.ca.
PeerFX Offers Online Currency Exchange
Savings for Members of the MCC
Do you exchange U.S. dollars to Canadian dollars or vice
versa? As a Manitoba Chambers of Commerce member,
you have exclusive access to an additional 10 per cent
discount on our industry-leading low cost currency
exchange service for small- to medium-sized businesses. PeerFX is an online currency exchange company that has a peer-to-peer currency exchange model
matching currency exchangers up with others. This low overhead process saves small- to mediumsized businesses and individuals up to 80 per cent in transaction fees compared to leading banks.
Find out more at www.mbchamber.mb.ca.
14 • Manitoba FOCUS First Quarter 2010
• What is the biggest opportunity in relation
to your department?
• What inspired you to get into politics?
• What is your favourite office knick-knack
and why? Editions featuring the Minister of
Finance and Minister of Infrastructure
and Transportation are now available at
www.mbchamber.mb.ca or on YouTube.
Steve Ashton, Minister of Infrastructure
and Transportation
MCC Experiments with Live Updates during CentrePort Mission
The MCC continues to lead the way in
its efforts to leverage the Internet and
social media to serve Manitoba’s
business community.
Recently it used its Virtual Network site to
feature updates from MCC President Graham
Starmer as he participated in the CentrePort
mission to the U.S. Starmer’s posts provided
an ongoing report on the mission, key
links and pictures.
“We know CentrePort is a huge issue
so we had already created a CentrePort
discussion on the MCC Virtual Network
where our members could get updates
on the project and share their thoughts”
said Starmer. “So it just seemed natural
that I post there while the mission
was happening.”
Providing key information in a timely way
is part of the MCC’s goal of ensuring its
members are informed.
Laughs Starmer, “I knew the posting
experiment was a hit when I sat down
for coffee in Minnedosa and someone
approached me and said I seemed run off
my feet during the mission.”
Find out about CentrePort and the many
ways the MCC Virtual Network can help you
at http://manitobachambers.ning.com/.
Take a closer look at
Part of the Red River Valley
Research Corridor
Gateway to the United States
Grand
Forks
Established anchors:
• University of North Dakota
• Energy & Environmental
Research Center
• Research Enterprise &
Commercialization Park
Resources & expertise of
the Economic Development
Corporation to ensure your
growth
To discuss your opportunities for business in
Grand Forks, contact Klaus Thiessen.
An ideal partner to
help grow your business
701-746-2720│klaust@grandforks.org
www.grandforks.org
First Quarter 2010 Manitoba FOCUS • 15
BUSINESS TIPS ONLINE (BTO)
The BTO section of the MCC website features think-pieces on the issues that matter to business.
Topics include innovation, HR, media relations and more.
Here is a sampling of recent articles:
Innovation Is Our Hidden Deficit
By Kevin Lynch, Vice-chair of BMO Financial
Group and former clerk of the Privy Council and
secretary to the cabinet
Evaluating Productivity: Make Sure You
Have Performance Guidelines Geared To
Your Organization
By Barbara J. Bowes, president of Legacy
Bowes Group, author of three books and host of
the weekly BowesKnows radio show.
A Quick Response: Media Relations Tip #2
What Kind of Manager Are You?
By Lisa Saunders, co-founder of Sound
Strategy Communications Ltd. and a
communications specialist with over 15 years
experience working as a broadcaster,
journalist and publicist.
By Robert Half International
To find out more about these and other BTO pieces go to the
Business Tips Online portion of www.mbchamber.mb.ca.
Want to contribute to BTO? Email doverall@mbchamber.mb.ca.
Associations and Corporations frequently
select cities for their major conferences and
conventions because of the drive of their local
leaders. These events have a major impact on the
commerce of Winnipeg when they are held here.
Is it time for your group to consider Winnipeg?
Advice you can count on.
At Taylor McCaffrey, we understand your needs. Whatever question you may have,
we’ll work together with your business to provide sound guidance and focused solutions
for your legal matters. Let our knowledgeable Taxation, Estate and Business Law
Departments handle your questions with advice you can count on.
Frank Lavitt,
B. Comm (Hons), C.G.A. (Hon), LL.B., TEP
Phone: (204) 988-0438
email: flavitt@tmlawyers.com
Douglas Finkbeiner, Q.C.
Phone: (204) 988-0414
email: definkbeiner@tmlawyers.com
Let us help you!
For further information contact:
Debbie Maslowsky, Program Director
375 York Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3C 3J3
Phone: 957-4526
Email: innercircle@wcc.mb.ca
Taxation & Estate Department
Business Law Department
The Winnipeg Convention Centre invites you to
join Winnipeg’s Inner Circle. It is comprised of
Winnipeggers like you who want to bring future
conferences and conventions here, but need the
additional resources that an organization like the
Winnipeg Convention Centre can provide.
9th Floor, 400 St. Mary Avenue,
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3C 4K5
Phone: (204) 949-1312
Fax: (204) 957-0945
www.tmlawyers.com
16 • Manitoba FOCUS First Quarter 2010
Promoting our City from within.
Workplace Injuries Are
PREVENTABLE
For more information on preventing injuries visit
www.safemanitoba.com
Work and
on
the
Play
Road
By Matthew Bradford
G
ive them a place to work and
they’ll bring the laptop. Give them
a place to play and they’ll also
bring the family. Be it a generational quirk
or a desire long overdue, employees are
seeking a greater balance between work
and play, placing the onus on the hospitality industry to either accommodate or
risk losing the business.
So just what caused the world’s workforce to start longing for a little more fun
during the daily grind? As Rheanne Gray
with Russell Inns sees it, the drive for a
better rounded workday has been brewing
since we first started clocking in. “[Work/
play balance] has been important to
employees, managers, and self employed
people since the dawn of time, but has
not been possible for the masses until the
modern age,” offers Gray. “Providing them
with an opportunity to merge work with
family time is of critical importance to our
clientele,” she adds.
There’s little dispute that repeat business
is the bread and butter of the hospitality
industry, which is why many in the field
have had no qualms with adapting their
facilities and services to appeal to both
business and family minded clientele.
Besides the picturesque beauty of Manitoba, the province offers much by way of
entertainment for families, or individuals.
“Hotels understand the importance of the
work and play balance and how tough it
is for individuals with family and work —
and for the workplaces themselves — to
take this into account when planning,” says
John Anderson, hotel general manager
with South Beach Casino and Resort. And
while some responsibility falls on the work-
18 • Manitoba FOCUS First Quarter 2010
place to create the right blend of work and
leisure while out of the office, Anderson
admits that, “hotels and the hospitality
industry play a part in this with assistance
in itineraries and the various components
that can add value and variety to the standard 9 to 5 meetings.”
Fully equipped with over 600 slot
machines, tropical pools, lounge spaces
and a slew of activities for families, it’s
safe to say that the South Beach Casino
and Resort has the entertainment end
covered. In accommodating their more
work minded clients, this popular Winnipeg
resort also features 5,000 square feet of
event space, adaptable meeting rooms,
group planning services, free high-speed
Internet throughout the hotel, guest
rooms equipped with business desks, and
extras like voicemail messaging and long
distance calling rates. In making space
and resources available for both business
and pleasure, the South Beach Casino and
Resort strikes a balance that has no doubt
been positive for the bottom line.
You can also add Russell Inn to the list
of companies who simply ‘get it.’ Already
outfitted with ample meeting space and
business resources, Gray and her team —
under the leadership of manager Daymon
Guillas — recognized the need for more in
the way of entertainment and family provisions. Their solution? The Asessippi All
Season Resort. A key force in its creation,
Russell Inn worked with partners to create
a nearby ski resort and outdoor activity
haven which has come to take on a life
and popularity all its own. Explains Gray:
“We recognized that guests who wish
to bring partners along or families are
looking for quick, affordable, quality activities as well as a cushion of hospitality.
Now, we have many tourism and recreational opportunities that we’ve spent years
developing and will continue to develop to
encompass every season. The Asessippi
All Season Resort is our finest example,
but we also make an effort to discover
what it is that is important to people and
then, well, then we create it.” And don’t forget the essentials.
Reports Gray: “We’re now adding a
Tim’s. It would be sacrilege to have a
foodservice cluster in Canada without a
Tim Hortons!” Though unable to provide much in the
way of extravagant entertainment for kids,
Rocheen Samorodny, general manager
with the Comfort Inn Winnipeg Airport is
still very much aware of the benefits of
doing so. “Corporate travel is one of our
key segments,” recognizes Samorodny.
“If the corporate traveller is bringing their
family, it’s very necessary to ensure we
can accommodate them. Otherwise, the
negative impact would very much reflect
a downturn on revenue.”
asy?
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en-suite movies and child-friendly staff
make th
is just part of the Comfort Inn’s strategy.
The other half is taking full advantage
of their prime location. “Our area is
very appealing to families, especially
with children,” says Samorodny. Situated near Polo Park, one of Winnipeg’s
29_0147_29132 TarotAd SQ.indd 1
largest malls, as well as movie theatres,
museums, big box stores and many other
attractions, Samorodny is assured that,
Chartered Accountants
“along with the city’s appealing theatres
Maria
and festivals, any family would have
29-0147
plenty to do and see while in Winnipeg.”
03
Clearly, how each hotel attracts their
business is different and dependent
Mar 23/09
on their location, current clientele and
Mar 19/09
resources on hand. Offers Gray: “Every
hotel, tourism operator, or area is going
to find their offer niche; one that 100%
fits
within their unique atmosphere or area. To say that a certain set of criteria is
the magic formula to meet the needs
of today’s business or pleasure traveller would be arrogant, erroneous, and
perhaps insulting to the customer.”
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3/24/09 11:03:08 AM
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However it happens, the big business
lies in making a place that can be both
an escape for families and a place to get
down to work.
Explains Gray: “If we can find a sincere
way of providing that, we’ve created a
stronger tie to our customer and therefore, repeat visits.”
First Quarter 2010 Manitoba FOCUS • 19
BLACK
100%
Ref-Nyota
158 Fort Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3C 1C9 www.refnyota.com
What They Do: Empower refugees to flourish and grow with their talents.
Claim to Fame: “We are proud to be the first for-profit organization formed by a former refugee to focus on
empowering refugees to gain economic independence and become strong contributing members of Canadian
society through the use of their talents and skills.”
Business Philosophy: “We all know the old saying ‘give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a
man to fish and he’ll eat forever.’ It is now time not just to teach refugees to fish, but to trust that they already
can fish. The need is to assist them in employing what they’ve already learned, and thereby enable them to
use their skills to create economic opportunity and independence for themselves.”
Serge Kaptegaine, Founder, Ref-Nyota
POSTCARDS FROM THE BUSINESS EDGE
Sound Strategy Communications Ltd.
104 - 287 Tache Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R2H 3B8 www.soundstrategy.com
What they do: Sound Strategy Communications Ltd. attracts positive media coverage to your business and
increases awareness about your product or service. The company specializes in media relations, publicity,
media training seminars, corporate writing, graphic and web design - and having fun!
Lisa Saunders,
Co-Founder,
Sound Strategy
Communications Ltd.
Claim to fame: Sound Strategy’s team consists of well-trained communications professionals and former awardwinning journalists who have worked for every major news network in Canada. They’ve leveraged their editorial
expertise with extensive public relations experience to lead a number of successful campaigns locally and nationally.
Business Philosophy: “The key to being a successful service provider is to build and nurture relationships
with your clients. If you take the time to truly understand and connect with your clients, the level of
trust skyrockets and you end up with a good friend, as well as a good client.“
Space for Growth
Southport is a property management and development company
supporting aviation, training and commercial initiatives.
Airport FAcilitieS:
4 active runways with a
Transport Canada approved
air traffic control tower,
ground support services,
and light aircraft parking.
commerciAl SpAce &
educAtionAl FAcilitieS:
Customized space is
available in existing
buildings for commercial
& educational facilities.
commerciAl lAnd:
80 hectares of prime land
(groundside and airside)
are available for new
commercial & industrial
development with low taxes
& competitive lease rates.
eASy AcceSS:
Centrally located in Canada,
with easy access to major
transportation routes and
the USa.
H REGULAR FLATBEDS
H LOW BED SERVICE
H CONTRACT HAULING
Tel: 204-428-6030
Toll free: 1-800-558-4680
email: saci@southport.mb.ca
web: www.southport.mb.ca
20 • Manitoba FOCUS First Quarter 2010
PL 55 PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE
“You Call... We Haul”
H REFRIGERATED SERVICE
FOCUS on Management
Breakthrough Results
with Performance Drilling
and Behavioural Embedding
By Rob Johnston,
Regional President
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and
NW Ontario, RBC Royal Bank
T
he title may sound complex, but in actual fact, what I am speaking
of is the tried and true results that come from a sports model for
coaching applied to the business environment.
RBC Royal Bank works closely with Cohen Brown, a world leader
in performance consulting, to help us reach our productivity potential and consistently perform the way we know our employees are
capable of. As part of an RBC hosted event Cohen Brown recently met
with more than 100 business leaders in Winnipeg to present a short
overview of their model for breakthrough performance.
It is easy to understand the value of good coaching in an organization. But getting granular in behaviour diagnostics takes some effort
and focus. It is important to recognize that behavioural deficits will
limit the growth and productive performance at any organization.
Unless addressed specifically, the behavioural gaps may develop into
the passive acceptance of mediocrity. A key first step that is core to
coaching, is to identify the behavioural deficits within your organization
and the obstacles impacting the embedding of the desired behaviours.
The sports coaching model brings a slightly different mindset to
some of the more traditional feedback processes used in business.
Nobody would dispute the value or significance of sports coaching,
especially as Canadians are still glowing from our Olympic achievements. Can you imagine a sports coach in golf pointing to a club and
a bucket of balls, and then telling their athlete to go at it for a few
hours or even days and follow up by booking a meeting to discuss the
outcomes a week later? In business we have often missed the signifi-
cance of observation and specific feedback on the “plays” or steps
involved at a granular level for performance drilling and coaching.
Performance coaching is about the direct observation of key skills
in action – not numbers or plans. Coaching is collaborative; focused
on motivation and learning versus advice. Coaching sessions must
have specific outcomes to improve performance and results. Ideally
practice should be part of a coaching session or as close afterwards
as possible to embed the desired behaviour with accelerated and
compressed experiential learning. Sports coaching seeks to achieve
executional excellence. To use an old cliché – “it’s not rocket science.”
But in this case we give a new twist to quantum physics with E=MC2
defined as “Mastery x Consistency = Executional Excellence.
Learning to be an effective coach also takes practice and coaching.
When observing, the coach needs to know what success looks like in
order to provide feedback and build skills. Coaches need to dialogue on
what they will be coaching for, and engage the employees to understand
and participate. Active listening, note taking and tracking in a coach’s log
are important elements of granular observations to support feedback.
Observing is useless unless detailed and specific feedback is
provided to help improve performance. Accurate, honest, granular
and value added are key to quality feedback. Checklists and tools will
support clarity and consistency for those expected behaviours that
are known to deliver the desired results. A simple loop of observation
– feedback – skill building is applicable across most roles in many
organizations whatever the industry.
The sports coaching model is a powerful tool with proven results.
On the surface performance drilling and sports coaching is easy to
understand. The not so simple part is identifying those specific behaviours that will deliver results and achieve the shift from numbersbased coaching to skills-based observational coaching. Organizations will see solid benefits in business performance and employee
engagement when they embed the sports coaching model with both a
mindset shift and cultural change. Like any good athlete will tell you,
practice makes perfect – it’s not easy but it works.
RBC Royal Bank has worked closely with Cohen Brown to enhance
their performance with coaching routines that help employees
develop the skills necessary to be the best they can be at delivering
quality service to clients and finding advice solutions to meet unique
financial needs. If you would like to learn more about Cohen Brown
or how RBC can assist your business please email Rob Johnston at:
rob.g.johnston@rbc.com
22 • Manitoba FOCUS First Quarter 2010
Advertorial
T
he South Beach Casino & Resort
is fashioned in an Art-deco design and
tropical atmosphere. Our distinctive resort
offers Grand Suites, Junior Suites, Luxury and
Deluxe guest room accommodations with a
high standard of service and amenities. Visit
our tropical pool area. Enjoy your stay with our
various Getaway packages. When planning your
next meeting, conference, staff retreat, special
event or reception, the South Beach Casino
& Resort is the perfect location. Our Grand
Ballroom with high ceilings and unique banquet
menus can serve up to 300 persons for dinner.
Our Casino offers 600 slot machines with the
latest titles and themes in Manitoba – ranging
from 1 cent to $20.00! Table games including:
Blackjack, Fortune Pai Gow Poker, Midi-Baccarat,
Texas Shootout, and Roulette. Live Poker Room
with ongoing Texas Hold’em tournaments. Join
the Ocean Club to earn benefits and redeem for
Coupons & Beach Bucks. Also on site is our Coral
Reef Giftshop.
The Blue Dolphin Lounge features free live
entertainment, playing your favourites from
Country to Classic Rock every Friday and
Saturday evening.
At Mango’s Restaurant we offer exceptional
cuisine including many Canadian and tropical
favourites. Enjoy our lavishly stocked
International buffet, seven days a week. Try
our Specialty Seafood Feast Buffet - Thursdays,
Prime Rib Buffet - Saturdays, and Sunday Brunch
Buffet (12 p.m. – 3 p.m.), or our Mango’s Dinner
Specials from Monday to Wednesday Nights.
Call 1-204-766-2100 or 1-877-775-8259
for more information or visit our website:
www.southbeachcasino.ca
Experience
theDifference
MEETINGS & CONFERENCES
Whether your visit is for business or pleasure, action or
relaxation, South Beach Casino & Resort will cater to your
every desire.
Located 30 minutes north of Winnipeg on Highway 59, near
the shores of Lake Winnipeg, South Beach Casino & Resort
is the perfect location for planning a meeting, conference,
staff retreat, special event, or social function.
South Beach Casino & Resort
Sales & Catering Office:
1-877-775-8259 ext. 3109
www.southbeachcasino.ca
Small Business
Big Market
Losing employees to larger companies?
Group insurance too expensive?
Take advantage of your Chamber of
Commerce membership to level the
playing field.
The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce
partners with the Chambers of Commerce
Group Insurance Plan to ensure its small
business members have access to
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the coverage, so you control the cost.
It’s a huge advantage, exclusive to members.
Call and see why 25,000 companies call
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