business sessions

Cremona Community Engagement Site
Located at Cremona School
P.O. Box 141, Cremona, Alberta T0M 0R0
206—3rd Street East
Growing Together, Learning Forever
Jan Shand—Program Coordinator
“A Campus Alberta Central Learning Site”
Phone: 403.637-3856 ext:4862 or direct line 403 337-4277
E-mail: jshand@chinooksedge.ab.ca
BUSINESS SESSIONS
Thursday, September 20, 2:00pm-3:00pm
Young Entrepreneurs: Bring Your Idea to Life
This session will provide an overview of market and industry trends for young entrepreneurs (18-34) and characteristics you need to succeed in your business.
You will learn about the options, possibilities and other support that you, as a young entrepreneur can obtain. This will
include financial, educational and mentorship support for
your business.
Presenter: Katarina Vasiljevic-Galic – Canadian Youth
Business Foundation Cost: $10
Tuesday, September 25, 9:30am-11:30am
Income Tax Basics for Sole Proprietors
& Partnerships
This session provides basic income tax information for the
small business owner that is either a sole proprietorship or
a partnership. Topics include:
– what records should you keep and for
how long
for a wide range of products and services. In this session:
your visibility
Presenter: Greg Gazin – Gadget Guy/Parallel 2000 Corp.
Cost: $20
Wednesday, October 3, 2:30pm-4:00pm
Managing Shared Assets in the Family Business
How does one transfer a shared asset to the next generation smoothly so that their children and grandchildren can
also enjoy the legacy? Learn about the technical solutions
as well as the governance structures you can use to prevent or resolve conflict concerning shared assets. This session will cover:
of assets
Presenter: Paul Morin – Padgett Business Services Edmonton Cost: $20
Presenter: Alberta Business Family Institute, University of
Alberta School of Business Cost: $15
Wednesday, September 26, 2:00pm-3:00pm
Small Business Accounting Basics
Tuesday, October 9, 9:30am-11:30am
Achieve Your Goals and Still Have a Life
Familiarize yourself with some basic accounting terminology, as well as three of the most common financial statements. This session will review:
transactions
Today's entrepreneurs and business owners are overcommitted and overwhelmed. Increase your personal and
professional productivity and balance your time more effectively. Explore practical ideas and innovative techniques
that free up time for the important people and activities in
your life. In this session, you will learn to:
ing and government regulations
Presenter: Greg Springate – DSCP LLP Cost: $10
Presenter: Bob ‘Idea Man’ Hooey Cost: $20
Wednesday, October 3, 9:30am-11:30am
Promotions: Creating Buzz for Your Biz on a
Shoestring
Limited budget? Want to create a buzz about your product,
service or company? Join us to learn cost-effective and
often free promotional tips and techniques. Find out how to
effectively promote using traditional and electronic methods
Wednesday, October 10, 2:00pm-3:30pm
How to Prepare for the Bank
What information should be compiled and prepared for your
first appointment with your business banker? This session
will shed light on the lending criteria and provide insight into
how commercial lending decisions are made. The objective
of this session is to take the mystery out of banking.
Presenter: Michael Yakymishen – ATB Financial Cost:
$15
ness success
Thursday, October 11, 2:00pm-3:30pm
Starting a Food Business: Regulations, Permits
and More
plan
Presenter: Jim Ewing – The Business Link Cost: $40
Just getting started in the food industry, or looking to expand? Are you interested in running a commercial food operation or a "home-based food business"? Come learn
about the regulatory requirements in Alberta. This session
will highlight:
Tuesday, October 23, 9:30am-10:30am
Hiring Basics: What You Need to Know
Farmers’ Markets in comparison to other food venues
-related
Discover the best practices for hiring staff, including the
legal parameters related to employment. In this session,
you will learn what you need to know to have a successful
experience when choosing candidates for positions within
your business. Employment labour laws that you need to
be aware of will also be discussed. In this session, you will:
I apply? What does it cost? When is it needed?
based food operations, kitchens owned by third parties,
and commercial retail spaces
decisions
and that will assist in making hiring decisions
Presenter: Nyall Hislop, M.Sc., CPHI – Alberta Health Ser- Presenter: Don Schepens, MBA, CHRP, CCP – Grant
MacEwan University, School of Business Cost: $10
vices Cost: $15
Thursday, October 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
How to Use Social Media for Business
Thursday, October 25, 12:00pm-1:00pm
Setting up a Facebook Page for Business
As an entrepreneur, business owner or marketing professional, you know opportunities are passing you by every
day if you don't have a plan for social media. It's not too
late to jump into the social media game – especially with a
leading expert to show you exactly how it's done. Gain an
understanding of social media as a communications tool for
your business. You will discover:
• A simple yet effective system for networking
• How to connect and build a loyal following online
• The social shift in consumers’ buying decisions and how
to use this to your advantage
• Why the perceptions of authority and expert matter most
and how to position yourself
Presenter: Jeff Schneider – Marketing Ninjas Cost: $20
out
Wednesday, October 17, 1:30pm-4:00pm
Do-It-Yourself Market Research
Learn how to find and understand basic market research
information to make planning, starting, or operating your
business successful. Topics include demographics, consumer spending, industry performance data, company information, competitive analysis, and more. The focus is on
free information sources – many of them online.
Presenters: Eric Brant and Andrea Steinhauer – The
Business Link Cost: $30
Thursday, October 18, 12:00pm-3:00pm
Preparing a Business Plan
Preparing a good business plan will require a significant
investment of time and research on your part. Attending
this session will only be the start of a process that will lead
to developing your own business plan. It will provide you
with a general overview and basic understanding of:
plan
(webcast only)
In this tutorial session, you'll walk step-by-step through the
process of creating a Facebook Page for your business.
You'll also learn some easy ways to use it effectively to
build awareness for your business. You will learn:
-ons to make your page stand
Presenter: Jeff Schneider – Marketing Ninjas Cost: $10
Thursday, October 25, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Success Toolbox for Entrepreneurs
This interactive session is filled with success tips, tools,
and techniques for entrepreneurs who are willing to take
their business to the next level of success. The world is
changing so fast and entrepreneurs need to change and
adapt in order to make progress. Learn applied tips on
leadership, communication, and management that help you
embrace change, get out of your comfort zone, and
achieve long-term success.
This session will:
the success of your business
level of performance, productivity, and profit
and professional life
Presenter: Dr. Kamran Akbarzadeh – International Academy of Leadership & Management Cost: $20
Tuesday, October 30, 9:30am-11:00am
Getting to Know Your Industry and Market
This session will provide an overview on the wide range of
data products Statistics Canada offers business owners.
Gain a basic understanding of selected standard geographic and industry classifications. Learn how to conduct
basic market and industry research on Statistics Canada’s
website, specifically:
-economic characteristics of local
population
Presenter: Statistics Canada Cost: $15
Wednesday, October 31, 2:00pm-4:00pm
How to Tailor Your Business to Market Trends
We live in a world of unprecedented social, political and
technological change. So you need to look around and ask
yourself, what problems or needs are created as a result of
these changes and how can I convert these needs into opportunities for my business. What are the trends out there?
In this session, you will learn about:
Thursday, November 8, 12:00pm-1:30pm
Ignite Innovation: Turn Ideas into Powerful
Results
Innovative organizations are more successful than their
competitors (56% vs 20%) and successful organizations
are more likely to be innovative (47% vs 15%). You often
have great ideas; innovation is simply the art of implementing them. In this session, you will learn:
• The myths and mistakes of creative thinking and innovation
• Innovation is a process – the 5 I's of Innovation
• Five key skills: Questioning, Observing, Networking, Experimenting, Associative thinking
• Increase idea generation – more ideas, more possibilities,
more results
• Improve problem solving, communication, productivity
and decision making to build an innovative organization
• How you can set a plan for action to quickly turn ideas
into results
Presenter: David Saxby – Spark Communications Inc.
Cost: $15
Wednesday, November 14, 9:30am-11:00am
Effective Networking Techniques
Presenter: Jim Spiers – Microbusiness Training Centre
Cost: $20
Tuesday, November 6, 9:30am-11:30am
Income Tax Basics for the Incorporated Business
This basic corporate income tax session is invaluable for
the newly incorporated business. It highlights areas that
every corporate director should be aware of. Topics include:
In this session, you will learn how to turn networking opportunities into real business prospects. Discover proven
methods that will identify the players and the non-players in
a networking environment, and how to focus on your target
market and acquire crucial contacts that lead to future
benefits. Gain an understanding on how to better communicate one-on-one, which includes how to learn the skill of
asking questions and become a better listener. Become
more confident and overcome the fear of meeting new people. You will discover the power of networking to:
ness.
ture and installment payments
Presenter: Paul Morin – Padgett Business Services
Edmonton Cost: $20
Wednesday, November 7, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Introduction to Employment & Workplace Safety
Standards
This session will provide a broad overview of Employment
Standards Code and Regulation, as well as identify the basic Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) obligations
every employer needs to know. Fundamental elements of
Alberta OHS legislation will be presented as well as identifying some common benefits of incorporating OHS in your
business plan. You will learn:
organization
Government of Alberta
Presenters: Kate Young – Alberta Human Services and
Gene Ozon – Work Safe Alberta Cost: $20
-term relationships
Presenter: Patrick Lamoureux – The Original Basket Boutique/Lams & Associates Cost: $15
Wednesday, November 14, 2:00pm-3:00pm
How Do You Know You’re Making Any Money?
When you operate your own business, the goal is to make
a profit; however, if you don’t structure your pricing appropriately, you may not. We will discuss how to set pricing on
products or services for long-term success of an organization. After this session, you will have a better understanding
of what you need to do from a financial perspective for your
business to be successful. In this session, learn:
• How important your pricing structure is to tie into your
overall business plan
• How to set a budget
• How often you should review your financial and accounting reports
• How much detail you will need
Presenter: Greg Springate – DSCP LLP Cost: $10
Thursday, November 15, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Communicate For Success
dards and credit card fraud. You will also learn how to comply with security of credit card numbers when accepted by
One cannot become a great speaker, presenter or commu- merchants and businesses as method of payment. You will
learn industry regulations that you need to be aware of
nicator overnight. It takes time, dedication, practice and a
such as Privacy legislations on Federal and Provincial levgood teacher. There are, however, a number of tips and
els.
techniques you can learn to use immediately to improve
Presenter: Prashant – Capital Power Corp. Cost: $15
your impromptu speaking, add impact to your presentations, engage your audience and overcome those butterflies in your stomach. The better you can communicate, the Tuesday, November 27, 9:30am-10:30am
better chance you will make that sale. What you will learn
Finding the Statistics for Your Financial Plan
from this session:
This session will provide a basic understanding of what
information is available on Statistics Canada’s website that
you can use to develop your financial plan. While the needs
of each business are unique and will not be specifically addressed within this session, you will discover information to
Presenter: Greg Gazin – Gadget Guy/Parallel 2000 Corp
help:
Cost: $20
Wednesday, November 21, 1:30pm-4:00pm
Marketing on a Budget: A Few Tips & Tools for
Small Business
You are not a major corporation with millions of dollars to
spend on billboards, magazine ads or television commercials. You're a small business with great product and amazing service – but little cash to waste on advertising that may
not get you anywhere. What do you do? Where do you
start? This session will be hands-on, providing tools and
tips that will help you evaluate promotional opportunities for
your business now, and into the future. You will walk away
with ideas and tools to strategically plan your business
marketing initiatives.
Presenter: Jana Clarke – Grant MacEwan University,
School of Business Cost: $30
Thursday, November 22, 2:00pm-3:30pm
How to Get the Most Out of Your Employees
An engaged employee is committed to the organization,
takes pride and ownership in their work, engages more effort and demonstrates higher levels of performance and
productivity. This session outlines how setting clear goals
and expectations can be a powerful process for creating an
effective and productive workforce, which ultimately leads
to greater profitability for your business. In this session, you
will:
effectiveness and how they impact organizational success
employees create an effective and productive workforce
pectations for employees
Presenter: Corrina Chetley-Irwin – Bold Logic Solutions
Cost: $15
of the industry and address issues such as profitability, efficiency and business risk
-industry comparisons
Presenter: Statistics Canada Cost: $10
Wednesday, November 28, 9:30am-11:30am
Legal Aspects of the Tendering Process
Are you unsure of the legal obligations in the tendering
process? This session will cover the legal rights and obligations of companies that participate in the tender process. In
particular, we will discuss an owner's obligation to fairly
consider tenders and tenderers' corresponding obligations
to an owner. This discussion will draw on past cases that
have been considered by the courts, as well as the practical experience of the participants. You will gain:
the tender process
Presenter: Jason Banack – Bennett Jones LLP Cost: $20
Wednesday, November 28, 2:00pm-3:00pm
An Introduction to Drafting and Using Contracts
This session will be a general discussion on the topic of
drafting contracts, including some tips on the required components and how to go about ensuring that the contract
accurately reflects the negotiated agreement. In addition,
we will touch on key pitfalls found within specific types of
contracts. You will gain an understanding of the following:
tract
Presenters: Phil du Heaume and Jordan Mertz – Bryan &
Company LLP Cost: $10
Thursday, November 22, 6:00pm-7:30pm
Thursday, November 29, 2:30pm-4:00pm
Payment Processing: The Risks Business Owners Improve Your Profitability! Leverage Your Customer AdvoNeed to Know
cates
If you operate a business, you likely obtain most of your
It takes more than the right product at the right price to
customer payments by payment cards. As a business
keep your clients in today’s economy. If you can maximize
owner, you need to know what standards you are obligated your customer’s experience not only will they return, they
to comply with for payment processing. In this session, we can also become your best advocates which in turn can
will provide an overview of payment card industry stan-
help your bottom line. In this session, you will learn:
Apple keep the client engaged
how to convert them into advocates and brand ambassadors
win-win-win situation
cate
sales team
Presenter: Greg Gazin – Gadget Guy/Parallel 2000 Corp.
Cost: $15
DECEMBER
Tuesday, December 4, 9:00am-11:30am
Small Business Bookkeeping and Payroll
In this session, you will learn basic bookkeeping and payroll procedures, record-keeping requirements, synoptic formats and monthly bank reconciliation procedures. Gain tips
on proper maintenance of appropriate records and software
options that are available for small business owners. You
will learn:
penses
Presenter: MNP LLP Cost: $30
Wednesday, December 5, 1:00pm-4:00pm
Start Your Business!
This is one of Alberta’s most informative small business
seminars. It’s packed with valuable information to help you
start off right and increase the odds of your business being
successful. The session will address:
business
Presenter: Jay Krysler, MBA – NAIT, JR Shaw School of
Business Cost: $40
Thursday, December 6, 12:00pm-3:00pm
Preparing a Business Plan
Preparing a good business plan will require a significant
investment of time and research on your part. Attending
this session will only be the start of a process that will lead
to developing your own business plan. It will provide you
with a general overview and basic understanding of:
plan
ness success
-related
plan
Presenter: Jim Ewing – The Business Link Cost: $40
Thursday, December 6, 6:30pm-8:00pm
Marketing for the New Millennium: More than
Social Media
How can you effectively promote your business in an overcommunicated marketplace? Having an effective marketing
strategy is key – a balance between creative ideas, media
selection and implementation. The new wave of social media marketing has enticed many organizations to abandon
marketing methods that worked. Learn how to integrate the
following elements to create impact in your market:
• Public relations
• Social marketing
• Direct marketing
• Advertising
• Sales
Presenter: David Saxby – Spark Communications Inc.
Cost: $15
Wednesday, December 12, 2:00pm-3:00pm
How to Find Financing for Your Business
So you want to start a business, but you don’t know how to
finance it. This session is designed to teach new entrepreneurs how to access a variety of financing for their start up
business – it includes a workbook with links to resources.
We will review various types of financing such as: equity,
debt, grants and venture capital. You will also learn the
process of vetting lenders, determining start-up costs and
accessing capital.
Presenter: Linda Griffioen, Entrepreneur in Residence –
Canadian Youth Business Foundation Cost: $10