Finding the perfect mentor is a little bit like dating. Find out why in our National Volunteer Week spotlight on Futurpreneur Valerie Crisp and her mentor, Daniela Kelloway of ClutchPR.
Insight, Inspiration and Support for Entrepreneurs & Mentors
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Mentor Spotlight on Peter Brown, BDC Mentorship Award Finalist
After completing university by night school while working in a chartered accountants office in the day, Peter Brown passed his chartered accountant exams in 1977 and from there, sold everything his wife and him had to backpack around the world.When returning from his adventures with only $30.00, $300.00 in traveler’s cheques and a $270 Visa […]
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Five Steps to Building a Marketing Strategy
As entrepreneurs, we tend to focus heavily on our business plan in the early stages, and how we are going to make ends meet. Although we see the importance in marketing, we may not see the importance in spending our time building out a marketing strategy before we get started with testing out different tactics. […]
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What’s Happening in October 2016?
The changing of seasons is in full force, and we’ve now overcome the September back-to-school chaos and are powering through our busy falls. If you’re looking for some ways to network, and get involved in your community, we have you covered with some of the events and happenings that are taking place this month. AlbertaOctober […]
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Spotlight on Kevin Rempel: Overcoming All the Odds
Doctors told him he’d never walk again, but today, he stands tall with a World Championship ring in sledge hockey, an Olympic bronze medal, a book about his journey, and his own business, The Sledge Hockey Experience.It was 2006 when 23-year-old Kevin Rempel was in a freestyle motocross accident which broke his back, pelvis, and […]
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Hustling through Depression: Why We Need to Talk about Entrepreneurship & Mental Health
Written By: Chivon John, Founder & CEO of Secrets of a Side Hustler“How do you do it all?”My answer? I don’t. And up until recently I felt crushed by the weight of that reality.To outsiders, it appeared as if I had it all together. I work full-time as a Communication Specialist, started a movement to […]
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Weekend Reading List
It’s time for a roundup of some great content we found over the last few weeks online for entrepreneurs. Need a weekend read? Here is a list to power through and help motivate and inspire this weekend.Take No for an Answer: Why Rejection is Actually Good for Business – Shopify Shopify talks to Kit founder, […]
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Think IP: Help Your Business Grow
In today’s market, intellectual property (IP) is an important asset for most corporations, and is equally as valuable for emerging businesses. Small and medium-sized businesses with formal IP protection are more likely to expand into foreign markets, and four times more likely to export their goods to foreign markets. But you don’t have to export […]
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How to Draft a Business Plan Efficiently
The moment has arrived where you have to create your business plan. Don’t panic, everything will be fine! Drafting a business plan is not rocket science, as long as you approach it in the right way.It is quite likely you have heard horror stories about the business plan. These days, business plan opponents launch exaggerated […]
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From Foodie to Founder: Las Salsas
If you ask Daniel Marabotto what can happen when you start your own business, there’s one word he can’t stop using – anything. Since teaming up with his father to launch a brand of authentic Mexican salsas, Daniel’s been able to bring a bit of his heritage to Winnipeg, where customers’ enthusiastic reception inspired the […]
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Attending an Event? Five Tips to Maximize Your Impact
Written By: Hilary Robinson, Senior Trainer & Owner, Polished ProfessionalsNot only does Labour Day signal back-to-school for many, it also signals the start of the autumn event season – possibly the busiest season in the calendar.If you’re like many people out there, September, October and November can look like one long trip out of the […]
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The Reality of a Female Founder
Written By: Jessica Clifford on behalf of Joelle Parenteau, Founder, XpeeriaI gravitate towards her; like others do I am sure. She’s hard to catch even for a brief moment, unless you truly have her attention. I’ve grown the skill of being adaptable, which you must be in order to work alongside an entrepreneur. With a […]
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From Foodie to Founder: CoolWhey
If you ask Dino Vassiliou, Noah Bernett and Ben Outmezguine how to learn the art of running a business, they’ll probably tell you to get out of the classroom and start your own. After all, these three young Montréalers skillfully navigated the ups and downs of entrepreneurship and went on to launch North America’s first […]
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FiberLilly: Helping Bring Creative Ideas to Life
Always craving the freedom of being her own boss, Erin Kirby had a clear vision of the way she thought things should be done, and with organizing and creating things being second nature to her, she knew starting her own business was her calling.Erin’s business, FiberLilly is a boutique-style quilting and knitting shop located in […]
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The Value of Peer-to-Peer Mentoring
Written By: Adam Levinter, Founder, ScriberBase Inc.Now that I’ve started into a second business venture as an entrepreneur, I’m asking myself if my role as the sole owner is best for the business. As a founder and President, I carry all leadership responsibility. I don’t have any business partners or outside investors, so in the […]
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Making the Leap into Entrepreneurship
Traditional employment opportunities are not what they used to be and as a result many individuals are making the leap into entrepreneurship. At times this is being done out of necessity, but more often than not; people are in search of something missing from the world of nine to five. The ability to escape a […]
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Five Rules of Dating That Also Apply to Growing Your Business
Written By: Derrick Barber, Website Developer and Online Entrepreneur, LOWD Media and Textbookexchange.ca, London, Ontario At LOWD Media, I frequently work with small business owners who know it is time to create an improved website that ranks better in search. However, finding the time to collaborate on such a project takes an investment of time, […]
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Say Hello Sweets: A Business Started By Surprise
Starting Say Hello Sweets, a vegan ice cream truck in Vancouver, British Columbia, was essentially an accident. In spring 2015, Naomi Arnaut’s dog, Babycakes, needed emergency surgery and after seeing the interest rate on the vet bill, she knew she had to do something to help her cover the costs.By summer 2015, the bill was […]
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Taking a New Spin on Business with Rock My Business Plan Workshops
Jason was always interested in starting his own business, and after dropping out of his university degree in chemistry in third year, his passion for entrepreneurship led him to building a computer controlled cutting/engraving machine.With the making of this machine, Jason started his own business, in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. His business, Rapid Gantry Custom […]