Blog

What's in a business name? Everything! A business name defines your company or brand, and it's just as important as your products and services. A name is typically one of the first things a potential customer looks for when he or she comes across a great product. One...

Own a business? Thinking of starting a business? Looking to Brand yourself?

There are many reasons to think about registering a trademark.

But did you know there are even more reasons to register a trademark in Canada?

Even if you’re an American?

Here are 9 reasons to register a trademark in Canada.

For small business owners and managers, there are a lot of things to consider in driving the overall success of your company. Juggling employee motivation and the basic foundations for small business ownership is one thing.

But do you know how important cultivating respect in the workplace can be to your overall success?

Respect can protect your company, build your brand, grow your customer base, and motivate your employees.

Without a culture of respect in the workplace, your company will be operating inefficiently. Plus, any success you have in growing revenues and margins could be temporary.

If you are unable to retain clients and valued employees your business success can’t be trusted to remain viable year after year.

Let’s make sure you have the right culture in place to assure a stable foundation for growth and success. We’ve put together eight reasons respect is essential in the workplace.

Congratulations on your decision to open a salon spa in Ontario! It’s sure to be an exciting venture.

But the thrill of being a business owner also comes with a long to-do list.

You have to be sure to have all of your bases covered with finances, registration, licensing, and tax filings.

Get all of those in order, have a strong business plan, a talented team and you’ll be set up for success.

Read on for a list of information and resources on how to launch your salon spa.

Marketing is the lifeblood of any business. If nobody knows what your company offers, they’ll never make a purchase.

But, it isn’t enough to just know about your products and services. People in your target audience have to understand why they should care about what you have to offer.

The only way to get people curious enough to learn more about your business is through stellar marketing efforts.

The world of marketing is constantly changing. Each year, new methods and trends arise that business owners need to be aware of. This is true for virtually any industry, as well.

So, what should your first step be in 2018?

If you’re looking to make this year one of your best, you’ll need to develop a solid promotion strategy.

Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about promoting your company in 2018.

There's no doubt that small businesses help drive the economy. In 2013, small business accounted for more than 70% of all private jobs created in Canada. Competition is fierce, and there are many different career choices out there. We're here to help you figure out...

You’ve got a great idea for a great business. But the road to create business is a bit more complicated than a great idea.

Thousands of businesses start and die in Canada every year – 12,590 failed in just the professional, scientific and technical services sector in 2013.

How do you create a business that thrives? Keep reading to find out.

Landing freelance jobs, finding a new career, or looking for contracts for your business can seem overwhelming.

Finding open contracts or looking for areas of need that you could pitch a contract is time-consuming. But narrowing your search parameters makes it easier to find the right contracts and start landing them.

Whether you’re a small business owner, a freelancer, or simply looking for a career change, landing government contract jobs can be a great choice. You’ll get security, a steady income, and the chance to build awareness of your services or business, which can help you land more jobs later on.

If you’re ready to start looking for government contract jobs in Canada, keep reading. We’re breaking down everything you need to know about contract jobs and how to land them!

At the end of 2016, there were 1,265,751 active businesses with employees in Canada. Retail trade, construction, and professional, scientific and technical services were the top three industry sectors.

While many of these companies are privately held, some have taken the bold steps to go public. When a company decides to take their company public, it’s a major decision with a lot of steps involved.

Which is why we’ve developed this guide to going public in Canada. Keep reading to make sure this is the right decision for you and your company.

As an entrepreneur, you know only too well that money is the lifeblood of any business entity. Without enough cash, you won't be able to bring additional staff on board, invest in research and development, improve your product, or even market the business. And did you...

When running a business, you’ll typically run into legal needs and issues from time to time.
While some legal matters are fairly simple and straightforward, others – like violating a zoning regulation – are complex and can lead to dire consequences.
As a small business, you can’t afford to violate any laws. You’ll spend lots of time undergoing regulatory audits and a single fine can be enough to knock you out of business.
To ensure your business is always on the right side of the law, it’s important to engage the services of corporate lawyers.
Keep reading to learn the many ways these lawyers can help a small business.

Do you know what a strong organizational culture can do for your brand? Company culture has existed for as long as there have been companies, but it's only recently that people have started really focusing on what it takes to have a great culture at work. In today's...

Mission statements and vision statements are only a few sentences long, but they’re two of the hardest parts about starting your business.
Here’s the main question though…
Do you really need both statements?
If you’re asking that question, you’ve entered into the mission statement vs. vision statement debate. So let’s work on figuring out the answer.

There are market forces already working against your brand. That’s why successful marketing initiatives aren’t created in a vacuum, and a market positioning strategy is more important than ever.
You know you have a great product to offer your customers, and have crafted a unique value proposition, but getting that message to your customers isn’t easy.
No matter your market, it’s likely saturated. Some claim consumers see as many as 4,000 advertisements per day, directly or indirectly. How are you going to differentiate your brand from the crowd?
Despite saturation, there are consumers out there whose needs aren’t being met. You have an opportunity to meet those needs. The question is, how do you reach them?

Your business is only as good as the marketing strategies you implement. This is why it’s important not to put any marketing plans in motion without first creating a marketing profile.
Understanding your audience is key to ensuring your marketing message attracts the attention of, and converts, your target customer. However, if your audience is overly broad, then you risk your message falling on deaf ears.
A highly-targeted campaign is the key to success. But to achieve this you’ll need to take the time to thoroughly research your intended market.
A marketing profile will provide you with all the necessary details about your customers to create content for your campaigns. With a tailored message, you can connect with your prospects and increase the likelihood of conversions.
Let’s take a look at the power of demographics and how you can use it to create a winning marketing profile.

Starting a small business can be a great way to make money. But it’s also a way to become your own boss or to change people’s lives by offering a unique solution to a problem.

Before you can launch your new business and grow it to success, you need to name it. When you’re setting up a new company, choosing the right name and getting it registered correctly is essential.

The wrong name will leave your business unrecognizable and unable to compete with the more than 1.2 million small businesses already operating in Canada today.

If you’re setting up a new company, keep reading. We’re breaking down everything you need to know to choose the right name and get it registered so you can start growing your business right away!

Funding a small business, from the launch date through the first year of operation, is one of the hardest parts of being a new entrepreneur.

But if you’re dreaming of becoming a business owner or have an awesome idea for a business that you want to try out, it’s worth working to overcome this obstacle.

To do so, you’ll need to get educated on the business finance solutions available to small business owners in Canada. These range from loans and credit, to angel investors and more.

Keep reading to learn about some of your best options as a new business owner.

Are you trying to drive more traffic to your company’s website? Research shows that the best way to do so is through organic search.

More than half of all web traffic is driven by search engine queries. To help prospective customers find your site, it’s important to ensure your site’s content is search engine optimized.

Also, it is especially important for small businesses to work on local SEO. Local SEO strategies work to boost a website’s search rankings within a certain geographic location.

The first step to a comprehensive local SEO strategy is with Google business listing optimization. Listing your business with Google will help drive more local traffic to your website.

Ready to get started? Here are 7 things every small business needs to know about Google business listing optimization.