Canadian Entrepreneur

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Tweeting FEI Small Business conference

So hard these days to find time for blogging!

But here's yet another creative workaround: a collection of my tweets from the 2012 SME Conference held by FEI Canada, which I hosted today (Sept. 25.) in Mississauga, Ont. Retrace the following tweetstream and you'll meet new friends and at least one old one. And maybe learn something, who knows...?

Note: Most of the links will take you to a front-row photo of the speaker in question. A few others connect to more detailed information. Such are the ways of Twitter.

@rickspence

PROFIT 200 winner Ty Shattuck at FEI Conference: "Both innovation and leadership are forms of art" http://yfrog.com/ny2kutfj

@rickspence

At FEI conference,Michael Cangemi leads charge for "continuous monitoring" to cut costs, manage risk http://yfrog.com/j2s6kkdj

@rickspence

@rickspence

From Ruth Bastedo, here's your social media Strategy Roadmap. From FEI SME Conference http://yfrog.com/esm5jvej

‏

Friday, September 14, 2012

You too can be a Dragon!

With the season premiere of Dragons' Den looming (Sept. 19), CBC publicity is pulling out all the stops. This show is one of their biggest hits ever, so it's fun to see how they ramp things up every year.

Check out what they're saying now:

For the first time ever, people at home will have the chance to have their say in the Den. By visiting www.cbc.ca/dragonsden, viewers at home will be able to play along with the show, and have their activity displayed back on TV - in real time. This kind of social TV integration is the first of its kind in the world to occur live, in each time zone.

Become an Armchair Dragon and play along while you watch Dragons' Den on CBC with an interactive platform that allows you engage with the broadcast in real-time. For the best experience, participate using your mobile device or PC by visiting www.cbc.ca/dragonsden during Dragons' Den Wednesday evenings at 8 PM.

Also, this season there's another new Dragon in town. Replacing the ever-popular Robert Herjavec is David Chilton, aka "The Wealthy Barber." Here's his official bio from the CBC (believe it or not). Read it with tongue firmly in cheek:

David Chilton is an economics graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University. In 1985, he won the award for the highest mark in the country on the Canadian Securities Course. Cheating was never proven but widely suspected.

In 1989, he released The Wealthy Barber. It went on to sell an astonishing two million copies in Canada. After milking his one and only good idea for years, Dave left the personal-finance field to home-school his children. His daughter escaped after a few months, but his son served out his entire sentence of three years less a day. Both children somehow overcame the experience and are now attending university.

Over the years, Dave also published the bestselling cookbooks Looneyspoons, Crazy Plates and Eat, Shrink & Be Merry! along with authors Janet and Greta Podleski. Adding no value but taking a third of the profits, guilt finally overwhelmed Dave and he left the sisters' business in 2007. They just recently noticed.

His true professional passion, however, remains the field of personal finance, where he tries to mix humour and common sense to help people handle their money more wisely.

The morning I attended a taping last spring, David was pretty quiet. But I hear rumours that he didn't stay that way...

Required Reading

My column in the National Post this week looks at the new book, Insanely Simple: The Obsession that Drives Apple’s Success. Written by Ken Segall, who did a lot of creative work with Apple and coined the name "iMac," it examines the constant conflict in every business between Simplicity and Complexity. And of course it offers lots of great advice on how to champion Simplicity in your own company.

Here's the money quote:
"The simpler way isn’t always the easiest. Often it requires more time, more money and more energy. But more times than not, it will lead to memorably better results.”

Here's the link: http://business.financialpost.com/2012/09/10/take-steve-jobss-lead-and-think-simple/

My column in this month’s PROFIT Magazine looks at the advantages of "Lean" production, from the perspective of Canadian fashion icon Linda Lundstrom.

Excerpt:

"You can apply the principles of lean to any size company, in any sector," says Lundstrom. "You identify what the customer wants, and eliminate waste as you deliver what the customer values most." Although lean has been around since the 1980s, Lundström believes it's the way of the future—and could even reverse the decline in Canadian manufacturing.

The future is here: http://www.profitguide.com/opportunity/the-unlikely-guru-of-lean-40272

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Keeping up with the Next 36

Jane Wu, valedictorian of the Next 36 cohort of 2012

Someone (yeah, it was me) once called the Next 36 “the most intense, hot-house effort to force grow entrepreneurs ever attempted in Canada." It’s a fascinating social experiment: take 36 undergrads – bright, driven, and proven leaders – give them capital to form companies, and expose them to the best business thinking from successful entrepreneurs and innovative academics from the U.S. and Canada. The goal: to encourage a new generation of high-impact entrepreneurs who will understand opportunities, risk and resources, and will never think small in their lives.

I've been a big fan of the program, which has just finished its second year. It’s got Bay Street and the Canadian Establishment rubbing shoulders with the new app/Meetup/lean/startup/incubator/accelerator economy, and that alone is an amazing feat. Plus, the program has turned many accomplished entrepreneurs into experienced, thoughtful mentors, and that could also pay dividends for years to come.

I've been writing quite a bit about the program recently, mainly for the Post, so here’s a recap and some links to get you caught up with the Next 36’s world of frenetically modified entrepreneurs:

· Driving home the importance of the pitch – in which I sit through a class with the Next 36 on a hot summer afternoon, and watch Next 36 co-founder Reza Satchu doehis best to make his charges as uncomfortable as possible.

http://business.financialpost.com/2012/08/12/driving-home-the-importance-of-the-pitch-and-how-zipcar-failed-the-test/

· How Facebook Canada keeps in fighting trim – a sort of sequel to the above story, since Facebook’s Jordan banks was the guest speaker in the class I attended. He had some cool points to make about Facebook culture that I thought all entrepreneurs should hear (not just the Next 36).

http://business.financialpost.com/2012/08/14/how-facebook-canada-keeps-in-fighting-trim/

· Why the Next 36 matters for all Canadian entrepreneurs –summing up my thoughts on the Next 36 experience during “Venture Day,” the venture fair-cum-graduation exercise that marked the formal end of the program for the class of 2012. Excerpt:

“The Next 36 isn’t about the seven new app-based companies that pitched their business plans at last week’s graduation ceremony in Toronto. The Next 36 is a bet on the long term: that 10, 20 or 30 years from now, these kids will find ways to shake things up, whether they’re on Bay Street, in their own businesses, or in academia, the arts or non-profits. “

http://business.financialpost.com/2012/08/20/why-next-36-matters-for-all-canadian-entrepreneurs/

Next 36 co-founders Reza Satchu & Claudia Hepburn,
with Rackspace chairman Graham Weston (centre)

· Entrepreneurship Lessons From Graham Weston – A final letter from Venture Day, written for PROFITguide.com, covering the thoughts of guest speaker Graham Weston, chairman and cofounder of web hosting upstart Rackspace. Again, his comments were too good to limit them to just the overachievers of the Next 36. "Entrepreneurship is about being famous for something very specific—something you do for your customers,” says Weston. And yes, Rackspace owes all its growth and success to that one simple idea.

http://www.profitguide.com/manage-grow/leadership/entrepreneurship-lessons-from-graham-weston-39641

What will your company be famous for?

The Next 36 is now inviting applications for its 2013 program. For more info, click here.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Catching up on a Busy Summer

I hope you're having a great summer. It's been quiet around this blog because I've been so busy. Let’s catch up on some of my recent National Post columns.

On Aug. 6 I wrote about a fascinating entrepreneurial bootcamp for Canadian Armed Forces personnel and retirees who want to start their own businesses. The veterans had the time of their lives, and they all stood in a circle and held hands at the end. (True story that I didn't have room to print.)
http://business.financialpost.com/2012/08/06/canadian-forces-mean-business/

On July 30 I offered some ideas on how to build an online community around your business. It’s the future of business, you know.

http://business.financialpost.com/2012/07/30/how-to-build-a-community-to-boost-your-business/

And on July 23 I shared some key impressions from my Newfoundland entrepreneurship tour with Startup Canada. Sample observation: when the industrial heart of a smaller community fades (say, the local mine or pulp mill closes down), smart entrepreneurs refocus on the remaining economic driver – which may be the regional hospital, or even a Walmart. How could your business partner with local institutions to supply complementary services?

http://business.financialpost.com/2012/07/23/entrepreneurial-insights-from-startup-canada/

And on July 27, I penned an online-only piece called “Lessons from the Olympics: Own your own podium.” Read it now before the 2012 games are history.http://business.financialpost.com/2012/07/27/lessons-from-the-olympics-own-your-own-podium/

Bottle Cove, Nfld (near Corner Brook). Photo by Ron Taylor

Friday, July 06, 2012

Can we become the world leader in supporting entrepreneurs?

We get occasional letters here at Canadian Entrepreneur. Here's a question from a startup entrepreneur in B.C.:

Dear Rick:

I recently read your article, "Don't bank on getting a loan," which was on the Startup Canada website. I have had the same troubles trying to get financing from banks and other lenders. I was just wondering you if you had any information or recommendation on where I could go for startup financing?

I've pretty much asked every avenue I can think of, just to be let down because I don't have the 10% needed to invest. Any help is better than none.

My recent Startup Canada tour re-sensitized me to the need to do something more about enabling more financing for entrepreneurs. But in the meantime, there's not a lot of cash out there for brave startup folks without other collateral. So my response was fairly short:

Have you tried the CYBF? They offer loans (and even better, mentoring) to entrepreneurs under 35.

If that doesn't work, you just have to keep trying. Look for local friends, neighbours and professionals who have been successful in business, and ask them to invest or loan you money. Give them a business plan and some transparency into how you're running the business.

This is the hard part. There are no easy answers, from banks or government. Your network is what counts.

Best of luck. Let me know how it goes.

Rick

I think it's time we started a national discussion about how to get more capital into small business - growth firms and startups. Is crowd-funding the answer? How can VCs and private equity step up? What's the right role for government? What other constituencies (if any) are getting this right?

Leave a comment if you have a thought on this conundrum. For high-cost, slow-to-innovate Canada is to prosper, we have to become the world leader in motivating and supporting our entrepreneurs.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Why does Canada need more startups?

Last week while I was touring Alberta with the founders of the new non-profit, Startup Canada, some friends in Calgary asked what we were trying to accomplish. Why was I donating my time to this cause? I explained that Canada needs more entrepreneurs.

They replied, “How do you know?”

What a great question! And it's one I hadn’t really asked myself. So it seems fair to explain how I know we need more entrepreneurs – even in Alberta, where the economy is booming and just about anyone can get a well paying job.

Across Canada (with the possible exceptions of Alberta and Saskatchewan), our unemployment rates are too high. Our innovation record is dismal. And our export efforts are still pitifully dependent on raw resources rather than processed goods. In many cities, even in Alberta, our downtowns are dingy and depressed. Many of our biggest corporations are scaling back jobs and operations in Canada, and many growth industries, such as retail and services, offer lower-paying jobs in their place.

The Conference Board of Canada rates us 14th out of 17 in a survey of innovation performance among comparable economies. Young people today in most provinces can't find summer jobs, let alone full-time work. Meanwhile, health care and public service costs are soaring, and the demographics say that in a decade or two there will be too few workers to pay the bill.

In short, our fundamental ability to fund a decent lifestyle and a prosperous economy for all is at serious risk across Canada today.

But there is hope. Lots of it. The motto of Startup Canada is “Entrepreneurship Empowers Everything.” We believe that if Canada can become more entrepreneurial, we can solve all the problems the world economy can throw at us. Entrepreneurship isn’t just about running a business – it’s an attitude. A way of thinking.

Entrepreneurs see opportunities where other people see problems. They're visionaries with practical purpose. Entrepreneurship is about analyzing problems and devising innovative solutions that create new value for others, reaching out to diverse groups – whether it’s partners, bankers, suppliers, advisors or customers – and persuading them to believe in your dream, marshalling resources to solve a problem, doing more with less, leading with confidence, leveraging technology, committing yourself to constant learning, and never being afraid to change course when the times require it.

These are the attributes of great entrepreneurs. When they exercise their abilities, they create jobs, bring new economic vitality to the deepest corners of our towns and cities, spin off new businesses, and infuse others with entrepreneurial spirit. And of course entrepreneurship is not confined to business. We need more infusions of entrepreneurial thinking and innovation in government, in health care and education. We are certainly already seeing more and more entrepreneurs committing their time to other causes, such as charities and public service. And a new breed of social entrepreneurs is changing the way businesses calculate success and erasing the line between doing well and doing the right thing.

Best of all, when you embraces entrepreneurial values, you take responsibility for your own life, your own career. You no longer sit around, as so many of our young people do, waiting for someone to take care of you, or just offer you a job. You accept responsibility for your own future – and thus encourage others to do the same.

The global economy will only get more competitive. The businesses that survive and thrive will have to be formidable competitors and endless innovators. Because only people with entrepreneurial values will succeed by finding new ways to create value for others. And in doing so, they will create economic activity, jobs and hope for all Canadians.

Canada is fortunate to have an abundance of natural resources. But as pioneers such as K.C. Irving, Ted Rogers and Mike Lazaridis have proven again and again, our greatest resource is our people, and their ability to think and serve, entrepreneurially.

(Adapted from my presentation to the launch event/press conference in Lethbridge: June 7, 2012)

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Only as solo as necessary

Entrepreneurs are famed for being solo achievers, pursuing singular visions. In reality, however, successful entrepreneurs operate only as "solo" as necessary.

My most recent column in the National Post stemmed from a discussion with an entrepreneur whose idea of business development was spending way too much time doing research solo on his computer instead of talking to players in his market.

My rant continued...

"Google is an unmatched business reference tool. But there’s a limit to the help you can get from other people’s websites. Sean should spend less time on the computer, and more time seeking help from real live business people in his market who can answer his questions.

I’ve met lots of entrepreneurs like Sean, filled with passion for their business ideas, but hesitant to bounce them off other people. That’s exactly the wrong attitude. Keeping a great idea to yourself is like buying a beautiful bouquet of roses and locking it in a closet. Ideas are made to be poked, prodded and improved. Get them out in the open. Like flowers, they shrivel and decay in the dark..."

You can read the rest of the column here....

Monday, May 14, 2012

What City is That, Anyway?

For the rest of May 2012, this blog will be headed up by a photo of the dynamic skyline of a certain Canadian city. As often happens, it's on my itinerary for this month.
Can you guess what city it is? If so, please share in the comments.

May 18 Update: Time to put you out of your mystery. The city is not Edmonton, not Richmond Hill, but..

Windsor, Ontario!

Friday, May 11, 2012

Readers offer marketing suggestions for iconic clothing supplier

How do you build a brand in a category that no one knows exists?

That was the challenge I put to National Post readers two weeks ago. And in my column this week, the readers strike back, offering their suggestions for how adaptive-clothing producer Silvert’s can grow not just its business, but consumers’ awareness of the entire category of east-to-wear clothing for infirm seniors.

My challenge drew lots of responses, and some great new ideas – many of which could be applied to businesses in other industries. Maybe even yours. Here’s a sample of the advice received:

“Susan Yates of Richmond Hill, Ont., recommends Silvert’s 'galvanize' caregivers into a sales force, through a representative-sales model such as Avon’s. 'Put the catalogues into the hands of the caregivers and incent them with a commission on sales.' (She suggests caregivers sell to the seniors’ adult children, not their charges directly.) Yates also suggests Silvert’s get its products into other catalogues, through retailers such as Sears.”

Click here to read the full story.

Or click here to read the previous week’s profile of Silvert’s.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Think Small, Dream Big

A friend recently discovered Seth Godin's classic 2005 blogpost on "Small is the New Big" and loved it. In this rant, Godin traces the growth of "big business" and why size is no longer an advantage.

"Big used to matter. Big meant economies of scale. (You never hear about “economies of tiny” do you?) People, usually guys, often ex-Marines, wanted to be CEO of a big company. The Fortune 500 is where people went to make… a fortune.

"There was a good reason for this. Value was added in ways that big organizations were good at. Value was added with efficient manufacturing, widespread distribution and very large R&D staffs. Value came from hundreds of operators standing by and from nine-figure TV ad budgets. Value came from a huge sales force."

Then the world changed. Technology empowered individuals and small teams, and consumers came to value the merits of service, function, originality and discovery over the low, predictable costs of mass production and mega-retail.

So Seth goes on:

"Small is the new big because small gives you the flexibility to change the business model when your competition changes theirs.
"Small means you can tell the truth on your blog.
"Small means that you can answer email from your customers.
"Small means that you will outsource the boring, low-impact stuff like manufacturing and shipping and billing and packing to others, while you keep the power because you invent the remarkable and tell stories to people who want to hear them.
"A small law firm or accounting firm or ad agency is succeeding because they’re good, not because they’re big. So smart small companies are happy to hire them."

My friend, who has newly entered the world of entrepreneurship, asked my thoughts on this essay. Here is what I told her:

I think Seth is exactly right. Although I don't think he has explored the concept of "bigness" enough - both its advantages and disadvantages.

Capital starts with risk and ends with rigidity. As the decision-making gets farther from the consumer, and more insulated from the market, it gets confused. Management no longer knows what the right thing is to do, so they become more and more dependent on "big" solutions such as consultant recommendations (which are usually ill-informed), restructuring, massive consolidation/integration projects (so they can measure results better, but reduce those same results by demotivating front-line people), and wholesale acquisitions and divestitures (which rarely pay off).

With few exceptions, I think big businesses are ultimately dysfunctional, which is why so many are replaced or taken over by new companies (ABC by Disney, Motorola by BlackBerry, Apple & Android... And of course in retail, K Mart by Walmart, Sears by Target, and all of them by Amazon). Occasionally big companies can still be winners (I think Disney, Apple, Home Depot are still well run and doing right), but I think that's the exception, and it depends on keeping a laser-like "founder's focus" on the overall business. Steve Jobs was a terrible CEO (to some) because he always acted like a monomaniacal entrepreneur - but that's exactly why he was so successful.

I agree totally on the benefits of small. The freedom to act on opportunities, to interact daily with customers, to leverage the best part of a growing market by focusing on one niche: it's what makes small business beautiful. Imagination and great execution are more important now than capital, and that's why Wall Street and Bay Street are so irrelevant to so much of business today. And it's a mighty good thing.

Seth said it best and first: "It's no longer about access to cash. Now it's about choosing the right model and being remarkable."

You can enjoy Godin's original post here.

Friday, April 27, 2012

The Future is Now

Have you considered how lucky we are to be alive at this time, when so much is being done to advance the fields of human knowledge, exploration, communications, medicine and global diplomacy? A time when consumer goods have never been less expensive, nor services (wireless, facebook, e-commerce, couriers, tele-medicine) more plentiful.

These are heady times to be in business – or even just alive. When else were so many frontiers falling to human curiosity – or did opportunities so abound?

As one observer points out: “At no point of the world’s history has life been so full of interest, and of possibilities of excitement and enjoyment.”

If you look around, he writes, you can see around you “the play of vaster forces than have ever before been exerted, working, half blindly, half under control, to bring about immeasurable results.”

What a wonderfully evocative description of the pace, and power, of innovation today.

That bold, enthused observer?

Theodore Roosevelt. In 1894.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

The End of RIM?

From the Huffington Post, here is one of those cool infographics tracing the decline and fall of Research in Motion.

Most people believe RiM was done in by its own short-sightedness. It's a sad verdict for such visionary entrepreneurs. I continue to hold out hope that the company will survive. But I always thought it was a takeover candidate - though not at $13.

Click here to see the infograph of broken dreams.

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Meet B.C.'s top innovators

BC Business magazine has just released its 2012 list of British Columbia’s 20 Most Innovative Companies - organizations that have put new ideas into practice that have had a profound impact in their field.
It’s a terrific list. Check out who made it:

BroadbandTV Corp.
Helping content owners unlock the value of their online videos.

Saltworks Technologies Inc.
Turning saltwater and wastewater into potable H2O.

Tsawwassen First Nation
Setting a new precedent in First Nations governance.

SendtoNews Video Inc.
Changing the way newsrooms connect with content.

Awesense Wireless Inc.
Helping Canadian utility companies isolate and correct losses in the electrical distribution grid.

Brookside Foods Ltd.
Patented candy-making technology that caught the eye of Hershey Co.

Summify
Two "hacker entrepreneurs" take on the curation of social-media data.

Cascadia Windows Ltd.
Doubling buildings' insulation efficiency with one little clip.

Idea Rebel Interactive Inc.
A cost-saving environmental agenda and a new way to empower clients.

Adbusters Media Foundation
The “buy nothing” magazine that sparked the “Occupy” movement.

Wow-1day! Painting Inc.
Overturning the prevailing and inefficient house-painting model.

Endurance Wind Power Inc.
The quietest and most efficient small wind turbines.

Blenz Coffee Ltd.
Doing more for customers than stimulating their taste buds.

Debrand Services Inc.
Tapping a plump vein in the world of branded corporate waste.

Wifarer Inc.
Bringing wayfinding inside with interactive building maps on your smartphone.

Hire the World Enterprises
Taking crowd-sourcing to a new level.

Pure Freedom YYoga Wellness Inc.
Bringing rigorous business principles to a 5,000-year-old practice.

Canada Metal (Pacific) Ltd.
An environmentally friendly solution for boaters worldwide.

Curious Mind Productions Inc.
A "book club on steroids" for the 21st century.

EnWave Corp.
A faster, greener and more economical dehydration alternative.

For more info on the magazine's Innovators program, click here: http://www.bcbusinessonline.ca/innovations/2012-innovators-panel-methodology

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

How to stay in touch with Rick

I continue to get people asking me if I have a newsletter. The answer is, sort of.

I send out a weekly "RickAlert" connecting people to my weekly National Post column, as well as six links a year to my PROFIT column, or to the occasional asture blogpost here, on PROFITguide or at Financial Post Entrepreneur.

It's free, there's no advertising, you can cancel any time. I'm all about the customer service.

If you would like to stay in touch, this is the best way. Just send me an email and I'll sign you up. Rick (at) RickSpence.ca

Or just follow me on Twitter (@RickSpence).
I'd really like to have more followers than Portsmouth.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

New Dragon Named

A new dragon has been selected to replace Robert Herjavec on CBC TV's Dragons' Den.

David Chilton, author and publisher of the multi-million selling Wealthy Barber books, will bring his common sense approach to judging investment proposals from Canadian entrepreneurs seeking help from the Dragons.

"David Chilton embodies Canadian entrepreneurial success, and through his terrific books he has shared his financial advice for the benefit of everyone," said Julie Bristow, executive director of studio and unscripted programming.

I've met David, and he's a very smart guy. He's more than an author, he's the creator of one of the most successful brands in Canadian publishing. He cuts through bombast and mebellishment with a knife. Plus, he's got a great sense of humour. So, should be an interesting season. (Season 7 starts taping in just a few weeks!)

By the way, auditions continue for entrepreneurs and innovators to pitch their ideas on the show next season. With 20+ new episodes planned, the producers really want and need quality pitches.

You can apply online at http://dragonsdenauditions.cbc.ca/. Or attend one of the remaining open auditions, listed below, scheduled over the next 10 days. Calgary, Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto residents (not to mention Kamloops, Collingwood, Windsor and Sarnia) still have a chance to strut their stuff! (For more info visit http://www.cbc.ca/dragonsden/auditions/#cities)

Thursday Mar. 22 2012	Collingwood ON	11AM-6PM	Royal Canadian Legion Branch 63 490 Ontario St. Collingwood, ON
Thursday Mar. 22 2012	Kamloops BC	11AM-6PM	TRU Residence & Conference Centre (Multimedia Room) 900 McGill Road Kamloops BC
Saturday Mar. 24 2012	Calgary AB	10AM-5PM	University of Calgary Dinning Centre 2500 University Dr. NW Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N
Saturday Mar. 24 2012	Montreal QC	10AM-5PM	Concordia University Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Complex 1515 Ste. Catherine St. West, EV Atrium Montréal, Quebec (York Amphitheater)
Saturday Mar. 24 2012	Vancouver BC	10AM-5PM	Morris J Wosk Centre for Dailogue 580 West Hastings Street Vancouver, BC, V6B 1L6 (Enter via Seymour Street courtyard entrance)
Monday Mar. 26 2012	Abbotsford BC	11AM-6PM	BEST WESTERN PLUS Regency Inn & Conference Centre 32110 Marshall Rd Abbotsford, BC V2T 1A1 (Conference Centre)
Thursday Mar. 29 2012	Windsor ON	11AM-6PM	Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce 2575 Ouellette Place Windsor, ON N8X 1L9
Friday Mar. 30 2012	Sarnia ON	10AM-5PM	The University of Western Ontario Research Park Sarnia-Lambton Campus 1086 Modeland Rd. Sarnia, ON Main Reception
Saturday Mar. 31 2012	Toronto ON	11AM-5PM	CBC Toronto 250 Front St. Toronto, ON (Atrium)

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Your Marketing is Your Product

Every day, marketing expert Seth Godin posts amazing insights on his blog. Short, pithy essays that make you think, "so that's how it works." And then you realize you almost knew that, but just hadn't put it all together yet.

If you're not reading Seth's Blog a few times a week, get over there now:

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/

On March 19, he posted a few thoughts about how marketing has changed since the 1960s heyday of "Men Men." In doing so, he summed up the challenge we all face in these Post-Mad times:

"In the Mad Men era, we added marketing last. Marketing and advertising were the same thing, and the job was to promote what was made.

"In the connection era, the marketing is the product, the service and most of all the conversations it causes and the connections it makes.

"Marketing is the first thing we do, not the last. Build virality and connection and remarkability into your product or service from the start and then the end gets a lot easier. Build it into your app, your book, your movie, your insurance policy, and the red soles of your shoes."

You can read Seth's original post here.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Robert Herjavec Exits Dragons' Den

Robert Herjavec is leaving Dragons' Den.

The young immigrant tech entrepreneur from a poor Croatian family - so many good storylines - won the hearts and minds of Canadians in his career on Dragons' Den. Now he says it's time for a change.

This evening Robert reported on Twitter:

"thanks everyone for great comments -nothing but wonderful things to say about #cbcdragonsden - fantastic experience for me - chnaged my life" (sic)

Pressed by me (and perhaps other Tweeters) for details, he Tweeted once more:

"its true-time to move on-most grateful for the opportunity 2 inspire others (in some small way) but mostly to be inspired by them in return."

Gracious, but not very informative.

My first clue was a Tweet earlier this evening from former dragon Brett Wilson, who noted Robert's decision and asked, with a wink, if this means he can get his old chair back.

The announcement upstaged the new Dargons' Den spinoff show, CBC's "The Big Decision." This week's episode featured tall dragon Jim Treliving's decision to invest in one of two flailing family businesses. It wasn't scintillating. In fact, Robert's announcement made Twitter more interesting during that hour than our National Public Network.

(The dullness wasn't Jim's fault. The companies - a fence producer and an icewine producer - were not very interesting, and both had made so many mistakes that viewers might well question either company's right to still be in business.)

Robert will be missed on Dragons' Den. Go to http://www.twitter.com/ and do a search for #robertherjavec), and you'll see how upset Canadians are. "I am also going to miss your gorgeous blue eyes and stanfields," tweeted one loyal fan.

I've seen in the analytics for this blog how popular Robert is. A lot of people search for info on him by typing in "Robert Herjavec married?".

I'm sure Robert will stay in the public eye. But we will miss the warmth, wit and sense of fun he brought to Dragons' Den.

(So far, Robert seems not to be responding to questions about whether he is leaving the U.S. version of the show, Shark Tank.)

Robert's 4 Monday night Tweets - saying goodbye. (Click pic to read)

UPDATE: The day after this post, in an email to the Toronto Sun, Herjavec said his move would have "no impact" on Shark Tank.

Score one for Hollywood.

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

The Good, the Bad, and the Well Above Average

From time I do some high-level consulting for small businesses, aimed at helping them identify some of their problems and hopefully even suggesting some solutions.

In my “Way Forward” package, I spend a few hours with the entrepreneur and ask a lot of questions. Together we identify what’s working and not. I usually write up a short report based on that conversation and a bit of extra thinking, and the entrepreneur is then free to act on my observations – or not.

The good news is that the entrepreneur I met with today really has his act together. For the first time in the five years that I've been doing these fixed-price sessions, there were more things he is doing right than doing wrong.

I won't be too specific here, but I was impressed with his vision, the way his company innovates at all parts of the better service/better product/lower price continuum, and with his ability to execute. He seems particularly good at hiring great people and giving the tools and processes they need to succeed.

The weak spots we discussed are the same ones that businesses face: the need to better articulate his value proposition; opportunities to overhaul the pricing model (and that doesn't necessarily mean lowering prices!); improving marketing communications; and redesigning the website. He may not be able to fix all those things at once, but he now has a roadmap for moving forward and some ideas how to do it.

In the end, we spent most of the conversation talking about the weak spots in his business plan. But I made sure he got positive feedback that he is doing a lot of things right. It was a real pleasure for me to deliver that opinion.

Thursday, March 01, 2012

Startup Canada: The Start of Something Big

Startup Canada is launching in March 2012 with one clear message:
"Entrepreneurship empowers everyone. But it is more than just a message; it’s a MOVEMENT!"

The Not Very Shy Victoria Lennox

I'm really looking forward to see what Startup Canada can do. Founded by indefatigable entrepreneur Victoria Lennox, the association is bringing together entrepreneurs and support groups to celebrate and promote the power of entrepreneurship - and clear away some the barriers that prevent entrepreneurs from flourishing in Canada.

Lennox has signed up an amazing roster of supporters, sponsors, provincial ambassadors, contributors, patrons and governors. The founding chairman is Ottawa-based Adam Chowaniec, founder of Tundra Semiconductor and former president or CEO of a host of Canadian technology companies, and one of the developers (several millennia ago) of the Amiga personal computer.

Patrons include Heather Reisman of Indigo, former Dragon W. Brett Wilson, Canada Goose’s Dani Reiss, and James Temerty, chairman of Northland Power, Canada’s entrepreneur of the year in 2010.

The support from the corporate sector has been a bit disappointing. Microsoft and Gowlings are in as platinum sponsors, but the gold and silver sponsor categories are still sadly vacant. Where are the banks, brokers, wireless carriers, insurers, suppliers, couriers, automakers and real-estate companies who have made so much money from this sector for so long?

Startup Canada has done its homework. Look at all the community partners, from Accelerate Okanagan to Newfoundland’s Genesis Centre, who have already joined the crusade: http://www.startupcan.ca/who-is-involved/community-partners/

Startup Canada is planning a national launch tour to focus all Canadians on the power of entrepreneurship. It kicks off in Halifax on March 19 and winds up in B.C. in September. More details here: http://www.startupcan.ca/tour/

The tour will culminate in creation of a white paper on entrepreneurship to be delivered to the Prime Minister Stephen Harper. We'll see how that works out.

In the meantime, it’s empowering to see such widespread entrepreneurial passions focusing on entrepreneurship itself in this country. I think this is the start of something big.

Disclosure: I’m signed on as an “external advisor” to Startup Canada. Not sure what that means yet, but I know it will be great.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

50 Ways to Save Money in Your Business

Entrepreneur.com has a great cost-cutting article on “50 Ways to Save Money in Your Business.” It’s chock full of practical, useful ways to cut expenses. You’ll find ideas for saving money on advertising and marketing, real estate, payroll, office supplies, shipping, purchasing and financial services.

I have cited this story before, but they changed the link, so click here for 50 ways to Save Money.

I like these three tactics in particular. I think they can really make a difference:

“40. Form a buying alliance. Join with another business or a trade association for bulk purchasing discounts.”

“43. Query your consultants. Ask your insurance agent, accountant or attorney how you can cut back on their costs. You'd be surprised at the suggestions they might offer on ways to cut your premiums, reduce billable hours or avoid huge retainers."

“50. Seek at least three bids on everything. Even mundane purchases merit shopping around. If you quote a competitor's lower price, a supplier or vendor will often match that price to win your business.”

How are you cutting costs in your business?

This post provided by Allstream, Canada's all-business communications provider.

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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The Dragons are Coming For You!

It's that time of year again: CBC's roving gang of Deputy Dragons are searching the country for entrepreneurs to appear on next season's show!

Becoming a "pitcher" on Dragons' Den is a tremendous experience. If nothing else, you'll get some great lessons in how to communicate the investment value of your product or business. And if you're actually chosen to pitch to the Dragons, you'll get some good coaching, and you have the chance to appear on TV. Or even get an investment from Kevin O'Leary.

It's all good.

Auditions are already underway. Here's the impressive schedule of what's coming up. For more information, hit http://www.cbc.ca/dragonsden/auditions/index.html

Thursday Feb. 23 2012	Kelowna BC	11AM-6PM	Okanagan College - Student Services Building 1000 K.L.O. Road Kelowna, BC V1Y 4X8 250-762-5445
Thursday Feb. 23 2012	Saint John NB	11AM-6PM	Delta Brunswick (Saint John Hotel) 39 King Street Saint John New Brunswick, E2L 4W
Thursday Feb. 23 2012	Port Hardy BC	10AM-1PM	Quarterdeck Inn & Marina Resort 6555 Hardy Bay Road Po Box 910 Port Hardy BC V0N 2P0
Saturday Feb. 25 2012	Calgary AB	10AM-5PM	University of Calgary Dinning Centre 2500 University Dr. NW Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N
Saturday Feb. 25 2012	Sydney NS	10AM-5PM	Cape Breton University Student Culture and Heritage Building (Great Hall) 1250 Grand Lake Rd Sydney NS B1P 6L2
Wednesday Feb. 29 2012	Quebec City QC	Noon-5PM	Hilton Quebec 1100 Boulevard Rene-Levesque Est. Quebec, QC (Beauport Room)
Thursday Mar. 1 2012	Barrie ON	11AM-6PM	Georgian College One Georgian Drive Barrie, Ontario L4M 3X9
Friday Mar. 2 2012	Sherbrooke QC	11AM-6PM	Delta Sherbrooke 2685 King ouest, Sherbrooke,QC, J1L 1C1
Saturday Mar. 3 2012	Burlington/Hamilton ON	10AM-5PM	Ron Joyce Centre DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University 4350 South Service Road Burlington, ON L7L 5R8 905-525-9140 ext. 20536 (Great Hall, Room 132)
Saturday Mar. 3 2012	Montreal QC	10AM-5PM	TBA
Saturday Mar. 3 2012	Ottawa ON	10AM-5PM	Courtyard by Marriott Ottawa 350 Dalhousie Street Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 7E9
Thursday Mar. 8 2012	Saskatoon SK	11AM-6PM	University of Saskatchewan Edwards School of Business 25 Campus Drive Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A7 Reading Room (Room 244)
Saturday Mar. 10 2012	St. John's NL	10AM-5PM	TBA
Saturday Mar. 10 2012	Winnipeg MB	10AM-5PM	CBC Manitoba 541 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3B 2G1 (Studio 41)
Tuesday Mar. 13 2012	Whitehorse YT	11AM-6PM	TBA
Wednesday Mar. 14 2012	Oshawa ON	11AM-6PM	TBA
Thursday Mar. 15 2012	Charlottetown PEI	11AM-6PM	CBC PEI 430 University Avenue Charlottetown, P.E.I. C1A 8B9 (Lobby)
Thursday Mar. 15 2012	Dawson City YT	11AM-6PM	TBA
Thursday Mar. 15 2012	Timmins ON	11AM-6PM	Northern College Porcupine Campus 4715 Highway 101 East South Porcupine, ON P0N 1H0 705-235-3211
Friday Mar. 16 2012	Waterloo ON	11AM-6PM	Conrad Centre for Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology 295 Hagey Blvd., Suite 240 Waterloo, ON N2L 6R5
Saturday Mar. 17 2012	Halifax NS	10AM-5PM	Cambridge Suites Hotel 1583 Brunswick Street Halifax, NS B3J 3P5 (Brunswick/Centennial Room)
Saturday Mar. 17 2012	Sudbury ON	10AM-5PM	Laurentian University TBA
Saturday Mar. 17 2012	Victoria BC	10AM-5PM	Inn at Laurel Point 680 Montreal Street Victoria, BC V8V 1Z8 (250) 386-8721
Sunday Mar. 18 2012	Nanaimo BC	11AM-6PM	Vancouver Island Conference Centre 101 Gordon Street Nanaimo, BC V9R 5J8 (250) 244-4050 (Shaw Auditorium)
Tuesday Mar. 20 2012	Sechelt BC	11AM-6PM	Seaside Centre 5790 Teredo St. Sechelt, BC V0N 3A0
Thursday Mar. 22 2012	Sarnia ON	11AM-6PM	TBA
Thursday Mar. 22 2012	Collingwood ON	11AM-6PM	TBA
Thursday Mar. 22 2012	Kamloops BC	11AM-6PM	TBA
Saturday Mar. 24 2012	Windsor ON	10AM-5PM	Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce 2575 Ouellette Place Windsor, ON N8X 1L9
Saturday Mar. 24 2012	Calgary AB	10AM-5PM	University of Calgary Dinning Centre 2500 University Dr. NW Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N
Saturday Mar. 24 2012	Montreal QC	10AM-5PM	TBA
Saturday Mar. 24 2012	Vancouver BC	10AM-5PM	Morris J Wosk Centre for Dailogue 580 West Hastings Street Vancouver, BC, V6B 1L6 (Enter via Seymour Street courtyard entrance)
Monday Mar. 26 2012	Abbotsford BC	11AM-6PM	BEST WESTERN PLUS Regency Inn & Conference Centre 32110 Marshall Rd Abbotsford, BC V2T 1A1 (Conference Centre)
Saturday Mar. 31 2012	Toronto ON	11AM-5PM	CBC Toronto 250 Front St. Toronto, ON (Atrium)