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What happens to your twitter when you die? -Creating a social media will P Paaggee 77 The Focus SUMMER 2012 |1
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WORKING FOR YOU
A
Mark Your Calendar
New 2012-2013 Chamber Directors
Chamber PUB NIGHT Tues., Sept 4, 2012 5:30 – 7:30pm Location: Shepherd‘s Pub, Elora Everyone Welcome!
Trip to CHINA Sept. 12 to Sept. 22, 2012 23 passengers are heading to China for a trip of a lifetime! This exceptional value is offered by Citslinc International Inc. and adds non-dues revenue for the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce.
Networking Breakfast
Janet Harrop
st
Lynne Bard
President
1 Vice President
nd
2
Joal Suraci Vice President
Paul Walker
Michael Weinstein
Barney Tracy
Secretary Treasurer
Past President
Director
Peter Mohr
Allan Teal
Terry Godreau
Director
Director
Director
Wed., Sept. 26, 2012 7:30 – 9:00am Topic: Getting the word out in print Speaker: Dave Adsett, The Wellington Advertiser Location: Van Gali‘s Café, Fergus
Chamber PUB NIGHT Tues., Oct. 2, 2012 5:30 – 7:30pm Location: Breadalbane Inn, Fergus Casual networking, no rsvp required!
Chamber PUB NIGHT Tues., Nov. 6, 2012 5:30 – 7:30pm Location: Grand River Raceway, Elora Everyone Welcome!
Niagara Wine Tour Sun, Nov 4, 2012 9:00am – 8:00pm. Wineries to date: Reif Estate Winery, Pillitteri Estates, & Kacaba Vineyards Dinner: The Butcher and the Banker. Currently SOLD OUT, however we have a waiting list.
Aileen Hawkins
Garth Green
Director
Director
Chamber Staff
Roberta Scarrow
Heather Andrews
General Manager
Membership & Administration
The Focus SUMMER 2012 |3
CONTENTS CWCC Board of Directors and Staff ...................................... 3 Presidents Piece ……………………....................................... 5 Message from the General Manager ..................................... 5 Member Article: FOCUS EMPLOYEE MENTORSHIP FOR CONTINUED BUSINESS GROWTH .......... 6 WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR TWITTER WHEN YOU DIE? .. 7 Pictures of Chamber Events & Participations ........................ 8 Member Article: MANY DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS, MANY DIFFERENT ROADS ....................... 10 Member Article: GOOD PLANNING IS JUST GOOD BUSINESS ...................................... 12 Business News ………………………………….………………. 14 RE THINK YOUR WORKSHOP ............................................ 15 Welcomes & Renewals ……………………………………….... 16 Member Profile ...................................................................... 20 Member Article: 5 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR I.T. GUY AWAY . 21 Member Article: PUT YOUR RETAINED EARNINGS TO WORK ……………................................ 22 Member Discounts ……………………………………………… 23
MISSION STATEMENT The Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce is a memberdriven organization that: Serves as a catalyst for business growth through networking and educational opportunities. Acts as an information resource for local business. Promotes local business, the community and the Chamber. We are a volunteer organization supported by over 350 local business and professional people such as yourself. Your participation in the Chamber helps make Centre Wellington a more rewarding place to live, work and play.
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DESIGN AND PRODUCTION:
Heather Andrews PHOTOGRAPHY:
Bill Longshaw, Heather Andrews, Roberta Scarrow, Michael Weinstein ADVERTISING AND SALES:
Advertising@cwchamber.ca CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:
Janet Harrop, Roberta Scarrow, Peter Mohr CONTRIBUTORS:
Ontario Chamber of Commerce Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Garth Green, Melissa MacFarlane, Mary Long, Randy Mullin, Gerry Visca, Jeremy Woods, and Dan Allen SUBSCRIPTION AND BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES:
Roberta Scarrow – TheFocus@cwchamber.ca SUBMISSION POLICY:
Proposals and articles are accepted via mail or email c/o Editor – The Focus. Please do not send originals. Contributors are welcome to include a head shot and a 40 word author‘s bio. If not received, we will use author‘s name, business name and contact information as a credit line. FOR PERMISSION AND REPRINT REQUESTS
Heather Andrews – TheFocus@cwchamber.ca PUBLICATION OF:
Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce 400 Tower Street South Fergus, Ontario N1M 2P7 The Focus is a quarterly membership benefit publication of the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce. Advertising content and the views expressed herein are those of the contributors and do not constitute endorsement by the Chamber. Copies are available through the Publisher. The Chamber cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that may occur and has the right to edit material submitted. The Chamber will not accept advertising with competitor comparison claims and has the right to refuse advertising that is deemed to be false, misleading, or inappropriate.
Front Cover – Downtown Fergus, Ontario, PHOTO BY BILL LONGSHAW PG. 8 – PICTURES OF CHAMBER EVENTS & PARTICIPATIONS in order from left to right:
AGM Breakfast, Perrin Beatty – May 2012 Chamber Charity BBQ – June 2012 Local Biz Night, Cheer Squad – May 2012 Ribbon Cutting – Curves – May 2012 GreenIT Day with Planet CPU – May 2012 Golf Day, Team Putting Contest Winners – June 2012 Firework Sales, supporting the Chamber – May 2012 PG. 9 – PICTURES OF CHAMBER EVENTS & PARTICIPATIONS in order from left to right:
Ribbon Cutting, Sleep Rite Inc. – June 2012 Awards of Excellence Volunteers – April 2012 Awards of Excellence Winners – April 2012 (one of many) Networking Breakfast with BIA‘s – June 2012 New CWCC Electronic Sign, Summer – June 2012 Networking Breakfast, GRR – April 2012 Team Putting Contest, CW Food Bank – June 2012 Pub Night – June 2012 Ribbon Cutting, Quarry Optometry Centre – June 2012 Local Biz Night, participants – May 2012
PRESIDENT'S PIECE The summer months are here and as the events for the chamber slow, it is time to prepare for the upcoming year. It's been four years that I‘ve been on the board and with more involvement I've become a little reflective. When I got involved with the Chamber it was to give agricultural businesses a presence. Our business is a family run dairy farm north of Fergus. I continue tout the relevance of agriculture, but I have learned so much more about our business community. On the Member Services Committee, I would ask what the value of being a member was. I had a fellow board member say to me that being a member is "the right thing to do". I thought to myself, what does that mean? Over the past 4 years I have learned what that means. Getting involved in your community makes a much stronger community. Whether it is volunteering at school or sports to help your child's school or team be stronger, getting involved in the Chamber is no different. Whether your motivation to be a member of the Chamber is some of the tangible benefits, the networking opportunities or getting involved in the business community, a strong Chamber is a strong business environment. At Chamber events I am always amazed at the diversity of the businesses in Centre Wellington. I am looking forward to the year ahead and continue to feel that Centre Wellington is not only a great place to live, work, and play, but a great place to have a business. Janet Harrop President Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce
A MESSAGE FROM THE GM The Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce (CWCC) is a member driven organization that works to promote business growth in Centre Wellington. The role of General Manager covers an amazing array of topics; some of which I never dreamed I would need to know about! I think it is very similar to running a small business. From Human Resource issues, finances, insurance claims, working with committees and trying to keep planning on track, dealing with a Ministry of Labour inspection and orders, and so much more – a plethora of operational issues that are often experienced on a daily basis with businesses. Plus the organization and running of events from start to finish. Don‘t get me wrong, I really do love the job because it is never dull, and I never know what question is going to get dropped into my lap from one day to the next. I want to thank you personally for your continued support of the CWCC. If you have any questions or concerns please call Roberta or Heather at 519-843-5140 Roberta Scarrow General Manager Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce The Focus SUMMER 2012 |5
FOCUS EMPLOYEE MENTORSHIP FOR CONTINUED BUSINESS GROWTH Member Article
Grooming your staff to grow within your organization is a sure fire way to have staff who are motivated, who know the business inside out, and who want to stick around and see your business thrive. Time can often be an issue in the grooming process, however. Your resources are likely already allocated – how can you spare someone and how can you afford to pay for extra training? Developing a mentorship program between your staff is a way to help both seasoned employees and those who are still a little green behind the ears. Traditional mentorship is when an older employee takes a younger one under their wing. They help the younger employee ‗learn the ropes,‘ so to say, to understand the business and how it operates. Business and industry contacts can be shared to help the younger employee develop relationships that are key to the business. Most importantly, a mentor can act as a sounding board for the mentee as they are developing along their path. The wisdom and knowledge of your long term staff should be shared and passed along to those who are coming in to help your business sustain its success. (That‘s not to say that an established employee should be giving away all their secrets and magic, but certainly enough to help the business continue!) A recent mentorship process that has been receiving a lot of attention lately is reversed mentorship – where new and/or young employees are mentoring the older workers on areas such a technology and social media, new methods and processes learned from recent schooling, and various trends that younger generations seem to grasp onto more easily. Creating a balance between the two styles can be effective as well as each party is going to receive something beneficial and will walk away feeling they have gained something useful. Take advantage of the resources found within your own team. No one knows your business better than those who have helped you to achieve within it! Submitted by Melissa Macfarlane with Northern Lights Canada, Employment Resource Centre. For more information on how to select and retain a winning team, connect with Northern Lights Canada at 519-787-0051.
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WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR TWITTER WHEN YOU DIE? -CREATING A SOCIAL MEDIA WILL If you‘re active on social media, you should really consider what will happen to your social media accounts when you kick the bucket. Twitter does have a policy for deactivating deceased users‘ accounts, but what if you don‘t want it deactivated? Ethics and creepiness factor aside, you may want it to stay put for whatever reason – at least for a period of time. As we spoke to before, for example, what‘s the proper etiquette for informing followers of your passing? Though you may view this as burdening your loved ones with one more ‗to do,‘ you may actually be saving them from the huge hassle of dealing with collection calls and such after your unthinking booty‘s identity is stolen. Not to mention the perpetual embarrassment of seeing your name come up in certain search results. Ahem. Point is, there‘s a lot more to consider. Your Twitter is probably where you share posts from blogs that you may or may not own, and it‘s likely linked to a bunch of other accounts as well. When you die, someone could potentially gain access to one of these accounts and be able to glean enough info to steal your identity. That‘s bad enough when you‘re alive, but SUPER annoying for your next of kin to try to sort out when you‘re dead. The USA.gov site offers tips for writing wills in general and provides guidelines for writing a social media will as well. They suggest appointing an online executor who will be tasked with closing your email addresses, social media profiles and blogs after you are deceased. We suggest listing any PayPal or other accounts where you may have residual income from online properties as well. And here are some steps they suggest when writing your social media will: Review the privacy policies and the terms and conditions of each website where you have a presence. State how you would like your profiles to be handled. You may want to completely cancel your profile or keep it up for friends and family to visit. Some sites allow users to create a memorial profile where other users can still see your profile but can‘t post anything new. Give the social media executor a document that lists all the websites where you have a profile, along with your usernames and passwords. Stipulate in your will that the online executor should have a copy of your death certificate. The online executor may need this as proof in order for websites to take any actions on your behalf. So what do you think? Will you be creating a social media will? ALL TWITTER the Unofficial Twitter Resource. Article written by Mary Long on May 22, 2012 http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/twitter-when-you-die_b22926 The Focus SUMMER 2012 |7
MEMBER TESTIMONIAL Rich Schlieker of Stonehurst B&B believes that “networking with local the business community and understanding what is happening economically in CW helps our business grow”.
CHAMBER PHOTOS
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CHAMBER PHOTOS
The Focus SUMMER 2012 |9
MANY DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS, MANY DIFFERENT ROADS: The importance of having the right plan and a good roadmap Member Article
For many Canadians, summer brings with it travel, such as trips to the cottage, family gatherings and vacations. Wherever your travels take you, having the right plan and a good roadmap will help you reach your destination successfully and ensure you enjoy the journey along the way. Itineraries apply to more than just travel – we all have financial destinations we want to reach as well, and having a financial plan is important to reaching those destinations. Industry studies continue to show that Canadians with a financial plan are more likely to reach their financial goals while also enjoying the ride along the way. YOUR DESTINATIONS The first step to planning any trip is to decide where you want to go. The ultimate financial destination of most Canadians is retirement. However, there are often many important pit stops along the way: owning a home, buying a new car, funding a child‘s education or taking a vacation. Balancing those goals can be difficult, but the right financial plan can make it easier. DETERMINING THE ROADS TO GET YOU THERE Part of planning any trip is deciding the route you want to take. This is because there are often many different paths to your destination, depending on whether you prefer rural roads or highways, the scenic route or the fastest route, and how much time you have to get there. The same rules apply to planning your financial journey. It is important to ask yourself questions that will ultimately define your route, such as what your savings goals are, how long before you need to access your savings, and how much income you will need from your investments to support yourself in the future. YOUR ROADMAP Once you know where you want to go and how you want to get there, you can build your roadmap. For your financial goals, this means having the right investment plan with the right combination of investment vehicles, including a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) or Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA). It is equally important to have an investment portfolio that will support your successful journey over the long term, and that strikes the right balance between growth and income to match your investment profile. YOUR “CO-PILOT” CAN HELP Sometimes unforeseen obstacles like traffic or road construction can lead you off of your planned route. As we‘ve seen in recent years, market volatility can be unsettling for investors and can lead to emotionally driven investment decisions that cause them to 10 | w w w . c w c h a m b e r . c a
deviate from their plan, impacting their ability to achieve their long-term goals. That‘s why it‘s important to talk to your advisor throughout all stages of your journey – especially during the turbulent times – in order to ensure you stay on track to reaching your financial destinations. 5-Step Financial Trip Checklist Step 1: Establish your financial destinations Emergency fund Retirement savings Education savings Home renovations Vacation fund Step 2: Determine the most tax-effective savings vehicles for your financial destinations Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) Regular savings plan Step3: Plan your investment roadmap Determine your investment profile (e.g., conservative, balanced, growth) Determine your savings needs to support each destination you want to reach Establish your investment plan for each of your destinations Step 4: Implement your plan Establish your savings vehicles (e.g., TFSA, RRSP, RESP) Implement a savings plan: weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly account deductions to an appropriate savings vehicle Step 5: Monitor and update your roadmap At least annually, meet with your financial advisor to review and possibly update your plan to make sure you are on track to reaching your destinations. ENJOY THE TRIP! Article submitted by Randy Mullin of RBC Royal Bank. For more information, call 519-835-7511 or e-mail randy.mullin@rbc.com..
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GOOD PLANNING IS JUST GOOD BUSINESS Member Article
Owning and managing a business in today‘s fast-based world is challenging enough. However, in recent years, many businesses have been faced with the additional stress of unpredictable disasters such as SARS, flooding, power outages, ice storms, forest fires, hurricanes, Y2K, 9/11 and pandemics. More than ever, preparation for these types of challenges, known as business continuity planning, is a key component of good business practices. Sobering statistics: Every year approximately 20% of Canadian businesses experience such a challenging event and according to the Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness, 86% of small to medium sized businesses fail within three years of a major incident if they do not have a tested plan in place to recover. Despite these failure rates, Leger Marketing for Fusepoint Managed Services found: o Almost 75% of businesses rely on an "unofficial" business continuity plan even though half of all Canadian corporations have faced disasters including outage or IT failure; o Only 50% of surveyed companies that have a disaster recovery plan would qualify it as "full-blown," while almost one in three firms only operate on an "unofficial" recovery program; o 40% of 520 business executives interviewed say they have not devoted any finances towards a disaster recovery program in the last five years while 80% claim to have spent less than (CD)$100,000; o The majority of executives interviewed say IT disaster is the biggest perceived threat to the workplace. This was followed by fire or theft, internal employee error, infrastructure disaster and natural disaster. A pandemic was the lowest on the list of executive concerns, while 25% considered it to be their greatest threat; o Despite the lack of a business continuity plan among most executives interviewed, 33% felt "very responsible" for their company's disaster preparedness. It is not all about preparing for the worst Efforts put into developing a plan are not only important in case of potential interruption but this planning process can strengthen your entire organization by helping you identify 12 | w w w . c w c h a m b e r . c a
redundancies and find efficiencies. As well, it can enhance your image in the eyes of employees, shareholder and customers by demonstrating a proactive attitude. It can make your business more resilient and not only able to respond to challenges but also maximize opportunities. The business continuity planning process documents a prioritized recovery process to ensure the continuity of your operations following a disaster. The benefits of this process include: Creating awareness, so management and staff understand the implications a disaster could have on your business, its subsidiaries, sponsored entities, vendors and customers; Minimizing interruptions and expediting restoration of business and service operations; Limiting the severity of the disruption; Resuming critical operations within a specified timeframe as identified by individual business units; Minimizing financial loss, as well as potential regulatory fines; Assuring clients, customers and the community that their interests are protected; Maintaining a positive public image of the organization; Business continuity planning involves focusing on how your business will recover from a major disruption that challenges your ability to deliver critical services or products. By being prepared, you will not only protect your business from devastation during a disaster but enable it to better weather lesser disruptions and project a positive image. Good planning is just good business. Article submitted by Garth Green of HJM Insurance. Information provided in this [article] is for reference only. Source: Aviva
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BUSINESS NEWS CANADIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
ONTARIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Counterfeiting in the Canadian market: How do we stop it?
OCC and Chamber Network Poised to Help Ontario Emerge Stronger
Published: 06/07/2012 - News Releases and Videos
May 10th, 2012
Ottawa, June 7, 2012 — In a report released today, Counterfeiting in the Canadian market: How do we stop it ?, the Canadian Intellectual Property Council (CIPC) concludes that Canada‘s intellectual property rights (IPR) regime continues to have serious weaknesses that undermine our country‘s innovation capacity and economic prosperity. The CIPC is an organization of businesses under the banner of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce focused on improving and protecting intellectual property rights in Canada.
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce‘s long term economic vision for the province, Emerging Stronger: A Transformative Agenda for Ontario, was adopted by the Chamber Network at the 100th Annual General Meeting as ‗our collective ambition‘.
―As we mark World Anti-counterfeiting Day, the problem of counterfeit and pirated products infiltrating the traditional and on-line market place continues at an unabated pace. Canada‘s system is outdated and unfortunately, no progress has been made on the creation of IPR institutions or an Intellectual Property crime task force,‖ said Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. ―This is impacting our competitiveness on many fronts, and it is critical that the Canadian Government take a proactive stance to allow Canadian businesses to fully participate in the global economy.‖ The RCMP produces intellectual property crime statistics on a quarterly basis. In the most recent update, the value of infringing goods continues to grow at an alarming rate. read full story
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The goal now is for communities across Ontario to embrace this long term vision. The OCC looks to our members, as leaders in their communities, to implement this economic vision and capitalize on opportunities to take regional action on the following five priorities: Read the rest of this entry »
PLACE YOUR BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENT HERE Contact the CW Chamber at 519-843-5140 for rates and information.
RE THINK YOUR WORKSHOP I recall the first time I decided to launch my workshop series. Being the creative guy that I am I looked deep within for the creative intuition needed to differentiate myself from the sea of competition. When I speak of competition I don‘t mean other stellar individuals delivering branding or marketing content, rather I mean the myriad of messages all being sent to the same audience seeking registration. So I decided that I was going to be recognized globally for launching what would one day become the thrust of my global inspirational career. The Branding Boot Camp® emerged. I was so confident in my quest that I even trademarked the name with my lawyer. Soon Branding Boot Camps® would blanket the world. As the Creative Director and founder of an award-winning branding company the theme seemed to fit quite nicely. I launched hundreds of Branding Boot Camps® across Ontario and Canada and eventually on a global scale reaching as far as Istanbul. There were several factors that made my Branding Boot Camps® successful that I want to share with my readers. First off, you need to recognize that a Workshop is an ‗event‘ and an event where people gather has 3 essential parts known as: Pre event activities [The Event] Post event follow-up One thing I learned while working in the field of interior design and architecture is the ‗power of presentation‘. When I decided to host my Branding Boot Camps® I would strive to put on the ultimate show. The branding architecture if you will included: a great venue, the right music, a large projection screen, draped tables, branded booklets, refreshments and world-class inspiration. Lately I have witnessed ample entrepreneurs putting on a workshop. My goal within this article is to help educate you as to the significance of marketing your workshop and in essence building a brand experience around your workshop. First off you need to ask yourself the following question: Why am I hosting a workshop? What do I want people to leave with, what is the outcome? How long should it take? How much should it cost? How many people should I invite? What should I hand out? Who should I collaborate with? What day of the week is best to host it? These are but a few of the questions that you need to ask yourself. Read the full article Article written by Gerry Visca. International Speaker | Author | Coach www.gerryvisca.com; gerry@redchairbranding.com
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THANK YOU RENEWING MEMBERS AL-DO-IT AM Roofing Ltd. At Home Bookkeeping Solutions Bell Aliant Beyond Rewards Inc. Blown Away Glass Studio Bridge Street Family Dentistry Centre Wellington District High School CIBC Crunch! Inc. Communications Cut & Design Unisex D & I Photo of Fergus Dream Corners B&B Drimmie Florist Elora Centre For The Arts Elora Home Hardware Fergus Motel (154366 Ontario Inc) Fergus Pools Four Seasons/Quatre Saisons B&B Grand River Pharmacy Grand Wines Health Tech Canada James Fryett Architect Inc. John's Towing - Fergus/Elora Mosaic Spa Naomi's PlanetCPU Poultry Industry Council for Research & Education Remax Real Estate Centre Inc - Jim & Maureen Farquharson SantĂŠ SMB Mfg Inc. Special Effects TD Canada Trust - Elora TD Canada Trust - Fergus Branch The Elora Gorge Animal Hospital Upper Grand District School Board Upper Grand Family Health Team Ward Hearing Centre Wellington North Tire Fergus
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS GROVES HOSPITAL VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION Contact: Pauline Rasmussen, Manager of Volunteer Services 235 Union Street East Fergus ON N1M 1W3 519-843-2010 x3206 prasmussen@gmch.fergus.net www.gmch.ca HAAS FINANCIAL SERVICES Contact: Dick Haas, Principal 110 - 645 St. David Street South P.O. Box 114 Fergus ON N1M 2W7 519-843-3113 dickmhaas@bell.net www.dickhaas.ca www.deema.ca JENNABEC INC Consultants to independent business. Helping good companies be great. Contact: Dave Scharman, Managing Partner P.O. Box 724 Elora ON N0B 1S0 519-404-1187 dcscharman@rogers.blackberry.net
SUE BURNETT - REMAX REAL ESTATE CENTRE INC., BROKERAGE Assisting you in all your Real Estate needs. Having emigrated 8 years ago I am also happy to share my experiences and help with any overseas moves. Contact: Sue Burnett, Sales Representative 782 Tower Street South Fergus ON N1M 2R3 519-787-0203 sueburnett@remax.net
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
DREAMLAND PET & EQUINE Dreamland offers a wide range of products and nutritional aids for all your companion animals in your home! Contact Oscar Meier 6484 Wellington Rd 7 519-846-1313 Elora ON N0B 1S0 oscar.m@sympatico.ca www.dreamlandpet.com
FREEDOM 55 FINANCIAL Financial Advisor and Group Benefit Associate with Freedom 55 Financial. Whether you are a small business looking to get the best price available on the market for your employee benefits plan or an individual looking to plan for the future, I can help. I provide many products and services, including retirement and estate planning, RRSP's, TFSA's, Life, Disability and Critical Illness insurance and much more. Contact Bryan Paul, Financial Security Advisor & Group Benefit Associate 50 Sportsworld Crossing Road, Suite 280 Kitchener ON N2P 0A4 1-888-868-3226 x221 Bryan.Paul@f55f.com www.bryanpaul.ca
WESTMOUNT MOVING Local, long distance, and international moving company with warehouse/storage facility. Contact Brian Gray, Relocation Manager 335 Gage Ave. Kitchener ON N2M 5E1 519-895-1100 brian@westmountmoving.com www.westmountmoving.com
GLOBAL LIFE SOLUTIONS We are a company dedicated to providing a broad range of products and services within the sectors of business development, education, complementary health services, technology and sustainable growth. We work with a wide variety of clients and always strive to provide the best experience for them so that they may attain their full personal and business potential. We accomplish this in a way that respects the individuality and varying goals of our clients while always striving to uphold our primary objective, which is to help bring about a global shift in thinking competitively to thinking cooperatively. Contact Pier-Olivier Arsenault, Owner/Manager 388 Highland Road Fergus ON N1M 3N8 519-341-4380 pierolivier.arsenault@gmail.com
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
CHERYL VONZUBEN RMT Registered Massage Therapy. Therapeutic massage is helpful for a number of complaints, such as headaches, tendonitis, strains, sprains and it is also a great way to assist in stress management. I treat people of all ages, and am currently accepting new patients. Treatments are provided in a comfortable home clinic, also offering care at Wellington Terrace long term care facility. Registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario since 1995 and a member of the Registered Massage Therapists' Association of Ontario. Thank you for allowing me to provide care for you. Appointments can be made by calling 226 979 2251 Contact Cheryl VonZuben, Owner/Registered Massage Therapist Fergus ON N1M 3S3 226-979-2251 rmtcvz@hotmail.ca
LISA BLOOR RE/MAX REAL ESTATE CENTRE I have specialized in Residential Real Estate for ten years now. My greatest strengths have been providing honesty, integrity and compassion Contact Lisa Bloor, Realtor 782 Tower Street South Fergus ON N1M 2R3 519- 362-4663 lisabloor@sympatico.ca www.lisabloor.com 18 | w w w . c w c h a m b e r . c a
ROBERT BOWMAN – ROYAL LEPAGE RCR REALTY Being a lifelong resident of Centre Wellington, I have chosen to help my community by offering my real estate knowledge to both buyers and sellers. The advantages of working within real estate is helping my friends and family, as well as welcoming new residents into our hometown environment. I want to ensure that everyone I work with experiences the joy and love of this community that I have enjoyed my entire life. Contact Robert Bowman, Sales Representative 840 Tower Street South Fergus ON N1M 2R3 519-843-1362 robbowman007@sympatico.ca www.robertbowman.ca
SLEEP RITE INC. Contact Syed Ali & Marlene Bosse, Owners 9-100 McQueen Blvd Fergus ON N1M 3T8 226-383-1170 info@sleeprite.ca www.sleeprite.ca
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
EAST MILL TAPAS & GRILL East Mill Tapas & Grill is an upscale casual dining restaurant nested in downtown Elora. Specializing in Steak, Seafood, Tapas, and home made Rustic Pizza's. Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner. Sunday brunch 11 am to 2 pm. Reservations recommended. Catering available onsite or off. Under-arbor patio. Contact Kal Keer, Executive Chef & Shaily Vaishnav, General Manager 14 Mill Street East Elora ON N0B 1S0 519-846-2015 chefkal@eastmill.ca www.eastmill.ca
CLAIRE WELSH – REMAX REAL ESTATE CENTRE Selling homes, farms, and investment properties in Centre Wellington and outlying areas. Contact Claire Welsh, Sales Rep. 782 Tower Street S Fergus ON N1M 2R3 519-993-6226 cwelsh@remaxcentre.ca www.clairewelsh.com
TIVOLI FILMS INC. Tivoli Films Inc. produces original video content for businesses and organizations in Wellington and Waterloo Regions. Our productions produce real ROI and help organizations achieve their marketing goals. We can help your organization increase brand recognition, build trust and generate sales. We produce many styles of video including, commercials, company profiles, corporate video, e-learning videos, green screen, product videos, promotional videos, sales videos, trade show videos, training videos, web based videos. Organizations of all sizes have worked with us and we offer tailored video production solutions that fit into most budgets. Contact Brent Hallman, Director 145 St. Andrew St. West Fergus ON N1M 1N6 519-787-8206 info@tivolifilms.ca www.tivolifilms.ca
MEMBER PROFILE SCOTIABANK Sitting down in front of Stacy Locklin, the branch manager of Scotiabank in Fergus, you would never have expect that she has been with the bank for 13 years already! Originally from Gravenhurst, Stacy has been the branch manager now for the past two years and is enjoying working in Centre Wellington. ―We have a great team here of experienced, dedicated staff‖, says Locklin. In fact, both Ann Palmer and Rose McConnell have been with the bank for more than 25 Pictured left to right: Rose McConnell, Stacy Locklin, Diana Meadows, & Pat Crowder years! Personal relationships, knowing clients by name, and understanding their needs have lead to many of the branches‘ successes. Not only do the staff work hard within the branch, but they work hard volunteering within the community as well. Scotiabank‘s Match Program contributed $86,000 in 2011 for local charities and is on pace to have an even greater impact on our community in 2012! The program began six years ago and is available to any non-profit organization. Scotiabank not only donates matching funds, they become part of the fundraising team, helping sell tickets, and volunteering at the various fundraising events. Scotiabank will have between 2 and 5 people volunteer at the fundraising event and offers the potential to match between $2-5,000 in funding. You may have been witness to several of their volunteers helping at our annual Golf Tournament recently where they matched $5,000 in funding for the Chamber of Commerce. Several other recipients this year have included the Centre Wellington Food Bank, the Rotary Club, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Lions Club, and Habitat for Humanity, just to name a couple! ―I don‘t believe any other bank has a program that‘s giving back to the community with both funds as well as the commitment of volunteers to help raise money for charity‖, ―It‘s simply amazing to see how many hours some of our staff put in to some of these events!‖, says Locklin. One of the great things about the program is that charities can go back to the well year after year! Scotiabank does not limit charities to a one time allotment. Feel free to contact Stacy, or any other member of the team at Scotiabank in Fergus to find out more on this great program if you know of a charity that may be able to take advantage of the Match Program. Scotiabank is the 3rd largest bank in Canada, boasting over 19 million customers in 55 countries worldwide, but has still managed to maintain its ear to the ground in the communities that they do business in. Business customers can complete their day-to-day banking at the branch as well as on-line. If the need arises, one of the Scotiabank representatives from the business centre will come to your place of business to discuss many of their programs, lending facilities, and systems in order to partner with you to obtain financing to meet your business needs. Of course, you‘re always welcome to come in to the branch in Fergus to discuss your needs as well! 20 | w w w . c w c h a m b e r . c a
5 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR I.T. GUY AWAY Member Article
Why would I write an article that would make me lose business? Well, a happy customer will be a long-term customer. I would rather get you to spend your money on improving your equipment, than paying me to fix things you can prevent. Rule #1 – Keep your computer free of malware and viruses. Make sure you have a good antivirus program installed, keep it renewed & updated, and schedule a regular scan. Sometimes you get a virus, even if you have done everything right – but at least give your computer a fighting chance. Rule #2 – Keep your software patched. Virtually every program – from Accounting Software to Windows – checks itself for updates. When a program pops up a notice that there is an update – download and install it. In most cases, these updates provide security patches and feature enhancements that will help keep your system safe. Rule #3 – Keep your equipment clean. Dust is public enemy number one. Due to the nature of electronic devices, they attract dust. Most computers have at least a few fans that move air through the system to keep it cool. When dust builds up in the fans and heat-sinks, your system starts to run hotter, and won‘t run as well. Rule #4 – Protect your hardware. Make sure your system is plugged into a good surge protector, or better yet, a battery backup unit. If your tower sits on the floor, consider placing it on a platform to raise it off the floor a few inches. That will help with dust control and potential water damage, as well as making the drives easier to access. Don‘t place your electronics where they could get wet, dirty or in direct sunlight. Rule #5 – If you notice your system acting a bit strange, or you are not sure about installing a certain update, give your ―computer guy‖ a call. If you rely on someone to keep your systems running smoothly, then ask for their advice. Why wait until there is a major problem, and you have time-sensitive tasks to complete? Chances are, you can avoid a catastrophe buy keeping your I.T. guy in the loop. If you follow these simple rules, you should be able to keep your equipment running problem-free and avoid costly emergency repairs. Then, you can plan to invest in new and better equipment – a task your I.T. guys would prefer to help you with. Submitted by Jeremy Woods of ICS Computers
BOARDROOM RENTAL Did you know that the Chamber office board room that seats 10 people comfortably? It is a perfect spot to host a meeting or seminar! Full or Half days | Weekend and MEMBER Rates available Call today! 519-843-5140
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PUT YOUR RETAINED EARNINGS TO WORK Member Article
Many business owners have built up significant retained earnings in their corporation and are looking for ways to pull that money out. There's a simple strategy that moves retained earnings out of the company and puts them to work generating investment returns - in a tax efficient way. Retained earnings are a mixed blessing for business owners. On one hand, they represent the company's success and profitability. On the other hand, it can be a challenge to take retained earnings out of the business without incurring a large tax bill. If you are a business owner looking to pull money out of your retained earnings, there is a strategy available to you. The strategy involves taking out an investment loan and using your retained earnings to pay the interest on the loan. The interest payments are generally tax deductible and allow you to withdraw an equivalent amount from your retained earnings without any net tax consequence. At the same time, you now have the potential to significantly increase the value of your nonregistered investment portfolio over the long term as you have a lump sum amount invested that takes advantage of the benefits of compounding. Furthermore, this strategy provides business owners added diversification for their investments with the potential to safeguard their portfolio from creditors, help protect their capital, and potentially avoid estate fees by investing through a segregated fund contract. How far ahead could you be? Here's a fictional but realistic case study Jeremy, age 45, is a business owner who takes out a $250,000 investment loan and invests the proceeds in a segregated fund contract. Let's assume Jeremy is in 46% tax bracket and he has a mix of equities and fixed income in the portfolio. While the current rate for such a loan is 4%, let's assume 6% in case rates rise. And we'll assume 7% average annual rate of return for the investments. Jeremy's company increases Jeremy‘s pay the same amount as the cost of the interest payments. Jeremy doesn't pay any more tax because the additional income is offset by the tax deductibility of the investment loan interest. Over 10 years averaging 7% annual return, the investments would almost double to $491,788. After repayment of the loan and any taxes, Jeremy's after tax net worth has grown by over $200,000. Of course, borrowing to invest is not for everyone and should be thoroughly understood before proceeding. Your financial advisor should discuss any tax strategies with your accountant to ensure the tax benefits assumed apply to your specific situation. For more information, please feel free to contact your financial advisor or the writer at 519-822-3887 ext. #109. Dan Allen, CFP,MFA, EPC is a financial advisor specializing in retirement income and protection for business owners and professionals. He resides in Fergus and works with The Heritage Group Private Financial Services Inc. in Guelph. 22 | w w w . c w c h a m b e r . c a
CURRENT MEMBER DISCOUNTS TD Merchant Services Low rates on Visa 1.59% | MasterCard 1.64% Interac Direct Payments $0.069 per transaction. Contact Steve Wand at 519-884-6895, steve.wand@td.com
Group Insurance For Extended Health Care, Group Term Life Insurance, Critical Illness, Best Doctors access, Dental Care, Disability Coverage and/or Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage – this plan is for you! Contact Barney Tracy at 519-820-1283, btracy@groupbenefits.on.ca
Esso Business Card Program cost saving program of 3.5 cents per litre of fuel. Click here to apply: http://www.essofleetoffers.com/CHAMBER
Grand & Toy Save up to 80% on over 7500 quality office products. Contact Grand and Toy at 519-746-3500 ext 0
Ostic Insurance Member to Member discounting for Home and Auto Insurance for qualifying Chamber Members, Employees and Retirees. Contact Tom Waind, twaind@theosticgroup.com or www.theosticgroup.com
Bell Mobility Choose from two different Chamber Plan options, Blackberry & PDA Data pricing available, as well as Mobile Internet Stick Plans. Contact Dennis Dinesh at dennis.dinesh@bell.ca, 1-888-282-4499 x 5322.
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Contact Us Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce 400 Tower Street South Fergus, Ontario CANADA N1M 2P7 Phone: (519) 843-5140 Fax: (519) 787-0983 e-mail: chamber@cwchamber.ca website: www.cwchamber.ca
General Manager: Roberta Scarrow email: rscarrow@cwchamber.ca Membership & Administration: Heather Andrews email: membership@cwchamber.ca 24 | w w w . c w c h a m b e r . c a