BusinessView Saskatoon December/January 2014 2015

December/January 2014/15

A Colourful Legacy The fourth generation of the Days Paints family

Table of Contents

Featured Articles Cover Story: A colourful legacy Pg. 5 The fourth generation of the Days Paints Family

New SREDA CEO Alex Fallon brings a global focus to Saskatoon Pg. 6 Village Guitar & Amp Co. brings flair to the Saskatoon market Pg. 13

Don’t fight smoke eat

and drive. pet your dog be a DJ do your hair

What’s your distraction?

Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.

Promotional Features WCBC: Salaries will increase in 2015 Pg. 12 First opened over 97 years ago, Days Paints & Design is one of Saskatoon’s oldest businesses (Image: Grant Romancia Photography)

BUSINESS View­is a bimonthly publication of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce 104-202 4th Avenue North, Saskatoon, SK S7K 0K1 Phone: (306) 244-2151 Fax: (306) 244-8366 Email: chamber@saskatoonchamber.com Website: www.saskatoonchamber.com Twitter: @stoonchamber Reproduction of any material contained in Business View is permitted provided credit is given to the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce.

Articles and criticisms are invited, but views expressed in Business View are those of contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by, or are policy of, the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce. We encourage you to support the business leaders whose names and products you see advertised in this issue as well as throughout our entire membership.

The Board reserves the right to edit submissions.

2

BUSINESS VIEW SASKATOON

www.worksafesask.ca

2 Web Design Pg. 16 In pursuit of a personal brand

The Chamber

Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce Building the Best Business Climate in Canada, Thereby Creating a City of Opportunity

STAFF

Cover image by Grant Romancia

Kent Smith-Windsor, Executive Director Derek Crang, Sales & Membership Director Terry Lawrence, Administration Roz Macala, Executive Secretary Kevin Meldrum, Marketing Director Linda Saunders, Bookkeeper Ryan Wig, Communications Director

BUSINESS VIEW SASKATOON DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/15

3

President’s View

Cover Story

Exercise your right

A colourful legacy

Participating in democracy is a foundation for business and community and a country like Canada, and remember how important the democracy our soldiers fought for really is.

The next 18 months will bring elections at both the provincial and federal levels in Saskatchewan, and a municipal one in Saskatoon will follow shortly after. Over the past 30 years there has been a significant decline in the number of Canadians exercising their right to vote, something we should all be concerned about. The seemingly steady stream of political scandals certainly contributes to this (the Senate Scandal being the most recent example). However, these scandals overshadow the fact that the vast majority of our politicians are honest, hard-working people who make significant sacrifices to serve as our representatives. And, if we believe they are not we have the ability to remove them from office with our votes – this is the

Image: Alexandru Nika/Shutterstock.com

As 2014 winds down, it is an opportunity for us to reflect on the events of the past year. Every year has a large number of major news stories, so choosing only one is always difficult. However, the events in late October which saw two Canadian soldiers attacked and killed on our own soil surprised us all.

While no year in recent memory has passed without some loss of life in our military ranks, these two tragedies literally struck much closer to home.

These incidents, occurring only days before Remembrance Day and two months after the 100 year anniversary of the start of World War I, should remind us of the sacrifices all of our fallen soldiers have made during the past century. These people gave their lives to preserve our freedom and our democracy. We need to be thankful for how incredibly lucky we are to live in a province like Saskatchewan

In Canada, we are fortunate to control the governance of our city, our province, and our country, but only if we are sufficiently engaged in the process.

lynchpin of our democratic system.

Far too many people in this world either do not enjoy the right to vote or live in jurisdictions where the validity of their democracy is questionable. In Canada, we are fortunate to control the governance of our city, our province, and our country, but only if we are sufficiently engaged in the process. I would challenge anyone who chooses not to vote to explain his or her rationale to a spouse, parent, or child of one of the thousands of soldiers who died preserving this right for us.

Our democracy also provides the foundation for all businesses to build, grow, and invest in their operations. This growth and investment in turn grows our economy and tax base, providing jobs and opportunities for our citizens. It also promises similar opportunities for future generations, provided that we continue to utilize our democratic process to maintain and improve our freeenterprise system.

When the upcoming elections take place, I urge each and every one of you to exercise your right to vote, to help ensure we continue to have a vibrant and effective democracy.

Just a reminder that we are here to serve our more than 1,900 Chamber members, and I encourage any of you to contact me at any time should you have any matters that our Chamber might be able to assist you with.

Tony Van Burgsteden, President, Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce

2014-15 Board of Directors for the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce President Tony Van Burgsteden - AREVA Resources Canada Inc. 1st Vice-President Tanya Knight - MNP LLP. 2nd Vice-President Jason Yochim - Saskatoon Region Association of REALTORS ®. Past President Tracy Arno - Essence Recruitment.

Barry Berglund - Lawson Heights Pentecostal Assembly Kelly Bode - WMCZ Lawyers & Mediators. Bill Cooper - PotashCorp.

Rich Gabruch - Gabruch Legal Group. Peggy Koenig - Koenig & Associates. Silvia Martini - Interlink Research Inc. Karl Miller - Meridian Development. Julian Ovens - BHP Billiton. Kristy Rempel - Saskatoon Community Foundation. Sanj Singh - AdeTherapeutics Inc. Brian Skanderbeg - Claude Resources Inc. Chris Woodland - MacPherson, Leslie and Tyerman LLP.

4

BUSINESS VIEW SASKATOON DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/15

The fourth generation of the Days Paints family Article by Jeff Davis

Rick Pilon began his long apprenticeship in the paint industry, of all places, around the dinner table at the Day family’s traditional Sunday dinner. He was dating Amanda, a daughter of the family, and conversation never seemed to skip one particular subject: paint.

Father Rick Day and Grandfather Harry Day loved to reminisce about the good old days when great-grandfather J.O. Day used to mix paint by hand, right in front of the customer.

“They would tell me about how he used to go down to Mrs. Jones basement with powdered pigment and colorant. He would put some yellow oxide into a mixture of paint, and a little raw umber, mix it up and put a little it on the wall,” Pilon says. “And she’d say ‘You know geez I’d like it a little lighter,’ so he’d grab some white pigment and mix it in, and all along he’d be taking those measurements.”

The Day family has been in the paint business since 1917, when family patriarch J.O. Day immigrated to Saskatoon to work as a painting contractor. Since then the family has kept a focus on paint, and with the succession of son-in-law Pilon, a fourth generation has taken the helm at Days Paints & Design.

While they are no longer mixing paint by hand (sophisticated machines handle that now), Pilon says the business is run much like it was back in the day.

“We’re no Home Depot,” he says. “What I’ve learned from Rick and Harry is whatever you’re doing, choose one or two things and do them to the best of your ability.

Rick Day (left) and Rick Pilon (right) in Days Paints at 701 2nd Ave North in Saskatoon. (image: Grant Romancia) “Don’t try to be everything – just stick to what you know and do it well.”

Ten years ago, Pilon admits, he knew little about the paint industry. A power engineer by trade, Pilon was working four days on, four days off at a Cargill oilseeds processing plant.

Rick Day invited Pilon, now 40, to sit down around that same dinner table, and said he wanted to begin grooming him to take over the business when he retired.

“This succession planning really started from day one,” Pilon says. “He approached me and we sat down, and he said ‘I’m looking at a 10 year plan and if you come on board, this is what I’m thinking.’”

Pilon agreed, and began working shoulder to shoulder with the people actually using products from Days Paints out in the field.

“On my days off I worked with contractors. I

would paint with them, and learn the product, learn the preparation for those walls, those cabinets, that trim packages, how to roll, how to spray,” he says. “I learned the behind the scenes stuff first.”

Soon Pilon joined the staff full time and began deep-diving into the various products and their properties. He travelled far and wide to the factories where Benjamin Moore paints, Corona brushes and other products are made, seeing the processes involved what raw materials were used.

Having gained this expert-level knowledge, Pilon began working with Rick Day to learn the ins and outs of running a small business.

“Under Rick’s wing, I learned the dayto-day operation of the business; staffing, admin, sales and those sorts of things.”

Old Rick held a very high standard for customer service that he passed along to Pilon and the rest of the staff. A big part of that is retaining experienced and highly knowledgeable employees who know all the regular customers.

“We have eight employees, with some part-time summer help,” Pilon says. “We keep it small, and that way there’s not a lot of turnover, so you get that consistent feel.”

“We’ve had customers dealing with us for 20 years and they come in for just that reason – they feel comfortable asking for our advice.”

Pilon strives to create a homey, welcoming atmosphere where customers can take a load off. There are comfortable chairs and always a pot of coffee brewing, which helps them ease into the often very personal conversations that help uncover a perfect colour choice.

“I joke that we’re almost psychologists when they walk in, because we ask all these questions to get the perfect colour,” Pilon says. “I think people are surprised by the amount of questions, and we don’t want to make it overwhelming.”

What direction a room is facing, what sort of natural light enters the room, what Continued page 10

BUSINESS VIEW SASKATOON DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/15

5

Member News

From the Board

New SREDA CEO Alex Fallon brings a global focus to Saskatoon The appointment of Alex Fallon, Britain’s Honourary Consul to Saskatchewan, to SREDA’s top job says everything you need to know about the organization’s goforward focus.

“One of SREDA’s focuses is connecting Saskatoon to the world,” says Fallon, the new President and Chief Executive Officer for the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA). “Whether it’s attracting new customers for our region’s businesses, or attracting new companies to invest and setup here, SREDA plays a key role in helping to grow the regional economy.”

At the age of 13, Fallon’s family moved from Saskatoon to the U.K. where he learned that Saskatoon was largely unknown as a major city or destination. He also came to appreciate how much Saskatoon meant to him, and vowed to find his way back.

Two degrees, two kids and a few career moves later, Fallon has landed his “dream job” leading Saskatoon’s economic development authority. He brings 15 years of international business and economic development experience, having served as marketing manager for Cameco Corporation, director of investment attraction for Saskatchewan’s Ministry of the Economy, and vice-president, investment attraction and managing director for Rainmaker Global Business Development.

In each role, Fallon promoted Saskatchewan around the globe – creating new linkages with investors across North America, Europe and Asia. Attracting business and investment to Saskatoon and surrounding areas will be one of SREDA’s top priorities.

“We’ve seen Saskatoon and Saskatchewan surge in attention and awareness in the last few years. I’ve seen and experienced it first hand,” Fallon says. “The job, now, is to capitalize on this profile, build on it and make sure that it translates into jobs, higher incomes, business expansion and new investment here at home.”

According to Fallon, SREDA has taken a fresh look at its services and programs

6

BUSINESS VIEW SASKATOON DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/15

Alex Fallon is the new CEO of SREDA and also Britain’s Honourary Consul to Saskatchewan (supplied photo) to ensure it’s delivering value for its stakeholders. SREDA focuses on six core areas to help grow the local economy: Business & Investment Attraction, Business Expansion, Regional Economic Development Planning, Entrepreneurship Support, Economic Forecasting and Analysis, and Marketing the Saskatoon Region.

Fallon is focused on developing a strategy that can measure the return on investment in these areas and demonstrate the economic impact of SREDA’s work. “Doing so would put SREDA amongst the leading economic development agencies that report on their ROI.” The result will be a three-year strategic plan to help established businesses expand and attract new companies to Saskatoon.

The plan is expected to include a mix of current and new initiatives aimed at growing the region’s economic fortunes.

For example, the City of Saskatoon’s current tax abatement program, aimed at providing local companies with an incentive to expand, needs to be promoted more aggressively and will factor into SREDA’s

plans, said Fallon.

“We’re going to shift our planning and reporting from an activities-based approach to one that measures the impact we’re having on the economy. If we set bold targets for our region, and pull together the right strategy to reach them, we can become a Canadian leader in regional economic development, no doubt about it. It won’t be easy, but it is achievable.”

While there is lots of groundwork to do, Fallon sees opportunities to leverage SREDA’s strengths in a number of areas, including Square One, SREDA’s new resource centre that provides entrepreneurs across Saskatchewan with support services, and SREDA Insights, the agency’s regular report on economic trends and issues that could affect local business. SREDA is also playing a key role coordinating the development of a regional plan with the City of Saskatoon and Regional partners.

“We have a unique role to play in Saskatoon’s business community. With the Chamber building linkages between businesses here at home, and our focus on growing Saskatoon’s opportunities nationally and internationally, the future looks bright.”

“The world is waking up to what we have to offer as a province and city. We’re going to work hard to build on this awareness and ensure that it turns into new jobs and opportunities for everyone living and working in our region.”

It takes talent to find talent The changing world of recruitment

By Peggy Koenig, President/CEO Koenig InTell International and Member of the Board, Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce We all know how tough it can be to find the right people to lead our organizations at the executive, senior manager and professional levels.

Extensive internal resources are allocated Peggy Koenig, by companies to wade President/CEO through a myriad of Koenig InTell recruitment activities International to find candidates with the right skills and competencies, and the right fit. According to a recent Hunt Scanlon report on the state of recruitment, internal recruitment is exploding. Organizations are putting significant investment into growing their internal recruitment functions to deal with an increasingly complex labour market environment.

In today’s tough labour market, recruitment can no longer be based on advertising and personal networks (i.e. Rolodex recruitment) or shot-gun approaches that lack a planned and structured approach. Recruitment has become complex, difficult, and strategic.

Now it takes talent to find talent. Recruiting has changed a lot!

Using job boards, social networking tools like LinkedIn, and referrals are typical approaches to recruiting today and are quite commonly used by business in Saskatchewan.

If you are not using LinkedIn to recruit, you are way behind the eight ball. These approaches may find the occasional ‘A’ player but typically attract the ‘B’ and ‘C’ players who are actively looking for work. The ‘A’ players are happily employed and not checking job boards or ads. How can your company find the ‘A’ players? Developing a recruitment strategy and talented recruitment function that knows how to find talent is the ticket!

Traditionally, recruitment was viewed as a sales function where companies would sell the company. Now, as an employer, you need to have a complete value proposition to attract

great people to join you. The internet and There are many new candidate assessments social media provides both an opportunity available in the marketplace and most and a risk to your recruitment function. Your companies take advantage of using these brand and value proposition is dispersed tools to validate interview impressions. world-wide on the internet which is the Considering that recruitment can be a opportunity but if the value proposition is liability, adding an assessment tool to the weak, your company’s exposure on the internet recruitment toolkit makes sense. is a risk to successfully recruiting talent. You And finally, companies who excel in the art must be strategic in how you develop and of talent acquisition understand that using the present your company’s value proposition right high value outside executive recruiter to the local, national, and global market on or search firm is not a cost-prohibitive the internet and through social media. transaction but rather, an investment to Companies that are successful in recruiting find top talent. Considering the value to your talent have evolved from a “candidate business of finding hard to find, strong, and relationship management” model to a model well-qualified people for your organization, of building a “talent network”. Your “talent investment in developing internal resources network” should be a place to post jobs and a and using external recruiters to find talent place that acts as a magnet to attract people is good business. including fans, candidates, employees, alumni and customers. Using a “talent network” 201-336 5th Avenue North model is only used Saskatoon, SK by some employers Tel: 306-651-5272 in Saskatchewan info@larcsaskatoon.org and offers a unique www.larcsaskatoon.org competitive advantage to employers who make that transition.

The internet is your The LARC provides FREE language testing for newcomers access to a broad variety who are Permanent Residents and want to participate in of candidates. Using the internet to source federally funded English language classes (LINC) in Saskatoon candidates beyond social networking Contact the office for eligibility criteria and other details sites is growing and Office Hours: M/T/F: 9am-5pm W/Th: 9am-8pm Sat: 10am-2pm your recruitment staff should have the skills Note: Please also join us for our Grand Opening on Tuesday, and know-how to sift December 9 at 10am. RSVP by calling 306-651-5272 through internet data to target and source potential candidates on the internet. Your recruiters need high powered sourcing skills to support their ability Funder to strategically source

Free Language Testing

and attract passive ‘A’ candidates.

Agency

International Women of Saskatoon

BUSINESS VIEW SASKATOON DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/15

7

KPMG Enterprise™

Your Private Company Adviser

Family matters We understand how important your family and your business are to you. We’re here to help.

Contact a KPMG Enterprise professional today: 306-934-6200 500 475 – 2nd Ave South, Saskatoon

kpmg.ca/enterprise

© 2014 KPMG LLP, a Canadian limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved.

Local.

Online.

Publication: Family Business Advertisement Title: Family matters Document: 6603 BusinessView KPMG Enterprise Ad_V2.indd

KPMG MSLP, 393 University Avenue, Suite 1100, Toronto, ON Canada M5G 2N9

“The Value Leader”

Anytime.

Deadline: July 17, 2014 Size: 7.375”w x 4.75”h Colour: CMYK

Contact: Brianna D Bergeron Phone: Design: Evalueserve Actual date: July 17, 2014

Continued from page 5

tones are in the carpet, what art hangs on the wall, what colour the bedspread is, the ages of the family members, what emotional atmosphere they are trying to create for the room – all these details are important.

“We want to get to know you as a person because it gives us a lot of detail that helps us pick that right colour,” Pilon says. “We don’t rush a decision and will often offer a little tester can, so the customer can put it on our wall and live with it for a few days.

“It’s not all about pushing sales out; it’s about making that customer get that perfect colour in their home they’re going to enjoy.”

In the past Pilon and his staff have worked closely with colour blind individuals, even going shopping with them for furniture and other accessories. And thanks to a database that records which colours customers have put in the various rooms of their home, they don’t have to hoard old unfinished cans of paint out of fear of a future mismatch.

“That’s how we get people’s trust; We give them the right answer,” he says. “We don’t just give them a product and say, see you

Above Left to Right: Anita Derbas, Lorrie Couzens, and Almira Espenant are ready to help customers with their design needs.

Top Right: The first cheque paid to J.O. Day, dated June 28, 1917. (Images: Grant Romancia)

later. It’s not always the easier solution but it’s the right one.”

Sticking with the family’s long-held advice, Days Paints & Design will stay tightly focused on a few product lines under Pilon’s leadership. Benjamin Moore paint, Hunter Douglas blinds, wallpaper and a side of reupholstery materials.

And when Pilon gets stumped by an issue in the business he knows he can turn to Rick

Day for some friendly advice at Sunday dinner.

“He’s always open for me to bounce things off, and he’s not saying yes or no, he’s just giving advice,” Pilon says. “It makes me feel at ease that he’s there if I need him” “That’s the real beauty of this transition, it wasn’t just a quick sale, sign a check and you’re gone,” he adds. “He really cares about the business, he cares about me, he cares about customers, and he wants to see this business grow.”

Days Paints & Design 701 - 2nd Ave N Saskatoon, SK 306.665.6366 (Paint) 306.244.4721 (Design Studio) info@dayspaints.com

Committee chair attends historic CETA ceremony Submitted by Monica Kreuger, Chair of the Going Global Committee On September 26th I was given the privilege of attending a reception at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto to recognize the signing of the Canada European Trade Agreement (CETA). The ceremony was hosted

by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who was joined by His Excellency Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council and His Excellency José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission.

The room was comprised largely of Toronto residents, but a few of us from other parts of Canada, including Saskatoon and Cape Breton, made the journey to celebrate this historic event.

For the last five years, Canada has been working on a trade agreement that would result in 99% of tariffs being lifted on more than 9,000 EU tariff lines. The agreement will also provide more open doors for services and trade with the 29 member states. Despite many sticking points that required significant

10

BUSINESS VIEW SASKATOON DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/15

deliberation and due diligence, the agreement was officially signed on September 26th.

While much has been written on the process of developing the agreement, the next steps are the most critical. The text of the agreement will now undergo a legal review, followed by a translation into all official languages of the European Union.

At a later stage, the agreement will need to be approved by the European Council and the European Parliament.

Set to begin in 2016, the agreement is not without its opponents. One reported issue of the investor state dispute settlement clause raised in Germany states that the agreement will have a negative impact on foreign investment. I anticipate there will be ongoing discussions regarding this issue, but we need to remember that in depth discussions, negotiations, research and due diligence have been undertaken over five years by multiple stakeholder groups. The

fact that it has undergone such extensive review can give us measured confidence in the outcomes.

Saskatchewan has a significant trading relationship with Europe and this agreement will give business freer access to the over half a billion people in the EU. Many European companies are already established in our province, including AREVA, Bayer Crop Science, Novozymes, CNH Global and K + S Potash, who represent several billions of dollars in investment. We also have several smaller companies that sell into the European market.

While we may not all agree on the details, freer trade is something the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce supports. I for one, was privileged to be there to celebrate this historic event.

Let’s talk Navigating the complex world of business technology can be a challenge. SaskTel can help you overcome these challenges by providing: • Insight through IT consultation • Strategies for systems implementation • Expert solutions to suit your unique business needs With world-class infrastructure and local Experts, SaskTel is committed to providing you quality end-to-end solutions for your business.

Insight. Strategy. Expert solutions.

sasktel.com/business

Your Life. Connected.™

Promotional Feature

Member Profile

WCBC: Salaries will increase in 2015

By Barry Cook, Partner, Western Compensation & Benefits Consultants

Barry Cook, Partner, Western Compensation & Benefits Consultants Canadian employers are experiencing challenges in attracting and retaining employees according to the results of a survey recently completed by Western Compensation & Benefits Consultants. Barry Cook, a Partner in the Firm, indicated that “in the past 12 months approximately 60% have experienced challenges in attracting employees, while nearly 40% of employers experienced challenges in retaining employees.

Voluntary turnover was typically between 5% and 10% of employers’ workforces.”

Attracting, developing and retaining good employees is obviously a top human resources priority, and employers indicated that they consider the provision of competitive compensation to be the most effective strategy to meet this priority. Providing career development and advancement opportunities was identified by employers as another significant factor in attracting, engaging and retaining employees.

Salaries continue to increase. The consultants’ survey shows that salaries went up approximately 3% nationally in 2014 and are projected to increase by a similar

12

BUSINESS VIEW SASKATOON DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/15

amount in 2015. Over 90% of employers review and increase their salaries annually, and over one-half of employers implement these increases in the first calendar quarter.

However, Cook points out that “the magnitude of salary increases varies by sector of the economy, geographic region and industry.” Increases by public sector/ government organizations were less than 2% in 2014 and not expected to be much higher in 2015. Salary increases by private sector companies in Alberta and Saskatchewan will continue to be higher than those awarded in other parts of the country. Industries which expect to provide the highest increases in 2015 include financial services companies and professional services organizations, while companies in the retail, wholesale and hospitality industries expect to grant the lowest increases.

Nearly three-quarters of the employers surveyed award larger salary increases

to high performing employees. Typically, high performers receive increases of 1½% to 2% more than those awarded to average performers.

Short-term incentive or bonus plans continue to be a favoured strategy for engaging and rewarding employees, particularly in the private sector. In the last fiscal year, nearly 80% of the organizations surveyed by the consultants paid out bonuses. A majority of these organizations also expect to pay bonuses for the current fiscal year.

Compensation research reports recently released by WCBC contain a wealth of information to assist employers in their compensation and benefits planning. Over 500 organizations contributed data regarding employer policies and the compensation paid to nearly 400 positions. Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce members are eligible to receive a 15% discount.

Salaries are predicted to rise nationally in 2015, according to a survey by WCBC.

Village Guitar & Amp Co. brings flair to the Saskatoon market

Village Guitar & Amp Co.’s eclectic store and performance space in Riversdale In the fall of 2004, Dan & Stephanie Canfield, tired of the rat race in Toronto, moved their young family to Saskatoon to slow the pace of their life down. Stephanie worked in the dental field as a dental hygienist while Dan looked for his own place in the West.

Having worked in the high-end corporate entertainment industry for many years in Toronto, Dan gained valuable experience staging big productions day-in and dayout for major global clients such as Toyota, McDonalds and IBM, just to name a small few. Armed with this skill set he was greeted with the pre-boom Saskatchewan economy and a bleak outlook in that industry.

Working as a freelance technician in Saskatoon, Dan started to recognize opportunities in industries where he could adapt his skill set to meet the demand.

This led him to work in the film industry, the studio world and then finally sales and service of large A/V installations under the name Skyblue Media Solutions.

Looking for a lifestyle with a little more flair, Dan and a friend started thinking about what that would look like. Opening a boutique guitar shop in an eclectic building where

friends and customers alike could “hang out” looked like a pretty good vision. So with the economic boom now in full swing and the local musical instrument retail market starting to consolidate itself, it seemed like now or never. Dan and his partner jumped in, and in the Fall of 2011, Village Guitar & Amp Co. opened its doors.

“We knew it would be a slow burn,” Dan

said of the boutique guitar business, “but it wasn’t really about getting rich. It was about a lifestyle. “ Village Guitar & Amp Co. has a reputation for stellar sound and a beautiful warm environment in which to see a show. One thing led to another and people wanted to have that stellar sound and show for their own events, so Dan was pressed back into service doing live event production again.

“I love creating moments. That’s what it’s all about for me. Live events give me that chance to create those moments.”

This year has been a breakout year with Skyblue providing production for many high profile events including the Sasktel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival at The Broadway Theatre and the now much sought after ticket for “Lugo” held at the Mendel Art Gallery.

The growth of both businesses over the past few years has seen the buyout of Dan’s partner in the guitar shop, and the inclusion of Stephanie to look after private rentals of the shop which have really taken off. “People love the uniqueness of having their event in a cool guitar shop,” says Dan. “I see a lot growth potential for both businesses but for now I am trying to stay focused on what has got me here and that’s my passion for quality.”

Village Guitar & Amp Co.: 432 20th St W, Saskatoon, SK S7M 0X4 ph: (306) 652-8422

Saskatoon Serving Saskatoon & Area Real Estate needs as an avid volunteer, business member and parent in the Saskatoon Community. Because I care!

Sheri Willick REALTOR®

306.281.7612

sheriwillick@gmail.com

BUSINESS VIEW SASKATOON DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/15

13

Member Announcements

Congratulations Kim Dilller Harvard Broadcasting is pleased to announce Kim Diller, of 96.3 CRUZ FM, as Harvard’s 2013-14 Broadcasting Account Executive Of The Year. This recognition is based on a defined set of criteria where Kim excelled amongst all of Harvard’s Account Executives from 12 radio stations in 7 separate Canadian markets.

“I couldn’t be more proud of Kim and her accomplishment.

Kim is the prototype sales representative – personality, professionalism, leadership, attitude, and ability – the total package,” says Rob Lozinski, General Sales Manager at Harvard Broadcasting “We are lucky to have her as part of our Saskatoon 96.3 CRUZ FM sales team.”

Studio 914 welcomes you

Culture is an incredible lever for economic development and wealth creation in Saskatoon. La Troupe du Jour has been successfully running a state-of-the-art performance centre, Studio 914, in the dynamic neighbourhood of Riversdale and wants you to share in its success.

“A number of corporate clients love conducting special events like AGMs, meetings, audio-visual presentations and staff activities in our well-equipped space,” says Brigitte April, Studio 914’s Building Manager.

Filled with great works of art, this fully licensed venue with an urban vibe appeals to the client who’s looking for something special. The spacious rehearsal hall with natural light and high ceiling is of a particular appeal to photographers who wish to conduct an occasional photo shoot, or to employers who want to conduct staff training.

“By welcoming groups that come from all over Canada, we contribute to Saskatoon’s visibility, and make it an attractive city to conduct business in,” says Artistic Director Denis Rouleau.

Little Bird Pâtisserie & Café regularly caters opening theatre nights and enjoys the increased business this exposure provides.

All Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce members are invited to attend a morning Open House at the facility on Thursday January 29th 2015 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. A complimentary continental breakfast will be served. RSVP @ 306.667.1221 or by email: building@latroupedujour.ca.

MORE READERS WITH MORE BUYING POWER

Saskatoon Business Development Incentive Policy C09-014 The City of Saskatoon has established tax abatement incentives to encourage attraction and expansion of businesses, and facilitate long-term job creation. Incentives include: exemptions or reductions of any city tax or fee; waiving of utility deposits and down payments on land; and exemptions or reductions of prepaid servicing levies.

Incentive applications must be completed and returned to the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) Inc. before applying for a building permit.

SREDA will review each incentive application, recommending acceptance or denial of the request.

The applicant must be involved in energy, oil and gas, mining, manufacturing, processing, technology, transportation and logistics, telecommunications, or data processing.

To be eligible for an incentive, all of the following criteria must be met; the applicant must: • Be a legally incorporated entity; • Be involved in energy, oil and gas,

14

BUSINESS VIEW SASKATOON DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/15

•

• • •

•

•

mining, manufacturing, processing, technology, transportation and logistics, telecommunications, or data processing; Demonstrate that a minimum of 5 new full-time positions will be created within 1 year, if from an existing business; or demonstrate that a minimum of 15 new full-time jobs will be created within 3 years, if from a new business; Invest a minimum of $500,000 in plant, land, and/or leasehold improvements; Possess the required financial resources to complete the project; Be the legal owner of the property or provide a copy of the lease agreement upon application; Possess a realistic and acceptable business plan and/or executive summary; and Must apply for an incentive prior to commencing with an expansion or new building project and prior to applying for a building permit through the City of Saskatoon.

Once a completed City of Saskatoon Business Development Incentive Application Form is received, SREDA forwards a copy to the Incentives Review Sub-Committee.

The Incentives Review Sub-Committee evaluates the application, and provides its recommendations in a report to City Council.

Council then decides whether an incentive will be provided, its nature, timing, amount, and any conditions.

All corporations meeting the eligibility requirements for a property tax incentive may qualify for a tax abatement of up to 100% of new or incremental taxes in year one, 80% in year two, 70% in year three, 60% in year four, and 50% in year five. The value of incentives for new or local expansions in the manufacturing or processing sectors that will create 100 or more new, full-time or full-time equivalent employees may be eligible for tax abatements of up to 100% of new or incremental property taxes for a period of five years. For more information please see www.sreda.com.

74% of adults with personal incomes of $50,000 or more are StarPhoenix readers.

74% of adults with household incomes of $100,000 or more read The StarPhoenix.*

To find out how your business can best reach this audience, call 306.657.6340. *Source: NADbank 2013 Study; Saskatoon CMA (Adults 18+: 229,100).

Combines print & online. Read in last six days

REACHING AUDIENCES

IN MOREWAYS THAN EVER BEFORE.

Promotional Feature

In pursuit of a personal brand

By Mouneeb Shahid, CEO, 2 Web Design Let me begin with a sensitive but very important question: Have you ever Googled your name?

If not, then do it right now and proceed with enlightening yourself. Chances are that if you have any social media profiles online, you will come across some interesting results about your personal and professional information.

The results that come up are critical because they can define your reputation. However, in the odd chance that you don’t get any results about yourself, you need to do something about that.

The reason why you need to start thinking seriously about your personal brand is because whether you like it or not, when you are thinking of doing business with someone, or applying for a job, or even hooking up with a new date, there is a very likely chance that you will be “Googled.” With so much activity and information that we share online these days, your reputation is literally in the hands of Google. Therefore, it is imperative that you take positive steps in building your personal brand.

The first step is to define a goal. Think about how you want to be perceived online.

Are you a thought leader, in the market for a job, or are you looking to promote a business? By asking yourself these questions, you can then come up with a description that aligns with your goal. One approach to come up with an effective description is to take a third party perspective of how your circle of people around you would describe you. Also be sure to highlight how you can help others and bring value through your expertise.

The next step is to build your profile on

popular social media platforms. If you did happen to search your name on Google and if you have a LinkedIn profile, you will notice that search results tend to give LinkedIn profiles more priority over other platforms. This is a very important factor to consider when being found online. Due to its powerful nature and professional structure, I would recommend you get started by building a strong LinkedIn profile. To help you learn the best practices for a LinkedIn profile, you can download our free guide from www.2webacademy.com. Each social media platform has its own set of tools and functionality that makes it unique. By understanding the level of flexibility on a platform, you can make the best use of it.

Regardless of the social media platforms that you choose to use, a significant part of maintaining a personal brand is to continually engage with your audience by having conversations with them. Be genuine and have something interesting to say, especially in the area of your expertise.

People will follow you and you will expand your network.

In order to stand out and increase engagement in the saturated Internet environment, you need to be unique and fresh in your approach. Surely you cannot expect different results by doing the same things over and over again. Put yourself out there to break through the noise. Try using videos, invest time in blogging, and be part of online discussions relevant to your industry to develop a strong personal brand.

In order to resonate with your audience and build your network, you need to recognize them and make them feel valuable. Your

passion can be a very powerful asset and any information that you present about yourself needs to indicate that. A carefully thought out personal brand has the potential to propel you towards great opportunities.

If you have thoughts, ideas, or tips on building a strong personal brand, please share them on our blog at www.2webdesign. com/blog As always, the following is a tribute to our recent clients who have put their trust in our services: WestarGroup.com (Westar Group of Companies) Vereco.ca (Vereco Homes redesign) SFNFCI.ca (Saskatchewan First Nations Family and Community Institute) SayYesJewellers.com

Train the employees you need The Canada-Saskatchewan Job Grant helps you train people to meet your requirements and provides the skills they need to achieve their career goals.

The Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada are offering this program to provide funding – up to $10,000 per trainee – to train new or existing employees for available jobs.

• You select the people you want to train and the training program.

• You pay at least one-third of the cost and the program funds the rest.

• You provide a job at the end of training.

Go to SlaughterMySite.com to get a complimentary analysis of your website.

16

10 ,000 per trainee

$

Program Features:

Visit economy.gov.sk.ca/job-grant to learn more about program criteria and how to apply.

Scan Me

Receive up to

Mouneeb Shahid Founder & CEO

BUSINESS VIEW SASKATOON DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/15

Funding provided by the Government of Canada through the Canada Job Grant.

This program is part of the Government of Saskatchewan’s commitment to keep our economy growing.

Canada’s Ask why over 30,000 business owners select THIS plan!

Plan

For employee benefits

Our Saskatoon Marketing Agencies: Andrea Hansen, Sutton Financial Group Jeff Rask, Jeff Rask & Assoc. Financial Services Inc. Deb Wiegers, Wiegers Financial & Benefits 1.877.277.0711 visit Group Benefits with a Difference.

Simple. Stable. Smart.

BUSINESS VIEW SASKATOON DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/15

19

Chamber Merchant Services Credit Card Processing to Help Drive Business Success The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and First Data, a leader in the electronic payment processing industry, have partnered to bring you exclusive benefits to help grow your business. Together we are ready to help you with preferred pricing and products tailored to suit your needs.

Full Suite of Products • • • • •

Ecommerce Wired & Wireless Terminals First Data Mobile PayTM Gift Cards Solutions TeleCheck® Electronic Cheque Acceptance

Contact us at 1-888-265-4117 or via email at chambermember@firstdata.com

Preferred Chamber Pricing: Discount Rate/ Transaction Fees*

Monthly Account Fee

Visa® 1.55% ® MasterCard 1.60% ® Discover 1.60% Card Brand 0.12% NQA 0.25% Interac Debit® $0.05/Transaction Ask us about Amex®

$5.00

*additional processing fees may apply

© 2014 First Data Corporation. All Rights Reserved. All trademarks, service marks and trade names referenced in this material are the property of their respective owners.

From the Board, Staff, and Volunteers of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce

CHAMBER VOLUNTEER COMMITTEES COMMITTEE CHAIRS Agribusiness Opportunities Bert Sutherland - BERTradioonline.com Loran Forer - BMO

Meetings: 2nd Monday of the month - 3:30-5:00 pm

Business Growth Elise Hildebrandt - The Mortgage Centre

Meetings: Last Tuesday of the month - 8:00 am

Business of Science & Technology Raj Nayak - University of Saskatchewan

Meetings: Last Tuesday of the month - 3:00 PM

Celebrate Success!

Lynn Nastiuk - Sask. Health Research Foundation Meetings: Depending on need - closer to event

Environmental Sustainability Colleen Yates - Equinox3 Consulting Ltd.

Meetings: Last Monday of the month - 3:30-5:00 pm

Future Opportunities Committee

Bill Brooks - Eclecthink International

Environmental Sustainability Committee Upcoming Event “Brownfield Redevelopment Practices” January 15th, 2015 Brownfield is land that has previously been used for industrial purposes, and may be contaminated for future use. However, this land can be redeveloped for other purposes, improving the area and also creating economic benefits.

This half-day panel speaker event will run from 11 am to 2 pm on January 15th at the Saskatoon German Cultural Centre, and includes a working lunch.

Look for information on our website and in our events email newsletter in December. Contact marketing@saskatoonchamber.com for more details.

First Nations and Métis Opportunities Committee Business Mixer January 21st, 2015 The First Nations and Métis Opportunities Committee is planning a business mixer on January 21st, 2015 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Saskatoon Inn. This will be a unique event with a six speaker round table cycle (think: business speed dating). Each speaker will give their 3-minute elevator pitch and then join a table of 8-10 for further conversation. Businesses will share their success stories of how businesses have partnered with the First Nations and Métis community. The event will conclude with casual networking amongst the group.

Registration for this event will be available mid-December, with complete information on the chamber website (Saskatoonchamber.com). To find out more contact marketing@saskatoonchamber.com.

Meetings: 1st Tuesday of the month - 7:30-8:30 am

First Nations and Métis Opportunities Committee

Chris Sicotte - Affinity Credit Union

Meetings: 1st Tuesday of the month - 9:00-10:30 am

Going Global Ken Ziegler - Robertson Stromberg Pedersen LLP Monica Kreuger - Global Infobrokers Government Affairs Michael Chudoba - Innovative Residential

Meetings: 2nd Wednesday of the month - 4:00-5:30 pm

Health Opportunities Dave Dutchak - MD Ambulance Care Ltd. Sanj Singh - AdeTherpeutics Inc. Corey Miller - Saskatoon Health Region

Meetings: First Monday of the month - 2:30-3:30 pm

Meetings: 2nd Wednesday of the month - 5:00 pm

Membership Development Evan Drisner - Nu-Fab Building Products

Meetings: 2nd Thursday of the month - 11:45-1:30 pm

More information available online at www.saskatoonchamber.com under Committees.

(306) 664-0702 dcrang@saskatoonchamber.com Visit saskatoonchamber.com today under Member Services for more details

Alan Auld Canada Ltd. Consultants - Engineering 1005-606 Spadina Cres E, Saskatoon Phone: (306) 974-5505 Arlene Dalton / Wayne Smith Anne Jane Grieve Consulting Consultants AND Home-Based Business Phone: (306) 244-2197 Anne Jane Grieve Banda Marketing Group Inc. Marketing / Market Research 810-410 22nd St E, Saskatoon Phone: (306) 343-6100 Brent Banda Baron, Jennifer Individual Members Bonish, Brittany Individual Members

Bridge City Bookkeeping Inc. Accountants / Bookkeepers 4-501 Gray Ave, Saskatoon Phone: (306) 652-5052 Jennifer Christian CBRE Limited Real Estate - Commercial 920-410 22nd St E, Saskatoon Phone: (306) 244-1552 Michael Bratvold

Meetings: Last Thursday of the month - 3:30-5:00 pm

Knowledge & Youth Development Jeff Wandzura - Phenomenome Discoveries

For membership information contact Derek Crang

Join a Volunteer Committee Today!

The Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce is successful in large part to the large number of committed volunteers. If you are interested in learning more about how you can get involved in a committee, visit our website at www.saskatoonchamber.com and look under “Committees”. We look forward to meeting you!

Firebird Business Consulting Ltd. Consultants - Business AND Home-Based Business Phone: (306) 241-6215 Roger Grona Full Throttle Sports & Leisure Inc. Marine / RV Dealers RR 9 PO Box 300 Stn Main, Saskatoon Phone: (306) 244-7878 Deren Seeman

New Members

Hear My Heart Books Inc. Education / Training AND Publications / Publishers Phone: (306) 260-1298 Fawn Nielsen

Space 2 Spare Storage Moving / Storage 2505 Koyl Ave, Saskatoon Phone: (306) 242-1959 Matthew Hooper

Huang, Haitao Individual Members

Synergy Sales Inc. Electrical Contractors / Equipment / Services 17-1724 Quebec Ave, Saskatoon Phone: (306) 373-3215 Donna Reiniger

M & A Homes Group Ltd. Real Estate - Commercial AND Real Estate - Developer 2-1810 8th St E, Saskatoon Phone: (306) 979-8899 Michelle Dubyk RE/MAX Saskatoon Real Estate - Residential Phone: (306) 281-7612 Sheri Willick Rock Ridge Paintball Games Inc Leisure / Recreation 3-2210 Millar Ave, Saskatoon Phone: (306) 956-2266 Jayson Thompson S&S Property Management Property Management Phone: (306) 830-1548 Michael Schnobb Saskatoon Animal Control Agency Other Services 4-1622 Ontario Ave, Saskatoon Phone: (306) 385-7387 Eva Alexandrovici Small Group of Companies Ltd. Home-Based Business AND Landscape Services Phone: (306) 361-4186 Karla Thiessen Solvason Insurance Group Insurance Companies / Agents 10-304 Stonebridge Blvd, Saskatoon Phone: (306) 649-1420 Karmelle Solvason

Tap Communications Advertising / Public Relations 203-262 Avenue B S, Saskatoon Phone: (306) 373-7330 Michelle Nelson / Bonnie Thiessen Vitalife Health Products Ltd. Distributors 603-123 2nd Ave S, Saskatoon Phone: (306) 979-0388 Lin Yuan Yastech Development Corp.

Technology 9-3815 Thatcher Ave, Saskatoon Phone: (306) 249-9609 Michael Yasieniuk

Invest in Saskatchewan

you get it.

COMPARE THE SAVINGS on a $5,000 RRSP Investment: COMPARE THE SAVINGS Golden Opportunities on a $5,000 RRSP Investment: RRSP

15% Federal Tax Credit Golden Opportunities RRSP

$750 $750 $1,000

15% Federal Tax Credit 20% Provincial Tax Credit Regular RRSP 44% RRSP Tax Savings Regular RRSP

NGS

ment:

rtunities

ax Credit

0

Tax Credit

00

Savings

00

vings *

50

$2,200 44% RRSP Tax Savings Your Savings $2,200 $2,200* Your Savings $2,200*

20% Provincial Tax Credit 44% RRSP Tax Savings

$1,000 $2,200 44% RRSP Tax Savings Your Savings $2,200 *

35% $3,950 Your Savings $3,950*

IN TAX CREDITS

35% 35% IN TAX

IN TAX CREDITS CREDITS

Jeff Rask**: 306.649.4000

SUN LIFE FINANCIAL ADVISOR ** JeffRask Rask : 306.649.4000 Jeff and Associates Financial Inc. ADVISOR SUN LIFE Services FINANCIAL Jeff Rask and Associates Financial Services Inc.

goldenopportunities.ca goldenopportunities.ca

Jeff Rask**: 306.649.4000 SUN LIFE FINANCIAL ADVISOR Jeff Rask and Associates Financial Services Inc.

SOLD BY PROSPECTUS ONLY. Please read the Prospectus, which contains important detailed information, before investing. A free copy is available from your Sun Life Financial Investment Services (Canada) Inc. Financial Advisor. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with Retail Venture Capital (RVC) Fund investments which may not be suitable for all investors. RVCs are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax credits are available to eligible investors on investments up to $5,000 annually, provided that the shares are held for at least eight years from the date of purchase. *Assumes a 44% marginal tax bracket and minimum taxable income of $136,271.

The Federal Government’s 15% tax credit will be phased out by 2017. 35% in tax credits applies to your 2014 income tax filing and 30% in tax credits applies to your 2015 income tax filing.

Redemption restrictions may apply. Paid for in part by Golden Opportunities Fund Inc. **Mutual funds offered by Sun Life Financial Investment Services (Canada) Inc.

Managed by Saskatchewan’s venture capital and private equity Fund Manager.