The Edge, A Leader's Magazine | Manjit Minhas

S p e ci a l Fa ir s & F e s t i va l s I s s ue!

MANJIT MINHAS Beer Baroness, Entrepreneur and Dragon on CBC’s hit TV series, Dragons’ Den

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Ways to Grow Your E-Commerce Enterprise

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WINNERS’ CIRCLE

What a

Mentor

Can Do For You

SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE COMPANIES TO EMULATE

How

Podcasti ng Ca n Promote You r Business

Download our EBOOK from: www.theedgeleaders.com/shop Summer 2019 the EDGE

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OVERVIEW SUMMER 2019

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Editor’s Message

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Cover Story Manjit Minhas

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Business Make Lemonade: A Women’s Coworking Space 7 Socially Responsible Companies to Emulate Life After Scandal: How Businesses Can Bounce Back

20 Kiu Rezvanifar

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Mary Ito

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Ivan Misner

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Althea Clarke

WI

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OVERVIEW

SUMMER 2019

S p e ci a l I s s ue s e c t ion Fairs & Festivals The Benefits of Trade Shows & Festivals Expert Tips for Trade Show Success

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Upcoming Festivals and Conferences (Listings)

Money & Finance Tax-Saving Tips for Working at Home 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Business is Down

Startup

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Infographic: Startups & Small Businesses by the Numbers

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Technology 5 Strategies to Grow Your E-Commerce Business Podcasting to Promote Your Business

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Lifestyle & Luxury

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The Value of a Mentor How to Connect with People Clothes Make the Man: Menswear Trends

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Travel

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Lagos

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Summer 2019 the EDGE

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EDITOR ’ S MESSAGE

Committed Leadership: An Art as Well as a Craft

P

erforming a responsible leadership role in business is one of the most potentially influential acts across the globe particularly during a time such as now, when we’re experiencing major social, political, spiritual and cultural shifts.

It is instructive to take a look at some of the names dotting the business landscape in recent decades: Manjit Minhas, Oprah Winfrey, Daymond John, Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, and Kathy Ireland; spanning diverse fields from Food and Hospitality, Media Communication and Publishing, Information Technology to Franchising, Travelling, Marketing and Modelling.

In various ways, these business leaders have altered our perceptions of what can be achieved through astute business acumen and exceptional personal performance. They have built organizational cultures that not only inspire us but drive and motivate us as well.

Forward-thinking leaders are not sidetracked by small or irrelevant matters.

They do not allow the ‘urgent’ or the ‘immediate’ to supplant the ‘important’ and ‘long-term’. They are aware that when a leader loses focus on business operations the result can be disarray and, even worse, substantial financial loss. Dedicated business leaders take time to train their microscope on the overall business and individual teams, then leverage their actions to magnify the impact on those they lead.

As a business leader, it is your task to live by design, not default. You must set up systems and processes that enable your business to operate successfully even during your absence. You must be able to cut through the inevitable noise and

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chaos, to bring a consistent, laser-liked focus on the actions that are vital to your organization and that will make it most profitable. These skills do not always come naturally. Sometimes they must be learned; sometimes it takes a crisis in business or life to generate these skills.

It is indeed imperative that we work consistently toward improving or growing our business, rather than be lulled into a state of complacency with the status quo. Our business leader’s “strategy manual” in support of insuring business progress might include anything from implementing a more inclusive hiring policy, taking more significant risks, bridging the wage gap between genders, to simply becoming more tolerant!

(What a challenge!) It’s also our moral responsibility to seek out and develop new leaders in the organization by reskilling our existing workforce to be competent in the skills required to ensure the success and sustainability of the business. As the popular saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words.”

A few years ago, I was running my business with minimal vision, motivation or leadership. I was merely functioning as if I were living in the shadow and operating in a vacuum. I started to feel dissatisfied and empty, and experienced some inner turmoil. For a long time, I numbed my feelings and failed to act. However, I could not ignore the deepseated calling from within, urging me to take the stage as a committed agent of business leadership.

I knew I had to make drastic changes, but I did not fully understand what I needed to do to elevate my business or to resolve my feelings of unrest. I finally decided to

acknowledge my continued dissatisfaction as a clear signal that I needed to start living courageously and begin fulfilling my business-leadership role.

The transformation was challenging.

Along the way, there were monumental hurts, betrayal, mistakes, anxiety and deep emotional pain. I tried to return to running the business as before, but I could not go back. My journey of leadership had just begun, and I needed to delve deeper into my new realization of what the business could become. As I used my missteps and difficulties to visualize new possibilities and purpose for the organization, I began to gradually get a handle on the connection between leadership and business.

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Over time, I developed a heightened awareness and appreciation of the impacts of organizational change. The challenges helped me lead my team selflessly and effectively during the most complex and volatile junctures. But we worked collectively and at the same time elevated the lives of these within the walls of the organization.

If you aim to be a leader, position yourself to join the ranks of some of the most courageous and powerful world-changers.

You should continue to consistently develop yourself, your team, and your stakeholders, lead with transparency and by example, and exercise fair management practices so that you, too, can leave your mark on the world.

I hope you enjoy this issue of The Edge. I’ll be glad to hear your thoughts and get your feedback, so please write or drop me an email.

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FEATURE STORY

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COVER STORY

SUCCEEDING WITH COURAGE AND WILLPOWER CONVERSATION WITH MANJIT MINHAS

by Jennifer M. Williams

Born and raised in Calgary, Manjit Minhas went from studying Engineering at the University of Calgary to becoming the “beer baroness.” At just 19, she co-founded Minhas Breweries with her brother, Ravinder. The upstart company quickly grew to challenge the established big names in the beer business, becoming the first new company to successfully enter Canada’s brewing industry in decades. Now Minhas Breweries, Distillery and Winery has over 90 brands of beers, spirits, liqueurs, and wines available in Canada, the U.S., and 15 other countries spanning Europe, Asia, and South America. Manjit is also an accomplished speaker, and co-author of the book Brewing Up a Damn Good Story.

In 2015, the CBC gave her the opportunity to join the cast of Dragons’ Den, where she’s been advising – and investing in – would-be entrepreneurs ever since. She spoke with The Edge to share some of the knowledge she’s gained on her journey as a trailblazer, an entrepreneur, and a mom.

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COVER STORY

What was your journey like going from the University of Calgary to buying one of the oldest breweries in America with your brother?

Well, not a straight line definitely, it didn’t happen from here to there. There were many years in between. We started in the spirits business in 1999 and we wanted to bring in high-quality spirits at an affordable everyday price, first to what was my parents’ liquor store – they had three stores in Calgary – and then after that to the masses, which was first Albertans, and then Canadians, and then Americans, very quickly.

You know in this day and age, when people say that they want to start a brewery or a distillery, they actually physically mean bricks and mortar; that was not our thought and that was not our plan then, for a variety of reasons, but mostly because we didn’t have the money to do that. It takes millions of dollars, and there was no such thing as VC firms or loans for young people back then like you can get now to be an entrepreneur, it was a really rare thing to get to do.

Being born and raised in Calgary, my plan was to be an engineer and maybe have a side hustle that supplied great products to my parents’ stores and make money on the side. (It wouldn’t have been called a “side hustle” at the time, it would have just been a business back then.) Sales really drove demand for the products, and that’s when we really started to get on the map, not only with revenue but also getting noticed in the industry.

We were actually making money when we got into the beer business in 2002, and so for the three years prior to that we were doing fine, [my brother and I] were still in university, and so once we got into that and the engineering seemed to be kind of falling by the wayside, that’s when things really started to develop for us for a variety of reasons. One because there’s just a lot more volume and fewer players in the beer market, so we started marketing and advertising, we started expanding.

We were always getting our products produced for us in the U.S., and we were shipping to Alberta and everywhere else after that. And other than the extra shipping costs there was no difference as to where we were making it because nobody in Canada would talk to us. The Canadian market was always very different in that producers always thought they were creating their own competition if they dealt with us and the Americans don’t think that way. We grew our sales, we got great retail partners and grew in the U.S., and we were doing well. And then we got enough cash in the bank – we’re a little old school the way we were raised, to spend only what you earn and what you have in the bank – and so when we had enough in the bank we bought [the Joseph Huber Brewing Company] in 2006 and then expanded it for our needs. We really felt at that time that we needed to own the manufacturing.

There are a lot of things we wanted to do and have control over, and when you get to a certain size you need to control manufacturing because you could be out of business really fast if someone decides, as a supplier, they don’t want to deal with you anymore.

We also noticed very early on that we were going to be a sales/marketing/branding company as well as a manufacturing company because they’re two very distinct businesses. A lot of people forget it takes a lot of work to make a product and

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“You live and you learn, and some things are worth your time and energy and some things are just an experience, and that’s okay too.” develop it before you sell it, which is a totally different job. It was definitely a great key to our success that for seven years we were able to concentrate on building our core brand as well as building multiple brands in different markets before going back and becoming experts in manufacturing and creating all the efficiencies there. Multiply that over and over with the different breweries and distilleries that we own, and then a winery, and it’s not a journey that was planned. I always have a plan, but my business plan has probably changed about 12 times in the last 20 years, and I think that’s what great entrepreneurs do. They look at what markets demand, what consumer demand is, what regulations are, and all those things help guide their journey.

Our journey has been fabulous. We definitely had a lot of bumps along the way, failures, tough times entering different markets, lobbyists from the other side that have definitely been a challenge, but we still deal with them every day. There have been lots of different challenges in different markets, whether they be regulatory, with competition, or even internal; when your company gets to a certain size you have a lot of other challenges internally to deal with. That’s the thing about being an entrepreneur, no two days are the same. It’s always an interesting journey. The journey wasn’t a straight line from being an engineering student to owning a physical brewery, but when I look back it’s been an enjoyable one.

You had to jump through some additional hoops to get your company’s products to all the places you wanted.

What did you learn dealing with that adversity?

I learned that I’m a lot stronger than I ever thought I was. I’ve built a very thick skin because failure not only hits a team and a company, but as the leader of that, it hits you personally too.

I learned how to pick myself back up every time, because as your company grows you very quickly understand that there are a lot of other people relying on you for their paycheque, to put shelter over their family’s heads and food on the table.

It also taught me to figure things out on the fly as well as what my values in business are and where I draw the line.

The most important lesson that twenty-and thirty-somethings can learn is that life’s not fair, and that’s okay. It’s a tough lesson to learn, but it’s a lesson nonetheless and I think the sooner people learn it, the better. Life’s not fair for a variety of reasons; no matter what I do there’s three things always against me: one, I’m a woman in a male-dominated industry; two, I’m a visible minority; and three, I’m young and I’m going up against companies that, no matter what country or territory or province or city, are dominated by the “old boys club” that, in some cases, has been around for centuries.

COVER STORY

When we entered the market we were very naïve in thinking that we had a superior product and a superior price, so why wouldn’t people want to deal with us? Very quickly we learned it’s not as simple as that in the world of business, and a lot happens behind closed doors that isn’t really talked about.

I think that’s a lot of what I bring to the last four years and the upcoming fifth year on Dragons’ Den, to open the eyes of entrepreneurs to say, “Hey, you might have the greatest product on Earth, however you have to get it to your customers and into their hands, and you have to get people to pay for it.” That’s a very tough journey and it’s not a straight line. I think that’s the hardest thing for first-time entrepreneurs to understand, the lay of the land.

As an entrepreneur you have to face challenges every day, so it’s really important that individuals realize that it’s an exciting journey but it’s also a tough journey. I always say to people, it’s 350 days of challenges and adversity but 15 days of glory, and that’s what we live for: those 15 days of glory.

In addition to running your business, you’ve done some keynote speaking as well. What do you enjoy about speaking?

I really enjoy getting out and meeting different people, young and old, men and women, in the corporate world or young entrepreneurs, mothers running businesses like myself… it’s

nice to get out of my normal peer group. I find that if I impart some of my wisdom and knowledge from my journey and experiences, I get the same thing from that. It really is a giveand-take relationship and I do it a couple of times a month.

As much as I can I try to fit it into my schedule because I find it really fun, and also I’m always looking for a challenge – I love to get outside my comfort zone because I think that’s where a person grows the most.

We all evolve in many different ways in our lives and take on new things, which I’m always doing, so I hate when people ask me, “Where are you going to be in five years?” I hate that; I have no idea. I have six-month goals, one-year goals, for the company and for myself, and I have five-year goals, but it’s never what I imagine. If you asked me five years ago if I thought I’d be on TV every Thursday night giving entrepreneurs advice and investing millions in them, I’d say “no way,” but hey, look where I am. If you asked me 10 years ago if I’d have two little girls and still be living in Calgary, I’d say “no way.”

I had different thoughts about where my life would be, so I think it’s important to consciously take challenges and make decisions and always be open to what comes your way, because you never really know.

I’m someone who says “yes” to a lot more things than I should because I want to try new things. Which is not to say that it always works out, but I never want to say “should’ve, would’ve,

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“I always say to people, it’s 350 days of challenges and adversity but 15 days of glory, and that’s what we live for: those 15 days of glory.”

their stories and their journeys, and in a lot of cases make longtime friends because something people don’t realize is that being an entrepreneur is lonely. You’re dealing with your own business all the time, you’re the leader, you have to make the decisions, and a lot of the time you’re enclosed in your office. The rates of depression among entrepreneurs are skyrocketing because being an entrepreneur is solitary. When you’re working a 9-to-5 job you’re in big groups and teams with lots of people, but for most entrepreneurs it’s very lonely.

You’re usually travelling and making decisions by yourself, so it’s really nice for entrepreneurs to be able to get out and mingle, network, and have a good time socially.

Many say that being an entrepreneur is more than a fulltime job, but you’re also a mother. How difficult is it for you to find the right balance between work and family?

could’ve.” You live and you learn, and some things are worth your time and energy and some things are just an experience, and that’s okay too. It’s important that we get outside our comfort zones, and that’s what speaking was for me.

You’ve won awards and have been featured on lists like the Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs in Canada. How rewarding has it been for you to receive these kinds of honours after all the work you’ve put into building Minhas Brewery?

It’s always humbling and exciting, to be honest, to win any type of award. Especially an entrepreneur award, they mean a lot, and from women’s organizations and business communities, because they all have different meanings and it’s nice to be recognized.

It’s something most people don’t get to receive or achieve, so I value every award that I’ve gotten very highly, and I take time to be gracious and have gratitude for the individuals that are involved that nominate and choose me. I love being able to go out and enjoy the events associated with them and learn from other really great entrepreneurs and hear

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I definitely haven’t found it, and anybody who tells me they have is lying. It’s B.S., because there is no perfect day, there is no perfect amount of time you can spend in both worlds when being an entrepreneur, because in order to have a successful business you have to eat, sleep, and breathe it.

You have to work harder than the next guy in order to make the sale, to develop the right product, to get the right price, the right distributor, the right team. It’s always ongoing; there is no balance.

What I believe is having no regrets, just understanding that I love what I do, and I think it makes me a better mom and wife being an entrepreneur, and being a mom and wife makes me a better entrepreneur. In order to be a great parent and spouse as well as a great entrepreneur you just have to live in the moment wherever you are and at the end of the day have no regrets. The way I do that is by having a great support team at home and at the office.

What was it like when you were offered the chance to join Dragons’ Den? Oh, I was thrilled. I had been an avid viewer of the show and really thought it had done some great things for entrepreneurs.

It’s great for viewers to understand business and to understand how to pitch and make sales, and it’s a great outlet for creativity.

COVER STORY

So yeah, I’m thrilled they called me to come down to do a screen test. I enjoyed it, and they liked me. It was a room full of other great, notable entrepreneurs and two weeks later we started filming. That was five years ago.

have faced that I don’t wish upon anyone. So I think if I can help anyone navigate that or at least open their eyes before they begin that journey, I think that’s helpful because I didn’t have that when I started.

It’s been an amazing journey, I’ve met some amazing entrepreneurs, and I’ve invested in some amazing entrepreneurs – 31 to be exact – and it’s been not only financially successful and a great return, but also I’ve personally met some great Canadians and been involved in some really great industries and products that I otherwise never would’ve ventured into.

It’s hard to believe that that much time has already passed; the old saying that time flies when you’re having fun is definitely true in this case.

How important is having a mentor? Did you have one along your path to success?

What’s changed for you and Minhas Brewery since you’ve been on the show?

A lot. More concentration in the Canadian market; we were definitely growing and expanding a lot in other parts of the world, so definitely with the recognizability factor of our Boxer brands in the beer space and many others such as our Irish Cream liqueur, or our gin or whiskey brands that are available everywhere. There has been great recognition, and that’s been nice because it’s kept me closer to home and concentrating on the Canadian market for our own sales and opening the facilities in Canada to service those markets. It’s been great for Minhas Breweries and Distilleries to get that recognition, and for me it’s interesting to be noticed and recognized everywhere I go.

It’s been amazing to see the letters and emails that I get, and it hits close to home when I see women – especially young minority women – who finally see themselves on TV. That was big too, for others to see that if a young Indian woman can make it in the beer industry, you can make it in whatever industry you want to be in. We all know that there isn’t enough representation of women on the show – one out of five is ridiculous – and also no minorities, which was not reflective of the Canadian business scene and entrepreneurs in this country.

So I was definitely happy to be not only a champion of that but to be able to tell my story and hopefully inspire women of all ages to follow their dreams, because if I can do it and stay true to who I am in terms of morals, values, and even as far as what I look like – I didn’t succumb to the pressures to do things like become a blonde, I’ve stayed true to myself – then it shows them that they can do it too.

For a successful entrepreneur like yourself, what’s it like to be able to pass your knowledge on to people looking to walk a similar path?

It’s really rewarding. I have two little girls and I see the world through their eyes now, and I think that it’s one of the things that I had to learn on my own by putting myself out there. If I’m able to help save somebody from making those mistakes and having those heartaches, I am definitely willing and happy to do so. I think a bit of heartache is good to have, but not as much as I’ve had over the last 20 years. Whether it’s dealing with misogyny or racism, there’s just so many things that I

I’ve had many mentors, men and women. One individual in my industry from the U.S., he was one that I pursued diligently after the first time I met him, right when we started. And I’ve had so many; I believe that [mentors] should change as your needs change as an individual.

Then I flipped the script and I became a mentor to many young women, helping them find their passion, guiding them through their journeys to break those glass ceilings that they’re dealing with, or just being there to listen to. I definitely believe in the power of mentorship and it being something everyone should have – not just entrepreneurs – in their careers and in their lives. It’s really valuable to know that there’s someone to listen to and learn from at a particular point in your journey.

Sometimes it’s nice to have someone who’s been there and done that to just listen and be a brain to pick, because no two journeys are the same. It’s also nice to be able to understand the real world from someone who has that experience.

How do you incorporate social responsibility into what you do?

I strongly believe in social responsibility because I understand that we make products that people can enjoy irresponsibly if given the choice, and so I decided a long time ago that I was going to put management warnings on all our beer products.

It’s not mandated by law in this country, unfortunately; I tried very hard to get our federal government to do that because I think it’s important that anyone consuming alcohol be reminded they should be responsible, that they shouldn’t drink and drive, and that pregnant women absolutely should not drink. There’s a lot of science to prove all those things and I think it’s very important that everyone in the industry promote responsibility.

I know I can go to bed at night and put my head on my pillow knowing I’ve done everything I can to make sure that people consume our products responsibly and in a time of joy, in times of socialization or relaxation, but they’re not harming themselves or others. The management warnings we put on our products were important to us. We were the first beer company ever to receive an award from an organization that deals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), we’ve always advocated for that. Unfortunately, it’s rare for beer companies to acknowledge that fetal alcohol syndrome exists and that women should not consume alcohol when they’re pregnant.

I strongly believe in recognizing the pros and also the cons of the products we put out into the world. //

Photo credits: Spotlight Productions

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BUSINESS

MAKE MAKE LEMONADE LEMONADE A WOM EN’ S COWOR K ING SPACE

by Rhea Braganza Summer 2019 the EDGE

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BUSINESS

“It’s not about competition.

It’s not about one-upping.

It’s an empowering space.”

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- Ashley Fulton, Make Lemonade

xamining the role of women in entrepreneurship today paints a much more optimistic picture than in years past. For young women everywhere who want to forge their own paths and run their own businesses, their chances have never looked better.

However, issues still remain that show the playing field is still not truly level.

There are a number of barriers that women entrepreneurs face. From going against traditional societal expectations to dealing with limited access to

the EDGE Summer 2019

funding, one of the top issues female entrepreneurs have to deal with is securing venture capital, which has historically been more challenging for women and minorities. In the world of investing, men have traditionally had the upper hand. Not only that, but women often struggle with being assertive, being taken seriously, owning their accomplishments, and building a healthy and supportive network. Women also face more pressure to establish a healthy work-life balance and overcoming “imposter syndrome,” a psychological tendency to constantly feel like a fraud or a phony.

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freelancing, an increasing number of men and women are looking to coworking spaces as an alternative to working from their homes or a local coffee shop.

With companies like WeWork already in existence, it should come as no real surprise that these spaces are now being designed with women specifically in mind.

Today, Toronto is home to a number of amazing and innovative coworking spaces created with women in mind.

Make Lemonade, located at 326 Adelaide Street West in the city’s lively downtown core, is just one of them. With unique décor, the space is stylish yet

BUSINESS

professional. Every wall is Instagramworthy, with quotes like, “She believes she can, so she does” stenciled on them, and there’s also a mural of a woman’s hand squeezing a lemon, by artist Quinn Rockliff. Every nook and cranny has been thoroughly thought out and designed.

The space is the brainchild of CEO and founder Rachel Kelly. A graphic designer by trade, she often struggled to find a place to work that wasn’t a crowded Starbucks. After a job offer fell through at the last minute (her lemon), Kelly decided to take that situation and “make lemonade,” launching her company in September of 2017. With the help of MMNT Design, Rachel transformed a 3,000-square-foot office into a vibrant, colourful space filled with natural light that feels as much like a well-designed luxury home as it does a workplace.

It’s important to note that Make Lemonade doesn’t actually exclude men. Rather, the space is focused on female empowerment and women supporting women through the creation of a friendly and supportive community space. Men are welcome to use the space too, if they choose.

Interior Photo credits: Cameron Bartlett

“It’s not about competition. It’s not about one-upping. It’s an empowering space,” says Ashley Fulton, Make Lemonade’s Director of Good Vibes. “Cliques, gossip, drama, all that stuff doesn’t happen here.

It won’t happen here.”

To join, women can select from three different membership options that range in price from $30 a month for The Zest, a community membership, to $300 a month for Half Pressed, which includes access to Make Lemonade’s shared space at the front, to $500 a month for the

Whole Lemon, which entitles you to a fixed desk at the back. (Single-, five-, and 10-day passes are also available.)

Whole Lemon members and Half Pressed members can access the space anytime with a special key fob.

The space also hosts monthly Master Classes, which are open to both members and the general public, covering a variety of entrepreneurial and business topics.

There’s a Make Lemonade blog, “She Believes,” which features short interviews with prominent female leaders and entrepreneurs in Canada like Toronto radio host Josie Dye, UTKATA Yoga founder Inna Miretski, and Big Ass Piñata founder Michelle Laratta, who also designed two large lemon piñatas in the Make Lemonade space. Since its inception, the company has relied on organic marketing and advertising to generate buzz.

The number of women’s coworking spaces across Canada and the U.S. is growing.

Along with Make Lemonade in Toronto, there’s Vancouver’s Hervana and The Wing, which has locations in New York, San Francisco, and the Washington D.C. area, with plans to open a new space in Toronto in 2019. (The Wing’s management has faced controversy and the company is currently under investigation by the New York City Commission on Human Rights for alleged gender discrimination.)

Make Lemonade stands not only as a testament to ingenuity and innovative entrepreneurial thinking on the part of founder Rachel Kelly, but as an empowering place for women looking for support and some good vibes along with a cool and unique place to work and make their own mark on the world. //

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C

COPPERBLOCK CAPITAL CORP. opperblock Capital began in 1993 as Homestyles Design Group before evolving into a premier name in real estate investment and development in North America. A family business, Adam F.D. Morris became CEO of the newly rebranded Copperblock in 2015 after working 12 years with the company as Project Manager and later Operations Executive. Under Adam’s direction, the company transformed into a leader in both real estate and philanthropy.

Driven by the vision to become the nation’s leader in sustainable design, construction, and investment, Copperblock has developed a strong track record of profitable real estate projects across Canada and the United States. They are pushing the envelope with every project they bring to market, incorporating features such as living roofs, rainwater collection, real-time energy calculation displays, car- and bike-sharing programs, geothermal heating and cooling, cross laminated timber (CLT), solar panels, greywater plumbing, and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification into their latest buildings.

In 2019, Copperblock established a sister company called CanDwell, which specializes in developing garden suites, single-family homes, and apartment buildings constructed from repurposed shipping containers.

Durable, energy efficient, and resembling a typical, attractive dwelling, with stucco, stone siding, and drywall, these homes offer the aesthetic appeal of a conventional stick build home, while fully embracing an ethos of recycling. CanDwell is quickly becoming Canada’s leading shipping-container homebuilder, with the capacity to prefabricate multiple houses at a time at its 22,000-square-foot manufacturing facility.

As Copperblock CEO, Adam Morris is a strong proponent of investing in the community and doing business in socially responsible ways. In 2015, he was inspired by the Syrian refugee crisis to create the nonprofit organization Canadian Family Foundation (CanFAM). Drawing upon his experience in international recruitment and training during his time as the Founder and President of Climb Group, CanFAM started with the goal of aiding and empowering new refugees, and other newcomers to Canada, to become self-reliant. Adam has since grown the overarching purview of CanFAM to include additional groups in need of increased supports, including animal welfare shelters and agencies as well as groups focused on supporting impoverished and socially isolated senior citizens. With Copperblock, Adam is allocating a portion of his business towards building affordable housing units.

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the EDGE Summer 2019

Copperblock Capital Corp.:

where profitable real estate investment meets sustainable, socially responsible construction.

Summer 2019 the EDGE

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7

BUSINESS

SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE COMPANIES TO EMULATE

by Alex Correa

W

hen setting out to start a business, terms like “profit margin” and “market sales potential” always take precedence over ones like “carbon footprint” or “social responsibility.” Ethics aren’t in opposition to a successful business, however, and being socially conscious isn’t something you have to disregard when starting a company. In fact, it should be one of the first things you think about.

There are many socially responsible companies that not only have widespread recognition but also turn in impressive profits. And in some cases, it’s that very sense of ethics and responsibility that many socially conscious customers look for when doing business.

Lego Toy manufacturers generally aren’t thought of as the most socially conscious companies. However, Lego changed that idea in 2003 when the Danish company became the first toymaker to join the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate social responsibility initiative.

Some of Lego’s partnerships and accomplishments are as imaginative as the minds that create complex structures out of the iconic toy blocks.

In 2017, Lego partnered with the World Wildlife Fund in an effort to reduce carbon emissions. This includes a $6 billion investment in two offshore wind farms, research and development of more

sustainable materials, and improving energy efficiency in the production of Lego bricks by more than 12%.

With climate change a pressing global concern, it makes sense that one of Lego’s main priorities is not just combating it but also increasing awareness of the issue.

In 2017, the toy giant celebrated its achievement of reaching 100% renewable energy capacity by building the world’s largest brick wind turbine out of Lego bricks.

Bionic Yarn Music, design, and fashion icon Pharrell Williams partnered with Tim Coombs and Tyson Toussant of Bionic Yarn, a raw material manufacturing company that’s revolutionizing what it means to be socially responsible. The core of Bionic

Yarn’s belief is simply that “a company can successfully marry purpose with profit.”

This initiative started with a focus on one of the most dire issues facing the planet’s oceans: plastic waste pollution. Bionic Yarn recovers the waste found along the coast and recycles it into technologically advanced raw materials. The versatility of these recycled materials is what makes Bionic Yarn such a tremendously successful company, with its products found in anything from clothing to furniture to luggage to automotive parts.

In 2016, alongside over 300 organizations across 37 countries, Bionic Yarn joined the Waterkeeper Alliance, which is devoted to protecting more than 2.4 million square miles of ocean across the planet.

BUSINESS

Lucky Iron Fish Lucky Iron Fish founder Dr. Gavin Armstrong fits the mold of a “social entrepreneur” perfectly. He decided early on when starting his company that he would do his best to help with socially conscious initiatives and philanthropic work, such as hunger and malnutrition issues, mainly in Africa. The titular core product of Lucky Iron Fish is a small iron fish designed to be cooked along with food (like in a pot of rice), acting as a reusable iron fortifier for those who are deficient in the mineral and an alternative to iron pills.

Iron is a vital nutrient that helps carry oxygen throughout our bodies and, unfortunately, many people around the globe find themselves iron deficient. The company offers a “Buy-One-Give-One” program, where for every purchase of a Lucky Iron Fish in North America from the company’s website, another fish will be donated to a family in need. In 2018 alone, 54,000 people benefitted from this program.

Despite the amazing social impact that Armstrong’s company has made, the question remains as to how he can run a profit while still helping others. When he spoke to The Edge in 2018, he provided some insight on this matter.

“I have staff I have to pay at the end of the day,” he explained. “And so the margins are important, the bottom line is important, but we want to make a difference by the social threshold of what we’re doing.” An example he provided was the money that goes into his environmentally sustainable packaging: “I think consumers want to see packaging that has environmental logos on it. I think being cheap and using plastic packages will actually hurt the brand and will actually hurt sales. I don’t consider social costs as a cost, I consider them an investment.”

L’Oréal This household name here may come as a surprise, but it shouldn’t. The cosmetics juggernaut has been a member of the

Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) since 2006 and currently obtains all of its palm oil from RSPO-certified sources. This is just one of L’Oréal’s steps towards sourcing 100% renewable raw materials from sustainable sources.

L’Oréal’s contributions toward a more sustainable environment don’t end there. The company’s 2013 initiative, “Sharing Beauty with All”, aims to reduce the company’s environmental footprint. In 2015, L’Oréal reported that it had reduced production-related CO2 emissions by half since 2005. Even its fair-trade programs in developing nations have helped create some 54,000 jobs.

Ethical Bean Company In an industry where a fair-trade option has become an industry standard, it’s nice to see a coffee company go beyond that standard. Ethical Bean Coffee shows that it’s entirely possible to blend business with charity work and still turn a profit. In 1999, founders of the Vancouver-based coffee shop, Lloyd Bernhardt and Kim Schachte, spent nearly a year in Guatemala waiting for the adoption of their daughter. During their time there, the couple witnessed the difficult struggle of coffee growers and farmers trying to make ends meet.

This inspired the direction they would take with their coffee shop.

A combination of environmentally friendly ingredients and a focus on charity makes Ethical Bean Coffee one of Canada’s top socially responsible companies. The brand’s eco-friendly bags generate 75% less emissions than a plastic recyclable container, and its return policy on those bags decreases emissions even further.

As for Ethical Bean’s charity focus, the company has donated $64,000 to Child Aid’s FUNDIT since 2003, providing aid to school children in Guatemala.

Ben & Jerry’s Proudly fueled by their hippie idealism (and great recipes), Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield founded Ben & Jerry’s in 1978.

The ice cream kings never cut ties with their hippie philosophy of a greener and heathier planet, and it’s one of the

most prominent features of the company, outside of its cleverly-named flavours.

The causes that Ben & Jerry’s supports are interwoven with the actual ice creammaking process. In 1989, the company first opposed the use of Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormones in cows due to the unfavourable economic impact its use had on family farming. A few years later, 8 million pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream carried a “Support Farm Aid” message in support of a non-profit dedicated to keeping American family farmers on their land.

The so-called “flower power” movement that influenced the company’s decisionmaking is part of why customers view Ben & Jerry’s so favourably. No one batted an eye when the ice cream maker came out in support of same-sex marriage and LGBTQ rights because a progressive mindset is ingrained in the company’s culture. There may not be a company more emblematic of corporate social responsibility than Ben & Jerry’s.

Enviromentum Social responsibility sometimes fully encompasses the entirety of a company’s goals, as is the case with Toronto-based Enviromentum, which “uses an approach informed by behavioural science to motivate people to adopt environmentally responsible behaviours.” The driving goal behind Enviromentum is a cultural transformation to an equitable, low-carbon society. Co-founder Vincent Schutt stresses that behaviour change is one of the most important factors in achieving this.

“We apply behaviour change concepts enhanced through decades of scientific research from the fields of smoking, drinking, and drug use – and use those methods to inform behaviour change programs that reduce ecological impacts of people,” he explains.

Enviromentum built a foundation of trust with its clients and partners, going beyond what’s expected and employing an “empathic style of leadership that equally values other people, and empowers others to make autonomous choices.” //

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CANADIAN FINGERPRINTING SERVICES INC.

A

fter September 11, 2001, a number of things changed regarding security and the way we deal with it in our day-to-day lives. Almost 20 years later and the security industry and the world in general have seen enormous change. It goes well beyond international travel; it’s become the norm for most employers to conduct a criminal background check on new applicants.

can either do so through their local police or they can go through a third-party service provider. It can take a few minutes to a few weeks depending on the organization.

This sort of check is done through the RCMP’s database but it’s not a certified check, however in recent years most organizations – and anything involving overseas travel – requires a Certified Criminal Background Check based on fingerprints, name, and date of birth.

RCMP Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS), which maintains the national criminal database, started a project in 2004-05 in which electronic submission of fingerprints to the RCMP were allowed to be used for criminal background checks done for civil or non-criminal reasons. Private companies were allowed to submit fingerprints electronically to get a certified criminal background checks based on fingerprints, name, and date of birth.

There are number of situations in which a Certified Criminal Background Check is mandatory, such as in the case of adoptions, applications for a U.S. waiver, certain applications for immigration and citizenship, employment, federal contracts, sponsorships, child custody, name changes, and visa applications for other countries. Anyone requiring a Certified Criminal Background Check can go to any RCMP-accredited private fingerprinting agency to have their fingerprints taken and digitally submitted to the RCMP, with the results sent to the individual’s given address in five to seven business days if there’s no match in the RCMP criminal database; in case of a match, the results may take five days to 120 days.

Canadian Fingerprinting Services Inc., which has two locations in the GTA, is an RCMP-accredited agency and has been one of the leading such agencies in Canada for the past 10 years. Canadian Fingerprinting Services CEO Jawad Abbas has previously worked with the group that was among the first companies in Canada to submit fingerprints to the RCMP electronically and has been involved in the industry since 2002.

Canadian Fingerprinting Services has two locations in the GTA, and is planning to add two more locations in the region very soon.

According to Mr. Abbas, the industry is still growing, and right now if someone needs to get a criminal background check done based on their name and date of birth, they

Contact Us Downtown Location:

2 College St Suite 208 Toronto, ON, M5G 1K3 Phone: 416-625-6104 | 647-748-6104 Scarborough Location:

1504 Markham Road Unit 1 Toronto, ON, M1B 2V9 Phone: 416-901-5608 | 647-748-6104 Email: info@canadianfingerprints.com Website: www.canadianfingerprints.com

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the EDGE Summer 2019

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DO I NEED A WILL? M

any adults don’t have a Will, often because they don’t know why one is necessary for them. Mr. Basil Khan, a lawyer licensed by the Law Society of Ontario and founder of Helix Law Professional Corporation, will help you understand the purpose of a Will and why you may benefit from one.

Do You Need a Will?

Your Will is a legal document that defines your wishes concerning the distribution of your estate and guardianship of your children. Your Will is an essential component of your estate planning.

Estate planning is the process of making an “estate plan” that details the management and transfer of your estate. Your estate consists of everything that you own, including your home, investment properties, car, bank accounts, life insurance policies, investments, jewelry, paintings, furniture, and other personal property.

Who is named in your Will? You, the person making the Will, are the Testator of your Will. The Beneficiaries are the person(s) who receive the money and assets of your estate after the estate’s debts are paid off, or as otherwise detailed in your Will.

The person(s) who handles your estate’s affairs and distributes your estate to the beneficiaries are the Executor(s) (also in most cases referred to as the Trustee).

The Guardian(s) is the person(s) whom you appoint to be the Guardian of your minor children and their property.

We all know that a picture is worth a thousand words, but a story is worth a million. Here is a demonstration of why you need a Will through four brief fictional stories.

The Importance of Guardianship Appointment David and Helen are a young professional couple with two infant children. Sadly, they died while on a romantic getaway celebrating their wedding anniversary.

Uncle Matt, David and Helen’s only living family member, applied to the court and was granted guardianship over the children. However, unbeknownst to the court, Matt is addicted to heroin. While they were alive, David and Helen didn’t let Matt visit their kids because of his drug problem. Now he has full guardianship over their children. Had David and Helen

made a Will, they could have named who they wanted to be the Guardian of their children. While the appointment of a Guardian under a Will lasts only 90 days, upon application, a Court will consider the express wishes of the parent, among many other factors, in appointing a permanent Guardian of the children.

they decided to save for their first home, and have since made many investments for retirement. But Chris is killed in a freak accident while on vacation. Debbie, now widowed, remembers that all their investment properties were held by Chris, who was solely on title because of Debbie’s poor credit. The properties did not automatically transfer to Debbie; instead, they went to Chris’ nephews, who are his closest living next of kin. Had Chris made a Will, he could have left all of their investment properties to Debbie.

The Importance of Will for Charitable Intentions

Basil Khan founded Helix Law Professional Corporation in 2017 to help people and businesses navigate the law.

Mr. Khan provides legal advice and representation in all principal areas of business and corporate law, commercial and general litigation, construction, real estate law and closings, and estate matters. He has managed a variety of civil matters, including breach of contract claims, construction disputes, real estate disputes, estate disputes, and shareholder/partnership disputes. Mr. Khan drafts Wills and assists in estate planning for his clients.

The Importance of Making Sure Your Assets Go to Whom You Want Hilda is an 82-year-old widow with a paidoff bungalow and three adult children: Tommy, Franky, and Leena. Franky, the middle child, has been estranged for the last 20 years while Tommy and Leena have been taking care of their mother, both financially and emotionally. He didn’t help take care of her and didn’t even call her on her birthdays. Hilda contemplated a Will in writing and did not want Franky to inherit any part of her estate. Without a Will at the time of her death, Ontario law states that Hilda’s assets get divided equally amongst her surviving children.

The Importance of Will for Common-Law Spouses Chris and Debbie are a middle-aged common-law couple who fell in love in high school and never bothered to get legally married. Instead of a wedding,

Disclaimers: * The content of this article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice or an opinion of any kind. The illustrations in this article are but examples of various situations and are not meant to apply to any particular person and their specific situation. Readers are advised to seek specific legal advice by contacting Basil Khan and Helix Law Professional Corporation (or their legal counsel) regarding any specific legal issues. * Representation by Basil Khan or Helix Law Professional Corporation begins only after a retainer agreement is entered into. * All legal services offered at Helix Law Professional Corporation are provided by a lawyer licensed by the Law Society of Ontario.

Helix Law Professional Corporation. All rights reserved © 2019.

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Rajeev invented a new widget right out of university and sold his company to a large tech company for millions, allowing him to retire at 30. He has no children or spouse and no other living next of kin. He’s a very philanthropic individual, spending years donating millions to an animalrescue charity. Unfortunately, Rajeev succumbed to a rare heart condition.

Given that Rajeev had no Will and no living next of kin, the government got all his assets. Had Rajeev made a Will, he could have left his entire estate to the charity he believed so dearly in.

In every case outlined above, making a Will could have avoided all the unintended adverse situations.

Now ask yourself, do you need a Will?

Should You Hire a Lawyer to Draft Your Will?

The choice is yours. There are several things to consider when making your Will.

Each person’s circumstances are different.

If you have questions or concerns in drafting your Will, you should seek legal advice from a lawyer.

Contact Basil Khan at Helix Law Professional Corporation today to set up a consultation at (647) 351-2047 or info@helixlaw.ca.

647-351-2047 info@helixlaw.ca www.helixlaw.ca 250 Consumers Road, Suite 405 Toronto, ON, M2J 4V6 Summer 2019 the EDGE

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BUSINESS

LIFE AFTER SCANDAL HOW BUSINESSES CAN BOUNCE BACK

by Justin Anderson

24

A

the EDGE Summer 2019

scandal is bad for businesses of any size, but for small businesses or startups it can be devastating. Silicon Valley firms like Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Uber, and Tesla have all made headlines for the wrong reasons, whether for mishandling customers’ personal data, allegations of a company culture that tolerates or even encourages harassment, or general mistreatment of workers.

It’s obviously never a good thing to have your company in the public eye for something negative or embarrassing, and while the companies mentioned above can all leverage significant resources to try to mitigate the damage, such as through legal manoeuvring or a pricey public-relations blitz, there are several fundamental steps a business of any size can take when faced with a potential crisis to minimize the impact. Particularly early on, how management reacts to a potential scandal can have a significant effect on the severity of the problem. It can go a long way towards repairing a breach of trust between a business and its customers.

In the unfortunate instance that scandal hits your business, how should you deal with it? Below are stories of two different companies faced with a public relations crisis, and how each handled.

BUSINESS

You can’t prepare for every eventuality, but you can have a philosophy in place for how to deal with a crisis scenario.

Volkswagen: Shaken by ‘Dieselgate’ Volkswagen is still dealing with the fallout from a multibillion-dollar controversy, which saw the automaker admit to falsifying data to pass U.S. emissions tests. In 2015, U.S. officials determined that Volkswagen had programmed some of its vehicles’ diesel engines to activate their emissions controls only during lab tests but were actually emitting up to 40 times more pollution in real-world use. Once the news went public, the company’s stock lost a third of its value in mere days. Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn exited the company amid the scandal, dubbed “Dieselgate,” and executives from VW subsidiaries including Audi and Porsche were suspended.

Maple Leaf Foods: Deadly Contamination In 2008, a deadly outbreak of listeriosis was linked to a Maple Leaf Foods meat-packaging plant in Toronto. All told, there were 57 confirmed cases, and 22 deaths. It began in June of 2008 with a spike in listeriosis cases, in which people fell ill after consuming pre-packaged deli meats. By August, the investigation had reached Maple Leaf Foods, the contamination linked to two meat-slicing machines at one of the company’s packaging facilities. The outbreak was eventually attributed in part to lax hygiene standards at the plant, as proper cleaning and inspection standards had not been maintained.

The eventual recall of products cost Maple Leaf Foods an estimated $20 million, and the company was hit with several class action lawsuits, which were eventually settled for about $25 million. Bad publicity plagued the company for much of the year, driving down sales significantly. But by the end of the next year, Maple Leaf had returned to profitability. How did it manage this?

In early 2017, Volkswagen pleaded guilty to criminal charges and admitted to instructing engineers to develop devices to cheat emissions tests and conceal their use. A U.S. federal judge ordered VW to pay a criminal fine of $2.8 billion and the SEC charged ex-CEO Winterkorn for defrauding investors. In April of 2019 he was formally charged by German prosecutors with fraud and is now facing millions of dollars in fines and up to 10 years in prison. VW’s handling of Dieselgate left much to be desired, and VW investors in Germany are suing the automaker for as much as €9 billion in damages suffered when the company’s stock plunged in the wake of the scandal.

• Acting quickly: Maple Leaf swiftly recalled all products that came from the tainted facility. CEO Michael McCain also put himself front and centre in the public eye to apologize, and he didn’t make any excuses.

• Dishonesty: This wasn’t a case of negligence, but rather a conscious effort to deceive regulators and hide that deception.

It doesn’t get much worse than that.

• Renewed commitment: Maple Leaf revamped its systems and publicly vowed to become an industry leader in food safety moving forward redirecting its entire focus; during this period, the only department that was permitted to hire new staff was food safety, and no expense was spared to bring on the best people.

• Apology: Volkswagen purchased full-page ads in several U.S. newspapers to apologize for its misdeeds. This was the right action to take, as taking responsibility is a crucial part of crisis management for a company that sells products to the public.

• Atonement: Volkswagen’s next move was a misstep. The automaker announced a recall of the affected vehicles (which was the right thing to do), but only offered $500 prepaid Visa cards for owners of the affected models (and for new buyers as well). Offering to replace the affected vehicles would have been a better decision, if an expensive one.

• Punishment: It’s an obvious move but firing the CEO and removing several high-level managers was another positive step. While it’s not clear if every executive involved in the scandal has been purged, the CEO is the face of a company, and when a scandal like this happens – particularly one involving deliberate wrongdoing – the chief executive is often one of the first to go.

• Responsibility and transparency: The company took full responsibility for the problem, even though such an admission left it open to legal action. The transparency was maintained with frequent news conferences, and Maple Leaf used its website to provide several updates on what actions it was taking to deal with the contamination.

• Winning back trust: A renewed marketing campaign, including a TV ad addressing the issue, was launched to persuade consumers that Maple Leaf Foods was worthy of their trust and that the company took food safety seriously.

The strategy worked: by 2010, the company’s meat revenues had returned to 95% of their previous worth, and Maple Leaf Foods was on its way to a full recovery.

There are many different forms that crises and scandals can take when it comes to business, so there’s obviously no onesize-fits-all solution to handling them. You can’t prepare for every eventuality, but you can have a philosophy in place for how to deal with a crisis scenario. Things like acting quickly, being transparent, and acknowledging your mistakes could mean the difference between the survival of your brand and its failure. //

Summer 2019

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the EDGE Spring 2019

eaGarden Beach Resort is a tranquil oasis that creates an authentic Jamaican experience for you. Whether traveling for business or pleasure, here, the tradition of warm Jamaican hospitality charms you at each encounter. Cozy up in a gazebo on the edge of the horizon while gazing at endless views of the Caribbean Sea. This, coupled with lush tropical greenery makes SeaGarden Beach Resort the ideal place to relax and enjoy Jamaica at its best.

Welcome Home Ideally located in a central corner of Jamaica’s tourist capital, across from our pictureque private beach club and amidst lush tropical gardens is our 140 room; boutique-style Resort. This Jamaican family owned and operated All-Inclusive welcomes guests with a family warmth and friendliness that defines everything we do. Guest rooms at SeaGarden Beach Resort are infused with charm and are designed to convey traditional Jamaican hospitality.

Each unique area is meticulously planned to meet the diverse needs of SeaGarden’s guests. Whether traveling alone, as a couple, or as a family, an eclectic array of accommodation categories are available. Regardless of your selection, warm tones engulf you upon arrival as you take refuge in your home away f rom home.

Family Fun There’s so much to do on and off property, whether you’re here for relaxation, recreation or business.

Montego Bay, Jamaica is known for its rich history and culture, so get out and explore on a guided tour.

SeaGarden Beach Resort provides a full range programme of exciting activities organized by our amazing team of entertainers, for you to choose from. With engaging night and daytime activities, SeaGarden All-Inclusive makes it easy to enjoy our traditional Jamaican culture without ever needing to spend more!

Say “I Do” This is where that new chapter begins.

SeaGarden’s tranquil environs provide the picture-perfect canvas on which to paint beautiful, lifelong memories.

Our wedding packages provide brides and grooms with a myriad of ways to say “l Do.” SeaGarden Beach Resort is best described as a hidden gem.

Picturesque venues include beachfront open air vistas, intimate tropical garden settings, grand lobbies, air conditioned conference areas, and tented capacities of up to 250 people.

Weddings & Events are made easy with turnkey personalized service and a customer-focused staff. Wholesome gourmet selections are infused with the traditional island flavours creating a health conscious attitude towards yum!

For rates and availability

Summer 2019 the EDGE

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WINNERS ’ CIRCLE

KIU REZVANIFAR

by Alex Correa

K

iu Rezvanifar is something of a media renaissance man. A veteran TV broadcaster, producer, filmmaker, and publisher, he’s also a tireless advocate for the Iranian community in Canada and a champion of diversity. He founded the Iranian Canadian Cultural Fellowship (ICCF) in 2000 and was elected President of the Canadian Ethnic Media Association in 2012. That same year, he ventured into the print publishing world with his successful magazine, Persian Tribune. In 2018, Rezvanifar launched his latest project, the Iranian-Canadian Business Expo (ICBE), which will return to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on November 29 and 30, 2019 following a successful inaugural year. The media mogul took some time out of his busy schedule to speak with The Edge about his entrepreneurial journey, and his love for both his native Iran and his adopted home of Canada.

What was your experience like as someone who moved to another country and found success?

I went to university in the United States, in Massachusetts, and I worked there in television broadcasting. My career launched in Canada about 30 years ago.

And I never thought I would say this, but it’s the best country to move to, to live in, and to do business. The best of the world is gathered in Canada, particularly Toronto. You have a lot of opportunities; if you have a goal, an objective, and you know what you’re planning to do, Toronto is the place to achieve it.

This wheel started turning about 30 years ago and it’s going faster and faster – sometimes too fast for me to even catch up because of the number of projects and areas that I’m involved in. The hard question for me to answer is “What do you do?”, because it’s not just one answer. If the person asking that question is from the field of media and broadcasting, I tell them I’m a documentary producer, director, and television producer. If they’re coming from publishing, then I’m a publisher because I publish magazines as well, but I am also involved in strategy, marketing, and branding.

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I also serve on nine boards of directors; I’m an advisor to the Toronto police, I’m on the board of the United Nations chapter in Toronto; I’m involved with the CNE; I’ve been appointed to basically represent diversity in Ontario Media Development Corp., which has been recently rebranded as Ontario Creates; I’m involved in a lot. The success has been – if I can call it success, because I like to say I reach my objectives – it’s been very exciting. I enjoy my work, but I don’t call it work; it’s something more than just work.

What drove you to create the IranianCanadian Business Expo?

As I mentioned earlier, I’m a broadcaster, so the first thing I did in Canada was launch my television program [Iran Zameen, Ontario’s first Farsi-language TV program], and three years later, I launched the second one [Pasargad].

When you’re dealing with broadcasting to a community, you’re in touch with that community. At that time our community was just growing, so I found that there was a lot of interest in the Iranian-Canadian community here, especially in terms of businesses. People and even banks were asking me to introduce their corporate VPs to some Iranians, etc.

Photo courtesy of Kiu Rezvanifar

I realized that there was an appetite for the Iranian community to be showcased, and on top of it we are a community growing at a very fast pace. Also, the Iranian community is one of the most desirable communities in Canada in terms of revenue; they are very affluent and highly educated, so that created the fast rate of growth.

We launched the first Iranian-Canadian Business Expo in the world outside of Iran, in November 2018 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. It was a big, ambitious task, but with the fantastic team that I gathered, it reached its audience in the most beautiful way. We received a tremendous response from not only the Iranian community, but also abroad and from different communities too. The opening ceremony was attended by a lot of Canadian politicians, municipal and provincial, as well as the consulate generals from Pakistan and Turkey, and Vietnam’s chamber of commerce. So many people came, and it made quite a lot of noise globally, to the point that independent companies from Iran wanted to participate. Which is why I would like to make Toronto a hub for IranianCanadian business activities, so that if there is a company in Germany that wants to showcase their product to that community, they come to Toronto.

WINNERS ’ CIRCLE

It has been very successful, not only because of the Iranian-Canadian businesses, but also companies like Turkish Airlines, RBC was there, and we had even some Canadian development companies who were there. It was an honour, honestly, because the way I serve my community, people trust me and in terms of credibility, we had a great response before we even had our business cards printed or our website ready. It’s a blessing when the community trusts you, and with that trust you need to really work hard, because that trust has to be kept at that level.

And part of it is Persian Tribune. What gave you the idea to launch your own magazine?

When you are a broadcaster, the last thing you want to think about is print. You look down on print. But then I figured out that what has happened within the Iranian community is that there is a segment, another community that is growing, and those are the Iranians that call themselves “Canadians with Iranian parents.” They have never been to Iran, they don’t speak the language, they don’t read the language, but they are connected to Iran through their parents, and they are extremely affluent and educated, and they are extremely interested in Iran and what Iran has to offer in terms of culture and everything else. And there is no other publication that would target that demographic, so I figured out that since they are affluent, they are highly educated, there is a potential market sitting right there. And there are national advertisers and retailers that want to target these people.

So, I decided to publish a magazine, Persian Tribune, in late 2012. It would be targeted at these people, and it was a tremendous success because we found that since it is a lifestyle magazine, it is the only magazine of its kind in the world. We cover everything from food, to Canadian politics, to fashion, to the arts, both Canadian and Iranian, things that have to do with Iran or Persian culture.

We also feature extremely successful Iranians around the globe, we covered

the youngest brain surgeon in Great Britain, who happens to be an Iranian woman. We featured an astronaut, a race-car driver, lots of successful people in the community. These are done in a manner that, even if the topics have to do with Persian culture, the execution is not Persian, it’s not traditional; it’s basically Canadian.

It’s important because it is our cultural identities that need to be preserved, but as I said, not at the expense of our Canadian identity. This has been our mandate, and it has been very successful and now the Canadian Ethnic Media Association is one of the most respected institutions of its kind by all levels of government, and it is an honour to be there in that role.

We found that not only is this target group reading it, but Canadians in general are reading it, because it’s in English. We have tons of readers that are non-Iranian.

And with our online presence, we have readers from Estonia, Australia, Nigeria, to certain towns in Iran that I didn’t know.

It has really bloomed. We’re proud of the fact that we produce our own content, none of it comes from the internet, we produce everything.

In addition to your advocacy, what other ways do you give back to your community?

It’s a great way to share our culture with non-Iranians, things like food, wine, everything. It’s a lifestyle magazine, and a lot of the stories aren’t even specific to Iranians, it’s Canadian, because we are Canadian too.

You founded the Iranian Canadian Cultural Fellowship and along with that you’re also the president of the Canadian Ethnic Media Association.

Why is it important for you to champion diversity not just for your own community, but for all communities?

Diversity is the infrastructure of this country, and only in this country. As we know, diversity and multiculturalism have a lot of challenges in different countries.

In some countries people are fighting it.

Canada, as I said is the best country in the world, and we have to cherish that.

Diversity and multiculturalism is obviously the foundation of that, but it has to be protected in the same manner that the Canadian identity has to be preserved.

The languages here are not just French and English, there are so many other languages.

I was honoured to be elected to the board of directors at the Canadian Ethnic Media Association, and then in 2012 I was honoured again to be elected as president.

Throughout that time, I have been working with our chair, Madeline Ziniak, and the rest of the board of directors to make sure that the diversity and languages from all communities are being respected.

My network for the past 30 years was not limited only to the Iranian community. I am privileged to be able to call a lot of powerful people friends, even if I might not even see them for a year or two, but when we call each other and talk, it’s like we just saw each other yesterday. And I really do like to help people, and to maintain my network. I think the most successful thing a person can do is to build a network and do it with the right people, powerful people. It shouldn’t be about just the financial part; you need to build that network based on human relationships. Yeah, the business is there, which is basically the excuse for you to build that connection, but to continue it, it’s your relationship. And as I said, I am blessed enough to have that relationship with numerous people from different communities. When people come to me for help, or to pay back their community, I love to help them and would do so no matter who they are, whatever the community, if I can do it, I will do it.

I like to create a dialogue between communities. I think it’s the best thing that we can do. It builds the communities up.

We held an event for the Iranian Canadian Cultural Fellowship, free to everybody.

Even though it was an Iranian event in many ways, I saw a lot of non-Iranians there and it was beautiful. It’s like each community is a flower and there were many different flowers there. Even though the program was just for carnations, but you see that there are hyacinths here, and orchids here, it adds to the beauty.

I think everybody in any situation, they have to give back, not just to the community, but give back to Canada. That’s what I like to say: I don’t see community, I see Canada. After all, it is Canada that we chose as our home. I was born in Iran, but I chose to come to Canada, so it’s my home. It’s more of a home to me now than Iran. //

Above photo: The Iranian-Canadian Business Expo (ICBE) 2018 at Metro Toronto Convention Centre, courtesy of Kiu Rezvanifar

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WINNERS ’ CIRCLE

MARY ITO

by Justin Anderson

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the EDGE Summer 2019

Photo courtesy of Mary Ito

ary Ito has been a broadcast journalist in Toronto for more than 30 years, best known for her time as the host of CBC Radio One’s Fresh Air program. Known for her skills as an interviewer, Ito spoke with people from all walks of life about any number of subjects. Since her time at the CBC, Mary has founded CRAM, a “learning festival” with the goal of connecting the innovation happening at Toronto’s universities with the public. CRAM was held in April in Toronto, with the participation of the city’s top schools, including the University of Toronto, Ryerson University, York University, and OCAD University. The topics covered at the event included everything from cutting-edge technology to mental health to land acknowledgement. The Edge caught up with her to discuss her new project, and more.

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CRAM is described as a “learning festival.” How does it work?

CRAM is a unique learning festival. It is the first time every university in Toronto opened their doors to the public on the same night to present cutting-edge research across a multitude of disciplines.

There were over 30 events that took place across four main campuses and included interactive presentations, panel discussions, demos, dance and music performances, films and lectures. And it was free. You registered online for whatever session interested you.

How did you get the idea for CRAM, and how did you make it a reality?

I think the idea had been developing in my brain for years from my work as a journalist interviewing scientists from many different fields. I was always struck by the incredible research that was being done in our universities, most of which never reaches the public. And whenever I did interviews with researchers, people were fascinated and wanted to know more.

Realizing there was this knowledge gap between researchers and the public, I spoke to a number of people involved in learning events and they thought CRAM was a good idea to pursue. I then approached Ryerson, York, OCAD and U of T and one by one, they signed on. It was a volunteer effort and from concept to execution it took two years.

Why is it important to connect the ideas that are being hatched in universities with the public?

I think it’s important for several reasons.

A lot of the research that’s going on in universities has the potential to profoundly change our lives − how we work, the way we play, the day-to-day of how we live our lives. At CRAM, we looked at a wide and eclectic range of topics: the impact of A.I.; a new story on climate change; the role of disability in the arts; the issue of surveillance; changing our “throwaway” culture; and solutions to homelessness.

As taxpayers, we also help pay for our universities so perhaps these ideas and even the campuses themselves should be accessible to the wider public? When that happens, then university education becomes community education, available to everyone. And it’s exciting that we can have access to these new ideas on the ground floor, where they’re being shaped and developed.

What was it like to enter a completely new arena with founding and organizing CRAM? It seems like a big jump.

A nosedive off a cliff is more like it! I hate to say this because CRAM is all about the value of knowledge but ironically in my case, I think it paid to be ignorant!

If I knew what was involved, I might not have done it. I had no idea of the kind of skills and the enormous amount of work involved in organizing four institutions for this event. But I had a lot of help! I am so thankful for the terrific group of smart and supportive people who believed in CRAM and helped me along the way. And they were always positive, even when there were some daunting challenges, which was key in getting through those tough times.

The first CRAM event was held recently.

How do you feel it went?

It went really well – beyond our expectations for a first-time event! We filled over 3,700 seats and many people moved from school to school to catch sessions. We conducted a post event survey and attendees gave CRAM an overall 94% satisfaction rate and the vast majority said they would attend again.

Speakers gave a 100% satisfaction rate and said they would recommend participation to their colleagues. I’m just relieved that there was no freak snowstorm or anything hellish that interfered with the event. It all went pretty smoothly.

You’ve had a remarkable career as a broadcaster and journalist. What about that work do you find rewarding?

It’s very much like going to school which is probably why I was drawn to creating CRAM. You learn something new every day and you feel you’re a student of life.

You get to ask questions no one else would dare ask, and you find out people’s deepest thoughts and why they do what they do. It’s an unusual position to be in and truly a gift when you have access to people and information you would never have otherwise.

CRAM Launch Event, courtesy of CRAM

What are your goals for CRAM? The main goal of CRAM is pretty simple: to bring the game-changing research of our universities to the public. It’s about helping to bridge that knowledge gap between the public and these schools.

But one thing I really want to stress is that it’s research across disciplines. Often when people hear the word “research” they automatically think of the sciences.

But research goes on in every discipline and it often gets ignored when it pertains to the arts or humanities. My intent was to give exposure to all kinds of research which can have an impact in different areas of our lives. As well, I was hoping that people no matter what their education or financial status would feel welcome at CRAM – that they didn’t feel they needed a university degree to attend and that they’d benefit from this night of research discovery.

How did you develop such a knack for interviewing people?

I’m not sure if it’s a knack or really just a curiosity about people and the belief that everyone, no matter what their position in life, has a story – whether it’s a personal story, a news story or a research story.

What role has social responsibility played in your career?

I’ve had a very fortunate life. I was born in Canada to a loving family. That’s the jackpot right there. And now I have my own family, friends and a great job. I try to give back by donating my time to various organizations. CRAM was a way to give back to the public. And it was also a way to give voice to researchers, who’ve shared their ideas with me and dedicated their lives to their work, often with little acknowledgement. (Full disclosure: my husband’s a researcher but he wasn’t a part of CRAM!) //

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You’ve worked with lots of people from different walks of life. What can a new client expect when they begin working with you?

Women and men seek coaching for many different reasons.

Mainly, coaching is for high achievers and go-getters who are always seeking to grow, learn, and become better versions of themselves, whether it’s to improve their business, leadership, or relationship skills. The women that are drawn to work with me are definitely career-oriented and focused, often to their detriment, as burnout and fatigue are often a primary reason for them reaching out.

Working with me involves diving deep into yourself, your fears, and what holds you back, with the distinct outcome of having you becoming an improved version of yourself so you can have the life you desire. I always say that I work towards helping my clients move towards their greater becoming, and we’re all in a process of a greater becoming if we put time, attention, and focus on improving all areas of life. Clients often report improved business outcomes and relationships as a result of our time together.

Why did you focus on women’s empowerment specifically?

Simply put, I’m a woman, so I know all too well the struggles imposed upon women by themselves, culturally and societally.

A woman these days puts so much pressure on herself to be a success in all areas of life that she often suffers in silent shame when she can’t seem to make something work, especially in intimate relationships. Women take on a lot of the blame, shame, and responsibility around the “shoulds” of life, and of course I understand this intimately. I’ve been driven by significance and certainty for most of my life and I’ve had this drive that determines everything from career choices to partner choices, all with devastating consequences. When a woman can unapologetically decide her life, set healthy boundaries, and live freely and wholly herself, then she can truly rise and help others rise as well.

I believe bringing in more of these “feminine” traits to the workplace will radically transform leadership and company cultures, and ultimately, productivity and innovation. I work to empower women to bring their whole selves to work and

to their intimate relationships, because I strongly believe that we can feel truly fulfilled with one or the other.

My favourite quote is by Lao Tzu; “When sleeping women wake, mountains move,” and never in our history has this been truer.

In your experience, do issues like burnout affect women differently?

Yes and no. Women, like men, ignore and push through at the cost to their health.

Women will often sacrifice self-care and nurturing themselves in order to take care of everything and everyone else first. Often the issues that come up for women are ignored or brushed aside as simple stress by their primary health providers.

Antidepressants and antianxiety meds are far too over-prescribed for what are issues of mental, physical, and spiritual burnout.

My background is in alternative and complimentary medicine, having had a clinical practice for eight years before moving on to my current work. What I’ve seen is that women tend to feel like they have to “man up” to be taken seriously, to succeed. This has become unconscious; we don’t even realize we’ve taken on this very patriarchal notion.

We’ve tossed aside traits like mindfulness, nurturing, allowing and just being in order to get it all done. And this is coming at a cost to the health of both women and men.

In business, we’re seeing this come at the cost of creativity, innovation, team dynamics, and productivity. Specifically for women, we see a lot of hormonal disruptions and issues with chronic fatigue and weakened immune systems from burning the candle at both ends for too long. We see a lot of numbing with foods, shopping, and more overdoing things. Very often we also see the effects on relationships and mood, including depression and anxiety.

You’re working on your first book right now; can you tell us about it?

Lovesick: Confessions of a Love Junkie is the story of how I tried to externally source my sense of self, success, validation, and love my entire life through my addiction to romantic love and the devastating consequences of my choices and my ultimate healing and reinvention. It chronicles my journey back to self and learning to take radical responsibility for my life and myself. My book proposal is currently in circulation and I hope to publish by 2020.

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WINNERS ’ CIRCLE

IVAN MISNER

I

by Dave Gordon

t’s not a stretch to say that one man single-handedly changed the way people think about, and act upon, modern business networking. Credited with being the original disruptor in that field 35 years ago, Dr. Ivan Misner is considered perhaps the foremost expert on the topic.

Misner is the founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Business Network International (BNI), the world’s largest business networking organization. Founded in 1985, the organization now has nearly 9,000 chapters globally. Last year, BNI generated $11.2 million (US) in referrals, resulting in $14.2 billion worth of business for its members. Dr. Misner is also a New York Times bestselling author who has written 23 books, including his latest, Who’s in Your Room? He shared some of his insights on networking and more with The Edge.

Photo courtesy of Ivan Misner

Did you set out to create a worldwide franchise when you launched BNI? I’d like to tell you I had this vision of this international organization with almost 9,000 groups in 70 countries, but the truth is that I needed some referrals in my consulting practice. So, I put together people I trusted, who trusted me, and we started to reach out to each other.

After a few months, we had someone who couldn’t join because we really only take one person per profession. She couldn’t join because her profession was taken.

She asked if I would help her open a second group. I actually said, “No, this isn’t what I do. I don’t run a network. I’m a business consultant.” She said, “This is sort of consulting. You are helping me in business.” I said, “That’s a stretch.” But we opened a second chapter.

More people came that couldn’t join, and I opened another chapter, and another chapter, and another chapter. I ended

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up having 20 chapters at the end of the year. It was like, “What the heck just happened?” That was not part of my plan.

It was at that point that I realized that I had struck a chord in the business community that I hadn’t expected. We don’t teach this in colleges and universities anywhere in the world. It was clear to me that there was an untapped need that I knew I had, but I didn’t realize that almost everyone has it too. It seems silly now, but that’s the truth. I just didn’t realize everyone was having the same challenge. I realized at that point that I created a plan to scale the company and build it into a much larger organization.

If you could impart a primary lesson in networking, what would it be?

They think that it’s just about closing deals, transactions. The truth is that networking is more about farming than hunting. It’s really about building relationships. People

don’t get that. Businesspeople were not taught this in colleges and universities.

For example, I did a keynote at an all-day event in London. There were 900 people in the audience. I asked two questions: “How many of you are here today hoping to possibly sell something?” 900 people raised their hand. I said, “Great. How many here are hoping to possibly buy something?” No one raised their hands.

Not one single person. This is what I call the “Networking Disconnect.” People show up at networking events to sell, but never to buy. That’s why people who go to networking events sometimes feel slimed. Everyone is trying to sell to them.

They’re doing it wrong.

So you’re faced with someone who is in “sell mode,” and then what?

We call that “Premature Solicitation.” I see it happen all the time. “Hi, my name is so-and-so, let’s do business. Here are

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three copies of my card. Maybe you can refer me to others.” When that happens, I look at them and say, “Hi, I’m Ivan, what’s your name?” I’m not going to refer you to people if I don’t even know you.

What defines a “good networker”?

Don’t talk about yourself first. A good networker has two ears and one mouth, and should use them proportionally. You should listen to people. In a way, a good networker is like a good interviewer. You are asking me questions and giving me an opportunity to elaborate. A good networker is like that.

Do you think extroverts are natural networkers? And how does an introvert learn the skill?

There is this natural assumption that people who are extroverts are better at networking. I would argue that’s not necessarily true. Extroverts are good at meeting people. They love to talk.

But what is their favourite subject?

Themselves. They will talk about themselves, but the truth is, you don’t want to do that. If you really want to build a relationship for business, you have to shut up, listen, and ask questions.

An introvert – by nature – could be a better networker than the extroverts.

The problem is that introverts have a hard time introducing themselves to people. Introverts have to get past that, and if they can get past that – and there are techniques to do that – they can be every bit as good as the extrovert. The extroverts can be good if they learn how to be quiet and listen.

What are some great introductory lines to say to someone you’re meeting for the first time?

I think you have to start with the classic lines, talking about what you do, just to get a sense of what they do. But after that, I think there are a number of questions, and I’ve written them down in a number of books – one of them is The Twenty-Nine Cent Solution. I talk about a whole series of questions. Here’s a couple: What do you love most about what you do? You just see people light up. Then follow that tree. Follow that discussion.

Whatever they say, reply, “Tell me more about that.” Have a series of follow-up questions. You can have “What do you

love about what you do?” but then, like a good interview, you drill down. You get more granular. Sometimes you can say, “What are some things you hate about what you do? What are some things going on in your industry?”

I even have a formula for people to use when they have a one-to-one with somebody. I call it the GAINS Exchange.

It’s an acronym. I first wrote about it in Business by Referral, 20-some years ago.

It stands for Goals, Accomplishments, Interests, Networks, and Skills.

as these two women made a personal, relational connection.

How do we choose who to network with?

You never know who people know. I don’t care if I’m networking up or down or peer to peer – they have to be good at what they do, and passionate about what they’re doing.

Are there major differences in the way that men and women network, converse, and interact?

Yes, yes, yes, and yes. I did a book called Business Networking and Sex: Not What You Think. It’s about the difference of men and women and how they network.

It’s based on a survey we did of 12,000 people around the world.

We discovered that men are more likely to be transactional in their networking, and women were more likely to be relational in their networking than men. By that I mean that men tended to get straight to business, while women tended to – from a man’s perspective – meander in discussion. Or, they introduce themselves differently.

Women say to me, “Men tend to introduce themselves like a resume.” For example: “I’m the Vice President of XYZ Company, I have X number of people working for me, we generate so many dollars of business per year.”

Women tend not to introduce themselves quite like that. They tend to be more relational. This is an example of one I witnessed: I was standing there talking to a man and a woman. Up walked a fourth person – a second woman – and the woman who was already there said, “Hi, my name is so-and-so. How did you hear about tonight’s event?” Not, “Who are you? What do you do?” The woman who stepped in said, “Sally invited me.”

The first woman said, “You know Sally? I know Sally too. How do you know Sally?”

I glance at the man next to me, and he gives me an eye roll like, “Get me out of here. Who cares about Sally? We’re here to network!” He didn’t say that, but you could just see it in his eyes. I watched

Photo courtesy of Ivan Misner

One of the best contacts I’ve ever gotten in my entire life came from a BNI member who was a solopreneur life coach – small practice, not well known.

She introduced me to somebody who introduced me to somebody. I had a chance to meet bestselling author Jack Canfield, who invited me to the Transformational Leadership Council.

From the Transformational Leadership Council, I got invited to Necker Island, where I spent two weeks with Richard Branson.

Had I talked to that life coach and then said to myself, “This person has nothing to offer me,” I would have missed two of the most interesting weeks I’ve ever spent professionally. You never know who people know. I call this the “Butterfly Effect” of networking.

I think you just have to find the nuggets in the people you meet, because you just never know where these relationships can lead. //

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WINNERS ’ CIRCLE

ALTHEA CLARKE

by Shirley Graham

A

lthea Clarke moved to Canada when she was a child and built her own success story. After earning certificates in business operations and hairstyling, she opened her own salon, which she ran for more than a decade in her adopted hometown of Calgary. She parlayed that success and her unique personality into her own TV interview show, Island Tea with Althea, which is broadcast across Canada on Rogers’ OMNI TV. There she’s interviewed many notable community figures, from elected officials like Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi and new Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, to world-renowned musicians. She took some time out of her schedule to speak with The Edge.

Photo courtesy of Althea Clarke

You ran your own business for many years before your TV show. What did you learn as an entrepreneur that has helped you on your show?

I learned that business is difficult, first and foremost, and I believe that it has to be a team effort. I found it difficult when I first started, not knowing how to relate to my staff. The team is important because they make a big part of your business, so I think team-playing was big for me.

Leadership is important, you need to have leaders. If there are people who are not like-minded or on the same page you have to cut them loose – because the price could be the growth of your business or even losing your business altogether.

Do you still run a salon? How do you balance that with your show and related duties?

I ran my salon for a year while I had my show, so I did both for one year. I had

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to really schedule myself properly, and I also had to do a lot of meditation to stay focused. I did a lot of healthy eating, a lot of exercising, and I needed a team to help me, I had to have a lot of likeminded people in my corner to help me to succeed. I always say that God anoints men, but other people hold your success in their hands.

You have a very unique interview style. How did that come about, and what does it add to your show?

I’ve always been a unique person. I think if you are gifted with a certain talent or purpose, it comes out naturally. I think if you were born a great cook, you can still burn something. But if you continue to develop that skill, then you’ll really see it’s something you were born with. It was made for you. Purposeful.

How do you feel this adds to your show?

I believe that [my style] touches people and that’s really important to me. I like to share my values because I do think they’re good values, and along with my style and uniqueness, I feel like I can actually touch someone’s life and it can really help.

For instance, I think inspirational thoughts every day, I meditate, I pray, and I enforce positive thoughts in my mind. As soon as I share a video, somebody calls me and says, “I needed this, oh my God you can’t believe how you saved me.” So you learn to give thanks to God first thing in the morning so that you can succeed the rest of the day, and you’re going to reap the benefits some time, some way – you’re going to sow the seeds and then you’re going to reap the harvest.

You’ve said that you’ve been inspired by failure because it makes you work harder. Can you elaborate on that?

Yes. I have failed many times in my life, and

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I didn’t understand my failure and I didn’t understand why I was failing.

There were times that I thought I was cursed, that I had bad luck on me, that I thought I wasn’t a good person, but as I investigated and continued to pray and continued to meditate I realized that all my failures were my success. They did not define who I would become.

So, failure is a part of all of us, it is what grows us, because I think if we succeeded in everything Photo courtesy of Althea Clarke we did, we would be bored. We wouldn’t see the value in success, we wouldn’t be thankful, and we probably wouldn’t continue pushing, so failure becomes our success.

I always say that Maya Angelou, if she had died at 20 years old she would have died as a single mother, a rape victim, a prostitute, and a homeless woman; instead, when you hear Maya Angelou’s name it holds power, it stands for honesty, character – it just holds so much. The hard times didn’t define her; her struggle was part of a great success.

How did your experience moving to Canada at a young age shape you as an entrepreneur?

I believe that growing up, going through a lot of defeat, knowing that I want better than what I’ve seen around me and where I’m coming from, I wanted to do better, I just wanted to be better. I didn’t want to be left without; I didn’t want to just exist. It didn’t have anything to do with where I came from because I came here very young. I just knew I wanted to be remembered as a magnificent person.

In Grade 6 I ran track and field for the city, breaking records, and I was on my way to the Olympics. I was about to go run for Canada in the Olympics, but at 19 I got pregnant. I always knew that I wanted more and I just never ended up there, but coming to Canada didn’t really shape anything compared to the Caribbean, because I didn’t know the Caribbean; I’ve been here for 48 years of my life.

What have you learned from speaking to so many politicians and leaders?

Oh boy! I’ve learned that we as Afro-Caribbean people need to integrate ourselves into the system so that we have a voice working for us. Until we come together as a unit we will always be at the bottom. We need representation, that’s what I learned from being around the government.

What’s your experience been like bringing some “island” flavour to your community in Calgary?

It’s been tremendously hard. Our community can be hard, we are stubborn, and everyone can’t be the same thing. Some of us have to be doctors, some have to be lawyers, some have to be dentists, but we can’t all have the same spots. If we do have the same spots, there’s a lot of room for us to grow, but for some reason our culture doesn’t seem to get it. We’re still working really hard to get the support from the Caribbean

and the African community in Calgary. I find that the Africans believe we are separate – they don’t believe black is black, they believe we are different people, different races, which, for me, is very unbelievable. So, I do find the Afro-Caribbean community a bit hard to pull together, but I believe with hope and faith anything is possible. It’s one race, one nation, right?

Anything is possible.

What are your long-term goals for the show?

My long-term goal for my TV show is to show unity, to show our community that we all can be successful, we all can be talented, and I’m hoping that I can bring us together by integrating the government with the community, by inspiring different interests in Afro-Caribbean people. I want them to know that they can be trustees, they can be doctors, they can be mothers if they choose – they can be a TV personality! We just have to work together.

The biggest thing for me is to learn respect and love for each other in our community. We don’t respect each other, and we don’t love each other, and I think that’s because we don’t love ourselves. Once we start to value ourselves, we are going to value people who look like us. For me, that’s the fight right now: to realize that we are important, we are loved, and we are special. The word is “unity.” I just want unity among black people because once we achieve that, we will be unstoppable.

You were saying that you like to bring about positivity, is there a certain quote you live by?

Who hates you, love them; who helps you, help them. I have to be the example. I want to be the example, so I will take all the defeat and turn it into positivity. I want to be the difference that everyone is talking about in our community. Everybody says they know we don’t like each other, they know that we don’t get along they know we are crabs in a bucket, but I don’t want to know; I want to be the difference, I want to be the example.

I used to say, “I hate people, I hate being around people, they’re so mean and malicious and evil,” but that’s not what the Bible says. The Bible says we have to love each other, that’s what we were made for. We weren’t put here to divide, we were put here to multiply, and because we were put here to multiply we need to love each other, we need to grow together. You can’t have life without people.

I also just wrote a book; I have two books available on Amazon, actually. I’m a contributing author in the anthology I AM a Brilliant Woman Volume Three; my story is called ‘Life with A Purpose.’ I also just wrote a full book by myself called Removing the Mask. That book is huge, and it tells you how to release everything that was bad in your life so that you can be free to move into your future. Removing the Mask is very big because a lot of people in the world are hiding behind a mask, no one has lived through their truth yet. They’re scared, or they’re carried by fear, and I have to take my mask off so that I can live in truth of me and be the person that God has made me to be and live the purpose that God has for me, which is amazing.

I just wanted the book to be out there because I feel like it’s a powerful, life-changing book and maybe it will give people strength to remove their masks and to move into their light. //

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THE DIAMOND “IN THE RUFF”

GOLF & VACATION RESORT

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ith ten luxury chalet cottages surrounded by breathtaking landscapes, access to a beach and waterfront, executive golf course, and all-year round activities, this Muskoka Resort is the perfect getaway.

THE DIAMOND GOLF CLUB This course is truly gorgeous with scenery that at times looks like a botanical garden, yet also features a high level of golf.

This is a course that accommodates all players, from the rookie to the veteran. It is both a pleasure to stroll through and a great place to test your golf skills. Players that discover The Diamond often return again and again. This is a 9-hole layout that spans 2,754 yards from the back tees for a par of 34.

DIAMOND COTTAGES Three Bedroom, Two Bathroom, Sleeps Six. Get a taste of authentic Muskoka living in one of these luxurious, 1,595-square-foot post-and-beam cottages. Located along the shores of Nutt Lake, they boast three bedrooms, forty-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling stone fireplaces, and conveniences such as stainless-steel appliances and high-speed internet access. They’re also fully stocked with linens, towels, and even cleaning supplies.

A proven concept that is a cost-effective way to enjoy carefree holidays in a fully furnished authentic stand-alone post and beam waterfront cottage.

INCLUDES 35 ACRES The development at Diamond in the Ruff consists of 10 fully furnished luxury cottages and includes 35 acres, part of Nutt Lake and a sandy beach. The Normerica Post and Beam construction delivers a true Muskoka experience with an authentic cottage lifestyle. All cottages are well equipped with everything that you need to enjoy your week(s) of vacation time regardless of the season.

EXCHANGE PROGRAM We are included in an exchange program with RCI International, which specializes in trading time in your property for destinations around the world. Time in your property is exchanged for time in a resort property elsewhere.

BUYING

But it’s not just what’s inside that counts: you’ll find more than enough outdoor activities to enjoy such as hiking, golfing, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and swimming in the summertime, along with cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and other types of winter fun.

Financing is available. With only 20% down payment, you can place the remaining 80% on a long-term mortgage (2% financing). Buying options. Minimum two weeks.

SHARED OWNERSHIP

The development at Diamond in the Ruff is owned by Diamond’s Edge Muskoka Cottage Owners Association. This is a nonprofit association of owners formed to manage the costs and maintenance. All owners receive a Title Membership Certificate.

You are entitled to 1 voting share in the development for every week you own the cottage of your choice.

All cottages are also available for shared ownership, which can provide great benefits. It gives you the ability to enjoy your time at The Diamond without the worries of pending maintenance, yard work, and monthly bills. It offers an excellent year-round atmosphere that you can just arrive at and enjoy.

Your three-bedroom residence measures out at 1,595- squarefeet which includes a screened in Muskoka room off the dining room. In-floor radiant heating and a stone fireplace complement this wonderfully decorated, fully furnished cottage. For those who can’t entirely escape, The Diamond offers high-speed wireless internet and satellite TV. Everything is there for you, even a BBQ on the porch. All cottages are well appointed with all that you will need to enjoy your stay.

Each cottage has 50 intervals or ‘shares’ for sale. Each share consists of one week per year, perpetual ownership. Available for purchase from 2 to 50 weeks per year.

COTTAGE OWNERS ASSOCIATION

RENTAL PROGRAM Owners may participate in the resort’s successful rental program.

Incomes are shared 50/50 between the owner and the developer.

Owners can also rent out their week(s) themselves and retain 100% of the rental income.

SELLING Just like your own home, shared real estate can be sold by the owner, developer, or through a licensed realtor, making the process simple and hassle free.

Experience this unique destination and see for yourself why visitors keep coming back every year. This all-season Muskoka resort is the perfect location for a holiday.

Questions? Call 1-877-385-3222

Call now for best selections. Book your free tour today.

Diamond in the Ruff Golf & Vacation Resort 1137 Old Parry Sound Road, Utterson, ON P0B 1M0

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Summer 2019 the EDGE

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IMAGINE HOLIDAYS WHERE YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE BEGINS Providing professional travel consulta�on for clients locally and na�onwide for over a decade, Imagine Holidays is well established with a proven record of excellence.

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the EDGE Summer 2019

RESTAURANT & BAR

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DINING EXPERIENCE

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Fresh produce, trendy dishes and unforgettable vibes.

This is Bellafornia’s philosophy.

Inspired by California’s world-renowned cuisine, Bellafornia serves only fresh, high quality and photo-friendly foods.

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FAIRS & FESTIVALS

THE BENEFITS OF

TRADE SHOWS & FESTIVALS

I

by Joséphine Mwanvua

t’s convention season, and several small businesses are showcasing their products and services at trade shows and festivals. Although many exhibitions take place in the spring and summer, there are exhibits and expos to participate in all year round. Attending as a vendor has its benefits, but usually the risk is just as high, if not higher. Generally, that risk is to not see a good return on investment from the amount spent on attending. But if your product or service is ready to sell, you should consider taking it to events. While there’s no guarantee of making your money back, you may find an unexpected value or lesson in your experience. According to statistics gathered by SpinGo Event Management in 2018, 99% of trade show vendors found it to be a valuable experience.

There are differences to think about when planning to attend a trade show or a festival. Fairs are worthwhile events to attend as well, especially for small businesses or creative “solopreneurs.” Each type of event is likely to raise brand awareness. In fact, SpinGo’s statistics state that 88% of trade show vendors attend such events to raise awareness of the company’s brand. Brand exposure can be particularly effective at small events, where people truly take the time to look at your product. Also, because many attendees don’t always go to buy things but rather to have something to do or to see, vending for marketing and brand awareness purposes is a good idea. That’s why having a lot of business cards comes in handy — potential customers will want to seek you out online afterwards. If they can’t buy something while at the event, they’ll want to know where else to find the product or service, or just learn more about your business.

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FAIRS & FESTIVALS

Vending for exposure doesn’t necessarily work for every kind or size of event, like at a festival. Festivals are celebrations around something in particular like a holiday, an art form, or culture. It can be hard to stand out at a festival, especially if others are selling similar products as you, like at food festivals.

But what these events do offer is the opportunity to sell to a large number of consumers within a day or weekend.

It’s hard to estimate the general cost for vending at a festival because it depends on things like the size of the event, the amount of goods you plan to sell, travel costs, staff, and other expenses. Initial fees include booth size, table rental, a tent, electricity and possibly other charges. Usually vendors spend anywhere from a few hundred dollars for small and mid-sized festivals to up to $10,000 or more for big festivals. If you want to sell at a festival, think about starting small. Establish sales goals and familiarize yourself with the reputation of the festival.

Check whether they have a healthy number of attendees every year. Also, look at the previous year’s exhibitors’ list and ask around to learn what others’ experiences were vending at that event.

Booking a table at a fair costs a few hundred dollars as well.

Fairs, however, tend to be either purely for entertainment purposes or they act as marketplaces. The more niche the fair, the better your chances of selling. A fair is also a good opportunity to acquire sales leads while still selling to customers and establishing connections with those who are interested in your brand. Fairs also offer the opportunity for you to see

M

what competitors are doing with their products, marketing, and to keep up with your industry trends.

Though if one of your goals is to keep an eye on industry trends, a trade show might be a better option. It’s the most expensive event of the three, but it’s a B2B exhibition, which has a lot of benefits for small businesses. Trade shows are like fairs, but you aren’t selling goods directly to customers. They’re events where businesses, distributors, suppliers, and manufacturers in a specific industry come together to showcase products and services. Sometimes, customers also attend trade shows.

Essentially, you’re expanding your professional network there.

Companies have meetings, discuss collaborations, and forge new relationships. You might meet a new wholesaler who’s ready to make an order.

A booth costs on average anywhere from $8,000 - $10,000 and there are companies you can hire that specialize in creating booths. Some vendors at trade shows have eye-catching stands to create an experience in their space, but there’s no need for a big or impressive-looking booth so long as your product or service is effectively presented.

To get the most out of any event, it’ll be key to ask yourself which one will attract your target audience and ensure that you truly get the most out of the time and money invested.

Since vending isn’t cheap, planning your finances ahead of time is also necessary. //

Moe Taslimi Real Estate Sales Representative y first day in Toronto was in May of 2015, and although it may sound pretty recent, I’ve managed to accomplish quite a lot since then. Sometimes I can barely believe it myself.

It’s a familiar phrase that everyone has heard, used to describe various countries, but Canada is undoubtedly the “land of opportunity.” It’s where I was able to journey toward my goals and dreams with the full confidence that I would achieve them.

The essence of my job as a Real Estate Sales Representative is to work directly with people to help them achieve their dreams. As a former four-time bodybuilding champion in Iran and personal trainer for over 20 years, I’ve helped a range of clients from all walks of life get in shape and start a healthy life. I’ve worked with people with special needs, physical injuries, and other limitations, which taught me the value of helping others reach their goals.

Since entering the world of Real Estate, I’ve learned how to communicate with different people in different stages of life, from kids as young as 10 to people in their 70s. I’ve worked with business leaders, doctors, lawyers, mechanics, students, painters, pilots, and more. In every case, I’ve worked to help my clients attain major goals they’ve set for themselves. Nothing brings my heart more joy than seeing my clients’ trust and satisfaction reflected in referrals. To me, the job itself doesn’t matter; it’s finishing the job the right way by helping my clients.

You’re in good hands! moetaslimi@royallepage.ca | www.moetaslimihomes.com - This is a paid advertisement -

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OFFICE: Summer 2019 the EDGE

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FAIRS & FESTIVALS

W

hen it comes to attending trade shows, the experts agree that booking early not only helps you get the best location, but also the best price.

“Booking early is a must, especially if it’s a popular show,” said Patrick LaMontagne, a cartoonist and digital painter who has been attending The Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo for about eight years.

“I have to book it during the previous year’s show in order to get the booth I want. There are often long waiting lists for many shows,” he explains. “Getting a good spot is part of that; you often have to earn your seniority. Be friendly and professional with organizers, not demanding. These are the folks who can make or break your show. Book your hotel early, too.”

Chris Houston, the director of marketing for DK Publishing Canada, has been attending trade shows with publishers for more than 20 years. He says there’s often a discount if you book before a

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certain date, so planning ahead will save you money. It’s also important to book booth costs (lighting, carpet, and under padding) early and remember that even the most basic items may not be included in the price, such as power, or WiFi. “There’s usually a steep price increase in the weeks before the show and onsite additions can be extremely costly,” Houston says.

But let’s take a step back. How do you know if the trade show is the right fit for your business?

Know Why You’re Attending Is the show targeting the audience you wish to attract? Does it have a great mix of vendors? You should also look at how organizers plan to promote the show and what you get for your fee.

“A booth for $4,000 is much more attractive if it includes a full-page ad in the show guide or digital ads on the event’s website,” Houston says. He adds that he always requests a complimentary pass to check out a show and says his mind is made up in the first 10 minutes of attending.

It’s also a good idea for trade show attendees to set goals for what they hope to achieve. Are you looking to add to your mailing list, sell a certain amount of product, or simply make connections in your industry? Knowing what you want makes it easy to decide whether the show is the right fit for you.“However, you can also get too stuck in this space as well, and miss otherwise excellent opportunities,” says Sheri Andrunyk, author and owner of IC Publishing. “Everything we do in business is about building relationships.”

As such, Andrunyk suggests that when establishing booth location, high-traffic spots aren’t always the best. Instead, she says the ideal set-up would be “a blend of good flow and activity, with enough

“A booth for $4,000 is much more attractive if it includes a fullpage ad in the show guide or digital ads on the event’s website,”

Photo: Calga

ry Comic & En

tertainment

Ex po

- Chris Houston, DK Publishing

people movement that it doesn’t get congested or distracting near your booth.”

DK Publishing’s Houston says he uses floor plans to establish where he wants to set up at a trade event.

“Your booth should always be facing the entrance and close to the entrance,” he explains. “[Attendees] often don’t even make it halfway through a show. When the show has multiple points of entry, try to consider the one closest to the ticket office or parking as your main entrance and go from there.”

Make Your Booth the Best it Can Be So, you’ve booked the show and your load-in times. Now it’s time to think about the booth itself.

LaMontagne said some of his best booth practices and setup ideas have come from vendors he’s spoken to at other shows.

He suggests setting up your booth up at home so it fits the space and looks inviting. Practice loading your car, too, to save time.

“My booth fills my car and there’s only one way to do it right,” he says. “It’s like a game of Tetris.”

If you’re in a creative industry, decide which pieces you’re going to bring to showcase your work. Create a portfolio or display so people can look at other pieces you’ve created. Arrive early and give yourself lots of time to set up and purchase last-minute or forgotten supplies as needed.

Your booth is an extension of your brand.

It’s what will draw people into your space.

The booth needs to be appealing and functional and allow you the opportunity to interact with potential clients.

“Put an effort into making your booth attractive and inviting, being sure not to block the space for visitors to come in and engage with you,” Andrunyk says.

“It doesn’t have to be costly to set up or decorate, however getting a little creative and paying attention to detail can go a long way.”

Purchase used vendor supplies online or hit your local dollar store for items.

Lighting is important, as is signage, so that may require a spend to make sure your booth attracts people. Use technology to draw crowds to your booth and offer giveaways, like mints or chocolates, or branded items such as travel mugs and swag bags filled with goodies. Investing in branded merchandise can definitely pay off, especially if it’s on unique or easy-to-use items.

If you’re processing transactions on-site, ensure you can always use credit and debit cards and be sure to keep cash on hand as well. Security is crucial.

“Invest in a hip or front-facing fanny pack,” LaMontagne said. “People get ripped off all the time, where the vendor is distracted and somebody else reaches in and takes the cash box from behind the table.”

Add a bowl where people can drop their business cards for a chance to win a prize. Not only is this an incentive to come to your booth, it may offer you an opportunity to talk with people. At the very least, you have a whole bunch of new people you can follow up with after the show. Bring as many of your own business cards as you can and don’t be afraid to hand them out.

The Importance of Networking One of the key things to remember is that a trade show is a chance to network.

“It involves talking to people, being friendly, engaging with people passing by and inviting them in,” LaMontagne says. “Don’t be on your phone. Nothing says, ‘go away’ like a vendor texting or spending time on social media.”

As tired as you might be once the event is over, your work is just starting. You have to do something with all of those contacts you’ve made.

“Have a thoughtful follow-up plan, reaching out to those you said you would within days of meeting them,” Andrunyk says. “Update your database and publish a blog or e-newsletter to thank people for stopping at your booth.”

Trade show booths, like those at festivals and fairs, are about forming relationships and making connections with people.

Not everything will work, but with these expert tips, you’ll have a good start. //

Use a tablet to collect email addresses, but make sure you have a pen and paper in case you have technical problems.

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2019 - 2020

UPCOMING FESTIVALS & CONFERENCES

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FOOD/ BEAUTY CHFA East: Organic and Natural Health Products Show Canada’s largest conference and trade show for the natural health and organics industry featuring the industry’s top manufacturers, distributors, and brokers. With more than 1,000 exhibits, it’s the year’s biggest showcase of innovative new products and educational seminars for retailers.

Toronto, September 14-15 www.chfa.ca/en/Events/CHFA-East/Exhibit

Rock ‘N’ Roll Montreal This health and fitness expo features the latest in running technologies, fitness apparel, health and nutrition information, and interactive displays, as well as several races and marathons.

Montreal, September 21-22, 2019 www.runrocknroll.com/montreal

The Canadian Coffee & Tea Show Designed to meet the needs of independent café owners, restaurateurs, food service operators, distributors, franchise operators, and buyers from all sectors of the industry.

Toronto, September 22-23, 2019 www.coffeeteashow.ca

IMATS Toronto

The International Make-Up Artist Trade Show is the only event of its kind, assembling thousands of make-up artists, vendors, manufacturers and enthusiasts who discuss, display, discover and collect the best the industry has to offer.

Toronto, September 28-29, 2019 www.imats.net

National Women’s Show - Toronto

Shop ‘til you drop at over 300 exhibits and find everything from food and wine sampling, fashion shows, celebrity guests, free makeovers, health, wellness and beauty tips, cooking demos, home renovation advice, travel ideas, and more.

Toronto, November 15-17, 2019 www.nationalwomenshow.com

IBS New York

America’s biggest professional-only beauty show boasts an elaborate range of beauty and salon products that includes everything from skincare, haircare and nailcare products to personal hygiene. Salon professionals flock to New York to stock up on high-end products and learn the latest developments in the beauty industry.

New York City, March 8-10, 2020 www.ibsnewyork.com

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FASHION/ TEXTILES Texworld USA An opportunity for brands and distributors to view textiles and fabrics from the world’s top garment, fabrics, and textile mills under a single roof, Texworld aims to raise the standard of fabrics industries all around the globe.

New York City, July 22-24, 2019 www.texworld-usa.us.messefrankfurt.com

Magic Las Vegas A fashion marketplace where buyers can find the latest in apparel, footwear, accessories, and manufacturing. From the height of advanced contemporary luxury brands to the latest trends in fast fashion, Magic fuels the business of fashion.

Las Vegas, August 12-14, 2019 www.ubmfashion.com/shows/magic

Apparel And Textile Sourcing Meet apparel and fabric buyers, sourcing directors, designers, merchandisers, retail chains, department stores, and more from all over the world. The only international sourcing event focused on the Canadian and North American apparel, textile, and fashion sectors.

Toronto, August 19-21 www.appareltextilesourcing.com/canada

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LIFESTYLE/ LUXURY Toronto Gift Fair The place for professional buyers in the retail gift industry to find the latest in innovative housewares, gourmet food, garden accessories, collectibles, handmade stationery, home décor, bath, bed & linen products, and more.

Toronto, August 11-14, 2019 www.torontogiftfair.org

Alberta Gift Fair There’s plenty to discover at Alberta’s premier home, gift and lifestyle show, from jewellery and fashion accessories to gourmet food, home décor and gardening, and bath and body products, both manufactured and handmade in Canada.

Edmonton, August 25-28, 2019 www.albertagiftfair.org

Canadian Supreme 2019 One of Canada’s most prestigious horse shows includes cutting, reining, and cow horse classes for the best horses and competitors in Western Canada and the Northwestern U.S. The event also includes a Western Horse Sale and the Canadian Supreme Trade Fair.

Red Deer, Alta., September 17-22, 2019 www.canadiansupreme.com

International Tourism & Travel Show With more than a hundred countries represented through their tourism offices, tour operators or travel agents, the International Tourism and Travel Show is an open door to adventure, discovery, and the world.

Montreal, October 25-27, 2019 www.salontourismevoyages.com

Canadian Pool Spa Conference Expo Niagara Falls The largest show of its kind in Canada, visitors can get a first-hand look at the newest trends, see the latest products showcased and speak personally with manufacturers, distributors and other suppliers of bath technology. It also features educational programs, a public pools symposium and networking events.

Niagara Falls, December 2-5, 2019 www.poolandspaexpo.ca

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ART/ DESIGN SIDIM Design Show Canada’s premium design trade event, bringing together designers, architects, specifiers, buyers, businesspeople, consultants, targeted consumers, and media. Discover the people, products and ideas that make the design world so exciting and inspiring.

Montreal, September 12-14, 2019 www.sidim.com

Interior Design Show Vancouver The Pacific platform for all things design, IDS Vancouver is the place for individual designers, artists, makers and design-centric brands to come together to showcase their current works, concepts and products.

Vancouver, September 26-29, 2019 www.idswest.com

Art Toronto Canada’s international contemporary and modern art fair is one of the most important annual art events in Canada. It also features PLATFORM, an engaging series of lectures and panel discussions from prominent art world figures, curated projects, an extensive VIP Program, and top-tier cultural offerings throughout the city.

Toronto, October 25-27, 2019 www.arttoronto.ca

Interior Design Show Toronto IDS Toronto is a unique opportunity to bring case studies, teachings, predictions and never-before-seen approaches to an engaged audience of over 14,000 business leaders and industry professionals looking to learn, transform their business, and be inspired.

Toronto, January 16-19, 2020 www.toronto.interiordesignshow.com

Canadian Furniture Show One of the top 5 largest trade shows in Canada, the Canadian Furniture Show brings together industry professionals, manufacturers, importers, retailers, designers and others, from Canada, the U.S., and around the world to discover the latest collections and conduct business.

Toronto, January 16-18, 2020 www.canadianfurnitureshow.com

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INDUSTRIAL/ TRADE Canadian Aviation Association Convention Targeted educational sessions, networking events, exhibits, and Canada’s largest static display of private and corporate aircraft.

Calgary, July 9-11, 2019 www.cbaa-acaa.ca

Mines and Money Americas The leading international event series for mining investment and capital raising, Mines and Money brings world-renowned expertise and connects miners with money and investors with opportunity.

Toronto, October 8-10, 2019 www.americas.minesandmoney.com

Canadian Waste & Recycling Expo The Canadian Waste & Recycling Expo focuses on waste and recycling professionals representing companies in many sectors, including collection, hauling, disposal, construction & demolition, facility/site operation, landfill operations, and more.

Toronto, October 9-10, 2019 www.waste-recycling-expo-canada.us.messefrankfurt.com/canada

Truck World Canada’s trucking industry trade expo, Truck World is the meeting place for Canada’s trucking, transportation, supply chain, distribution, and logistics industries.

Toronto, April 16-18, 2020 www.truckworld.ca

International Pipeline Exposition & Conference Bringing together thousands of pipeline professionals and showcasing the most recognized brands and the latest technologies, products, and services in the pipeline industry.

Calgary, September 29-October 1, 2020 www.internationalpipelineexposition.com

Advanced Design & Manufacturing (ADM) Montreal The region’s leading advanced manufacturing brands come together for one ground-breaking event, offering more exposure and lead opportunities for everything from design to manufacturing, from concept to market.

Montreal, October 7-8, 2020 www.admmontreal.com/en

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BUSINESS/ PROFESSIONAL Conference of Metallurgists - COM 2019 Canada’s premier event for the metallurgy and materials industries, COM is an opportunity for companies to showcase their products and services while networking, learning, and socializing.

Vancouver, August 18-21, 2019 www.com.metsoc.org

Forum Africa 2019 The leading platform for Africa-Canada partnerships and business opportunities, this international forum aims to provide strategic tools for private and public investments and economic development in Africa.

Montreal, September 4-5, 2019 www.forumae.com

The Franchise Expo - Toronto A showcase for the fastest-growing franchises and business opportunities in North America, with thousands of potential franchisees and business partners looking to invest.

Toronto, September 7-8, 2019 www.franchiseshowinfo.com

Oil Sands Conference & Trade Show The world’s largest gathering of oil sands professionals, featuring a trade show, networking opportunities, informational presentations, and the annual Oil Sands Charity Golf Classic.

Fort McMurray, Alta., September 10-11, 2019 www.oilsandstradeshow.com

The Franchise Expo - Edmonton A showcase for the fastest-growing franchises and business opportunities in North America, with thousands of potential franchisees and business partners looking to invest.

Edmonton, September 21-22, 2019 www.franchiseshowinfo.com/edmonton/

ProjectWorld*BusinessAnalystWorld - Vancouver The largest series of conferences for Project Managers and Business Analysis Professionals in North America. This industryleading event features expert speakers representing every sector, from all reaches of the globe.

Vancouver, October 28-31, 2019 www.pmbaconferences.com/vancouver

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Woodworking Machinery & Supply (WMS) Conference & Expo Canada’s premier woodworking event, WMS has connected Canada’s professional woodworking buyers with the world’s most prominent machinery manufacturers and suppliers for more than 40 years.

Toronto, October 31-November 2, 2019

www.woodworkingnetwork.com/events/woodworkingmachinery-supply-conference-and-expo

The Franchise Expo - Calgary A showcase for the fastest-growing franchises and business opportunities in North America, with thousands of potential franchisees and business partners looking to invest.

Calgary, November 9-10, 2019 www.franchiseshowinfo.com/calgary

Toronto CHRO Executive Summit Targeted at Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs), this event gives CHROs the opportunity to share best practices and develop leadership skills that enhance the abilities of organizations to impact the local and global business climate.

Toronto, December 10, 2019 www.evanta.com/hr/summits/toronto

Landscape Ontario Congress Toronto The top annual trade show and conference for Canada’s horticultural and landscape professionals, featuring all the innovative expertise, ideas, products, peers and professional development to make profits soar.

Toronto, January 7-9, 2020 www.locongress.com

Globe Forum Thousands of environmental business leaders and sustainability practitioners come to Vancouver biennially to explore the mutually inclusive goals of corporate sustainability, business growth, energy solutions, responsible investment, and urban development Vancouver, February 11-13, 2020 www.globeseries.com

Bakery Showcase Canada’s national baking industry trade show & conference, Bakery Showcase is the country’s largest business-to-business event. It includes a trade show, educational seminars & workshops, and other programs.

Toronto, April 26-27, 2020 www.baking.ca

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TECHNOLOGY/ INNOVATION SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) The international conference and exhibition for the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), ATCE brings together emerging technologies, state-of-the art innovations, leading-edge companies and organizations, as well as thousands of engineers, scientists, managers, and executives.

Calgary, September 30-October 2, 2019 www.atce.org

Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS) A biennial trade fair for mechanical engineering, CMTS provides a hands-on learning environment for attendees to discover new manufacturing technologies. The show features more than 700 suppliers from around the world, bringing them together to present their new products and solutions, explore the latest industry trends, form valuable connections, and make sales.

Toronto, September 30-October 3, 2019 www.cmts.ca

CanWEA Calgary CanWEA (Canadian Wind Energy Association) represents the wind energy community, and the annual conference and exhibition brings numerous delegates and exhibitors together to explore the infinite possibilities of wind energy. Join Canadian and global industry leaders at one of Canada’s largest renewable energy trade fairs and conferences.

Calgary, October 8-10, 2019 www.canwea.ca

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REAL ESTATE/ INVESTING RealREIT 2019 An informative, high-value real estate trade show perfect for CEOs, CFOs, and other senior executives from REITs and real estate organizations interested in creating a REIT, as well as investors, bankers, brokers, analysts, or any specialists in real estate finance.

Toronto, September 5, 2019 www.realestateforums.com/realreit

Buildex Alberta One of the most important trade fairs for design, construction, and management of real estate in the region, Buildex Calgary is where attendees can discover the latest products and trends for the industry, network with other professionals, and hear from expert speakers.

Calgary, November 6-7, 2019 www.buildexalberta.com

Toronto Real Estate Forum Since its inception in 1992, Canada’s largest annual national conference on real estate investment and management issues, has earned its reputation by offering high quality speakers on topical issues.

Toronto, December 4-5, 2019 www.realestateforums.com/torontoref

The Buildings Show Join more than 30,000 industry professionals at North America’s largest annual exposition, networking and educational event for design, architecture, construction and real estate. Includes Construct Canada, which gives attendees the tools to continue their professional development.

Toronto, December 4-6, 2019 www.thebuildingsshow.com

IDS Contract A highly-curated exposition and conference dedicated to the design, architectural, and building sectors. More than 13,000 designers, architects, purchasing executives, builders, developers, owners, and operations and property facility managers are expected for a robust conference, including roundtables, master classes, seminars, tours and keynotes.

Toronto, January 16-17, 2020 www.toronto.interiordesignshow.com

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MONEY & FINANCE

TAX-SAVING TIPS FOR WORKING AT HOME

D

by Jinglin Liu

o you work at home as a sole-proprietorship or partnership, or as a commission employee? If so, you may be eligible to claim expenses from your home and vehicle to reduce your income tax.

Working from home can be relaxing or even fun, but paying more in taxes certainly isn’t. Maybe you’re not sure which home expenses you can claim, how much you’re allowed to deduct, or how to maximize your deductible expenses. While taxes are a point of stress for many people, don’t be intimidated; figuring out your optimal tax situation is much easier than you think.

The information below will provide you with detailed explanations of how to correctly classify home and vehicle expenses for different types of businesses, and accurately measure your maximum tax-deductible amount.

Sole-Proprietorships and Partnerships Business-Use-of-Home Expenses According to the Canada Revenue Agency, a sole proprietorship and a partnership can claim expenses used for a workspace in a home if any one of these conditions applies:

• •

• • • • • •

•

The home is the principal place of business The use of the space is only to earn business income, and the space is used on a regular and ongoing basis to meet with clients, customers, or patients When the above conditions are met, the types of home expenses that could be deducted include: Utilities such as heat, hydro, and water Home insurance Home repairs and maintenance, including small tools or supplies like glue, nails, or cables Annual mortgage interest Property taxes paid on the home Depreciations of the house could help reduce taxable income, but may also have consequences; if the owner later sells the house for more than the net value (original cost less accumulated depreciation costs), the exceeding portion will be added to the owner’s taxable income, which could mean a higher tax bracket and more tax payable – a long-term plan would allow the owner to decide whether to claim depreciation expenses or not Other reasonable expenses for business purposes, such as internet, home phone, and even rent if the home isn’t owned by the resident

However, don’t expect to claim the full amount of these expenses to reduce your tax; only a portion of the costs outlined above are tax deductible. When it comes to calculating which portion

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is deductible, there are a few different methods of doing so.

The most common way is to calculate by percentage of the area used for business purposes. This approach applies to businesses that use one or more rooms in a house or property.

It’s calculated as the square feet of business-use space divided by the total square feet of the entire home. The total amount of home expenses outlined above, multiplied by the result, is the amount allowed for tax deduction:

Sum of home expenses

x

Sq ft of business space Sq ft of entire house

If the part of your home used for business is also used as a living space, the number of hours in a day used for business should be noted. The calculation becomes the number of business hours divided by 24 hours, multiplied by the total amount of home expenses, with the result being the amount allowed for tax deduction:

Sum of home expenses

x

Number of business hours in a day 24 hours

If the business only operates for part of the week or part of the year, the allowed expenses would be reduced accordingly.

Home business expenses can help reduce income taxes; however, they can’t be used to create business losses, which means home expenses can be claimed until business income reaches zero. If you have an unused portion of home expenses that haven’t been deducted, it can be carried forward for future years to deduct future income.

MONEY & FINANCE

Motor Vehicle Expenses If you drive a vehicle and use it for business purposes, expenses incurred for that vehicle can also be deducted. Common allowed expenses include:

• • • • • • • •

Auto insurance Fuel and oil expenses Repair and maintenance expenses Licence and registration fees Interest on money borrowed to buy the vehicle Leasing costs Depreciation costs (applicable if you own the vehicle) Parking fees (unlike other expenses, these can be fully deductible if the trip is solely for earning business income)

Business owners will typically use a vehicle for both business and personal purposes, therefore only the portion of expenses incurred to earn business income can be deducted. To calculate the deductible amount, you must keep a record of the total kilometres driven in a year along with the kilometres driven for earning business income. The calculation is the number of kilometres driven for business divided by total kilometres driven in a year, multiplied by the total amount of vehicle expenses:

Sum of vehicle expenses

x

km driven for business in a year km driven in a year

Commission Employees Business-Use-of-Home Expenses As per the CRA, if you aren’t running a business but working as a commissioned employee, you can also claim a portion of home expenses to reduce taxes payable. However, to do so the following conditions must be met:

• • •

You spend more than 50% of your working time in your home The workspace should only be used to earn employment income You must use the workspace on a regular and continuous basis

Similar to the case with sole-proprietorships or partnerships, you can deduct all types of expenses listed above, except for mortgage interest and depreciation costs.

While the calculations of most home expenses would be the same as other types of home businesses, repairs and

maintenance expenses are somewhat different. You cannot claim repairs or maintenance expenses if they’re unrelated to the workspace. However, you can claim the full amount if the expenses are solely for the home office.

As with sole-proprietorships and partnerships, you can’t deduct expenses greater than your employment income. If you’re unable to deduct full workspace expenses, the remaining portion can also be carried forward for future years, but only if you still work for the same employer.

Motor Vehicle Expenses Commission employees can also deduct a reasonable amount of motor vehicle expenses incurred to earn employment income. The types of expenses and calculation method is the same as it is for sole-proprietorships and partnerships, so once again you should keep records of kilometres driven for business purposes.

Maximize the Deductible Amount Everyone wants to maximize their deductible expenses to reduce their payable taxes. However, regardless of whether you’re a sole-proprietorship, partnership, or commission employee, there are always requirements that must be met to qualify for the maximum deductions.

First, you should keep and properly maintain all relevant business-related bills and receipts to support your deductible expenses. Don’t just leave them anywhere; keep them stored in an easy-to-find place, otherwise you’ll be unable to support your claimed expenses. All receipts and bills should be sorted into categories based on the nature of the expenses. Keeping them in chronological order could also help you track changes to each type of expense within different periods.

Second, ensure that every expense is recorded in a timely manner. Don’t leave expenses unrecorded for too long, otherwise you may forget about them entirely, meaning you won’t be able to claim the maximum amount you’re entitled

to. You’re literally giving up money.

If you collect HST through your business, you should also keep good records of the amount collected and paid. This will help you pay your HST instalments on time and accurately. If not, you may pay more HST than you should, receive less input tax credits (ITCs) than you deserve, or are charged interest and penalties by the CRA for late payment or material misstatement.

Third, when claiming vehicle expenses, the CRA suggests you use a logbook to record your business trips for the whole year. The logbook needs to show each business trip you took, including the date, destination, purpose, and number of kilometres driven.

If you changed your vehicle during the year, you should record each vehicle’s odometer reading at the time you bought or sold it, as well as the date of a trade-in to ensure that accurate depreciation expenses are claimed. //

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MONEY & FINANCE

6 MISTAKES TO

AVOID WHEN BUSINESS IS DOWN

by Sean Plummer

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etting through tough times in business would be a lot less stressful (and much less exciting) in a more predictable world, one where the vagaries of employee productivity, weather, and manufacturing conditions, among countless other factors, had less impact.

The stark reality, though, is that there are an infinite number of variables at play in both the marketplace and the world at large that can impact your profits from one day to the next, regardless of what products or services you have on offer. That, of course, is in addition to things that are predictable, like the expenses on your ledger or the annual post-Christmas sales slump to which retailers have grown accustomed.

But there are ways to get through hard times, especially if you don’t give in to panic but instead base your decisions on facts and stick to the core ideals of your business.

To that end, here are some of the common mistakes that companies make when things get tough, as well as some concrete – and motivational – solutions for enduring a down period and coming out stronger.

MONEY & FINANCE

You Didn’t Downsize Letting go of staff, especially if you have a small, tight-knit operation, is never easy. But if it’s a choice between making judicious cuts to your team and losing your business entirely, what choice do you really have?

That said, there are best practices to follow even with something this difficult.

Start with a plan. Decide who you want to cut and why, as free from emotion as possible. Listen to what the employees in question have to say, even if they’re emotional or combative, and be sure they receive their final cheque and any other benefits still owed to them. If possible, announce all layoffs at one time to minimize the impact on office morale.

Finally, be sure that management shares in the pain of these cuts. Insulating top brass from these kinds of difficult changes is a sure way to engender resentment amongst your remaining staff. That might mean temporary pay cuts or at the very least a reduction or elimination of bonuses. Either way, frontline employees can’t be the only ones impacted by cuts.

You Didn’t Eliminate Debt The old saw “it takes money to make money” is true, but at the same time crushing debt will handily crush your profit margins if left unchecked.

To reduce the stress of owing more money than you’re comfortable with, get together with your accountant to make up a new budget. Make sure you understand exactly how much you owe and what you’re generating before coming up with a budget for the rest of the year.

Then you can figure out what you can pay down from month to month. Mortgages, leases, and even lines of credit are generally all negotiable, as intimidating as bankers and lenders may be. And negotiation is always preferable to your creditors than turning the debt over to a collections agency.

You Didn’t Reduce Inventory Locking up your cash in physical goods that need to be stored can be painful, especially when those goods aren’t moving. But there are simple ways to reduce the problem, starting with a reorganization of your warehouse. Making it simple to find merchandise can reduce the chances of damaging product and reduce the time it takes to pick, pack, and ship it. And always keep your fastest-moving items up front.

If possible, avoid suppliers who require Minimum Order Quantities (MOQ). No matter how tempting it may be to get 10 free widgets with every 50 you order, ultimately those are extra widgets you’ll end up paying to store – and that may not fly off the shelves.

Finally, get rid of obsolete stock. It’s taking up space that you’re paying for and could possibly be written off come tax time. Try discounting stock or bundling older products with new ones.

You Lost Your Vision Patrick Farrar, CEO of Charlottetown, P.E.I. business incubator StartUp Zone, sees too many companies – especially new ones – get spooked by marketplace challenges. Instead of sticking with the vision that made them unique in their market to begin with, they end up copying their competitors in a bid to stem early losses, leaving them perpetually behind moreestablished competitors.

“A lot of companies, particularly those coming into our incubator, had that hustle, that passion and that vision that differentiates them from the market,” Farrar explains. “Then they find it a little tough at the start or they go through a down patch, so they revert to what everyone else is doing because that’s the proven model. But we try to put people back on track – ‘why are you doing this?’ and ‘what’s your differentiator?’ – and get them back to that and generally stick it through.”

You Failed to Communicate When times get tough, it can get even tougher to communicate with your team. Complete transparency about your company’s financial challenges may not be the most advisable path to take, but emphasizing the good, including positive future prospects, can help motivate and encourage your team through market downturns. What is not advisable, says Farrar, is fearbased silence.

“The founder will sort of hide in a corner and feel that they’ve failed, or failed others, so they go into this downward spiral,” he says. “So I feel it’s important to keep having open communication with your team.”

You Didn’t See the Upside It can be difficult to see any upside in a down period when it’s happening; it just seems counterintuitive. But healthy companies entering an economic downturn can create opportunities for themselves that otherwise don’t exist in the market. Real estate, equipment, and companies themselves can often be had for a song during times of financial instability, especially if you’ve already established large credit lines during more prosperous times. Such boldness can be rewarded when markets return to greater profitability. //

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STEPHEN WHITELEY OF HAPPINESS WORKS

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tephen Whiteley is the master of your inner world. He considers this to be the new frontier and he can truly shift people’s inner energy all the way up to the emotional freedom of enlightenment. He connects people and organizations to their life’s purpose and leads them to thrive through transforming fear to love. Imagine being finally free of those old hurts of the past. This inner energy of loving ourselves is the greatest power we have. With this great feeling, you can awaken refreshed and energetic in the morning, be purposeful and connected during the day, and enjoy the energy left in the evening to gratefully reflect on the accomplishments of the day while planning for tomorrow. In short, by clearing out your inner troubles and blockages, you can live in boundless energy, vibrant health, and heightened productivity. This is the road to living happy, healthy, wealthy and wise!

What’s been the feedback to your book, Happiness Works! Get Yours Here! been like?

You talk about the need for people to love themselves. Why do you think so many people struggle with that?

To start with formal comments from Amazon, there are 14 five-star reviews and four four-star reviews there, with none lower than that. I have also had a lot of anecdotal evidence of it helping many more people. I have neither received nor heard of any negative comments from anyone, ever. My coaching clients are also very keen on the book and my work and speak very highly of both. There are client testimonials on my website and my Facebook page.

There are many seductive sources of seeming happiness that actually make us feel badly about ourselves. Our society is full of these seductive traps. Many people fall for these and then die in regret. What we really want is to die in fulfillment.

How did your experience in the military influence your current path?

There are three main things to do to live the happier life.

The first is to resolve old hurts; the biggest tool to do this is forgiving. The next is to learn to stop creating hurts in the present. The third is to discover and align with your life’s purpose. By living your life’s purpose, you get to live with meaning and fulfillment.

Great question. The military is about fighting. What I have come to realize is that fighting is the most wasteful activity on the planet. Yet fighting is also a seductive way of winning. In fact, there are seldom real winners in a fight. Happiness is actually love, peace, and harmony.

Fighting is about fear, conflict, and destruction. So, in the end, good living is about moving from fear to love.

There isn’t much talk about or goal setting around love in the military.

In your experience, why do so many people feel unhappy?

What do you focus on as a coach and speaker?

Happiness researchers around the world have discovered that the biggest impediment to happiness is materialism.

There is a huge focus on comfort and pleasure in our society and these lead to health and money issues. Happiness comes more from what we do and how we help others.

Few people do the work to release their hurts of the past.

Many think of themselves as a body and a mind. The truth is that we are more soul than anything else.

What I focus on is cleaning out the inner world of people.

In my opinion, cleaning out our inner world is the key to happy and successful living. We cannot stay the same.

We are always either declining or developing. The aim of living is to develop ourselves to the point where we can really serve humanity in better ways. That is my aim.

Without giving away too much of your book, what’s a quick way for someone to increase their own happiness?

How does a person’s happiness affect their wealth and overall success?

To build on the answer to the last question, pursuing pleasure and comfort detract from wealth. While it is possible to build wealth through negativity, it’s not satisfying. Satisfaction is another big source of happiness.

Lastly, real happiness is a source of energy that boosts creativity and productivity. And these are great resources to produce wealth. Also, real happiness is an energy that can produce higher productivity.

“Real happiness is an energy that can produce higher productivity.”

Get in touch with us!

Call: 613-857-5814 Email: happinessworks4u@gmail.com Or visit www.happinessworks4u.com for more information.

- This is a paid advertisement Summer 2019 the EDGE

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CINDY L. GANNON

WOMEN OF BRAVERY, LIFE COACHING FOR CREATIVE WOMEN How did you become a life coach?

I have been into learning self-help for my own personal development for years. I had a successful career as a cancer research scientist in the biopharmaceutical industry until six years ago. I developed a form of narcolepsy that they eventually diagnosed as an underlying symptom with multiple sclerosis.

The diagnosis put me out of work, and I couldn’t safely drive any distances. I went into a deep depression because my identity with helping people had been rooted in my career.

About a year after my diagnosis and job loss, I sought out a life coach and began reading self-help books, as well as books on cognitive behavioural therapy and neuro-linguistic programming. My coach helped me to realize that my thoughts were creating my emotions. These emotions were leading to my inaction and not getting better. This transformed my life.

Within two years, I was back to being productive and happy.

I was off all medications for my MS and my disease had stabilized. I realized that my belief and strong value in helping people was in me, not the career I had. That was when I decided that I wanted to become a life coach myself and help other women transform their lives. I went back to school and became a life coach. I still get coached myself in life, business, entrepreneurship, and sales.

In your experience, what holds female entrepreneurs back?

Fear and self-doubt. I see so many women that get stuck in the learning phase of growing a business.

They feel like they are taking a lot of action by constantly learning and creating content. “I need to have the perfect website, marketing plan, business plan,” etc. They create tons of content, take courses, or stay busy with other tasks. They think they are making progress, but they aren’t making any sales or growing their business.

The fear of rejection or failure drives their need for

perfection and need to know everything before they get out there and sell themselves. Self-doubt about their ability to succeed as an entrepreneur can be deeply rooted and affect every aspect of their business. When you are an entrepreneur, you need to be confident and try new strategies until you find what works. Self-doubt will cause action paralysis.

What are some of the challenges faced by women that you can help with?

I focus on the mental wellness of the female entrepreneur. My coaching method teaches that our circumstances are neutral. They are facts. Our thoughts and interpretations of the circumstances cause emotions. These emotions then drive our actions, or lack thereof. And the actions lead to results, good or bad.

I can help women using a model that will help them understand the thoughts and emotions they have regarding their businesses. We can then evaluate the actions and results that are being driven by the thoughts. If they are not getting the results they want, we can work together to uncover the thoughts they need to believe in order to work towards the results they want. We will partner to build goals and action plans towards the results to make their businesses thrive. The beauty of coaching with me, or any good life coach, is that I see the women I work with as the successful entrepreneur they want to be now. Fully believing they are capable and possess all the resources to achieve any goal and be successful.

What can a client expect when they begin working with you?

Transformation. From the very first session, they will experience a shift in perspective. You begin to see the possibilities and feel the trust and comfort of being with someone that fully believes in your potential with no judgement or reservation. It is life changing and opens the mind to fully envision infinite possibility for the future.

“My life coaching is as unique as me.”

- This is a paid advertisement -

www.womenofbravery.com contact@womenofbravery.com

STARTUP

STARTUPS & SMALL BUSINESSES

BY THE NUMBERS

The Basics According to the Government of Canada, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) made up 99.8% of employer businesses in Canada as of December 2017.

All Employer Business:

All SMEs:

99.8%

97.9%

Of those, 97.9% were small businesses (1-99 paid employees) and 1.9% were mediumsized businesses (100-499 employees).

How Many Canadians Work for Small Businesses (1-99 employees)?

• Percent of Canada:

69.7%

• Percent by Province/Territories:

97%

SMEs Large Businesses Medium Businesses Small Businesses

76.3%

Small Businesses Drive Canada

74.8%

• Micro-enterprises (companies with 1-4 employees) make up

74%

66.6%

72.6% 76.9%

67.1%

78.5%

54.1%

72.9%

74.7%

of all private employers Source: Government of Canada [http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/eng/h_03090.html]

• From 2005 to 2015, NEW!

Small Business by Industry

5 industries make up 55.5% of Canadian small businesses

1.96m Industries with the most employees working for small businesses

1.01m

810k

12.5%

Retail Trade

12.2%

Construction

12%

Professional, Scientific, Technical Services

9.6%

Other Services

9.2%

Healthcare and Social Assistance

87.7%

of all new jobs in Canada – or 1.2 million jobs – were created by small businesses

Starting a Business • Men aged

25-44

are the most likely to start a business in Canada* • Men are

2.3x

more likely to start a business than women*

Wholesale and Retail

• Women lead or co-lead

1 in 3

Accommodation and Food Services

of Canada’s SMEs* Manufacturing

760k Construction

•

BOSS

BOSS

BOSS

69%

of U.S. entrepreneurs started their businesses from home**

Sources: *Business Development Bank of Canada [https://www.bdc.ca/en/small-business-week/media-centre/pages/small-business-big-in-canada.aspx], **Small Business Trends [https://smallbiztrends.com/2013/07/home-based-businesses-startup.html]

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TECHNOLOGY 1

5 STRATEGIES TO GROW YOUR E-COMMERCE BUSINESS

by Marcus Medford

SHOP NOW

S

tarting an e-commerce business is no small task; there are many demands that need to be met, both temporal and financial, as well as several decisions to be made and other factors that need to align for your business to be a success.

Whether you’re supplementing a traditional brick-and-mortar operation with an online presence or your business exists solely in the digital realm, it’s important to know the best practices to help your business grow.

Here are five strategies for growing your business online.

Know Your SEO Search engine optimization, or SEO, means structuring your online content in such a way to increase your business’ chances of appearing higher on the list of results for search engines like Google. It’s impossible to control search results completely, but there are small aspects that are in your control that can have a positive effect on your traffic, like making sure your website is mobile-friendly and maintaining a presence on social media. Other things to keep in mind when it comes to SEO are including concise titles, keywords, and descriptions in your posts. Remember, every business is different, so what SEO strategies will work for you will depend on the type of business you have. If you’re unfamiliar with SEO there are several tutorials and online courses you can take to learn more, as well as numerous SEO consulting companies to engage if your budget allows for it.

Build Your Reputation One of the best ways to build the reputation of your business online is through customer testimonials. Positive reviews about your business are a sign of its quality and trustworthiness, and are critical for your success. According to a 2018 consumer review survey by BrightLocal, 97% of customers read online reviews before they buy a product and 57% of people will only patronize a business with four or more stars. Not only are these positive testimonials almost as good as personal recommendations, they also increase the SEO ranking of your business – and, accordingly, its visibility in the online space.

Search engines rank businesses with legions of fans and lots of positive reviews higher, so the more customers sing your praises with five-star reviews, the more new customers are likely to find your business. This is especially important if your target demographic is millennials, as research shows that approximately 80% of them have written a testimonial and 95% read reviews for local businesses.

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TECHNOLOGY

ADD TO CART

Invest Your Time Wisely When you first start a business, you usually end up taking on a majority of the workload yourself, simply because you have to. As your business grows, there are more and more tasks that need to be completed, but there are still only 24 hours in the day. By utilizing tools like Hootsuite and Buffer, business owners can automate their social media posting, which is hugely important for an e-commerce business, but also very time consuming. There are also tools like QuickBooks, which provide accounting software capable of accepting payments and assisting with bill management and payroll functions. While services like QuickBooks aren’t free, their value comes from the time you’ll save, which can be put towards other important business functions and ensuring that work is done professionally and efficiently.

Another option to consider as your business grows is outsourcing certain tasks in order to make your workload more manageable.

Online marketplaces like Fiverr and Freelancer.com are convenient, easy to use, and help lead you to professionals with a variety of skills that can be hired for short-term work. As the old saying goes, you have to spend money to make money.

Get into Your Customers’ Heads Understanding human psychology is a powerful tool in business and marketing. If you understand how people think and what they react to, you can reach them more effectively. From relatively simple things like what colours people associate with certain traits and emotions to understanding how to use language to affect the way people think of or react to things, psychology can be used to help grow your business. “Social proof” is a psychological phenomenon in which people conform to the actions of others because they believe those actions are reflective of the correct behaviour. Marketers, for example, leverage this concept by showing their customers that people already like and trust their business. They do this by sharing their statistics, subscriber counts, and customer testimonials, among other things. “FOMO”, or the Fear of Missing Out, is a recently-coined term used to describe the anxiety people feel about missing out on something exciting or exciting trendy. Your business can take advantage of that to increase sales and conversions by adding scarcity or exclusivity to your offers.

Expand Your Global Options For most entrepreneurs, their first target market is their immediate geographical area. However, one of the best ways to grow your e-commerce business is to appeal to a global audience, and the internet makes it much easier to do now compared to years past. If you plan on making your online business global, it’s important to do your research on topics like how shoppers make purchases online, when seasonal sales peaks and holidays take place, local and international laws, and shipping and distribution logistics, among other things. Make sure you have an understanding of cultural customs, taboos, and trends in a market or country before you try to establish an online presence there. E-commerce platforms like BigCommerce allow your online shop to operate in over 150 countries, display in almost any language, and accept payments in most currencies.

Meanwhile, gateways like PayPal and Stripe allow users to pay in their own currency, simply and accurately, without transaction fees. PayPal Passport is also a great resource for finding more information on how to bring your business to the world. //

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TECHNOLOGY

USING

PODCASTING TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS

by Joshua Cooper

T

he best entrepreneurs provide their client base with an array of avenues for communication.

With the emergence of streaming platforms such as YouTube and SoundCloud, business owners have found new ways of reaching out to and engaging customers with their products and services.

With this emerging direct-sales approach comes the power to completely bypass the keyholders of the world of traditional communication, like network TV executives and radio program directors. This has huge implications for small business owners, as they no longer have to worry about their mission statement being distorted or mischaracterized as they align themselves with big media corporations in exchange for access to a broader national or global market.

One of the most powerful of these burgeoning forms of media is podcasting. Essentially an on-demand radio talk show available to download or stream, the top podcasts have millions of listeners all over the world. Many business owners and entrepreneurs have turned to podcasting as a promotional tool, like Tony Robbins, Dave Asprey, Gary Vaynerchuk, Tim Ferriss, and more.

As far as marketing methods go, podcasts are cheap to produce and can yield incredibly high engagement, which, for a small business, is crucial. (Not to mention the fact that a popular podcast can be a revenue driver on its own with advertising.)

Here are a few tips on what you need to get started in podcasting, as well as some examples of small businesses that have excelled due in part to their podcasts and their willingness to engage their customers in conversation, as opposed to just talking at them.

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Mi c , Cam era, Action!

One of the keys to running a successful business is having a clear and concise mission statement. When using a podcast to reach your intended audience, this refers to more than just the quality of your message, but also the sound and picture quality of your broadcasts.

For under $600 you can purchase the Canon EOS Rebel T5 Digital SLR Camera and 16-piece Deluxe Accessory Kit Bundle that comes equipped with EOS 1080P full HD movie mode, allowing you to take flawless videos that can be enhanced with its built-in flash, creative filters, and feature guide.

Canon EOS Rebel T5 Digital SLR Camera

Olympus DS-9500 Digital Recorder

Zoom H4n Pro Audio Recorder

While the sound quality is lacking, the Rebel T5 is a good single-kit solution for intermediate video bloggers and podcasters alike. To compensate for the poor audio quality of the Rebel T5, you’ll need to purchase a quality audio recorder. The Olympus DS-9500 provides superior audio clarity and comes equipped with WiFi capabilities that allow the seamless transferring of files without the need for a computer. It can be purchased for the same price as the Rebel T5 and, as its product description states, “it’s designed to be a strong and dependable workhorse in heavy use environments.”

Other brands and products such as the Zoom series of recorders are in a similar price range and will also provide professional quality audio. Adobe Audition is the program of choice for audio editors, and costs $34 a month for businesses.

Audacity provides a similar level of quality with the added bonus of being a free program. For around $1,000, your business will have professional-quality podcasts and video streams that will engage and impress your audience.

C ro ss- pl at fo r m P ro m o t io n

When you share your content across multiple platforms you help maximize your reach and potential audience. This means more potential customers and a higher ceiling for profit.

The IdeaCast podcast features Harvard Business Review editor Sarah Green interviewing business leaders like Google’s Eric Schmidt, clinical associate professor at Kellogg School of Management Nicholas Pearce, and founder of Girls Who Code Reshma Saujani, and can be listened to or read as a transcript. As a subsidiary of the Harvard Business Review, Ideacast also promotes and works with Women at Work, a podcast featuring conversations about women’s place in the workplace, and Dear HBR, an advice show that answers questions about workplace dilemmas and seeks to provide positive solutions. With three different business programs running on multiple media platforms, HBR has entrenched itself among the upper echelons of business reporting through podcasting.

Shopify’s TGIM [Thank God it’s Monday] posts inspirational stories of people utilizing their creativity and passion to create unique businesses. It features an array of entrepreneurs offering advice to help you expedite your success in the business world. Shopify itself has an array of customizable themes that allows total control over your branding and cross-promotion. From retail locations to ads on Facebook, Shopify allows businesses to become entrenched in the lives of their customers and provides different pricing tiers for companies at different stages of development. With fraud prevention software, discounts on company shipping, a personalized online store, and tiered pricing, Shopify is an example of online software designed to help both small and large businesses expand and stabilize across multiple media platforms in an ever-volatile market.

With reasonably priced hardware such as SLRs and Audacity, and website tools like Weebly, Wordpress, and Shopify, there’s no reason for small businesses to stagnate or lag behind the bigger fish. The advent of free-to-use video-, photo-, and document-sharing sites has levelled the playing field for anyone looking to break out as the next Bill Gates or Elon Musk. With audience engagement at an all-time high, the difference is no longer necessarily in the amount that a company spends, but rather the amount of time that you as an entrepreneur are willing to put into your business and how seamlessly you promote your brand across the different channels available to you. //

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THE VALUE OF

A MENTOR

by Robyn Karmazyn

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here are many areas of life today where having someone to aspire to or seek advice from is both necessary and important. Particularly in business, a mentor can be a key contributor to success. Having big names like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg to look up to can help inspire up-and-comers, but actually knowing someone who can serve as a mentor is a much different story.

too much tough love, a mentor can help guide you while simultaneously being more constructive.

Mentorship involves relying on a person who has already enjoyed a trajectory in business, or in life, similar to what you’re striving to achieve.

The person also likely has qualities or skills you admire and are seeking to develop yourself. A mentor might be a parent or another family member, but it’s more likely someone who can act as an objective resource to you, as well as offer advice and support.

Since a family member might extend

Networking at events intended for professionals, particularly in your industry, is an effective way to meet people, but setting out specifically to find a mentor will be challenging. Instead, simply attend with some friends or colleagues, maintain an easygoing attitude, and see if anyone you meet seems like they would make a good mentor for you. This way, you can allow the relationship to happen organically rather than trying to decide on someone before you’ve had a chance to meet them.

According to Durham University, the best mentors tend to have qualities and skills that make them suitable for the role.

In addition to being supportive and encouraging, they should be adept at problem-solving and boosting confidence. They should also practice what they preach by emphasizing their own development, both personally and professionally.

How to Find the Right Mentor

LinkedIn and other professional online platforms present another opportunity to find someone who can help you develop and grow as a successful businessperson. Since users identify

themselves by their professions on sites like LinkedIn, you can proactively seek them out. Try sending a connection request or a message to them, but avoid seeming overeager, especially if you don’t hear back right away.

It may also be helpful to note that, according to career advice website The Muse, your mentor doesn’t necessarily need to work in the same field. Keep your options – and your mind – open and it may be easier to find someone whose career strategies and trajectory you admire, even if the work you aspire to do is different from theirs. Many business principles can be applied across a range of sectors, and much of the insight that a good mentor offers won’t be specific to a particular industry or field.

Thinking outside the box, some mentors fulfill that role without even having formally agreed to work with their protégé. Business coach Michael Hyatt suggests people should take greater advantage of the many resources available today that can simulate mentorships. Podcasts, books, and online courses are helpful (albeit less direct) ways to obtain consistent and valuable advice from successful people worth emulating. You can also attend conferences or find a reputable life coach to offer some direction for your professional life.

Why You Should Find a Mentor

Rahim Mohammadi

Licence# M15000307 | Fisco# K-137068

Cell: 647.389.5995

Not everyone feels like they need a guiding force in their life. Some people may not even contemplate adopting a mentor or consider that having someone like that might be the very thing they’re missing. However, many individuals find themselves simply going through the motions when it comes to their careers, feeling uninspired, unmotivated, and directionless. Is “good enough” really the goal?

Mentors can push you to expand beyond your comfort zone, motivate you with their own accomplishments and ideas, and provide wisdom on subjects that can help you advance professionally. But this classic role and the vital relationship between mentor and protégé is often overlooked these days. As a Forbes magazine contributor suggested, younger generations might be either too proud to look at finding their own mentor and developing that relationship, or simply unaware of that possibility. But the mentor-protégé relationship has remained timeless for a reason: its effectiveness.

To advance in your career, you need the benefit of experience, the stuff that vocational dreams – and job postings – are made of. But how do you gain experience without the opportunity to gain experience? In most cases, this occurs after putting in the hours and “paying dues” over a lengthy period of time. However, you can also arguably cheat a little with the benefit of someone else’s experience. Having an individual to learn from, whether you know them personally or get to know them through a book they’ve written or a podcast they host, can ultimately accelerate both your expertise and your opportunities. //

Mortgage Broker M12001193 Managing Partner 3601 Highway #7 E. Suite 210 Markham, ON L3R 0M3 P: 905.305.8771 F: 905.305.8122 Summer 2019 the EDGE E: ramo200055@yahoo.ca

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CJ Calvert is a professional speaker and the author of Living An Exceptional Life. With over 15 years of training experience, CJ speaks on a daily basis before world-class organizations like IBM, Microsoft, Bank of Montreal and The Co-Operators. Because of his expertise, he has been a featured guest on Breakfast Television. He makes his home in Ajax, Ontario with his amazing wife and son.

HOW TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE

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By CJ Calvert

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lot of people would attribute the opportunities they’ve received to who they know.

Who you know matters both in business and in life. Whether you’re building a sales team, a congregation for your church, or a client base, being able to connect with people is paramount. If connecting with people and building rapport doesn’t come naturally to you, then you need to make a conscious decision to master this skill. With practice, you can quickly learn how to talk to anyone. Creating massive success for yourself requires a lot of people knowing you and wanting to do business with you. Feeling confident in meeting new people, knowing how to connect with anyone you meet, and forming new relationships can be the difference between your business succeeding wildly or closing its doors.

The old adage, “A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet” is timeless wisdom.

However, many people lack the self-esteem or self-confidence to strike up a conversation with a stranger. You might fear looking foolish, saying the wrong thing, or even face rejection. Really though, what’s the worst that can happen?

You’re not likely to face physical harm saying “hi” to someone, and you may make a connection that becomes one of your most powerful relationships. The upside to knowing how to build your network far outweighs any initial discomfort you may face at breaking the ice.

Here are some rapid-fire tips on how to meet new people: Have an “I like you” attitude. The most magnetic quality that will attract people to you is if you like them first. If you’re arrogant, stuck up or cold towards them, it’s an immediate turn off. People can tell quite quickly if you’re viewing them as a person or as a meal ticket. Look for the good in them.

Decide in advance that you will like the other person, and actually say to yourself “I like you” as you greet them. Your spirit and positive energy will shine through.

Pay a compliment. Dale Carnegie, author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, suggests we imagine that everyone has an invisible sign hanging around their neck that says, “make me feel important.” When someone makes us feel good about ourselves, we enjoy them and want to spend more time with them. The simplest way to do this is to pay a sincere compliment. Look for something good in the other person that you can point out. If it’s a work colleague, point out something they did well. Maybe they delivered a great presentation in front of the managers or created a new software application that’s streamlined your business practice.

Make a point of mentioning it to them. You might point out something material, simply saying, “You drive a great car,” or “nice watch – it looks sharp on you.” Perhaps you’ve watched a stranger interact with someone in a tense situation; you might say “I think you handled yourself very well back there.”

Ask a question. It’s socially acceptable in Western society to walk up to an absolute stranger and ask a question, particularly for directions. No one gets offended if you ask, “Pardon me, but do you know this area?” Questions are a great way to start dialogue going back and forth. At a motivational conference you might ask, “Which speaker have you enjoyed the most so far today? What have they said that really resonated with you?” Additionally, it’s pretty common to ask questions specifically about the other person. Most people’s favourite subject is themselves, and generally, people love to talk about themselves with close friends. However, you might need to build toward that. The most common question is, “What do you do for a living?” Leil Lowndes, author of How to Talk to Anyone, says that a more advanced question might be, “How do you spend most of your time?” It allows them not only to talk about their career, but their family, personal hobbies, or magnificent obsession.

Smile. Yes, this is the obvious advice. Yes, you already know you should do it. Smiling signals that we are happy, approachable, not a threat, and that we like the other person. It’s absolutely critical to building rapport and making a connection. The problem is most people notoriously overestimate how positive their facial expression is. People believe they are walking around with a positive look on their face most of the time, when in fact their resting facial expression defaults to somewhere between boredom and a scowl. Try this: Go into the bathroom, look in the mirror, and smile. Notice the pull of the muscles across

your cheeks and the tension in your face. Now, walk away from the mirror and keep the smile on your face. Cheeks starting to get tired? That’s because your facial muscles are out of practice with smiling. You don’t do it as much as you think.

Here’s another tip: a sincere smile involves the crinkling of the muscles around the eyes. Insincere smile – no eyes crinkling. Try focusing on how you smile through your eyes more than you focus on your mouth and watch how people warm up to you.

Match and mirror. People unconsciously feel connected to people who seem similar to them. You feel a bond of kinship and may not immediately realize why. To facilitate this, a common technique in neuro-linguistic programming is to subtly mimic the body stance, tone of voice and pacing of the person we’re talking with. As Nicholas Boothman, author of How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less, writes, “we like people who are like us.” For example, you might be speaking with someone who speaks with a slightly quieter tone. Try lowering your own volume. If you’re talking with someone and notice they use a lot of expressive gestures while speaking, do that as well. If someone leans back in their chair, you can subtly lean back as well. You’re synchronizing yourself with the other person to build a connection. This doesn’t mean that you should act like something you’re not; it means you should accentuate the parts of your personality that are similar to the person you’re with in order to make them feel comfortable.

Make a comment. If you’re witty, great – it’s probably the fastest and most powerful way to build a connection. But many of us aren’t, and we never know if our funny quip catches the person the wrong way or even offends them. However, the time-honoured and predictably safe way to break the ice is to simply make a benign comment. You don’t need to offer a brilliant insight into global trade or world politics. You can simply say, “Nice day today, isn’t it?” or “It’s been quite a line-up here at the airport today.” A benign comment tends to illicit a simple response back. This opens the door to further chatting, and now you’ve got the ball rolling.

“And then what happened?” Think of a conversation as a mutually encouraging game of table tennis. You’re gently trying to lob the ball back to the other person in a way that makes it easy for them to lob it back to you. The more times you can trade the ball between you, the more you both win.

People often worry that they won’t know what to say, that they aren’t a sparkling conversationalist. You don’t need to be! Once you ask them a question to get them talking about their favourite subject – themselves and their life – just offer follow-up comments to continue lobbing the ball back to them.

As they regale you with their exploits on an African safari, say things like, “And then what happened?”, “You don’t say?”, “What did you do next?”, “Seriously? And then what?”, “Wow, how did you feel when that happened?”, or “No kidding?” At the end of the conversation, your new friend will walk away thinking you’re a brilliant conversationalist, because you got them talking and kept them there. // Summer 2019 the EDGE

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AMIR MODONPOUR: THEY CALL HIM THE INSURANCE GUY

A

mir Modonpour has been an insurance broker in the Greater Toronto Area since 2008. He strives to provide quality solutions for his clients, working with them to assess their insurance goals and offer customized insurance plans for his clients, while priding himself on his excellent products and competitive prices.

Four questions every wise person should ask when it comes to protecting their loved ones and their income:

1. Should I buy life insurance?

Whether you’re a recent grad in your 20s, married with a mortgage in your 30s, starting your business in your 40s, or planning your estate in your 50s, you’re likely to have three things in common with people in every age group: 1) There are people in your life whom you love 2) If anyone relies on you financially, you need life insurance 3) You can’t predict the future That’s where life insurance comes in.

While you can’t tell exactly when or how your life will end, you can prepare for the possibility and help protect the people you love in the process. Having the right life insurance can give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing the people you care about will have financial support after you’re gone.

2. How much life insurance do I need?

You can’t pinpoint the ideal amount of life insurance you should buy down to the penny. The rule of thumb is 2 to 5 years of your annual income plus the balance of any debt like a mortgage or a business loan.

3. What if I become disabled due to illness or injury?

While life insurance pays your loved ones after your death, disability and critical illness insurance helps cover your lost income in a time of injury or illness. If you had a money-printing machine, wouldn’t you protect it? That moneyprinting machine is YOU.

4. How much should I spend?

The rule of thumb here is 3% to 5% of your annual income should be put aside to protect your family and your salary whether you are self-employed or work for someone else. For example: $70,000 (Household Income) x 3% Annual Income = $2,100 Annual Cost ($175 monthly) That may include life insurance, critical illness and/or disability insurance.

In conclusion, if you had lost 3% of your income, would that have a profound effect on you and your family’s standard of living? The answer is most likely NO. What if you had a reduction of 100% of your income? Would that have an effect on your standard of living? Certainly, the answer is YES.

www.coverus.ca Cell: 416-823-1033 Office: 905-886-7277 Ext 210 200-8500 Leslie St., Thornhill, ON L3T 7M8 74

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CLOTHES

MAKE

THE MAN: MENSWEAR TRENDS

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by Dontei Wynter

ooking good is important for men in the business world. How you’re dressed communicates a lot to potential partners, clients, and contacts. Fashion and luxury brands, long focused on women, have opened their (closet) doors to the very men who were once afraid to let on that they cared about how they looked. How you dress has just as much an impact on your business as your talent or resume, and that should be respected.

A simple addition or subtraction can help turn any man into a gentleman, if he knows where to look. Gone are the days of buying cheap clothes for the sake of saving a dollar. Investing in the best look makes a difference, and if you can afford it, there’s no excuse. Here are the tips you need to timelessly elevate your look and outlast any trend.

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LIFESTYLE & LUXURY

» Suits

» Chinos

With more young professionals on the rise, men are putting increasing emphasis on how they look at work.

While suits are synonymous with business, not wearing one doesn’t always mean not being professional. The chino has evolved over the years and has taken on a more tailored look that leaves the wearer looking sharp. Some of the best brands for chinos include J. Crew (pictured), Club Monaco, and Bonobos. They come in many different colours and are perfect for those occasions that don’t require a suit but still call for a professional tone.

Chinos are also great for pairing with a blazer and dress shoes if you don’t have dress pants. They also go well with a polo or dress shirt, giving you a selection of looks for any event.

“Menswear is growing faster than womenswear and when you talk about menswear, womenswear, you talk about London,” said Dylan Jones, editor of British GQ, in a CNBC interview. “It’s a real generational shift. The readers we have at GQ that are more interested in fashion are the younger ones and when you look at the millennials’ attitude towards menswear, it’s the same attitude as we have perhaps towards food.”

Jones has noted that times have changed from decades prior when it comes to how men value their clothes. “Men these days shop more like women. They’re more sophisticated and they expect to buy great clothes at reasonable prices.”

There is perhaps no more important part of a man’s wardrobe than the simple suit, and there’s a reason they’ve remained a staple of male fashion for so long. (It’s also one of the few trends that’s become a wardrobe mainstay for both men and women.) Brands like Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, and Dior (pictured) all have something to offer if you’re looking to up your style game. A suit is universal and can come in a variety of colours and styles for any man – and any occasion.

Dior “Tailleur Oblique” Double-breasted Suit in Wool and Mohair

J.Crew Slim-fi t Chino Pant in Stretch Chambray

(Side note: If you’re going to attempt athletic wear with anything, it should be Lululemon pants. Darker tones work best, but it in no way replaces a good set of pants.)

To Boot New York Ambler in Cognac

» Shoes If there’s one thing that completes an outfit, it’s shoes. The right pair can tie together your outfit and every brand on the planet offers a strong selection. To Boot New York (pictured), Michael Kors, Louis Vuitton, Christian Louboutin, and Calvin Klein are just some of the brands that can elevate a man’s appearance.

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Dior Suit photo copyright: © Dior, J.Crew Chino photo courtesy of jcrew.com, To Boot New York Ambler photo courtesy of The Lead PR

LIFESTYLE & LUXURY

» Coats If there’s one article of clothing you need to complete a more professional look, it’s the perfect coat. You can’t go wrong with pea coats, topcoats or overcoats, since they provide a dapper image and will also keep you warm. Burberry, Coach, Michael Kors, Cole Haan, and Land’s End (pictured) are just a few brands that can give you the look you need. You also can’t go wrong with Prada, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Club Monaco, and Calvin Klein.

» Accessories According to Global News, Hudson’s Bay recently reported a sales increase of 2.7%, partly due to the increase in menswear sales. Men’s clothes are also driving sales at U.S. luxury retailer Saks Fifth Avenue, with menswear sales rising each year. And as much as a tailored suit and sharp pair of shoes are crucial, accessories play a key role in completing a man’s look as well.

Lands’ End Lightweight Squall Parka

The cross-body bag is one menswear trend that’s been catching on for a while. It’s basically a combination messenger bag and purse for men. You may not have noticed them before, but after this you’ll probably start seeing them everywhere.

Card cases are also a stylish way of keeping your money organized, especially if you aren’t a fan of carrying cash around. Coach (pictured) and Louis Vuitton are among the top luxury manufacturers of both cross-body bags and card cases to allow you to carry your stuff around in style.

If you want to go one step further, make sure your luggage is also on point. If you’re an avid traveller, then you’ll want to shop with either Away (pictured) or Rimowa for both utility and style. You can also mix and match your gear if you want – no one will judge you – but many prefer having matching sets.

Away The Medium: Aluminum Edition

Coach Dylan 10 by Guang Yu

Everyone’s personal style is different, but there’s always a way to look like a professional when it comes to business.

As men’s fashion evolves and men put more importance on their appearance, high-end brands are taking notice. If you want to make the right impression, then learn what brand and look works best for you. // Away luggage photos courtesy of Away, Coach bag photo courtesy of Jane Gill PR, Land’s End jacket photo courtesy of Land’s End

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LEGEND OF FAZIO’S is a full service Italian Steakhouse located in the heart of Oshawa’s Simcoe neighbourhood at 33 Simcoe St. Opened in 2019, Legend of Fazio’s offers classic Italian dishes with a wide array of options.

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wned and operated by Thas Thurairasa, Legend of Fazio’s brings the semi-fine-dining experience to Oshawa, with a great atmosphere and top-tier service. The atmosphere is incredible, and the private party room, which fits 50 people, allows for a true luxury experience for diners looking to book private functions, whether it be a corporate event or a private reception.

There are also lunch and dinner prix fixe menus, as well as weekly off-menu specials prepared specially by the ace cooking staff, and daily drink specials. And don’t forget to try the prime rib, Legend of Fazio’s signature dish.

The proprietor of Legend of Fazio’s, Mr. Thurairasa got his start in the restaurant business as a dishwasher at the age of 16 and worked his way up to become a chef, always dreaming of opening his own restaurant one day. When looking to finally open his own establishment – a bar, as he originally envisioned it – he discovered a location in downtown Oshawa that was previously known as Fazio’s, which served Italian fare in the city for nearly four decades. His drive to pursue his dreams of preparing great food for people led him to reopen the location as Legend of Fazio’s, to pay tribute to the site’s rich local history. With his own prior experience working in highend steakhouses, Mr. Thurairasa’s new Legend of Fazio’s is a quality Italian steakhouse.

Visit Oshawa’s Legend of Fazio’s for great food, stellar service, and an incredible atmosphere.

33 Simcoe St S., Oshawa, ON ( 9 0 5) 24 0 -119 9 legendoffazios.com - This is a paid advertisement -

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VENUS LASER & SKINCARE STUDIO Book Your Appointment Today:

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enus Laser & Skincare offers the best in non-invasive Facial Rejuvenation. For more than 15 years owner Maria Siotas has specialized in treatments that meet customers’ needs, delivered with the latest equipment and top-of-the-line European products.

Venus Laser & Skincare goes above and beyond to achieve the highest level of client service and, most importantly, outstanding results.

Advanced skincare solutions include Skin Tightening, Cellulite Reduction, Photorejuvenation, Anti-Aging Treatments, Dermalinfusion, Acne Treatments, Micropigmentation, Chemical & Glycolic Peels, Laser Hair Removal, Customized European Facials, and much more.

Maria Siotas is dedicated to helping her clients feel confident and comfortable in their own skin. She always puts her clients’ needs first, and confidential one-on-one consultations prior to each service enable her to achieve the ultimate results in skin revitalization.

Call 647-227-8642 or email info@venuslaserskincare.com

Venus Laser & Skincare is located in the heart of Leaside, a private studio located on the second floor inside Sola Salon Studios.

Visit www.venuslaserskincare.com for more information.

Venus Laser & Skincare is dedicated to making you look and feel fabulous!

C USTOM I ZED TRE ATM ENT S FOR YOUR NEEDS

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TRAVEL

LAGOS NIGERIA

by Joséphine Mwanvua

D

o you dream of travelling to Africa, but can’t decide on which country to visit? Maybe you’ve already been to the continent but want to explore another place. Africa has a lot to offer those looking to immerse themselves in its diverse cultures and traditions. Lagos, Nigeria, is a popular destination made up of several cities and islands where you can find a nice balance of tradition and modernity.

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TRAVEL

National Arts Theatre

The Mainland Lagos city is one of West Africa’s biggest cities, and for many Nigerians, it’s a land of opportunities. If you’re used to the fast-paced, traffic-jammed life of major cities, you’ll have no problem adapting to the energy of Lagos. The best time to visit attractions is on weekdays, when crowds are smaller. Places like the National Theatre (an architectural landmark) and the National Museum house Nigeria’s rich history, dating back to ancient times. For fun, the New Afrika Shrine is probably the best hangout – it’s an open-air entertainment hub where events are hosted almost daily. It’s also known as the Fela Shrine, named after iconic Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, who built the original centre back in 1970.

New Afrika Shrine

Arts & Culture Art enthusiasts should visit the famous Nike Art Gallery, owned by Nigerian-born international artist Nike Okundaye. This five-story building holds a collection of around 8,000 pieces. Bookworms and creative types should visit in November for the Lagos International Poetry Festival and Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF).

Poets from around the world perform spoken word at the poetry fest, and LABAF goes beyond books and art to include film screenings, music, and sculpture.

Lagos Book & Art Festival

Photo courtesy of: lagosbookartfestival.org

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FreedomParkFestival

Photo by: Agbaje Isabella

There’s also Freedom Park, a former prison at Lagos Island. This memorial park is the perfect getaway from the bustle of the city, offering a calm atmosphere as well as a glimpse into Nigeria’s colonial history. In terms of events, Freedom Park hosts concerts, dance shows, and more.

Nike Art Gallery

Photo by: Ian Cochrane

TRAVEL

Luxury Experiences Victoria Island is an affluent area known mostly for commerce and is home to the headquarters of several major companies.

But for travellers who want to experience a more relaxed and high-class atmosphere, Victoria Island is the place to be. You can rest your head someplace fancy, like Eko Hotels & Suites. Of course, your experience won’t be authentic without trying Nigerian food, which you can sample at several high-end restaurants in the area. (European cuisine is a popular option too.)

Tarkwa Beach

Photo by: satanoid

Eko Hotels & Suites

Photos courtesy of: ekohotels.com

You can spend some time exploring Nigerian art, music, and literature at Terra Kulture or go shopping at the many boutiques and bookstores. If nightlife is more your thing, you can party at one of the many sophisticated clubs and bars on the island. And Tarkwa Beach, one of Lagos’ safest beaches, is a mere 30-minute boat ride away.

Tropical Adventures The fish market in Epe is a must-visit location for visitors. With sellers hawking their wares left and right and one of the greatest varieties of fish most tourists have ever seen, it’s an incredible experience. At the end of the market, past the vendors peddling their catches of the day, you’ll find merchants selling baskets of fish in the water while others are still being caught.

Finally, in the city of Lekki, not far from Epe, is the Lekki Conservation Centre.

The reserve is home to several wildlife species like snakes, giant rats, crocodiles, monkeys, and more. But don’t worry about crossing the animals in your path – raised walkways let you admire them from a distance. Some visit the conservation centre to experience the canopy walk, which is the longest one in Africa. If you have small children, they’ll have to remain on the ground and meet you at the other end of the canopy with a guardian, but teens are allowed to walk through. //

Lekki Conservation Center

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Money management is essential. Learning how to make strategic investments that produce long-term benefits is a great way to set a foundation that you can build on. If you’re interested in investing in real estate, mutual funds, or the stock market – or you just need help with your taxes – make the best of your financial year with the help of these businesses. Forge ahead and allow your newfound confidence to empower you as you take your finances back and reap the benefits.

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2460 Dufferin St. Toronto, ON M6E 3T3

PATRICK PHILIPPE

Sales & Leasing Consultant

P

atrick Philippe is a veteran of the auto sales industry, having sold cars since 2006 in the Greater Toronto Area. He’s now a Sales and Leasing Consultant for six years at Toronto Hyundai, located at 2460 Dufferin Street.

In addition to selling cars, he also works in the community, volunteering and giving back by giving presentations about character education, social and economic development.

How did you start selling cars?

I started selling cars back in 1996. I used to work from home, and prior to that I was working as a translator. One day a friend of mine, who was a general manager in the car business, asked me to have lunch. While talking about this and that, the conversation turn to business, then boom, he made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. That’s when I started my career as a sales professional.

You’re fluent in several languages.

How does that benefit you in your job?

I speak French, Spanish, Italian, English, Russian, and Greek. It has been very beneficial indeed, for all concerned.

When you can communicate with people in their own language and have a good understanding of their socio-cultural background, this helps to establish a quick rapport and to build trust, which is very important in every aspect of human interaction. I’m able to give them more information, which puts them more at ease, and they can make a well-informed decision about their purchase.

What can customers expect from you when they visit Toronto Hyundai?

They will arrive to a pleasant, friendly, and welcoming atmosphere, and I will answer their questions and inquiries in a straightforward manner to enable them

to save time and money. I will make sure that they are at ease by carefully listening to their needs and queries so that they feel and understand it is not just about making another sale, but rather good customer service. They will not feel pressured, guaranteed; it’s about being professional.

Is there anything that an average car buyer should know that in your experience most don’t?

One thing that is prominent is that people looking to buy a vehicle are anxious, they don’t know what to expect when they enter the showroom of the car dealership, some even think that car salespeople are dishonest. The good news is that the car business is not what it used to be, compared to 16 years ago, many things have changed since the creation of the Ontario Motor Vehicle Insurance Council (OMVIC). It’s an organization mandated to enforce the Ontario Motor Vehicle Dealer Act of 2002, and to protect consumers while enhancing the industry professionalism among others. Today the aspiring car sales professional must have a clean record before being accepted to take the OMVIC course. They will learn the legal aspect and the dos and don’ts of the industry and any other relevant information that can constitute material facts. They will have to write an exam and they must pass with a high grade before they are accredited to sell cars.

Sales: (416) 787-9789 Service: (416) 787-4430 Cell: (647) 967-5555 pphilippe@torontohyundai.com As an experienced salesperson, what have you learned about addressing a customer’s needs, and how do you incorporate that into your job at Toronto Hyundai?

The most important thing is to follow the established guidelines. There is no secret in sales, we have a system that is designed to specifically address the customer’s need and to ensure customer satisfaction, from the greeting to the interview to the selection presentation.

All must be done in an efficient, sincere, straightforward and knowledgeable manner, and always making sure to have the customer’s approval. Follow-up after the sale and after the delivery of the car is paramount, it has to be done in a timely fashion. The follow-up is the key.

We have very good reputation at Toronto Hyundai because we don’t play games with our customers. I am straightforward, I am very honest, and I like to deal with straightforward people. That’s what people like, and that’s the way I operate.

We are now offering zero-interest financing on some selected models and a great cash rebate of up to $5,000 on selected models. I invite you to visit our showroom, to experience the difference.

And take advantage of these great offers.

Please call me direct at 647-967-5555 I will like to talk with you, or if I am unavailable, just tell reception that Patrick sent you.

They’ll roll out the red carpet for you.

WWW.TORONTOHYUNDAI.COM Summer 2019 the EDGE

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