YES Entrepreneurship Conference Program Book 2011

YES ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON Chris Emergui, YES Board Member & President of BAM Strategy Herman Alves, Owner of Hermedia Marketing, Bitoque Inc Pino Di Ioia, Co-Founder, Moozoo Juices & CEO, BeaverTails José Miguel Fernández-Busto, Management Consultant, International Business Strategist Louise-Anne Côté, Manager, Business Development at Career Management Services, John Molson School of Business, Concordia University Marvin Garellek, President & CEO, Internet Capital Bulletin Board

CONFERENCE AGENDA 8:00 AM - 8:45 AM

REGISTRATION / BREAKFAST

8:45 AM - 9:00 AM

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTORY REMARKS John Aylen, President, YES Chris Emergui, Chairperson, YES Entrepreneurship Conference Planning Committee

9:00 AM - 9:45 AM

PANEL OF ENTREPRENEURS YES Alumni: Looking Back, Moving Forward MODERATOR Ric Peterson, CJAD Radio - Astral Media PANELISTS Marc Merulla, Founder of H2O Adventures & Team Building Montreal Melissa Holland, Artistic Director of Dr. Clown Anastasia Lomonova, Fashion Designer Hernando Alecina, Founder of Ziebeq Canada

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

WORKSHOPS – SESSION A

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

EXHIBIT & COFFEE BREAK

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

WORKSHOPS – SESSION B

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

LUNCH

1:45 PM - 2:45 PM

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Michael Brownstein, President David Brownstein, Vice-President of Sales The vision behind the success of Browns Shoes 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

WORKSHOPS – SESSION C

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

EXHIBIT & NETWORKING COCKTAIL

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE WORKSHOPS

LOCATION

SESSION A

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

A1 BUSINESS 101: Legal & Accounting

Senateur

A2 E-MARKETING TACTICS TO BUILD YOUR BUSINESS

Les Verrieres

A3 BEYOND THE TECHNOLOGY: Excelling in a SALES 2.0 Environment

Ambassadeur A

SESSION B

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

B1 FINDING YOUR FINANCIAL FOOTING

Ambassadeur A

B2 DESIGNING WITH PEOPLE IN MIND

Senateur

B3 USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO TARGET THE CUSTOMER NEXT DOOR

Les Verrieres

SESSION C

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

C1 MARKETING & ROI: The Marketing Arsenal

Ambassadeur A

C2 WHAT SUSTAINABILITY CAN DO FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Senateur

C3 BUILDING YOUR BRAND FOR A DIGITAL WORLD

Les Verrieres

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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Welcome to the 14th Annual YES Entrepreneurship Conference. YES has organized and hosted this inspirational event since 1998 and it has grown to become the largest conference of its type in the city.

This year’s theme is STEP INTO SUCCESS and it celebrates the success stories and shares the knowhow of more than 20 highly successful Montreal entrepreneurs, experts and professionals, including our keynote speakers, representing two generations of the Brownstein family and Browns Shoes.

As Montrealers, we have much to be proud of. We are truly a city of entrepreneurs going back to the business people who built our city and made it the centre for business in the country. Today, we are leaders in aerospace, transportation, health care, IT, telecommunications, entertainment, fashion and a varied number of other sectors. Our entrepreneurs are significantly involved in creating and maintaining this leadership. That success has not been an accident. Those leaders have chosen to STEP INTO SUCCESS just as you are doing today.

YES recognizes that the economic contributions of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs-in-the making such as yourself, go a long way towards enriching our community. For 15 years we have been providing support services to ensure that the level of contribution increases with each passing year. Successful futures really do start with YES. I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to all of the people who have donated their time, energy and remarkable talents in organizing this year’s Entrepreneurship Conference. The tireless dedication of Chair, Chris Emergui, and his committee have succeeded once again to create a truly memorable and useful conference. The extraordinary efforts of YES staff members and our many volunteers have culminated in an amazing roster of workshops, panel discussions and guest speakers.

YES is a not-for-profit organization that relies on the support of government, media, businesses, corporations, foundations and individuals. Their ongoing support and the support of all of our sponsors is greatly appreciated.

We would also encourage you to think about donating to YES, especially if you have used our services and taken the first step into the success of your enterprise. Consider it paying it forward.

This year’s conference has been created to celebrate and enhance your sense of independence as you take the next steps in realizing your entrepreneurial dreams.

YES: STEP INTO SUCCESS John Aylen President – Board of Directors, YES

WELCOME & INTRODUCTORY REMARKS As a new Spring in Montreal is upon us, it is also a great time for entrepreneurs to take the next step in building their business.

Whether that is writing a business plan, making that first sales pitch or hiring your first employee, what better time than now.

Many entrepreneurs often wait until they feel the timing is just right before moving forward, but the reality is businesses and challenges will continuously change. In fact, change is probably the only constant. Therefore, the ability to get it just right the first time is probably a lot less important than being able to “pivot” as your business evolves. Hugh McGuire, who spoke at our conference last year, shared that term with me and I think it is brilliant. We all should be prepared and have a plan, but be ready to pivot and chart a different course when necessary.

Our keynotes certainly know a little about adapting to a changing market. After a fire gutted their location in 1954, Morton Brownstein, who had taken over the business from his father, gave the company a new direction, focusing on exclusive designer and fashion footwear.

This year, we are fortunate enough to have Michael and David Brownstein from Browns Shoes as our keynote speakers. Browns Shoes, a family-owned business established in Montreal in 1940, is synonymous with top international designer collections, luxurious leather goods, and exclusive street savvy fashion for ladies, men and children.

This conference would not be possible without the dedication and commitment of the many people involved. Specifically, I would like to thank the partner organizations and volunteers of the YES Conference Planning Committee who graciously offered their time, knowledge, and resources in making this conference possible. I would also like to thank the speakers who volunteered their time and expertise.

It has been an honour and a pleasure to work with the YES staff, which has again gone to great effort and demonstrated true dedication in realizing this conference. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank the entire YES team for their patience and effort, and I would like to extend a special thank you to Iris Unger, YES’ Executive Director. The continued success of this annual conference is a collaboration of the staff, Board of Directors, and team of volunteers that contribute in various ways and possess a strong belief in Montreal’s entrepreneurial community. A special thank you to our sponsors, without whom this event would not be possible.

I have learned so much from attending this conference over the years so hopefully you will leave here more knowledgeable but also motivated and inspired to take that next step. Please enjoy the conference, and on behalf of YES, we want to wish you every success in your business venture.

Chris Emergui President, BAM Strategy Chairperson, Conference Planning Committee

MICHAEL BROWNSTEIN & DAVID BROWNSTEIN Michael Brownstein President, Browns Shoes After graduating in Commerce from McGill University, Michael Brownstein joined Browns Shoes in 1973 and became president in 1998. He has successfully expanded the chain to its current 42 locations in Canada, assuring Browns reputation as the leading retailer of fashion footwear.

Mr. Brownstein has brought Browns to the forefront of the 21st century by creating a new chain of stores, B2, which focuses on edgy, street fashion, appealing to a younger generation as well as to trend-conscious consumers. He has also continued the company’s tradition of creating personal relationships with the leading designers of today, who provide Browns with many exclusive styles.

Along with his son David as Vice-President of Sales, and his daughter Julia as a Senior Buyer, Mr. Brownstein has assured the growth of Browns with a fourth generation of Brownsteins to guide the company, which celebrated its 70th year in 2010. In addition to three new locations in 2011, a renovated flagship store will open on Ste-Catherine Street which promises to be the most exciting retail concept Montreal has ever seen.

As a strong supporter of education, Mr. Brownstein gives an annual lecture at the McGill University School of Management. Michael is also committed to Browns’ philosophy of donating 10% of pre-tax profit to charity each year.

David Brownstein Vice-President of Sales, Browns Shoes Mr. Brownstein graduated from McGill in 2002 and joined Browns as a Sales Associate in Montreal. He then spent a year in the buying department for men’s shoes before moving to Toronto to work in several Browns’ locations.

In 2006, he created and developed Browns’ extremely successful e-Commerce division. Two years later, in addition to being e-Commerce Director, he initiated the Browns University sales training program.

Mr. Brownstein is currently Vice-President of Sales, with responsibilities for store and sales operations for all 42 locations, as well as the e-Commerce, sales training and communications departments.

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ABOUT YES

As a not-for-profit organization, YES Montreal (Youth Employment Services) enriches the community by providing English-language support services to help Quebecers find employment and start businesses.

Since first opening its doors in 1995, YES has developed into Montreal’s one-stop-shop for entrepreneurs, job seekers and artists. YES’ dedicated staff provides clients with personalized services tailored to their individual needs to help them build their entrepreneurial, professional or artistic dreams. Along with its resource centre, which is open to the public, YES provides the following:

YES ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM • • • • • •

One-on-one business coaching at our centre Workshops on how to start your own business Meet the Experts Seminar Series Business start-up loans and grants information for new entrepreneurs Mentorship program The Montreal Entrepreneur’s Guidebook, 3rd Edition

• • • •

Legal & Accounting information clinics Online one-on-one business coaching & video conferencing workshops The Annual YES Entrepreneurship Conference Computer Lab & Resource Library

YES ARTISTS PROGRAM • • • • • •

One-on-one coaching with a dedicated artists’ coach Thematic workshops by industry professionals Consultations with business coaches Specialty coaching: legal & accounting Consultations with career counsellors Mentorship for artists

•

• •

Two annual events: – Business Skills for Creative Souls Artists’ Conference (learning & networking) – YES Art Expo (showcasing & networking) $1000 annual project grant (contest) Business Skills for Creative Souls: The Montreal Artist’s Handbook

YES JOB SEARCH PROGRAM • • • • •

Individual employment and career counselling Career planning and employment strategies Workshops on job-search strategies, résumé writing and more Intensive French for job seekers Career Exploration Workshop Series

• • • • •

Career testing services Internship programs Mentorship program Computer Lab & Resource Library Job Postings

PANEL OF ENTREPRENEURS 9:00 AM - 9:45 AM

YES ALUMNI: LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD This year’s panel discussion will explore the personal success stories of four extraordinary YES entrepreneurs and how they overcame the obstacles to be successful. Learn from the triumphs and mistakes of these entrepreneurs as they reflect on what they wished they’d known when they became entrepreneurs and share some of their experiences and lessons learned.

MODERATOR Ric Peterson, CJAD Radio - Astral Media Mr. Peterson is known in Montreal for what he says “on the air” at CJAD 800. He has worked for the Astral Media owned company for 29 years. From 4 to 7pm weekday afternoons, he provides informed opinion, laughs, and good company for thousands of listeners as they make their way home through our sometimes impossible traffic.

Mr. Peterson has become one of the industry’s top performers.

PANELIST Marc Merulla, Founder of H2O Adventures & Team Building Montreal For the past 15 years, Mr. Merulla has been developing and delivering advanced experiential adult learning programs throughout Canada and the United States. He is a specialist in fusing proven professional development training with entertaining team building activities that ensure interactive learning and great fun for all participants. He has developed successful team development programs for such leading organizations as RBC, Pfizer, Hydro Quebec, L’Oreal, Rolls Royce, Bombardier, Molson, Bell, Environment Canada, Canada Revenue Agency and many others.

Mr. Merulla is a graduate of McGill University’s Education program and remains passionate about helping individuals and organizations to realize their potential. He has served on the Board of Directors of Youth Employment Services, founded a Montreal chapter of Executives on Auction and was the president of a chapter of Business Networking International (BNI).

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PANEL OF ENTREPRENEURS PANELIST Melissa Holland, Artistic Director of Dr. Clown Ms. Holland is the Artistic Director of Dr. Clown, a charitable organization that provides the service of therapeutic clowns to hospitalized children and the elderly. Ms. Holland has a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with a specialization in Drama in Education from Concordia University, and a degree in Education from McGill University.

Her principal clown trainers are Francine Côté, Sue Morrison and Magdalena Schamberger. In Scotland, she trained and worked as a clown doctor for the charitable organization Hearts & Minds. She also carried out a two-month pilot project in Windsor, Ontario that led to the establishment of a program called Fools for Health. Founding member of Dr. Clown as well as The Canadian Association of Therapeutic Clowns, Ms. Holland continues to visit children and seniors as Dr. Fifi.

PANELIST Anastasia Lomonova, Fashion Designer Initially trained as a visual artist, Ms. Lomonova became involved in fashion at the age of 18, upon entering Ryerson University’s prestigious fashion program. After completing two years of the course, the young designer relocated to Montreal, famous for its European allure and style. Here, she apprenticed with several established designers before creating her own line in 2007. Since its inception, the line has enjoyed success across Canada, winning the hearts of Canadian press, retailers and fashionable women alike. Born to Russian parents in Odessa (Ukraine), Ms. Lomonova spent many years living on the island of Cyprus. Sharing her time between the Mediterranean coast and historical sights of Europe resulted in a vast source of inspiration which she has applied to all her designs. In May 2010, Anastasia Lomonova was named the winner of Toronto Fashion Incubator’s New Labels competition and was named one of the most promising young designers in Canada.

PANELIST Hernando Alecina, Founder, Ziebeq Canada Since elementary school, Mr. Alecina has cultivated his entrepreneurial skills. At the age of 17, he managed his family business in the metallurgical industry. By the age of 19, Mr. Alecina’s consultations became sought after on a global scale, prompting him to establish a consulting firm providing services for small and medium companies. In 2005, he started a wholesale business selling his product lines across Canada. Since 2004, Mr. Alecina has developed a consulting practice for corporations and individuals through his company Ziebeq Canada.

Ziebeq Canada liaises with major financial institutions such as London Life, Great West Life and Mackenzie Financial.

WORKSHOPS – SESSION A 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

A1 BUSINESS 101: Legal & Accounting Harness the power of financial and legal tools to structure your business flawlessly. Getting your company’s financial statements in order, keeping Revenue Canada away from your door and legally protecting your personal assets from creditors, are essential to your success.

This information-packed workshop of concrete direction from legal and accounting experts will help you get it right, right from the start.

SPEAKER Nancy Cleman, Lawyer, Sternthal Katznelson Montigny Ms. Cleman holds a B.Sc., a B.C.L and an LL. degree from McGill University and is a member of the Québec Bar (1983) and the Law Society of Upper Canada (1990). She is also certified as a commercial mediator (Bar of Quebec) and is a trademark agent. Prior to joining Sternthal Katznelson Montigny she was Corporate Counsel to Autodesk Inc. and General Counsel to Discreet Logic Inc. Before joining Discreet, she was a partner in a major Canadian law firm.

Ms. Cleman is active in community work and has served on a number of boards and committees. In addition, she has spoken at various conferences on topics including doing business abroad, the art of preparing Canadian companies for export markets, and the licensing of intellectual property.

SPEAKER Sam Lackman, Tax Manager, Nexia Friedman Mr. Lackman is a chartered accountant and tax manager at Nexia Friedman, LLC. He joined the firm’s tax department over ten years ago and has been extensively involved in the tax department’s growth ever since.

Mr. Lackman began his career at Nexia Friedman as an auditor.

Since becoming a manager, he is principally involved in corporate matters such as reorganizations, scientific research and experimental development, compliance review and tax planning. He is also involved in writing articles for both internal and external newsletters and newspapers, and in presenting tax seminars for Nexia Friedman’s staff and for outside organizations.

He is on the Advisory Board for the Centre for the Arts in Human Development at Concordia University and is also actively involved in other charitable organizations.

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WORKSHOPS – SESSION A SPEAKER Robert Porrello, Principal, Nexia Friedman Mr. Porrello is a Principal at Nexia Friedman where he manages assurance engagements, accounting research and prepares supporting analysis for special transactions. He has gained experience in external auditing through his participation in auditing clients working mainly in the technology sector. He has considerable experience in serving growth companies and Canadian public companies. Prior to working at Nexia Friedman, he was a Senior Manager at Deloitte & Touche in Montreal where he worked for 11 years in the assurance department mainly in the technology sector.

In 2003, Mr. Porrello worked in the United States on a special mandate on loan to MCI WorldCom. He also teaches accounting courses at McGill University and has been a member of l’Ordre des comptables agréés du Québec since January 1998.

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

A2 E-MARKETING TACTICS TO BUILD YOUR BUSINESS This workshop explores how to market your business without spending big dollars using social media and other e-marketing tactics. To do this, we will investigate examples of others who have grown their sales in this very way.

SPEAKER Chris Emergui, President & Founder, BAM Strategy As President of BAM Strategy, Mr. Emergui brings his fifteen years of industry experience to the interactive marketing community. He is dedicated to the continuous development of the industry through education at all levels, speaking at over twenty industry events such as Internet World, Online to Profit, and E-Loyalty. Mr. Emergui was a winner of the BDC Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2000) in Ottawa.

BAM Strategy has had the pleasure of working with several companies large and small including Olay, Gillette, Tide and Catelli. BAM Strategy also started Divine.ca, Canada’s fastest growing woman’s portal with over 600,000 visits per month. Most recently, they launched webSaver. ca, a site where Canadians can request coupons from over fifty leading brands.

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WORKSHOPS – SESSION A 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

A3 BEYOND THE TECHNOLOGY: Excelling in a SALES 2.0 Environment In today’s challenging business environment, traditional brick & mortar businesses are struggling to keep up with the latest changes in marketing strategies, sales tools and technologies. New entrepreneurs or start-up businesses would seem to have a slight, temporary advantage when they launch, leveraging Web 2.0 technology such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and SalesForce.com. What other pieces are needed to bridge the sales / marketing gap? How can you get your sales and marketing efforts to give the greatest results, blending traditional strategies and the best of Web 2.0 technology?

This workshop will address these questions, giving you the tools and strategies to thrive in a Sales 2.0 environment.

SPEAKER Peter E. H. Palmer, Vice President of the Dale Carnegie Group in Quebec Mr. Palmer is Vice President of the Dale Carnegie Group in Quebec.

Throughout his 20 plus years with Dale Carnegie, he has coached some of Canada’s top business leaders to better present and defend their ideas in front of critical audiences. His mandates have included the high-tech, medical and service sectors, and he has worked with some of those industries’ biggest players, including Novartis, Bombardier and PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Mr. Palmer taught for several years at the McGill International Executive Institute and is a frequent guest lecturer at many of Quebec’s top universities.

One of the main themes of Mr. Palmer’s public and corporate group work has been assisting people in offering strong value propositions through the presentation of their ideas, their products and their services.

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WORKSHOPS – SESSION B 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

B1 FINDING YOUR FINANCIAL FOOTING Whatever stage your business is at, financing is one of the most challenging matters. In this workshop, you will find everything you need to know about how to raise money for your business. Explore your funding options including self-funding, grants, venture capital, conventional loans, and special programs. Our experts will give you tips and advice on how to manage your finances, impress your banker and attract investors.

MODERATOR Douglas Leahey, Business Coach,YES Mr. Leahey is the Business Coach at YES, helping entrepreneurs to build their business plans and find funding through grants and loan offerings. He has had an extremely varied, successful career working in start-ups and large multinationals. Trained as an electrical engineer and economist, Douglas has brought his varied experience to YES. Mr. Leahey has been in marketing, product management, sales, business development, communications, and investor relations. In addition to his professional experience, he has volunteered extensively and has been involved in numerous community organizations.

SPEAKER Carrie Wertheim, Account Manager, Small Business and Professionals, Scotiabank Ms. Wertheim is an Account Manager for Small Business and Professionals at Scotiabank. She graduated from Concordia University’s Bachelor of Commerce program with a Major in Finance and has spent 10 years working in the financial industry (covering both retail and commercial banking). As a Small Business Advisor, Ms. Wertheim’s focus is to help unlock the potential of a business by providing practical approaches that are key to helping it grow, be more dynamic, and more profitable. She is actively involved in several community programs including YES, in order to help new entrepreneurs.

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WORKSHOPS – SESSION B SPEAKER Paul Dawalibi, Partner, Dawalibi Capital Mr. Dawalibi is a Partner at Dawalibi Capital, focusing on funding and building exciting, new technology companies as well as forwarding the cause of entrepreneurship in Canada. Previously, he was President & CEO of Praized Media, provider of the world’s first social media lead generation engine. He was also a venture capitalist at Saint Lawrence Capital, focused on internet, software, and mobile investments.

Mr. Dawalibi frequently writes and speaks about start-ups and the venture capital industry. Some of his commentary can be found through his alter ego, the VC Whisperer. He is also a guest lecturer on entrepreneurship at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business and speaks at many other prominent universities across North America, including MIT and McGill. Prior to joining Saint Lawrence Capital in 2006, he was the founder and CEO of Cereal Technologies and previously worked in sales and marketing at IBM, American Express and Sun Microsystems.

Mr. Dalwalibi holds an Hon. B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Toronto and received his MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

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WORKSHOPS – SESSION B 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

B2 DESIGNING WITH PEOPLE IN MIND The term “design” is usually reduced to a cosmetic function. Some companies even think that something “designed” may move away from the true essence of its products or services; as if design were the icing on the cake and not the cake.

Whether it is applied to industrial, graphic or any other medium, design has to speak to your target audience and make people feel connected to your purpose, product or service. In this workshop, we will explore how to think in terms of design, as well as how to design in terms of people.

SPEAKER Juan-Carlos Fernández Espinosa, Creative Director/ Founder, Ideograma Consultores Mr. Espinosa was born and raised in Mexico City. He studied graphic design at Universidad Iberoamericana and was a Design Director at Design Center/Zimat. He conducted post-graduate studies in design and corporate identity at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

After finishing his MFA, Mr. Espinosa was hired by Addison Design Company and moved to New York. Two years later he was hired by Siegel + Gale as Vice President Design Director. During his five-year stay in New York, Mr. Espinosa obtained a Certificate in Marketing at New York University. In 1999, he went back to Mexico and founded Ideograma, a positioning and corporate identity consulting firm.

In the summer of 2009, Mr. Espinosa moved to Montreal to open the first Ideograma office abroad. He continues his work as Creative Director of the company and is developing the Canadian market.

He has been a judge in many design competitions and continuously gives lectures at design conferences and universities nationally and abroad.

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WORKSHOPS – SESSION B 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

B3 USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO TARGET THE CUSTOMER NEXT DOOR Social media has opened up the potential to reach huge audiences across the globe, but most businesses are locally focused, targeting prospects and customers right next door. There are billions of people online, but all that really matters is whether or not you can reach and engage the ones that are important to you.

SPEAKER Ben Yoskovitz, Founding Partner, Year One Labs Mr. Yoskovitz is a serial entrepreneur with 15 years experience in web software. He is currently a Founding Partner at Year One Labs, which is an early stage accelerator funding start-ups in the web and mobile spaces. He is actively involved in the Montreal tech start-up scene and has been blogging since 1996, focusing on social media, start-ups, entrepreneurship and marketing.

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WORKSHOPS – SESSION C 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

C1 MARKETING & ROI: The Marketing Arsenal One of the most unfortunate expressions in marketing is: “I know that 50% of my marketing budget is wasted, but I just don’t know which 50%.” Pity the fatalistic businessperson who is resigned to throwing money blindly at a problem with faint hope that it will go away. If there was ever a time for Guerrilla Marketing – it is now. Get creative by marketing your business EFFECTIVELY without spending a fortune on promotion. Find out how to acquire the strategic weapons that will help you generate the biggest bang for your buck.

SPEAKER Robert Soroka, Juris Doctor, Lecturer, Professor JMSB – Concordia University, McGill University, Dawson College Mr. Soroka has a varied background as a criminal lawyer, professor, marketing analyst, TV and radio personality, actor and playwright. He began his career in the marketing industry working as a marketing and financial analyst for chain-store retailers. After earning his Juris Doctor degree from the State University of New York, he practiced criminal law in Buffalo, NY. Mr. Soroka resumed his teaching career upon his return to Montreal and now teaches business and law courses at McGill and Concordia Universities and Dawson College. His teaching was recognized when he received Concordia University’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 1997 and the McGill Management Undergraduate Teaching Award in 2009.

He is also a private consultant for both public and private organizations.

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WORKSHOPS – SESSION C 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

C2 WHAT SUSTAINABILITY CAN DO FOR YOUR BUSINESS Ever wondered what sustainability stands for, or what it can do for your business? Are you looking to gain visibility and credibility, to open up new lines of customers, products or services, or to boost your employees and partners’ commitment and mobilization? This is your opportunity to find out how to make business sense of sustainability and explore ways to positively impact your business operations and your bottom line.

SPEAKER Thibaud Joubert, Sustainability Consultant Mr. Joubert is a veteran CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) marketer and entrepreneur who turned to the world of corporate sustainability.

After managing global cheese brands The Laughing Cow and Mini Babybel in the USA for French dairy powerhouse Groupe Bel, Mr. Joubert came to Montreal seven years ago to successfully start up the company’s Canadian operations. He is now consulting with companies to help them integrate sustainability into their business model and operations.

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

C3 BUILDING YOUR BRAND FOR A DIGITAL WORLD Your brand is not what you say it is, it’s what Google says it is. How do you make sure your business can be found in a world where everyone is always connected? How do you make sure potential customers convert into clients once they have found you? Discover the essentials of using digital channels effectively to grow your brand.

SPEAKER Mickael Kanfi, Chief Product Officer, Twist Image Inspired by a talent for design and technology, Mr. Kanfi tapped into his entrepreneurial spirit and founded Twist Image in April 2000.

Over the past ten years, he has touched all aspects of the business – from project and operations management to creative and technical direction – helping successfully launch countless marketing initiatives and major websites. Mr. Kanfi is responsible for overseeing the Twist Image product which is defined as the integration of breakthrough ideas across all departments. Furthermore, he is charged with guaranteeing the quality of the work, and the efficiency of the process.

TIPS FOR ENTREPRENEURS BUSINESS IDEA –– > BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY –> – BUSINESS SUCCESS • • • •

Assess your interests, skills and hobbies Soak up business examples Pay attention to trends Validate your idea

EVALUATE YOUR BUSINESS IDEA Is there a need for my idea?

What are the benefits of my idea?

What are the negatives of my idea?

Do I have what it takes to put this idea into practice?

Do I have any financial resources?

Do I have time?

Do I have the knowledge?

Am I dedicated enough?

What do I need to learn or research to make this idea a reality?

CONDUCT A MARKET ASSESSMENT

ASSESS COSTS & PROFITABILITY

Define your concept Understand your market Know your customer Know your competition Do your research

Determine your start-up financial requirements Develop short-term financial projections Find out your break-even point

KEY POINTS FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS • A GOOD PRODUCT AND/OR SERVICE

• HEALTHY CASH FLOW

• GOOD MANAGEMENT

• MENTORSHIP & COACHING

• ADEQUATE PLANNING

• CONTROLLED SPENDING & THE ABILITY TO COLLECT MONEY OWING

• EFFECTIVE MARKETING • SUFFICIENT FINANCIAL RESOURCES

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2011 SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE LIST ACCOUNTING TOOLS http://www.xero.com: awesome personal and business banking software http://www.getballpark.com: billing software for small biz: invoice, get paid, bid, conversation http://www.billable.me: create an invoice in 30 seconds

ANALYTICS TOOLS Google Analytics – web analytics Kissmetrics – actionable analytics GetClicky – real-time web analytics Swix – analytics for social media and online Mixpanel – real-time event tracking Crazyegg – visualize analytics Mint – site analytics Performable – personable web analytics Visistat – web analytics measure marketing campaigns Webtrends – analytics and segments http://chartbeat.com: real-time site analytics (“Google Analytics on crack”) - $10 per month http://www.seevolution.com: real-time analytics and heat maps overlaid on your site

AVATARS http://faceyourmanga.com/faceyourmanga_eng.html: cartoonize yourself Billing/Subscription Management Chargify – recurring billing without the headaches Recurly – subscription billing Aria – online billing platform Braintree – online credit card merchant processing Vindicia – on demand billing and fraud management Volusion – shopping cart software CheddarGetter – online recurring billing Cloudware City – online app store for subscription services Spreedly – sell subscriptions on your site. Signup, upgrade, trial pricing Zuora – online subscription management

BLOGGING PLATFORMS http://tumblr.com http://posterous.com http://wordpress.com http://blogger.com http://twitter.com

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2011 SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE LIST COLLABORATION TOOLS Dropbox – store, sync, and, share files online Google Apps – Email, Chat, Docs Skype – free voice and video communication tool Campfire – team collaboration Slideshare – share Powerpoints and docs with customers

EMAIL BLASTING Tout – email blast and management software Campaigner – email marketing suite Exact Target – social media and email marketing Postmark – email blast and management software Mad Mimi – email blast software SendGrid – email blast software Campaign Monitor – basic email software Emma – basic email marketing MailChimp – free basic email blast software

FEEDBACK http://getsatisfaction.com: customer feedback and support http://uservoice.com: customer feedback forums http://tenderapp.com: customer feedback and support http://kampyle.com: feedback and analytics http://surveymonkey.com: survey creation and management

FILE SHARING http://dropbox.com: the best way to have a shared drive https://www.wetransfer.com: for large files (2Gb) http://ge.tt: any kind of file. Share URLs instantly. Users can download while you upload

FONTS http://typekit.com

FORMS http://wufoo.com: online form builder for contact, survey and payment forms

FORUMS http://vanillaforums.com: open-source, white-label, highly customizable forums Freelance Help Amazon Mechanical Turk – set up any task and get answers Elance – find/hire freelancers Odesk – hire low-cost international engineering talent Freelancer – outsourcing for small business

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2011 SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE LIST GROUPS Lean Startup Circle – Google Group for startup advice

INTERNET SPEED TEST http://speedtest.net

IMAGES AND PICTURES http://skitch.com: the best, lightweight image editor for Mac (downloadable application) http://picnik.com: simple online picture editing http://www.flickr.com: image organizing and sharing http://compfight.com: easily search Flickr for images

ON-LINE COMMUNITIES Stack Overflow – questions and answers for programmers Quora – questions and answers for non-programmers Yahoo Answers – post questions, sometimes get answers WordPress – king of blogging platforms, doubles as startup website Tumblr – another blogging platform Posterous – yet another blogging platform

ONLINE MARKETING SUITES HubSpot - online marketing and web analytics system Custora – customer retention, churn reduction, lifetime value Zoho – free/cheap web customer relationship mgmt software Highrise – small business CRM Zferral – affiliate and referral marketing on the web Genoo – marketing automation software MarketBright – marketing automation suite

PAYMENTS http://paypal.com

PEOPLE RESEARCH http://www.linkedin.com: professional and educational info (speculatively test URLs e.g. linkedin.com/in/firstlast) http://pipl.com: deep web search; good for both current and historical content and records http://www.zoominfo.com: people and companies; also good for historical content http://twitter.com http://www.facebook.com http://www.artfox.com: professional networking for people in the arts

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2011 SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE LIST PRODUCTIVITY http://evernote.com: best note taking software around. Learn it and it becomes your virtual brain. http://blacktree.com: Quicksilver launcher - rocket booster for Mac workflows http://docs.google.com: good for light DOC, XLS, PPT docs; file sharing up to 100Mb http://qollaborate.fabriqate.com: instant, real-time notepad http://www.businessplanworks.com: Business Planning Software

PROJECT MANAGEMENT Basecamp – web-based project management and collaboration tool Github – Free public repositories, collaborator management, issue tracking, wikis, downloads, code review, graphs Pivotal Tracker – Agile project management tool that enables real time collaboration Mercurial – free, distributed source code control management system Milestone Planner – planner for deadline or outcome driven environments AgileZen – project management visually see and interact with your work Kanbanery – simple online team or personal kanban board LeanKit Kanban – great for visualizing work of product development Kanban Pad – “nice and lean” and free online Kanban tool Banana Scrum – a tool simple as Scrum itself Kanban Tool – another Kanban tool Acunote – Agile project management RallyDev – Automates Agile / Scrum development 5pm – online project management tool Surveys Quickker – Create surveys, manage respondents, track responses Qualtrics – cloud-based survey, free account KissInsights – survey visitors while they surf your site Wufoo - create contact forms, online surveys and event registrations.

Poplytics – online surveys and analytics AskYourTargetMarket – market research surveys SurveyMonkey - granddaddy of on-line surveys

USER INTERFACE / UX 960 Grid System Six Revisions Smashing Magazine A List Apart Design Instruct

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2011 SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE LIST UTILITIES THAT ARE REALLY HELPFUL http://www.techsmith.com/jing: take a picture or short video of what you see on your screen http://www.wordle.net: generate “word cloud” images from text you provide

VIDEO http://www.youtube.com http://www.vimeo.com

WEBSITE TOOLS Zozolo – start a website within Facebook Weebly – get a site up quickly with no tools Unbounce – create, publish & test promotion specific landing pages Microsoft WebMatrix – web server, database, and ASP.NET and PHP Corona – mobile development platform Twilio – add mobile and sms to your app AppMakr – Mobile Ap Creator create quick mobile apps EditMe – create collaborative websites NewRelic – manage and tune website performance for Rails GooglePageSpeed – optimize your web pages 99 Designs – marketplace for crowd sourced graphic design IconFinder – great way to find free graphic icons on the web Launchbit – online web site class for novices Ning – create your own social network Yammer – free enterprise social network Doodle – online group scheduling Freeconferencecall.com – free conference calls Syncpad – collaborative whiteboard

CLOUD SERVICES AND TOOLS Amazon Web Services – Amazon’s cloud solution Google App Engine – Googles version of a cloud solution Scalr – tool to manage scaling servers in Amazon’s cloud

CUSTOMER SUPPORT Tender – support, knowledgebase tool for your site GetSatisfaction – conversations between companies / customers SnapEngage – live chat integrates with your apps Zendesk – web help software UserVoice – turn customer feedback into action Kampyle – turn customer feedback into sales and relationships Ideaffect – customer feedback, vote, comment, manage Olark – live customer chat

2011 SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE LIST COMMUNICATION http://skype.com: free IM / phone / video calls and tech support via screen sharing http://www.viber.com: iPhone / Android app. Free VoIP calling over 3G / Wi-Fi; no sign-up / sign-in required

DOMAIN SEARCH http://www.whois.com

DOMAIN NAMES - PICKING ONE http://wordoid.com http://www.nameboy.com http://www.bustaname.com

EMAIL (INBOX ENHANCEMENTS) http://gist.com: Gmail social dashboard for your contacts (add-ins for Chrome, Firefox) http://rapportive.com: contact proďŹ les within Gmail (awesome tool!)

EMAIL (MARKETING) http://sendgrid.com: bulk email sending and management (used by many major, well-known.coms) http://postmarkapp.com: email delivery for web apps (set-up, delivery and analytics) http://www.mailchimp.com: email delivery for web apps (set-up, delivery and analytics) http://www.campaignmonitor.com: used by SXSW, eBay, Twitter, Facebook, 37 Signals, Wufoo

LOGO DESIGN http://99designs.com http://idesignyourlogo.com http://logopond.com http://inkd.com http://Upstack.com http://sortfolio.com (37 Signals) http://crowdspring.com http://logotournament.com http://logosauce.com/competitions http://pick.im http://elance.com

MARKET RESEARCH http://askyourtargetmarket.com: target market research at affordable prices http://google.com/trends: trends search & competitive info

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2011 SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE LIST MARKETING http://pressdoc.com: professional press releases without the PR firm http://slinkset.com: create your own social news site in seconds

MISC OFFICE HELP Google Apps – cloud mail server, calendar, docs, etc.

Grasshopper – virtual phone system Ringio – cloud phone system RingCentral – cloud based phone system Expensify – billing, expenses, receipts Resumator – applicant tracking and social recruiting RecruiterBox – recruitment software, applicant tracking ActiveInterview – video interviewing

MOBILE APPS http://bump.com: Bump iPhone / Android phone together to do cool stuff http://whatsapp.com: cross platform IM client for smartphones (iPhone / BlackBerry)

MUST READ BLOGS Top VC Blog List Fred Wilson – A VC Marc Andreessen Paul Graham Hacker News Brad Feld Chris Dixon OnStartups-Dharmesh Shah Both Sides of the Table – Mark Suster 37signals Eric Ries – Startup Lessons Learned Venture Hacks and http://twitter.com/venturehacks Andrew Chen Dave McClure Venture Made Transparent

QR CODES http://www.qurify.com: generate free QR codes and download images in JPG and PNG http://www.socialqrcode.com: generate Facebook “likes” using QR codes http://qrcode.kaywa.com: generate free QR codes

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2011 SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE LIST RANDOM STATISTICS http://numberquotes.com: enter a number and get a ton of random facts to go with it

RSS / CONTENT READERS http://reader.google.com Reeder for iPhone / iPad Flipboard for iPad

SCHEDULING http://tungle.me: awesome for scheduling meetings across calendar platforms http://calendar.google.com: good for shared calendars Search Engine Optimization Tools AdGrok – Google adwords optimization tool http://seo-digger.com: find the top ten keywords ranking to your websites SEMRush – SEO and campaign management tool Clickable – pay per click management Spyfu – tells you how much adwords cost Market Samurai – SEO Keyword Analysis Tool

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT http://balsamiq.com: create software mockups in minutes and collaborate http://mockupstogo.net: templates for Balsamiq http://www.mockflow.com: more mockup software http://www.psd2html.com: takes photoshop designs and builds the HTML, CSS etc. http://beanstalkapp.com: web-based version control (managed Subversion, Git servers)

SOCIAL NETWORKING http://ning.com: create and join new social networks for your interests and passions http://tweetboard.com/alpha: twitter conversation board for your website http://www.90-9-1.com: resource about how users participate in social communities

SEO AND ANALYTICS TUTORIALS Startup Metrics for Pirates – read this before you spend time elsewhere SaaS Metrics Tutorial – worth reading as well Analytics review – mix panel vs. kiss metric vs. goggle analytics review Analytics blog – good analytics tutorials SEO for Startups – good tutorial Andrew Chen’s Essays – great web customer acquisition tutorials

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2011 SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE LIST WEBSITE USABILITY TESTING VisualWebSiteOptimizer – A/B testing (split tests) Optimizely – A/B testing (split tests) OptimalWorkshop – tool suite for remote user research Adobe BrowserLab – cross browser testing for Creative Suite Google Website Optimizer – google optimizer for A/B testing (split tests) Silverback – usability testing for designers and developers Userfy – web usability testing FeedbackArmy – web usability testing WhatUsersDo – UK web usability testing Fivesecondtest – landing page optimization Usertesting – live users testing your site – cheap Clicktale – watch clicks and browsing, optimize usability Clickheat – heat map of a website (where do users click) Clixpy – tracks users clicks and browsing Usabilla – micro usability tests Tea Leaf - usability Crazy Egg - usability

WEB DEVELOPMENT TOOLS Rubyon Rails – open source framework for Ruby CakePHP – a PHP open source framework Drupal – open source content management platform Heroku – Ruby cloud platform. Rails deployment made easy Django – high-level Python framework Cappuccino – open source framework for app development Kodingen – cloud development environment, code editor, hosting service, collaboration platform.

JSFiddle – preselect/add JavaScript frameworks and test your code TeamCity – continuous integration and unit testing, code quality analysis, pre-tested commits, reporting on build problems Sauce Labs – cross-browser testing in the cloud Rdbhost.com – SQL database hosting from browser. Python/Javascript APIs yUML – sketch uml diagrams.

WebSequenceDiagrams - sketch sequence diagrams. automatic links to generated images Rietveld - asynchronous code reviews on changesets

Thank you to Chris Emergui and Marvin Garellek for compiling this resource guide.

The publication of this list does not imply YES’ endorsement of these resources.

30

Jacques Chagnon ± ± Ȁ Ǧ Ǧ Ǧ ± ǯ ±

ͳͳͷͷǡ ͳ͵ͳʹ ± ȋ ± Ȍ ͵ ͵ ͹

± ǣ ͷͳͶǦ͵ͻͷǦʹͻʹͻ ȁ Ǧ ̷ Ǥ Ǥ Ǧ ° ± ͳͶ ± ± ǯ ǣ Step Into Success.

YES Montréal ± ± ǡ ± ± ± ± ± Ǥ

° ° ± ± Ǩ

ͳͶ ǣ Step Into Success.

YES Montreal Ǧ Ǥ

Ǩ

Jacques Chagnon

33

34

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NOTES

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NOTES

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SPONSORSHIP A special thank you to our sponsors, without whose support this event would not have been possible.

MEDIA PARTNERS

Thank you as well to

The Hay Foundation The John Dobson Foundation

The Zeller Family Foundation ClĂŠment Gignac, MNA