Lauren Bacon | Image:
Hiking Artist |
Published: August 23, 2010
A renaissance in the world of craft holds more than a few lessons for the savvy entrepreneur.
When was the last time you hit a craft fair? If you're not an aficionado of things made painstakingly by hand, it may have been a while. But I'd wager that most of us are aware, in one way or another, of the huge renaissance in the world of craft; its influence can be seen even in the most mainstream marketing of global corporate brands, from the hand-lettering and faux-DIY styling of the latest Starbucks campaign to, well, just about everything sold at Urban Outfitters or its up-market sister, Anthropologie.
But the craft world has more than one-of-a-kind gifts and funky aesthetics to offer – it's also a hotbed of do-it-yourself, bootstrapping entrepreneurial spirit. And it's full of people who take a share-and-share-alike attitude to their hard-won business wisdom, which makes it a goldmine for new entrepreneurs and creative types who are learning the ropes of earning a living from their hobby.
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Emira Mears | |
Published: August 11, 2010
All right, all right, I stand corrected – turns out it is possible for a small Vancouver firm to get reasonably priced health benefits.
A while back, I wrote a post – streaked with moaning, griping, and general irritation – about my struggles in finding an adequate benefits plan as a small business owner. The challenge was finding an affordable plan that offered reasonable benefits and did not exclude pre-existing conditions. Then a beautiful thing happened: I was corrected.
Mostly constructively. Thanks for that.
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Emira Mears | Image:
Flickr / suez92 |
Published: July 15, 2010
In parenting and business, victory never wants
for companions, but misery could use some
more company.
A word to wise parents and businesspeople: share your victories, by all means, but don't weep and gnash your teeth alone.
Metaphors that span business and parenting are easy to come by. Entrepreneurs often refer to their business as “their baby,” and talk of growing and shaping it, much as you would with a child. As I make my way through the early days of parenting a newborn, I’m noticing another thread that binds parenting and entrepreneurship. It takes the form of an oft-repeated sentiment.
In parenting circles: “Yes, it’s hard, but the love will make it all worthwhile.”
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Lauren Bacon | Image:
Hiking Artist |
Published: June 30, 2010
Firing someone doesn't have to be a terrifying,
demoralizing experience for either party.
Firing an employee is never pleasant, but someone has to do it. So, how exactly should you do the deed?
On the list of less-than-pleasant responsibilities that go along with being a boss, firing an employee ranks pretty damn high. Most of the business owners I know have at least one story of a firing gone bad, or at the very least, one that should have happened much sooner. It's an unpleasant business, but unless one has extraordinarily good fortune in the hiring department, it's something most of us have to do at one point or another.
The wrong hire can have all kinds of unpleasant consequences for your business, but few of us need convincing of that. Rather, I've heard entrepreneurs say that even after they've decided an employee is a poor fit, they have trouble letting them go: the combination of guilt, fear of emotional outbursts, and good old-fashioned procrastination is enough to fell even the most decisive among us.
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Lauren Bacon | Image:
Flickr: Steph Carter |
Published: June 24, 2010
Most entrepreneurial role models are unhealthy: workaholics and risk addicts throwing all of their energy into their business. How does a business owner learn to prioritize self-care?
A few days ago I had the pleasure of organizing a panel discussion for the Grassroots Business Association (more on that someday soon) that featured three entrepreneurs who are not only brilliant business thinkers, but also cultivated in living healthy, well-balanced lives. The panelists were Dr. Vivian Lord, a naturopathic physician at Port Moody Integrated Health; Denise Stroude, a life and wellness coach on staff at Rhodes Wellness College; and Sarah Juliusson, the founder of Mama Renew, a company that convenes groups and retreats for mothers exploring self-care, identity and community. Each brought a uniquely valuable perspective to the conversation on what is commonly termed "work-life balance." Our discussion ranged from looking after our bodies' physical needs, to managing shifting priorities, to figuring out how to prioritize self-care amidst the frenetic pace of entrepreneurial life.
Before I share what I learned from the evening's dialogue, a brief sidebar: I hate a lot of the terms that get bandied about to describe our efforts to withstand the siren song of workaholism. "Work-life balance" implies that work and life are mutually exclusive, which is ludicrous – especially for entrepreneurs. Even "balance" carries with it a whiff of both perfection and fragility, neither of which are among my personal goals. And I agree with Danielle Laporte that balance is an ideal that's unachievable, which leads a lot of us to simply layer guilt on top of self-neglect and unhealthy habits.
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Emira Mears | Image:
Flickr / kevindooley |
Published: June 17, 2010
There's lots for B.C. small businesses to gain
by taking time to look for government grants.
I know, I know: the idea of applying for small-business government grants can drive one to drink. But there’s a great online tool to help you in your search. Read on.
Lately I've got government grants on the mind – pretty hot stuff, I know. More government forms (in addition to the ones for PST, GST, WCB and now HST) may not be your idea of a good day at work, but the idea of getting cash to help grow your business should be enough to give you pause.
We recently received our modest, but nothing to sneeze at, SR&ED cheque from the government. It’s a tax refund given to firms for scientific and technical research and development work. Last week I was made aware of a provincial government program that provides small businesses and organizations with funds to train staff to use new technologies. This latter grant will help fund a new internal project, and may also be a source of funds our clients can access to help pay for our training services. Sound interesting?
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