A few weeks ago, I was approached by the dynamic Nellie Chowbay (an investment advisor) to speak to her networking group, Leading Ladies. As I learned more about Leading Ladies, I was even more impressed with what Nellie and Soojin (the co-founders of Leading Ladies) have accomplished. LL offers a free monthly seminar for women with a view to help women in business learn and grow. Each breakfast event features two speakers and it is my honour to share my thoughts on ‘Business from a woman’s perspective” with the group of May 9. See details below: May 9th - 7:30am – 8:30am Venue: 1st Canadian place 48th floor: reached by the elevator on the street level. 100 King Street West, [...]
It is said some of the best business ideas came about on a kitchen counter or in a pub/restaurant over drinks and conversation. I could not agree more. My Entrepreneurs’ Dinner Series was launched in Toronto in 2010 and I’ve decided to introduce it to this Meetup group and will be hosting the first session in Burlington. This is how it works: A small group of entrepreneurs (between 4 and 10) enjoy a 3 course meal and over dinner and drinks (selection of beer/house red and white) I lead the discussion on one or two topics. For our first (hopefully not the last) Dinner Circle in Burlington, we will be discussing this topic: Social Media Marketing – What is it? [...]
It’s that time of year when we find ourselves contemplating our shortcomings and using the New Year as an excuse to change our ways and better our lives. When it comes to personal resolutions, it is said that finding love, losing weight, living healthy and traveling usually top the list. Why not also use this time of year wisely and make resolutions for your Business? Be sure to include action items for each goal so that you are able to “chunk it down” to manageable and measurable tasks. Here is my list of 5 things that every business should be doing. If you’re not already doing them, use 2012 as the year when you will launch these initiatives and make [...]
On November 11, 2011, I was invited by the Treehouse Group, to speak at the Toronto Reference Library, as part of the Treehouse Talk series where I shared insights on “The Personal Brand” and its importance for entrepreneurs. The time allocated to me was just 20 minutes and there’s a lot of material to cover. So instead of rushing into the techniques and tips on how to develop your personal brand, I chose to focus on its importance. Hope you enjoy the video. I am a big fan of The Treehouse Group – a collective of Toronto-area thinkers who promote the exchange of ideas by bringing together people from diverse backgrounds. Their sessions are free to attend and they bring [...]
This Thursday (October 6), join me as I speak about “Business Plans that actually work”. The session will be streamed live as well. My presentation is part of a larger discussion on Business Plans which will focus on the development and maintenance of business plans. While other speakers will be discussing the merits of the Financial business plan, my seminar will review the importance of a dynamic operational business plan – one that comes from your heart and not just your head. I will share the importance of knowing your purpose, your market, your vision and how to cast and communicate this vision. As always, I will offer some concrete action items and suggestions on processes and strategies that will [...]
Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow is the title of an article written by Kelly Putter for the March Edition of CHILL magazine. Kelly attended one of my coaching sessions and enjoyed the session enough to want to quote me in her article. I have reproduced the article in its entirety below. It’s a bit of a no brainer that money can’t buy love, but how about the other way around? Educators, business coaches and even big businesses give a resounding yes to that question. The thinking goes that to summon the large quantities of time, energy and sweat required to launch and grow a profitable business, you need to love what you do, otherwise you won’t [...]
Based on John Jantsch’s best selling book of the same name, The Referral Engine workshop, is more than just a meet up. Think of it as a book club for Entrepreneurs! It is a hands on workshop with action items and checklists on things your business should do to leverage word-of-mouth marketing! According to John Jantsch, word- of-mouth referrals are what drive business today. People trust the recommendation of a friend, family member, colleague, or even stranger with similar tastes over anything thrust at them by a faceless company. Most business owners believe that whether customers refer them is entirely out of their hands. But science shows that people can’t help recommending products and services to their friends—it’s an instinct [...]
I just came back from seeing “The Social Network”. This is not a review of the film but some observations abut the film’s content that may assist entrepreneurs as they build their own enterprises! As this post contains many spoilers about the film’s content, I would recommend that you read more only after you have seen the film. Besides, that will also help you understand the context in which I make my observations. 1. The Winklevoss Brothers: I have no sympathy for the Winklevoss brothers. You cannot copyright an idea. I think, ultimately, the settlement they received was not so much about Facebook ste…aling their “idea” but perhaps because there must have been some importation of intellectual property! The movie [...]
Contrary to popular belief, entrepreneurs are not born but they are made. My coaching practice is proof that entrepreneurship is something that can be learned. I work with many clients that are eager to take a leap into the entrepreneurial world. “If only I had an idea or knew what exactly what I wanted to create as my enterprise“, is the lament I hear all the time. One of my training exercises is to help aspiring entrepreneurs develop a new mindset! I help them, train them, to change the way they look at things. One characteristic that is consistent among entrepreneurs is their ability to always remain alert to opportunities. What this means is that you`re always looking for an [...]
During World War II, the British Government commissioned a propoganda poster bearing the now famous words, Keep Calm and Carry On. The poster was intended to be a “last case scenario” delivering a message that would stiffen the people’s resolve in the event that Germany succeeded in invading Britain. Although the poster was never used, its message is not to be dismissed. As Entrepreneurs, you will quickly realize that things don’t often go as planned. Whether it’s a cashflow crunch, a heated argument with an employee or a crisis over a deadline, there will be moments when you may be tempted to give it all up and seek the stability of a paycheque! At times like this, it will help [...]
