Business Support

Here are a few tips and tricks to stay busy and keep your business moving forward during the pandemic. 

1. The biggest thing would be to really plan for how things will look once this is over. How will you respond to the upturn and not do so in a hectic or frenzied manner.  Take the time now to plan.

2. Time to explore product ventures.  Remember that side project that you never had time to experiment on or that new recipe?  

3. Website enhancements.  Go through your website with a fine toothed comb. Are the product photos up to date? Is your contact information current? Is it time to simplify or condense? Are there grants available for me to make improvements? 

 - BDC has a great tool to assess your website:  https://websiteassessment.bdc.ca/en_GB

4. Put together some marketing materials.  Whether it’s your Google AdWords blurbs, posters for Canada Post Smart Mail or new menus.  Tools like Canva and Pixlr let you play and create.  Talk with the marketing outlets about rates and seeing if you can pre-book for when things are back to some normalcy. Make sure you are prepared and that you’re good to go at the flick of a switch.

5. Stay connected with your customers, staff, landlord, financial advisors and stay informed. There are resources like the government websites (www.canada.ca/coronavirus | ontario.ca/coronavirus ) Keep your staff up to date on what’s happening, what’s changing and do what you can to help ease their minds.  Check in on them, ask them how their family is coping.  People will remember kindness.  Post on your social media, or newsletters your updates.  Even if it’s something light hearted and funny, I think we can all use a good smile at all times.

Additionally, stay connected with your landlord, financers, etc… check with them.  What are the options available?  Check with your accountant to get the most up to date financial snapshot of your business.  How does your financial health check look?  Continuing your business, is it possible, are there delivery or pick up options that limit interactions?  Is it possible to sell gift certificates now for later?

6. Stay in touch with your colleagues, whether that’s your business neighbour, your Chamber of Commerce or industry associations they can also have resources on how they’re suggesting you weather the storm. They can also provide specific information on your industry or supply chains.

7. Can you work remotely?  Meetings via Skype, Webex, Teams, Google Meet or Zoom. There are plenty of options to meet with clients/customers that are not face to face.

8. Business Plan – when was the last time you read yours?  Is it still up to date?  A plan should be a living document.  If you haven’t even started one yet, now’s a good time.  Futurpreneur has a really good online template to look through:  https://bpw.futurpreneur.ca

A business plan is a formal document that explains a business's viability and plans for success. The business plan sets out a business's objectives as well as strategies for achieving them.

Visit the Futurpreneur Canada Business Plan Writer for help with your business plan.

Here are a list of books worth reading about entrepreneurship. Want to lend one out? Contact the Dryden Public Library to see if it is available. 

Profit First
- Mike Michalowicz

Get Growing: Keys to Unlocking the Potential of Your Small Business

- David Wilton & Kyle McNamara

Customer Satisfaction is WORTHLESS, Customer Loyalty is Priceless

- Jeffrey Gitomer

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
- Seth Godin

Relationship ROI: How Associations, Charities, and Entrepreneurs Hit Financial Targets
- Nikki Pett

Grapevine: The New Art of Word-of-Mouth Marketing

- Dave Balter & John Butman

Duct Tape Marketing
- John Jantsch

Small Business Marketing for Dummies
- Barbara Findlay Schenck with Linda English

Advertising for Dummies
- Gary R. Dahl

The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding: How to Build a Product or Service into a World-Class Brand
- Al Ries and Laura Ries

The Beermat Entrepreneur: Turn your good idea into a great business
- Mike Southon & Chris West

You Need to be a Little Crazy: The Truth about Starting and Growing Your Business
- Barry J. Moltz

The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
- Eric Ries

The Mom Test: How to talk to customers and learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you.
- Rob Fitzpatrick

Wise Words: Lessons in Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital
- Sean Evan Wise

Starting From Scratch: Secrets from 21 Ordinary People Who Made the Entrepreneurial Leap
- Wes Moss

Business @ the Speed of Thought: Using a Digital Nervous System
- Bill Gates

Social Enterprise: How to Successfully Set Up and Grow a Social Enterprise
- Heidi L. Fisher

Financial Statements: A Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding and Creating Financial Reports
- Thomas Ittelson

Here are a few popular business podcasts worth tuning into:

• Duct Tape Marketing - Listen on: Apple | Google | Spotify
• $100 MBA Show - Listen on: Apple | Google | Spotify
• The Social Media Marketing Talk Show - Listen on: Apple | Google | Spotify
• Entrepreneurs on Fire - Listen on: Apple | Google | Spotify
• Ted Talks Daily - Listen on: Apple | Google | Spotify

Starting your own business can be a very rewarding and fulfilling experience, however it is also time consuming and labour-intensive.

Before you start, the Government of Canada has put together a number of excellent resources for you to take advantage of. 

Take me to Canada's Guide! 

There are also a number of resources that you can access through the Government of Ontario's website. 

Take me to Ontario's Guide!

Summer Company is the Government of Ontario's flagship youth entrepreneurship program. It provides entrepreneurial young people (ages 15 to 29) with the opportunity to start and run their own summer businesses.

If you are accepted into the program, you will receive an award of up to $3,000, hands-on business coaching, and mentoring from local community business leaders who will work with you to make your Summer Company a reality

The Canadian Business Network promotes entrepreneurship and innovation, and provides assistance through an organized network of service centres across Canada.

The Canada Business Network's goal is to provide your business with the resources it needs to grow and prosper, including a wide range of information on government services, programs and regulations. Visit our Canadian Business Network page for more information.

The goal of Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs (ONE) is for Ontario businesses to benefit from the excellence delivered by the new expanded, collaborative network of entrepreneurship and innovation expertise. 

ONE has resources available for starting, growing, and financing your business. 

Patricia Area Community Endeavours Inc. (PACE) is a Community Futures Development Corporation committed to encouraging local community and economic development by assisting community groups and entrepreneurs.

Through small business loans, non-profit funding, business counseling, and support, PACE provides the tools required to build a brighter economic future in the Patricia Region.

PACE serves communities and businesses within the Patricia Region. This area includes Dryden, Eagle Lake First Nation, Ignace, Lac Seul First Nation, Machin, Pickle Lake, Sioux Lookout, and Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation; and all areas in between.

PACE provides community groups and business owners with services designed to help them succeed. These services include:

• Business advice, counseling, support, and information.
• Access to capital for small business.
• Strategic community planning and development.
• Regional community economic development.
• Access to public and private funding for community organizations.

Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure

L'association des francophones du Nord-Ouest de l'Ontario (l'AFNOO)