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Women Entrepreneurship Event January 30, 2012

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:20:50 GMT

Would you like to learn about the Miracle Growth Formula? Would you like to learn how to create more buzz around you and your business?

If so, come meet other curious ladies and men entrepreneurs & owners at a FREE light lunch 'n learn event, being held at the McMaster Innovation Park.

See above to register & learn more about this exciting event!

Entrepreneurially yours,

Shelley McQuade

Women Entrepreneurship - January 30, 2012

Register Here

Program

11:30AM - 12:00PM

Light Lunch / Networking

12:00PM - 12:40PM

Presentation

12:40PM - 1:00PM

Question and Answers

Location:

McMaster Innovation Park, 175 Longwood Drive, Hamilton, Ontario,
L8P 0A1
Conference Room C+D (at the back of the lobby near the far elevators)

Women Entrepreneurship is back! At this Women Entrepreneurship event, we are welcoming Shelley McQuade of SalesFertilizer.com. Shelley will be helpful to you in finding the right niche for your business; one that the big guys aren't servicing and one that the big guys aren't solving. Shelley will also spread some light on the importance of communication and customer service for your business. You can view Shelley's bio here.

This event is sponsored by:

GOLD Sponsors:

Zonta Club of Hamilton

Xerox Centre For Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Campus Helper

Mohawk College

TD Canada Trust

Bronze Sponsor: Golden Horseshoe Biosciences Network

Additional Support from McMaster University

*We are always looking for further sponsorship. Please go HERE to learn more*

January Networking Events

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:00:00 GMT

If growing your business is one of your 2012 goals, there's nothing like networking to build relationships - (see under My Links on the left side - Events Calendar)

And according to research, relationships are one of the primary reasons people buy. If you're not sure where to start, perhaps I can be of some assistance (for those in the Halton Region). Each month in 2012 I will provide an overview of upcoming events that may be of interest through a calendar on my blog www.getknowinggetgrowing.com. My recommendation is to attend any given associations' events at least a few times to access the ROTI (return on time invested) and how you can give and get value.

BTW, once again this year, I will be involved with the Women Entrepreneurship Series at McMaster Innovation Park (men are welcome) facilitating interactive sessions-discussions starting with the first session on Monday, Jan. 30th (more details to follow). I will also be providing a couple of sessions on networking through the Burlington Chamber of Commerce. So if you want to grow your business check out the calendar and get knowing, get growing!

Cheers,

Shelley

Re-wards for 2012

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:00:00 GMT

As we say sayonara to 2011 and usher in 2012 its prime time to consider the "3 re's"; re-focus, re-engage, re-commit. If what you did last year worked for you - great, keep doing more of that. If you want a different result make sure you are not living Einstein's definition of insanity "doing the same thing and expecting a different result."

While debating what message to start the New Year with I came across a piece of paper with my chicken scratch entitled the 5 Secrets to Life. Well I can't recall who passed along these gems to me I can pass them along to you and hope you find as much value in them as I did.

Be true to yourself - the only person you really ever have to answer to is you. Are you living the life you want? If yes move on to number two. If not, consider building a personal compass by identifying your core values and for one month rate yourself daily to see if you are on course. Click on the link for a list of Core Values and rating info.http://www.salesfertilizer.com/documents/corevalues.pdf
Leave no regrets - one of my favourite quotes (which is on my e-mail signature) is from Nelson Mandela, "There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." Commit deeply to what you love (i.e. passion), dream big and follow through.
Become Love - initially this may sound a little corny. To be clear we are talking about the big L Love - i.e. Love thy neighbour. Bitterness and anger, guilt and jealousy are emotional destroyers that take their toll. If you are resenting someone, the reality is you're punishing yourself more than you are punishing them.
Live in the moment - Buddhists call this Presence - the art of fully being in the now vs. getting caught up in useless past and future mind chatter. Whatever you are doing, do it fully and completely and find joy in the moment.
Give more than you take - Imagine how the earth (and all of her inhabitants) would benefit if we all had this mind set. Find other's with a similar mentality, work together and watch miracles unfold.

While resolutions and goals are good without getting to the core of what matters most to you, achieving those goals is likely to feel like a hollow victory. Why not make this your year and live your life accordingly each and every day.

Best wishes for a joyous 2012,

Shelley

a BIG gift!

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:13:21 GMT

Remember being a kid on Christmas morning. Lying in bed awake for what felt like hours until you could finally get up, race down the hall and see what Santa had left under the tree.

I have fond memories of Christmas mornings. One in particular when I was eight years old and got a shiny blue bike with a white banana seat. My Dad patiently brought it outside and watched me go up and down the snow laden street with glee while my Mom watched out the window warning us of the cold and donning hot chocolate to warm us up. There’s no doubt about it those early experiences shape who we are.

And for that reason and in honour of my Dad my holiday donation is going to Big Brothers Big Sisters. My Dad was a big brother whose relationship with his little brother continued until he passed away this fall. Over the years my Dad took his little brother Vince under his wing; canoeing at the cottage, sharing in the joy of his Studebaker car he restored, and inspiring his artistic talent (which lead to self publishing two comic books).

As a big sister and now having the opportunity to work with Big Brothers Big Sisters I have witnessed firsthand the profound impact a caring adult has on a child. We often think of children on the other side of the world needing our help and while this is true, the kids in our own back yard need support too.

So this holiday season, take a trip down memory lane and see Christmas with wonder through the eyes of a child and do your utmost to maintain that joy through 2012.

Best wishes to you and your family this holiday season,

Shelley

Talk's not so cheap after all

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:30:00 GMT

Is talk really cheap? Not when you consider effective communication is a proven money maker.

Join me at Halton Entrepreneurship Week on Tuesday, November 15th (see link below to register) to learn a simple communications formula that yields big returns.

http://halton2011eweekbrandingandcommunication.eventbrite.com/

I hope to see you there!

Innovation Contemplation: How 1 Company Made “It” Happen

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 01:52:38 GMT

You see a successful company in action or in the news and it all seems well seamless. While many a CEO has mastered their “game face” and spouts no problems propaganda, the CEO’s that are near and dear to my heart are the ones that give you the goods - the real deal.

And according to neuroscience we get that. When a leader is authentic and speaking from the heart we sense it and respond by fully engaging and giving back with our all.

Last week I had the fortune of attending the GHMN/GHBN Breakfast session where Steve Meldrum of Eco Waste Solutions shared his perspective on innovation and reverse engineered their project success. A real deal CEO it became increasingly apparent as he spoke that his leadership played an intricate part in their overnight success (which in reality was made up of many, many nights) and helped his team tackle the task at hand with aplomb. They were awarded a significant contract from NATO to design a remote waste management solution. Sounds pretty simple at first blush for a company that specializes in waste solutions. Ah ah ah, not so fast, there were significant constraints. Like the “must be able to withstand the elements and operate in snow blizzards, sand storms and the rainforest”, or the “must be shipped in a 20 foot shipping container”.

Steve shared nuggets of his innovation wisdom. I’ve taken the liberty of synopsising them add putting my spin on it:

New ways are much harder than old ways: You design a better mouse track, heck you even create new processes that are going to make it way easier to build. Everyone is going to be excited, jump on board and make it happen ASAP. Or folks could struggle with the idea of doing things differently, want to stay in their comfort zone and it could take a little (okay a lot) longer than anticipated. The salient point - be prepared for resistance (often unconscious or at the very least unexpressed resistance) when introducing new things to your team. Find your change agents, engage them early on and identify and help the resisters get on board.

“Easy changes” take forever: Little things mean a lot. Little things can really stack up. If you estimate it is going to take a week - double or triple the time and the cost. Enough said. Underestimating “easy changes” can kill your project and prevent you from focusing on the “high return” components.

It seemed like a REALLY good idea: You’ve gotta know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em. It’s 10 pm, the teams been at it for hours, your all pumped with caffeine - and you find the latest, greatest solution - until the next morning when you realize what seemed really hot is not.

Failing is a part of innovation: failing fast is smart innovation. Know when to let an idea go to make room for a better solution.

They say hind sight is 20/20. However there is something else about hind sight. When you have lived and breathed an experience day in and day out it becomes hard coded in your brain and you have a deep sense of knowing next time around. According to Steve his organization learned much from overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds. Success breeds success and having done it before, gives you the confidence to do it again, so innovation is deep seated in your organizations DNA. A competitive advantage to be sure.

How to Out wit, Out play, Out smart the Incumbent!

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:41:01 GMT

Some business succeed to do a lack of competition, others succeed in spite of it. If you can make it in the airline business my guess is you could make it in pretty much any industry. Consider the following. First, you need a whack of capital to start and build your business. You are navigating a number of “uncontrollables” like fuel costs, airport fees, and catastrophe’s like 9-11. Yet in spite of the odds being stacked against him Robert Deluce of Porter Airlines rolled the dice and began Porter Airlines almost 5 years to the date. For Small Business Week he’s out and about sharing his story from a Chamber keynote yesterday to an interview with Lang and O’Leary earlier this week: http://www.cbc.ca/video/

As one who looks for patterns of success and has a fondness for synthesizing information I thought I would take a crack at recounting the “Porter Success Formula”

Culture Counts – One of Porter’s biggest successes and an on-going challenge is building and maintaining a strong corporate culture. Engaged employees spawn loyal customers. Loyal customers improve profitability – enough said.
Resilience Matters -The business plan was written, the real estate (aka Toronto Island Airport) secured, the plan for the bridge to transport people over was designed – and then it was turned down. Some would have thought – no bridge, no business. Instead Mr. Deluce picked himself up, dusted himself off reworked the business plan, dug deep to find more capital and made sure he had the best and brightest senior executive team to get the job done. Roadblocks are a fact of life; overcoming them is critical.
Little Things Add up to a Lot – Free beverages (and not just any beverage – wine and beer), pleasant snacks, more leg room, leather seats, a lounge with great seats, wi-fi and the crème de la crème friendly people! Customers like to feel special. Porter’s customers feel cared for. So much so that their customer satisfaction rating was 83% - a higher number than Ipsos Reid had ever seen in the airline industry. Crafting a good customer experience and aligning all of your touch points provides a solid pay back.
KISS – Keep it simple s_ _ _ _ _ _ ! Speed, convenience, service – those are Porter’s foundational pillars. Whether you create a guiding principle like the Four Season’s (do unto others as you would have done unto you) or foundational pillars like Porters; a simple, succinct message that helps your employees understand what matters most makes sure your unique competitive advantage gets walked and talked every day.
Costs Controls are King – Sure it’s great that you can provide a superior customer experience but if you can’t do it efficiently you’ve got a hobby not a business. Porter’s breakeven load factor hovers around 50% in comparison to other industry giants – low cost carriers come in at 73% while legacy carriers are at a whopping 83%. Figure out how you can give more than your competition and keep your costs lower and you’ve got a recipe for success.

So next time you’re sitting around the board room table lamenting that it can’t be done. Look at someone like Porter who has done it and do a bit of brainstorming as to how you can apply the same principles in your business.

"Ruff" Ideas to Create More Time

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:00:00 GMT

The dog days of summer are coming to a close… (a - like you need the reminder and b – what is a dog day? Well I’m glad you asked - according to Webster’s ,it’s the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere; a period of stagnation or inactivity).

It won’t be long before the kids are back in school, vacations are a distant memory, and you are back in the groove.

Which begs the question, how well is your groove working for you?

I often hear people lament – specifically on the work front – that there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. Well the hours in a day are finite, how we use those hours is a choice.

How does one in essence create more time?

Rule # 1 – Multi-tasking is a myth. While we may be able to do a couple of rote tasks at the same time doing two or more things at once and/or switching tasks consistently – reading the report, checking e-mail, talking on the phone, back to the report – means our brain literally has to shift gears as different tasks use different parts of the brain. This mental gymnastics takes time – both the switching and the refocusing. Commit to a task and stick with it to get more done in less time.

Rule # 2 – Energy = Productivity. You can have the best of intentions; be sitting in front of your computer, and even typing words however, if you are not in a peak state (i.e. high energy) you are accomplishing less. When we are in “flow”; that state where time flies by and what we are doing feels effortless, we achieve our personal best. We need to be accessing all of our brain to be in flow. Physical activity helps, drinking lots of water, and getting plenty of rest to name a few.

Rule # 3 – Prioritize. Business guru Peter Drucker said it best “Do first things first and second things not at all”. As human beings we are social creatures and research has shown “feeling in on things” is a prime motivator for employees. So much so that I believe people attend meetings they don’t have to, throw their hat in the ring to be part of a project when their expertise could be better utilized elsewhere. Make a list of everything you are currently working on. Prioritize what you feel will yield the highest return based on your organization’s goals. Do you have the time you need to work on this? If not, what could you drop to free up time? If you lack objectivity bring a trusted colleague into the scenario to help and offer to do the same for them.

Time really is on your side, it’s up to you to make sure it stays that way.

Cheers,

Shelley

Come to your "senses"

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 10:35:00 GMT

Not to keep banging on about my trip to Italy but the food (and wine) was amazing. Wood-oven thin crust pizza with tomato sauce so fresh and flavourful topped with large leaves of basil and creamy buffalo mozzarella. Not to mention pairing it with a fine Chianti; who knew house wines could be so good! And the gelato – the limone and pistachio (that’s pronounced – pist – ack – eo). All of this while sitting in a cafe watching the Italians go by. Let’s face it, they know how to dress and ooze style. Women in stilettos driving on scooters, men wearing scarves stylishly knotted at the neck. What an experience!

Ahh back to reality... (and now that summer is here not too harsh of a reality). Yesterday I was at the Royal Botanical Gardens -a beautiful venue - where I was practising what I preach; networking after a networking workshop I did for the Burlington Chamber. While sipping on wine we got to talking about wineries. Living a half hour drive from Niagara wine country we lamented how good the wine tastes when you are at a winery and the winemaker is passionately telling you about the grapes he selected, why he selected them and his entire process from vine to bottle. Top that off with tasting tips on how to best enjoy it in the glass (letting it breath, swirling before smelling and tasting – you get the idea). One of my fellow networkers Rick lamented “and then you buy three cases but it just doesn’t taste the same at home”.

We are sensory beings ruled by emotion vs. logic (although we like to think the contrary). We respond to stories, are stimulated by sight and sound. It’s how we’re wired or hard wired according to Evolutionary Psychology which tells us our brains haven’t changed all that much since we roamed the Savannah. It is indeed the emotion we feel from experiences that shape our lives.

As a business we have an opportunity to create a mediocre or spectacular experience. So what kind of an experience are you giving your customers? Is it happen-stance or have you carefully crafted it to meet their needs. Is it consistent and memorable or easily forgettable? Back in my advertising days, one of my key messages to clients was “I can get them in the door, what are you going to do keep them”. Before you discard the concept, thinking your business is different, you don’t sell wine or food, think again – a transformational experience is possible in any business, it simply needs to be gift wrapped uniquely for your customer. And the bonus – companies that provide exceptional experiences are rewarded with loyal customers that happily pay a premium. Perhaps it’s time for your company to move into brand prominence.

Cheers,

Shelley

Ode to Canada

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 22:38:39 GMT

As Canadians we have a good reputation around the world and are viewed as accommodating. A strength to be sure but isn't it time to individually and collectively be our personal best and stop settling for second best.

Recently I heard Brian Williams speak at the BEDC Entrepreneur of the Year award and he talked about "the winds of change" he witnessed firsthand at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Brian noted the changes he began to see before the games and an interview with skier Jennifer Heil, a gold medalist 4 years earlier in Turin. She said "for Canadians it's not just enough to show up anymore, we're better than that".

We live in a country filled with natural beauty and numerous resources. We are a diverse mix of people with multiple skills and talents. It's time to rise to the occasion and bring our passion to the forefront. We can do it as individuals and while that is a part of it, the real magic comes in collectively pulling together. It's time to stop waiting in the background for the government to do something, or the economy to get better. It's time to find ways to make a difference and then quietly or not so quietly go about doing just that.

So I'm putting my money where my mouth is and sharing with you my vision (that I am actively working towards each day). My vision is though collaboration, every workplace in Canada (heck North America and the world) will be a place where:

= People can be their personal best

= Align to a shared purpose

= Find solutions where none previously existed

= To achieve organizational greatness

An ambitious goal and vision to be sure, but a worthy cause I believe. I encourage you to formulate your vision, blue sky it, then write it down and develop a plan of action. BTW, I'm actively recruiting advocates to help spread the word and make my vision a reality. I'm doing it in my work with clients, my volunteer efforts, and doing my best to get it "viral". So feel free to join in!

The words of Nelson Mandela sum it up, "There is no passion to be found in playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."

Cheers,

Shelley

Too Much of a "Good Thing"

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:17:00 GMT

We've all heard the saying "knowledge is power". While this is true, taking-in "knowledge" has its limits. Whilst looking to "live the dolce vita" on my recent trip to Italy, I found myself with information overload.

We had a fabulous tour guide that knew Italy inside out. And that was just the beginning. An avid history buff on a good day, our tour guide would forget more about ancient history than I could ever hope to remember. Passionate and enthusiastic, he shared his knowledge with us at every opportune moment. On day three of the trip, my travel companion turned to me and said "enough - I've got to unplug" - literally (we had been given headsets so in a crowd we wouldn't miss a thing).

They say "there is no such thing as a coincidence" and strangely enough I was mid way through the Heath Brother's book "Ideas that Stick" and it got me to thinking I'm guilty at times of "feeding my clients with a fire hose" so to speak.

The Heath Brothers refer to this as the "Curse of Knowledge". Once we have a "deep knowing", we forget what it was like not to know and assume others (and we all know what they say about assuming) need to know everything we know and in a fraction of the time it took us to hone our craft.

Combine this with neuroscience's finding that it takes up to 25% more energy to take in new information (due to the use of our executive frontal cortex vs. subconscious part of our brain) and you've got a case for information overload.

Next time you find yourself sharing knowledge or information deploy the KISS method and whittle your information down to the core - identify what matters most and deliver that nugget. Those on the receiving end will thank you - and as a bonus, retain the information.

Cheers,

Shelley

Learn to Grow: Networking Workshop Through Burlington Chamber

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 19:15:00 GMT

Just like a garden, your professional network needs to be well maintained and nurtured. Consider the state of yours; is it full of half-grown connections? Have your contacts, like flowers left untended, withered and dropped off? A once vital connection can stop bearing fruit if you don’t pay attention to it.

Consider attending my “Networking Basics” workshop on July 6^th from 4-5pm at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Café Annex. I will show you how to create and establish a networking system that works for you; letting you reap the countless benefits of a strong network. After mastering these simple techniques, your business will bloom!

For more information on the event including its location and cost (free for Burlington Chamber Members), please visit the Burlington Chamber of Commerce website: http://www.burlingtonchamber.com/eventsseminar.html

Networking Basics brought to you by: www.salesfertilizer.com. Bookmark our blog: http://getknowinggetgrowing.com/

An “Overnight Success” of Several Years

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 21:34:00 GMT

On Thursday, June 9^th, Ron Foxcroft was celebrated as Burlington’s Entrepreneur of the Year 2011. During his induction speech, I couldn’t help but feel that Ron was speaking my language. Ron spoke of the importance of commitment to your ideas and your dreams. Contrary to popular belief, the “overnight Canadian success” of the Fox 40 whistle, actually took years of hard work, dedication and perseverance.

Ron’s story serves to remind us that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. As an entrepreneur that is in the business of helping other entrepreneurs grow their ideas and realize their dreams, I couldn’t agree with this more.

Waterfront Reflections

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 21:32:00 GMT

Last Tuesday (June 6^th), I attended the Burlington Chamber of Commerce’s Summer Showcase event held at the Waterfront Hotel. This event is a part of the widely successful Business after 5 series that focuses mainly on networking events. The showcase was a mix of businesses highlighting their wares to other businesses and networking opportunities.

Being a chamber volunteer, I was asked to invite a guest. Besides the thrill of both of us winning the door prize, we were both pleased to have the opportunity to meet such interesting people.

Meeting people is essential to business since it provides us with the opportunity to build relationships. Considering that these relationships are the #1 reason people buy, cultivating them through networking is critical.

Those who are successful at the art of networking (because it is an art!), develop a system that works for them and work the system in return.

If you have yet to develop your networking system or feel your system could use some tweaking to improve your results I invite you to attend the upcoming “Networking Basics” event that I’m facilitating.

Leaders Need It, Too

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Tue, 10 May 2011 11:30:00 GMT

A lot has been written about how motivating it is for employees to have leaders celebrate staff successes. But what about leaders' motivation?

When the recession hit, the leadership team of Widget, Inc. quietly determined to maintain their company's profit level, and to do it without laying off any employees. "Quiet" means they didn't share these goals with any of the employees whose jobs they were fighting to preserve, along with the profits.

Against all odds, management did achieve their goal. Not only did the company maintain its pre-recession profit level without layoffs, they even managed to pay out bonuses. Not quite as big as the bonuses of previous years, but still an achievement.

Why do companies neglect to communicate their goals to their employees? Especially in hard times, the energy and time it takes to do that gets poured into efforts to hit those targets.

Without employees knowing the goals, of course, when the company succeeds, it takes a bit of air out of the announcement. Like coming in at the end of the movie to watch King George making his speech. Hard to feel anything when you don't know the back story.

But it was worse than that at Widget, Inc. There actually never was any announcement, just business as usual. No pride at sharing in success, or even relief from the tension and fears of job loss generated by the lagging economy.

What were the consequences for the leaders of this failure to pause for a moment to do a bit of backslapping? Missing the opportunity to celebrate their success left the leadership in a state of low energy and motivation--just like their staff.

The lesson is, a company can achieve goals in the short term without stopping to celebrate successes. But unless they do, both leaders and employees will run out of steam. And without it, lose the motivation to face the next set of challenges with confidence and enthusiasm.

Tom Peters said it best: "Celebrate what you want to see more of."

In the Know

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 02:49:00 GMT

One of the biggest trends I've seen in my career is "knowing it all." Pre-Internet access to information was limited. Today, "knowing it all" is virtually impossible--there's a glut of information. Having a network of "know it all experts" in their field is more important than ever before. I'm fortunate enough to meet with many experts, such as Jim Milway of the Institute for Competitiveness & Prosperity (a not for profit organization that examines Ontario’s competitiveness, productivity and capacity for innovation). I spoke to him last year and picked his brain on innovation and the challenges for businesses competing in a global market. Recently I caught up with Jim to get his perspective on what progress−if any−has been made since we last spoke.

“Innovation and entrepreneurship have continued to be emphasized by government. At the federal level, in the last budget and the budget before, they continue to talk about innovation. But in my opinion, they have a flawed approach to innovation, i.e., 'innovation is the result of scientists in labs creating new things.' As a business person will tell you, innovation can be something totally unscientific or non engineering related. It can be about finding a new way to serve a customer, getting costs down by having leaner processes, finding ways to draw on information to redesign a product or service. So there’s a lot of management capability needed to improve our innovation game and I think our governments continue to put too much emphasis on engineering and science.

Now, I’m not saying don’t do any innovation in those areas, I just think we need to dial up management capabilities. That means greater investment in business schools. It’s still very difficult for our kids to get into business schools like Queens or Toronto or Western, and that’s not because of the difficulty of the subject matter. It’s not like brain surgery−it's good solid subject matter. The problem is we just don’t have the spaces. The universities haven’t invested in the spaces, and that’s partially due to government funding policies and partially university choices.

There’s a big demand out there from kids for commerce and business programs, and we haven’t responded. The reason I can say that there’s more demand is that it’s more difficult to get into business school programs when you compare it to engineering or science programs. We need to up the skill level of our business people. Not just scientists and engineers, it’s everybody. We have a tendency to focus on the sexy stuff around a new molecule, or some breakthrough in gene therapy or bio tech. While all of these are tremendously important, the value you get from the improvement of a service or product or operations are innovations that drive our economy forward as well.

On the tax front, I think we’re in pretty good shape, although the investment numbers are trailing. It’s not that I am out there every single day talking to businesses, but the information we are getting indicates there’s a lag between improved tax policy and increased business investment. I applaud federal and provincial tax policy that has lowered the costs of investment. Businesses, however, are not grabbing those opportunities and making the investment in their businesses. This has been part of the federal election campaign. People are saying, “We’ve lowered the taxes and businesses are not investing.” To me it’s an unfair attack, but it’s there.

I think there are a lot more complicating factors that affect how much businesses invest in any given year. And it’s not exactly accurate or a good analysis to look at tax reduction and the HST here in Ontario over the course of a year to see what has happened with investment, without looking at other factors. Businesses are still a little skittish and haven’t absorbed the impact of the rise in the dollar. So much of our best businesses, or the ones that we are rooting for, are the ones that export. It’s hard for them to overlook or ignore the dollar. On one hand, they have had tax reductions on their investment spending. On the other hand, they have had the impact of the dollar, which makes it harder to compete in the U.S. It’s one of those things that you won’t really know until a few years later, unfortunately, when full analysis of all of the numbers is done.

We continue to believe that we need to push or prod businesses' investment along by raising the pressure they face. And that’s why, to me, things like trade are so important. If we conclude the deal with the EU, I think it will have some good long term effects on our businesses. What will happen is that the ones that seize the benefits of exports will have better benefits to seize and a bigger market in the EU. I hasten to add, let’s not hype our expectations, since we already have pretty low tariffs with the EU. The more we reduce the tariffs, the more they open their market up to our businesses, the better it is.

But there’s a flip side, which is also positive. Our businesses will be exposed to greater competition from European businesses. I believe it will bring out the best in our businesses. Of course, it will make it unpleasant for some. As the experience of opening Canada-U.S. free trade showed, it will put some out of business: the walking wounded as it were, the ones that are not as competitive. It will expose that weakness one more level.

There’s been talk about reducing our trade barriers with China, India – the BRIC countries. Again, I haven’t met a trade deal I didn’t like. Any increase in trade is positive.

In summary, on the issue of entrepreneurship in Ontario, the major contribution that governments can make is the kind of environment they create. I think they have done a lot on the tax front. And they’re on the right track with more trade agreements, but they just need to keep pushing those trade agreements. And they need to ensure our educational institutions are developing management capabilities for our businesses."

Thanks Jim, for the up-date, you've provided interesting insights to help all of us be "in the know".

Two good to miss!

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:46:00 GMT

There are two upcoming Women Entrepreneurship lunches that are too good miss. Our panel discussion in February provided great ideas and insights in a collaborative forum. Check out information on the next session, Monday, March 28th below. See you there!

Cheers,
Shelley

Women Entrepreneurship - Monday, March 28, 2011

Register Here

Program

11:30 am - 12:00 pm

Light Lunch / Networking

12:00 pm - 12:40 pm

Presentation

12:40 pm - 1:00 pm

Question and Answers

Location:

McMaster Innovation Park, 175 Longwood Drive, Hamilton, Ontario,
L8P 0A1
Conference Room C+D (at the back of the lobby near the far elevators)

Monday, March 28, 2011 11:30 am - 1:00 pm

Sharon Gallant
Co-Founder
Fit Active Beautiful

Sharon Gallant is a business coach and consultant helping entrepreneurs realize their dream of starting their own business. Sharon is a competitive runner and triathlete and recently added Ironman to her athletic resume when she completed Ironman Lake Placid. She's also the past Chair and President and current board member of AbleLiving, an organization dedicated to providing services that allow people to remain independent in their homes.

Golden Horseshoe Biosciences Network
McMaster University 1200 Main Street West
Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning & Discovery
Room 5105 Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5
www.ghbn.org - - info@ghbn.org

There IS such a thing as a FREE Lunch!

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 03:56:00 GMT

What do storytelling, pasta and babies have in common?

They’re but a few of the passions fuelling the success of the women entrepreneurs that will be joining me to share their Entrepreneurial Best Practices (see below). If you’re an entrepreneur or intreprenuer looking to grow your business and want to connect with your fellow great men (yes, there will be men there) and women please see below to register for this event!

And yes, lunch is included and it’s FREE

Cheers,
Shelley

Women Entrepreneurship - February 28, 2011

Register Here

Program

11:30AM - 12:00PM

Light Lunch / Networking

12:00PM - 12:40PM

Presentation

12:40PM - 1:00PM

Question and Answers

Location:

McMaster Innovation Park, 175 Longwood Drive, Hamilton, Ontario,
L8P 0A1
Conference Room C+D (at the back of the lobby near the far elevators)

Monday February 28, 2011 11:30AM - 1:00PM

Panel Discussion

Moderator:
Shelley McQuade
Founder
SalesFertilizer.com

Shelley's career in branding goes back 25 years, with a focus on business-to-business marketing and sales. As founder of SalesFertilizer.com, Shelley helps companies refine their unique competitive advantage (aka their Miracle Growth Formula) to build a sustainable buzz that generates "off the charts" growth. With a passion for people and business, Shelley simplifies strategy to engage employees and enhance the customer experience. With a keen understanding of human behaviour, Shelley levers her background in advertising, market research and consulting to craft communication that breaks through the clutter to connect with customers.

Panel of Women Entrepreneurs:

Julie Cole
Co-Founder
Mabels Labels

Sarah Glen
Founder
Project Video Productions

Carla Valvasori
President
Eat Italian Gluten Free

They've got the Power

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 01:49:00 GMT

Many a marketer and businessman/woman long for the good old days when life was simpler. The manufacturer was king, mass media ruled and you could “get it in whatever colour you wanted as long as it was black” (Henry Ford’s infamous quote).

That was then and this is now. One is no longer the lonliest number, at least according to trend spotter Ray Kong (SVP at Ipsos and adjunct professor at York University). Some people have a knack for communicating trends in a way that “connects the dots”. Ray has that ability and shares his insights.

You talk about the shift in consumer behaviour to individualism and ephemeralism. Can you explain both and the link between the two?

I believe that these two forces are driving consumer behaviour today and should be considered by every marketer as they build their product and service offerings for tomorrow.

Individualism: consumers have become used to individualized product and service offerings. For example, content providers provide customized experiences on the web (think about your home page, or iphone screen) and flexible manufacturing systems and innovative design have allowed product marketers to offer products which consumers can make for themselves (check out miadidas.com or visit a fossil store to see their watch collection).

Consumers now expect individualization in all facets of their lives ... a customized offering is better than an off the shelf one and all other things being equal, you can appeal to a much wider market if your offering is more individualized. At the same time, we have become more ephemeral - temporary - in our thinking. Built to last has been replaced by planned obsolescence; careers for life have been replaced by a series of three to five year stints in a role. Formal and informal communities of renters or sharers are in every category from cars (zipcar.com) to baby things (bebarang.com). How can your business adapt to the consumers' ephemeral way of thinking is a highly relevant strategic question.

Do you believe this consumer behaviour shift will manifest in the workplace? And if yes, how so?

Consumers are employees. And I believe that employers also need to pay attention to the individual and ephemeral thinking of today. Employees are demanding more individualism in the workplace, seeking interesting opportunities, job content, vacation structures and benefit packages which are tailored for them, rather than being content to work in a collective employment culture. We continue to talk about 'team players' but when it comes to the end of the year, individual effort is often disproportionately rewarded. And the reality of the workplace continues to be that the individual star is the one who gets promoted.

When I started in the workforce, many people expected a lifetime career and it was not unusual to work for a single company for 10, 20 or 30 years. Now, many social commentators are talking about individuals having 2-3 different careers over their lifetime, and many of the younger people with whom I work get restless if they have been in a role for more than 2 years. The speed of change has many students in university or college now training for jobs that have yet to be conceived! Yet businesses need stable workforces to grow. High turnover and frequent internal rotation is inefficient as it can create lower productivity and critical loss of institutional memory, particularly in knowledge based businesses.

Innovative human resource management solutions are needed to ensure that workforces get their needs for individualism satisfied and that productivity remains high in the ephemeral world.

Thanks Ray for your insights. As we’ve witnessed with the fall of Mubarak in Egypt the power truly is with the people and we are in the era of the citizen.

Cheers,

Shelley

Come in out of the cold

smcquade@salesfertilizer.com (Shelley McQuade) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:29:00 GMT

The life of an entrepreneur at times resembles that of the Maytag repair guy - it's lonely, however it doesn't have to be. Connecting with like minded entrepreneurs helps all of us take comfort that, although it may be lonely, we're not alone. Hearing like minded people's experiences is one of the best ways to learn (and then of course it's our responsibility to apply our new found knowledge).

Below is an invite to the second Women Entrepreneur luncheon series. I'll be leading a panel discussion joined by three great women entrepreneurs. In fact, we just finished Skype-ing and wow do these ladies have some interesting information to share. Below is a link to register.

Speaking of lonely and avoiding the "I've got to go it alone monster", while you're working from your home office today, due to the less than optimal weather conditions (aka winter storm), grab a cup of warm cocoa, sit by the fire, pick up the phone and reach out to a fellow entrepreneur, co-worker, leader to help you solve that problem that's been niggling at you for some time. According to Einstein you can't solve a problem on the level at which it was created and likely someone with a little distance can provide a lot of insight. Hmm you're very own "Maytag repair man/women".

I look forward to seeing you on Monday, Feb. 28^th at MIP.

Panel Discussion:

Moderator Shelley McQuade, Founder SalesFertilizer.com

Shelley's career in branding goes back 25 years, with a focus on business-to-business marketing and sales. As founder of SalesFertilizer.com, Shelley helps companies refine their unique competitive advantage (aka their Miracle Growth Formula) to build a sustainable buzz that generates "off the charts" growth. With a passion for people and business, Shelley simplifies strategy to engage employees and enhance the customer experience. With a keen understanding of human behaviour, Shelley levers her background in advertising, market research and consulting to craft communication that breaks through the clutter to connect with customers.

Panel of Women Entrepreneurs:

Julie Cole, Co-Founder of Mabels Labels

Sarah Glen, Founder of Project Video Productions

Carla Valvasori, President of Eat Italian Gluten Free

Date:   Monday, February 28, 2011
Time:   11:30AM - 1:00PM
Location/City:   McMaster Innovation Park, 175 Longwood Road South, Hamilton, Ontario, L8P 0A1

Program:

11:30AM - 12:00PM Light Lunch - Networking

12:00PM - 12:40PM Presentation

12:40PM - 1:00PM Questions and Answers