Webinar

[Webinar] January 15: Government Funding to Support Export Expansion

The federal and provincial government offer a wide variety of support to Canadian businesses who wish to grow or start exporting to new markets. By attending the free Funding to Support Export Expansion webinar, you will learn about various government export funding programs that help businesses grow in export markets by providing business grants of…

A Simple Guide to Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance

What is Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance?

Unlike a commercial general liability insurance (CGL) policy that provides coverage for claims arising from property damage and bodily injury, a directors’ and officers’ liability (D&O) policy specifically provides coverage for a “wrongful act,” such as an actual or alleged error, omission, misleading statement, neglect or breach of duty—which can include Fiduciary Duty, Negligence Duty…

Tips and Tricks to Nail Process Visualization

Process Visualization: Mapping and Improving your Operations

Understanding your core processes is critical to managing the growth and development of your company. As you grow, you need to be able to understand how your company can take on additional sales (what’s your capacity, do you manage all aspects of production internally, how does the company interact with customers), develop new products (what…

When to Apply for Canadian Government Funding

When is the Right Time for Your Business to Apply for Government Funding?

Managing a new project for your business can be headache-inducing. Whether the project involves installing new equipment, hiring several co-op students, completing research and development for a new process or product, or attending international tradeshows, you need multiple resources—time, people, money—to come together for you to reach your end goals. Often what happens in the…

Do SMART Goals Improve Employee Performance?

Can SMART Goals Really Improve Employee Performance?

There is an abundance of research that suggests that helping employees set specific, difficult goals leads to higher performance. In an article in American Psychologist, Edwin Lock and Gary Latham indicate through their investigations on goal setting and motivation that when managers and employers help employees develop clear, challenging goals, the benefits for the organization…

Key Insights: Canada’s State of Trade 2019: Part 2

Canada’s State of Trade 2019: Part 2 – Trade Diversification for Businesses

Global Affairs Canada recently released its report Canada’s State of Trade 2019. Authored by the Office of the Chief Economist (OCE), the report overviews the major developments in Canada’s imports and exports in 2018. In Part 1 of my blog on this report, I described the report’s most relevant points about domestic and foreign economies…

The Scully Effect: Is it Real?

The Scully Effect: Did Aliens on TV Drive Women into STEM?

If you were around in the 1990s, you may have watched Gillian Anderson in The X-Files. Anderson played FBI Agent and medical doctor Dana Scully, the skeptical foil to Agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny). While Mulder was a believer in all things occult and extra-terrestrial, Scully was analytical; she demanded scientific proof before she would…

Contingent Business Interruption Insurance

Risk Management Strategy: Contingent Business Interruption Insurance

Just one brief business interruption can be incredibly costly for an organization, often leading to serious reputational damages or long-term closures. Standard business interruption policies are vital in these instances, providing protection against a variety of common interruptions, including natural disasters, equipment damage, and vandalism. But what happens when one of your suppliers or customers…

Key Insights: Canada’s State of Trade 2019: Part 1

Canada’s State of Trade 2019: Part 1 – Key Points for Canadian Exporters

Global Affairs Canada has released Canada’s State of Trade, an evaluation of the country’s economic performance. The report highlights and assesses key developments in Canada’s international trade and examines domestic and foreign economic trends. According to the report, the global economy has seen weaker growth than in previous years; however, Canada’s exports and imports both…