What if everything your business has been doing since its inception was flipped upside down and the complete opposite approach was enforced? This is the concept behind W. Chan Kim and Renée A. Maurborgne’s Blue Ocean Strategy, which was created based off of primary research conducted on over 150 businesses across more than 30 industries…
The Canadian manufacturing industry remains cautiously optimistic moving forward in 2016. While some sectors within the manufacturing industry are seeing rapid growth, others are stagnant or contracting due to a variety of economic and labour issues. This type of uncertainty isn’t new to manufacturing executives, but being able to plan ahead and execute growth strategies…
Great Britain has officially begun the process of exiting the European Union after a highly contentious, and incredibly narrow vote to leave. There were immediate impacts in international markets – a global sell off of the Pound saw the currency hit its lowest point since 1985. Global markets (including the TSX) dropped substantially, and virtually…
In business, cash is king. Understanding how to manage your cash flow properly will save you from undue stress and ensure that you’re paid for your products or services. Meticulous cash flow management is one of the most important elements to running a strong, successful business. Cash is needed to complete new projects, pay employees,…
Business professionals can learn a vast amount of leadership skills from competitive athletes. There are powerful similarities between elite athletes and business leaders; both are hard-working, dedicated, and persevere through challenges to become better than they were the previous day. Business leaders and athletes both strive for goals, work hard for marginal gains, and endure…
I know. I know. The Star Wars saga has been twisted for so many different purposes that it is fraying at the seams of its space pajamas. One could argue, though, that Star Wars is obsessed with training: the dynamics between learners and teachers, the universal benefits of excellent training, and the unfortunate consequences (to…
Cold calling, phone calls, snail mail, and networking events; the traditional components of a sales process were tried and true. Then the Internet was invented and sales processes were changed forever. This article will reveal the impact of the Internet on sales and how it can be used to improve a business’ reach through new…
Our clients are always teaching us about game-changing behaviours. During the first quarter of 2016, I focused on the disciplines of some businesses and how this helps them to grow and achieve more than their competitors. I recognized that most of the top companies possess effective and highly functioning professional teams with the right skills,…
Selecting a piece of technology to incorporate into your business can be a daunting task. If you don’t keep up with technology, you can easily be left behind in a world of capabilities you know nothing about. I recently went through this process when purchasing a new printer for our office, and thought I would…
One of my favourite Saturday morning routines is shopping at my local farmers’ market. Although all markets have their own schedules, my local market is open year-round and provides the ability to stock up on local produce, cheese, meat, and other fresh agricultural goodies. I try to attend the farmers’ market as often as I…