Small Business Events London: Leadership Trust = Leadership Character

[EVENT] Leadership Trust = Leadership Character: June 7 in London

High-performing organizations have leaders whose character shines. Courage, drive, accountability, integrity, and good judgement are the mainstays of what leaders bring to the table; however, great leaders also embrace humility, justice, humanity, patience, collaboration, and transcendence. These are the 11 dimensions of Leader Character. Southwestern Ontario businesses can learn about Leader Character and strategies to…

Qualify for the Ontario Scale-Up Vouchers Program

Ontario Scale-Up Vouchers Program: Qualify for Growth Coach Funding

Please Note: The Scale-Up Vouchers Program is closed and no longer accepts applications. Please explore more business expansion funding opportunities. The Ontario Scale-Up Vouchers Program was created to offer small business funding support to high-growth businesses in order to fuel further growth and scalability. The goal of the program is to support the development of…

Dungeons and Dragons: Developing Strong Work Teams

What Dungeons and Dragons Teaches us about Effective Work Teams

Although the Mentor Works team is dedicated to helping our clients receive government funding, we do have some hobbies outside of work. This includes traditional hobbies like cooking, reading, sports, and gardening, as well as more eccentric hobbies. Over the past year, some Mentor Works team members have been playing dungeons and dragons together. Not…

How Non-Manufacturers Can Apply Six Sigma Principles

How to Use Lean and Six Sigma Principles (For Non-Manufacturers)

Lean and Six Sigma initiatives are popular amongst medium and large manufacturing firms. These data-driven approaches to managing quality, waste, and continuous improvement are ideal for complex manufacturing environments where a large volume of data can be collected and analyzed, however businesses of all sizes and sectors can use the strategies to improve their operational…

4 Ways to Improve Your Business Negotiation Skills

Improve Negotiation Outcomes by Changing Your Mindset

Imagine any type of negotiation unfolding in front of you. What comes to mind? Most people think of a car sale, negotiating a contract at work, negotiating salary or compensation with an employer, or something simple. However, the reality of the situation is that most people negotiate every day on multiple occasions, but most of…

Hiring and Training Grants to Reduce 2017 Payroll Costs

3 Hiring and Training Grants to Minimize Payroll Costs in 2017

Payroll is a consistent cost to all employers across Canada. Fortunately, business grants are available to minimize these costs. Did you know that you can hire a recent post-secondary graduate and receive up to 50% of their payroll in government grants? In fact, an additional grant may cover up to 2/3 of third-party training costs…

Startup Canada Awards 16 Innovative Entrepreneurs

16 Entrepreneurs Win Annual Startup Canada Awards

Every year, an average of 130,000 new Canadian small businesses are established. But despite this entrepreneurial drive, only 35% survive their first five years. While startups are critical to Canada’s innovation and overall business competitiveness, they face extreme pressure to maintain tight cash flow and survive streamlined operations. It can be tough, but entrepreneurs aren’t…

Tips to Improve Your Business' Competitiveness

5 Ways Your Service Firm Can Fine-Tune Its Competitive Advantage

A large majority of our clients are producers in one form or another – manufacturers, assemblers, etc. – most of them make or modify a widget. For these types of operations, defining and improving your competitive advantage typically comes down to a combination of product and service. Companies are able to define themselves on innovative…