As we enter February, the most romantic of months, Small Business BC is offering plenty of ways to show some love to your small business or the entrepreneur in your life.
For starters, nominations and voting are now open for the 2021 Small Business BC Awards. Take the opportunity to celebrate the resiliency and hard work of entrepreneurs by nominating your business, or a business you love, today. There are plenty of other ways you can get involved, too. Whether it’s spreading the word on social media, voting for a business, or becoming a sponsor, visit the SBBC Awards site to find out more.
Have you heard about the Small and Medium Sized Business Recovery Grant? This program provides fully funded grants to businesses to ensure they have the support they need during and beyond COVID-19. Grants of $10,000 to $30,000 are available to eligible B.C. businesses impacted by COVID-19. An additional $5,000 to $15,000 grant is available to eligible tourism-related businesses.
The program is open for applications until March 31, 2021, or until the funds are fully allocated. Learn more about the program, and how Small Business BC can assist in supporting your application.
Elsewhere, we’ve got a packed calendar of educational webinars designed to help businesses navigate the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you’re looking to grow your marketing efforts, launch a new product, or learn about government programs – we’ve got the education you need to succeed. Here are just some of the highlights.
TaxSense During COVID-19
Wednesday, February 3rd
10:00am to 11:00am
FREE
In this difficult climate, every dollar counts, and employers like yourself are looking to help their business and staff as much as possible. Join a representative from Loren Nancke Chartered Professional Accountants and learn from tax accountants on tax opportunities as well as tax impacts you need to know right now.
Debt Restructuring in Difficult Times
Wednesday, February 3
1:00pm to 2:30pm
$29
Against a backdrop of serious financial challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses are facing a difficult decision on their financial futures. If a permanent closure is something that has crossed your mind, have you considered debt restructuring options to help weather the storm?
How to Launch a Product in Today’s World
Tuesday, February 9
1:00pm to 4:00pm
$39
Now may be the best time for you to connect with retailers, get your foot in the door, and your products onto their shelves and their websites. Appealing product design, a powerful brand story, and pricing strategies are important as ever.
Jim Shopland will share his decades of experience with retailers and take you through each step as you prepare for the changing retail landscape.
How Much is Your Business Worth
Wednesday, February 10th
10:30am to 12:00pm
$49
As small business owners approach retirement, or adjust to the realities of COVID-19, many are contemplating selling their businesses. As Warren Buffet once said, “Price is what you pay: Value is what you get.” In this seminar you’ll learn how businesses are valued, how buyers think, and practical tips for maximizing value.
Join Liisa Atva, CPA and Chartered Business Valuator, and learn the basic principles of business valuation, which methods to use and how to apply them.
Building Your Export Plan
Thursday, February 11
1:30pm to 3:00pm
FREE
A key element in planning to sell outside of B.C. is an export plan. It will assist you in establishing goals, clarifying your target market, and assessing the steps needed to expand your business footprint.
Join us for this interactive seminar where we’ll help you craft an effective Export Plan, and answer your questions associated with planning to export to another province, or another country.
Importing Regulations in Canada
Friday, February 12th
09:00am to 1:00pm
$49
Looking to import goods into Canada? Before you start, you need to know which regulations, standards and licenses apply to your products. It’s essential to have a clear understanding of which regulatory agencies are responsible for your industry, and how to manage pre-entry requirements, such as testing and labelling – before you start importing into Canada.
Starting a Business: Start Smart Package
Wednesday, February 17th
09:00am to 4:00pm
$49
Whether you have a winning idea, or you’re just fascinated with the idea of launching a business, the Starting a Business: Start Smart Series delivers the basics you need to get started on the journey.
Ranging from the different business structures, to business insurance, employment standards and how you can protect your intellectual property, this fascinating series will equip you with the basics of launching a start-up.
Seminars Included:
- Start Smart 1: Basics of Starting a Business
- Start Smart 2: Key Considerations of Starting a Business
Business Networking Skills for Success
Wednesday, February 24th
10:00am to 12:00pm
$39
COVID-19 and the need to maintain physical distancing has dramatically impacted on our ability to network and make new contacts. Don’t despair, there are still plenty of ways to make the connections you need for your business to succeed. Now is the perfect time to assess your network and increase your connections so your business is well poised to benefit as our economy gradually reopens.
How to Drive More Traffic to Your Website
Wednesday, February 24th
2:30pm to 3:00pm (Plus Q&A)
$49
93% of online experiences begin with a search engine. Understanding how to improve your visibility in Google and other search engines is crucial for driving traffic to your website. Learn free online tools to find out who your website visitors are, what they’re searching for, and how you can get more visitors and paying customers.
This seminar will provide you with an overview of the digital ecosystem including search engines and analytics. Join our digital marketing expert Warren Thompson, Co-Founder of Ollo Metrics as he helps you learn who your customers are and how they find you online.
CPA Financial Literacy Series
Thursday, February 25th to April 29th
10:30am to 12:00pm (Feb 25th)
FREE
Demystify your business numbers and start making informed decisions by understanding your business financial statements. In this comprehensive series, presented by the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia, you’ll learn how to navigate business finances and achieve growth in a healthy and sustained manner.
This package includes four free webinars in one simple registration:
Sessions included:
• How Financial Ratios Help You Understand Your Business – February 25, 10:30am – 12:00pm
• How to Understand and Fix Your Balance Sheet – March 18, 10:30am – 12:00pm
• The Financial Impact of Growing Your Business – March 25, 10:30am – 12:00pm
• Financial Management: Key Tools and Techniques – April 29, 10:30am – 12:00pm
Trademarks, Copyrights, Patents and More
Friday, February 26th
1:00pm to 4:00pm
$39
Do you know if the work you create belongs to you? Or how to prevent others from copying your ideas? Attend our Trademarks, Copyright, Patents and More seminar and hear from an intellectual property lawyer on the various forms of intellectual property protection and how they can safeguard your business.