Apr/May 2013 Commercial lease rates: too high or just right? Uses, and abuses, of The Power of Attorney T he Power of Attorney (POA) is an important planning document, both in personal life and in business. It is a docu- ment used by one adult to appoint another adult to make financial and legal decisions on his or her behalf. This delegation of author- ity can be very broad. For example, one could create a general POA authorizing the Attorney to do any- thing that the adult could do (except make a will). With such authority, the Attorney can manage finances, make investing decisions and mortgage or sell the adult’s home. A general POA of this nature can be a useful personal planning tool. If properly drafted, it can ensure that someone will be available to manage your financial affairs if you are no longer able to do so yourself. A POA can also be of more limited scope. If you will be away on an extend- ed holiday, for example, you may create a limited POA to ensure that some- one is able to stand in your shoes should any Are Campbell River lease rates too high? Or do they accurately reflect the market? The Business Gazette asked local business- people what they think of lease rates. See their responses on page 5. O ver the next few years, the Campbell River area will be a hub of new construction activity. There are many large projects scheduled to begin construction very soon, including a new hotel, the new Berwick Housing Facility, the new Campbell River Hospital and, of course, BC Hydro’s John Hart project. Over the next few issues of the Business Gazette, you can read my column for a quick update on what’s going on in the construc- tion industry. At this point, however, I’d simply like to introduce myself and tell you how Building Links can help you stay connected and keep you apprised of industry developments, new projects, building permit information and tender opportunities as they become available. B y now we’ve all heard that every business needs to have a dedicated Facebook page, and not having one is the same as not having a phone num- ber in the 1980s. While that’s not necessarily true for all businesses, Facebook is a valuable place to gain exposure for a business. The trick is to use it effectively. How do you tell if your Facebook marketing efforts are paying off? And, perhaps more impor- tantly, could you increase your results without dedi- cating another huge chunk of time to Facebook marketing? Here are a few things you can do with your Facebook presence to earn more fans, more email subscribers, and more business. They’ve worked for my clients, and I’m sure they will work for you too! Your Landing page — Your Stay on top of North Island construction projects 3 keys to effective Facebook marketing “Our goal is to help you make connec- tions that will grow your business. ” Clarice Coty, BuildingLinks.ca See ‘Powers’ Pg. 2 See ‘Projects’ Pg. 2 See ‘Facebook’ Pg. 3 Stewart Carstairs, Barrister & Solicitor, CR Lawyers I t’s no secret that a vibrant local economy needs vibrant local businesses. One factor that at least partially determines the viability of most such businesses is the going rate for leasing commercial space, which, according to several Campbell River businesspeople we’ve come across recently, is simply too high. “It’s ridiculously high,” says Michele Murphy, owner and operator of Quench Bistro & Juice Bar. “If you go down Shoppers Row and other areas you see places for lease, and they’ve been like that since I got here three years ago.” Murphy notes that many buildings in Campbell River lease for between $14 and $20, which she says isn’t necessarily reflective of Campbell River’s current economy and population. Though retail space in Shoppers Row can be found for as little as $12 to $14 per square foot including triple net, Murphy suggests that’s more the result of a particularly caring landlord than a general indicator of the retail lease landscape. Like the price of gas, lease rates are something that will never be low enough for everybody. For some, however, the cur- rent price of local com- mercial space is quite rea- sonable. “I don’t feel the lease rates in Campbell River are too high,” says Chris Baikie, a local Realtor with RE/MAX Check Realty. “Nobody is building new commercial real estate in Campbell River, and you’re never going to get new infrastructure if the leases can’t pay for the capital costs.” Current lease rates, he says, are only See ‘Leases’ Pg. 5 CR.BUSINESSGAZETTE.CA Kenzie Andrews, Business Gazette Campbell River lease rates are “ridiculously high,” says local business owner Michele Murphy. “Plus big box stores often get freebies from the city. It’s not a fair playing field. ” W hen purchasing office technology, for many businesses it comes down to ease and affordability — and who can blame them in today’s economic climate? Purchases made based on short term cost, however, can end up in waste — particularly wast- ed time and money. While seemingly conven- ient, hastily made acquisi- tions frequently offer only short-term solutions. Be they printers, scanners or computers, it’s important to look long-term to truly get the best value for your money. Time and again I hear from customers who need to upgrade their technology when they realize that what they bought wasn’t such a good deal after all. Recently, for example, I was asked to help some clients that were looking at strategies to grow their business. Having spoken with a marketing consult- ant, Danielle and Mark Duncan of the Union Street Grill & Grotto decided one approach would be to improve their ability to produce their own printed materials. Unfortunately, their printer wasn’t up to the task. Don Linder, AGS Business Systems Improving your business with an “expensive” printer “We’re able to use a lot more colour because it is actually affordable now — Danielle Duncan ” See ‘Improve’ Pg. 2 I ’ve always been a seri- ous reader, with one or more books on the go at any given time. Every once in a while I come across something that really res- onates with me. The other day a friend of mine gave me a book written by Brian Tracy, a well-known millionaire who has stud- ied the fine “art” of gain- ing financial success and implemented those theo- ries into his own life with monumental success. So what habits do self- made millionaires have in common? Tracy breaks it down into a list of 21 points that return immense rewards for those who tow the line. He starts with the precept that you should create a “Big Dream,” develop a clear sense of your direc- tion, see yourself in every- thing you do as being self- employed, love what you Catherine Temple, GoCampbellRiver.com Darcy Lefebvre, Marketing Darcy & Associates 21 habits of self-made millionaires See ‘Habits’ Pg. 2 Building Links Construction News
Transcript
Apr/May 2013
Commercial lease rates: too high or just right?
Uses, and abuses, ofThe Power of Attorney
The Power of Attorney(POA) is an importantplanning document,
both in personal life andin business. It is a docu-ment used by one adult toappoint another adult tomake financial and legaldecisions on his or herbehalf. This delegation of author-
ity can be very broad. Forexample, one could createa general POA authorizingthe Attorney to do any-thing that the adult coulddo (except make a will).With such authority, theAttorney can managefinances, make investingdecisions and mortgageor sell the adult’s home. Ageneral POA of this naturecan be a useful personalplanning tool. If properlydrafted, it can ensure that
someone will be availableto manage your financialaffairs if you are no longerable to do so yourself.A POA can also be of
more limited scope. If youwill be away on an extend-ed holiday, for example,you may create a limitedPOA to ensure that some-one is able to stand inyour shoes should any
Are Campbell River lease rates too high? Or do they accurately reflect the market? The Business Gazette asked local business-people what they think of lease rates. See their responses on page 5.
Over the next fewyears, the CampbellRiver area will be a
hub of new constructionactivity. There are manylarge projects scheduledto begin construction verysoon, including a newhotel, the new BerwickHousing Facility, the newCampbell River Hospitaland, of course, BC Hydro’sJohn Hart project. Over the next few issues
of theBusinessGazette, youcan read mycolumn for aquick updateon what’sgoing on inthe construc-tion industry. At this point, however, I’d
simply like to introducemyself and tell you how
Building Links can helpyou stay connected and
keep youapprised ofindustry developments,new projects,building permitinformation and tenderopportunities
as they become available.
By now we’ve allheard that everybusiness needs to
have a dedicatedFacebook page, and nothaving one is the same asnot having a phone num-ber in the 1980s. Whilethat’s not necessarily truefor all businesses,Facebook is a valuableplace to gain exposure fora business. The trick is touse it effectively.How do you tell if your
Facebook marketingefforts are paying off?And, perhaps more impor-tantly, could you increaseyour results without dedi-cating another huge
chunk of time toFacebook marketing?Here are a few things you
can do with yourFacebook presence toearn more fans, moreemail subscribers, andmore business. They’veworked for my clients, and I’m sure they willwork for you too!Your Landing page — Your
Stay on top of North Islandconstruction projects
3 keys to effectiveFacebook marketing
“Our goal is to helpyou make connec-tions that will grow
your business.”
Clarice Coty,BuildingLinks.ca
See ‘Powers’ Pg. 2
See ‘Projects’ Pg. 2
See ‘Facebook’ Pg. 3
Stewart Carstairs, Barrister& Solicitor, CR Lawyers
It’s no secret that avibrant local economyneeds vibrant localbusinesses. One factor
that at least partiallydetermines the viability ofmost such businesses isthe going ratefor leasingcommercialspace, which,according toseveralCampbell Riverbusinesspeoplewe’ve comeacross recently,is simply too high. “It’s ridiculously high,”
says Michele Murphy,owner and operator ofQuench Bistro & Juice Bar.“If you go down ShoppersRow and other areas yousee places for lease, andthey’ve been like thatsince I got here threeyears ago.” Murphy notes that many
buildings in CampbellRiver lease for between$14 and $20, which shesays isn’t necessarilyreflective of CampbellRiver’s current economyand population. Thoughretail space in ShoppersRow can be found for aslittle as $12 to $14 per
square footincluding triplenet, Murphysuggeststhat’s morethe result of aparticularlycaring landlordthan a general
indicator of the retaillease landscape. Like the price of gas,
lease rates are somethingthat will never be lowenough for everybody. Forsome, however, the cur-rent price of local com-mercial space is quite rea-sonable.“I don’t feel the lease
rates in Campbell Riverare too high,” says Chris
Baikie, a local Realtor withRE/MAX Check Realty.“Nobody is building newcommercial real estate inCampbell River, and you’renever going to get new
infrastructure if the leasescan’t pay for the capitalcosts.” Current leaserates, he says, are only
See ‘Leases’ Pg. 5
CR.BUSINESSGAZETTE.CA
Kenzie Andrews, Business Gazette
Campbell River lease rates are “ridiculously high,” says localbusiness owner Michele Murphy.
“Plus big box stores often get
freebies from thecity. It’s not a fair
playing field.”
When purchasingoffice technology,for many
businesses it comes downto ease and affordability —and who can blame themin today’s economic climate? Purchases madebased on short term cost,however, can end up inwaste — particularly wast-ed time and money. While seemingly conven-
ient, hastily made acquisi-tions frequently offer onlyshort-term solutions. Bethey printers, scanners orcomputers, it’s importantto look long-term to trulyget the best value for your
money. Time and again Ihear from customers who need toupgrade theirtechnologywhen theyrealize that what theybought wasn’tsuch a good deal after all.
Recently, for example, Iwas asked to help someclients that were lookingat strategies to grow theirbusiness. Having spoken
with a marketing consult-ant, Danielleand MarkDuncan of theUnion StreetGrill & Grottodecided oneapproachwould be toimprove theirability to
produce their own printedmaterials. Unfortunately,their printer wasn’t up tothe task.
Don Linder, AGS Business Systems
Improving your business with an “expensive” printer
“We’re able to use a lot more colour
because it is actually
affordable now —Danielle Duncan”
See ‘Improve’ Pg. 2
I’ve always been a seri-ous reader, with one ormore books on the go at
any given time. Every oncein a while I come acrosssomething that really res-onates with me. The otherday a friend of mine gaveme a book written by
Brian Tracy, a well-knownmillionaire who has stud-ied the fine “art” of gain-ing financial success andimplemented those theo-ries into his own life withmonumental success. So what habits do self-
made millionaires have in
common? Tracy breaks itdown into a list of 21points that returnimmense rewards forthose who tow the line. Hestarts with the preceptthat you should create a“Big Dream,” develop aclear sense of your direc-
tion, see yourself in every-thing you do as being self-employed, love what you
Catherine Temple, GoCampbellRiver.com
Darcy Lefebvre, MarketingDarcy & Associates
21 habits of self-made millionaires
See ‘Habits’ Pg. 2
Building LinksConstruction News
Page 2 Campbell River Business Gazette — Apr/May 2013
cr.businessgazette.caThe Campbell River Business Gazette is delivered eighttimes per year to every business address in the River City.
Associate Publisher: Jim McQuillanExecutive Editor: Ryan PartonWriters: Kenzie Andrews, Nancy Miller, Laura Busheikin Web: Maya Payton-Schmid
Left Coast Publishing 2440 B First Street, Courtenay BC, V9N 8X9
The opinions, ideas and advice of columnists and contributorsto the Campbell River Business Gazette are theirs alone and donot necessarily reflect the views of this publication.
For 20 years, BuildingLinks has been a recog-nized and valued resourcefor readers who receiveweekly news and updatesfrom the Vancouver Islandconstruction industry.Every Wednesday, wedeliver a comprehensive,up-to-date report on build-ing permits, tenders,
proposed constructionprojects and more. Wealso present highlightsand breaking news fromthe construction industry,covering the Comox Valley,Campbell River, PowellRiver, Port Hardy, PortAlberni, Tofino, Uclueletand elsewhere on theNorth Island. Our goal, quite simply, is
to help you make connec-tions that will grow your
business. We provideeverything you need tomake those calls, includ-ing contact information forproject owners, develop-ers, contractors, archi-tects, engineers andRealtors. In summary, wedo all the research anddeliver it in one completepackage every week so soyou can introduce yourselfand your business topotential new clients.
If you’re not familiar withBuilding Links, I’d like togive you four issues forfree. Just email me [email protected] orsign up yourself atwww.buildinglinks.ca. Clarice Coty is the editorand owner of BuildingLinks, a weekly construc-tion report. To try fourissues for free, call250.338.5466 or visitwww.buildinglinks.ca
Stay on top of business in Campbell River. Get your FREE Business Gazette email subscription at
cr.businessgazette.ca.
unexpected issues ariseaffecting your business. APOA of this type may belimited in dura-tion, for exam-ple expiring onyour return fromholiday. It mayalso be limitedin scope, forexample onlyauthorizing yourAttorney to exe-cute documentsspecificallyrelated to yourbusiness, oreven a specific deal that needs to close during your absence. Because your Attorney
has the authority to manage your financial andaffairs, there is a risk thathe or she may misusetheir authority. An Attorney may make a
bad decision that has anadverse financial conse-quence, or they maywrongfully appropriateyour assets. By law, anAttorney must not act out-side of the scope of theauthority set out in thePOA document, and theAttorney must always actin the best interest of theperson who appointedhim. People do occasionally bend therules and break the law,however. So choose yourAttorney carefully.There is much more to be
said about POAs, butspace here is limited. I
encourage you to researchthem for yourself. There isplenty of information avail-able on-line, and some ofit is reliable. You can alsogather more information
from yourlawyer or otherprofessionaladvisors.Here are a cou-
ple of goodplaces to start:The Canadian
Bar Association,BC branch:www.cba.org/bcThe BC Powerof Attorney Act:
www.bclaws.ca (click“view statutes and regula-tions” and search, or simply scan the QR codebelow with yourSmartphone)
Stewart Carstairs is aBarrister & Solicitor with CRLawyers (Shook, Wickham,Bishop & Field). He can bereached at 250.287.8355or online atwww.crlawyers.ca.The above is intended only asgeneral commentary on arecent case and is not to berelied upon as legal advice.
Powers — con’t from pg. 1
Bill Williams was bornwith club feet anddeaf in both ears. As
a young boy, he endured aseries of operations tohelp him walk straight and
hear, andhe wasraised infosterhomesuntil hewas kickout at theage of 13. Instead ofsuccumb-
Their multi-function, “consumer-grade” printerwas causing frustration.The cost of ink cartridgeswas substantial and theactual time it took to printthe volume needed wasexcessive. They tried outsourcing printing andcopying, but that createdother inconveniences and didn’t work out wellwhen there were changesto be made.About six months ago,
after reviewing their needswe recommended leasing
a Ricoh “commercialgrade” multi-functionprinter as well as a folder.Now they’re producing asignificant portion of therestaurant’s printed mate-rials, including take-outmenus, children’s menusand customer coupons.Plus the Ricoh printer hasactually reduced theirmonthly costs.
Danielle discussed someof the advantages are ofhaving a “commercial-grade” printer:
“We’re able to use a lotmore colour because it is
actually affordable now,which is definitely moreeye-catching,” she said.“The new printer has evenallowed us to produce amail campaign to localbusinesses.”
Danielle says she lovesthe flexibility of being ableto make changes tomenus or fresh sheetswithout worrying aboutprinting hassles. Changingprinters, she says, hasfreed up both time andmoney, so they can better focus on events like WinterFest 2012
and booking Christmasparties. If you think your business
might benefit from thissort of streamlined tech-nology, we’d be happy todiscuss possible solutionsand leasing options.AGS Business Systems hasbeen providing office tech-nology to Vancouver Islandcustomers since 1976 andprides itself on being 100%locally Island owned andoperated. Don Linder canbe contacted at the AGSoffice on Cliffe Avenue inCourtenay at [email protected]
Improve — con’t from pg. 1
do and commit yourself toexcellence in all. A heck ofa good start if you ask me. Work longer and harder
than anyone else, he says,and dedicate yourself to alife of learning. Learnevery detail of your business (and be willing toteach others) and
dedicate yourself to serving others, for whatyou reap so shall you sew.Be honest with not justyourself but with every-one, determine your high-est priorities and concen-trate on them single-mind-edly. Gain a reputation forbeing dependable andquick, be prepared toclimb from one peak to
another and practice self-discipline in everythingyou do.
Unlock your inherent cre-ativity and be decisive andaction-oriented. Take careof your own health (veryimportant), be persistentand never, NEVER allowfailure to be an option.
GoCampbellRiver.com is a “one-stop-shop” for information on businessesin the Campbell River area.Enhance your Internet profile and make animpression atwww.GoCampbellRiver.com
Habits — con’t from pg. 1
Projects — con’t from pg. 1
New Business Profile brought to you by:
Aboriginal filmmaker overcomes hardship
“There is a riskthat he or she may misuse
their authority.”
ing to those early chal-lenges, however, Williamspersevered, graduatingfrom high school andstarting a career inVancouver’s film industry.In March, he took his filmcareer to the next levelwith the creation of BGWFilms, his own productioncompany. Inspired, perhaps, by his own storyand those of the kids hehelped while running adrop-in centre inVancouver, Williams sayshis first project will be adocumentary about inspiring First Nationsindividuals. “In the news, you always
see negative things aboutFirst Nations peoples thatare all about alcohol,drugs and lifestyle,” saysWilliams. “I want to dosomething positive withthe First Nations commu-nity, such as showcasingthose who are in school,doing great things at workor are otherwise positiverole models for FirstNations youth.” To learn more, or to get
involved, contact BillWilliams at 250.287.2249or visitwww.BGWfilm.com.
Subscribe for free to the Campbell River Business Gazette before April 30. One lucky subscriber will win: • A weekend of business training, courtesy of ZenithTraining International; • Two nights accommodation at the luxurious Beach ClubResort in Parksville; • Dinner for two at Kalvas Restaurant
Subscribe today at www.businessgazette.ca/CR/subscribe
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Campbell River Business Gazette — Apr/May 2013 Page 3
After a prolonged economic downturn,the outlook for
Campbell River over thenext few years is lookingmuch more positivethanks to the economicspin-offs of major
infrastructure projects likethe new hospital and BCHydro’s billion-dollar JohnHart Dam upgrade. For business owners, this
is a good time to stepback, take a look at whereyou are and strategicallyplan for the future. Here’sa nine-point refocusingplan to ensure your opera-tion thrives and you takeadvantage of new oppor-tunities as they emerge: 1. Create or revisit yourstrategic business plan —It’s a new world, and yourprevious plans may not befeasible — or even desirable — today.Business planning allowsyou to focus on key areasof your business such asthe production mix, staffrequirements and
management functions.
2. Refocus on your customers — Before goingafter new customers,make sure yourcurrent onesare happy. Findout where theycome from andconsider howyou can betteruse referralsources. Getcreative when thinking ofways to ensure their satis-faction.
3. Take another look atthe competition — Weakercompetitors may have leftand some of the strongercompetitors may havechanged their businessstrategies. Find out whatproducts and services are
being offered and whoyour competitors’ customers are. Use theinformation to reassessyour own strategy.
4. Clean up your balancesheet — A balance sheetwith soft numbers such as
deferredexpenses andintangibles, oraggressiveaccountingpolicies tomanageincome, maymake your
business harder to manage in any economicenvironment.
5. Improve cash flow —Changing the timing ofbilling and collectionprocesses by just a fewdays can make a big difference and helpensure you have the cash
you need to take advan-tage of new opportunities.Explore all options, including eliminatingunprofitable product lines.6. Strengthen your team— Invest in the right people in the right posi-tions so you have a strong,efficient team moving for-ward. If people know andunderstand their roles inthe organization, you’ll be ready to take on new work.7. Talk to your banker —Financing is still tight inmany markets. That canconstrain growth whenexpansion opportunitiesarise. Keep your bankersup-to-date and be proactive if you’re experiencing problems.8. Start with the end inmind — If you’re planningto retire in the next 5 to10 years, now’s the time
to start planning your exitstrategy. Many tax restructuring transactionsmust be completed longbefore the transition orsale process begins, and itcan take time to identifyand groom potential suc-cessors. In the meantime,a proper exit strategy willmake your business moreprofitable, more efficientand easier to run.9. Stay flexible — You haveto react to what happensin the external economy.With a plan in place, how-ever, you always have aroadmap; when there arebumps in the road, you’reable to steer around themand get back on course.
Cathy Voth, CMA, is a busi-ness advisor with MNP LLPChartered Accountants &Consultants. She can bereached at 250.287.2131or [email protected].
“Before chasing newcustomers, makesure your currentones are happy.”
Contact me at:Roy GrantCoast Realty Group (CR) Ltd.1211 Cypress St. Campbell River, BC V9W 2C3
Interested in buying or sellingan investment, commercial orindustrial property?
As an experienced Commercial Division member ofthe Vancouver Island Real Estate Board I can helpyou. I have successfully marketed numerous apartment buildings, hotels, motels, mobile homeparks, tenanted industrial and commercial buildings and shopping centres. I most recentlysold the Port Alice Shopping Centre.
Investors can be brokendown into two primarygroups: retail and
institutional. When wecompare the investmentreturns of these twogroups over the past 20years, one group outperformed the other.Institutional investors,
which include pensionfunds, endowment fundsand some of the world’swealthiest families,earned significantly higherreturns over this time period than the averageretail investor. But why?And how can retailinvestors earn returns similar to their institutional counterparts?When we look at the
investment returns
generated by institutionalinvestors, there is oneobvious reason why theywere able to deliver superior performance —the use of alternativeinvestments. Alternative investments
comprise groups of invest-ments with risk and returncharacteristics that differmarkedly from those oftraditionalstock and bondinvestments. Assuch, they helpto increasediversification,manage volatility andgenerate alpha(value-add dueto active management). Some of the more well-
known alternative invest-ments include real assets(real estate, infrastructureand timberlands), privateequity, private debt (suchas mortgages and commercial loans) andhedge funds.
Institutional portfolios areoften constructed with alarge exposure to alternative investments. Infact, some of the moresuccessful endowmentshold more than 80% oftheir portfolio inalternative investments.All of this raises an
obvious question: whydon’t more retail investors
have exposureto alternativeinvestmentswithin theirportfolio? Webelieve that itis due to thenumerous bar-riers to entryassociatedwith theseinvestments.
These barriers includehigher minimum invest-ment requirements(accredited investor rules),complexity (requiring moredue diligence and constant monitoring), relative illiquidity and thequalifications and/or
licencing of your financial adviser.Alternative investments
are typically sold via anoffering memoranduminstead of a prospectus.This means that an adviser must have addi-tional education and fullsecurities licencing to sellthem. As well, investorsmust meet certain criteria,such as being an accredit-ed investor, investing atleast $150,000 or signinga risk disclosure. As aresult of these rules, mostinvestors are not qualifiedto invest in these assets.So how can you gain
access to alternativeinvestments? By investingdirectly with a PortfolioManager in a discretionary account. APortfolio Manager is, bydefinition, an accreditedinvestor and thus is ableto invest in alternativeinvestments on behalf ofretail investors. Thisallows you, the retailinvestor, to enjoy the
Retail vs. institutional investors: which group outperforms the other?
Emily Hovey, CFP, AlitisInvestment Counsel
“Most investors are not qualified
to invest in alternative
investments.”
same benefits as thewealthy. If you are notfamiliar with the benefitsof a Portfolio Managerwith discretionary man-agement, this may be your first step in theprocess of improving thequality of your portfolio.In the next issue I’ll
discuss client equalityand, more importantly,how you can benefit.
Emily Hovey is an AssociatePortfolio Manager at AlitisInvestment Counsel, a
leading edge PortfolioManager in Canada, providing solutions forinvestors who want LowerRisk, Solid Return investment solutions. www.alitisinvestmentcounsel.com
Emily Hovey is an AssociatePortfolio Manager at AlitisInvestment Counsel Inc. The opinions expressed in this articleare the opinions of the author and readers should not assumethey reflect the opinions or recommendations of AlitisInvestment Counsel Inc. or its affiliates. Opinions expressed inthis report should not be reliedupon as investment advice.
The Hiring Credit forSmall Business(HCSB) is designed
to offer some relief fromthe employer’s portion of
Recording your HCSB — Hiring Credit for Small Business
Quickbooks Tips & Tricks
EI premiums. If youreceive a notice from CRAindicating you have anHCSB hiring credit on youraccount, here’s how torecord it in Quickbooks.The HCSB credit must be
recognized as eitherIncome or as a reductionof your EI Expenseaccount. Rather than“adjusting payroll liabili-ties,” here’s a simple wayto recognize it as anExpense if you’re usingQuickbooks Payroll:Create your current
Payroll Liability cheque asusual by selecting the PayPayroll Liabilities window
and choosing your daterange. Fill out as you nor-mally would, selecting“review liability cheque toenter expenses/penal-ties.” Click create. DON’Tclose the cheque!In the detail section of
the cheque, click theEXPENSE tab. In theaccount drop-down menu,choose the account youuse to track your CompanyEI expense (often “PayrollExpenses” by default). Enter the amount of the
credit as a NEGATIVEnumber and create a noteof “2012 HCSB credit.”Click “recalculate,” and
the cheque amountshould be reduced by the amount of the credit.Save, close and you’re done!Remember, if you pay
online, report your payrollas usual but ensure thatyou reduce the amountyou’re paying by theamount of the credit.
Sherri-Lee Mathers is anIPBC-Certified ProfessionalBookkeeper, RegionalDeveloper for IPBC and aCertified QuickBooksProAdvisor. Reach her at778.427.1122 or www.balsamway.ca.
Sherri-Lee Mathers, BalsamWay Bookkeeping
Facebook landing page iswhat converts first-timevisitors into loyal followers,and loyal followers intopaying customers. With alanding page, you can runcontests and sweep-stakes, add coupons,forms and questionnairesand much more. Landingpages can be highly cus-tomized and are offeredby several Facebook application providers. In
short, landing pages areessential to any Facebookmarketing campaign.Facebook advertising —Facebook advertising canbe one of the most cost-effective ways to get yourmessage and brand out inthe community. Directyour ad to a custom pagewith some sort of actionrequired, such as a sign-up form for a newsletter,more information, weeklyspecials, etc. You’ll findthis will increase the
results of your campaignexponentially! What to post — Sharingknowledge and helpfulresources is the mosteffective way to improveyour web traffic. “Salesy”information, on the otherhand, doesn’t work. Link your informative blog
posts to your Facebookpage and drive trafficback to your website.(Bonus point — you’llimprove your SEO andbring followers back to
your business!) For more information
about FacebookMarketing, visit my blog atmarketinginyourbriefs.comPost your questions, andI’ll answer!
Marketing Darcy andAssociates offers websitesand online marketing pack-ages that small businessescan afford. Contact Darcyfor a free marketing consul-tation at 250.897.5450 orat Marketingdarcy.com.
Facebook — from pg. 1
Campbell River Business Gazette — Apr/May 2013Page 4
Media releases canbe one of the mostcost-effective ways
to promote your business.They give you a chance atexposure in a variety ofmedia for a fraction of thecost of paid advertising.The downside? Most
media outlets, includinglocal newspapers, receivehundreds of media releas-es every week. Most areawful. Here are a few tipsto make yours jump to thetop of the pile:Have something to say —That your company carries500 varieties of widgetsisn’t news. That you justdeveloped 100 new vari-eties might be. That youdeveloped them using arare mineral unearthed bylast month’s devastatingvolcanic eruption definitely is. Write in 3rd person — A
part of me dies every timeI read a release thatbegins, “We at AcmeWidgets are proud toannounce ...”
Use quotes — Quotes adda human element andtake some of the onus offthe editor to fact-checkyour claims. “Your dailypaper won’t want todeclare that AcmeWidgets is the preferredwidget supplier,” sayslocal copywriter RyanParton. “But if it’s in aquote from a companyspokesperson, you canusually get away with it.” Put Egyptian thinking onits head — Use what jour-nalists call the InvertedPyramid. The most impor-tant information should beat the top of your story,with importance graduallydecreasing as the readerprogresses through your release. Cover the five W’s — And,when appropriate, the H.86 Jargon — Use language
the average reader willunderstand. Spell outand/or explain abbreviations on firstusage, and don’t write inindustry jargon. Keep it short — Unless you have a proven trackrecord of delivering clean,compelling and well-writ-ten releases, keep yoursunder 350 words. 400max. Write like you went toschool — You can’tbecome a great writerovernight, but you canlearn proper grammar. Agood place to start isLynne Truss’s Eats, Shoots and Leaves. Youshould also pick up copiesof the Canadian Press(CP) Style Book and CPCaps and Spelling. Follow these guidelines
and you’ll be well on yourway to garnering heaps offree media exposure. Orignore them and languishright where you are.
Ryan Parton is a profes-sional copywriter and ownerof Ryan Parton WritingSolutions. He’s also execu-tive editor of the CampbellRiver Business Gazette.Visit www.ryanparton.ca orcall 250.702.1103.
Are you one of themany people runningor planning to run a
home-based business? If so, here are a few taxtips that could help yousave a few of those hard-earned dollars:Home office expense:Calculate the squarefootage of your home usedfor business (includingcommon areas shared bythe business like reception, bathroom andstorage) and divide it bythe total square footage ofyour home (excluding thebasement). Apply this percentage to your homeexpenses like mortgageinterest, property taxes,insurance, maintenanceand utilities. Note that ifyour business is a sole proprietorship, you can’tcreate a business lossusing home expenses, but you can carry anyunused expenses forwardto the next year.Vehicle: You can deduct all
or a portion of vehiclesused for business purposes. So for instance,if your car is used 90% forbusiness, you can claim90% of the operatingcosts. Always keep amileage log, as this will berequested by CRA if you’reaudited. Depreciation isalso allowed, and anyinsurance purchased strictly for business use, is100% deductible.Meals: You can deduct50% of meals that relate topromotion or advancementof your business, or whentraveling for business oreducational reasons.Travel: You can deduct100% of travel costs(except meals at 50%) aslong as the travel is 100%for business purposes. Assoon as any part of yourtrip is for pleasure, the personal portion must becalculated and is no longerdeductible. Supportingdocumentation is requiredand must support the timeaway you want to claim asbusiness travel.
Furniture and Equipment:Office furniture and equipment may be depreciated (deductedfrom business income)over the expected life ofthe asset. This can rangefrom 20% to 100% a yeardepending on the assetand the rate prescribed bythe Income Tax Act. Salaries: You can pay family members a salaryas long as it is reasonableand relative to the dutiesthey perform. This shouldbe done after some con-sultation with a designatedprofessional accountant toensure your family tax situ-ation is minimized and thatyou’re compliant with allstatutory requirements.Care should also be takento ensure proper documen-tation in case of an audit. Remember, these are just
a few of the possibledeductions for home-basedbusinesses, and tax lawsconstantly change. Consul-ting a designated account-ant will ensure you pay theleast tax possible whilestaying “behind the line.”
“Use what journalists call theInverted Pyramid.”
How to write media releases that get published
Tax tips for home-based businesses
Ryan Parton, Ryan PartonWriting Solutions
Jennifer Baker, CertifiedGeneral Accountant (CGA)
Of the 17,350 work-ers in Corporatetraining programs
are often created tosharpen or improve thetechnical skills of a com-pany and its employees.These skills are critical toprovide the products andservices that the companymarkets, and are there-fore vitally important.
It’s no secret the life ofan entrepreneur isn’talways conducive to
happy relationships. Buttruth be told, there are allkinds of reasons why couples becomedetached and distant.Relationships obviously
don’t start that way; the“drifting apart” happensgradually and can sneakup on you rather unex-pectedly — although I’msure that, on some level,most couples have anidea that their relation-ship is slowly eroding.
Reasons for drifting apartcould be unresolvedissues, communicationbreak-down, conflictingparenting styles, opposingvalue systems, life phases, financial problems and the like.Because multiple factorscould affect a couple atany given time, it can bechallenging to unweavethese complex threads. Seeking a certified
psychotherapist is thebest course of action atthis point. A therapist willhelp you find out what’skeeping you stuck andhelp you work toward aresolution. A method I liketo employ for fosteringeffective communicationis to encourage each participant to describewhat they see or hear,what they feel and whatthey need.Couples therapy is a
process, but it’s one fromwhich many now-happycouples successfullyemerge.
Danielle Lambrecht is aclinical counsellor specializ-ing in mental health, addic-tions and trauma (big ‘T’and little ‘t’). She can bereached at 250.898.9857or online at daniellelambrecht.ca.
René Quintin, OpportunitiesEmployer Solutions
When considering stafftraining, however, don’tforget the soft skills. Thereare all sorts of “soft skill”workshopsavailable toaddress thingslike perform-ance manage-ment, leader-ship, conflictresolution,change man-agement, life skills andproblem-solving in theworkplace, to name just afew. These training pro-grams can be very effec-tive when training newemployees, implementingnew systems and working
to improve productivity. To give just one example,
a company whose supervi-sors and employees find it
difficult to communicateeffectivelymight considera communica-tions workshopcalledPersonalityDimensions.
This interactive team-building workshop broad-ens employees’ under-standing of personalitiesand the behaviours ofthemselves, their cowork-ers and their customers. Ithelps participants express
themselves appropriatelywhile appreciating them-selves and others, whichin turn improves their abil-ity to communicate andnegotiate more effectively.The PersonalityDimensions workshop pro-vides tools that narrow thecommunications gapbetween co-workers andcustomers alike. While some will argue thattraining costs money andvaluable time (indeed, it’shard to argue otherwise),employee training thatprovides productivityimprovements has beenproven to be worth theeffort. Just ask anyFortune 500 company.If your company is operat-
ing well and your employ-ees are doing their jobswell, training may seemlike an unnecessaryexpense, but neglecting itwould be a mistake.Ongoing staff develop-ment should be an inte-gral part of your businessplan, as an effective corporate training programwill improve the productivi-ty of your workforce andhelp your company attractambitious people.Training can give new
employees the confidenceto do their job well andprovide a better under-standing of both their roleand their employer’sexpectations. For existingstaff, training can easeworkplace stress and
enable co-workers to dotheir job competently. Change is constant, espe-
cially in innovating andgrowing organizations. it’sa necessary element inany business driven byperformance and quality.Change can be welcomedas a tailwind or confrontedas a headwind; the righttraining plan will keepyour ship on a safe tack.
René Quintin is theExecutive Director ofOpportunities EmployerSolutions — A social enterprise… In Business toMake a Difference. To learnmore about arrangingessential skills training foryour employees, call250.286.3436.
“Change can be welcomed as a tail-wind or confronted as a headwind.”
Don’t overlook the soft skills …
Help for distant couples
Danielle Lambrecht, clinical counsellor
“...the “driftingapart” happens
gradually and cansneak up on you.”
Campbell River Business Gazette — Apr/May 2013 Page 5
WordStreet
onthe
Question of the Day: How do you feel about commercial lease rates in Campbell River?
“There’s a lot of variance in lease rates depending on where youare. Some owners on Shoppers Row or older areas might pay aslittle as $11 a square foot, whereas places at Discovery Harbour
might pay in the low 30’s. I think the more important issue is theoverall change in how people are spending their money, and how
that will change how small businesses need to operate.”
— Dan Samson, Managing Broker, RE/MAX Check Realty
“Lease rates are part of what keeps busi-nesses competitive in the Campbell Riverarea.”
— Nick Facey, BC Liberal party candidate for North Island MLAnorthislandnick “I own several businesses in
Campbell River, and overall I findlease rates tend to be too high.Competing against big box storesand online retail is difficult for smallbusiness owners.”
— Ben Leck, Comfort Zone Foods
“As a building owner, it can be frustratingthat zoning changes affect who can lease atyour location and what type of business canoperate there. We own a building dedicatedto light industry, but because of zoningchanges we are struggling to find tenants.”
“Of course lease rates areimportant, but what I thinkis more important is therelationship you have withyour landlord. Owners andlandlords generally have towork together a long time,and building a good rela-tionship is far more impor-tant than saving 50 centsper square foot.”
— Kathy Morrison, Something Special Gifts
“I lease a shared space with other businesses similar to mine.Sharing a lease really works for me, as it cuts down costs and theother businesses that share the space all complement each otherrather than compete.”
Kim Robilliard, CHHP, Kim Robilliard Massage & Reiki
“After 20 years of doing businessin Woss, I’ve recently moved mycafé into a shared space with thePlaza Bakery. Creative space-sharing opportunities like thishelp small businesses with theiroperating costs.”
— Sharie Garner, Kawasa Café
just keeping up with building costs and not giving building ownershuge revenues that mightencourage improvementsor new construction. Baikie points out that
commercial real estate istypically more responsiveto what’s going on in themarket. Retail space can’tsit empty, he says. Instead, the market will
soften to make retailspace more affordable topotential businesses. Like Murphy, however,
Baikie does empathizewith small businessesstruggling to make ends meet.
“They’re suffering,” heacknowledges. “It’s thesame as in every town. Bigbox stores like Walmartand the soon-to-be-opened Target are grow-ing, while small business-es are disappearing fromthe downtown core.
“I do know some of thespecialty shops can’t compete with anythingWalmart is selling, so theyneed to sell differentthings entirely. The thingis, if Wal-Mart sees something is doing well,they’ll bring it in. That’sthe way they operate. Plusbig box stores often getfreebies from the city. It’snot a fair playing field.”
“Campbell River is a seasonal town,” notesMurphy. “In the summer-
time it’s booming withtourists. In the winter, youhave to rely on local business.” In such a situa-tion, she says, it’s naturalfor small businesses tolook at ways of reducingtheir costs, including leaserates. Baikie, however,doesn’t think they can go any lower.
“It helps to think as alandlord,” he says. “If youhave low lease rates,you’re going to have poorlymaintained buildings.“New businesses don’t
always factor in the cost of leases and they getcaught because they don’t
have the incomes,” headds. “There’s room for alot more diligence withbusiness planning andrealism about what itcosts to hold space.”Baikie says he’d like to
see more mixed-use den-sity in the downtown core,including commercial-resi-dential. He believes, how-ever, that current rates aretoo low to encourage thatkind of development.
“I think small business inthe heart of town is theway to go, but the leaserates have to be at a ratethat makes it worth it. Idon’t think leases can go much lower, and thecost of building new isn’tthere yet.”
Whatever the market conditions or extenuatingcircumstances, Murphydoes have a suggestionfor local building owners:
“Help out,” she says.
“Give them a break. Thepulp mill is gone, we haveto get over that. How are
we going to start rebuild-ing? Care about your community.”
Could your organiza-tion benefit frommore effective
communication?In the past month, five
British Columbia corporations have broughtthe ToastmastersInternational training pro-gram to their employees. “Increasingly, businesses
are recognizing the valueof providing their employ-ees with Toastmasters’cost-effective communica-tion and leadership pro-gram,” says localToastmasters memberPatricia Sawatzky. “A lot ofBC businesses, universi-ties and government agencies recognize thevalue of improving individ-ual communication skills.”
After learning and practicing basic speechwriting and delivery,Toastmasters participantsare able to hone in onspecific speaking skillsincluding delivering techni-cal presentations, inter-personal communications,public relations, speakingto entertain and more. Leadership skills are also
honed and practicedthrough taking on a vari-ety of leadership projects,most of which take placeduring regular meetings. As members grow their
individual communicationand leadership skills, theirorganizations also benefitfrom more effective communication betweenemployees, clients and
suppliers. Add to thatimproved time management and team-work and you’ve got arecipe for productivity.Two local Toastmasters
groups meet weekly inCampbell River. To learnmore about how you oryour organization can getinvolved, or to find a group near you, contactChris Kozakowski at250.923.4162 or [email protected].
Leases — con’t from pg. 1
Realtor Chris Baikie: Campbell River lease rates are consis-tent with the market and businesspeople need to “think as alandlord.”
Kenzie Andrews, Business Gazette
Chris Kozakowski, CampbellRiver Toastmasters
In Construction or Real Estate?Find new business leads from: reports on tenders • building permits • development permits • & breakingnews in the construction industry. GUARANTEEDvaluable leads or we will refund 100% of subscription.Sign up for FOUR FREE ISSUES at www.buildinglinks.ca.
FMI contact Clarice Cotyat 250.338.5466
Toastmasters offerscommunication training
Brought to you by: Patricia Sawatzky, CPB CertifiedFull service book keeping for your small business. WCB* T4’s and Summaries* HST Returns*Payroll* Remittances* Month end financial statements* Reconcile bank and Credit Card accounts*Setup and Maintain company financial records* I do the paperwork so that you don’t have to.
“Like the price ofgas, lease rates aresomething that will
never be low enoughfor everybody”
Campbell River Business Gazette — Apr/May 2013Page 6
Bob Bray, BC Conservative Candidate
Claire Trevena, BC NDP Candidate (incumbent)
Nick Facey, BC Liberal Candidate
Stupid things people do to sabotage their…
Another new column?What more can possibly be said on
business success? Well,after having been in bothtraditional and networkmarketing businesses forwell over two decades, I’veseen many failures andsome amazing successes,including flying in a privatejet to the Caribbean for a weekend! My first rule is that
“failing” doesn’t make youa “failure.” The quickeryou understand that failing is part of attainingsuccess, the more readyyou will be to receive it asa necessary part of yourpath. You can’t have onewithout the other. Let’s have some fun and
visit the must-do’s, thestupid don’t-do’s and theabsolutely not-to-do’s. You
see, self-employment andNetwork Marketing arereally made from theSchool of Hard Knox. My import business
ended up in invaluableexperiences includingdefective product, whichmakes for not a happyending! And so concludedmy 10-year tenure knownas the Hammock Lady. As an entrepreneur,
you’ve made a decision todo, or to obtain, “some-
thing better.” Your decision to work for yourself is a bold one. Asmart one. A courageousone. And it’s going to taketenacity to build it. Thismeans blood, sweat andtears — maybe even theloss of some friends, notseeing your favourite teamplay and not having a lifefor a while. But when itworks, it’s all WORTH IT!Ahhh, the blessed curse
of entrepreneurship!Whether you have a ‘traditional’ business or a‘network marketing’
business, you have thebug! Join the many of uswho have that bug too!“Honey, if only you gotyourself a real job!” We’veall heard it! What Mum isstarting to understand isthat “employee-job-9 to 5”just isn’t in our DNA! Since you made your
decision to ‘DO IT,’ Iencourage you to DOWHAT IT TAKES. “You haveto do what others won’t,so you will have tomorrowwhat others don’t.”I believe in you and I put
my hands together inapplause for each successyou achieve, no matterhow insignificant it mayseem. There are so manythings to celebrate, includ-ing your courage! So staywith it no matter what!Whatever your dreams
and passions, I congratulate you for stepping out of the boxcalled “normal” and daring to be different.Please send me youremails, because I’d love to hear about your successes!
Ricia Adair is the author of“Top Ten Stupid ThingsPeople Do to SabotageTheir Success in Business,”founder of Zenith TrainingInternational and recipient
A general issue facing businesses in Campbell River is lowretail traffic. I offer a solution. A ferry tax credit would give aboost to the amount of travel to Vancouver Island from otherparts of British Columbia. For example, the public transit taxcredit boosted ridership across Canada from an averagegrowth of 2% yearly in the 5 years before it was introducedto 3% yearly in the 5 years (2006 to 2010) after it was introduced.Another general issue is the state of business friendly
attitudes in Campbell River. By way of positive recognition, I congratulate city council for maintaining level rates for business property taxes in 2012 and 2013. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation would approve.A specific issue facing businesses in Campbell River is
the cost of fuel. I offer a solution. BC Conservatives will eliminate 7¢ from the price of a litre of gas by canceling the Carbon Tax responsibly, phasing it out over a 4 year period, while balancing the provincial budget every year. This will benefit not only Campbell River, but also the whole province. And not only the city businesses that usefuel, but also farmers, ranchers, loggers and truckers.
Bob Bray, MLA CandidateNorth Island BC Conservatives1007 Shoppers Row, Campbell River, BC 250.504.0052 TuesdayMay14.shawwebspace.ca
“Businesses in Campbell River have been going throughsome difficult times, with the global economic uncertainty aswell as provincial difficulties exemplified by the HST fiasco.There is no question that they need both stability but alsothe hope that the vision for our community’s economicfuture is positive.We know that there is a huge shortage of skilled workers.
We need to ensure that people have real access to post sec-ondary training and that we see an apprenticeship systemthat is strong and responsive to the needs of our community.There are two major economic projects coming to Campbell
River, with the building of the new hospital and work on theJohn Hart generating station, which will inevitably create aripple effect for all businesses. But we need to ensure thatthe economic good times for our community do not endwhen those projects are completed, but instead they are the foundation for future new businesses, new ideas andnew growth for our city.We have to build on our economic and industrial traditions
as well as find ways to diversify in a sustainable way.”
Claire Trevena, North Island MLA908 Island HighwayCampbell River, BC250.287.5100www.clairetrevena.ca
I stand for principles that support small business:• Growing the North Island economy through responsible resource development; we must promote our resource industries so they can create those first dollars that spark vibrant communities.
• Continue leading BC in economic growth; we need to keep small business taxes low, enabling them to compete locally, and multiply the resource dollars intohealthy communities. Our province leads the country in being the most regulation friendly jurisdiction in which to own and operate a business.
I’m focused on economic growth, job creation and sound economic management for taxpayers.Today’s BC Liberals have a plan to grow the economy,
not the government.
Nick Facey, Bsc.Georgia Quay, #102-901 Island Hwy.Campbell River, BC250.204.0908 [email protected]
“You have to do whatothers won’t so youwill have tomorrowwhat others don’t.”
Ricia Adair, Founder, ZenithTraining International
Question to discuss: What are the issues facing business in Campbell River, and what are possible solutions?
of over 35 business awardsand accolades. She can bereached [email protected] or online atwww.achievewithzenith.com.
Campbell River Business Gazette — Apr/May 2013 Page 7
Financial planning isthe sort of thing weall say we’re going to
do. But how many of usactually have a financialplan for our business?If you ask Maxine LeFlour,
the answer is “far toofew.” For the past fiveyears, she’s been helping
people make the sort ofrisk management plansthat ensure their lovedones and theirbusinesseswill be caredfor in case ofsudden ill-ness, disabili-ty or death.LeFlour
recently started her own small
business — Life MattersAsset Management — asan independent solutions
manager offer-ing full-serviceinsurance plan-ning. Her serv-ices includeeverything fromlife and criticalillness insurance togroup benefits
and business successionplanning. LeFlour’s goalfor her clients is simple:“I help you protect your
biggest asset, which isyourself!” she says.“Everyone protects theirhome, business and car,but none of this matters ifyou don’t protect yourself.How many banks will loanyou money if you’reunable to work?”
Life matters — and so does planning ahead
Maxine LeFlour recently started her own small business — Life Matters Asset Management
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1.) Always under-promiseand over-deliver. Your customers only perceivevalue if their actual experi-ence with you is greaterthan their expectation.Make sure your advertis-ing does not set up unrealistic expectations.2.) Recruit and train people who genuinely care about deliveringexceptional customer service, and incentivizethem to do so.3.) When you resolve acomplaint, implement systems to prevent thatcomplaint from occurringagain, and advertise that new system, as others may have had thesame issue and may beconsidering switching.4.) Build a “we care” culture — more often thannot, it’s your people morethan your products or services who delight your customers. The wayyou treat your peoplebecomes the way theytreat their jobs and your customers.5.) Invite regular feedback — Your customers appreciatebeing asked for their input— It demonstrates youcare about them. Your
happy customers mightsurprise you when they tellyou what they like, andthat surprise benefit maybe worth promoting. Yourunhappy customers canhelp you avoid creatingmore unhappy customers.6.) Always thank them — A sincere thank-you foreverything prospects and customersdo goes a longway. Thankthem for theirbusiness.Thank them for their input,thank them for justbrowsing and thankthem for theirreferrals.Where possi-ble, make your thank-you tangible with a small token or a personalizedthank-you card.7.) Provide user-friendlyguarantees — Make yourguarantees unconditional,
easy to understand and, most importantly,worth the time and effort to redeem.8.) Reward customer loyalty — Your existing customers were expensiveand hard to find. Now thatyou have them, it’s worththe time and money tobuild programs that
reward theirloyalty. VIPpricing, multi-ple-purchasebonuses andpoints programs thatare well organ-ized and exe-cuted cankeep themcoming backand feelingspecial.
9.) Walk in your customer’s shoes — Willie Davidson, of HarleyDavidson fame, says“Market research consistsof jumping on a Harley andriding with the boys for the
weekend.” Examine everycustomer touch point witha view to improving thecustomer experience atevery one.10.) Empower youremployees to solve problems quickly withoutrunning to management.Establish a CustomerSatisfaction Budget limit for each transaction,with a keener eye on “cost of no sale” than on “cost of sale”.
To get the marketing fun-nel, to help you develop amarketing strategy thatappeals to emotions andlogic, [email protected]
Bill Cymbala, a CampbellRiver account executive for97.3 The Eagle, has spentmany years in radio & tele-vision media marketing. Tolearn how to cost-effectivelyinvite Eagle listeners to yourbusiness, email [email protected] orcall 250.830.1080.
10 ways to keep customers coming back
Bill Cymbala, Campbell River97.3 The Eagle
Kenzie Andrews, Business Gazette
SSOUNDOUNDADVICEADVICE
“The way you treatyour people
becomes the way they treat
your customers.”
LeFlour’s experience inthe industry has left herwith many stories of whatcan happen when youdon’t plan ahead. One ofher favourites highlightsthe importance of share-holders’ agreements. “A three-partner business
was evaluated at $5 mil-lion,” she begins. “Thenone of the partners died.The remaining partnersdidn’t want to continuethe business with the surviving spouse andmade a majority decisionto buy back her shares forjust $10,000 — not the$1.6 million the partnerhad when he was alive. How did that happen?
The partners didn’t havea valid shareholdersagreement with a supporting life insurancepolicy, so the survivingspouse lost more than amillion dollars.”Those sorts of sad sto-
ries are what Leflour saysdrives her to help every-one, from the high schoolkid with their first job andhoping to go to college, tonewlyweds, to the busi-ness owner starting out orthinking about retirement. “We all know life
changes, and it canchange overnight,” shesays. “I want to be theone who helps you pre-pare for those changes.“That’s my commitment,”
she adds. “Personal service and the promiseto offer solutions that fityour actual needs as yourlife continues to change.”
Campbell River Business Gazette — Apr/May 2013Page 8
Who the Heck is Shelly Stanchuk...and what the hell is she up to?
Business Gazette: There’s thiscommon caricature of a graphicdesigner as some pretentious,enigmatic hipster, but you seemso down to earth.
Shelly Stanchuk: (Laughs) Yeah,I don’t buy into the myth that wecreative types are the be-all-and-end-all, everyone else’s opinionsbe damned. At the end of the dayI’m just a small-town girl fromManitoba. My job is to listen to myclients’ needs and ideas, offer suggestions and then use my talent to bring their vision to life ina way that strengthens their entirebrand.
BG: It sounds like you really keepyour clients involved in the designprocess.
SS: I think that’s crucial in orderfor me to really custom-fit thedesign to their needs and tastes.Of course, there are certain elements I handle for them, suchas research, print file preparation,communication with printers, etc.I’m mindful to explain the stepsinvolved at the very beginning,from research and fact-findingthrough proofing and approvals.That extra attention to the client’sexperience tends to enhance theirenjoyment of the process byempowering them and ensuringthere are no question marks orsurprises.
BG: With a globalized, onlinemarketplace, how do you staycompetitive?
SS: My approach is relationship-based. If geography allows, I
prefer to begin each partnershipwith a casual sit-down over coffeeto get a better idea of what’s needed. That way I can pick up onthe subtext — the subtle, non-verbal nuances that are missedwith phone or email. It’s all about getting the whole picture and trulyunderstanding the client and his orher needs.
BG: What do you love aboutyour job?
SS: I love creating customdesigns. It’s very exciting whenmy clients put their faith in me andallow me to bring their ideas tolife. I’m honoured every day tohave the opportunity to put mycreative mind to work, and it’s anamazing feeling when I ‘hit it outof the park’ with a design that aclient adores.
BG: Do you partner with a partic-ular printer?
SS: My extensive list of suppliersallows me to select the right fit foreach project, based on my clients’needs, preferences, timelines andbudget. Of course, if a clientprefers to handle printing and production themselves, I’ll provideprint-ready files.
BG: Tell us a joke.
SS: Why did the scarecrow get apromotion at work? Because hewas outstanding in his field. Wa-wa-waaaaaaa...
Shelly Stanchuk can be reached at250.331.2489 or online atwww.strutyourstuff.ca.
Shelly Stanchuk is the owner/operator of Tailfeather Graphic Design, whichspecializes in the creation of logos, company branding and print design.
How to execute your role as Executor
Being asked to be anexecutor is an hon-our, right? I mean,
you wouldn’t have beenasked if they hadn’t feltyou were the one personto be trusted with theirmost precious assets andfinal wishes, right? Right?If you’ve ever been
named theexecutor/executrix of anestate, any inflated egowas likely punctured longago. Who knew there wasso much responsibility in,well, being responsible? But unlike your own
personal affairs, procrastinating isn’t anoption in this case. You
must attend to the estateof a deceased in a timelymanner or you can bedeemed negligent in theeyes of the law. Yikes! If you cave in and start
dispersing assets to getnagging relatives to stopcalling you with “queries,”you can actually be heldfinancially liable to recoup those losses forthe beneficiaries.
Those warm fuzzy feel-ings quickly turn intosomething more closelyresembling an ulcer. Let’s say it all goes well
and you’ve settled the
estate. The final creditorswere paid, the last chequehas been dispersed andyou’re about to sit down to18 months worth of TiVo’depisodes of Breaking Bad.And then you notice a letter by the remote. Animportant, official-lookingletter politely but firmlyasking when the CanadaRevenue Agency canexpect the outstandingbalance on back taxesowed by the estate. You know, the one you
just dispersed? The taxes you’re now per-
sonally on the hook for?Luckily, there are alterna-
tives to calling relativescurrently unreachable attheir recently acquiredtime share in Mazatlan. You could refuse to be
the executor/executrix foranybody, or you could simply be aware thatPeacehold EstateDocument Services isavailable through Boyd’sFuneral Services
“You can be held liable
to recoup losses for the
beneficiaries.”
Sandy Poelvoorde, Boyd’s Funeral Services
(regardless of which funeral home was used). The way it works is oh so
simple: A Peacehold representative calls you.You chat for about 20minutes. Within a week,you have a package thatcan contain more than200 documents you needto settle the estate — all
completed, stamped andaddressed and requiringonly your signature and a copy of the death certificate. Peacehold will also assist
for 12 full months to guideyou through any “surprises” along the way.It’s the best peace ofmind you can buy for
about $1.30 a day. Who’s a pillar of executor
efficiency now?
Sandy Poelvoorde is theowner of Boyd’s FuneralServices Ltd. (“We’re herefor you... and what youneed!”) She can be reachedat 250.287.2240 or online at www.campbellriverfunerals.com.
