The Holiday Season is often described as a time of giving, and there’s no better gift for your small business than the gift of education.
This December we’re decking the halls of Small Business BC with a packed education calendar featuring 19 new and returning seminars and webinars, as well as our Ask The Expert consultation sessions. We’ll also be hosting our popular annual Holiday Mix & Mingle meetup event, on Tuesday, December 12. This fun year-end social mixer is free to attend, and is our way of saying thanks for being a member of the Small Business BC community.
Thank you for nominating and voting for your favourite small BC businesses. We hope you’ll join us for our Small Business BC Awards gala event at the Vancouver Convention Centre on Friday, February 23rd, 2018 are now on sale! Join us in toasting the best of BC’s entrepreneurial talent.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at our educational stocking stuffers for December.
Defend Your Small Business from Cyber Threats
Friday, December 1, 2017
9:00AM to 11:00AM
$39
Only 14 per cent of small businesses rate themselves as “highly effective” when it comes to cyber risks, vulnerabilities and attacks. Fortunately, you can safeguard your company and client information with some easy steps. This seminar will teach you the cyber risks your small business needs to guard against, how to establish staff policies and security guidelines for threat mitigation, and how to create a task list for basic IT security so you can get started straight away.
Marketing Essentials for Small Business
Monday, December 4, 2017
9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
$59
Delivered in a fast paced, interactive style filled with plenty of examples, this seminar will help you focus on what your business has to offer and how you can communicate that successfully to your target audience You will learn how to craft your message and select the right tools to reach your target market, find out cost effective marketing options for small businesses, and how digital media is altering the consumer decision-making process.
Ask a Branding Expert
Friday, December 8th, 2017
9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
$49
This one-on-one consultation with a brand development expert will answer all questions relating to your brand and how to build it. Whether you have specific questions about your existing brand, or you’d like tips and ideas on how to start building, this session will hold the key.
Why Should Customers Care About Your Business
Monday, December 4, 2017
1:00PM to 3:30PM
$49
One of the keys to a successful business is making customers aware of the problem you’ll solve for them. How do you find this problem and the right solution? How can you build a business your customers will care about? This seminar will help you understand your customer and their problem, communicate what makes your product and services unique, and craft a unique value proposition about what to offer.
Business Viability: Analysis and Forecasting
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
9:00AM to 4:00PM
$119
The ability of your business to survive is ultimately linked to financial performance and position. How do you establish these important parameters? This full-day seminar explores how to determine, evaluate and forecast your business finances. You will learn how to analyze the financial viability and determine the strength of your business’ cash flow for potential investors.
Business Mapping: Developing A Smart Business Model
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
9:00AM to 12:00PM
$59
Not every entrepreneur needs a business plan. Business mapping is an alternative to the more in-depth business planning process, but still leaves you with a strategic plan to guide your business. This seminar will teach you how to evaluate your business idea, how to understand the key areas of a successful business model, clarify types of business structures, and learn about financing options for your new venture.
Sales Strategies for Small Business
Monday, December 11, 2017
1:00PM to 4:00PM
$59
Whether you offer a product or a service, if you’re in business, you’re in sales! This seminar will help you understand how sales cycles affect your business, where to find business and the importance of customer relationships.
The Build in Canada Innovation Program
Monday, December 11, 2017
10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
FREE
Are you in the late stages of developing an innovative product or service? The Build in Canada Innovation Program helps Canadian companies move their ideas from the lab to the marketplace, using relevant federal departments to test the product or service. This free seminar will teach you the opportunities available through the program, understanding the call for proposals process, and assessing your company’s eligibility for the BCIP.
Building Employee Skills: How to Access The Canada-B.C. Job Grant
Monday, December 11, 2017
9:00AM to 10:00AM
FREE
Developing skilled employees is an integral part of growing your business and retaining staff. Small businesses can often find it hard to afford the time and cost of training. This free seminar will show you how the Canada-B.C. Job Grant can offset the cost of skills training and professional development for your employees.
Start Smart Series
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
9:00AM to 4:15 PM
$49
The Start Smart Series provides step-by-step guidance to starting your business on the right footing. This series features two seminars where five industry experts provide their knowledge and tips to help start your business right.
Ask an Intellectual Property Expert
Friday, December 15th, 2017
2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
$49
Do you have a great service or product, but aren’t familiar with intellectual property (IP) rights such as trademark or copyright? Are you aware of the ways IP can protect your innovations and bring value to your business? Whether your business is just starting up or growing fast, learning from an Intellectual Property Lawyer will help you fill in the blanks.
Incorporation: Legal and Tax Tips
Friday, December 15, 2017
9:00AM to 4:00PM
$99
Register for this package to learn from the professionals how and when the best time is to move from a proprietorship/partnership to an incorporated company. Gain valuable knowledge on setting up the legal entity of a corporation in this full-day tax and legal information package. This package will save you more than 15% on individual seminar registration.
Seminars included:
- TaxSense for Incorporating your Business
- Getting Incorporated – Essential Steps and Legal Tips You Need to Know
Ask a Lawyer
Wednesday, December 7th, 2017
$49
Do you need legal advice regarding business structures, joint ventures, business agreements or any other legal issues? This one-on-one consultation appointment allows you to ask a lawyer from Benchmark Law Corporation legal questions specific to your individual business needs.
Ask an Accountant
Wednesday, December 13th, 2017
&
Thursday, December 14th, 2017
Do you need help figuring out how to properly calculate and file your business taxes? Maybe you need to know what expenses you can deduct and how to deduct them, or what business structure would be most beneficial to you come tax season? In this one-on-one session with CPAs from Loren, Nancke & Company or KPMG you can ask specific tax questions related to your business.
Book Today!
Our services are easily accessible wherever you are.
Attend seminars in-person at Small Business BC in Vancouver, or join from anywhere in the province by live webinar. Our Ask the Expert sessions are available in person, by Skype, or by phone.
Register early as space is limited!
