Toolkit

Building your business through social media marketing

Building your business through social media marketing

Social media is a marketing gold mine for small businesses. And understanding the nuances of each social network can help you optimize your efforts and get the most bang for your buck. The best place to start is finding out where your customers are. Each site attracts...

What do I need to know about starting a franchise?

What do I need to know about starting a franchise?

If you don’t want to start a business from scratch or buy an existing business, franchising may a good choice for you. Franchises employ over 1 million Canadians and generate approximately $68 billion in revenue every year.1 Franchising can reduce some of the risks of...

How to import goods into Canada and grow your business

How to import goods into Canada and grow your business

It goes without saying that exporting your goods or services to another country or importing goods into Canada are great ways to grow your business. But with any great opportunity there are risks.   So before you start to do business across borders, there are a...

Five common small business mistakes to avoid

Five common small business mistakes to avoid

It might seem like Arjun Kumar, winner of the BMO-sponsored AIR MILES®† For Business Small Business Achievement Award, has it all figured out when it comes to running a small business. But he didn’t get here without facing some adversity. Kumar, CEO at KAI...

Managing your GST, HST, and taxes

Managing your GST, HST, and taxes

No matter if you have an accountant, or if you’re the one managing your finances, having a good understanding of how taxation applies to your business is critical. Click on the image below for an overview of what you need to know, the questions you should be able to...

Managing an unexpected absence from your business

Managing an unexpected absence from your business

This is the story of how I have been fighting cancer in the past year, while being the owner-operator of a small business. I hope it brings you a sense of calm if you, too, are faced with circumstances beyond your control. Or ideas for how you might prepare yourself...