| August
2006 - Issue 51 |
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A lot of people this time of year are
traveling south of the border, not only for businesses
but for pleasure too. A common question asked is “Can
I bring food into the U.S.?” The short and fast
answer is NO! Of course, there are exceptions.
Fruit and vegetables labeled as grown in Canada are
generally admissible, but not all. Potatoes, for example,
are currently under restrictions.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection say, "Also NO
RUMINANT PRODUCTS FROM CANADA MAY ENTER THE U.S. without
a permit. This includes frozen, cooked, canned or otherwise
processed beef, lamb, and veal. Poultry, pork, milk,
butter and cured cheeses are permitted entry. Pet food
with meat by-products is not admissible as traveler's
baggage."
Taking food with you is not a cut and dry answer. If
you’re thinking of taking food into the U.S. be
sure to check out: www.cbp.gov/
xp/cgov/toolbox/questions/
and click on “Bringing Food Into the U.S.”
in the grey box. You can also contact The Business
Link’s Export Link staff for more information
at 1-888-811-1119.
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Are you thinking about selling product(s)
online? Before you begin you should ask yourself these
questions:
- Is there a market online for my products?
- Are my customers willing to purchase over the Internet?
- What makes my products different from those of my
competitors?
- How will I attract customers to my website?
- Will my full product catalogue be available from
the start?
- Will there be any customizations required for goods
sold online?
- Are my expectations realistic?
All business ventures involve risk, but
the better you can answer these questions, the better
your odds are for success.
If you want to learn more about selling online visit
The Business Link's E-Future Centre's Info-guide
"Selling Online." www.e-future.ca/alberta/ebusiness
/pwt_selling_online.asp
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Create It And Sell It
A creative mind and nimble fingers have provided
many people with successful careers. Linda Finstad,
a client of The Business Link, is one
such person. She has successfully operated Hats by Emmanuel
(www.hatsbyemmanuel.com)
for seven years and recently started a product photography
company, A Sharper Image (www.imagineitsold.ca).
Her unique clothing designs were featured in the July
issue of Sew News, an international magazine we carry
in our library.
The Business Link can help you get started
with information items like the Craft Business Success
Package and Start and Run a Successful Craft
Business/William G. Hynes. Our library has magazines
with the most current trends and business news such
as Alberta Craft, Canadian Apparel and Women's
Wear Daily. We can help you source materials for
your projects with Fabrics Services Trims: the Apparel
Industry Sourcebook/ Fashiondex 2006.
Need pricing and sales ideas? Try James Dillehay's guides
to craft pricing and sales. Contact our library at
1-800-272-9675 or in Edmonton at 780-422-7780.
You have the creative talent; The Business Link
Library has the information you need.
Get Your Library Membership
Library membership entitles you to borrow from our large
collection of business books, videos, CDs, DVDs and
audiotapes. For $12.00 per year, you can have access
to the most current information on small business and
leadership. Stop in at our library Monday through Friday
9 AM - 5 PM or call 780-422-7780 for more details.
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Cliquez ici pour accéder, ou vous abonner à
ce bulletin électronique en français. |
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Many small businesses owners
across Alberta have heard of the “Alberta
SuperNet” but they don’t really have
a clear idea as to the impact it will have on
their business. So, what is the Alberta SuperNet?
The Alberta SuperNet is “a high-speed, high-capacity
broadband network linking government offices,
schools, health-care facilities and libraries”
(Government of Alberta). It is made up of over
10,000 kilometres of trenched fiber optics and
3,000 kilometres of high-speed wireless to connect
429 communities in approximately 4,200 locations.
Bell and Axia SuperNet Ltd. were awarded contracts
by the Government of Alberta to build (Bell),
manage and operate Alberta SuperNet (Axia). The
Alberta SuperNet was completed in October of 2005.
For the first time in many rural communities,
businesses and citizens can now connect to the
Internet by way of a High-Speed connection, which
is being pumped through the Alberta SuperNet fibre.
This will allow rural businesses to better integrate
technology and enable them to access other foreign
and local markets. Businesses will now be able
to use the Internet to communicate with staff
and clients, sell online, and market their product
or service to a broader audience.
Not only does the SuperNet provide Internet access
to Rural Alberta, a broadband network of this
magnitude has many other applications. Here are
just a few:
- Your local library will be able to offer access
to business statistics databases that at one
time were only accessed in larger urban ones.
- You will be able to participate in learning
opportunities right in your community from some
of the world’s business experts by way
of video conferencing.
- You will be able connect with government and
non-profit organizations that provide service
to the small business community without having
to leave the community.
- Your local government offices and registries
will be able to provide faster more relevant
services because they are using the network
to share and transfer information.
- In the future, possibilities for businesses
may include being able to set up their own Virtual
Private Network (VPN) using the SuperNet to
share computer programs, offsite computer backup
services, etc.
As you can see, rural communities and businesses
have the most to gain from the SuperNet by maximizing
the use of the Internet and by finding ways to
utilize the broadband capacity.
Now, with any new technology, it is going to
take some time to accept and learn how to use
it. Rural business will need to learn more about
e-business, business websites, IP based communication,
outsourcing, expansion, exporting, importing –
all of which The Business Link can
help with.
For more information on how you can use the SuperNet
in your small business, contact Stephanie Sarjas
at
sarjas.stephanie@cbsc.ic.gc.ca.
Don't forget that we would love to hear your story.
Let us know how you have been able to use The
Business Link and how we have contributed
to your success.
Click
here to share your story.
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Tuesday, September 5, 2006 will be the first
of many interesting Seminars and Brown Bag Presentations
this Fall. Whether you're looking for training on
starting your business or maybe you want specific
tips on marketing or taxation, this Fall's schedule
has something for you. The schedule is finalized and
you can find it online at
www.cbsc.org/albert/events.
Here's just a sampling of what September will bring...
 Video Conferenced Event
Please note that this is not the complete list of
September events. To see the entire schedule, click
here.
All sessions are held at The Business Link
unless otherwise noted. However, through the Entrepreneurship
Learning Centre Network, many of these sessions will
be available across Alberta via video conferencing.
Visit www.elcnetwork.ca
to find the site nearest you.
If you would like to receive the Fall season calendar,
please submit your contact information to buslink@cbsc.ic.gc.ca.
We look forward to seeing you in September.
The Business Link will be hosting its
Monthly Networking Event on Wednesday, August
16th in Edmonton from 2:30-4:30 p.m.. This is
an opportunity for you to network, attend an educational
session, and make valuable entrepreneurial contacts.
For more information about this FREE event, contact
Ronelo Aromin at aromin.ronelo@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
or 1-800-272-9675.
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Looks like someone else is celebrating their 10th
anniversary!
Entre-Corp Business Development Centre is thrilled
to announce that this year marks the 10th year
of the Alberta Youth Entrepreneurship Camp!
The camp has had tremendous success over the past
10 years with almost 500 youth attending and over
30 youth involved with the Youth Leaders Program.
Every year, the business training program improves
and enhancements are made to this exciting experience.
In a fun and interactive summer camp environment,
complete with activities like wall climbing, horseback
riding and paintball, the campers learn how to
start their own business and what it takes to
be successful entrepreneurs. On the final day
of camp, the youth put their new skills to the
test by opening their own business for parents,
sponsors and invited guests. To get the start
for their business, the campers have the opportunity
to seek financial advice from actual local bankers,
and when the final totals are tallied the business
teams will have paid back their business loans
and split the profits!
This year's camp is at Eagle's Nest Ranch in
Cypress Hills from August 20-26, 2006. For more
information, go to
www.entre-corp.com/ayec/
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Aboriginal clients are in for a treat this
fall! There are 3 great opportunities coming
up in the next few months.
On October 23 & 24, we will
be hosting our 4th Annual It's All About
Opportunities Conference in Edmonton.
Watch for further details or e-mail Stephanie
Sarjas at sarjas.stephanie@cbsc.ic.gc.ca.
We will also be hosting a one day Aboriginal
Small Business Sharing Circle on August
21, 2006. This forum will allow you
the opportunity to share your business experiences
and learn from others. In connection with
this, over the next few months, there will
be 5 networking events held around the province.
For a list of dates and locations, click
here.
By participating, you will get to give
back to the Aboriginal community, meet various
service providers and showcase your business.
There is no cost to participate and we will
even cover your expenses for being involved
in this Aboriginal Business Sharing Circle.
If you are interested in participating,
please contact Tracy Tuesday at 1-800-272-9675
or e-mail her at tuesday.tracy@cbsc.ic.gc.ca.
Last but certainly not least, the Aboriginal
Business Service Network is launching a
NEW Mentorship Program in the Metro
Edmonton area. We're putting out the call
to those that would like to work with a
mentor.
- Are you Aboriginal and living in the
Edmonton area?
- Have you been operating a business for
more than 6 months but less than 2 years?
- Are you willing to meet with a mentor
twice a month for 6 months?
This mentoring program is for you! For
more details contact Tracy Tuesday
at 1-800-272-9675 or e-mail her at
tuesday.tracy@cbsc.ic.gc.ca.
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Over the years, many of our clients have
made good use of the Interactive Business
Planner(IBP) - the handy, free online software
that guides the user step-by-step through
building a customized business plan. The
IBP has been much appreciated for taking
the guesswork out of organizing, wording
and formatting a business plan, as well
as producing a polished end result.
Now, Industry Canada and Canada Business
have released an updated and improved Version
1.1 of the Interactive Business Planner.
In addition to an attractive new look, users
of the IBP will find real improvement in
ease of navigation within the site, and
in the clear and logical instructions provided
at every step of the way. Accessibility
has also been increased for those using
assistive software.
The Interactive Business Planner has always
been a big help in turning business planning
into a manageable project that anyone can
do. With the release of the brand-new IBP
Version 1.1, writing up a business plan
is now even easier! Take a look at the
Interactive Business Planner an online
tool for business planning - ready and at
your service 24/7!
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- Stay organized. Control clutter in your office
and at your work station.
- Make to-do lists.
- Prioritize tasks and projects.
- Break a project into smaller more manageable
tasks. Plan how to accomplish each task.
- Set deadlines for yourself and stick to them.
- Use tools like a calendar, PDA or other computer
programs.
- Learn to delegate.
- Set time limits for tasks and concentrate
on one thing at a time.
- Identify and eliminate time wasters.
- Take time for rest and fun.
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