New Business Navigators

Emergency Preparedness Essentials

2011-10-26T10:24:00.000-07:00

"How will you take care of those most precious to you after an earthquake, a flood, a fire, a storm? Are you prepared? Do you have food, water and basic supplies ready? Become prepared today. Educate yourself and help your extended family, friends and elderly parents be prepared.

Emergencies - natural or man-made disasters can happen quickly and without warning. You may be forced to evacuate your neighborhood or you may be confined to your home or automobile.

No power, no heat, no stores, no gas stations, and no banks open. Emergency first responders may not be able to meet all of the demands. You might not receive any assistance for 72 hours or longer. Are you and your family prepared?

You may have only 10 minutes to gather the essential items and leave your home. Do you have everything you need, in one place, ready to take with you? Food, water, items for warmth, lighting, a radio, a whistle, and first aid supplies are just some of the items that you should have ready.

Buy an Emergency Preparedness Kit now. Don't keep putting it off. Don't keep waiting. Do the right thing. Have peace of mind knowing that you and your family can survive.”

Above information copied from http://www.life472.com/ web site home page with permission.

I met Nancy at a business show recently and was impressed with her marketing efforts and products offered. Please visit http://www.life472.com/ to learn about her great products and services that will help protect you and your family in an unforeseen emergency. FYI this is an unsolicited endorsement of http://www.life472.com/.

Please call New Business Navigators at 604.308.2450 today for better results tomorrow!

Thank you.

Ken Flanders
New Business Navigators
ken@newbusinessnavigators.ca
604.308.2450

Equity vs Debt

2011-09-23T09:57:00.000-07:00

If you have not visited Khan Academy for a while please click here: http://www.khanacademy.org. There are many good business videos to watch and learn from. I recently watched Equity vs Debt and learned several important lessons: http://www.khanacademy.org/video/equity-vs--debt?playlist=Venture+Capital+and+Capital+Markets. Check it out!

If you want better sales tomorrow, please call us today at 604.308.2450.

Thank you.

Regards,

Ken Flanders
General Manager
New Business Navigators
604.308.2450
ken@newbusinessnavigators.ca

Improving Your BLOG Results

2011-09-01T14:31:00.000-07:00

Are you a challenged BLOG writer? Then take a minute and look at this new web site that maybe the right solution for you - http://www.testmymessage.com/home/. It was brought to my attention by MondayMorningMemo@MondayMorningMemo.com; both of these links are worth clicking on.

Regards,

Ken Flanders
General Manager
New Business Navigators
604.308.2450
ken@newbusinessnavigators.ca

Cross Border Trade Symposium - Making It Simple!

2011-05-31T17:27:00.000-07:00

The inaugural 'Building Bridges to Prosperity' Symposium will be held in Surrey B.C., Canada on Friday, June 10th, 2011.

Hosted by Pacific Customs Brokers, in cooperation with the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service and the U.S. Consulate General (Vancouver), the 'Building Bridges to Prosperity' Symposium will be the largest of its kind in B.C. in 2011 and presents a rare opportunity for Canadian and American businesses to dialogue and network with leading players and policymakers.

At this all day event, there will be a buffet breakfast featuring the Premier of British Columbia, Christy Clark, along with Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) providing an economic update of the Pacific Northwest; morning topical trade sessions; plated lunch featuring a keynote address by the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, David Jacobson; luncheon remarks by City of Surrey Mayor, Dianne Watts; afternoon topical trade sessions or border visit.

About Simple Truths

2011-04-08T17:40:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Start the day right with an uplifing message. Simple Truths does just that! Please take a minute and visit their web site. It is worth it. The following information is directly from the Simple Truths web site.

"About Simple Truths

There is one thing in life that took me a long time to learn, and that's... less is almost always more. This "simple truth" is the foundation on which our company was built. I wanted to create beautiful gift books that anyone can read in less than thirty minutes.

To make each book special, we focused on three things:

1.Great content
2.Great graphics
3.Great packaging to create a "wow effect"

We also chose not to offer our books in any bookstores or any retail outlets, to make it even more special as a gift.

Satisfied customers are our #1 priority, so I encourage you to give us feedback on how we're doing. If we ever disappoint you, I hope you'll let us know, and we will do everything we can to make it right.

We are honored to serve you!

Mac Anderson
Founder"

Click here for Simple Truths.

Thank you for visiting New Business Navigators.

Please call 604.308.2450 today for better sales results tomorrow!

Regards,

Ken Flanders
General Manager
New Business Navigators
ken@newbusinessnavigators.ca

Profit - A great site to check out!

2011-01-07T16:45:00.000-08:00

Richard Brinkert of Pacific Customs Brokers (http://www.pcb.ca/) was kind enough to send me an article from Profit. The article was on search engine optimization and was easy to read and understand, so I visited their web site. It has some very good tabs: start-up, sales and marketing, HR, leadership and opportunity and trends. I suggest you take a look at the site and hopefully you will find some interesting articles that will help you move your enterprise ahead in 2011.
Please call New Business Navigators today for better sales tomorrow!

Ken Flanders
General Manager
ken@newbusinessnavigators.ca
604.308.2450

It All Starts at the Top

2010-12-22T22:23:00.000-08:00

I have personally seen the negative effects of interdepartmental rivalry. The most common cause is when the goals, objectives and the reward systems for the departments are not aliened.

If two departments share a common resource necessary to win a reward, you can be assured someone is going to try and beat the system. After all they have been directed to focus on this resource to win their reward. Here is some advice from the Napoleon Hill Foundation that is useful in dealing with this situation. This following article is copied from http://www.naphill.org/.

Start of article...
COOPERATION MUST START AT THE HEAD OF A DEPARTMENT IF IT IS EXPECTED AT THE OTHER END. THE SAME IS TRUE FOR EFFICIENCY.

In most large organizations, the amount of time and energy that is squandered in interdepartmental rivalry is enormous. Managers who compete with others inside the company waste valuable resources that should be directed at fulfilling the company’s mission to serve its customers better. Worse, a negative, internal focus can cause the company to miss opportunities, the full effect of which may not be realized for months or even years. Whether you are the head of the department or the newest worker on the staff, you can help your company immeasurably by refusing to become embroiled in internal strife. Compete with yourself to do the best job you can do instead of competing with others.

This positive message is brought to you by the Napoleon Hill Foundation. Visit us at http://www.naphill.org./ We encourage you to forward this to friends and family. They can sign up for this free service at our web site.

...End of article.
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at New Business Navigators.

Ken Flanders
General Manager
NBN

Call NBN today for better results tomorrow!

Small Business BC Education Centre

2010-12-05T17:35:00.000-08:00

The Small Business BC Education Centre offers information packed seminars and workshops delivered by industry experts and designed to help you start and grow your small business.

Download their NEW 2011 Winter Catalogue for an upcoming look at seminars happening in January through to April 2011. For a quick overview click here Small Business BC.

Have a safe and happy holiday season with all the best in 2011!

Ken Flanders
General Manager
NBN

Idea to Venture – Analyze Your Business Idea

2010-11-09T19:59:00.000-08:00

Seminar Date: Monday, November 15, 2010 - 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Come to this seminar and analyze your business ideas, discover new markets and answer the what if’s to the success of your new venture. Identify the full scope of your idea and assess the financial viability of your business idea. Learn how to create a profile of your customer, list and describe the features of your product or service; define the main geographic area you intend to sell to during your first year. Consider the opportunities for your business including - capitalizing on a growth trend, cover market gaps or shortages, transfer a concept from one industry to another or serve unique client groups.

Delivered by Ken Flanders of New Business Navigators.

Questions to get you thinking:
What is your immediately addressable market?
Who will be your first customer?
How will you move from that first customer to the 10th and 100th?
What is the cost of acquiring a new customer?
What if your direct competitors find a way to undersell you?
What will you do to remain competitive?

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Register now at the following locations: Small Business BC - Vancouver

Small Business Strategies for USA Marketing and Trade Initiatives Seminar

2010-11-05T14:22:00.000-07:00

Thursday, November 25, 2010 - 9:00am - 12:00pm Buy Now: $35.00

The USA represents a huge market that is very receptive to Canadian ideas and products, whether manufactured in Canada or imported into the USA from lower-cost international countries. Unless your company has a One million budget, you will need to learn and employ practical, cost-effective methods and strategies. This introductory seminar will help you define your USA market, and introduce you to the basic essentials of marketing and logistics (packaging, shipping, warehousing and US Customs compliance). You need to know these basics before you commit to the design, manufacture or purchase of your product or service. Brought to you by Jim Pettinger of International Market Access and April Collier of Pacific Custom Brokers. This seminar allows time for the speakers to answer specific questions about your business ideas. This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

April Collier is a Senior Compliance Adviser with Pacific Customs Brokers USA. Her import background encompasses commodities from around the world, arriving into the United States via all modes of transportation. April is a broker licensed by U. S. Customs & Border Protection, and a Certified Customs Specialist with over 25 years of industry experience. April has conducted many seminars and workshops on importing, in addition to classes on Preparation for Customs Broker Licensing.

Jim Pettinger is president of International Market Access, Inc. He is a Canadian citizen who has owned a business in Washington State since 1984. His company provides office, warehouse, distribution and return/repair services for more than 130 Canadian companies that market and distribute to USA markets. Jim is a frequent speaker on the topic of Doing Business in the USA, and has participated in several export seminars conducted by the British Columbia and Canadian governments. He is currently a director of PACE - Pacific Corridor Enterprise Council, a private-sector cross-border trade association.

Register here: Small Business BC

International Market Access is a client of New Business Navigiators and this seminar is a good example of the type of marketing support NBN can provide.

For better results tomorrow, please call NBN today!

Ken Flanders
General Manager
New Business Navigators

2010-11-05T14:19:00.001-07:00

Canada's Workforce by the Numbers

2010-10-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

Some numbers to consider.

35% of self-employed individuals worked more than 50 hours a week in 2007.
5% of employees worked more than 50 hours a week in 2007.

41.6 hours per week worked was the average for self-employed individuals in 2007.
35.6 hours per week worked for employees in 2007.*

Makes you wonder about being self employed!

Call NBN today to reduce your work time tomorrow.

Ken Flanders
New Business Navigators (NBN)
604.308.2450

*Information from Statistics Canada.

Idea to Venture – Analyze Your Business Idea

2010-10-17T22:02:00.000-07:00

Seminar Date: Thursday, October 28, 2010 - 9:00am - 12:00pm

Buy Now: $39.00

Come to this seminar and analyze your business ideas, discover new markets and answer the what if’s to the success of your new venture. Identify the full scope of your idea and assess the financial viability of your business idea. Learn how to create a profile of your customer, list and describe the features of your product or service; define the main geographic area you intend to sell to during your first year. Consider the opportunities for your business including - capitalizing on a growth trend, cover market gaps or shortages, transfer a concept from one industry to another or serve unique client groups. Delivered by Ken Flanders of New Business Navigators (NBN).

Questions to get you thinking:
What is your immediately addressable market?
Who will be your first customer?
How will you move from that first customer to the 10th and 100th?
What is the cost of acquiring a new customer?
What if your direct competitors find a way to undersell you? What will you do to remain competitive?

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Call NBN today for better results tomorrow.

Cheers,

Ken Flanders
General Manager
New Business Navigators
604.308.2450

Venture Capital and How It Works

2010-10-08T12:57:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered how "venture capital" works? Please visit: http://www.khanacademy.org/video/raising-money-for-a-startup?playlist=Venture%20Capital%20and%20Capital%20Markets for the answer.

This link is from http://www.khanacademy.org/. This author puts content before form and I believe he proves his point. You will come back again and again for excellent content. You will not come back for pretty graphics.

For better leads and sales tomorrow, call New Business Navigators today!

Ken Flanders
General Manager
New Business Navigators
604.308.2450

Small Business BC Education Centre

2010-09-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Small Business BC (SBBC) is a great resource for business learning. SBBC offers seminars in starting, growing or exiting your business. In other words there is something for every stage of your business.

What? You can't make it to Vancouver for the seminar! NO problem, SBBC has video conference facilities around the province.

Read more here: www.smallbusinessbc.ca/seminars.

Remember - for better results tomorrow, call New Business Navigators today!

Ken Flanders
General Manager
New Business Navigators
604.308.2450

Idea to Venture by New Business Navigators

2010-09-08T22:08:00.000-07:00

Come to this seminar and analyze your business ideas, discover new markets and answer the what if’s to the success of your new venture. Identify the full scope of your idea and assess the financial viability of your business idea. Learn how to create a profile of your customer, list and describe the features of your product or service; define the main geographic area you intend to sell to during your first year. Consider the opportunities for your business including - capitalizing on a growth trend, cover market gaps or shortages, transfer a concept from one industry to another or serve a unique client groups.

This seminar is on September 13th at Small Business BC. You can attend the seminar in Vancouver or attend by video conferencing at one of the many locations around the province. Please see the link below for details.

To register: Idea to Venture by New Business Navigators

Remember – for better results tomorrow – call New Business Navigators today!

Ken Flanders
General Manager
New Business Navigators
604.308.2450

2010-09-03T23:00:00.000-07:00

Jim Pettinger of International Market Access sent me this link: http://www.khanacademy.org/. I spent a good deal of time on the site and recommend you look at the "Current Economics" section. If you're a CMA or an MBA you can skip it, however if you are not, this a quick, free and easy to understand on-line educational tool.

Call New Business Navigators today for better results tomorrow!

Ken Flanders
General Manager
New Business Navigators

Protection Against Identity Theft!

2010-08-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

Are specific groups being targeted for identity theft? Yes. Younger adults and small business owners statistically are among the greatest at risk. These groups of people frequently use public computers ...

Would you like to read more? Then please visit http://www.keepingidentitysafe.com/. The above was printed with the permission of George Greenwood of Canadian Identity Resources Inc.

George Greenwood

I can recommend George, his services and his products.

For better sales tomorrow, please call New Business Navigators today!

Ken Flanders

General Manager,

New Business Navigators

604.308.2450

Tee up for the first New Ventures BC Networking Golf Tournament!

2010-07-23T15:35:00.000-07:00

New Ventures BC is hosting their first Networking Golf Tournament on Tuesday, August 31st at Northlands Golf Course in North Vancouver. The Best Ball tournament gets underway at 11:30am and should be a casual and fun golf game for all levels. Golfers can choose their own foursome or let organizers match them up with a foursome to play and network with. There will be prizes for best & honest teams, longest drive, and closest to the pin.

Registration is $140 which includes your green fee, shared power cart, prizes, dinner & a drink. Space is limited to 48 players, so register early online to guarantee your spot. If you’re not a golfer, you can attend the dinner for only $30.

REGISTER TO GOLF

Hole Sponsorships

If you’re interested in sponsoring a hole, the rates are $50 for former NVBC participants and $100 for anyone else. Contact Angie at angie@newventuresbc.com (remember that any time you include an email address on a web page, nasty spammers can find it too. So please copy and paste. Thank you. Ken).

This is a very cost effective event to attend or sponsor, so please take some time to check it out!

Posted with permission from New Ventures BC. Thanks Angie.

For better results tomorrow, please call NBN today!

Ken
General Manager

Cross-border news and events in the Pacific Corridor

2010-07-16T11:43:00.000-07:00

"KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!"

These three timely seminars will provide practical ideas and guidelines to save you time and money during the busy fall and winter selling seasons.

1. Small Business Strategies for USA Marketing, Thursday, August 12, 2010 - noon - 2:30pm
2. Tradestart: An Introduction to International Trade, Monday, August 16, 2010 - 9:00am - noon
3. Practical Tools for Managing Cash Flow in a Global Environment, Monday, August 16, 2010 - 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Seminar Location:
Live at "The Station", 601 W. Cordova St., Vancouver, BC
Remote in various cities throughout BC

Presented by:
Small Business BC (www.smallbusinessbc.ca)
TradeStart (www.tradestart.ca)
International Market Access, Inc. (www.UCanTrade.com)
Pacific Customs Brokers Inc. (www.pcb.ca)

Links to Registration and More Information:
Small Business Strategies for USA Marketing
Tradestart: An Introduction to International Trade
Practical Tools for Managing Cash Flow

This Announcement is furnished by:
International Market Access, Inc.
1465 Slater Rd, PO Box 5007
Ferndale, WA 98248-5007
E-mail: TradeTips@UCanTrade.com
Tel: 360-380-6900, Fax: 360-380-1161
Website: www.UCanTrade.com

About International Market Access, Inc.
IMA exists to help Canadian companies market and distribute profitably in the United States. Our objective is to help you overcome the "border barrier" by providing a low-cost, fully equipped, fully staffed extension of your Canadian office in the nearby United States. From our 20,000 sq. ft. facility in Ferndale, Washington, IMA provides more than 100 Canadian exporters and importers with USA Marketing Support Services, including USA business identity, warehousing, distribution, order fulfillment, tradeshow support, return/repair, and Foreign-Trade Zone consulting services. Contact 360-380-6900 or 1-800-799-8848

International Market Access (IMA) is a client of New Business Navigators (NBN). This information was reproduced with the permission of IMA. Thank you IMA.

Please call NBN today for better results tomorrow!

Ken Flanders
GM
604.308.2450

Riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world

2010-06-24T22:36:00.000-07:00

I am always looking for fresh information and interesting people to learn from. A business associate Stan Tonoski (http://www.stantonoski.com/) referred me to http://www.ted.com/. Have a look, you might find it interesting too!

Here is a picture of Stan.

Please call NBN today for better results tomorrow - 604.308.2450

Ken Flanders
GM
NBN

Tony Robbins Invisible Forces

2010-06-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

Tony Robbins is an interesting person. This video was a great find to get more information on him and what he really is about.

The site ted.com provided this video. The site has many different topics and speakers for you to explore for personal and business interests. Take a few minutes and review the site. You are sure to find something that will make your day better and stimulate your thinking and business.

Call New Business Navigators today for better results tomorrow!

Ken Flanders
General Manager
604.308.2450

The Marketing Minute

2010-06-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

Marcia sent me this article - it is great advice - I recommend you try it!

The Marketing Minute

by Marcia Yudkin, Marketing Expert and Mentor

http://www.yudkin.com/markmin.htm

Short of seeing into the future, three steps provide good (though not perfect) indicators of which information products are and aren't worth your time to develop.

1. Do people really want to know the topic or do you wish they did? Consider the idea of a guide for casual hikers on how not to get lost in the woods. Unfortunately, those who most need this guidance usually don't have a clue they need it. Many, many ideas have this weakness.

2. Check the availability and popularity of books on the topic at Amazon.com. Just one book comes up in a "get lost in the woods" search, published in 1997 with a ranking showing that few people have ever purchased it. Likewise, the article directory EZineArticles.com shows how many people are reading up on your topic.

3. Are people willing to pay for this information? Search Google with a few keyword phrases and look in the right-hand column for advertisers. Finding none, as for the "lost in the woods" idea, means others are not successfully reaching out to your target market.

Thank you Marcia!

Please call NBN today for better results tomorrow.

Ken
GM
NBN
604.308.2450

International Networking Opportunity

2010-06-04T17:24:00.000-07:00

This announcement has been copied from the Surrey Board of Trade web site:

SBoT and Bellingham Chamber Networking: Monday, June 07 2010, 4:00pm - 7:30pm

Here’s your opportunity to network with the Mayor of Bellingham, Port of Bellingham and US businesses.

If you've ever thought of doing more business in the US, this event will give you the information that you need. You’re encouraged to join local and US leaders from across Whatcom county to help you.

Highlights include:

1. attend educational sessions on legal, accounting and facilities issues
2. meet key political and business leaders
3. get answers to all of your questions on how to do business in the USA

Date: June 7, 2010; from 4:00-7:30pm

Location: Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel in Surrey (15269-104 Avenue, Surrey)

Admission: There is no charge to attend this event, courtesy of the Port of Bellingham.

Please use the link below to register, or give Heather a call at 604.581.7130

Register Here

Location: Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel 15269 104 Ave. Surrey, BC Canada

Business Education Made Easy

2010-05-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

The 99 Percent is a site that is current and relevant. It addresses what happens after your inspiration! Please check it out. You will be glade you did.

Here is one idea to look up at The 99 Percent: Creativity X Organization = Impact

Call us at 604.308.2450 today for better results tomorrow.
Ken
GM
NBN

Money and Start Up Let's Read

2010-05-17T11:27:00.000-07:00

This is the start of an article from inc.com. Please read it!

"Greg Gianforte thinks he knows the single best way to launch a business. Here's his secret:

"Bootstrap it."

That's how Gianforte launched his first company, software maker Brightwork Development Inc., in 1986. Eight years later he and his partners sold the business to McAfee Associates for more than $10 million -- a move that enabled Gianforte to retire to Bozeman, Mont., at age 33. After realizing that he couldn't spend the rest of his life fly-fishing, Gianforte started his second major venture, RightNow Technologies Inc. In almost five years, RightNow has grown from a spare bedroom in Gianforte's home to 230 employees and $30 million in sales. So it's understandable that he might think that he's onto something good here."

Click here for the rest of the article: Gianforte continued

Call us at 604.308.2450 today for better sales tomorrow!

Ken
GM
NBN

Why do customers take their business elsewhere?

2010-05-07T01:00:00.000-07:00

If you are not a member of a Board of Trade or a Chamber of Commerce then you should consider it! Below is an article from the Surrey Board of Trade in association with Chamber eLearning. This is one example of how these organizations help keep you and your business on track.

"Why do customers take their business elsewhere?

1. Problems sour the relationship. Problems can quickly sour the relationship and block any opportunity to move customers into the loyal category.

2. Poor follow-up. The same salesperson who spends months or even years pursuing a new customer fails to ensure that orders are processed and fulfilled in a satisfactory manner. The same is true when customer service people don't follow-through.

3. Poor listening skills. The sales or customer service person doesn't listen to what the customer really wants or fails to find a way to satisfy ongoing needs. People who listen more than they talk tend to retain more customers. The most successful sales and customer service people listen 70 to 80% of the time to make an effort to learn the real needs of customers.

4. They take customers for granted. We often hear companies talking about "owning a customer" or having an account "wrapped up." They express shock when the customer turns to a competitor. Even though they may be doing a good job taking care of customer needs, that's not enough today. It's the ideas, the information, the help, the guidance and the insight sales and customer service people give customers that continue to earn you the privilege of doing business with them.

5. They assume they know everything about the customer. Customers and companies change. One of the key roles of a sales or customer service person is to gather information continually about customers. What's happening to them? What changes are taking place? What problems are they facing? What difficulties are they encountering in the marketplace? What are their opportunities? What internal changes are taking place? If you don't have current, up-to-the-minute answers to these questions, you're in no position to meet their needs. If we ponder the past too much, someone new may be coming through the door to take our place. "

If you take care of your customers, they will take care of you! Call NBN today for better sales tomorrow.

Thank you.

Ken Flanders, General Manager NBN

Sound Fundamentals

2010-04-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Just like in sports, good fundamentals are the base to build success on. This article from BDC outlines 7 basic fundamentals that are an excellent foundation to guide your new or existing business forward.

Please visit: http://www.bdc.ca/en/my_project/Projects/articles/keys_to_success.htm?cookie%5Ftest=1

If you would like to discuss any of these fundamentals or other business challenges you face, please call me at 604.308.2450 or email me at ken.flanders@newbusinessnavigators.com.

Thank you.

Ken Flanders, General Manager NBN

Doing Business in the USA - May 6, 2010

2010-04-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

Are you thinking about or currently conducting business in the USA? Then do not miss this important seminar from people with professional and practical experience in USA/Canada business. You will be able to ask questions and talk one on one with these international professionals. So please take advantage of this exceptional opportunity and visit Doing Business in the USA at International Market Access for full information.

If you take care of your customers, they will take care of you! Call NBN today for better sales tomorrow.

Thank you.

Ken Flanders, General Manager NBN

Know someone looking for investors?

2010-04-15T11:59:00.000-07:00

May 18 is the 27th Angel Forum

30 Companies seeking up to $1.5 million, are invited to present and exhibit to pre-screened 60+ private equity investors at the 27th Angel Forum on May 18 in Vancouver. Nearly 90 investors came to the last Angel Forum, despite the economic crisis. Already 15 companies have partly applied.

"The Angel Forum is about the best organized event I have attended (ranging from across Canada and the Pacific NW). And having the drumbeat going before and after is a real difference from most other events." Christopher Procyshyn, CEO Of VanRX Pharmasystems,

Post Presentation: To improve investor co-investment in your company, the Investors-Only discussion right after your presentation, involves investors in starting a term sheet / due diligence team specific to your company. You are linked (via deal management software) with investors who tell us of their interest in your company.

Don't Delay: Earlier applicants have a better chance of being selected as 2x as many companies usually apply than space available and selection closes when we reach maximum capacity. For presentation / exhibition details, review our Detailed Criteria and submit your Company Profile here

First 10 completed applications save $200 on final fee. Apply / Register here Company deadline is April 30

Sponsors: Business Development Bank - Venture Capital Fasken Martineau PricewaterhouseCoopers TSX - Venture Exchange

Questions? Use your reply button to reach Bob Chaworth-Musters, Angel Forum-Vancouver

Thanks Bob.

Ken
GM
NBN

7 Tips on How to Use Twitter for Your Business

2010-04-08T23:59:00.000-07:00

This article is reproduced with permission by Katy Laan of Seascape Web Design. She has great suggestions on how to get the most benefits from your tweet activities.

1. What is Twitter? Twitter.com is a website where you can send short messages to the public. You create an account and start sending 140 character messages. These messages are called tweets. People follow you and they can see your tweets on their home page, much like your wall on Facebook. And you follow them and you can see their tweets on your home page. See my tweets here: www.twitter.com/seascapeweb

2. Twitter is a conversation. You can reply to other people’s tweets and they reply to yours and that way you can have a 2 way conversation.

3. Twitter is a search engine. All the tweets are archived so you can search for information. Put your search terms in the search field here: http://search.twitter.com/ anyone can search twitter for information. You don’t need an account to do so.

4. Twitter is great source of information. Many Twitter users say: “When asked a question I used to say, ‘Let's ask Google,’ but now I say, ‘Let's ask Twitter’.

5. Twitter is a good referral network. The top result in the search engines is determined by how search engine friendly your website is. But on Twitter it's a referral from a network which has way higher value.

6. Use Twitter to bookmark your favourite blogs and websites. A friend of mine told me that she tweets any interesting blog posts and websites and then subscribes to her twitter feed through Outlook. It saves all her tweets on her desktop. That way she has a record of blogs she wants to read later.

7. Good Twitter tools:

www.tweetlater.com – you can schedule your tweets to sent out at certain times much like scheduling emails Ping.fm: If you have accounts with several services, including Facebook and LinkedIn, this amazing site allows you to post updates across all of your social media sites in one single step.

For more information on how Twitter can grow your business, contact Katy@seascapewebdesign.com.

Thanks for reading!

Kathryn Laan, Creative Director
Seascape Web Design
Phone: 604.729.4227
Email: katy@seascapewebdesign.com
Web: http://www.seascapewebdesign.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/seascapeweb

April 7 Seminar Moved to May 5

2010-04-05T12:08:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

The April 7th seminar Idea to Venture at Small Business BC has been moved to May 5th from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. This might be very helpful as the F5 - Expo runs on that day.

Thank you.

Ken Flanders
GM

Funding Opportunity for Technology Start-Ups

2010-03-26T12:45:00.000-07:00

This article is copied directly from New Ventures BC and could be an excellent opportunity if you are an inventor or entrepreneur that is involved in a technology based products or services. Have a look and decide for yourself if this is the right tool for you.

---------------------------------------------
“New Ventures BC Competition 2010

Invest $200 in your technology business idea and learn how to develop it into a profitable company.

New Ventures BC is one of North America’s largest technology business-idea competitions.

It’s like a boot camp for business start-ups.

• Learn from some of B.C’s best business experts at our business-education seminars

• Network with top professionals in business, law, finance, government and academia

• Improve your business and strategies during each round of competition

• Receive advice and insight from mentors In Round 3

• Present your condensed business plan to a panel of ‘angel’ investors, venture capitalists and industry experts in Round 4

Plus, competition winners will share $300,000 in prize packages.

New Ventures BC is open to any B.C. resident, team or business with an innovative technology product or service that has not yet secured significant financing from external investors (i.e. investors other than friends, family and company founders).

The $200 fee covers all of the New Ventures BC business-education seminars and networking events – plus entry in the competition.”

------------------------------------------------------------

Cheers,

Ken
GM
NBN

F5 EXPO April 7, 2010

2010-03-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

If you are not in a life long learning mode, you need to be. You should have an educational component in your business model. The world of business is changing faster and faster everyday. You need to stay current.

Here is an excellent educational event to consider. This event offers fresh and current information on mobile, online marketing and social media for your business. All of which are current business tools and need to be continually managed to get the highest ROI from them.

If you attend the Expo you may want to attened my Idea to Venture seminar at Small Business BC on the same day. You can take your Expo ideas and turn them into result through this seminar. See seminar listing for details.

Ken

February 24/10 Special eLearning Webinar - Do Not Miss It!

2010-02-22T19:17:00.000-08:00

This is part of an invitation received from the Surrey Board of Trade to what I believe is a great way to continue your business education without having to leave your office!

The Surrey Board of Trade, through its online webinar educational program, invites you to a free session on the topic of "8 Steps to a Better Business" on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 11:30am to 12:30pm.

The webinar session will cover:
The "8 Steps to a Better Business Model"
The "5 Ways Formula" to massively grow your business
Cost effective lead generation strategies
How to convert more leads to sales
Increasing sales from existing customers
Mining the untapped profit centers hiding in your business

Please call 604-581-7130 for details and registration instructions.

I apologize for the short notice, but I hope you can attend.

Ken

Ten Tips for New or Existing Businesses

2010-02-15T19:11:00.000-08:00

Do you want some very helpful tips and advice for your new or existing business? Then visit this link http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-article-a-41095-m-1-sc-12-ten_tips_for_new_small_businesses-i at http://www.smallbusiness.yahoo.com/: Yes, this is an American article but it can still be applied to Canada. IRS equals Revenue Canada and so forth… and like the article says; pay your taxes on time!

If you would like to talk about any of the items in the article, please contact me at ken.flanders@newbusinessnavigators.com or call me at 604.308.2450.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you.

Ken

Regional BC Small Business Startup Program - eBusiness Startup Tips

2010-02-09T08:54:00.000-08:00

Date: Friday, February 19, 2010 - 13:00 - 15:00 PST

Price: $20.00

Small Business BC supports the start-up and growth of small businesses throughout British Columbia. As part of our Regional BC Small Business Startup Program we invite our video conference partners around BC to invite their clients to this 2 hour training session to learn about websites, web development, web marketing and how to analyze your website. Presented by eBusiness Connections (a division of Small Business BC) and industry experts you will learn the basics of getting started as well as a strategy to position your business in an online environment. Learn what web developers know about the web and its ROI for your business.

Register here: http://www.smallbusinessbc.ca/seminars/2010-02-19/regional-bc-small-business-startup-program-ebusiness-startup-tips

Another great program by Small Business BC!

Ken

Getting Your Business Online For the Complete Beginner

2010-02-03T12:01:00.000-08:00

This seminar is hosted at Small Business BC in Vancouver and delivered to other locations via live video conference.

Date: Monday, February 8, 2010 - 10:00 - 12:00 PST

Cost: $25.00

"This is a workshop designed for the complete beginner. Learn the basic costs and steps necessary to register your domain, find a hosting company and have your website developed. This seminar will review the different types of websites and options on finding a web designer/developer."

Click here to register: http://www.smallbusinessbc.ca/seminars/2010-02-08/getting-your-business-online

Education without application is just entertainment.

Cheers

Ken

TD Small Business Banking - Webinar Workshop

2010-01-21T18:11:00.000-08:00

Hi Entrepreneurs,

Please have a look at this opportunity. The most common error I encounter with entrepreneurs is the lack of a written business plan. People do not plan to fail - they fail to plan. Take some time for the healthly development of your business and attend this webinar. It might be the best thing you do for you and your business this year. The following is mostly copied from the TD website.

Do you have a plan that will really help your business thrive? Join our FREE Webinar Workshop on

Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 12 pm (ET).
Register here: http://events.insinc.com/tdbank/20100112/index.php?referral=0009

Both new and established businesses need help in a tough marketplace. The key is to have a plan that’s clear and actionable.

We’ll show you how to create a plan that:
•Defines your business and its objectives
•Identifies the steps you need to take to meet objectives
•Sets benchmarks and tracks your progress
•Helps you avoid making common mistakes

For more information, contact your TD Small Business Advisor (http://www.tdcanadatrust.com/smallbusiness/advisor/index.jspor) or a Relationship Manager.

Vistaprint - Quick, Fast and Cost Effective

2010-01-11T15:20:00.000-08:00

Vistaprint’s products and services are quick, easy to use and very cost effective. Invest some time today to review them. It is worth it!

The following is copied directly from Vistaprint’s website.

About Vistaprint

Vistaprint Limited (Nasdaq: VPRT) has provided more than 19 million small businesses and consumers the easiest way to make an impression at the best price. With a transformational business model supported by patented technologies, Vistaprint offers products ranging from business cards, brochures and websites to invitations, thank you notes and calendars. A global company, Vistaprint employs more than 1,600 people, operates 19 localized Websites and ships to more than 120 countries around the world. Vistaprint’s broad range of products and services are easy to access online, 24 hours a day, at http://www.vistaprint.ca/, and are satisfaction guaranteed.

Please contact me today to discuss your 2010 marketing plans.

Thank you.

Ken

Some Helpful Sites Worth A Visit

2009-11-30T16:30:00.000-08:00

Have a look at these sites. Perhaps you will find a new tool that will help you with your business development.

This is a great site for setting up a quick and easy Blog: https://www.blogger.com/start?hl=en
What some sales training, try here: http://www.footinthedoor.com/default.html
Need some ideas or help with your technology, try here: http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/startup-toolkit/Some
Practical technical information, try here: http://www.dottotech.com/
BDC has a list of practical tools: http://www.bdc.ca/en/business_tools/default.htm
Business Plan Templates and Samples: try here: http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/guide/2089/
Need a sample business letter, try here: http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/guide/2089/
Looking for shipping solutions, try here: http://canadapost.ca/business/intsol/sb/ventureone/default-e.asp
Need some manuals, flyers, business cards, posters, form, try here: http://www.staplescopyandprint.ca/
This site is good for daily motivation and getting your thinking right: http://www.naphill.org/
This is a must have (and yes it is TOTALLY FREE): http://www.google.com/goog411/
Here is the sales stuff – get the newsletter - http://www.gitomer.com/

If you do not find what you are looking for here or you need some assitance, contact me.

Ken Flanders
NBN

Educational Opportunity

2009-11-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

As business owners we need to stay current on many topics. Thus I appreciate short and concise articles that provide valuable information. Seascape Web Design does this job with their monthly newsletter.

Kathryn Laan, Creative Director at Seascape Web Design provides a monthly newsletter I recommend. It is quick and easy to read and provides current and timely information on technology subjects. Please visit her web site and sign up today!

Kathryn Laan, Creative Director
Visit SeascapeWebDesign.com Today!
604.729.4227
katy@seascapewebdesign.com
www.twitter.com/seascapeweb

Please contact me today to discuss your current business model and how NBN can help you grow your business today for a better tomorrow!

I look forward to speaking with you!

Ken

Doing Business in the USA Seminars and Professional Briefings

2009-10-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

These focused seminars and professional briefings are for entrepreneurs that are entering or expanding their business in the USA.

Learn how to sell and deliver products and services to the lucrative USA market of over 300M buyers. The USA is very receptive to Canadians and the goods and service we provide.

Please visit: http://ucantrade.com/seminar/doingbusinessseminar.php for complete details.

New Business Navigators has participated in these seminars for over two years. Each time the attendees have been impressed with the amount of information and assistance these professional provide.

It would take thousands of dollars and weeks of your time to gather this information. Take advantage of this event to meet and discuss your business directly with these professional.

Doing Business in the USA is a client of New Business Navigators.

Ken Flanders

Friendly Cooperation

2009-10-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

NO ONE CAN SUCCEED AND REMAIN SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT THE FRIENDLY COOPERATION OF OTHERS.

In today’s interdependent society, it is virtually impossible in any business, profession, or occupation for an individual to achieve great heights of success without the help of others. The best way to get friendly cooperation is to give it. When you make it a practice to encourage others and to help them advance in their careers whenever possible, most will reciprocate when you need their help. Give generously, and you will benefit in kind.

This positive message is brought to you by the Napoleon Hill Foundation. Visit us at http://www.naphill.org. We encourage you to forward this to friends and family. They can sign up for this free service at our web site.

How to Survive a Computer Meltdown

2009-09-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

Katy sent me this advice. Please take a few minutes to read it. It might save you a lot of time and trouble in the future. Thank you for letting me post this Katy!

Ken

When your computer dies, are you able to continue doing your business? We don’t like to think about it. But sometimes those little machines that we rely on every day to business, sometimes they do break down. Recently my video card died the day before a site was due to be launched and my computer would not start. Thankfully, I had complete website backups on my laptop and on my development server.

7 tips to keep your business going while your main computer is down:

1. Use Google Apps for your email service. You can set up your website email to work through Google Apps and use the powerful Gmail for your email service. It has excellent spam filtering which I appreciate so much. It also has a huge amount of storage space (25GB) for all your emails. It archives all your emails and has an excellent search tool. Can’t find an email message? Just type in the person’s name and all your correspondence with that person will show up. More info on using Google Apps for your email.

2. Be sure to keep current backups of your email folders and files including your address book. These backup folders are hard to find. Here are some links to instructions on how to backup your email address book and files. How to backup Outlook and Outlook Express.

3. Purchase an external hard drive to keep backups of all your work files and documents. I purchased the WD Book by Western Digital. It looks like a book and sits on my bookshelf. When I need to backup up my files, I plug it into a USB port and copy all the files over.

4. GoodSync is a great software tool that helps with making your backups and keeping them in sync. Read a review of GoodSync Or visit their website: http://www.goodsync.com.

5. Keep a current backup of your work files on your laptop. That way if your desktop computer is in the shop or you are on the road, you can continue doing your business. When I bought my laptop, it was primarily to be more mobile, but I didn’t realize how valuable it was to have a backup computer so I could keep working while my desktop computer was in the shop getting fixed.

6. Keep offsite backups. I used to backup important files to DVDs, but now you can get large portable drives called USB Flash drives to make mobile backups of your data. Open a safety deposit box and keep a backup of important files on a flash drive and store in your safety deposit box. You can compress your data using Winzip and save on a flash drive.

7. Have a backup person who knows your business well enough to answer basic questions while you are not available. If you are called away due to a family crisis and not able to answer your email, it helps to have a reliable backup person. This is highly recommended for solo entrepreneurs.

Kathryn Laan, Creative Director
Drupal Web Specialists
604.729.4227
katy@seascapewebdesign.com
www.twitter.com/seascapeweb

Ten Years From Now

2009-08-05T17:56:00.000-07:00

WHERE WILL YOU BE TEN YEARS FROM NOW IF YOU KEEP ON GOING THE WAY YOU ARE GOING?

Many people fail to realize that big success is the result of little successes achieved, often over a very long period of time. Truly successful people are long-term thinkers. They know that they must build upon each achievement and constantly learn new and better ways of doing things. A regular review of your progress is an essential part of goal-setting. A goal is little more than a wish unless it has a timetable for completion. Make sure your plan for your life includes short-, medium-, and long-term goals. Revise your goals as circumstances dictate, check them off when they are completed, and set new and bigger goals for yourself as you grow. And take time to reflect often to make sure you are on the right course-for you.

This positive message is brought to you by the Napoleon Hill Foundation. Visit us at http://www.naphill.org. We encourage you to forward this to friends and family. They can sign up for this free service at our web site.

Thank you Napolean Hill Foundation. This is a great service to sign up for. It helps keeps you on the right mental track day to day. Small things do make the difference!

Ken Flanders

The Voluntary Establishment of a Habit

2009-06-05T12:09:00.000-07:00

by Napoleon Hill

There are only three principles underlying the voluntary establishment of a habit. They are very important, so remember them well:

a. Plasticity, which is simply the property or capability of changing or being changed. It also implies that once a change has been made, the new form established remains until a subsequent change modifies it. In other words, plasticity is the sort of flexibility found in a piece of modeling clay used by children in school. It may be molded into any desired shape and it will remain in that shape until it is molded into a different shape. Man, of all living creatures, is the only one who possesses this characteristic of being plastic, of being capable of change, and his plasticity lies, of course, in his mental faculties. Man may be changed by external influences or his environment; or he may voluntarily change himself, by exercise of his will power. This prerogative obviously is a basic necessity for the formation of voluntary habits.

b. Frequency of impression. As we have seen, repetition is the mother of memory. It is also the mother of habits. One of the factors affecting the speed with which a habit can be established is how often the action or thought involved is repeated. This, of course, varies with the individual, the circumstances, and the element of time. A thought can be repeated only so many times a day, for instance, and if a man is at work, circumstances may prevent his thinking of the particular habit he wishes to establish. There is also the matter of personal initiative. A man may be lazy and indifferent, or he may be ambitious and energetic. This will affect the number of times he will repeat the action or thought. This, in turn, affects the length of time it will take him to establish the habit.

c. Intensity of Impression. Here is another variable in the process of establishing a habit pattern. All through these principles you have been told of the importance of a strong, compelling motive, and a burning desire, as essentials. Here is the reason. If an idea is impressed upon the mind, backed with all the emotion you are capable of, it will become an obsessional desire. Thus it will have a greater impact than if you simply express an idle wish, even though the words you employ are identical. The degree of intensity of impression is, therefore, another factor which affects the speed with which a habit may be developed and set.

Source: PMA Science of Success Course. Pgs. 505 & 506.

Napoleon Hill Yesterday and Today is a weekly email distributed for The Napoleon Hill Foundation by TrainOne.com and Buy Gitomer, Inc.
310 Arlington Ave. Loft 329 Charlotte, NC 28203 704/333-1112

Small Biz Education Centre Seminars

2009-05-18T16:46:00.000-07:00

Whether you're at the thinking, launching or growing stage of your business, you'll benefit from the complete range of information-packed business seminars facilitated at the Small Business BC downtown training facility. That's because they have formed strategic partnerships with several organizations to connect you with some of the leading industry and government experts.

http://www.smallbizeducation.ca/seminars.php

The seminars are very cost effective and often provide a blue print and check list for you to work from. These two key elements will save you time and money.

Check the site often as new programs are constantly being added.

People do not plan to fail, they fail to plan.

Ken

Small-Business Check-up

2009-05-11T09:17:00.000-07:00

Small Business BC offers many great services. One of the best is the Small-Business Check-up! The following information is from Small Business BC: www.smallbusinessbc.ca

WHAT IS THE SMALL-BUSINESS CHECK-UP?

The Small Business Check-up is an on-line tool developed to encourage and facilitate the further development of leadership and management skills among small businesses in British Columbia.

Within the program, users are encouraged to first answer a series of questions about their business, background, objectives, skills, strengths and weaknesses, and management practices. The tool then enables users to compare their responses to those of other businesses. It also provides a framework for reviewing the operations of the business and identifying opportunities for improvement. Once the user has identified several priorities for improvement, the Small Business Check-up assists the user prepare strategies and an action plan for acting on those opportunities.

The product is available without charge and is sponsored by the Leadership and Management Development Council of BC, the Canada / British Columbia Business Services Society, and Western Economic Diversification Canada. The Small Business Check-up is designed to be only a guide to aid in the review of skills, management practices and business performance and should be used in conjunction with other resources. It is not intended to replace legal, accounting or other professional services or advice.

The Small Business Check-up was designed to work with Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher browsers.

You can find the Small-Business Check-Up at: http://smallbusinesscheckup.com/home.html

Please note again this is "only a guide" and "should be used in conjunction with other resources". Often we are so busy working in the business, we do not work on the business. This is where I can help you save time and money. Please call me at 604.308.2450 today for better results tomorrow.

Ken Flanders

Top 7 ways to Make Contact with Your Prospects

2009-04-27T14:40:00.000-07:00

Experts say that prospects need to have contact with you 7 times before they will feel comfortable buying from you. Here are 7 ways to nurture a budding business relationship.

1. Business cards often form a person's first impression. When you attend networking events and meet tons of people, your business card is something tangible your prospects can take home with them and refer to and remember you. Be sure to have your business card professionally designed with your branding and contact information including phone number, email address and website address.

2. Your website provides a professional image for your business. After hearing about you from a friend, the first thing they will do is go to your website to learn more about you and your services. Be sure your website is attractively designed by a professional and has a clear call to action. Having your website optimized for popular search terms is an excellent way to increase traffic to your website.

3. Email newsletters are a great way to educate your prospects with important tips and facts about your industry. They are much more than the latest news or photos of your kids. Use email newsletters to communicate your message and announce specials and promotions. Find out how to make sure your email newsletter is being read properly by your recipients.

4. Write in your blog regularly. It’s best to have a blog right on your website. That way you own your content. If you have a blog on blogger.com which is owned by Google, it can be difficult to transfer all your blog posts to your own blog on your website. This requires custom programming. Also it is possible to lose your blog content. A colleague had been blogging for some time on wordpress.com and his account was shut down for no reason and he lost all of his content. Here at Seascape we are in the process of setting up our own blog to match our website.

5. Social Media is becoming mainstream and an important way to do business. We’ve already talked about blogging. Seascape Web Design recently started using Twitter. If you're new to Twitter, you can find us by going here: www.twitter.com/seascapeweb To follow us on Twitter, add @seascapeweb. We give important tips on Internet marketing and specials and promotions. Having a page on Facebook is a great way to keep in touch with work friends and make new contacts in your industry. Just keep those randy fun photos you took at the last party with your friends off your public Facebook account.

6. Networking groups are a great way to meet new people. Ask them about their business and how you can help them. When you receive a business card from someone, they are giving you permission to contact them. Add these contacts to your Contact database and send them your monthly newsletter filled with resources and information that your prospects will find helpful. Be sure to include your mailing address and an unsubscribe link to follow the Canadian anti-spam rules. Posting a copy of your newsletter on your website and having a link giving the reader the option of viewing your newsletter online is great. Many email tools do not display your newsletter the way you would like.

7. Send new prospects emails with questions and information that they have requested. Follow up with phone calls and request to meet for coffee to learn more about their business. This way you can provide a free consultation.

More Internet Marketing Strategies at seascapewebdesign/blog

Subscribe to our monthly Internet Marketing Tips newsletter

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Kathryn Laan
Creative Director
Seascape Web Design
katy@seascapewebdesign.com
http://www.seascapewebdesign.com/

Thanks for the great information Kathryn!

Ken

Looking for Investors?

2009-04-03T20:01:00.000-07:00

Call for Company Applications to present and exhibit to pre-screened private equity investors (20+ already pre-registered) at the 25th Angel Forum on May 26 in Vancouver. 70 investors registered for November's Angel Forum and two companies were funded to-date.

Survey: Over 80 Investors responded to our March 2009 survey: Outlook for Private Investing in 2009
- 78% said they would invest in the right new company in next 3 months and 30% would invest more than $150k
- 45% said Q2 of 2009 is the best time to invest and only 19% said they would only invest after Q1 of 2010
- 55% prefer companies with some sales < $1 million and 38% would consider pre-revenue companies
- Valuation of Pre-Revenue companies must be less than $1 million and < 3x trailing revenue for revenue companies.

"After presenting at a few events like this, I must say that yours is by far the best. Getting people in a room together is the easy part, putting together the follow-up process like you have is what sets it apart and really provides the value for both the entrepreneur and the angel investor". Sarath Samarasekera, CEO, Shopster E-Commerce Inc.

Post Presentation: To improve investor co-investment in your company, deal management and investor collaboration software is used. Our Investors-Only discussion after each presentation, focuses investors on each company and joining a company specific due diligence team. After the Forum, we link up the investors interested in your company with you. Tell your colleagues

Don't Delay: The earlier your registration, the lower the cost. Selection closes when we reach maximum capacity. Last time, over 60 companies applied for the 30 time slots and earlier applicants had a better chance. For presentation / exhibition details, review our Home, Selection Criteria and For Companies web pages. Submit Company Profile here and Apply / Register here Final deadline is May 9.

Sponsors: Business Development Bank - Venture Capital PricewaterhouseCoopers TSX - Venture Exchange Fasken Martineau, Industry Canada-ICT branch Province of BC - Investment Capital.

Questions? email Bob Chaworth-Musters

If you are serious about rasising money for your business, then this the place to start. Thanks for the great resource Bob.

Ken

Directory Assistance - Free and Easy

2009-04-01T20:43:00.000-07:00

Leave it up to Google to come up with something like this!!! .........

Here's a number worth putting in your cell phone and your home phone speed dial:

1-800-goog411. (a.k.a. 1-800-466-4411)

This is an awesome service from Google, and it's free -- great when you are on the road.
Don't waste your money on information calls and don't waste your time manually dialing the number.

I am driving along in my car and I need to call the golf course but I don't know the number. (Read my example below and watch the short video before you try this.)
I hit the speed dial that I have programmed in (800-goog411), for information.
The voice at the other end says, "City & Province."
I say, " Langley, British Columbia "
He says, "Business, Name or Type of Service."
I say, "NitroLube."
He says, "Connecting" or Details or Back.
Details gives you address and phone number!

How great is that? This is nationwide and Google provides the service absolutely free!

No "Information" charge, and no long distance charge.

Click on the link below and watch the short clip for a quick demonstration.

http://www.google.com/goog411/

This information was supplied by Jason at NitroLube. www.nitrolube.com

Thanks Jason! You're one of the best!

Ken

Creative Vision Made Easy

2009-03-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

"THE MAN WHO DIPPED A CHUNK OF ICE CREAM IN CHOCOLATE AND CALLED IT ESKIMO PIE MADE A FORTUNE FOR THE FIVE SECONDS OF IMAGINATION IT TOOK TO CREATE THE IDEA.

We are just beginning to understand the mysterious ways in which the mind works, but successful people have long known how to use the power of creative vision to their advantage. Many "new" ideas are really nothing more than a new combination of two well-known products or ideas. Nevertheless, great fortunes have been built upon such combinations when they are supported by a clever name and marketing campaign.

There is a definite process that you can use to tap into your imagination. In his book A Technique for Producing Ideas, James Webb Young identified five steps: 1. Gather the appropriate information. 2. Work the information over in your mind. 3. Incubate the idea in your subconscious. 4. Recognize the "Eureka!" stage when the idea is born. 5. Shape and develop the idea for practical application. The technique works. Give it a try the next time you’re searching for a creative solution to an old problem.

This positive message is brought to you by the Napoleon Hill Foundation. Visit us at http://www.naphill.org. We encourage you to forward this to friends and family. They can sign up for this free service at our web site."

Exit Strategies for Entrepreneurs and Investors

2009-01-28T09:53:00.000-08:00

This is a unique first-time workshop - March 9/09 - downtown Vancouver.

Companies need an exit strategy first, which in combination with their capital requirements, drives their financing strategy. Ask yourself:

- What is my exit strategy and why do I need one before I look for investors?
- What type of investor best matches my exit strategy and capital requirements?
- What are the four major steps I should be doing now to plan for a successful exit?
- What about the timeline, valuation and legal process? - case study: Parasun exit.

If you think this Exit Strategies workshop would be valuable to someone you know, please forward this email.

This all day March 9 workshop will be presented by Basil Peters, Axel Christiansen, Thomas Hellman, Steven MacDonald, Steven Lukas, Bob Chaworth-Musters and other experts to be announced. It will be a blend of presentations and war stories with local experts, with lots of time for Q&A and networking

Mention New Business Navigators and receive a 10% discount on the $270.00 workshop fee.

Please contact bob@ANGELforum.org with you questions.

Exclusively sponsored by: Vancity Capital, Fasken Martineau lawyers, a major accounting firm and a boutique investment banking firm.

Thank you.

Ken

3 Proven Strategies for Following Up

2009-01-22T14:01:00.000-08:00

If you've been in business very long, you've probably heard the powerful, marketing formula:

The Right Message... To The Right Market... At The Right Time!

Most businesses miss one, two or all three of these factors, and end up with very ineffective marketing and advertising. As a result, these businesses end up losing millions in missed sales every year.

To make the most of YOUR marketing dollars, here are 3 easy strategies for improving your marketing efforts and closing more sales:

Follow up consistently with all of your prospects and customers. It's impossible to predict when a prospect is ready to buy or when a customer will buy from you again. Random marketing messages will be hit or miss. Consistent follow up is the only way to guarantee you're standing in front of your contact the moment they're ready to make a purchase.

Test simple, inexpensive direct response marketing methods. Offer FREE reports, samples, coupons, or other response devices filled with emotionally compelling copy to find the messages that match the interests of YOUR target markets.

Use multi-step, multi-media (direct mail/phone/fax/email/voice broadcasting) follow-up to maximize sales. You can no longer rely on a single form of media to reach your prospects. They're busy and may ignore one (or more) forms of communication. The more varied your approach, the more likely you are to stay in front of your contacts.

When you follow up consistently, offer valuable content, and use multi-media in your market, you will find yourself closing more sales and doubling (or more) your sales.

This article is from the Guerra Marketing weekly newsletter.

For the official Guerrilla Marketing website -- go to: http://www.gmarketing.com/.

Here is the free weekly newsletter sign up site: http://www.gmarketing.com/register.phtml. I recommend you sign up. It is a great source of marketing ideas and information.

Ken

Get Investor Ready - An Angel Capital Overview Workshop

2009-01-19T09:23:00.000-08:00

I strongly recommend this seminar for the financial health of your business.
Ken Flanders, General Manager NBN.

Get Investor Ready - An Angel Capital Overview Workshop
Improve your success rate of obtaining angel investment or investing in private companies.

Workshop covers Valuation, Due Diligence, Terms Sheets and Post Investment relationships - comprises of expert presentations, panel discussions and small group case studies - 30+ people have already registered.

Hear local experts: Paul Geyer - Vancouver investor, Theresa Carbonneau - Vancouver serial entrepreneur, Nadeem Kassam - Vancouver investor, Brenda Irwin - BDC Venture Capital and Steve Lukas - Fasken Martineau lawyers. Workshop Leader is Bill Payne - an active private investor, board member and advisor to entrepreneurs. He is an involved member of San Diego's Tech Coast Angels, Vegas Valley Angels and Aztec Venture Network - founded or invested in 41 start-up companies. "Bill has a particular knack of delivering his great knowledge of angel capital, worth the price of admission."

Only ten seats left - $290+gst for this Angel Capital workshop on Jan 26 in downtown Vancouver.

Why attend? If you are planning to raise private equity in the next 6 to 12 months, ask yourself:
1 With public equity markets down 35+ %, how do I correctly value a private company?
2 Do I have a good overview of the language and ramifications of a term sheet?
3 Am I familiar with the due diligence process?
4 What post investment activities (Board of Directors, Mentoring, Communication) are required?

This workshop is almost mandatory for pre-revenue companies wanting to present at the next Angel Forum in May

Who should attend: Investors with senior experience and considering investing in early stage companies, Entrepreneurs wanting to learn about the angel capital process to raise money for their company and Advisors who work with entrepreneurs.

Content designed for investors by the US Angel Capital Assoc, are ranked 4.5 or better out of 5.0. 100+ people attended the first two workshops in this region. No comparable content offered in Canada. "Great info, must have to complete a deal."

Bring a friend - 10% less for 2nd person on same registration. For info and registration, click on Workshop page at http://www.angelforum.org. Questions? email Bob Chaworth-Musters at Bob@ANGELforum.org
Supported by TSX Venture Exchange and Province of BC

If you know an investor or entrepreneur who would benefit from this Angel Capital workshop, please forward this email to them.

Got Resolutions?

2009-01-03T15:18:00.000-08:00

What’s your resolve to make them a reality?

It’s another year.

Where did the last one go? Or should I say, where did the last one GROW? Did you accomplish all you wanted? Make your numbers? Achieve your goals? Bank your money?

Did you achieve your goals?

Did you lose the weight?

Stop smoking?

Spend more time with the family?

Read that book?

Well it’s now a NEW YEAR. First order of business for this year? Throw away your “resolutions.” They never pan out anyway. Get rid of them now.

Resolutions are nothing more than radio talk show fodder. Sounds something like this: “What’s your resolution this year, Mary?” “I’m gonna take off the five pounds I put on over the holidays.” “How about you, Bill? What’s your new year’s resolution?” “I’m going to get a better hair piece.” Barf.

New Year’s resolutions are a way of telling yourself that there’s something you want to achieve. But they rarely become reality. It’s likely that Mary will keep the weight on, and Bill’s toupee will still be noticeable from 500 feet.

A better way to look at resolutions is to determine why you’re making them in the first place, and create personal resolve to change the root cause.

Here are two hard questions you need to ask yourself as you make this year’s obligatory resolutions:

1. Why are you making this resolution?

2. What are you willing to do differently that will make this resolution a reality?

For example, if your resolution is “lose weight” or “lose 20 pounds” (which it probably is), maybe you should look to the root cause:

• I eat the wrong foods

• I eat on the run

• I eat too much fast food

• I eat late at night

• My diet has too much soda or chips

• I eat too much food at one sitting

• I eat all day long

• I never exercise

…and create specific personal resolves from there.

Here are a few specific resolves:

• I will cut out all donuts.

• I will not drink soda for six months.

• I will only eat fast food on Wednesday.

• I will go to the gym Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

I hate to rain on your New Year’s Day parade, but you have an opportunity to achieve what you have resolved, if you will just be real with yourself, and make the resolve statements in the form of SPECIFIC personal actions and SPECIFIC personal achievements.

The more specific you can make them, the more likely you are to make them happen.

Tell yourself EXACTLY what you intend to do.

Tell yourself EXACTLY what you will do, or are willing to do.

And you’ll have a 99% better chance of achieving.

You’ve heard the old saying, “Where there’s a will there’s a way.”

What it means is: first you better have the will.

Will is the root word of willing. And willing is the trigger for achievement. If you are not willing to do, and you do not intend to do, then resolution, resolve, or goal ain’t about to become a reality – or better stated, it will be your resolution AGAIN next year.

And so the key questions behind your potential to achieve anything you want to achieve this year are: What are you willing to do? What are you willing to change? What are you willing to better? What are you willing to sacrifice? Are you willing to work harder? Are you willing to get up earlier in order to give yourself more achievement time? And what is it worth to you once it’s done?

REALITY: Your willingness creates your will.

YOUR REALITY: Resolve to be more willing.

Happy New Year.

I have some goal achievement ideas you can use to win this year and every year. Go to www.gitomer.com, register if you’re a first-time visitor, and enter the words ACHIEVE GOALS in the GitBit box.

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Little Red Book of Selling and eight other business books on sales, customer loyalty, and personal development. President of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts Internet training programs on sales, customer loyalty, and personal development at www.trainone.com. Jeffrey conducts more than 100 personalized, customized seminars and keynotes a year. To find out more, visit www.gitomer.com. Jeffrey can be reached at 704.333.1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com

©2008 All Rights Reserved - Don't even think about reproducing this document without
written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer, Inc • 704/333-1112

Written permission given - Ken

Master Mind Alliances

2008-11-13T11:06:00.000-08:00

"A Master Mind alliance involves two or more people working together in perfect harmony toward the attainment of a common purpose. Such a partnership creates a superpower that enables each of its members to do far more than either would have been able to achieve separately. Choose your Master Mind partners carefully. Align yourself with people whose strengths complement yours. If you are a right brain person, for example, a logically-driven left brain person may be a perfect counterbalance to your creative bent. Above all, choose to associate only with people who share your positive values and your commitment to similar levels of achievement."

This positive message is from the Napoleon Hill Foundation.

Visit them at http://www.naphill.org.

Thought of the Day

2008-10-03T10:16:00.000-07:00

This is a wonderful service that provides a positive thought everyday. It is an excellent way to get your mind ready for the challenges of the day.

VICTORY IS ALWAYS POSSIBLE FOR THE PERSON WHO REFUSES TO STOP FIGHTING.

Julius Caesar had long wished to capture the British. He sailed to the British Isles, quietly unloaded his troops and supplies, and gave the order to burn the ships. He then called all of his men together and said, "Now it is win or perish. We have no choice." With that single order, he guaranteed the success of his campaign. He knew that people who have no other alternative-or will accept no other-always win. If you find yourself in a situation where victory seems impossible, you may benefit your cause by developing an alternate course of action. If your objective won’t yield to a full frontal assault, try an oblique approach. There are very few problems in life that are impossible to solve, and few obstacles that will not eventually give way to a determined, motivated person with a plan that is flexible enough to cope with changing condition.

This positive message is brought to you by the Napoleon Hill Foundation. Visit them at http://www.naphill.org. I encourage you to forward this to friends and family. They can sign up for this free service at the web site as well.

Ken

Are you looking for serious investors?

2008-08-23T16:32:00.000-07:00

Bob Charworth-Musters and his Angle Form is one the best sources to find serious investors for your company. Please review the following message from Bob and contact him directly if you have questions.

First Call for Company Applications to present and exhibit to 70+ pre-screened private equity investors (20+ already pre-registered) at the 24th Angel Forum on Nov 17th in Vancouver. Nearly 100 investors registered at the last Angel Forum. Two companies are already funded.

"After presenting at a few events like this, I must say that yours is by far the best. Getting people in a room together is the easy part, putting together the follow-up process like you have is what sets it apart and really provides the value for both the entrepreneur and the Angel Investor". Sarath Samarasekera, CEO, Shopster E-Commerce Inc.

August 31st - the lowest cost application deadline (save up to $150) for companies to present. Investor preferences (detailed criteria) are for both tech and non-tech companies at the "starting sales" stage or "established sales" stage with good investor demand for "in-development" stage. Tell your colleagues.

Are you Investor Ready? see Equity Term Sheets and Company Valuation workshop details here

Post Presentation: To improve investor co-investment in a company, we use co-investment software to automate deal management and investor collaboration. Our Investors-Only discussion after each presentation, focuses investors on each company and joining a company specific due diligence team. After the Forum, we link up interested investors with each other and the company.

Don't Delay: Selection has started and registration closes when we reach maximum capacity. Last time, some 70 companies applied for the 30 time slots and earlier applicants had a better chance. For presentation / exhibition details, review our Home and for Companies web pages. Unsure? Submit your Company Profile here Final deadline is October 31st.

Sponsors: Business Development Bank - Venture Capital Price Waterhouse Coopers TSX - Venture Exchange Fasken Martineau, Industry Canada-ICT Branch Province of BC - Investment Capital Questions? Use bob@ANGELforum.org to reach Bob Chaworth-Musters

Good luck and if you need help, please call me.

Ken

Canadian Small Business Kit for Dummies

2008-06-05T17:25:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I have been on the look out for business development books of late. Chapters seems to be one of the better resources out there. They also offer a 10% discount program on purchases which includes a coupon book. The fee is $25.00, but this can be recouped if you are a regular buyer of books and you use the coupons.

I recently picked up Canadian Small Business Kit for Dummies ($37.00 CN - $28.99 US – that’s another story for another time) for my library. Having been involved in business development for over 25 years I can tell you this is a great resource for your businesses. It has timely information, valuable links, and super tips. It also has a CD packed with USEFUL and USEABLE documents. The time and effort these documents save you makes the book worth purchasing.

ISBN 0-470-83818-3

Ken

Understanding Fees and Performance - A Referral Opportunity

2008-05-05T18:34:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder why some people seem to build their business faster than others? One major factor is their ability to network and build trust with people. I have observed Ben at several networking meetings and watched how he listens and responds to people. Each time Ben demonstrated care and consideration in his answers. He built trust with each interaction and that is why I can recommend him to you. Here is his offer - I know if you take advantage of it you will not be disappointed.

Understanding Fees and Performance

Let’s face it… The market’s been a bit rough lately. Many Canadian mutual funds are down 6 to 10%, just in the last 6 months.

These same funds are charging management fees from 2.5 - 3%, which means that fees have contributed to as much as 50% of the recent decline!

If a fund manager can make money in a bad market, they should be fairly compensated. However this has not been the case, as the above illustration demonstrates.

It’s time to shine a light in the dark corners of your portfolio, where management fees are steadily eroding its value.

Call me to set up a no obligation portfolio review…

Ben Craig, FMA Financial Advisor Raymond James Ltd. Website: www.raymondjames.ca/bencraigPhone 604-882-1260
Toll Free 1-888-663-4235 Fax 604-882-1299

Thanks for the opportunity to share your professional services Ben.

Ken Flanders,
General Manager

Guerrilla Marketing Mail Grand Opening

2008-04-21T16:14:00.000-07:00

This is an email from Guerrilla Marketing. It is about a on-line mailing program that may be worth looking into. I have asked for confirmation that the service is avaiable in Canada. On first look it appears to be better than the standard mailing programs. There is a link to the teleconference on April 24th introducing the program. Sorry for the short notice but I just received the invite today myself!
-----------------------------------------------------------

Exclusive Teleseminar Event

Guerrilla Marketing Mail Grand Opening Meet Stu Heinecke, creator of the personalized cartoon genre and our first featured Guerrilla Marketing Mail solutions provider

If you've been exploring the Guerrilla Marketing site lately, you may have noticed we added a new resource, Guerrilla Marketing Mail. This is where you'll be able to find and use some of Jay's favorite weapons for guerrillas -- extraordinary solutions that are helping others grow and prosper -- and put them to work for your business. Now it's time to formally introduce Guerrilla Marketing Mail and our first solutions provider, Stu Heinecke, with a special teleseminar event this Thursday, at 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST.

Meet Stu Heinecke. For the past 25 years, Stu has been creating record-breaking campaigns for some of the biggest direct marketers on the planet, using his trademark personalized cartoon approach. Stu is our very first Guerrilla Marketing Mail solution provider and he'll be on the call to share his secrets for breaking the rules effectively, so you can produce your own record-breaking results in your own business. You will learn about:

---->The single postcard that produced $1.3 million in sales
---->The single letter that produced $1.4 million for Stu personally
---->The appointment-gen campaign that produced an "impossible" 100% response
---->The secrets to using humor to create an unbeatable advantage for your business
---->The one secret that will have you easily converting your top prospects into dream clients

Free gifts on the call. Stu is generously offering three gifts that will immediately start helping you sell more and generate substantially more response to your marketing efforts. You won't want to miss out on these gifts -- but you must be registered and on the call to get them.
Register now -- only 200 lines available. To get in on the call, you'll have to act quickly and get registered.

Thursday, April 24, 20087:00 PM EST, 4:00 PM PST404-920-6610PIN 409215#
Be sure to be on the line early as we're limited to just 200 lines. At the end of the presentation, Stu will give away several gifts, including a sample contact campaign to help you unlock the door to one of your top prospects.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Good luck and good selling!

Ken

The Last Lecture

2008-04-10T10:02:00.000-07:00

If you would like to see a person that is outstanding, please visit Randy Pausch's web site at: www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/. Take a few minutes to watch the Last Lecture. It may take a few tries to get on the site, but once you experience what Randy is all about, you will understand why. I hope you enjoy and benefit from the presentation and are up lifted by it - I was!

Have a geat day!

Protecting Children From Fire in Your Home

2008-03-20T10:43:00.000-07:00

I know this is not a small business development article, however as most small businesses operate out of the home and have irregular hours, thus I thought this article relevant to keeping our families safe. Please take to look at this, it just might save your kids. Stan provided the article - so thank you Stan!

Stan J. Tonoski
Executive Coach
604-888-4748
www.stantonoski.com

At first people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope it can be done, then they see it can be done - then it is done and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries before. (Frances Hodgson Burnett)

Protecting Children From Fire in Your Home.

The children are home alone. The eldest, a 13 year old, is babysitting. It is late and all the children are asleep. An electrical fire starts and as it should, the smoke detector very quickly detects the smoke and emits a shrill shriek. None of the children wake up. The smoke detector keeps on shrieking.

Studies have clearly demonstrated that children DO NOT HEAR the standard smoke detectors most conscientious persons have installed in their homes. Children do not hear the frequency that the alarms emit while they are asleep. Their brains are still developing and respond differently than an adult’s. Fortunately, the market has responded with alarms that use a human voice to warn of fire. These voice alarms the children respond to quite quickly. Quickly enough to get safely outside. Some of the alarms are programmable in the parent’s own voice, which children respond to the best.

I have found voice alarms for sale at Home Depot, which means they are also available elsewhere. If you want to learn more search “smoke alarms” on YouTube. In the meantime, if you have children invest in an additional alarm and install it in the bedroom area.

Are You Interested in Exporting? March 12, 2008

2008-03-11T22:22:00.000-07:00

Are you experiencing problems sending your products out of Canada? Small Business BC presents (in partnership with) The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) offer a one day seminar created with you in mind! Topics include: How Canada Business can help Canadian exporters, Overview of Small Business BC, Customs Services Overview - CBSA Canadian Trade Commissioner Services, Strategic Goods Export Controls, Investigations - CBSA Border Compliance, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Custom Broker, NAFTA Certificate of Origin - CBSA, Outline of Small Business BC databases and website. SUCCESS - Gateway to Asia. Coffee and light lunch included. 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Cost $39.

I am speaking at this seminar on behalf of International Market Access, so please call me if you need to reach me immediately.

Thank you.

Business Start-up Assistant

2008-03-06T20:02:00.000-08:00

BSA (Business Start-Up Assistant) is a site worth book marking. I have reviewed the site and found it to be very useful. It is a great place to start your research about start-up business topic.

The web site is organized by topic and province, provides reliable information on market research, business name and structure, preparing a business plan, financing, taxation, hiring employees, doing business on the Internet and much more!

The link is: http://bsa.canadabusiness.ca/gol/bsa/site.nsf/en/su01232.html

eBusiness Connections - eBC

2008-03-05T20:19:00.000-08:00

A BC-based not-for-profit e-business resource centre, eBC was created in response to the entrepreneurial community’s demand for more and better e-business and e-commerce resources. They offer a unique and comprehensive collection of e-business information services to help BC’s small businesses adapt to technological change, and maintain and grow their businesses.

Check it out at: http://www.e-bc.ca/pages/home.php

Delegating Effectively

2008-03-04T22:47:00.000-08:00

Jane Schulte provided the following quiz. Take a minute and see how you do:

1. Most nights and weekends I take work home.

2. It always seems like I have more to do than my subordinates.

3. I do not have time to do much planning.

4. I have problems meeting deadlines.

5. I am a perfectionist and pride myself in doing everything perfectly.

6. I wish I had more time for family, recreation, and vacations.

7. I rarely ask for opinions from subordinates.

8. I have difficulty trusting subordinates to do things right.

9. It is hard for me to accept ideas from others.

10. I secretly feel that letting go of tasks makes me less important and/or that I have less of a handle on things.

Jane Schulte is Executive Vice President and COO of PRISM Title & Closing Services, Ltd. www.prismclosings.com .

Well, how did you do? If you are like most small business owners you answered yes to most of these questions. Perhaps it time to consider getting some help? Give me a call and let’s talk - I might just be able to help!

Shipping Made Easy

2008-03-04T08:40:00.000-08:00

Do you have to ship items? Would you like to avoid the line ups at the Post Office? Do you want to save yourself some time and money? Then have a look at Canada Post’s Ship-in-a-Click at http://www.canadapost.ca/personal/tools/cst/default-e.asp?sblid=cstinfo.

It is about as quick and easy as it gets!

Blog - Technical Support – That’s A Good Idea

2008-03-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

You have most likely seen Dotto Tech on TV, but have you been to the web site http://www.dottotech.com/? It is worth a visit!

Here is Steve’s “Welcome”:

“Check out our newest blog, Fraser Morrison is our tech support guru. He has been helping with our viewer mail for a long time. Fraser is going to take all the viewer questions and address the common issues in his new blog.

February is the month most of us buckle down to tax time, and this month we cover how to file your taxes online using the Government of Canada’s NetFiling services.

We are eagerly awaiting our first look at Apple’s new MacBook Air, which we will have on the show before season’s end!”

If you are thinking of getting a new computer be sure to check out - Season 6, Episode 21 – Small Business, it is worth a watch. “Steve thinks green with Lenovo’s Think Center A61e & R61 Think Pad notebook. He also shows you how to take your phone on the road with VOIP.”

The use of the blog for technical support for Dotto Tech is smart. The topic fits the business and should drive traffic to his site and thus build his brand. A better brand means better business opportunities and profits - and that is a good thing!

Napoleon Hill - A Great Advisor!

2008-02-29T14:12:00.000-08:00

Please consider making Napoleon Hill one of your advisors. His thoughts and observations have helped me many times. I hope he can do the same for you.

Before opportunity crowns you with great success, it usually tests your mettle through adversity.

Adversity provides the resistance necessary to develop the strength to overcome great obstacles. This strength consists of self-confidence, perseverance, and, very importantly, self-knowledge. For if you do encounter a setback, it is a clue to a personal weakness. You may have been hasty in judging a competitor, or you may have been too timid in your vision of what needed to be done. Let adversity be your guide to understanding where you misstepped and which qualities you need to cultivate. No one rejoices in disappointment, but if you are success-conscious, you can turn the situation into a chance for improving your character, an opportunity you otherwise would have missed.

Napoleon Hill

Have you been inspired by Dr. Hill's words? Click here to subscribe to Napoleon Hill's Thought For The Day.

Guerrilla Marketing Today!

2008-02-28T09:07:00.000-08:00

I have the book Guerrilla Marketing Excellence but it sits on in my bookself unattended. So then how is Mr. Jay Conrad Levinson marketing today to keeping his business moving ahead? Upon visiting http://www.gmarketing.com/index.phtml I found some answers.

1. He offers a newsletter to stay in touch. It is front and center on the home page. I signed up for it. Feedback to follow.

2. He offers a sample one month membership; I passed as they wanted payment up front.

3. There is the GM Quick Poll down the right side of the home page. I liked it, it provideed feedback for me and how other business owners see the problem.

4. Jay has a BLOG http://www.gmarketingblog.com/ that is worth a look. PLEASE NOTE: If you send an article to me at ken@newbusinessnavigators.ca I will post it here for you!

Have a great day – let’s hope that sun comes back soon!

Ken

Work Shop

2008-02-27T09:24:00.000-08:00

I work in a global community today. I seek information and services from all over the world but there is still one common factor which is as true today as it was 100 years ago. We need to communicate and we need to communicate effectively. This leads me to Garry Priam.

When I first met Garry I was impressed, he was focused and driven in a very positive manner. As I observed him at business functions I started to appreciate his easy manner of connecting within a multicultural environment and I soon came to the conclusion that he was practicing what he sells – effective communications.

On April 1st Garry is offering to teach this very effective tool at a training workshop, “Are You Prepared To Communicate Effectively Across Borders?” It will be held at the Surrey Board of Trade. Please contact Garry today for details at 778.878.0424 or visit www.mossa-intl.com.

Ken

So You Think You Have Mortgage Insurance - Think Again!

2008-02-26T09:14:00.000-08:00

If you are like me then you try and make sure your family is well protected. Thus I have mortgage insurance. It turns out this may not be the protection I think it is.

Please take time to look at this information from Daniel Olson from Sun Life. It may be the best investment you make this year!

Insurance offered by your lender.

Before you complete that application for life or illness insurance offered by your bank take a few minutes to watch this CBC Marketplace report.

Individual insurance provided by a licensed insurance advisor or broker typically costs less, provides you with more options, and you will know if you qualify.

Personal insurance determines if you are insurable at time of application, creditor insurance determines if you were insurable at time of claim.

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/in_denial/

Daniel Olson
Sun Life Financial Advisor
(604)588-5232 ext 263
(604) 308-9502 cellular
(604) 581-7330 fax
www.sunlife.ca/dan.olson

Ken