• Mastermind Groups meet at the GBBEC - Free Information Session Feb 12th 7-8 p.m. Find out how smart successful people can go beyond what you can conceive and achieve on your own. Discover how you can set and achieve higher goals, how you can improve your business and enjoy life more. For more details see the Upcoming Events section of this newsletter.
• Business Plan Challenge 2007 - Ministry of Small Business & Entrepreneurship's Business Plan Competition for high school students is now accepting submissions. Deadline May 21st To request a student package for someone you know, please contact the centre. ALL high school students in the Province are eligible to enter.
• Exciting News! Early Bird Application Prizes for Summer Company - Microsoft Canada is partnering with the Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship in an Early Bird contest. The objective - early application submissions by students interested is Summer Company 2007.

  The prize:a PC tablet computer, plus the new Vista operating system and Office 2003 software packages. Even better - the contest will have two phases. That means two tablet computer packages will be given away - each valued at approximately $3,000.

  1. All eligible applications received by February 28, 2007, 11:59 pm, EST for the 1st draw,
  2. All eligible applications received by March 30, 2007, 11:59 pm, EST for the 2nd draw.
  3. Draws will take place on March 30, 2007 and April 30, 2007.

  Fulltime college and high school students may apply online at www.sbe.gov.on.ca

• TWO Awesome Speakers - Unbelievable Value!

  We are so excited about our upcoming Bridges to Better Business Event scheduled for March 27th . This all day event is a one-stop shopping experience for new and experienced entrepreneurs who want to start or grow their business. In addition to the mentored round table discussions, networking opportunities, and B2B tradeshow we also have two superb and renowned key speakers. You will never have a better opportunity to hear two speakers of this caliber at this low price! The VALUE is unbelievable!

  Helen Walter, award-winning creative designer for Capstone Communications Group and professional trainer, presents "Branding to Build your Business" - Delivered with humour, this presentation shows you how to make your marketing connect to your prospects and reveals the not so secret secrets - the fundamental principles that can make or break your marketing.

  Donna Messer, President of ConnectUs Communications Canada, one of North America's largest and most effective business matching companies presents "The Power of Positive Linking". When it comes to building relationships, Donna Messer and ConnectUs are "The Experts"! She is a world renowned, engaging, entertaining and inspiring speaker and author of the Canadian best selling book, Effective Networking Strategies. Donna has worked on 4 continents and spoken to more than 500,000 people to help them get connected and build their businesses!

  For more information or to register contact Nancy at reception@barriebusinesscentre.ca or call 720-2445

Terri Plaxton Smith, GBBEC business advisor

Do You Know Your Customers?

Well most of you will have heard me spout off at some time or other about knowing who your target market is. That's because I believe that it is the single most important thing that will drive your business forward .. no matter what stage your business is at or what type of business you are in.

Not that long ago I had the misfortune of taking a fall and smashing my glasses irreparably. I went back to the store where I had purchased them to inquire about replacing them. Immediately I was informed that they would not be covered by warranty and that the price I had paid was no longer valid. In fact, as the frames were no longer available in the original colour, I should just pick out something else. The sales staff asked no questions and left me to browse. With little time for 'browsing' I left.

Next day, I went to another store. This time, a kind young man saw me eyeing the wares and asked if he could help. I showed him the broken pair of glasses and asked if he had anything of a similar style. He asked me what I liked about them and made several attempts to match them as best he could - even writing out the numbers of a few pairs on his card that kind of resembled my broken ones, suggesting I should think about it and come back another time.

Something just didn't feel right and I was frustrated with the process of shopping to replace glasses that I had really liked. After a couple of weeks, I ventured out again to yet another store to shop. A bubbly young woman offered to assist me. Again, I brought out the broken glasses and the sad story. She also asked me what it was about the glasses that I so liked. Again, I mentioned the unusual shape of the frame and the copper colour. "Ahhhh," she said. She walked with me for a few minutes, taking me to a few stations, picking out a couple of very unusual frames in very complimentary colours. And then we had them! The unusual frame in the copper tone colour that actually flattered my face! They looked nothing like my broken glasses, but I liked them. Sold!

Hats off to the young sales lady who understood what I didn't when I first went out to shop - I didn't need to find a pair of glasses the same as the broken ones, I only needed to find a pair of glasses that offered me the same benefits as the broken ones.

When your customers tell you what they want, are you listening to what they say, or what they mean? Think about it - How well do you know your customers? After all, it doesn't matter how many people come through your door if they're not buying anything.

Terri Plaxton Smith, GBBEC business advisor

Thursday February 15, 2007 5 - 7 P.M.

ALWAYS the 3rd Thursday of each month. Everyone welcome.

NO CHARGE.
Join us for networking, referrals, snacks, good advice and great inspiration. As always, we have an interesting guest speaker and business coach Stephen Brydson helps us think outside the box and gets us moving forward for business success. Please arrive promptly. Meetings are structured. Please call the centre and reserve your seat.

The Greater Barrie Business Enterprise Centre is located at 24 Maple Ave., above the bus depot.

For Information please call (705) 720-2445 or email info@barriebusinesscentre.ca

Are you looking for a way to catapult your business to the next level? Did you know that a Mastermind Group is a great catapult? Join us Monday February 12 for a free information session at the GBBEC, 24 Maple Ave., above the bus depot, 7:00 to 8:00 pm. Learn all about Mastermind Groups and how to take your business to the next level! For more info or to register call (705) 720-2445.

Vision Challenge

Caution: Reading this article may lead to anger and frustration. Read at your own risk.

The challenge for this month is ... set aside one whole day ... allocate this time to vision building and clarification.

And before you start with the whining and excuses, I have one thing to say ... do it anyway! Stop running in circles, get off the gerbil wheel, get away from it all ... do whatever it takes to spend some time defining your vision.

This is not just a "good idea", it's a necessity ... it's vital! No vision, you parish. Simple. No one remembers you when you're gone, you were just another one of those nice people who lived down the street. And what was their name again ... ?

Come on now ... play big, live large, work hard, have fun - it all starts with vision.

Now, if I've struck a nerve, good. Please e-mail me. I'd like to hear about it.

Until next month ...

Have a great month!
SB

Stephen Brydson , Outlook Life Coaching www.outlooklifecoaching.com www.stephenbrydson.com thecoach@outlooklifecoaching.com

Marketing/Communications Tip of the Month

Don't know about you but, for me, a few of the early days of this year have kind of been frittered away. I just haven't been using my time as well as I feel I should. And from what I hear from others, we all waste more time than we'd like to. When we waste time, we're leaving money on the table.

One fundamental principal of managing your time better, is to do more of those things that are most likely to pay off handsomely. To do this, first determine, in ascending order, which of your activities are your biggest time wasters (e.g. counting flowers on the wall), which give you the lowest rate of return on your time investment (e.g. reading the paper) and which ones give you the highest return (e.g. calling clients). For the next week, note down everything you do and how much time you spend doing it. (Write these down as you do them. Don't try to remember at the end of the day.) Assign a value (say, 1 to 5) to each activity.

How much does each activity contribute towards your goals? (You do have goals, right?) Which are your biggest timewasters? Can you eliminate them from your day (eliminate, delegate, reduce)? If eliminating your timewasters and concentrating on your higher payback items still doesn't give you the return on investment you desire, you're likely not charging enough for your services. It's time to raise your rates!

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director Capstone Communications Group www.capstonecomm.com

Encore Tele Solutions

Encore TeleSolutions had been providing telephone reception services to business for the past 47 years. Using our service is like having your own receptionist that answers your calls when you cannot answer them yourself. Our friendly professionals will answer in your company name, in the way you specify. Messages will be taken for you and instantly sent to you by email , cell phone, fax or pager. Should you choose we can perform additional functions such as giving product or service information, booking appointments or taking a product order. We are available for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our rates are reasonable, starting at $5. per day (based on a monthly package) Dont miss an opportunity, be open to business when ever they call.

Phone: (705) 725-0055
Email: info@encoretelesolutions.com
Website: www.EncoreTeleSolutions.com

Do you have something to say that we could all benefit from? If you would like to share your tips, advice, or expertise with our clients by contributing to this newsletter, please send an email to newsletter@barriebusinesscentre.ca by 4 P.M. Thursdays, the last week of each month. Inclusion will be at the sole discretion of the GBBEC, dependent on suitability, space availability and the number of contributions received. This is not an advertorial or advertising spot, but rather an opportunity to share valuable words of wisdom or announce your upcoming events. Of course you will be given credit for the submission with a link to your website if available. We reserve the right to include your submissions in subsequent newsletters in addition to or instead of inclusion in the following week's issue.

• One-on-one consultations
• Seminars/Workshops
• Networking Nights
• Seminar and Board Room Rentals (ASK ABOUT OUR GREAT RATES!)
• Access to a computer workstation with internet access
• Start up information
• Assistance with writing a business plan or marketing plan
• OTHER ... Tell us what you need .. if we can't provide it, we will endeavour to find out who can!

Now with kitchen access!

See you at the Centre!

• Ontario Business Service Centres Via Canada Business Service Centers.
• Ontario Business Connects Registration, renewal & reporting processes for Ontario businesses.
• Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Ontario Women's Directorate The OWD works with business leaders and community organizations to encourage and support female entrepreneurship.
• Personal Tax Planning Introduction to tax planning by Certified General Accountants (CGAs) of Ontario. This online booklet, available in PDF format as well as HTML pages, helps readers to minimize or defer income taxes payable.
• Planning for Tomorrow Achieving Personal Goals. A PDF booklet. Publications Ontario Office Government forms, copies of law, etc., 880 Bay St, 416-326-5300, 1-800-668-9938.
• Resource Guide for Business Immigrants to Ontario This PDF formatted booklet, co-authored by the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, offers essential information to those immigrating to Ontario for business purposes. Tools include: settlement information, government assistance programs and services, taxation, and import/export assistance.
• The City of Barrie Gives you the information you need to learn about your local municipal and Ontario government.
• The Network for Women Entrepreneurs (NWE)

• Canada Business Service Centres A cooperative arrangement among federal business departments, provincial, territorial governments that serves as a gateway to government information for business. Online assistance and business guides outline programs, services, small business start-up help and various workshops.
• Canada's Community Access Program Featuring: Online Govt programs for schools, libraries, volunteer organizations, etc. Ministers speeches, new releases, stories from successful online communities. Goal: To make Canadians the most Internet-connected people in the world.
• Canada Franchise Directory Profiles some of the hottest franchise opportunities available today in Canada.
• GDSourcing Research & Retrieval Directory of Statistics Canada data. The basics of conducting market research.
• Industry Canada's Business and Consumer Site Featuring: Guides for starting & expanding a business. Information for consumers, businesses, investors, job seekers, research, etc. Goal: Help Canadians build a growing competitive, knowledge-based economy.
• Standards Council of Canada
• Statistics Canada