Posted on November 9th, 2009 by Andrew - BusinessCast Co-Host
Privacy is such a fundamental part of business success, that it often goes overlooked. And that can be a serious problem given the negative repercussions of not properly meeting your obligations — and customers’ unspoken expectations — about how their private information is to be managed.
That’s why for BusinessCast episode #129, Robert and I sat down with Dr. Ann Cavoukian, the Ontario Privacy Commissioner along with the two co-authors of an exciting new privacy toolkit — aimed squarely at helping entrepreneurs.
Listen to BusinessCast episode #129 and you’ll get a quick grasp of the privacy issues that are relevant to you and get a sneak peak into a practical tool that will help you transform privacy practices into good business.
**Also check out the ThinData-authored Marketer’s PIPEDA Checklist which instantly provides you with three easy-to-use tools to ensure that you comply with Canada’s Federal privacy laws when marketing online.**
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Posted on November 2nd, 2009 by Andrew - BusinessCast Co-Host
One of the many things that all successful entrepreneurs have in common is an insatiable need to bring their innovations (i.e products, services and/or processes) to the market. But, a key question that often gets trampled in the midst of entrepreneurs’ enthusiasm is “When is the right time?”
Because short- and long-term success depends so much on timing, for BusinessCast episode #128 Robert and I sat down with Steve Taylor, President of Resolver Inc. to gather his insights about evaluating the right time to launch/grow a successful business.
Listen to BusinessCast episode #128 to get a clear sense of some of the key timing considerations and how you can ensure your success by increasing your state of business readiness.
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Posted on October 19th, 2009 by Andrew - BusinessCast Co-Host
Whenever Robert and I sit down and talk with entrepreneurs about their historic, current and future successes, one theme constantly emerges: entrepreneurs need strong teams. And that means they are always looking for ways to optimize how they find, hire and motivate staff.
That’s why for BusinessCast episode #127, we sat down with an entrepreneur renowned for effectively recruiting and retaining exceptional employees — in an industry where people are highly skilled, in great demand and highly mobile.
Chris Carder, President of ThinData, A Transcontinental Company, shares with us his approach to, and practical tips for, finding, hiring and motivating high performing professionals — people who will help you grow your business.
Also download a one-pager that describes how Chris and his team of executives retain and engage enthusiastic employees — drawn from ThinData’s years of growing to be one of Canada’s leading marketing companies.
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Posted on October 12th, 2009 by Andrew - BusinessCast Co-Host
Successful entrepreneurs are by their very nature innovators — it’s very nearly a pre-requisite. But, before determining if their business is going to attract customers and attention, every entrepreneur has to answer a key question: Is their business innovative enough to attract funding?
To answer this question, in BusinessCast episode #126 — Investing in Innovation — Robert and I sat down with David Ceolin who spends his time evaluating, and investing in, entrepreneurs and their innovative business ideas. David shares with us his criteria for innovation and the processes that entrepreneurs should follow — prior to seeking funding.
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Posted on October 6th, 2009 by Andrew - BusinessCast Co-Host
All successful entrepreneurs are forward-looking. So much so that even when entrepreneurs are in the very early stages of starting their business, they are typically actively searching for future ways to improve it, grow it and expand it.
One of the greatest examples of successfully applying this approach is the disciplined and innovative mind behind Verity – Canada’s premiere Women’s networking club. The club’s founder Mary Aitken began Verity as a stand-alone business where women could meet, network, relax and have fun.
But, Mary, who is a very successful entrepreneur, thoughtfully researc
hed the targeted market and soon found the need to expand Verity to include a world-leading restaurant (George), an enviable spa (Sweetgrass) and most recently, a luxurious hotel (The Ivey).
For BusinessCast #125 — Starting and Growing Your Business, Mary sits down with Robert and me and shares her compelling and exciting story. She also highlights some key lessons relevant for all entrepreneurs. Whether you are starting, honing or expanding your business, Mary provides some practical tips as well as inspires you to keep looking forward — and thereby ensure your success.
Filed under: Financial Decisions, Finding Efficiencies, Growth, Human Resources, Leadership, Management, Marketing, Networking, Resources | No Comments »
Posted on September 20th, 2009 by Andrew - BusinessCast Co-Host
A few weeks ago in BusinessCast 109 — I.T. Support for Entrepreneurs – Robert and I got the “low down” on the best ways of selecting and working with a competent I.T support professional. After all, all entrepreneurs require technologies to work 24/7.
But, here’s a critical technology question that many entrepreneurs have
trouble answering: “Are we evaluating, purchasing and integrating our technologies in ways that ensure it is allowing us to focus on our business — rather than on our business technologies?”
So, in BusinessCast #124 — Buying Technology — Robert and I sat down with Marco Nalli from technology innovator and leader Samsung. Marco has an enviable track record as an expert who helps entrepreneurs negotiate the minefield of purchasing technology so that it effectively balances short- and long-term investments, opportunity costs and business goals.
Listen to BusinessCast #124 — Buying Technology — to hone the processes you use to evaluate, purchase and integrate your technologies. That means you’ll keep your attention where it belongs…growing your business.
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Filed under: Cost-Savings, Financial Decisions, Finding Efficiencies, Management, Resources, Risk Management, Sustainability, Technology | No Comments »
Posted on September 13th, 2009 by Andrew - BusinessCast Co-Host
No-one likes a crisis. That’s why it’s far too common for even the most successful entrepreneur to overlook crisis planning. The challenge is that once you’re in the middle of a true business crisis, you rarely have the time or the resources to deal with it as well as you would want to.
After all, you could find yourself thrown into a very tense situation — trying desperately to deal with members of the media, angry clients, disenchanted employees, wary investors, intrusive regulators and other critical stakeholders.
It’s an emotional time and all it takes is saying ONE wrong word and your business can suffer. That’s why in BusinessCast episode #123, Robert and I “pick the brains” of one of the Nation’s leaders on crisis communications. Dr. Allan Bonner and his team have advised Canada’s most senior business leaders, political figures and sports figures to successfully avoid a crisis, deal with a crisis and turn around a crisis to their advantage.
Listen to BusinessCast episode #123 and get some practical insights on how you can make sure that you’re prepared when a crisis hits your business.
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Posted on September 6th, 2009 by Andrew - BusinessCast Co-Host
Every year a slew of business books arrive in stores claiming to help entrepreneurs become more successful. But which books are really going to help you tackle your short- or long-term challenges?
Since Robert and I are always searching online/offline for resources that are truly practical and relevant for entrepreneurs, in BusinessCast episode #122 — Smart Book Smarts – we review three books that effectively address some of the most common and critical entrepreneur challenges.
The books we review in this episode are the following:
1) Selling to the C-Suite. What Every Executive Wants You to Know About Successfully Selling to the Top;
2) The Inspiring Leader. Unlocking the Secrets of How Extraordinary Leaders Motivate; and
3) Upstarts. How Gen Y Entrepreneurs Are Rocking the World of Business.
Listen to BusinessCast episode #122 — Smart Book Smarts to get a flavour of these resources and decide for yourself which one(s) are most appropriate for you.
A special thanks to McGraw Hill who graciously provided these leading-edge entrepreneur resources.
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Posted on August 30th, 2009 by Andrew - BusinessCast Co-Host
Robert and I are always looking to identify events that help entrepreneurs succeed. Given that there is such an array of online and offline activities, it’s difficult for any entrepreneur to know which events and forums are truly worth their time.
That’s why we’re so pleased to have been invited to be official media guests for the 7th Annual Business Networking Night. The event has become one of the most worthwhile and fun evenings for up-and-coming business leaders in the City. In BusinessCast #121 – Robert and I captured the energy and enthusiasm from the event — organized by Toronto’s leading business networking facilitator, Jennifer Beale.
While at the event, we spoke to dozens of entrepreneurs and asked them two key questions:
- What is their biggest business challenge today; and
- How are they overcoming that challenge.
Listen to BusinessCast #121 and tap into the secrets behind how entrepreneurs are successfully tackling today’s most difficult challenges.
BTW, we’ve just added a new title to our ever-growing library of books — available for any of our listeners at no charge. The new book: “Upstarts: How Gen Y Entrepreneurs Are Rocking the World of Business.”
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Posted on August 23rd, 2009 by Andrew - BusinessCast Co-Host
Energy. Passion. Commitment. Entrepreneurs bring a never-ending amount of these qualities to their businesses — regardless of the industry, the size of the company or the age of the business. But, here’s what’s truly astonishing: while you might expect the day-to-day challenges and pitfalls of leading a business to erode these qualities in fact, the opposite happens.
Dipping into a deep pool of determination and enthusiasm is particularly true in the case of serial entrepreneurs — that special breed of entrepreneur that is hard-wired to continually innovate, challenge themselves as well as challenge conventional ways of doing business . That’s why in BusinessCast podcast #120 Robert and I sat down with one of the World’s best known and most successful serial entrepreneurs: Guy Kawasaki.
Guy is known the World over for launching successful businesses, funding successful business ventures and authoring practical and insightful books to boost entrepreneurs’ success. While Guy’s latest book, Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging and Outmarketing Your Competition may seem like it’s trying to be all things to all business owners/leaders, it certainly is filled with advice and tools that make it a valuable reference book for entrepreneurs.
Listen to BusinessCast podcast #120 and get a glimpse into the mind of a serial entrepreneur with an enviable track record — as Guy shares some of his approaches and secrets.
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