Tuesday, April 3, 9:30am-11:30am

Income Tax Basics for the Incorporated Business

This basic corporate income tax session is invaluable for the newly incorporated business. It highlights areas that every corporate director should be aware of. Topics include:

• Transferring assets into a corporation
• Director's liability
• Shareholder loans and salaries
• Business expenses and capital expenditures
• Corporate filing requirements, corporate tax rate structure and installment payments

Presenter: Canada Revenue Agency Cost: $10 | Recording not available for this session

Wednesday, April 4, 1:30pm-4:00pm

Using Market Intelligence to Develop Your Markets

Implementing a formal market intelligence program in your business growth operations is of utmost importance for success. This session will introduce you to the process of market intelligence and the many (often free) resources that are available to gather this information. The session will review:

• The market intelligence cycle (planning and direction; collection; analysis; dissemination)
• Market intelligence sources (primary and secondary) and its applicability to business operations
• Tips and strategies for successful market intelligence
• How to use market/industry overview and political risk analysis templates

Presenter: Marek Drywa, MPA, M.Sc. (Econ.) – Calgary Economic Development, Global Business Centre Cost: $20

Le jeudi 5 avril, 12h à 13h

L’art de la négociation
Dans cette session d’apprentissage, on explore l’art de négocier. Le processus de négociation a habituellement lieu dans le but de remplir un besoin précis pour lequel un compromis peut être développé avec ceux qui contrôlent l’objet de notre revendication. La négociation étant une habileté, elle peut donc s’apprendre et se développer à plusieurs niveaux et être d’une grande utilité dans la gestion et l’avancement d’une PME. Lors de cette session d’apprentissage, vous apprendrez :

• l’importance de se préparer avant d’entrer en pourparlers
• les étapes à franchir lors d’une négociation
• les facteurs déterminants pour obtenir des résultats satisfaisants

Conférencière : Pascale Proteau – Conseil de développement économique de l’Alberta Coût : 10$

Thursday, April 5, 6:30pm-8:00pm

How to Prepare for the Bank
What details do you need to have in order and what information should be compiled and prepared for your first appointment with your business banker? This session will shed light on the lending criteria and provide insight into how commercial lending decisions are made. The objective of this session is to take the mystery out of banking.

Presenter: Michael Yakymishen – ATB Financial Cost: $15

Tuesday, April 10, 9:30am-11:00am

Social Media – Next Steps
It’s no secret that social media has become an effective tool for businesses. Many organizations that have implemented a social media program are looking for additional guidance and ideas. This session will focus on social media “next steps”:

• Building and implementing your social media strategy
• Developing a social media content plan
• Tracking your results
• Emerging social media trends
• Integrating your website and offline marketing
• Tools, tips and tricks

Presenter: Brian Siddle and Trevor Tessier – SBX Media Inc. Cost: $15

Wednesday, April 11, 1:30pm-4:30pm

Start Your Business!
This is one of Alberta’s most informative small business seminars. It’s packed with valuable information to help you start off right and increase the odds of your business being successful. The session will address:

• Reasons for starting a business
• How good business ideas are discovered and evaluated
• Why and how business plans are developed
• Important marketing aspects to consider
• Financing sources available
• Pros and cons of the three common legal structures of business

Presenter: Jay Krysler, MBA – NAIT, JR Shaw School of Business Cost: $40

Thursday, April 12, 12:00pm-2:00pm

Export Requirements Seminar
This presentation will provide individuals and small business owners with information on the commercial export process. It will address:

• The export process
• Different methods of reporting
• Controlled goods
• New export regulations
• Time frames for reporting exports
• Administrative Monetary Penalty System
• B13A Export Declaration
• CAED (Customs Automated Export Declaration)

Presenter: Marwan Chehade, B.A.Sc. – Canada Border Services Agency Cost: $20

Tuesday, April 17, 9:30am-11:30am

Income Tax Basics for Sole Proprietors & Partnerships

This session provides basic income tax information for the small business owner that is either a sole proprietorship or a partnership. Topics include:

• Record keeping – what records should you keep and for how long
• Reporting income
• Business expenses, current or capital
• Motor vehicle expenses

Presenter: Canada Revenue Agency Cost: $10 | Recording not available for this session

Wednesday, April 18, 1:30pm-3:30pm

Show Me the Money! (Practical Steps to Success)
Without a plan to make money, you have no business. Financial forecasts allow you to easily understand where the money will come from, and where it will be going – now and for the future. As an entrepreneur you are your own boss, and your business plan is your financial road map. It helps communicate to people who can help you get started (accountants, mentors, lawyers, bankers, coaches or others). In this session, we will:

• Look at why you need a financial plan
• Build your pricing strategy
• Forecast start-up costs, sales and operating expenses
• Predict your profit (Income and Expenses statements)
• Identify the risks
• Consider funding sources

Presenter: Jim Spiers – Microbusiness Training Centre Cost: $20 | Recording not available for this session

Thursday, April 19, 12:00pm-2:00pm

Working with Your International Partners
There are many risks and challenges associated with venturing into international markets. However, these risks can be effectively mitigated in part, through partnering with reputable organizations, companies and individuals. This session provides:

• A very practical overview of different forms of international partners
• Ways to effectively work with and use the services of international partners
• Canadian government services abroad (plus foreign government/partners)
• A comprehensive resource/reference list
• Advantages and disadvantages of working with various partners
• Various examples of government, not-for-profit and private sector support
• How to choose the right international partner and how to work with them

Presenter: Marek Drywa, MPA, M.Sc. (Econ.) – Calgary Economic Development, Global Business Centre Cost: $20

Thursday, April 19, 6:30pm-8:00pm

Create a Powerful Vision Statement that Works
Many business owners forget about creating a powerful and clear vision for their organization/business. And that is why many businesses fall after a while when they hit the first storm. In this session, you will learn how to create a powerful yet clear vision statement and how to keep your vision alive so that you can always focus on it without going off track. Session take-aways:

• Step-by-step process for creating a powerful and clear vision statement
• How to polish your vision statement
• Vision Alive: 4 tools that help you keep your vision alive and inspire others to help you fulfill your vision

Presenter: Kamran Akbarzadeh, PhD – dreamachieversacademy.com Cost: $15

Tuesday, April 24, 9:30am-10:30am

Finding the Information You Need to Prepare Your Human Resources Plan
This session will provide a basic understanding of what information is available on Statistics Canada’s website that can help you with your Human Resources Plan. While the needs of each business are unique and will not be specifically addressed within this session, you will discover where the following information may be found:

• Industry-specific information on size of employment and earnings
• Labour market information
• Age make-up of the workforce
• Educational attainment and field of studies of population
• Information on employment equity groups (Aboriginal peoples, visible minorities, women and persons with disabilities)

Presenter: Statistics Canada Cost: $10 | Recording not available for this session

Le mardi 24 avril, 12h a 13h | Nous avons reporté la session "L'art de la négociation» qui était initialement prévue le 5 avril et a été annulée en raison de problèmes techniques

L’art de la négociation
Dans cette session d’apprentissage, on explore l’art de négocier. Le processus de négociation a habituellement lieu dans le but de remplir un besoin précis pour lequel un compromis peut être développé avec ceux qui contrôlent l’objet de notre revendication. La négociation étant une habileté, elle peut donc s’apprendre et se développer à plusieurs niveaux et être d’une grande utilité dans la gestion et l’avancement d’une PME. Lors de cette session d’apprentissage, vous apprendrez :

• l’importance de se préparer avant d’entrer en pourparlers
• les étapes à franchir lors d’une négociation
• les facteurs déterminants pour obtenir des résultats satisfaisants

Conférencière : Pascale Proteau – Conseil de développement économique de l’Alberta  Coût : 10$

Wednesday, April 25, 1:30pm-4:30pm

Preparing a Business Plan
Preparing a good business plan will require a significant investment of time and research on your part. Attending this session will only be the start of a process that will lead to developing your own business plan. It will provide you with a general overview and basic understanding of:

• The purpose and the components of a typical business plan
• The use of a business plan as an ongoing tool for business success
• How marketing, operations and finance are inter-related
• The importance of finding further information for your plan

Presenter: Jim Ewing – The Business Link Cost: $40

Thursday, April 26, 12:00pm-1:30pm

Business Basics for Innovators and Inventors
If you are currently developing a new product or service, there are a number of areas you may need to consider to move the business forward. These areas include intellectual property, financing options, research and development facilities, incubator services, and business planning. This session will cover the fundamental basics of planning when it comes to forming a new innovation-based venture in Alberta.

Presenter: Bernard Johnson – novaNAIT Cost: $15