3rd Annual “Bridges To Better Business” on January 23, 2013

We are pleased to announce January 23, 2013 as the date for our Third Annual

Bridges To Better Business

This Bruce County business event of the year is titled

Creative Solutions: Attracting and Retaining Quality Employees

Bridges to Better Business is a forum where business owners, both new and more experienced, exchange ideas and share advice. This year’s event will encompass a panel of four local business owners sharing their challenges and successes with hiring, training and retaining employees.

The evening begins at 5PM for the Social Hour with a light supper and a cash bar. The formal program begins at 6PM and runs until 8PM.

Attendees will be invited to continue to network and visit the employment related agency representatives.

For more information call our office at 519-832-2082 or visit our website’s Events page

 

Roger Brooks Worshop Inspires Branding in Bruce County

Spruce the Bruce held its Workshop with Roger Brooks, of Destination Development International (DDI), on Nov 13 – Nov 15. Brook shares the lessons he’s learned over the past 30 years while helping over 1000 communities. This experience has made Brooks a master of the “art of differentiation”, or “branding”.

Both business owners and municipal officials from 11 Bruce County communities attended the 2.5 day workshop. All of them walked away inspired to help their towns become destinations that attract both locals and tourists alike.  Both the county and the communities now have solid brand directions and are going to be busy over the next couple of weeks as they explore these new directions.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE

Drive Business Results . . . Bridge Cultures

Managing Diversity Workshop and AGM

The Four County Labour Market Planning Board is hosting a innovative workshop on managing Diversity in the workshop on Thursday, 20 September 2012 in Owen Sound. This workshop will be part of their AGM.

For more information,

visit www.planningboard.ca or call 1-888-774-1468

Second Annual Marine Heritage Festival Announced for Saugeen Shores

The Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre, the Marine Heritage Society and the town of Saugeen Shores are pleased to announce the second annual Marine Heritage Festival.  It will be held July 27-29, 2012.

 Families and Marine Heritage enthusiasts alike are invited to join us for 3 days of fun throughout Southampton.  The festival opens at the Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre with opening ceremonies and a tour of the General Hunter/War of 1812 Exhibit.  Other activities throughout the weekend include a pancake breakfast, vintage boat show, BBQ lunch, cardboard boat challenge, a fish fry dinner and much more!

 Once again, the Chamber of Commerce is holding a Treasure Chest Hunt!  Festival-goers simply have to visit 6 participating business, find the treasure chest with the hidden number and enter it into the space beside the corresponding merchant.  Completed entries should be dropped of into the bin at the Southampton Visitor’s Centre.  The winner will be announced at Pioneer Park on Saturday July 28^th, during the Fish Fry.  The contest runs July 16 – 28.

A complete schedule of events is available at  http://www.brucemuseum.ca/calendar/marine-heritage-festival/, or call 1.866.318.8889 (toll free) or 519.797.2080

The Saugeen Shores BR+E Final Report Presented to Council

The Saugeen Shores Business Retention and Expansion Project’s Final Report was presented to Mayor and Council at the May 28th Committee of the Whole.

 This project was a joint effort between The Town of Saugeen Shores, The Business Enterprise Centre of Saugeen Shores, The Saugeen Shores Chamber of Commerce, Saugeen Sustainability Volunteer and Resource Centre, and the Four County Labour Market Planning Board (the Partners).

The project surveyed 86 businesses, asking them 115 questions on all aspects of running a business in Saugeen Shores. The BR+E Task Force, made up of representatives from the project partners as well as business owners, reviewed the key findings of the data summary report. The group noted recurring themes that included, more focused Economic Development initiatives, streamlining some Municipal processes for business, continued focus on improving the vitality of the two downtowns, addressing workforce development issues and a need for enhanced methods for communication among all parties. The report also identified avenues for both the Business Enterprise Centre and the Chamber of Commerce to improve their support to business. 

 Both Mayor Smith and Deputy Mayor Charbonneau extended their personal thanks to everyone involved, especially the business owners and to the volunteer visitors who donated their time and efforts to the project.  The final report illustrates some key steps that can be implemented to improve the business climate in Saugeen Shores.

The next step of the project will be to develop a work plan for the implementation of actions brought forward in the report. Milestones of the implementation stage will be detailed on the Saugeen Shores web site. A copy of the final report is also available on the website at www.saugeenshores.ca/business

Meet the Mentors – Tony Sheard

 Meet the Mentors” is our blog on the professionals who volunteer their time to help our Summer Company Entrepreneurs build their dream company. These professionals have diverse backgrounds and offer unique insight into overcoming obstacles that all start-ups face.  They are the reason that the Summer Company program is so successful – it’s about real students getting real help to make real money.  This series is meant to let students understand who will be there to help them if they get accepted into the Summer Company Program in Bruce County.

Tony Sheard

Tony was born in Yorkshire, England and he’s married to Sylvia and has one daughter. Sylvia is a Breast Cancer Survivor and since 2009, Tony has supported her Team along with the infamous Pretty Boys that have raised over $82,000 for  Breast Cancer related charities through Sylvia’s Ladies Day Out ‘Pretty in Pink’ initiative.

Tony is now retired but during his career he’s worked within the power generation sector and draws on experience working in the UK, North Africa, USA and in Canada since September 2000. He was a senior manager with strengths as both an HR professional and general manager with particular expertise in the areas of compensation, benefits, pensions, collective bargaining, recruitment, customer service, due diligence and business planning.

Since retirement, Tony’s become active in the community, being currently President of Southampton Rotary Club and the Vocational Services Chair for Rotary District 6330, a crew member and guide for the Marine Heritage Society on Chantry Island Tours, a member of Southampton Art School, Saugeen Shores Probus Club, and the Southampton Residents Association. In July he will take on the role of Assistant Governor for Area 1 of the Rotary District. 

He’s been a mentor on the Summer Company Program as part of Rotary’s vocational service program for the past 3 years. He thoroughly enjoys providing support and assistance to the young people on the program from his extensive business background.

He takes comfort from watching the participants from a wide range of backgrounds with diverse business ideas mature and increase in confidence through the short life of the program. He particularly enjoys the enthusiasm and vitality that the young people bring to solving problems to make their businesses thrive.

Free Economic Development Seminar April 14th Walkerton

If your interested in Downtown Revitalisation or have a desire to help build a stronger economy in your town, check out this seminar.

“Successful Ways to Promote Economic Development and Community Identity” will be a the topic of a presentation by Michael Seaman, Director of Planning for the Town of Grimsby.

Cost: FREE

Date:  Saturday, 14 April 2012   Time: 10am    Place: Victoria Jubilee Hall, Walkerton

For further info, please call 519-881-2826, or email vjh@wightman.ca

$3,000 Student Business Grant – Application Deadline is May 7th!

The Saugeen Shores Business Enterprise Centre (SSBEC) wants to help students (ages 15 – 29) start and run their own company this summer. As a service provider for the Ontario Summer Company program, the SSBEC is looking for Bruce County students who want to be their own boss! You must apply before May 7, 2012.

 From lawn care services to ice cream sales, from manufacturing hand sewn purses to producing videos, the Summer Company program helps students create the business that they want to own.

 Running since 2001, the Summer Company program is based on providing hands on coaching from leading business people around from Bruce County.  Successful applicants are mentored in every aspect of running a business, from implementing a business plan, to marketing, to managing finances and even time management skills. 

 Summer Company not only teaches students the mechanics of running a business, but it also offers financial support. Successful applicants will receive up to $3000 to help their company succeed, with up to $1,500 to cover start-up costs. 

 The combination of mentoring and financial support helps mitigate the risks that most entrepreneurs face.

 So if you are a student, or you know a student, who has a vision, a dream, and dedication, check out the Summer Company program and join over 3,000 high school, college and university students from all areas of Ontario who have already let their entrepreneurial spirit soar through SUMMER COMPANY. 

 More information is available at www.ontario.ca/summercompany or by calling the SSBEC at 519-832-2082.

Workshop on Training for Tourism Diversity

Explore the Bruce has Invited You:
(excerpts from an Explore the Bruce News Release)

REGISTER NOW FOR OUR FIRST DIVERSITY TRAINING!

Each year more and more international tourists are visiting Bruce County. Our biggest challenges are: language barriers, cultural differences and communicating safety concerns. Guest Speaker, Michael Zhang will offer professional advice on how to make your business welcoming and safe for our New Canadians.

DMO’s and businesses have gained both a better reputation and a bigger share in the Chinese market through Michael’s help in providing better travel experiences to Chinese tourists. 

When & Where: Please select a workshop that best fits your schedule.

Workshop 1: Monday, May 28^th, 2012- 9am-11am: Tobermory Community Centre

Workshop 2: Tuesday, May 29^th, 2012- 5:30pm-7:30pm: Southampton Town Hall

 *Maximum 50 participants per workshop

Cost: $15 per person (HST Included)

Registration: Pre-registration is required by contacting Lisa Greig at lisa@explorethebruce.com or 1-800-268-3838.

 Please Register by May 23^rd, 2012.
Light refreshments will be offered at the workshop

 

Program Helps Small Businesses Hire an E-Business Intern

The Small Business Internship Program seeks to improve the competitiveness of SMEs (small/medium enterprises) by supporting businesses to actively market on-line and improve their competitiveness with e-business practices and technologies.

Your firm will receive financial support towards the employment of post-secondary students who will work on e-business projects. The Government of Canada will reimburse up to 75% of the eligible wages and related expenses such as statutory employee benefits, to a maximum of $10,000. Your firm is responsible for covering other expenses such as fringe benefits and overhead costs. Support will be available for twelve weeks.

PLEASE NOTE: Funding is limited and based on a first-come first-served basis so apply ASAP

For more information, please follow the link to Industry Canada’s website
 http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/sbip-pspe.nsf/eng/home

or contact the Business Enterprise Centre for general enquiries 519-832-2082