SMALL BUSINESS
RESILIENCE + RECOVERY
Announcements
COVID-19 Best Practices for Waterloo Region Restaurants
Presented by #BESTWR. recording of a panel discussion led by Minto Schneider, CEO, Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation. Minto was joined by Nick Benninger ( Fat Sparrow Group), Alex Kastner ( Cambridge Mill), Jody Palubiski ( Charcoal Group), as well as Public Health and the AGCO, for a conversation on best practices for restaurants in a COVID-19 setting.
Own a local restaurant and want to participate in the EAT Local program?
WR United, check out the many great things Explore Waterloo Region has to offer to local food businesses!
Grants
Rebuild, Reopen, Revive - Up to $5000 on eligible expenses for Southern Ontario Women-Led SMES
Eligible activities should support the reopening, rebuilding and revival of the business, such as: Acquisition of required/mandated Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), Workspace reconfiguration to accommodate physical distancing, Hardware/software upgrades to enhance online capacity, client servicing and accessibility. For more information and eligibility requirements visit!
Tourism Marketing and Digital Support. for Waterloo, Wellington, Huron, Perth County. Apply for $2,500 Grant. Applications will be reviewed Aug 5th. For more information see the Application Guide.
RTO4 program assists businesses in improving and optimizing their digital assets and marketing capacity in response to COVID-19. The purpose of the program is to support local marketing activities, as well preparatory activity such as content acquisition, web design and social media management, etc.
Digital Transformation Grant now available for main street businesses in Waterloo Region
Businesses can now   apply for a $2,500 grant  to help implement new technologies to support their businesses. The program is delivered by Digital Main Street thanks to funding from the Federal and Provincial.
Do you have Questions? Connect with the local DMS team at Waterloo Region Small Business Centre.
Programs
ShopHERE provides independent small businesses and artists with a quick, easy and no-cost way to get selling online right away. For more answers to top questions regarding the ShopHERE program, check out the upcoming webinar !
Digital Main Street ShopHERE - powered by Google's $1M fund and partnered with Shopify, MasterCard and Microsoft to help build up to 50,000 online stores Canada-wide for small independent businesses and artists in just a matter of days.
Eligibility to include commercial locations and home based businesses. Sign up for a free online store!
Want to Launch or Accelerate your Business? Then Starter Company PLUS may be for YOU!
Starter Company PLUS is a great opportunity for budding entrepreneurs and existing business owners who want to start, expand, or buy a mainstream business in their community, and are not in school or working full time.
The program has 6 half-day training days covering Business Concept, Research, Marketing, Sales, Financial, Operations, and Presentation Skills. Learn more.
Laurier’s Women Entrepreneurship
Centre is here to help! Apply today to join an online, action-oriented program for women entrepreneurs.  
Program: Grow My Business Accelerator
Dates: September 14, 2020 until March 22, 2021
Time: Mondays 1:00 - 3:30 pm
Location: online (sessions will be recorded)
If you are looking to grow your existing business, fine tune your operation, or shift gears in a post-covid world, this program may be for you!
Push your leadership & your business to the next level with Rhyze Ventures , a custom-designed program created by women entrepreneurs, for women entrepreneurs.
Rhyze Ventures is a custom-designed program created by female entrepreneurs, for female entrepreneurs, with a balance of in-class learning, practical hands-on project work, mentorship, and peer-to-peer networking to address your biggest business challenges, push your boundaries, and see you through to implementation.  Read More!
Peer 2 Peer
Peer2Peer groups provide an opportunity for individuals in similar industries or roles to share best practices, ideas, and provide guidance on current business challenges. Whatever problems you face, someone in your group has faced it and remedied it. Weekdays 10:30 - 11:30 am.
Together we are stronger!
personal care, health and wellness practitioners, trainers, coaches, consultants, accounting, administrative, educational services.
restaurants, cafes, bakers, beverage, mobile, markets, caterers, meal prep, hospitality, processors, specialty foods, suppliers, distributors.
merchandise, apparel, specialty shops, home decor and supplies, collectibles, galleries, repairs, electronics, after-market sales, and more.
Webinars


Learn what entrepreneurs can do to prepare for the post-COVID opportunities. How to survive, pivot and thrive in the months ahead. Are you ready to adapt your business to the new economic reality? In this free, live webinar we will present a step-by-step strategic approach to understanding the opportunities, what tools can help equip your business to deal with the changed economic landscape. Presented by BACD.

July 29 | 10 - 11 am | Marketing 101
This seminar will assist entrepreneurs in understanding how to effectively market their product/service by applying the "4 Ps of Marketing". Attendees will learn to utilize this strategy to create a sales and marketing strategy. Your business will be better equipped to identify your target market, create best practices for promotion and understand how this direction can be used to increase your sales. Presented by WRSBC.

July 30 | 10 - 11:30 am | Startup Business Basics
Starting a new business venture? Learn the necessary steps to start your business! Including: how to assess your entrepreneurial readiness; the various forms of business ownership; government regulations; the importance of a business plan; forecasting cash flow; identifying your target market and; and when and why to register for HST. Presented by WRSBC.

July 30 | 1 - 2:30 am | Digital Marketing for Musicians
Are you a musician who wants to build your online brand? During this webinar, you will learn the key aspects of digital marketing for professional musicians. Using a simple seven-step process, discover the essential components of an effective online strategy. Attendees will learn tips, best practices and access resources available for musicians who want to build their online brand in today’s digital-first economy. This will include ways to use your website, social media, and email marketing, to promote your business. Presented by Mississauga SBC

July 30 | 11:30 - 12:30 pm | shopHERE powered by Google
In this webinar you will get the answers to the top questions DMS received about the ShopHERE program, including:
  • Who is Digital Main Street?
  • What is ShopHERE?
  • What does it mean to sell online, and why should my business?
  • Do I qualify for this program?
  • What are the costs involved?
  • Do you have any examples of completed websites?

Companies need to understand what customers will value, post-COVID-19, and develop new use cases and tailored experiences based on those insights. Inconsistent customer experiences result in missed sales opportunities, poor reviews and ratings, lack of loyalty and costly customer service remedies. Many business owners struggle to create a client experience that meets and exceeds expectations. How brands effectively appeal, attract and retain customers is directly related to their client’s experience. Client experience informs long term purchasing behaviour and loyalty. Presented by Hamilton Business Centre

July 31 | 9:30 - 11:00 am | Socialpreneur Chats
Want to meet other social innovators and entrepreneurs? Drop by and join our online peer group the last Friday morning of each month from 9:30 AM - 11 AM. Presented by Pillar Non-Profit

August 5, 12, | 10 - 11:30 am | Digital Marketing Bootcamp
In this two-part online workshop, learn how to take your digital marketing beyond the basics. Learn how to create a simple digital marketing plan from start-to-finish. Course materials will be provided, including templates, guides and resources. Presented by Mississauga SBC

August 6 | 9:30 - 11:00 am | Startup Business Basics
Starting a new business venture? Learn the necessary steps to start your business! Including: how to assess your entrepreneurial readiness; the various forms of business ownership; government regulations; the importance of a business plan; forecasting cash flow; identifying your target market and; and when and why to register for HST. Presented by WRSBC.

In this workshop, participants are presented with a case study about expanding a product distribution network. Participants are taught key insights into marketing agreements, referral agreements and reseller agreements through the use of innovative, online contract drafting and learning tools.
All episodes of this series (whether live or rebroadcast) will include a live Q&A throughout the presentation with our trainer lawyers, live chat, live case studies throughout. Presented by DealPrep.

What are the stress effects on dealing with COVID on your family? We will be exploring triggers, coping mechanisms, and activities to enhance your "shelter at home" experience caused by physical distancing. Markham Small Business Centre

This is a time for companies to look ahead, to consider the improved and innovative offerings they can launch in the market now that will serve customer needs today as well as provide momentum into the future. By letting customers know they are important by keeping their interests first and foremost, companies can retain customer loyalty and trust. Presented by Hamilton Business Centre

August 17 | 12 - 1:00 pm | Digital Skills for Success
In this new virtual world, digital skills and tech competencies are the foundation for success. This webinar will explore how to “level-up” individuals and businesses through tech enablement. Presented by Markham Small Business Centre

August 19 | 10 - 11:00 am | How to Start a Food and Beverage Business
Starting a food business? In this online webinar, learn steps to consider when launching your food business, including choosing the right business idea, financing options, market research, government regulations and licenses, and more.Presented by Mississauga SBC

August 19 | 10 - 11:30 am | Business Plan Essentials
Business plans can provide countless benefits beyond just applying for financing. They provide vision and guidance while you launch and run your company, and allow you to be focused on your goals even while working on day-to-day operations. Participants will understand the basic layout of a business plan including an overview of requirements and recommendations of each section. You will also be provided with a business planning template. This seminar will take place over Web Ex and a link will be emailed out before the event. Presented by WRSBC.

August 26 | 10 - 11:30 am | Social Media For Beginners
This seminar will help beginners gain valuable information about what social media platform is for you, how to plan you content effectively and some helpful tips and tricks on how to connect with your audience.  Links to the webinar will be emailed to participants. Presented by WRSBC.

Learn tips and best practices that brick and mortar retailers can use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presented by Shopify.

Tools
When it comes to running a small business, having the right tool for the job can make a huge difference in both your workday and your business performance. That’s why now is a great time to be an entrepreneur — you still need to wear a lot of hats, but there have never been more business tools available to help you fit into those hats a little better.
Website Visitor Tracking Software
Article of the week!
What would you say to a system that guarantees your business will turn a profit , save for taxes , pay your expenses , and pay YOU ?! The correct answer is “Uhm, where do I sign up!?”