Feeling small business stress?

Running a small business with its highs and lows can feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. If you’re feeling the squeeze, you aren’t alone—but you also don’t have to stay stuck in that “survival mode” headspace. Here are four practical ways to reduce the stress and get back toContinue reading “Feeling small business stress?”

Make your message stick!

When you’re running a small business, you don’t always have the budget for massive, months‑long ad campaigns. That’s why smart marketing isn’t about shouting louder—it’s about showing up consistently. People remember messages they see and hear repeatedly, which means repetition isn’t optional; it’s the strategy. Think of the human brain like a leaky bucket. YouContinue reading “Make your message stick!”

Small business litmus test

Good ideas are a dime a dozen, but great ideas? They’re gold. If you’re an entrepreneur thinking about starting a small business, you’re in good company. Madeinca.ca claim that nearly 98% of business in Canada are small businesses. However, according to Made in CA, who focus on small business in Canada, “About 50% of smallContinue reading “Small business litmus test”

Starting a business? Major move!

Almost a year ago, I took the first step into a new business venture. Working with my business partner, we bounced around ideas that eventually evolved into what we hope will be a new and exciting product in the market. The creative process was a fun one. Once we had a concept for a productContinue reading “Starting a business? Major move!”

Say it simply

You have an exciting opportunity to build a strong and meaningful brand by being consistent in everything you do. Your brand is an important asset. It’s a perception in the minds of consumers and represents what they know and how they feel about you and your business. Your brand offers a compelling promise to yourContinue reading “Say it simply”

Honesty, an important value

I’m struggling with what to do with pieces of furniture that I no longer need or have room for. You might say, “That’s easy, give them away.” In reality it’s not that easy. Many of the pieces have sentimental value. It seems wrong to get rid of them. Am I being honest with myself? IsContinue reading “Honesty, an important value”

Five ways to engage readers

How regularly do you look at the analytics for your web page? It’s a great tool to determine where your visitors are coming from, how long they’re staying and which pages they find most engaging. If you’re promoting a business, engaging visitors and promoting readership is key to success. Here are tips you may wantContinue reading “Five ways to engage readers”

To call or not to call?

Customer service is more than just a courteous smile. The service you provide has an impact on whether or not visitors to your site or your shop become customers! This past couple of weeks, I was on the receiving end of customer service. I was on a mission to find a suitable box for aContinue reading “To call or not to call?”

Feed the creative mind

Throughout my career, I’ve had many opportunities to work with designers and creative teams to develop campaigns and promotions from sales incentives to national advertising. Every project was a valued experience. Developing that next inspiring idea takes a creative mind with unique skills. But, getting there doesn’t happen in isolation. There are steps to takeContinue reading “Feed the creative mind”

Adaptation beats translation

One of the first things I learned as a young communications specialist was that translation alone is not enough. You need to adapt the messaging… not just the words. In my work, English was the primary language and French was a requirement by law for a large segment of customers. To do this, we reliedContinue reading “Adaptation beats translation”