TIPS for TOUGH TIMES Vol. 13

Your go-to spot for Business Updates

Summer is in full sizzle and the sounds of Jimmy Buffet have begun to get louder and louder in the back of our minds…it’s about time for a Margarita isn’t it?

Unless you’re in Vancouver of course, where it’s actually still November .

What better time than to grab that tasty beverage and get together with the GroYourBiz crew! At this year’s Summer Sizzler, we’ll be getting to know each other on a deeper level, fostering fun, intimate conversations….with just a little bit of business talk.

Members - join us! Hosted this July 22 ^nd , 4:00 – 5:00 PST and/or July 24 ^th 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM PST. You can RSVP here .

Federal Policy Updates

Indigenous child welfare. The federal government has signed an agreement with the Assembly of First Nations to outline how it will fund an overhaul of the First Nations child welfare system . The agreement establishes a “joint fiscal table” where First Nations and the government can negotiate funding agreements that will support communities who want to assume the responsibility of caring for children.

Currently, there are more Indigenous children in care than at the height of the residential school system.

Image Credit: Chris Wattie/Reuters

Rent relief continues. The government has extended the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program for an extra month, through to the end of July.

The deficit. Ottawa’s deficit is expected to reach $343 billion this year. In a speech to the House of Commons, Finance Minister Bill Morneau stated "Some will criticize us on the cost of action… But our government knew that the cost of inaction would've been far greater”.

Headlines from home

TESTING - Canada’s national immunity task force has started testing blood samples for COVID-19 antibodies. Within a few weeks, the country should have a better idea of the true infection rate.

Image Credit: Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press

AIR TRAVEL - Both Air Canada and WestJet have terminated physical distancing policies on their planes. While the airlines had previously put a hold on seating adjacent seats in economy class, starting July 1 ^st they are booking at full capacity.

Not bothered by the new rules? The EU might just welcome you with open arms. They’ve released their list of approved travel partners, including Canada, South Korea, Japan, Morocco & more.

Image Credit: NURPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

BORDERS - Atlantic Canadians are now free to travel within the Atlantic bubble, encompassing Canada’s four eastern provinces. So far, border checkpoint waits have been LONG.

MASKS – The City of Toronto instituted a mandatory mask or face covering bylaw, meaning that in all public indoor spaces, citizens will have to cover their mouth, nose and chin.

But this one doesn’t end there.

Citing an infringement on their personal freedoms, a group of demonstrators protested the bylaw by riding the TTC without masks.

Feeling those Groundhog Day vibes? It was just a few weeks ago we asked our readers what they thought about the mask controversy, and now it’s heating up right at home.

Image Credit: CTV News

Let’s do these protesters a favor and pick them up an extra mask or two. I know just the place to buy them.

Kristina Benson Art: GYB member Kristina Benson offers unique textile art pieces through her Canadian-based online shop. Her stunning face coverings are available in a range of sizes, with instructions to make sure each mask fits perfectly snug around your face.

Malary’s: GYB member Yvonne Hogene’s beautiful boutique Malary’s features one-of-a-kind fashion pieces and quality athletic wear. What’s more? The FIRMA face mask. Breathable, durable, soft and incredibly protective, its Emana fiber is a powerful ingredient that creates a strong barrier for your face.

Image Credit: Instagram/firmaenergywear

New in tech

The Boycott. As civil rights groups, including the NAACP, the Anti-Defamation League, and Color of Change, began a campaign called #StopHateForProfit to push brands to stop Facebook advertising during July, some followed suit. The campaign protests the social network’s profits off bigotry, racism and violence.

Which brands participated? Unilever, Ford, Honda, and Starbucks, to name a few.
·The update: In a statement released July 7, 2020 by the NAACP, a meeting was held between a representative from the NAACP, Color of Change, Free Press and ADL National, along with representatives from Facebook. A quote from the statement reads, “It was abundantly clear in our meeting today that Mark Zuckerberg and the Facebook team is not yet ready to address the vitriolic hate on their platform.”

TikTok. India enacted a ban on social media app TikTok and 58 other Chinese applications, noting national security concerns and major privacy violations. This article contextualizes the ban and underscores the need for governments to “shift the balance of power from corporations back toward consumers” through privacy and competition policy changes.

Female focus: Women Business Owners

BMO Grant for WBOs. To celebrate business owners’ innovation and resilience during the pandemic and provide additional support,

BMO Celebrating Women Grant program has pledged $100,000 in grants to women entrepreneurs in Canada, each taking the form of $10.000.

To assist with the grant recipient selection process, BMO is collaborating with key strategic partners to establish an advisory committee and judging panel consisting of leaders from GroYourBiz (GYB), Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), Women Get On Board, Women Business Enterprises Canada, Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, and Deloitte. Applications open on July 20 and close on August 7 of 2020.

Changes to women’s lives. Through the pandemic, women are shouldering a disproportionate amount of unpaid domestic labour, have lost their jobs at a higher rate than men, and, earning a lesser income (on average), they are giving up their jobs to support child care duties at a higher rate.

Apply an intersectional lens. ‘Women’ are not a monolith. This YMCA Toronto resource, titled an Intersectional Approach to Covid-19 She-Covery, stresses that a “one-size-fits-all” approach to Covid recovery will fail to meet the diverse needs of women and girls. Read more here.
Check the global progress…UN Women has created a comprehensive Covid-19 gender monitor, where you can track gender-based indicators across the globe – as stated on the monitor, these indicators will inform gender-responsive policy through COVID-19.

Image Credit: Getty Images

What’s your experience? WEConnect International has launched a global survey to examine the impact of COVID-19 on Women Business Owners and their companies. As stated on their website, the results will inform how WEConnect International and their partner organizations provide support for the changing challenges faced by WBOs.

Leadership is leadership. "A leader doesn’t have to be a president or prime minister, it’s someone with courage & strength.", stated Global Leadership Awards honoree and GAVI Board Chair Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Listen to her discussion on women leading through the pandemic in this Vital Voices podcast episode .

Women Entrepreneurs Knowledge Hub. Made up of 10 regional hubs, this Canadian network offers data on women entrepreneurs, research on women entrepreneurship, a national database of events for women entrepreneurs, and a database of organizations that support women entrepreneurs across Canada. You can also join their sharing platform here .

Optimizing online

The time for a long-term digital strategy is now. Use this moment to think critically about your business’ place within an increasingly online marketplace. That way, you’ll empower yourself with the direction and toolkit you’ll need to thrive within it.

Just ask those in retail.

According to The Hustle , online Experience Hubs are emerging as a way for retailers to adapt to a digital environment. “Retailers that can wait out the pandemic and turn their physical locations into "experience hubs" will survive -- and thrive -- in a post-COVID world”, wrote The Hustle.

But it’s not just retailers that can benefit from a digital hub. Queue Susan Kabani , CEO and Co-founder of online community hub service Ugenie . Through Ugenie, a private digital platform, organizations can create customized online spaces that facilitate close engagement with their communities.

Here at GYB, we are long-time advocates of Ugenie and all of the benefits it has to offer. After launching a partnership together in 2018 – we’ve never looked back.

That’s why we’re thrilled to share the news – in addition to their Ugenie App (iOS and Android), Ugenie has launched an online Web Portal, accessible by laptop or computer.

Members can sign in here . Not a member? Start your 30 day free trial today !

Digital marketing…for free. Strengthen your digital marketing strategy with some of these free tools! Start by writing up some blog posts, creating a free listing on Google My Business, or doing your own PR!

Tell your best story. Crafting your online persona can be daunting – it provokes a certain level of introspection. Here are a couple of guidelines to follow as you build your online profile.

The 24/7 salesperson. Or ‘Salesman’ as this author has written in error…Nevertheless, they did have some good points on the importance of a user-friendly website along with tips to improve it.

Shifting from a sprint to a marathon. That’s the title of this insightful article covering strategies for supporting your remote teams. Written by GYB member Victoria Eastwood, it stresses the need to build trust, establish rhythm, and set clear, aligning goals.

And if you find yourself gearing up to go offline and into the office…

Need PPE? If you’re thinking of reopening, you’re likely going to need a supplier for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Here are some resources from province to province.

British Columbia’s PPE marketplace, Ontario’s PPE Supplier Directory, Nova Scotia’s Workplace PPE Supplier Directory, Manitoba’s B2B Marketplace, this list of suppliers in Saskatchewan and this resource with suppliers in Atlantic Canada .

All about GYB

The Spotlight.

For this week’s spotlight, we’re sharing two inspiring stories from our bold and brave GYB members, Zully Matallana and Simone Upham .

Zully Matallana

Zully Matallana’s journey to entrepreneurship began in her home-country of Colombia, where her work as a community director for a social organization taught her the joys of helping others.

But this desire to help others didn’t fade after she immigrated to Canada in 2004. As she began to settle into life in a new country, she turned her experiences as a new immigrant into an e-book designed to answer common questions that many new immigrants have: www.classicimmigrantstory.com.

Fast forward to today, and Zuly has launched a thriving business with a ground breaking product: the TIARA shower cap . Keeping hair dry & frizz-free between washes, it is a reusable, sustainable product made with recycled waterproof plastic fabrics. Thanks to its innovative design, it has revolutionized the shower experience.

The TIARA shower cap has made serious waves – Zully pitched her product and closed a deal on Dragon’s Den , had her product featured on Good Morning America Deals and Steals, and was also invited to speak on The View as part of their Small Business Edition.

And the latest – she met Michelle Obama . Zully expressed that talking to Michelle Obama helped her realize “the importance of leadership and support”.

“Michelle told me her grandma believed in her and that helped her to believe in herself. I was lucky to have a grandma that believed in me, I am truly blessed and ready to move forward”

The TIARA shower cap is now available in the UK through Amazon – you can explore the product here .

Thank you for sharing your story Zully, and for empowering so many others along your journey!

Simone Upham

Tech expert Simone Upham is taking on a meaningful challenge : riding her bike 225 Kilometers to fight kids' cancer. Taking part in the Great Cycle Challenge , Simone is taking action to fight the number one killer of children from disease in Canada.

Riding for her mother, described as a smart, beautiful, and tenacious force to be reckoned with, Simone is honouring her legacy and the battle she fought with ovarian cancer.

By raising funds for SickKids Foundation that will help them to continue their work in developing treatments and finding a cure for childhood cancer, Simone hopes to change little lives.

Click the link here to support Simone on her journey. Every little bit helps!

Get your feet wet.

Remember that A Taste of GroYourBiz London, UK event we held? Well, the first one went so well, we’re hosting a second one !

Join Chairs of London, UK, Emma-Jane Taylor , CEO, The Works Company and Susan Kabani , CEO, UGENIE.IO as they discuss how peer advisory boards have helped shape and grow businesses from every industry.

This virtual information session will give you a glimpse of the possibilities that come from connecting and sharing with fellow women entrepreneurs. Allow your peers to help you take your business to the next level!

You can register here – hosted on July 14 ^th , 2020 from 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM BST, it will be hosted on Zoom. See you there!

Free Trial Advisory Boards.

Last but not least, we’ve got NEW dates for our Free Trial Advisory Board, where you’ll learn how to transform current business challenges into new opportunities through the expertise of your peers.

Here’s what’s coming up: