You’ve likely heard the term entrepreneur before, but have you heard of an intrapreneur? Did you know you just might be one? An intrapreneur is an internal entrepreneur. So if you’re one of those driven employees, or if you’re a leader looking to spark innovation and drive in your employees, how can you become more entrepreneurial within a larger organization? As a former intrapreneur turned entrepreneur, here are the two keys - culture & structure / process.
When speaking to Canadians, working with government programs, researching immigration pathways and even seeking consulting advice - it is typically the opportunities and potential of Canada that are espoused rather than the challenges. For businesses in Canada, there are clear advantages but we seem to be hesitant to discuss barriers and challenges. It is important to highlight so businesses and entrepreneurs coming to do business in Canada are prepared including adjustments to their market entry strategies, growth projections and rate of returns.
We’ve all heard the saying, Cash is Queen. Accessing more cash to launch and scale a business is a very common request of entrepreneurs and business owners. This includes business plans and financial forecasts to grant applications and pitch decks. As a business owner, here are the top 6 sources of cash for your business.
You’ve decided to make the choice to move your business to Canada. You’ve consulted with BrightGo Solutions on starting up your business in Canada and growing a team here and set-up a number of business requirements from incorporation to banking. Everything in order right? But what about you and your family?
For ex-pat assignments, failure of the family to properly settle is a top reason for assignment failure. Moving an entrepreneur’s family is no different. Given the importance, it is no surprise it is a regular question we get from our clients. So here are the top resources to help you and your family with your move to Canada.
As a new business in or immigrant to Canada, one of the things you’ll prepare for is adapting to the new culture or even “culture shock”. One way to reduce the negative aspects of entering a new culture is to learn about it in advance and understand what may be different from the culture you are used to.
So what is Canadian culture? This article will explore both the research and some practical things you can notice and embrace to have your company thrive in Canada.
Like a successful person who has a clear life purpose, having a clear purpose for your company can mean the difference between stagnating and achieving. But how does purpose, vision, mission and values all fit together? And how can you make them work for you? One could say, the purpose of this article is to answer inquiries just like those.
With the holiday season in December and early January, you may be wondering what is expected or traditional in Canada for companies - both for employees and customers. Compounding this, depending on your industry this may be an extra busy time of year or it could be extra slow. Let's also discuss both the compliance issues to be aware of and also the cultural when you're doing business in Canada over the holidays.
After attracting that customer or hiring your newest team member, what’s the next step your company takes? Cross your fingers and hope for the best? Send them a manual and let them figure it out? Or do you have a systematic process for bringing them effectively and efficiently into your company? BrightGo finds that a well thought out program is one of the keys to a successful customer experience and an engaged productive employee relationship. This program is called Onboarding.
As a growing business it may seem like an easy answer – just hire everyone as an independent contractor. No payroll account with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to remit income taxes, no vacation entitlement, Employment Insurance (EI) premiums or Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions and even the Worker’s Compensation insurance burden goes to the contractor. The contractor invoices and the company simply pays during the next cheque run. When the company reorganizes or needs different skills, just not renew or immediately terminate the contract with the contractor. Easy right? Wrong.
Do you spell it paycheck or paycheque? Either way, your employees will want one! Which then leads to "how much should we pay our employees?". As in other countries, in Canada there are several different considerations - some to meet compliance standards like minimum wage and vacation entitlements and others to meet cultural expectations including your company's compensation philosophy and industry or profession market rates.
In Canada and globally, human resources as a business function has gone through much change over the past couple of decades. Once called the personnel department with a focus mostly on paying employees it now rarely focuses on the actual mechanics of paying. Instead it is about ensuring the people working with and for the organization are the best possible and they are productive collectively for the overall company. Therefore, instead of thinking of HR as just the culture and compliance team, let's think of HR as how you'll maximize the value of the various people your company interacts with - internally and externally.
Now that you’ve hired that first new employee in Canada, there are several steps in the actual hiring process you need to complete to be compliant with Canada Revenue Agency, Service Canada, provincial Employment Standards and provincial Workplace Safety and Insurance board. Plus you will want to set them up for success with a welcoming and productive onboarding program. This article digs into how to prepare for the all important employee number one, from payroll accounts to culture setting.
Ensuring you have the right talent for your team as you start, grow and change is vital to your business. It is not just having the right people but also the right roles and type of working relationships that suits your organizational structure. One way to think of it, is a company can Buy, Build or Borrow talent. Read on to delve into the possibilities.
As an employer, you have a responsibility to ensure a safe work environment. Not only is this a moral obligation but also a legal one. Some things may be obvious like having a fire extinguisher in the kitchen or not having water running over electrical equipment. But we find many employers don’t realize they may also need to have trained first aid attendants, first aid equipment, regular inspections and health & safety representatives and committees. Are you doing what you need to, to ensure every worker can go home?
