Learning Day Workshop Options
Workshop #1 (Choose One)
Forging through failure: Cultivating a learning mindset to achieve business success, Kandis Neth, AWE
For some, women business ownership is unknown territory and fearing failure can lead to anxiety or even become paralyzing during decision making. While you might have a clear idea of what success looks like to you, understanding your relationship with failure can assist you in achieving success more consistently and with less stress and anxiety. In this session you will explore specific strategies that will help you stay motivated through failure, cultivate a learning-mindset, improve your business with focused efforts, and build your confidence and your resiliency along the way!
Converting a “no” to a “yes” while preserving your business: Legal tips and tricks, Heather Barnhouse, Dentons
Legal considerations often rank low on the list of priorities, and people are often intimidated by what it is that they don’t know. With competing demands for limited resources, business owners often feel ill-equipped to make a decision, and/or ill-equipped to understand the consequences of the decisions they make. In this session, we’ll explore the legal consequences as it relates to preserving business relationships with partners, funders, plans for growth or expansion, and protecting intellectual property. We’ll discuss simple strategies and tips for ensuring that you protect your business and allow yourself to focus on growing your business.
Reaching the right audience: How psychographics outperform demographics in marketing, Jenifer Horvath, Heart Lifted
Research shows that demographics like age, gender, and income are not good indicators of purchase behaviour. This means you need to understand your audience’s psychographics, behavioural preferences, and situational needs. This session looks at ways to better understand your customers so you can adapt your marketing strategies and messages to improve leads.
Exploring alternative financing: lending solutions for entrepreneurs, Aimee Parker and Ranice Macyk, ATB
Traditional loans aren’t the only way to fund your business. ATB experts will walk you through alternative lending options that exist for Alberta entrepreneurs. Whether you are interested in market testing a product while getting funds, having the “crowd” support your loan, or getting start-up funding backed by the government, there are many innovative options you might not know about. We will also be discussing the key aspects that make up your business plan as this is a key component to obtaining alternative financing. Join us for a combined interactive workshop where you are certain to learn something useful.
Workshop #2 (Choose One)
Selling to your customers: One part art, one part science, three parts terrifying, Frances Kilgour, Redline Fabrication
Popular images of entrepreneurs show the confident well spoken, natural seller, or conversely the awkward genius developer. Most of us fall somewhere in the middle and many are just plain uncomfortable thinking of ourselves as salespeople. This session explores sales tips and topics to ease the stress and enhance your comfort in this pivotal area of your business.
Creating employment and contractor agreements: Legal best practices, Cristina Wendel, Dentons
Stuck between hiring contractors or employees for your business and not sure how to go about either? The decision to hire is an important and exciting step for any entrepreneur growing their business. However, it can be challenging to navigate the legal side of hiring employees and contractors.
In this session you’ll learn about the legal distinctions between employees and independent contractors and why it matters. We will also review best practices for preparing employment and independent contractor agreements and what to be wary of.
Developing your best business plan: Five common mistakes and how to fix them, Kiran Sagoo, AWE
If you are looking to develop a business plan with the intention of financing your business this session is for you.
In this session, we will explore the five most common mistakes people make in their business plans that can impact a lending decision. We will guide you through ways to avoid these mistakes and how to present your business plan in the best way possible.
Telling your story: Leveraging the power of social media, Adam Rozenhart and Tyler Butler, ATB
ATB has a bold mission to reimagined banking. To make it work for people, instead of happen to them. We believe that banking can make people really, truly happy. Find out how ATB reinvented its social media strategy to align with this mission, and what you can learn about creating your own strategy for a company of any size.
