Time: 9:30 am - 11:00 am
Cost: $10.00
Registration Deadline: February 14, 2012

This session outlines employment relationships to help you determine whether a worker is an employee or a self-employed individual. Topics covered:

• Deductions – What to take off of your employees' cheques
• Payroll remittance deadlines and responsibilities
• Reporting and filing of T4s

Presenter:

Canada Revenue Agency

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Cost: $40.00
Registration Deadline: February 15, 2012

This is one of Alberta's most informative small business seminars. It's packed with valuable information to help you start off right and increase the odds of your business being successful. The session will address: Reasons for starting a business

• How good business ideas are discovered and evaluated
• Why and how business plans are developed
• Important marketing aspects to consider
• Financing sources available
• Pros and cons of the three common legal structures of business

Presenter:

Jay Krysler, MBA – NAIT, JR Shaw School of Business

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 12pm - 2pm
Cost: $20.00
Registration Deadline: February 16, 2012

This presentation will provide individuals and small business owners with information on the commercial import process. It will address: What you need to know before importing

• Determining the rates of customs duty
• Determining the value for duty
• Other duties and taxes
• Import process
• Requirements of other government departments
• Customs duty exemption programs

Presenter:  Marwan Chehade, B.A.Sc. – Canada Border Services Agency

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 9:30am - 11:30am
Cost: $10.00
Registration Deadline: February 21, 2012

This basic corporate income tax session is invaluable for the newly incorporated business. It highlights areas that every corporate director should be aware of. Topics include:

• Transferring assets into a corporation
• Director's liability
• Shareholder loans and salaries
• Business expenses and capital expenditures
• Corporate filing requirements, corporate tax rate structure and installment payments

Presenter:

Canada Revenue Agency

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 1:30pm - 3pm
Cost: $15.00
Registration Deadline: February 22, 2012

How would a 10 to 50% increase in sales impact your pocketbook? Would it impact your sales performance? Would it make your company more competitive and profitable? If so, you need to attend this profitable selling success session. You will discover:

• Simple, strategic secrets gleaned from generations of selling for profitable growth
• The foundation of sales success
• How to effectively handle objections and concerns

Presenter:

Bob 'Idea Man' Hooey

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 12pm - 2pm
Cost: $20.00
Registration Deadline: February 23, 2012

Trade missions serve an important function in growing sales outside of a domestic (provincial) market, and can be an essential tool for companies engaged in international commerce. With the requisite planning and follow up, trade missions can foster additional business and help facilitate important contacts. To help you get the most out of trade missions, this session will provide concise and focused practical information about:

• What trade missions offer
• How to get invited and participate
• Steps and techniques to prepare for a trade mission
• Essentials of participation in the trade mission
• Follow up requirements, taking advantage of your trade mission contacts and business opportunities

Presenter:

Marek Drywa, MPA, M.Sc. (Econ.) – Calgary Economic Development, Global Business Centre

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 9:30am - 11am
Cost: $15.00
Registration Deadline: February 28, 2012

Familiarize yourself with some basic accounting terminology, as well as three of the most common financial statements. This session will review:

• Methods of keeping receipts and recording business transactions
• What a ledger is and how to produce monthly statements
• Available resources to help you with tax planning, financing and government regulations

Presenter:

Steve Bruns, CMA – Grant MacEwan University, School of Business

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Cost: $40.00
Registration Deadline: February 29, 2012

Preparing a good business plan will require a significant investment of time and research on your part. Attending this session will only be the start of a process that will lead to developing your own business plan. It will provide you with a general overview and basic understanding of:

• The purpose and the components of a typical business plan
• The use of a business plan as an ongoing tool for business success
• How marketing, operations and finance are inter-related
• The importance of finding further information for your plan

Presenter:

Jim Ewing – The Business Link

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 12pm - 1:30pm
Cost: $15.00
Registration Deadline: March 1, 2012

Innovative thinking is the heart of every individuals' and organizations' success. You, your co-workers and your clients, often have great ideas. How can you grow them, harvest and implement the best ones? This session combines lessons learned and leadership insights from over 30 years of entrepreneurial and business leadership. Innovation is simply the art of implementing creative ideas. You'll learn how to:

• Increase personal and group idea generation and productivity
• Improve problem solving, and make decisions easily and effectively
• Capture, evaluate and communicate ideas effectively
• Set a plan for action to quickly and easily turn ideas into results

Presenter:

David Saxby – Spark Communications Inc.

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 9:30am - 11:30am
Cost: $10.00
Registration Deadline: March 6, 2012

This session provides basic income tax information for the small business owner that is either a sole proprietorship or a partnership. Topics include:

• Record keeping – what records should you keep and for how long
• Reporting income
• Business expenses, current or capital
• Motor vehicle expenses

Presenter:

Canada Revenue Agency

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 12pm - 1:30pm
Cost: $15.00
Registration Deadline: March 7, 2012

This information session describes what a trademark is and how to protect this valuable business asset in Canada and other countries. Find out:

• How a trademark functions
• How to protect the distinctiveness of a trademark through correct use
• Why it is important to register a trademark and how this is done
• Proper licensing of a trademark

Presenter:

Bonnie D. Headley – Bennett Jones LLP

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 12pm - 2:30pm
Cost: $30.00
Registration Deadline: March 8, 2012

Need to research your business, and don't know where to start? Find out about the types of information you need to collect, where to look for it, and how to identify your target market. Realistically look at data to determine the viability of your business idea, and learn what you need to present to financial institutions. You will find out about the best sources of information for:

• Analyzing industry statistics
• Assessing your competition
• Identifying prospective clients
• Determining where to locate your business

Take-aways: detailed handouts on finding the information you need.

Presenter:

Eric Brant – The Business Link

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 9:30am - 11am
Cost: $10.00
Registration Deadline: March 13, 2012

This session will provide a basic understanding of what information is available on Statistics Canada's website that can help you conduct market research. It will also help you to understand a variety of standard definitions related to industry classifications and geography. While the needs of each business are unique and will not be specifically addressed within this session, you will discover where the following information may be found:

• The size of an industry
• Sales within the industry
• The number of businesses within the industry
• Trends for selected industries

Presenter:

Statistics Canada

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 1:30pm - 4pm
Cost: $20.00
Registration Deadline: March 14, 2012

When looking to export a product or service, it is important to create an export plan for each, prior to entering a market. If your export plan is not given the time and attention it needs, the initiative may fail. This session provides aspiring exporters with a solid and comprehensive overview of:

• What the export plan is, when and why it is needed
• Basic components of the export plan
• How to determine if you are ready to go international
• How to secure trade financing
• How to identify your supply chain needs (transportation, logistics, customs, etc.)

Presenter:

Marek Drywa, MPA, M.Sc. (Econ.) – Calgary Economic Development, Global Business Centre

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 12pm - 2pm
Cost: $20.00
Registration Deadline: March 15, 2012

As an entrepreneur, business owner or marketing professional, you know opportunities are passing you by every day if you don't have a plan for social media. It's not too late to jump into the social media game – especially with a leading expert to show you exactly how it's done. This session is perfect for beginners, intermediate and advanced users alike. You will discover:

• A simple yet effective system for networking
• How to connect and build a loyal following online
• The social shift in consumers' buying decisions and how to use this to your advantage 　
• Why the perceptions of authority and expert matter most and how to position yourself

Presenter:

Jeff Schneider – Marketing Ninjas

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 9:30am - 11:30am
Cost: $10.00
Registration Deadline: March 20, 2012

This session gives you general information about GST/HST. Topics include:

• Do you need to register?
• How do you complete the GST/HST return?
• What are the GST/HST rates on goods and services (15% - 0% or exempt)?
• How do you claim the GST/HST you paid out?

Presenter:

Canada Revenue Agency

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 1:30pm - 3pm
Cost: $15.00
Registration Deadline: March 21, 2012

Learn what your landlord does not want you to know...directly from the industry expert! This must-attend session will benefit any business owner/tenant leasing commercial, retail, or office space.

This session will address:

• How to negotiate for a lease renewal rent reduction on the space you lease
• How to negotiate for a mid-term rent reduction now
• Secrets of successful site selection
• Avoiding personal guarantees, leasing with no deposit
• Maximizing your tenant allowance and free rent inducements

Presenter:

Dale Willerton – The Lease Coach

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 12pm - 2pm
Cost: $20.00
Registration Deadline: March 22, 2012

Succession planning is a natural process in a successful business and one that can (and should) be positive and empowering. The main focus will be to give an overview of the 12 steps of succession planning and provide materials and templates that will enable business owners to confidently begin the succession planning process. This session will provide an introduction to the concepts and systems available in ABFI's full day workshop and will address:

• The 12 key steps in successful transition planning
• The importance of transformational structures in the implementation of a succession plan
• The ability to identify with the 3 circle model of family business
• The introduction to the key structures necessary for seamless succession

Presenter:

Shauna Feth – Alberta Business Family Institute, University of Alberta School of Business

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 9:30am - 11am
Cost: $10.00
Registration Deadline: March 27, 2012

This session will provide a basic understanding of what information is available on Statistics Canada's website that can help you to better understand your target market. While the needs of each business are unique and will not be specifically addressed within this session, you will discover where the following information can be found:

• Demographic, educational, socio-economic, labour force and cultural characteristics of population
• Household spending patterns
• E-commerce: shopping on the Internet
• Media habits/Internet use
• Population projections
• Community profiles and trends
• Census tract profiles (neighbourhoods)
• Labour market information

Presenter:

Statistics Canada

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 1:30pm - 3pm
Cost: $15.00
Registration Deadline: March 28, 2012

Just getting started in the food industry, or looking to expand? Are you interested in running a commercial food operation or a "home-based food business"? Come learn about the regulatory requirements in Alberta. This session will highlight:

• The differences between the requirements for vendors in Farmers' Markets in comparison to other food venues
• What is required to get a Food Handling Permit? How do I apply? What does it cost? When is it needed?
• Explore the options, benefits and drawbacks of: home-based food operations, kitchens owned by third parties, commercial retail spaces
• What other approvals may be necessary?

Presenter:

Nyall Hislop, M.Sc., CPHI – Alberta Health Services

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4

Time: 12pm - 2pm
Cost: $20.00
Registration Deadline: March 29, 2012

If you aren't Nike or McDonalds, do you need to worry about your brand? Yes! The reality is, whether we know it or not, everyone already has one. Your brand is simply the collective impact or lasting impression from all that is seen, heard or experienced about your company. What do your clients think about you? Is it consistent with what you think about yourself? Does your brand build, or detract from your customers' confidence?

Presenter:

Doug McLean – Incite

Event Location:
Community Futures Capital Region
5006 - 50th Street
Stony Plain, AB
T7Z 1Y4