Using social media to promote your business

Building an online community is a key strategy for growing your business. Hear tips from social media experts Alex Blom, Erin Bury and Mark Evans on how they have built and managed their communities so that you can do the same

This is a link to MaRS Discovery District

MaRS is the hub of a growing community of organizations—in Ontario, across Canada and around the world—that are working together to help nurture innovation and bring new ideas to market.  The MaRS Ontario Gateway site is a directory of organizations with expertise that includes:

• Advanced materials and engineering
• Cleantech
• Information technology, communications and entertainment (ICE)
• Life sciences and health care
• Social innovation

Need to Hire People?

The Bracebridge Employment Resource Centre is sponsoring a Job Fair at the Bracebridge Sportsplex on Monday, March 1, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Sportsplex is located at 110 Clearbrook Trail in Bracebridge.

Approximately 32 local employers are registered so far to provide information about their business and employment opportunities.

For more information, contact the Bracebridge Employment Resource Centre, 195 Wellington Street, 705-646-2092.

Looking for business financing? Georgian Angel Network

Georgian Angel Network is a not-for-profit organization comprised of individual member-investors, as well as having strategic partnerships with both public and private sector organizations/businesses. GAN, is continually looking for opportunities which meet the group’s investment criteria (refer below). GAN website is www.georgianangelnet.ca , where there is additional information for both investors  & entrepreneurs.

The ENTREPRENEURS tab on the website was written to assist entrepreneurs “pre-qualify” their businesses as potential investment candidates for the GAN - the following investment criteria are the most relevant:

· Amount: $150k minimum (we will consider smaller investments for certain opportunities), and up to $500k of equity per transaction;

· Owners/management: must be “sophisticated”, and have experience in their domain or as a serial entrepreneur. A solid business plan is a must (including well-conceived financials), also including strong understanding of competitive landscape & go-to-market strategy;

· There should be a reasonable amount of cash equity already invested in the business from founders/family/friends (as the first source of equity capital), not just “sweat equity” which is treated as a given for any entrepreneur;

· Governance: should have a reasonably strong advisory board;

· “disruptive” technology, either an innovation based on an existing technology, or an entirely new product/technology ;

· Use of Proceeds: proceeds will be used to achieve determinable milestones;

· Customers must be well-defined & the addressable market potentially large;

· Stage: proven technology - preferably at the late-beta stage, or preferably already with revenue (demonstrating traction with customers); the market must be well-defined & the addressable market reasonably large. Sustainable competitive advantage & defensible product/technology, either by patented IP, joint venture relationship or strategic alliance;

· Return: equity return of 5x cash-on-cash in a 3 year exit scenario, or 8-10x cash-on-cash in a 5 year exit scenario (an identifiable exit is implicit in the investment opportunity).

ContactSandy Robertson

MANAGING DIRECTOR
(705) 441-4058 (mobile)
(705) 443-8576 (office)
Collingwood, ON
sandy@georgianangelnet.ca

GEORGIAN ANGEL NETWORK LOOKING FOR ANGELS

GAN is a regional angel group covering south-central Ontario. We are actively looking to grow the membership of the group.

Angels are high net worth (accredited) investors, who are interested in making direct equity investments in private companies, specifically start-ups. Companies that represent high-potential opportunities are of interest to angel groups. Angel groups like GAN represent an important step in the innovation chain, providing funding to early-stage companies to assist them in full commercialization of their technology or product.

GAN serves as a linkage mechanism between entrepreneurs who require equity capital, and angel investors who want to invest in these start-up opportunities. The angels bring not only their financial capital to bear, but augment this with their experiential and intellectual capital. Angels are typically successful entrepreneurs themselves, who started, built and (in many cases) sold their business and have the time and money to commit. They may also continue to be active in their own businesses, while making private equity investments as part of managing their overall net worth.

The GAN sources, reviews & vets opportunities, stages the investment meetings (2-3 companies present at each meeting) and facilitates due diligence to arrive at an investment agreement that is satisfactory to both the investors and investee companies. The investors make their own investment decisions on a case-by-case basis. GAN has a regional focus, and will also profile companies from outside the region if they present compelling investment opportunities.

GAN is a not-for-profit organization comprised of individual member-investors, as well as having strategic partnerships with both public and private sector organizations/businesses. GAN, as well as actively recruiting members to build the group, is continually looking for opportunities which meet the group’s investment criteria (refer below).

GAN website is http://www.georgianangelnet.ca/ , where there is additional information for both investors and; entrepreneurs.

Sandy Robertson
MANAGING DIRECTOR
(705) 441-4058 (mobile)
(705) 443-8576 (office)
Collingwood, ON
sandy@georgianangelnet.ca

AND THE WINNER IS!…2010 Business Awards

Carolyn's Comfort Homes presented the 17th Annual Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Business Achievement Awards & Luncheon on Wed. Oct. 20th at the Rotary Centre for Youth.

9 Awards were presented to individuals and businesses that were voted 'the best' in their category by Bracebridge Chamber members.

Those winners were:

The Alexandra Luke Gallery for Home Based Business of the Year. Accepting for The Alexandra Luke Gallery was owner Wendy Moses. This award was sponsored by Scotiabank and presented by Small Business Advisor Rosemary Featherstone.

Community Living South Muskoka won for Service Provider of the Year. Accepting for Community Living was Chief Executive Officer Ann Kenney. This award was also sponsored by Scotiabank and presented by Small Business Advisor Rosemary Featherstone.

Dr. David A.R. Cox - Optometrist won the Business of the Year Award. Accepting was Dr. Cox. This award was sponsored by TD Canada Trust and presented by Bank Manager Mark Harris.

One Fifty Five won the New Business of the Year Award. Accepting for One Fifty Five was Jan Rickard. This award was sponsored by OFFICEWorks and presented by owner Dianna Stevenson.

Tiggs Clothiers Ltd. won the Outstanding Retail Customer Service Award. Accepting for Tiggs was owner Julia Watson and staff member Zelda Evans. This award was sponsored by The Muskoka Staffing Company Ltd. and presented by owner Kelly MacDuff.

Dennis Meystadt of Meystadt's Mobile Mechanic Services won the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Dennis accepted the award. This award was sponsored by RBC Royal Bank and presented by Bank Manager Mike Kenney.

John English of Oliver's Coffee won the Male Business Person of the Year Award. This award was sponsored by Saunders & Associates and presented by Andrea Beaupre.

Ruth Bell-Towns of BDO Canada LLP won the Female Business Person of the Year Award. Ruth accepted the award. This award was also sponsored by Saunders & Associates and presented by Andrea Beaupre.

Wendy Moses won the Outstanding Contribution to Bracebridge Award. for her work in organizing the Bracebridge Terry Fox run for the last 10 years. This award was sponsored by the Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce and presented by Chamber Past-President Bob Kerr.

From the Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce, E-Blast, October 26, 2010 - "Thank you to all of our sponsors, the nominees, winners and to everyone who nominated a business or person, took the time to vote and came out to support our nominees!"