Why are Masterminds effective?

• They generate ideas to move your business forward – for marketing, products or processes – wherever you need them

• Focused attention in a hot seat during our monthly group meeting and a personal one to one meeting (in person or over Zoom)

• Collaboration with colleagues and your business coach to help with challenges and ideas

• Accountability for your plans while you gain support

• Strengthen your business abilities

• Analyze what is going on in your business

Don’t try to grow your business alone….

Book a 30 minute consultation to find out if a Mastermind is a fit for you!

https://grow-vantage.appointlet.com/s/mastermind-consultation

For More information: https://www.growvantage.com/2020-mastermind-to-grow-your-business/

Consider Georgian and Lakehead too!

Dear Hiring Manager,

My name is Rebecca Gough and I am the Student Coordinator for the Job Ready  Program. On behalf of the School of Business, I am reaching out to various members of the northern business community about an exciting new program that may be very beneficial for your organization and good for our northern economy.

We have experienced continual growth in the number of organizations that have expressed interest in hiring our business grads. We have also heard through our connections that businesses are having trouble finding suitable candidates to meet their hiring needs. In response to these trends, the School of Business has implemented the Job Ready Program which makes it easier for organizations to connect with our skilled business graduates.

For more details on how you can take advantage of the Job Ready program, please refer to the attached poster.

Thank you,

Rebecca Gough, Job Ready Student Coordinator, Nipissing University, A232-B

• Tel. 705-477-5161
• Rlgough973@community.nipissingu.ca
• 

Happy New Year!  (On behalf of  South Simcoe Startup)

Join us for SSCS Official Launch ~ Proudly Sponsored by Spirit of the Community Innisfil.

We have some exciting initiatives lined up for 2020.

We will post our schedule as soon as it is confirmed but we will have a guest speaker and members of our community as invited guests.

This will be a great opportunity to network with local entrepreneurs.
Light refreshments will be available.
This is a free event but registration is required at;
https://www.southsimcoestartup.ca/events-1/sscs-launch-party 

See you there!

South Simcoe Community Startup

From Netgain SEO (GV grad and source of instructor for Web Design Class!

Stop Believing These Common SEO Myths

We’re stronger together. We’ve always supported one another (unlike ordinary entrepreneurs who don’t have our community) and through office hours, here is an opportunity for you to seek or give support and ideas to other GVers in groups from 1 to 50.

Bring your own question – or let’s chat about a topic of the week. The topic for next week is: Setting Goals for the New Year (and how do we actually make them happen??).

Here are the Zoom links:

• Wednesdays from 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/458799060
• Fridays from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm: Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/121826251

Looking forward to chatting (instructions below)

)

This post is sparked by listening to GVers break through resistance and other nefarious habits that hold us back….Congrats to all of you…

Wende Fahey (GV 50) is evolving her social media presence onto YouTube. Congrats! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkxZ22x1jfA

Eleanor Dath (GV48) pumped up events and speaking gigs… and is finding new ways to find her audience!

I’m taking this discussion to Facebook… will you join me in celebrating what you are doing that is new?

P

Starting on Wednesday, January 8th, we’re resuming Office Hours on Zoom.

What are office hours? They are a chance for you to join fellow GVers… to ask questions, test ideas or seek support. It’s part of helping our community to move forward (whether you are currently taking classes – or have completed them).

Why Zoom? if you haven’t tried Zoom as a communication tool – it’s better (much better) than Skype, and allows people to see and talk to each other in a group. You can log onto your computer or your phone (there is a free download, and by clicking the link, use your audio and video to join. **

Here is the link for Wednesday sessions at 8:00 – 9:00 pm starting on January 8th, 2020: Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/458799060

Here is the link for Friday sessions at 1:00 – 2:00 pm starting January 10th: Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/121826251

If you have any questions, or need directions please email me at patricia@growvantage.com

P

Thank you to everyone who responded on Facebook. If you didn’t get a chance to see the posts, you may have other thoughts. Please share (although when you see this I will be out of town on an adventure and will see them when I return.

Below is a summary of responses on Facebook.

What is Best About Being an Entrepreneur?

• Excitement/Freedom
  • Sleepless nights from excitement
  • Worth it in the end
  • Final Decision maker – freedom to decide
  • No bureaucracy
  • Flexibility/choice
  • Freedom to decide when you want to work (which 100 hours a week!)
  • We can be there for our kids/grandkids
• The work
• Unlimited opportunities
  • Creative freedom
  • A business in an act of creativity
  • Opportunity to create
• The People
  • Collaborations and Cool people,
  • Unexpected supporters
  • Mentorship (Mentor magic)
  • We speak the same language
• Being the best employee!, Loving your boss (lol)

What is the Worst About Being an Entrepreneur?

• The buck stops here
  • No-one else can do it for you (or sometimes even help)
  • Huge responsibility
• The work
  • The amount of work
  • Financial and other Paperwork
• The personal side/confidence: 
  • People who don’t support you (they may be family!)
• Financial stuff:
  • The days you don’t get paid (unpaid sick days)
  • Financial Valley of Death
  • Cash Flow
  • Starting without financial resources
  • Financing
  • Having the funds
  • Taxes
• The Unknown/learning
  • Jumping into the unknown/ Uncertainty
  • The learning curve
• Stamina
  • Having enough energy
  • Exhaustion (avoid illness)
  • Sleepless nights from worry
• Our choices
  • Not asking for help sooner
  • It can take over your life without boundaries
  • We limit our income potential
  • The little voice that tells us to play it safe

What helps?

• • Staying fit
  • Beer (or for me, wine)
  • Build up cash reserves before you start
  • Tell the little voice (that urges you to play it safe) to take a back seat and watch
  • Also good advice for skeptical friends and family
  • Don’t tell them – Show your family and friends