BuyCanadianFirst.ca is pleased to announce the first ever BUY CANADIAN DAY, presented across Canada on June 25, 2016. The focus of this event is to encourage consumers to purchase at least one product made in Canada on that day. This powerful initiative will help spotlight Canadian retailers & manufacturers, encourage local shoppers to buy Canadian first, and boost Canadian pride leading up to Canada day.
This is a key event that will highlight retailers of Canadian-made products across the country. BUY CANADIAN DAY will educate consumers about the extensive selection of Canadian products available nationwide, it will promote retailers that support such goods, and hopefully increase the demand for products made in Canada.
Consumers: Leading up to the event, join the Buy Canadian First Newsletter in order to receive updates on new Canadian products, promotions and contests. And on June 25, buy Canadian first!
Manufacturers: Join the Buy Canadian First network in order to promote their Canadian products on BuyCanadianFirst.ca
Retailers: Participate in BUY CANADIAN DAY in order to promote the fact that they sell Canadian-made products, and put their business on the map!
Founded in 2008, Buy Canadian First encourages Canadians to buy products made in Canada. The Buy Canadian First website, and active social media platforms, showcase thousands of Canadian-made products to consumers on a daily basis. Through BUY CANADIAN DAY, and other initiatives throughout the year, Buy Canadian First continues to increase awareness of the availability of Canadian-made products. Something all Canadians can be proud of!
Buy Canadian First Presents
BUY CANADIAN DAY
Saturday, June 25, 2016
At Retailers Across Canada!
Connect with Buy Canadian First:
#BuyCanadianDay
buycanadianfirst.ca • @BuyCndianFirst • BuyCanadianFirstFB • Support Us!
Media Contact:
Isabelle Remy
isabelleremy@buycanadianfirst.ca
Tel: 514-425-5999
In today’s world, many organizations are shifting their core business online. Employees spend increasing time in front of their computer, begging the question – is an office space all that important anymore?
I would say for the most part no. Depending on the line of business you are in, a physical office may be a waste of money and traveling there, a waste of time. I would even go as far as to suggest that many professions that we associate with needing a physical office may not actually need one (but more on this later)
Here’s my story:
My company originally began as a side project. I went to my 9-5 job, came home and worked for my clients at night. Last year, I quit my job and started my own company (woohoo!). I was pregnant at the time, so this may have been a bit of a hormonal decision, but in the end it paid off. I did most of my work online, however decided to invest in an office space because I thought this was what I was supposed to do.
And guess what? Despite having the worlds best landlord: here comes the rent, the hydro bill, the parking, the Internet bill, the insurance… and it took me an hour each way (I opted for centrally located rather than close). Once I had my baby, I realized that taking her to the office was not in her best interest, nor was it productive for me. So, I started working from home instead and realized I was far happier.
After doing my year-end, I realized that most of my expenses had to do with having this physical space. I barely used it and my employees also preferred to work from home.
Are physical offices becoming an outdated expense?
A lot of company’s today, both big and small have offices because this is what has always been done. However, with advances in technology and a population that is increasingly technology savvy, I believe we need to question our assumptions about whether office spaces are actually needed. This is obvious in some lines of work (like mine), but I believe it stands true in some more traditional professions as well. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that doctors shouldn’t have an office anymore, however do we really need to go to their office for everything? If I just want a referral, why can’t I just Skype in? What if I just had a few questions for my accountant? Do I really need to drive an hour for a 5-minute meeting at his office?
I choose to use my office space as a central ground to meet clients, however I believe the world is changing so quickly that in 5 years time this will no longer be the case. As the world becomes more globalized and more of our business shifts online, the need for a physical office may disappear. I feel this is a step in the right direction although will it possibly lead to a new world of agoraphobics?
It’s funny how since I started my own company, my entire perspective on boss/employee relations has changed. Traits that used to drive me crazy about former bosses now seem very reasonable and have become part of my everyday management style.
Is this a case of the dog finally smelling it’s own shit? Or did I actually learn something from those bosses?
Here are some things I’ve noticed I’ve started to do as a boss:
- Nitpicking
Is that one pixel off really going to make a difference? Is anyone going to notice? As an employee, I would have said no, but as a boss, HELL YES IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE! FIX THAT PIXEL!
- Mindreading
As an employee, I never understood what my boss expected of me and often felt I wasn’t given enough direction. Today I understand, that what my boss expected was for me to take more initiative. Bosses are looking at the big picture, the reason they hired you is because they trust your capabilities. Prove to them that you are worth it.
- I wanted this done yesterday
As an employee, literally every single project was due yesterday. This used to drive me crazy! Why did my boss give this to me so last minute? Don’t they realize I have a lot on my plate? As a boss, I now know that I was just given this project last minute as well. I’m just as annoyed/stressed as you are.
- You’re lucky to have me
Employees in all lines of work feel this way. We work hard and want our boss to acknowledge it. Today as a boss, I do try to keep this in mind. It is vitally important and it’s easy to forget your employees when you’re caught up looking at the bigger picture.
- Don’t micromanage my time
I used to sit at my desk, spend hours on Facebook and leave my actual work to the final hour. This was something I hid from my boss (sorry!), but at the end of the day, I did get my work done and did a pretty damn good job. As a boss, it’s so easy to micromanage your employees and how they spend their time. But, what I have realized is that employees are more productive if you give them to freedom to manage their own time while at work. I personally don’t care if my employees play Angry Bird, as long as all deliverables are up to standard and submit on time.
6. Easy for you to say, you don’t make 10$/hr
As an employee, there is the assumption that your boss is bringing home the bacon. As a boss, I now know how untrue this is (albeit it may not be the case for everyone). An employee gets to go home with a regular salary and knows what to expect. As a small business owner, I assume all responsibility for late/unpaid customers invoices, overhead, office expenses, salaries, etc. I try to pay myself as little as possible so that my business can grow.
Employees are quick to point fingers at their boss, but you need to remember this is their company and they have almost everything invested in this, so for them, these things do matter. Instead of complaining when they drive you crazy, remember they’ve trusted you with their baby, and this says a lot about their faith in you. Stay tuned for the next post on emotions in the workplace.
Infographics are becoming increasingly popular. It’s a creative method to get your message across in an engaging way. We came up with 10 benefits to using an Infographic! #infographic
INFOGRAPHIC-ON-INFOGRAPHICS
Scenario: Client comes to me and asks for a design, in this case, a leaflet. They provide me with their outdated very 1990’s looking design (with table borders) and tell me what they want to change, their vision for the future and their target audience. I, being a marketing specialist and a graphic designer, design something that fits their needs and is up to date, while maintaining the integrity of their brand. The client comes back with their primary changes (always expected) and tells me they want to change the look “just a little bit”. Then the client decides they would like to change it even more. And then more. And then some more. And guess what? We’re back to the original look, just slightly nipped and tucked.
This is a situation that those in my role encounter on a daily basis. The client has reached out to us because they want our expertise, however in the end you produce a product that was essentially the work of the client. This places us in an uncomfortable situation, as we feel bad charging (granted, they probably couldn’t have created it without a graphic artist and we did put in the hours), but in the end, we don’t like the finished product. Given that it’s not our style, it’s not something we would feel proud to place in our portfolio – even though we are proud to have helped the client.
So how do you tell the client you don’t’ like their design?
You don’t. The client is the reason you’re in business and if the client is happy – you’re happy. Even if you hate the design, you just need to let it go.
