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MINDING OUR
BUSINESS
CENTRE WELLINGTON
VOLUME 1 ISSUE 12
‘Tis the
Season
December
2008
PUBLISHED IN COOPERATION WITH THE WELLINGTON ADVERTISER
MILE STONES
Anniversary
Left to right: Eunice Emke, Groves Breast Screening Program; Sharon O’Sullivan, Curves and
Genevieve Oliver owner of Curves.
Curves, 105 Queen St W Fergus, as part of it’s Breast Cancer Awareness campaign and
to celebrate it’s 8th anniversary held a “Girls Night In” featuring games, prizes,
information tables, refreshments and award presentations to members. During the
month of October Curves raised funds for the mammography program at Groves
Hospital. The total raised was $875. Thank you to all who participated.
New Location (Left)
Impact Physiotherapy Performance’s ribbon cutting was
held November 26th at 855 St David Street North, Unit 4,
Fergus. Congratulations Ronda Schnurr- Smith on your
beautiful new location.
New Business
Frank Savoie (formerly from Fergus
Computer) has opened his new business
“Computer Doc” specializing in ‘at your
home service’. Frank may be reached at
519.803.0354.
Bronze Winner of the OGTA Market Expansion Award
Celebrating 20 Years!
Gatten Chiropractic Healthcare held an
Open House celebrating 20 years in Fergus.
Congratulations.
The office is located at 181 St Andrew St,
Upper Level, Fergus .
New Management (left and right )
Belwood Pines Family Restaurant
519-787-6651 is under the new
management of Maria, Chris, Paul and Selio
Azeredo from Maria’s Family Restaurant in
Georgetown. Welcome to the community!
PAGE 2 | December 08
(above) JAY•LOR manufactures and exports vertical
mixers for beef and dairy operations throughout the
world.“Everyone at JAY•LOR® is extremely pleased
to be the recipient of this Ontario Chamber of
Commerce award for Market Expansion,” says
President Jake Tamminga, (left) receiving the award
with Marty Philippi, International Sales Manager.
about
THIS
ISSUE
MINDING OUR
BUSINESS
Minding Our Business is a business magazine
focusing on items of interest to commercial,
retail, industrial and service businesses in
Centre Wellington.
COVER
‘Tis the season
for Peace, Goodwill
and Plenty of Stress.
David Meyer
interviews
Trieneke
Niemeyer, a
Mental Health
Coordinator for
the Upper Grand
Family Health team
2
MILESTONES
Openings | Awards | Moves
4
FERGUS BIA
Why Think Local First?
5
ELORA BIA
The Spirit of the Season
6
BDC
Money Can’t Buy You
Happiness
8
‘Tis the Season ...
David Meyer
THE CHAMBER PAGES
general policy
Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of
typographical error, that portion of the advertising space
occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable
allowance for the signatures, will not be charged for, but the
balance of the advertisements will be paid for at the
applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error
advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or
services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell,
and may be withdrawn at any time. Persons wishing
information regarding circulation, rates and additional service
are invited to contact our office for further details. The
publisher accepts responsibility for claims and honors
agreements made by himself or by regular staff on his behalf.
No responsibility is accepted for actions by person(s) not in
the employ of the paper, or otherwise over whom the
Publisher has no control. All Advertising accepted is done so in
good faith. The Publisher maintains the right to approve or
reject advertising and articles submitted for publication.
10
11
11
13
CFIB
Business Travel
14
EDC
Eloras New Development
and Redevelopment
Underway
15
CONTACT LISTING
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
contact
Box 252, Fergus, Ontario
N1M 2W8
519-843-5410 telephone
519-843-7607 facsimile
TRACY GROUP
BENEFITS
Continuing Income in the
Event of Disability
MINDING OUR
BUSINESS
On the Web
Chamber Calendar
Meet the Members
December 08 | PAGE 3
Fergus BIA
WHY
THINK LOCAL
FIRST?
community groups
• Local Businesses pay taxes to your
community and therefore enrich and
improve it
• Helps support local events such as
the Santa Claus Parade.
The Wellington-Waterloo CFDC
is a non-profit,
community based corporation funded
by the Federal Government through
the Community Futures Program.
Our goals are:
• to help small businesses in the
Wellington-Waterloo Regions be
successful thereby creating jobs
• to assist in the planning and
implementation of initiatives that
will improve the economy of the
Wellington-Waterloo Regions
Our doors are always open and
we are delighted to provide
the following services
for entrepreneurs:
• Business advice, consulting,
information and referrals
• Help with business plans
• Entrepreneurial training
• Information on relevant federal
and provincial programs and
services
If you or someone you know is looking
for a little guidance, support or just a
second opinion give us a call
or drop in to visit.
519-846-9839
www.wwcfdc.com
PAGE 4 | December 08
Julia Tyndale-Biscoe
LET’S FACE IT – MOST OF US ARE
CAREFUL HOW WE SPEND OUR
DOLLARS.
With Christmas fast approaching we
think about spending money on dining
with loved ones and friends, gifts,
entertainment and more. We can
choose to shop locally and support our
own community or enrich someone
else’.
What happens to the dollars we spend
at some box stores in other
communities?
Naturally, they are
delighted to relieve you of your hard
earned dollars and in return, some have
all that money whisked out of the
country within 24 hours.
And what happens to your money when
you choose to think local first? Well, a
number of things which all help to
stimulate local economy:
• Creating and maintaining local jobs
for local people
• Invest in community
improvement/development
• Helping provide a community focal
point for social & community
activities
• Helping to fund town services and
An excellent way of thinking local first
and supporting your own community is
through BIA dollars. They can be used as
cash at any of our downtown businesses.
They are available for sale at The BIA
office located at 160 Provost Lane.
Please call for more info on 519 7871384 or visit www.fergusbia.ca for
details.
On behalf of the Merchants of
Downtown Fergus, please accept our
best wishes for a Happy Christmas and
New Year. Santa Claus looks forward to
seeing you downtown during the parade
on Saturday December 6th at 1:30 PM.
Ho! Ho! Ho!
THE
SPIRIT OF THE
SEASON
In mid-November we asked our
members to tell us how they were
planning to make the holiday season
special in Elora this year.
With four inches of snow on the ground
and the temperature dipping to -10°C
each evening, business owners didn’t
have to work too hard to get into the
spirit of the season! With no shortage of
replies or enthusiasm, here’s what some
of them had to say.
Jodi Pallagi at A Weed Bit Natural (136
Metcalfe Street) is featuring hemp
products, organic clothing and other
great green gifts this December. Weed
Bit invites you to enjoy a hemp coffee
while you shop, and is pleased to
announce that all of the proceeds from
its gift wrapping service will be donated
to the David Suzuki Foundation’s “Save
the Bears” program. December Hours:
11 AM - 6 PM, Sunday to Wednesday; and
11 AM - 8 PM Thursday to Saturday.
Kate Kurck has come up with some
great ideas for Christmas at Whyms &
Wyshes (on the Boardwalk behind Mill
St. W). Look for the fair-trade pottery,
gourd Christmas ornaments, and onyx
and marble items. Kate is also pleased to
introduce an exclusive line of adaptive
casual clothing created by Katey Kapes.
There will be in-store specials featured
each week, and a Boxing Day sale on
December 27th. December Hours: 11
AM – 5 PM, Sunday to Thursday; and 11
AM - 6 PM, on Fridays and Saturdays.
You don’t have to makeup a reason to
visit Rakesh Esthetics (71 Metcalfe
Street) this month, now that they’re
offering 20% off their Trilogy Natural
Skincare line. Rakesh is taking
appointments for pre-holiday party
cosmetic
applications, and
gift
certificates are always available for
purchase. December Hours: 10 AM - 5
PM, Tuesday to Thursday; 10 AM - 6 PM,
Fridays and Saturdays; and “by special
appointment” on Sundays.
Elora BIA
Estate of Mind (36 Mill St. W) is filled to
the brim with holiday gifts! Featured
items include hand-signed copies of
Anita
Stewart’s
award-winning
cookbook "Anita Stewart's Canada", as
well as a huge selection of jewellery,
handbags, organic cotton nighties, and
cozy Italian throws that will be sure to
warm up you and your loved ones on
the cold nights ahead!
Jammed Lovely (58 Mill St.W) continues
to live up to its name this December,
with a Christmas window display fit for
the Bay and a plan to become your onestop-stocking-stuffer-store!
Laura
receives new gift items daily, but keeps
the shelves well-stocked with a few of
your favourite things from the summer
and fall. Make sure to get your loyalty
card stamped the next time you visit,
and don’t hesitate to ask about their
complimentary gift wrapping service.
Come in from the cold and enjoy some
complimentary apple cider! December
Hours: 10 AM to 6 PM, Sunday to
Wednesday; and 10 AM - 8 PM,Thursday
to Saturday.
The Toy Shoppe of Nature's Fire (40 Mill
St. W) is wishing everyone a green
Christmas as they introduce two ecofriendly lines. A wonderful tea set or
dining set made entirely from recycled
plastic milk bottles are both great gift
ideas from Green Toys, and the Sprig
Eco-Adventure series offers a number
of “kid-powered” vehicles that are made
in Canada from 100% recycled plastic
and reclaimed wood.
Tim Horton
Elora resident
Tim Horton has opened a
new business
“Write to the point”
specializing in written
material, proof reading,
presentation, etc.
Tim may be reached at
519.846.0931
Marlene Pascoe at the Yarn Bird (22 Mill
St.W) wants you to consider Pillow Pets
for your little ones this Christmas. Part
of the proceeds from the sale of each
travel pillow or stuffed animal will be
used to fund the fight against breast
cancer. Pop by 22 Mill St. West to see
what all the fuss is about.
December 08 | PAGE 5
BDC
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT
BANK OF CANADA
MONEY CAN’T BUY
YOU HAPPINESS
MONEY CAN’T BUY HAPPINESS
PARTICULARLY WITH EMPLOYEES
Think giving your employee a generous
raise will keep her loyal, motivated and
less likely to jump ship? Don’t count on
it.
BDC
(Business Development
Bank of Canada)
519.571.6680
Don Cubbidge
[email protected]
Join
“It’s rarely ever about the money,” says
Andrée Mercier, a principal with global
human resources company, Hewitt
Associates. “No matter what the
generation, babyboomer or Generation
X or Y, it comes down to three
motivators: stimulating work, supportive
management and work-life balance.”
These factors will not only help retain
employees, but also recruit high-quality
new ones. Canada’s low unemployment
rate, coupled with a large wave of
retiring workers and a migration of
skilled labour to western Canada, has
made finding and keeping talented
people a number one priority for many
companies. This is even more important
the Food Bank
in delivering our service.
we require donations year round!
Visits to the Food Bank have increased
Please donate food to help fill the
needs within the Community.
Tax receipts will be provided for financial donations
170 St. Andrew St. E. Fergus | N1M 2W8
519-787-1401 email: [email protected]
www.cwfoodbank.org
PAGE 6 | December 08
for small businesses where high
employee turnover can wreak havoc
with productivity and bottom lines.
A Hewitt Associates’ Best Employers in
Canada study shows the country’s top
50 organizations scoring top marks in
dealing with HR challenges – they have
lower turnover among both their fulltime (27% lower) and part-time (48%
lower) employees, receive more
applications for job openings and
experience better business results.
How do they do it? “By focusing on
engagement,” says Mary Karamanos,
senior vice-president, human resources,
with the Business Development Bank of
Canada.
“Engaged employees are generally more
motivated, more productive, give better
service to clients and are generally
happier”, she says. “A large part of
engagement comes down to the way
you manage and communicate with your
employees. Be open and honest, share
information, be inclusive and ask your
employees for their input.”
Engagement begins before an employee
has even been hired. How you word a
recruitment ad influences the type of
applicants who come forward.While you
want to make the position and the
company sound as enticing as possible,
be careful what you promise.
Mercier says branding your company is a
good idea and helps you to attract the
right kind of people, but ensure the
employee’s experience lives up to the
hype: “Our surveys show there’s a big
drop off in engagement after about 12
months, when the honeymoon is over.
So, if you’re branding yourself as a sexy
place to work, be sure you can deliver
on what you’re selling.”
THE CHALLENGES OF
GENERATION Y
Generation Y (ages 18-25) employees
represent a potentially huge talent pool
– more than 70 million in North
America alone. And unlike many Gen
Xers and babyboomers, these highly
tech-savvy Gen Yers are adept multitaskers and extremely achievement- and
goal-oriented. They are also likely to
change jobs every couple of years.
For small companies, this represents
both a challenge and an opportunity. A
company with only a dozen or so
employees
will
have
limited
opportunities for promotions, but they
are often more flexible in their ability to
structure the job around a person’s skill
sets.
For example, if you have a receptionist
with a background in communications,
get him or her involved in developing a
communications strategy for the
company, writing press releases or even
a company newsletter.
PLAN AHEAD – BE PREEMPTIVE
All companies, regardless of size, should
have a performance management system
as a key component of any human
resources strategy. This can be
developed with the help of a consultant,
or at a minimum, pick up any of the
many books available on the subject.
“This is fairly easy to put in place.What’s
more difficult is having the discipline and
the rigour to evaluate your employees’
performance at least once a year – to
discuss how they are progressing, their
areas for development and where they
want to go longer term in their career,”
says Karamanos.
A sound HR plan should be integrated
in your business plan and strategy. It
should also include some forward
thinking on what type of talent your
company is going to need two-to-three
years from now. Consider where your
company is going, such as expanding into
different market segments, products or
services. Also consider your normal
turnover and pending retirements. This
will help you focus on what type of skills
and capabilities your organization will
have to develop and/or acquire to
achieve its goals.
“This type of planning allows you to be
very proactive in tapping into your
internal workforce to develop the skills
you will need, and more importantly,
taking steps to hook up with your future
workforce externally before you even
need to hire them,” says Mercier.
AFFORDABLE TIPS
FOR MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES
1. Make the job interesting: The more
accurate and realistic you are about job
specifications and requirements, the
more likely your people will feel
motivated to do a good job.
CORRECTION
In the last issue of MOB
(November 2008)
Arsic Jewelry and Watch Inc.,
was mistakenly noted as offering new and
used lines of jewelry and watches.
This is not the case.
The firm does not sell used jewelry and
has never sold used jewelry.
Zoran Arsic, is certified by numerous
international brands to repair timepieces.
Additionally,
the spelling of Ksenija Arsic was wrong.
MOB apologizes for these
unintentional errors.
2. Give feedback: Feedback allows your
employees to develop and improve skills
and capabilities that will have a greater
impact on your company.
3. Manage your top performers: Get
their input often, point out where they
need to improve and reward excellent
performance with extra perks.
4. Give innovative perks: Consider
flexible work hours, downtime for hard
work and tele-work opportunities.
5. Reinforce team spirit and recognize
team/employee
efforts
and
contributions: Through dinners, sports
events or informal gatherings at your
home. Assign new employees a buddy
to help during orientation.
MINDING OUR
BUSINESS
Sherry
Clarke
DISPLAY
AD SALES
call to reserve your ad space!
519.843.5410
[email protected]
905 Gartshore St., Fergus
December 08 | PAGE 7
‘TIS THE SEASON FOR PEACE, GOODWILL AND ... STRESS
The holiday season, particularly
Christmas, is generally seen as a
wonderful time of year, with family
and friends getting together, plenty of
feasting, and lots of parties.
by David Meyer
PAGE 8 | December 08
“People become cranky,” she said.
That can be anyone from a customer
to a harried waitress, to a person
simply tired of waiting in yet one
more line – even if it is a checkout for
groceries. That means the business
But there is another side to the feast, owner and often the staff get the
and people in business can become brunt of people’s ill humour. “People
overwhelmed by the pressures that take it out on the person in front of
are brought on at this time of year. them,” Niemeyer said. “The cashier After all, it is their busiest season, and or the shopowner.”
their most profitable – if people are
buying. That, in itself, can be a worry. But, she said, there are ways to defuse
There is plenty of stress just potentially nasty situations. One of
wondering how sales are going to go the easiest is to simply agree with the
each year. But Trieneke Niemeyer, a person.
Mental Health Coordinator for the
Upper Grand Family Health team, said “Acknowledge they are frustrated,”
in an interview that sometimes stress she said, suggesting something like “I
can actually peak by November, and know it’s really frustrating when you
ease off a bit as Christmas can’t find the right thing. How can I
help you?” Sometimes, though, she
approaches.
said, “When people are mad, they’re
But, she added, alcohol use mad.”
increases, and so do the
memories of alcohol and She suggested one thing shop owners
family problems can return can do to get through the season is
to some people as the “take care of their health as much as
holiday approaches. And they can.” Long hours can take a toll,
the ideal of the holiday especially in busy times. Getting the
itself can bring many right amount of sleep and balancing it
pressures. Niemeyer with exercise will help shop owners
said people get a vision ease stress, and she suggested a “walk
of
the
perfect in the snow” might be a perfect tonic
Christmas
from for an overworked shop owner. “It’s
television. It often well researched,” she said of exercise
includes the perfect as a stress reliever.
Christmas tree, the Proper nutrition can also help,
perfect present, and particularly in a time when there are
perfect
people. “Of more sweets and treats available than
course, it’s just not true,” other times of the year, and more
she said. “People become coffee. “We’re not paying attention to
disappointed.”
proper nutrition; we eat on the run.”
She said for women the tasks also Niemeyer said it is important to “take
pile on, and, with many women time to eat” even if regular mealtimes
working, their “internal discomfort are taken up with business. It is also
grows … People get miserable. They important to take short breaks for
stretching
exercises.
“That’s
feel harried.”
rejuvenation,” she said. “Sit down for
For a store owner, the tales of the five minutes – to centre yourself.” She
perfectly awful customer are probable said that works well with employees,
cliché, but there is truth in clichés. too.
“In small business, you want to give a
break or a lunch hour, but sometimes
you can’t. So, support your
employees.” That
can
mean
acknowledging their hard work,
arranging breaks for them, and praising
them for good work. “If breaks aren’t
possible, bring coffee in,” she said.
“Acknowledge how important they
are to the organization.”
Niemeyer said from a family and
mental health perspective, working
with staff and customers is the same
as any other relationship. “If the
employer supports the employee, that
employee has more patience with the
customer.” She suggested shop
owners should ,“Look at what makes
the workplace function. If employees
feel acknowledged, and validated and
part of the process, then your
workplace is more productive.”
Other tips Niemeyer offers is to
divide the chores, and ask for help
when it is needed.
She added that consulting employees
can be effective too, along the lines of,
“What will help us get through this
season?” She said collaboration and
cooperation and sharing burdens can
go a long way towards making a retail
establishment that has less stress in it.
might be alone, or who feel they have
little reason to celebrate. They
should ask themselves very
early, “What will I do for
Christmas Eve and Day?
Will I be tired because I
worked Christmas
Eve?”
People
should
determine if there
are people they can
invite over for parts of
the day, and they should
also accept any invitations
they receive. Still others might
want to volunteer on Christmas Day,
or visit people in the hospital or help
the food bank.
Another way to beat the Christmas
blues is what Niemeyer called
As for people having to shop (and “changing our minds.” It means
business owners and staff shop, too) looking at something in a totally
she said, “Decide what works for you different way. That could mean simply
as a consumer.” She explained some sleeping in on that day. Or preparing a
people like to shop throughout the nice meal, or sorting out things that
year, picking up gifts here and there. have needed it for months, or enjoying
Others like to do it all in one day, and a movie. “Christmas Eve and Day is
still others love the hustle and bustle just another day. People attach a
because it helps them get into the difference to it – instead of looking at
holiday spirit. People need to it in another way. Change your
determine, “This is what I can handle.” thoughts and attitudes – use the time
in another way.
She said when it comes to home life,
many families share the tasks of the
season, and that should be the same
way in business. Planning for time off
during the holidays can also be
important, especially for people who
Finally, Niemeyer said, people should
cultivate a sense of humour. A good
belly laugh is proven to reduce stress,
and people who can laugh at
themselves are ahead of the game.
December 08 | PAGE 9
the
chamber
OF COMMERCE
ON THE WEB
Chamber
Calendar
Chamber Calendar of Events
December 6th
Fergus Santa Claus Parade “Past &
Present” starts at GSW at 1:30pm.
December 10th
Business After Hours at Tynavon B&B.
5:30 - 7:30 PM. Please RSVP to
[email protected] or call 519-846-6695.
There is no cost to attend.
January 21st
Business After Hours at Arthur Travel
(216 St. Andrew Street West, Fergus).
RSVP to Mary at 519-787-7870 or email
[email protected]. There is no
cost to attend.
January 28th
The CWCC Annual Mayor’s Breakfast,
sponsored by OLG, at Heritage River
Retirement Residence (formerly
Wellington Terrace) 7:30 a.m. Mayor
Joanne Ross-Zuj will be giving an update
on the Township happenings. This is a
great opportunity to come out and
meet the Mayor, Councillors and senior
Department Heads as well enjoy a hot
buffet breakfast. Cost is still only $20
for Members and $25 for Future
Members. RSVP to 519-843-5140 or
email [email protected]
For more information please call
519-843-5140 or email
[email protected]
PAGE 10 | December 08
NARDO
KUITERT
nardo@
ucwebs.com.
BLOGGING – BEYOND THE HYPE
The Internet has had a profound effect
on our lives. It has enriched our
vocabulary as well: I Google, you Google,
I blog, do you blog? “Blog” is one such
word where a tool has turned into a
verb. Blog is short for “web log”, and it is
often used as a sort of online journal or
diary.The entries, called posts, are usually
ordered in reverse-chronological order,
so with the most recent entries shown
first. The home page of a blog is often a
collection of the most recent 3-10 blog
posts.The number of blogs has exploded
over the past few years; one of the
appeals to its users is the ease of use,
freely accessible software and the fact
that search engines love blogs –
frequently updated websites are deemed
relevant, especially by Google.
There are several types of blog software
available, both free and paid. Blogger.com
and WordPress.com both have a huge
number of users. These blogging
platforms are hosted solutions with
preinstalled software: you just have to
register, choose a template and
optionally change a few other settings
and you are ready to go! URLs look
somethinglike yourname.wordpress.com
or yourname.blogger.com. Serious
bloggers want to have more flexibility,
though, and want to have a blog on their
own hosting package. Well-known
software that provides this flexibility
includes Wordpress.org and Movable
Type. You can have an ordinary domain
name like yourname.com, and can make
many adjustments to the software as it is
Open Source. Another benefit of the
Open Source character of the software
is that all kinds of free and paid
templates can be found all over the web,
as well as so called plug-ins: pages or
programs that can add specific
functionality to your blog. Adding a
contact form or YouTube videos
becomes child’s play with these plug-ins
enabled.
One aspect that not everybody realizes
is that blogging software can also be an
effective Content Management System
(CMS) for your website. It can even be
employed as a hybrid (ah, such a
contemporary word ;o), by using both
“pages” and “posts”. You can have a
“page” as your home page (instead of
your most recent blog posts, in reversechronological order), complemented
with other “pages” using standard
hierarchical navigation, while still writing
“posts” in reverse-chronological order,
for more “off the cuff” type of content
or articles. The nice thing about “posts”
complementing “pages” is that posts do
not have to be ordered in a certain
navigational hierarchy; posts can be
categorized using tags (or: labels) (these
are sort of keywords) and categories
(higher level of grouping). The structure
of your site can grow organically.
So is a blog something to consider for
everyone? Not necessarily. If you use the
blog as a blog (journal, diary) then your
readers expect frequent updates. You
will have to commit to a regular writing
schedule. But using the blogging software
as an effective and easy to use CMS (did
I mention: free?) can be done by anyone
- anytime!
MEET
THE MEMBERS
MERMAID ANTIQUES
Knock Knock. Who’s there? Owl. Owl
who? Owl you know unless you open the
door?
OK – enough with the knock knock.
Although, Elora’s Mermaid Antiques
certainly doesn’t agree with that. They
recently added a new type of product to
their inventory: door knockers. The Door
Knocker Room, as owner Marty Van Vliet
calls it, has over 100 types of knockers to
pick from, and soon the whole world can
see them in his webshop as well. Asian,
Celtic, nautical themes, – Marty has
collected an impressive variety of door
knockers from India, China, Syria, Marocco,
Thailand, England, Ireland and the US.
“Knock on wood it’ll work”, he jokes.
The
door
knockers are
just one phase that Mermaid Antiques has
gone through over the years. In order to
survive in the volatile antique market you
have to adapt. Elora used to house six
antique stores, and is currently down to
only two. “ Back in 1994, shabby chique was
in” Marty recalls. Now young people are
not that interested in antiques anymore –
at all. People under 35 are buying IKEA, and
TV shows about flipping houses only
reinforce that trend.
the
chamber
OF COMMERCE
Mermaid Antiques is intending to stay,
though. It is all about adjusting to the
market, and business has been good over
the years because of it. Furniture sales and
traditional antiques like silver, china and
glassware stopped working, so now the
wide store is stuffed to the brim with a
huge variety of unique goods, from
antiques to imported new jewelry, old
Persian carpets and recently added…
door knockers. Finding out what works
(and what not) has been a very gratifying
experience: for Marty. “you learn a lot
about new things all the time”, he said.
Mermaid Antiques does not want to dive in
too deep too fast, so changes are made
gradually.
Talking to Marty you understand why this
retail chameleon has managed to thrive all
these years where so many competitors
were forced to close their doors.
According to Marty the secret is in
knowing what your customers want. As
most people visiting are daytrippers, the
price has to be right and people have to
be able to carry the merchandise out
the store.
“Elora is an excellent niche with a
definite
independent
streak.
Compared to Elora, St. Jacobs and
Niagara On The Lake are merely malls”
he said. His clients are a mix of local
people and tourists. The Thanksgiving
weekend is an example of how good
business can be in Elora; it pulled in
thousands of people. “Phenomenal!” The
success of Elora?
Tourists are looking for entertainment,
frivolity, lunch – not “life stuff” such as
groceries, drug stores or insurance. Elora
has a wide variety of frivolous stores, and
natural beauty to complement these.
One of the major projects that Marty is
working on with the Elora BIA right now is
to further develop the assets that Elora has,
like Lover’s Leap and the Tooth of Time.
“Many
tourists leave
without having seen it”.
So where did it all start for Mermaid
Antiques? In 1992 Marty opened up a small
store down the hill on Metcalfe Street.
A budding artist still, he sold his own
artwork, such as paper maché lamps and
sheet metal clocks. Like many artists he
found that with selling his arts he could
make money, but not make a living. So he
started to supplement his income by buying
and selling antiques as well. It grew into a
full-time business. “I’m really stuck on being
self-employed” – partially because he felt
that decisions others made were often not
up to his high standards.
But he does not work alone. He says he is
lucky to have a good support network with
employee Jane, neighbour Richard, friend
Stephanie and partner Mark.
All friends are trained in “products and
cash” so he can take a day off without
having to close the store.
For more information about Mermaid
Antiques you can call Marty at 519-8462504, or visit his store at 105 Metcalfe
Street in Elora.
December 08 | PAGE 11
Tracy
GROUP
BENEFITS
CONTINUING
INCOME IN THE
EVENT OF DISABILITY
If you were to wake up tomorrow, unable
to go to work, what would be the
immediate impact on your lifestyle? It
would depend first on whether you are an
employee or a business owner. As an
employee you can register for Employment
Insurance (EI) benefits, which will pay you
55 percent of your pre-disability income,
starting after two weeks, and paying for a
maximum of 15 weeks.
Barney Tracy
CFP, FLMI
As a business owner, you will have to rely
on your own resources as you are not
eligible for EI.
Short-term disability benefits are available
for business owners but, in most cases, the
benefit must also be extended to the
employees, thereby increasing costs.
Depending on the size of the company, it
might be possible to set up two classes of
coverage – for employees and owners –
and include short-term benefits for owners
while leaving the employees short term
needs in the hands of EI, which you are
paying for anyway.
The proverbial rubber really hits the road
in situations where disability is of a longer
term. Now other support systems drop
away, and without an income the daily grind
becomes just that – a grind. It is our
contention that long-term disability
benefits are critical – and are not the most
costly portion of a benefit plan.This benefit
allows a disabled employee to continue to
make a financial contribution to the
household, thereby maintaining some
semblance of their pre-disability lifestyle.
Generally speaking, an employee is
productive when they are “at work” but
the same cannot necessarily be said of an
owner, who could be away from the office
or shop and still be working “on” the
business rather than “in” the business.
Because of the nature of a lot of owners’
responsibilities it is worth looking at a
personal disability policy for owners
instead of the group long-term disability.
This can provide a number of added
features further helping the owner and his
or her family.
These might include a cost of living rider,
the ability to increase the benefit amount
by simply submitting proof of increased
income, an extended period when disability
will be measured against the duties
performed rather than the ability to
perform “any occupation.”
We will explore additional aspects of
disability protection in future issues of
Minding Our Business.
Barney Tracy is a broker in the fields of
group insurance, disability insurance and life
insurance. He can be reached at
[email protected] or (519) 820
1283.
While you’re looking after business,
who’s looking after you?
Barney Tracy, CFP, FLMI
Ph: (519) 820 1283
e-mail: [email protected]
PAGE 12 | December 08
BUSINESS TRAVEL
For many business owners, travelling is
essential for maintaining strong working
relationships with clients and partners.
With airlines continually increasing security
measures and changing regulations it is
important to stay on top of these to ensure
a smooth and successful flight.
CFIB SUGGESTS THE FOLLOWING TIPS
TO HELP YOU PREPARE
FOR YOUR TRIP:
BEFORE YOU LEAVE:
• Make sure you have all necessary
documents prior to your departure.
Passport applications are available from
your local postal station. The cost of the
passport is $87.00 for adults and is valid
for a maximum of 5 years.
Allow 2 to 4 weeks for your passport to
be processed.
• As of June 1, 2009 you must present a
Canadian passport when crossing into
the United States.
• Be sure to tag your carry-on and checked
baggage, including laptop computers. If
you have a business address, put it on the
tag instead of your home address.
AIR TRAVEL:
• Airport agents are strongly enforcing
carry-on luggage size and weight
restrictions. Oversized carry-on bags
cause many flight delays, so don’t forget
to confirm your allowance before your
trip. Generally, travellers are allowed to
bring two pieces of carry-on baggage
onto the aircraft. A piece of carry-on
baggage could be a briefcase, knapsack,
overnight bag, laptop computer or
camera bag. In addition, passengers may
also bring on board one personal item
such as a purse or coat.
• Pass on the colas and coffee and have
plain water in-flight. Drinking water is the
best way to avoid dehydration.
• Request a low fat, vegetarian or other
specialty meal and bring along some
healthy snacks that can come to the
rescue if your flight is delayed or you
need a quick pick-me-up on the road.
• Use some of your flight time to recharge
your batteries.
• Be aware that all carry-on items are
subject to screening. Ensure that all
electronic devices are operational and
•
•
•
•
•
•
that your batteries are fully charged.
ITEMS PERMITTED IN CARRY-ON
BAGGAGE INCLUDE:
Passengers are permitted to bring one
bag per person of liquids, gels and
aerosols in containers with a capacity of
100 ml / 100 grams (3.4 oz) or less. The
containers must fit comfortably in one
clear, closed and re-sealable plastic bag
with a capacity of no more than 1 litre (1
quart).
Keep any prescription medication that
you require in its original container
displaying the professional label and
ensure that it matches your boarding
pass/ticket. Syringes, hypodermic needles
and biojectors are allowed in your carryon baggage, make sure that the needle
guards are in place.
Electronic equipment such as cell phones,
portable music players, laptops.
Nail clippers, non-metallic nail files.
Disposable razors, razor blade cartridges.
Walking canes and umbrellas.
ITEMS YOU CANNOT HAVE IN YOUR
CARRY-ON BAGGAGE INCLUDE:
• Beverages (including water) brought from
home or purchased before reaching the
security checkpoint in containers larger
than 100ml (3.4 oz.).
• All knives and any sharp and/or pointed
objects.
• Replica or toy weapons.
• Sports equipment (skis, hockey sticks, golf
clubs).
• Tools such as hammers, screwdrivers,
wrenches, drills, saws, crow bars and
heavy tools.
• Scissors with pointed tips.
• Corkscrews.
• Fireworks.
CFIB
SMALL
BUSINESS 101
Be sure to contact your local airline
or the following government sites
for more information:
Canadian Air Transport
Security Authority:
www.catsaacsta.gc.ca/english/index.shtml
For passport and travel document
information:
www.ppt.gc.ca/
index.aspx?lang=eng
For border crossing information:
www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/menueng.html
For international travel alerts:
www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/ctry/
new-en.asp
For some business owners, travelling is a
way of life and although business travel can
seem like a stressful and time-consuming
process, proper planning and preparation
can cut down on some of these concerns
and help simplify your life on the road.
CFIB is Canada’s largest association of
small- and medium-sized businesses.
Encouraging the development of good
public policy at the federal, provincial and
municipal levels, CFIB represents more than
105,000 business owners, who collectively
employ 1.25 million Canadians and account
for $75 billion in GDP.
December 08 | PAGE 13
economic
DEVELOPMENT
Dave Rushton
ELORA HAS NEW
DEVELOPMENT AND
REDEVELOPMENT
UNDERWAY
You can’t drive up Metcalfe Street in Elora
without seeing the incredible change to the
Dalby House. The plan called for covering
the paint on the building with stucco but it
would not adhere, so some stripping of the
paint was in order. Akin to pulling up
carpet and finding hardwood floors, a
gorgeous building was unveiled as the paint
came off. The brick was brittle and needed
some sealing to preserve it but the finished
product is fantastic. We hope this is a trend
on the redevelopment for buildings that
have been painted. The Family Health Team
will be moving in shortly, giving this building
a new life and vitality inside as well.
Just down the hill a little is a new building
between Petro Can and Past & Present.
This will be a gallery, studio and residence
for a couple new to our community, who, in
their visits, could sense how we embrace
the arts.
Around the corner at 9 East Mill is another
redevelopment which will be the new
home for Economic Development and
Tourism. The Elora BIA and the Elora OPP
Community Policing office will also share in
this facility. As well, our ever popular public
washroom will be there too. Anne and
Peter Mason are redoing the complete
inside and the exterior will be unveiled in
future years. Anne is a descendent of the
family who used to own the dairy that was
located in the plaza on East Mill.
At the corner of McNabb and County
Road 7, we have seen the redevelopment
of the Antique Warehouse into an office
building. There will be several tenants that
occupy this former retail space. The new
development, that Mason Capital is building,
will have a Physiotherapy business as their
PAGE 14 | December 08
first tenant, and they will still have some
additional space. Across the street, Little
Angels Child Care will be moving in on the
east side of County Road 7, beside
Community Futures.
Then looking back in the village at the top
of the hill is the redevelopment by the
county of the Elora Library. This million
dollar facelift will bring the building up to
current accessibility standards and offer a
much improved facility that will even have
public washrooms and good lighting.
Out East Mill Street the Keating’s are busy
erecting their 40,000 square foot office
building that will see the engineering firm,
Mallot Creek, as the first occupant and
owners of their portion of the building. A
small office setting is also being proposed
for those that want to have a professional
space away from their home office that can
have shared services and facilities.
Further down the road towards Fergus, the
county will also be redeveloping the
Museum to add new archival space to
protect the wealth of heritage information
and records that they maintain.
Our infrastructure and economy continue
to grow.
CONTACT LISTING
Ministry of Labour
www.employeradviser.ca
WCB - 1.800.387.0774
Employment Standards 1.800.531.5551
Waterloo-Wellington M.P.P.
519.787.5247
Ted Arnott
[email protected]
Ontario Government
www.gov.on.ca
Wellington - Halton Hills M.P.
519.843.7344
1-866-878-5556
Michael Chong
[email protected]
Revenue Canada
www.cra-arc.gc.ca
Service Canada
www.servicecanada.gc.ca
Fergus BIA
519-787-1384
[email protected]
WW Community Futures
519.846.9839
Rick Whittaker
[email protected]
Centre Wellington Economic Development
519.846.0974
Dave Rushton
[email protected]
The Centre Wellington
Chamber of Commerce
Phone: 519.843.5140
E-mail: [email protected]
Township of Centre Wellington
519.846.9691
www.centrewellington.ca
BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada)
519.571.6680
Don Cubbidge
[email protected]
WCB
1.800.387.0774
www.employeradviser.ca
Minding Our Business
The Wellington Advertiser
Box 252, Fergus, Ontario
N1M 2W8
519-843-5410 telephone
519-843-7607 facsimile
[email protected]
Elora BIA
519.846.2563
Esther Farrell [email protected]
BUSINESS CARD DIRECTORY
Business Etiquette ... If you are dealing in international trade it would be wise to make yourself knowledgeable about the customs of those you
would like to gift. Example: If you are dealing with oil barons from the Middle East you would not want to give them a gift of wood no matter how
intricate, or in Mexico a gift of silver, as it is plentiful and inexpensive there. The perception of either gift would be they are of very low value.
162 St. Andrew St. E. Fergus, ON M1N 1P8
Total Computing Solutions
Debbie Kurt
Sales Representative
ON-SITE SERVICE • NETWORKING • OFF-SITE BACKUP
WORKSTATIONS • SERVERS • WEBSITE HOSTING
www.icscomputers.ca
Call 787-4700
(519)
820 Gartshore Street, Unit 5, Fergus
519-843-5400
Cell: 519-766-6384
Toll Free: 1-866-343-6825
[email protected]
www.debbiekurt.com
December 08 | PAGE 15
Feel the excitement
even before
you get here.
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7445 County Road 21, RR2, Elora, ON
(519) 846-2022
Mon. - Thurs. 9 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Fri. - Sun. 24 hours
Your mini holiday.
OLG.ca
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