Entrepreneurship

March Learning the Ropes sessions / Séances d'Apprendre les rouages financiers en mars

Rowser — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:57:07 -0400

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The New Brunswick Securities Commission is pleased to present with Business New Brunswick and the Enterprise Network, the education session Learning the Ropes - Grow your business without growing debt.

Entrepreneurs, lawyers, accountants and other capital markets participants are invited to information sessions to learn about capital raising options available beyond traditional lending.

Join us as local business people share their experience with the New Brunswick Small Business Investor Tax Credit (SBITC) program and other options for raising capital in New Brunswick.

City	Date	Presentation Language
Fredericton	March 16	English
Moncton	March 17	English
Moncton	March 17	French
Saint John	March 18	English
Grand Falls	March 23	English
Edmundston	March 23	French
Kedgwick	March 24	French
Caraquet	March 25	French

To register online, click here or call 1 866 933-2222.

Dans le cadre de l’initiative Pleines voiles, la Commission des valeurs mobilières du Nouveau-Brunswick est heureuse de présenter en collaboration avec Entreprises Nouveau-Brunswick et Réseau Entreprise l’atelier d’information Apprendre les rouages financiers - Faire croître les entreprises sans accroître les dettes.

Les entrepreneurs, les avocats, les comptables et les autres participants aux marchés financiers sont invités à ces séances d’information qui leur permettront de prendre connaissance des moyens, autres que le crédit traditionnel, dont ils peuvent se servir pour réunir des capitaux.

Joignez-vous à nous alors que les gens d’entreprises locales parleront de leur expérience du programme de Crédit d’impôt pour les investisseurs dans les petites entreprises (CIIPE) du Nouveau-Brunswick et d’autres moyens de réunir des capitaux au Nouveau-Brunswick.

Ville	Date	Langue de présentation
Fredericton	16 mars	Anglais
Moncton	17 mars	Anglais
Moncton	17 mars	Français
Saint John	18 mars	Anglais
Grand Falls	23 mars	Anglais
Edmundston	23 mars	Français
Kedgwick	24 mars	Français
Caraquet	25 mars	Français

Pour vous inscrire en ligne, cliquez ici ou composez le 1 866 933-2222.

Deloitte Pit Stop Seminars

Rowser — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:23:33 -0400

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Tactical Tips to Help Your Company Grow

Fredericton Mar 22, Saint John Mar 23, Moncton Mar 24

If you have questions about raising capital, the importance of cash flow projections, understanding your balance sheet or exit strategies, then you need to attend the spring session of the Deloitte Pit Stop in the city nearest you!

The Wallace McCain Institute, in partnership with Deloitte is proud to offer this event to interested entrepreneurs in four - 45 minute seminars. This is the second event after a hugely successful round of seminars last fall. There is limited seating with maximum of 15 participants per seminar. If time is an issue, you can register for just one or two of the seminars for $20 each or register for all 4 seminars for only $60.

Topics and Schedule

Pit Stop 1
8:45-9:30 am - Raising Capital

Pit Stop 2
9:30-10:15 am - The Importance of Cash Flow Projections

10:15-10:30 am - Break

Pit Stop 3
10:30-11:15 am - Understanding your Balance Sheet

Pit Stop 4
11:15-12:00 pm - Exit Strategies

Location Details

All locations have an 8:30 am arrival and 8:45 am start for the first seminar.

Fredericton - March 22, 2010
Wu Conference Centre, UNB - conference room 100A

Saint John - March 23, 2010
Beaverbrook House, 127 Carleton Street, conference room

Moncton - March 24, 2010
Crowne Plaza Moncton, 1005 Main Street, Charlotte Room

Seating is limited so register now to guarantee your spot!

Janice MacPherson
Wallace McCain Institute at UNB

Atlantic Entrepreneurship Expo set for here April 9

Rowser — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:45:38 -0400

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Alexandra Davis

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The Daily Gleaner, Published Friday February 26th, 2010

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http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/gleaner/article/966804

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From left, Doug Motty, president of Enterprise Fredericton, and Atlantic Canadian Entrepreneurship Expo founder Brad LeBlanc are inviting anyone interested in entrepreneurship to attend the April 9 event at the Delta Fredericton. Photo by: THE DAILY GLEANER/ALEXANDRA DAVIS

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Fredericton entrepreneurs will have the chance to share ideas, learn and network this spring at the 2010 Atlantic Canadian Entrepreneurship Expo.

The event started out last October as the Greater Moncton Entrepreneurship Expo. Conceived by Moncton entrepreneur Brad LeBlanc, the goal of the event was to provide an outlet for entrepreneurs to educate and learn from other entrepreneurs.

LeBlanc announced some of the details of the Fredericton event on Thursday. He said he was inspired to expand based on the success of the first expo.

"It was said that if we got 100 people out to the event and 20 tradeshow booths, we'd be doing quite well," he said. "We ended up with 176 people at the event and sold out of tradeshow booths in three weeks. We said, 'Well maybe we have something here.'"

This year, expos will be held around the Maritimes, beginning in Fredericton on April 9. Events will also be held in Halifax on April 22, Charlottetown on May 12, Moncton on Oct. 19 and Saint John on Oct. 22.

Atlantic Lottery Corporation is the title sponsor of all five events. Other regional sponsors and provincial partners include BellAliant, Business New Brunswick, Staples Business Depot and New Brunswick Securities Commission.

Richard St. John, a self-made millionaire born in Halifax, will be the keynote speaker.

Enterprise Fredericton will host the expo at the Delta Fredericton from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

The day will consist of a networking lunch, a Business2Business tradeshow, an educational component with a keynote speaker and mainstage speaker and a breakout session where expo attendees can choose from workshops ranging from social media to hiring practices to accessing capital.

LeBlanc said the event is open to everyone from high school students to CEOs with established companies. He said it has the potential to be a great learning experience for all entrepreneurs.

"Our goal is to motivate, educate and inspire entrepreneurs," LeBlanc said. "It's all about walking out of there having met some new people, feeling confident in whatever it is that you're doing and feeling proud of what you've already done."

Doug Motty, president of Enterprise Fredericton, said the expo connects well with the goals of the city's economic development group.

"To be able to participate in an event where we can help create awareness of the opportunities around entrepreneurship is wonderful for us," he said.

"For every 14 people that live in Fredericton, there's one business. We have more businesses per capita than most regions across North America. Entrepreneurship is alive and well here in our community. We're really just trying to fan the flames a little bit to engage more people in that kind of thinking."

For more information about the entrepreneurship expo, visit www.atlanticexpo.ca.

KIRA to recognize achievements in N.B. knowledge industry

johnsgunn — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:58:49 -0400

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Daily Gleaner, The, Published Wednesday February 17th, 2010

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http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/rss/article/956844

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It's time to celebrate New Brunswick's best in the knowledge industry with the call for nominations for the 12th annual KIRA Awards.

This year's event is expected to attract close to 450 knowledge industry professionals from around the province.

The deadline for nominations is March 26.

The awards ceremony will be held on May 6 at the Delta Fredericton Hotel.

KIRA 2010 will honour excellence in New Brunswick's knowledge industry by recognizing companies and individuals.

Hosted by Enterprise Fredericton, KIRA has seven award categories. Visit www.kirawards.ca to see listings and entry forms.

New Brunswick companies and individuals can initiate their entries or be nominated by someone else.

"In New Brunswick, we have lots of amazing work being developed that we should be proud of" said KIRA 2010 co-chairwoman Colleen Benson. "The KIRA Awards give New Brunswick's knowledge industry the opportunity to profile companies and individuals leading the way in entrepreneurship and innovation."

"Receiving a KIRA Award remains coveted in its recognition," said co-chairwoman Carolyn Kervin. "In a vibrant industry such as this one, these awards have truly become a symbol of peer recognition and achievement of the highest standard."

NBer wins entrepreneur competition

johnsgunn — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:57:22 -0400

Author

James Foster

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Times & Transcript, Published Wednesday February 17th, 2010

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http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/rss/article/956937

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Alex Belliveau of Moncton won entrepreneur of the year for NB in the Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship competition for his new business The Lawn Enforcers.

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Barachois student Alexis Belliveau from UdeM wins provincial business contest

A Université de Moncton business student will challenge other young Atlantic Canadian entrepreneurs at a regional competition after his own business, The Lawn Enforcers, earned him entrepreneur of the year honours for New Brunswick in a national contest.

Alexis Belliveau recently came out on top during the provincial segment of the national Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship competition and next week will represent the province at the Atlantic regional level.

Taking part in ACE has helped him learn new business tips and boosted his confidence, Belliveau, 21 of Grand Barachois, says.

"It's an overall good experience to be able to experience this type of competition," he says.

He's been operating The Lawn Enforcers since 2007, enjoying great growth each year, to the point that he and his partner, fellow U de M business student Antonio Mekary, will likely have to start hiring staff this spring.

"Right now we're both working full time at it, and now we're probably going to have to hire two other people."

The Lawn Enforcers is a lawn care company with 85 seasonal clients who they serve each week, a number that has grown annually. Next, they expect they'll expand into all facets of yard care, plus into snow removal.

Founded more than 20 years ago, ACE is a national charitable organization that teaches young Canadians to create brighter futures for themselves and their communities. Through a collaboration between industries and institutions of higher education, the program gives young business minds access to real-world experiences that complement in-class studies.

The 2010 ACE Regional Exposition will be held in Halifax on Feb. 26, with each provincial champion presenting their business to a panel of entrepreneurs and industry professionals who will determine two regional champs who will each receive a cash prize of $1,000 and move on to the final round of competition at the 2010 ACE National Exposition in Calgary on May 12.

"With today's ever-changing economic situation, ACE is proud to continue its work developing leaders, creating connections and impacting communities," ACE president Amy Harder says in a statement.

"Our 2010 Student Entrepreneur Provincial Champions will no doubt contribute meaningfully to the Canadian economy for years to come."

ACE has been a big help in running and growing The Lawn Enforcers, Belliveau says.

"A nation-wide competition like this is really helpful to us young entrepreneurs who are trying very hard to succeed in business while attending university," Belliveau says.

"It is also rewarding to have ACE boost our morale and provide sound business practice in order to be successful."

Entrepreneurial Leadership Program Registration and Videos

Jeff Roach — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:11:49 -0400

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Wallace McCain Institute

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http://www.wallacemccaininstitute.com/application_process

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The 2009-10 Members of the Entrepreneurial Leadership Program

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Registrations are now open for 2010-2011 Entrepreneurial Leadership Program of the Wallace McCain Institute.

If you are an entrepreneur who wishes to reach your full potential and maintain your head office in the Maritimes, then you are encouraged to apply for the Entrepreneurial Leaders Program (ELP).

The basic criteria for applicants:

be running a business they founded
have growing staff and revenue
be committed to a head office in the Maritimes
exhibit personal tenacity and drive

Factors that will be considered:

growth/export potential of the company
serial entrepreneurial behaviour
outside community involvement
comments from references

All applicants are asked to submit a one page letter outlining their motivation to become part of the ELP class. Letters must include the names and emails of 3 references that share the belief that the candidate should be considered as one of top 15 emerging entrepreneurs in the Maritimes. See sample application.

Get your application form now

Videos
Take a look at the videos to get a better understanding of the Entrepreneurial Leaders Program. If you wish to apply please click on the button below to download our application: http://ow.ly/16jGp

Entrepreneur expo branches out

Rowser — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:24:02 -0400

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Craig Babstock

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Times & Transcript, Published Tuesday February 9th, 2010

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http://nbbusinessjournal.canadaeast.com/transcript/article/948516

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David Barry, Chair and CEO of the New Brunswick Securities Commission, and Rick Hancox, Executive Director, chat with Business New Brunswick Minister Victor Boudreau yesterday in Moncton. Photo by: Greg Agnew/Times & Transcript

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Business event to be held in five Atlantic cities

The first annual Greater Moncton Entrepreneurship Expo was such a success in October that the event will be held in several Maritime cities in 2010.

Riverview entrepreneur and expo founder Brad LeBlanc said the reaction from people in attendance was excellent. It didn't take long before he was asked to expand the event.

"The Moncton expo was all it was going to be and I was OK with that, until I started being hounded by entrepreneurs asking me to come to their city," said LeBlanc at yesterday's launch.

Atlantic Lottery Corporation is the title sponsor of the 2010 Atlantic Canadian Entrepreneurship Expos and the corporation hosted the news conference yesterday announcing the expanded version of the expo. The news conference was attended by Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc, Business New Brunswick Minister Victor Boudreau and many people from the business community, including representatives from expo sponsors such as Staples Business Depot, Bell Aliant and the New Brunswick Securities Commission.

Five separate day-long entrepreneurship expos will be held this year starting with Fredericton April 9, Halifax Apr. 22, Charlottetown May 12, Moncton Oct. 19 and Saint John Oct. 22. Enterprise Greater Moncton will host the local show.

Brad LeBlanc said the Moncton expo, which will be held during small business week, will be the biggest. It's being moved from the Delta Beausejour, where it was held in October, to the Moncton Coliseum.

"This is going to be a massive show," he said, adding there were 52 trade show booths at the October expo but there will be more than 100 this year.

The expo runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in each city and consists of a trade show, a networking lunch, breakout sessions, and several speakers. The keynote speaker at all five expos will be Richard St. John, author of 8 to be Great, a book about the traits that lead to success.

Tickets cost $50 plus HST and go on sale online at www.atlanticexpo.ca. The event is open to entrepreneurs, business owners and students and the New Brunswick expos will have both French and English speakers.

Boudreau talked to the crowd about the importance of nurturing entrepreneurs and reminded them that Google, one of the best known brands in the world, started in 1997 when two university students in California created the Internet search engine as a research project.

"Every day I see excitement, energy, innovation and a real entrepreneurial spirit that manifests itself all across our great province," said the minister.

Moncton's mayor said this expo is the type of event that can help small businesses, which is important for growing prosperity in the city, province and Atlantic region.

"Prosperity and quality of life are two key things we try to focus on in this city and prosperity comes through entrepreneurship," said LeBlanc.

Training offered to aspiring entrepreneurs

Rowser — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:48:32 -0400

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Telegraph-Journal, Published Tuesday January 5th, 2010

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http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/rss/article/909794

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Enterprising Women, an entrepreneurial training program, will begin this month for women living in Saint John.

On two evenings a week for five months, students will learn the ins and outs of business start-up and business plan writing. They will also be taught how to conduct market research and create financial plans, along with product development skills and goal setting.

Eight to 10 women will be accepted into the program for an opportunity to gain assistance and support in launching their own small business. It is aimed at women who are looking to increase their self-sufficiency who are receiving income assistance, or working at low-paying jobs.

Aspiring entrepreneurs will have a chance to meet and learn from successful business people, as well as from each other. The Saint John Community Loan Fund is offering the program for the first time in this area.

Mentors and presenters are also needed for the program. Everyone is welcome to contact Melanie Vautour at the Saint John Community Loan Fund at 652-5601 to apply or to learn more.

Company targets health clinics

Rowser — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:38:58 -0400

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John Pollack

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Telegraph-Journal, Published Monday December 21st, 2009

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http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/rss/article/896474

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Chris Boudreau, CEO of Clinic Server, a Saint John-based tech startup that has a server system aimed at health clinics. In the background reviewing the software are marketing manager Brad Dryer, left, Paul Kasdan, chief operating officer, Tom McLean, chief technical officer, and Ken Salmon, owner of Saint John Sports Medicine Clinic. Photo by: Kâté Braydon/Telegraph-Journal

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Clinic Server is now hoping to gain a share of the American physiotherapy market

As jurisdictions across the developed world push their hospitals and doctors to go digital to more efficiently and effectively treat patients, dozens of companies have launched in hopes of making money in the niche market.

But a Saint John-based firm is looking to capitalize on providing similar services to the relatively ignored health clinics.

Clinic Server focuses on organizing patient files for physiotherapists, chiropractors, doctors and other health professionals' offices and clinics.

"There was a huge gap in the market," company chief executive Chris Boudreau says. "A lot of the smaller clinics didn't have an affordable way to manage their people and resources."

The company already has its system in 51 clinics with 84 locations across Canada and is now hoping to gain a share of the American physiotherapy market, which brings in $11 billion annually.

Clinic Server will be targeting some of the more than 115,000 physiotherapists south of the border, 75 per cent of whom Boudreau says work for smaller independent clinics.

Although there are plenty of other health clinic management systems, Boudreau says his is cheaper and easier to install and maintain.

"A typical entry point for a clinic could be as low as $50 per month," Boudreau says. "The average is $100 per month."

The service is managed online but accessed through a program users download from the Clinic Server website. The application runs in Java - a programming language often used for web-based games and other interactive online content that can be read by most computers - which Boudreau says is faster than a web-based application, but easier to set up and maintain than a desktop application.

"With a web browser you can get slowness, but when you're working with a pure java, it's closer to a native application being on your machine," he says.

But because all the info is managed through the web, health professionals can access the files from any internet-connected computer after downloading the java program and logging in.

Clinic Server's system can also be accessed from a Blackberry, and the firm may someday develop an application for the iPhone.

"If you're a clinic that has five or 10 locations it allows them to manage all their clinics on one system," he says.

Boudreau says the company is targeting physiotherapists first because it's the field, where "the real heavy lifting has been done."

The Canadian Physiotherapy Association has endorsed the management system and Queen's University teaches the product in its physiotherapy program.

But doctors' offices, many of which still keep patient files on paper, can also use the system. The Clinic Server system can be integrated within most e-health records systems used at hospitals so all health professionals could have a more holistic view of a patient's history.

It can also make transfers easier and more efficient, Boudreau says.

Currently when a family doctor refers a patient to a specialist they will call the other office and have them call the patient to book an appointment. When that appointment finally happens sometimes tests are redone if the files weren't sent. But with Clinic Server's system a doctor could access a specialist's calendar, book appointment and share relevant information.

Before the appointment the system can send the patient a notification.

"But it's also a confirmation," he says. "For physiotherapists and chiropractors, they need to have a steady flow of clients."

If a client doesn't show up for his or her appointment, a private practice may have wasted person hours. The system will also show trends over time to help improve service at a clinic.

"These types of patients are getting in within a couple of days while these other types of patients are getting in within a couple of weeks," Boudreau says providing a hypothetical situation. "How can I change that?"

It can also help a clinic shape the business to better serve clients and make more money.

"We're treating a lot of people for motor vehicle accidents, if our clinic had more expertise we could take on more," Boudreau says.

Clinic Server had been in the works since 1998 when clinician Paul Kasdan and java programmer Tom McLean saw a need for it. Andrew Patterson came on later to integrate the business trends functions of the system, which has been piloted at a Saint John Clinic for roughly a decade.

A year-and-a-half ago, the system hit the market and when Boudreau, a full-time Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Inc. employee, heard about Clinic Server this summer he decided to take on the chief executive position as a second full-time job.

The company has been accepted into Propel ICT Inc.'s accelerator program, and is now looking for financing for the sales and marketing push it needs to expand. If or when financing comes Boudreau says the company will more than double revenue every year for the first three, at which point the business should be profitable.

How to change the world with innovation

Rowser — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:10:17 -0400

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Rebecca Penty

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Telegraph-Journal, Published Saturday December 12th, 2009

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http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/journal/article/887445

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Guy Kawasaki’s venture capital fund, Garage Technology Ventures, bets on entrepreneurs. ‘It’s really the case where the richest vein is two people working at home part-time building the product they want to use and they have an engineering background,’ he says. Kawasaki will be the keynote speaker at the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation’s R3 Gala on March 18 at the Delta Fredericton.

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It's easier to do business with less money, says Silicon Valley investor Guy Kawasaki

The biggest technology firms in the world are conceived of in the minds of engineers, says California innovation guru Guy Kawasaki.

"Apple, Google, Yahoo, Cisco, those types of companies that change things," said the Silicon Valley investor in high-tech startups.

Google was developed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were computer science graduate students at Stanford University in the late 1990s, to name one example.

Kawasaki's venture capital fund, Garage Technology Ventures, bets on entrepreneurs with engineering expertise and has one investment in a data-integrity company developed by such thinkers - Tripwire Inc.

"It's really the case where the richest vein is two people working at home part-time building the product they want to use and they have an engineering background," he said in an interview.

Kawasaki will be the keynote speaker at the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation's R3 Gala on March 18 at the Delta Fredericton.

The event - which stands for "recognizing research results-" honours three successful New Brunswick researchers who have produced applied work that impacts the province's industries.

The foundation hopes to attract up to 400 academics and corporate types to help foster partnerships - Kawasaki is meant to bring out the business folks.

Kawasaki said he will talk about how to raise money, make a product, sell it and collect earnings, including 11 steps on "how to change the world with innovation."

"In my travels around the world, innovators and entrepreneurs are more similar than they are different," he said.

Kawasaki is a founding partner of Garage Technology Ventures and the co-founder of Alltop.com, termed an "online magazine rack" of popular topics on the web with news stories associated with those topics. He was an Apple Fellow at Apple Computer Inc.

He is an author of nine books on entrepreneurship and related topics and a public speaker.

His venture firm, which provides seed funding in amounts between $250,000 and $500,000, cut back its investments this year as the markets took a hit, Kawasaki admitted.

According to the U.S. National Venture Capital Association, which cites PricewaterhouseCoopers' compilation of Thomson Reuters data, venture capital investment is down a great deal this year and last.

In the third quarter of 2009, 637 deals across the country worth US$4.8 billion were made, compared with 904 deals worth US$5.7 billion in 2008.

The 2009 figures are worth almost half the value of third quarter investments two years ago: Venture capitalists bet on 1,076 startups and shelled out a total of $8 billion in 2007.

"It's harder than ever to raise money, no question," Kawasaki said.

Luckily, it's easier to do business with less money, he said, advising entrepreneurs to employ social networking sites for marketing, use open source software and pay for cloud storage over hosting data in-house to cut infrastructure expenses.

"I think that people should bootstrap their companies and don't assume they're going to raise venture capital," he said.

Calvin Milbury, president and CEO of the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, said he hopes Kawasaki will be the drawing card that will "bring out the masses" to the gala next March.

The foundation's premiere research event, the R3 gala fits into the organization's mandate to "spur innovation and help commercialist research," Milbury said.

Last year, researchers recognized were Dr. Marc Surette of the Université de Moncton; Kevin Shiell of the New Brunswick Community College and Tillmann Benfey of the University of New Brunswick. Douglas Campbell and Amanda Cockshutt of Mount Allison University were also commended for commercializing a proprietary phytoplankton testing procedure.

Remaining otherwise tight-lipped, Milbury said the foundation will soon announce funding for a project Shiell is working on.

The Grand Falls-based researcher has worked to turn unusable potatoes into biodegradable plastic through a fermentation process and has moved on recently to transform potatoes, wheat and barley into biogas that can be used to generate electricity.