A Daily Rhythm

Easy-to-Follow Tips on How to Start a Business in ONTARIO

June 20, 2023June 20, 2023Business

Looking to start a business? You should know, it’s not enough just to “want” to start a business. You need to have an idea, research backing that idea, determination and, above all, knowhow. While a vision is necessary, you’ll need to have the strategies to put everything together and launch your business in what is likely a very competitive environment.

Small business insurance is an essential requirement for business owners in Ontario, even if it’s not explicitly listed. Treating it as a mandatory expense, similar to other crucial business costs, is vital, and compromising on it should never be an option. Collaborating with a broker allows for personalized assistance in determining the ideal coverage that suits your specific business type, industry, and budgetary constraints. Bullfrog Insurance offers insurance solutions for small business liabilities in Ontario and understands their unique needs to provide an extensive selection of options and variations to cater to those requirements.

Here are our tips for starting a business in Ontario successfully.

Determine your market.

Once you have your vision, it’s now time to determine what your target audience is. The most successful businesses will introduce their services and products to a youthful, fast-growing market. If your product or service is better targeted to a mature sector, you will need to find a way to effectively distinguish yourself from the remaining competition, i.e. innovative in your product or service, the proper price point, or excellent customer service.

It’s not a bad idea to invest in a specialized research company to effectively help you gather as much information as possible to define your niche. You can also enlist a research team to help gauge the competition’s weaknesses and strengths, which will, in turn, help you to get your business off the ground. This is not a period where you’ll generate revenue, but it’ll help define your success!

Always prioritize your long-term objectives.

Starting a business is not an overnight endeavour. Rather, it’s important that you never lose sight of your long-term objectives and consider your business like an investment that builds with time. Take inventory of your goals and create a list of the things you will have to consider in the immediate and in the medium term, particularly if you are foreseeing rapid growth. In order to help you manage that growth, you’ll have to address all readily available options, such as leasing/purchasing a physical space, buying furniture, equipment, and so forth. During this step, don’t be afraid to outsource some operations rather than handling it yourself. You already have a lot on your plate, and it’s not sacrificing your independence as a self-starter to look for third-party options.

Obviously as your business grows, there’ll be other goals and obstacles that pop up; consider growth, raw materials, salaries for employees, technological needs, and so on. It’s OK to think big!

Get the right team on your side.

Your business is no stronger than its weakest link. When hiring your team (if you’re hiring a team) be sure to put the right people on your side. The people that you end up hiring for your business should have skills that complement one another. Recruit top experts, even if they have more experience and expertise than you do. You may even want to look for external resources to incorporate in your team, i.e. such as marketing/public relations experts, technicians, sales people and managers, lawyers, etc.

Remember that nowadays, marketing is critical to any business’ success – particularly a small business that no one quite knows about yet. In order to reach customers as efficiently and quickly as possible, consider hiring marketing specialists ASAP. Marketing specialists, market researchers, content specialists, SEO specialists, and more are key to your success.

Incorporate all the raw details in your final business plan.

When determining your final business plan, be sure that it describes the scope of your project accurately. It should be specific, concise, and be written as your vision, but also as a way to sell your concept. You’ll likely need to do numerous rewrites before you are able to achieve your finalized plan. Run this finalized plan through experts, such as lawyers, accountants, and other experienced entrepreneurs. Your business plan is more than simply an accounting document; it should be designed to sell your idea to an investor.

Running a business in Ontario is hard work, but possible with the right intuition and grit! Good luck, self-starter! …

Tips For Comparing Home Insurance Quotes In Regina

June 12, 2020August 20, 2020Lifestyle

It may get to like a lot of extra work and compare quotations appear, but a little time can save you a lot in the long run. You should review your insurance requirements annually (optionally when the policy is up for replacing) and guarantee that you ever require the best resolution for the home insurance and compare home insurance quotes Regina.

10 points of comparison

If you compare home insurance quotes Regina, make sure you at the following locations:

First Excess: What is expected of you to pay in the event of a claim? Measure the benefit of lower premiums to the risk of a higher deductible if you have to file a lawsuit. Which is better suited to your current financial situation?

Other Coverage: If your house was lost, the coverage of politics is enough to replace your home and its contents? Less expensive premiums are excellent, but if your policy does not offer enough protection, you could briefly in the event of a loss.

Third Types of coverage: Are you covered for all types of loss? Theft, fire, and natural disasters are common, but there may also be other risks that you want to cover – just in case.

4th Item Coverage: Some items in your house may have limited coverage – such as jewelry, bicycles, and specialized equipment. Make sure that you covered for all valuables in your home for their actual value, or ask to add a cover to have certain elements covered.

5th Built: If you have a garage, workshop, barn, or other outbuildings, you will want to ensure that they and their contents are covered. This also applies to houses or guesthouses that are on your property.

6th Claims Process: It’s a good idea to check your potential insurance company’s claim the research process so that you are comfortable with your provider. How easy is it to apply? They are known for excellent customer service, or were there problems in the past? The last thing you want is to have to jump through hoops when you need to open a claim.

7th Housing Benefit: If you lose your house, a high cost can be avoided if your insurance covers a housing allowance for a hotel, motel, or rental during your home will be replaced or repaired.

8th Electronics Coverage: In this age of iPods, laptops and plasma TVs, we have more technology in our homes than ever before. Make sure that your home insurance covers you for the full replacement value of such items.

9th Combine Coverage: Most insurance companies offer a discount if you have more than one policy. Find out if you reduce your home insurance premiums by the combination of car and home insurance with a company.

10th Comfort Level: Ultimately, the home insurance you should make you feel comfortable and secure knowing that your home and contents are protected from loss. Choose a policy that offers the best combination of the required coverage and affordable premiums for a provider that has a track record of excellent service.…

4 Winning Strategies To Make Your Kitchen Remodel Fabulous

December 5, 2019August 20, 2020Lifestyle

The kitchen renovating process will be grueling. But if done correctly – very rewarding. Your kitchen should be a mirrored image of your personal lifestyle, while catering to your cooking needs. You’ll want the space to possess lots of storage for a trendy finish by confiscating the clutter from the floors. Several factors play into kitchen design, but the primary step is to line some goals for your space. It’s only too easy to overlook the little details or leave it up to the tradesmen to make your mind up. Follow these winning strategies to create your kitchen interior design Calgary utterly fabulous.

Know What You Would Like

Consider how you employ your kitchen to assist you determine the features and layouts that suit your household’s lifestyle. you will want your kitchen to feel open, airy and welcoming with lots of movement space with none hassle. you’ll also want to integrate specific appliances like dishwashers, ovens and microwaves into your storage cabinetry, so make certain to grasp exactly what you would like before getting started along with your remodel project.

Plan And Research

The best place to start out is by looking into the scope of labor and working out your budget. Budget and scope are intertwined and infrequently change during the planning process. Decide where to avoid wasting and where to splurge. as an example, if you’re insistent on a natural stone workstation, then perhaps you’ll want to tighten your budget round the cabinets to save lots of some dollars. confirm you thoroughly research your choice of appliances, as their dimensions will play an important role within the overall layout and finish of your kitchen.

Consider How you may Use Precious Kitchen Space

Every inch of space is very important, especially in an exceedingly small kitchen. When buying a fridge, be careful, as an additional large fridge are going to be difficult to urge it within the doorway. To avoid mistakes like this, create a layout drawing of your kitchen with measurements for doorways, walkways and counters. These features make your kitchen accessible to everyone and a pleasure to figure in, so factor them into your judicial decision.

Be alert to Quality For Long-Term Resilience

Functionality and sturdiness should be top priorities during kitchen remodeling. it should seem enticing to stay your costs low by choosing cheaper labor, appliances and materials – but you wish to think about long-term resilience. Low-quality bargains might not always be what they appear, so choose products that provide quality by combining low maintenance with long warranty periods.

If you’re trying to find the most effective kitchen interior design Calgary has got to offer, consider these winning strategies to feature value to your home.…

A Beginners guide to Interior Design

June 3, 2018August 20, 2020Purpose

Are you aiming to become an interior designer but you do not know where to start? If you have already been planning to become an interior designer for the longest time now, or at least learn how to plan things yourself without learning how to design homes as a profession, then you should definitely try interior design.

Interior designing is the art of decorating your home with the use of furniture and other things that you may want to place in your home that you think will look good. The whole point of interior design is to make your house look very unique with something that shouts your name and personality.

Living in your own house means that it has to have something that stand outs and represents you. Learning how to do these things on your own will not only open a new door of opportunities for your in the long run, but at the same time it means that your home will look better than ever and get to do this all for yourself at no extra cost except for the furniture which you have the option not to buy anymore.

If you are looking to just rearrange your home, there are a lot of ways that you can do this without spending a little extra on new furniture to put around your home. We have provided you a guide for beginners when it comes to interior design, you should definitely take a look at this, if you are aiming to do all the work yourself without hiring a professional:

Make sure to balance – when you are going to design your personal space, always make sure that you evenly balance and distribute different objects around your home so that it does not look so jarring or un-inviting for visitors. If you want to pull off a house that looks very elegant and cozy to walk into, you will have to balance everything with heavy objects or at least multiple lighting pieces to make everything look equal in the eyes of your guests. Without balance, it will not be the best place to look at when someone enters your home and at the same time be hard to get comfortable in especially if everything is placed in all the wrong areas of your home.

Emphasize – if you want a part of your house to receive more attention than the others, you are going to have to create an emphasis on that object. You can create an emphasis by making focal points and highlighting them to compliment everything else in your home. This will also draw attention to that specific place and takes out all the items that are not important. For example you want to draw attention to your fireplace or your window, the best way to do this is to emphasize it and turn it into a focal point in which you will have to highlight for other people to take notice. This is very easy to do, you will just have to accentuate the other parts so that it draws more attention to the main piece.

Not All That Glitters is Gold: Choose Your Own Path to Success

July 8, 2015August 20, 2020LifestyleAuthenticity, Creative Business, Non-Conformity

I have been self-employed since October 2013, and being in business for myself has taught me a lot of things. The biggest lesson, however, has been that it is absolutely critical to trust yourself… to go with your instincts… to be authentic.

When I first started out, I was in a government-run program for entrepreneurs (here in Ontario, Canada). As such, I was obligated to meet certain requirements, and to provide monthly updates — meaning I had to track a lot of details, and report on these every month. Much as that went against my personality, and I found myself having to grit my teeth against it often, I also see how very beneficial it was, and how it definitely helped me to survive my first year in business. The added accountability, support, and financial backing were what pushed me, and kept me moving forward.

Also in my first year or two, I soaked up every bit of advice and piece of information I could get my hands on. I participated in countless webinars, signed up for a plethora of business/entrepreneurial e-Newsletters, and followed the “gurus” on Facebook and Twitter (eg. Marie Forleo, Danielle Laporte, Christine Caine, Tim Ferriss, Tony Robbins, Michael Hyatt, Gina Devee, etc. ).

But at some point, I reached my limit. I got overwhelmed, and experienced information-overload, to say the least. I got frustrated, thinking that I’d never make it as an entrepreneur if I couldn’t ever do all of the things these “experts” suggested was necessary for running your own business. I didn’t feel capable of ever growing my business into the 7-figure “empire” that these gurus promised was possible.

Not to mention, I changed my business model a couple of times, too, which only made me feel even more incapable of achieving “success”! If I can’t stick with one thing, how will I ever manage to grow my company into a 7-figure business?

Here’s the thing, though: I don’t need a 7-figure business. Sure, it’d be wonderful to have that kind of income! Absolutely! But, do I need it? Nope.

Pablo Picasso wisely said:

…And I agree! Was all of my time spent learning from these “experts”, wasted? Not at all! I am a big believer that you should “take what you love, and leave the rest“. In other words, learn stuff, apply what’s true for you, and then don’t worry about everything else. Just let it go.

I am slowly learning that, while it’s still very necessary to learn from others who have gone before you, it’s also equally –if not more– important to do what feels right for you, personally. Success doesn’t have to look like it does for everyone else. If you just try to copy someone else’s business model, or make one up from a mix of others’ methods, you are going to fail. Why? Because you aren’t being true to yourself, and you aren’t giving your customers what they truly want/need most: YOU!

There are far too many ideas, out there, of what a business (or, entrepreneur, or self-employment ) “should” look like. What’s better is to take some time out to sit down and ask yourself:

What do I really love to do?
What does my ideal business | job look like?
Is there a market for this? (Will people pay me for it?)
What are the different ways I could make money doing what I love? (Think out of the box!)
Why do I want this particular job | business?
How much income do I (or, does my family) really need? What income level would help me create the lifestyle I desire to have?

Once you know what you’d love to do, why you’d want to do that, the ideal lifestyle you want to create for yourself, and how much you and/or your family truly needs you to make from your job, you can start getting into the finer details of what sort of job would be right for you, and what it would look like, realistically, when incorporated into your lifestyle. {Shameless plug: If you are seriously considering self-employment, I offer business mentoring! Visit my shop to find out more! }

Your business should look like what you want it to look like. If that means it ends up looking different than than what everyone, or the “gurus”, say it “should”, that’s completely okay. It’s good, even! People are drawn far more to authenticity than to conformity (whether they realize it or not ). Choose your own path to success! Ignore the critics.…

At Just the Right Time (July 1)

July 1, 2015August 20, 2020Purpose

After purging my books, recently, I was thinking about one book in particular… about how I had finally found a copy of it after years of wishing for one. And, I thought to myself how finding it was such a happy accident — I had just happened to come across a copy in a used bookstore, when I was no longer searching for said book.

But, even as the thought occurred to me that this was just a random accident, another thought popped into my head that said, “Nope… It wasn’t an accident. Nothing ever is.”

I don’t believe in the Law of Attraction, but nor do I believe in anything being random. I believe absolutely everything in this world has a reason for being… nothing is coincidence. And I very much believe in timing — that things happen when they are meant to, and just as they’re meant to, whether that’s something we wanted to happen, or something that was extremely hard (but that could teach us something, if we let it ), or all of those seemingly random “happy accidents”.

Finding that book when I did wasn’t accidental — it was timing. When I first heard of the book and added it to my TBR (to be read) list, it was not the right time for me to read it… nor were all those years I spent wishing I owned a copy of said book. But, the moment I discovered that book in the bookstore, and held that copy in my hands — that was the signal that NOW was the time for me to read that particular book; its message would speak to me right where I was at, right at that time. It would be exactly what I needed to hear.

And yet…

So often we don’t pay attention to these things. We don’t “listen” for the timing; we don’t pay attention to the messages life sends us (I know I’m starting to sound a bit woo-woo here, but bear with me for a second, if you will ). But, what if we did? What would happen if we all started using our intuition, and believing that everything happens for a reason?

I believe we wouldn’t have as much stress, for one thing. A lot of our stress comes from expecting things to be one way, yet having them turn out differently.

I think we would also be more trusting — we would have faith in things working out for the best… for our best. Maybe we would even be willing to risk more, thereby living more fulfilling lives, instead of always being afraid to fail.

A quote I love says, “Failure is nothing more than a chance to revise your strategy“. Isn’t that perfect?

I know I’m as guilty as the next person of chalking things up to “coincidence”. I am, however, getting better at learning to pay attention … I’m getting better at trusting the timing of life. And, truthfully, it feels very freeing.

How about you? Have you ever noticed something that wasn’t coincidence, but more a matter of timing? Share your story!…

Theology Thursday: Waiting (June 18)

June 18, 2015August 20, 2020Spirit

Have you ever had to wait a really long time — maybe even years — for something? Did you ever feel tempted to just give up hope?

Back in 2005, I’d reached a very low point in my life, even though my spiritual life was decent. Having cried out to God about my circumstances on many occasions, I didn’t know what else to do. Graciously, God spoke to me and offered me hope of things to come.

It has been almost ten years of waiting, for me, now. And I’m starting to get weary. It’s very, very hard to wait so long for something you want so very much.

There have been times where I’ve been tempted to take matters into my own hands — unfortunately, I know from past experience that that never ends well.

There have also been many times where I’ve questioned my own sanity, wondering whether I just “heard” something I wanted to hear, or whether God really even spoke to me. Yet, I now see this as the devil’s oldest scheme in the book: causing one to consider, “Did God really say…? “, just as he did with Eve in the garden!

Through my doubts, I’ve learned to question — and that it’s even okay to do so! Faith (or belief in something ) without questioning isn’t really “faith” at all. I’ve learned to research and look for evidence. And God has shown me, time and time again, that He is the One I heard “speak” to me that day in 2005, and what He promised will come to pass. I need only be patient, and continue to trust Him as I wait.

Another thing I’ve learned in waiting on God is to not put my life “on hold” — I need to keep myself busy, and focus on growing into the woman God intends me to become. Waiting on God has certainly grown my character! I’m learning patience, trust, faith, and discernment (amongst other things). And my walk with God has most definitely grown stronger, too.

What helps me get through best, though, is knowing that, by leaving matters in God’s hands, and continuing to wait for His perfect timing, the outcome — finally receiving what’s been promised to me — will far exceed my mere human expectations. God loves to show off.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory…” – Ephesians 3:20-21, NKJV
“… [she] waited patiently for this to happen, and [she] received what God had promised.” – Hebrews 6:15, EXB
“And, blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” – Luke 1:45, NASB