Feature Articles

Marketing Series for Women Entrepreneurs

# 6: Product Packaging: How to Skip the Rookie Mistakes

Whether you are putting hang tags on an artisan handcrafted necklace or bottling your grandma’s famous cherry compote recipe, packaging plays a significant role in selling a product effectively. Packaging creates a powerful first impression, so you want to do it well. You also want to do it right the first time, so you don’t have a costly re-do on your hands. Here are some things to keep in mind that will ease the steep learning curve.

Business Tip of the Month
...from the desk of the Client Services Coordinator

Stay Motivated When Working From Home

It is no secret that women in numbers previously unheard of are making the decision to own their own business and work from home.

The advantages of setting up a home-based business are great, but there are also unique challenges that women face when working from home. The most common are staying motivated and productive when each day is filled with distractions that tempt and lure us from the tasks at hand.

Loan Client of the Month

Cathie Gagnon
Teddy Bear’s Playhouse
108 Mile Ranch, BC

After working for many years as a professional nanny and taking care of other people’s children, Cathie Gagnon realized that she was missing out on her own son’s childhood. She needed to find a new career that would allow her to spend time with her child and make a living. “I wanted to have my son at home with me and we were looking at having more children in the near future, so it just seemed perfect to open a daycare.

News & Announcements

Become a Mentor or Mentee this Fall!

Women's Enterprise Centre is looking for women in business to become mentors and mentees as part of their FREE Mentoring Program for entrepreneurs.

If you’re a woman with five years or more experience running a business and would like to give back to your community, become a One-to-One Mentor or facilitate a Peer Mentoring Group and help other women in business succeed.

If you’re a woman who is in the first three years of business operation and would like to benefit from a mentoring relationship, then apply today to participate in One-to-One Mentoring or a Peer Mentoring Group.

For more information on becoming a mentor or mentee, click here

National Aboriginal Business Opportunities Conference

Join host Chief Clarence Louie and over 200 other key Aboriginal and private sector business leaders in 2 days of dialogue about the future landscape of business in Canada.

This generic business conference is unique in design with a focus on networking and discussions around joint ventures. The plenary sessions will showcase successful private sector/Aboriginal business ventures as case studies and examples for others to follow.

Location: Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & NK'MIP Conference Centre in Osoyoos Dates: September 14 & 15, 2010

The 2010 British Columbia Aboriginal Business Awards

The British Columbia Aboriginal Business Awards celebrate the accomplishments of the province's Aboriginal business sector and its contribution to the economy of British Columbia.

These awards honour business acumen in seven categories. An independent jury of Aboriginal business experts review the nominations and select the recipients in accordance with the awards' criteria.


Submission deadline: September 15, 2010

For more information click here

RBC Seminar Series - The Path to Retail Success

Join Kevin Graff as he takes apart what’s typically broken in the world of retail management and shows you how to fix it. Find out why customer service is the new marketing, and what metrics to watch. From errors made in creating a store concept to misconceptions about how to manage staff, you’ll get straight talk and ideas that will help you get the most out of your business immediately.

Date:         Wednesday, July 7
Time:         7:30 – 10:00 a.m.
Location:  Hyatt Regency Hotel, Plaza A&B, Vancouver
RSVP:        Tuesday, June 29

Register NOW

CALLING ALL WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS!

Canada’s largest celebration of entrepreneurial achievement by women is back!

The 12th annual ranking of the PROFIT W100: Canada’s Top Women Entrepreneurs is the definitive list of Canada’s leading women-owned and women-run businesses. The list ranks applicants by a combination of company size, growth rate and profitability.

W100 winners enjoy many benefits, including coverage in the November issue of PROFIT, which can attract new staff, customers, business partners and the interest of other local and national media. You can also count on business-building marketing and PR support from PROFIT.

Perhaps best of all, you’ll be invited to the PROFIT W100 Idea Exchange, an exclusive conference geared to helping you strengthen your company and management skills in collaboration with other female entrepreneurs.

Nominate your business or that of an entrepreneur you admire by calling 1-800-713-GROW or completing the online ballot here . But don’t wait—the nomination deadline is June 30, 2010.

Return to Top

Events and Happenings

Around the Province

BBB 2010 Torch Awards nomination deadline
Province Wide
Friday, July 30, 2010
For more information click here

2010 Entrepreneur Showcase
Small Business BC, Vancouver
October 2010, Small Business Month
For more information click here