Canadian Small Business Women

Connection, Synergy, Community

3 Reasons to Consider Hiring a Team

sandra

We’ve all heard it said that there is no “i” in team. Unfortunately, many of us entrepreneurs tell ourselves that we can’t afford to hire a team, especially at the beginning, however, there comes a point where were can’t afford not to.

  1. Few of us are great at everything

I know I can’t be the only one who has wasted valuable time trying to do something that was outside my expertise! I joke that I am a recovering control freak, but there is truth in that statement. It can be easy to think that no one understands your vision for your business as well as you do or that no one will care as much as you do, but that isn’t the case. It’s simply a matter of finding the right people. If you’re spending time doing things that don’t generate revenue, you’re cutting into your money making time. Hire people to do what they do best so that you have more time to do what you do best and money, not only to pay your team, but to pay yourself as well!

  1. Benefit from outside perspectives

We can be so attached to our plans and projects that we can’t see the forest for the trees. Working with others brings fresh eyes and new ideas to your business. Even if you’re not in a position to hire full-time employees, you can hire contract workers who have experience working with entrepreneurs. Working with others gives you the ability to learn from mistakes that you haven’t made. We don’t know what we don’t know, and it is amazing what ideas can come from letting other people in. I know that our businesses can feel like our babies and we can be so protective that we don’t want to let other in, but if it takes a village to raise a child, we definitely can’t grow our businesses on our own.

  1. Burn-out is real

When we try to do it all, the work is never done. There is always more to do. A business owner isn’t all we are. We are friends, spouses, partners, parents, siblings, and we have responsibilities that go beyond what we do to make a living. Working with a team isn’t just good for our business; it’s beneficial to our sanity, our health and our overall well-being. While there was a time when I used to feel awkward about admitting that I couldn’t do it all on my own, I know have no problem asking for help. When I do, it takes such a load off that I gain the clarity needed to create and connect and do the things that I love to do, and that inspired me to start my business in the first place!

I said it earlier, and I will say it again, you may thing think that you can’t afford to hire people to help you in your business. I challenge you to consider that it just might be that you can’t afford not to hire people. If you want to grow your business and expand your reach and the clients you serve, you’re going to need some help!

Sandra Dawes is a certified life coach specializing in helping women who feel unfulfilled with their 9-5 follow their dreams and pursue their passions. She holds an Honours BA, an MBA as well as a certificate in Dispute Resolution.She has completed her first book,Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve!

Connect:

www.embraceyourdestiny.ca

www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestiny

www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestinythebook

www.twitter.com/sandradawes

Stephanie Lowe: Canadian Small Business Woman of the Month of March

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Stephanie Lowe, the founder of Destiny Wellness Centre, is a Registered Kinesiologist, Personal Trainer and Yoga Teacher.   It was during her undergraduate years that she developed her passion for health and fitness while working with Varsity sports teams, the Toronto Track and Field Centre and the York University Fitness Centre. Stephanie also experienced her own transformation during her personal health journey to  successfully lose 70lbs through a balanced regime of healthy eating and exercise.  She designed and taught her first “Women on Weights” Fitness class and has since then continued her passion for empowering women through health & fitness.

It was following her employment with various physiotherapy clinics, Hospitals and Rehabilitation companies that she saw need to provide an environment where people could address their health needs in a Wholistic environment. Many people looking for a fitness program suffer from chronic pain, repetitive strain injuries and the like. People with serious health conditions also have a need for strength and conditioning programs that assist in increasing function following a rehabilitation program; it was here Stephanie decided to bridge the gap. After pursuing a post graduate degree in Clinical Kinesiology and Orthopaedic Assessments, Stephanie was inspired to open the Destiny Wellness Center in 2014 an expansion of her personal training studio opened in 2009.  The clinic is where she is able to merge her passion for fitness (i.e., personal training, yoga and nutrition) with her love for rehabilitation (i.e., exercise therapy, aquatic therapy and therapeutic group classes). The centre also offers massage therapy, naturopathic medicine and other wellness related services.

Stephanie works within the local community providing rehabilitation services to individuals suffering from:

  • musculoskeletal & soft tissue injuries
  • arthritis and diabetes
  • rehabilitation from motor vehicle accidents
  • strokes

These services are delivered in a variety of settings such as in-pool, in-home and in-facility exercise therapy.  Fitness services are promoted via a number of formats including personal training, a Ladies ONLY boot camp, community events, and seminars, DVD’s, online coaching and corporate wellness programs.

Her passion for yoga has inspired Stephanie to create a unique fusion class called YogaCise (a combination of stretching and toning exercises) to help people stay fit using yoga. She also uses yoga and relaxation techniques to facilitate the rehabilitation process in her private Yoga Therapy sessions.

 

Our Q & A with Stephanie 

What inspires you?

I am deeply inspired by the people I work with and the amazing life changing transformations they achieve. I LOVE knowing that I am helping people live healthier more fulfilling lives. The confidence they build, the challenges they overcome… it’s amazing what people can do when they start believing in themselves and start reaching for the things they thought were completely out of their grasp!

I am also  inspired by my passion to serve women. I have always had a special place in my heart for their health needs and personally identify with the weight struggles of younger girls. I feel as women we are up against so many odds and I want to empower them to develop self love, good health, confidence and community. When we come together in love there is little we cannot accomplish.

As a small business owner what achievements make you most proud?

I am most proud of the culture and community that the Destiny Wellness Center has created in our 6 years of business. Our boot campers, yoga students and personal training clients have collected toys and raised funds to assist orphans in Haiti. We sponsored 4 orphans through our YogaThon in Oct 2014! We have also held events to support the Breast Cancer society and other local charities within the Oakville/Mississauga community. It’s wonderful that so many people have been able to develop long lasting friendships while also transforming their health and lives through fitness programs and charity events at Destiny Wellness Centre.

I am also proud to have developed “a voice” in our community. I had the opportunity to hold a 1 year fitness segment on Rogers TV that provided fun fitness solutionsto the community. Short 10 minute routines addressing yoga for pregnancy, family/group fitness, how to stay fit during the holidays and more. In addition, Stephannie has given seminars to hundreds of women and hundreds of teenage girls as a guest speaker on topics of health and fitness in various venues including women’s workshops, local businesses and schools across the GTA.

What advice would you give to other aspiring small business owners?

I would advise to clearly create a “vision” of what you would like your company to look like; and how would you like it to run. All of your processes, efforts and investments should consistently lead you to your end goal, building your vision.

I would also encourage entrepreneurs to enjoy the journey! You will make mistakes along the way, things will certainly go wrong. Take those bumps in the road as learning experiences to build upon instead of viewing them as failures and dead stops.

 

What new things can we look forward to from your business in the upcoming year?

Destiny Wellness Centre holds monthly events for the community that encourage a sense of community and health. Some of these events include a vision board workshop, “Yoga on the Beach, a “Yoga and Wine” charity fundraiser and a Paint night! The vision board workshop help women set a clear vision and purpose for their lives, we incorporate meditation and yoga to prepare for the session. “Yoga on the Beach” is an annual event. We meet along the beach for an afternoon of sun, yoga and relaxation. Our Yoga and wine events feature a guest speaker and we address topics such as fear, forgiveness, menopause; whatever topics I hear are of interest to the Destiny Wellness Community.  The paint night will be a new charity event to raise funds for a microfinance initiative in Haiti for women.

This spring and summer you can expect our usual fun and exciting programs such as our Ladies ONLY Boot Camp, YogaCise (yoga with weights) and the launch of our two new therapeutic classes on Osteoporosis and Maintaining a Healthy Back (therapeutic classes designed specifically for individuals suffering from Osteoporosis and chronic back pain).

Connect with Stephanie

Web: Www.destinywellness.org
Phone:4168187837
Address: 1115 Clarkson rd N, Mississauga

Email:
Info@destinywellness.org
Stephanie@destinyfitness.ca

Social Media:
Facebook

Facebook

Twitter

Take A Break

Sheralyn

In business, as in life, sometimes you just need a break.  Whether it is to step away for five minutes, 5 hours or even (yes, dare I say it) 5 days…sometimes you need the perspective that time and distance can offer in order to come back refreshed, renewed and reenergized.

As soloprenuers we are often given the advice to “never let up, even for a day.”  I recently attended a seminar on how to network through the summer months and a webcast on the importance of blogging constantly because “if you don’t someone else will and you’ll miss that opportunity.” I have even heard conversations that reference “How to remain effective in business even while on vacation.” Really?  Shouldn’t those two terms be mutually exclusive?  What is the point of a vacation if you are still trying to be effective in business?  You can’t do both well and more importantly, you shouldn’t!  The point of a vacation is to step away from the pressures of the daily activities related to your business so that when you return you will be better than ever.

This being July, there seemed no more obvious a time than now to remind solopreneurs that a break from your business isn’t a “nice to have,” it’s a necessity.  A break is an opportunity to take stock (literally and figuratively) to step away from day to day demands, to rest and rejuvenate.  If you do this properly – and by that we mean turn off your phones, close the laptop and shutter the store front – you will have no choice but to fully immerse yourself in the business of having fun with your family, relaxing on the deck of the cottage or at least on your own front porch or balcony.   While doing so, you’ll be gaining a fresh perspective on the direction your business should take moving forward. No one is suggesting that on a vacation you can’t THINK about work but you certainly shouldn’t be DOING any.  Believe it or not, this is imperative to your long term bottom line.  A rest equals the opportunity for your body to take a time-out, to catch up on some sleep and really what is more important to your business than your health?  Without your health, how are you going to run your business at all?  If you’re a solopreneur there is only one you and you are your business so you must take care of you!

Now – no one says you have to give up the business completely.  You can plan for your vacation.  You can schedule your posts and blogs well in advance in order to have them appear when you want them to.  You could ask a trusted friend, colleague or business associate (solopreneurs should never actually truly work alone) to cover for you.  Work ahead.  Submit work contracted by your clients ahead of time or negotiate for a longer deadline.  Chances are your client also wants to take a vacation at some point this summer so they will be happy to negotiate deadlines with you.  The point is, if you have planted the seeds properly, nurtured and cared for them, watered and weeded, you should be able to reap what you’ve sown upon your return.

Everyone, whether a corporate employee, a part timer working to help supplement the family income or a solopreneur – everyone needs a vacation and everyone is looking for an appropriate work – life balance.  So what’s the bottom line for your bottom line?  Take a break!

 

As Owner and Principal partner of “Writing Right For You” Sheralyn is a Communications Strategist – working together with entrepreneurs to maximize profit through effective use of the written word. Looking for web content that works, blog articles that engage or communications strategies that help you get noticed?  Contact Sheralyn today. Sheralyn is also the mother of two children now entering the “terrible and terrific teens” and spends her free time volunteering for several non-profit organizations.

Sheralyn Roman B.A., B.Ed.

Writing Right For You

Communications Strategies that help you GET TO THE POINT!

416-420-9415 Cell/Business

writingrightforyou@gmail.com

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