Canadian Small Business Women

Connection, Synergy, Community

5 reasons why entrepreneurs should travel

Praveeni

 

Life as an entrepreneur can often be stressful and overwhelming, with business commitments and client demands. Planning a vacation is usually the last thing on your mind when you’re trying to run your own business. Surprisingly travel can have some very real benefits for entrepreneurs, so if escaping the Canadian winter isn’t a good enough excuse here are 5 reasons why entrepreneurs should travel :

Relax and renew your mind

Many entrepreneurs overlook the fact that you can actually suffer from mental fatigue – your mind gets tired too! Travel allows you to let go of your troubles and focus on something other than work. Whether you’re lying on a beach or hiking up a mountain a new environment and change of scene can alleviate mental fatigue and relax your body as well.

See different business environments

Travel gives you the opportunity to learn not only about a new culture but a new business environment as well. Whether you realize it or not traveling as an entrepreneur will strengthen your business acumen as you are exposed to different races, cultures and countries. It’s always good to know about how business is conducted in different countries, if you do choose to go international at some point you’ve already got a head start!

Make new connections

Networking is an important part of business so don’t limit your network to just local or national contacts. You never know when someone from another part of the world may require your expertise or vice versa. Travel is a great way to meet new people and make new connections. Whether you travel in a group or solo you’ll inevitably meet and make new friends who in turn will become a part of your international network.

Discover new opportunities

Exposure to different environments and cultures is a great source of inspiration. Traveling can help you discover new business opportunities and ideas as you learn about how different people live and different countries operate. Sometimes it’s easy to get stuck thinking inside the box. You can also discover new export or import opportunities based on needs at home or in other countries. Your next great business idea or solution may be only a trip away.

Learn new things

Traveling enriches your life with new experiences and new skills. Look at vacations and travel as a learning opportunity rather than an expense. Whether you’re simply taking a historical tour or using a guidebook to learn the local lingo, travel will always afford you the opportunity to learn new things. It’s a great way to learn a new language or skill. Learning is something that should never stop regardless of age.

Praveeni Perera is the CEO and co-founder of Professional Edge Consulting a corporate training company based in Ottawa offering training and coaching services to clients around the world.  She can be reached via Website, Twitter, Facebook or her Blog.

Praveeni Perera – Canadian Small Business Woman of the Month of February 2014

Praveeni

Praveeni Perera is a dynamic young entrepreneur. She is the CEO and co-founder of Professional Edge Consulting a corporate training company based in Ottawa offering training and consulting services to clients around the world. PEC provides training and consultancy services in three main focus areas : cultural intelligence, international protocol, and business etiquette.

Prior to launching her own venture in June 2011, Praveeni worked in the non-profit sector. She took on the role of  Project Director for a NGO heading international development projects in Africa and Asia.

Whilst pursuing her undergraduate degree in Biology, her work in the non-profit sector instilled in her an interest in cultural intelligence and intercultural relations.  Having always harbored an affinity for the business world Praveeni decided to further her education completing a MBA in International Business, which allowed her to combine her interest in cultural intelligence with her love for the corporate world. Praveeni is also a certified International Protocol and Corporate Etiquette Consultant.

In addition to her career Ms. Perera plays an active role in her community having clocked many hours as a volunteer at both the Ottawa Hospital and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Praveeni currently sits on the Board of Directors for Immigrant Women Services Ottawa, a non-profit organization that provides immigrant and visible minority women and their families in Ottawa with the tools and support to achieve their full potential as members of Canadian society and participates in the elimination of all forms of abuse against women and children.

In her spare time Praveeni enjoys the arts; having played in a stage band in high school she has a great appreciation for music.  She enjoys writing and is a contributing writer for The Professional Edge business blog and  Restaurants and Hotels Magazine. Her articles have been featured online by MBAJobs.ca

Praveeni believes that a work –life balance is essential for success. She credits her achievements both personal and professional, to effective time management skills along with her driven and motivated personality.

OUR Q & A WITH PRAVEENI

*What inspires you?

Hearing about the successes of other entrepreneurs and business leaders inspires me. I think there’s a great deal to be learnt from the successes and failures of  leaders such as Jack Welch at GE, Richard Branson at Virgin, and even Canada’s own Arlene Dickinson.  Learning about the different styles of leadership they employed to tackle each situation is a great motivator for me.

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

I’m most proud of launching and running our international workshops in South Asia. I had no idea what the South Asian market would be like going in and I took a risk that paid off. Although there were roadblocks  along the way I was able to successfully launch Professional Edge Consulting’s PR campaign, meet with HR leaders and host a myriad of successful workshops. This was a great challenge for me and a fantastic learning experience.
*What advice would you give to other aspiring small business owners?

The advice I would give other aspiring small business owners is to know themselves and their brand. In order to be able to market something successfully you have to know your brand inside out. You need to be aware of what services you are selling, who you’re selling to and be able to adapt your strategy to suit your market and audience.

Networking is also essential to growing your business. I would encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to be confident, get out there and build the connections they need to be successful in their field. There’s no substitute for hard work.
*What new things can we look forward to from your business in the upcoming year?

There will be a greater focus on cultural intelligence in our workshop offerings this year. For example we will be highlighting programs such as Let’s Talk It Out our conflict resolution workshop, and Lost In Translation, which focuses on communication. I am also in the process of authoring my first book on networking. You can also look forward to my monthly blog posts at The Professional Edge.

Four tips for Success in the Global Workplace

Praveeni Perera

As technology makes our world a smaller place many businesses big and small are engaging in commerce across international borders. The definition of workplace has now expanded to include not just new cities or regions but the whole world, we are indeed witnessing life in the global workplace.

Conducting business on an international level isn’t always easy  as social norms, greetings and introductions and even time restraints differ across cultures. Here are my tips for success in the global workplace.

1. Have an open mind
Being open minded makes the transition from national to international easier as you will be more willing to learn about new countries, their customs, and the way they do business. Things may not always go as planned and tasks that used to be simple before may become more complicated and tedious. Obstacles be they cultural, financial or logistical will arise and you need to be able to think outside the box and get creative.

2. Welcome and embrace change
Making changes to the way you do business, approach projects, and even shake hands is inevitable when working in a global workplace. Change is never easy but being ready for the change and approaching it with a positive attitude certainly makes the transition run smoother. Don’t shy away or be afraid of changing the way you do business, different markets demand different approaches. Chances are you will have a completely different business model or approach for each new market you enter. Think of each new culture, country, or market as a creative outlet, an opportunity to do your job in the different way. The result or product is the same but the method is different.

3. Do your prep work
Preparation and research are essential when working on a global level. You need to be aware of the cultural and social norms of the countries you are doing business in.  There are many sources online that allow you do conduct a cultural comparison between countries. It’s a good idea to compare the country you live in with the countries you wish to enter or are looking to do business with.  The World Factbook is an online tool that provides comprehensive and detailed information about countries, however it focuses more on general information rather than cultural comparisons. To compare cultural differences, we recommend using the TheHofstede Center website as it allows you to compare and contrast cultures using 5 detailed dimensions.  In addition to cultural research you should attempt to learn a few basic words in the native language such as hello, thank you, and please.

4. Seek out local mentors
Locals are the best guides when it comes to learning about a new culture and market.  Seeking out a local professional who can help you learn about the business culture in your prospective market is a good idea, as you will be able to get a first hand account of what corporate life is like.  You can reach out to professionals in your field or similar fields through organizations advocating for trade between your home country and your perspective market. LinkedIn is also a good way of researching professionals in your field, however since these would be cold connections asking for mentorship is not recommended. You can also ask for guidance and information about perspective markets from their local embassies in your home base. Most embassies have trade commissioners that provide information on conducting business in their country.

For more informationand a hands on training in doing business on an international level check out our next workshop Success in the Global Workplace this June in Ottawa. Registration is now open!

Praveeni Perera is the CEO and co-founder of Professional Edge Consulting a corporate training company based in Ottawa offering training and coaching services to clients around the world.  She can be reached via Website, Twitter, Facebook or her Blog.

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