No one can predict the future, but you can plan for it. Knowing your cost of production, along with your financial situation allows you to identify and manage risk properly, measure your margins and develop targets. Having this information allows you to easily adjust your plan for changes along the way. In this session, you will learn: Meet Your Facilitator Kim Gerencser is a Senior Manager with MNP’s Farm Management Consulting team in Regina. Kim serves family farms, primary producers and farm businesses striving to go from good to great. Kim brings a deep understanding of the issues his clients face and a unique combination of experience to his role, with a background as a farmer, a lender to complex progressive farms, and an advisor-consultant. Drawing on a decade-and-a-half of experience working with primary producers and family-owned small- to medium-sized enterprises, Kim provides clarity and practical advice, allowing his clients to make decisions more easily and with confidence. Kim helps his clients with profitability and cash-flow improvements, business strategy, debt financing, financial management and analysis of profit and cashflow. He advises his clients on the development of business strategies tailored to management and owner goals, the development and analysis of financing strategy, process improvements, and risk management analysis. Kim earned a Bachelor’s in Applied Financial Services (BAFS) in 2004 and an Honors Diploma in Business Administration in 2002 from Lakeland College. He is a 2018 graduate of The Executive Program for Agricultural Producers (TEPAP) from Texas AM. Kim is the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors board chair.
- Gross margin analysis;
- How to evaluate fixed costs in your operation; and,
- Information gained from a profit margin analysis and how to use it to plan for future operations.
The fundamental financial risks associated with farming have not changed in recent years, but they have increased due to changes in the agricultural landscape. Farmers are more than producers of food, they are perceived as caretakers of the natural environment and provider of quality goods of that environment. This webinar is designed to discuss financial risk management at the producer level to grow and strengthen your business and will demonstrate practical application of risk scenarios using MNP’s Risk Management Projector TM. In this session, you will: Meet Your Facilitator Evan Sawatzky is an Agriculture Risk Management Advisor with MNP, based in Saskatoon. He joined MNP’s agriculture team in 2009 and has been specializing in agricultural risk management since 2019. Farms are exposed to many risks. Some are in their control, and others are not. To help producers minimize this risk, Evan advises on programs and insurances that are available, and helps determine what the right mix of support is needed for you to be able to farm with confidence.
- Learn how to identify financial risks;
- Understand how to manage financial risk;
- Review tools to model and manage financial risk at the producer level; and,
- Gain insight required to develop and implement a financial risk management plan.
Owning a farm means your business and personal lives are intertwined. As such, it is important to understand how taxation works and where there are opportunities to effectively structure your farm operations to allow for both risk management and minimization of taxes. In this session, you will: Meet Your Facilitator Greg Moir, CPA is a Manager with MNP’s Specialty Tax team in Saskatoon. Greg works primarily with family owned and operated agriculture businesses, providing estate and business succession planning and preparing tax reorganizations.
- Provide participants with an overview of taxation as it relates to farm operations (both personal and corporate),
- Outline basic reporting requirements (the basis for taxation and initial tax planning issues),
- Address year-end determination including dividends versus bonus which form the basis for shareholder/owner remuneration, and
- Outline expense deductibility and basic tax planning strategies as it relates to farm operations.
Financial statements provide farmers with insight into the financial position and performance of farm business. Accurate records and financial statements are the foundation material required to analyze the financial condition and trends of your operation and can be benchmarked against other similar operations. This webinar is designed to help you better understand key concepts in financial statements and focusses on cashflow, debt, equity, profit and taxes. In this session, you will learn: Meet Your Facilitator Kim Gerencser is a Senior Manager with MNP’s Farm Management Consulting team in Regina. Kim serves family farms, primary producers and farm businesses striving to go from good to great. Kim brings a deep understanding of the issues his clients face and a unique combination of experience to his role, with a background as a farmer, a lender to complex progressive farms, and an advisor-consultant. Drawing on a decade-and-a-half of experience working with primary producers and family-owned small- to medium-sized enterprises, Kim provides clarity and practical advice, allowing his clients to make decisions more easily and with confidence. Kim helps his clients with profitability and cash-flow improvements, business strategy, debt financing, financial management and analysis of profit and cashflow. He advises his clients on the development of business strategies tailored to management and owner goals, the development and analysis of financing strategy, process improvements, and risk management analysis. Kim earned a Bachelor’s in Applied Financial Services (BAFS) in 2004 and an Honors Diploma in Business Administration in 2002 from Lakeland College. He is a 2018 graduate of The Executive Program for Agricultural Producers (TEPAP) from Texas A and M. Kim is the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors board chair.
- The purpose of a balance sheet
- How to use the income statement to determine how your farm is performing
- How money flows through a farm
- How debt and equity are measured
Marketing is much more than advertising and promotion. Businesses need to understand and be able to articulate their products and services to exhibit their true value to their targeted clients. In this session participants will: Meet Your Facilitator As Director, Marketing Performance, Data & Insights, Morgan Melnyk works for MNP, one of Canada's largest chartered accountancy and business advisory firms. In this role, Morgan puts a sharper focus on Marketing Performance (achieving the desired marketing outcome or business objective), Data (who MNP markets to, how and when) and Insights (what they’ve learned and any areas for optimization) for MNP. Acting as a performance and growth marketer, Morgan drives cross functional alignment and implements an actionable strategy around how MNP can better use data, track our engagement with clients, prospects and referral sources and optimize overall marketing campaign performance. Morgan continues to have senior oversight of the Insolvency marketing strategy for MNP LTD, the largest insolvency firm (consumer and corporate) in Canada. One of Morgan's proudest accomplishments is the creation of the MNP Consumer Debt Index, which gauges Canadian sentiment around consumer debt. For over 10 years, Morgan has worked in Calgary developing marketing strategies for a variety of industries, including professional services, technology, energy, retail and environmental businesses. Morgan holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a double major in Marketing and International Business and a double minor in Economics and Political Science.
- learn the importance of completing a marketing plan and following the marketing process,
- distinguish between benefits and features,
- articulate how their products and/or services exhibit true value to their targeted clients,
- gain an appreciation for the strategy their business must follow to be successful, and
- develop usable strategies to help them meet their business goals.
Creating value in your business is not a nice to have, but a requirement as you build for the future. Business valuation techniques vary depending on the industry and market, but there are simple guidelines and rules available to maximize value. In this session we will: Updated 2021
- Learn techniques business valuators use to value a business; and
- Provide case examples, along with terms and strategies to maximize value.
Businesses must ensure that their planning process is well outlined and covers all essential components. This webinar is designed to cover the essential components of an effective business plan and will assist participants in addressing questions or concerns they have regarding the scope and depth of the proposed plan and provide a guide to build this comprehensive plan. In this session, you will learn: Meet Your Facilitator TBD
- The essential components of a well-written business plan,
- a clear and simple method of developing an operational guide for business, and
- a comprehensive business plan outline that is simple and easy to follow
As a business, you need to identify the value you can provide to your customers and ensure your processes are built so customers come first. This can be a daunting task, but understanding business process improvement, how to identify and eliminate wasteful activities and focus on high value activities is crucial to meeting customer expectations and running an efficient business. In this session, you will learn: Meet Your Facilitator Jen Hayes is a Partner with MNP’s Consulting group in Toronto. Drawing on more than 15 years of consulting experience, and 10 years in the manufacturing and technology sectors, Jen helps her clients deliver their products and services more efficiently and effectively. Through business planning, expansion and change, Jen helps her clients – ranging from startups to large organizations – design business models and processes to position them for growth and expansion.
- The concept of process improvement and how it applies to your business
- Specific tools that can be used to implement process improvement within your business;
- How to define value for your customers
- How to capture your current state of processes and develop future state
- How to improve your business processes
Business owners need to understand the importance of industry and market research and learn how to use this effectively as input into their planning process. In this session participants will learn: Meet Your Facilitator Brynna Bergerman is a Consultant in the MNP Consulting Practice based in Saskatoon, SK. She has worked in the economic development industry for many years with entrepreneurs providing information to start ups and market intelligence to companies exporting products and services outside of the province. Brynna is currently part of the Self Employment Program team with MNP assisting new entrepreneurs launch their businesses.
- the benefits market research provides to their planning process;
- detailed guidelines on how to search for existing sources of information to validate their business plan; and
- how to conduct their own market research through the use of informational interviews, surveys, and focus groups with various industry stakeholders.
As businesses start out, you need to understand the importance of creating a Board of Directors, as well as tips to effectively form this important governance role over your business. Learnings of this session explore: Meet Your Facilitator Annette Bester is a partner in MNP’s Saskatoon office. Partnering and working with companies in all stages of their business cycle for over 22 years, Annette helps to support and strengthen their leadership. Over her career Annette has worked with a number of businesses with a focus to helping clients understand not just their historical financial information but what the information is telling them from a forward-looking perspective. Since 2018, Annette has taken on increasingly complex Board roles, being a Director of Saskatchewan Capital Network until its dissolution in July of 2020 and since April 2020 has been a member of the Conexus Board of Directors. She is the current Chair of the Risk Committee and recently completed her ICD.D designation.
- the role of a Board of Directors,
- the Board’s duties and responsibilities,
- liabilities and protection for directors,
- assessing Board performance, and
- best practices in the area of Board effectiveness.
Business owners are passionate about their products or services, but passion is not enough. Owners need to learn the fundamental strategies necessary to effectively sell their products and services to their target markets. This webinar helps participants explore: Meet Your Facilitator Janice Decelles is a Senior Consultant in the Consulting practice of MNP. Her focus since joining the firm in 2005 Is to provide training and consulting to self employment clients and general human resource services. An expert facilitator and instructional designer, she has extensive training management experience in the insurance and financial services sectors and is a certified customer service trainer. Skilled in both individual and group training, Janice prides herself on being a positive contributor to her clients’ overall success. Janice holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Advanced Certificate in Human Resources.
- The sales process from prospecting to closing the sale, and
- The concept of Solution Selling.
Reading and understanding financial information is one of the most important tasks of a business owner. However, for most business owners, the accounting and financial aspect of the business is not their background and learning financial fluency is a necessity in today’s marketplace. This session organized into a two part series provides: Meet Your Facilitator Joey Langen has worked at MNP for 9 years and is a Senior Manager on the Private Enterprise team in Saskatoon. Joey works primarily with owner-managed businesses, with a focus in real estate and construction corporations. Services include preparation of corporate financial statements, corporate tax returns, personal tax returns, tax planning, and general business consulting services.
- insight into financial statements and practical ways to use this information to identify the areas of the business that are flourishing and the areas that require improvement,
- discussions on key areas of financial statements that determine if fraud is a factor in the business,
- insight into cash requirements and what budgeting is required, and
- identification of immediate business strategies to increase revenues and decrease expenditures.
Reading and understanding financial information is one of the most important tasks of a business owner. However, for most business owners, the accounting and financial aspect of the business is not their background and learning financial fluency is a necessity in today’s marketplace. This session organized into a two part series provides: Meet Your Facilitator Annette Bester is a partner in MNP’s Saskatoon office. Partnering and working with companies in all stages of their business cycle for almost 19 years, Annette helps to support and strengthen their leadership. Over her career Annette has worked with a number of businesses with a focus to helping clients understand not just their historical financial information but what the information is telling them from a forward-looking perspective.
- insight into financial statements and practical ways to use this information to identify the areas of the business that are flourishing and the areas that require improvement,
- discussions on key areas of financial statements that determine if fraud is a factor in the business,
- insight into cash requirements and what budgeting is required, and
- identification of immediate business strategies to increase revenues and decrease expenditures.
As a business owner, your plans for the business are highly dependent on the relationship you have with your financial institution. This relationship starts with development and start up and will continue throughout the life of your business as your needs grow and change. In this session we will: Meet Your Facilitator Lee Bauer, CPA, CA is a Senior Manager with MNP’s Private Enterprise team in Saskatoon. Lee works primarily with small and medium sized owner-managed businesses, preparing corporate financial statements and tax returns and providing general business consulting services.
- investigate various observations on raising early development/start-up money;
- focus on identifying the need for both debt and equity financing as well as potential strategies for sourcing corporate requirements;
- provide participants with information on strategies for raising second stage financing, including alternative debt and equity instruments and potential sources for expansion capital; and
- discuss banking issues related to business operations, loan applications, collateral issues and financing proposals.
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has ever changing requirements surrounding GST/HST and as a business owner you are required to comply with the applicable rules. Failure to comply can result in significant penalties and interest, to the detriment of your cash flow. During this session, tax experts will: Meet Your Facilitator Jeff Harrison is a Senior Manager with MNP’s national indirect tax team for the past 4 years and is located in our Regina MNP office. He is an indirect tax specialist with over 26 years’ experience in Canadian sales taxes. Jeff works with all forms and sizes of business across Canada to guide them through the sales tax rules, including support through audits and appeals. He facilitates both internal MNP courses, external presentations and CPA Saskatchewan GST/HST courses. Updated 2020
- provide a comprehensive overview of how government and professionals work together,
- provide insight into current areas that CRA is reviewing and some of the common deficiencies found, and
- share useful tips that will make remittance and filing more accurate and time effective.
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has ever changing requirements surrounding GST/HST and as a business owner you are required to comply with the applicable rules. Failure to comply can result in significant penalties and interest, to the detriment of your cash flow. During this session, tax experts will:
- Provide a comprehensive overview of how government and professionals work together,
- Provide insight into current areas that CRA is reviewing and some of the common deficiencies found, and
- Share useful tips that will make remittance and filing more accurate and time effective.
As a business, it can be tough to keep up with customer demands as your industry changes and you wonder ‘What will be disrupted next?” Large companies may have research and development budgets to grow and foster innovation, but as a small or mid-sized business, you wonder how you can innovate with the time and resources you have available? You know that success can depend upon innovation, and it is common for small businesses to focus primarily on existing products and services. Innovation is not just about large technological innovations - innovation can be simple ideas. Remember, it’s not enough to say that innovation is a priority - ensure you have a process in place and continue to work at making it a priority! In this session, you will learn: Meet Your Facilitator Nicole Asselin Is a Partner in the MNP Consulting practice based in Edmonton, serving clients locally and provincially. Nicole has over twelve years of experience in industry and management consulting. She has been involved in innovation, business process and operations improvement in many capacities, with diverse clients across multiple industries. Nicole obtained her Master of Business Administration from the University of Alberta in 2004 with focus on International Business Specialization, is Six Sigma Green Belt Certified, is Innovation Engineering Blue Belt Certified, and has participated in Lean Action Workouts. She and her husband are small business owners and are familiar with the need to innovate and market services. Nicole has exceptional client relations and is recognized for her professionalism, diplomacy and confidentiality in dealing with colleagues and her clients. Nicole is a disciplined project manager that provides strong operational support to clients and has managed a number of projects relating to Operational Effectiveness, Process Improvement, Organizational Review, Business Strategy and Planning, Market Assessment and Analysis. In addition, Nicole has led and participated in numerous engagements in a variety of areas including the private sector, provincial government, municipalities, municipal associations, non-profit organizations and post-secondary educational institutions.
- What drives the need for innovation in small business;
- How to build innovation into a business routine;
- How to invest in innovation; and,
- How to cultivate an innovative mindset.
Many businesses are dependent on environmental factors, commodity prices, markets and many factors outside of your control. Part of effective risk management is identifying when your business is in trouble and determining how best to adapt, pivot or evolve. In many cases, this means talking with lenders who may make concessions, lend new money or force your business into receivership. The key to turnaround is early identification and proactive discussions with your business stakeholders. In this session, you will: Meet Your Facilitator To Be Announced
- Common causes of financial distress and external and internal factors influencing outcomes
- The current state of the economy as it relates to business and consumer insolvency
- How lenders evaluate your business situation and how they can help
- Macro economic risk factors impacting your business
- Key metrics to highlight troubling financial results
- Identifying risk in your supply chain
- How to recognize negative trends and identify the drivers of these trends
- What resources and options are available to your business if trends cannot be reversed
Recruiting talented and effective employees is not just about skills, but about fit with the culture of your business. The first step in this process is learning to effectively interview and attract the right team members. In this session you will learn the basics of performing an interview, including: Meet Your Facilitator Kelsey Bjorndalen is a Senior Consultant in the MNP Consulting practice based in Regina, SK. Kelsey has more than 11 years of professional experience delivering and advising on multiple aspects of human resources as well as supporting a variety of diverse business operations. Kelsey is a Registered Professional Recruiter through the Institute of Professional Management and has experience working in both the private and public sector, specializing in areas that focus on Information Technology. Kelsey has extensive knowledge and experience in the area of human resources (including: strategic workforce planning, talent acquisition, employee engagement, internal communications, performance management, policy development, labour relations) as well as supporting a variety of diverse business operations (asset management, organizational change management, project coordination, workshop facilitation, etc.). With deep knowledge of human resources best practices and diverse professional experience, Kelsey develops practical solutions and delivers results for her clients. Her cross-industry expertise includes public sector (Crown Corporations), private sector, municipal government, information technology, and telecommunications.
- identifying Interview Objectives,
- preparing for the Interview,
- building Rapport,
- incorporating specific interview Techniques,
- detecting Deception, and
- handling Objections vs. Denials.
Business owners need to build high performance teams to operate effectively as a business and to most effectively service customers. As a business owner or engaged team member you will explore personal and corporate values and discover how corporate values can be integrated into your day-to -day operations and observable behaviours. Upon completion of this two part webinar series, participants will: Meet Your Facilitator Janice Decelles is a Senior Consultant in the Consulting practice of MNP. Her focus since joining the firm in 2005 Is to provide training and consulting to self employment clients and general human resource services. An expert facilitator and instructional designer, she has extensive training management experience in the insurance and financial services sectors and is a certified customer service trainer. Skilled in both individual and group training, Janice prides herself on being a positive contributor to her clients’ overall success. Janice holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Advanced Certificate in Human Resources.
- understand the importance of employee relationships as well as the impact and associated cost of turnover,
- understand team dynamics and identify strategies to enhance team effectiveness,
- understand and identify leadership philosophy and personal values and be able to connect these and the corporate values to identified observable actions,
- understand the concept of Group Think and discovering the strength and value of “two heads are better than one”,
- be able to utilize a model for decision making and effective communication, and
- understand the value of employee engagement and identify ways to fully engage team members
Business owners need to build high performance teams to operate effectively as a business and to most effectively service customers. As a business owner or engaged team member you will explore personal and corporate values and discover how corporate values can be integrated into your day-to -day operations and observable behaviours. Upon completion of this two part webinar series, participants will: Meet Your Facilitator Janice Decelles is a Senior Consultant in the Consulting practice of MNP. Her focus since joining the firm in 2005 is to provide training and consulting to self employment clients and general human resource services. An expert facilitator and instructional designer, she has extensive training management experience in the insurance and financial services sectors and is a certified customer service trainer. Skilled in both individual and group training, Janice prides herself on being a positive contributor to her clients’ overall success. Janice holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, an Advanced Certificate in Human Resources and her CPHR – Certified Professional in Human Resources - designation.
- understand the importance of employee relationships as well as the impact and associated cost of turnover,
- understand team dynamics and identify strategies to enhance team effectiveness,
- understand and identify leadership philosophy and personal values and be able to connect these and the corporate values to identified observable actions,
- understand the concept of Group Think and discovering the strength and value of “two heads are better than one”,
- be able to utilize a model for decision making and effective communication, and
- understand the value of employee engagement and identify ways to fully engage team members
Business owners need to provide guidance to their team on proper management and be able to distinguish the manager’s role in your business. Upon completion of this session, participants will: Meet Your Facilitator Jaylene Cousins is a Senior Manager with MNP based in Regina. She has over 14 years of experience advising and delivering on multiple aspects of human resources including recruitment, organizational change management, and business optimization. Her experience with organizational design, strategic HR planning, change management, continuous improvement, performance management, labour relations and business optimization allow for a holistic approach in providing effective client solutions. In addition to the CPHR designation, Jaylene holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources and Marketing from the University of Regina and is certified in the ADKAR Change Management Model.
- Understand the manager’s role,
- Be familiar with delegation and scheduling,
- Understand the process of project managing, and
- Understand the manager’s role in mentoring
A large percentage of business failures are not due to a poor business concept but rather are attributed to the lack of a proper cash flow management program. In this session, we will use a case study exercise to: Meet Your Facilitator Annette Bester is a partner in MNP’s Saskatoon office. Partnering and working with companies in all stages of their business cycle for over 23 years, Annette helps to support and strengthen their leadership. Over her career Annette has worked with a number of businesses with a focus to helping clients understand not just their historical financial information but what the information is telling them from a forward-looking perspective.
- identify the steps in developing a cash flow statement, and
- learn basic tools to help effectively manage cash flow.
Owning a business is a challenging task. Stress is a constant concern as you balance both business and personal objectives. Monday to Friday and 8 – 5 is not a concept most business owners know and therefore you need help to effectively manage time and keep things in control. We can’t help you have more than 24 hours in a day, but we will teach you to focus your hours and work smarter to accomplish your business objectives. This webinar focuses on: This bonus webinar is brought to you in collaboration with select Credit Unions across Canada to support Business Owners. Meet your facilitator: Janice Decelles is a Senior Consultant in the Consulting practice of MNP. Her focus since joining the firm in 2005 is to provide training and consulting to self employment clients and general human resource services. An expert facilitator and instructional designer, she has extensive training management experience in the insurance and financial services sectors and is a certified customer service trainer. Skilled in both individual and group training, Janice prides herself on being a positive contributor to her clients’ overall success. Janice holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Advanced Certificate in Human Resources.
- understanding stress, the sources of stress and strategies for managing personal and business stress levels;
- examining some proven techniques for business owners;
- learning how to prioritize and manage your time effectively; and
- applying proven techniques through examples.
It’s not as much about what you know, but who you know. Building new business contacts gives owners the ability to expand their network and gain new market share. This session will: Meet Your Facilitator Annette Bester is a partner in MNP’s Saskatoon office. Partnering and working with companies in all stages of their business cycle for over 23 years, Annette helps to support and strengthen their leadership. Over her career Annette has worked with a number of businesses with a focus to helping clients understand not just their historical financial information but what the information is telling them from a forward-looking perspective.
- offer strategies and tactics for developing new business contacts and expanding you network, and
- give participants confidence in their ability to build their business using numerous examples and exercises to reinforce the strategies learned.
Business owners need to support team members in achieving their goals and successfully completing their work. Supervisors will discover how to be more effective in their role through reinforcing with praise, redirecting with constructive criticism and developing with the GROW model. The skills learned in this session can be applied to all aspects of the performance management and staff development processes. The focus of this workshop is on the performance conversations – not the process, tools or forms. Upon completion of this webinar, participants will: Meet Your Facilitator Heather Coy-Robinson is a Learning and Development and Human Capital Advisor at MNP. Her background in Human Resources spans over 20 years in a generalist capacity, focusing on industries like tech, engineering and professional services. Additionally, Heather is a Professor at Fanshawe College where she facilitates a variety of HR- related subjects in the school of business. Skilled in HR best practices and facilitation, Heather is a trusted leader at MNP. Heather holds a Bachelor of Arts from Queen’s University and a graduate diploma in HR and holds her CHRP- Certified Human Resources Professional designation. She is an avid volunteer, being on the executive board of the London Artistic Swimming Club and is a long-standing Toastmaster member. She is passionate about bringing one’s true self to all aspects of life and loves cross fit!
- understand the facilitation of continuous improvement and career development through ongoing performance coaching conversations with team members,
- understand the principles of effective coaching and communication in performance discussions with team members,
- understand the principles of confidently providing ongoing feedback to team members and handling emotion in discussion, and
- understand the process for performance coaching and formal and informal performance discussions.
As a small business, your financial wellness is top of mind as you navigate the uncertainty of today’s business reality. Whether you are operating in hospitality, real estate and construction, oil and gas, or the numerous other industries that are the backbone of the economy, you must make tough and critical decisions as you strive to remain successful. In this webinar you will learn tools and tips on how to: Meet Your Facilitator To be Announced.
- Restore and maintain profitability, focusing on service lines or products, cash flow and inventory management,
- Scale your business up or down, or pivot as required using sales and operations planning,
- Ensure variable costs are truly variable by employing strategic workforce planning and material resource planning; and
- Plan for future disruptions using tools that can be accessed systematically to maintain your business viability when factors outside your business change.
Businesses rely upon solid financial planning techniques in order to maximize cash flows and monitor and manage expenditures. Financial matters do not come naturally to many business owners. This course helps business owners and their management teams to learn and understand the overall process for budgeting, including basic budgeting guidelines and how to ensure roles and responsibilities encompass this important area. In this session we will cover: Meet Your Facilitator Annette Bester is a partner in MNP’s Saskatoon office. Partnering and working with companies in all stages of their business cycle for almost 19 years, Annette helps to support and strengthen their leadership. Over her career Annette has worked with a number of businesses with a focus to helping clients understand not just their historical financial information but what the information is telling them from a forward-looking perspective. Updated 2021
- forecasting or planning revenue and expenses of a program or for an organization as a whole,
- planning activities for the next fiscal year,
- allowing an organization to allocate overall resources,
- securing funding, and
- planning for future cash flow needs.
Congratulations on your graduation! Thinking about starting your own practice? Then this webinar is for you! This webinar is designed to cover the essential information to consider as you begin your journey to launch your practice. In this session, you will learn about: Meet Your Facilitator Scott Redden is a member of MNP’s Assurance and Accounting team in London, ON. With more than a decade of experience, Scott specializes in helping professionals achieve their goals and success at all stages of their careers. He helps medical students and residents, unincorporated doctors, professional corporations and others. He brings a wide range of experience to his role.
- The different structures and what may work best for you (i.e. sole proprietor, partnership and incorporation)
- Action steps required in setting up your practice
- Options and tax considerations when reviewing insurance and disability needs
- Planning and considerations when choosing office space
- Bookkeeping options for a new practice
- Financial planning for new businesses and owners
- The value of a team of advisors
As a practicing professional, your business and personal lives are intertwined. As such, it is important to understand how taxation works and where there are opportunities to minimize your taxes and effectively structure your business. This session will: Meet Your Facilitator Nicholas Talarico, CPA, CA, is a Partner with MNP’s Tax Services team in Edmonton. Nicholas works with private enterprises, primarily professionals such as doctors, dentists and lawyers, as well as with high-net-worth individuals, delivering comprehensive tax services designed to help them achieve their goals. Results focused, Nicholas takes the time to understand each client’s situation and devises practical, efficient plans and options. He ensures clients understand the various solutions available, including the intricacies of each option, so they can make informed decisions. Nicholas’ services include tax planning and compliance for individuals, corporations, partnerships and trusts and planning for the purchase and sale of businesses and investment opportunities. He also assists with Canada Revenue Agency and other tax authority audits, including responding to authorities, representing clients and providing support to facilitate audits or other reviews. Nicholas has a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), qualifying as a Chartered Accountant (CA), and has completed levels I and II of CPA Canada’s In-depth Tax course.
- Provide participants with an overview of taxation (both personal and corporate)
- Outline basic reporting requirements
- Outline current tax rates and integration
- Address common deductions and compensation options
- Outline basic tax planning and tax minimization strategies
- Provide insight into budget updates
Business owners need to communicate effectively to promote their business to customers and potential customers. There are a range of promotional activities to invest your limited promotional dollars, so the key is focusing on cost-effective methods of gaining exposure and building awareness and credibility. In this webinar, participants will learn: Meet Your Facilitator As a National Senior Marketing Manager, Morgan Melnyk manages the marketing strategy for MNP LTD, the largest insolvency firm in Canada, which provides both consumer insolvency and corporate recovery services in 18 regions across Canada. In this role, he implements a variety of marketing tactics across multiple channels including, Content, Digital and Social media Marketing, Public Relations and Traditional Advertising. Morgan believes that a wholistic marketing strategy based on research, analysis, optimization and ultimately accountability is fundamental to achieving, and exceeding, business objectives. For over 10 years, Morgan has worked in Calgary developing marketing strategies for a variety of industries, including professional services, technology, energy, retail and environmental businesses. Morgan holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a double major in Marketing and International Business and a double minor in Economics and Political Science
- the communication process and how to choose between the different methods of communicating to achieve their business goals, and
- hands-on methods proven to develop clear and effective messages that will resonate with target markets.
Owners of small and medium-sized businesses are keenly aware that success depends on their most important asset: loyal, long-term employees who serve customers well and keep the business running smoothly. That’s why many are enhancing their compensation packages to include incentives beyond salary, such as group benefit and retirement plans, to help attract and retain the most productive and engaged employees. In this session, you will learn: Meet Your Facilitators Andrew Thorburn is a Senior Account Executive, Group Sales and Business Development for the Alberta and Northwest Territories region with The Cooperators. He has been in this position for just over 10 years and brings 20 years of Group Benefits experience to the role, having previously worked for a few of Canada’s leading insurance companies. He has been involved in group sales in the Calgary market for over 17 years and previously worked in other aspects of the industry including pricing and customized reporting. Andrew has been a volunteer with Advocis for several years and previously held the title of President for the Calgary chapter. When not working, Andrew enjoys playing sports such as hockey and golf but his favourite pastime is spending time with his family. Don Rowell is a Client Relationship Specialist with CUMIS Life Insurance Company. Don has nearly 25 years of experience in the group retirement industry. In his role, Don works closely with small to medium-sized businesses to service their new and existing group retirement plans. Don has completed the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) course, which includes the Retirement Plans Associate (RPA) and Compensation Management Specialist designations and received ISCEBS Fellowship Status in 2011. Don holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Saskatchewan and has completed other industry related courses.
- The drivers behind and key benefits of offering a group benefit and retirement plan as part of a competitive compensation package;
- The steps you should take to implement a plan and how an insurance advisor can help you achieve your goals; and,
- The product options available and how to structure a plan to best meet the needs of your employees and your budget.
Businesses face risk from every angle and as an owner you will need to understand the various forms of risk and be equipped with processes and tools for identify, documenting, managing and prioritizing risks. In this session you will learn: Meet Your Facilitator TBA
- various forms of risk that are typically associated with business including reputational risk, financial risk, stakeholder risk, regulatory risk, and personnel risk;
- processes and tools for identifying and documenting risks, evaluating and prioritizing risks, and ultimately managing risks;
- how risks can be identified and methods for analyzing the impact these risks may have on projects;
- a comprehensive risk management framework; and
- the importance of communication of risks to key stakeholders
There are more ways than ever to reach out and connect with existing and prospective clients. Social media presents a unique opportunity to build a two-way relationship with customers – but only if accompanied by a sound understanding of each platform’s functions, audience, expectations and best practices. This course helps business owners assess and qualify which social media platforms are appropriate for their brand, as well as what is possible within each social network. Participants will come away with a clear understanding of the key aspects of participating in social media marketing. In this session you will learn about: Meet Your Facilitator Kaitlyn Alexander is an expert in all things social with over 7 years of experience growing B2B/B2C (business to business and business to consumer/customer) brand and influencer accounts. From managing social in film and TV to developing strategies for multiple organizations big and small, Kaitlyn specializes in social media insights for brands National and local alike.
- establishing key and secondary goals for social media marketing activities;
- how to identify which social media platforms are right for your brand;
- long-term resource and infrastructure considerations; and
- overview, audience breakdown, best practices, and opportunities on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube, as well as insights on other social networks such as Snapchat, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Google+.
A competitive strategy identifies how a business intends to compete in the markets it serves. This strategy provides the glue that gives shared meaning to all the activities within the business. In this session, participants will: Meet Your Facilitator Janice Decelles is a Senior Consultant in the Consulting practice of MNP. Her focus since joining the firm in 2005 Is to provide training and consulting to self employment clients and general human resource services. An expert facilitator and instructional designer, she has extensive training management experience in the insurance and financial services sectors and is a certified customer service trainer. Skilled in both individual and group training, Janice prides herself on being a positive contributor to her clients’ overall success. Janice holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Advanced Certificate in Human Resources.
- Learn how to set effective strategies that are straightforward in their intent and direction,
- Determine how to create a clear sense of direction for their business, and
- Begin to think about how to position themselves to grow and develop their business with confidence.
As your business manages through the uncertain pandemic environment, government programs change, decisions on staffing and people management continue at the forefront and you want to be positioned to build and maintain a strong balance sheet to support your business into the future. In this webinar, you will gain insight on: Meet Your Facilitator Robert Trumper is a Senior Manager with MNP based in Calgary. With a focus on Performance Improvement, Robert has worked with a variety of organizations to drive improvements in profitability, cycle time reductions, and capacity improvements. Robert is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and has significant experience at leading and implementing process improvements using lean and six sigma tools.
- The COVID-19 crisis! How what we learned can be used as times are getting back to normal
- Identifying and capitalizing on opportunities in a downturn, including retaining your best people
- Managing staff relationships and continuing to foster a culture of trust, and
- Adapting to the new virtual reality, leveraging common tools to find a new normal.
Owning a business is a challenging task. Stress is a constant concern as you balance both business and personal objectives. This webinar focuses on: Meet Your Facilitator Janice Decelles is a Senior Consultant in the Consulting practice of MNP. Her focus since joining the firm in 2005 Is to provide training and consulting to self employment clients and general human resource services. An expert facilitator and instructional designer, she has extensive training management experience in the insurance and financial services sectors and is a certified customer service trainer. Skilled in both individual and group training, Janice prides herself on being a positive contributor to her clients’ overall success. Janice holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Advanced Certificate in Human Resources.
- understanding stress, the sources of stress and strategies for managing personal stress levels;
- examining some proven techniques for business owners; and
- the application of proven techniques through interactive exercises
A good succession plan not only deals with the transfer of ownership but also the transfer of leadership. Without a clean transition of leadership, relationships and people the chances of failing are much higher. This webinar is designed to cover the essential components of succession planning and provide participants with possible exit strategies for transferring their business. In this session, you will learn
- Where to begin and the succession planning process;
- The benefits to succession planning;
- Traps to avoid when establishing a succession plan; and
- Blind spots to be aware of during the succession planning process
As a small business owner, your business and personal lives are intertwined. As such, it is important to understand how taxation works and where there are opportunities to effectively structure your business to allow for risk management and minimization of taxes. This session will: Meet Your Facilitator Joey Langen has worked at MNP for 7 years and is a Manager on the Private Enterprise team in Saskatoon. Joey works primarily with owner-managed businesses, with a focus in real estate and construction corporations. Services include preparation of corporate financial statements, corporate tax returns, personal tax returns, tax planning, and general business consulting services.
- Provide participants with an overview of taxation (both personal and corporate)
- Outline basic reporting requirements (the basis for taxation and initial tax planning issues)
- Address year-end determination including dividends versus bonus which form the basis for shareholder/owner remuneration
- Outline expense deductibility and basic tax planning strategies
Time management isn’t simple. Effectively managing time is a requirement in the fast paced business world and understanding the steps required will help both owners and their employees in their day to day roles. Upon completion of this webinar, participants will: Meet Your Facilitator Janice Decelles is a Senior Consultant in the Consulting practice of MNP. Her focus since joining the firm in 2005 Is to provide training and consulting to self employment clients and general human resource services. An expert facilitator and instructional designer, she has extensive training management experience in the insurance and financial services sectors and is a certified customer service trainer. Skilled in both individual and group training, Janice prides herself on being a positive contributor to her clients’ overall success. Janice holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Advanced Certificate in Human Resources.
- understand the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,
- understand the importance of prioritizing,
- recognize and understand the time management principles,
- develop an understanding of time traps,
- understand the time management matrix,
- learn what it takes to live in Quadrant ll,
- implement a six step process for effectively managing time, and
- understand the differences between designated and discretionary time.
