ETHOS

Don’t Stop Believing

ethosadmin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:22:14 +0000

I swore to myself that I would never tell this story to anyone!

When I was in grade 11, I was getting ready to move to British Columbia from Calgary. I had a challenging childhood and wasn’t happy with the trajectory my life was currently on. I wanted the move to be a new beginning, a new improved chapter, a change in the way I was leading my life. Ironically, weeks before the move my social studies teacher gave our class a speech I’ve never forgotten. This lesson remains firmly embedded in my mind, even though I have forgotten 98% of everything else he taught us.

He told us not to lose our youthful optimistic view of what we could accomplish in our lives. He added that as kids we look out to our future through a lens of hopefulness that unfortunately fades with time. He went on to say that as we enter adulthood we will experience our share of failures, disappointments and heartaches. Unfortunately, these experiences start to wear us down until our optimism fades to pessimism, and we eventually view the world through jaded glasses.

I couldn’t help but notice how more passionately he gave this lesson, over and above every other lesson he gave. Then he surprised me by challenging us to hang on to that spirit. He practically begged us not to lose our grip on this mindset. As he stated that last part the change in his demeanor was palpable, almost a level of sadness. In that moment I vowed to myself that I would never lose sight of the confident enthusiasm for my future that I currently had. His final advice was to use something external in our environment as a reminder of what he told us that day and I committed to do exactly that.

At one point I was moving within days and I couldn’t think of anything appropriate enough to be my reminder. The days past and I was completely at a loss, for lack of any ideas I was thinking of getting a tattoo (I’m glad I didn’t, it was going to be the peace symbol).

On the second night before the move I was staying over at a friend’s house still perplexed and trying to think of this elusive reminder. My friend was a talented musician (eventually was signed by a music label) and wanted to show me a song he was doing at a talent night show. He pulled out a keyboard and began the melodic piano music I instantly recognized as “Don’t Stop Believing” by the rock band Journey. I couldn’t have asked for a more applicable reminder. By the time he was done the song I committed to using that song as my reminder – every time I heard it I would use it to remember what my teacher had said. Over the years I’ve heard it many times and every single time it reminds me of that lesson.

Then an interesting thing happened. I was at one of my lowest points in my life, everything seemed to seem to have gone wrong. I was more than upset at myself. I always prided myself on being a visionary, but in that moment I viewed everything going wrong in my life as a result of what I then thought was a pipe dreamer. I rationalized that I was older now and should stop chasing the brass ring. With a wife and children now I no longer had the luxury of indulging in the pursuit of impossible dreams. For the first time in my life I truly gave up on my childhood goals. And then just as this last thought passed through my mind, from the radio came the melodic piano music of my reminder. The song came on and everything my teacher said flooded back to me. I realized I had become the jaded soul he warned me about and in that moment I once again strengthened my resolve to always be in hot pursuit of my dreams.

I challenge you to find a reminder as well, or use mine, to remember what my teacher said.

~ William Deveau, Business Coach

Coaches’ Corner with ETHOS Business Coaches is featured Mondays on the ETHOS Blog. Click here for Coach Bios.

Visit Business Works to learn more about ETHOS’ Self-Employment Program.

Facebook Group Promotes Nanaimo Businesses

ethosadmin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:55:17 +0000

The small business community has such a wonderful, inspiring spirit. Just recently I came across a new Facebook group called “Referring Nanaimo Small Business.” This group of small business owners and independent professionals is looking to support one another by promoting one another’s business and by providing additional opportunities to network.

“Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking “What’s in it for me?” ~Brian Tracy

Thank you to those who have created this group of Nanaimo businesses.

Jamie Lawlor, Program Manager

Coaches’ Corner with ETHOS Business Coaches is featured Mondays on the ETHOS Blog. Click here for Coach Bios.

Visit Business Works to learn more about ETHOS’ Self-Employment Program.

The New Business Works Business Directory

ethosadmin — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:45:57 +0000

Looking for products and services in the mid-Vancouver Island area? Check out the Business Works web site at http://www.businessworksse.com/businessdirectory.html to view some of the great businesses that have been launched with the help of the Business Works program. From accounting to writing and all points in between, our current participants and our graduates can help you with whatever you may need.

Jamie Lawlor, Program Manager

Coaches’ Corner with ETHOS Business Coaches is featured Mondays on the ETHOS Blog. Click here for Coach Bios.

Visit Business Works to learn more about ETHOS’ Self-Employment Program.

Work/Life Balance for the Self-Employed

ethosadmin — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:38:43 +0000

Balancing your work and personal life is an ongoing challenge for anyone, let alone the small business person. How are you doing?

A starting point is knowing what you want out of life and out of your work. If your answer is “more” then you may have a balance problem. Having a definition of success for your business and possibly for your life is a meaningful beginning. If you don’t know what you really want out of life, how will you know that you have achieved it? Having kids adds an extra dimension to the equation and they can find “not now, maybe later” an unsatisfying response to their needs. Most things worth having take focus and dedication. It is the same for work/life balance.

This video from CBS – Money Watch has some interesting tips about how to manage your balance. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505143_162-57329411/the-best-way-to-achieve-healthy-work-life-balance/?tag=nl.e857.

- Len, Business Coach

Coaches’ Corner with ETHOS Business Coaches is featured Mondays on the ETHOS Blog. Click here for Coach Bios.

Visit Business Works to learn more about ETHOS’ Self-Employment Program.

The Absolute Best Tax Advice I have.

ethosadmin — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:07:58 +0000

Every business has to navigate and comply with the complete labyrinth of tax laws. I often have people asking me tax advice, so here is the absolute best corporate tax advice me or anyone else will ever give you. If you ignore everything else I ever tell you, make sure to firmly burn this advice into your memory forever – tattoo it on your forehead if necessary. Here’s the advice, “DO NOT EVER pursue a business tax strategy based on advice from anyone other than a registered CMA, CGA or CA that specializes in corporate tax.” If you have a bookkeeper preparing your books that’s fine, but fiscal year end taxes should only be prepared by a tax accountant. Many organizations and individuals will offer to take care of your tax issues; I’ve seen this a million times. But if anyone other than a tax accountant offers to handle your tax issues – literally run screaming like your hair is on fire (in my case it would be like my shirt is on fire since I’m bald).

All kidding aside, take this very seriously. The reason I’m so intense on this issue is that my naiveté and inexperience got me into trouble with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) in the past. It can happen to anyone. Bad tax advice can quickly amass a large debt to CRA. This is especially true if the business grows large enough to have considerable revenue and has been implementing a bad tax strategy for many years. The debt can become a mountain and when CRA figures out that you owe them a mountain, the situation quickly turns into a nightmare. It may sound like I’m being melodramatic, but I’m not. After my horror story with CRA, I don’t want anyone else to go through what I went through.

Having anyone but a tax accountant handling your company taxes is like having a grade 9 Biology student handle your brain surgery. I know I’m sounding like a broken record, but I figured it necessary since very few will probably tattoo this on their forehead.

~ William Deveau, Business Coach

Coaches’ Corner with ETHOS Business Coaches is featured Mondays on the ETHOS Blog. Click here for Coach Bios.

Visit Business Works to learn more about ETHOS’ Self-Employment Program.

See you at the 2012 MI Training in Victoria!

ethosadmin — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 00:13:02 +0000

Participants will be gathering again in January and February in Victoria to attend ETHOS’ Motivational Interviewing (MI) Training. Interest is high and professionals in many fields are talking about the strengths of MI techniques and their effectiveness in overcoming client ambivalence.

Thank you to all those who have registered and we look forward to meeting with you in the New Year. For those of you who were unable to register for this series of MI Training sessions, please feel free to email us at enquiries@ethoscmg.com for information on other training opportunities.

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. ~Victor Frankl

Reboot Your Brain

ethosadmin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:29:31 +0000

Have you been staring at a problem so long that you no longer recognize why it’s a problem? What can you do when you can no longer see the forest for the trees? Reboot your brain. This simple exercise coupled with a 5-minute break can sometimes be the very answer to being able to refocus.

How to do it:

Extend your arms out in front of you, palms facing each other
Cross your extended arms over one another
Turn your palms to face each other
Interlace your fingers
Scoop your arms towards the floor – essentially turning your hands until elbows are in close to your sides and your interlaced fingers are near your face
Ask a friend to choose a finger that you are to move
Move that finger

Why it works.

You are rebooting your brain because you are forcing it to think cross-laterally. Once you’ve done the exercise, take another 5 minutes to disengage your brain from your problem. When you return, you’ll be able to refocus on the task at hand.

~ Jamie Lawlor, Program Manager

Time-Effective Networking

ethosadmin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:28:47 +0000

For those of you who have taken the Get Clients Now! Program you know that print advertising doesn’t work very well for service type businesses. You also know that for service businesses the prospective customer usually needs to “know you,” “like you,” and “trust you” before they will buy from you. So, networking is the answer; promote your service business to a wide range of prospects at meetings and gatherings and be ready to shake a lot of hands. Check out this ABCNews link to see why shaking hands is a powerful part of building trust between the business and the buyer: http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/power-touch-13807555.

However, Get Clients Now! suggests that any form of networking where prospective customers can learn to know, like, and eventually trust you is worth investigating. One of these time-effective alternative methods is to network online with groups. Nanaimo Online Businesses is a LinkedIn group for Nanaimo Businesses with online presences. You can network, discuss your Internet business strategies, share events, ask questions and connect with like-minded people who have a similar business style. Visit this link and have a look: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=3197824&mostPopular=&trk=tyah. If you know of other networking sites that Business Works clients may use please share it with everyone on our Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Business-Works-Self-Employment-Program/199231603428556.

Thanks for your help. Together is better!

- Len, Business Coach

Coaches’ Corner with ETHOS Business Coaches is featured Mondays on the ETHOS Blog. Click here for Coach Bios.

Visit Business Works to learn more about ETHOS’ Self-Employment Program.

Last chance to register for Motivational Interviewing (MI) Training in Victoria!

ethosadmin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:04:33 +0000

Registration Deadline Extended to December 14^th for January/February 2012 workshop dates.

Motivational Interviewing has been used extensively in the fields of mental health, chemical dependency, criminal justice, and domestic violence and is now becoming wide spread in the employment field. Three workshops, Level I, Level II and Changing Client Perspectives: Using MI within Groups will be offered between January 6^th and February 2^nd. Each workshop, designed to build on skills and tools learned in previous workshop(s), focuses on developing motivational interviewing skills that lead to behaviour change in clients.

Our facilitator, Roxanne Sawatzky, is the founder of Empowering Change and was the Champion and Project Manager for the application of Stages of Change (SoC) and Motivational Interviewing in the employment sector at Opportunities for Employment (www.ofe.ca/research) in Winnipeg from 2006-2010. Roxanne holds a certificate in addictions counselling and case management and, as a result of the training she received in Spain in June 2009, is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). She is also the only Canadian Motivational Interviewing Coding Trainer in Canada.

Register online at www.ethoscmg.com/misoctraining.html. For more information please email enquiries@ethoscmg.com.

Thank you to all of those who have already registered and we look forward to seeing you at our upcoming MI Training sessions. Feel free to share this opportunity with your peers and social media network. If someone mentions your name when they register we will, in appreciation, submit your name into our prize draw (to be drawn in January 2012).

Best Wishes to you all for the Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!

ETHOS Christmas Party 2011

ethosadmin — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:52:06 +0000

THANK YOU to Deborah and Theresa for yet another great Christmas party, thank you to the Social Committee (Inga and Renae) for all your wonderful efforts and thank you 2ChefsAffair for catering a super yummy lunch. You’re right Inga, 2011 has been a very big year for change, but without change there is no growth right? Oh, and thank you to Patrick – that was a FABulous poem!!!

“It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.” ~ W. T. Ellis

~ Angela, Receptionist