Ask a peer or a professional for help with your mental health
July 23, 2024
Additional Articles
Debentures stand out as a versatile tool for accessing capital with features that are attractive to both investors and the issuer.
July 16, 2024
Small Business
Let's dive into the big question: should we make the leap and go public?
July 9, 2024
As the policy allows for tax-efficient loans against the cash value, it presents a controlled environment for your grandchild to learn about borrowing.
July 2, 2024
Instead of self-preservation, separation, and isolation, we need to cultivate one-on-one relationships in organizations.
June 25, 2024
Please do not take this journey alone, it is more fun, and you have a better chance of success with a team.
June 18, 2024
Entrepreneurial Journey
“80% of resumes are rejected in less than 11 seconds.” - Financial Post
June 11, 2024
After 13 years of evolution and integration into the Canadian financial landscape, the Exempt Market Dealership model, offering private capital opportunities combined with access to public assets and life insurance has evolved to a sophisticated platform tailored to address the full suite of client needs.
June 4, 2024
The Private Markets
Mike is authentically himself and a self-proclaimed “recovering entrepreneur”.
May 28, 2024
Even if you have mentally checked out of your comfy day job and think you’re ready, take five minutes to consume this first.
May 21, 2024
Sun Tzu's teachings in "The Art of War" about deception, indirect tactics, and strategic foresight have striking parallels in the corporate world. Similarly, the gameplay in "Survivor," characterized by forming and dissolving alliances and anticipating opponents' moves, mirrors the intricate social maneuvering often required in business.
May 14, 2024
Even with a relatively modest allocation, mortgage investments can significantly enhance a portfolio's risk-adjusted returns.
May 7, 2024
Join us for an invigorating morning of learning how public companies can access capital through the combination of everyday Canadians’ RSPs and prospectus exemptions
May 2, 2024
In the absence of a termination clause, the employee’s severance entitlement is governed by two sources, first, the Alberta Employment Standards Code (the “Code”), and second, the common law.
April 30, 2024
The clients don’t typically come to you, like they are going to the banks, at least for the first several years in the industry.
April 23, 2024
Good fortune comes to those that know why they seek wealth. This good fortune is available to everyone intentional enough to discover it.
April 16, 2024
Insightful Opinions
Ultimately, whether navigating the public or private investment sphere, prudent risk management involves seeking diversification within portfolios, steering clear of undue concentration in a single product or issuer.
April 9, 2024
Calgary's own small business, Local Laundry, is built on principles of quality-made Canadian clothing, reducing carbon footprint and giving back to the community. Dustin Paisley, co-founder of Local Laundry, shares how $50 blossomed into a $5 million company that continues to steadily grow. Listen to Dustin tell us how their design was copied by a retail giant, what the future of Local Laundry looks like and how they continue to triumphantly bootstrap their business.
April 2, 2024
We are emotional. This aversion to loss is powerful and all too often reflects itself in significant negative long-term consequences. These mostly stem from short-term emotional decisions made from a lack of confidence.
March 26, 2024
In crafting a due diligence process, it is crucial to uncover not just the present state of a potential partner's financials, legal standing, or operational efficiency, but also to understand the incentive structures that drive their strategies and behaviors.
March 19, 2024
For a product to be successful, low cost of capital, good management and a solid business plan are all required.
March 12, 2024
Every decision we make is based on some form of discrimination. Discrimination is not always a bad thing.
March 5, 2024
Brett Colvin, CEO and co-founder of Goodlawyer, isn't your average entrepreneur.
February 27, 2024
It’s easy to fall prey to the frog in the water syndrome, whereby the poor frog doesn’t realize that the water is gradually heating up until it boils to death.
February 20, 2024
A stock market investment can be just as risky if no one is willing to pay more for those shares.
February 13, 2024
Video job interviews were once a rarity. Since the pandemic, they are now just part of the regular interview process. And, they won’t be going away anytime soon.
February 6, 2024
Every team member could be lead generating if they know who an ideal client is for your business.
January 30, 2024
Mid-Day Squares co-founder, Jake Karls, joins us for an exclusive interview on their business savvy story-telling technique.
January 23, 2024
Recent statistics reveal that smaller businesses have become the main target of cyberattacks due to the lack of security measures in place to protect them.
January 16, 2024
There are some very unique and lucrative investments available.
January 9, 2024
The holistic approach to entrepreneurship, along with the connections we foster through this training, significantly benefits our participants when they seek financing—a major hurdle for many newcomers.
December 19, 2023
Ask questions, be curious, compare with other investment opportunities, learn what exactly the exempt market is.
December 12, 2023
Mental toughness, broadly defined, is how we can use our own self-knowledge to approach difficult situations and learn from both our successes and relative failures.
December 5, 2023
I meticulously examine the fund's history, the caliber of its management team, and their alignment with growth objectives. It's crucial to ascertain whether they have a personal stake in the game, and what the structural framework looks like.
November 28, 2023
Industry collaboration is centered around uniting key industry players, including clients, professionals, and even competitors, to work together in addressing common challenges.
November 21, 2023
Perhaps the most important message we need to get out is that “everybody can” and perhaps, almost everybody should own a little piece of Private Wealth in their portfolio.
November 14, 2023
Making the most of your business's value pre-exit, like profitability enhancements, customer base diversification, operational efficiency improvement, intellectual property protection reinforcement, and management team upgrading, can be a game-changer.
November 7, 2023
Private Equity is a game of patience and diligence which can be very rewarding to those able to exercise both.
October 31, 2023
Cash is considered the hardest item to maintain and manage during the founding years of a start-up.
October 24, 2023
Calls for more transparency, more in-depth due diligence, clearer reporting standards and professional advisory ethics have all created a much healthier marketplace for investors to operate in today.
October 17, 2023
It is critical for a DR to understand that lacking data for what an investment is worth over its holding period does not warrant them stating it is low volatility, nor low correlation to a certain benchmark.
October 10, 2023
True diversification = Public + Private Market
October 3, 2023
A workforce comprised of Hares and Tortoises will complement one another, leading to a more balanced and capable team.
September 26, 2023
Inbound marketing aims to draw people in naturally and establish a relationship with them, leading to increased brand awareness, engagement, and ultimately, conversions.
September 19, 2023
Investing is no longer just about crunching numbers and analyzing balance sheets; sustainability factors are playing an increasing role in investment decisions.
September 12, 2023
Companies that have embraced diversity and inclusion have seen gains across the board financially and in performance.
September 5, 2023
In a society that often imposes negative stereotypes and limitations on women's financial prowess, it is essential to break free from these constraints and make money our thing!
August 29, 2023
While AI continues to redefine art, design, and marketing, embracing its capabilities with an open mind is vital.
August 22, 2023
Engaging with the investment process and seeking clarity on crucial aspects is key to making informed decisions and maximizing your investment potential.
August 15, 2023
The job market throughout Canada is hot.
August 8, 2023
Investors can leverage alternatives to help avoid some of the volatility seen in the public markets while also potentially providing more consistent and higher returns than traditional fixed income.
August 1, 2023
I had the same self-doubt that plagues all entrepreneurs at some point: could I actually do this? Was I actually good enough? Will people trust me?
July 25, 2023
Money laundering (ML) is an umbrella term to describe the processing of funds obtained from criminal activity to disguise the source, thereby converting “dirty” money to “clean” money.
July 18, 2023
Alberta IoT is a non-profit member-based association that supports organizations with a vested interest in IoT and emerging technologies.
July 11, 2023
Even though it was terrifying, I had a clear vision of working for myself.
July 4, 2023
With the 2005 to 2018 development cycle providing Calgary with numerous new skyscrapers, the current high vacancy rate has many people asking if (or when) we will again see a new downtown office tower.
June 27, 2023
If you hold multiple RRIFs, another option is to transfer cash from one RRIF account to your RRIF account that holds the EMS investment(s).
June 20, 2023
If you had to boil it down to the simplest attributes, we could say that a rate of return usually has these properties: it is measured in terms of percentage, it is often expressed in annual terms and, needless to say, when it comes to investing, we always prefer a positive return over a negative one.
June 13, 2023
The right balance between capital formation and investor protection for non-sophisticated investors in the Canadian Private Markets should prioritize investor protection without completely restricting access to investment opportunities.
June 6, 2023
What we know from business research is that organizations that focus two thirds on corporate culture and one third on financial performance are higher performing than those who focus on finances alone.
May 30, 2023
May 23, 2023
There are other lesser-known investments that are qualified to be held in registered plans under the Income Tax Act, including arms-length mortgages.
May 16, 2023
Empowering Women as Leaders (EWL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting non-traditional aged women in financial need achieve their highest potential through scholarships, mentoring, and networking.
May 9, 2023
Capital invested is based on trust, so if investors feel that they cannot trust the organization or the rules to protect them, there is no capital formation.
May 2, 2023
Owners can take control of their finances and secure the future of their company by ensuring they are on track in all areas of planning for their business.
April 25, 2023
According to a report by Sophos, the average cost to recover from a cyber attack in 2023 is $1.85M USD.
April 18, 2023
In the world of investing, real estate has always been one of the most common ways for people to build wealth with a relatively stable asset class.
April 11, 2023
It inevitably leads to friction between industry and investor advocates because they believe they have opposing needs, which just isn’t true.
April 4, 2023
Small businesses facing financial roadblocks in the post-COVID world can turn to RSP investments for a lifeline.
March 27, 2023
It is important to understand not only how currency volatility can impact your bottom line but also who you conduct your transactions with can have an impact on your business.
March 21, 2023
When a family business gets passed down from one generation to the next, it can be disastrous.
March 14, 2023
Most would agree that one of the keys to success of many businesses is the ability to raise capital.
March 7, 2023
In the 1930’s depression, much like the downturn of 2022, market technician Ralph Nelson Elliott made an interesting discovery. He noticed equity markets move in similar and replicating patterns with degrees of trend.
July 26, 2022
Social media has become such a prominent part of our lives. Whether we’d like to admit it or not, most of us are glued to our phones checking Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, the list goes on and on.
July 19, 2022
I often refer to capital or money as “fluid”. Over time investors globally find opportunities to make a return on their capital. Over the 12 years since the Financial Crisis, central bank interest rates had been particularly low, leading to interest rates across the fixed income universe to generally decline over that period.
July 12, 2022
The Cost of Capital can aptly be defined as “a company’s calculation of the minimum return that would be necessary in order to justify undertaking a capital budgeting project. The term cost of capital is used by analysts and investors, and is always an evaluation of whether a projected decision can be justified by its cost. Investors may also us the term to refer to an evaluation of an investment’s potential return in relation to its cost and its risk”.
June 28, 2022
Risk. A scary word to people, no matter the context. Whether hiking a mountain, leaving an employer, or investing a dollar, risk is something we are evolutionarily predisposed to avoid. But in the world of money, when risk is mentioned, what exactly is being said? When returns are considered, so is risk, but what is risk?
June 21, 2022
The Private Capital Markets Association of Canada (PCMA)™ is Canada’s largest private capital markets community with over 500 members. It is a not-for-profit association originally founded in 2002 by a group of Canadian business professionals whose firms were active in the exempt securities market. The PCMA is governed by its membership through a volunteer Board of Directors (BOD) elected by its members each year at the annual general membership meeting. The PCMA is managed on a day-to-day basis by the President, Executive Directors and the Membership and Operations Manager.
June 14, 2022
You have a great lineup of products and you want to sell them without the hefty overhead costs, finding the right employees, finding the perfect retail space, without some of the “chores” of owning a business. Have you considered an ecommerce business? Depends, right? What’s an ecommerce business?
June 7, 2022
For any investor, novice or experienced alike, there can be pitfalls and challenges that potentially lead you to making unsuitable investments. These pitfalls include cognitive biases, poor planning, and even missing the red flags of fraud.
May 31, 2022
Interest rates in Canada are on the rise to help contain inflation. The Bank of Canada increased the benchmark rate on April 13th by 0.5 percentage points to 1.0. This is the biggest one time increase in borrowing costs since 2000. While a higher rate environment may be effective for inflation, it can have significant consequences for small businesses.
May 24, 2022
Most Calgarians recall the devastating 2013 flood that ravaged our community. For our family it was a bittersweet time. After 5½ years of waiting, we were at last granted our Canadian Permanent Residency, allowing us to make the move across the world from South Africa. After selling a successful flooring business that we started in 2008, our family arrived 4 days after the horrific flood with 12 suitcases, 2 children and 2 cats - ready to begin our Canadian adventure.
May 17, 2022
Small business owners wear many hats within their business including taking on the role of recruiting and terminating employees. Without a dedicated human resources team, the process of hiring and firing can be time-consuming and overwhelming to business owners.
May 10, 2022
An offering memorandum, also known as a private placement memorandum, is a legal document that allows for the sale or private placement of securities such as shares, bonds and debentures in Canada.
May 3, 2022
There are often common misconceptions and confusion surrounding the exempt market. What is it? What are exempt market securities? Is it called the exempt market, private capital market or private placement? Well, it’s all the above.
April 22, 2022
When job seekers are asked what size of company, they are most interested in joining, an overwhelming amount choose small organizations; however, small businesses have difficulty finding the right talent to fill positions because they have limited resources. We're here to help.
April 21, 2022
How new initiatives in Alberta and Saskatchewan highlight the delicate Balance between capital formation and investor protection.
The world is in fact becoming more complex, more challenging, more competitive, and therefore bringing on more volatility to public markets and scaring investors with large upswings and downswings. So what does this all mean?
April 20, 2022
Two dominant themes inevitably present themselves when discussing the purpose of investing: capital preservation and capital growth.
April 19, 2022
To figure out which platform best suits you and your business needs, there are several important considerations to make including usability, scalability, payment gateways, prices, user-experience, security, support and integration.
It’s a good idea to sell your business when it is doing well. A company’s performance is what makes it attractive and valuable to a buyer. It’s also important to consider economic factors and capital market conditions.
Private investing is still relatively new to “eligible” and “accredited” investors alike, so it’s important to get all the information you need before you decide if it is right for you.
As the Canadian economy came out of the COVID constraints, we started to see new pressures on inflation. As of June 22, 2022, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) based on May prices had consumer inflation rising 7.7% year-over-year, which is the largest yearly increase since January 1983.
When it comes to your investments, stay focused on your financial goals and avoid the noise in the news and media. By maintaining a long-term view and a diversified investment portfolio aligned to your risk tolerance and goals, you can weather the storms of uncertain markets.
Mental toughness is certainly one of the most valuable, most powerful models of enhancing mental wellness that is emerging as a potential major area of support for small business owners who wish to improve not only their own performance but that of their teams as well.
Many diversified portfolios or mutual funds have too many companies within them for anyone or any team to really be able to keep fully informed of these businesses with any adequate informed insight. This type of diversification is very risky.
To participate in litigation, your business may need to divert significant resources toward the litigation. Not only does this include financial resources, but also the time from those staff who will be involved in the litigation.
Training and developing people IS an investment, both in the employee and the company. It helps your people become more productive by being better equipped to handle challenges, keeps them engaged, positions them up for higher-level roles in the company, supports positive corporate culture, and reduces turnover.
The first thing to remember is that investing has risks. Investments lose value or fail. Investors can lose money. This is true of almost any type of investment and particularly in a high-risk market. There will be gains, and there will be losses, as this is the nature of investing.
The dream of owning a small business is one that offers many benefits, such as independence and the ability to leave a legacy. While many challenges are faced when owning a small business, being prepared can provide the opportunity to succeed.
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