By Mandy Gilbert, founder and CEO of Creative Niche and an EO Toronto member
Much of an entrepreneur’s time is spent growing their business, landing new clients and managing people. Most of us try to lead by example and rarely focus on changing our leadership styles. I recently learned, however, that sometimes we need to do just that. In fact, taking steps to become a better leader can deliver unimaginable benefits—but it’s not easy.
Categories: Best Practices Entrepreneurial Journey FINANCES PEOPLE/STAFF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
Tags: creative niche entrepreneurs' organization eo toronto mandy gilbert
By Ben Baldwin, an EO Toronto member and the co-founder and CEO of ClearFit
As a business owner, one of the most important parts of my business is my staff; the hard-working people who challenge me to be the best leader I can be and who drive the company to new levels of success. While developing an environment that encourages employee growth and happiness, I’ve come across a few rules to work by that help me keep things running.
Categories: Best Practices FINANCES PEOPLE/STAFF
Tags: ben baldwin best practices clearfit employees entrepreneurs' organization eo toronto human resources lessons learned management tips
By Julie Mitchell, an EO Toronto member
Whether it’s a legitimate tipping point or just a milestone that prompts us to reflect, the five-year business mark seems to be a critical juncture for most entrepreneurs. Perhaps it’s because five years is the point where we’ve officially grown out of startup mode, have typically gone through at least one economic cycle and have a pretty clear gauge of whether we are growing or in need of retooling.
In my design company, we have enjoyed the happy problems that come along with growth management since our launch in 2002. A design studio that specializes in brand, graphic, and communication design, we were named one of PROFIT Magazine’s “50 Fastest Growing Companies in 2006,” and by the five-year mark, we had a 5,500 square-foot facility, a committed team of eight and US$1.4 million in revenue.
Categories: general
Tags: best practices entrepreneurs' organization eo toronto lessons learned
Wine and cheese parties aren’t usually part of the recruitment process when companies hire, but how great would it be if they were?
That was the thinking of Mandy Gilbert, EO Toronto membr and chief executive officer of Toronto-based staffing firm Creative Niche, when she needed to hire a client services manager. The new staffer would need the right skills but, just as important, would have to fit in with the corporate culture. That was crucial for Ms. Gilbert to get right, because early on in her business she rushed the hiring process and made some poor decisions. She didn’t want to make the same mistakes.
Categories: general
Tags: best practices company culture creative niche environment eo toronto mandy gilbert tips workplace
By Bruce Powell, co-founder and managing partner of IQ PARTNERS, Inc., Canada’s leading integrated HR services firm.
As an entrepreneur in the human resources field, I understand the impact successful hiring can have on a company. My business helps intelligent companies hire better, hire less and retain more. Before we interview candidates, we have to get top talent in the marketplace interested and excited enough to apply. We have found that one of the best ways to do this is with a well-crafted job description. Here are some of the things we do to ensure we produce elite hires for our clients.
Categories: general
Tags: best practices bruce powell eo toronto hiring iq partners lessons learned retention tips writing job descriptions
By Mark Graham, EO Toronto member and president of Right Sleeve Marketing, Inc.
When I graduated from college in 1997, I started my business career in investment banking. I lasted four months. While the experience was rewarding (I learned how to use Microsoft Excel like a pro!), I found I was more suited for entrepreneurship. I always wanted to build something I could call my own, and it turns out I have a mind for sales and marketing, not finance.
Categories: general
Tags: charles ellis commandments eo toronto goldman sachs john whitehead mark graham right sleeve marketing tips
