Our Workshops
Our workshops are offered to anyone who has a business in the Parkland area and are free of charge as part of our commitment to Economic Recovery in response to COVID-19 through our partnership with the Western Economic Diversification Fund.
The workshops are also available for your employees as part of their development.
We hope you join us!
Workforce Development
Communication with Employees during Difficult Transitions
with KIMBERLEY HALWAS
February 9, 6:00pm-8:00pm ~ Delivered via Zoom
Successful communication strategies are key to working with your workplace team. The strains due to Covid-19 have required clear and caring communication more than ever before. This session will focus on how you can support your employees during difficult times. Employer obligations, employee health and safety issues and strategies for effective communication in hosting critical conversations will be explored through this interactive opportunity.
Strategic Planning
INTRO TO BUSINESS with Laura Patton
February 2, 6:00 - 7:30pm ~ Delivered via Zoom
This session targets entrepreneurs who have recently started or are considering starting their own business. Exploring the rewards and risks, through the financial lens of unlimited earning potential versus giving up the security of a steady paycheque will be part of the workshop’s focus. Taking a deep dive into the starting points of starting a business, this session is designed to help you make a decision about starting a business (if you haven’t already) and give you the best possible start if you do.
Marketing & Content Development
BRAND BASICS with Coralee Grimm and Nicki Bullock
January 28, 6-8pm ~ Delivered via Zoom
The foundational pieces to creating intentional brands. We discover your brand voice, vision, and target audience. How do fonts, colours, and logo design play a role in your identity? This 2 hr session will cover the basic elements of any brand.
MAKE YOUR STORY WORK FOR YOU with Cate Friesen
February 17, 7:00pm ~ Delivered via Zoom
The stories you tell about yourself are powerful. They can lead you to action, profoundly influence your interactions, and inspire others to give you new opportunities. Learn the essential elements of a powerful story, questions that will help you discover your strongest stories, and a winning structure that can take you from elevator pitch to interview, . Leave with the tools to tell a compelling story of who you are and what you have to offer – and make your story work for you.
Cate Friesen has developed workshops and keynotes for many different contexts, including annual conferences, retreats, collaborative working gatherings, annual awards, and staff development.
She is known for her inspirational storytelling drawing on real-life examples from the field, setting a welcoming tone, inviting interaction, and leaving the audience with valuable and actionable takeaways.
In her practice, Cate Friesen draws on the work of Marshall Ganz, Harvard Kennedy School, and other thought leaders working in narrative. She combines this strong theoretical base with extensive experience and practical story skills gained through working in broadcasting and performance. She specializes in working with entrepreneurs, non-profit and business leaders, , and those working for systemic change.
“The notion of the story brought out our purpose, passions, and connection to one another…. For myself, I did not believe I could possess a powerful story or have the strength to tell my story. Ekosi (Thank you). “– Reanna Merasty, Masters in Architecture, University of Manitoba
“I really enjoyed your workshop today. I found your writing activities were so useful especially for an entrepreneur. Your image diagram explaining the techniques were concise and made complete sense even for a non-writer. Your insights were practical and efficient.” – Workshop participant
CONTENT & MARKETING CALENDARS with Coralee Grimm and Nicki Bullock
February 11, 6-8pm ~ Delivered via Zoom
Find easy ways to plan and execute content, campaigns, and the organizational planning aspects of your platforms. Using a 30-day planning calendar, you will learn how to effectively plan content and communicate with your audience.
BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN with Coralee Grimm and Nicki Bullock
March 11, 6-8pm ~ Delivered via Zoom
Create an action plan for your great idea. This session helps you turn your ideas into actions. This step by step process will help you not only plan but to execute the idea effectively. We will discuss types of campaigns, why they work and what campaigns are the right fit for your business.
YOUR CUSTOMERS: WHO THEY ARE & WHERE TO FIND THEM with Alyson Shane
March 16, 7pm ~ Delivered via Zoom
This workshop will show participants how to take a strategic approach to understanding your customers, where to find them online, and what to say to catch their attention.
CANVA 101 with Charmaine Jennings
March 30, 7pm ~ Delivered via Zoom
Let's learn how you can use Canva for your business. Can you imagine beautiful templates, colours and themes at your fingertips? No need for constantly purchasing stock images.
EMAIL MARKETING with Cassandra Ratcliffe
March 25 6-7pm~ Delivered via Zoom
Email marketing is currently one of the top converting marketing channels and we want to teach you how to leverage this to help you grow your business. Throughout this workshop we will look at the different types of emails, email providers and what sending legal emails looks like. Next, we will dive into creating an effective welcome series and what this includes, how to grow your email list and last but not least, how to optimize your Shopify store to help you do just that!
E-Commerce Development
SELLING ONLINE: INTRODUCTION TO E-COMMERCE & WEBSITES with Richard Bankert
February 23th from 6-8pm ~ Delivered via Zoom
What is the best fit for your business? This session will go through what to expect when working with an e-commerce designer. From different costing options to have someone manage it for you to transition to managing your own, take this opportunity to ask the questions to make the best decision when considering moving online.
GETTING STARTED ONLINE: AN E-COMMERCE CHAT WITH SHOPIFY with Cassandra Ratcliffe
February 25th from 6-7pm ~ Delivered via Zoom
During this time of social distancing and store closures, it is crucial now more than ever to have an online presence to still engage with customers and continue to grow your business.
In this webinar, Cassandra Ratcliffe of Shopify will walk through a high-level overview of Shopify, things to consider when bringing your business online, and a brief introduction to the marketing funnel. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer period.
Social Media Basics
FACEBOOK BUSINESS PAGES with Ashleigh Hamm
Feb 27, 10-12pm (Saturday)~ Delivered via Zoom
Facebook is the largest and still most popular social media channel, providing many different ways for growing and nurturing a community of ideal clients and customers. It gives those marketing their businesses a real chance for success.
FACEBOOK MARKETING FUNDAMENTALS with Cassandra Ratcliffe
March 23, 6-7pm ~ Delivered via Zoom
Interested in marketing your business but not sure where to start? Or wanting to learn more about different marketing tools? Join us for our Facebook Marketing Fundamentals where we will go over why advertise with Facebook, how Facebook ads work and how to create them. Next, we will go over how to track your ads and optimize them once they have been created and what tools you can leverage to help you make your ads a success!
INSTAGRAM - DON'T IGNORE THE HOTTEST SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNEL OUT THERE with Charmaine Jennings
March 4, 7pm ~ Delivered via Zoom
Instagram is simply put, not to be ignored. Numbers don’t lie, and Instagram has them! Engagement is typically much higher on this platform, and as a digital marketer using a free service to grow your business, that is a top objective to attract customers and clients towards your brand and offering.