The last quarter of the year is the most exciting and terrifying time of the year as an e-retailer.
We operate two online monthly subscription box services: WineCollective and Canada Craft Club. We start planning for the holidays in August.

Poppy Barley is not just another shoe store, and that is exactly what Justine and Kendall Barber wanted when they started their business. The sisters launched into entrepreneurship with the help of Startup Edmonton in 2012. They found a niche in the women’s shoe market and built a successful, multifaceted business for an underserved market.

Buying a new sweater online and accepting the terms of purchase, downloading an app to your phone, or signing with your finger on an iPad to accept a job offer – in each instance your actions are the same as signing your name on paper.
eSignatures can take various forms, but they all allow us to enter legally binding contracts without having to go through the slow and cumbersome process of physically signing a document.

There is a famous quote that we are sure you are sick of hearing: "Fail to plan, plan to fail." While this quote is cliché, is it vital to the success of any good social media strategy.
Content calendars are an amazing tool to align organizational goals with online opportunities. Creating a calendar may seem like one more step on your to-do list, but we promise it is a step worth taking!
To help get you started on the right path, we have broken down five steps with helpful resources that will allow you to create the perfect content calendar. 

Whether you don’t yet have a business, or have been running a business for years, market research can be of value to you. But what is market research, you ask? It’s about gathering information on your industry, customers, and competitors so that you’re more aware of what’s going on around you. Once you have this information, you’re in a better position to avoid costly mistakes and make business decisions related to marketing, operations, and the business’ financial situation.

Social responsibility: we’ve all heard the term, but what does it really mean? And better yet, how can it be quantified in the business world?
Local businesses like mine – Peace Power – have an answer, and it’s one that small business owners in Alberta need to know.

Thirty-five years ago if you asked my father what he did for a living, he would say he was a business owner and there was no degree in the world that could teach you this stuff! Fast forward to now, and if I asked the same question, most people would say they are entrepreneurs and you can get a degree in entrepreneurship from a number of Universities.

These days, when the entrepreneurial bug bites, many hopeful small-business owners launch social enterprises—businesses that tackle social, cultural or environmental issues by “being part of the solution” while simultaneously turning a profit. Large and small, there are thousands of these businesses across Canada, and their numbers continue to grow.

Delree’s Native Art Gallery is located in the quaint town of Didsbury, 80 km north of Calgary. It opened October 6, 2015, which is also Delree’s mother’s birthday. Every year on October 6, they have a celebration in honour of her and her Birthday. Delree’s Iconic Sign hangs above her storefront adorned with one of her very first paintings: “Waiting for Grand Entry” – a rear view of a jingle dress dancer.

Crowdfunding can be a great low-risk way for startups to get financial support for their business ideas. As I recently ran my own crowdfunding campaign, I learned a few things along the way that might assist other entrepreneurs. Here are a few tips that can help make your crowdfunding campaign a success!