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Visiting Canada for Business, Trade Shows, and University Campus Tours: How Our Hosted Programs Work
How First Global Citizen plans and coordinates campus visit tours, business discovery trips, trade show packages, and delegation programs in Canada for individuals, families, and organizations.
First Global Citizen
Oct 223 min read
Documents to Gather Before You Apply for a Business Loan or Grant
Funding applications move faster when your paperwork is ready. Here is a checklist of the business, financial, tax and personal documents lenders and programs often ask for.
First Global Citizen
Oct 165 min read
How to Structure a Strategic Partnership for Your Small Business
The right partner can bring customers, skills or capacity you lack. Here is how to choose a model, check fit, put the terms in writing and stay within Canadian rules.
First Global Citizen
Oct 165 min read
Corporate Annual Returns: Keeping Your Corporation in Good Standing
A corporation has to report to its registry every year to stay active. Here is how annual returns work federally and in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and how to stay in good standing.
First Global Citizen
Oct 155 min read
How to Calculate Your Break-Even Point as a New Business Owner
Your break-even point shows how much you must sell to cover your costs. Here is how to calculate it, use it to test your plans and avoid the mistakes new owners often make.
First Global Citizen
Oct 155 min read
How to Get Ready for Year-End With Your Accountant: A Checklist
Year-end goes more smoothly when your records are ready. Here is how to update your books, gather key documents, close out payroll and GST/HST, and keep track of the deadlines.
First Global Citizen
Oct 145 min read
Email Marketing and CASL Consent: A Guide for Small Businesses
Canada's anti-spam law shapes how you build and use an email list. Here is how express and implied consent work, what every marketing email needs and how to keep proof of consent.
First Global Citizen
Oct 145 min read
How to Build a Cash Flow Forecast for a Funding Application
Lenders and funding programs want to see that your business can pay its bills and meet new obligations. Here is how to build a monthly cash flow forecast they can follow and trust.
First Global Citizen
Oct 135 min read
How to Get the Most From a Trade Show as a Small Business
A trade show can fill your sales pipeline or drain your budget. Here is how to choose the right event, set goals, prepare your booth, collect leads with consent and follow up quickly.
First Global Citizen
Oct 135 min read
Opening a CRA Payroll Account Before Your First Payday
Before you pay your first employee, you need a CRA payroll account and a plan for deductions, remittances and year-end slips. Here is what to set up, and when.
First Global Citizen
Oct 125 min read
How to Estimate Startup Costs: One-Time vs Ongoing Expenses
A realistic startup budget separates what you pay once from what you pay every month. Here is how to list both, catch hidden costs and work out how much cash you need.
First Global Citizen
Oct 125 min read
HR Basics Before Your First Hire: Job Descriptions and Onboarding
Your first hire makes you an employer. Here is how to define the role, write a clear job description, set up payroll and safety basics, prepare the paperwork and plan onboarding.
First Global Citizen
Oct 115 min read
SEO Basics for Small Businesses: Where to Start and What to Avoid
SEO is less about tricks and more about clear, useful pages. Here is how search works, where to start, what to avoid and how to track your progress with free tools.
First Global Citizen
Oct 115 min read
How to Prepare for a Meeting With Your Bank About Financing
For many small businesses, a loan request starts with a meeting. Here is how to prepare your request and documents, rehearse likely questions, ask your own and follow up afterwards.
First Global Citizen
Oct 105 min read
Exporting From Canada: First Steps and Free Government Resources
Your first export sale raises new questions about markets, pricing and paperwork. Here is how to get ready and use free federal resources such as the Trade Commissioner Service.
First Global Citizen
Oct 105 min read
Municipal Business Licences: What Edmonton and Alberta Municipalities Require
Registering with the province is not the same as getting a city licence. Here is how municipal business licences work, with examples from Edmonton and Alberta.
First Global Citizen
Oct 95 min read
How to Build Realistic Financial Projections for Your Business Plan
Financial projections are only as believable as the assumptions behind them. Here is how to build a sales forecast, estimate costs, map your cash flow and test scenarios.
First Global Citizen
Oct 95 min read
How to Write Simple SOPs for Your Small Business
Simple written procedures help your business run the same way every time, even when you are away. Here is what to document first, a one-page SOP template and how to keep SOPs current.
First Global Citizen
Oct 85 min read
Google Business Profile: How to Set Up and Manage Your Listing
Your Google Business Profile shapes how local customers see you on Search and Maps. Here is how to check eligibility, set up and verify it, handle reviews honestly and keep it current.
First Global Citizen
Oct 85 min read
Grants, Loans or Equity? How to Choose Funding for Your Business
Grants, loans and equity each bring different costs, obligations and paperwork. Here is how they compare and how to choose the right mix for your business and its stage.
First Global Citizen
Oct 75 min read
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