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The long weekend is almost here, and if you are not sure what to do there are lots of fantastic things on! So grab your sunglasses and take full advantage of the last long weekend of summer. Make it a great one!
Things To Do In Toronto
1.Take A Day Trip To The Toronto Islands (click here to read more)
One of our favourite things to do is to go the the Toronto Islands.
2. Go To The Beach (click here to read more)
The Beach is also a favourite place to be this weekend. Take a stroll on the beach, play some volleyball, watch the seagulls, or enjoy a delicious brunch along Queen Street.
3. Visit The Harboufront Area (click here to read more)
There’s also lots of great things happening at the Harbourfront in general. Read on to find out what to do, where to go, and where the best patio is!
Things To Do Outside Of The City
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4. Take A Day Trip To Niagara On The Lake (click here to read more)
Niagara On the Lake is an absolute favourite. Here’s a short post on what do while you’re in Ontario’s favourite wine country.
5. Go To Cottage Country (click here to read more)
Cottage country is gorgeous, and there’s no better weekend to enjoy it than this one! Here’s a link to a last minute cottage rental site…so tempting!
Things To Do Anywhere
6. Host A Fabuous Dinner Party (click here to read more)
It’s going to be gorgeous, so host a fabulous outdoor dinner party with these amazing recipes.
7. Go On A Cheap, Fun & Active Date (click here to read more)
Great suggestions for cheap, active and super fun date activities. If you’re single don’t fret, grab one of your girlfriends and make it a girls date!
8. Go Hiking With Your Girlfriends (click here to read more)
The great outdoors, great girlfriends…well it all sounds pretty great. And it is. Do something totally different this weekend, and go hiking with your ladies. You’ll love it!
9. Day Dream What Your Fantasy Life (click here to read more)
In a relaxed environment, with no pressure or noise, or stress, or anything to disrupt you, let your mind wander…and create a picture of your dream life. It will be the start of great things for you!
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Most people assume that if you are an entreprenuer you must have loads of confidence…but that’s often quite far from reality.
You know how most of the time you feel pretty good about yourself, but then something little, maybe a comment in a meeting, noticing your clothes look ragged, or something huge like a big project falls through, just throws you way off.
When you are an entrepreneur you have to face these challenges every day! You are always putting yourself out there, trying to get as much attention as possible, and not being shy to tell people what you do, your company name and your 10 second elevator speech.
Confidence in your abilities or your business often intersect with your confidence as a person, and that’s where sometimes you may falter. And it will happen to everyone.
“The first time I did a show out in the field, it took 20 times to get my intro down pat,” says Amber MacArthur, 34, founder of Web agency MGI Media, technology specialist, TV personality and author of Power Friending: Demystifying Social Media to Grow Your Business.
If someone so accomplished can feel so uncomfortable, it’s easy to imagine that it happens to absolutely everyone, and it will happen to you too.
The best remedy is to “fake it till you make it”, but in a very real way, don’t pretend to be a German Sheppard when you’re really a Golden Retriever puppy. Just be yourself, with a great ability to pick yourself, dust yourself off, and go forth and self promote again!
Because, after all, you are your brand! You need to self promote to build your business, no matter what you are selling.
To make your brand building online Amber has these 3 simple suggestions:
No. 1: Make sure you have a website. Tools such as SquareSpace and Wordpress make it really easy to build your own site.
No. 2: Use a lot of social media tools to get out there and network. Integrate tools such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook into your website, so essentially your website is a home base for all of your branding efforts.
No. 3: E-mail really is a social network. The number of people who e-mail you on a regular basis is enormous. So within your e-mail network, turn your signature into something where you link to your personal website, Twitter and Facebook accounts, and really use that to promote yourself
As an example, preview the email signature below
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Ingrid Menninga
Founder
www.cashmereclutch.com
Help Us Get to 150 Friends on this Facebook Page; Click and Like us Please
Cashmere Clutch is a women’s lifestyle site focusing on living a balanced, fulfilling and fabulous life. Visit us at www.cashmereclutch.com
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There’s lots of contact information above, and you can clearly figure out what the business is, how it helps people, and how you can stay connected online. Also, the “Help Us Get 150 Facebook Fans” Tactic is a new one, but seems to help increase the number of fans on the page.
Try it out for your business and let us know how it goes.
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Our latest Fearless and Fabulous Female Entrepreneur Series feature is Orlena Cain – founder of Sugarcain Entertainment, an online magazine that supports up and coming, aspiring female journalists, Belleville’s Mix97’s morning announcer, and The Shopping Channel’s TV presenter. Orlena also works closely with the Children’s Aid Society, and other charitable organizations. Busy does not even begin to describe Orlena, but you’ll be surprised by what makes her tick and what she would do differently if she could do it all again.
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How did you start your business?
I created it 6 years ago to help me build my portfolio of interviews and I kept meeting women who wanted to come on board and do the same. 2010 marks the end of a significant run in the world of entertainment news for Sugarcain Entertainment. We started out with one and currently have 25 journos that are in Toronto, Barrie, Kingston, Ottawa and Montreal. Vancouver, BC, Los Angeles, CA and TEXAS! We really are everywhere!
What’s your typical day like?
Throughout the ownership of my own online magazine, I have also continued to work as a television host and now morning show radio host too. A typical day starts at 430am/530am depending on if I wash my hair or
not, which also depends on how restless my night was…lol! Its on air 600am – 1000am in Belleville on MIX97 radio (Mon-Fri)and then if need be I may have to travel an hour and 45 minutes to The Shopping Channel (TSC) studio to work an afternoon or evening shift. I usually work weekends in Toronto at TSC.
What was your biggest worry when you started your own company?
My biggest worry was that no one would find it interesting enough to read and to date we have 250-thousand readers! Not too shabby for no advertising and purely word of mouth.
How long did it take for you to feel confident about working for yourself?
For me confidence has never been something that I wait for to do something. I walk fearlessly and sometimes foolishly in the path of the least expected. Sometimes I fall flat on my face…but most times noone is around to see it and I dust myself off, wipe a tear away if it has strayed and keep moving. Life is a battle. You don’t stop – keep moving!
What surprised you the most about working for yourself?
I will tell you what surprised me most about working for myself – you can make anything happen and it is true, ” If you build it, they will come.”
What’s the biggest reward in working for yourself?
The biggest reward is that I have had a successful online magazine for 6 years and I have helped alot of young women help themselves. I feel incredibly grateful to have met over 50 women who have been affiliated
with Sugarcain Entertainment. Some have moved on to great jobs like Monika Platek who is an in house announcer for their live TV coverage for the TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS or Loriann Vilani who works on 102.1 THE EDGE as an anouncer.
What have you sacrificed?
I have sacrificed having or starting a family. I have sacrificed sleep. But I would change nothing, because, everything is as it should be.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
EVERYTHING IS AS IT SHOULD BE. If I could change anything, I may have told a couple of people to go SCREW THEMSELVES. However, the world is small, so I silently have said it and not verbalized it, even though they deserved it.
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Other Inspiring Women: Fearless and Fabulous Female Entrepreneurs
Ali De Bold – cofounder of ChickAdvisor
Equipped with a great business idea and loads of hard work she and her husband and business partner, Alex De Bold, started www.ChickAdvisor.com – Canada’s first user generated reviews community for women to share advice on their favourite products and local places. Find out how she did it, and the one thing she would have done differently!
Lisa Ng – founder of HelloDJ
Lisa Ng is a woman that goes after what she wants. She’s never worked in a corporate office, she owns her own DJ company, Hello DJ, and she’s not afraid to take risks. But how did she do it and what’s it like?
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With Jetblue’s Steven Slater famous “jump” from his job after yelling at unappreciative flight passengers and the recently staged “Jenny” video showing her quitting her job after her boss called her a HPOA (hot piece of ass) there’s lots of news about
-what to do when you quit your job
-when to quit
-what “going too far” can do to your career
-how to know when it’s time to quit
But before you get to the point of desperation when you’re ready to light your office on fire, tell your boss where to go and leave with guns a blazin’ make sure you ask yourself these 5 Critical Questions To Ask Before You Ditch Your Job
Photo Credit: from Steven Slater’s Myspace profile
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For many professional women managing a career profile on social media sites is extremely important. You’ve come this far, right, so you need to make sure that all that hard work pays off!
Hands down the best social media site for professionals is LinkedIn. But how do you get the most out of it?
Victoria Ipri from www.theconfidentcopywriter.com has these 8 tips:
1. See the future: How much new business can you comfortably handle? Be realistic. One new client a month is 12 for the year. Not bad.
2. Choose a target market and do not stray from this focus
3. Join groups for those markets and actively participate in a meaningful way
4. Educate yourself on effective LI search…there are ways to search and findspecific information about specific people
5. Stand out: Be active! Be proactive! Be visible! Get out there and get involved. Create a highly compelling profile; not a resume rehash.
6. Answer questions to highlight your subject expertise
7. Accept connections and request connections. People want to connect with you!
8. Talk to people. I mean, really talk. Show an interest, look for ways to help each other…seeking connections isn’t only about having lots of connections!
This advice also works if you are an employee and not an entrepreneur. Managing your LinkedIn can be the key to your success. Make sure that your profile is updated regularly with job information, great articles, and get involved in discussion boards related to your area of expertise. Don’t wait until you need to find a new job to refresh your profile. You will have missed a lot of opportunities if you wait until you need something. Recruiters are constantly scrubbling LinkedIn for professionals – make sure you are easy to find!
Have you joined the Cashmere Clutch Women In Business group on Linkedin yet? It’s the network for fulfilled and fabulous women looking to connect with like minded ladies.
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Cashmere Clutch Women In Business Network is a meeting place for positive, motivated and “take life by the horns” type women that have carved out their own concept of success. Featuring everything from interviews with successful female entrepreneurs to investment advice, to fitness challenges, to fashion and travel, Cashmere Clutch Women In Business Network is the network for fulfilled and fabulous women looking to connect with like minded ladies.
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In Ontario we have a fabulous 3 days off for the August long weekend.
Not sure what to do? There are lots of fantastic things going on, not to mention the weather is going to be absolutely gorgeous!
Things To Do In Toronto
1.Take A Day Trip To The Toronto Islands (click here to read more)
One of our favourite things to do is to go the the Toronto Islands.
2. Go To The Beach (click here to read more)
The Beach is also a favourite place to be this weekend. Take a stroll on the beach, play some volleyball, watch the seagulls, or enjoy a delicious brunch along Queen Street.
3. Visit The Harboufront Area (click here to read more)
There’s also lots of great things happening at the Harbourfront in general. Read on to find out what to do, where to go, and where the best patio is!
4. Take Part In Caribana (click here to read more)
Of course you’ve probably heard that this weekend is the Caribana weekend – it’s a massive party that consumes a large part of our city to so here’s information on how you can get involved.
Things To Do Outside Of The City
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5. Take A Day Trip To Niagara On The Lake (click here to read more)
Niagara On the Lake is an absolute favourite. Here’s a short post on what do while you’re in Ontario’s favourite wine country.
6. Go To Cottage Country (click here to read more)
Cottage country is gorgeous, and there’s no better weekend to enjoy it than this one! Here’s a link to a last minute cottage rental site…so tempting!
Things To Do Anywhere
7. Host A Fabuous Dinner Party (click here to read more)
It’s going to be gorgeous, so host a fabulous outdoor dinner party with these amazing recipes.
8. Go On A Cheap, Fun & Active Date (click here to read more)
Great suggestions for cheap, active and super fun date activities. If you’re single don’t fret, grab one of your girlfriends and make it a girls date!
9. Go Hiking With Your Girlfriends (click here to read more)
The great outdoors, great girlfriends…well it all sounds pretty great. And it is. Do something totally different this weekend, and go hiking with your ladies. You’ll love it!
10. Day Dream What Your Fantasy Life (click here to read more)
In a relaxed environment, with no pressure or noise, or stress, or anything to disrupt you, let your mind wander…and create a picture of your dream life. It will be the start of great things for you!
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Aceing the interview can be a big part of getting that job you want, so make sure you’ve honed your skills.
Check out the 5 Winning Tips For Your Job Interview here
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Recently Ali de Bold of ChickAdvisor asked me to write an article on office conflict.
Office conflict is soooo incredibly stressful, and how you deal with it determines how successful you will be in your career. For the article I wrote about how to deal with office conflict, escalate to senior management, and when it’s time to move on. Check out the article here
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Today’s post is from guest editor, Julia Stepanova, a local real estate expert who has done some great investments herself, and is on board to help guide us in our wealth building activities.
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In Toronto the real estate market has not been as affected as it is in the USA. In fact we’ve had a hot market for the past few months. Our 2010 Forecast called for a strong first half in sales and a slower second half due to three factors.
Factor One – the introduction of the HST (which will NOT impact prices in the resale market but will increase the cost of services and new properties over $400,000).
Factor Two – we are expecting a bump in Bank of Canada interest rates in the second half of the year, which will make it harder for some people to afford (and therefore fewer people will buy).
Factor Three – more listings are coming to the market (particularly in the condo segment). Right now the market is still hot but will be softening towards the end of June/2010.
And if you like to take your time looking for a place and multiple offers is not your thing this means it is your time to shine.
If you are looking to get into the real estate market it’s a great time.
But how do you get the most out of it?
First, make sure you’re taking the right steps.
1. Get yourself preapproved by going to your local bank.
2. Decide on the area.
3. Write your wish list.
4. Find an agent specializing in your preferred area.
5. Do not forget to allocate 1.5% of the purchase price towards the closing cost.
If you want a steady return on your money, houses can be a sure bet and it have two strong things going for them as an investment.
First, any capital gains on your principal residence are tax-free. If your house appreciates by 6 per cent, you get to keep every cent of your gains. Now 6 per cent may not sound like much, but in terms of how much you end up with, you’d have to earn as much as 12 per cent on a fixed-income investment such as a GIC to match that return, after tax.
Second, you don’t have to come up with the full purchase price, meaning you’re able to harness leverage. The conventional mortgages require a down payment of 25 per cent of a house’s appraised value. Where as the High Ratio Mortgage, requires only 5% down payment.
For example, if you buy a $200,000 home, you need to come up with around $50,000 for a conventional mortgage. If the home’s value rises to $220,000, that’s an increase of 10 per cent. But what’s really happened is you’ve put up $50,000, and made $20,000. Your real gross return on your invested funds is around 40 per cent. But notice the word “gross”. Don’t forget that your real return will be less.
Buying a home and having a mortgage is also a tremendously powerful forced savings program. You need to pay for housing, whether you are renting, leasing, or paying your mortgage. So why not put your money towards a mortgage, and if you invest wisely when you sell you will get it all back. If you rent, you never get anythign back.
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Julia is a real estate agent with Re/Max Condos Plus and you can find her here.
