How many of us here offer office staff incentive pay for doing their job exceptionally well?

I'm contemplating for example, offering a bonus equivalent to 50% (perhaps double, or both based on tiers) if they accomplish all their KPI's for the month. I contemplated staggered incentives, but I want go getters working for me who want to make a lot of money which in turn will make the business money.

NOT interested in unsolicited offers from recruiters or any similar services, so if you are considering offering me your services, don't. Just don't. I am here to discuss with other business owners, not be subjected to a sales pitch.

https://thefutureeconomy.ca/op-eds/indigenous-entrepreneurship-sunshine-tenasco-pow-wow-pitch/

I own a trades company. I pay well, offer benefits, and I am flexible with sick days and family days and when people are late occasionally. However, I find staff take advantage. I could go on about things they have done, like the one young lady who has shown up for maybe 20 days on time in the eight months she worked for me. There are other examples but that's my fault, I let these things happen for too long and they became habit for the staff. I will be addressing things like this sooner from now on.

My concern is, I find it difficult to find good staff. I hire off indeed, and one person who came recommended by a colleague has unfortunately shown some very shocking behaviour.

What is the key to finding good employees who will do their work, without socializing for two to three hours of their work day? That will show up on time (most days, stuff happens and I understand sometimes people are late, that is life), ready to work, and help other office staff when there is work that needs to be done? Basically, people who are productive? Employees who are intelligent enough to do simple math without a calculator, and has the ability to understand basic accounting (and I am talking very basic) principals such as money in and money out.

Will posting a job for a shockingly high amount of money attract better qualified people? Or is it something else that will attract good employees?

“Traditional criteria for funding tend to embed systemic biases that disadvantage women, who tend to have smaller businesses that are most often in the services sector.”

- Wendy Cukier, Founder & Academic Director of the Diversity Institute.

In a new op-ed, Wendy shares her insights on what needs to change in order to result in better outcomes for women entrepreneurs, potentially unlocking $150 billion in GDP growth: https://thefutureeconomy.ca/op-eds/supporting-women-entrepreneurs-wendy-cukier-diversity-institute/

Now’s the time for small business owners to plan their exits.

The tide’s turning in favour of SMEs, which are increasingly being seen as safer, surer bets.

Yet, only one in 10 business owners have prepared a formal business succession plan, despite estimates showing that over 75% of them plan to retire in the next decade.

Shane Murphy, CEO of Ownr, has an idea of what they need to do to get moving: https://thefutureeconomy.ca/op-eds/business-succession-planning-shane-murphy-ownr/

We have a fulltime in house bookkeeper. She has worked for us for about eight months. The first few months was a nightmare because our previous accountant did not do our books as agreed, so everything was wrong. So I don't fault our bookkeeper for being unable to get our books up to date in a timely manner. However, she was worked for us for eight months and I can't even get our daily cash numbers from her.

We have an audit request from the CRA that I don't think she is doing anything with. I ask her and don't get an answer. There has been numerous concerns and while I don't want to doubt her ability, I keep telling her how important it is as a business owner to have accurate numbers. She tells me it's because we switched contractor software, which may be fair, I'm not an accountant and want to give her the benefit of the doubt.

She wants to switch to Sage for next business year (our year end is June 30th) and assures me things will be better from there on in.

Frankly, I'm not convinced they will be. I think I need to get an accounting firm in, a good one, to do an audit. I know it will cost a lot of money but I can't continue my business without knowing my profit/loss and other vital numbers.

I have had some contact with MNP, so I am considering contacting them but with my previous bad experience with a small accounting firm I hesitate in case it ends up being a waste of money. I will pay well for good service, but my experience with accountants has been paying for poor service.

Also, I and have a meeting with a mentor from BDC next week to see if he has any suggestions.

Basically, I am just tired of never having my books up to date, or even remotely close to being up to date.

Hey everyone,

I hope you're doing well! I'm currently working on a project aimed at creating an online platform to facilitate connections between potential business partners. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or someone with a great idea looking for the right collaborator, this platform could be a game-changer.

To ensure that we're building something that truly meets the needs of our target audience, I've put together a short survey. Your input would be incredibly valuable in shaping the direction of this project.

https://forms.office.com/r/6XZAikpn15

The survey covers topics such as your experience with business partnerships, the challenges you've faced in finding the right collaborator, and what features you'd like to see in a platform designed for this purpose.

Your responses will remain anonymous and will only be used for research purposes. Plus, by participating, you'll be directly influencing the development of a platform that could potentially benefit countless entrepreneurs and innovators.

Thank you so much for taking the time to help out! If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to drop them in the comments below or reach out to me directly.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Hi there, I have a small business in AB. As a mentor suggested me, I opened up a Federal corporation just to apply to grants. The business it's still new and I was part time and last year I was able to make a little profit (almost nothing) but I'm in payroll, so now I'll have to pay 11% taxes from almost nothing of profits. This year I will be able to apply to those grants but my account has suggested me to make it sole proprietorship again since from the taxes point of view, it doesn't make sense to pay that much of expenses in filling corporate taxes (his salary) + tax over a little profit. The grants are also a gamble cause it's a lot of time that I can't find anymore plus nothing assures me that I will get it. I'm going full time this year on the business. I need to increase my salary for CPP purposes. I'm just learning about all this stuff. Has anyone been in this position before? Is it worth it to pursue those grants? Is it worth to keep a corporation that made its first little profits on the second year? Will I be able to keep my salary and contributions in line if I decide to get back to sole proprietorship? Will I find benefits from having my corporation if I make a decent profit this 2024?

Thank in advance for your help!

Hi everyone. I am working on a Canadian based side project and looking for a feedback. Below is a link for a survey that will give you an idea on the project, less then 3 minutes, and any feedback would be much appreciated.

https://forms.office.com/r/6XZAikpn15

Looking to open a corporation. I’m have a digital marketing business that does decently well. It was a side gig I started a year ago that really lifted off. I currently make an average of $10,000/month gross sales. I do not currently have anything registered and have been taking payments into my personal accounts. I know this needs to change, so that’s why I am trying to move forward , I’m just unaware of the steps. Here’s some questions: 1) We are located in Nova Scotia, but would like to register my business in Quebec because the tax % is much lower. Part of my business plan is that I do not charge tax and I cover it on my end. This guarantees more sales for us, but is more costly. If I can register in QC then the rate would be down to 5%. Is this possible?

2. What are the tax brackets ? Once I hit 200k/annual gross sales, does the 5% go higher ?

Thank you very much for taking your time to read this.

So I haven’t registered my business yet because I haven’t had an and sort of considerable income yet. Way less than part time, minimum wage. Though I have filed taxes with my business income.

Someone is asking for an invoice with my GST number but I don’t have it. Should I tell them I don’t have one yet and offer a refund?

Hey so the amounts that I owe for HST are starting to get pretty big, we owed like 30K+ for Q3 2023, and I was looking at the options to pay, and they actually let you finance the HST that you owe. I opted to finance it over 12 months at like 8% interest, but I noticed that you can finance it over an even longer period if you wish.

My company has grown pretty substantially recently, and I am a relatively new business owner. I paid our 2021 and 2022 taxes in one shot, but if the CRA is giving out loans to finance your HST, is there any reason I should not just be snap choosing to finance the HST payments? For example, the interest rate offered by the government is better than current bank rates - I assume to incentivize people to actually pay their taxes.

For example, if we were to get a business line of credit maxing out our credit, isn't opting to finance my HST payments just basically a 0-credit check loan that you can pay down at any time with no penalty?

My essential question is: is there any reason not to do this?

Do businesses need to find an advisor for the smaller Grow Your Own Business CDAP channel, or is the advisor only for the larger CDAP grant?

Hey y’all, I’m looking for some quality slime from a Canadian owned biz. I’m so tired of duty fees and I’d much rather support local! Let me know if you know of any :))

Greetings to the Canadian Business community! 🍁

I'm thrilled to introduce our online small business, Classic Cottage Outfitters, specializing in quality cottage and home lifestyle goods – all proudly Made In Canada.

We're passionate about curating and offering products crafted or designed within our beautiful nation. Our collection features a diverse range of customizable options, each with its own unique touch. Exciting news: we just unveiled a stunning set of canoe paddles this week, designed for those seeking both elegance and functionality in their paddling adventures.

Hold onto your hats because there's a MASSIVE product drop on the horizon – happening tomorrow! If you're a Tragically Hip fan, we've got something special lined up that you won't want to miss.

Take a stroll through our site, explore the goodness, and share your thoughts with us. Let's collectively celebrate the true north, strong and free!

P.S. Did I mention we offer FREE SHIPPING across Canada?

What's the best and worst experience you had with a swag/merch vendor? (i.e. custom bottles, apparel, tech, etc.).

Hey there I am new in the country and I am looking to get into business with minimal capital I want to learn and grow so if anyone has any thing valuable to give I am here to accept!!!!

I am preparing an invoice for hours worked for a First Nation in BC, haven't done this before so I am wondering if I should be collecting GST/HST on my labour? I am not sure how the FN status will play into that. The overall total of the contract will eventually be >$30k. The work is being done remotely, but pertains to First Nations lands.

If there is a more specific subreddit for contracting in BC please point me at it and I'll ask questions there, thanks!

I run a small painting business.

I’m still on the tools and I regularly answer the phone with my hands full, trying to juggle the labour and administration work.

Somehow, I’ve pulled it off for the last seven years, but I’m starting to grow now and I’m wondering about using a phone answering service.

Does anyone use this type of phone answering service?

What has been your experience?

Can anyone recommend a company?

What are you paying for the service?

Is it worth it?

Any help regarding this matter would be greatly appreciated.

As a non-resident Canadian citizen living overseas, if I incorporate a business in Canada, can it qualify as a Canadian-controlled private corporation (CCPC)?

Hi there!

We're a small business in Northern BC that has an Online Shop! We've had extreme snowfalls and have had to close temporarily! During this time (hello CEBA) we would really love to get the word out about our Small Shop Online! You can Shop Us Online & We Ship Canada Wide! Plus we're having a SALE!

Thank you for even looking at our website-any exposure helps!

www.edgewoodfarmandflower.com

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https://preview.redd.it/n3znm9qd32dc1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=5c9dbda4c40899359410aa4f801a200681c05b9f

Hi all I am thinking to buy 2nd hand goods such as vintage clothes or other vintage stuffs from thrifty stores and selling them to other countries. I have a business license currently. Do I need export license as well? Any restrictions my business idea in Canada?

Im getting conflicting answers.

I want to use subcontractors for my renovation business, rather than employees for tax purposes.

I want to get the reno contracts and write off the labour portion as a business expense from subcontractors, rather than paying employees to execute the labour and deal with payroll, cpp, wsib, etc.

My bookeeper is saying that the government wont allow me to only use subcontractors and that I will have to consider them employees and pay payroll,etc.

Whats the reality of this situation?

Can i only use subcontractors and write everything off?

Is there a maximum that I can use an individual as a subcontractor?

Is there any requirements to use them As a subcontractor?

Can it come back to bite me in the ass and owe payroll/taxes?

How does this work?

Can anyone shed some light into this topic?

I want to make sure I know what Im getting into and not make any mistakes.

Thanks in advance.

https://medium.com/@peter_annualresolutions/navigating-legal-compliance-a-guide-for-canadian-small-businesses-with-vendor-recommendations-3f3f15e15bc5

Have a canadian corp; opening a canadinan corp via STripe Atlas; solely for the ability to do buy now pay later for clients.

How do I pay USA taxes on my delaware corp? Any CRA implications?

Hello! I have my business incorporated in Montreal and I also live in Montreal!

Is it possible to move the incorporation to another province in Canada (while I still continue to live in Montreal)?

Really frustrated receiving letters from Revenue Quebec, and very poor customer service.

TIA

Forgive me if I'm asking a very worn out question...

I run a small training business in addition to my regular day job, but it's starting to take off more in the past couple of years and I'm quickly approaching the $30,000 limit for a "Small Supplier" (Side question: Have they seriously never updated the threshold for this? $30k is a very different thing in 2024 than it was in the 90s - I have a similar complaint about the "Sunshine List" (Ontario public workers who earn more than $100k - very different now than when they started it)).

In 2023, I brought in about $27k from this business and I expect 2024 will finally push me over the limit. My question is, do I need to register now in anticipation that I will or can I wait to register until I approach the threshold. My second question, once registered do I need to submit HST for ALL sales that fiscal year, or only those after I registered?

I'm trying to keep my accounting as simple as possible, as well as keeping my expenses down. What do I need to do here?

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Does anyone know where I can get plain bulk white mailers for a decent price in Canada?