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Business

Industry Overview: Cosmetic and Personal Care Manufacturing

Jun 6, 2015

Cosmetic and personal care products are items that are used to maintain or increase one’s physical appearance and personal hygiene. These products can include soaps, shampoos, deodorants, bath products, lotions and make-up. Soap and personal care businesses typically manufacture a line of cosmetic products and sell these products through distribution to retail outlets or directly to consumers. This industry overview will walk you through the current outlook of soap and personal care manufacturing with relevant statistics and available resources.  

Industry Overview: Graphic Design

Jul 7, 2017

Graphic design involves using both graphics and text to convey a concept or idea. The graphic design industry includes many activities, including corporate identity/branding, advertising, print production, and web design. Graphic designers create logos, posters, newsletters, brochures, signs, and other forms of visual communication. The graphic design industry in Canada is slated to grow as high-quality graphic design services will become increasingly integral for companies seeking to develop brand awareness.

Industry Overview: Online Retail (E-commerce)

Aug 8, 2016

Online retail stores are virtual establishments that sell a variety of consumer or business-to-business products through e-commerce transactions. Online stores allow an owner to reach a larger and more geographically diverse group of potential consumers - and can lower operating costs by eliminating the need to rent or lease a brics and mortar storefront location. As e-commerce continues to grow in popularity, the opportunities for successful online businesses will also expand.

Industry Overview: Portrait Photography

Jun 6, 2016

Portrait photography involves capturing the likeness of a person or persons using various photographic equipment- in either a studio or at a specific location. This type of photography is particularly popular for special occasions such as weddings, engagements, and births. In order to operate a successful portrait photography business, photographers need solid business management skills, along with experience behind the lens. This field has been greatly impacted by advents in technology; however the industry is expected to grow moderately in the coming years.

Industry Overview: Wine

Jan 1, 2017

A toast to 2017! As you sip your champagne, make it a new year’s resolution to fill your glass with your own wine by this time next year. With 1.5 million winery visitors each year, British Columbia is rich with opportunity for wine-based businesses and eager viticulture entrepreneurs. In fact, the wine industry involves a variety of different activities from operating a full-fledged winery, growing grapes, running a wine specialty shop/u-bottle facility, or offering wine marketing services.

Industry Overview: Yoga Studios

Jul 7, 2015

Yoga has been practiced for over 5,000 years. There are many variations of yoga, all combining a variety of physical, spiritual, and mental disciplines. Over the last few decades, yoga has become very popular in Western culture, with new studios opening up in all major urban centers. The Yoga Studio Business Accelerator Guide will introduce you to online and library resources and research tools that focus on the yoga industry.

Overview of the Start-Up Visa Program

Jun 6, 2013

There is a new Canadian visa program targeting foreign entrepreneurs that has been in the news frequently in recent weeks. Earlier this year the federal government announced the “Start-Up Visa Program” as part of the Economic Action Plan 2012.

Take the #sbalibrary Summer Reading Challenge

Jun 6, 2017

We’ve all heard it before – reading helps entrepreneurs keep up with trends, develop skills, and be inspired by innovation. But how do you decide what book to pick up next, and how do you motivate yourself to keep reading? The SBA has a solution for that!