Feng Yu
The latest news and information for entrepreneurs from across the web universe, brought to you by the Report on Small Business team. Follow us on Twitter @GlobeSmallBiz.
RBC poll finds 29 per cent confident of adding employees in next 12 months
More small businesses are planning to hire this year, according to a new survey from Royal Bank of Canada.
The RBC Small Business Survey found that 29 per cent of the 1,004 respondents said they are confident they'll add new full- or part-time employees in the next 12 months, up from 25 per cent last year. And 68 per cent said they plan to invest in their business in the next two years.
How will they spend their money? Thirty-five per cent cited new equipment; 29 per cent said on new technology; 27 per cent said on new products and services; 17 per cent said they would invest in new hiring; and 17 per cent also said they'd spend on employee training.
However, hiring doesn't come without challenges. Nearly one third -- 32 per cent - of businesses with five to 25 employees said that finding qualified help would rank as a top challenge, the survey found.
Facts and figures about Canadian small biz
In the midst of Small Business Week, the Business Development Bank of Canada offers up 10 facts and figures you may not know about small- and mid-sized businesses in Canada. How many are there? Which industry is most represented? How many survive over five years? Check out the answers to bring to your cocktail circuit chit-chat.
Small businesses have 'false sense of cybersecurity': study
U.S. small businesses – and maybe Canadian ones as well – are suffering from a "false sense of cybersecurity," according to a new survey from the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and Symantec Corp.
While more than three-quarters – 77 per cent – of small businesses said their company is safe from cyber threats such as hackers or viruses, 83 per cent still have no formal cybersecurity plan in place, found the survey of of 1,105 small and mid-sized businesses.
The annual survey also found that 66 per cent of the businesses are not even concerned about cyber-threats, even though 73 per cent said a safe and trusted Internet was critical to their success, and 77 per cent felt that strong cybersecurity benefited their brand.
How lacking are measures in place? According to the survey, 87 per cent don't have a formal written Internet security policy for staffers, 69 per cent don't have an informal policy, and 70 per cent don't have policies for how employees use social media.
"It's terrifying that the majority of U.S. small businesses believe their information is protected, yet so many do not have the required policies or protection in place to remain safe," said Brian Burch, vice-president of Americas marketing for small and medium sized businesses at Symantec, in a release accompanying the results.
He also noted that nearly 40 per cent of the more than one billion cyberattacks that Symantec prevented in the first quarter of 2012 were aimed at companies with fewer than 500 employees.
Subway chain honours Saskatchewan development agent and franchisee
The Subway restaurant chain has recognized Saskatchewan franchisee and development agent Kris Perrier with its 2012 Development Agent of the Year award for its North American markets, it announced.
Development agents are responsible for building and managing geographic territories, and providing franchisees with support. Mr. Perrier, who owns two Subway restaurants himself, is responsible with his staff of four for overseeing a territory of nearly 100 Subway outlets, the release said.
He was one of three to get the award this year; the other two are from Brazil and Kuwait.
EVENTS AND KEY DATES
Small Biz Week closing party: invite only
To cap off Small Business Week, The Globe and Mail, along with the Ivey Institute for Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurs Organization, Ladies Learning Code, Duet Public Relations and Oxford Beach, is hosting an exclusive event from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday at the Spoke Club at 400 King Street West, fourth floor, in Toronto. Enjoy a drink or two at the open bar as you network with entrepreneurs from across the city. Drop us a line at smallbusiness@globeandmail.com or send a direct message to @GlobeSmallBiz if you are interested in attending.
Small Business Saturday
Small Business Week will also wrap up with Canada's first-ever Small Business Saturday, to be held on Oct. 20. The day, an initiative of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and Interac, and following a similar event in the United States for the last couple of years, is aimed at getting Canadians to support small businesses. For businesses and shoppers who want to register or otherwise get involved, here's the link.
EDITOR'S PICKS FROM REPORT ON SMALL BUSINESS
Culture shock: Adjusting to the move from a large company to a small one
Most of the new hires at Toronto-based market research company Fresh Intelligence Research Corp. have been hired away from much larger companies – and suffer from business "culture shock" when they first arrive at the small boutique firm. This week's Challenge: How can the company help new employees adjust to the culture of a small firm?
FROM THE ROSB ARCHIVES
Idea to market: Do it alone or get help?
There's nothing like doing it all yourself to learn the ropes, but 'end-to-end' consultants can play valuable roles in helping aspiring business owners along the way, reported this story published in November, 2011.
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