Southwest Expo empowers rural businesses

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This article was published 08/02/2024 (588 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DELORAINE — In pursuing success, new businesses are advised to acknowledge their worth, excel in delegation, reach beyond familiar circles for customer acquisition and judiciously seek guidance from reliable sources.

Cathy Snelgrove, a senior partner at Siere, a business advisory service firm, shared these four pivotal business nuggets at the Southwest Business and Entrepreneurship Expo held on Wednesday at the Deloraine-Winchester Community Complex Hall.

“Discouraging the common practice of undercutting prices to attract customers, recognizing and charging for the value of one’s skills and expertise is crucial for long-term success,” Snelgrove said. “Focus on revenue generation rather than attempting to handle every aspect of a business independently.”

Snelgrove challenged the notion of relying solely on friends and family as customers, encouraging entrepreneurs to expand beyond this circle. Emphasizing the limitations of an echo chamber, she urged building a customer base that extends beyond close connections to test the true value of products or services in the broader market.

The Siere co-founder also cautioned against seeking advice only from immediate circles, advocating for guidance from individuals who have successfully achieved similar goals.

“We tend to bounce ideas off the people that are closest to us,” she said. “The people that have done what you want to do are the ones that know what you need to do.”

In her presentation entitled “Growing Your Team, Understanding Yourself,” operational HR expert Lynsday Gillon-Seafoot said her approach to team growth revolves around three key aspects: strengths, retention and motivation.

Gillon-Seafoot said entrepreneurs need to focus on strengths in the hiring process.

“Retention is underscored by the significance of strong leadership, and this entails creating psychologically safe workplaces and fostering environments where employees can receive due recognition for their contributions,” she told the Sun in an interview. “Leadership is simply the ability to guide, inspire and influence individuals or groups towards the achievement of common goals.”

Participants were prompted to share their experiences of the best and worst leaders they had worked with. Attributes like transparency, approachability, honesty, encouragement, playing to strengths, and mentorship were highlighted as key qualities of effective leaders.

Motivation, the leadership coach said, is not something bestowed upon individuals but rather a product of the environment they are in. For employees to remain motivated and committed, it is crucial to cultivate work environments that naturally offer the motivation they seek.

The expo’s host committee chair, Glenn Schellenberg, said the event’s seven-year history is filled with consistent growth and success, adding the 2024 edition aimed to promote existing businesses in rural Manitoba while encouraging new entrepreneurs to step forward with their ideas.

“Our goal is to foster a new awareness of the need to support both new entrepreneurs and existing businesses,” Schellenberg told the Sun. “It’s essential to raise awareness within our community about the opportunities available and how we can encourage the establishment of new businesses while also supporting those already here.”

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Schellenberg expressed satisfaction with the event’s consistent attendance, averaging 100 participants annually.

“Attendees appreciated the professional setup of the expo, showcasing 28 booths and seating for 72 attendees,” he said. “We’ve never seen that in this space and that means people are quite impressed that we were able to pull this professional event together.”

With plans to move the expo to Oak Lake next year, he said, “it remains a beacon for individuals seeking knowledge, networking opportunities and support for their business endeavours.”

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