Locking in Wellness for 2023

Locking in Wellness for 2023

by | Jan 16, 2023 | Interview, New Blogs

Happy New Year!

Although you can set clear goals at any time of the year, new year’s resolutions have a unique significance since you start with a tangible marker: a new calendar year! You can motivate yourself to succeed by telling yourself that you will accomplish your objectives before the end of the year.

Suddenly, the public gyms are crowded as fitness and establishing new healthy habits top the list of resolutions. Considering this, have you ever wondered why the gyms are less crowded in February? For starters, people may be wary of getting hurt or feeling fatigued, or they push themselves too hard at the beginning.

Even though most gyms offer sessions to introduce and help members become familiar with the various equipment and machines, people may injure themselves if they are inexperienced and not well-supervised. Additionally, it’s challenging enough to get started, but it can be discouraging when results don’t appear soon enough to meet expectations.

Even though you might be tempted to “throw in the towel” (pun intended!), we have some tips for you from a certified personal trainer!

Helpful advice from a qualified source.

Mandy Rust, personal trainer and the owner of Forge Fitness Studio, recently spoke with us about how to establish and keep your fitness resolutions.

Mandy suggests that one of the greatest mistakes many people make is trying to tackle too many bad habits at the same time. It becomes more challenging to keep up with them all. People are creatures of habit, and it usually takes at least 90 days to break a habit. We often feel like we’re “failing” if we don’t succeed in all our objectives right away, which may then sabotage the rest of our efforts.

The best approach to success is to work with someone who can help you achieve your goals. It can be a waste of time and energy to reach for objectives without establishing effective strategies first.

Accountability is key. Your chances of success are considerably increased when someone is holding you accountable. Next, think about planning your workouts into your day to increase the likelihood that they will happen. You might also consider forming a buddy system to hold each other accountable while exercising. And finally, remember to rejoice in minor victories because even the smallest actions can have a tremendous impact!

Meet Mandy.

Mandy began personal training 12 years ago and launched her mobile business, Build a Better U, ten years ago. Mandy would go to her client’s house and design workout sessions using the equipment her client had on hand.

Classes transferred to zoom during COVID-19. During the long weeks and months of the pandemic, Mandy decided to build Forge Fitness Studio, a small training facility. This brand-new gym is a hidden gem in south London’s Westminster neighbourhood. The studio is a semi-private facility with a maximum capacity of five people at one time.

A smaller studio offers several advantages. For example, the setup is ideal since it makes going to the gym more comfortable for those who may feel self-conscious (aka, “gymtimidation” or “gym anxiety.”) It is also convenient for people who wish to concentrate on their workouts without long waits for machines to become available. Finally, because there are fewer distractions overall, it’s beneficial for the trainers since they can be attentive to their clients as they work out.

Forge Fitness Studio offers the following features:

  • A multi-use cable system
  • Dip attachment
  • Leg press attachment
  • Pull up bars
  • Rogue squat rack
  • Powertec multi-gym (chest press, incline, decline and flat, shoulder press, abs crunch, lat. pull-down, hack squat, trap pull, decline sit up)
  • Battle ropes
  • Dumbbells 5-100lbs
  • 12 ft Climbing rope
  • Treadmill and rowing machine
  • Landmine
  • Other accessories

Mandy provides a blend of online, mobile, and studio sessions. The studio is currently accepting new members, and she has a few spots open for personal training clients. She also hopes to expand and is looking for trainers to use the facility for their training clients.

Over to you!

You’ve probably heard the phrase “New Year, New You” more than a few times now. But maybe this is the year you’re ready to take that step, and Mandy Rust would love to help!

Learn more about Forge Fitness Studio by checking it out on Facebook and Instagram.  You can also contact Mandy directly via private message through social media or by phone/text at 226-377-9268.

Here’s to a fantastic start to 2023 that will lead to you being a healthier, fitter, and more well-rounded individual!

Written by: Jennifer Hanford, MYOB Blogger

An Interview with Tyler Jeffery

An Interview with Tyler Jeffery

by | Sep 6, 2022 | Bookkeeping, Business Tips, Interview, New Blogs

On Thursday September 1st, our CEO, Karen Try met with Tyler Jeffery who is an Account Manager at The Business Development Bank of Canada [BDC]. In his role, Tyler works with small to medium-sized businesses to provide guidance and assistance in all areas of financial management so they may increase profitability and boost the value of their company.

The Business Development Bank of Canada [BDC] complements the charter banks and is a financial institution devoted to Canadian entrepreneurs. It is a Crown corporation that operates at arm’s length from their sole shareholder, the Government of Canada. The mandate of the BDC is to be the bank for all entrepreneurs, offering support for the business life cycle and making entrepreneurs’ well-being a priority. The BDC provides funding and advice to small and medium-sized firms in all industries and stages of growth.

Industries such as manufacturing, wholesale, construction, transportation, food, and beverages have been hit hard by the pandemic and have reached out when they have reached their line of credit. Because of flexible financing, advisory services, and smart capital, the BDC can often support businesses when charter banks cannot.

If you have additional questions about the BDC, you can visit their website: www.bdc.ca or contact Tyler directly at tyler.jeffery@bdc.ca. During their one-on-one, Tyler and Karen discussed various topics that small business owners may find useful. Read on to learn more.

Q&A with Tyler Jeffery

Q: What is the most common challenge that leads a small business owner to seek advisory services?

A: Business owners are good at what they do but often find they are lacking in financial management. Owners get consumed by the day-to-day business management. Tyler’s role is to assess the business’s current financial situation, identify gaps, and then help them to prioritize processes to improve cashflows and avoid financial pitfalls in the future. 

The duration of the program is 8-12 weeks. During this time, Tyler advises his clients on the available funding opportunities, either in the form of financing at a reasonable interest rate or grants that are currently available. One example is the current grant referred to as the CDAP [Canada Digital Adoption Program] that was implemented by the government in January 2022. This grant helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) build their digital plan and adopt digital technologies to increase their competitiveness.

The CDAP covers items directly related to the digital plan, such as the following:

  • Acquiring IT equipment
  • Installation of new technologies
  • Updating and/or expanding IT equipment
  • Training staff on onboarded technologies
  • Materials and support services directly related to onboarding the technology
  • Further advisory services on particular aspects of the digital adoption plan

Source: bdc.ca

Q. Do you have general tips to help all business owners avoid financial pitfalls in their business?

A. The ability to analyze cash flows and maintain regular financial oversight is crucial for business owners. Developing financial acumen can reveal more opportunities to boost cash flow for a better and healthier organization.

 

Q. At what stage in a business’s life cycle would you recommend that a small business owner get in touch with you?

A. Tyler works with business owners at all stages of their business life. A new business owner that brings experience, a solid business plan, and cashflow projections can benefit from the services of the BDC. Generally, a small business would go to the BDC after 24 months in business with demonstrated growth and $250K – 350K (CAD) annual revenue.

 

Q. Since many small business owners relied heavily on rent and salary subsidies to survive the pandemic, they agreed to take out a loan that now must be paid back in full by the end of 2023. Can the BDC help those already cash-strapped businesses?

A. Where a chartered bank generally requires securities for lending, the BDC can be more flexible in financing a business with strong cash flow projections and a solid business plan. In other words, if a business is currently operating with positive cash flow and is solid overall, the BDC may be able to help as financing is typically more flexible.

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