One of the most gratifying parts of my job is being able to help local businesses achieve their full potential. I believe that the best way to move a business forward is to integrate the latest technological advances into every facet of your organization.

GelaSkins has grown significantly by leveraging technology. They are a Toronto-based company that allows individuals to style and customize their digital devices with interchangeable, protective cases.

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Small businesses are essential to driving the global economy. In fact, many of the big name brands we love today started off as small businesses – even UPS.

Growing up in Toronto, Canada, I recall a sea of small businesses servicing our local neighbourhood. There was everything you’d ever need — a convenience store, bakery, dry cleaner, pharmacy, barber shop, small hardware store and several restaurants. However, the one business that always comes to mind when thinking about my youth is a local grocery store called Joe’s Grocery.

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Being the immigrant of a traditional blue collar European family, I had a first-hand glimpse into the challenges of motherhood. My mother played a very important role in our household, supporting the family at home as well as providing for us financially. She worked a regular job, and together with my father planned for our future. My mother taught me the value of hard work—displaying the spirit, commitment, and work ethic of a true entrepreneur.

In Canada, these inspiring “mompreneurs” are more than just a growing demographic. Statistics Canada recently estimated that women account for 80% of new business owners, and a large percentage of these women are mothers. And a study by the Calgary Mompreneur Networking Group recently noted that many mompreneurs are under the age of 40. This means that they have young families, and as any parent of a young family knows, finding time to streamline business processes (or for just about anything else for that matter) is never easy.

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When it’s time to start thinking about an international destination, many companies in the United States consider Canada. In a survey of business owners, UPS found that 23% of small and medium sized businesses indicate Canada as a key market and 21% said that they intend to increase or begin exporting to Canada within two years. What makes Canada so appealing?

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Jerry Ross (aka The Compass Guy) originally shared this story at The Compass blog. It’s the first story in our month-long series of UPSers as Everyday Heroes.

Little ditty about Jack and Diane, two American kids growin’ up in the heartland.
Here’s how a UPS guy – a bit of a star – saved the day for a customer with a boat and a car.
Oh yeah, life goes on … our guy solved the problem with his brains and his brawn.
Oh yeah, life goes on … and service might improve when your former shipper has gone …
 
I admit it. The Compass Guy is no superstar when it comes to playing guitar. But I enjoy trying. And John Mellencamp’s “Jack and Diane” is a favorite because it’s an easy, simple classic. Without doubt, it’s definitely a tune worth turning the amplifier up to 11 for – when Mrs. Compass Expert is out of the house, anyway.

Now, UPS folks don’t enjoy a reputation as being the best in the business for nothing. And Murray Wihlidal, a UPS supervisor in Canada, is a rockin’ example of how the folks in brown also can turn it up to 11 – or even 12 – when it really counts.

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Memories of the forest….

….. falling asleep in a bed of soft pine needles under the sinking sun

….. trekking gorillas in the highlands of Uganda

….. awestruck at the majesty of the mighty California redwoods

….. swinging on vines as a kid in the Maryland woods near home

These personal reflections were the beginning of a two-day workshop about the universal appeal of nature, conservation and the power of the world’s forests to combat climate change. UPS sponsored the event that included employees, customers and three non-profit organizations.

The workshop, conducted by the environmental research group Earthwatch Institute, gave participants the opportunity to learn about the science of climate change, to experience field research, and to share best practices about how corporations can help mitigate their environmental impact by supporting forestry projects. Participants met at the Gault Nature Reserve in Mont-Saint-Hilaire Quebec.

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Christopher Columbus had a global perspective when venturing half way across the world for international business. He set his sights on an emerging market and set sail, giving birth to ‘a whole new world.’ Lucky for us, conducting business in emerging markets in 2011 doesn’t have to be as gruelling as spending months at sea.

In Canada, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are becoming more global in their outlook on international business. Borderless business is becoming a reality for many, and an opportunity for all.    Read More »

A strong majority of Canadian business decision-makers say they would rather pay more money to buy materials from Canadian suppliers than source less expensive goods from overseas to widen profit margins.

The revelations come out of the third and final phase of a series of surveys conducted by Leger Marketing on behalf of UPS Canada that shows 63% of businesses would prefer to support their fellow domestic enterprises even if doing so means being less cost effective.

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Lack of interest and investment despite countless opportunities overseas

Newly-released data shows that small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are still hesitant to engage in international trade, despite the vast opportunities in the worldwide marketplace.

In part two of its three-part series to study SMEs’ global trade habits and attitudes, the survey, commissioned by UPS Canada, revealed that 52 per cent of SMEs would not take advantage of a free-trade deal with the EU — not because it’s with the EU, but because they have no interest in engaging in trade activity at all.

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When motorcycle owners purchase a bike, they often customize it to make it louder. However, a louder exhaust makes it almost impossible to hear the radio. Mike “Pez” Pesdirz recognized this unique opportunity, and began creating custom audio speakers for Harley Davidson owners. 

Like any new business, things started small. Pez used motorcycle chat rooms to talk about and sell the products. Hogtunes was run out of his basement and Pez was the sole employee. But like any good business, word-of-mouth spread quickly and by 2006, he moved into a warehouse and hired employees. That same year, Pez switched from the courier he had been using to UPS. 

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