IN THIS NEWSLETTER
Upcoming opportunities, events and workshops
Entrepreneur Spotlight – Sharon Evans, SEVA Meditation
In case you missed it – Recap and video link to our May Entrepreneur Ecosystem Coffee Break: Succession Planning for Small Business
How to connect with us!
OUR NEXT WORKSHOP
Navigate presents: Bookkeeping Basics for Entrepreneurs
Four Mondays from May 31-June 21, 7-9 pm
Learn the basics of bookkeeping: record-keeping, CRA registration, cash flow management, accounts payable and accounts receivable, bank reconciliations, and more. You’ll also be introduced to the steps needed to maintain your financial records using accounting software.
Join us for four interactive, virtual sessions that will provide a broad overview of critical bookkeeping tasks.
Registration for these sessions is currently full, however we hope to offer these sessions again in the near future. Please send your name and email to Allison at allisonr@grenfell.mun.ca to be added to the wait list.
UPCOMING EVENT
Navigate presents: Entrepreneur Ecosystem Coffee Break – Show me the money!
Join us to meet with local business advisors and learn about the many opportunities for funding, mentorship and the other resources that are available to help you start or grow your business.
June 24th, 11:30am – 1:00pm
Please register in advance here!
This is a free online event.
In partnership with Spicer Facilitation and Learning
ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT
SEVA* Meditation, founded and owned by Sharon Evans, CHSEP, is built on passion, research, well-being and humanitarianism. Ms. Evans is an accredited meditation expert and business professional with more than 30 years in the educational and corporate world.
She is trained in Transcendental Meditation from the Maharishi Institute and is a certified Primordial Sound Meditation Instructor from the Chopra Centre University, Carlsbad, CA.
SEVA Meditation is located in Pasadena, NL. The Navigate Entrepreneurship Centre asked Ms. Evans a few questions in order to find out about her experiences as an entrepreneur.
*SEVA: A Sanskrit term meaning “selfless service.”
Navigate: Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
Sharon: For me, becoming an entrepreneur was a natural progression. Having personally received many benefits from my own meditation practice, the progression of self-awareness naturally and gently led me to share this wonderful technique with others. Consequently, I trained with Deepak Chopra and his team in California and became certified as a Primordial Sound Meditation Instructor in 2015. That’s when I began my business and teaching of meditation. The most important aspect of living, I believe, is realizing our true potential, and sharing selflessly with others.
Navigate: What is the main goal of your work/describe your organization’s aims?
Sharon: The main goal or mission of SEVA Meditation is to lead others to self-awareness, self-realization and guide others to a simple. peaceful, and joyful existence. What we are we share with others – this clarity of our true self becomes visible to us over time and with practice. Meditation is not so much about learning as it is about unlearning! So, I guess the aim of my work is to teach others the ability to “unlearn.” I remind others that we are not separate from anyone or anything and that we are sharing this beautiful existence together.
Navigate: What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs/startups?
Sharon: A suggestion for startups may be to remember that the number one person you are here to become is you…the Authentic You! Whatever that is, be that. Believe in yourself, your goodness and that you are making a difference. The world is waiting for each one of us to become entrepreneurs of life. Our life’s journey is our business. We know that life contains risks, financial and otherwise; however, when we follow our true purpose, we notice that things fall into place more easily and we are naturally and, sometimes surprisingly, supported with our endeavours. These are attributes that set a solid foundation for you and your business.
Navigate: Tell us about the challenges you faced when starting a business and about your biggest successes.
Sharon: One of the biggest challenges I faced was my own self-doubt. I was my biggest critic – it was me and only me that stood in the way of moving forward toward my goals. I would remain on the treadmill of life with the “same-old-same-old” conditioning for many years. I could execute failure in my mind easier than success and following my joy and pleasure was something I was not accustomed or used to. I was taught to work hard at a job for money and to do what I enjoyed to do in my spare time (which was very spare). In my pursuit of a different path, I experienced many hours of contemplation and also a great deal of suffering until I became comfortable with moving in the direction of my joy. I began to notice that this is where my magic is. Even though the self-doubt still appears, it is now small and insignificant when compared to the joy I now experience. Success for me is not measured on a financial scoreboard. My business in an investment in me, in others, and in the world. I am truly rich and blessed beyond belief!
Navigate: What is the number one piece of advice you would give to someone starting a business?
Sharon: It’s not so much advice as direction I would give. I would direct you to your small inner voice. I sometimes refer to as the voice of your heart. This inner voice is always attempting to be heard. It speaks a language that is gentle, soft and quiet and that is probably why it is often overlooked or missed. It is the voice that lets you know what’s best for you and your life and eventually your life’s business. Having a person in your life who believes in you, supports you and is willing to listen when you feel less sure of yourself (as we all do sometimes) can be a wonderful asset and treasure during all times of life, but especially so when starting a new venture. Reach out to others for support in times of need and offer yourself to others in service. Discern what lights you up, what motivates you and fills you with joy and pleasure, what makes you smile and feel good, and go do that! This, my friends, is why we are here: to follow our joy and share with others. “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” Confucius said. I agree and can attest to this being 100 per cent true!
For more information, visit the SEVA Meditation website or Facebook page.
SEVA Meditation Upcoming Retreat
Sign up now for the Mindful Wellness Retreat from June 11th – 13th to support three local entrepreneurs (Sharon Evans, SEVA Meditation, Carmelita Morgan, Carma Yoga, and Roseann Brake, Rocky Brook Acres) who are part of our ecosystem have banded together to offer a moment of reprieve from the pandemic.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
During this month’s Entrepreneur Ecosystem Coffee Break, we discussed the importance of Succession Planning. A big thank you to Mark Tierney, from ACOA, and Tobi Biggin, from CBDC Humber, who joined us and shared some key insights. What was their advice?:
– Start early. Start planning now!
– Talk to the experts, i.e., tax advisor, lawyer, accountant, etc.
– Stay objective and emotionally detached.
– Develop a mentoring plan.
– Ask for help. Talk to your family and friends.
– Know your value.
– Be prepared for it to take much longer than you think!
Another important point that we discussed, was that succession planning is not just for retirement. It is a valuable plan in the event that your life circumstances change and you want to exit your business. It is also an essential road map to help maintain the value of your business while preserving good relationships with business partners, investors, family members, clients and employees.
What’s more, succession planning is important for all businesses, big and small. It was particularly interesting for the sole proprietors on the call to think about the value of their businesses. Many of our solopreneurs – who are often the face of their business and their brand – had not considered the thought of selling their businesses when they are ready to stop working. As one solopreneur put it, it was a wake-up call to realize that there was value in the relationships she had built. Best advice from our experts? Think of your business as an investment.
A huge thank you again to our presenters:
Mark Tierney, ACOA (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)
Mark is available to speak to entrepreneurs about funding opportunities available from ACOA. He is also deeply connected to the informal entrepreneur network and often hears about opportunities to sell or buy a business in the region. He can be reached at mark.tierney@acoa-apeca.gc.ca or 709-632-2749.
Tobi Biggin, CBDC
Tobi is the Executive Director at CBDC and is available to discuss funding programs with entrepreneurs. In relation to Succession Planning, CBDC has funding available through their Consultant Advisory Services (CAS) Program to help entrepreneurs hire an expert to do a business valuation prior to selling. This can be very valuable for both the buyer and seller and will be conducted by a certified expert in this area. To learn more, contact Tobi at 639-3061 or tobi.biggin@cbdc.ca or visit their website.
Eligible CAS activities include:
• Diagnostic assessments
• Business Management Development Practices
• Access to Capital
• Market Readiness/Export Potential
• Specific Studies/Business Plan Mentoring
• Business Coaching
• Business Valuation
• Aftercare/Mentoring and Follow-Up
Additional Resources:
• Website for some HR training from Government of NL: http://www.nlhrmanager.ca/
• Website of businesses for sale: http://www.businessatlantic.ca/en
• Funding programs from Government of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/business.html
Also, don’t forget to Like and Follow the entrepreneurs who joined us to present their businesses:
• Alison Butler, Alison Butler Consulting, Mental Health First Aid instructor and wellness speaker. contact@alisonbutler.ca
• Sharon Evans, SEVA Meditation ️ www.sevameditation.com
• Janis Evans, The Roost in York Harbour www.theroostatyorkharbour.com or janisevans@bellaliant.net
• Edwina Bateman, AVAIL HR, edwina.bateman@gmail.com
And Connect with the other ecosystem partners and support organizations who joined us on the session:
• Andrew Hibbitts, Economic Development Officer (Western NL) and Tourism Development Officer at RDÉE TNL. (709) 649-7765 or ouest@rdeetnl.ca
• Brent Decker, Government of NL, brentdecker@gov.nl.ca
• Scott Andrews, Futurpreneur, sandrews@futurpreneur.ca (Are you between the ages of 18-39 and considering buying a business? Futurpreneur can help!)
