Moving is challenging, as you have to coordinate everything perfectly so that you can move straight from your old property to your new one. Unfortunately, this isn't always possible. The purchase of your new home may take longer to close than you had expected, or any renovations you are working on for your new property could run past their scheduled completion date.

In these and other similar cases, you won't be able to move into your new property right away. If you have already sold your old home or given notice to move out of a rental property, you'll need somewhere else to stay until your new home is ready.
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Of course, you could stay in a hotel for the duration, but this can end up costing you a lot of money on top of your moving expenses, especially if you will be displaced for an extended period. Here are some other options available to you to help you save a bit of money in this area.

​Many hotels offer attractive rates for those who plan on staying for an extended period. Some have full kitchens, bachelor suite or 1 bed room suites. As an added bonus, hotels also offer amenities like washer and dryer, parking, free local calls, gym, pool.  Some are pet friendly. 

​Websites like Airbnb and VRBO make it easier than ever to find properties to rent temporarily. If you choose to go this route, you'll be renting a fully furnished property that the owners treat somewhat like a hotel. Each property owner sets their own specific rules for their guests, so be sure to do plenty of research in advance to ensure you can find a property that can accommodate children, pets and any other needs you have.

​Of course, you always have the option of staying with friends and family if they'll allow it. Family and friends may even let you stay with them free of charge, but you shouldn't assume that this will be the case. Always offer to pay your way. Even if your host chooses not to take you up on your offer, they'll still appreciate that you took their needs into consideration.

When it comes to real estate, the only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain. You could be without a permanent home for just a few days, or it could go on for months on end. Take some time before you move out of your current property to come up with a contingency plan in case things don't progress as smoothly as you had hoped.

​Building a positive workplace culture results in happier employees, which in turn, increases your production rates. Basically, a happy workplace is good for everyone. The question is, how can you create a positive, supporting workplace culture quickly. Check out these tips to get started!

​You might tell your employees that you have an open-door policy, but do you really make them feel comfortable approaching you? Take a few minutes each day to interact with your employees. Listen to their ideas, and help them solve problems they're having. When you show genuine interest in your employees, they know that you care about them and appreciate the work they do — and they'll be a lot more comfortable entering your office to have a chat when needed. Also, say "hi" to people you pass in the hallways and smile frequently — it's important for the boss to lead the way and small gestures like this show your employees that you're happy and they should be too.

​Don't be afraid to let loose once in awhile. It's good to have some fun with your employees. It shows them that you're just a regular person, not someone who's powerful and scary. Host company-wide events such as a family picnic or an office holiday party. You can also host team-building events for each team. Simply choose fun activities that require team members to work together such as a trip to the nearest escape room facility.

​Set reachable goals for your employees each month and give recognition awards to employees who meet or exceed their goals. Alternatively, start an Employee of the Month program and let your employees nominate their co-workers for the award. Also, when an employee reaches a small milestone, be sure to let them know that they did a great job.
Creating a positive work environment doesn't have to be difficult. The key to success is getting your employees to bond and interact with each other and ensure they feel valued and supported.

If your company has staff meetings, you know all too well how quickly these regular meetings can become boring, unproductive, and a real drag on employee morale. The good news is that with a little creativity, you can transform your typical meetings into original, exciting events that deliver real results for your business.
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Here are some tips you can use to make your next meeting more productive and original:

​Guest speakers can add a fresh perspective, transforming your typical meeting into an event. Look for guests who your team might not normally have the chance to meet in person, such as a supplier who you only speak with on the phone, or a customer who uses your products or services on a regular basis.

​They say hindsight is 20-20. If you only would have known. As a business owner, you may already have a few things you wish you knew. Would you have hired that one person? Perhaps you would have started your company sooner. While it is important to look back, reflect and learn from these decisions, it is also important to realize that, when you are at the end of your business ownership, your wishes may be much different.

​There are many things business owners wish they would have done differently. Here are some common themes that seem to come to light.

​It's quite common for businesses, especially those starting out and looking for solid footing, to actually make the move to get rid of employees that do not fit the mold. However, we know today from our workplace culture that it's important to create a sense of culture, respect, and dependability. Some business wonders wish they would have taken a problem employee into the office and let them go long before they did damage.

​Many business owners wonder about risk. For some, taking on too much risk is just too much of a worry. For others, it is all about not taking enough. When you are there, at the end of your life, you'll want to have taken that risk and experienced perhaps not only the thrill of the ride but also the struggles.
As you work to build your business, reach out. Embrace the community. Support each other. Provide mentorship opportunities. By taking these steps, you can solidify your business model now and learn from the mistakes and wishes of those business owners that came before you. It may be exactly what you need to push your business forward that extra level

Everyone likes to save money. Some save it in an account. Some save it under the mattress. But, if you could save money, while spending money. Counter-intuitive right? Well, we here at the Chamber of Commerce would like to show you this wonderful way of saving money. If you have just a little patience, you can save hundreds and possibly thousands every year. So, shall we start saving money?
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The secret to saving money while shopping is not clipping a whole bunch of coupons. No, the secret is to have patience, and by items at end of each season. Then, if you insist, clip those coupons, and save even more money.

• Home Gym Equipment - With more people doing their workout outside in the warm weather, manufacturers are eager to get rid of excess inventory. https://web.comoxvalleychamber.com/Sports-EquipmentSupplies​​
• Boats -It's off-season for boats and manufacturers want this big-ticket item off the books.  web.comoxvalleychamber.com/Marine​
• Cruises - Prices fall dramatically between January and March. web.comoxvalleychamber.com/Travel-Agencies

• Ski & Snowboarding Equipment – We're pretty sure no one is hitting the slopes. ​web.comoxvalleychamber.com/Sports-EquipmentSupplies

Don't buy spring fashion, furniture or new cars.

• Patio Furniture - As the temperature cools, so do the prices.
• Lawn Mowers - The grass is no longer growing and neither are the prices.
• Grills - the Bar-B-Cue season is unfortunately gone, but so are the markups.
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​Try to get your Christmas shopping done as soon as you can, the markups and crowds are coming to town!
See our Comox Valley General Retail page for a list of businesses.

Tipping in restaurants has long been the norm here in Canada, but despite the fact that it's a common (and expected) practice, how much you tip, when, and where, remains a personal and often highly controversial choice.
A recent survey by CreditCards.com shed some light into the differences between tipping habits not only across the country, by between different age groups, genders, and even political affiliations.

​Collectively, about 80 percent of the survey's 1,002 respondents reported always tipping in restaurants, with the median tip rate being 18 percent, and people earning over $75,000 annually top the charts in terms of the average size of their tips.

Tipping isn't limited to restaurants - nearly one-third of those surveyed tip both the baristas in coffee shops and housekeepers in hotels, while two-thirds also tip their stylist or barber. Whether you tip when getting your hair done often depends on your age - the older you are, the less likely you are to tip outside of restaurants.
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In fact, tipping isn't the norm across the world - in many countries tips aren't expected, while leaving a tip in some regions is considered to be an insult. In Japan, leaving a tip can lead to confusion, while China is also a no-tipping country. Switzerland's labor laws mean that restaurant staff are already well-compensated through their salary, and therefore, servers do not rely on tips to make up part of their wages.

The Chamber provides resources to local businesses to help you succeed, with a focus on creating a strong thriving community. We encourage local entrepreneurs to stop in and get acquainted and learn more about what we offer. Sometimes learning from other's mistakes will keep you from having similar problems. Read more from Cindy and what she refers to when she looks back as her biggest regret in business:
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Cindy: "I have owned and operated several businesses in entirely different fields. These experiences have helped me to identify what I consider the top challenges, which have led to my biggest regrets. Although they were all different fields, I will address the restaurant, as it is the one area where I have learned the most about my mistakes after the fact."

Small and large businesses benefit from greeting clients and welcoming them to their business. It can be difficult to compete with other businesses, but by providing them with your best service and quality, you can succeed.

​Teamwork is critical for businesses in just about every industry, so it is likely that you will work as part of a team at some point in your career. Depending on your position within your organization, you may be called upon as a team leader as well. Here's what you need to know to keep your team members in line and ensure they follow your instructions willingly.

​When you first form your team, you need to establish yourself as the leader right from the start. Make sure that you are well-prepared for your first meeting so you can drive discussions and answer your team's questions. Let your team know that you are available to help whenever they need. Remember, you are the guiding light for your team members throughout the project, so stay on top of your tasks so that your team can follow you.

​Of course, you'll do plenty of talking as the team leader, but it is just as important that you listen to your team. Because they are the ones who will be doing most of the work as you manage, they can provide unique insight as to how the project is progressing and any trouble areas that might arise. Take your team's feedback to heart, but always keep your mind on the bigger picture as well. Your team members are each dealing with individual aspects of the project, and it is up to you to keep everyone on track towards your common goal.

​While you may be able to choose the members of your team, this is not always the case, and you may be required to work with people with whom you don't necessarily get along as friends. Although it is difficult, do your best to set your personal feelings aside. Keep your focus on the task at hand. Even if you don't like a team member on a personal level, that doesn't mean that you can't still work successfully together.

​Just as the captain goes down with a sinking ship, you are the responsible party as the team leader. While it may be easier to place blame on your team members for any mishaps, at the end of the day, it is you who is responsible for the successful completion of the project. Your team looks to you for direction, so if something goes wrong, you need to take responsibility.

​No matter what type of project you are working on, you need to show your team that you are in it with them. No one likes to see their team leader sitting back while they do all the work, so you need to be working just as hard as your team members. At each meeting, review their progress, but also show them your progress. This way, they'll see that you are working just as hard as they are, encouraging them to work harder for you.
Managing a team is not easy, but with careful planning and preparation, as well as a good dose of respect for your team members, you can give yourself your best chance of delivering your project successfully.

​Deciding between hiring in-house talent or outsourcing the job can be a tough call to make, and both options have their benefits and drawbacks. Here are some things to consider when choosing between the two recruitment options.

​While outsourcing can be a good thing, it also has its drawbacks. Your project may not receive the focus it deserves, you lose a little bit of control over the timeframe, and you have less control over the quality of the finished product. Before deciding whether to outsource a task or operation, consider these questions.

​Generally, anything that relates directly to the operation of your business should be handled in-house. For example, for some businesses, their social media marketing strategy is an essential part of their competitive advantage. In this case, a social media manager should likely be an in-house hire who shares your goals and vision for marketing campaigns.
However, duties like payroll, bookkeeping, and administrative tasks, though they don't relate directly to the vision of your business, tend to take a significant toll on overall productivity. Outsourcing these tasks, rather than hiring in-house, makes sense for most businesses.

​There may be a significant cost difference between a trained employee and an independent contractor. Oftentimes, if you're shooting a single promotional video or you want to create an app, outsourcing the job may make the most sense because it will spare your business the expense of investing in expensive equipment and providing highly specialized training. On the other hand, independent contractors may charge a relatively high daily rate, making outsourcing less than ideal for long-term projects.

​If you have a skills gap that needs to be filled quickly, then outsourcing makes sense. Rather than taking the time to go through the hiring and training process, you can hire an experienced professional who can hit the ground running.
In the end, whether or not you choose to outsource hinges on your timeframe for project completion, budgetary considerations, and how it will impact the efficiency and goals of your business. Using these as guidelines will help you choose the recruitment option that is right for your business.

​If your business were a car, your key employees would be the engine. These are your superstars, the heavy hitters who apply their talents and skill sets in their positions and generate massive results every time.

​As most managers already know, however, the reason why key employees are so in-demand is precisely because they don't grow on trees. If you're hunting for your next key employee, here is some of our best advice on where to look.

​The thing about key employees is that they're generally either employed or snatched up very quickly during the brief times they're unemployed and looking for a position. So who better to help you find your next key employee than someone whose business it is to match companies with excellent clients day in and day out? Professional recruiters have the relationships, experience, and the avenues needed to find candidates and find them quickly.

​Although the saying, "It's not what you know but who you know" gets thrown around at job-seekers a lot, the same logic also applies to employers who are searching for talent. You may not be immediately aware of anyone who could fill a key position, but perhaps a colleague you met at a seminar or a fellow professional association member might know someone. Or maybe instead of a professional peer it's a friend of yours who knows a recent college grad or a veteran who would be perfect for your position. All of this is to say that your professional and personal network is a resource that just might surprise you.

​Do you have any high-flying talent in your organization? Is there an employee who seems to have all the knowledge and personality traits needed to step in and do a fantastic job? Sometimes your future key employee is standing right in front of you. A lot of companies get so caught up in internal policy and creating a rigid system for potential advancement that they overlook the talent and potential for growth that's already there. An added bonus with this approach is that the candidate's familiarity with you and your company's culture are a potentially easy way to guarantee a relatively smooth transition.

​The Internet has long been used for research, networking, and business. Now, with the help of sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, and even Facebook, finding talent is literally just a few clicks away.
As effective as these relatively mainstream sites can be, companies don't have to resign themselves to these relatively mainstream avenues. Forums, Twitter, specialized job boards, and Internet hotspots like Reddit are all places where employers can find and discover talent with relative ease. When you're searching for your next key employee, you don't want just anybody to take the wheel. You want the best person for the job. However finding that future key employee is often easier said than done. Online sources, tapping into your existing network for possible referrals, promoting internally, and hiring professional recruiters are all options that can make finding your next key employee easier. Try one of these options and see how it works for you.