Posts Categorized: Marketing & Strategy

Beer Store Losing Money?

Posted by & filed under Marketing & Strategy, Student life.

Description: It’s a headline that sounds like a joke: the Beer Store is losing money. But the retailer owned by the big breweries has lost about $50 million in the last year. Part of the problem is the pandemic, with tavern closures shutting down the sales of kegs. The availability of beer at grocers has… Read more »

The High Cost of Construction

Posted by & filed under Canadian Economy, Marketing & Strategy.

Description: The nesting phenomenon – people renovating homes during the Covid-19 pandemic – has bumped up both lumber demand and prices. And, of course, this has driven up the cost of building a new home. The cost of thousand board feet of 2×4 has increased from $550 pre-Covid to over $1,400 this spring. Ouch! Date:… Read more »

Canada Goose Flying

Posted by & filed under Marketing & Strategy.

Description: Despite the global corona virus pandemic, Canadian clothier Canada Goose has been flying high. With traditional retail establishments in reduced operations, Canada Goose has taken advantage of digital commerce. With three of its eight Canadian factories unionized, CEO Dani Reiss has also spoken out against the notion that the maker of luxury jackets is… Read more »

Defying the Odds

Posted by & filed under Marketing & Strategy.

Description: Many would probably say that the pandemic has been a terrible time for business. But a number of entrepreneurs have confounded the conventional wisdom by starting businesses in Canada during these tough times. For instance, Mike Livingstone saw losing his job as an executive in the transportation business as a chance for him to… Read more »

Changes Coming

Posted by & filed under Accounting Careers, Marketing & Strategy.

Description: For the last year or so, grocery stores have done quite well. Shuttered restaurants boosted sales at grocers as consumers were unable to eat out as they had been doing pre-Covid. Loblaws has reported its sales are up 10% over the previous year, but expectations are that 2021 will not see the same levels… Read more »

Under Armour

Posted by & filed under Marketing & Strategy.

Description: Despite the tough times for many businesses during the pandemic, Under Armour showed strong quarterly results in recent reporting, with revenue exceeding expectations. Under Armour, like some of its competitors in the athletic wear segment, is trying to take advantage of the workout at home boom in a time of social isolation. E-commerce sales… Read more »

Mortgage Below 1%

Posted by & filed under Contemporary Business Issues, Marketing & Strategy.

Description: This may never have been seen in Canada before: a mortgage rate below 1%. CanWise Financial’s President, James Laird, stated that the 0.99% figure HSBC placed on offer is “definitely eye catching.” And that may just be the point. Samantha Brookes, the CEO of Mortgages of Canada observed that “banks are being aggressive in trying… Read more »

Employees as Owners

Posted by & filed under Marketing & Strategy.

Description: The Corona virus is just one of the things shaping the economy. Another factor is the sale of businesses by older entrepreneurs as they transition towards retirement. Jon Shell, a co-founder of SaveSmallBusiness.ca, argues that Canada should join Britain and the United States to create employee ownership trusts, a strategy to transfer businesses to… Read more »

Seven Lessons from Entrepreneurs

Posted by & filed under Marketing & Strategy.

Description: A paint store where the owner gets in trouble for taking a day off. A fitness equipment company with sales booming rather than tanking. A gym owner switching to online training. These – and four more – are stories of Canadian business owners dealing with Covid challenges since March. The seven were profiled by… Read more »