Being invited into a community, to listen, work and guide is a privilege SEF has always and will continue to be humbled and excited by. Working alongside passionate people to create long-lasting, sustainable businesses is a thrill and challenge that SEF treasures. Between earned trust and pragmatic business principles, from cultural listening to workshops on entrepreneurial development, SEF has been encouraged to see meaningful economic and social change in countless projects they have been a part of. The Piġuqtuq Entrepreneurial Inspiration Project in the Northwest Arctic Borough in Alaska is no exception

With millions of folks identifying as 2SLGBTQ+, with 1 in 5 Gen Z identifying as such (Gallup, 2022), the norm is shifting - and so is the language we use. Whether you personally identify as 2SLGBTQ+, want to be a better ally, or have been curious but too shy to ask, we're providing this quick newsletter. This isn't exhaustive nor end-all defining, but when it comes to doing better business, inclusivity is part of creating Sustainable Economic Futures.

Why is it important for business owners to know?

SEF June Pride + National Indigenous History Month

June 1st hits and we see logos turn to rainbows with hashtags like hashtag#loveislove and hashtag#lovewins and hashtag#pridemonth being put out everywhere.

Then July 1st rolls around and the logos go back, the hashtags end, and it seems like it's all temporary.

June isn't just Pride month though - it's also National Indigenous History Month in Canada.

Working across the globe means that SEF has come into contact and formed relationships with an incredibly diverse and inspiring group of people. From South America to Africa, Mexico, Mongolia and on home soil in Canada, SEF has been encouraged by the spirit and tenacity of so many whose paths have overlapped with theirs. One such person is Richard Jackson, also known as “Rocky”, from northern BC in Canada, a town called Telegraph Creek.

Tax Season Has Arrived

If you are like me, it is stressful!

If you find tax season stressful, you are not alone. Many consider the top causes of stress to include lack of time, lack of money, health issues, and being overburdened. Small to mid-sized business owners face those same stresses plus we can add lack of control to the list.

Where truth meets impact: SEF - A unique sustainability report

Prevailing industry standards has meant reports regarding key performance indicators for a mine’s operations have commonly been written by external agents.

Many now suggest significant insight and indication of operational success could derive more clearly from those on the ground. Written from within a project that was sponsored by the mine but run by the community. A report that tells the full story, highs and lows, as written by the community itself. A report like this may ring truly transparent and useful.

Civic Pride: Your city, by you and for you

Understanding what drives the health of a city is integral to economic development. Many vouch that it is largely financial investment that will kick-start economic growth. Others will say it's gathering a team of external experts to lead the way in skills and educational growth. And while both these components are necessary and useful, they are not the core. The core to economic development, and sustained economic development at that, is civic pride. It is people in the community caring about their city, caring about the people in it, and leading others to adopt this community-centric approach to life, commerce and well-being.

“When the right opportunity finds you…”  have you heard that?

We believe that opportunities are not found or something that “finds” you, you have to seek for opportunities, and sometimes create them.

This is the case of thousands of people who migrate to Canada every year, not just hoping to find the right opportunity but often creating it.

Being away from home is not easy at all. Like many people, missing home is part of my story.

Wow I just read the Harvard business review that said stop telling extroverts to be extroverted when they're not. I am telling people that forever.  

I agree 100%, why do we tell people to be something they're not? Why do we try to teach people things that they don't want to be taught? It makes them unhappy. Or afraid, or feel like a lesser human being.   

October is Small Business Month, and we're celebrating!

At SEF Canada, we love to celebrate entrepreneurs and their small businesses. We all know that businesses create jobs and pay taxes, but what other impacts are we celebrating?