August 15th - PARO Presents 5th Anniversary!

Now on * August 15th * - PARO Leads & Links

PARO Employment Opportunity

PARO invites applications from enthusiastic individuals with a degree in business, education, or equivalent. An understanding of the socio-economic needs of women seeking economic independence is essential. To apply you must have proven skills and experience in the following areas:

Regional Development Coordinator

·         conference and project coordination experience
·         workshop, program, and partnership development
·         technology-assisted curriculum development and learning methods
·         proposal and report writing experience
·         research and analytical skills
·         marketing strategies and evaluation methods
·         excellent leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills, verbal and written
·         computer skills in word-processing, spreadsheets, and presentation preparation
·         valid Ontario driver’s license required, as travel to designated regional Northern Ontario communities on a regularly scheduled basis is essential.

This is a salaried contract position with full time hours, with a three month probationary period. A detailed J ob Description is available. A cover letter, resume, and three references with permission to contact, must be submitted to Hiring Committee, PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise, 110-105 May St. N., Thunder Bay, ON P7C 3N9, Attn: Rosalind Lockyer, Executive Director by mail, on-site delivery, or sent by e-mail to rlockyer@paro.ca. by August 15th, 2007 at 2 P.M. Only those selected for interview will be contacted.

Fueling Connections

We would love to meet with you to provide any assistance that we can: to learn more about you and to share information about PARO and our programs.

On August 21, 22, and 23 the PARO on Wheels Team will be traveling East to Manitouwadge, Geraldton, and Nipigon. Please contact our team to make appointments. They look forward to meeting with you.

Tuesday August 21

· Travel to Manitouwadge

· Meet with clients from 3-6 pm for one-on-ones.

· The location has not been determined yet

Wednesday August 22

· Travel to Geraldton

· From 4-6 pm at the More than Words office

Thursday August 23

· Travel to Nipigon and/or Red Rock

· From 11 am – 2 pm

The team will then travel home to Thunder Bay .

Traveling with the team this trip will be:

Anke Starratt , PARO on Wheels Team paroonwheels@paro.ca

Karen Rogowski , Making a Difference makingadifference@paro.com

To set up appointments or learn more, please contact our team through the emails listed above or telephone the office at 807-625-0328

August 15 Leads and Links will celebrate the 5^th Anniversary of the PARO Store. Leads and Links will be held at the store: 111 N. May Street. from 5p.m. to 7 p.m.

PARO Leads & Links are held the fourth Wednesday of every month, from 5-7PM, and offer networking and learning opportunities, as well as great advertising opportunities for your business with display booths available at each event. To find out more about how you can promote and showcase your business, product, or service at PARO Leads & Links, or call Maria at 625-0328 or programadministrator@paro.ca

PARO Peer Lending Circles

Are you interested in opportunities to meet with other fantastic women?

Are you looking for opportunities to learn and share business knowledge, to access a variety of perspectives and experiences?

Peer support, mentoring and encouragement are among the many things that women can gain from being members of PARO’s Peer Circles!

PARO Peer Circles are groups of 4-7 women who are in business, are prospective entrepreneurs, or believe in women helping women. Circle members are also able to access PARO’s peer lending program for small business loans.

If you would like to learn more about PARO ’s Peer Lending Circles, please contact Pam at now@paro.ca.

Pam and Laura M have started calling Circle Members to update the information that we have in our database about the members and the circles. Please be patient with us as we make our way through the list.

Plans are now in full swing for our fall networking event that will be held on September 25. Keep checking the PARO Link for more information.

More Resources for You

According to this study, coffee is good for you! http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_health_news_details.asp?news_id=22258&news_channel_id=7&channel_id=7

The study undertaken by the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research found that found coffee-drinking women can retain their memories as they age.

How do you encourage children to be little green giants?

Sometimes getting our children to eat healthy is more of a challenge than others!
http://chealth.canoe.ca/columns.asp?columnistid=1&articleid=22152&relation_id=3224

Have you ever read the nutritional information available on the websites of your favourite fast food and coffee fixes? Last week I checked out the nutritional information available on some of my favourite treats and discovered something alarming. I have been careful to make what I thought were wiser choices about my fast food. I have discovered in one case that the muffin I had been eating has many more calories, and much higher fat content than does the Boston Cream doughnut that I really wanted to eat. Other choices have left me with nearly an entire daily limit of salt eaten in one meal! Check out and compare some of the sites listed below. I am sure that you will be amazed (and a little shocked)! Carrot sticks, anyone?

Tim Horton’s Nutrition Calculator http://www.timhortons.com/en/menu/menu_info.html

McDonalds Canada Nutrition Calculator http://www.mcdonalds.ca/en/food/calculator.aspx

Dairy Queen Canada http://www.dairyqueen.com/NR/rdonlyres/814B4E7C-7E1B-4076-9002-7B679A55AF30/0/DQNutritionGuide.pdf

Pitching to investors is a whole new ball game for most entrepreneurs. Investors give you one chance to throw the ball over the plate and capture their imagination. Considering what's at stake when you're selling to investors, it's one of the most important skills an entrepreneur can have. http://www.canadianbusiness.com/columnists/jeff_dennis/article.jsp?content=20070601_195521_5692

The Business Accelerator

Steps to Building a Profitable Customer Relationship

By Colleen Francis

Success in sales depends directly on your ability to make yourself likeable, and create a positive experience for your customers. The following tips are some of the best - and easiest - ways I know to help you create a more positive customer experience:

Love what you sell and the customers you serve.

If you are truly passionate about these couple of things, your willingness to help your customers solve their problems will shine through. Customers will believe your sincerity and be captivated by your excitement. In short - you will be fun to work with. Our studies show that customers prefer to buy from sales people who overtly show that they believe in the products they sell. Choose to be honest, open and empathetic to your customers' needs, and you will experience consistent sales growth, build an excellent reputation and become one of the top performers in your field.

Be empathetic and compassionate.

Truly care about your customers, and remember that no matter how good an actor you are, faking it simply won't work. Ask questions, take notes and lean in to show that you're engaged in their answers. When you take an interest in people, they remember you - and when people remember you, it's good for business.

Add value and give first.

Share your network of contacts with your customers, and don't expect them to give you their business without you giving them something first. I don't mean give away free product in the hopes they will buy more. Instead, give away things that increase your value - like a referral to a partner of yours, a solution to a business problem that you read about or heard from someone else, or even help finding a new dentist!

Express your true intent.

Tell customers upfront: "I don't know if there's a fit between what you need and what I have right now, but I'm hoping we can explore that in more detail during this meeting." Or: "I only have your best interests at heart, and I promise to be honest with you throughout our conversation. In the end, I hope that we can mutually decide if there is a reason to move forward. If not, that's fine too, and I hope you'll feel comfortable telling me so." This advice runs counter to 90% of the approaches I see being used in the field today. But then again, maybe that's why only 10% of sales people are top performers. Try it yourself a few times, and you'll be amazed at the response you get.

Don't go for the big decision all at once.

In our personal lives, we don't propose to someone on a first date (at least, not usually!). The same is true in our business relationships. So get approval from the customer to move ahead in increasing increments. The first approval might be just to agree to speak openly with each other, as outlined in Tip #5 above. The second could be an agreement on a follow-up call time or meeting date. The third might be gaining agreement on the decision making criteria or a commitment to present the demo, followed by an agreement to a "go/no go" decision date. All too often, I see sales people jumping way ahead of their prospect's buying curve. This puts the buyer and seller out of synch. When the sales person is trying to close while the prospect is still evaluating options or determining risk, trust is broken, the prospect feels pushed and the sale comes dangerously close to disappearing.

Use friendly, warm words.

When you use simple language instead of formal "business speak," people respond better and trust you more. So limit your words to three syllables max. And don't try to impress prospects with your extensive vocabulary, or you may end up just sounding fake.

Ask the right questions.

Successfully building agreement with your prospects depends on your ability to ask the right questions. What are the right questions? Those that move the prospect from an intellectual position of knowing they have a problem that needs to be solved, to an emotional state of trusting you to solve that problem in a way that will satisfy them.
In short, the right questions are those that reveal true buying motivations. Mastering the right questions will ensure that you and your client build a strong relationship, wherein you can both succeed - and profit!

Colleen Francis, Sales Expert, President/Founder of Engage Selling Solutions, since 2001.

The Business Accelerator Program at PARO Centre offers
Incubator Office Space for Rent!
Contact Suzanne @ 625-0328 for more information.

PARO’s advanced Business Accelerator program provides a flexibility of workshops, mentoring, business counseling, web and tele-classes to women who are already established in their businesses but want to ‘grow a little or shift a lot’. This program builds knowledge, skills, capacity, confidence and resilience as a business owner, and each participant’s program is specially tailored to suit their needs. Contact accelerator@paro.ca to find out how the program can benefit your business.

PARO's Accelerator project has been supported with a grant from the Canadian Women's Foundation Economic Development Collaborative Fund, a partnership of the Canadian Women's Foundation, CIBC, The George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation, The Ontario Trillium Foundation and an Anonymous donor.

This project is supported by Industry Canada / Fednor.

September 25th - Save the Date for PARO Circles!

ARE YOU A PARO CIRCLE MEMBER?

INTERESTED IN JOINING A CIRCLE ?

WOULD YOU LIKE TO FORM A NEW CIRCLE?

NEED INFORMATION ON PEER LENDING LOANS?

Tuesday, September 25^th Leads & Links Circle Potluck Meeting
5pm to 8pm

This event will be a “meet, greet and sharing of Circle experiences and NETWORKING”

Further details to follow soon...

Biz and Bagel

Biz and Bagel returns Monday, September 10, 2007

If you are in the region and would like to join us, we have limited spaces available through teleconference. Please contact Joni @ jsharkey@paro.ca or 1-800-584-0252.

This program is funded by the Government of Canada



Business Development Programs

Are you a Woman with a Disability?
Dissatisfied With Your Work?

Want to Become Self-Employed?

Are you a woman contemplating going into business but do not know where to start?

For more info, please call Joni at 625.0328 or 1.800.584.0252

Start Your Business Today. Let us help you!

Join the Making A Difference: A Business Development Program

Funded by:

The support of Government of Ontario through the Ontario Women's Directorate, the Ministry of

Citizenship and Immigration is acknowledged

PARO Self-Employment Benefit Program

PARO's GATEWAY: A Path to Self-Employment

On EI now or in the last 3 years, or had Maternity benefits in the last 5 years?

Register Today!!

Click here for more information

This program is funded by the Government of Canada

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Do you have a computer? Can you surf the internet easily? Why not try our new Pilot project...
PARO On-line.