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The LIFT membership category for Vancouver Island community organizations

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Introducing the LIFT for Community Organizations membership package. Get listed, get your organization LIFTed with our award-winning promotional team.

  • Sign up for monthly LIFT for Community Organizations membership here (saving 48% on the Basic LIFT membership)
  • Sign up for annual LIFT for Community Organizations membership here (saving 67% on the Basic LIFT membership)

 

Why a LIFT for Community Organizations membership package?

Community organizations – non-profits, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), ad hoc committees and collectives – are important parts of quality of life and economic development in our Vancouver Island communities.

That’s why LIFT has created a new membership category just for NGOs: LIFT for Community Organizations.

NGOs are in the business of creating better neighbourhoods, environments, schools, and a host of other services. Like other service-based businesses, NGOs need to be doing marketing, financial management, business development, networking, etc. LIFT can help. We want Vancouver Island community organizations to consider these benefits to being part of the LIFT business and community economic development network:

Marketing and business development

  • Listing on Vancouver Island and region’s best promotional business directory, including social media promotions, valued at $1200 annually.
  • Access to discounts and promotions from our Digital Partners at RTOWN (10%), Spring Activator (25%), Shopify (15%), Rebel (25%), and more in development.

Benefits

  • Access to the LIFT health & benefits packages offered by LIFT members (tailored for solopreneurs and small businesses).
  • Member-to-member discounts and offers value at $2500+. Make sure your listing includes your offer!

Networking

  • Membership in the most dynamic, growth-oriented business network on Vancouver Island and region.
  • Four free #WeAreYQQ Parties (PitchFest, WinterpreneurFest, MoneyFest, Summer Social) valued at $200
  • Discounts on BizOnDeck workshops

 

A membership rate that reflects the special place of NGOs in our community economic development ecosystem

In recognition of the service NGOs are providing in building the health of local business and community economic “ecosystems” LIFT is offering monthly and annual membership packages.

Are you ready to upgrade your community organization to LIFT membership benefits?

  • Sign up for monthly LIFT for Community Organizations membership here (saving 48% on the Basic LIFT membership)
  • Sign up for annual LIFT for Community Organizations membership here (saving 67% on the Basic LIFT membership)

Or call HPM at 250-792-1408

Congratulations to Andrea and Jabin – winners in our June LIFT Local promotion!

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To find out how you can win see LIFTlocal.ca

Thanks to these LIFT businesses for fuelling our local business campaign

  • Atlas Café
  • Bosley’s by Pet Valu Courtenay
  • BodyNetix
  • Coastal Coworking
  • Derm Essentials Medi-Spa
  • Hornby Island Soap & Skincare
  • Inner Strength Acupuncture and Health
  • Lupine Art Studio
  • Laughing Oyster Books
  • Panther Workwear
  • Pure Audio Centre Ltd.
  • Sure Copy Courtenay
  • Toscano’s
  • My Tech Guys, and
  • The Waverley Hotel.

LIFT Local – and Win!

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Did you know that for every $100 you spend at a local business, $46 is recirculated back into the local economy?

That’s one of the reasons LIFT is focused on local entrepreneurs and creatives: your businesses are the best way to achieve long-term economic stability and resilience in our Vancouver Island communities.

That’s why every month we celebrate local by giving away prizes for Instagram “selfies with local business.” It’s easy to play:

  • Find one of our participating businesses (see our directory);
  • Take a selfie with an owner or staff member;
  • Post it to Instagram with a few words about the business (eg. their website or Instagram @name), add the #LIFTVIP and #BCBuyLocal tags, and you’re in to win!

How LIFT businesses benefit

Think of this as an easy way to generate social media content about your business. Some tips:

  • Invite your customers to play;
  • Encourage your staff to engage customers to win;
  • Encourage other LIFT VIPs play;
  • Ask us for a poster or other promotional materials to help promote your business and local business in your community and on the Island.
  • Be one of the sponsoring businesses and get weekly social media tags on content you can share on your business accounts.

Thanks to these LIFT VIP businesses for fuelling our “buy local” promotion

Atlas Café, Bosley’s by Pet Valu Courtenay, BodyNetix, Coastal Coworking, Derm Essentials Medi-Spa, Hornby Island Soap & Skincare, Inner Strength Acupuncture and Health, Lupine Art Studio, Laughing Oyster Books, Panther Workwear, Pure Audio Centre Ltd., Sure Copy Courtenay, Toscano’s, My Tech Guys, and The Waverley Hotel.

LIFT Startups wins Entrepreneur Promotion Award (BC Region)!

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Comox Valley networking group receives top recognition at Startup Canada Awards, Vancouver, May 30, 2018

LIFT Startups has been recognized as the ‘Best Entrepreneur Promoter’ in British Columbia. The organization received recognition at the Startup Canada Awards ceremony held in Vancouver on Wednesday, May 30th.

This award comes at a time of exciting growth and innovation for the Vancouver Island networking community of 150 members. The Comox Valley-based organization is attracting local entrepreneurs and creatives from Victoria to Quadra Island. Founder and CEO Hans Peter Meyer says it’s because “LIFT is dedicated to providing dynamic and collaborative business and marketing solutions. These are appealing to Island entrepreneurs – especially those who are interested in growth.”

This week the team is adding another benefit to help Island businesses: a map-based directory that will support LIFT’s business and community economic development mission. “There’s a lot of support for ‘local’ in our communities,” Meyer says, “We’re inviting our members to make this directory the go-to place for Vancouver Islanders looking for the best businesses the region has to offer.”

This new website showcases one of the ways that LIFT supports local talent, by giving them a new way to feature new products and services and grow new markets. “Our BizOnDeck workshops give us an ear to the ground on what businesses are needing to grow,” Meyer says. “Our team has honed in on the bottom line: Island entrepreneurs are ready for change— they are looking for connections, they’re open to support from their peers and from mentors. They’re looking for organic business opportunities to grow.”

LIFT invites you to join them at their next event, the First Annual LIFT Summer Social on June 14. “We’re looking forward to celebrating our ‘first 150’ members – and inviting them to tell us how we can make LIFT even better as a way to help grow their businesses!” Meyer invites any Vancouver Island entrepreneur to use this code to get a 50% discount on up to two Summer Social tickets.

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ABOUT LIFT STARTUPS

Based in the Comox Valley, LIFT Startups is a business and community economic development network that is leading, inspiring, and fuelling entrepreneurial talent to create Vancouver Island’s “next economy.” Nominated business leadership (2016), for networking excellence (2017), LIFT has won “Best Social Media Organization” in 2016 and 2017.

For more information, contact:

Hans Peter Meyer, Founder and CEO, LIFT Startups

LIFT Podcast: Adam Speigel talks about BDC – and about Adam Speigel

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Adam Speigel works with the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). BDC has been helping Canadian entrepreneurs since the 1940s. In 2017 and 2018 BDC has helped sponsor specific LIFT Startups events. In April 2018 HPM talked to Adam about BDC, and about Adam Speigel. Tune in for Adam’s comments about his failures and learnings, his scariest moments, what he’d do with $1M to support local entrepreneurs, and his favourite restaurants.

LIFT leaders: Sue Finneron of Finneron Hyundai

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I’ve been the general manager here now for about sixteen years. But I
started washing cars when I was eleven years old and I’ve worked through all the departments.
~ Super Sue Finneron, 2017

Sue Finneron is a pioneer in the automotive industry: a female leader in a predominantly male environment. As a graduate of the Canadian Automotive Institute in Barrie Ontario, with a diploma in Automotive Marketing Management, Sue was motivated to be the best in the industry. That determination was rewarded in 2016 when Finneron Hyundai was named top Hyundai dealership in Canada.

LIFT: What do you think makes your business “special” or different from what others are doing in your sector?

Sue: It’s the people in the building. Everybody that works here, cares. It’s not just a job or a paycheque. They care about our customers and each other. It feels like an extension of family. We went through a big change, from GM to Hyundai a few years back. Without a steady team, especially in the back end, that would have been tough. But we had great people who stuck with us through that change, and great customers too. They enabled us to make the change successfully.

LIFT: What are some of the things that Finneron Hyundai does that people may not know about?

Sue: Our service department. In 2017 we won two Comox Valley Record Readers’ Choice Awards, one for Best Automotive Service. We’re very proud of our service team.

LIFT: Tell us about your favourite marketing channels.

Sue: I enjoy live radio, and it’s been very a successful platform for us – that’s where I got the “Super Sue” name, by the way. Right now I’m liking Facebook – because we can see how what we’re doing is working with customers. This changes every month. It’s constantly evolving, and we’re having a lot of fun with it. For anyone who’s just getting started with Facebook marketing, I have to add one thing: you’ve got to be on top of it, responding to all the likes and comments. These are very important. They are how you reach people on an individual basis.

LIFT: Why did you decide to become a LIFT Solution Sponsor?

Sue: I love the selflessness and the vision of LIFT. I share the LIFT values when it comes to growing our Valley’s economy towards prosperity, that we have to start by inspiring and leading entrepreneurs at the grassroots. When I was asked, I thought, what a unique opportunity to be involved! I believe that “giver’s gain,” that the more you give, the more you get. LIFT gives me an opportunity to give to our entrepreneur community.

LIFT: What do you see as some of the benefits that LIFT brings to entrepreneurs?

Sue: Definitely the experience of putting their businesses “on deck” and pitching – that benefits everyone! The experience and education of being “on deck” is priceless. And there are so many people willing to help. If you’re in business, I encourage you to get out there and ask for help! People will make time when someone asks, or they may pass the info along to someone who has the answers.

LIFT: What’s something we may not know about “Super Sue?”

Sue: I’ve been teaching spin classes here in Courtenay at Fitness Excellence since 2000. I do it because it gets me to the gym. Otherwise, it’s too easy to sit at my desk. I find if I have a commitment to other people – in this case, teaching a spin class –  it makes it easier to make things happen, like staying fit!”

Finneron Hyundai

The photographer and co-author

Amy Criss was LIFT’s Social Media Intern in 2017. She is also the owner and operator of West of Cedar product photography, and in 2018 Amy launched Simply Birth Photography. Find her on Instagram at @simplybirthphotography.

This series

LIFT Startups is an award-winning social media and business development organisation. This short interview post is part of a series about the entrepreneurs who are part of the LIFT network on Vancouver Island. For more information about how your local business can benefit from LIFT, please set up a meeting with founder HPM by calling him at 250-792-1408 or via his online calendar at https://liftstartup.wpengine.com/meetwithhpm/.