Seminars, Workshops and Conferences

Come Celebrate Small Business Week with Us!
When: Tuesday, October 20th from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Where: via Zoom
Facilitated by: Carey McMaster, Founder and Capacity Building Specialist at TRAICON

Record Keeping Essentials – Keeping Your Business on Track

About this workshop:

Accurate and organized record keeping is essential to managing a successful small business. This practical session helps business owners understand what records they need to maintain, how to organize financial information, and how good record-keeping practices support informed decision-making and CRA compliance.

Participants will explore the fundamentals of recording business income and expenses, managing GST/HST and payroll obligations, maintaining supporting documentation, and organizing records using a practical and manageable system. The session also examines common business expenses, including motor vehicle and business-use-of-home expenses, and highlights the importance of keeping business and personal finances separate.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify the key financial and business records required to support effective record keeping and CRA compliance.
• Organize business records using a simple and practical record-keeping system.
• Record business income and expenses accurately and maintain appropriate supporting documentation.
• Understand basic GST/HST and payroll record-keeping and remittance responsibilities.
• Recognize common allowable business expenses, including motor vehicle and business-use-of-home expenses.
• Apply good record-keeping practices to better monitor their business finances and support informed decision-making.

Carey McMaster is the founder of TRAICON and an experienced business advisor, facilitator, and entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience supporting small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. She specializes in helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into sustainable businesses through practical training in business planning, financial management, marketing, and business growth. Carey is known for making business concepts straightforward, relevant, and easy to put into practice.

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When: Tuesday, October 20, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
Where: Zoom

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Come Celebrate Small Business Week with Us!

When: Thursday, October 22nd from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Where: BECN Boardroom (600 William Street, Cobourg).

About this seminar

Where entrepreneurs, business owners, and industry professionals come together! You’ll have the opportunity to engage in insightful discussions, explore new ideas, and network with others who share your entrepreneurial spirit. Get ready to connect, learn, and grow together with our vibrant community. We’re thrilled to have you with us!

The first half of the session will be a facilitated / educational component roundtable format to promote conversation, and participation voluntary. The second half will be open interaction.

Guest Speaker:

Shaelene McInnis of Books In Line Professional Services Inc.
Your Business Is Making Money… So Where Is the Cash? Why businesses fail despite having sales, profits, and customers.

Is your business profitable, but you still feel like you’re always waiting for the next payment?
Join Shaelene McInnis, owner of Books In Line, for a practical workshop designed for business owners who want to know their numbers, understand their cash, and make smarter decisions.

Learn how to:

• Understand where your cash is going
• Plan for everyday expenses and slow periods
• Recognize cash flow warning signs
• Build better financial habits to prevent unwanted spending

Because knowing your numbers is only the beginning. Know your cash. Make better decisions. Build a strong and thriving business.

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This session is for you if you’re exploring a food or beverage business or preparing to launch your first product.

In this free 60-minute online webinar, you’ll learn:

• Validate your business model and customer opportunity
• Define your value proposition and competitive advantage
• Understand the regulatory requirements for launching a food business
• Avoid common startup mistakes that cost founders time and money

Leave with the confidence to launch your business on the right foundation while avoiding costly compliance mistakes that can delay growth.

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This session is for you if you’re ready to turn great products into consistent sales.

In this free 60-minute online webinar, you’ll learn:

• Position your product for the right customer
• Build a pricing strategy that supports growth
• Increase sales across farmers’ markets,
• online and retail
• Understand what retailers and consumers are really buying

Whether you’re selling direct-to-consumer or preparing to pitch retailers, you’ll leave with practical strategies to accelerate sales.

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This session is for you if you want to build profitable food businesses—not just sell products.

In this free 60-minute online webinar, you’ll learn:

• Calculate your true Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)
• Understand unit economics and gross margins
• Build pricing that supports sustainable growth
• Improve cash flow and profitability

Revenue is exciting—but profit keeps your business alive.

Participants will receive a comprehensive Excel financial forecasting tool with completed examples to help build cash flow projections, pricing models and profitability forecasts.

Leave with the confidence to price strategically and make financial decisions that support sustainable growth.

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This session is for you if you’re ready to build a brand customers remember—and retailers want to carry.

In this free 60-minute online webinar, you’ll learn:

• Build a brand that stands out in a crowded marketplace
• Connect with your ideal customer
• Develop marketing strategies that actually generate sales
• Create a brand that grows with your business

Leave knowing how to build a memorable brand that drives awareness, loyalty and sales.

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This session is for you if you want to build food safety into your business from day one.

In this free 60-minute online webinar, you’ll learn:

• Food safety fundamentals every food business needs
• Practical production best practices
• How food safety supports retailer readiness and consumer trust
• Common startup mistakes to avoid

Build the systems that allow your business to grow confidently while earning customer and retailer trust.

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This session is for you if you’re preparing products for retail shelves, online sales or wholesale distribution.

In this free 60-minute online webinar, you’ll learn:

• Packaging that protects and sells your product
• Canadian food labelling requirements
• Common compliance mistakes to avoid
• How packaging influences customer purchasing decisions

Leave with a clearer understanding of how great packaging combines compliance, functionality and marketing to help increase sales and build consumer confidence.

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When: Wednesday, January 20th from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Where: via Zoom
Facilitated by: Carey McMaster, Founder and Capacity Building Specialist at TRAICON

Financial Planning for Businesses

About this workshop:

Understand the importance of financial planning and learn how to create a basic financial roadmap for your business.

This session covers key financial statements, budgeting and forecasting techniques to support informed financial decision-making.

Carey McMaster is the founder of TRAICON and an experienced business advisor, facilitator, and entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience supporting small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. She specializes in helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into sustainable businesses through practical training in business planning, financial management, marketing, and business growth. Carey is known for making business concepts straightforward, relevant, and easy to put into practice.

Register now

When: Monday, January 25, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Snow Date: Thursday, January 28, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Where: Council Chambers at 555 Courthouse Road, Cobourg
Facilitated by: Lisa Marie Einerson, Founder of Simple Desk Solutions

Build Your Own Marketing Plan

About this workshop:

Marketing can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to figure out what to post, where to show up and what you should actually be spending your time on.

In this hands-on workshop, Lisa Marie Einarson of Simple Desk Solutions will help you build a practical marketing plan around your own business. We’ll work through who you’re trying to reach, what you’re selling, your marketing goals, where you should be showing up, what you should be talking about, and how the different pieces of your marketing can work together.

This isn’t about doing more marketing. It’s about understanding what makes sense for your business and creating a realistic plan you can actually follow.

You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of your marketing priorities, content direction and actionable next steps for your business.

Lisa Marie Einarson is the owner of Simple Desk Solutions, a full-service marketing agency helping small businesses simplify their marketing and turn their ideas into practical plans that actually get implemented. Lisa works with businesses on everything from marketing strategy and social media to websites, email marketing, SEO, Google Business Profiles, content and digital advertising. Her approach to marketing is practical and straightforward: you don’t need to do everything; you need to understand what makes sense for your business and do the right things consistently.

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When: Tuesday, February 2, 2027 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Snow Date: Wednesday, February 3, 2027 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Where: BECN Boardroom (600 William Street, Cobourg).

About this seminar

Where entrepreneurs, business owners, and industry professionals come together! You’ll have the opportunity to engage in insightful discussions, explore new ideas, and network with others who share your entrepreneurial spirit. Get ready to connect, learn, and grow together with our vibrant community. We’re thrilled to have you with us!

The first half of the session will be a facilitated / educational component roundtable format to promote conversation, and participation voluntary. The second half will be open interaction.

Guest Speaker: TBA

Register now