Shopping Local is Where It’s At

Find Everything You Need. Save Money. Shop Local.

[Updated Mar 21/20] All links below open in a new window. Please allow popups for our site.

What Can We Help You with Today?

The world is in the midst of COVID-19. Businesses are closed. Retailers are struggling. The world as we know it is changing at lightening speed. As a small business we are doing everything we can to support clients, knowing at the end of this crisis many clients will leave, cancel or put services on hold, simply because their own businesses have strunk beyond recognition.

While we alone can’t do enough to keep every business thriving, we can do our small part to help each of these businesses get found online. There are so many deserving local business who need support at this time. If you want or need any of these services, please consider supporting one of these businesses.

Get Your House or Business Spick & Span!

Cleaning with Class is one of Regina’s oldest and most trustworthy residential and commercial cleaning services. They regularly take precautions to minimize the likelihood that cross-contamination occurs including fresh rags for every room/surface (most companies only use fresh rags in each house), spray with disinfectant cleaning products to kill household germs and wash before entering and exiting your home. All of their staff are bonded and many staff are long term employees ~ being with the company since the beginning, nearly 18 years ago.

Need a Hand Communicating with Customers?

Communicating with your customers during times of uncertainty is hard. What to say and what not to say; finding just the right words. Tiffany Wolfe, a member of our virtual team, can help you write those words to be clear, concise and correct at any time. Whether a few social media posts or significant communication materials, she can help. Contact her here.

Bookmark Travel and Events for Later

The travel industry is being hit especially hard by COVID-19. One of our past guests on the Secret Life of Entrepreneurs, Anne Gibbons from Gibbons Travel, is watching her livelihood disappear. Travel is not allowed at this time, unless travellers are returning home to Canada. When the restrictions are lifted, and the bans removed, consider talking to Anne about domestic, international or warm-weather destinations. ⛱️

Events are not top of mind right now, unless you are a professional event planner, like Eleven Events. If you’ve attended an event by Eleven Events, you know the calibre of show produced.

Dress Up, Dress Down, Dress Comfy

Speaking of warmer weather, this lock-down before spring still seems to require an extra sweater or two. Maybe it’s the stress, maybe it’s the temperature, but one of my favourite “warm me up” sweaters is a 3/4 length turtleneck sweater I bought from Amaranth Designs. A local women’s fashion designer, Rea makes comfortable clothes that fit and flatter real women. 🥶

[July 2017] Out and about this week and I realized how much I rely on our local retailers.

Co-working and #GetShitDone

As a virtual employer, we have an office located downtown at Queen City Collective, but spend the majority of our time with clients onsite or working virtually, as a team and with clients. One of the businesses we rely on to #GetShitDone is BLG Business Solutions, another virtual business working with entrepreneurs to solve their tech woes. Co-working with these businesses means lower overhead, greater efficiencies and improved service for clients. Co-marketing is new to Canada and Saskatchewan, but it is a huge operating model in the US. Co-marketing, for clients, means experience you can trust at rates you can afford. 👍🏼

As a small business we rely extensively on the service of other small businesses for insurance with Prairie Benefits, real estate with Terrie Dunand and legal advice from KMP Law. We are also members of the Better Business Bureau of Sask, the Regina Chamber of Commerce and BarterPay, a national network of businesses trading products and services. If you are not a member, I highly recommend them! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Get a Sweat on then Get in My Belly

Early in the week I stopped in at Lakeview Fine Foods.  If you haven’t had a chance to visit them, I strongly suggest you do.  You’ll see the same staff day after day, they know their products and they know their customers.  In grocery, that seldom happens anymore.  My favourite story about the staff, the butcher in particular, happened a few weeks ago.  I was buying chicken thighs and asked how long I needed to cook them.  I was just drawing a blank; I couldn’t remember if thighs were like ribs and needed to boil first, or if I could just quickly cook them.  The butcher’s response was, as straightforward and dry as could be, “Until they’re done.”  Then he realized I might take offense to his response and quickly checked my response.  I chuckled pretty good.  I think he was a little relieved.  wink wink  Good place.  Great folks.  Check them out.

I also dropped into Opex Fitness Regina more than a few times to work with my coach Luke Rossmo.  I really enjoy the environment at Opex and am always surprised how hard I work on my own versus the competition of someone else doing the exact same work.  For the most part I am seeing slow steady progress.  Keyword: progress.  All good. It’s amazing how many online supports exist for those that don’t want the gym environment. Health Coach Cheryl has a Simple Swaps program to teach folks how to eat healthier, more simply. Nadine Howard has Healthier Lifestyles, where she takes you back to the basics of a simple, healthy nutrition plan and Robyn Michon has Robyn Michon Coaching, helping you create better relationships with your partner. From physical health to mental health, we can all use a little extra support.

Once I got my workout done and my groceries in hand, I still had a few minutes to spare so popped into Brewed Awakening for my favourite latte (non-fat, decaf ~ it was the middle of the afternoon. 😃) and Springer & Oake to grab some delightful, locally-made soap and lip balm (favourite flavour is root beer!).

Planning on heading out to shop today? #ShopLocal

Complete transparency disclaimer.  When I wrote the original blog post, none of the businesses mentioned were clients. Today, some are, or were clients; however, that does not change my support of these local businesses. These are my real thoughts.  Those who know me, know I don’t BS well.  I’m a straight shooter.  

Check these places out, and if not these local businesses, find your own local favourites.

Have a great week!