Thoughts and success stories

A successful business doesn’t just happen. Like a garden, a healthy business requires planning, nurturing, and a hospitable environment. It also requires experimentation, adaptation, and…

Welcome to our “Ask the Expert” series for co-op start-ups. In this guest blog post, Michele Hengen from People First HR Services discusses three Human…

When the pandemic started, Modo Carshare Co-op‘s business took a big hit. But by focusing on what was best for their members and staff, the…

This year parents had a difficult decision: send their kids to school or keep them home?  While a first for most parents, it’s nothing new…

Governance lessons come from many places. Sports. Family. Canoeing. The analogies are endless. But real-life business failures offer the best sources. Because failure — especially…

Photo by Jon Flobrant on Unsplash It’s common knowledge that a board of directors should include members with a mix of skills and experience. Every…

Photo by Joshua Coleman on Unsplash You’ve probably heard someone say they “wear a lot of hats.” For people serving on a co-op board of directors,…

Photo by Luz Fuertes on Unsplash Want to be a kick-ass board chair? Start the Good Governance Matters course today!   Every board needs a…

What are the secrets to good co-operative governance? Dr. Murray Fulton and his colleagues at the Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives have identified…

Photo by Mathias Jensen on Unsplash   With the ongoing public health crisis, co-op leaders — like other business leaders — have faced the enormous…

Photo courtesy of Co+Host Collective The word “Millennial” has come to mean “change” in business circles in recent years. And while discussions around these changes…

Photo by Loic Leray on Unsplash When deciding whether to start a co-op, people’s first question is often about risk. How much risk am I…

When you’re at a pub with friends, and the waiter brings the cheque, what do you do? Do you split the bill evenly? Pay the…

  It’s a misconception that co-ops don’t have or need profit. In fact, it’s just as important for co-ops to be profitable as other types…

Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash Creating rules for a co-op? Write it down. Encouraging members to run for the board? Write it down. Entering into…

  Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash Across Canada, provinces are relaxing restrictions on businesses, after three months of social distancing measures. As businesses start…

During a crisis, an organization’s decision-making process is put to the test. While there is no template for how best to manage a crisis, a…

For National Indigenous Peoples Day, we usually attend a large gathering in Saskatoon called Rock your Roots Walk for Reconciliation. The event is a celebration…

The most important thing to understand about being a member of a co-op is this: as a member, you are an owner of the business. …

What started as a conversation about a lack of “cut and wrap” services on a ranch driveway in the Boundary region of BC is about…