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Thoughts and success stories

Economic Development on First Nation: Chief Darcy Bear

Whitecap Dakota First Nation has achieved immense economic growth in the past 30 years. In this fascinating episode, Chief Darcy Bear talks about the success…

Read More February 23, 2021 • Aasa Marshall

5 things a board needs to do once their co-op is up and running

Incorporating is a big step for a co-op. It makes the business a legal entity, allows it to open a bank account, sell memberships, and…

Read More January 26, 2021 • Kyle White

Doing the right thing: the Conexus Kindness Capital Fund

  Displays of kindness were quietly taking place throughout the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some people gathered food for those in need. Local…

Read More December 21, 2020 • Dan Matthews

How Co-op helped western Canadians get into the giving spirit 

December is a special time of the year — the giving season. It’s a time when organizations, businesses, corporations, and even families and individuals give…

Read More December 18, 2020 • Tanner Bayne
community service co-op

Hand in Glove Co-op Weaves a Thread through Communities

Photos taken in 2019, and provided by Hand in Glove Community Service Co-op    From the outside of a stalwart brick church in the north…

Read More December 10, 2020 • Aasa Marshall

How small towns create the services they need

Big changes are happening in small towns. Baby Boomers are approaching retirement. Urban amenities, career advancement, and higher wages are pulling many young people away…

Read More November 25, 2020 • Kyle White

Starting a co-op? Do a business model canvas

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…

Read More November 3, 2020 • Dan Matthews
humanr resources cooperatives

Ask the Expert: Managing HR ‘hotspots’

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…

Read More October 27, 2020 • Michele Hengen

Modo Carshare Co-op: Caring during a crisis

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…

Read More October 23, 2020 • Aasa Marshall
co-operative school

At-Risk Together: a co-operative school for immunocompromised kids

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…

Read More October 15, 2020 • Tanner Bayne
governance-lessons

5 Governance Lessons We Can Learn From A Failed Co-op

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…

Read More September 24, 2020 • Kyle White

A delicate balance: how to form a Dream Team board

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…

Read More September 17, 2020 • Kyle White

How to Wear Two Hats: A Co-op Governance Challenge

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,…

Read More September 10, 2020 • Kyle White

How to be a kick-ass co-op board chair

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…

Read More September 3, 2020 • Kyle White
the-common-share-co-op-talk

The Common Share: Good Governance Matters with Dr. Murray Fulton

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…

Read More August 26, 2020 • Aasa Marshall
leadership

3 Ways to Show Leadership in the “New Normal”

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

Read More August 20, 2020 • Kyle White
consulting co-operatives

How two consulting co-operatives embrace “Millennial values”

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…

Read More August 11, 2020 • Tanner Bayne

What is limited liability, and why is it important?

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…

Read More August 6, 2020 • Kyle White

Who pays the bill? Co-op start-up capital 

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…

Read More July 24, 2020 • Kyle White

Breaking New Ground: Talking co-ops with Kristen Wittman

Read More July 24, 2020 • Aasa Marshall
co-ops profit

5 Reasons Co-ops Need Profit

  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…

Read More July 9, 2020 • Kyle White
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Co-operatives First

Funded by the Co-operative Retailing System and Federated Co-operatives Limited, Co-operatives First promotes and supports business development based on the co-operative model in rural and Indigenous communities across Western Canada.

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