Thoughts and success stories

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…

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…

  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…

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…

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…

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…

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…