ABCtech #13 02MAR14 Growing SMEs

ABCtech #13 02MAR14 Growing SMEs

The “Growing” Challenge – from Starting-up to Growing-up  Please complete – and circulate, the 10-point Survey  CLICK HERE

EDITORIAL. 

SME SURVEY Open – Engage now!

Are you interested in the growth of Alberta’s small technology businesses?  Please complete – and circulate, the 10-point Survey  CLICK HERE  The results will contribute to the design of site consultations across Alberta, April through September.  Here are some of the preliminary results:

Respondent’s profile mirrors ABCtech’s subscriber base.  All sectors represented including: Management & Strategy 33%, InfoTech & Analytics 32%, Engineering & Design 26%, Energy & Distribution 22%, (Finance, HR and Legal combined) and Government & Policy 19%@, Education & Research and Marketing & Communications 18%@, Construction & Real Estate 17%, Manufacturing & Export  and Environment & CleanTech 16%@, Health & BioTech and NGOs 15%@, Agriculture 14%, Forestry & Wood Products and Entertainment & Hospitality and Transportation & Logistics 5%@.

78% of respondents are either starting up or operating a micro (43%), small (31%) or medium (4%) sized business.  Of the remaining 22%, half are just interested and half work in government, education or an NGO.

Buyers, Sellers and industry Services are equally represented – excluding 20-25% that are just starting up, with Alberta their prime market, 2:1 over Outside Alberta.

Growth is important to 4:5 respondents – very (60%) or somewhat (21%), with only 3% viewing growth as not very to not important at all.

The proportion of small businesses growing, almost equates to the proportion not growing – excluding 21% of businesses where it was too early to tell. Growing – 48% report rapid (12%) or moderate (37%) growth and Slow/No – 52% report slow (40%) or none or declining (12%) growth.

Important (Very or Moderate) to small business growth are: Marketing 97%, Management 94%, Business Plan 90%, Manpower 89%, Networking 88%, Product Development 87%. Not very or not at all important are:  Mergers & Acquisitions 27%, Government Regulations 18%, External Investors 11%@, Professional Services 10%.

Impeding (Very or Moderate) small business growth are the availability of: Manpower 71%, Marketing 66%, External Investors 62%, Internal Investment 59%.  Not very or not at all important are: Professional Services 47%, Mergers & Acquisitions 45%, Metrics 38%, Business Plan 33%, Mentoring 32%, Government Regulations 31%.

Priority by small business would be for what is both Important and Availability Impeding growth: Marketing 94%, Manpower 88%, Management 82%, Internal Investment 80%, Business Plan 79%, Networking 77%.  Lowest priority would be for: Mergers & Acquisitions 37%, Professional Services 30%, Government Regulations 26%, Metrics 24%.

Most (Very or Moderate) effective for “helping” grow Alberta’s entrepreneurial and small businesses are: Industry Associations 47%, Incubators & Research Agencies 43%, , Angels and VC Networks 38%, Institutions of Advanced Education 37%, Professional Associations 35%@.  Not helpful or An impediment include: Banks and Financial Institutions 29%, Multi-national Corporations 24%, Government – Municipal Services 22%.

Local Co-hosts Identified – panAlberta

The first 15 organizations (*) have been appointed for co-hosting local site consultations across the Province. Additional sites are available and opportunities for other co-hosts to be paired with those already identified.   Please reply  if your organization is interested in serving as a local co-host for selecting the date and site, and marketing the event with podium access.  Contact – pkinkaide@ABCtech.ca or local (780)990-5874 or Toll Free 1(866)241-7535 Registration for the Site Consultations scheduled from April through September is expected to open in March with Marketing ongoing.

Northeast – Fort MacMurray*

Red Deer*

Northwest – Grande Prairie

Central Rural

North Rural – Lac La Biche*

Calgary* including Banff/ Canmore and Cochrane

Edmonton* including

St. Albert* and Leduc-Nisku*

South Rural

Drayton Valley*

Medicine Hat*

Lethbridge*

*First of two co-hosts Co-hosts identified