business

Avis Budget buys Zipcar for $491M

itg2016-06-03T18:34:07-08:00June 3rd, 2016|News & Updates|

"Avis is leaping into the car-sharing service business by buying Zipcar for $491.2 million, aiming to capture a new type of customer and technology that will vastly expand its car rental options. Car sharing has become a popular alternative to traditional rentals in metropolitan areas and on college campuses, allowing members to get a vehicle for an hour or two for short trips instead of renting a car for a day or using mass transit. The segment has been growing while traditional car rentals have struggled in the current slow-growth economy. Perhaps it's now the time to expand your own business [...]

Technology ‘Golden era’ coming_Amazon’s Jeff Bezos

itg2016-06-02T21:01:42-08:00June 2nd, 2016|News & Updates|

"Amazon founder Jeff Bezos says when it comes to technology, "We're on the edge of the golden era." Bezos offered a glimpse of his vision of the future during an interview Tuesday at the Code Conference in Southern California. Of artificial intelligence, Bezos says, "It's probably hard to overstate how big of an impact it's going to have on society over the next 20 years." Bezos says Amazon has 1,000 people working on its Alexa platform, which powers the company's popular voice-controlled Echo device." Technology can't seem to be stopped, and it's likely that these innovations, and the countless others that are [...]

New platforms easier for investors to get data

itg2016-05-30T17:53:44-08:00May 30th, 2016|News & Updates|

“When worried investors ask the management of a privately held company how it’s doing financially, there’s often a scramble to provide them even the most rudimentary information. ‘We call it ‘interns and Excel’ – people will get on the phone and say, ‘I haven’t heard from you in three quarters,’ and they’ll send them a PDF or a Google spreadsheet,” said Raymond Luk, founder and chief executive officer of Hockeystick.co, a financial-technology startup that helps companies share financial and other relevant data with investors. ‘When you add it all up, there are hundreds of millions of dollars being discussed as if [...]

Deadline looms for businesses planning to sell

itg2016-05-20T19:14:08-08:00May 20th, 2016|News & Updates|

There is a feature in the new federal budget that has private business owners making the decision to sell their business. According to the budget, private businesses will pay more taxes on the sale of their business starting January 1st, 2017. According to The Globe and Mail, "tax experts say the move, which was intended to simplify the tax system, is inspiring some business owners readying for a sale to finally pull the trigger" to sell. Have you been thinking of selling your business? Maybe this is just the motivation you needed, and there really isn't that much time left until [...]

Canada’s job growth in Toronto & Vancouver

itg2016-05-19T12:52:55-08:00May 19th, 2016|News & Updates|

According to CBC News, Toronto and Vancouver have accounted for the entirety of job growth in Canada. Which means, as BMO's chief economist puts it, "That means the rest of the country has created precisely no new jobs in the past year". This is all the more unusual because, according to the same economist, those two cities account for 25% of Canada's total employment. Perhaps this is an indication that job creation may be coming down to the individual. It may be time for you to acquire a business, and create your own employment, particularly if you don't already live in Toronto [...]

Job seekers create their own jobs

itg2016-05-17T19:40:07-08:00May 17th, 2016|News & Updates|

Financial pundits confirm what BC Business Brokers is seeing in practice: the current decline in unemployment rates is partly a result of job seekers deciding to make their own jobs by purchasing an existing business. They are combining skills and experience gained in the workforce with savings and severance funds to invest in a solid future. Sunbelt BC Business Brokers (West Coast)'s Michael Naprawa particularly enjoys helping these clients find the perfect fit. He takes time to ask questions and listen: 'What are your strengths and weaknesses?' 'Do you want to be hands-on or just management?' 'What is your passion?' Prospective [...]