E D M O N T O N J O U R NA L e d m o n t o n j o u r n a l . c o m W E D N E S DAY, J A N UA R Y 7, 2 0 1 5 B7

“A lot of people think that focusing on the negatives or on failure is not a good thing, but I would argue the opposite … we pull all our failures, and even things we feel are successes, and poke holes in them to rehash what can be done better or in a more efficient fashion ... It’s not ignoring the negatives or failures, but highlighting them and trying to draw positivity out of them.”— Nate Box, founder of Elm Cafe (elmcafe.ca), District Coffee Co. (districtcoffee.ca) and Burrow Cafe (burrowcentralstation.ca)

RSVP AT CAPITALIDEAS35.EVENTBRITE.COMWHEN: JAN. 21, NOON TO 1 P.M. WHERE: THE EDMONTON JOURNAL (10006 101ST ST.)

COMMUNITY QUESTION:

Where do you see business going in the Capital Region in the next five years?Entrepreneurs muse on the direction business will take in the future

Brad Ferguson, president and CEO of Edmonton Economic Development Corp. (edmonton.com), has a positive outlook.“Our dependency on oil prices will be replaced by our addiction to innovation. Edmonton will emerge as Canada’s most entrepreneurial region, a powerful force in technology, health care and education, with unlimited opportunity for youth.”Hear more Capital Ideas questions answered at the Impact luncheon on Jan. 13, livestreamed on edmontonjournal.com.

“Despite recent volatility in our economic driver, oil, the economy is cyclical and our province will continue to thrive. I see diversification in industry, and I continue to see migration to our province. It all makes for exciting times.”— Desmond Chow, senior financial adviser at ATB Securities Inc. — is.atb.com/poitraschow

“We see our business growing at a moderate pace in keeping with the economy. We are a business-to-business firm, so our work depends on the confidence that businesses have in the economy. Even though we don’t work in oil and gas, we’re impacted by it.”— Sue Heuman, co-owner and principal at Focus Communications — focuscom.ca

“I see business continuing on the upward trend. We have such a strong entrepreneurial spirit here, and as such, the innovation that is being created on a monthly basis will move us forward.”— Dennis Michael, founder of Wake Creative — createyourwave.ca

“I’m not sure where I see my business in five years. I hope that it will grow and be a thriving business; however, being an entrepreneur means rolling with the punches, so it could be anywhere. What I do know is that I, the force behind it, will be going strong.”— Deirdre StLuke, corporate storyteller at Deirdre StLuke

“Business growth will go up substantially from the growth in the energy sector. Managing North America’s second largest petroleum industrial park puts me in an environment with a global perspective on our largest industry. While not visible on the outside, the amount of global attention and incoming investment that is coming is nothing short of incredible. With Edmonton and the surrounding energy regional partners, the growth trickles down into housing, retail and every other industry closely tied to population growth.”— Rod Valdes, business development officer at Leduc Nisku Economic Development Association — internationalregion.com

“In the next five years, I see businesses needing to become more and more innovative. Businesses need to respond to the changes in our society, and as a society, we are asking for more flexibility and innovation. I believe more people will be working from home or working on multiple career paths at once, and there will be more entrepreneurs reaching to solve the problems of today.”— Faye Holt, owner and operator of Dayhome Registry — dayhomeregistry.com

“I foresee the rise of independents and one-offs! Edmonton is already witness to the next, more confident generation that’s ushering in a new wave of enthusiastic local talent and business prowess. These are exciting times for both budding entrepreneurs and consumers alike.”— Jennifer Kennedy, broker and owner at Kennedy Real Estate — kennedyrealestate.ca

“Overall I think there will be growth and in diverse areas. I think the government at various levels has initiated strategies around diversification, and that will help; however, a lot more has to be done to make a significant impact. Fluctuation in oil pricing will have impacts on the start/stop of various projects, so growth will be at a slower rate than the past, but the incentives for new startups and industry diversification will help offset that. Our competitiveness globally will help us weather many storms.”— Ashif Mawji, CEO of NPO Zero — npozero.com

“I see the economy and business in Alberta staying strong in the foreseeable future. With the price of oil coming down, I only see that as a chance for business to take a breath. Good business people make money in good times and in bad, but I don’t see bad times in our future. Having smart goals and a solid plan for the future will insure continued success.”— Laurie McNaughton, ActionCOACH business Coaching — actioncoach.com/lauriemcnaughton

“With tens of thousands of new Edmontonians arriving each year, it can’t help but be good for business. Low oil prices will slow or stall new megaprojects, but there is already a good base to keep people employed. So, it looks good to me.”— Bill Dowbiggin, strategic partner at Corporate Solutions Canada Inc. — corporatesolutionscanada.com

“We are very fortunate to live in a province that has the highest per capita GDP in Canada. The result of this prosperity has been growth in our population, which in turn has stimulated business in our region. Although the economy may slow down given the drop in oil prices, I think that this growth will continue — even if at a slower rate — because the existing population still requires goods and services to survive.”— Debbie Engel, owner of Debbie L Engel Professional Corporation — depc.ca

“Business will follow opportunities, and opportunities continually emerge as things change around us … That’s why a regular review of your business plan is such a constructive step. It can be a valuable guide into the future. For 2015 and beyond, we’ve found that walking step-by-step with entrepreneurs and their team of business professionals is the key to maximizing opportunities.”— Jim Ewing, co-founder of Pro-Vision Solutions Inc. — linkedin.com/in/JimEwingProVision

“While I’m sure everyone is aware of, and concerned with, the price of oil coming down, it is important to recognize that we still enjoy one of the most robust economies in the world. We can hope that the current market volatility is temporary and that the price of oil will recover quickly. At the same time, businesses and individuals need to exercise financial restraint in order to maintain the strength and stability in the capital region. Conservative growth and a positive attitude will get us through this period of discomfort. The economy is cyclical and will recover.”— Jeremy Fearnley, partner at Grant Thornton — grantthornton.ca

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2015 TEC VenturePrize Launch & CelebrationA celebration of 13 years of VenturePrize success and the official launch to the 2015 TEC VenturePrizeWhere: Enterprise Square (10230 Jasper Ave.)When: 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.Admission: Free. Tickets at tecedmonton.com/events

Learn from Alberta’s BestAlberta Women Entrepreneurs’ full-day program for entrepreneurs who want to take their businesses to the next levelWhere: Shaw Conference Centre (9797 Jasper Ave.)When: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.Admission: $135. Tickets at aweinspiringentrepreneurs.com

Alberta’s Best — Nominee ReceptionAn event to honour AWE’s 2015 Celebration of Achievement Award nominees Where: Shaw Conference Centre (9797 Jasper Ave.)When: 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.Admission: $60 to $75. Tickets at aweinspiringentrepreneurs.com

Innovation and Design ThinkingAn intense immersion in the design thinking process with Douglas Solomon, formerly of IDEO and AppleWhere: Startup Edmonton (10359 104th St.)When: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.Admission: $1,995. Tickets at uofa.ualberta.ca/executive-education

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CAPITAL IDEAS

This question was posed by Kris Kasawski of Park Power (parkpower.ca) as part of our Community

Question series. To submit a business question of your own, visit capitalideasedmonton.com/ask.

Getting the word out about your business is key, but some-times it’s hard to know the best way of doing so. That’s why Wellington Holbrook, executive vice-president of ATB Business, wants to hear from you.

What’s the best marketing advice you’ve received?

You can answer the question in two ways:• Open today’s Capital Ideas email if you’re a member, or• Visit capitalideasedmonton.comWe’ll publish the best answers, along with your busi-

ness name and website address, on Jan. 14. For more great information on what business owners in Alberta think, visit atb.com/businessbeat.

CAPITAL QUESTION: What’s the best marketing advice you’ve received?