Canada Small Businesses Now Can Have Free Websites

Google Canada Offers Free Small Business Websites

First Published: Mar 31, 2011 EntrepreneurJourney.com

In the past, I wrote about the importance of having a business website: Why Your Business Needs A Website? I have a great news for those who haven’t yet started a small business website. Google Canada has just launched their free websites and .ca domains program for one year for Canadian small businesses.

According to Google, there are roughly 2 million small businesses existing in Canada and only half of them have online presence. Google has teamed up with other Canadian partners to make this free website program “Canada Get Your Businesses Online” (GYBO.ca) a reality. These partners are: The Globe and Mail, RBC, Rogers, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA), Silver Lining Limited, and Yola.com (free website builder tool).

Here is what Google is offering you for free for a year:

 Free .ca domain

 Free web hosting

 Free registering the domain

 Free advice

 Free tools

 Free $75 Google AdWords Credit

I encourage you to grab this opportunity. If you have been putting off getting your small business online, don’t delay and join the millions who are already benefiting from online presence. For more information, visit GYBO.ca and Google Small Business Blog 

Triangle World Elite MasterCard Provides Free Roadside Assistance

Triangle World Elite MasterCard Review

Canadian Tire is launching its new rewards program called Triangle Rewards. Its iconic Canadian Tire paper money will still be available to earn & redeem at Canadian Tire stores.

The Triangle Reward program will be offering 2 new credit cards, including a World Elite series MasterCard. This is the 3rd free World Elite MasterCard after PC World Elite and Roger’s World MasterCard.

Earn rates are:

4% back on qualifying purchases at Canadian Tire, Mark's, Sport Chek, and Atmosphere.

3% back on grocery store purchases up to $12,000K annually. However, Costco and Walmart are not considered groceries.

7 cents per litre on premium fuel and 5 cents back per litre on regular fuel and at any Canadian Tire gas bar.

1% back everywhere else.

Another interesting features this card offers is a free Roadside Assistance Gold Plan provided by Canadian Tire. If you purchase Roadside Assistance Gold it costs about $100. So by just having this card for free, you will be saving $100 on Auto Club or Roadside Assistance programs.

The Triangle World Elite MasterCard has another stripped-down version just called Triangle MasterCard. The return rates on this card are the same: 4% back on at Canadian Tire, Mark's, Sport Chek, and Atmosphere. You also get 5 cents back per litre on regular fuel, but no 7 cents per litre on premium fuel. It has 0.80 percent back on everything else. There is no 3 percent back on groceries.

If you qualify for the Triangle World Elite MasterCard, which has an $80K personal or $150K household income requirement, you should definitely get it because it provides value—especially the free Roadside Assistance Gold membership.

Scammers Are Personalizing Emails

Scammers Emails

Internet scams are on the rise and it will get worse in coming years. I take Internet scams, or any kind of consumer fraud, seriously and always try to update my readers with new findings. Today, I am going to post an email I received in my Gmail inbox. I always get tons of these - but why this particular email is so important? Because the scammer did not send it just bluntly.  He took his time and did his research to find my email from a Press Release which I issued some time ago. Why would he do that? He is trying to sound real by making a personal connection (mentioning he read your press release). He is going that extra mile to intimidate you. The letter you will receive in your inbox may not look like the one I am posting. However, you will have an idea what these scam letters look like. Remember, common sense and vigilance are your best defense. Here is what I have received:

"frank williams" (frank002williams@gmail.com) has contacted you from your profile on biz.PRLog.Org.

frank williams said -
From:frank williams
Rue 2 plateaux les perles Abidjan,
Cote D' Ivoire.

My name is frank williams, 24 years from Sierra Leone. My father and I escaped from our country at the heat of the civil war after loosing my mother and two of my senior brothers in the war.
He was in Buake, a northern city to  negotiate for the purchase of a cocoa plantation when he was shot and killed by the rebel troupes fighting to take over the Government of the country on the 22nd September, 2002.

Before the unfortunate death, my late father had in his personal account with a bank here the sum of $18.4m. As a result of the present insecurity of lives and property in this country,
I need you also to assist me with a letter of invitation as come down and complete my education while you mind the investment.

I will give you 15% while 5% is made for expenses. E-mail: me frank002williams@gmail.comso that we can discuss further.
frank williams
First Published: Sep 12, 2008 ADawnJournal.com

Donald Trump - A True Entrepreneur

Real Estate Mogul Donald Trump

First Published: Mar 4, 2011 EntrepreneurJourney.com

Donald Trump, who has primarily been known as a real estate tycoon, has different facets to his personality. He was the host of an extremely successful TV reality show, he is the owner of the world’s most popular beauty pageant and he is also a best-selling author. Though all are different personas, each are independently strong, smart and wealthy, which is what makes Donald Trump a true chameleon in the business world.

Business for Donald Trump actually runs in his blood. Born to a real estate developer, father Fred Trump, Donald studied business in Wharton Business School and was mentored by his father for 5 years before he took the plunge to lift the real estate industry to new heights. For Donald Trump, business has always been his first love. He has never limited himself to being a specialist in one field, but expanded in any direction that his money and his ideas may take him. As the Chairman and CEO of the Trump Organization, he not only develops real estate across the globe, but also manages hotels and resorts, golf courses and many other things. As Trump Entertainment Resorts founder, he manages casinos and hotels.

Donald Trump’s popularity rose to new levels when he produced (he was the show’s executive producer) and hosted The Apprentice, a reality show on NBC. It was indeed the ultimate job interview. The show first began in January 2004 and has ten successful seasons to its credit. The show was created by Mark Burnett wherein 16 to 18 business aspirants competed with each other in elimination style contest to become The Apprentice. The show also gave rise to the popular “You’re Fired” which Trump would say to the eliminated contest at the end of the show, a catchphrase that Trump has filed application for Trademark. Initially the payment for each episode was $50,000 but the show’s success and popularity catapulted not only Trump’s TV personality image but also his payment to three millions dollars per episode which is indeed the highest ever paid to any TV personality. Apart from this, Trump’s caricature versions were seen in numerous Hollywood films including The Little Rascals, Home Alone 2, The Nanny, etc. Trump was nominated twice for an Emmy Award.

Donald Trump is the co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization along with NBC – National Broadcasting Company and under the auspices holds various beauty pageants like Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and of course Miss Universe.

Donald Trump also has equal interest in sports. He is an avid golfer and a great World Wrestling Entertainment fan. Almost all Trump properties have golf courses that are designed and built on international standards. In fact one of his golf clubs at Westchester, the Trump National Golf Club, has won the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences International Five-Star Diamond Award. Apart from breathtaking golf holes, the club has stone bridges, winding streams and even a waterfall falling from a 101-foot height. In the wrestling world, Trump has done his bit by actively participating in the numerous wrestling shows (though not as a wrestler), many of which were held in Trump Plaza. He also briefly “owned” the WWE Raw from 15th June 2009 to 22nd June 2009.

Donald Trump’s other business ventures include The Trump Network, which deals in health products and allows people to receive coaching under Trump and become

entrepreneurs. Titled as the Wealth Creation System, people can register themselves in this network and would only need simple skills like telephone etiquette and a little extra time to work on. The members would receive guidance from Donald Trump himself by way of training videos and personalized letters. The company deals in vitamin supplements and health products like PrivaTest Custom Essentials, Silhouette Solution, QuikStik, Snazzle Snaxxs and Bioce Cosmeceuticals. Claiming to be made from natural bio-nutrients, QuikStik comes in 3 blends one for each part of the day – morning, afternoon and evening. The BioCé Cosmeceuticals range of beauty products include cleanser and toner, repair serum, eye contouring cream, daily cream, skin recovery cream, microdermabrasion procedure formula, cream mask and wrinkle filler.

In the field of finance, Donald Trump investments hold a 17.2% stake in the Bermuda-based Parker Adnan Company that deals in financial services. Trump organization also deals in the Trump merchandise luxury line that deals in books, apparel, home furnishings as well as jewelry. This includes the Ivanka Trump jewelry collection, the Signature collection of men’s apparel, Trump Vodka, Trump Home for home furnishings, Trump books and publications, Trump Ice that markets natural spring water, Trump chocolate and Trump Tea. The Signature range of men’s apparel markets men’s suits, dress shirts, neckwear, cuff links and jewelry, small leather goods and eyewear. All these products are marketed through Macy’s, Trump Tower, and eyewear specialty stores. Under Trump publications, Donald Trump has authored many best sellers such as How to Get Rich, Never Give Up, Think Like a Billionaire and Think like a Champion amongst other titles.

In the field of entertainment, Trump's organization manages Manhattan’s public skating rinks at Central Park – The Wollman Rink and the Lasker Rink. Various facilities offer skating lessons, an ice hockey gaming facility, and professional instructions are provided. Another division, the Trump Productions LLC based out of Los Angeles, deals in television show production. Some of these are the very popular The Apprentice reality show (6 seasons), The Celebrity Apprentice, telecasting beauty pageants (Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA), the Pageant Place reality series on MTV, and the latest show on MTV along the lines of the UK hit show “Ladette to Lady.” Under the entertainment division also comes the Trump Model Management which helps modeling and pageant aspirants come to the fore. Many models scouted and developed through Trump model management have appeared in movies and fashion magazines like Vogue as well as gone on to be winners of the beauty pageants. The division prides itself in expressing contemporary style and exquisite beauty.

Despite so many ventures, not all of which have necessarily been a path of roses, Donald Trump does not show any signs of slowing down and in his words, “Anyone who thinks my story is anywhere near over is sadly mistaken.”

Brim Credit Card Updates

What’s Happening with Brim

Brim Financial announced created heavy buzz on the Canadian market when they announced new credit cards for Canadians with features such as no foreign transaction fee, Lounge Key membership, Boingo global Wi-Fi access, plus much more. It’s been more than two months since I applied for the Brim World Elite MasterCard and I haven’t heard from them since, so I decided to give them a call to find out what’s going on.

I spoke with two individuals at Brim and here is the summary of what they told me.

No Cards Have Been Issued Yet – Brim is still working on approving credit cards based on FIFO basis and they have not started issuing any credit cards yet. This is as of when I spoke with them about a week ago.

Lounge Key – I asked about lounge access and whether it’s just the annual membership they are offering or if it comes with membership + lounge entrances as well (like Scotia Passport Visa Infinite, which comes with Priority Pass membership + 6 entrances). I was told that they are offering only the Lounge Key (a lounge access program like Priority Pass) membership program, but no free entrances. You will have to pay each time you access a lounge, but you will be saving on the annual membership fee. The RBC WestJet World Elite MasterCard offers the same type of Lounge Key program.

Some Brim Cards Are Out There – There are some Brim credit cards in circulation, but they are given to the testers who are using these cards to test and make sure everything is working fine.

A few days later after talking to Brim, I received an alert from TransUnion on April 26, 2018 that Brim has made a credit inquiry. So it looks like they reached my application, but I have not heard anything from them yet about the status of my application.