What I Did on my Trip through Northern Ontario
October 30, 2013 In Blog 2 Comments

In August (on my birthday actually!), I was awarded a contract through Tourism Northern Ontario, formerly RTO13, to organize and facilitate 6 2-day social media training sessions throughout Northern Ontario. With the proposed start date of October 7th, I was responsible for booking venues and catering in 6 cities, organizing my travel arrangements, as well as planning the curriculum for these training sessions.

Given that I am from the “south” I learned a lot about what our northern counterparts have to offer, including fabulous food, friendly people, and their love of all things LARGE.

Top 5 Things I’ve Learned

  1. Kenora resides in the Central Timezone.
  2. Individuals east of Sudbury are considered from the “South.”
  3. The Kenora Dinner Jacket is a red plaid jacket worn by the locals in Kenora.
  4. There will be snow, snow squalls, and snow accumulation in communities west of Thunder Bay during the month of October.
  5. Fill your gas tank when possible because you don’t know where the next gas station will be. When my trip was complete, I had put over 3,100km on the rental vehicle.

Top 3 Places To Eat

1. Best Northern Motel & Restaurant, Wawa, Ontario

The food at the Best Northern is incredible! Owners Teresa and Mark are European, specifically Polish, and showcase their heritage in their cooking. After arriving in Wawa from Sault Ste. Marie on Wednesday evening, I was greeted with a yummy menu full of delicious food, including fresh homemade pierogies! Subsequent evenings included homemade pumpkin soup, and chicken paprikash. Any restaurant that makes chicken paprikash is in my good books!

2. The Cornerstone, Kenora, Ontario

THANK YOU to Lynn from the Lake of the Woods Museum, who attended the social media training, for suggesting this wonderful restaurant. After the first session was complete, she came over to me with a map of downtown Kenora and said: “I think you’ll really like The CornerStone. It’s on Main Street.” So after talking a walk to visit Husky the Muskie, I went to get dinner – and it was DELICIOUS. I had the CornerStone salad, complete with a roasted red pepper, goat cheese, artichoke, chicken sandwich. The waitress was also very friendly and chatty, which certainly helps when you’re dining solo.

3. Gliss, Sault Ste Marie, Ontario

After driving from North Bay to Sault Ste Marie on Thanksgiving, I was craving a good home-cooked turkey dinner. I certainly got a treat when I went to Gliss, the restaurant found within Bay Front Quality Inn & Suites in Sault Ste. Marie. Complete with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and cranberry salsa, I couldn’t have asked for a better Thanksgiving Day dinner.

Top 3 Places To Visit/Go

1. Highway 17 between Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa

Stretching 228 km, Highway 17 (aka Trans-Canada Highway) between Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa was one of the most breathtaking drives I’ve ever experienced. This was also one of my first experiences with Lake Superior, also known as Gitche Gumee via Gordon Lightfoot, and the landscape that is the Canadian Shield. I was fortunate to drive this path while the fall colours were still in full force, which made it that much more beautiful. Although I stopped to take photos along the way, the photos were unable to capture the true beauty of the landscape. Plan a trip up this stretch of HWY 17 next fall – you won’t be disappointed.

2. Terry Fox Memorial & Sleeping Giant, Thunder Bay, Ontario

This 9’ high memorial statue was erected in memory of Terry Fox, and is not far from the place where Terry’s run ended in 1981, after running more than 5,342 km for cancer awareness. This memorial, located on a hill, overlooks Lake Superior, where the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park can be spotted. The Sleeping Giant is a

provincial park, which from a distance, looks like a giant who is asleep. I wonder who was the first personal to notice this interesting landscape.

3. Wawa Goose, Wawa, Ontario

Wawa Goose

Located at the Tourist Information Centre, the Wawa Goose was manufactured in the 1963. Synonymous with being Canadian, the Wawa Goose acts as the gateway to this welcoming community. The Wawa Goose is in trouble though. Proudly looking over the community for 50 years, the original goose is tired and needs a replacement. Make a donation so that Wawa can find a replacement! 

The conclusion of my Northern Ontario trip was bittersweet, although excited to return home to my husband and life in Kingston, I will truly miss all those individuals I’ve met as well as the true beauty of the Canadian north.

Jennifer Baker Consulting

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3 Guiding Business Principles
August 23, 2013 In Blog 8 Comments

A few weeks ago I was talking to my mom on the phone when she said: “You should write a blog about how you grew your business over the past 18 months. Like, what you did, how you got clients, how you keep up with social media. You’ve done so much!”

Yes, I certainly agree that the past 18 months have been a whirlwind of activity.  I’ve started and completed a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education from Brock University and I have developed a great client list that ranges from entrepreneurs and partnerships to large corporations. That being said, I truly have to be grateful for the ongoing support and love from my husband.

As I continued to mull these questions over, I kept returning to three reasons for my growth and success:

Be simple.

As an educator first-and-foremost my goal is to simplify social media for my clients; almost every time I work with a client I hear the phrase “oh, that’s simple!” I’ve branded myLime Green Bird Scarf business using a consistent colour (bright lime green), which can be found on my website, throughout my social media, on the LCD projector bag, my client notebook, all print marketing material, some of my personal clothing accessories, and sometimes even the polish on my toes. It is simple – lime green and white Arial font.

As for social media training I use plain-speak language, free of marketing-jargon, and never speak at my clients, but always with my clients. I dislike marketing/business clichés – just say what you mean! I use procedural organization in all of my courses so that information and questions flow in an organized fashion. All of the handouts I provide include images and step-by-step instructions that can be used for later reference.

Be genuine.

There are a lot of people who have crossed my path throughout life who feel they need to act a specific part in the world of business. I learned a long time ago that you can’t change who you are – so you may as well be the best version of yourself. This attitude will nurture and develop trust with potential and new clients, as they won’t be under the impression you’re operating on a hidden agenda.

Be honest.

Although this point is last it’s certainly the most important. While in my undergrad one of my economics professors said, “BS baffles brains doesn’t work in this course.” In other words, if you don’t know something find out before trying to BS your way through it. I work in a dynamic industry that is constantly changing and forcing me to engage in ongoing research and education. That being said, if an individual asks me a question to which I don’t know the answer, I never fluff my way out of it. I am very open about telling people that I know a lot about social media, but I don’t know everything. If there are questions to which I don’t know the answer, I will do research and provide that individual with an answer at a later time.

It’s been an exciting journey thus far, and I look forward to learning more about myself in the coming years.

What are your business tips?

Jennifer Baker Consulting

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A Social Media Mess
March 26, 2013 In Blog No Comment

Me: “Who set-up your social media accounts?”

Potential Client: “A summer student we hired 3 years ago.”

Me: “Okay. Who is maintaining your social media on a day-to-day basis?”

Potential Client: “Our office administrator. She/he is at a computer and in the office all day. They are a perfect fit.”

Me: “Okay. We have lots to talk about.”

I am not saying that all my initial conversations begin like this, but many do. I am sure many other similar industries (i.e. web designers/developers) encounter similar conversations as well. While social media has become a major priority for businesses, many organizations do not realize that social media requires a preliminary research, strategy, and proper implementation – just like traditional marketing methods.

This is a blog about the 3 major mistakes that businesses are making with their Facebook Pages.

1. Personal Timeline “Business” Account

If I had a $5 for each Facebook Personal Timeline that was set up using a business name, I would be rich. Not only is setting up a Personal Timeline under a business name a violation of the Facebook Terms of Service, it’s really weird to get notifications that read: “ABC Company’s birthday is today. ABC Company is 54 years old. Wish him/her a happy birthday.”

Personal Timelines are meant for people, not businesses.

Organizations, companies, celebrities, artists and musicians can create a business Page without having a Facebook Personal Timeline (I would love to meet the individual who started the rumor that this is impossible). Therefore, no company should be using Facebook Personal Timelines as their business. Ever.

If your social media has been set-up through this method, there are solutions. Email me (socialmedia@jenniferbakerconsulting.com) and we can set-up an appointment to find a solution for your company.

2. Admins

Remember that summer student who set-up your Facebook business Page 3 years ago, well they are likely still an administrator on your Page. Translation: They still have access to post on your Page’s behalf, upload photo albums, add applications, change profile and cover photos – they can do anything they want to. Concerned? You should be! Take a moment and visit your Page’s administrative settings to ensure that only currently employees/consultants are administrators of the Facebook Page. When you’re taking a peak at the administrators, take a moment to assign proper roles for each of the Admins (i.e. Manager vs. Content Creator).

3. Posting… uhh… junk

People have “Liked” your business’ Page to receive updates about your business and the industry in which you operate. Give the people what they want! Provide topical, concise and informative updates to your Facebook fans a few times throughout the week. Try to include images, videos, and links for the best results. Note: For those of you who have Twitter automatically update your Facebook Page, you may want to rethink your strategy.

Social media should be treated as any other marketing method would be treated – with goals, strategy, and proper training. You wouldn’t let a graphic designer sell your house, or a musician set-up your retirement plan. Remember, use the right tool for the right job.

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Why I want to provide training: A brief history
March 8, 2013 In Blog 2 Comments

I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. I have the weekly journal entries from elementary school to prove this – as well as my favourite class (English), food (tacos), and animal (rabbit/bird). I was known to set-up mini-classrooms in my petite and pink bedroom using stuffed animals as students.Jennifer Baker

I attended St. Patrick’s High School in Sarnia where I became an informal tutor to many of my classmates in subjects like math, business, and science. Because I was continually helping classmates, I rarely studied. I loved the opportunity to help classmates around me. I also learned that I learn by doing.

In 2001 I got my first tangible taste of teaching when a friend and I taught Business Basics, a program offered by Junior Achievement, to a group of grade 6 students in St. Peter’s Elementary School in Sarnia. My friend and I taught this business program three times over the course of two years.

When the time came to apply for university I was positive I was meant to be a teacher. I applied to 4 Ontario universities all for Child & Youth Studies or concurrent education programs. I accepted the offer to Brock University for Child & Youth Studies – ConEd.

Although my parents knew that I loved business and marketing, they were supportive in my decision to become an elementary school teacher.

When it came time to create my first university schedule I found my days filled with psychology, sociology, and child & youth.  Luckily, I had the choice of two electives: Canadian Studies and Microeconomics.

Within 6 weeks I realized I had made a horrible decision, I was not meant to teach elementary school. This realization came just after the drop-date for full-credit courses. I successfully completed my first-year and changed programs into Business & Economics, a program that only 3 people at that time were pursing.

With my leap into economics I met a fabulous professor and friend – Marilyn Cottrell. By second year, I was proctoring first-year economics exams and marking first-year papers and assignments. At the end of second year, she offered me several positions as a teaching assistant for macroeconomics. During my time at Brock I instructed over 30 macro/micro economics tutorials, with approximately 20 students in each. This gave me the opportunity to practice and improve my teaching skills. I realized I wanted to teach even more! I researched the options of teaching economics and business in high school, but at the time only one university had intake for these teachables and it was only bi-annual – and this was the “off” year.

I graduated in 2007 with a BA (Hons) in Business & Economics.

Several years later I was hired by The Entrepreneurship Centre at Kingston Economic Development Corporation as a business advisor. In this role my direct manager gave me the freedom to design, develop, and deliver educational programs for small business owners in Kingston. I developed programs on marketing, finance, human resources, Facebook, social media, and business basics. I loved the job because I was designing curriculum and teaching adults!

While at a tradeshow (Garrison Expo) I came across a Brock University booth promoting a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education.  It was finally coming together – a BEd that focused on providing corporate and workplace training. Although I didn’t act on this immediately, I started the program in January 2012, with an expected completion in July 2013. At the same time I founded Jennifer Baker Consulting, a business that focuses on training businesses to use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

So when people ask me, “Why did you decide to start your business?” although I may provide a brief answer, the actuality is that it has been 28 years in the making.

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Adult Learning & Adult Education
November 28, 2012 In Blog No Comment

The further I progress into the Adult Education at Brock University, the more I discover about myself and my personal traits. Knowles, who is one of the forefathers of andragogy, proposed six assumptions about adult learners. I see myself in each of these traits.

Knowles states “the readiness of an adult to learn is closely related to the developmental tasks of his or her social role” (Merriam et al., 2007, p. 84). As many of my close friends and family know, I have always wanted to be a teacher. I originally went to Brock University as a Child and Youth major, however, switched programs following the conclusion of the first year of study to Business & Economics. While completing my undergrad I was a teacher’s assistant for first-year macroeconomics tutorials. For the time being, it satisfied my passion to teach. Following graduation, however, I found my career taking my further and further away from my love of teaching.

I knew that I loved adults, and I loved teaching.

While at a tradeshow for my past employer, I ran into an individual from Brock University who was promoting their Adult Education program. Although I didn’t act on this information immediately, I soon realized I was tired of waiting for my life to become what I wanted, and made my life become what I wanted.

I registered for Brock University’s Bachelor of Education in Adult Education the following year.

I was ready to learn.

While with my past employer, I worked with and helped small businesses. During this time I realized there was a need in the market for social media education. While Facebook Pages and Twitter were still new technologies to many businesses, I began designing and delivering social media training programs. Knowles states “there is a change in time perspectives as people mature-from future application of knowledge to immediacy of application” (Merriam et al., 2007, p. 84). Businesses knew that social media marketing was quickly becoming an important component to their marketing strategy.

There was an immediate need for social media training for businesses.

Then I realized:

Love of teaching adults + market need for social media training = business opportunity

As an internally motivated and self-directed individual, I combined these two components and launched my business January 2012 (Merriam et al., 2007, p. 84). The business focuses on providing private and group social media training for small and medium businesses. Furthermore, I have applied my past experience of working with small and large companies, to aid in the growth and development of my business (Merriam et al., 2007, p. 84).

Knowles’ assumptions of adult learning are at the forefront of my business’ decision-making process. While the Adult Education program was designed to help me become a better educator and instructor, I have also been personally enlightened about the type of person that I am and the business services I want to provide.

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