Tips to Give Your Business An Edge & Boost Productivity

Julie Starr • August 1, 2024

It is important to think about some of the leading ideas that can play a role in helping your business improve. This is a key component of being able to look after your company, and take things to the next level. When you are trying to understand some of the best ways of being able to make your business better, there are many factors that you need to keep in mind that will help you when it comes to making the most of this. Coming up with some of the leading ideas that will help your company thrive is really important, and this is something you need to work on as much as possible. 


Giving your company an edge is something that can make a big difference when it comes to improving your long-term success. This is something you can work on when you are looking to improve your business, and it is vital to make sure you use some of the leading tips that can give you an edge and boost productivity as much as possible. 


Make Your Workplace More Sustainable

One of the best ways of being able to achieve this for your business is to try to make sure you make your workplace more sustainable. There are so many factors that you need to try to improve upon when it comes to making the right changes here, and this is something that can make a major difference to your long-term success. Being able to make your workplace more sustainable is really important, and there are a lot of things that you need to consider here. When you are trying to improve your business, and ensure you boost productivity, a more sustainable working environment can go a long way towards helping with this. 


Boost On-Site Efficiency

There are a lot of things that you need to try to focus on when it comes to making this work better for you, and boosting on-site efficiency is one of the best ways of being able to achieve this. One of the best things you can do to achieve this is to use a porta potty rental service to provide on-site restrooms for your workers, in situations where there may not be an easily accessible bathroom to use. There are so many ideas and elements that play a role in making this process work better for you, and this is something you need to try to implement as a business owner. 


Work on Company Culture

You should never overlook the importance of company culture, and the role it can play in making your business better and more productive. There are so many elements that play a part in making this work for you, as well as ensuring that there are many factors your company can benefit from. Company culture is important to many people these days, and it is important to make sure you focus on the best ways of making this work for you. Try to make sure you have a positive and inclusive culture that speaks to your employees in the right way, and this is something that you need to focus on as much as possible. 


Utilize Automation

Automation is all the rage these days, and it is important to make sure you come up with some of the best ways of being able to implement automation better into your business. This is going to really go a long way toward helping your company thrive, and we are building toward a future in which automation will be a key part of the business world. This is something that you need to try to focus on as much as possible, and there are plenty of great ideas that you should look to improve upon when you are trying to give your company an edge, and make sure it is more productive and efficient moving forward. Utilizing AI is one of the best ways of being able to embrace automation, and make your business better as a result, and this is something you can benefit from as much as possible. 


Motivate Your Workforce

Being able to motivate your workforce and inspire your employees is one of the leading ways of making sure you make for a more productive environment. Motivation is such a powerful tool as a business, and it is also one of the things that can be the most challenging to achieve. You need to think about the best ways of being able to motivate your workforce in the right way, and think about what it takes to make this better for you. Being as focused as possible when it comes to motivating your workforce is so important, and this is something that you need to try to focus on as much as possible moving forward. 


Digitize

These days it is very unusual to find businesses that are not fully digitized, but this is something that still happens. There are so many ideas that play a part in making this work for you, and you have to try to factor in the best ways of doing this in order to be successful. Digitizing the company is the optimal way of being able to be more productive, and make the working environment easier to deal with. There are a lot of things that play a role in this, and you need to make sure you consider some of the leading elements that you have to focus on with this, and it is essential to figure out the best ways of being able to digitize as a business. 


As you can see, there are plenty of factors to keep in mind when it comes to making the most of this, and you need to try to think about how you can make this work better for you. It is important to think about some of the leading ideas that are going to help you make the most of this, and you need to consider how to give your company an edge and boost productivity in the process.

By Julie Starr July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.
By Julie Starr July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.