Exchange Magazine Business Survey 2020

Background

The Exchange Magazine Business survey finds business to continually be in robust health. Trade war uncertainty lingers. How the world come to terms with change brings on new challenges. There is a nagging sense among business owners and operators that when looking to the future, they see a number of opportunities only in uncharted waters. This survey explores how businesses are set up to navigate these waters. Different business models are set up to prosper, and where future prosperity exists. One thing is certain, we must grow Canadian businesses and keep business opportunities in Canada available to Canadians. As privately owned businesses we need to grow these opportunities as Canadians.

Responses from this survey will be reported in the Exchange Magazine Q3-2020 Edition

Question Title

* 1. What is your current status with respect to work.

Actively involved in running or operating a business

Semi actively involved in running or operating a business

Retired

Student

Not involved with running a business but I'm on the payroll

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 2. My position is best
described as ...

an owner

a co-owner

a partner

non-owner manager

owner in waiting

a shareholder

an employee

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 3. What would you estimate your company's average annual sales to be over the last 3 years?

Under $500,000

500,000 - $1,000,000

1M - 5M

5M-10M

10-50M

50M-100M

over 100M

Question Title

* 4. What do you predict your company's annual sales to be over the next 3 years?

Under $500,000

500,000 - $1,000,000

1M - 5M

5M-10M

10-50M

50M-100M

over 100M

Question Title

* 5. Is your business operating the same way today as it has in the past?

yes

Question Title

* 6. Tell us about your growth prospects?

Not in a growth mode

In a growth mode now

Entering a growth mode

Question Title

* 7. How are you helping to expand your business?

	not involved	involved somewhat	very involved	I lead this task
making more product to sell	making more product to sell not involved	making more product to sell involved somewhat	making more product to sell very involved	making more product to sell I lead this task
importing more product to sell	importing more product to sell not involved	importing more product to sell involved somewhat	importing more product to sell very involved	importing more product to sell I lead this task
purchasing other businesses	purchasing other businesses not involved	purchasing other businesses involved somewhat	purchasing other businesses very involved	purchasing other businesses I lead this task
generating more customers	generating more customers not involved	generating more customers involved somewhat	generating more customers very involved	generating more customers I lead this task
positioning complimentary products to expand product offering	positioning complimentary products to expand product offering not involved	positioning complimentary products to expand product offering involved somewhat	positioning complimentary products to expand product offering very involved	positioning complimentary products to expand product offering I lead this task
I don't know	I don't know not involved	I don't know involved somewhat	I don't know very involved	I don't know I lead this task

Question Title

* 8. What are your key challenges over the next two years?

	no challenge	a little challenging	same as/same was	more challenging every year	yes, very challenging
Innovate and keep ahead	Innovate and keep ahead no challenge	Innovate and keep ahead a little challenging	Innovate and keep ahead same as/same was	Innovate and keep ahead more challenging every year	Innovate and keep ahead yes, very challenging
Access to the right skills and capabilities	Access to the right skills and capabilities no challenge	Access to the right skills and capabilities a little challenging	Access to the right skills and capabilities same as/same was	Access to the right skills and capabilities more challenging every year	Access to the right skills and capabilities yes, very challenging
Economic environment	Economic environment no challenge	Economic environment a little challenging	Economic environment same as/same was	Economic environment more challenging every year	Economic environment yes, very challenging
Domestic Competition	Domestic Competition no challenge	Domestic Competition a little challenging	Domestic Competition same as/same was	Domestic Competition more challenging every year	Domestic Competition yes, very challenging
Digitization	Digitization no challenge	Digitization a little challenging	Digitization same as/same was	Digitization more challenging every year	Digitization yes, very challenging
Price of energy and raw materials	Price of energy and raw materials no challenge	Price of energy and raw materials a little challenging	Price of energy and raw materials same as/same was	Price of energy and raw materials more challenging every year	Price of energy and raw materials yes, very challenging
Regulation	Regulation no challenge	Regulation a little challenging	Regulation same as/same was	Regulation more challenging every year	Regulation yes, very challenging
Professionalism of the business	Professionalism of the business no challenge	Professionalism of the business a little challenging	Professionalism of the business same as/same was	Professionalism of the business more challenging every year	Professionalism of the business yes, very challenging
Cyber Security	Cyber Security no challenge	Cyber Security a little challenging	Cyber Security same as/same was	Cyber Security more challenging every year	Cyber Security yes, very challenging
Data Management	Data Management no challenge	Data Management a little challenging	Data Management same as/same was	Data Management more challenging every year	Data Management yes, very challenging
International Competition	International Competition no challenge	International Competition a little challenging	International Competition same as/same was	International Competition more challenging every year	International Competition yes, very challenging
Succession	Succession no challenge	Succession a little challenging	Succession same as/same was	Succession more challenging every year	Succession yes, very challenging
Access to Financing	Access to Financing no challenge	Access to Financing a little challenging	Access to Financing same as/same was	Access to Financing more challenging every year	Access to Financing yes, very challenging
Corruption in countries where you operate	Corruption in countries where you operate no challenge	Corruption in countries where you operate a little challenging	Corruption in countries where you operate same as/same was	Corruption in countries where you operate more challenging every year	Corruption in countries where you operate yes, very challenging
Growth of artificial Intelligence/robotics	Growth of artificial Intelligence/robotics no challenge	Growth of artificial Intelligence/robotics a little challenging	Growth of artificial Intelligence/robotics same as/same was	Growth of artificial Intelligence/robotics more challenging every year	Growth of artificial Intelligence/robotics yes, very challenging
International Tax reforms	International Tax reforms no challenge	International Tax reforms a little challenging	International Tax reforms same as/same was	International Tax reforms more challenging every year	International Tax reforms yes, very challenging
Conflict between family members	Conflict between family members no challenge	Conflict between family members a little challenging	Conflict between family members same as/same was	Conflict between family members more challenging every year	Conflict between family members yes, very challenging
Lack of a North American free trade agreement	Lack of a North American free trade agreement no challenge	Lack of a North American free trade agreement a little challenging	Lack of a North American free trade agreement same as/same was	Lack of a North American free trade agreement more challenging every year	Lack of a North American free trade agreement yes, very challenging
Governments inability to negotiate trade deals that benefit Canada	Governments inability to negotiate trade deals that benefit Canada no challenge	Governments inability to negotiate trade deals that benefit Canada a little challenging	Governments inability to negotiate trade deals that benefit Canada same as/same was	Governments inability to negotiate trade deals that benefit Canada more challenging every year	Governments inability to negotiate trade deals that benefit Canada yes, very challenging

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 9. Where do you see your business in two years?

	no change	some change	significant change
Investing in digital capabilities	Investing in digital capabilities no change	Investing in digital capabilities some change	Investing in digital capabilities significant change
Transitioning to more outside leadership	Transitioning to more outside leadership no change	Transitioning to more outside leadership some change	Transitioning to more outside leadership significant change
Expanding in the domestic market	Expanding in the domestic market no change	Expanding in the domestic market some change	Expanding in the domestic market significant change
Expanding in the international market	Expanding in the international market no change	Expanding in the international market some change	Expanding in the international market significant change
With a brand new business model	With a brand new business model no change	With a brand new business model some change	With a brand new business model significant change
Earning the majority of our revenues from new products and services	Earning the majority of our revenues from new products and services no change	Earning the majority of our revenues from new products and services some change	Earning the majority of our revenues from new products and services significant change
Merged with another business	Merged with another business no change	Merged with another business some change	Merged with another business significant change

Question Title

* 10. Has your business ever sacrificed short term profit for long-term growth?

yes

Question Title

* 11. When setting goals to grow your business, do you mostly set?

short term goals

good mix of both

long term goals

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

Question Title

* 12. What kind of business do you work in?

Partnership - no family members working in business

Sole proprietorship - non-family business

Family owned or family run

Partnership - with family members working in business

Investment company

Multi-national operating in Canada

I don't know

Exchange Magazine Business Survey 2020

Background

Question Title

* 1. What is your current status with respect to work.

Question Title

* 2. My position is best described as ...

Question Title

* 3. What would you estimate your company's average annual sales to be over the last 3 years?

Question Title

* 4. What do you predict your company's annual sales to be over the next 3 years?

Question Title

* 5. Is your business operating the same way today as it has in the past?

Question Title

* 6. Tell us about your growth prospects?

Question Title

* 7. How are you helping to expand your business?

Question Title

* 8. What are your key challenges over the next two years?

Question Title

* 9. Where do you see your business in two years?

Question Title

* 10. Has your business ever sacrificed short term profit for long-term growth?

Question Title

* 11. When setting goals to grow your business, do you mostly set?

Question Title

* 12. What kind of business do you work in?

* 2. My position is best
described as ...