Beverlee Rasmussen, an author and certified executive coach from Langley, B.C., holds up a copy of the first of two books she’s written about business systems during a presentation to the Rotary Club of Lloydminster on Monday. She was invited to deliver a talk and workshop for a group of women entrepreneurs in Project Gazelle over the weekend. Geoff Lee Meridian Source
Beverlee Rasmussen, a certified executive coach, killed two birds with one stone during her extended weekend visit to Lloydminster.
On Monday, she spoke to the Rotary Club of Lloydminster about the concept of business systems or processes for small business owners as a key to success.
Her presentation followed her weekend keynote talk and workshop on systems for female entrepreneurs enrolled in Project Gazelle offered through Community Futures in Lloydminster.
She was invited to speak on both occasions by her friend and fellow internationally-certified coach, Glenys Reeves-Gibbs, coach of Project Gazelle.
Reeves-Gibbs introduced her at Rotary as a past president of the Langley Central Club in B.C., which she joined 25 years ago.
“At the time of Rotary, she owned a small travel business in Langley and that’s where her entrepreneurial story began,” said Reeves-Gibbs.
After launching Somerville Travel in 1993 as a single mom, Rasmussen latched onto the concept of systems at a federal Business Development Bank course as a way to grow her company.
After selling out for a profit in 1999, she reinvented herself as a system business coach to help other entrepreneurs thrive.
“I’ve been really passionate about small business since I sold mine. I’ve been helping business owners since then,” she said.
Rasmussen says about 51 per cent of small businesses in Canada don’t make it to year fives.
“It took a pandemic for the world to recognize how important small businesses are to our economies,” she said.
She’s identified 52 system competencies small businesses need such as leadership, operational, financial HR and marketing systems and put them in a game board for teaching purposes.
Rasmussen has become an internationally-recognized business coach who has 70 new coaches in Lithuania, for example.
She’s also published a Small Business Field Guide about how to build and sell a business.
“It’s the most comprehensive book on how to make a successful business,” she said.
Rasmussen is expecting the release of her second book in January called Small Business Big Opportunity.
Reeves-Gibbs says her friend was the perfect professional to address Project Gazelle, a federally funded program through the Women’s Entrepreneurship Strategy to support female entrepreneurs.
She says women only represent 16 per cent of all small business owners but 51 per cent of the Canadian population is female, so women are an untapped market for entrepreneurship.
“Our goal is to introduce entrepreneurship to women. We’ve done that to over 2,500 women,” said Reeves-Gibbs, with Project Gazelle covering all of northern Alberta and northwest Saskatchewan.
“We have worked with over 1,800 women on their businesses to develop them,” she said.
“We’ve also either enhanced or developed six co-working spaces throughout the area.”
The project will be completed at the end of March.
Reeves-Gibbs says she met Rasmussen at an advanced coaching class and they’ve become good friends through their shared passion for entrepreneurship.
That led to her invitation to address Project Gazelle women over the weekend with her talk and workshop.
“People were very excited about the information and it’s very easy to understand and easy to use to help build and grow businesses,” said Reeves-Gibbs.
In other business, Rotary donated $3,000 to the Border Paws Animal Shelter, which is set to open its new facility at the beginning of January.
