See inside the documents before you spend a dollar

2. Food safety program (O. Reg. 493/17)

Ontario requires that at least one food handler or supervisor certified in food handling is on the premises during every hour of operation for most food premises. Keep certificates on file and post the inspection notice where the public can see it.

• Certified food handler roster with certificate numbers and expiry dates
• Hazard analysis for each product line: dough, cream fillings, cooked fillings, cooling, display, delivery
• Temperature control: hazardous foods held at 4°C or colder, or 60°C or hotter; cooling from 60°C to 20°C within two hours and to 4°C within four more hours
• Two-stage cleaning and sanitizing procedure with approved sanitizer, test strips and recorded concentration
• Handwashing stations stocked with hot and cold running water, liquid soap and single-use towels; no handwash sink used for food prep
• Allergen control: the 11 Health Canada priority allergens, gluten and added sulphites — labelled, segregated and communicated to every customer
• Supplier approval list, receiving inspection criteria and rejection procedure
• Pest control contract, service reports and monthly premises inspection

3. Daily production system

4. Recipe cards and costing

Every recipe card carries yield, batch cost, cost per unit, target food cost percentage and selling price. Review costs quarterly or whenever an input price moves more than 10%.

• Recipe name, version and date approved
• Ingredient list with supplier, pack size, unit cost and quantity used
• Batch yield, waste allowance and cost per saleable unit
• Target food cost 25–32% for retail bakery items; confirm against your own margins
• Selling price excluding HST, plus HST treatment (many basic groceries are zero-rated; prepared foods and single servings are generally taxable — verify with CRA guidance)
• Allergen declaration and shelf life

2. Opening procedure (60 minutes)

• Unlock, disarm, lights, music, open sign; count opening float and record
• Turn on espresso machine and grinders; allow full pressure and temperature stabilization
• Record fridge, display and milk fridge temperatures (must be 4°C or colder)
• Dial in espresso: dose, yield, time; record on the daily dial-in sheet
• Fill sanitizer buckets, test concentration with strips, record result
• Stock milk, syrups, cups, lids, pastry case with date and allergen labels
• Wash hands, check uniforms, hair restraints and health of staff (no employee working while symptomatic with a communicable illness)

3. Bar standards

4. Closing procedure

• Backflush group heads, soak portafilters and baskets, clean steam wands and probes
• Empty, wash and sanitize grinder hoppers weekly; wipe daily
• Discard expired hazardous foods; record waste
• Full clean of prep surfaces, sinks, floors, drains and washrooms
• Complete the temperature and cleaning logs and initial them
• Cash out, reconcile to POS report, prepare deposit, secure safe
• Set alarm, lock, confirm gas and small equipment off

2. Client intake and informed consent

• Health history: medications, allergies, autoimmune conditions, pregnancy or breastfeeding, prior treatments, implants
• Contraindication screening documented and signed before every treatment, not just the first
• Informed consent covering the nature of the treatment, expected results, alternatives, material risks and side effects, aftercare and cost
• Separate written consent for photography and any use of images in marketing, revocable at any time
• Cooling-off and cancellation terms disclosed in writing before payment (Consumer Protection Act, 2002 applies to prepaid services and packages)

3. Clinical record standard (PHIPA)

• One record per client containing intake, consents, treatment notes, product lot numbers and expiry, injector, dose/settings, and aftercare given
• Records retained at least 10 years after the last interaction (and, for a minor, 10 years after the client turns 18) — follow your regulator's rule where it is longer
• Named Privacy Officer, written privacy policy and posted notice of information practices
• Access controls, audit logs, encryption at rest and in transit, and a signed confidentiality agreement for every employee
• Privacy breach procedure: contain, investigate, notify the individual at the first reasonable opportunity and notify the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario where required

4. Infection prevention and control

• Hand hygiene at the four moments; alcohol-based rub at every station
• Single-use needles and cannulas; no reuse, no multi-client vials without documented safe practice
• Sharps containers, biomedical waste contract and disposal manifests
• Reprocessing of reusable instruments per CSA standards with a sterilizer log, chemical and biological indicators recorded weekly
• Surface disinfection between clients with a Health Canada registered disinfectant used at the labelled contact time
• Linen handling, treatment room cleaning schedule and annual IPAC self-audit

2. Day one — legally required

• Provide the ministry's Employment Standards poster information in writing within 30 days of hire
• OHSA basic occupational health and safety awareness training for workers — mandatory, and completed before or on the first shift
• Review workplace violence and harassment policies and the reporting procedure
• WHMIS training where hazardous products are present, with a signed record
• AODA accessible customer service training appropriate to the role
• If you employ 25 or more employees on January 1: provide the written policy on disconnecting from work and the written policy on electronic monitoring within 30 days
• Tour: exits, fire extinguishers, first aid kit, eyewash, muster point, first aider name

3. Week one training plan

4. 30 / 60 / 90 day reviews

• Day 30: role clarity, safety habits, three things going well, one focus area
• Day 60: quality and speed against the standard, cross-training plan
• Day 90: written performance summary, wage/role decision, development plan
• Document every review, have both parties sign, and keep it in the employee file

2. Opening — universal

• Disarm, lights, unlock, safety walk of the space (spills, cords, blocked exits)
• Count float, record opening cash, confirm POS and payment terminal online
• Record refrigeration and display temperatures where food is handled
• Prepare sanitizer at the labelled concentration and test with strips
• Restock washrooms: soap, single-use towels, paper
• Confirm accessible entrance clear; ramp, door operator and path of travel unobstructed
• Staff health check and uniform standard

3. Opening — food premises add-ons

• Certified food handler on shift confirmed and recorded
• Cold holding at 4°C or colder, hot holding at 60°C or hotter
• Date labels applied to all decanted and prepared items
• Handwash sinks stocked and unobstructed
• Public health inspection notice posted and visible

4. Opening — personal service settings (salon, barber, nails, tattoo)

• Sterilizer/autoclave function check and spore test schedule current
• Single-use items stocked; reusable instruments reprocessed and stored clean and dry
• Disinfectant with a Drug Identification Number used at the labelled contact time
• Client record and consent forms ready; sharps container not more than three-quarters full

2. Cash timing rules that trip up Ontario businesses

• HST collected is not revenue. Move it to a separate liability line and, ideally, a separate bank account
• HST filing frequency depends on revenue: annual, quarterly or monthly. Diarize the filing and payment date and forecast the payment as a cash outflow
• Input tax credits reduce the remittance — track HST paid on purchases in the same period
• Payroll source deductions (CPP, EI, income tax) are generally due by the 15th of the month following the pay
• Ontario Employer Health Tax applies once your Ontario payroll exceeds the exemption threshold — confirm the current exemption on Ontario.ca
• WSIB premiums are reported and paid on your assigned schedule based on insurable earnings
• Corporate income tax instalments may be required monthly or quarterly

3. Core formulas

4. Scenario planning

• Downside: revenue −25%, collection days +15, no new hires — does runway stay above three months?
• Base: current trend continued with known price changes
• Upside: +25% revenue — model the working capital needed to fund inventory and payroll before cash arrives
• Stress test one event: lost key client, equipment failure, rent increase, seasonal shutdown

2. Pricing formulas

3. Ontario tax and advertising rules

• HST in Ontario is 13%. Register once worldwide taxable supplies exceed $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters
• Decide and state clearly whether prices are HST-included or HST-extra; be consistent everywhere
• Advertise the all-in price. Adding mandatory fees at checkout that were not in the advertised price can be a misleading representation under the Competition Act's drip-pricing provisions
• Sale claims must be genuine: the reference or 'was' price must be a price at which a substantial volume was sold, or offered in good faith, for a reasonable period
• Consumer Protection Act, 2002 requires clear disclosure of total cost, delivery timing and cancellation rights for most consumer agreements

4. Margin health targets

2. Employment basics

• Hours of work, scheduling, breaks: a 30-minute eating period after five consecutive hours
• Pay periods, pay statements and how to raise a payroll error
• Overtime after 44 hours weekly at 1.5×, and any written averaging agreement
• Probationary period and performance review cycle
• Vacation: 2 weeks / 4% under five years; 3 weeks / 6% at five years or more
• Public holidays and public holiday pay

3. Leaves of absence (ESA job-protected leaves)

• Sick leave, family responsibility leave and bereavement leave — three days each per calendar year, unpaid, for employees who qualify
• Pregnancy and parental leave
• Family caregiver, family medical, critical illness and child death or disappearance leaves
• Domestic or sexual violence leave
• Reservist leave and organ donor leave
• Note: entitlements and durations change with legislation — confirm current rules on Ontario.ca before publishing

4. Respect in the workplace

• Anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policy covering every protected ground in the Ontario Human Rights Code
• OHSA workplace harassment and workplace violence programs, including how to report and how investigations are conducted
• Duty to accommodate to the point of undue hardship, and how to request accommodation
• Non-retaliation guarantee

2. Cleaning and sanitation schedule

• Daily: contact surfaces, sinks, washrooms, floors, waste removal, sanitizer concentration test
• Weekly: under equipment, shelving, drains, fridge interiors, door handles and switches
• Monthly: walls, vents, light diffusers, dry storage rotation, ice machine
• Quarterly: hood and duct cleaning by a certified contractor (retain the certificate)
• Record who performed each task and when; the manager signs weekly

3. Equipment maintenance log

4. Health and safety records (OHSA)

• Health and safety representative or joint committee minutes and workplace inspection reports (monthly where a committee exists)
• Training register: OHSA awareness, WHMIS, first aid, role-specific
• Safety data sheets index, current within three years
• First aid kit inspection per WSIB Regulation 1101
• Critical injury procedure and Ministry of Labour notification record

2. Logo system

• Primary logo, horizontal lockup, stacked lockup, icon/monogram, one-colour version
• Minimum clear space equal to the height of the icon; minimum size 24 px digital / 15 mm print
• Approved backgrounds and a short list of prohibited uses (stretching, recolouring, drop shadows, outlines)
• Export set: SVG, PNG with transparency at 1×/2×/3×, favicon, and CMYK EPS for print
• Get written assignment of copyright from any designer you hire — in Canada the creator owns copyright by default unless it is assigned in writing

3. Colour system

Ontario organizations covered by the AODA information and communications standard must meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA on public websites — build accessible contrast into the palette from day one.

4. Typography

• One display face for headings, one workhorse face for body — no more than two families
• Type scale: 12 / 14 / 16 / 20 / 24 / 32 / 44 px with 1.5 line height for body copy
• Confirm the font licence covers web embedding, app use and client work

2. Marketing prompts (samples)

• "Write 10 Instagram captions for a [product] launch at a [city] bakery. Warm, local, no emojis, under 120 characters, one clear call to action."
• "Turn this menu description into 5 short-form video hooks that lead with a customer problem."
• "Draft a 4-email welcome sequence for new loyalty members. Include an express-consent confirmation line for CASL."
• "Rewrite this promotion so the total price including HST is stated up front and no fees appear only at checkout."

3. Operations prompts

• "Convert this messy process description into a numbered SOP with roles, timing, safety notes and a records section."
• "Build a par-level order sheet for these 25 items based on last month's usage."
• "Given these ingredient costs, calculate cost per unit and suggest three prices at 30%, 28% and 25% food cost."
• "List the corrective actions for a fridge that logged 8°C overnight, following Ontario food premises expectations."

4. Hiring and people prompts

• "Draft a job posting for a [role] that states wage range, hours and location, and avoids requirements unrelated to the essential duties."
• "Write 8 behavioural interview questions for a [role]. Exclude anything touching a protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code."
• "Turn these notes into a fair, factual written warning with expectations and a review date."

2. 90-day calendar structure

3. Hook bank

• "Most people [common mistake]. Here's what to do instead."
• "I spent $[amount] learning this so you don't have to."
• "3 things I'd do differently if I started [thing] today."
• "If you're in [city/industry], this changes your [outcome]."
• "Nobody talks about the [hidden cost] of [popular thing]."
• "Watch me [do a thing] in real time."

4. Repurposing workflow

• One long asset per week (video, livestream or article)
• Cut three short clips, one carousel, one text post and one email from it
• Caption every video — accessibility, and most feeds play muted
• Log the original asset ID so you can track which source ideas perform

2. Platform mix

3. First 30 days

• Days 1–3: profile, bio, handle consistency, link hub
• Days 4–7: 20 content ideas mapped to three pillars
• Days 8–14: batch and post daily; do not judge results yet
• Days 15–21: double down on the two best-performing formats
• Days 22–30: first offer or lead magnet, first analytics review

4. Ontario creator business setup

• Creator income is business income and must be reported to the CRA, including gifted products and barter at fair market value
• Register for GST/HST once worldwide taxable revenue exceeds $30,000 in four consecutive calendar quarters; many brand agencies require an HST number
• Register an Ontario business name if you operate under anything other than your legal name; consider incorporation once profit is consistent
• Track deductible expenses: equipment, software, home office percentage, a reasonable share of phone and internet, travel with a purpose log
• Keep records for six years; set aside 25–30% of profit for tax

2. The 3-second rule

• Visual change in the first 0.5 seconds — movement, cut, or text appearing
• Spoken hook states the payoff, not the setup
• On-screen text repeats the hook for muted viewing
• No logo intros, no 'hey guys', no throat-clearing

3. Hook bank

• "Stop doing [thing] if you want [result]."
• "This took me 4 years to figure out."
• "POV: you just [situation the audience lives in]."
• "[Number] signs you're [problem]."
• "Here's exactly how I [result] in [timeframe]."
• "Reply to @user — the honest answer."

4. Trend tracker

Act within 72 hours of spotting a trend. Use commercially cleared sounds for any promotional or branded video — the commercial music library exists for this reason and using a popular track on branded content can breach the Copyright Act and the platform's terms.

2. Idea pipeline

3. Script template

• 0:00–0:15 Hook — restate the title promise and the stake
• 0:15–0:45 Credibility and roadmap in one breath
• Body — 3 to 5 chapters, each with a mini payoff and a pattern break every 20–30 seconds
• Proof — demo, screen capture, data or a real example
• Close — recap, one call to action, and a specific next video to watch

4. Thumbnail and title checklist

• Readable at 120 px wide; test at phone size
• Maximum three or four words on the thumbnail
• Face or subject with a clear emotion, high contrast against the background
• Title under 60 characters, keyword within the first five words, no clickbait you do not deliver
• Title and thumbnail must match the content — misleading packaging breaches the Competition Act when it involves a commercial claim

2. Script formats — 10 templates

• Mistake → correction: "You're doing X wrong. Here's the fix."
• List: "5 things I wish I knew before [thing]."
• Story: problem → attempt → failure → insight → result
• Myth-bust: "Everyone says X. The data says Y."
• Tutorial: "How to [task] in 30 seconds."
• Before/after: show the state change first, explain second
• Day in the life with one lesson attached
• Reaction / duet with an added expert opinion
• Comparison: option A vs option B, honest trade-offs
• Offer: problem → proof → clear invitation

3. Six fill-in scripts

Each script below is written to be adapted — replace bracketed fields with your niche.

• MISTAKE: "If you're [audience] and still [common behaviour], stop. I did that for [time] and it cost me [cost]. Instead: [step 1], [step 2], [step 3]. Save this before you [next action]."
• LIST: "[Number] things nobody tells you about [topic]. One: [insight]. Two: [insight]. Three: the one that actually matters — [insight]. Follow for part two."
• STORY: "[Timeframe] ago I was [low point]. I tried [wrong approach]. It failed because [reason]. What worked was [approach]. Now [result]. Here's the first step you can take today."
• TUTORIAL: "How to [task] in under a minute. Step one [action]. Step two [action]. Step three [action]. That's it — comment '[keyword]' and I'll send the template."
• MYTH: "'[Common belief]' is wrong. Here's why: [evidence]. What to do instead: [action]."
• OFFER: "If you're [audience] struggling with [problem], I built [offer]. It includes [benefit 1] and [benefit 2]. [Proof]. Link in bio."

4. Filming and editing standards

• Vertical 9:16, 1080×1920, shoot in the highest quality your device allows
• Face lit from the front; window light beats any ring light
• External or lapel mic — audio quality drives retention more than video quality
• Cut every pause; a visual change at least every 2–3 seconds
• Burned-in captions in the safe zone, away from platform UI

2. The 20 layouts

• Big number hook · Question hook · Mistake list · Step-by-step · Before/after · Myth vs fact · Checklist · Client result · Price breakdown · Tool stack
• Day in the life · Behind the scenes · FAQ · Comparison table · Quote card · Data chart · Mini case study · Offer announcement · Testimonial (with permission) · Personal story

3. Design rules

4. Caption framework

• Line 1 repeats the hook (this is what shows in the feed)
• Three short paragraphs expanding the idea
• One call to action
• Five to eight relevant hashtags, not thirty
• Add alt text on every slide — required practice for accessible content and it helps reach

2. Rate card structure

Never grant perpetual, worldwide, all-media usage in a base fee. Price rights separately and time-limit them.

3. Cold pitch email

Subject: [Brand] × [Your name] — [specific idea] Hi [name], I'm [name], I make [content type] for [audience] and my last [n] videos averaged [views] views with [x]% of viewers in Canada. I noticed [specific, genuine observation about the brand]. Idea: [one concrete concept in one sentence]. I can deliver [deliverables] by [date] for [rate]. Happy to send my media kit and past results. — [name]

4. Contract clauses to insist on

• Deliverables, format, platform, live date and number of revisions (cap at two)
• Fee, currency (state CAD), HST treatment, and payment terms — net 15 or net 30 with interest on late payment
• Usage rights: media, territory, duration, and whether paid amplification is included
• Approval window: brand has 5 business days to review or content is deemed approved
• Exclusivity: category, duration, and compensation for it
• Ownership: you retain copyright; the brand receives a licence. Moral rights are not waived except as agreed
• Kill fee of 50% if the brand cancels after production begins
• Termination, confidentiality, and governing law of Ontario

2. Weekly slot plan

3. Batch day schedule

• 09:00 Script review and shot list for 10 pieces
• 10:00 Setup: lighting, audio check, wardrobe changes lined up
• 10:30 Film in blocks by outfit and location, not by topic
• 13:00 Ingest, rename, back up to two locations
• 14:00 Edit in one pass; no perfectionism
• 16:00 Write captions, schedule, add alt text and disclosures

4. Content tracker fields

• ID · Date · Platform · Format · Pillar · Hook · Call to action · Status
• Views · Watch-through · Saves · Shares · Comments · Clicks · Conversions
• Verdict: repeat, remix, or retire

2. The five income streams

• Brand deals — highest per-hour, least stable; require contracts and disclosure
• Affiliate — passive but low conversion without genuine use; disclose every link
• Digital products — highest margin; requires a real audience problem
• Membership / community — best lifetime value; heaviest ongoing obligation
• Platform ad revenue — pays for consistency, not creativity; treat as a bonus

3. Building an offer

• Problem statement in the audience's own words (pull from your DMs and comments)
• Outcome, timeframe and what is explicitly not included
• Price anchored to the outcome's value, not your production cost
• Delivery mechanism you can honour every week without burning out
• Refund policy in writing before purchase

4. Ontario selling requirements

• Register your business name in Ontario if trading under anything other than your legal name
• Charge and remit HST at 13% once registered; register when taxable revenue passes $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters
• Digital and remote agreements under the Consumer Protection Act, 2002 require clear pre-purchase disclosure of total price, delivery, and cancellation rights, plus a written copy of the agreement
• Memberships with automatic renewal need clear disclosure of renewal terms and an easy cancellation path
• Marketing emails require CASL-compliant consent, identification and unsubscribe

2. Shot list template

3. Gear and props checklist

• Camera or phone, spare battery, spare storage, charged and formatted
• Microphone plus dead cat, backup recorder
• Key light, bounce or reflector, ND filter for outdoors
• Tripod, clamp, gimbal
• Props, wardrobe changes (one per content block), lint roller, mirror
• Water, snacks, and a printed shot list

4. Batch day timeline

• Block A (2 hrs): all talking-head content, outfit 1
• Block B (1.5 hrs): b-roll and detail shots
• Block C (1.5 hrs): outfit 2, second angle set
• Wrap: back up to two drives before leaving the location

2. Hook and idea prompts

• "Give me 20 hooks for a video about [topic] aimed at [audience]. Lead with tension. Under 10 words each."
• "Turn this comment from my audience into 5 video ideas: '[comment]'."
• "List 10 counterintuitive takes about [topic] that I could defend with real examples."
• "Rewrite this hook 8 ways: curiosity, fear of loss, contrarian, personal story, number, question, direct promise, callout."

3. Script and caption prompts

• "Write a 45-second script: hook, context, three steps, loop ending. Conversational, no filler, grade 6 reading level."
• "Write a caption for this video. First line must repeat the hook. Three short paragraphs. One call to action. Include an #ad disclosure at the start."
• "Convert this 12-minute transcript into 5 short-form scripts, each with its own hook."

4. Repurposing prompts

• "Turn this video into: a carousel outline, an email, a LinkedIn post, a thread, and three quote cards."
• "Summarize this long-form video into chapter titles with timestamps."
• "Write a newsletter that expands on this post with one new idea the video did not cover."

2. Account structure

One ad set per audience. Three to five creatives per ad set. Do not edit a winning ad set — duplicate it.

3. Daily budget rules

• Start each test ad set at 3–5× your target cost per acquisition per day
• Do not touch anything for 72 hours or 50 link clicks, whichever comes first
• Kill an ad at 3× target CPA spent with zero purchases
• Scale by 20% every 3 days while ROAS holds above break-even + 30%
• If ROAS drops below break-even for 3 consecutive days, revert to the last profitable budget

4. Creative testing method

• Test one variable at a time: hook, angle, format, offer
• Five hooks × one proven body beats five entirely different videos
• Winning creative criteria: hook rate (3-second views ÷ impressions) above 25%, hold rate above 15%, cost per purchase at or under target
• Refresh creative every 2–3 weeks or when frequency exceeds 2.5 on cold audiences

2. Calculated outputs

3. Decision rules

• LTV:CAC below 3:1 — fix margin or retention before scaling
• CPA above max allowable CPA — the offer or the landing page is the problem, not the ad
• Profitable but small — increase budget 20% every 3 days
• Profitable and capped — expand audiences or add a second platform

4. Ontario tax note

• Model revenue net of the 13% HST you collect and remit; including it inflates ROAS
• Advertising spend is a deductible business expense; the HST paid on Canadian ad invoices may be recoverable as an input tax credit if you are registered
• Keep monthly ad platform invoices for six years

2. Pass / fail thresholds

3. Iteration ladder

• Winner found → make 5 hook variants of the same body
• Then 3 new openings (visual, text, voice)
• Then a new format (UGC, static, carousel, founder-to-camera)
• Then a new angle entirely

4. Compliance column (do not skip)

• Record where each claim in the ad is substantiated — test data, invoice, study, or customer record
• Record consent for any testimonial, before/after or customer image used
• Record the disclosure used for creator or affiliate-produced ads
• Ads that cannot be substantiated get killed regardless of ROAS

2. Funnel map

3. 90-day campaign calendar

• Weeks 1–2: foundation — offer, landing page, tracking, email automation
• Weeks 3–6: content and organic proof; small paid tests
• Weeks 7–10: scale the winning channel; add retargeting
• Weeks 11–13: promotion moment, review harvesting, next-quarter plan

4. Website and landing page requirements

• All-in pricing with HST treatment stated; no surprise fees at checkout
• Terms of service, refund and cancellation policy, and shipping timelines disclosed before payment (Consumer Protection Act, 2002)
• Privacy policy naming what you collect, why, and every analytics or advertising tool used (PIPEDA)
• Accessible to WCAG 2.0 Level AA — required for many Ontario organizations under the AODA and good practice for all
• Business name, address and contact information on every commercial email (CASL)

2. Reinvestment priority ladder

• 1. Fund tax and HST obligations in full — always first
• 2. Build a three-month operating buffer
• 3. Remove the bottleneck (equipment, software, or the first hire)
• 4. Fund proven marketing — only channels already returning above break-even ROAS
• 5. Test new channels with no more than 10% of the growth account
• 6. Owner distribution increase

3. Ontario obligations to reserve for

• HST remittance on your assigned filing frequency, net of input tax credits
• Payroll source deductions (CPP, EI, income tax) generally due by the 15th of the following month
• Ontario Employer Health Tax once payroll exceeds the exemption — confirm the current exemption amount on Ontario.ca
• WSIB premiums on insurable earnings
• Corporate income tax instalments; Ontario applies a combined federal-provincial small business rate on active business income up to the small business limit — confirm current rates with the CRA

4. Monthly reinvestment decision sheet

• Profit this month: $____
• Tax reserve transfer: $____
• Buffer top-up: $____
• Growth allocation: $____ split into: ads $__, equipment $__, people $__, systems $__
• Expected return and the date you will measure it
• Decision rule: if the previous growth spend did not hit its target return, do not increase the allocation

2. Hiring order for most small businesses

• 1. Delivery help (does the work you sell)
• 2. Admin / customer service (protects your time)
• 3. Marketing or sales (grows demand)
• 4. Supervisor / manager (removes you from scheduling)
• 5. Finance or bookkeeping support

3. Cost of an Ontario employee

• Base wage at or above current Ontario minimum wage
• Employer CPP and EI contributions
• Vacation pay: 4% under five years, 6% at five years or more
• Public holiday pay
• WSIB premium at your rate group
• Employer Health Tax above the exemption
• Budget roughly 15–20% above gross wages for statutory costs, before benefits

4. Compliant hiring process

• Job posting with a compensation range where required by current Ontario job-posting rules — verify the requirements in force before posting
• Interview questions restricted to the essential duties; no questions touching protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code
• Written offer meeting or exceeding ESA minimums, including a lawful termination clause
• Day-one OHSA awareness training and policy acknowledgements
• Accommodation offered proactively throughout recruitment

2. Pick a niche and build a portfolio

• Choose 2–3 categories you genuinely use: beauty, food, home, fitness, tech, local services
• Create 3 spec videos per category using products you already own
• Each spec video: hook, problem, product in use, result, call to action — 20 to 40 seconds
• Host the portfolio on a simple page or a Google Drive folder with clear labels
• Label spec work as spec — never imply a brand hired you when it did not

3. Rate card

Add 13% HST once you are registered. Registration is mandatory once taxable revenue exceeds $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters.

4. Outreach templates

• Cold email: "Hi [name] — I make short-form product videos for [category] brands. I shot this spec ad for [product] on my own: [link]. I can deliver 3 videos in 10 days for $[rate], with 30-day paid usage included. Interested?"
• Instagram DM: two lines maximum, one link, one price anchor
• Follow-up at day 4 and day 10, then stop
• Track every pitch in a sheet: brand, contact, date, status, next action

2. Hook options (always deliver three)

• Problem-first: "If your [problem], stop scrolling."
• Result-first: "This is [result] after [timeframe]."
• Curiosity: "I did not expect this to work."
• Objection: "I thought [product category] was a scam until…"
• Trend/format-led, adapted to the brand

3. Shot list

4. Claim control

• Only state claims the brand has supplied in writing and can substantiate — under the Competition Act, both the advertiser and the person making the representation can be liable
• Avoid absolute health, medical or curative claims; those are regulated by Health Canada
• Say 'in my experience' for personal results and never imply typical results you cannot prove
• Include the paid-partnership disclosure in the video and the caption when it will also post to your own channel

2. Discovery call framework (45 minutes)

• 0–3 min: frame the call — what you will cover, and that either outcome is fine
• 3–15 min: current situation, in numbers
• 15–25 min: desired outcome and the cost of staying where they are
• 25–30 min: obstacles they have already tried and why those failed
• 30–38 min: present only the parts of your offer that address what they said
• 38–42 min: price, delivered plainly, then silence
• 42–45 min: decision, next step, and a written summary sent same day

3. Objection handling

4. Proposal template

• Their goal in their own words
• Scope: what is included, and explicitly what is not
• Timeline with milestones
• Investment: total price in CAD, HST treatment, payment schedule
• Guarantee or performance commitment — only what you can honour
• Terms: cancellation, refund policy, rescheduling, confidentiality, Ontario governing law
• Signature and expiry date on the proposal

2. Pipeline stages

• 1. Lead captured · 2. Qualified (60+) · 3. Call booked · 4. Call held · 5. Proposal sent · 6. Negotiation · 7. Won · 8. Lost
• Every stage has an owner, a required action and a maximum time in stage
• Any deal stalled beyond its stage limit is either advanced or closed-lost — no phantom pipeline

3. Deal tracker fields

• Company / name · Source · Score · Stage · Deal value (CAD, excl. HST) · Probability · Expected close date
• Last contact · Next action · Next action date · Objection · Notes

4. Forecast