Issue link: http://tourismwpg.uberflip.com/i/976794
8 2017-2018 INVESTOR DIRECTORY ONCE A COMPANY REACHES the point in its growth cycles when expansion or relocation is warranted, an obvious question arises: where is the optimal location? Many factors contribute to this decision—access to talent, wages, government incentives, tax rates, real estate costs, etc.—and typically an array of sites are screened before a thorough review narrows the field to a more manageable set of possibilities. The stakes are high for both the company and the cities involved, and each jurisdiction does its best to differentiate itself from competing locales in hopes of attracting this new investment. A key component of every company's site selection process involves visiting the cities short-listed for consideration. Given this reality, part of YES! Winnipeg's mandate includes collaborating with potential businesses who have concluded Winnipeg is a contender. Prior to a Winnipeg visit, YES! Winnipeg works with these clients to determine their expansion-related priorities and challenges. What tops their list of must-haves? What kinds of local suppliers and partners are integral to their success? Will new construction be required, or will A YES! Welcome to Winnipeg an existing building work best? What skill sets will future employees need to maximize the company's ability to compete? These and other considerations are taken into account as YES! Winnipeg formulates the most effective strategy for convincing each client to say 'Yes!' to Winnipeg. By the time company representatives arrive to experience the city for themselves, YES! Winnipeg is ready to impress them with a series of directly applicable meetings and activities designed to highlight viable solutions while saving these executives time, money and the frustration of sifting through extraneous information not pertinent to their decision-making process. Although YES! Winnipeg's job is to present the city's most compelling value proposition, this is by no means a solitary effort. Active involvement from YES! Winnipeg's investors and collaborators is an integral aspect of these familiarization (FAM) tours. Depending on the nature of the opportunity, visiting company officials may be looking for professional services, such as accounting, legal expertise and financing options; hotel accommodations; long-term YES! Winnipeg provided vital assistance to our company during a recent business formation trip to Canada. The YES! team was prepared, supportive and eager to offer its extensive expertise. Of particular help was YES! Winnipeg's vast network of contacts, which saved us months of research and effort while revealing potential new opportunities for us to explore. We're very optimistic about building a future in Winnipeg, and we're excited to continue working with YES! Winnipeg's enthusiastic staff in the days ahead to make it happen. Craig Bailey, Executive Vice President, VRC Metal Systems FAM TOURS Customized