Ottawa business owner builds up for the economic recovery

OTTAWA, June 22 /CNW Telbec/ - Founded in 2003, Building Blocks Technologies Inc., a company that offers professional development and consulting services to government and business, couldn't be more aptly named. As the economic recovery takes hold, company owner Stephen Shivkumar, a veteran of over 20 years in the business, is poised to build his company to the next level.

Every year Building Blocks Technologies provides courses to thousands of students across Canada and receives constantly high satisfaction ratings. The company offers services in five main areas: Corporate Skills, Government Services, Microsoft Office, IT Security, and Telecom. Shivkumar adjusts the balance of these services to stay in line with changing marketplace needs: "It's about looking strategically at what customers are buying and adapting accordingly." He has, for example, beefed up the company's focus on management soft skills which are in higher demand today.

Far from being idle during the recent recession, Shivkumar took the opportunity to realign his services, enlarge his position in his niche markets and build a stronger image for Building Blocks. "We re-established ourselves with branding and worked to get customers to get to know us better," he explains. Shivkumar introduced smart marketing techniques, including innovative approaches to group discounts, and tapped into online marketing to boost Building Blocks' exposure. "We always want to be doing a few things that other similar companies are not doing," adds Shivkumar.

The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is supporting Building Blocks with financing tailored to the company's expansion needs. Although Shivkumar believes in growing as much on the company's own cash as possible, he points out that "at some point you need working capital to drive growth." That's where BDC comes in. "I appreciate their keen sense of real world business knowledge," says Shivkumar. "They have built a relationship with us and are in it for the long term. That type of support frees me up to run my business."

About BDC

BDC is Canada's business development bank. From 100 offices across the country, BDC promotes entrepreneurship by providing highly tailored financing, venture capital and consulting services to entrepreneurs.

For further information: Johanne Bissonnette, BDC, Media Relations Manager, [phone], [email protected]