Construction Café
Workshop Series

Join us for an important update on the Palmerston Big Dig – “Full Steam Ahead: Building a Better Main Street.” Local businesses will hear directly from the project engineers and contractors about the construction timeline, access planning, and what to expect throughout each phase of the work. This session is designed to keep you informed, prepared, and supported as we begin transforming Main Street for the future.

Delivering Great Service When Construction Is Tough – This interactive session focuses on maintaining a high-quality customer experience despite the physical barriers and noise of the Main Street project. Business owners and their teams will develop a toolkit of staff talking points and scripts designed to de-escalate frustration and turn logistical “headaches” into opportunities for exceptional service. The workshop covers critical accessibility best practices to ensure all patrons can reach your door safely, while exploring creative service alternatives—such as enhanced curbside pickup or localized delivery—to meet customers where they are. Through hands-on scenario practice, your team will build the confidence to handle real-world construction challenges with empathy, professionalism, and a solutions-oriented mindset.

David is an author, business coach, and facilitator. He has taught thousands over the years in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors and has coached business owners to sell, plan and market their ventures successfully. He specializes in helping business owners mine their strengths, get clear on their value, their markets and then begin to develop a sales and marketing game plan that gets results.

David is currently working in the online space, with the podcast a membership site called Your Big Venture, geared to support youth entrepreneurs, a new book to help you achieve total life balance and focus, called Live Life SWIFT was just released on Amazon in January and he is launching learning programs online that help young entrepreneurs get results.

He has worked with Newcomer Entrepreneurs with organizations like Acces Employment, Roots CS, New Circles, The Toronto Public Library, The Syrian Foundation, Alterna Savings, The Richmond Hill Small Business Enterprise Centre, EDCO, Transat Travel Group, and Youth Employment Services to name a few.

How to Stay Visible Online During Construction – This essential session teaches merchants how to bypass physical road closures by strengthening their digital storefront. Participants will discover why a robust online presence is critical when foot traffic is disrupted and learn to craft high-impact “We’re Open!” messaging that cuts through the noise. The workshop provides a deep dive into modern engagement tools like Reels and TikTok, alongside a practical social content calendar to keep your brand top-of-mind. After exploring the basics of targeted ads and boosted posts to reach local customers, the session concludes with a hands-on workshop where business owners will create two ready-to-publish posts and receive a curated list of digital tools to sustain their online momentum throughout the project.

Construction-Themed Promotions That Work – This high-energy session empowers downtown businesses to turn neighbourhood disruption into a powerful marketing hook. Participants will explore successful case studies of creative “hard-hat” campaigns and learn how to scale their impact through joint downtown initiatives that transform the construction zone into a unified destination. The workshop dives deep into designing high-retention loyalty programs specifically for the “construction era,” followed by a collaborative brainstorming breakout to develop customized promotional ideas. Merchants will leave with a concrete campaign calendar to synchronize their sales and events with construction milestones, ensuring their brand stays vibrant and profitable until the final ribbon-cutting.

Managing Cash Flow & Financial Stress – This vital session provides business owners with a strategic framework to protect their bottom line during periods of disrupted foot traffic. Participants will analyze various revenue impact scenarios to anticipate shifts in income and learn to navigate professional cash flow tools that offer a clear picture of their financial health. The workshop highlights immediate cost-saving opportunities, provides a roadmap for accessing available grants and municipal supports, and offers guidance on inventory planning to prevent capital from being tied up in slow-moving stock. By focusing on how to work effectively with financial professionals during a crisis, this session ensures merchants have the practical skills and resources needed to maintain fiscal stability and peace of mind throughout the project’s duration.

Setting Up Simple Online Sales – In this session, merchants will learn how to bypass construction barriers by creating a digital storefront that keeps products and services accessible to everyone. The workshop begins with a practical guide to choosing the right platform and a step-by-step walkthrough for online ordering and inventory management to ensure a seamless backend experience. Participants will explore the logistics of curbside pickup systems and delivery options to meet customers where they are, followed by a hands-on build where business owners will actually begin constructing their own store page. By the end of the hour, attendees will have a functional framework for capturing sales digitally, ensuring that “road closed” never means “business closed.”

Preparedness for Unexpected Disruptions – In this critical session, merchants will move beyond the planned construction schedule to build a resilient strategy for the truly “unforeseen.” The workshop begins with business continuity basics, helping owners identify core operations that must remain active regardless of external chaos. Through a proactive risk identification exercise, participants will map out potential “wild cards”—such as sudden utility outages or emergency road closures—and develop practical backup operations to stay functional. The session also covers a robust communication plan to keep both staff and customers informed during a crisis, concluding with the creation of quick-response checklists that turn panic into a coordinated plan of action.

Construction. Road closures. Power outages. For small businesses in rural Main Street communities, even minor disruptions can have major consequences. Join us for this hands-on workshop designed specifically for local business owners navigating construction, infrastructure changes, and other unexpected challenges.

Keeping Your Business Accessible – In this essential session, merchants will learn how to ensure that construction barriers do not become permanent hurdles for their most vulnerable patrons. The workshop begins by identifying common accessibility challenges—from uneven temporary pavement to confusing detours—and moves into practical, temporary solutions that can be implemented immediately. Participants will master signage best practices to create high-visibility guidance, with a specific focus on serving seniors and individuals with mobility or sensory needs who may find construction zones particularly daunting. The session concludes with a hands-on route mapping exercise, helping business owners plot the safest and most accessible paths to their front doors, ensuring that a “pardon our dust” phase remains inclusive for every customer.

Managing Staff Through Change – The upcoming Main Street reconstruction project will fundamentally shift how your business operates, making your workforce management strategy more critical than ever. In this session of the Construction Café, we will explore how to navigate the complexities of staffing when foot traffic is unpredictable and physical access to your storefront is limited. We’ll start by analyzing the specific workforce impacts of the Main Street project, followed by a deep dive into adjusting your staffing levels to remain profitable during construction. You’ll discover modern tools for flexible scheduling to handle shifting hours and learn the art of transparent staff communication to prevent turnover during stressful periods. We will also cover how to use downtime for strategic staff training, ensuring your team is more versatile and prepared for your post-construction “grand reopening.” Whether you’re facing a total shutdown or a season of reduced access, join us to gain the tactical insights needed to keep your team motivated, your overhead lean, and your business resilient through every phase of the project.

Working Together as a Downtown – This session of the Construction Café focuses on the power of the “Strength in Numbers” approach, teaching you how to turn a construction zone into a collaborative destination. By aligning your marketing and operational efforts with your neighbours, you can keep the downtown vibrant, maintain foot traffic, and ensure that customers have a reason to navigate the detours to visit your block.

We will kick off the workshop by exploring why collaboration matters in a crisis and sharing success stories from other districts that have thrived during major infrastructure projects. You will participate in partner exercises designed to help you identify immediate synergy with neighboring shops, followed by a deep dive into creating joint promotions that pool your resources for maximum reach. The session also covers the logistics of hosting events and pop-ups that can draw crowds despite the construction, turning a challenge into a community-building opportunity. Join us to learn how to transform “business as usual” into a unified downtown movement that ensures every shop on the street stays visible and supported until the final brick is laid.

Coping Tools for Business Owners – Running a small business is demanding under the best of circumstances, but managing the daily pressures of a major reconstruction project can push even the most seasoned entrepreneur to their limit. This session of the Construction Café provides a much-needed space for business owners to step away from the noise and focus on their most critical tool: their own mental well-being. We will move beyond the logistics of the Main Street project to address the very real stress, fatigue, and anxiety that come with navigating long-term business disruptions, providing you with the psychological resilience needed to lead your team through the finish line.

The workshop begins by understanding the biology of stress and how it specifically impacts decision-making and leadership. We will then dive into practical, high-impact tools for managing anxiety in the moment, followed by a realistic discussion on maintaining work-life balance when the boundaries between your personal and professional life feel blurred. A core component of this session is peer sharing, giving you the opportunity to connect with fellow Main Street owners who are facing the same hurdles. We will conclude by identifying professional support systems and resources available to you. Join us for an honest, supportive hour focused on recharging your battery and ensuring that you have the mental clarity to not just survive the construction phase, but to lead your business toward a successful future.