The Business Enterprise Centre in Timmins will celebrate entrepreneurs who have completed the Starter Company program during the inaugural Building Momentum networking event on March 31.
In the past year, 21 young entrepreneurs across northeastern Ontario have participated in the Starter Company program, which provided training, mentoring and the tools necessary to develop their business ideas. As a result, seven new businesses have opened, one business has expanded, and eight jobs have been created to date. More businesses are expected to open in the upcoming months.
In Timmins, entrepreneurs who have found success through the program work in a range of fields, from health care to weddings to crafts.
"The Starter Company program not only allowed me to obtain the funds required to open my clinic but also allowed me to build a strong business plan and gain the knowledge required to run my clinic with confidence," said Christine Fortier, who participated in the program before opening Natural Health Solutions, a Timmins-based naturopathic clinic, in a news release.
Christine offers individual and group consultations providing a broad range of services, including clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, and lifestyle counselling.
Jason Michaud participated in the Starter Company program to expand his tech support business located in Cochrane.
"Opening Tech Galaxy has been a dream come true," Michaud said. "I started the business last year with the help of North Claybelt and the Ontario Self-Employed Benefit Program. Now, The Business Enterprise Centre and the Starter Company program have helped me expand my capacity, products, and marketing."
"Starter Company provides valuable resources to entrepreneurs year-round, and the Building Momentum event is a wonderful opportunity to recognize young entrepreneurs who are working hard, every day, to make their dreams a reality,” said Fred Gibbons, chair of the Timmins Economic Development Corporation, in the release. “In doing so, they make their communities a better place to live.”
Starter Company is a free program that provides young entrepreneurs with resources and support to help them start, expand, or launch their business. The program is hosted by The Business Enterprise Centre and funded by the Ontario government as part of the 'Ready. Set. Work.’ campaign and the Youth Jobs Strategy.
