Eric Boutilier does a little bit of everything.
As the owner of his one-man videography business, Boutilier specializes in the development of videos for various clients, and also does freelance work for media outlets in both Ontario and Quebec.
He's currently filming an instructional hockey video for a local coach in the North Bay area to help teach children development skills.
As well, he has assisted Le5 Communications bring a French-language radio station to Nipissing - a first of its kind in the area.
“We just got positive reaction from the CRTC (Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission),” said Boutilier. “So we got our broadcast licence, and we're moving ahead with the project.”
A lot has contributed to the success of Boutilier's business, Camescope Media, but none more so than Stepping Stones, an incubator program geared to help new businesses get their foot on the ground.
Created in 2006 by business leaders and funders, Stepping Stones provides new entrepreneurs with resources to accelerate the growth of their businesses and to help them become successful firms that are financially viable.
“It really helped with my personal development,” said Boutilier. “It helped develop my communication skills and my networking skills.”
Boutilier first heard of Stepping Stones through the NECO Community Futures Development Corporation's Young Entrepreneur Program.
It was there he first met with Jenn Galan, project manager for Stepping Stones, who explained to him a little about what the business incubator was about, and the opportunities it can create.
Galan has worked as project manager for NECO's Young Entrepreneur Program for seven years prior to Stepping Stones.
She said that in a business perspective, Stepping Stones is a phase two project, and that people interested must have a solid business plan in hand, and have some type of clientele.
“It's so they're not starting here from scratch,” explained Galan. “Essentially, they've been working in a home environment, already established their business and want to exchange their slippers for a pair of shoes.”
Stepping Stones has just recently relocated from a mall location to downtown North Bay and now offers rooms for businesses to start-up, as opposed to cubicles they were using in the past.
As of now, they have four businesses under their roof, and room for one more. But don't expect that to be vacant for very much longer, said Galan.
Aside from Boutilier's Camiscope Media, the incubator also hosts a driver training instructor, an artist, and a not-for-profit organization.
The incubator charges around a dollar per square-foot of the room the business occupies.
“We're not here to gouge our clients,” she said. “We're here to assist them in excelling.”
There is no specific timeline for how long businesses can stay with Stepping Stones. Until they feel comfortable enough to take the next step and move into their own environment, they are welcomed to stay as long as they like, said Galan.
Stepping Stones is funded by Industry Canada through FedNor.
As well, the Ontario Trillium Foundation has funded Galan's position for a period of three years, which expires this year.
“We hope that the whole concept becomes self sufficient within the next five years,” said Patricia Aspin-Lecour, executive director of NECO, “to be able to support (Galan's) position full-time on an on-going basis without the need for outside funding.”
They're currently looking at applying for different grants, funding and corporate sponsorships, but Aspin-Lecour said that after November, regardless of what the case may be, they will still be able to operate and continue with their everyday activities.
While at their previous location inside the Northgate Mall, Stepping Stones was not charged any rent.
The advisory committee came up with a sustainability plan to save the income they generated while there and to put it in a fund.
They now have it in reserve.
“We still have to find a way to generate a little bit of income for the sustainability plan,” said Galan. “Hopefully an organization that we apply to for funding will like our idea and want to fund us.”
But for now, Stepping Stones will not let the future affect the present. They're currently settling into their new location, and continue to help those who ask for it.
Boutilier is a perfect example.
“It's really had a positive impact with helping me learn how businesses work and what kind of challenges to overcome,” he said.
In fact, Boutilier was recently asked to be chair of the organization and accepted.
“I saw it as an opportunity to really learn about interacting with different individuals in a committee setting,” said Boultilier. “And to really learn about how things work.”
Watch Jenn Galan discuss the history of Stepping Stones, and how it got off the ground.
