Seven Local Small Business Owners Connected with $27,000 through Starter Company Plus
This evening, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre announced the first seven Starter Company Plus grant recipients of 2018. These entrepreneurs will be connected with funding to grow their businesses.
A total of $27,000 in competitive grant dollars was awarded to the following business owners who participated in the most recent intake of the entrepreneurship program:
| Entrepreneur | Business Name | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephanie Reynolds | The Willow Studio | City of Peterborough | The Willow Studio is Peterborough’s first yoga, fitness and Pilates studio dedicated to helping women find strength, balance and confidence from bump to birth and beyond. |
| Carlotta James & Megan Boyles | Three Sisters Natural Landscapes | City of Peterborough | Three Sisters Natural Landscapes is a social enterprise that provides eco-landscaping solutions to homeowners and businesses in Peterborough & the Kawarthas. |
| Jesse Bateson | Solid Leather | City of Peterborough | Handmade solid leather belts. Designed for style, built for life. |
| Christine Teixeira | Accountability Financial | City of Peterborough | Accountability Financial provides bookkeeping services to small and medium-sized businesses as well as income tax preparation services. |
| Chantel Stovell | Olive Cedar Studio | City of Peterborough | Olive Cedar Studio: Hand-crafted one-of-a-kind jewellery with concepts and feels inspired by the Canadian natural world using sterling silver, semi-precious and prepared stones, with the occasional foray into other mixed metals. |
| Olaf Dunn | Pitched | Township of Cavan-Monaghan | Pitched provide Canadians with greater choice to explore the great outdoors. We also provide private landowners with an opportunity to earn additional income. |
| Rick Dolishny | BlushDrop | City of Peterborough | BlushDrop Wedding Video helps brides and grooms get the wedding video they deserve at a fraction of the cost. Friends and family do the shooting on their phones, and the BlushDrop team handles the editing. |
Now in its second year, Starter Company Plus is a Government of Ontario funded program. Through this program, entrepreneurs receive support to start, grow, or buy a business. The program offers a robust series of workshops to support in the creation of a formalized business plan, culminating in the chance to pitch for up to $5,000 in funding.
“We are pleased to see a real sense of community being built through this program, with lots of collaborations, camaraderie, and word of mouth referrals.” explains Madeleine Hurrell, Economic Development Officer who oversees the Starter Company Plus and Summer Company programs. “Beyond being a community builder, this program is also creating opportunities for growth for the over 75 business owners who have participated in Starter Company Plus to date. We have seen participants expand into new markets, open up bricks-and-mortar locations, and create jobs in the region.”