Nine Peterborough-area entrepreneurs were celebrated at VentureNorth in downtown Peterborough on Thursday (October 26) during a graduation ceremony for the 2023 ScaleUP program, presented by Community Futures Peterborough in partnership with Scotiabank.
First piloted in 2022, the ScaleUP program is designed to provide business owners with the information they need to make key decisions about how to grow and expand their businesses in the community.
“For the past eight weeks, these ambitious business owners have participated in extensive one-on-one coaching alongside intensive classroom sessions to better equip them with the knowledge and tools to accelerate their business to the next level,” says Community Futures Peterborough executive director Devon Girard in a media release. “Today, each graduate is walking away with a customized roadmap to help guide them through the next phase of sustainable growth for their business.”
The nine graduates of the 2023 ScaleUP program are Robyn Jenkins of Charlea’s Riverside Gardens, Tracy Logan of Logan Tree Experts, Angela Jones of Lakeshore Designs, RJ Kayser of Flow Spa, Robyn Ivory of Indigenously Infused, Brett Pritchard of The 3D Shoppe, Kollene Drummond of Well Grounded, Matt Anderson of Chemong City Greens, and Jena Trimble of Zen Home and Cottage Cleaning Service.
“Scotiabank offers our heartfelt congratulations to the graduates of the ScaleUP program,” says Ontario Central East district vice president Chris Skinner. “The support this program offers to participants is aligned to the tailored advice we deliver to our clients as they look to grow and expand their business. We are proud to have partnered with Community Futures Peterborough in supporting entrepreneurs and businesses in the community.”
Led by industry consultant Diane Richard and a team of regional experts including Savino Human Resource Partners, Holmes-Riseley CPAs and Tax Advisors, and a supply chain consultant, the program featuring extensive education into areas including financial management, supply chain optimization, people management, crisis control, organizational structuring, and creating effective policies.
“The insights I learned through the ScaleUP program have sparked exciting new developments for my business,” says Indigenously Infused founder Robyn Ivory. “Aligning our goals with tangible practices doesn’t feel so daunting when guided by Diane and the ScaleUP program. Working and learning alongside a powerhouse of entrepreneurs has inspired me, to say the least.”
Matt Anderson, owner of Chemong City Greens, says he is now “better equipped for the leadership roles and business processes I’ll need to build upon to successfully grow and scale my business.”
“This program has provided me with the confidence and know-how to apply the tools and best practices needed to anticipate the many challenges entrepreneurs face,” Anderson adds. “Having the opportunity to learn from Diane and her years of leadership experience plus being in the room and learning from other Peterborough business owners has been very rewarding.”
Providing small businesses in the city and county of Peterborough with flexible financing, Community Futures Peterborough is a not-for-profit organization funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), as part of the Community Futures Program.
The Community Futures Program supports 60 Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) in Ontario — 36 in southern Ontario and 24 in northern Ontario — that offer free business counselling, loans for start-up and expansion of small business, strategic planning on local projects, and community economic development in rural areas.
“I want to congratulate the graduates of the ScaleUP program — your hard work and dedication are a testament of your commitment to your business and your community,” says Filomena Tassi, the minister responsible for FedDev Ontario. “Our government knows the value of rural economies and that is why earlier this year we invested a further $40 million into the 36 CFDCs so they can provide valuable programs, tools, and resources to help rural businesses thrive.”
