Eight more small businesses in the Peterborough area have received business training and a collective financial boost of $39,000 thanks to the Starter Company Plus program offered by the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre — including two local entrepreneurs kawarthaNOW has profiled in the past six months.
Funded by the Government of Ontario and administered by Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, Starter Company Plus provides aspiring or experienced entrepreneurs in the City and County of Peterborough with five weeks of business training to help them launch a new business or expand an existing one.
Twelve small businesses participated in the fall intake of the program, which began offering in-person classes again for the first time since the pandemic, with the following eight businesses selected to each receive a grant up to $5,000 based on the overall strength of their business plan and business pitch.
- Iola Taylor of Cold Duck Creamery in the City of Peterborough, which produces a gourmet ice cream product by incorporating local duck eggs with pans to introduce a frozen custard in 2024.
- Joe and Liz Crowley of Crowley Acres in Township of Otonabee South-Monaghan, which began by breeding red golden retrievers as therapy and service dogs and providing dog training and temperment testing and now plans to expand by offering boarding, doggy daycare, a private off-leash dog park, and more on their 97-acre farm.
- Sara Scheuermann of Steaped Slow Ceramics in the City of Peterborough, which offers handmade pottery designed to be used everyday, including mugs, tumblers, tableware, and home décor.
- Katie Jackson of Wanderlight Luxury Farm Stay in Douro-Dummer Township, which offers a series of packages all including accommodation in a private, off-the-grid geodesic dome. Jackson already runs Wanderlight Alpaca Experience, where visitors can experience private guided walks with alpacas.
- Jordan Lyall of Jordan Lyall Photography in the City of Peterborough, who offers a photography service for families that documents real-life moments instead posed and staged photographs. kawarthaNOW profiled Lyall in a feature story in September.
- Cody Lewis of Cody Lewis Carpentry in the City of Peterborough, which offers a range of services for homeowners including kitchen and full house renovations and restorations as well as new builds such as backyard sheds and pergolas.
- Meg Kynock of muttmixx in the Township of Havelock Belmont-Methuen, which produces nutritious dog treats consisting of natural ingredients that are all vegan and free of sugar, salt, gluten, and dairy. kawarthaNOW profiled Kynock in a feature story in June.
- Mackenzie Caldwell of Grace & Glow Beauty Studio in the City of Peterborough, a beauty salon and training academy whose services emphasize natural beauty and specialize in empowering people through self-confidence and self-love.
Since its launch in 2017, the Starter Company Plus program offered by the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre has assisted over 240 local entrepreneurs and more than 194 small businesses, which have created more than 220 jobs in the local economy.
“Now in its tenth intake, the Starter Company Plus program has directly contributed to the growth and development of small businesses in Peterborough & the Kawarthas,” says Business Advisory Centre manager Madeleine Hurrell in a media release. “Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development understands how critically important our small business sector is to our local economy; these businesses support our workforce, attract visitors, and invest back into the community.”
As well as ongoing business support from the Business Advisory Centre, all Starter Company Plus participants are conditionally pre-approved for a micro-loan from Community Futures Peterborough and receive a complimentary six-month trial membership with Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
