Over the next four months, growth-stage businesses will be soaring to new heights with the guidance, support, and community gained through a new cohort training program from Community Futures Peterborough (CFP).
Delivered by CFP’s Business Advisory Centre and supported by Scotiabank, SOAR is a free, limited-capacity series designed to help established businesses expand and scale operations.
Over four months and across four cohort programs, participants will gain valuable training in critical areas of business development through expert-led workshops, one-on-one consultations, and network building.
“This program was built on the success Community Futures Peterborough has already had supporting growth-stage businesses through initiatives like ScaleUP,” says Rose Terry, Manager of the Business Advisory Centre and Corporate Communications.
“We recognized the continued need for more programs dedicated to those in the growth, expansion, and scaling phase. This new program was built to meet that demand and help established businesses take their next big leap. We have a lot of existing businesses in both the City of Peterborough and Peterborough County that need support at the next level to get them to where they want to be.”
SOAR offers exactly that, and applications are available to businesses within the city and county of Peterborough, including Hiawatha First Nation and Curve Lake First Nation. To be eligible, applicants must have a proven business model, be actively selling their products, and ideally have had their registered business for a minimum of three years. Applicants with clear goals for growth will benefit the most from the SOAR program.
“We’ve been operating the Business Advisory Centre for over a year now and there are no shortage of businesses and people who continue to lean on us for expert business advisory in different areas of their operations,” says Terry. “We continue to see demand from our businesses for specific support to get to that next level of growth.”
Each monthly program in the series will have limited entry and businesses can apply to one, all four, or as many as they feel will bring value to their scaling goals.
“Anyone who has ever entered the world of small business knows how much of their time, energy, and resources are spent on making the business succeed,” says Nolan Frazer, Ontario Central East Business Banking Team Lead at Scotiabank.
“Having an accessible program like SOAR, with customized program areas for entrepreneurs, allows them to receive the valuable insights and guidance to help their business develop and grow, without using their time to find resources to do so. This is incredibly valuable to business owners of all stages.”
Except for the final program that will be held at the Asphodel-Norwood Community Centre, each expert-led workshop will take place at Peterborough’s Venture North building.
Thanks to “Team PTBO” and its connected ecosystem, participants will not only benefit from one-on-one consultations with Terry, they will also have access to a free six-month trial membership with the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce and receive a conditional pre-approved microloan up to $20,000 from CFP.
The first SOAR cohort, made up of participants coming from a range of industries, has already begun the September workshops for the “Marketing Mastery and Pitch Perfect” program. The participants are learning to build compelling brands and marketing strategies, master pitching, and have access to complimentary branded photography and videography sessions, through a sponsorship from the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA).
“Downtown Peterborough is home to many resilient and innovative entrepreneurs,” says DBIA executive director Nour Mazloum. “We are proud to support Community Futures Peterborough’s SOAR program that will help businesses with their next chapter of growth while showcasing their energy, vibrancy, and creativity through this cohort. I am excited to see their stories unfold and proud to champion programs and initiatives that give local businesses the tools they need to scale and thrive in our beautiful community.”
Held on Thursdays throughout September, the “Marketing Mastery and Pitch Perfect” workshops are led by marketing strategist Rose Terry, digital marketing expert Kat Tepylo Murphy, confidence coach and speaker Erika Eileen, video producer Kait Howell, and photographer Kayla Le Franc.
The October program, “Business Development, Networking & Sales Accelerator,” will include three workshops led by Jason Fiorotto, a successful marketing leader with more than 25 years of experience with companies ranging from equity-backed 50-person start-ups to Fortune 50 global brands. Successful applicants will learn practical approaches and strategies that drive revenue growth, from learning to strengthen networking skills and building a business development pipeline to closing deals with confidence.
“We’ve built this series to ensure each participant walks away with the tools to not only survive, but to thrive, today and well into the future,” says Fiorotto.
“We’ll tackle the topics fundamental to continued business success, including a deep understanding of your market and your ideal customer, the truly special value your business offers them, and how to efficiently and effectively build your business development and sales function to create customers for life.”
Applications for the October cohort close on September 17.
In November, companies looking to expand to new provinces or across borders can master market entry and the necessary digital tools, while learning to optimize their e-commerce presence. Workshops in the “Business Expansion & E-Commerce” program will be led by the Regional Office of the Trade Commissioner Service, e-commerce and Shopify expert Brendan Quigley, and patent professional Marcelo Sarkis. Applications for the expansion series are open until October 17.
The final program will focus on the transition of a business, whether through sale, purchase, or succession. Michael Riseley, CPA and partner at Holmes Riseley CPAs and Tax Advisors, and Nicole Truman, lawyer and partner at Fox Law, will lead the first workshop, while the second workshop in the series will feature a panel of entrepreneurs and business owners who have experience selling, acquiring, and succession planning. Applications for the final program are open until November 17.
“We have heavy-hitting experts coming and the participants of SOAR are going to get a lot of actionable learnings from it,” says Terry. “The entrepreneurs get to have this expert advice and support entirely for free, which is a great opportunity that Scotiabank has allowed us to do through their sponsorship.”
For Scotiabank’s part, Frazer says partnering to deliver the program not only supports the company’s value in being “community-focused,” but supports the economic growth of the community as a whole.
“It goes without saying that small business is the lifeblood of the Canadian economy, which is especially true at a local level,” he says. “Encouraging and supporting local businesses to grow in our community has positive impacts related to local employment opportunity, increased ability for businesses to align locally rather than outsourcing opportunities, and ensuring Peterborough is recognized as a community where businesses can not only survive but thrive as their own network, together.”
Terry says this network is strengthened not only through the participants’ connections to the experts, but also in their connection to one another.
“It can be extremely challenging to grow a business, so to be able to talk to other entrepreneurs who have either had the experience or are currently in the trenches allows them to have a community they can lean on, which is really important,” she says. “A huge part of each of the SOAR program is ensuring that all the businesses get to know each other and can work with one another. It’s all about building community as well.”
Between the ecosystem of business leaders and the support from CFP, participating businesses in the first cohort are already seeing the value of SOAR and the potential for their business growth.
“Being part of the SOAR program means having a strong network of support within our own community,” says Theresa Thibadeau, manager at Grady’s Feet Essentials, a participant in the primary cohort.
“It’s incredible to know that local experts and organizations are investing their time and resources to help small businesses grow and succeed. It gives me the confidence to move forward knowing I’m supported by a community of entrepreneurs and leaders who want to see us thrive.”
For his part, Frazer is excited to see the business growth that comes out of businesses participating in the program, highlighting the “amazing work” of CFP on a day-by-day basis and the results it will wield in the community.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be able to have such a great partner on this initiative,” he says. “As a community we are so lucky to have this leadership in place for Community Futures Peterborough. I truly cannot wait to follow the businesses that have been selected to participate in the SOAR program.”
For more information on SOAR and to apply, visit communityfuturespeterborough.ca/programs/soar.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with the Community Futures Peterborough. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
