businessNOW™ is our round-up of business and organizational news from Peterborough and across the greater Kawarthas region.

This week, we’re featuring the Northumberland CFDC’s StrikeUP 2021 virtual conference for women entrepreneurs on Thursday, March 4th, featuring keynote speakers Manjit Minhas and Amber Mac along with a range of workshops and mentoring sessions. Also featured is The Avant-Garden Shop in Peterborough winning the Wild Bird Store of the Year award, Peterborough Microgreens launching an online store, and Movingmedia Canada partnering with the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge to spread messages of hope.

There’s also the opening of applications for the second cohort of the Innovation Cluster’s Women Breaking Barriers program, the Workforce Development Board’s EmployerOne survey of local businesses to better understand labour market demand, the Kawartha Lakes Starter Company Plus Small Business Recovery Grant Program, and free cybersecurity services for businesses in Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County.

StrikeUP 2021 virtual conference for female entrepreneurs on March 4

Whether you’re an aspiring or experienced female entrepreneur, you won’t want to miss the free StrikeUP 2021 virtual conference happening from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 4th.

Hosted by the Northumberland CFDC with support from FedDev Ontario and the federal government’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, the conference is dedicated to help women entrepreneurs and provide a forum for growth, mentorship, and financing.

The conference features keynotes by two accomplished female entrepreneurs: Manjit Minhas, the self-described “beer baroness” who is the founder of the 10th largest brewery in the world and one of the “dragons” on CBC’s popular Dragons’ Den TV series, and Amber Mac, a world-renowned expert on all things marketing, technology, innovation, and transformation who co-hosts the award-winning podcast The AI Effect and, most recently, the Marketing Disrupted podcast.

Other workshop speakers and panellists include Sarah Stockdale (founder of Growclass), Dr. Shimi Kang (Harvard-trained physician and bestselling author), Linda P. Cousineau (founder and CEO of Empower-Growth Inc.), Rachel Bartholomew (founder and CEO of Hyivy Health), Dr. Shelley Morgan (founder and CEO of Rx Billing Genie), Julie Ellis (co-founder of Mabel’s Labels and chair of the board of Angel One Investment Network), Brenda Ahenkorah (founder and CEO of My Well Self), Melissa Davis (founder and CEO of Ugly Dukling), Ilana Ben-Ari (founder, CEO, and product design lead of Twenty One Toys), Alesia Blackwood (co-founder and owner of Unlock Math), Natalie Dusome (owner of Poppy And Peonies), Mallory Graham (owner of Tribal Trade Co.), Lesley Smith (owner of Imprinted Apparel Store), and Claudette Commanda (Algonquin Elder/Knowledge Keeper).

There will also be eight “Mentor Meetups”, one-hour interactive sessions where you can network and learn about topics including intellectual property, employee retention, strategic sales, mental well-being, exporting to the Asia-Pacific region, writing successful funding proposals, and more.

By registering for the conference, you could also win one of eight seats for a 90-minute virtual roundtable session with Amber Mac on Thursday, March 8th.

For more information, including the agenda, and to register for the free conference, visit www.strikeup.ca.

The Avant-Garden Shop in Peterborough wins Wild Bird Store of the Year award

Brenda Ibey, owner of The Avant-Garden Shop in downtown Peterborough, had announced her business has been awarded the 2021 Wild Bird Store of the Year by Newmarket-based Wild Bird Trading, the leading supplier to the wild bird industry across Canada for the past 28 years.

Ibey, who is celebrating 18 years in business, says she has seen a surge in the sale of bird feeders, bird food, and accessories this past year.

“People find bird watching very relaxing,” Ibey explains. “And that’s a good thing right now given the state of the world. We’re so pleased to be able to offer customers not only top quality products supplied to us by Wild Bird Trading, but also expert advice to help them get the most out of their bird-watching experience.”

For more information about The Avant-Garden Shop, visit www.avantgardenshop.com/.

Peterborough Microgreens launches online store

Stephanie Hendren, creator of Peterborough Microgreens, has officially launched an online store supplying microgreens products from her family-owned, sustainable urban farm in the west end of Peterborough.

Not to be confused with sprouts, microgreens are edible vegetable, herb, or grain seedlings. They are usually harvested when the first pair of fully expanded leaves appear, which is within one to three weeks from when they are planted. Microgreens are used in a wide variety of healthy, homemade foods. In addition to their nutritional benefits, microgreens are diverse in flavours, textures, and colours.

Hendren was one of the 10 women who took part in the first cohort of the Innovation Cluster’s Women Breaking Barriers program. Her business, which uses vertical farming to achieve mass plant growth within a small space, is working towards becoming a carbon-negative farm by using green power and implementing sustainable business practices, and is one of the only microgreens providers in Ontario to use compostable packaging.

“Microgreens can sit on your window sill and are easy to harvest at home,” Hendren says. “As the pandemic continues on, more people are looking for healthy lifestyle habits. I hope our customers can adopt these habits now and continue on following the pandemic.”

Hendren has been growing microgreens on her kitchen window sill for years after being introduced to them by her professional chef sister. She runs Peterborough Microgreens with her partner Daniel Etmanski, who specializes in building climate-controlled grow rooms for indoor farming.

Five varieties of live microgreens are now available for order, including pea shoots, broccoli, mustard, clover, and a radish mix, with free delivery offered within Peterborough. For more information and to order, visit www.peterboroughmicrogreens.com

Movingmedia Canada partners with Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge to spread messages of hope

Peterborough-based Movingmedia Canada Inc. has partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) to share messages of knowledge, hope, and belonging via digital billboard advertisements throughout Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes.

Given the impact of the pandemic on mental health, the advertisements are meant to spread messages of hope and resiliency as well as direct anyone who may be struggling towards care.

“We are extremely grateful for the support of Movingmedia who approached our organization hoping to donate the advertising space for this project,” says Jake Veitch, CMHA HKPR’s manager of community engagement and education. “Without them, this initiative would not have been possible. Our goal is to share messages that instill hope and encourage individuals to be open about their mental health.”

CMHA HKPR continues to provide essential mental health supports to individuals in the city and county of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton. Call 705-748-6711 for information on programs and services or, for immediate support, contact Four County Crisis at 705-745-6484 or toll-free at 1-866-995-9933.

Apply for second cohort of Women Breaking Barriers program by February 12

Applications are open for the second cohort of the Innovation Cluster’s Women Breaking Barriers program.

You have until noon on Friday, February 12th to become one of the 10 female entrepreneurs who will participate in the six-month program, which is designed to fast track the development of businesses founded by women in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and social innovation fields.

The program provides specific and advanced training sessions geared towards female founders, as well as weekly mentorship with advisors, peer-to-peer learning, and community networking. At the end of the six months, participants have the opportunity to pitch their businesses to angel investors. There is no cost to participate in the program.

The next six-month cohort of Women Breaking Barriers begins on Monday, March 1st. To learn more about the program, including eligibility requirements, visit innovationcluster.ca/breakbarriers/.

The Innovation Cluster is also holding a free virtual information session on Zoom for interested applicants from 12 to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, February 2nd. The session will provide an overview of the program, the application process, tips for your application, and more. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com/e/135880946569.

Workforce Development Board’s EmployerOne survey of local businesses to better understand labour market demand

Workforce development boards across Ontario are running the EmployerOne survey, a survey of local businesses to better understand labour market demand.

The survey is designed to collect information from employers on a range of issues including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on your workforce, projected vacancies, hiring intentions, recruitment strategies and challenges, as well as employers’ perspectives on candidate skills, education, and training.

After analysis, responses from local businesses will be compiled and released to local schools, community partners, government agencies, and the public so that they may see the characteristics of the local labour market.

For more information about the EmployerOne survey for eastern Ontario, visit eotb-cfeo.on.ca/employer-one-survey/. You can complete the survey at surveymonkey.com/r/EmployerOne_Survey_Eastern_Ontario.

The survey runs until Friday, February 26th. All survey responses are confidential, and will only be used for statistical purposes and published in aggregate form.

Apply for Kawartha Lakes Starter Company Plus Small Business Recovery Grant Program by January 29

There’s still time to apply for the Starter Company Plus Small Business Recovery Grant Program, offered by the Kawartha Lakes Small Business Entrepreneurship Centre (KLSBEC).

KLSBEC has shifted the focus of its Starter Company Plus program to support businesses negatively affected by COVID-19 and suffering a loss in revenue.

You have until Friday, January 29th to apply for the program, which supports newer small businesses that have been in operation full-time for one to five years and find themselves with unexpected challenges. These challenges could be expenses related to physical changes or operational changes.

The program’s goal is to help businesses adopt new tools, increase their online presence, and implement new business strategies. Grants of up to $4,000 will be awarded to seven eligible applicants to help offset costs associated with this transition.

For more information and to apply, visit www.kawarthalakes.ca/en/business-growth/starting-a-business.aspx.

Free cybersecurity services for businesses in Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County

In partnership with information technology consulting firm E-Tech, the Kawartha Lakes CFDC and the Haliburton CFDC have launched a new initiative designed to provide critical cybersecurity and support services to small- and medium-size enterprises in Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County.

As more and more businesses switch to online sales and services due to the pandemic, they are at risk of being vulnerable to security breaches or hackers. The new program includes a network security assessment for participating businesses, which can identify and detect a wide range of internal cybersecurity threats, as well as a one-hour cybersecurity awareness training webinar covering topics including phishing, ransomware, social engineering, safe web browsing and more.

Funded through the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund delivered in partnership with FedDev Ontario. This new program is open to small- and medium-size enterprises in Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County at no cost. Businesses can register at www.etechcomputing.com/managed-services/cyber-security-services/.

Over the past year, every entrepreneur in the Peterborough area has had to adjust and innovate in some way to meet the challenges created by the pandemic. So it comes as no surprise that Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development’s Business Advisory Centre (BAC) has done the same, by entirely transforming its services for entrepreneurs into a virtual format while also expanding them.

One of 57 small business enterprise centres funded by the Government of Ontario, the BAC provides support for local entrepreneurs of every age and at every stage of starting, growing, or acquiring a business. To do this, the BAC has traditionally offered in-person consultation, support, and workshops. When the pandemic made this impossible in 2020, BAC began providing virtual versions of its services.

Now, after almost a year of learning how best to deliver business support services virtually, the BAC has moved its entire business advisory and learning services online.

“If COVID has shown us anything, it’s that we must all be able to adapt and be creative in order to remain competitive or relevant in the marketplace,” says Hillary Manion, Entrepreneurship Officer with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development.

Not only does the BAC’s digital transformation allow it to continue offering the same suite of services as in the past, but to expand its capacity to reach and support even more entrepreneurs in the region.

In fact, the BAC recently hired a new Virtual Service Advisor to support local entrepreneurs, with a focus on connecting start-ups with assistance and resources to launch their business — something that’s happened more and more during the pandemic as people lose their jobs and decide it’s time to try something new.

“Starting a business can be daunting for a lot of people as they might be leaving a good career or walking away from something that they’ve been doing for a long time,” Manion says. “Entrepreneurs will us ask questions like, ‘I have a great idea but can it make me enough money to live? Is it feasible? What do I have to do to make my business stand out?’ The BAC can help entrepreneurs figure that out and navigate that transition.”

Manion says the BAC has learned much about the challenges and threats entrepreneurs are facing during the pandemic and has enhanced its services to help businesses meet those challenges and threats. However, the BAC can also help with other common issues faced by growing businesses.

“Our services and resources aren’t just for businesses affected by the pandemic,” she points out. “They can be useful for any situation. For example, when you have a new competitor and you don’t want your business to become stagnant, or you need to identify new revenue streams or new customer segments, or you need to write a business plan because you’re looking for funding or applying for a grant.”

She adds that, while many entrepreneurs may be happy with their existing clientele, they might be overlooking potential new customers because they haven’t adjusted their marketing plan to include a digital platform — something that’s critical during a pandemic when even more people are doing business online.

“Every business at this point should have some sort of digital aspect,” Manion says. “I don’t think that every business needs to be 100 per cent online, but this is a time for entrepreneurs to ask themselves, ‘What is the best way to reach my clients?’ and ‘Am I missing out on potential clients?'”

With the BAC’s digital transformation now complete, the centre has even more options available to help entrepreneurs succeed. Here are a few:

Live chat with a Virtual Service Advisor (with extended business hours)

This past December, through provincial funding provided to the Small Business Enterprise Centres network, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development created a new Virtual Service Advisor. The role is currently filled by Michael Tamane, who can connect start-ups with support and resources to launch their business.

Tamane is the first point of contact for the BAC and can help with general questions like, “I want to start a business, what is the next step?”, “I have an idea for a business, how can I make it happen?”, or “I can’t conduct business as usual, so what can I do?”

Manion says Tamane is another BAC resource that local business owners can take advantage of, free of charge, to breathe life into their business endeavour, during a time and on a platform that is most convenient for them.

“Michael can decipher what stage you’re at in your business and can give you resources that are specific to what you need to do,” says Manion.

Tamane brings expertise and experience to the BAC with a Master of Business Administration from Brock University and has completed an International Business Exchange at the Surrey School of Business in the UK.

The BAC’s Virtual Service Advisor offers extended hours and virtual services through online live chat, email, and phone and is available to consult with entrepreneurs during hours that work with their busy schedules: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Wednesdays from noon to 8 p.m. until September 2021.

One-on-one consultation with a GrowthWheel certified business advisor

Business owners may notice another new face at the BAC — that being Manion herself. Taking on the role of Madeleine Hurrell while she’s on parental leave, Manion is a certified GrowthWheel advisor.

GrowthWheel is an internationally recognized, hands-on, action-oriented program designed to help entrepreneurs at all stages overcome their barriers to growth.

Along with her colleague Tamane, Manion can provide GrowthWheel advisory services as well as assistance with business plan reviews and business pitches.

“We will do a 360-degree perspective of your business to identify the key areas that we want to work on with you,” says Manion.

Online learning courses (on-demand and at your own pace)

During the past year, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development invested heavily in online learning and the enhancement of online tools and resources to provide comprehensive business education support to even more businesses.

The BAC offers a series of virtual workshops based on in-demand topics suggested by local entrepreneurs, such as basic business planning, marketing and branding, identifying your customer base, and crisis management.

If you’re in the new idea stage of your business or you’re just starting up, Manion recommends taking the New Venture Online E-Learning Course.

“This is a fairly comprehensive course that will walk you through all the stages of planning your business, and from that you’ll know what you’re going to work on going forward,” she explains. “Many entrepreneurs have amazing ideas but they don’t necessarily know the next steps. The BAC will help them lay down the building blocks and work through those steps.”

Once you complete the New Venture Online E-Learning Course, Manion suggests moving on to the following Business Fundamentals workshops:

• Business Planning E-Learning Course
• Branding & Marketing E-Learning Course for Small Business

All online learning courses are free and available to take from the comfort of your home and at your own pace. You can sign up for a course on the BAC’s website.

Live online workshops and webinars

The BAC’s free webinars and online workshops are designed to give you recipes for business success in a range of industries.

Visit peterboroughed.ca/events/ to keep up to date on all upcoming workshops.

Virtual entrepreneurship program opportunities

Until further notice, the BAC’s entrepreneurship programs — Starter Company Plus and Summer Company — have also shifted online.

Starter Company Plus, an eight-week program that provides business training and micro-grants to both aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs, has received positive reviews from participants since going virtual in the fall.

Manion says the online format actually encouraged the 12 participants to connect with each other more than they might have in person.

“The participants created their own digital network between them,” she says. “They probably networked more through their private Facebook group, talking and emailing each other back and forth all the time.”

By going virtual, the BAC also had access to a broader range of guest speakers and participants were forced to become more innovative when pitching their business ideas at the end of the program.

“This time around, instead of pitching in front of a panel of judges, participants get to submit a 10-minute video,” Manion explains. “The video pitch is an opportunity for participants to get really creative and show off their business idea and even themselves in a way that a five-minute speech in front of a panel of judges won’t give them.”

Opening a new business or growing an existing one is never an easy feat, let alone during a pandemic. But Manion says 2021 is a time for entrepreneurs to really shine because people are looking to buy local and are looking for different alternatives.

“This is an excellent time for entrepreneurs to make a change.”

For more information about the Peterborough & the Kawartha Economic Development’s Business Advisory Centre, contact Hillary Manion at hmanion@peterboroughed.ca or visit peterboroughed.ca/business-support/.

This story was created in partnership with Peterborough & the Kawartha Economic Development.