Once again Peterborough has demonstrated it is a hotbed for young entrepreneurs. On Wednesday (July 4), nine students showcased their startups at Staples on Park Street in Peterborough.

The showcase was supported by the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre — part of the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development organization — that supports the creation of new student-owned and operated companies.

We’re at @STAPLESptbo until 1PM celebrating the launch of 9 student run businesses in Peterborough & the Kawarthas. Stop by and find out what #summercompany is all about. We’ve got free treats from @pedalparlorco! pic.twitter.com/OzIDx1gqoO

— Peterborough Ec Dev (@PtboEcDev) July 4, 2018

Summer Company, Ontario’s flagship youth entrepreneurship program, provides students aged 15 to 29 an opportunity to open and operate their own business during summer break. Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre has partnered with the program since 2001.

The program is based on the notion that empowering youth benefits the whole community.

“A big focus in economic development is on the attraction, development and retention of a skilled workforce,” says Rhonda Keenan, President & CEO of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development.

“This program offers an opportunity for students from high school, college or university to test the waters of entrepreneurship and get connected in the business community.”

Peterborough Mayor Daryl Bennett was in attendance and addressed the crowd, commenting on the positive impact Summer Company has on its participants.

“When I bump into the young entrepreneurs after the showcase, they always describe it as positive experience,” Bennett says. “This generation has many opportunities with new media to reach a wide audience, something my generation didn’t have.”

Bennett’s comments ring true for all participants, who have used a variety of social media channels to spread awareness about their projects. Connectivity and self-marketing are invaluable tools for anyone starting a business and young people are taking advantage.

Lucas Graham – Socialize

Lucas Graham is one of those young people. His product, Socialize, aims to help people network. His proximity-based app uses Bluetooth technology to display information about other app users in the vicinity.

The app may sound similar to LinkedIn but Graham is quick to note that Socialize is more about in-the-moment, face-to-face connections.

“The goal is to connect people in person, rather than simply online,” he says, noting that he envisions the app being used by both professionals and students.

One feature of Socialize will be the virtual business card, where users can simply tap their smart phones and transfer their contact information and a user profile.

Graham acknowledges that among the next steps will be reaching out to businesses and organizations to raise awareness about Socialize.

Eric Hall – Spotless

Reaching out to local businesses is something Eric Hall, whose interior car-detailing business is called Spotless, started with when he began his journey into entrepreneurship.

Hall kicked off his project by contacting local auto dealerships to determine whether there was a demand for a car detailing service. Hall says he received mixed responses.

“One dealership told me that the market was too competitive for me to be successful,” Hall recalls. “Another one told me they had cars available right then that needed detailing.”

Hall went ahead with his plans and now has trouble keeping up with his clients, which include one of the dealerships that initially told him there was no need for his services.

Alexander McGrath – College Lake Labour

Alexander McGrath and Bryce Wasson of College Lake Labour are also experiencing a high volume of clients only a few months into their business.

Their startup is a small student-run, labour-for-hire service that assists clients with simple jobs around their cottage, marina, or home in the Catchacoma and Gold Lake regions.

“This business also allows me to put into practice the knowledge I’m learning at university,” explains McGrath, who is minoring in business at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

“We do work for our clients so they can enjoy their summer.”

Eric Wootton – The Highlands Dock Company

Likewise, Eric Wootton’s product also aims to help cottagers enjoy their summers. Wootton’s one-man startup, The Highlands Dock Company, specializes in building quality custom docks at affordable prices.

Wootton, who just graduated high school, prides himself on efficiency and quality. For example, he says he can build a 6′ by 12′ dock with a ramp in as little as three days.

“The big companies can be expensive, and sometimes the product is even lower quality. I provide an affordable service that is equal to if not better than the quality of the docks made by the big companies.”

Jaleel Siddiqui – Alliance Living

Affordability is an important factor in Jaleel Siddiqui’s business, Alliance Living.

As a student at Trent University, Siddiqui was forced to commute daily from Pickering to Peterborough due to the lack of affordable housing options in the city.

Siddiqui, who has a business administration degree and is now studying physiotherapy, built his startup around two different needs he identified within the city. While those over 55 are struggling to maintain their homes, students are struggling to find affordable accommodation.

Still in the marketing phase, Alliance Living aims to allow mature students to offset the cost of rent by assisting seniors with tasks around the house. The arrangement allows seniors to earn income and maintain their independence.

For those interested, Alliance will arrange each step in the process including screening applicants, interviewing candidates, and even coordinating payments.

Nathan Clifford – Green Improvements

Nathan Clifford also saw a need within the community as declining bee populations pose a risk to our food supply.

Clifford’s startup, Green Improvements, is working on PiHive, a computer-based system that will enable beekeepers to monitor the health of their hives.

“I feel like this is important research,” says Clifford. “This tool will be able to provide scientists and beekeepers in this area with accurate data.”

Clifford notes that there is a lot of conflicting information about beekeeping in circulation. By creating this monitor, he hopes to take the speculation out of beekeeping. At this time, he is unaware of any comparable products in Canada.

Mason McMullen – Backwoods Landscaping Supplies and Woodworking

Using wood available on his family’s property in Lakefield, Mason McMullen of Backwoods Landscaping Supplies and Woodworking creates a variety of products, including cedar fence post/rails, firewood, mulch, meat smoker supplies, rough-cut lumber, custom furniture, and custom planters.

Gregory Postill – Metal Arts

Gregory Postill of Metal Arts, who unfortunately was unable to attend the event, is an artisan metal jewellery maker who uses traditional goldsmithing techniques to create one-of-a-kind pieces.

Noah Abrahamse – GoldWing Jazz

Noah Abrahamse of GoldWing Jazz, a soon-to-be grade 12 student at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School, has turned his passion for music into a music entertainment company for hire.

From solo alto saxophone to a fun and funky jazz combo, light background music or a lively show, Abrahamse can provide the entertainment. You can sample his tunes every Saturday from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Hot Belly Mama’s in downtown Peterborough.

All nine of the young entrepreneurs participating in this year’s Summer Company program developed their ideas from the resources at hand.

For more information about the Summer Company program, administered locally through the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre, visit peterboroughed.ca/small-business/summer-company/.

Welcome 2018 Summer Staff

The Kawartha Chamber and Buckhorn & District Tourist Association have welcomed three summer students:

Rachel Rutherford, Tourism & Marketing Assistant lakefieldsummer@kawarthachamber.ca

Rachel is from Keene and has grown up in and experienced the best of the Kawarthas all her life.

In the fall, she will be heading back to Trent University for her last year in the Media Studies Program. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring the Kawarthas, especially while walking her dogs through the many picturesque trails the Kawarthas have to offer.

Rachel is very excited to be working with the Kawartha Chamber as the Marketing & Tourism Assistant in Lakefield this summer, where she will be able to gain valuable experience through connecting with member businesses and the community.

Tess Wilson, Special Events and Tourism Assistant

Tess has been fortunate to grow up on a farm near Douro and has enjoyed learning about the town of Lakefield and the surrounding area through various volunteer positions.

She is currently going into her second year at Trent University in the Forensic Science Department and is hoping that her degree will lead her into the medical profession. In her free time, Tess enjoys dog training, white water paddling and exploring her local community.

Tess looks forward to representing the Kawartha Chamber at many events and collaborating with Ginny at the BDTA on weekends.

Ginny Sadlier, Tourism Outreach Assistant, Buckhorn

Ginny has enjoyed growing up in Selwyn which has allowed her the opportunity to get to know Lakefield, Buckhorn, and the surrounding area very well.

She is a recent graduate of Trent University, where she completed a BA in History and English Literature. In the fall, she is returning to Trent to pursue her Master’s degree in eighteenth century British and colonial history. From there, she is hoping to continue to follow a career as a university professor. Besides history and literature, Ginny enjoys running with her dog through the many beautiful trails around her home, kayaking, and learning more about the beautiful Kawartha Lakes.

Ginny is very excited to be representing the area to tourists at the Buckhorn Welcome Centre, and to be a part of the Kawartha Chamber team.

Chamber Seeking Sponsor Of New Award Category: Service Sector Excellence

The Kawartha Chamber is seeking a sponsor for its newest Awards of Excellence category: Service Sector Excellence.

This award honours a business that excels in the service sector, including but not limited to the trades, health and wellness, and professional services. This may be demonstrated by a willingness to go beyond the normal call of duty, maintaining an effective pre- and post-service relationship, possessing exemplary environmental practices, providing the client with value for money, expanding market share, and exhibiting a high level of expertise. (Tourism/hospitality providers, retailers, and not-for-profits should be nominated in their respective categories.)

Contact Sherry at generalmanager@kawarthachamber.ca or call 705-652-6963 to inquire about this amazing opportunity.

The Chamber Thanks Accommodation Tour Members

The Chamber’s annual Summer Accommodation and Business Tour has had another successful year in 2018. The Chamber thanks all of the accommodations and businesses that welcomed its summer staff over the five days of tours.

Thanks to those members, summer staff at the Kawartha Chamber and the Buckhorn Welcome Centre are knowledgeable and confident in their ability to recommend businesses to visitors throughout the summer.

Check out the Chamber’s Twitter account @KawarthaChamber for pictures from the tour.

Did You Know?

The Kawartha Chamber is part of the Ontario Chamber Network and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. This means the Chamber provides a voice for its member businesses at municipal, provincial, and federal levels of government to advocate on their behalf.

The Chamber welcomes input and concerns from its members so that it can better serve them as an advocate for business in the Kawarthas.

Tourism Industry Awards Nominations Extended To July 13th

The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario has extended its award nominations until Friday, July 13th. The following awards are up for nomination:

• The Tourism Industry Awards of Excellence (TIAO)
• Culinary Tourism Awards of Excellence (Culinary Tourism Alliance)
• Ontario’s Choice Awards (Attractions Ontario)
• Tourism Marketing & Travel Media Awards of Excellence (Destination Ontario)

For more information on each organization’s awards, and to nominate a business, visit www.tiaontario.ca/cpages/2018ontariotourismawards.

County of Peterborough Vacant Unit Rebate Public Consultation Meeting – September 13th

The County of Peterborough is hosting a public meeting to gather input on the elimination of the Vacant Unit Rebate program.

The meeting will be held Thursday, September 13th at 6 p.m. in the County Court House Council Chambers (470 Water St., Peterborough).

Those applying to be heard should contact Trena DeBruijn at 705-743-0380 (ext. 2200) by 1 p.m. on Monday, September 10th.

In addition, a Stakeholder and Public Input Survey is available on the Township website and is open until Wednesday, August 15th.

Lakefield Jazz, Art & Craft Festival is this Saturday, July 7th

The Lakefield Jazz, Art & Craft Festival and Selwyn Township invite you, your friends and family to come to a breezy day of outdoor summer living beside Lakefield’s scenic Otonabee River.

Enjoy a wide variety of hazz music, colourful works for sale by artisans and crafters, local food vendors, Black’s Distillery, and Publican House Brewery.

Arts and crafts exhibits open at 10 a.m., and musicians begin performing at 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Here’s the line-up:

• 11:30 a.m. – Ron Marenger Big Band
• 1:00 p.m. – Barbra Lica
• 3:00 p.m. – Mark Kelso & The Jazz Exiles
• 4:50 p.m. – The Double Cuts
• 6:40 p.m. – Alan Black & The Steady Band
• 8:30 p.m. – Coldjack

Find out more.

Selwyn Township Announces Local Food Co-Operative Advertising Campaign

Member business Strexer-Harrop and Associates will be leading a three-month co-operative advertising and social media campaign with a focus on local food for the Township of Selwyn.

Local food retailers and producers can sign up to be a part of the campaign which will promote said businesses through social media, print and electronic communications, and on the Township website using the tagline “Our Small Towns = Big Selection”. The Township is subsidizing the sign-up costs to make the campaign more accessible to businesses.

Read more. To participate in the campaign, contact Adrienne Harrop at 705-768-6770 by Friday, July 6th.

Lakefield Literary Festival Featured As A Top Arts & Cultural Festival In North America

The Lakefield Literary Festival is less than two weeks away, running from July 13th to 15th. There will be a host of amazing authors coming to showcase their publications, as well as great talks on the craft of writing.

This month, the festival was featured in a FlightNetwork article of the 40 best Arts & Culture Festivals in North America. Read the article and find out more about the festival at lakefieldliteraryfestival.com.

Selwyn Township Bike Share Program

Selwyn Township is now offering residents and visitors, 16 years of age and older, the opportunity to rent bicycles as part of its Bike Share Program.

Rentals, including a helmet and bike, are available for rent at the Lakefield Marina. Rental fees are $10 for a full day (based on the hours of operation at the marina on the day of rental) or $5 for four hours or less.

Bikes must be returned within 15 minutes of the marina’s closing time. Find out more.

Community Futures Moving To New Location

Community Futures Peterborough is moving to the VentureNorth building at the corner of George and King Street in downtown Peterborough. They join Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development and the Peterborough Innovation Cluster at that location.

“This move allows us to be in a shared space with some of our key partners and to further strengthen those relationships all while reaching a new client base,” says Executive Drector Gail Moorhouse.

Community Futures plans to move to their new space by September 2018.

North Kawartha To Record Council Meetings

The Township of North Kawartha has announced the end of the pilot project relating to the audio and video recording of Council meetings.

Due to its success, they will continue recording the meetings conditional upon any technical difficulties that may be encountered.

Public meetings held in the Council Chambers are audio and video recorded and made available on the Township’s Youtube channel. Meeting minutes remain the official and permanent record of all meetings.

Community Care Starry Night Dance – July 28th

Community Care Peterborough is hosting a Starry Night Dance fundraiser on Saturday, July 28th.

The dance will be held at the Quarry Golf & Country Club at 447 Tara Road in Ennismore, and will run from 8 p.m. to midnight. Attendees will enjoy dancing to live music by True Confessions, featuring blues and light rock from the ’60s up to today.

Tickets are being sold for $20 in advance at the Chemung and Lakefield Community Care offices. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $25.

Read more about the Starry Night Dance.

Chamber Members are Hiring

• Nexicom – Web Application Developer

If your business or organization has a job opportunity you would like to advertise, you can add them to the Chamber’s website through your Member Information Centre account (or submit the description to info@kawarthachamber.ca) and the Chamber will share them in its next Newsflash.

Disc Golf And Pickle Ball In Selwyn

Two new recreational activities are now available to residents and visitors to Selwyn.

The Ennismore Optimist Club has spearheaded the addition of a nine-hole disc golf course in Ennismore Waterfront Park. Discs are available to borrow free from the Ennismore Library.

In addition, the club has partnered with Selwyn Township and Kingdon Timber Mart to renovate the tennis courts at Douglas Sports Park in Lakefield to be used for pickle ball as well.

Read more

Upcoming Events

• Buckhorn Farmers’ & Craft Market – Every Tuesday
• Lakefield Farmers’ Market – Every Thursday
• Farmer’s Market at Craftworks at the Barn – Every Saturday
• Estate Jewellery & Coins Purchasing Event – July 5th
• Lakefield Jazz, Art, and Craft Festival on the River – July 7th
• Free Community BBQ and Odds & Sods Sale – July 7th
• Tickets for Ennismore Homestead Theatre go on sale – July 7th
• Church-Key Brewing Summer Concert Series – July 7th
• Discovery Days at Beavermead Campground – July 7th

For more information about the businesses and events listed above, please visit the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism website at kawarthachamber.ca.

All photos supplied by Kawartha Chamber of Commerce except where noted.

For the last three years, FastStart Peterborough’s weekend portage camping trip in the Kawartha Highlands has challenged young entrepreneurs to get out of their comfort zone.

This year, the new and improved Camp Startup — previously known as the Kawartha Backcountry Entrepreneurship Experience — will be held at Camp Kawartha from Friday, September 14th to Sunday, September 16th

A group of 20 successful applicants between the ages of 18 and 29 will embark on a weekend bootcamp filled with teamwork exercises and workshops designed to move their innovative ideas to the next level.

VIDEO: Camp Startup — Leave Your Comfort Zone Behind

All of the costs for the bootcamp are covered by FastStart Peterborough, a partnership between Trent University, Fleming College, and the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and The Kawarthas that focuses on training young entrepreneurs to develop solid business plans that take their products and services to market.

The relocation of this year’s weekend retreat from the backcountry to Camp Kawartha is intended to make the experience more accessible for participants and to situate it closer to resources, which will allow for more intensive programming.

“While the portage trip is an exciting challenge, it is not accessible to all applicants and there are only so many supplies you can bring into the woods,” says Rosalea Terry, Marketing Manager and Senior Innovation Specialist at the Innovation Cluster.

Camp Kawartha’s award-winning facilities will allow workshops and activities to be diversified and expanded. In addition, the facility’s close proximity to Peterborough will allow for community organizations to participate and share knowledge with the young entrepreneurs.

On Friday evening, participants will arrive at the camp and spend time getting to know the fellow entrepreneurs they will spend the weekend with. Workshops and activities will be held throughout Saturday and Sunday.

In the workshops, participants will learn how to create strong business plans. A funding panel comprised of local funding organizations, tax and finance businesses, and banks will offer advice on how to access funding and investment to the up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

Participants will also practice and receive feedback on their pitching techniques, which will culminate in a final pitching challenge at the end of the weekend where participants will compete to win a $500 cash prize.

But it won’t be all business. The young entrepreneurs can expect to have a lot of fun too.

Participants will test their skills on Camp Kawartha’s high ropes course and have access to canoeing on Clear Lake, as well as an archery range.

A favourite of the last three years is the “creative campfire rap battle”, an exercise that — if it hasn’t happened already — breaks the ice amongst participants and is sure to end the night in laughter.

Of all the ground-breaking initiatives the Innovation Cluster has helped to develop, this weekend bootcamp stands out for staff participants.

The Innovation Cluster’s downtown office space (known as The Cube) is designed to inspire, with colourful walls that encourage creativity and an open office design that facilitates collaboration, but getting out of the office and conversing in an outdoor camp setting is a unique experience that produces unique results.

“The young entrepreneurs leave after the weekend with a lot of soft skills, like communication, teamwork, and leadership skills,” Terry explains. “It’s hard to teach these skills in a traditional workshop setting, so the outdoor camp environment really encourages that.”

One of Terry’s favourite things about the weekend is the change she witnesses in participants within a short period of time.

“At first they are soft-spoken and reserved, but by the end of it they’ve gained so much confidence. They really open up.”.

For some participants, the weekend is a chance to develop the project they are already working on. For others, the retreat is where connections start and ideas grow.

“When participants arrive, they may not know anyone,” Terry says. “By the end of the weekend we see them talking about starting a business together.”

Brock Grills and Spencer Langlois are two young entrepreneurs who met on a past FastStart Peterborough retreat. They formed a partnership that led to the development of a business idea, which they are currently working on at the Innovation Cluster’s downtown Cube.

“Brock and I were seated in the same canoe and even though we were in different teams, we still wanted to reconnect after the trip,” recalls Langlois.

Grills emphasizes the value of spending a weekend with other young entrepreneurs, guided by senior staff, in an outdoor camp environment.

“It gets young tech people out into the wilderness,” he says. “It created a lot of camaraderie that still exists in the Innovation Cluster today. It was a great trip that allowed me to meet people that I have created opportunities with. It taught me a lot about how to sort things out with limited resources and reach out to business people.”

Whether participants come with a business plan mapped out or in need of help with this step, the most important thing they should possess is an interest in entrepreneurship.

“We want to encourage young people to pursue entrepreneurship as a career path,” says Terry, emphasizing that the programming aims to show that becoming an entrepreneur is a viable profession.

The weekend promises to be a rewarding new experience for all involved. Retreat leaders are excited to meet the next batch of eager entrepreneurs and hope participants will leave feeling supported in their journey into the world of entrepreneurship.

Applications for this adventure are now open until Thursday, July 26th at midnight. To find out more and to apply, visit www.innovationcluster.ca/campstartup.