The Starter Company Plus (SCP) program is funded by the government of Ontario and delivered by the Small Business Centre of Barrie, Simcoe County and Orillia. The program is designed to empower and assist entrepreneurs in our community and provide them with training, mentorship, and resources to help their businesses launch and flourish. At the end of the program, participants have the opportunity to apply for a grant of up to $5000.
The Small Business Centre team is excited to catch up with some of our 2023 Starter Company Plus Cohort participants to see how they and their businesses are six months after the end of their program.
Benoit Leger – Canadian Antler Dogs
Benoit and his business, Canadian Antler Dogs, provides training options and products used for training dogs to effectively search for, find, and retrieve shed antlers. As the founding member of the first not-for-profit shed dog club in Canada, and a licenced UKC Elite Shed Dog Series judge, Benoit found there was a lack of resources and tools for introducing dogs and trainers to competitive and recreational ‘shed hunting’. Canadian Antler Dogs now offers 1:1 sessions, group workshops, seminars, and online options for training in this sport, as well as products related to this specific type of dog training. Since completing the Starter Company Plus program, Canadian Antler Dogs has also partnered with Bone Clone Shed Antler Training Scent to make the product available to Canadians that are looking to train dogs for UKC Elite Shed Dog Series events.
Looking to the future, Benoit said “we hope to keep growing and introducing more people to this family and outdoor oriented sport.” As a first-time business owner, Starter Company Plus provided Benoit with knowledge and mentorship in all aspects of business ownership and operations. In his own words, “the support and mentorship has been great and indispensable in my business development and success.”
Follow Canadian Antler Dogs’ journey on their website and social media:
Website: https://canadianantlerdogs.company.site/
Instagram: I@canadianantlerdogs
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Canadianantlerdogs
Jennifer Giorgianni – Riley’s Kitchen
Riley’s Kitchen is a proudly woman-owned Canadian company specializing in premium baking and cooking mixes that are baby-friendly and family-approved. As a new mom, Jennifer Giorgianni found that there was a lack of products in the grocery store that could easily feed her baby and herself, and she felt a lot of added pressure to make everything from scratch to avoid sugars and artificial ingredients. Knowing other parents were likely feeling the same stresses as her, Riley’s Kitchen was born – and named after playing ‘kitchen’ with her daughter, Riley. Jennifer now offers an organic chia oat pancake and waffle mix, an organic banana oat mini muffin mix, and a chickpea fritter mix that can all be found online and in retail and grocery stores across Ontario.
Looking to the future, Jennifer is excited to continue to scale her company into many more retail stores throughout the province, as well as increasing online sales across Canada. Starter Company Plus helped Riley’s Kitchen make connections locally in the entrepreneurial sphere, and identify the areas in the business where support was still needed. In her own words, SCP enabled Jennifer to “directly seek out the support and knowledge I needed to help me succeed.”
Follow Riley’s Kitchen’s journey on their website and social media:
Website: http://www.rileyskitchen.ca
Instagram: @rileyskitchen.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rileys.kitchen.ca/
Judit Dell’Anno – Stronger Together
Whether it's through workshops or classes onbuilding a supportive community, Judit Dell’Anno and Stronger Together want to empower women to take care of themselves so they can truly thrive. In an inclusive, joy-centered environment, Stronger Together’s programs and services address physical health, emotional well-being, and personal growth for both women and families. These services include family-friendly parent & child fitness classes, mindfulness practices, and kids’ programs, as well as Free Mommy Mingle & Learn where moms can make new friends and learn about different topics. Judit believes “as a family unit – together – people can achieve anything. And through the past 18 months, Stronger Together has become a testament to how we can achieve things alone, but together as a community, we are unstoppable!”
Looking to the future, Judit is aiming to open Stronger Together’s second location in Simcoe County within the next two years and continue to bring strong families together. As a Starter Company Plus participant, the program helped Judit broaden her horizons and add resources to her ‘toolbox’. In her own words, “I enjoyed every class, it was amazing to have the special guests … [and] all the help with the business plan was very much appreciated. I am forever grateful.”
Follow Stronger Together’s journey on their website and social media:
Website: http://strongertogetherstudio.com
Instagram: @strongertogetherstudio
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StrongerTogetherStudio/
Julienne Bernier – Bernier Art & Design
Life-long Creative and Art-Lover Julienne Bernier has known for a long time that her purpose is to create for others. Through Bernier Art & Design, she now offers a comprehensive range of interior design and decorating services, including both custom and ready-made paintings and prints of Julienne’s own drawings and artwork. She also offers scopes of work such as kitchen and bath design, custom cabinetry design, and high-rise interior design, while collaborating with interior and architectural firms to create 3D renderings for the design visualization of client projects.
Looking toward the future, Julienne sees her business growing to have steady art print sales, commissions, and interior design projects booked out in advance. Her next goal is that two years from now, she will be able to upgrade to a larger workspace. The Starter Company Plus program provided Julienne with expert advice on her specific business’ pain points, like accounting and networking, also helping her come out of her shell and believe in her own entrepreneurial vision. In her own words, “they helped give me confidence in my business' value, how to confidently price, who to network with, how to build connections, and taught me how supporting other businesses in turn supports your own.”
Follow Bernier Art & Design’s journey on their website and social media:
Website: https://www.bernierartndesign.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bernierartndesign/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BernierArtnDesign
Kristin Delbaere – Barrie Drawing + Painting
Through Barrie Drawing + Painting, Kristin Delbaere provides top-tier face painting, balloon animals, glitter tattoos, and air brush tattoos for festivals, carnivals, county fairs, corporate events, and more. As an award-winning filmmaker, traditional Disney Illustration-trained artist, and art teacher for many years, Kristin had already been working in the face painting industry for some time when – in November 2022 – she was inspired to start her own business with the goals of spreading more joy and happiness to her community. Now, Barrie Drawing + Painting encompasses many of Kristin’s loves, and holds many of her various art ventures under one umbrella.
Looking to the future, Kristin and her staff of highly trained artists are focusing on growing their number of large-scale event bookings, getting into the sports industry, and later will be looking to expand into the United States while the business continues to run up here in Canada. As a Starter Company Plus program participant, Kristin was guided through writing her business plan and was able to receive advice from and network with seasoned professionals. In her own words, “having weekly workshops to brainstorm ideas and staff to help answer questions and give advice has been invaluable.”
Follow Barrie Drawing + Painting’s journey on their social media:
Instagram: http://instagram.com/barriedrawingpainting
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barriedrawingpainting/
Mitch Graszat – Juicebox Studios
With Juicebox Studios, Mitch Graszat runs a dynamic and innovative content creation business specializing in high-quality video production and photography focused on storytelling and visual impact. Catering to local businesses and individuals, Juicebox Studios offers a comprehensive range of services including promotional video production, product, portrait, and event photography, content creation and management, custom video series, event coverage, and more. Alongside his sister Sophie, Mitch and Juicebox Studios have created a platform that combines their skills in videography and photography to help people tell their own stories.
Looking to the future, Juicebox Studios is focused on expanding their client base and increasing their presence in the local market, with goals to invest in more equipment and technology to enhance production quality even further and streamline some workflow. Mitch notes that the Starter Company Plus Program has been instrumental in Juicebox Studios’ entrepreneurial journey, providing them with essential resources, mentorship, and financial support. Mitch and Sophie gained the confidence and strong foundation to launch into a competitive industry, and in their own words, “the program offered valuable training sessions that equipped us with the knowledge and skills needed to manage and grow our business effectively.”
Follow Juicebox Studios’ journey on their website and social media:
Website: http://www.juiceboxstudios.ca
Instagram: @juiceboxstudiosca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/juicebox-studiosca
Ryan and Chris McCue – McCue Renovations
McCue Renovations, started by brothers Ryan and Chris McCue, is a home remodelling business based out on Barrie, Ontario. They provide their customers with open communication from start to finish of every project, including the installation of windows and doors, basement walkouts, legalized second suites, and kitchen and bathroom remodelling. The brothers started their journey working alongside their father in construction, later moved into working on custom homes, and after sharing some samples of their work on social media, were encouraged to launch their own business – McCue Renovations.
Looking to the future, Ryan and Chris have said their main goal is “to be the most responsive and communicative home remodelling business in Simcoe County”. They are looking at getting an additional work truck, taking on larger projects, and starting to have two crews running simultaneously, with an eye on fully entering the custom home build market. Starter Company Plus helped Ryan and Chris kick-start their business by giving them the confidence they needed to get rolling. In their own words, the program “supplied us with the mentorship and tools we needed to create our brand and find the vision for McCue Renovations that would separate us from other renovation companies.”
Follow McCue Renovations’ journey on their website and social media:
Website: https://www.mccuerenovations.ca/
Instagram: @mccue_renos
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554441015532
Wes O’Leary – North Pro Home & Cottage Services
Servicing the Simcoe County, Oro-Medonte, Severn, and Muskoka area, Wes O’Leary and North Pro Home & Cottage Services are here to provide a safer alternative for people's cleaning needs. Their services include window cleaning, exterior pressure washing, gutter cleaning, Christmas light installation, roof cleaning, and more, helping us all keep both our feet on the ground (and away from ladders) by taking care of daunting exterior cleaning tasks around the house, cottage, and commercial units.
Looking to the future, Wes is working toward expanding to an additional vehicle on the road within the next six months and has set the goal of having three full crews out in the field within the next two years. He has an eye on fostering a great company culture and establishing North Pro Home & Cottage Services as a go-to company for hundreds of households. Through Starter Company Plus, Wes was able to make connections with many other business owners and learn great lessons from the Small Business Centre Consultants and guest speakers. In his own words, “Starter Company Plus was fantastic… As well, the grant money was a huge help in getting a wrap on our truck, as well as some essential marketing material and key pieces of equipment.”
Follow North Pro Home & Cottage Services’ journey on their website and social media:
Website: http://northproservices.ca
Instagram: @NorthproHCS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NorthProServices