The Starter Company Plus 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 help entrepreneurs start, grow or buy a business. Participants receive mentorship from experienced business professionals, access to valuable training and networking opportunities, as well as the opportunity to pitch for up to $5,000 in micro-grants.
The Small Business Centre team is excited to share the companies they had the chance to work with this fall.
Meet Ilayna Harris and Pawsitive Pawz
Ilayna Harris and Pawsitive Pawz offer a range of services and products tailored to both dog training and event participation, as well as everyday essentials for dog owners. Ilayna has termed herself a true “Dogpreneur”, providing her clients with positive reinforcement leashless training, behaviour coaching, wedding concierge services (ranging from short ‘cameo’ appearances to full-day care for your furry friend), and an online “Everything Dog Store”! Her goal is to help facilitate having both a well-behaved dog at home, and a seamlessly included companion at life’s special moments.
A Tail-wagging Good Time for your Dogs at Pawsitive Pawz
What is your favourite part about being an entrepreneur?
My favourite part of being an entrepreneur is the freedom to set my own schedule and work on my own terms, without the constraints of a traditional 9-5. I love that I’m accountable only to myself, with no one constantly overseeing my work. Being neurodivergent has made working in traditional environments challenging, but as an entrepreneur, it’s become a strength. It allows me to deeply focus on my clients and their individual needs, giving them the attention they deserve.
What inspired you to start a business?
I've always had some sort of side hustle alongside my regular job. It all started when I was 9 years old, babysitting and handing out flyers in the neighbourhood to find work. Over the years, I realized I struggled to work with others, and no matter how hard I tried, I was often misunderstood. It was painful not being able to thrive in a team environment. Having ADHD, I've found that running my own business allows me to juggle multiple tasks at once, which helps keep me engaged—especially when I'm working on something that feels boring. In traditional jobs, I couldn't do that and often felt bored and frustrated. But working with dogs has filled me with a sense of purpose. I love what I do, and it doesn’t even feel like work—except for the paperwork!
What services/ products do you offer?
In my dog businesses, I offer a range of services and products tailored to both dog training and event participation, as well as everyday essentials for dog owners:
- Dog Training Services: I provide private, leashless puppy training in my garage and offer in-home training sessions for adolescent and adult dogs focusing on fundamental obedience and behaviour coaching. I also offer online training, addressing all behaviour issues, including aggression and reactivity, with tailored packages such as the Paw-sitive Transformation and Paw-sitive Connection.
- Dog Wedding Concierge Services: For couples who want their dogs included in special events like weddings or engagement shoots, I offer dog wedding concierge services. These services ensure dogs are well-cared for throughout the event, including transportation, familiarization sessions, pre-wedding exercise, and assistance with photos. My packages range from short cameo appearances to full-day concierge services.
- The Everything Dog Store: My online store, The Everything Dog Store, offers a wide variety of dog products. This includes apparel for both events and everyday use, essential grooming products, footwear for weather conditions, toys, and all necessary supplies. The store caters to the needs of dog owners across Canada, with categories such as Everyday Pup Style, Posh Paws Boutique, and Pawsitive Training Tools.
These combined services ensure both a well-behaved dog at home and a seamlessly included companion at life’s special moments.
Who do you look up to for inspiration when it comes to either being an entrepreneur or your business?
I don’t really look up to anyone for inspiration, which I believe is due to my autism. However, I do have strong aspirations to become a successful woman in business. My focus is on helping my community and achieving recognition for the impact I make through my work, with hopes of winning awards for the contributions I plan to offer.
How did you come up with your business name?
It took years of experimenting with different names. I knew I was focusing on positive reinforcement in my dog training, and I really liked the play on the word "positive." I started using the word "pawsitive" and researched other companies to ensure my name was unique. The word "paws" came up by accident, and that’s how the name "Pawsitive Pawz" came about.
What is unique about your business?
What makes my business unique is the combination of specialized services that cater to both dog training and event participation. I offer:
- Leashless Puppy Training: I'm the only trainer in Innisfil and Barrie offering private, leashless puppy training, creating a more natural and engaging environment for young dogs to learn.
- Dog Wedding Concierge Services: I provide a unique service for couples who want their dogs to be part of their special events, such as weddings. My concierge service ensures dogs are well-cared for, happy, and seamlessly integrated into the event without causing stress for the couple. This is a specialized niche service that focuses on making dogs part of life’s most memorable moments.
- Tailored Behaviour Coaching: My Paw-sitive Transformation and Paw-sitive Connection training packages are designed to address even the most challenging dog behaviour issues, such as aggression and reactivity, both in-person and online. These packages offer a customized experience for each dog.
- The Everything Dog Store: I also run an online store that caters to dog parents across Canada, offering a wide range of products from dog apparel and accessories to essential grooming items, with carefully curated categories for everyday needs and event-specific apparel.
This combination of specialized dog services and comprehensive products creates a one-stop solution for dog owners, whether they need training, event assistance, or everyday dog supplies.
What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through your entrepreneurial journey?
Through this program, I’ve realized just how much I didn’t know about running a business, especially while creating a business plan. While I’m an excellent dog trainer, I had very little understanding of the business side of things. I’m grateful for this program because it has highlighted what I need to learn to make my business successful.
What’s the best piece of advice you would give to another entrepreneur?
The best piece of advice I would give to another entrepreneur is to keep going when you face failure because it’s inevitable. As long as you learn from it, you’ll always be ahead. Seek advice about business, take courses, and build a network of people you can talk to—it can get lonely, especially if you work from home. Keep your goal right in front of you as a constant reminder of why you’re doing this. Most importantly, enjoy your business so it doesn’t feel like work.
What do you hope to achieve through the Starter Company Plus program?
Through the Starter Company Plus program, I hope to build a successful business. I want to soak up and learn as much as possible so that Pawsitive Pawz thrives. To me, success means being able to hire employees to do what I’m doing now in areas like Simcoe, the GTA, Ottawa, and other parts of Ontario with larger populations and higher disposable incomes. Eventually, I’d love to either franchise or teach my methods of training and concierge services.
I’ve already learned so much in these past weeks, and I can’t wait to learn more. I also hope that through the Starter Company Plus program, I can earn enough to hire neurodivergent individuals, including those with ADHD and autism, who may find it difficult to navigate a "regular" job. I want to give hope to others like me, whether they have mental or physical disabilities, by showing that one can be "a success" in societal terms.
Watch out world... here I come!
Explore Pawsitive Pawz Today
To learn more about Ilayna Harris and Pawsitive Pawz, you can head to their website: www.pawsitivepawz.ca. Follow Pawsitive Pawz on social media to stay informed about their services.
- X (Twitter): @Pawsitive_Pawz_
- Instagram: @pawsitive_pawz
- Facebook: Pawsitive Pawz
Learn More About the Starter Company Plus Program
To learn more about the Starter Company Plus program, reach out to the Small Business Centre of Barrie, Simcoe County & Orillia today at smallbusiness@barrie.ca or 705-720-2445.