The latest group to successfully complete the Starter Company Plus program gathered along with some of their supporters to celebrate their success. Photo from left to right: Liza Langevin, Jordan Brookes, Valérie Bédard, Marc Dion, Kelly Bragg, Yves Laviolette, Edwige Agoi Colette Ainhin, Laura Beauchesne, Donna Guerin, Stéphane Sarrazin and Guy Mayer. Courtesy Photo
L’ORIGNAL – The Spotlight is shining brightly this week on The Prescott and Russell Entrepreneurship Centre (PREC) and the most recent group of eight entrepreneurs who have successfully completed the Starter Company Plus program and received a total of $40,000 in grants in the process.
The program, offered in partnership with the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, supports entrepreneurs through a series of training workshops focused on key business topics, such as:
- Clarity of the problem, the value proposition, and the offering
- Understanding your ideal client and their journey
- Customer engagement strategy
- Financial foundations for new businesses
- Developing your human capital
- Networking and partnerships: building meaningful connections
- Agility and growth: planning for success and scaling up
The workshops were presented by business coaches, Antoine Carrière (Entrepreneur Lifestyle Academy) and Marc Lecompte (Kwik Tax), who shared their expertise with the participants. In addition to participating in the training sessions, the entrepreneurs developed their business plans and presented their projects in front of a selection committee in order to qualify for a $5,000 grant. Louis Béland, Éric Charlebois, Raymond Brisebois, Marc Lecompte, and Georges Stéphane Nana were part of this committee.
“As the Member of Provincial Parliament for Glengarry–Prescott–Russell and Parliamentary Assistant to the Associate Minister of Small Business as well to the Minister of Francophone Affairs, I am proud to support the Prescott and Russell Entrepreneurship Centre, along with the entire network of Ontario’s Small Business Enterprise Centres,” said MPP Stéphane Sarrazin. “It is truly inspiring to see our region thrive thanks to programs like this, which empower small businesses to grow, innovate, and contribute to our local economy,”
“Having been an entrepreneur myself in various sectors, I understand the challenges of starting or growing a business,” said Yves Laviolette, Warden of the Council of the United Counties of Prescott and Russell. “That’s why the Entrepreneurship Centre, with its programs, support, and grants, is an essential ally for anyone looking to start a business. Not to mention, it is more important than ever to support our local and regional businesses. Every time I buy a local product or use a Canadian service, I am proud to contribute to our economy,”
The financial support will allow entrepreneurs to make purchases in equipment and merchandise, to invest in marketing, or to cover certain costs related to launching or expanding their businesses. “This program goes beyond the funding,” said Liza Langevin, Project Officer at the PREC. “It offers entrepreneurs a supportive space to grow, gain confidence, and connect with others going through a similar journey. We are proud to be part of a community that invests in its entrepreneurs and believes in their potential to drive local success,”
The eight entrepreneurs who received a grant, through the Starter Company Plus program are:
- Marc Dion – Marc of-all-Trades (Russell)
- Valérie Bédard – Studio Paramédical (Hawkesbury)
- Guy Mayer – Mayer Industrial Warriors (Hawkesbury)
- Donna Guerin – Le Saphir esthétique (L’Orignal)
- Laura Beauchesne – Soil & Green (Vankleek Hill)
- Edwige Agoi Colette Ainhin – IEI Collections (Wendover)
- Kelly Bragg – Ruby Treats (Alfred)
- Jordan Brookes – Digital Memoirs Canada (St-Isidore)
The Starter Company Plus program offers financial support and learning opportunities for launching a new business, growing an existing one, or purchasing a business. A new intake period for the program will begin in the summer of 2025. For more information, please visit the Prescott and Russell Entrepreneurship Centre website (https://en.prescottrussell.on.ca/invest/entrepreneurship_centre/our_programs.)
The Prescott and Russell Entrepreneurship Centre (PREC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting small and medium-sized business (SME) owners in the region.
If you would like to have a light shined on your business, please contact us at: editor@etceterapublications.ca or call us at 613-448-2321.
Terry Tinkess is a professional photographer, educator and journalist. He has been making a living with a camera and keyboard since 1999 and has been featured in such publications as The Ottawa Citizen, Cornwall Standard Freeholder, The Globe and Mail, The Miami Herald, Ottawa Construction News, The Ontario Construction Report, Ontario Home Builder Magazine, Reed Construction Data, Canadian Potato Business and most recently, The Record and Eastern Ontario AgriNews. Terry lives in Ingleside, Ontario with his wife Brenda, Mia the anxious Pittie and cats Wally and Chubbers.
