Economic Development eNews | January 12, 2021 |
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'Love The Results' is filmmaking and marketing team's motto |
GANANOQUE - Doug McLellan and Caroline Yung are storytellers known for capturing amazing footage around the world.
Based out of Toronto for decades, today this experienced husband and wife team operates their video and website production business LTRcorp. within Leeds Grenville. With the help of high speed fiber Internet, they enjoy continued success with a dedicated home-based team of professionals.
"Our job is storytelling, and it's something we put a lot of heart and soul into," says Doug. LTR stands for both 'Love This River' and 'Love The Results,' because six years ago the couple decided to live and work in the 1000 Islands region.
"The added bonus is we can continue our work here in a place we've loved to vacation in for 30 years," Doug says. LTRcorp provides specialized direct messaging services for all sectors, including small business, tourism, finance, health and education.
"One of our services is creating a strategy to help clients move their business and story from where they are now to where they want to be," says Caroline. "We want to know why you want a video so the messaging is clear."
LTRcorp. offers video production, web development and design services dedicated to marketing in compelling and measurable ways. Well executed video is your brand’s voice, offering virtual visits of what you do and how well you do it. Your website is where people find you and make their first decisions, according to Doug and Caroline. Getting content and delivery right, with honesty, value and respect for your audience, is what they do.
Doug started as a video journalist in the 1970s, often working on location with CBC's now retired Ann Medina. "I met a lot of amazing people all over the world," he says. One day he could meet a prime minister and the next day a terrorist. As international journalism became increasingly dangerous, and with the birth of his son, Doug decided to open his own business in 1987.
"I knew how to tell stories and I took it into the corporate world," says Doug. His company became an award winner for its personalized messaging. Later he would meet Caroline, a Ryerson University television production graduate who also worked internationally. They lead their team using their combined experience.
"All of our employees live where they want to live," says Doug.
"It's fun for us to help companies be successful," says Caroline. They have the Trademark on "Say It Right" and look forward to meeting new clients to tell their stories.
The couple is also interested in hearing from people who share their skills and are looking for creative opportunities.
Learn more about LTRcorp on their website, send them an email or give them a call at 613-463-9346. Read more on their blog. Take a look at their portfolio.
LTRcorp. is located at 420 Stone Street South, Gananoque.
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Top feature photo: LTRcorp owners Doug McLellan and Caroline Yung like to tell people's stories in their films. |
Above photos from top: Caroline filming on location; videotaping a medical procedure; working on a branding project; Doug with their dog Calli. |
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Second Provincial Emergency declared and Stay-at-Home order issued
Ontario has declared an immediate second state of emergency and effective Thursday, January 14, 2021, at 12:01 a.m., the government has issued a stay-at-home order requiring everyone to remain at home with exceptions of essential purposes. For full details see the news release.
Get Help Navigating Business Support Programs
The Leeds Grenville Economic Development Office, along with members of the Business Support Working Group, is available to help you navigate funding programs available to businesses impacted by COVID-19. Details of the Ontario Small Business Grant are anticipated next week.
Please contact Jim Hutton, Business Development Officer via email or call 613-342-3840 ext. 5361 for more information on the tourism fund or to help navigate the various provincial and federal funding programs.
Visit our dedicated webpage and subscribe to ensure you don’t miss many funding programs that could assist your business. Please make sure your business information is updated in our Business Directory so we can also reach out to you directly.
For additional business assistance call 613-342-3840 ext. 5365 or email.
Vaccine Update:
Today the Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit has provided on update on the regional roll-out of the two COVID-19 Vaccines. For details please visit their webpage.
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Want to Control your Business Presence on Google?
Each day there are 5.6-billion searches on Google. Digital Service Squads (DSS) throughout the region are helping businesses take control of their Google My Business Profile to ensure accurate business information is displayed. The results can increase sales while maintaining business brand integrity, especially if you have an online shop.
For example, if someone "Googles" widgets in Westport and you are the owner of "Westport Widgets", your Google result may show as a window to the lower right of your search. The data that populates this area is driven by random information online and more often than not, some of this data is incorrect. In order for you to control and change this information, you need to create your Google My Business account. DSS members help clients work through this and make the necessary changes.
Clients served are surprised and delighted at how easy it is to do. Once they master this, they feel ready to take on more digital learning as a result of their boost in self-confidence. As a business owner and account holder, you can make the most significant changes promptly, like images, your hours of operation, and COVID message updates. Otherwise, a simple monthly check and quarterly update is all you need to do to stay current. The more you keep it current, the more power it has in representing you in the digital marketplace. It will help potential customers find you faster.
DSS members offer is the opportunity for the shopHERE program to build you an online shop for free.
Digital Service Squads (DSS) have contacted well over 500 businesses and are helping many of those businesses establish or improve their online presence. Although no longer available, prior to December 31, 2020, Digital Transformation Grants of $2500 were awarded to 90 businesses in Leeds Grenville to assist in improving their online presence. This resulted in an investment of $225,000 into our businesses for online improvements.
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Business owner Dawn Tutecky-McDougall opened Once@426 in 2018. Located at 426 King Street West in Prescott, her business offers a wide range of items for sale from women’s clothing, including Z Supply and Blondie Apparel, to drinkware from Brumate and specialty food items from Meat Church and Blues Hog.
She also features work by local artists and offers limited local delivery and curbside pickup. Dawn became aware of the Digital Main Street Program through BIA\DSS kick-off email marketing. Dawn has been working with Justin St. Pierre, a Digital Service Squad member helping businesses in Prescott, Edwardsburgh Cardinal and Augusta.
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Dawn Tutecky-McDougall owns Once@426, a business located in downtown Prescott. |
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"I am just starting my digital transformation journey. I plan to double my digital presence and sales online," says Dawn.
"Thanks to receiving assistance from the DSS and Digital Main Street funding, I have been able to hire a professional to help optimize my e-commerce website and through improved Search Engine Optimization I am able to drive new customers to both my downtown store and my website," she says.
All communities in the Leeds Grenville region are now being served by a Digital Service Squad and the service is FREE. Members of the DSS can help with assessing your online presence, creating Google My Business profiles, 360 photos, digital storefront set-up and social media presence.
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COVID-19 Tourism Adaptation Fund
Regional Tourism Organization 9 (RTO 9) will administer the funding and distribute it to tourism-related businesses located within Leeds Grenville (with the exception of businesses in Gananoque were eligible for funding through a similar program operated by Kingston Economic Development Corporation).
Application intake is open until February 15, 2021- 4:00 pm. This is a non-repayable grant of between $1,500.00 - $20,000.00 maximum, applicants need to have a matching cash contribution of 20%. The grant will cover 80% excluding HST. This is a first come first served program, you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Eligible tourism businesses are:
Tourism Operators as defined by and according to Tourism HR Canada include: Accommodation (hotels, motels, resorts, campgrounds, and recreational vehicle facilities), Recreation and Entertainment (zoos, museums, theatres, sports facilities, amusement parks, government parks, heritage sites, hunting, fishing or outdoor adventure outfitters, and casinos), Food and beverage services (restaurants from fast service to fine dining, as well as pubs, nightclubs, cruise ships, and convention centres); Travel services (retail travel agencies, wholesale tour companies, or corporate offices with their own booking divisions) and Transportation (companies that provide transport by air, land or water, and include airlines, bus companies, taxi companies, ferry services, and cruise ships). Retail stores heavily dependent on tourism may also be considered.
Eligible costs include:
- Health and safety protocol that could be signage, virtual queue, Plexi glass partitions etc. Anything that would help the business apply local/provincial health guidelines
- Alterations to accommodate social distancing including expansion of patio space for restaurants (including tables, chairs, umbrellas) and/or acquisition of equipment like outdoor heaters to extend seasons
- The purchase of large-scale PPE or sanitizing equipment (fog machines etc.)
- Cleaning supplies for workers/customers
- The acquisition and implementation of digital tools and operating transformations like virtual queue, timed entry ticketing or contactless check-ins, contactless payment upgrades.
All applications will be reviewed by a committee, where final approval will be decided. One-time adaptation and re-opening costs incurred between June 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 by a registered business. Costs incurred prior to application require receipts to be submitted and costs going forward will require approval prior to cost being incurred.
Please direct any questions via email to Bonnie Ruddock, Executive Director of Region 9 Regional Tourism Organization, at bruddock@region9tourism.ca
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The Rideau Lakes Business Network is holding a virtual meeting via Zoom on Tuesday, January 19, at 7 p.m. The Mayor of Rideau Lakes, Arie Hoogenboom, is the special guest. He will be speaking about the 2021 township budget.
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Workshops, Seminars and Webinar Library |
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Canva Webinar Series: Getting the Most out of Canva - Making Custom, Beautiful Graphics
This is the second in a three-part seminar series presented by Jennifer Baker. Canva is a graphic design platform is used to create social media graphics, presentations, posters, documents and other visual content. This session will guide users through creation of custom graphics and images for use on Facebook, Instagram and Stories. Learn how to efficiently search for images - and how to customize images through effects, filters, frames and cropping. Adding and customizing Canva 'elements' will also be discussed.
The third session on Wednesday, January 27 is Adding Movement to Social Media with Videos. The sessions are hosted by the Small Business Advisory Centre.
WHEN: Wednesday, January 20, 10-11 a.m. Zoom webinar
Wednesday, January 27, 10-11 a.m.
COST: Free
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Succession Planning
Tackle the challenges of Succession Planning in today’s highly competitive and tight talent marketplace. This webinar will: Differentiate between Succession Planning and Business Continuity, Ensure bench strength readiness for vital positions, and Explore the steps of Succession Planning. The series is offered by the Eastern Workforce Innovation Board.
WHEN: Thursday, January 21, 10-11 a.m.
COST: Free
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Calling all businesses! Want to know more about Google Ads?
Gananoque, the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands and North Grenville’s Digital Service Squad Members have teamed up to bring businesses a FREE webinar on Google Ads. During this webinar, businesses will learn how to use ads on Google to their advantage to best promote their business.
WHEN: Friday, January 29, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
COST: Free
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Leeds Grenville eNews Deadlines for submitting information:
If you have an upcoming workshop, seminar, or business-related event, please email it to us in advance.
- Submissions for the January 26th edition should be received by Monday, January 18th, 2021.
- Submissions for the February 9th edition should be received by Monday, February 1st, 2021
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Ann Weir
Economic Development Manager
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Deanna Clark
Economic Development Officer
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Joanne Poll
Administration / Communications Support
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Jim Hutton
Business Development Officer
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32 Wall Street, Suite 300, Brockville, ON K6V 4R9
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