In this issue:

• AI & Automation Webinar Series
• What Lenders Look For
• Steps to Starting
• Foodpreneur Workshops
• Summer Company - Applications are open for student run businesses.
• Futurpreneur Aquisition Workshop

Join us this month for the final webinar in our series all about AI and Automation. Sara Norton of Reply-All will talk you through the basics and show you how to save time and streamline your business processes by using the latest tools in AI and Automation.

Choosing the Right Tech to Run Your Business - Tuesday, February 6 | 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Register here

Join us on Wednesday, February 28th at 10am as we host Venture Niagara in this informative session about funding your business.

The "What Lenders Are Looking For" webinar is presented by an experienced business lender who will de-mystify business lending and offer tips for success in funding your business.

This session will explore:



• Business funding options
• The Five C's of lending
• How lenders assess loan applications
• Tips for business success
• Resources of interest

Register Here



Getting ready to start a new business?

Join our steps to starting webinar on Wednesday February 21st from 1pm-2pm to learn all about the basics of starting your business, including rules, regulations, tax basics and where to look for business funding.

Register Here

Do you have an idea for a food business? Want to learn more before you “venture” into food production? Or are you looking for tips to improve your growing business?

Under the name of Foodpreneur Advantage, several of Ontario's Small Business Enterprise Centres have come together to offer a collection of entrepreneurial food related programming. Here you will find introductory workshops for any food related business and comprehensive programs for scalable food and beverage manufacturing ventures that produce consumer packaged goods (CPG).

Whether you are starting your food venture, or ready to expand and scale your operation, this is the place to start. Starting on January 24th, there will be one webinar per week. Each webinar is one hour long and will help you develop as a food entrepreneur. Find a detailed overview of each of the webinars, visit https://foodpreneuradvantage.ca/start-up-seminars/

Webinar dates and registration links:

Thursday, February 1st, 2:00- 3:00pm - How to Sell your Food Product

Register Here

Thursday, February 8th, 2:00-3:00pm - Costing & Pricing to Make Profits

Register Here

Thursday February 15, 2:00 - 3:00pm - Marketing & Branding your Food Product

Register Here

Thursday, February 22nd, 2:00-3:00pm - Selling to Food Retailers

Register Here

Thursday, February 29, 2:00 - 3:00pm - Labelling & Packaging your Food Product

Register Here

The Foodpreneur Advantage collaboration of Small Business Enterprise Centres is made possible by generous support from Libro Credit Union, and FedDev Ontario.

About Small Business Enterprise Centres and the Program Funders

For over 30 years, Ontario Small Business Enterprise Centres have been committed to guiding people through the start-up and early growth stages of small business. They are key economic development partners within their local communities.

Libro Credit Union supports local food accessibility and employment as two of their key focus areas to grow prosperity in the region. As a credit union with strong roots in agriculture, they are committed to the agri-food sector in Southwestern Ontario.

Summer Company is the Government of Ontario's flagship youth entrepreneurship program, and it has returned once again this year! This program provides enterprising young students, aged 15 to 29, with the opportunity to start and run their own summer business.

If you are accepted into the program, you will receive an award of up to $3000, hands on business coaching, and mentoring from local community business leaders who will work with you to make your Summer Company a reality.

Applications for Summer Company are now open!

The application portal will be live until April 30th, 2024. We encourage students to apply early as the program may fill up before this date.

To apply, visit https://www.investinstc.ca/site/summer-company

#OwnersWanted is a new program that gets you ready to buy the small business of your dreams. The program is completely free, and if you already have a prospective seller in mind, you can both attend to get everything you need to complete this transition together.

Over the course of program, you will:

• Explore the world of business acquisition;
• Access valuable resources for your acquisition journey;
• Experience real-life acquisition stories and mock negotiations to close deals; and
• Learn about Futurpreneur financing options for business acquisition and succession.

Once you’ve completed the program, you’ll know how to buy a business, and you’ll have a complete set of documents and skills you can use to close a great deal in real life.

Unlocking Business Aquisition in Ontario - February 21, 12pm - 1:30pm

Register Here

Our team remains available by phone and email and we encourage you to reach out to us. We'd be happy to set up a one-on-one call on the following topics:

• Business Plan Creation
• Marketing Strategy
• Market Research
• Funding Options for Your Business
• Business Model Development
• General Business Information Requests

We are also available to speak about your present challenges and to make you aware of resources as we hear of them.

Contact us at: enterprisecentre@stcatharines.ca OR 905-688-5601 x1767