Take a look inside Evelyn’s Sausage Kitchen, a growing rural success story based in Shedden, Ontario. What started as a family passion for traditional European recipes has quickly become a local favourite, known for handcrafted sausages, smoked meats, and specialty deli items made with care and local ingredients. Since purchasing the business in 2022, the […]
Deliciously Wickt is a home-based candle manufacturer and distributor, creating high-quality, hand-poured candles and wax melts in a purpose-built on-site facility. Made with 100% soy wax, Deliciously Wickt products are clean-burning, phthalate- and dye-free, and use only the highest-grade, skin-safe fragrance oils. All products are kosher and vegan certified. In addition to candles and wax melts, the product line […]
Xavier Toby, CEO of AXE Living, shares how support from the Southern Ontario Fund for Investment in Innovation (SOFII) is enabling the company to scale its operations, create new jobs, and increase access to affordable, high-quality housing for Canadians. AXE Living, a leader in delivering sustainable, precision-built homes efficiently and without surprises, has secured funding […]
Discover the latest happenings of the Orillia Area CDC over the past year! This video highlights their accomplishments for 2023 – 2024! Featuring Local Businesses: Sheeptreks.ca Hill’s Maple Leaf Restaurant Puddlepawshydrotherapy.ca
Establishing a robust community is a key focus of the Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital Foundation (SMGH Foundation). In leading the Building Foundations Project, the foundation aims to tackle important issues such as enhancing the accessibility of affordable housing, inspiring youth to consider careers in skilled trades, and enhancing the capability of rural hospitals to support […]
Established in 2019, the Saugeen Student Start-Up Program (SSUP) provides students in Grades 6-12 with the opportunity to launch their businesses during the summer break. So far, SSUP has supported over 250 students and businesses through funding and engaging training sessions. This summer, 51 students have initiated 47 diverse businesses such as body scrubs, natural […]
On this episode of What Keeps You Up at Night – The Life of a Rural Entrepreneur, host Shauna Rae sits down with Luke Sedgewick, owner of Glen Oro Farm, located in Oro-Medonte, ON Glen Oro Farm has been in Luke’s family since 1967 and after years of working in the hospitality industry, he brought […]
AWAKE is a company committed to enhancing the environmental sustainability of cremation interments. AWAKE celebrated its second anniversary in business this past Friday, April 5th, and we are excited to have sat down with co-founder Amanda Kelly. Along with her partner Lauren Andrew, AWAKE is bringing a different mindset and opening peoples’ eyes to new […]
On this episode of What Keeps You Up at Night – The Life of a Rural Entrepreneur, host Shauna Rae sits down with Alicia Ryckman, owner of COBS Bread. located in St. Thomas Ontario. Alicia, a franchisee of COBS Bread, shares her journey as an entrepreneur and the unique experience of being a franchisee. She […]
On this episode of What Keeps You Up at Night – The Life of a Rural Entrepreneur, host Shauna Rae sits down with the 2023 winner of the Elgin Business Centre Pitch competition Tanya Buttinger owner of Dogs on 3 located in St. Thomas Ontario. Tanya shares her journey as a rural entrepreneur in the […]
Cocoon is an innovative office rental space specifically designed for mental health practitioners in downtown Orillia. The project was born out of a personal experience by its founders, Candice Potter & Steven Caston, who, as registered psychotherapists, faced the challenge of finding an affordable, comfortable, and professional office space. Recognizing the need for a flexible […]
READ MOREHarshjot Singh and Subodh Kumar opened their first Wing Boyz take-out restaurant in St. Thomas in 2022 to great reviews—even winning the St. Thomas/Elgin 2022 New Business of the Year Award. It was not long after that the two set their sights on a second location that took them in the direction of Chatham, […]
READ MOREIn St. Thomas, Ontario, COBS Bread received support from the Community Futures Program through the Elgin Business Resource Centre. COBS Bread operates under the umbrella of Bakers Delight, an Australian bakery franchise with 145 establishments throughout Canada. Following extensive research, Alicia Ryckman identified St. Thomas as the ideal community to embark on her journey as […]
READ MOREEstablishing a robust community stands as a key focus for the Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital Foundation (SMGH Foundation). In leading the Building Foundations Project, the foundation aims to tackle important issues such as enhancing the accessibility of affordable housing, inspiring youth to consider careers in skilled trades, and enhancing the capability of rural hospitals to […]
READ MORESmith Cycle is a family-run business that is part of a legacy of bike enthusiasts who have been serving Chatham-Kent since 1932. Today, Smith Cycle is owned by Matt and Tanya Ytsma, who personally share a passion for cycling. In September 2023, Matt received support from the Community Futures Program through the Community Futures […]
READ MORESome entrepreneurs realize from a young age that entrepreneurship is their calling. This was the case for Tanya Buttinger, the owner of Dogs on 3 in St. Thomas, Ontario. Dogs on 3 offers enrichment opportunities for dogs, while providing boarding services during the day or overnight. Realizing that it was the moment to heed the […]
READ MORELocated in the central hub of Grey-Bruce County, within minutes of the beautiful beaches of Lake Huron is the award-winning Best Western Plus Walkerton Hotel & Conference Centre, offering guests amazing accommodation for business and pleasure. Best Western Plus Walkerton Hotel & Conference Centre is owned and operated by Andrew Windsor and his wife […]
READ MORERiver Road Nature School was founded in 2023 by Carrie and Joshua Loyer. It is a private school located in Cayuga (Haldimand County), and it is situated on 30 acres of land. The space is private and serene, offering plenty of access to green space and the Carolinian forest. The site has been carefully […]
READ MORESnack Wacky Foods, a beloved family-owned business in St. Thomas, Ontario, takes pride in offering top-quality food to locals and tourists alike. The family’s secret to success lies in using fresh ingredients, locally sourced produce, and a special family recipe for their mouth-watering burger patties, ensuring customers keep returning for more. In 2006, Hermann […]
READ MOREIn June 2016, Sarah Sklash and April Brown took a leap of faith by buying and relocating to a roadside motel named the Sportsman Motel. Throughout the years, the two friends openly discussed leaving their jobs to embark on a business venture together. After numerous brainstorming sessions, they settled on an idea: creating an […]
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