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 […]
On this special 2-part episode of What Keeps You Up at Night – The Life of a Rural Entrepreneur, host Shauna Rae sits down with Elaine Beck and Philip Morris, owners of Retro Rollers Inc. located in Stratford Ontario. Philip and Elaine, share their journey of starting a roller-skating business and the challenges they faced. […]
On this special 2-part episode of What Keeps You Up at Night – The Life of a Rural Entrepreneur, host Shauna Rae sits down with Elaine Beck and Philip Morris, owners of Retro Rollers Inc. located in Stratford Ontario. Philip and Elaine, share their journey of starting a roller-skating business and the challenges they faced. […]
On this episode of What Keeps You Up at Night – The Life of an Entrepreneur, host Shauna Rae sits down with Evan Sitler Bates, co-founder of XpertVR, located in Niagara Falls Ontario. XpertVR was launched through Brock University’s BioLinc Incubator. What started out as an experimentation with a 360-degree camera quickly transitioned into marketing […]
On this episode of What Keeps You Up at Night – The Life of an Entrepreneur, host Shauna Rae sits down with Mostafa Heikal, owner of Angels Childcare and recent winner of the Community Futures Ontario Entrepreneur of the Year award for 2022. What started out as one location in Arva, Ontario has now grown […]
On this episode of What Keeps You Up at Night – The Life of an Entrepreneur, host Shauna Rae sits down with Ashley McFayden, owner, of Taiden’s Treehouse, located in Midland ON. Seeing a need in her community Ashley decided to open Taiden’s Treehouse to help families recycle gently used children’s clothes and purchase new […]
What Keeps You Up at Night – The Life of an Entrepreneur: Episode 10, part 2. Host Shauna Rae continues her conversation with Sophie Foster, owner, of Rising Roots Farm, located in Oxford County. Delving into the importance of keeping Ontario’s agriculture land vibrant and how we need to educate the youth of today about […]
Snack 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 […]
READ MOREIn Chatham, Ontario, Oasis Beads & Crystals Inc. was assisted by the Community Futures Program through the Community Futures Development Corporation of Chatham-Kent. Oasis Beads & Crystals Inc. originated as a small jewellery-making business and blossomed into a successful venture in St. Thomas during the pandemic. The store offers a diverse range of drilled gems, […]
READ MORENottawasaga Futures is proud to shine a spotlight on Monx Design, a pioneering startup located in Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario, that is revolutionizing the housing landscape with their innovative approach to tiny house architecture. Founded and led by Brandon Mills, Monx Design is making waves by combining sustainable living principles with practical design solutions, offering […]
READ MOREEntrepreneurship often stems from various motivations. For Mark McIntosh, being laid off due to restructuring led him to forge his own path. McIntosh’s expertise and passion lie in the field of information technology (IT). With his family’s backing and after thorough research, he discovered the Elgin Business Resource Centre (EBRC) and the Self-Employment Benefits […]
READ MOREIn Huron County, River Road Brewery and Hops received support from the Community Futures Program through Community Futures Huron, which allowed the company to grow its business. This support has helped owners Nikki and Dave Andrew make their dream a reality while providing jobs in their community as well as continuing to stay sustainable. Years […]
READ MOREOpening Flow State Bike Co. located in Arkell, Ontario required a lot of upfront capital to get both the coffee bar and bike shop up and running. Receiving financial support from the Community Futures Program through the Wellington-Waterloo Community Futures office allowed owner Nate Lessnick to invest in all the required equipment, tools, and infrastructure, […]
READ MOREThere’s a little slice of heaven in Oro-Medonte, Ontario where you can turn the world off and get back to nature. At Glen Oro Farm, guests can escape the city and take part in boutique trail rides, celebrate milestones, and spend the night in a luxury glamping eco-retreat in the woods. “We take guests […]
READ MORECommunity Futures South Georgian Bay helps crown Caesar King of Canada There’s nowhere else in Canada where you can get the truly exceptional 1858 Caesar Bar experience. “Being Canada’s first Caesar bar and Canada’s national drink has turned us into an attraction,” says 1858 Caesar Bar owner Steve Walker. “People come for the experience. It’s […]
READ MOREFinding comfort in the wild with the help of Community Futures Huron The great outdoors have gotten a little more comfortable, thanks to unique and cozy retreats created by Cabinscape. Owned and operated by John and Laura Loerchner, Cabinscape provides people looking to escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life with clean, solar-powered […]
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