13 Small Businesses Graduate from the Latest Round of the Starter Company Plus Program

Brockville – The United Counties of Leeds Grenville is supporting 13 small businesses through the Starter Company Plus program by providing them with a solid foundation to grow their business.

Companies have completed training on the fundamentals of business, creating a business plan and understanding cash flows. As part of the program, they received a grant between $1,000 to $5,000 that is put toward their business needs. Along with the grant, the 4-month program includes one-on-one guidance from advisors and group work with mentors in the community.

The businesses are from various sectors, including health services, trades and food services and are located throughout the region – Athens, Brockville, Edwardsburgh Cardinal, Leeds and the Thousand Islands, North Grenville and Prescott.

“This is the 16th cohort of the program since 2015,” said Jeanette Johnston, Small Business Development Officer with the Leeds Grenville Economic Development Office. “We are excited to support these strong businesses in their growth and development.”

The next round of Starter Company Plus will be offered in the spring/summer of 2024. Throughout the year, Counties Small Business staff provide free consultations, tools, resources, events and
workshops to support small businesses in the region.

The Small Business Enterprise Centre program services are funded by the Province of Ontario, and in part by the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville and the City of Brockville.

The graduating participants are:

Dana Collings, DC Spa, North Grenville, offers manicures, pedicures, hair removal, facials, and other medical aesthetic services. It is located in a cozy home just off County Rd. 44 in Kemptville. For those who seek a pampering experience, Dana’s services will leave them feeling completely refreshed and rejuvenated. People who crave an environment that is safe, non-judgmental, and completely attentive to their desires and needs will love Dana’s spa. Learn more at www.danasaysrelax.com and you can reach Dana at 613-282-2658, dana.says.relax@gmail.com

Michael Degrazia, Degrazia Home Comfort, North Grenville, is a locally owned and operated HVAC company based in Kemptville, Ontario. The company has quickly established a strong presence in the Leeds Grenville and Ottawa area through word-of-mouth referrals and quality service. With a primary focus on the removal and replacement of existing HVAC systems, Degrazia Home Comfort has identified a key opportunity for growth in the Kemptville community. For more information go to www.degraziahomecomfort.ca or you can reach Michael at 613-621-4618 info@degraziahomecomfort.ca

Andrea Empey, Dancing Willow Wellness, North Grenville, is a multidisciplinary health clinic offering complementary health services located in Kemptville. This company, established in
2021, has a mission to provide excellence in healthcare through an integrative, inclusive and holistic approach that prioritizes patient-centred care. The clinic offers a range of treatment
services, including acupuncture, hypnosis, herbal medicine, psychotherapy, and holistic nutrition, with the goal of adding additional practitioners and modalities. Visit www.DancingWillowWellness.com for more information or you can reach the clinic at hello@DancingWillowWellness.com and 613-276-2582

Kim Goodman, K.A. Community Consulting, Leeds and the Thousand Islands, provides grant writing services, strategic planning for organizations and municipalities as well as program implementation. Kim strategically positions the consultancy to cater to the community’s specific needs. She brings over two decades of experience in the non-profit, education, and municipal sectors. Kim takes a genuine community-centric approach, emphasizing meaningful conversations and strong local connections. You can reach her at 613-929-4237, kim@kacommunityconsulting.ca. Or visit her website at www.kacommunityconsulting.ca

Nicole Hudson, Katarina’s Coffee Shop, Prescott, is known for serving delicious breakfast and lunch and scratch-made desserts, ice cream and specialty coffee. The company is co-owned by Nicole and Carla Hudson, a mother and daughter-duo with a combined experience of 50 years in the hospitality industry. Learn more about Katarina’s at www.katarinasprescott.ca. You can reach Nicole at katarinasprescott@gmail.com and 613-213-8007.

Yvonne Joudoin, River Vibes Picnics, Prescott, provides the ultimate picnic experience that celebrates the cherished tradition of family time. Yvonne specializes in pre-made picnic lunches that can be conveniently picked up along the river. Her customized lunches feature locally sourced and homemade items such as artisan sandwiches, salads, desserts and refreshing beverages like lemonade or iced tea. Customers can easily order and pre-pay online in advance, and then pick up their packaged picnic at the scenic pop-up kiosk location along the picturesque River Walk Heritage Trail. For those who prefer spontaneity, they also offer walk-up purchases of select goods on-site. Place your order at www.rivervibespicnics.ca or contact Yvonne at 613-246-2205 or rivervibespicnics@gmail.com

Samantha Macuzzi, Garnish with Flourish Garden and Kitchen, Edwardsburgh Cardinal, is a small market garden that grows its own produce organically and sustainably to use for creating unique event decorations such as bouquets, gifts, party favours and ingredients for food enthusiasts. Samantha and her team cultivate niche produce, such as edible flowers, unique herbs, hot peppers, mini produce and different varieties of garlic. Also available are new colours of produce that cannot be accessed from the grocery store, such as black tomatoes or pink celery. You can reach Samantha at Samantha@garnishwithflourish.ca and visit her website at www.garnishwithflourish.ca

Denzel Maradza, Tandem Unified Wellness, Brockville, Denzel co-owns this business with his partner Jenni Stotts. Their combination of skills allows for the optimal delivery of specialized services such as Aerial Yoga, Pilates, TRX and much more. With both partners having over 7 years of instruction experience, this sets a strong foundation that clients can trust. They are committed to delivering highly unique and enjoyable services through personal and group fitness programs in Brockville and Canada-wide. You can find out more at www.tandemunifiedwellness.ca and you can reach Denzel at tandemunifiedwellness@gmail.com or 613-246-8388.

Carolyn McGillis, Careness Functional Medicine, North Grenville, offers services from lifestyle interventions and dietary adjustments to cutting-edge nutraceuticals and state-of-the-art testing where they explore every avenue in the pursuit of health optimization. Situated strategically in Kemptville and equipped with advanced virtual capabilities, they are well-positioned to serve the growing functional medicine market in North Grenville. To learn more about Carolyn and functional medicine go to www.careness.ca. You can also reach Carolyn at carolyn@careness.ca.

Alexandra Stobo, The Fairytale Loft, Brockville, is a character entertainment company specializing in princess parties, stage shows and improvisational meet & greets, servicing all communities between Brockville and Ottawa. Alexandra is the owner and primary performer, portraying 10+ different characters, each with distinct voices and makeup. A trained vocalist, theatrical performer and voice actress, she is passionate about creating magical moments and bringing beloved animated characters to life. Visit www.thefairytaleloft.ca to learn more and book your entertainment today! You can reach Alexandra at hello@thefairytaleloft.ca or 613-340-4234.

Amy Wagner, Amy Wagner Consulting, North Grenville, established in April 2023, this company emerges as a transformative force in HR consultancy, addressing a critical gap in small businesses access to specialized and affordable human resources (HR) support in Eastern Ontario. The consultancy’s mission is rooted in its commitment to elevate businesses, empower leaders, and shape futures through tailored HR solutions. Businesses and organizations can reach Amy at amy@amywagnerconsulting.ca or 613-853-2907 and the website is www.amywagnerconsulting.ca

Brandon Ward, Facility Kinetics, Athens, is a Software as a Service (SaaS) company that offers a comprehensive platform to help fitness clubs, studios and other facilities with a membership structure to streamline their operations. The platform integrates membership management, payment processing and secure facility access using a mobile app, eliminating the need for plastic key cards and key fobs. Facility Kinetics is a virtual company based in Athens, Ontario with servers hosted on Amazon Web Services. Currently, the company serves clients throughout Ontario, Canada. Visit www.facilitykinetics.ca to learn more or reach Brandon at brandon@facilitykinetics.ca

Julie Woito, Life + Hope Wellness, Brockville, small group psychotherapy practice that provides holistic and integrated mental health care to children, adults, couples and families. The focus is on integrated spiritual care and wellness classes, that are grounded in the latest research on trauma-informed care. The team of therapists is highly trained in various modalities, enabling them to offer personalized treatment plans for clients. They further specialize in therapy techniques and provide wellness classes that enhance mental well-being and performance; they also cater to high performers and creatives. Visit www.lifeandhopewellness.com to learn more. You can reach the clinic at 613-423-9928 or hello@lifeandhopewellness.com