Summer Company and Starter Company Plus 2024 Launched on Thursday

Brockville – The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville – Small Business officially launched Summer Company 2024 and Starter Company Plus 2024 on Thursday, June 6th at the United Counties of Leeds & Grenville office.

This was the first time the two programs were launched together. These programs exist to generate interest and provide support for entrepreneurs in the region.

“We are excited to bring together the entrepreneurs from both programs this summer and introduce them to the community. We are facilitating a combination of joint and separate training sessions,”, states Jeanette Johnston, Small Business Development Officer.

Summer Company – Youth Entrepreneurship program is in its 24th year with five young entrepreneurs in Leeds Grenville this summer who will experience being their own boss.

The entrepreneurs will use their creative genius and community support to successfully operate their businesses. They will be supported with a grant, training, and mentoring.

This year’s Summer Company participants include:

Taylor Brumwell, Brumwell Lawn Services, Municipality of North Grenville, services will include routine lawncare (raking, watering, cutting, weed whacking), as well as seasonal aeration, fertilizing, over-seeding, light landscaping services, and garden work in and around Kemptville. You can reach Taylor at taylor.brumwell@gmail.com or 613-284-7886

Rane Gibbs, RGB Industry Décor, City of Brockville, will create hand-made wooden home and kitchen décor. Each piece can be customized with the name of your loved one to cheer up any space. Rane will be at the local markets and will also sell online. Contact Rane at raneparis28@gmail.com or 613-213-2876.

River Irvine, Prize Pursuits Gaming, Township of Augusta, will create several online tournaments over the summer, allowing gaming hobbyists the opportunity to show off their skills in games like Guitar Hero, first-person shooter games, and more. River can be reached at Riverwirvine@gmail.com or 613-349-7988

Karsen Noe, Noe Woodworks, Township of Augusta, will be creating hand-sculpted wooden decor, ornaments, jewellery and more in his workshop at home in Prescott. Karsen also has an interest in furniture flipping, taking older, worn pieces of wooden furniture and giving them new life with a little hard work and paint or stain. Karsen is hoping to be at the local markets in the summer. You can reach him at karsenroyal@icloud.com or 613-243-0838

Evan Trower, EZ Mobile Auto Detailing, City of Brockville; is a mobile car detailing business providing interior and exterior cleaning services, ranging from basic to advanced care depending on the need. Advanced services might include odour and stain removal, as well as ceramic coating. Evan can be reached by email at trowerevan@gmail.com or by phone at 613-447-2185

Starter Company Plus – Adult Entrepreneurship program is in its 10th year!

This round of Starter Company Plus is supporting 10 small businesses by providing them with a solid foundation to grow their business upon.

Local companies, from Kemptville to Gananoque, are currently training in the fundamentals of business, creating business plans, and understanding cash flows. After the initial training, they will have the opportunity to pitch to a local panel of business volunteers for a grant of up to $5000, which can be applied to various investments in their businesses. Successful winners of the grant will go on to receive coaching and mentorship.

This round’s businesses are:

Shane Doxtater, Empire Construction and Masonry, City of Brockville, specializes in providing top-tier stonework & masonry, custom tiling, and insulating concrete forms (ICF) services. The team of skilled artisans is dedicated to crafting unique, durable, and aesthetically pleasing structures that stand the test of time. Whether it’s a bespoke tiled kitchen that reflects personal style or sustainable and energy-efficient building solutions, Empire Construction & Masonry can bring dreams to life. Visit the website at https://www.empireconstructionandmasonry.ca/ and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/empireconstructionandmasonry/

Chantel (CT) Ehler, ERB Legal, LLP, Town of Gananoque, provides notary services and paralegal representation for civil litigation and limited criminal matters. Additionally, she provides elder care wills and estate mediation, family mediation, and workplace mediation. CT’s partners provide extended services across Ontario. You can learn more about ERB’s services at https://ehlerservices.com/

Alyssa Gallant, Monday Nutrition, Township of Edwardsburgh Cardinal, Alyssa is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and operates from her small storefront in Spencerville. She provides nutritional consultations and advice on supplements to support a holistic lifestyle. Alyssa also hosts many classes like yoga and macramé. Alyssa’s website is https://www.mondaynutrition.com/ and you can find her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mondaynutrition/

Diane Gordon, Golden Creek Horticulture, Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley, is a family-run market gardening business producing fresh vegetables, flowers, and microgreens for customers at the Brockville Farmers Market and through a website. Golden Creek also has a summer CSA program. You can reach Diane at goldencreekhorticulture@gmail.com and follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/goldencreekhorticulture/

Elizabeth Green-Verkerk, South Coast Design Build Ltd, Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands, provides custom home design and building services in Eastern Ontario. Along with her business partner and husband, Tyler Verkerk, they are a Tarion licensed new home builder, offering full warranties on all new builds. Liz and Tyler envision a future where all
homes are net zero, providing comfort, functionality, sustainability, and enjoyment through good design. They provide all of the design and permitting services as part of the custom home package, making every home fully customizable for the client’s needs and budget. To see their beautiful designs visit https://southcoastdesignbuild.com/ and on Instagram at
https://www.instagram.com/southcoastdesignbuild/

Ray Heffernan, Ray Heffernan Photography, Town of Prescott, offers images in every genre, from baby photos to that must-have family portrait, from professional and acting headshots to romantic boudoir shoots. A wide selection of landscape and fine art prints for all your gift-giving and decorating needs. Ray Heffernan Photography serves as a top-quality
photography solution for clients wherever their imagination takes them. Although the vast majority of his work happens in the studio, location shoots can be arranged. Learn more at https://www.rayheffernan.com/ and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ray_heffernan_photography/

Tracey Hughes, Flutter & Fly Makers Cove, City of Brockville, provides space where local crafters can display and sell their creations. Space is rented by the shelf or size of wall to local artisans. Tracey hosts over 40 makers and makes her own items like custom tumblers, tea towels and more. You can find out more at https://www.facebook.com/flutternflymakerscove

Kim Matthew, Drinks in Tow, Municipality of North Grenville, is a mobile beverage catering company offering unique mobile bar rentals and bartending services. The three bar options are perfectly suited for weddings, festivals, and corporate events, as well as more intimate affairs such as anniversaries, birthday parties, bachelorette parties, baby showers, and cocktail parties. The service packages can be custom-tailored to each event and what the client is envisioning for their special day/event. To learn more visit https://drinksintow.com/ or reach out at info@drinksintow.com

Connor Wilhelm, Wilhelm’s Manual Osteopathy, Town of Prescott, is a manual osteopathy business. It is a hands-on holistic approach to healthcare dating back to 1874. Connor provides individual care for people who experience chronic, but also acute pain. He can treat a wide variety of musculoskeletal disorders, as well as neurodevelopmental disorders. Visit
https://wilhelmsmanualosteopathy.ca/ to learn more or email Connor at connor@wilhelmsmo.ca

Claudia Zuniga Muroya, CAZM Bookkeeping Services, Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley, offers bookkeeping and payroll services for small businesses, including data migrations to QuickBooks online. Claudia is a Certified Quick Books ProAdvisor and can assist in balancing books and providing a clear view of finances to help small businesses achieve success. You can reach Claudia at cazm.canada@outlook.com or on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-zuniga-muroya-8a229a305/

The Summer Company and Starter Company Plus programs are funded by the Province of Ontario along with United Counties of Leeds and Grenville and the City of Brockville.

Throughout the year, Counties Small Business staff provide free consultations, tools, resources, events, and workshops to support small businesses in the region.