Contest encourages entrepreneurship in Strait area
Winning business will get loan, free services
A project encouraging entrepreneurship in the Port Hawkesbury area includes a contest with a package of prizes that will help a new business venture get off the ground.
The Eastern-Strait Regional Enterprise Network will host a series of public workshops discussing tools and resources needed to get a new business up and running. Part of the endeavour is a Start-up Port Hawkesbury contest that will result in at least one new business opening in Port Hawkesbury.
Project lead Misty MacDonald said a group of people including regional enterprise network CEO John Beaton were brainstorming one day about ways to encourage entrepreneurship when they came up with the idea for the contest.
“The prize package evolved as we contacted others and said, ‘This is what we’re thinking about doing, what do you think you could continue to the package?’” she said.
The contest has a “Dragon’s Den”-style format and will provide one new business with two years of rent free space in Port Hawkesbury courtesy of the Town of Port Hawkesbury and the Strait Area Chamber of Commerce. The business will also pre-qualify for a $20,000 business loan from InRich CBDC, receive pro bono legal services from Evans MacIsaac MacMillan, graphic design services from Sara Rankin Design, a one-year paid Strait Area Chamber of Commerce membership and ongoing support and training from the regional enterprise network, the chamber and other partners.
The contest is open to all Canadian residents willing to set up their business in the town of Port Hawkesbury.
“There’s two goals — one is that we get one business launched in Port Hawkesbury but the second and the major goal for us is … getting people even thinking about businesses,” MacDonald said.
Some potential entrepreneurs may have an idea for a new business but may not be aware of the supports and resources that are available to them locally, and this is one way of getting the work out, she said.
“Sometimes businesses don’t know that there are a lot of people who want to help them and they just don’t know how to access those resources,” MacDonald said.
The first workshop will take place Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Shannon Studio at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre. MacDonald said additional sessions may be scheduled down the road.
The first workshop will focus on generating business ideas and developing pitch presentations. The workshop is open to the public and participants are not required to enter the contest.
To register for the workshop, email startup@esren.ca or phone 902-623-2780.
Anyone with a business idea that they would like to pitch to the Start-up Port Hawkesbury judging panel is asked to visit https://esren.ca/start-up-porthawkesbury.