$1 million raised
Valley Views
Kelowna-based supplements company SomaLife kicked off its capital fundraising by attracting its first $1 million from Okanagan investors.
“SomaLfe is thrilled to be raising this first $1 million in our own backyard and so quickly,” said SomaLife chief operations officer Weston Frontin.
“It speaks to the confidence our own community has in the next phase of our company’s expansion.”
SomaLife’s flagship products are Youth Formula and gHP Sport, patented formulas of amino acids that help the body with cellular repair, accelerated recovery, more energy and better sleep.
Both formulas are used by many professional athletes and regular people alike.
Youth Formula and gHP are only sold throught he company’s website, SomaLife.com.
The new capital raised will help SomaLife expand into nutrient bars and drinks to be sold in grocery and drug stores. SomaLife hopes to raise $4 million more. The company is holding additional information sessions today and tomorrow at the Coast Capri Hotel in Kelowna for those interested in investing a minimum $10,000 in SomaLife through the Small Business Venture Capital Tax Credit program.
The program gives investors a 30 per cent tax credit and the investment can be held in and RRSP or TFSA.
Register at CashBackSeminars.com.
Summer job
Summer may seem like a long way off, especially with this bitterly cold weather, but the federal government wants to remind Okanagan employers the deadline to apply for Canada Summer Jobs grants is Friday.
The program will pay all of a student’s minimum wage if a not-for-profit organization hires a qualifying 15-to-30-year-old.
For small businesses, the grant will cover half of the minimum wage for hiring a qualifying student.
Priority will be given to Okanagan not-for-profits and small and new businesses with less than 20 employees in the skilled trades, agriculture, farm, arts and culture and innovation and technology sectors.
Employers’ chances of landing a grant are also greater if they are hiring an immigrant, especially a Syrian refugee, or First Nations person or are involved in celebrating Canada’s 150th anniversary.
For more information go to Canada.ca/Canada-Summer-Jobs.
Excellent senior care
Home Instead Senior Care Okanagan has won a Pursuing Excellence by Advancing Quality Award from the Home Instead franchisor network.
The accolade goes only to franchises that rank highest based on feedback from clients and clients’ family members and audits by J.D. Power and Associates and CareGivers.
The Okanagan franchise is owned by Don and Anita Henke and has served 1,200 seniors since opening in 2002.
The business provides care givers who help with personal care, Alzheimer’s care, medication reminders, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands, transportation and help with other daily activities so seniors can stay in their own home as long as possible.
Steve MacNaull is a business reporter and columnist with The Okanagan Saturday. Reach him at steve.macnaull@ok.bc.ca.