Program a big boost for skin-care clinic
Falls chamber seeks new directors; local architects group awards scholarships
When COVID-19 hit, online was a lifeline for one Niagara skin-care clinic.
In mid-march, Claraderma+ Medical Aesthetics and Laser Clinic co-owners Alicia Yap and Olenka Lyle faced the same unplanned-for disaster businesspeople everywhere did — the pandemic had arrived.
No one knew how severe it would be or how long it would last. But it looked to be really bad for business.
“We closed probably earlier than most places,” said Yap, a medical esthetician who with Lyle, a registered nurse, opened Claraderma in 2017 on Bunting Road in St. Catharines.
They treat conditions that include acne, rosacea and the effects of aging.
“Given our medical nature, we had a lot of advice from our physicians and others who oversee what we do that we should probably just close.”
That meant no in-person consultations or treatments — which, she said, comprise 90 per cent of their business. That left only skin-care product sales, with limited customer contact.
Their staff of 10 were all put on temporary layoff, until government wage subsidies allowed Yap and Lyle to start bringing them back.
In the meantime, they created “quarantine kits” filled with different products, based on customers’ needs.
“I was literally in my car, with my kids, delivering all over the city every day,” Yap said.
Slowly, business recovered as Niagara and the province continued reopening. A big help along the way, said Yap, came when they signed onto the SHOPHERE program for small businesses, run through the City of St. Catharines economic development office.
The free program, offered for merchants in the city and throughout south Niagara communities through BIAS, provides help and guidance to set up a digital store.
Owners get short-term access to the Shopify program, plus training and support.
“It’s been amazing,” said Yap,
adding her online trade used to demand a lot of her attention, requiring back- and- forth emails with customers before they made their purchases.
Now the online store basically looks after itself, similar to the way merchandizing giants like Amazon handle online sales.
That sounds like a small, natu
ral step — except most small businesses don’t have the staffing, resources or expertise to do it themselves.
“We sell everything online now,” said Yap. “All of our retail products are online now, whereas before some were but not all of them were.”
She said she sat in on a webinar during which the instructor noted for all the bad things COVID-19 brought, it did force small businesses to modernize their online presence.
“Basically, he said COVID sped up the online world by 10 years … And it did that over the course of three months.”
Yap said, “If you have the time to commit to sitting there with the (worker) who helped build the site, definitely utilize it.
“It was free. I would never have been able to figure it out on my own.”
To apply for the program, go to Digitalmainstreet.ca/shophere.
Also, the St. Catharines economic development office is offering grants up to $2,500 to help small businesses upgrade their online presence and improve their marketing.
To apply for a grant, go to Digitalmainstreet.ca. The deadline is Nov. 30.
Architects get help building their careers
Two budding local architects received a boost for their career plans, thanks to the Niagara Society of Architects’ scholarship program.
Normally, only one $1,000 scholarship per year is awarded, but that was doubled this year due to the quality of the applicants, the group said.
This year’s winners are Yoon Hur, a graduate of Laura Secord Secondary School in St. Catharines studying at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture, and James Caporicci, a graduate of Notre Dame College School in Welland working on a master of architecture degree at the School of Architecture at Carleton University in Ottawa.
Niagara Falls chamber seeks new directors
Niagara Falls Chamber of Commerce has put out the call for anyone interested in joining its board of directors.
There are three three-year terms and one two-year term available. Nominations can be submitted by any voting member in good standing.
Nominations are being accepted online until Nov. 4. For more information go to SouthNiagaracc.com.
Chamber webinar puts Diodati on the hot seat
It will be Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati in the spotlight for the next episode of the Mayors’ Falls Update Series, sponsored by South Niagara Chambers of Commerce.
Diodati will be the guest for the moderated webinar Oct. 29, starting at 10 a.m. Registration is free. More information is online at Southniagaracc.com/ events.