Over the years, the Wellington-Waterloo Community Futures Development Corporation (WWCFDC) noticed that good business training opportunities were lacking and so it created a full service training program to assist the entrepreneurs.
That Business Excellence training program was recently recognized with an Award of Excellence in Business Support Services at the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporation’s annual conference in Niagara Falls.
The award winners are selected based on how innovative the initiative is, how it affects the community and local economy, and if the concept can be successfully used by another Community Futures Development Corporation in a different region.
To fill the need for good business training opportunities, a new position was established in the WWCFDC’s Elora office to create a self-sufficient training program available to local businesses and loan clients at an optimal fee. The program could then serve as a model for any CFDC to implement.
Tina Heathers was hired to research and develop the training program. After meeting with clients and business owners to find the entrepreneurs’ needs, she created a program combining training sessions, workshops, and consulting.
“We want to surround business owners with every possible resource they would need,” said Heathers.
“So instead of just attending one workshop here or there or reading one book, we want them to come to the workshops, work with a mentor, do the business coaching, watch the online videos so that they will have every aspect of the business covered and be thoroughly supported in their approach to growing the business.”
The WWCFDC has 32 active businesses in the program including The Bar Store; a family owned and operated woodworking company that was recently approved for a loan to help it with expansion.
“We got involved in the training program to help us utilize our financing that we have, to know where to put it so we don’t waste it,” said Steve Humphries, owner of The Bar Store.
Heathers said, “The business owners really enjoy coming to the workshops, networking with other business owners, and focusing on the core skills that are really necessary to grow their business.”
Wellington-Waterloo, manager Rick Whittaker said, “We’re honoured to be recognized with the Business Excellence award, and we hope other CFDCs can benefit from this.” There are 61 Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) across rural and Northern Ontario. They offer free business counselling, loans for start-up and expansion of small business, strategic planning on local projects, and community economic development. Each CFDC is locally managed by a volunteer board of directors, and funded by Industry Canada.
