This Barrie 360 article was submitted by Cecilia Doucette at the Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre
When Krystal Rietkoetter was looking for expert feedback on how to grow her wedding gown business, she decided to enrol in the Further, Faster program offered through the Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre (HBEC).
A disruptor is someone or something that changes the traditional way a specific industry operates, usually in a new and effective way.
Sara Bentham, Director of the Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre at Georgian College, explains that entrepreneurs are often called ‘disruptors’. “They are passionate, tenacious, and innovative,” says Bentham. “They find unique solutions and enrich our community in many ways.”
But being your own boss is not easy, it can be challenging and having as many tools, knowledge and resources as possible can support your journey as a business owner.
When Krystal Rietkoetter was looking for expert feedback on how to grow her wedding gown business, she decided to enrol in the Further, Faster program offered through the Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre (HBEC).
Throughout the intensive seven-week program, participants gain many valuable tools to help start, grow and scale their business and create an effective and efficient foundation in the market. Rietkoetter, who owns Ceremony Bridal Studio in Barrie, completed the program back in 2020.
“I enrolled in the Further Faster program to study from established entrepreneurs and connect with other emerging small businesses,” she says. “I also learned more about branding and the importance of using all your resources and connections. Barrie is an incredible community to be an entrepreneur in, so I would encourage others to take advantage of programs like Further Faster, and to learn from mentors and business professionals who are willing to donate their time.”
HBEC assists in four main areas: training, programs, connections, funding and mentorship. They bring all four of these areas together to surround an entrepreneur and help take their business or idea to the next level.
Helping entrepreneurs create successful businesses has major benefits in our community, such as enhancing economic stability and improving the vitality of our region. Sharing resources creates new opportunities for entrepreneurs when starting or scaling a business. The Further Faster program offered by the Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre and supported by the City of Barrie is an incredible resource in our region for entrepreneurs.
According to Statistics Canada, Key Small Business Statistics-2020; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada calculations when an entrepreneur starts a business they create their own job and then several more as they grow. In 2019, small and medium-sized businesses, in total employed 88.5 percent (10.9 million individuals) of the private sector workforce in Canada.
“We surround entrepreneurs with excellence, we helped them with tools, mentorship, and guidance. This gives them the confidence to go out into the world and create a successful business.”-says Don Bourne, Client Advisor at the Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre.
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The next program cohort starts on Jan. 26. Don’t miss this opportunity and join us every Wednesday, to work on your business and meet like-minded entrepreneurs and mentors who will add value to your entrepreneurial toolkit. Register online through HBEC.
Featured image: Georgian College via GeorgianCollege.ca
