1. business and industrial

WORK FOR
THE BEST
.
BOSS EVER
2014 Yearbook
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
#SummerCompany
A MESSAGE FROM THE HONOURABLE BRAD DUGUID
MINISTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, EMPLOYMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE
I
t has been said that the best way to ensure your future is to go out
and create it. Ontario is helping the youth of today become the
leaders of tomorrow by supporting our young entrepreneurs through
Summer Company. The program has helped more than 5,900 young
people launch a business over the last 14 years. This past year alone,
940 companies across the province were started by entrepreneurs
between the ages of 15 and 29.
not-for-profits and industry. Summer Company is an important part of
the Youth Jobs Strategy and has benefitted from additional funding to
provide more opportunities for young people and help youth who face
barriers or live in vulnerable communities.
Summer Company is a wonderful example of what our young people
can achieve. In this yearbook you’ll see how great ideas turned into
summer jobs, and in some cases careers. It’s a glimpse at how young
Ontarians are creating their own path to prosperity and securing their
future. I want to congratulate program participants for their hard work
and perseverance, and for daring to dream. I also want to thank the
many local mentors who donated their time and expertise.
Investing in our young people is vital to Ontario’s long-term success.
An impact study of Summer Company from 2006 to 2012 shows it’s
making a difference. About 43 per cent of past participants reported
they were still running their businesses and 22 per cent were operating
another business. These ventures generated an estimated $46.8 million
in revenue. They also created approximately 2,050 full-time and 2,958
part-time jobs. And, almost every participant surveyed said Summer
Company gave them transferable skills for future employment. Now,
that is exciting!
Entrepreneurship is a key driver of job creation, economic growth
and innovation. By working together through programs like Summer
Company, we are helping to secure the economic future of young
people and our province.
We are committed to helping Ontario’s impressive generation of young
people succeed. That’s why we launched the Youth Jobs Strategy to
foster entrepreneurship and mentorship, and to develop the talents of
young Ontarians through partnerships with municipalities, educators,
Brad Duguid
Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 2
TAKING THE GUESSWORK OUT OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY
In Ontario, building owners need better
performing buildings that reduce operating
costs. New buildings also need to meet the
energy requirements of the Ontario Building
Code. But the process of meeting those
requirements is complex and can be difficult
and time-consuming.
Enter Matthew Tokarik. His Summer
Company 2nd LOT took the guesswork out
of energy efficiency. It used unique energy
modelling software to predict energy use
and help companies modify their designs
and qualify for incentives. The 26-year old
graduate engineer targeted builders of small
and medium commercial, mixed use and
multi-unit residential buildings, areas with the
greatest market growth potential.
2nd LOT attracted the attention of the Centre
for Urban Energy (CUE), Canada’s first startup business incubator devoted solely to urban
energy. It’s providing the fledgling company
with office space, ongoing business support
and mentorship.
Matthew is taking his masters of applied
science at Ryerson University and continuing
to operate and build 2nd LOT.
MATTHEW TOKARIK
2ND LOT
TORONTO
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 3
A NOVEL BUSINESS IDEA
Yara Kashlan has a passion for storytelling
and writing. When she discovered an unfilled
niche in the Canadian children’s literature
market, she was sure she was on to a good
business idea.
With help from Summer Company she
established A RAY Publishing which targets
kids age 4 to 7 with books about coming
from a different culture and growing up in
contemporary Canada. Her first title, “Curry,
Sushi and Falafel” introduces children to
ethnic foods and shows them that it’s ok to
experience and embrace new tastes and
ideas.
A recent immigrant from Dubai, the third
year Ryerson University journalism student
promoted her company through readings
at Burlington libraries and regional parent
groups, as well as magnets, business cards,
trade shows, flyers, banners – and her
website araycreative.ca.
Yara recently published her second title,
“Messy Little Missy”, and is busy working on
a third.
YARA KASHLAN
A RAY PUBLISHING
BURLINGTON
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 4
FROM TRASH TO TREASURES
With help from Summer Company, Josh
Farhoud founded Against the Grain, which
upcycled skids and pallets and other found
objects into unique home furnishings and
décor. Rustic, useful and well built, the
company’s products ranged from tables and
benches to coat racks and shelves – and even
wall art.
“We live in a world where people just throw
things away,” says Josh. “I wanted to show
that I could make something old, new and
purposeful again – and make it profitable at
the same time.”
Josh started selling his products at farmers’
markets and antique shows all across Ontario
– and it wasn’t long before business took off,
with custom orders flying in on Facebook.
The grade 10 student credits Summer
Company with giving him the confidence
to promote his product and prepare more
accurate estimates. He plans to continue his
sustainable business part time all through high
school.
JOSH FARHOUD
AGAINST THE GRAIN
BRADFORD
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 5
A SHOCKINGLY GOOD IDEA
YASHIN SHAH
ANSIK INC.
Yashin Shah was in an auto shop one day
During the summer, Shocklock was beta
watching a mechanic working on a car when tested and sold in mechanic shops in the
he noticed that the hood kept creeping down. Waterloo Region. Information gathered
He came up with a brilliant idea – a jack that through surveys conducted with customers
reinforces worn-out struts to hold up vehicle
throughout the summer was used to tweak
hoods and trunks.
the product, which will be officially launched
at SEMA, the premier automotive specialty
Through Summer Company, Yashin created
products trade show, in Las Vegas in
Ansik Inc. and developed Shocklock, a
November.
jack designed for safety, convenience and
inexpensive manufacturing.
In the future, the University of Waterloo
communications and project management
The innovative product attracted the
student hopes to see his product
attention of Waterloo’s Velocity Garage startincorporated into every new car.
up incubator, which meant Yashin was able
to move his business out of his apartment
– and start making important business
connections.
WATERLOO
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 6
A CHEESY WAY TO HIT THE SPOT
Brock University business student Jake
Fraser was pretty sure he had a winning
Summer Company idea. Get a mobile truck,
set it up at Sherkston Shores beach resort
near Niagara Falls and sell hand-cut fries, a
variety of poutine, jalapeno peppers (a crowd
favourite) and refreshments.
He was right. Beachside Poutine was an
instant hit! Customers lined up to buy Jake’s
food --and kept coming back for more.
Business was so brisk he had to hire five
employees and by summer’s end, his profits
were 280 per cent of what he’d forecast.
What’s more, Sherkston Shores offered him
an exclusive five-year contract – which he
jumped at.
Needless to say, the 21-year old business
student will be operating Beachside Poutine
again next summer – with the addition of an
ice cream truck – and he’s starting to plan his
next business venture.
JAKE FRASER
BEACHSIDE POUTINE
NIAGARA FALLS
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 7
ENJOYING THE FRUITS OF HER LABOUR
Belita Choi is new to Ontario – she recently
moved to Port Elgin from South Korea – but
her beginner’s English didn’t stop her from
starting a Summer Company, Belita’s Fruit
Market.
Belita bought produce from a local farmer,
then sold it at community markets in
Walkerton, Paisley, Kincardine and Port Elgin.
The language barrier made it difficult at first,
but Belita persevered, and the combination
of her quality products, hard work, charm
and determination paid off. It didn’t take long
before Belita’s Fruit Market became a weekly
stop for many shoppers. She was pleased
with how well her business did – and just as
pleased with how her English improved!
The 22-year old says she’s taking all the vital
skills she developed operating her business
with her to Conestoga College, including her
newfound sense of confidence!
BELITA CHOI
BELITA’S FRUIT
MARKET
SAUGEEN SHORES
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 8
CHALKING UP PROFITS, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Success in business often requires the
ability to adapt to changing circumstances –
which is what Savanna Enright did with her
Summer Company, Chalk of the Town.
Before long, Chalk of the Town had made a
name for itself, and people were coming to
Savanna to get her to revive their cherished
pieces of furniture.
At first, Savanna bought second-hand
furniture and other items at garage sales
and flea markets, gave them a second life
using chalk paint and sold them at farmers’
markets. Because chalk paint is easy to work
with and rarely requires any preparation,
Savanna was able to turn out a number
of pieces during the week – which were
then snapped up by eager buyers on the
weekend.
“I was surprised that my business took a
different turn than I’d expected,” she says.
But the high school student didn’t skip a
beat. She took on more and more custom
work, to the delight of her clients.
Savanna really enjoyed her Summer
Company experience. Now back at school,
she’s operating the business part time,
selling her pieces at local events and on
Facebook.
SAVANNA ENRIGHT
CHALK OF THE TOWN
FURNITURE
RENFREW
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 9
CHARITABLE CREATIVITY
Grade 10 Guelph student Wendy Wei got the
idea for her Summer Company while doing
an assignment for her civics class. Wendy
learned that many local charities struggle
to operate on small government grants
while competing for donations with large
international charities.
WENDY WEI
She decided to start an e-commerce clothing
business with a social conscience. Cotton
Creations provided high quality apparel
designed by local artists for kids, teens and
adults who wanted an opportunity to make
a positive impact in their communities.
The twist? Customers voted on the designs
they liked best which were then turned into
products.
Artists earned 5 per cent of the profits from
each item sold. Charities received 10 per
cent.
A finalist in the provincial Young
Entrepreneurs, Make Your Pitch competition,
Wendy learned a lot from her first business
venture and is more certain than ever that
she will be an entrepreneur when she
graduates from university.
COTTON CREATIONS
GUELPH
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 10
AN AUTHENTIC REFLECTION OF CULTURE AND TRADITION
Kathryn Pasquach learned the art of
Aboriginal jewellery making from her mother
and grandmother and wanted to keep the
tradition alive. With help from Summer
Company, she created Culture Shock Jewelry.
at local markets, craft shows, festivals and
jewellery parties. Customers could also order
by contacting her through Facebook. Her
pieces were so popular she sometimes had
trouble keeping up with the demand!
At first, Kathryn focused on selling beads
to other crafters in Windsor-Essex, but she
quickly shifted to full-time jewellery making,
offering colourful earrings, necklaces and
bracelets made from native Canadian
traditional elements. The result was jewellery
that reflected a rich diverse culture and
appealed to people who seek out authentically
made pieces. Kathryn sold her jewellery
The 28-year old University of Windsor
commerce student enjoyed her Summer
Company experience and felt she learned
a lot from it, in particular the importance of
customer relations and record keeping.
Kathryn plans to build her inventory during
the school year so she’ll be able to fulfill all
her orders with no problem next summer.
KATHRYN PASQUACH
CULTURE SHOCK
JEWELRY
WINDSOR
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 11
NOT SCIENCE FICTION AT ALL!
Imagine being able to build your own personal
robot from a kit, customize its look and
behaviour and control it through your Android
device.
Sounds like science fiction? It’s all possible
thanks to 17-year old Vaughan high school
student Daniel Weisberg. He founded DW
Applications to create and market his
innovative, affordable new product, EzBOT. It
lets you construct a robot that does whatever
you need it to, be it entertainment or work.
The aspiring engineer says Summer Company
was invaluable in helping him learn to
advertise his robot using different outlets. His
advice for others interested in starting a tech
business? Research the market to be sure your
product stands out from the competition and
ensure that it’s foolproof before launching it.
“Summer Company showed me that many
things are possible if you’re dedicated and you
work hard,” says Daniel.
DANIEL WEISBERG
DW APPLICATIONS
VAUGHAN
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 12
STAGING HER OWN SUCCESS
“I had a teacher who always said creating
your own work is the best way to go,” says
Susan Waycik. Deciding it was good advice,
the 22-year old started her own theatre
production company with support from
Summer Company.
Start Here Theatre Productions produced
and performed a Canadian musical revue,
Feels Like Home. It showcased young
emerging entertainers at different venues
throughout Leeds and Grenville – and it did
very well, attracting enthusiastic audiences
by using social media, including Facebook
and YouTube.
Susan is back at St. Lawrence College taking
music theatre performance, but when she
graduates she hopes to move to Toronto
and continue with her theatre production
company.
“We’re told in our industry that it’s hard to
beat the odds and that theatre doesn’t make
any money. I proved them wrong and I’m so
thankful to Summer Company for giving me
the opportunity.”
SUSAN WAYCIK
START HERE THEATRE
PRODUCTIONS
BROCKVILLE
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 13
IPHONE JOE TO THE RESCUE
When Joe Crozier discovered that a lot of
people in his hometown of Collingwood
had to go to Barrie or Toronto to get their
iPhones repaired, he was pretty sure he had
a good idea for a Summer Company. “I’d
been fixing things for years, including my
iPhone,” he says. “It wasn’t that hard, so I
knew it was something I could do.”
Having his own company taught Joe a lot
about what it takes to succeed at being your
own boss, from the importance of delivering
fast, affordable, reliable service to the value
of sales and marketing. To get the word
out, he launched and maintained a creative
social media campaign, promoting himself
and his business on Facebook and Vimeo.
iPhone Joe offered repairs for any iOS
device, including iPhones, iPads and iPod
Touches, together with free pick-up and
delivery, and business grew steadily over the
summer.
Now back at McMaster University where
he’s studying software development, Joe is
running his business part time with a view to
operating it full time again next summer.
JOE CROZIER
IPHONE JOE
COLLINGWOOD
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 14
THE CUTTING EDGE OF HORSEPLAY
For Kelly Ashcroft, Summer Company was
“the best decision of my life”. Kelly combined
her lifelong passion with horses and her
education in film studies to create Jump Cut
Cinema.
When the 20-year old graduates with her
degree in film studies from Carleton in spring
2015, she plans to expand Jump Cut Cinema
and turn her Summer Company into a full
time business.
To start, Jump Cut Cinema focused on videos
for equestrians in the Kingston area, but it
didn’t take Kelly long to realize she needed
other clients, so she added wedding videos as
well. Over the summer, her business grew by
leaps and bounds.
‘I’d thought about starting my own business,
and Summer Company gave me the tools I
needed to make it a success,” says Kelly.
KELLY ASHCROFT
JUMP CUT CINEMA
KINGSTON
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 15
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Masood Rehman loves everything about
skateboards – the one-time street kid says
they “saved his life” – so he decided to take
his hobby and turn it into a social enterprise:
Khandor Brand Skateboards.
Masood was committed to making
skateboards that were innovative,
environmentally friendly, high performance
and affordable, while giving back to the
community, with a portion of the profits
going to charities that help at-risk youth.
The company also sponsored skaters and
community events.
Both Masood and his socially conscious
company got extensive coverage in the local
media, including articles in the Waterloo
Region Record and the Cambridge Times.
The 21-year old Conestoga College public
relations student was thrilled with his
Summer Company experience, which taught
him about the importance of doing consumer
research, developing a marketing plan and
building business partnerships with local
companies and community organizations.
His goal? To be a global brand within three
years and open a homeless shelter in five.
MASOOD REHMAN
KHANDOR BRAND
SKATEBOARDS
KITCHENER-WATERLOO
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 16
ALL THE INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS
Wilfrid Laurier student Cole Jones aims to be
a serial entrepreneur. With help from Summer
Company, he’s already created and operated
his first successful business.
Local Line connected chefs with farmers in
the Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph region. Chefs
placed their entire order—meat, poultry and
produce—through localline.ca, eliminating
the need for juggling multiple suppliers and
invoices and freeing up time to do what they
do best: cook.
To promote his business, Cole used video
marketing. “Videography is growing. It’s
engaging and you can track lots of valuable
metrics to further drive sales. Not to mention,
watching a video is really easy. All you have to
do is click play and listen. We didn’t have to
debate over where to place ads, what ads to
print, or spend time writing blogs.”
It worked! Local Line, the only company
of its kind in Ontario, built a loyal roster of
customers and suppliers – and convinced
Cole that entrepreneurship is his future.
COLE JONES
LOCAL LINE
GUELPH
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 17
TURNING HEADS ON MANY FRONTS
When Brayden Longstaffe discovered the craft
of wood turning and specialty woodworking,
he knew he’d found something he would
enjoy doing for the rest of his life – and
hopefully turn into a profitable business.
With help from Summer Company, Brayden
created Longstaffe Woodcraft. He made
custom pieces using wood he got from a local
forest and sold them at the Barrie farmers’
market and community events including
Kempenfest, one of the largest outdoor arts
and crafts festivals in North America.
a large and loyal clientele. Brayden himself
attracted the attention of the Greater Barrie
Chamber of Commerce, which nominated him
for its 2014 Student of Excellence Award.
Brayden learned a lot about entrepreneurship
through the Summer Company program, which
he recommends to any student who has an
idea for a business but needs help getting it
up and running. He is continuing his business
part time at longstaffewoodcraft.com while
taking the Industrial Woodworking Technician
degree program at Humber College.
His stunning works of art, which included
bowls, cutting boards and boxes, attracted
BRAYDEN LONGSTAFFE
LONGSTAFFE
WOODCRAFT
BARRIE
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 18
A PICTURE PERFECT BUSINESS
For several years Marguerite Bélanger was
the official photographer for the Lumberjack
Heritage Festival in Kapuskasing. It gave her
the idea for a Summer Company.
Marguerite Belanger Photography
specialized in weddings, but also took
family, maternity and newborn portraits.
Since Marguerite’s photography talent was
already well known in her small community
of less than 10,000 people, her business
took off quickly and demand soared.
That proved to be a double-edged sword.
On the one hand, Marguerite exceeded
her profit forecast. On the other, she
experienced time and client management
challenges.
“I had some difficult clients who made me
doubt my business and skills,” she says
“But instead of thinking negative, I was able
to surpass those difficulties and turn them
into positive experiences to help me grow.”
Marguerite plans to continue her business
part time while working towards her
criminology degree at the University of
Ottawa.
MARGUERITE BÉLANGER
MARGUERITE BELANGER
PHOTOGRAPHY
KAPUSKASING
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 19
AN UNRESERVED SUCCESS
When Naomi Jones started her Summer
Company, she had two goals: to make her
community a more beautiful place and run a
profitable business.
Naomi learned that it takes “a lot of
commitment and business knowledge to run
your own company” and that marketing and
networking are key skills.
She succeeded at both. Naomi’s Yard Care
Services offered lawn and garden care to
people on the Neyaashiinigmiling Reserve
on the Bruce Peninsula. Naomi built a
substantial client list that included the
reserve, which hired her to maintain public
spaces, including the local school grounds.
The 15-year old Aboriginal high school
student is back at school and focused on
doing well, but she’s proud of herself for
completing the Summer Company program –
and learning what it takes to be a successful
entrepreneur.
NAOMI JONES
NAOMI’S YARD CARE
SERVICES
SAUGEEN SHORES
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 20
TIE-ING PASSION TO FASHION
Dan Amponsah, better known as Kobi, has
“Fashion is one of my passions and I’ve
been wearing bow ties for years, but it wasn’t always wanted to learn how to run my own
until he learned about Summer Company
business,” said Kobi, whose collection
that the Sheridan College student decided to included a wooden bow tie! Kobi took some
turn his passion for the unusual accessory
workshops to learn the art of making bow
into a successful business.
ties and then got busy fashioning them.
The response was encouraging, with men,
Neck Couture designed and made
women, children and even pets sporting his
customized bow ties using exotic fabrics
designs.
from around the world and sold them at the
Brampton Farmers’ Market and online at
Back at college, he’s still operating Neck
www.neckcouture.ca.
Couture part time, with plans to go full speed
ahead again next summer.
DAN AMPONSAH
NECK COUTURE
BRAMPTON
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 21
TURNING DIGITAL DREAMS INTO REALITY
When Andres Marulanda arrived in Canada
from Colombia six years ago, he couldn’t
speak any English, but he was passionate
about digital design and production.
With help from Summer Company, he
founded Next Level Media. It offered graphic
design, web design and media production to
Toronto’s Latin community, where Andres and
his brand were already established.
A graphic design graduate of George Brown
College, Andres is now in his first year of
Interaction Design at Sheridan College. He
plans to keep operating Next Level Media
while he completes his four-year degree.
Andres is enthusiastic about his Summer
Company experience, saying, “Summer
Company provided me with great support,
advice and encouragement”.
His reputation, talent and hard work soon
attracted a solid roster of clients, including a
local radio station, an ethnic newspaper and
local and international artists.
ANDRES MARULANDA
NEXT LEVEL MEDIA
TORONTO
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 22
A COTTAGE INDUSTRY AT ITS BEST
Nicole Phillips wanted a summer job that
would let her enjoy being at the cottage –
while being her own boss. Through Summer
Company, she was able to do both.
Nikki’s Cottage Care offered lawn care and
outdoor maintenance that ran the gamut from
sanding doors to hauling brush and logs. To
let potential clients know about her service,
Nicole handed out flyers and business cards
and called every cottager on Woods Bay near
Parry Sound. It wasn’t long before her phone
started ringing and she was busy all summer
long.
“I was much more successful than I thought
I would be and I enjoyed every minute of it,”
she says.
The 20-year old York University nursing
student plans to operate Nikki’s Cottage Care
again next summer. “Summer Company
taught me so many entrepreneurial skills that
I will have with me for life, and I am so happy
I did it!”
NICOLE PHILLIPS
NIKKI’S COTTAGE CARE
PARRY SOUND
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 23
PERCOLATING SUCCESS
Kyle Gooch has a Master’s degree in
Agricultural Development Economics. It
hasn’t led to a job yet – but the research he
did in Costa Rica on the economics of high
quality coffee gave him the idea for a Summer
Company.
Off the Grid Micro-Roaster imported premium
quality coffee beans from ethical producers
and exporters all over the world, roasted
them to bring out the flavours to perfection,
packaged them and sold them at local farmers’
markets and community events. It didn’t take
long before restaurants, cafés and boutiques
started placing orders.
For Kyle, “The sustainability of the producers
is key to our success”. He insists that
his suppliers must benefit economically,
ecologically and socially.
Kyle, whose younger brother participated in
Summer Company in 2013, says the program
taught him a lot, including the importance of
face-to-face sales, which proved critical to his
early success.
Now at Humber College studying project
management, Kyle continues to build his
business and is moving into online sales at
www.offthegridcoffee.ca.
KYLE GOOCH
OFF THE GRID
MICRO-ROASTER
LINDSAY
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 24
SUCCESSFUL BY DESIGN
Laura Mayer has a passion for sewing
clothes, Aboriginal regalia and accessories
for her friends and family. She decided to
turn this love into a business.
Her Summer Company Pretty Leaf Designs
began by making cloth diapers and baby
clothes which Laura sold at tradeshows and
pow-wows.
But Laura soon discovered there was an
even bigger market for traditional Aboriginal
clothing and accessories – and a better profit
margin – so she quickly added them to her
product offerings.
“Summer Company allowed me to start up
my own business while staying at home with
my child,” she says. “And I learned a lot,
such as being proactive and going out and
getting new customers.”
The 27-year old, who is now in her final year
of law at Osgoode Hall in Toronto, is running
her business part time with help from
her family – and has plans to expand her
services and products.
LAURA MAYER
PRETTY LEAF DESIGNS
NORTH BAY
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 25
PRINTING PROFITS
3D printing takes virtual designs and turns
them into three dimensional solid objects.
It’s an emerging technology that’s about to
explode, and Matt Farrell decided he wanted
to get in on the ground floor. With help
from Summer Company, the grade 9 Sault
Ste. Marie high school student established
REKAM 3D Printing.
MATT FARRELL
REKAM 3D PRINTING
Matt credits Summer Company with teaching
him the importance of networking and social
media as a marketing tool. He’s continuing
REKAM 3D Printing part time through his
Facebook page – his latest hot selling item is
custom snowflakes, just in time for Christmas
shoppers – and looking forward to running it
full time again next summer.
Matt bought a reasonably priced high-tech
3D printer and started promoting his business
on Facebook. His first product? Custom
phone cases. They sold like “hot cakes”—
he even got an order from the local Honda
dealership for the snazzy looking items—but
he soon found himself producing all sorts of
other consumer products, including custom
Geocaching Trackables.
SAULT STE. MARIE
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 26
IN THE GREEN
Peter Zech did landscaping as a summer
job for a few years before he decided to use
his experience, together with what he was
learning in his business management course,
to start his own Summer Company, Sod
Guys.
PETER ZECH
“Summer Company mentoring sessions were
great,” he says. “The feedback really helped
keep me on track.”
Peter is back at Humber College, but plans
to run Sod Guys again next summer.
With help from a landscaper friend, Peter
identified sod as a niche market and offered
material delivery, sod installation, lawn
rolling, aeration, rotor tilling and landscaping
to commercial and residential customers. It
was hard physical work that involved long
hours, but Peter rolled up his sleeves and
built a solid clientele. By providing superior
service, he was able to more than double his
estimated revenues!
SOD GUYS
WATERLOO
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 27
WALKING THROUGH HISTORY
Over the years, Candace Neveau listened
to her grandfather’s stories about Aboriginal
history, culture and lore. She used this
knowledge to create her Summer Company,
ThunderBird Rock.
The 25-year old student gave guided,
themed walking tours along Sault Ste.
Marie’s scenic boardwalk. The two-hour tours
ended with an Aboriginal activity, such as
drumming, dreamcatcher making and stories
with elders, and they were extremely popular
with both tourists and local residents.
To drum up business, Candace approached
Sault Ste. Marie Tourism, which agreed to
list her on their website saulttourism.com
and recommend her to tourists who came
into the office. Candace also produced and
distributed a promotional pamphlet and
advertised on Facebook.
Now taking tourism at Sault College,
Candace has plans to operate her business
again next summer.
CANDACE NEVEAU
THUNDERBIRD ROCK
SAULT STE. MARIE
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 28
A CUT ABOVE THE REST
Eddie Wang likes to be well dressed. When
he couldn’t find the perfect suit, he decided
to make it himself and, with help from
Summer Company, share his line with other
like-minded young men.
VERSEUX Apparel designed and
manufactured “custom made suits with a
unique cut for the modern man”. Clients
made their appointments using the website,
www.verseux.com, and Eddie added
the face-to-face touch by taking their
measurements personally and helping them
to choose the material.
Eddie sourced his fabrics from Australia
and his tailors from Asia. He was his own
best advertisement – he could always be
seen sporting one of his suits – but he also
used social media effectively, including
Facebook.
The 18-year old Markham high school
student says Summer Company taught him
the importance of branding, marketing and
sales.
Now at Queen’s University taking
Commerce, Eddie is running the business
part time with the goal of turning it into a
fully online venture.
EDDIE WANG
VERSEUX APPAREL
MARKHAM
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 29
A FIRST “GLASS” IDEA
Kingston high school student, Hayden
Rasberry, always “wanted to run a business
and wanted it to have a triple bottom line:
people, planet and profit.” With that in mind,
he pitched his business idea at the Young
Entrepreneurs, Make Your Pitch competition.
Although he didn’t win, he used the
knowledge gained through the experience to
launch his Summer Company, WeDrink.
HAYDEN RASBERRY
The social enterprise made durable, lightweight, re-usable, dishwasher safe glass
water bottles, with 10 per cent of the profits
going to WaterCan, a charity that helps bring
water to communities in need in 32 countries.
“That’s where the name WeDrink comes
from, because every time someone buys
a WeDrink bottle, someone less fortunate
benefits as well,” says Hayden, who found
that his innovative product attracted almost
as much local media attention as it did
customers!
The 16-year old Kingston high school student
came up with the design himself, had the
bottles manufactured locally and sold them at
local festivals and events, as well as at green
retailers.
Hayden has big plans for WeDrink. To start,
he’s looking into expanding his line of bottles
and is continuing the business part time
through his Facebook page, now that he’s
back at school.
WEDRINK
KINGSTON
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 30
SUMMER COMPANY ALUMNI
BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS ONE BRICK AT A TIME
In 2010, Jeff Cartwright used Summer
Company to help start Brick Fix Inc., which
specialized in interlocking paving stone
repair and installation in the London area.
Then in his first year of business
management at Western, Jeff did so well with
Brick Fix that summer that he decided to
continue the company the following summer
– and the summer after that!
JEFF CARTWRIGHT
Today, Brick Fix is a fixture in London and
has recently expanded to Kitchener, Waterloo
and Cambridge. During the season, Jeff runs
four crews and employs 15 students. Off
season, he’s busy planning and preparing for
the next summer.
“The beauty of operating a business like
mine is that we’re outside in front of people’s
houses, so anyone interested in getting their
driveway or patio fixed can see the quality
of work we provide,” says Jeff. He leaves
nothing to chance though, aggressively
marketing the business on his website,
www.brickfixinc.ca, and through Kijiji.
“Summer Company was a valuable
experience. I learned a lot from the
workshops and meetings and I particularly
liked comparing notes with people my own
age who were going through many of the
same challenges.”
BRICK FIX INC.
LONDON
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 31
SUMMER COMPANY ALUMNI
MEASURING THE BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK
Michael Litt is just 25, but he’s already a
startup veteran. While studying systems
engineering at the University of Waterloo,
Michael co-founded four tech companies.
The latest, Vidyard, began as a fourth year
design project. In 2011, Summer Company
gave him the start-up funds and support he
needed to run with the idea and develop the
business into what it is today: a Waterloobased company with close to 100 employees
that offers one of the most advanced video
marketing tools in the world.
With Vidyard, clients can measure the
impact their video marketing has on their
bottom line, based on measurable results –
which means they can get the best bang for
their marketing buck.
When he’s not busy building his company,
Michael organizes popular start-up
recruitment events in Waterloo and invests in
promising new businesses through a venture
capital fund he helped to create.
Speaking at a 2014 Summer Company
event in Waterloo, Michael called the
program “the foundation for Vidyard”. And
he encouraged the young graduates to use
Summer Company as a springboard for their
own ideas.
MICHAEL LITT
VIDYARD
WATERLOO
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 32
SUMMER COMPANY PROGRAM PROVIDERS
The Ministry of Economic Development,
Employment and Infrastructure would like to
thank all our program providers and mentors for
your contribution to the success of the Summer
Company 2014 program.
GREATER BARRIE
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Barrie
YMCA OF SIMCOE/MUSKOKA
Barrie
SMALL BUSINESS CENTRE
Belleville
CALEDON SMALL BUSINESS
ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Bolton
MUSKOKA SMALL BUSINESS CENTRE
Bracebridge
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
BRAMPTON SMALL BUSINESS
ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Brampton
BRANTFORD-BRANT BUSINESS
ENTERPRISE RESOURCE CENTRE
Brantford
LEEDS AND GRENVILLE
SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Brockville
WATERLOO REGION
SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Cambridge
CHATHAM-KENT
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Chatham
SOUTH GEORGIAN BAY
SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Collingwood
CORNWALL
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Cornwall
WINDSOR-ESSEX
SMALL BUSINESS CENTRE
Essex
GUELPH-WELLINGTON
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Guelph
ENTERPRISE TEMISKAMING
Haileybury
SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Hamilton
BUSINESS ADVISORY CENTRE
NORTHUMBERLAND
Cobourg
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 33
SUMMER COMPANY PROGRAM PROVIDERS
CONTINUED...
PRESCOTT-RUSSELL
ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTRE
Hawkesbury
NORTHWEST BUSINESS CENTRE
Kenora
MARKHAM SMALL BUSINESS CENTRE
Markham
MISSISSAUGA
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Mississauga
HALTON REGION SMALL BUSINESS CENTRE
Oakville
ORANGEVILLE & AREA
SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Orangeville
INVEST OTTAWA
Orléans
ENTREPRENEUR CENTRE
Kingston
YORK SMALL BUSINESS
ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Newmarket
WATERLOO REGION
SMALL BUSINESS CENTRE
Kitchener
NIAGARA FALLS
SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Niagara Falls
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Owen Sound
KAWARTHA LAKES
SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Lindsay
THE BUSINESS CENTRE — NIPISSING
PARRY SOUND INC.
North Bay
THE BUSINESS CENTRE — NIPISSING
PARRY SOUND INC.
Parry Sound
SMALL BUSINESS CENTRE
London
ENTERPRISE TORONTO
North York
ENTERPRISE RENFREW COUNTY
Pembroke
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
INVEST OTTAWA
Ottawa
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 34
SUMMER COMPANY PROGRAM PROVIDERS
CONTINUED...
BUSINESS ADVISORY CENTRE
Peterborough
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
SAUGEEN SHORES
Port Elgin
ENTERPRISE RENFREW COUNTY
Renfrew
RICHMOND HILL
SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Richmond Hill
PRESCOTT-RUSSELL
ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTRE
Rockland
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE OF
SARNIA-LAMBTON
Sarnia
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
BUSINESS SAULT STE. MARIE
Sault Ste. Marie
STRATFORD PERTH
CENTRE FOR BUSINESS
Stratford
ENTERPRISE TORONTO
Scarborough
REGIONAL BUSINESS CENTRE
Sudbury
YMCA OF GREATER TORONTO
Scarborough
THUNDER BAY & DISTRICT
ENTREPRENEUR CENTRE
Thunder Bay
HURON BUSINESS CENTRE
Seaforth
SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY CENTRE
Smith Falls
ST. CATHARINES ENTERPRISE CENTRE
St. Catharines
ELGIN / ST. THOMAS
SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
St. Thomas
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Timmins
ENTERPRISE TORONTO
Toronto
JVS TORONTO
Toronto
RYERSON UNIVERSITY
Toronto
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 35
SUMMER COMPANY PROGRAM PROVIDERS
CONTINUED...
TORONTO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
CENTRE (TBDC)
Toronto
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SERVICES (YES)
Toronto
VAUGHAN
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Vaughan
WINDSOR-ESSEX
SMALL BUSINESS CENTRE
Windsor
WOODSTOCK & AREA
SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Woodstock
NOTTAWASAGA FUTURES
Alliston
WATERLOO REGION
SMALL BUSINESS CENTRE
Waterloo
BUSINESS ADVISORY CENTRE DURHAM
Whitby
Ontario.ca/SummerCompany
SUMMER COMPANY 2014 YEARBOOK PG 36