18 local youth open their own business

NEWS RELEASE

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

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This summer, 18 youth in the region are trying their hand at entrepreneurship.

Through the Summer Company young entrepreneur program, each participant is now operating their own business.

Funded by the Province of Ontario, Summer Company is administered in the Algoma District and Chapleau by the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation (SSMEDC).

The program provides grants and mentoring to assist students between the ages of 15 and 29 in starting a seasonal business.

“Summer Company provides youth with valuable entrepreneurial experience and, in many cases, leads to a lifetime of enterprise,” said Kendall Scott, the SSMEDC’s Youth Business Development Coordinator. “I encourage people to support these young entrepreneurs as they delve into the world of entrepreneurship.”

2014 Summer Company participants in the Algoma region include:

Brooke Adam: Herbified, Sault Ste. Marie

Herbified grows and sells pesticide-free fresh herbs, and utilizes environmentally-friendly pots made from recycled newspapers. Offering a unique variety, the business provides fresh herbs at a very reasonable price.

Contact: 705-989-7146

Meredith Bonczuk: Meredith's Gardening Services, Sault Ste. Marie

Meredith's Gardening Services is a full-service gardening business that offers hedge pruning, garden planting, grass cutting, weeding, and other yard work. Focusing primarily on the elderly and limited mobility residents, the company offers competitive rates for quality work.

Contact: 705-254-7905

Michelle Lewis: Marketing Moves, Sault Ste. Marie

Marketing Moves is a unique company that creates whiteboard videos for small businesses at a cost that is more affordable than traditional marketing initiatives. Whiteboard videos provide an excellent medium for marketing purposes and for exploring a product or a service.

Contact: 705-253-2150

Joshua McEwen: Sault Ste. Marie Mobile Computer Repairs Services (MCRS), Sault Ste. Marie

MCRS does small-scale computer repair, restoration and diagnostics. The company is unique because its staff will come right to your door, instead of you having to go to them. Services include, but are not limited to, system clean-ups (clearing old directories and dirt/dust from inside the computer), and system tune-ups.

Contact: 705-975-3551

Mitchell Nisbet: Doc Interlock, Sault Ste. Marie

Doc Interlock offers the service of repairing distressed or damaged interlocking brick driveways. The processes to complete this service includes removing and stacking the existing bricks, re-leveling the ground, and relaying the bricks in order to make the driveway appear in like-new condition.

Contact: 705-542-8915

Morgan Lees: Superior Fish 'N Chips, Batchewana Bay

Superior Fish 'N Chips operates as a fish and chip wagon along Highway 17 North in Batchawana (Located on the property of Sunset Shores Resort). The business sells fish, fries, pop and coleslaw.

Contact: 705-541-9164

Nasa Nguyen: Shiner’s, Sault Ste. Marie

Shiner's provide anglers with quality lures made with care. The company crafts products designed to act as tools to the fishing experience, whilst targeting anyone from the beginner angler to the seasoned veteran.

Contact: 705-943-0807

Katie Golec: North Shore Décor, Bruce Mines

North Shore Décor is an interior decorating business that offers a variety of services to the people of the Algoma District, from Sault Ste. Marie to Thessalon, including colour consultations, room styling or staging, space planning (floor plans or elevations), accessory, room painting and custom furniture refurbishment.

Contact: 705-257-8145

Keely Madigan: Makeup by Madigan, Sault Ste. Marie

Makeup by Madigan provides makeup application and artistry, using only top-of-the-line products. From proms to wedding parties, or even dance studio clients, the business provides you with a professional look for a competitive price. The company also offers makeup technique classes and photography sessions.

Contact: 705-942-1308 or [email protected]

Kinsey Smith: Papercute Design, Sault Ste. Marie

Papercute Design sells handmade greeting cards using set or custom designs. You can find the company selling its cards around Sault Ste. Marie at places such as the Farmer’s Market. The cards are all personally made using different materials such as quality card stock, paint, coloured pencils and embellishments.

Contact: 705-942-8389

Matthew DiBerardino: Ultra Green Lawn Care, Sault Ste. Marie

Ultra Green Lawn Care provides total lawn service including mowing, trimming, fertilization and weed control. The company will keep your lawn “golf course” quality throughout the summer. Ultra Green Lawn Care will service the entire Airport waterfront region, which includes Pointe Louise, Pointe aux Pins, Pointe Des Chenes and Nokomis Beach.

Contact: 705-779-2116

Matt Farrell: REKAM 3D Printing, Goulais River

EKAM 3D Printing makes and sells custom phone cases. It also provides custom jobs for local businesses and individuals. The phone cases, as well as other small custom items, are created through a custom printing process using a 3D printer. The company is able to work with clients to create a custom design.

Contact: 705-943-1197

Avri Pollari: Pollari Enterprises, Echo Bay

Pollari Enterprises provides services of common yard/lawn work to customers who reside within Echo Bay and the other surrounding villages. Services include, but are not limited to, weed-whacking, lawn trimming, gardening and general landscaping.

Contact: 705-248-3304

Candace Neveau: Thunder Bird Rock, Sault Ste. Marie

Thunder Bird Rock offers educational tours on Whitefish Island that centre around First Nations culture and historical elements of Sault Ste. Marie. Throughout the tour the following specialties will be available: craft making, nature walks and teachings.

Contact: 705-971-8488

Elizabeth Metheany: Stitch & Stuff, Sault Ste. Marie

Stitch & Stuff manufactures and sells stuffed toys for children made from fabric, buttons and other materials. The style is all hand-made and allows children to design their own custom-made toys.

Contact: 705-257-0393

Emily Tithecott: Origo Trade, Sault Ste. Marie

Origo Trade offers quality, fair trade apparel and wall hangings in unique and fashionable designs. Designs mainly provide a local/regional appeal or influence from a home-based design workshop. Design services are also offered to businesses and private individuals.

Contact: 705-949-0971

Jennifer Ribout: J.K. Ribout Photography, Chapleau

J.K. Ribout Photography offers photography classes, family and single portraits, wedding photos, and specific photo sessions such as engagements and newborns. Products offered locally and online include 2015 calendars, prints (8x10, 16x20 or posters), post cards, key chains and prints of local landscape.

Contact: 705-465-1043

McShane McKenna: The Balloon Guy, Sault Ste. Marie

The Balloon Guy provides entertainment services for all occasions, including, but not limited to, birthdays and community/corporate events. The business provides balloons in all creations that take the form of animals, hats and other figures.

Contact: 705-255-4217

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