Boost for young, rural business owners

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This article was published 20/03/2015 (4097 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Daniel Kathan is proof you can start a business from anywhere, even if you live in rural Manitoba.

The young entrepreneur from Vermette, a small community outside Winnipeg, got his start at Adrenaline Adventures, then went on to receive training from a German company to learn how to manufacture straight line cable systems.

Those experiences inspired Vermette to venture out on his own and start Konex Wake Parks, a business that manufactures the towers needed to support a cable system that pulls riders back and forth.

Kathan was among a group of young entrepreneurs in attendance at Brandon University Thursday for Jobs and Economy Minister Kevin Chief’s announcement that the provincial government is investing $200,000 over two years in Futurpreneur Canada, a program that supports entrepreneurs aged 18 to 39.

Also on hand for the announcement was Municipal Government Minister Drew Caldwell and Joelle Foster, the Futurpreneur Canada director for Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut and Northwest Territories.

Chief said the funding will be directed toward hiring a new business development officer who will work with young entrepreneurs across Manitoba to help build their businesses and connect them with mentors.

The funding will also be used to develop and deliver a new series of business webinars for tradespeople interested in starting their own businesses.

“No matter who you are or where you come from, if you have a new product, idea or new approach, you should be able to get the support for that,” Chief said. “Today’s announcement is to make sure that we’re providing more resources to rural and northern Manitoba.”

Lisa Zolinski, co-owner of Fresh Carrot in Gimli, said she opened her health, food and lifestyle shop in September 2012 thanks to Futurpreneur Canada.

“They take ownership in the people and businesses that walk through their doors,” Zolinski said. “Being a rural entrepreneur is both challenging and rewarding.”

Being based in rural Manitoba definitely has its advantages, Kathan said.

“Manitoba actually has the highest concentration of laser cutters in North America, so just based on that, it allows me to be competitive with my prices and products,” Kathan said, adding he has recently received interest from the Brandon community. “There’s a potential park opening up here, maybe this summer, and then there’s a couple more around Canada.”

Futurpreneur Canada, now in its 19th year, is a national non-profit organization that provides young entrepreneurs with coaching, startup financing, business resources and mentorship. Since its inception, the organization has supported 6,900 entrepreneurs in starting their own businesses across Canada and created more than 2,800 jobs.

In Manitoba, the organization has invested more than $2.5 million into 250 startup businesses, creating more than 1,200 jobs.

“So basically we’re helping a new business start every 12 hours, that keeps increasing,” Foster said, adding in 2014 they helped fund 45 Manitoba businesses.

“Manitoba is the province throughout our whole organization that’s growing the fastest.”

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