Vanier's Entrepreneurship 30 Seen As Business Gateway
By Robert Thomas
Part One Of A Series
The importance of the Entrepreneurship 30 class and the practical lessons students learnt by operating their own micro-businesses was backed up by the Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce.
As part of the Chamber’s outreach into the community Rob Clark CEO of the Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce along with Heather Bergdahl the Chamber’s office manager attended the business launches.
“It’s very important. These are our future entrepreneurs,” Clark said when asked how important it was for the Chamber to attend the business unveilings.
“There are a lot of young people here, they are all students and they are all innovative and creative,” he said, adding “one day they might own a business or two around town so it is very important for us to be here.”
Prairie Sky Apparel’s team who are offering locally sourced custom logoed hoodies, crewnecks, T–shirts and sweats - MJ Independent photo
The two businesses this year are:
Mix Inc - “Everything but the kitchen sink!” Our company produces dry soup mixes to make food quick and easy! We are a student-led company in the Junior Achievement Program.
- Our soup flavours include Kick Butt Chicken Soup and Vegetable Medley; both making 4-5 servings each.
Prairie Sky Apparel - We are an exclusive clothing brand fit to keep you warm and cozy during this cold winter. We sell hoodies, crewnecks, T–shirts, sweats, and a Prairie Bundle including a matching sweat suit of a hoodie and sweats.
- From sizes xs to XXXL with a variety of colours (black, dark grey, and hunter green)
Clark said the Chamber likes to see and encourage innovation.
“Just going through the files here they are very innovative and creative. They have actually built teams with financial people, they have CEOs, they even have HR (Human Resources). So they have actually built businesses within their classrooms or with all of their mates so anyway it is very impressive.”
Even if the students do not get into business for themselves Clark described it as a “win - win” for either side of the equation because those not getting into business come to understand what owning a business is all about.
With that said he and the Chamber hopes some of the students someday become entrepreneurs.
“Hopefully some of them jump in there and start businesses because the younger people are the more creative and innovative they are and they have new ideas. There is nothing wrong with having a fresh business so,” he said.
A major emphasis in recent government programs has been to encourage not just new entrepreneurs but also look to foster innovation and creativity in the rapidly changing economy.
“Anything that is unique is a great opportunity. Of course we still have our standard businesses Downtown but I think if somebody wanted to take a chance at it there are probably a lot of opportunities. Especially in Moose Jaw now. Especially in staying and shopping locally.”
A recent trend in Saskatchewan has been a move away from the on-line Amazons and gift cards but a return to more traditional hands on shopping where the shopper looks to purchase their Christmas gifts in person with the added personal touch.
Mix Inc was out with their two types of hearty homemade soup mixes destined to give warmth on a cold winter’s day - MJ Independent photo
One thing that stood out was both businesses making use of social media and electronic messaging to get the word out and to take the sales to the next level, Clark said.
“There is on-line and maybe someone can adapt to an on-line store as well.”
“There is going to be more advantage as they go through school and they start working towards going towards a business. There is going to be so much more opportunity. As you know technology changes every five minutes, every ten minutes of every day so there is something new out there all of the time,” he said.
Giving back to charity - each group is giving back 20 percent of all profits to a local charity - was seen by Clark as “another impressive move on their behalf.”