Our First Adventure With The Wonderful Folks In Eastern Ontario.
When most folks think of Eastern Ontario, they think of Ottawa, the nation’s capital. But there are a ton of vibrant rural communities in the area with lots of untapped potential. Although we were new to the area, we knew that if we found the right partners and people, our processes would work. So we brought our 3+ years of learning to the area, and found an incredible trio of partners who shared our passion and vision.
The folks at Community Futures Renfrew, CF Frontenac, and CF Grenville combined their resources to sponsor 5 spots each to deliver the first-of-its-kind program to the folks in Eastern Ontario. Thanks to their guidance and leadership we were able to drive huge results in just a few weeks!
We Delivered Huge Results In Less Than 8 Weeks!
- We promoted the program locally using Facebook marketing, press releases, and word-of-mouth through our existing network of friends and partners.
- Our team was able to generate a HUGE response! We collected 30+ applications for the program in less than three weeks.
- We screened the applicant pool to find folks who would be a great fit for the program and we ended up with enough for two cohorts!
- Over the next 6-weeks our team will deliver the program virtually to folks across Eastern Ontario, all from the comfort of their homes!
Key Success Factor #1: The folks at Community Futures had a shared vision of what was possible in their region and were willing to partner with each other and pool their resources! They were truly a pleasure to work with!
Key Success Factor #2: Although this was a new territory for us, we knew that if we followed our processes we’d find success. We’ve spent over 3 years refining the Dream Business Program and have created an experience that can thrive in rural communities across North America.
Key Success Factor #3: They were forward-thinking, open-minded, and curious about best practices. The folks we collaborated with understood that a rising tide lifts all ships and that by operating from an abundance mindset we could make some very special things happen in the community.
Key Success Factor #4: A shared belief that there was a massive untapped pool of entrepreneurial talent sitting on the sidelines. This shared instinct made our work easy!
Key Success Factor #5: They valued all kinds of entrepreneurship and understand the “invisible ripples” of small business enablement. The focus isn’t just on tech or larger businesses to the exclusion of folks sitting in their living room with an idea. The folks in Eastern Ontario understood that the true impact of a program like this is often intangible, far-reaching, and hard to measure.
Key Success Factor #6: We both had a shared urgency! They were chomping at the bit to get things started. Once we agreed on the partnership, we were able to bring the program to life very quickly.
We’ll Take Care Of Everything! Leave All The Heavy Lifting To Us!
- Our team can facilitate the entire process, leaving our partners to focus on their regular activities without much extra work.
- Our expert facilitators will promote, onboard, and deliver the entire program for you and ensure that it’s tailored exactly to the needs of your community.
- Once the program is finished, we’ll even collect data and interviews from the participants so you can report on their progress and share the stories of their success throughout the community.
Graduate Testimonials: Here’s What Our Former Students Are Saying!
This program puts everything into perspective. If you have an idea or a sense of an idea it will help you line things up so you know where to go next and what steps to take. If you already have a business it will help you focus on some very important key aspects that you may have missed because you’ve been busy focusing on other things. For me, it just really helped me focus and know that I have a good business and that I’m on the right track and if I keep going and applying the things that I learned that this business can go in any direction I want.
-Kelly
Whatever stage you’re at, whether you’ve just got an idea or your business is already up and running you will gain something from the six weeks. For us, it was learning to pitch. We had to do a three-minute pitch and an elevator pitch, which was something we hadn’t done before. We must have done 20 versions at least to get it succinct but eventually, it rolled off our tongue. It was a really, really good challenge.
-Carol
Being an entrepreneur in a rural community, especially during such a unique time like COVID, meant I felt very disconnected from a larger community at times. Through the Dream Business Program, I met some really amazing people and developed true friendships. Learning what entrepreneurs in other rural communities are seeing in their communities, tossing ideas back and forth, working through the Program material together, there are real benefits to all of that. There are folks from the program that I am still friends with to this day, and a few of us remain connected to offer support in each others’ businesses as they grow.
-Sasha
👋🏻 Hi There, We’re Mashup Lab.
Mashup Lab is a for-more-than-profit company based in a small rural community on the south shore of Nova Scotia.
Founded in 2014, Mashup Lab has worked with nearly 3000 aspiring entrepreneurs in over 80 rural communities throughout rural North America, supporting them along their entrepreneurial journey. We recently launched the Mashup Lab Virtual Business Incubator in Western Canada and the United States.
We believe that every idea has the potential to be successful and every community has the potential to thrive.
Our inspiration comes from recognizing the vast amount of small business ideas that are sitting on the sidelines of every community. Many of these ideas never reach the start-up phase because the process seems too overwhelming or people simply don’t know if they have a viable business idea. Our focus is to make the idea of entrepreneurship more approachable, getting aspiring entrepreneurs off the sidelines and into the game to create thriving rural communities.
Are You Our Next Partner? We’d Love To Meet You!
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re someone who is passionate about their community. If you want to explore partnering with us to unleash the untapped potential of your community we would LOVE to meet you. The easiest way for you to do that is to pick a time in our calendar and we’ll do the rest!
