小蓝视频east Business Startup (formerly known as the Launchbox) has been busy since it opened a few months ago, and is doing its part to help aspiring entrepreneurs get going.聽
Manager Jeff Taylor said they can provide several services for aspiring small business owners. They have space available for rent, including desks and boardrooms.
They also have information available for starting, growing, buying and selling a business.聽
鈥淲e have quite a good handle on the different places you can find government support and funding, so I鈥檓 quite happy to help anybody who鈥檚 looking for that. We also have a fair bit of knowledge available in terms of mentors and other people who are willing to provide help and advice to prospective entrepreneurs on a whole range of topics.鈥澛�
小蓝视频east Business Startup has also been offering a Lunch and Learn series that started in early September. Taylor said it鈥檚 usually been full, although they鈥檝e had to limit the number of people that they can accommodate due to crowd restrictions.
The lunch and learn program happened every second week. The fourth and final session will be Oct. 21.
鈥淲e鈥檙e working on some new programs that will be coming out,鈥� said Taylor. 鈥淲e just have to figure out what we can do with the social distancing in them.鈥澛�
Among those scheduled are workshop series, in which people come in to talk about such endeavours as starting an online store.聽
鈥淲e鈥檒l have them set up so people can come in and work on them together. We鈥檒l have people available who have experience in the process, and our hope is that if you come in at the start of the day, and you work at it with us throughout the day, you鈥檒l leave that day with a finished product.鈥� 聽
Another idea is to give aspiring entrepreneurs the chance to ask a professional.
Dates for these new programs have yet to be announced. 聽
小蓝视频east Business Startup has changed its hours to better serve the community and to be available when potential entrepreneurs can drop by. It will be open from 10 a.m.-6p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and from noon-8 p.m. on Thursdays.聽
鈥淲e wanted to do this just to be more accessible to people who might not be able to come during the regular time we want to be open and available to everybody.鈥� 聽
小蓝视频east Business Startup is located in the Spectra Financial building in the 400-block of Ninth Avenue. They have been getting some foot traffic and phone calls, and the interest has been growing through their latest marketing push as part of the City of Estevan鈥檚 economic development. 聽
鈥淲e鈥檝e been getting more people showing up, calling us and contacting us through our website. It鈥檚 certainly been picking up.鈥� 聽
Feedback has been positive, and Taylor is thankful for that.
