'A huge win-win': Stratford's Summer Company Program helping launch student-led businesses

Stratford -

The Stratford Perth Centre for Business has helped launch seven new, small student-run businesses thanks to its annual Summer Company Program.

“It’s a huge win-win for everybody involved definitely,” said Holly Mortimer with the Stratford Perth Centre for Business.

The Summer Company Program is for those ages 15 to 29. It offers mentorship and provincial grants totalling $21,000.

The Cente for Business hopes the program helps young entrepreneurs gain transferable skills for the future.

“There’s obviously mathematics involved and sometimes signs involved and all those things but there’s also commitment and planning,” said Mortimer.

Evan Johnson, 15, built the brand Doggy Delights as an organic, healthy alternative snack for dogs.

“The peanut butter for example we chose peanut butter that is 100 per cent peanuts. There’s no sugar,” said Johnson.

Doggy Delights started in July 2021 and business is already booming with dozens of sales.

"Starting off where I started off, with the amount of sales that I’ve gotten, has been something to be proud of definitely,”

Johnson said.

BinTags just launched its website. The creator is 16-year-old Rachel Olsen.

BinTags offers customized vinyl address labels for garbage, recycling and green bins. It was a need Olsen said she noticed after spotting several spray-painted bins on her street in Stratford.

“I didn’t really look good because the paint was dripping and the right it was messy and it would easily rub off,” Olsen said.

Olsen said the money she got from the program was very helpful.

“I was able to buy my vinyl and my cutter and all the things that I need for launching,” said Olsen.

Participants receive a grant of $1,500 at the beginning of the program and then another $1,500 at the end of the program after their business successfully launches.