Young Entrepreneurs Info-Guide

This Info-Guide is designed to inform prospective young entrepreneurs about programs and services available to them in Newfoundland and Labrador. Further information can be obtained by contacting the listed organizations directly.

This guide should be read in conjunction with our Business Start-Up Info-Guide and our Financing Info-Guide , as these outline regulations and funding programs that might apply to any business operating in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre is your BEST source for FREE business information! For information on any of our services, contact our Centre, or visit one of our  Network Sites

Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre
90 O'Leary Avenue
P.O. Box 8687
St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador  A1B 3T1
Telephone: (709) 772-6022
Fax: (709) 772-6090
Toll-free (information): 1-800-668-1010 (in the Atlantic region only)
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466
E-mail: info@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.cbsc.org/nl
Hours of operation: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Friday

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key Organizations
Business Start-Up
Exporting
Awards

Key Organizations

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Futures in Newfoundland and Labrador Youth! (FINALY!)
A dynamic youth driven organization, FINALY! empowers youth to be active participants in decision making and implementation. Our involvement in social and economic issues provides an opportunity for youth to build a viable future in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Telephone:
Clarenville - 709-466-5933
Grand Falls-Windsor - 709-489-8725 or 709-489-8706
Labrador City - Maresa Moyles 709-944-6499
Head Office - St. John's - 709-738-6274

Young Entrepreneurs Association (YEA)
Telephone: 1-888-639-3222

YEA is a volunteer-driven non-profit organization whose mandate is to support young people in business. Aimed at business owners 35 and under, YEA provides its members an opportunity to learn from each other's experiences and take advantage of peer mentorship as they grow their businesses.

The benefits of being a member of YEA include:

• Access to a unique Peer Mentorship Program
• Access to information and resources to help you grow your business
• Access to member-only programs and events
• Significantly reduced cost for programs and events
• Access to a wide variety of resources from YEA partners and sponsors
• Access to the Member Benefits Program
• Opportunity to network with like-minded young business owners
• Inclusion in our Member-to-Member discount program (coming soon).

ACE - Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship Inc
Telephone: 1-800-766-8169

Founded in 1987, ACE is a national, not-for-profit organization that is igniting young Canadians to create brighter futures for themselves and their communities.  Working in partnership with business and higher education, ACE organizes and motivates teams of university and college students who practice and teach others the principles and values of entrepreneurship and market economies.

ACE offers two programs:

• Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) - international student competition
• Student Entrepreneur of the Year Competition.

In this province, the following campus are involved with ACE:

• College of the North Atlantic - Cabot
• College of the North Atlantic - Clarenville
• College of the North Atlantic - Grand Falls-Windsor
• College of the North Atlantic - Corner Brook
• College of the North Atlantic - Stephenville
• Memorial University of Newfoundland

Business Start-Up

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Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
The Seed Capital Program and the Youth Ventures Program are two programs funded by ACOA and delivered by the various Community Business Development Corporations (province-wide) and the Metro Business Opportunities Corporation (St. John's/Mount Pearl area).  Descriptions of and contacts for both programs are given below:

Seed Capital Program
Telephone: 1-888-303-2232

Youth under 35 years of age can obtain loans of up to $20,000 for business start-up or expansion or modernization of a business. The loan is in the form of a repayable, unsecured personal loan, with flexible interest and repayment terms.  Additionally, a maximum of $2,000 is available for specialized training and business counselling.

CBDC - Contacts for Newfoundland and Labrador

Youth Ventures
Telephone: 1-800-833-1829 or 709-834-8343

From June to September, students between the ages of 12 to 29 are assisted by coordinators located throughout the province.  You can get help with:

• Coming up with a business idea
• Writing a business plan
• Marketing your business, advertising, brochures, business cards
• Working out the financing you're going to need to get your business up and running
• Hiring the right employees
• Getting advice from a mentor.

Genesis Centre- Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Genesis Centre is a support network developed to help Newfoundland and Labrador knowledge-based businesses/entrepreneurs create high-growth enterprises. It provides a wide range of resources and services for its clients with a long-term goal of preparing its clients to become investor ready.

Genesis offers access to:

• business resources, such as world-class mentors, experienced advisory boards, help with business plan development, learning & networking events.
• technical & scientific resources of Memorial University, e.g. the Manufacturing Technology Centre, C-CORE, the Statistics Consulting Centre
• physical resources, such as office space & equipment; computer equipment; board rooms; videoconferencing facilities
• the intangible benefits of being part of a well-regarded entrepreneurial community, e.g. credibility, synergy, confidence, vision.

Entrance to the Genesis Centre is a competitive process administered by a selection board of experienced business people.

Genesis Centre
Spencer Hall
Memorial University of Newfoundland
220 Prince Philip Drive
St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador  A1B 3X5
Telephone: 709-737-2625
Fax: 709-737-2539
E-mail: genesis@mun.ca
Web site: http://www.genesis.mun.ca/GenesisCentre/

Entreprise and Entrepreneurship Gateway - Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Gateway provides aspiring entrepreneurs with counselling advice and direction on a business idea to the point of business start-up. Coaches offer counselling and direction to the various resources, programs, and services you'll need. The Gateway is open to all members of the university community including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Gateway (MUN)
Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN)
Faculty of Business Administration
Business Building, Room 4014
St. John's, NL  A1B 3X5
Telephone: 709-737-8855
Fax: 709-737-2383
E-mail: gateway@business.mun.ca
Web site: http://www.business.mun.ca/gateway

Canadian Youth Business Foundation
CYBF Loan Program

The CYBF provides loans of up to $15,000 to cover the start-up costs of business. To ease the early stages of business growth, loan repayments of three or five years are available, so that the young entrepreneur can stay focused on getting established.  You must be between the ages of 18-34; provide a  written description of your business idea and yourself; and agree to work with a mentor for the life of your loan.  It is expected that the business will provide full-time employment for yourself and others. If you have a viable business plan.

Y Employment and Enterprise Centre
The Centre is a community-based, non-profit business development agency whose primary purpose is to help people create self-employment through small business development.  One of the core services of the Y-Enterprise Centre is business plan development.  Trained business consultants work one-on-one with clients of all ages, toward the completion of a business plan.

Y Employment & Enterprise Services - Contacts for Newfoundland and Labrador

Ulnooweg Development Group Inc.
In 1997, the  First Nations and Inuit Youth Work Experience Program  was established with the National Aboriginal Capital Corporation Association (NACCA) managing the program.  In Atlantic Canada, the program is delivered through the Ulnooweg Development Group Inc. out of Truro, Nova Scotia.  This is a micro-business program is for out-of school unemployed young people. It offers the opportunity to be matched with a mentor and some financial support in order to assist youth interested in creating their own employment. The primary elements of the program consist of:

• Counselling Sessions
• Mentoring/Business Planning
• Capitalization
• Aftercare - Management Assistance

Ms. Dana Squire
Ulnooweg Development Group Inc.
58 Lemarchant Road
St. John's, NL  A1C 6K1
Telephone: (709) 726-3750 or 726-3752
Fax: (709) 726-3742
Web site: http://www.ulnooweg.ca

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
The  Growth Capital for Aboriginal Business  program aims to increase access to capital for Aboriginal entrepreneurs who want to start a small business or expand an existing business operating on or off a reserve in Canada.  The loan can be used for acquiring fixed assets, financing franchise fees, covering start-up costs, developing new markets, or replenishing working capital depleted by capital expenditures. The loan offers financing of up to $100 000 for existing businesses and up to $25 000 for start-ups.

BDC - Contacts for Newfoundland and Labrador

Junior Achievement of Newfoundland and Labrador (JANL)
The primary mandate of JA is to teach elementary, junior high and high school students the principles of business through practical, hands-on experiences. The five programs currently offered by JA students develop a positive attitude about business and economics, strengthen interpersonal and leadership skills, develop an appreciation of life long learning and apply their talents in a risk-free, yet true-to-life business environment.

• Volunteers - provides training, curriculum and resources for volunteers
• Business Basics - Our Business World - gives elementary school students experience making big decisions in different areas of a small manufacturing operation
• Economics of Staying in School (ESIS) - offered as a one-day seminar to grade nine students to explore the relationships of the following four concepts: (i) success (ii) independence (iii) employment (iv) futures
• Company Program - A Student Venture - an after-school program that provides an opportunity for high school students to create, operate and liquidate their companies
• Dream Big - A Life Lesson with Tiger Woods - stresses the importance of character, integrity and hard work exemplified by Tiger Woods and uses him as a role model to help senior high school students set goals and define a vision for the future.

Junior Achievement of Newfoundland and Labrador (JANL)
Suite 701, TD Place
140 Water Street
P.O. Box 7468
St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador 
Telephone: 709-753-9533
Fax: 709-753-2612
E-mail: info@janl.org

RBC - Young Entrepreneurs
Telephone: 1-800-769-2570

The Young Entrepreneurs section of Royal Bank of Canada's web site offers financing and business resources to help young entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

Exporting

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Export Development Canada (EDC)
EDC's Education and Youth Employment (EYE) Program  supports the education and training of Canadian students in partnership with educational institutions and key stakeholders. Through International Studies Scholarships, event sponsorships and speaker presentations, EYE opens important channels of communication and helps tomorrow’s business leaders discover the global opportunities available to them.

EDC runs a student summer employment program, for the summer work term, which is open to all full time students.

Atlantic Region
Mr. Darrell Spurrell
Export Development Canada
90 O'Leary Avenue
St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador  A1B 2C7
Telephone: 709-772-8808
Fax: 709-772-8693
Toll-free (information): 1-866-278-2957
TTY (hearing impaired): 1-866-574-0451
E-mail: dspurrell@edc.ca
Web site: http://www.edc.ca/index_e.htm

Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Newfoundland and Labrador Division (CME-NL)
Telephone: 772-3227 or 1-888-772-3227

The Transportation hub for shippers and carriers is transportation web site is an information source for shippers and carriers as well as a tool for improving transportation management.  It includes the following sections:

• Transportation Directory - a directory listing carriers from the different modes of transport that service Newfoundland and Labrador. This resource will be helpful to those seeking a carrier offering specific services. The directory also lists freight forwarders and customs brokers to help you with your transportation needs
• Road Map Mileage - links to maps and websites to chart the distance between two points
• Weather and Road Conditions - links to weather and road conditions in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and the United States
• Air Terminal Schedules - links to air terminal schedules and other information about air carrier services
• Ferry Schedules - links to shipping schedules and related information for ferries and ocean carriers
• Transportation Best Practices Manual - a manual which outlines the activities and documents required for you to transport goods. It also provides guidance on the steps required for shipping goods using each mode of transport
• News and Events - a link to the news and events section of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters web site
• Other Links - links to transportation related web sites.

Awards

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Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
The major element of Small Business Week® national launch is the Young Entrepreneur Awards ceremony that BDC has held since 1988. To be eligible, candidates must be a Canadian citizen, be between 19 and 35 years of age, and must have had at least 2 years of experience as an entrepreneur.

Winners are also eligible for 2 other prizes:

• Export Development Canada Export Excellent Award - includes a $15,000 business grant to invest in your growing export activities
• The WestJet Creative Mind Award - includes a $15,000 business grant to invest in your creative genius.

As well, there is a new category as of 2006 - the CFIB Business Ownership Transition Award . Over the coming years, the Canadian economy will undergo an unprecedented wave of company successions as a result of population aging. For the next three years, CFIB will offer the CFIB Business Transition Award aimed at recognizing entrepreneurs who have successfully completed a business succession, and as a means of encouraging other companies to plan in this regard.

The award will henceforth be presented to a company that has a new owner following an inter-generation succession initiative. The entrepreneur/buyer as well as the entrepreneur/seller will both be honoured, and a business grant of $20,000 will be offered to help the company carry out projects enabling attainment of its growth objectives.

All Canadian entrepreneurs who have successfully carried out a business succession project in the past 5 years are eligible for the CFIB Business  Transition Award. The new owner must hold at least 33% of the effective control of the company, occupy a management position and have been active in the company's daily operations for at least 1 year.

BDC - Contacts for Newfoundland and Labrador

Futures in Newfoundland and Labrador Youth! (FINALY!)
The Newfoundland and Labrador Youth of the Year Awards Program recognizes young people, between the ages of 15 and 30,  who have made an outstanding contribution to their communities.  It is the only awards program of its kind in this province that recognizes youth for their involvement in social and economic development.  Five categories are included:

• Expression - recognizing artistic endeavours
• Innovation - recognizing initiative and innovation
• Vision - recognizing outstanding leadership skills
• Linkage - recognizing achievements in partnership
• Legacy - recognizing the preservation of our heritage.

Telephone:
Clarenville - 709-466-5933
Grand Falls-Windsor - 709-489-8725 or 709-489-8706
Labrador City - Maresa Moyles 709-944-6499
Head Office - St. John's - 709-738-6274

Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development (DITRD)
The Newfoundland and Labrador Export Awards  awards are designed to celebrate success and encourage new exporters to enter the global marketplace. The Export Awards event is a joint initiative of DITRD and CME-NL.  Finalists are selected based on their particular combination of:

• Newfoundland and Labrador content
• the range of market penetration
• the company's ability to hold market share in the face of strong external competition
• the ratio of export sales to total sales
• the uniqueness of the company's products and services
• and the level of research and development leading to the expansion of a company's products and/or services.

Mr. Bradley Thorne
Department of Innovation Trade and Rural Development
2nd Floor, West Block
Confederation Bldg.
P.O. Box 8700
St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador  A1B 4J6
Telephone: 709-729-4435
Toll-free (information): 1-800-563-2299
E-mail: thorne.bradley@gov.nl.ca
Web site: http://www.intrd.gov.nl.ca/intrd/

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this document is of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute advice for any specific fact situation. Users concerned about the reliability of the information should consult directly with the source, or seek legal counsel.

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