It was a celebration last night (November 1) as 20 up and coming local entrepreneurs representing 16 businesses were on hand for the wrap up of the 2018 SMARTstart Program in Airdrie.  

And there was plenty of celebration going on as the program has just completed its fifth year of operation and has provided training to 89 entrepreneurs and helped a dozen new businesses to open.

Jodie Eckert is one of the SMARTstart community organizers.  She says the program's fifth year was fabulous.

"We had a great group of entrepreneurs and mentors.  They all came out with a business plan and celebrated each other along the way, made some friends, made some business contacts.  All around, a good program."

Eckert says the benefits of the program are many and points out that one of them is teaching peole whether or not a life in business for yourself is actually for them.

"One of our outcomes of SMARTstart is helping people decide whether or not the business should go forward.  One of our wins is when somebody doesn't lose their house or goes into a second mortgage.  If they discover during the program that the business just isn't viable or it just isn't the right time, we consider that a win as well."

Entrepreneurs Kyle Wudrich and David Schroter, co-owners of 948 Brewing Company went through this year's program.  They both said the eight month program was more than worth the time committment.  Wudrich summed up the experience in one word.  "Fantastic."  He then went on to elaborate.

"We've really learned a lot, just a tone of stuff, based on not having run a business before.  Being able to get right from the beginning and learn all the aspects, right from HR to accounting and finance.  A really good base on how to run it."

His parter Schroter called the mentorship part of the program one of the most valuable aspects and compared it to another type of get-together.

"It was really neat.  They set you up like speed-dating.  You sit down and talk with every mentor that's available and you give a little spiel.  They talk a little bit and you kind of feel each other out.  From there the program managers try to pair up the best mentors with mentees.  It was pretty well matched and we definitely learned quite a bit from our mentor and still pull on the knowledge that he has."

20 experienced Airdrie business people served as mentors for this year's program.  Five of them were honoured at last night's event for volunteering for all five years of the program.  They were Gary Armstrong, Jennifer Benner, Jacqui Jepson, Joan Traub and Sid Van der Meer.

SMARTstart is an award winning program that delivered by the Airdrie Chamber of Commerce, the City of Airdrie Economic Development and Community Futures Centre West.  

Applications for the 2019 program are open until December 12, 2018. Entrepreneurs with an idea or new businesses that's been in operation for less than three years are invited to learn more at information sessions on November 21st or December 6th at 7 p.m. at the Airdrie Chamber of Commerce, #102, 150 Edwards Way NW.

To learn more, visit www.smartstartairdrie.ca or e-mail info@smartstartairdrie.ca.

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