How many times have you had a brilliant idea and did absolutely nothing about it? Ya, us too… It can seem daunting thinking about what goes into starting a new full-time business or even a profitable side hustle. Well, that’s where Futurpreneur comes in! Futurpreneur has supported more than 13,400 young Canadian entrepreneurs through financing, mentorship, and other resources. Don’t let starting a new business intimidate you, Futurpreneur takes all the scaries out of getting your biz off the ground!!
So you might be wondering how it all works! Basically, if you’re an entrepreneur between 18 and 39, you’re eligible to receive up to $60K in financing from Futurpreneur Canada and their partner, Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). You’ll also get paired with a mentor for up to two years. This hefty chunk of change can go a long way and your mentor will be there to guide you all the way! Adulting is a real struggle, wouldn’t it be nice if everything in life came with a mentorship program?!
The shop local movement is gaining some serious momentum right now. And through programs like Futurpreneur we are getting more and more young entrepreneurs that are kicking butt and we love that. Albertans are known for pushing the envelope so maybe it’s time to let your business shine! Here is what Futurpreneur’s Business Development Manager, Hussam Tungekar, had to say about Alberta small business owners:
“Our team loves working with Alberta entrepreneurs. They are hardworking, scrappy, quick to pivot, and know how to hustle.
For instance, there is Aja Horsley in Calgary who owns Drizzle Honey. You might have heard of her incredible honey, but we bet you didn’t know that she started it all with Futurpreneur! Aja was working as a researcher in environmental sciences when she began taking on projects related to beekeeping in urban environments. She learned about the declining numbers of honey bees, as well as the large amount of fake honey on Canadian store shelves, and wanted to make an ethical, stylish, high-quality product. From there Futurpreneur hooked her up with a loan and a mentor and now there is no looking back! Heck, she’s even teamed up with Etsy and Queer Eye’s Tan France on a collaboration. How cool is that?!
Then there is mother-daughter duo Natasha and Winnie Longridge in Edmonton, who created Bundle of Joy, a curated subscription box for expecting and new mothers. Noticing a gap in the Canadian market for such a service, Natasha (a birth doula of 15 years) and her daughter Winnie wanted to make their mark and offer convenient subscription box services to moms across Canada. After connecting with Futurpreneur regarding their fresh business idea, they officially launched in March 2020. Each box is specifically curated for all 3 trimesters and even postpartum. A key focus for Bundle of Joy is filling their boxes with products from fellow Canadian small businesses that ideally produce their products with little to no waste. When asked about their experience with Futurpreneur, this is what the duo had to say:
“You could get a loan from anywhere, but having somebody to help steer you helps – they can suggest things you wouldn’t have thought of.”
-Winnie
And,
“When we were signing up, we thought having a mentor could be really beneficial since we’d never had a business before. Having somebody checking in – ‘How are you doing? What kind of help do you need?’ – was really helpful.”
-Natasha
If these success stories don’t get you inspired to start or grow your business with Futurpreneur’s help and expertise then we aren’t sure what will! But if you do need a little persuading, they even have workshops that are totally free and ridiculously helpful!
So whether you think your idea is too far out there or you’re just not sure where to start, don’t let that discourage you because Futurpreneur has got your back! Reach out to them today to learn more.
