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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1987-08-19, Page 5We deliver Grand Bend gets roommate manager for a retail clothing store. She neither job pail) enough to sup- port her and her two and one half year old daughter. But Carla says Roommate is not a regular job -- for many reasons. "Running your own business is a 24 hour job," says Carla referring to the bookkeeping, accounting, payroll, and supervision. She says the greatest satisfaction comes from setting her own priorities and making her own business deci- sions. "It's a wonderful feeling to be completely in control of your own businss, to make the decisions on which jobs you will take and which jobs will come first. I even have the option of saying 'no' to a job," she adds. Carla says she is determined to make Roommate work. She intends to keep it operating when she returns to Western in the fall. She says of her new career, "This has to work. I have nothing else to fall back on." Welfare is the major source of in- come for many single mothers throughout Ontario. But thanks to the Ontario Ministry of Skills Develop- ment's Start -Up Program and the Student Venture Capital loan, 29 year old Carla Steele got herself off welfare and created her own job. Carla got a Student Venture Capital loan in April to start her own business. Now she's earning her own living and creating new jobs for other people. A mature student and single mother of one, Carla was having trou- ble making ends meet. On the 8581.00 a month she was getting from welfare, Carla could barely meet her living expenses. Her student grants and loans were about to run out in April. That's when Carla got the idea for "Roommate". "Roommate is Carla's very own residential and commercial cleaning business. Carla and her crew clean houses, restaurants, Bed -and - Breakfasts, and summer homes in - and around Grand Bend. They do every type.of job from washing dishes and scrubbing floors to cleaning restaurant dining rooms and opening up summer homes. Carla has created part-time jobs of fort other young women. When clean- ing residential homes, she usually manages on her own. But she says hiring responsible help enables her to get the bigger cleaning jobs, like restaurants. Carla is quality -conscious. She says she intends to get established in Grand Bend as a reliable and a responsible business person so when the cleaning is finished, Carla insists on "inspecting the work of the other girls before leaving a job," to make sure the job is done right.Shesays, "The only way I'm going to make it is toet a good reputation among satisifed�customers." She adds, "I've never lost a job yet". Business is booming for Carla. From April to July, her business grew 166 percent with her gross income reaching 810,000 by July 15th. Carla attributes part of her early success to the demand for a cleaning service in Grand Bend. Most of her business comes from her 15 residen- tial cleaning contracts but Carla's commercial contracts are increasing too. She and her crew clean The Thirsty Fox Restaurant, and For Goodness Sake Natural Food and Bed -and -Breakfast. Despite the demand in Grand Bend for a service like Roommate, Carla says she wouldn't have had enough capital to start the business without the Student Venture Capital loan. The Student Venture Capital Program provides intereet-free loans of up to 83000. to students who want to start their own business. • The program is sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Skills Develop- ment in co-operation with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Bank of Canada. To be eligible for the loan, students must be over 15 years old and returning to school in the fall. Recipients have until October 1st to repay the loan. Carla said she was down to her last dollar when she found out she could get $3000.00 in start=up capital from the Ontario government. She used her interest-free loan to buy vacuum cleaner and cleaning supplies, and to pay for insurance fees and advertis- ing costs of Roommate. For Carla, being her own boss is the perfect job. Carla had worked as a waitress for a while. she was also a IT'S JUST MAGIC -- Puppeteers John Nolan and Kathy McLellan cap- tivate their audience at the Lucon Legion Hall. Their show "The Snow Queen" is sponsored by the Ontario Library Service, Thames, and the Lucan Library. T -A photo • 4 solt DEMO DERBY WINNER — After receiving the Derby trophy at Sun- day's Demolition Derby at the Crediton Summerfest, driver Don Riley and brother Rob and son Shawn stood proudly beside the Riley Brothers' derb car. • :r" 3. WI BIRTHDAYS -- Marie Brock of the Hurondale Women's Institute congratulates Helen Jpry and Lois Hodgins on having birthdays closest to Wednesday. Eight area Institutes were guests of the Hurondale group at a Morrison Dom picnic. T -A photo. Times -Advocate, August 19, 1987 Page 5 INSPECTION — Board members of the Huron County Library Board arrive in Exeter for their annual inspection tour of the county libraries. Back row,'from left: Chairman Jim Robinson, Council Warden Brian McBurney, Secretary -Treasurer Bill Hanly. Middle row: Board members Gerald D'Arcy, Bob Rit- ter, Dave Johnston. Front row: Board members Janis Bisback, Martinb Schneiker, Assistant County Librarian Sharon Cox, Board member Isabel Elston, and Exeter Branch Supervisor Hellen Hodgins.T-A photo r We're making it more worth your while than ever to shop at our store. Prices have been slashed by 10% (excluding deep cut features and all tobac- co products) to sell as .much of our present stock as possible before the move to our new store. MOVING SALE STARTS NOW OFF EVERYTHING IN OUR STORE Excluding our deep cut features which are already reduced more than 10% Our present location will close at 9 p.m. Friday, August 21, 1.987 to prepare for our new store opening at 211 Main St., Wed., August 26, 1987. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. We look forward to -serving you better and saving you more" bt our new location. 233-0212 SHOP NOW AND SAVE