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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2007-07-18, Page 14Crossroads 14 Times -Advocate Wednesday, July 18, 2007 Summer Company puts students in business By Pat Bolen TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF SEAFORTH — Four local students are in business for themselves this summer with some help from the Huron Small Business Enterprise Centre in Seaforth with the Summer Company Program. Among those taking part in the program are Nick Daunt of Hay Township, Lee Brintnell of Exeter, Joanna Walker of Goderich and Mallory Anderson in Grand Bend. The Summer Company pro- gram aims to inspire more young people to choose entrepreneurship as a career and equip them with the tools they need to succeed. The program is designed for students aged 15-29 going back to school full time and provides for up to $1,500 toward start-up costs and, upon successful comple- tion of the program require- ments, the student is eligible for an additional award of up to $1,500. Each student submitted a business plan with their application and participated in an interview process. Training and mentorship is provided during the summer by a volunteer group of com- munity mentors, along with Alison Lobb, business consul- tant for the County of Huron. This year, mentors include Donna Taylor from Blyth, Jim Niesen, loans manager for the Huron Business Development Corporation and Rob Bundy of Clinton. These individuals meet with the entrepreneurs on a regu- lar basis during the summer, assisting them with the man- agement side of operating a business. Nick Daunt For anyone travelling along Highway 83 near Dashwood this summer, 17 -year-old Daunt will be offering an assortment of vegetables at `Nicks Fresh Picked Produce.' Daunt, a South Huron District High School student, has helped his family with sell- ing produce at the stand other years, but is running it him- self for the first time this year. After seeing ads for the program, Daunt said he thought it would be interest- ing to do it all. Daunt said depending on the weather, he hopes to start selling corn from the stand the last week of July or the first week of August. Running his business has given him a different per- spective and he says it has taught him a lot. "If you want to run your own business, you have to really want it." Daunt says he will be pick- ing in the morning before 8 a.m. to make sure everything is ready before having the produce stand open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. "Business is usually good, especially on weekends." Daunt said the corn crop is doing well and is ready a bit earlier than other years although a bit more rain wouldn't hurt. "So far it's a good experi- ence," said Daunt. Joanna Walker "Right now I have close to 40 students," says 23 -year- old Walker who is teaching Spanish to both groups and individuals in Goderich and throughout Huron County. "I've been teaching fairly consistently every day." Walker, who is going into her fourth year of International Development studies at Trent University in Peterborough, said she thought she may as well keep up her skills through the summer by teaching intro- ductory Spanish. "It's been going well and there are a lot of eager peo- ple," says Walker. "I think there are a lot more people travelling and volunteering abroad." Walker said at first most of her lessons were private but the demand has grown to the point she has put together group lessons. Walker says her students cover a wide variety of ages, ranging from the oldest at 75 down to some as young as three. "I wasn't intending to teach children but it's surprising how many parents are inter- ested in getting their chil- dren learning languages." Walker said she is almost at the limit of students she can handle. "I had projected between 25 and 30 students and now it's closer to 40." Walker says she has always been interested in languages and has a background in Polish as well as French. Mallory Anderson Ice cream, fruit salad and and Spanish "If you want to run your own business, you have to really want it." NICK DAUNT -STUDENT ENTREPRENEUR cotton candy are some of the items on the menu at Scoops ice cream shop and conces- sion stand at Klondyke Trailer park just outside of Grand Bend run by Anderson with help by sister Shelbey, a nursing student at St. Clair in Windsor. Mallory, age 19, is a radiol- ogy student at Fanshawe College and says she opened the stand July 1 after prepar- ing through the winter. "Business has been really good," says Mallory who thanks Klondyke Trailer Park for letting let her set up there. The signature item on the menu are Cool Dogs which is an ice cream sundae shaped like a hot dog and served in a sponge cake bun and topped with hot fudge, caramel or whipped cream. The Cool Dogs, which are ordered from Detroit, have become so popular that Scoops ran out of them last week. Scoops is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the week and until 9 p.m. on weekends and will be open until the end of August. Mallory also credits the mentors at the Enterprise Centre for their help who she says prevent the students from making mistakes. "I love it," says Mallory. "It's the best move ever. It's a lot of work but I'm having fun." Lee Brintnell His dream is to develop graphic art for snowboards and 16 -year-old Brintnell is well on his way with his Graphic Art and Photography business this summer at the Brintnell home at 40211 Thames Road East. Brintnell said he has always been interested in art and plans to have a photog- raphy studio open in the next couple of weeks. He will do a variety of work including family, pet and baby pictures that will allow parents not to have to drive to London saving them time when they want to have their child's picture taken "and the moment is now," says Brintnell who will also be doing wedding photography. Brintnell is also installing a Green Screen in the studio and with it he will be able to design any kind of picture customers want. In order to generate cash flow while the studio is being worked on, Brintnell is doing temporary stencilled tattoo work both in the shop and at events around the area this summer including the Zurich Bean Festival, the Exeter Rodeo and the Walton Nationals Motocross. Brintnell has done logo design work for several groups in the area including South Huron Minor Soccer and for the Guiness record setting soccer game in the spring. Dolphin tattoos are espe- cially popular among kids says Brintnell, although he has lots of variety with prices of $5, $10 and $15 for small, medium and large tattoos. Learning the business part has been tough but it pays off says Brintnell, who plans on carrying on with the busi- ness, eventually making it a career. "It's a meshing of passions," he says. Getting a start — Local young entrepreneurs are again in business for themselves this summer with some help from the Huron Small Business Enterprise Centre in Seaforth which sponsors the Summer Company Program. Some of the local participants are clockwise from left, Lee Brintnell of Exeter who demonstrates his stencil tattoo work on sister Chelsea as part of his Graphic Art and Photography busi- ness; Nick Daunt, who will be selling corn and other produce from his stand on Highway 83 outside of Dashwood; Joanna Walker, who is teaching Spanish in Huron County and Mallory Anderson (right) who, with the help of sister Shelbey, is dishing up icecream outside Grand Bend. (photos/ Joanna Walker submit- ted others/Pat Bolen)