Six Local Youth Entrepreneurs Launch Summer Businesses

Six local youth entrepreneurs have recently launched their summer business ventures thanks to the Summer Company program offered by Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development’s Business Advisory Centre (BAC).

(Top row from left to right) Ainsley Dunn, Drew McFadden, Grace Holmquist (Bottom row from left to right_ Owen Gerrard, Timothy Mills, Lawson Hill. Photo Courtesy of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development.

The Summer Company Program is the Government of Ontario’s flagship youth entrepreneurship program which helps youth aged 15-29 try their hand at business ownership by connecting them with up to $3,000 in start-up funding, one-on-one guidance from BAC staff, advice and mentorship from local business leaders, access to business workshops, training and resources and business support.

“This year’s group are committed and passionate youth entrepreneurs. Enrolling in a program like Summer Company requires dedication and a desire to learn and improve small business knowledge. Each of the six students has taken their unique skillset and experiences and turned them into marketable and sought-after products and services,” said Suzanne McCrimmon, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development’s Director of Business Development. “We are grateful to the Province of Ontario for their continued support of the Summer Company program. These youth business owners are learning skills that they will take with them for the rest of their lives.”

This summer’s group of youth entrepreneurs includes:

Creatively Dunn (Norwood, ON) – Owner Ainsley Dunn is currently taking the Indigenous Bachelor of Education program at Trent University and handcrafts all-natural, sustainable handcrafted wooden toys and playsets for children. Her product line includes anything from themed sets, peg people, playdough stampers, stacking toys and Indigenous education sets.

Drew’s Chicks (Cavan Monaghan, ON) – Sharing his passion and love for chickens, Drew McFadden, founder of Drew’s Chicks provides complete chick kits to young families, teachers, and retirement homes. The kits include an enclosed cage, heat lamp, bedding, food, and water containers as well as two baby chicks that customers foster for two weeks, after which time they return to his farm as egg-laying chickens. In addition to chicks, Drew has expanded his fostering services to include baby quail and ducklings.

She Stitch (Douro-Dummer, ON) – Founder Grace Holmquist, a local high school student from Lakefield is a maker who designs and creates reusable bags for shopping and boating, with a focus on striving to reduce the use of plastic bags and creating beautiful, practical, stylish, and unique designs.

Trent Lakes Property Maintenance (Trent Lakes, ON) – Completing his last year of the paramedic program at Fleming College, Lawson Hill offers property maintenance services including painting, grass cutting, spring cleanups and more, focus on offering week-day services to allow homeowners time to enjoy their cottage properties on the weekends.

OG LawnCare (Lakefield, ON) – Owen Gerrard is a local student, entrepreneur offering affordable lawn care services using 100 per cent eco-friendly electric equipment instead of environmentally harmful gas-powered machines which offers clients an opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint.

3D Casting (Peterborough, ON) – Timothy Mills is a recent University of Guelph Mechanical Engineering grad returning to work on his Master of Applied Science. Leveraging his engineering knowledge and skills to launch a manufacturing start-up, he offers casting designs, prototypes and manufacturing of small plastic and aluminum parts through a combination of 3D printing and investment casting.

The Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre, operated by Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development has been the proud program provider for the City and County of Peterborough since 2001.

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