Business success celebrated

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MAITLAND – It’s a celebration of local entrepreneurs.

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Bridges to Better Business is an annual event presented by Leeds Grenville Small Business with the support of multiple public- and private-sector partners. A full house was on hand at MERC Hall in Maitland on Thursday for the 2024 edition of the four-hour gathering.

In addition to providing a networking opportunity, the event includes presentations by several guest speakers who cover a range of business-related topics. The successes of local entrepreneurs is also highlighted at Bridges to Better Business.

Scott Waldron, of Gravitate Travel in Kemptville, was named the 2024 Leeds Grenville Entrepreneur of the Year.

Waldron specializes in higher-end luxury and business travel experiences which include smaller package tours with personalized attention. His superior service has earned Waldron a loyal client base and  strong brand presence, noted small business development officer Jeanette Johnston.

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“One of Scott’s standout traits is his dedication to continuous learning and improvement,” she said.

Waldron was also acknowledged for his community involvement and support for numerous initiatives that include NG Pride, 100 Men Who Care, and the North Grenville Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Kemptville Legion and the RCMP Ride.

The recipient said in an interview after the presentation he was “shocked and surprised” to win the award.

“It was great; it was fantastic. I didn’t think I would get it,” Waldron added.

Experience plays a key role in a service-based industry like travel, he said. Going places and then being able to come back and talk about them has helped attract bookings and repeat clientele, according to Waldron.

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“They value what we do and the advice we give them,” he said.

Also at the Bridges event on Thursday, the St. Lawrence-Rideau Immigration Partnership presented the 10th annual Leeds and Grenville Immigrant Entrepreneur Award to Nicole Hudson of Katarina’s Coffee Shop in Prescott.

She moved from the Philippines to Canada eight years ago when she was 19 and gained experience through working several jobs in Ontario.

Since purchasing the business in Prescott during the height of the pandemic, the resilient and determined Hudson and her family have transformed the once-seasonal ice cream shop and café on King Street West into a thriving year-round food business that includes a full-time in-house baker and employs 12 to 15 additional staff during the busy summer season.

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“I’m just so honoured to be highlighted,” said Hudson, who believes the recognition also acknowledges the efforts of all the other immigrant entrepreneurs across Canada.

Running a small business “is rewarding and challenging at the same time, but mostly rewarding,” she remarked.

“And the local community has just brought us in with open arms, which makes everything so much easier.”

The partnership also presented its inaugural Leeds and Grenville Inclusive Employer Award on Thursday, to Truespeed Internet Services and Sterling Home Renovations.

The new award is aimed at recognizing and highlighting efforts by local employers to make their businesses welcoming to immigrant staff. These efforts include language support and mentorship programs as well as letters of support for permanent residency applications.

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Waldron and Hudson are graduates of the Starter Company Plus program for adult entrepreneurs, which is celebrating its 10th year.

The provincial initiative provides training in the fundamentals of business as well as business planning and cash flow management. Participants then pitch their business ideas to a panel for the opportunity to receive a grant of up to $5,000. Coaching and workshops were provided to further develop the businesses.

The 10 graduates of the most recent round of Starter Company Plus offered locally by Leeds Grenville Small Business were congratulated as part of the Bridges event on Thursday.

They include Shane Doxtater (Empire Construction and Masonry, Brockville); Chantel (CT) Ehler (ERB Legal, LLP, Gananoque); Alyssa Gallant (Monday Nutrition, Spencerville); Diane Gordon (Golden Creek Horticulture, Elizabethtown-Kitley); Elizabeth Green-Verkerk (South Coast Design Build, Leeds and the Thousand Islands); Ray Heffernan (Ray Heffernan Photography, Prescott); Tracey Hughes (Flutter & Fly Makers Cove, Brockville); Kim Matthew (Drinks in Tow mobile bar service, North Grenville); Connor Wilhelm (Wilhelm’s Manual Osteopathy, Augusta); and Claudia Zuniga Muroya (CAZM Bookkeeping Services, Elizabethtown-Kitley).

Matthew, Heffernan, Wilhelm and Gallant also received an award of $1,000 each from Community Futures Grenville to help them implement their business plans.

Each Starter Company Plus round runs for eight weeks. Space is limited; there is a competitive application process.

Leeds Grenville Small Business is based at the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville in Brockville.

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