2021 Clients

Tell us about yourself

My name is Richard Musah, born and rash in Toronto, moved to London, Ontario, in 1996, worked at home comfort insulation for a couple of years, then went to Fanshawe College for fashion and designing. After graduating from school, I got a job at tip-top tailors and learned more about styling and details. I then decided to open Richard’s Clothing Ltd. and its history in the making.

Tell us about your business

The name RICHARD’S CLOTHING came in 2018. It used to be called Inner City Fashion. I then decided to amend the name to Richards Clothing. I changed the brand name because my customers liked doing business with me; I received a lot of business from references and word of mouth. Thus, it made sense that when trying to find me over the internet with my name, they also find out about the business.

We carry high-quality, reputed and fashionable brands from all over the world. Some of the brands we carry at Richards Clothing are Angelo Nardelli, Matinique, Alex Ingh, Gabba, Ettinger, Corniche, Sand, PT, Patrick Assaraf, Baumler, and a few more European brands. Our product lines include suits, shirts, trousers, and accessories for men. We also offer bespoke stitching and offer excellent buying experience to our customers. As I mentioned earlier, many of my customers give me repeat business, and I am proud of it.

Has your business been impacted by COVID-19?

Covid has definitely taken a toll on the business. We closed for the initial lockdown on March 14th, 2020, and when we opened back up, business was noticeably slow. Sales were down, orders were delayed, our clients’ services had to be modified to assist the customer safely and meet the Government’s Covid Guidelines. Covid had a great negative impact on all the business, and unfortunately, we had to make the tough decision to let our staff go. As time has moved forward from the initial impact of the pandemic, Richard’s Clothing has been proceeding slowly with one foot at a time, embracing this new normal as we start to rise back to where we once were. Every month we have seen a rise in sales, and things are looking brighter, and I hope my fellow business owners are experiencing and seeing a similar positive trend.

What’s in the future for your business?

I see a great future in this business. Consumers have always preferred personalized experiences as they give anyone a sense of belonging. Our business model brings the best of both worlds to our customers – the best fashion brands and trends and the opportunity to assert their personality, choice, and flavour. Once the impact of Covid wanes away, I am sure that we will be on a path of great recovery. I aspire to be a multi-store business and become one of the most well-known brands from London. As the city of London grows, it provides a high-growth platform to my business.

What led you to start this business? 

I was always a dreamer, and I had this drive to create something of my own from the very start. Though I saw a lot of ups and downs in my early life, it made me a determined person, and I was always focused on creating a name for myself. My parents, friends and family are proud of what I have achieved.

Can you tell us about an entrepreneur you admire and why?

Larry Rosen, CEO of Harry Rosen, is the entrepreneur I admire the most. He is my mentor and always inspires me with his amazing skill in the fashion industry.

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received and why?

The best advice I got was from an older salesman named Nicolas when I first came into the fashion business on a high level. I remember him saying, ‘You have to save your money in this business because you never know — at one point or another, you’re going to have to bring it back and invest it back into the business.’ And he was right about that.
In COVID time, I needed to restock my inventory, I needed cash, and his advice is true all the time.

What advice would you give to an aspiring Entrepreneur today?

I am not an expert, but I have spent a lot of time reading about entrepreneurs, and start-ups, so here are some pieces of advice that are popular in the industry:

• Research, research, and research. Understand the industry and the product you are offering thoroughly to minimize risk.
• Have a vision. Think about what you want to achieve long-term and how it’s going to impact lives.
• Constantly innovate and reinvent your product. We live in a fast-paced world, and it’s important to constantly change and evolve — both as a brand and person.
• Be smart and careful about who you choose as a team. A team can make or break your business, so first, figure what kind of people you want before hiring.
• Start small, stick to the budget. Don’t go overboard in the excitement of a new business. Grow at a slow and steady pace to make it sustainable.
• Be consistent with your efforts. Rome was not built in a day.
• If you are confident in the idea, don’t let anyone else bring you down. Have a tunnel vision when it comes to achieving your goals.

Learn more about Richard’s Clothing

Tell us about yourself

We are a husband-and-wife team building this business together in the last four years. We met while working as missionaries in Perth, Australia. We got married and moved to New Zealand, then to Vancouver, where Matt completed a Master’s in Theological Studies. While there, Grace worked for a small business learning most of the aspects of the business, as she was the only employee. We wouldn’t be running this business together if not for our time & education in Vancouver.  

Matt grew up in North London, so he’s a local. He went to school at Fanshawe College and graduated with a Construction Engineering Diploma. He worked at EllisDon Construction for a few years before heading overseas. He loves mathematics, thinking out of the box, and comes from a family that loves and is skilled in the trades – so this business is perfect for his interests. Matt also dabbled in the business world as a child. 

Grace grew up in Malaysia. She graduated with a Degree in Commerce focused on Management and Marketing, and ran a business as a child selling handmade keychains! She was surrounded by relatives and family friends who were small business owners, but she never envisioned being one herself. She often thinks about improving processes – getting things done efficiently and excellently without compromising the result.

We have a little one who is now being trained to be part of this team since 2020.

Tell us about your business

Ontario Deck Railing Ltd is a small family-owned business, operational since late 2017. We are located at Bradley and Adelaide (on Newbold St) in London. 

We offer a very simple aluminum and glass railing system design, as we carry only products from one supplier. It simplifies and reduces the costs for inventory and makes it easier for customers to make their decisions. We also source our own Frameless Glass Railings, which has taken off this year – that we are very proud of. All our products are fully engineered and tested to exceed the Ontario Building Code. 

This is our 4th full year in business, and we are so looking forward to hitting our 5th-year mark! They say if you can survive for five years as a small business, then you are on to something, so we are looking forward to seeing how the 5th year will look like for us. 2021 was a huge year for us as we hired our first two employees to help us build on this business and began transitioning out our business partner (and Matt’s Super Dad) Jack as he plans towards his retirement. This year, we can see some fruits of our labour building up our name through excellent customer service in the last few years. We’ve gotten many referrals from our previous clients and feel so much satisfaction from serving our customers well – even if we happen to fail the first time.

Has your business been impacted by COVID-19? 

Initially, we did not know how Covid would impact our railing business. We had to shut our doors for a short period as the government figured out their plan for the province, so we started working from home. Over time, it started looking like our business would be positively impacted by the pandemic as we all realized that we would need to utilize our homes in a different way than we ever did. We are one of the fortunate – we kept busy, and our business grew exponentially during this time. We also had to keep ourselves up to date with the requirements for safely operating a business during the pandemic – it was tricky. One of the things we had to do when we could not open our cozy showroom to the public was offering our homes as the alternative ‘showroom’ as we have both the Aluminum and Glass Railings installed on our porches and decks. We would also leave colour samples in our mailbox so that there would not be any contact between our clients and us.

What services/programs have you utilized at the London Small Business Centre and how have they helped your business? 

We have participated in a few of their free seminars, accessed their Legal and HR Advisors and were part of the Scale-Up Program in 2020. They have been a great resource for us, and Scale-Up was great because we had the opportunity to build our relationship with one of their advisors and some of the program participants. We’ve sent some opportunities to some of the guys we met, and they’ve also given us some recommendations. It is great to get to know other small business owners in the same industry as a new business to build the economy together. Quite importantly for us is the access to affordable Legal advice, which is very helpful when you are a growing business. SBC staff are also always ready to help, whether to advise, guide or give you a resource.

What led you to start this business? 

This was not something we had planned on at all. It really just fell into our lap, and we took the opportunity and ran with it. When Matt was entering his final year of his Master’s Degree, we were starting to consider what we would do after he finished; whether it would be staying in the Vancouver area long term or moving somewhere different. Matt’s parents had recently added a deck in their backyard. In the process of trying to find the railing that would match the current railing they had on their existing decks, they realized that the railing supplier had pulled out of the area and didn’t have a distributor in Ontario. When Jack told us about this and the idea that there could be an opportunity there, it stirred something in us, and we started a conversation about starting the business together.

What were some of the challenges you faced getting started and how did you overcome them?

Some of our greatest challenges were not necessarily knowing what it meant to run a construction-based business. Matt and Jack were very strong in the technical aspect, and Grace was quite strong in the business aspect, but figuring out how to mesh our knowledge and understanding together was quite a challenge at times. Plus, when you add that we are doing business with family, it adds a whole other level of complexity to it.  

We have overcome the challenges by doing our best to listen and hear each other and have many open discussions. When doing business with partners, communication and trust are important, so we had to learn how to grow in both areas and learn how to work together effectively.

What is the #1 small business book/blog/website you would recommend?

A very helpful book for us as a team was “The E-Myth” by Michael Gerber. It really helped us understand the different aspects of running a business and the different hats you must wear as a business owner. One of the greatest insights it gave us was the idea that there are three characteristics that a business owner has to have – the technician, the entrepreneur, and the manager – and that we cannot just fully focus on one of them. These can be extremely helpful in a construction-based business because people who start construction businesses tend to be very strong in the technician aspect, but neglect the entrepreneur or manager aspects. Understanding this and seeing how we each fit into the different characteristics helped us learn how to run the business more effectively and use each other’s strengths better.

What advice would you give to an aspiring Entrepreneur today? 

1. Make time for building relationships, especially with your community. Owning a small business can be overwhelming because you have to cover every base and build on your business. The easiest thing that we can end up giving up on is time with our spouses and children (or, if you’re single, with your family and friends). Over time, this puts a strain on our relationships and well-being, but these are our core people, and you can’t give up on your core support. 
2. Draw boundaries. This relates to the point above. If you don’t draw a line about how you run your business, your business (or customers) will run you. Right from the get-go, Matt and I decided we would not do the installation on weekends or answer work calls after 6 pm as we knew there would always be customers who would contact us after hours, but those hours are for our family and each other. This has helped us keep our sanity but also has kept our relationship strong.
3. If you are married to your business partner, no business talk in bed. It can be overwhelming working with your spouse; you can end up talking about business every moment you have together. To stay in love, we try our hardest not to talk business while in bed, but instead to keep that time listening to each other’s day, dreams, or dreams together (which are sometimes, inevitably, business-related, lol). 

Learn more about Ontario Deck Railing 

Tell us about yourself

I am Michaelanne, owner of Stache Fabric & Notions. I am married to the love of my life, and I am a mom of two adult children who are building me a small army of grandchildren – I could not be any happier! I have been sewing since I was a young girl, mostly clothing and small projects. Raised by a mother who was a fibre dyer, spinner, and weaver, my love of creating with fabric and playing with colour can only be described as a lifelong adventure. I began quilting fifteen years ago while working at my local quilt shop. This part-time job and newfound hobby have most certainly defined my career path. I truly can say that I love what I do!

Tell us about your business

Stache Fabric & Notions is a small, modern fabric shop located in the heart of downtown London on King Street in the old Novacks building. At my last part-time job in another shop, my employer had decided that it was time for her to retire and close the business. This was heartbreaking news to me! I had concerns about two particularly important aspects of my life: where was I going to purchase the quality, modern fabric I had grown accustomed to working with, and where was I going to work? The answer to these questions leads me down the path of entrepreneurialism. Stache began as a small online venture with one bookcase full of fabric in my basement sewing room in July 2017. After vending at quilt shows and presenting at local quilt guilds, it became apparent that customers wanted the interactive and hands-on experience of shopping in person for their fabric and supplies. In December 2018, Stache took up residency in what was known as the “Boot Room” in the old Novack’s store. This space boasted a windowless, 300 square feet of retail space accessed only by walking through another retail shop. It was small but mighty, and very much my pride and joy. Almost one year later, on January 28, 2020, the opportunity arose to expand into the front retail space. This was an exciting milestone as we were doubling our square footage, gaining windows as well as our very own door. It may not sound like much, but this gave me the feeling of independence, a sense of success and an overwhelming amount of pride. I was an entrepreneur, and I was making my plan and dream happen!

How has your business been affected by Covid-19?

March 17, 2020, was the date of the first State of Emergency and total lockdown. I had been open after renovations and expansion for a mere seven weeks. I remember that day very well; the sheer panic, overwhelming anxiety and fear almost defeated me. Immediately I furloughed my one part-time employee. The shop was boarded up to guard against break-ins and locked the doors. However, I was not willing to give up. Too much time, effort and money had gone into creating this dream that I decided that if I was going to go down, I was going down fighting. Going back to my roots and how this shop was begun is how we were going to proceed. Days were spent updating the website, which had been left to languish in the new world of the brick-and-mortar shop. Every new and current bolt of fabric, every spool of thread, every book, pattern and kit, and every notion was photographed and uploaded to the website. Another milestone of transitioning from a manual cash system to a fully integrated POS was completed. These first couple of weeks and action plans were our saviours, and we still exist today because of these decisions. Daily social media posts and videos kept customers engaged. Support from Downtown London through Downtown Dollars and grants. An incredibly supportive landlord and an amazing husband who stepped up to help with whatever, whenever things were needed. Curbside pickup and free local porch delivery during lockdowns kept us busy and afloat. This year has been a roller coaster of ups and downs, open and closed, feast and famine. This last lockdown has been the most difficult for the shop, but I am thankful that Stache is still here and will be if I have anything to say about it.

What services have you utilized at the London Small Business Centre and how have they helped?

My relationship with the SBC was forced upon me begrudgingly. If I was going to elevate the business from an online home business to a stand-alone brick-and-mortar shop, my husband and support team insisted that I write a business plan. This venture was going to take money, planning and education. I am not an entrepreneur or businessperson naturally, I am an artist, and I need to do some work. I was dragged kicking and screaming (figuratively) to the SBC to participate in the business plan writing course. Reflecting on this experience and exercise, I can now appreciate why it is so important and valuable to have this plan in place. I thought I knew everything about this industry and needed to open a successful quilt/ fabric shop. What a mistake! The business plan forced me to consider aspects that I had never considered.

The London Small Business Centre also awarded me with a grant to help fund the shop’s expansion in January 2020. This grant facilitated creating a classroom and workspace that is open to anyone who has a desire to create with fabric. The London Small Business Centre has an open-door policy, and I know that when I need advice, guidance or support, they are a resource in my back pocket.

As a busy entrepreneur, what do you like to do when you take a break?

I like to be busy in my sewing room, making quilts for family and friends. We also like to go road tripping in our Jeep, visiting local beaches and hiking trails.

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received and why?

My friend and business mentor, my previous employer who retired always shared her knowledge and experience freely. I often ask myself when faced with a decision, “What would Shirley do!?”. I think the best piece of advice she shared with me was: “You will not be able to please all the people, all of the time … just do your best!”. Sometimes, I stress over being the best and forget that I am living my dream, and even though this is a business, it should still be fun and enjoyable.

What advice would you give to an aspiring Entrepreneur today?

Congratulations! You have a dream and a plan (do your business plan!), and I am so excited for you! My piece of advice for you is to remember to be flexible and creative in your business vision. I know from experience how easy it is to get tunnel vision with what we want our business to look like and how it will function. Still, challenges and hurdles creep up on us without warning, and sometimes flexibility and having the ability to pivot can be the difference between success and failure. Adjusting and redirecting the path of our business midstream to adapt to change, tweak processes that are not working well or welcoming new opportunities as they arise is not a failure but a sign of strength and success.

What’s in the future for your business?

The future is bright for Stache Fabric & Notions! Our plans have been on hold for the past year but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. At the end of the tunnel, we see Stache as the premier shop for creators to purchase fun, modern, high-quality fabric and supplies, to be inspired by samples and new inventory offered and learn new skills and techniques through classes and workshops.

In the fall of 2021, Stache will again be offering in-person classes and workshops in our bright and open workspace. We are planning quilting workshops for all skill levels and other sewing projects that are not quilt-related but still allow students and makers to create with fabric no matter their skill level. We encourage makers of all sorts to come and enjoy the happy, creative energy that lives within our walls.

We have learned so much from our experiences through the COVID pandemic and plan to keep some of what we thought were temporary measures to get us through. Continuing with website development, online virtual workshops and local porch delivery are just things we will keep as mementos from the past year.

Learn more about Stache Fabric & Notions

Tell us about yourself

I grew up in our family retail business in Middlesex County, which laid the foundation for a career in Communications. I studied Broadcasting at Mohawk College in Hamilton and enjoyed a progressive career in Radio Station Management for nearly 3 decades before launching Unfinished Business.

Proud partner to Kim, Dad to Emma, Ethan and Queco and Father-in-Law to Taylor. Family is what it is all about. Mom is nearby in Ingersoll, my sister and her family in Oakville and my in-laws are all on the BC Coast.

Tell us about your business

I began this journey in 2019, officially launching Unfinished Business in the Fall of 2019. My focus has been towards the projects the larger contractors do not typically take on: Repairs and Renovations including Flooring, Door installations, Painting, Decks, Porches, and exterior work.

Has your business been impacted by COVID-19?

Yes. My business has observed each stay-at-home order. Challenging to say the least, but seeing the impact of Covid in 2020, I have been diligent in developing new customers and projects for 2021. In fact, much of my summer is currently booked. 

I follow the protocols in place: Wearing a mask for all on site estimates and projects. I also social distance with customers.

What services have you utilized at the London Small Business Centre and how have they helped?

One of the 1st appointments I made when developing my business was to the London Small Business Centre to meet with Phil to map out my Business plan. Extremely helpful, I have found the London Small Business Centre to be a key partner in my business’ success.

I participated in the Scale Up Program, which I highly recommend for anyone considering a journey into the construction sector. The resources are invaluable for a start up.

What were some of the challenges you faced getting started and how did you overcome them?

With many new customers and various project types, time management and project management have been key to my success.

Quickly learning and accepting that you cannot do it all at once. It is important to recognize the challenges of starting up a business and the various levels of responsibility: developing business, accounting, expenses, marketing (keeping up on Social Media Marketing), providing timely, fair, and accurate estimates and so much more.

At the end of the day, a company has 1 goal: to serve the customer. When we focus on the customer, everything else falls into place. You can have great systems, marketing, supply lines etc., but without a solid customer base, you have no reason to have those great systems and tools.

As a busy entrepreneur, what do you like to do when you take a break?

We enjoy the outdoors and camping is high on our list. Spending time with family and friends and entertaining at home (when safe to do so) are highlights for us. Kim and I are both “foodies” and really enjoy the art of preparing a wonderful meal. A lifelong music lover, I have a vast Album and CD Collection and am working towards alphabetizing the collection.

If you could sit down with any business leader or industry expert, who would you choose and why?

Mike Holmes. No question. I have watched dozens and dozens of Mike’s shows and episodes. I love his no-nonsense approach to construction. Do it right, or not at all. Mike is a great ambassador for the trades.

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received and why?

I would call it “Best Life Advice”. A veteran Account Manager who worked for me in Radio once said “Ron, in life we have 3 priorities: Our Health, Out Family and Our Career. In that order”. I have always remembered this as someone who, at one time would not hesitate to work 70-80 hours in a week, at the expense of my health and family That’s not to suggest hard work isn’t part of this business, I’m just more cognizant of the work-life balance today than I was in my 20’s and 30’s.

What is in the future for your business?

Short term: to get to the other side of Covid, to return to the point where business disruptions are nil.

Long term: to expand my company with 3-4 crews serving London. One day I would love to see my brand expand into other cities. There is an extremely high demand for versatile tradespeople, and there are many skilled men and woman out there looking for these opportunities.

Learn more about Unfinished Business here.

Tell us about yourself

I am a mom of 3 and a wife. I went to Institut “Superieur de Controle de Gestion in Burundi” for Business Administration, and Fanshawe College’s ESL Program. Later, I enrolled in Crisis Intervention Program through Fanshawe Continuing Education. I was employed at former French-Canadian Association of Ontario (ACFO of London-Sarnia) as a coordinator of a program to help victims of war and hate crimes suffering from trauma. Then, I coordinated the Youth Entrepreneurship Program at ACFO of London-Sarnia.

Tell us about your business

London French Day Care Center has been operating since 2014. We are located at 1050 Kipps Lane. Our services are in French but we accept all children no matter the language they speak at home. We have two different age groups of toddlers (15 to 30 months) and pre-schoolers (31 to 60 months).

Since April 2021, London French Day Care expanded its services by creating a licensed Home Child Care Agency “LONDON FRENCH DAY CARE-HOME CHILD CARE AGENCY” which will be offering services in Southern of Ontario including London, St Thomas, Chatham-Kent, Windsor, Sarnia, Woodstock, Stratford, Kitchener, Hamilton & Niagara. This new Child Care Service offers flexible hours and more locations to families. Children will be learning in small groups in a family setting. It will allow us to offer services to more age groups, from 3 months to 13 years old. I believe this service will help us to serve more families.

Children who learn French will have more opportunities and a brighter future.

Has your business been impacted by COVID-19?

Our business was impacted with closure for a couple of months, more expenses and less revenue. We needed more staff to implement COVID-19 policies and reopened at half capacity due to physical distancing requirements. We needed more cleaning supplies, personal protection equipment (PPE) and new routines.

What services have you utilized at the London Small Business Centre and how have they helped?

London Small Business Centre has been very helpful for us as we have been participating in the different training sessions, including business plan writing, tax return, marketing, and a lot of other references.

What led you to start this business?

We decided to open up a Day Care Centre because of the lack of spots in French Day Care services. In fact, when I was working at ACFO of London-Sarnia, one of my tasks was to help New Comers to find a day care for their children; they had to apply and be on waiting list for months. It was hard for them because they had to go to school or to work, but this could happen only if they found a day care spot for their children. So, we opened up our day care center to help parents who need French Day Care Services.

What advice would you give to an aspiring Entrepreneur today?

Learn about the industry you are interested, commit to your idea and start! Get together with other entrepreneurs and learn from them.

What’s in the future for your business? 

Continue to look for opportunities to provide trustworthy licensed child care solutions to families where they are, when they need it.

Learn more about London French Day Care Center here.

Tell us about yourself

My name is Matthew Taker. I’m a Red Seal Journeyman Carpenter. I own and operate Caribou Building London Inc. I grew up in Northern British Columbia, the “Cariboo” region specifically. I have always been interested in building. After high school, I took a pre apprenticeship course. With that course, I was able to get a job as a labourer and eventually an apprentice, where my main focus was framing. From there, I got my Red Seal. Not long after my wife and I decided to relocate to London, her hometown. After a few years of working for a local contractor, I decided to venture out on my own.

Tell us about your business

Caribou Building has been operating since January 2019. We do residential renovations ranging from flooring and trim, all the way to total gut jobs, additions and out buildings.

It started as a sole proprietor business and quickly grew into the need to incorporate. I now have three employees.

Has your business been impacted by COVID-19?

Being a young business is difficult in a non-COVID-19 world but certainly COVID-19 has impacted our daily operations. We have needed to adapt to the requirements for safe job sites within COVID-19 context and need to closely monitor government guidance for small businesses. Material sourcing has likely been the biggest challenge overall. The pricing and availability of products has been volatile and this is forcing almost daily flexibility and creativity when it comes to sourcing what we need.

What services have you utilized at the London Small Business Centre and how have they helped?

I attended the “Nuts and Bolts” seminars, the accounting and bookkeeping seminars, and was able to be a part of the “Scale Up” program for trades. All were hugely helpful as they all provided business advice and information that I was looking for as a new small business entrepreneur.

What were some of the challenges you faced getting started and how did you overcome them?

Some of the biggest challenges I faced were around organization, time management and finances/accounting. There is a lot involved with running a small business; I did not fully appreciate this until I got started. The resources and mentorship through the Small Business Centre were extremely helpful. I do a lot of ongoing learning to help fill in some gaps for me – construction magazines, podcasts, and books. I also found a great accountant who has been extremely patient and has been an invaluable resource. My wife has also been helpful in developing procedures and processes that have helped to create more efficiencies in my work.

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

Plan your life into your business. This advice really resonated with me as sometimes the business becomes all encompassing. I am learning to plan what I want with my family and life into the business instead of the other way around.

What advice would you give to an aspiring Entrepreneur today?

Plan your life into your business, prepare as much as possible before the jump – become a student of it, and lastly make efficiencies for yourself.

Learn more about Caribou Building London Inc. here.

Tell us about yourself

I received a degree in Business Administration from the University of Regina. Specializing in Marketing with a minor in psychology. I moved to London in 2018, from Saskatchewan, with my wife Hong and our son Louie.

The majority of my career was in disaster restoration and abatement, specializing in fire, water, mold, asbestos, biohazard and odour (15 years).

Spent some time living in China, BC, Saskatchewan and Alberta to see how life and business is conducted. I spend a lot of time travelling when I can to different areas of the world.

Tell us about your business

We incorporated in 2018. We specialize in outbreak prevention and high-end disinfecting. I had realized there weren’t great options in Canada where third party companies could offer highly effective, high end disinfecting options to the provide market outside of health care. We decided to make these options affordable to any organization. 

We provide long last disinfecting solutions to organizations, mostly manufacturing and long-term care, that keep everyone in their facilities safer through traditional solutions on the market. We treat about 4 million square feet a month.

We now have 8 employees between London, Barrie and the GTA.

Has your business been impacted by COVID-19?

We have grown significantly. From 2 employees in January to 8 employees now. We have see 1000x growth in the last 9 months. We are one of the only companies that specialize in outbreak prevention disinfecting before the pandemic began. We have been able to help businesses keep their facilities continually disinfected during the pandemic.

It was definitely adapting so quickly. There were lots of 100+ work weeks with the longest being 158 hours one week.

Being a start up we didn’t have a lot of cash reserves but we spent our money wisely to obtain the right equipment and processes at the start of the pandemic. That help set the base for our organization to grow. 

I previously ran and owned a disaster restoration company so the immediate reaction and demand to a problem was something I was familiar with. I knew how to respond to it disaster even.

My previous experience growing companies helped when rapidly bringing on staff clients and business with All Clear Disinfecting.

What led you to start this business?

There was a need for outbreak prevention and high-end disinfecting solutions for long-term care and other traditional markets outside of healthcare that wasn’t being met.

Was there something that drew into entrepreneurship?

I had worked in crown corporations and government before and found that didn’t appeal to me. The idea of career growth only by years worked and only focusing on one simple task instead of all the aspects of business grew tiresome.

My concept is that if you are a high-level manager in a company you are required to bring in work and manage competently. If you don’t bring in work and perform then you are out of a job. It’s the same if your company doesn’t make money. So the risk is the same.

When you work for a company and receive a salary your potential is capped. Sometimes there are bonuses but it’s very rare for companies to follow through on their bonus commitments. If you own your own company, and you are confident in yourself, there is no cap on your potential growth and earnings. If you are an employee and the company explodes you don’t realize that success personally but you do if you are the owner of the company.

What were some of the challenges you face getting started and how did you overcome them?

The financial challenge was definitely there. Moving from businesses that made us a comfortable amount of income to no income in two years as a shift. However, we kept our expenses low, overhead as low as we could, did what we could in the house, then as finances permitted, outsourced some of the nonessential components.

Growing up on a farm I wasn’t scared of hard work, but 100+ hour days were definitely hard. I have a great wife who has the same vision as myself and give me support along the way. Without that support I don’t think we would have been as successful.

As a busy entrepreneur, what do you like to do when you take a break? 

We like to travel, hike and get out into nature with our son.
If you could sit down with any business leader or industry expert, who would you choose and why?

I would definitely like to sit down with Bill Gates. He has the ability to do anything he wants and has shifted from business to building ideas that will help the world for generations to come.

What is the #1 small book/blog/website you would recommend?

Good to Great by Jim Collins.

Can you tell us about an entrepreneur are you admire and why?

I really admire Elon musk. He grew ideas in very traditional and political industries and likely nobody else could. He is a visionary. His ambitions are limitless.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received and why?

Good is the enemy of great. If you are content with being good you will never become great.

What advice would you give to someone starting a small business today?

Be prepared to work hard. Keep your overhead low and don’t be greedy.

What’s in the future for your business?

Short term is to help as many businesses as we can during this outbreak. Long term, we will continue to focus on and develop a new market each year. There is a lot of potential and markets that aren’t being focused on and we will continue to exploit that potential moving forward.

Learn more about All Clear Disinfecting here.

Tell us about yourself

I was born in Guyana, South America. At age 4 I was adopted and brought to Canada where I benefited from the education system here. After high school I became a medical office assistant. The work was good and honest but I wasn’t happy. After getting married I moved to Exeter where I worked in a laboratory in a factory for 13 years. After the factory closed I went back to school again to become a pharmacy technician. Working as a pharmacy technician, I realized I was going to be much happier as “master of my own domain” than as an employee. Drawing on the London Small Business Centre for their expertise and support, I started my own cleaning business – BE Clean – 4 years ago.

Tell us about your business

In those 4 years, my business has evolved from a barely-making-it operation ($200/month) to an increasingly successful operation servicing Air BnB’s, residential properties, condo complexes, real estate cleaning and cottages. I have engaged the services of up to 8 subcontractors to help me keep up with the demand for BE Clean services. I am proud of my reputation – reviews from my clients and their clients are stellar – and have just completed a second round of finding and adding new subcontractors to my team.

Has your business been impacted by COVID-19?

COVID affected the amount of work I had been scheduling. We were only doing empty properties, which excluded residential since everyone was on lockdown. I felt it financially. Things seem to be opening up so I’m looking forward to getting back up to full capacity hours.

What led you to start this business?

I was dissatisfied with my role as an employee and struggling to take control of my life. Not being totally in control of outcomes and customer satisfaction was frustrating. The only solution seemed to be to take a chance on me. I would be in control of the product, the result, and my own future. Being my own boss and following a true passion to see client satisfaction at a superb result – a Belinda Earle clean – seemed the best path to follow. I knew that if I was happy with the result my clients would be too – and that has come true.

What were some of the challenges you faced getting started and how did you overcome them?

Money was always the issue. Start-up costs and income stream as a start-up took a while to develop; learning to schedule and plan on the fly as client requests changed; dealing with quality control as it became necessary to involve sub-contractors were all challenges. Most recently dealing with increasing requests for my services and the scheduling challenges as business volume increases are pressing. The RISE program offered by the London Small Business Centre was a key element in overcoming early financial challenges. The knowledge gained from courses and programs was invaluable as the “problems” caused by greater success were critical.

As a busy entrepreneur, what do you like to do when you take a break?

I treasure my time with my children. I recently returned to Guyana to visit siblings and meet family I didn’t know existed. But as an entrepreneur, my passion is my business and it is never far from my thoughts.

If you could sit down with any business leader or industry expert, who would you choose and why?

I’d enjoy sitting down and talking with a female CEO to listen to her experiences and the barriers she faced in pursuing her dreams.

What is the #1 small business book/blog/website you would recommend?

There is not a resource I have used, other than the SBC site, newsletters and resources

Is there anything currently happening in the London business community that excites you?

Other young entrepreneurs who are purchasing and developing properties, whether it be for rentals or Air BnB’s, and all of the connections they are developing that feed into my own business model of meeting the needs and demands of this field.

Can you tell us about an entrepreneur you admire and why?

Matt McKeever – a young local entrepreneur. He is on the forefront of connecting other investors both in Canada and the US with opportunities to invest and the services to make their investments successful. His drive, efficiency and presence on YouTube are inspiring and enabling to myself and many others. He helped me make the connections that have been so important to my success.

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received and why?

Believe in myself and ask for help. A lot of times individuals give up because of insecurity. One thing I have learned is that there is a lot of resources to help you get started, and keep you going once you do!

What advice would you give to someone starting a small business today?

Find your passion, surround yourself in it and make it work for you. But, above it all, don’t give up. Get the help from businesses like the Small Business Centre. They are here to help! Push through the hard times. Remember – no risk, no reward.

What’s in the future for your business? ​Long or short term goals

I would like to expand and have small teams in several cities. I would like to see my passion become a bigger enterprise expanding into landscaping and exterior upkeep. When BE Clean is called my teams would cater a whole property cleans. The future is bright!

Learn more about BE Clean here.

Tell us about yourself

Hello everyone. My name is Oscar Cherivi, I am from Venezuela, and I have been living in Canada for 3 years. I have a Bachelor´s degree in accountant specializing in sales and Taxes with a significant experience working with car keys.

When I was working for Hatillana locksmith, I was able to apply all the knowledge that I got at the university. I was responsible for examining and analyzing the sales invoicing, registering and paying the indirect taxes (GST) properly. Also, I was responsible of the operative levels inventory and operative costs margin (brake even) in order to keep the business working.

Working at Keys and Chip company Venezuela, I started to develop one application for smart phones and tablets whose final goals were sending quotations in only 5 seconds after the customer request, design a shipping system that guarantees deliveries in 24 hours or less and manage a virtual inventory system. As a result, I reduced the administrative costs by 12% and the customer satisfaction rates increased by 30%.

In 2019, I had the great opportunity to join the program at the Small Business Centre to learn everything about how to start my own business here in Canada.

Now I can say that my dreams have come true. I have a successful business that can also gives me the opportunity to spend more time with my wife and daughters (Bianca, Sara and Mia).

Tell us about your business

Today’s modern vehicle key fobs aren’t just a convenience to open doors or pre-start the vehicle on a cold winter day, they are the wireless security key to push button starts. When an electronic key fails, or if it is lost, the vehicle is inoperable. CarKeysGeeks.com is a professional car locksmith based in London ON. Our team has 12 years of experience, specialized in car key cutting and programming for any make and model of vehicle. We offer a mobile service that is very cost competitive to dealerships, and convenient! Our high-quality car keys are set at affordable prices. I had previous experience in key programming in Venezuela before immigrating to Canada. Since launching my business I’ve been able to gradually include my family in the business.

Has your business been impacted by COVID-19?

I launched my key programming business before Covid-19, but the business really took off when people who were in desperate need and unable to visit their local auto dealership, needed my help. With a quickly growing referral base of happy customers, my business continues to grow.

What led you to start this business?

Since arriving in Canada as a refugee three years ago I’ve taken temporary jobs, but the lack of stable employment meant that I still needed to turn to social assistance to make ends meet. Driven by the desire to control my own destiny I knew I wanted to start my own business. I visited the Small Business Centre and participated in the Ontario Works supported Self Employment Program where I learned how to operate a business in Canada, and made a plan.

What advice would you give to someone starting a small business today?

To succeed you need passion and vision, a good plan, and someplace to go to for help when needed. I tell everyone, especially other newcomers, to visit the Small Business Centre with their ideas.

What’s in the future for your business?

From now I am training a new locksmith who will be working in Windsor area. I also have set a new goal to expand my business into Manitoba and Calgary.

Learn more about CarKeysGeeks.com here.

Tell us about yourself

My name is Yerusalem Berhane, I left Asmara, Eritrea my home country in the summer of 1990. My sister and I lived in Milan, Italy for about a year before we moved to Toronto, Ontario to join our 3rd sister who has already been living in Toronto.

I completed my high school in Toronto, Ontario but when it came to choosing a post-secondary school, I moved to London (in 1994) with plans to attend Western University. Instead, I decided to start a family and my plans to study law were put on hold. Eventually, I found time to enroll at Fanshawe College where I took a diploma course in computer programming and web design. While studying I worked as a certified interpreter for Languages of Amharic and Tigrigna. I assisted in hospitals, provincial and federal court, and other private and public service providers.

After working as a computer programmer for several years, working as a freelance interpreter and my experience working in a settlement field for about 11 years, in 2017 I decided to go back to school and became licensed Immigration consultant. I started my own business in May 2017 which I have been enjoying assisting people with all their immigration needs. In March of 2020, I expanded my business by opening an additional office in Woodstock, Ontario.

Tell us about your business

I started my own company in May of 2017. I have been enjoying assisting individuals with all their immigration needs. And in March of 2020, I expanded my business by opening an additional location in Woodstock, Ontario.

Has your business been impacted by COVID-19?

Covid-19 has impacted my business especially the Woodstock location as I had just opened on March 1st, 2020. My plans of Networking with other businesses and marketing in Woodstock was put off. I had also planned to provide free seminars to International students and New immigrants which also had to be postponed. To adapt with the changes, I immediately started attending webinars through the Small Business Centre to learn more about social media marketing, learn about services available to help with coping and adapting with the impact of COVID-19.

What led you to start this business?

I have always been interested in studying immigration law and help individuals with all their immigration needs. I have held several jobs over the years as an interpreter, computer programmer and in a settlement field. However, my interest in Immigration Law has always stayed with me. After exploring my options, I decided to go back to school and earn immigration consultant diploma, and become a Licensed Immigration Consultant. I find my work rewarding and love helping individuals and families.

My unique occupation also allows me to navigate the complexities of immigration law, act as a proxy for those who need it, recommend the best course of action for an individual or family applying, and – in best case scenarios – welcome them to Canada.

Was there something that drew you into being an entrepreneur?

I have always wanted to run my own business. I knew it was not easy to do, so I waited until my children were all teens; which has freed some of my time to peruse my education in Immigration Law and start my own business.

What were some of the challenges you faced getting started and how did you overcome them?

Once I finished my school and become licensed, I needed to learn the technicalities of starting a business. I knew it wasn’t easy or something I can figure out on my own. So, I contact the Small Business Centre; and immediately booked an appointment to meet with a Business Advisor. I have learned so much, built my confidence and was able to overcome the obstacles of starting my business I have always wanted.

As a busy entrepreneur, what do you like to do when you take a break?

I like to read, go for a walk when the weather permits, travel and, most of all, spend time and relax with my family.

If you could sit down with any business leader or industry expert, who would you choose and why?

I would like to sit with an entrepreneur who has succeeded in business and learn from the person what their challenges were and how they have overcome it.

What is the #1 small business book/blog/website you would recommend?

• Profit first
• How to win friends and influence people
• The lean startup

Is there anything currently happening in the London business community that excites you?

During COVID-19, I have noticed that businesses have come together to support local businesses and learn from each other. I have also been able to be part of several entrepreneur networks which has been a great support. I am also excited to see the Canadian government has made very good announcements in the past few months in regards to shortening the processing time for spousal sponsorship, exemptions to the arrival of International students, visitors, and the parent & grandparent sponsorship to help families reunite.

Can you tell us about an entrepreneur you admire and why?

I have a great friend who has started his business from scratch and now has 8 full time employees. He is extremely dedicated business owner with amazing discipline and work ethics. I have learned so much from him and am encouraged everyday to keep going. I am also surrounded by my 3 beautiful children, family and friends who are a great pillar and encouragement.

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received and why?

• “Whatever you do – give it 100%” & “Don’t ever stop learning and growing as a person – keep reading”
• And my everyday advice to myself is “Be kind to people; treat people as you would like to be treated”.

What advice would you give to someone starting a small business today?

Never give up! Starting a small business is like a roller-coaster; it has ups and downs, but remember your vision for your business and keep going never give up!

What’s in the future for your business?

My short-term plan for my business is to provide if possible, give seminars in regards to immigration policies and changes, assist as many people as I can, and eventually grow my business by adding more offices in other cities of Ontario and overseas.

Learn more about Berhan Immigration & Settlement Services here.