Greeter Barb Homes introduced and welcomed:

 

Tracey McGrath warmly introduced Kristel Manes as a special friend, an awesome human being, a dedicated and loyal business professional, mother of two girls, community builder, founder of the Rhyze Project, former director of Innovation Guelph, and since April this year, the Executive Director of the Guelph-Wellington Business Centre. 

 

Kristel’s talk was titled “20 years helping entrepreneurs start and grow”, which summarizes the Business Centre Guelph-Wellington in a nutshell. They are going to have many different events over the next year to celebrate and highlight the Business Centre, one of Guelph’s best-kept secrets.

 

Exciting news is that the Business Centre has taken over the former Guelph Mercury building on Macdonnell Street and offers a board room to rent, desks to come and work at, etc.

 

Introducing herself, Kristel says she has been an entrepreneur since she was born. Her ventures included having a Nancy Drew-style Detective Agency when she was 14 (with suitable business cards, too!), running a coffee store, pizza store and many other business ventures, becoming what she thought was a jack of all trades and master of none, until she realized how much she had learned about all aspects of running a small business, from marketing to operations and everything else. When she realized her strengths, and how much she loved and excelled at helping others develop their business aspirations, everything fell into place for her when she joined the Business Centre as an advisor and facilitator about 12 years ago.  She worked there for six years before being enticed to help set up Innovation Guelph where she stayed for the next six years, which including starting the Rhyze Project to support women entrepreneurs. About six months ago, with staff changes happening at the Business Centre, she was invited to come back in the role of Executive Director. She accepted this new role with the proviso that she could still keep her hand in at the Innovation Centre and the Rhyze Project, to build further synergies.  In fact, she sees all of them working in harmony to cover the entire entrepreneurial landscape.

 

Kristel outlined how the Business Centre helps entrepreneurs with the start up of a new business, where to get services, funding and professional services. And when businesses are already running but want to scale up, Innovation Guelph is there to help them grow.  By way of an example, Kristel referred to the well-known cupcakery in Guelph, Sweet Temptations. Owner Jakki Prince started her business with initial help and advice from the Business Centre.  When she wanted to grow, Innovation Guelph helped in her decision to add her (now famous) mobile Sprinkle Truck to sell products at events.

 

Some newer developments at the Business Centre include opening a fulltime office in Fergus, a summer program for Youth Entrepreneurs with grants to initiate their business ideas, health and wellness planning for entrepreneurs, a senior’s program to tap their experience as valued mentors, a partnership with Immigration Services to help new Canadians start businesses here, some new developments coming with the City of Guelph, and more.

 

With the Business Centre celebrating its 20^th anniversary, Kristel simply says “Stay tuned!”  With Kristel at the helm, we have no doubt that even more innovations are coming to the Business Centre.

 

Chris Willard thanked Kristel for her excellent overview, and her role in helping small businesses to start and grow in Guelph.