Fleming College Students Earn Global Recognition Through International Business Competition

Three Fleming College teams were ranked within the top global 100 during the Glo-Bus international business competition in November.

Fleming College has more than 6,800 full-time and 10,000 part-time students and 80,000 alumni. Photo courtesy of Fleming college, Facebook.

The competition ran from Oct. 1 to Nov. 27, and the students competed against 2,076 teams from 108 colleges and universities from around the world. Students were tasked with running companies which compete for global market leadership in two product categories-high quality wearable cameras and sophisticated, camera-equipped copter drones.  

Teams had two practice rounds followed by seven weeks of competition over a period of nine weeks. Each round represented one business year. During the week’s final competition, three Fleming teams placed within the top 100.  

C Company, made up of Fleming College students Benjamin Allan Gomes, Fathimathzuhara Makkara Thazha Kuni, Yasir Mukhtar and Subhasis Samuel Xess were recognized as having the 57th-best Return on Average Equity for the week.  

Sri Subrahmanyam Ayyagari, Polash Karmokar and Jaya Surya Sangaraju Mohan, who made up Company A, were recognized for having the 75th Best Stock Price of the week.  

The co-managers of Company B, The Road Runners, made up of Fleming students Rohan Ashutosh Jokhakar, Priya Prem Kumar, Gagandeep Singh Tiwana and Navroz Vyas, were recognized for their overall Game-To-Date score, tying for the 97th spot.   

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The Avant-Garden Shop Celebrates 20 Years in Peterborough

The Avant-Garden Shop celebrates 20 years of business; opening its doors in Downtown Peterborough on Dec. 12, 2002.

Proud shop owner Brenda Ibey. Photo courtesy of The Avant-Garden Shop.

The shop opened on George Street on that date and remained there for three and a half years. As demand grew for bird seed and bird feeders, the owners decided on a location with easier parking, thus prompting their move to the current location at 165 Sherbrooke St.

Over the years, the shop’s sale items extended. From Canadian-made outdoor wall art, hand-tuned wind chimes, east coast and Ontario pewter, garden flags, locally made garden art, jewellery, coasters, candles, quality bird feeders, non-GMO bird seed, birding books, greeting cards and more.

Owner Brenda Ibey has had many successes through her shop; winning four Business Excellence awards including her most recent title of 2022 Business Woman of the Year. The store has also been awarded Best Wild Bird store by Wild Bird Trading who services similar businesses across the country in 2021.

“Truly an honour to be recognized as one of the best birding shops in Canada,” says Avant-Garden in a press release. “Brenda and her team are very appreciative of her wonderful customers over the last 20 years who have supported the business and have helped it to grow to become one of the best gift and birding shops in the area.”

As 2023 approaches, the shop says they plan to continue seeking out unique, Canadian-made items while building on their past successes.

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StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Wellman Clinic, Friend Lily Shop, TATS Treasures and Musicfest

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running StoosNews columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

Congratulations to everyone at The Wellman Clinic and Core Chiropractic. Ange Wellman is the new owner of Core Chiropractic, taking over the reins from Catherine Owens.

The merged clinics will operate out of 315 King St., with Cathy retiring early next year. Catherine Owens has spent more than 30 years as a local Chiropractor and leaves a legacy of service to both her clients and the local health care community. Ange Wellman brings a relatively new form of Chiropractic, known as gentle touch or torque release, covering family, prenatal and pediatric care.

Jim Riches of the Friend Lily Shop is introducing a new e-commerce platform that makes it easier for consumers to shop local and contribute to charities.

Adding to the existing FriendLilyShop.com, the design of the website is simple and straightforward, making it easy for users to search for their favourite local products and with 10 per cent of all proceeds going to charity, it’s a straightforward way to contribute, with no extra effort required from the consumer.

Tracey Garnett’s new business is called TATS Treasures.

Located at 69 George St. N., across from Crary Park, Tracey sells new, and slightly used clothing, collectibles, and repurposed goods, everything from auto parts to projector screens, blinds, drapery rods, plumbing parts, ceiling lights, clothing, pet products, and lots more. Garnett is accepting donations of used items in clean and good condition and she’ll be donating half of all sales from her used inventory to charity! Stop into 69 George St. or find TATS Treasures on Facebook.

If you are looking for a last-minute gift idea, the Peterborough Musicfest Diners Booklet is available.

For just $25, there are 56 Restaurants to choose from this year, each offering a “buy one regularly priced entrée, get the second one at half price” deal, and you can redeem the individual coupons anytime from January 1 to November 30 next year. All the proceeds go towards Musicfest. You can purchase your Diner’s Booklet at Lansdowne Place Customer Service Desk or Peterborough & The Kawarthas Tourism Visitor Centre.

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Hometown PTBO: Tiffany Arcari On Her Recent Career Change and Podcast, 'The Tiffany Show'

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with Tiffany Arcari about her new career change, her podcast ‘The Tiffany Show’ and her favourite Peterborough eats.

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Voice of Business: Comprehensive Strategy Needed For the Tourism Sector

The tourism industry in Ontario needs a comprehensive strategy that addresses workforce development, regulatory burdens, infrastructure deficits and regional disparities.

That’s the push from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) and the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario in their The State of the Ontario Tourism Industry Report released Dec. 13.

In November we addressed the executive summary that was released earlier, but the completed report takes a deep dive into the issues holding back the tourism sector and drives home the need for the government to create a thorough strategy for it.

Tourism is a vital sector in the provincial economy and is critical for economic recovery.

While domestic and inbound tourism improved in the second half of 2022, the industry is not expected to fully recover from the pandemic until 2025. With rising concerns over a looming recession, cost of living and spending habits, the sector requires a path forward that addresses the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 border closures, capacity restrictions and structural issues.

The report highlights some bleak findings, including that four in 10 tourism operators forecast profitability in 2024 and beyond, and that tourism businesses have accumulated soaring debt to remain financially viable during the pandemic.

While nature-based tourism is having more success compared to its urban counterpart, the rural aspect of it creates more issues with accessing labour. Many tourism employers are in beautiful wilderness areas where nearby housing options are largely waterfront and custom homes, both of which are a bit too pricey for many service sector workers. Attracting people from more suburban locations requires access to a car, which creates barriers in terms of travel time and expenses. With so many service sector businesses hiring closer to where the majority of people live, rural tourism employers need to attract workers who have a passion for the industry and working in the Kawarthas.

Access to a workforce with the skills, experience, and availability needed is one of the biggest challenges holding the tourism business back right now. Suggestions in the report include:

• Re-conceptualizing how people view tourism careers

• Optimizing work placement opportunities for post-secondary students

• Reforming immigration to retain international students and reliably attract international workers that meet the needs of the industry

• Consistently promoting job-ready skills in the high school curriculum

• Ensuring that decision-making is data-driven and specific to each locality and region

The report itself lays out a detailed analysis of barriers in the tourism sector with a tangible set of recommendations on each issue. It’s divided into four sections: economy, labour, infrastructure and the future of tourism in Ontario. The key issues and recommendations discussed speak to themes of labour gaps and instability, the uneven pace of economic recovery, red tape, the housing crisis, connectivity, transportation networks, investment attraction, destination development, economic growth, and sustainability.

The report concludes that in order for Ontario’s tourism industry to grow, attract investment, and remain resilient, we must address the economic, labour, and infrastructure barriers impeding the full potential of the industry.

The beauty of the Kawarthas and opportunities to explore it will continue to draw visitors to our region. Investing in a robust tourism sector with a clear and progressive strategy will help us make the most of what we have to offer, giving visitors a better experience and building stronger local communities.

Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

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Eight Small Local Businesses Awarded $5,000 Grants Through Starter Company Plus Program

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) has awarded $5,000 in micro-grants to local small businesses in the City of Peterborough and Peterborough County through the Government of Ontario’s Starter Company Plus program, announced Monday.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development.

12 small business entrepreneurs successfully completed the five-week Starter Company Plus online business training course offered through PKED’s Business Advisory Centre, and were awarded grants to support the growth of their business based on the strength of their plan and pitch.

The following businesses were each awarded a micro-grant:

• Jacquelyn Craft, The Neighbourhood Vintage, City of Peterborough

• Lisa Mace, ECO Cabin, Township of North Kawartha

• Ineke Turner, Turner & Pooch Dog Training, City of Peterborough

• Nathan Truax, Truax Leather Co., City of Peterborough

• Lisa Burkitt, Burkitt’s Gardening & Home Services, Township of Havelock- Belmont-Methuen

• Kate Griffin, Mental Wealth Counselling, Township of Otonabee South-Monaghan

• Jena Trimble, Zen Home and Cottage Cleaning Services, Township of Havelock- Belmont-Methuen

• Vanessa Bruce, Vanessa Bruce Virtual Services, City of Peterborough

Since the program’s launch in 2017 it has assisted over 215 local entrepreneurs and more than 174 small businesses, creating over 200 jobs in the local economy according to PKED.

“This intake of the Starter Company Plus program saw many new businesses that were referred from past participants. Now in its fifth year, the program has directly contributed to the growth and development of small businesses in Peterborough & the Kawarthas and has allowed us to support the largest cohort to date,” said Madeleine Hurrell, manager of PKED’s Business Advisory Centre. “In Peterborough and the Kawarthas, we are lucky to have thriving and growing small businesses. We have seen our communities rally around entrepreneurs and small businesses.”

For more information on the Business Advisory Centre, visit www.investptbo.ca/bac

StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Brant Basics, Samantha Ann & Co Home, Russs and Poco Burro

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running StoosNews columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

Jeff and David Cox and Susan Sharp, co-owners of Brant Basics are revealing their newly renovated showroom this week.

The new furniture showroom will showcase a range of furniture solutions for today’s leaders, teams and hybrid workspaces, and the partners promise a fundamentally different approach to workspaces that will entice employees back to the office, increase productivity, reconnect with their company and benefit from team collaboration. Brant Basics celebrates its 58th year in business this year, employing 20 people at their downtown Peterborough location, 296 George St.

Samantha Belsey started out making wooden signs from old pallets in her father’s workshop.

Belsey has just opened her own storefront in a renovating a building on her parents’ property. Called Samantha Ann & Co Home, Belsey is focused on home, wedding and print products, with about 25 per cent of the products hand-made by Samantha herself. Samantha is also a wedding coordinator specializing in day of logistics. Located at 2440 North, on the 5th Line of Asphodel, you’ll find seasonal furnishings, home decorations, carefully crafted signs, stationery and calligraphy artwork. The store is open Friday and Saturday until Christmas, and you can also find Samantha Anne & Co Home on Etsy.

Russs is a new restaurant in the Brookdale Plaza.

Owners Amandeep Kaur and her brother Jatinder Singh Chahal specialize in juices, shakes and smoothies, offering more than 100 varieties, as well as salads, sandwiches and desserts. Located in the former Magicuts space, near the Highland Road entrance to Brookdale Plaza, which is at 875 Chemong Rd., Russs is open seven days a week, offering dine-in, takeout and catering services.

The husband-and-wife team of Minal Burdrani and Sunny Dalia recently opened Poco Burro Mexican Grill in downtown Peterborough.

Located at 343 George St., the couple serve burritos, quesadillas and tacos with nine proteins and vegetarian/vegan options, everything from pulled pork, caramelized onion shrimp, Baja fish, chipotle tofu, their signature spicy chicken, as well as chips, soups and dessert. Open seven days a week.

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Hometown PTBO: Pat Crough on Purchasing and Running the Corner Café and Retiring

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks Pat Crough, Corner Café owner about getting into the food industry, cooking history, purchasing and running Corner Café and his retirement.

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Voice of Business: Addressing Our Broken Links

Businesses that adopt technology tend to be more productive, competitive, and resilient.

Many businesses have invested considerable time and money into new technology in recent years through necessity and rapidly changing consumer habits however small businesses are struggling to keep up with larger businesses in the digital world. This is especially true for rural and traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. Larger, urban businesses have more access to the resources, skills, and bandwidth they need.

Claudia Dessanti, Senior Manager of Policy at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) took the time to thoroughly research the subject with a new report titled Broken Links: Driving Technology Adoption within Ontario’s Small Businesses.

The right tools can help businesses improve productivity, improve customer engagement, reach new markets, and grow. In a time when many employers are having to make due with less-than-ideal staffing levels, technology can improve efficiency and allow them to make do with less.

Examples of digital technologies commonly used by small businesses include:

• E-commerce websites/platforms

• Digital payments systems

• Cloud computing services

• Search engine optimization

• Project management software

• Inventory management software

• Digital collaboration tools

When surveyed by the OCC, small businesses across Ontario identified three main barriers to digital adoption:

• Capital costs required - 51 per cent

• Access to technically skilled workers - 42 per cent

• Broadband connectivity - 35 per cent

The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce has been pushing to reduce these barriers over the years. We are currently running the local Digital Main Street program which includes free access to local experts on our Digital Service Squad. They are available to help businesses work through their digital challenges and create plans to help get where they want to be. They are also able to help businesses apply for grants, including the Digital Transformation Grant and Canada Digital Adoption Program. For more details on this, reach out to Clarance D’Silva at clarance@acorn30.com.

In her report, Dessanti lays out nine key recommendations:

Access to Resources:

• Broaden eligibility for technology adoption programs to include non-profit organizations.

• Make it easier for small businesses to access digitization supports.

• Improve access to private capital and credit for small businesses.

Access to Skills

• Develop and scale successful digital training programs for small business owners and employees.

• Build more inclusive digital training programs.

• Expand work-integrated learning programs and incentivize smaller employers to participate in them.

Broadband

• Continue to prioritize and accelerate the rollout of broadband across Ontario.

• Address inefficiencies and barriers to private sector broadband investments.

• Explore “dig once” strategies, future-proofing of digital infrastructure, and opportunities for better data sharing around broadband gaps.

Progress is being made on the broadband portfolio. We recently hosted federal Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings for an announcement of $56 million in funding toward local broadband internet projects. The announcement is part of a plan to provide proper high-speed internet to everyone in Ontario by the end of 2025.

We have also been active with other chambers and the OCC on issues like “dig once” policies, digital training programs, and funding.

As a Chamber, we will keep advocating for supports for business to invest in technology, developing a local workforce with the technology skills we need, and increasing internet access

Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

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StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Katherine's Flower Shop, PTBO Chamber and Shop Local

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running StoosNews columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

Katherine’s Flower Shop recently opened in Bridgenorth.

Located at 889 Ward St., owner Kate offers a full-service shop with bouquets readily available for every occasion. Wedding arrangements can be customized or ready-made to suit all your needs. Specially trained, Kate can handle any occasion and you can check out her work in her online gallery at katherineflowershop.ca.

The Chamber of Commerce Holiday Gift Guide has lots of great local gift ideas for you, from gift cards to tech, to food, to cool experiences, check it out at lovelocalholidays.ca.

The Chamber is also partnering with Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development, Community Futures Peterborough, the DBIA and the Innovation Cluster to present the Ugly Sweater Holiday Party tomorrow evening (Dec. 6) at The Social Pub. There will be live music, snacks, games, awesome door prizes and of course, some ugly sweaters. Food, Fun, and Familiar faces from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at The Social Pub 295 George St. N. in Downtown Peterborough. Masks are welcome.

As we head into the month of December, here is a shoutout to the many local businesses, charities and not-for-profit organizations who continue to climb out of nearly three years of incredible challenges.

The pandemic has affected us all but we still have the opportunity to make choices, and wherever we can, we should be choosing local. Make sure that your Christmas gift list includes local businesses. Make sure that your entertainment budget includes special events like Market Hall’s In From The Cold, an amazing fundraiser for the YES Shelter this Friday and Saturday (Dec. 9 & 10). Make sure that your holiday spirit includes a donation to a local charity. Peterborough City and County is a strong community, based on strong traditions.

As times change, as we emerge from one of the greatest challenges, we as a society have ever met, let’s make sure we know who we are buying from and who we are giving to…

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