Small Business Enterprise Centre

Build a Stronger Brand with Strategic Imagery
2026-04-21 09:30 - 12:00 (America/Toronto)
Develop visual literacy, understand commercial photography, and make smarter creative decisions for your business.

Think like a commercial photographer to create stronger images now and build the foundation for working with creative professionals as your business grows.
Great branding photography is about more than taking pretty images—it’s about communicating value, building trust, and supporting how your business shows up in the market. This workshop is designed to help small business owners become more visually literate, gaining a clear understanding of what makes a strong commercial image and how strategic photography supports brand growth.
Participants will learn how professional images are planned and used across marketing platforms, along with foundational concepts like composition, lighting, styling, and visual consistency. The workshop will also introduce what it looks like to work with professional creatives, including understanding commercial photography, image licensing, and how to hire and collaborate effectively.
While the focus is on understanding and strategy, attendees will also leave with simple, practical tips to help improve their own photography in the early stages of their business—along with a clearer roadmap for elevating their visual presence over time.
When: Tuesday April 21, 2026 | 9:30 – 12pm
Where: In-Person – Collingwood Public Library
Tickets: https://build-a-stronger-brand-with-strategic-imagery.eventbrite.ca
AGENDA:
Part 1: Photography Literacy for Your Business

Why photography matters for your brand
What makes a strong commercial image
Practical tips to improve your photos now
Thinking ahead: building a visual foundation for your business

Part 2: Working With Creative Professionals

Commercial vs Consumer Photography
Understanding image copyright, licensing and usage
What working with a professional actually looks like
Hiring and Collaborating with the right creative
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About Heather Goldsworthy, Commercial Photographer & Art Director
Heather is a commercial photographer and art director with over 20 years of experience helping businesses create clear, compelling brand imagery. She has worked across food and beverage, product, architectural interiors, and corporate branding, collaborating with agencies, designers, and independent business owners. Heather’s approach blends practical strategy with thoughtful execution to help businesses create visuals that support long-term brand growth.

Foodpreneur Advantage - How to Sell Your Food Product
2026-04-23 10:00 - 11:00
This session is for you if you want to learn how to sell your food product at markets, online, or to retailers.
In this free 60-minute online seminar learn about:

How to set your pricing for success
Positioning your product on the market
Building an audience of raving fans
The key things you can do to secure the sale

You have worked hard to develop a great product but you’re struggling to make sales. What gives?
Successfully selling your product involves more than just having great tasting food. Pricing, marketing, and how you position your product all play a key role in ensuring that people will buy it.
In this session, we will be joined by Nicole Haney, former Founder & CEO of Boho Bars, a national energy bar company. Nicole will guide us through the key factors to consider in successfully selling your product, whether you’re selling at markets, online, or to retailers.
You will leave with a better understanding of how to successfully sell your product in the food and beverage industry!
Next Session: Thursday, April 23rd, 2026 at 10:00 am (This session is offered 4 times per year.)
Duration: 1 hour

Foodpreneur Advantage - Costing and Pricing to Make Profits
2026-04-30 10:00 - 11:00
This session is for you if you want to know how to price your food or beverage product appropriately.
In this free 60-minute online seminar learn about:

Understanding your COGS
Cash Flow Management
Planning for Profits

If you want to run a successful business it’s important for you to know the ‘numbers’. Learn how to cost and price your products and services for profitability and how the decisions you make about your operations and production processes affect your bottom line. Understand how to budget and spend money so you can pay all your bills and still have money left in your pocket at the end of the year.
Each participant will receive an Excel Financial Forecasting spreadsheet (blank) and completed examples for both a product and service business to assist you through the process. Use the spreadsheet to develop your individual timeline, operating and capital costs, and pricing calculator to create a cashflow projection and income statement for your business.
You will leave with a better understanding of how to properly cost and price your product to make a profit in the food and beverage industry!
Next Session: Thursday, April 30th, 2026, at 10:00 am (This session is offered 4 times per year.)
Duration: 1 hour

Foodpreneur Advantage - Marketing and Branding Your Food Product
2026-05-14 10:00 - 11:00
This session is for you if you have a food or beverage product that needs the perfect brand to suit the right market.
In this free 60-minute online seminar learn about:

Why YOU are your brand as a new food or beverage business
What to consider when creating a visual identity for your company
What does marketing in 2026 look like?

Amanda DeVries of Eye Candy Design specializes in branding food and beverage companies. In this webinar, Amanda will share her expert insight, from how to create your brand, how to retain and grow your brand to what sort of colours and typography styles are right for your product. You will learn the difference between designing for store shelves vs. food markets vs. digital spaces. She will also cover tips for working with a graphic designer and determining exactly who your product is for. As Amanda advises, “if your product is for everyone, then you are selling to no one”. Know your target market.
You will leave with a better understanding of how to brand and market your product in the food and beverage industry!
Next Session: Thursday, May 14th, 2026, at 10:00 am (This session is offered 4 times per year.)
Duration: 1 hour

Foodpreneur Advantage - Food Safety Fundamentals for Start-ups
2026-05-21 10:00 - 11:00
This session is for you if you are starting a food business and want to make sure you are producing safe products right from the start.
In this free 60-minute online seminar learn about:

Basic Food Safety Principles Every Business Must Know
Practical Food Safety Practices for Production
Common mistakes to avoid when starting your food business

When you’re launching a food product, understanding food safety is essential not only for protecting your customers, but also for meeting regulatory expectations and building retailer trust. In this session, Lisa Cove, Food Safety Consultant and Founder of Shelf Ready Inc., will walk you through simple, actionable steps you can take to build food safety into your business from the very beginning—without getting overwhelmed by regulations.
You’ll leave with a clear understanding of basic food safety expectations, practical steps you can implement immediately, and the confidence to move your food business forward safely!
Next Session: Thursday, May 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am (This session is offered 4 times per year.)
Duration: 1hour

Social Enterprise Journey - Understanding the System (3-part series)
2026-05-22 09:00 - 12:00
The Social Enterprise Journey is a three-part leadership experience designed for business owners, founders, and leaders who want to strengthen both the impact and sustainability of their work through revenue-generating ventures that also strengthen their communities.
Across Ontario, more leaders are asking:
How do we build businesses that are financially strong and meaningfully contribute to our communities?
This series brings together practical tools, strategic frameworks, and facilitated peer dialogue to help you step back, think clearly, and move forward with intention.
Led by Jessica Flynn (Social Innovation Fellow, Georgian College) and supported by Georgian’s mobile Community Impact Lab, this is not a typical workshop—it’s a guided strategic journey.
SESSION 1 INFORMATION: Understanding the System
Every meaningful change effort begins with understanding the system we are working within. In this session, participants explore the deeper causes of the challenges they want to address and identify the key actors shaping the system. Arrive from 9:00 AM for coffee and light networking; session begins at 9:30.
SESSION 2 INFORMATION: Designing Your Impact Strategy
This expanded session explores how changemakers translate vision into strategy. We begin at Simcoe Street Theatre with a screening of Uncharitable — a film that challenges everything we think we know about how communities fund change. We then walk to the library for a working lunch and Theory of Change workshop. Arrive from 9:00 AM; film runs approx. 9:45–11:30 AM; Theory of Change begins 12:30 PM.
SESSION 3 INFORMATION: Activating Your Plan
In the final gathering, participants return with fresh perspective to refine their strategic direction. We review and strengthen each person’s Theory of Change, explore the Flourishing Business Model framework for sustainable impact, and identify priorities and partnerships for the year ahead. You’ll leave with a clear strategic roadmap for 2027 and beyond. Arrive from 9:00 AM for coffee and networking; session begins at 9:30.
Learn more about this 3-part series: https://www.thejessicaflynn.com/store/p/the-social-enterprise-journey-2026-cohort-equipping-a-network-of-changemakers-349hst

Tourism Mini Conference
2026-05-27 08:30 - 12:30
Join us in-person on May 27th for an incredible half day mini-conference tailored for tourism businesses in Grey Bruce Simcoe. Hosted in the barn at Duntroon Highlands, the conference offers a focused morning of learning, discussion, and networking in a relaxed and inspiring setting. Hear from industry experts, take part in panel discussions, and connect with peers who are navigating similar opportunities and challenges in tourism.
You’ll gain insights on:

Navigating chaos and change with confidence
Building workplaces worthy of the people and the work
How nature and wellness are creating meaningful tourism opportunities
How peer to peer connections can spark ideas and channel inspiration

Where: Duntroon Highlands Resort Barn – 1226 Concession 10 N Nottawasaga Rd, Duntroon
Please note: The Barn is unheated. Please dress for the weather.
When: May 27, 2026 | Registration opens at 8:30 – Conference 9am – 12:30pm
Investment: $20 – morning refreshments included
Get tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/2026-tourism-mini-conference-tickets-1987611871613?aff=oddtdtcreator
This event is geared toward tourism businesses, entrepreneurs, and economic development and community partners but open to anyone who is interested in attending!
Presented in collaboration with Community Futures South Georgian Bay.
Thank you to our sponsors: RTO7, the Town of Collingwood, the Town of The Blue Mountains, the Township of Clearview, Simcoe County, and Grey County.

Foodpreneur Advantage - Labelling and Packaging Your Food Product
2026-05-28 10:00 - 11:00
This session is for you if you have a food or beverage product that needs an accurate and compliant label.
In this free 60-minute online seminar learn about:

Packaging Considerations
Labelling Requirements
Mistakes to Avoid

Packaging and labelling your food product is where marketing meets regulatory compliance and food safety. You know you want your product to look great on a store shelf, but what are you required to put on the label? How do you choose the right package for your product? For this session, we will be joined by Nicole Haney, former Founder & CEO of Boho Bars. Nicole will guide us through what to consider when choosing a package for your food product, what to include on your label, and what mistakes to avoid when packaging your food product.
You will leave with a better understanding of labelling & packaging in the food and beverage industry!
Next Session: Thursday, May 28th, 2026, at 10:00 am (This session is offered 4 times per year.)
Duration: 1 hour

The Good, the Bad, and the Bot - AI Privacy, Governance, and Practical Use
2026-06-04 09:30 - 12:00
Discover practical prompting techniques to get better results from AI tools, what AI’s good at, and where to be careful when using it.

Curious about AI but not sure how to use it in a business context? In this interactive workshop covering essential AI concepts, you’ll learn what AI actually is, how it “knows” what it knows, and why it gets things wrong.
This workshop also covers training bias, privacy considerations, Zivo’s “SAFE” framework for protecting private data, managing risk, and why governance matters. By the end of the workshop you’ll know how to use AI safely and effectively in a business context.
Location: Community Futures South Georgian Bay – 22 Market Street, Collingwood – 9:30am – 12pm
Light refreshments included.
Tickets: https://the-good-the-bad-and-the-bot-practical-ai-use.eventbrite.ca
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About Dr. Ainslie Harris, Founder of Zivo
Dr. Ainslie Harris is the founder of Zivo, an AI literacy company that prepares non-technical individuals, organizations, and public institutions to use AI safely, efficiently, and productively.
With over 20 years of international leadership experience across technology, media, and management consulting, Ainslie’s known for translating complex concepts into accessible knowledge that can be immediately put to use.

Founder Workshop: Customer Discovery - Understanding your Market
2026-06-04 13:30 - 16:30
Learn how to create a detailed customer avatar and practice effective engagement techniques to uncover genuine customer needs.

Identifying your target customer is one of the foundations of building a successful business. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to create a detailed customer avatar and practice effective engagement techniques to uncover genuine customer needs. Through case studies, we will explore different customer segments and motivations, gaining tools to validate your assumptions and extract meaningful insights.
Participants will be equipped to confidently identify, categorize, and prioritize both existing and potential customer segments, supporting business strategies that are focused and aligned with real market opportunities.
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We want this event to be accessible to everyone. If cost is a barrier, please email us at sbec@collingwood.ca
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The Founder Workshop series is in collaboration with the Town of the Blue Mountains with support from community partners, Town of Blue Mountains Chamber of Commerce, Thornbury BIA, Clarksburg Village Association, and Blue Mountain Village Association.

Founder Workshop: Value Proposition – The Basis to Your Communication
2026-06-11 13:30 - 16:30
Craft a clear, compelling value proposition that shows customers why your product matters and what sets it apart.

Learn how to clearly explain why your idea matters and why customers should care. In this workshop, you’ll begin building a vital tool that sparks interest and engages potential customers with your product or service.
By exploring what your product does, the problems it solves, and how people currently address those needs, you’ll learn how to articulate the value your product brings to your target customer. Through this process, you’ll gain practical tools to craft clear, compelling messages that resonate with your audience and help set your business apart.
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We want this event to be accessible to everyone. If cost is a barrier, please email us at sbec@collingwood.ca
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The Founder Workshop series is in collaboration with the Town of the Blue Mountain with support from community partners, Town of Blue Mountains Chamber of Commerce, Thornbury BIA, Clarksburg Village Association, and Blue Mountain Village Association.

Founder Workshop: Modeling Your Ideas With Business Model Canvas
2026-06-18 13:30 - 16:30
Learn how to use the Business Model Canvas to map, visualize, and communicate the key elements of your business idea.

Founder Workshop: Modeling Your Ideas With Business Model Canvas
The Business Model Canvas is a one-page map of your business idea. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to bring together the key elements of your business, including your customers, value proposition, revenue streams, and strategic partners. This is your opportunity to master a powerful tool that helps you design, visualize, and communicate your business on a single page.
We want this event to be accessible to everyone. If cost is a barrier, please email us at sbec@collingwood.ca
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The Founder Workshop series is in collaboration with the Town of the Blue Mountains with support from community partners, Town of Blue Mountains Chamber of Commerce, Thornbury BIA, Clarksburg Village Association, and Blue Mountain Village Association.

Foodpreneur Advantage - Starting a Food Business & Regulatory Compliance
2026-08-20 10:00 - 11:00 | online
This session is for you if you are in the early stages of development and are looking to gain knowledge in the food and beverage industry.
In this free 60-minute online seminar learn about:

Creating a Business Model
Doing your Market Research
Analyzing the Competition
What is Your Value Proposition?

Do you have an idea for a food business? Want to learn more before you venture into food production? Do you have a delicious recipe you wish to cook up into a money-making business?
Make sure you are complying with applicable codes and regulations.

Fire Code Compliance & Building Permits
Zoning Requirements, Municipal Bylaws & Licensing
Food Safety Requirements

Be sure to attend this valuable workshop on “Starting a Food Business”.
You will leave with a better understanding of how to get started on your path to success in the food and beverage industry! This webinar will assist you in navigating the permits and legislation requirements for a food and beverage business. You will leave with a better understanding of how to navigate the regulatory compliance in the food and beverage industry!
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights that will help you avoid costly mistakes!
Next Session: Thursday, August 20th, 2026 at 10:00 am (This session is offered 4 times per year.)
Duration: 1 hour
Register: https://creatorapp.zohopublic.com/dproudfoot1/registration-form/form-perma/Registration_Form/yqHtnaFANbM8kGfDjkYPHBm3xBaQYwk22Fkxaty1fMBmR7OKagSvN8e9tK7wpByrQPnZ0MR6w5XxB6JMmjJ4fVn4SAzNtb7vjSd5?Seminar_Id=4206752000150682018

Foodpreneur Advantage - How to Sell Your Food Product
2026-08-27 10:00 - 11:00 | online
This session is for you if you want to learn how to sell your food product at markets, online, or to retailers.
In this free 60-minute online seminar learn about:

How to set your pricing for success
Positioning your product on the market
Building an audience of raving fans
The key things you can do to secure the sale

You have worked hard to develop a great product but you’re struggling to make sales. What gives?
Successfully selling your product involves more than just having great tasting food. Pricing, marketing, and how you position your product all play a key role in ensuring that people will buy it.
In this session, we will be joined by Nicole Haney, former Founder & CEO of Boho Bars, a national energy bar company. Nicole will guide us through the key factors to consider in successfully selling your product, whether you’re selling at markets, online, or to retailers.
You will leave with a better understanding of how to successfully sell your product in the food and beverage industry!
Next Session: Thursday, August 27th, 2026 at 10:00 am (This session is offered 4 times per year.)
Duration: 1 hour
Register: https://creatorapp.zohopublic.com/dproudfoot1/registration-form/form-perma/Registration_Form/yqHtnaFANbM8kGfDjkYPHBm3xBaQYwk22Fkxaty1fMBmR7OKagSvN8e9tK7wpByrQPnZ0MR6w5XxB6JMmjJ4fVn4SAzNtb7vjSd5?Seminar_Id=4206752000151147051

Foodpreneur Advantage - Costing and Pricing to Make Profits
2026-09-03 10:00 - 11:00 | online
This session is for you if you want to know how to price your food or beverage product appropriately.
In this free 60-minute online seminar learn about:

Understanding your COGS
Cash Flow Management
Planning for Profits

If you want to run a successful business it’s important for you to know the ‘numbers’. Learn how to cost and price your products and services for profitability and how the decisions you make about your operations and production processes affect your bottom line. Understand how to budget and spend money so you can pay all your bills and still have money left in your pocket at the end of the year.
Each participant will receive an Excel Financial Forecasting spreadsheet (blank) and completed examples for both a product and service business to assist you through the process. Use the spreadsheet to develop your individual timeline, operating and capital costs, and pricing calculator to create a cashflow projection and income statement for your business.
You will leave with a better understanding of how to properly cost and price your product to make a profit in the food and beverage industry!
Next Session: Thursday, September 3rd, 2026, at 10:00 am (This session is offered 4 times per year.)
Duration: 1 hour
Register: https://creatorapp.zohopublic.com/dproudfoot1/registration-form/form-perma/Registration_Form/yqHtnaFANbM8kGfDjkYPHBm3xBaQYwk22Fkxaty1fMBmR7OKagSvN8e9tK7wpByrQPnZ0MR6w5XxB6JMmjJ4fVn4SAzNtb7vjSd5?Seminar_Id=4206752000151641001

Foodpreneur Advantage - Marketing and Branding Your Food Product
2026-09-10 10:00 - 11:00 | online
This session is for you if you have a food or beverage product that needs the perfect brand to suit the right market.
In this free 60-minute online seminar learn about:

Why YOU are your brand as a new food or beverage business
What to consider when creating a visual identity for your company
What does marketing in 2026 look like?

Amanda DeVries of Eye Candy Design specializes in branding food and beverage companies. In this webinar, Amanda will share her expert insight, from how to create your brand, how to retain and grow your brand to what sort of colours and typography styles are right for your product. You will learn the difference between designing for store shelves vs. food markets vs. digital spaces. She will also cover tips for working with a graphic designer and determining exactly who your product is for. As Amanda advises, “if your product is for everyone, then you are selling to no one”. Know your target market.
You will leave with a better understanding of how to brand and market your product in the food and beverage industry!
Next Session: Thursday, September 10th, 2026, at 10:00 am (This session is offered 4 times per year.)
Duration: 1 hour
Register:

Foodpreneur Advantage - Food Safety Fundamentals for Startups
2026-09-17 10:00 - 11:00
This session is for you if you are starting a food business and want to make sure you are producing safe products right from the start.
In this free 60-minute online seminar learn about:

Basic Food Safety Principles Every Business Must Know
Practical Food Safety Practices for Production
Common mistakes to avoid when starting your food business

When you’re launching a food product, understanding food safety is essential not only for protecting your customers, but also for meeting regulatory expectations and building retailer trust. In this session, Lisa Cove, Food Safety Consultant and Founder of Shelf Ready Inc., will walk you through simple, actionable steps you can take to build food safety into your business from the very beginning—without getting overwhelmed by regulations.
You’ll leave with a clear understanding of basic food safety expectations, practical steps you can implement immediately, and the confidence to move your food business forward safely!
Next Session: Thursday, September 17th, 2026 at 10:00 am (This session is offered 4 times per year.)
Duration: 1hour
Registration:

Foodpreneur Advantage - Labelling and Packaging Your Food Product
2026-09-24 10:00 - 11:00
This session is for you if you have a food or beverage product that needs an accurate and compliant label.
In this free 60-minute online seminar learn about:

Packaging Considerations
Labelling Requirements
Mistakes to Avoid

Packaging and labelling your food product is where marketing meets regulatory compliance and food safety. You know you want your product to look great on a store shelf, but what are you required to put on the label? How do you choose the right package for your product? For this session, we will be joined by Nicole Haney, former Founder & CEO of Boho Bars. Nicole will guide us through what to consider when choosing a package for your food product, what to include on your label, and what mistakes to avoid when packaging your food product.
You will leave with a better understanding of labelling & packaging in the food and beverage industry!
Next Session: Thursday, September 24th, 2026, at 10:00 am (This session is offered 4 times per year.)
Duration: 1 hour
Registration:
