Small Business Enterprise Centre

Founder Workshop: Modeling Your Ideas With Business Model Canvas
2026-06-18 13:30 - 16:30 (America/Toronto)
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:
