When brown paper was plastered over the windows of small businesses in Scarborough, Andrea Bryan, the program coordinator for the Accelerator for Centennial Community for Entrepreneurs and Leaders (ACCEL) noticed a shift in the aesthetic and feel of her community.
“COVID-19 amplified the challenges local businesses have been facing socio-economically,” Andrea explained. “When some of the local stores and businesses closed temporarily, I noticed a change in the mood of my community.”
At Centennial College, supporting small businesses and maintaining a sense of community is not a new practice. Centennial’s commitment to support small businesses and help foster local entrepreneurs is accentuated through the ACCEL program.
The ACCEL program was implemented in 2015 to support entrepreneurial youth by providing them with the skills to help start or grow their own business. The free program has expanded to include a diverse population of entrepreneurs, and it supports them through the initial idea to its implementation. ACCEL specifically offers support to those who are marginalized and face significant barriers to employment. The program has helped support 500 small businesses, and over 10,000 individuals.
“We support a diverse population of entrepreneurs,” Andrea said. “We work through the whole spectrum and meet the entrepreneurs where they are. Even when our clients hit walls, whether that be the initial idea, the implementation, or marketing and sales, we come in and support them on accelerating.”
Apart from helping entrepreneurs, ACCEL spends time within the community to help businesses and non-profits accelerate. They have been able to support businesses in their transition online and provide skills where they were otherwise limited. Despite COVID-19 being a challenge, it hasn’t changed the underlying goal of their work.
“We’ve pivoted online,” Andrea explained. “Part of the challenge is that everyone is online, and students are fatigued. But we have seen an uptake in sector-specific workshops and excitement in our ‘Meet the Entrepreneur’ series.”
Richard Healy, an ACCEL business coach noticed how the shift online dismantled the boundaries of who they were able to reach.
“We’re able to reach students who are further away,” Richard said. “Entrepreneurs and business owners were attending our workshops and seminars from all over North America, South America and the U.K.”
In August, Centennial College’s president and CEO, Dr. Craig Stephenson encouraged the Centennial College community to join him in participating in the City of Toronto’s “Shop Local! Shop Safe! Shop with Confidence!” campaign. This initiative blossomed into what is now known as the #CCSupportsLocal campaign. The campaign highlighted some of Centennial’s own students and entrepreneurs from the ACCEL program.
Khree Fearman has been receiving ongoing mentorship from the ACCEL program, particularly over the last year. ACCEL supported and mentored Khree through the launch of her product photography business, ON WYT.
“ACCEL highlighted aspects of being an entrepreneur that I was oblivious to,” Khree explained. “Years ago, Michael, my business coach, made a light suggestion that I go into product photography.”
Khree didn’t realize how critical her business would become during a global pandemic. The shift online has allowed Khree to support small businesses by providing professional product photography for their online presence. Her small business has become a blessing to other small businesses.
Despite the challenge, Andrea noticed there is still enthusiasm and interest in building and developing a business. She believes the crisis has allowed people to re-evaluate and prioritize things they have been putting off for years. The ACCEL program is preparing students with the skills and tools to plan strategically for the appropriate time to launch their businesses.
“There are hidden, little opportunities during our situation right now for committed entrepreneurs that are going to allow them to be better prepared for when the market is ready,” Richard explained.
To avoid additional closure signage on the doors of small businesses, the support of the community is crucial. The ACCEL program has been relentlessly pushing campaigns and events to garner support for local small businesses and entrepreneurs.
“If you drive along the main retail street of wherever you live, you’ll notice brown paper in the windows,” Richard expressed. “We have an opportunity, if able, to support local businesses. We need them for the vibrance.”
To learn more about the local businesses and entrepreneurs ACCEL supports, or receive mentorship, coaching and advice, visit their website or Facebook page. and ACCEL on Facebook @ACCELCC.
By Sia Papadopoulos