‘It shows you just how much support is out there’

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Published on Friday, September 23, 2016

Inspire Studio was last year’s What’s the Big Idea grand prize winner.  The studio’s retail area showcases the variety of art produced by area artists and available for purchase. (submited photo)

By Tony Eu
Neepawa Banner

With the second annual ‘What’s The Big Idea?’ event coming up, it’s the perfect time to check in with the winners from last year’s event and see where they are now.

In Neepawa, the event led to the opening of a brand new business, owned and operated by Darryn Cameron. The name of the business is 4U Home Décor and Consulting. After pitching the idea for this business, the judges awarded Cameron the $1,000 award from the Town of Neepawa. Using this money, Cameron bought a computer and printer, putting the remainder of the money towards general start-up costs.

“[4U Home Décor and Consulting] has been growing monthly, every month is better than the month before,” Cameron commented on his business success so far.

“I think [What’s The Big Idea?] is a good idea. I wouldn’t have gotten this business off the ground as quickly without [the event] as a springboard,” noted Cameron. Continuing to talk about the event, Cameron said, “I think it’s also just a very good networking event, so even if you aren’t starting a business, it’s still a good place to go and connect with other people.” He also added that various organizations were also involved in the event, such as RBC, the Town of Neepawa and the Town of Minnedosa, so the event is a very good way to connect with various people.

Darryn Cameron used his Town of Neepawa prize from 2015’s What’s the Big Idea to open 4U Home Décor and Consulting.  Since opening, each month has seen his business grow. “I wouldn’t have gotten this business off the ground as quickly without [the event],” he explained.  (photo by Tony Eu)

It keeps you moving forward

The big winner from the event, Marlies Soltys, pitched the idea for an art studio in Minnedosa. With that pitch, she won a total of $1,550 from three different awards, the Best Pitch, the Minnedosa Chamber of Commerce and the Minnedosa Community Development Corporation. Since winning those awards, Soltys has started the Inspire Art Studio.

“[The] money went in an account and created my Inspire Studio business account and it went to the registration of my name, this is a registered business name,” Soltys said. She continued, saying, “Then, we started looking for a location, of course and then it went to the rent and damage deposit for our building, as well as all the renovations and office supplies. All that, plus much more.”

When asked about how business is going, Soltys responded that, “Business is doing fabulous.”

When Inspire Art Studio first opened its doors, it had just over 12 artists join the studio, now they have 32.

At Inspire, there is a large canvas in the back of the studio, where classes are held. Owner Marlies Soltys explains, “Our back has not been renovated and we’ve added this large canvas for our class participants to use. This is actually a piece I’m quite proud of, as it gets painted on quite regularly by everyone who attends our classes, no paint gets waisted or poured down the drain after an art class, it all goes on this canvas... It’s been a real hit with everyone that has taken a class with us.” The canvas also provides a place for students to try new techniques, textures and colours. (submitted photo)

“As of January, we started offering art classes and so we have had well over 100 different participants in art classes,” Soltys further remarked. “We’ve got art classes booked in now again, for the fall and out of our six upcoming classes, three of those are full and the others have just very limited space available still to people,” she added.

Like Cameron, Soltys had a very positive review of ‘What’s The Big Idea?’. “If it wasn’t for [What’s The Big Idea?] I’m not sure if Inspire Studio would be here,” she said.

“When you go and pitch your idea, first of all, it’s nerve racking, because you’ve thought about this dream for some time. You’ve pictured it, you’ve envisioned it, you’ve worked towards that goal and you’ve shared it with your family and your close friends, but now it becomes public knowledge,” Soltys explained. “Presenting at ‘What’s The Big Idea?’ holds you accountable for that idea,” she continued.

“It holds you to the point where you need to keep moving forward with that, especially when you’ve got the support behind you from our [Economic Development Officers (EDOs)] the way we, both in Neepawa and Minnedosa, do,” Soltys stressed. Speaking about her personal experience, Soltys added, “Vern May, [the EDO for the Town of Minnedosa], was absolutely at my side when I needed him. When we were looking for space he would say, ‘Well, have you checked this one out? Let me do some leg work.’ If I had a question about this, he would say, ‘Let me check that out and I’ll get back to you,’ those sorts of things. He was so supportive and wanted to see this work.”

Soltys finished by summarizing, saying, “It keeps you moving forward, it makes you take that plunge and then it shows you just how much support is out there for your idea that it validates it.”

Having confidence in yourself

Doug and Hali Finlay, owners of Oakview Equipment, were the winners of a $500 award from last year’s event, for their pitch to add MTZ tractors to their company. The couple used the money to cover the registration costs accompanied by the addition.

The new tractors and associated parts arrived to their dealership in June and while there haven’t been any purchases yet, there has been a lot of interest in them.

The MTZ tractors have the advantage of being non-computerized, an advantage in colder weather, as computerized systems are more prone to malfunction in the cold.

The couple also offered some advice to future business owners and entrepreneurs, saying, “One of the biggest things is having confidence in yourself and what you’re trying to do.”

As for their thoughts on ‘What’s The Big Idea?’, the Finlays said, “It’s a great idea for new businesses starting up.” Continuing, they remarked that, “It’s a place where you can go and all kinds of resources are there. There’s also the guidance for what needs to be done when starting a business.”

“Basically the biggest thing [when starting a business] is to gain a backing, and [What’s The Big Idea?] is a good spot to get that,” the Finlays added.

Lisa Ballegeer, the owner and operator of Innovative Hearing Technology, won $500 at last year’s What’s the Big Idea. Ballegeer operates a mobile hearing centre and said that her business has grown, adding more locations and clients since last year’s event. (photo by Tony Eu)

The final winner was Lisa Ballegeer, the owner and operator of Innovative Hearing Technology, a mobile hearing centre. Her pitch won $500, which was used to help with the daily cost of business. Ballegeer said that her business was going very well, adding that if she was working somewhere else, as a more typical hearing centre, she’d probably earn around the same amount.

“I’ve acquired more locations that I go to on a regular basis [since the event],” Ballegeer said. “I’ve definitely acquired more people, more interest, with the fact that I can actually go to them,” she added.

“[I’m] trying to take the inconvenience out of having to go to an appointment. You’re not bleeding, so this always gets pushed to the backburner,” Ballegeer commented. “I’m trying to make people more aware that this is pretty important and I’m coming to you because this is how much more I feel it’s important,” she concluded.

If you were still on the fence about pitching an idea at ‘What’s The Big Idea?’, hopefully these success stories created by the event will change your mind.

Lisa Ballegeer’s mobile hearing centre allows her to come to her customers. “[I’m] trying to take the inconvenience out of having to go to an appointment,” she said. (photo by Tony Eu)