It takes a leap of faith for someone to start their own business, and thanks to organizations like Community Futures B.C. (CFBC), more entrepreneurs have begun to change the employment landscape in the province's rural communities.
Since 1987, Community Futures Fraser Fort George (CFFFG) has provided services to small business owners and entrepreneurs in Prince George, Mackenzie, McBride, Valemount and surrounding rural areas, helping them to secure capital and open their doors.
One such success story is Allan Perry, an animal enthusiast his whole life, who set his sights on becoming a marine biologist until he realized it was a generally low-paying career. He also considered becoming a veterinarian - but he was daunted once he grasped the amount of school standing between him and a career.
And after going through "31 jobs in the last 21 years," this self-professed Jack-of-all-trades started All Clear Aquarium Services in Prince George, thanks to Community Futures.
The store originated as a hobby business, while the bulk of his income came from firefighting. That was until he realized he wanted to hang up his boots forever and concentrate 100 per cent on guppies and goldfish, and build a one-stop-shop for "wet pets."
His first step was to find out where he could turn to for help - and he was very encouraged.
"After I investigated [CFFFG] and found out that they were going to pay me to run my own business for a year, I thought it was a no-brainer," said Perry.
The scope of programs managed by the Community Futures Network vary widely from business development loans to entrepreneurial training, to supports and services designed to addressing issues impacting rural communities at a local level.
The diversity of programs and projects is in response to the wide-ranging needs in rural B.C. To be eligible for the program, the applicant has to have received Employment Insurance in the last three to five years.
"I think one of the reasons the program works is it demystifies a lot of the myths around being self-employed and [the program] presents the reality of being your own boss, including the good, the bad and the ugly," said Laurie Hooker, self-employment benefit co-ordinator.
Perry said if it wasn't for Community Futures, he wouldn't have been able to start running his business properly when he did.
"[My family] and I really needed an additional income at that point and without CFFFG, I never would have been able to do it," said Perry.
The majority of people that register with Community Futures have a concept for a business but no much more than that, Perry was an exemption, "because I'd already established my business as a hobby business prior to [finding out about Community Futures]."
My business has been running since 2005 and he went through Community Futures in 2008."
But before that I didn't have a business licence, I didn't have any of the required things and I was just basically running my business as a hobby and working for cases of beer and dinner," said Perry.
WHAT REQUIRED THINGS?
Hooker was Perry's mentor throughout the building of his business.
"Honestly, she was my biggest advocate," he said. "When I presented my business plan to CFFFG, they basically said to me 'This business will never be anything more than a hobby.' But Laurie stood up in front of the approval board and was [on my side]... She's a taskmaster, she presented the hoops for me to jump through and had she not, I don't know that I would've [done all the work required], even though I'm disciplined."
Through all of the lessons and time spent with Community Futures, Perry's advice is to commit and don't think about bailing on the project too early.
"CFFFG teaches every applicant to have an exit plan," said Perry. "My advocacy is the exact opposite. I have no choice but to proceed with this business because I could never go back and work for somebody else. I've essentially burned my bridges behind me as far as work-life goes. If I had any advice, it would be just that. Burn your bridges behind you and just keep moving forward. Because if you have an escape plan, then you'll end up taking it."
A romance with business
Michael Pockett, owner of Shagg Romance Enchantment Centres Inc., has used the resources of CFFFG twice to open both of his businesses in town.
He already had big visions of what he wanted when he discovered Community Futures. He wanted to create a high-end, high-gloss store that everyone would be comfortable with - and he succeeded.
"Community Futures was just a natural fit. I knew what I was doing, I knew the industry," said Pockett, after being in the retail industry for most of his life.
"I learned a lot and of course every day is a learning thing here. It really made me feel like I had to cross my T's and dot my I's. And that's what professional businesses need to do. But I would [use CFFFG] 100 times over. I really would."
Shagg opened its doors for the first time in the middle of the last recession but the company is still managing to do well for itself and has since opened another store on the Hart highway called Adult Zone.
"2009 was a really hard year but we are rebounding and we've opened another store so obviously it couldn't be that bad," said Pockett.
"It would have been a lot more difficult [without Community Futures] insofar as securing investors. Community Futures loans to brand-new businesses because they are high-risk and of course they charge a higher interest rate and that was something I was willing to do. It would have been a lot more difficult without [Community Futures]."
Community Futures by the numbers
In 2009/10, CFFFG disbursed 644 loans, totaling $33 million and leveraging an additional $42 million, creating and maintaining 2,485 jobs.
An additional 2,577 jobs were impacted through other services, representing an increase of 19 per cent in job impact in one year.
According to The State of Entrepreneurship in Canada report from February 2010, 32 per cent of B.C.'s GDP (gross domestic product) was generated by small businesses.
That percentage is higher than the Canadian average of 28 per cent.
In 2009, B.C. ranked second only to Saskatchewan in terms of small businesses per capita, with 88.9 small businesses per 1,000 people. Saskatchewan had slightly more with businesses per 1,000 at 89.5.
For more information on Community Futures Fraser Fort George, visit www.cfdc.bc.ca or call 250-562-9622.
