What if guitars had clothes? The thought came to Taylor Murray at a young age when as her step-mom was teaching her to sew, she realized that any shape could be wrapped in fabric. It was a strange question, but it proved to be an important one. Murray took her passing thought and turned it into a business idea at age 11, then held on to it for years until she was finally able to make it a reality. In October 2015, Murray launched her first product, AcouSkins, a line of machine-washable fabric covers designed to personalize and protect acoustic guitars from daily wear, which eventually led to her founding FUNctional Accessories, a creative guitar accessories business.

Back when AcouSkins was still only an idea, Murray enrolled at Sir Wilfred Laurier University, where she pursued a degree in Concurrent Education with hopes of becoming teacher. However, by her third semester she felt teaching might not offer the kind of flexibility and creativity she craved. Murray left the program in pursuit of more control over her career path, and after careful consideration of numerous options, she chose the Entrepreneurship and Small Business program at Durham College (DC).

“I felt this particular program could help me gain the tactical skills I needed to support my ideas — and I was right,” said Murray. “By my second semester I was creating the business plan for what would become FUNctional Accessories. When I started, I didn’t know about marketing and branding strategies, so going through the programs, I learned a lot.”

It was also during this time that Murray learned about FastStart DC and met team member and mentor Jay Fisher. “Jay was extremely supportive in terms of solidifying my idea,” said Taylor.

In the course of her entrepreneurial journey, Murray has found the manufacturing process to be the most challenging. The production of AcouSkins was an intensive process. She first approached several professional sewers with the project only to hear that a customizable, one-size cover would be impossible to produce. Finally, Murray purchased a sewing machine and spent months learning how to use it just to be able to finalize a prototype that she could share with potential manufacturers.

Next, with her custom product designed, Murray moved into her sales and marketing mode, going so far as to audition for the hit reality TV show Dragons’ Den, where entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of venture capitalists in the hopes of securing financing.

As she gained experience and confidence in her business abilities, Murray added to her stable of brands, including her own Freshly Picked line of guitar picks, which feature designs of fruits and flowers (pun intended!), as well as Strings by Aurora and Inlay Stickers, for which FUNctional Accessories holds the exclusive Canadian licensing rights. Now she is focusing on developing a family-oriented music accessory brand and getting her products into more major retailers. Murray has already found success with Long & McQuade, Canada’s biggest music store chain, and Amazon.ca, both of which are now carrying FUNctional Accessories products thanks to her hard work, persistence and passion.

Armed with a clearer understanding of her market segment, Murray plans to eventually launch an online store and hire staff, including sales representatives, administrative assistants and a social media manager.

The FastStart DC team has helped Murray throughout her journey and taught her how to see the bigger picture. No wonder she references the program when asked for her advice to young and aspiring entrepreneurs. “Just start talking to people and get useful feedback,” she said. “FastStart was great for this and it introduced me to the best tools.”

For more information or to connect with FUNctional Accessories:

Telephone:
647.956.4802

Email:
Taylor@Acouskins.com

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/acouskins

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/funcmusic

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/funcmusic/

Website:
http://functionalmusicaccessories.com/

 

Jennifer Whyte’s interest in sustainable energy and living methods led her to the Renewable Energy program at Durham College (DC). But when she was faced with a serious health condition, Whyte was forced to change course — literally. She transferred to DC’s Office Administration – General program, and was inspired to make another move after taking a business course.

Whyte joined DC’s Entrepreneurship and Small Business program, where she met members of the FastStart DC team. During this time, she also came up with an idea to combine her passions for sustainability and business. Under the guidance of FastStart mentor Jay Fisher, she began to fill in her knowledge gaps and build a business. “Jay really made me aware of the realities of running a business,” said Whyte. ”His experience made him a great guide who could point me in the right direction.”

With a goal to provide fresh, local vegetables from her garden to her community, and a habit of picking them barefoot, Whyte officially launched Barefoot Veggies, an urban organic farm in Oshawa, Ontario, on July 15, 2015. She even threw a successful, sponsored launch party where not even rain could stop DC representatives and other attendees from showing up to support Whyte’s exciting venture and sample the produce.

Since its launch, Barefoot Veggies has captured the attention of local media and benefited from strong word of mouth that’s drawing customers from surrounding areas, including Courtice and Brooklin. The unique Barefoot Veggies shopping experience of buying groceries that can be picked at the time of purchase sets Whyte’s business apart from conventional grocery stores.

Whyte’s garden is also becoming an experiential learning ground where children discover the nature of healthy foods while having fun and picking their own green beans and tomatoes. Parents are drawn to Barefoot Veggies to not only buy fresh organic produce for their families, but to also let their kids explore a fun, new side to nutrition.

Following the recent milestone of Barefoot Veggies’ one-year anniversary, Whyte is now turning her attention to growing her team and expanding her business. She’s planning to build an irrigation system for the raised beds that were recently added to the farm, and her greenhouse includes a nutrient filtration system with the potential to support over 1,000 plants. Her five-year plan also includes keeping her home open as office space and expanding through partnerships with community-based organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity.

Whyte is also looking to move her business toward the edible landscaping field, where she can teach people how to use their lawn space as a garden and grow their own fresh food. She hopes to continue teaching kids about growing their own food and has several ideas for continuing education courses on organic farming that she’d like to teach, perhaps even at Durham College.

“It’s comforting to know that FastStart is always around and I can always come back for help,” said Whyte. “I didn’t know much about business when I started, but it really helped me out.”

Asked if she now has advice for students with a dream or a business idea, Whyte shared: “If you just ask, stuff happens — you can’t sell a secret. Just do it. Don’t overthink it and it will come together.”

For more information or to connect with Barefoot Veggies: 

• Telephone: 905.718.0830
• Email: jenkwhyte@hotmail.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Barefoot-Veggies-Inc-434335653394833

Website: www.barefootveggies.ca

As a mechanic, Jeremy Coulis liked his nine-to-five lifestyle, but once his kids were older he decided he wanted to open his own business. After going back to school to try something new, Coulis completed the Entrepreneurship and Small Business program at Durham College (DC) in August 2015 and launched Agile Fat Guy Spirits, a craft distillery.

“I chose DC’s program for its focus on helping students develop the knowledge base needed to build something from nothing and start their own business upon graduating,” said Coulis. The Entrepreneurship and Small Business program guides students through the ideation stage and right through launching a business, with courses that encourage them to think outside the box — an integral characteristic of any successful entrepreneur.

A no-nonsense kind of guy with no entrepreneurial experience, Coulis appreciated the program’s hands-on approach, including a mentorship component that sees students receive 24 hours of mentorship from a local entrepreneur. Coulis landed at Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company for his mentorship, where for three days he spent time learning in a variety of departments.

When FastStart DC (FastStart) launched in January 2015, Coulis immediately got involved. FastStart’s official kickoff at DC included partnering with the Student Association to launch a social media contest that asked students to share their thoughts on what entrepreneurship meant to them. As one of 11 prize winners, Coulis received an all-expense-paid trip to Canada’s East Coast to attend the Starting Point Student Entrepreneurship Conference at St. Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Winning the trip catapulted Coulis into becoming a FastStart client. The DC Summer Accelerator program launched soon after in the spring of 2015. He applied and became part of the inaugural accelerator program, facilitated by the college’s partners at Spark Centre. Coulis immersed himself in the start-up world at DC’s regional innovation centre, attending workshops, seminars and mentoring sessions. He even took home a $500 prize for winning one of the summer’s three pitch competitions — all just the beginning of his entrepreneurship journey.

In an unconventional move, Coulis came up with his Agile Fat Guy brand name even before deciding on a business or product. “I race sailboats, and anyone who sails knows that you have to be agile to race,” said Coulis. “Someone called me an ‘agile fat guy’ once and I thought it was fun — so it stuck!” Coulis doesn’t just feel passionately about his brand, he believes he is his brand. At Agile Fat Guy, he often jokes that he’s the CFG – Chief Fat Guy.

Once he had the name, Coulis wanted to capitalize on it. Originally planning to start a craft brewery, he later changed his mind to focus on craft spirits instead. Soon after, Agile Fat Guy Spirits was born and officially incorporated in August 2015. After receiving $5,000 in seed funding from the DC Summer Accelerator program for successfully completing the program and meeting the prize criteria, Coulis put the money toward his start-up, using it to secure the equipment required to start a distillery. He credits being part of FastStart DC with helping him to source suppliers and giving him the support needed to start a company in today’s ever-changing economy.

“Agile Fat Guy probably wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for FastStart DC and Spark Centre,” said Coulis, identifying the program and regional innovation centre as key components to his success thus far. “Working at The Loft [at Spark Centre], I learned how critical it is to remain focused on your core idea until that idea gets established.”

With his core idea of creating craft spirits established, Coulis is moving on to his next goal: getting those spirits into LCBO stores. He recently submitted his vodka and gin products for consideration and is optimistic that they’ll be on retail shelves soon.

“Getting products on LCBO shelves is a unique process,” explained Coulis. “The LCBO has a product call once a year where they decide what they want to sell. But once you get in, it sets the standard for selling everywhere else.”

While continuing to navigate the LCBO’s regulatory process, he is keeping momentum going for Agile Fat Guy by focusing on marketing, especially the brand’s social media presence. He’s also working on developing new products, including coolers. Coulis also recently secured a deal with George Brown College to partner with the school’s Food Science department on research and development for his company.

Coulis’ long-term goals include a 12-month plan to have Agile Fat Guy vodka and gin products in the LCBO, and a 24-month plan to add coolers to the retail mix, with all products being available in as many LCBO outlets as production will allow. By the end of 2017, he would also like to be exporting Agile Fat Guy products across Canada. His vision for Agile Fat Guy also includes building a distillery in Cobourg, Ontario, his hometown and the home base for the company. Coulis has plans in place to create jobs and hire local employees to run production services — his way of giving back to the community that’s supporting his start-up venture.

“Using resources like FastStart DC and Spark Centre gives you a step up in the right direction,” said Coulis, reflecting on his DC and DC Summer Accelerator experience. “It allows you to be different from everyone else and still be a part of their world — new entrepreneurs should stay with them as long as they can. You meet so many people and the system works well with the whole team in it.”

Drawing on his own experience as a student entrepreneur, Coulis now shares his own advice with aspiring entrepreneurs: “If you can’t talk about your business non-stop to anyone at any time, then you are not in the right business. Just be passionate about it. You have to have a passion for your business. Tell everyone about your idea. Ask everyone for help. Take free money. Take risks.”