30 – Small Business Funding, Grants, and Mentorship w/ Michelle Leona of Wolseley Kombucha and Caroline Ksiazek of Futurpreneur Canada

Meet Michelle and Caroline, two business leaders from either side of the entrepreneurship coin. From the start-up side, Michelle Leona is the Owner and Head Brewer of Wolseley Kombucha - a women-owned and operated business kombucha brewery. From the support side, Caroline Ksiazek, the Regional Lead in the heart of Canada for Futurpreneur - Canada’s only national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18 to 39.

Our guests provide great tips on how to leverage the power of your network and use mentorship to get ahead, as well as tips for securing grants and funding for your Canadian business.

If you prefer video format, watch now on YouTube or take us with you as you go by Subscribing Now wherever you get your podcasts.

Meet Michelle and Caroline, two business leaders from either side of the entrepreneurship coin. From the start-up side, Michelle Leona is the Owner and Head Brewer of Wolseley Kombucha – a women-owned and operated business kombucha brewery. And Woman Entrepreneur of the Year nominee for the last 3 years running. From the support side, Caroline Ksiazek, the Regional Lead in the heart of Canada for Futurpreneur – Canada’s only national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18 to 39. 

Our guests provide great tips on how to leverage the power of your network and use mentorship to get ahead, as well as tips for securing grants and funding for your Canadian business. 

If you’re 18 to 39 and looking for tips to grow your business, tune in to this episode to hear first-hand anecdotes from both the start-up and the support agency on how best to work together and leverage available resources.  

If you prefer video format, watch now on YouTube HERE or take us with you as you go by Subscribing Now wherever you get your podcasts.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

2:02 Meet Michelle Leona, Founder of Wolseley Kombucha
6:30 How Futurpreneur Canada Can Help Your Business (if you are aged 18-39)
9:44 Your Time Investment When Applying for Grants and Loans 
12:28 What To Do When You Are Ready to Start Your Business
15:45 Tips for Retail Success 
21:15 Food Business Trends during the Pandemic 
26:20 SPEED ROUND
31:09 What Futurpreneur Looks For, re: Lending
34:30 Varied Canadian Funding Explained (ps. some come with mentorship!)
38:03 How to Leverage Canadian Grants
45:40 Leveraging Networking and Mentorship
53:02 The Future of Wolseley Kombucha and Futurpreneur

Follow Our Guest – And Let Them Know What You Learned From This Episode:

Wolseleykombucha.com | futurpreneur.ca
Facebook @wolseleykombucha | @Futurpreneur 
Instagram @wolseleykombucha 
Twitter @Futurpreneur
LinkedIn @futurpreneur-canada

Find Your Start – Episode Resources Mentioned by Our Guest:

Rock My Business Plan
Cash Flow Excel Workbook 
Business Plan Writer tool 
BDC Start-Up Financing
Hudson Bagels
Classes with Wolseley Kombucha
Community Futures

Follow Start Canada Podcast – And Share What You Learned From This Episode:

Facebook: @StartCanadaPodcast
Instagram: @StartCanadaPodcast
LinkedIn: @StartCanadaPodcast
Twitter: @MargauxAMiller
YouTube: @StartCanadaPodcast

Start Canada Podcast is supported by:

Scotiabank
Manitoba Technology Accelerator 
Tech Manitoba

YouTube Set Decor: Harlow Arrangement by https://prairiepampas.com​ – On Instagram at Prairie Pampas