St Catharines Enterprise Centre Starter Kit

Small businesses are a vital part of the Niagara Region’s economy, making up nearly 75% of all businesses. Most have fewer than 10 employees or are owner-operated, playing a key role in local job creation and economic growth. The St. Catharines Enterprise Centre (SCEC) supports these small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs by providing guidance, resources, and hands-on assistance to help them succeed.

Each year, the SCEC handles over 3,000 inquiries from individuals looking to start or grow a business. A common challenge among these entrepreneurs was not a lack of information, but rather the difficulty in qualifying it. With an overwhelming number of resources available, many struggled to identify legitimate and relevant guidance to get started.

To address this, the SCEC developed the Small Business Starter Kit: a concise, user-friendly guide designed to answer the most frequently asked questions about starting a business. It covers essential topics like business registration, licensing, and accessing local resources. Its purpose is to provide a trusted starting point for entrepreneurs and help reduce confusion during the early stages of business development.

The development of the Starter Kit was not without challenges. The initial version, while rich in information, was very lengthy and risked overwhelming readers. By analyzing common client inquiries and refining content, the SCEC was able to reduce the document to a more manageable 12 pages. Subsequent drafts focused on layout, formatting, and usability. Key improvements included the addition of clear calls to action, a comprehensive resource page, and photographs of real past clients instead of generic graphics. These photos fostered a sense of community and relatability by showing and celebrating successful businesses that started locally.

Recognizing the importance of professional presentation, the SCEC enlisted a local graphic designer to finalize the kit. The result was a polished and approachable resource that could be shared widely.

Originally launched as a digital product in July 2024 to reduce environmental impact, the Starter Kit was added to the SCEC’s resource webpage, leading to an increase in page traffic, and included in email correspondence. However, when the SCEC encountered clients without reliable internet access, the Starter Kit was rescaled for print. Hard copies are now available for walk-in clients and are used as a take-away resource for SCEC training sessions like Exploring Entrepreneurship and Steps to Starting a Small Business.

Since its launch, nearly 600 copies of the Starter Kit have been distributed or viewed through various channels, with an additional 100 distributed in support of training sessions. Client feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many noting smoother planning and improved outcomes. The SCEC has also seen more follow-up meetings and higher-quality client interactions. Since July 2024, the launch of the Starter Kit, the SCEC supported the start of 78 new businesses and the creation of 126 jobs across Niagara.

The Small Business Starter Kit exemplifies how targeted, accessible resources can empower entrepreneurs, strengthen local economic development, and ensure that everyone, regardless of their background or access to technology, has a fair chance at business success.

https://www.investinstc.ca/files/SmallBusinessStarterKitDigitalVersion.pdf