A highly successful, and award-winning entrepreneurial training program is underway for another year in Airdrie.  

The SMARTstart program pairs entrepreneurs with experienced business mentors.  The program has been delivered for five years now by the Airdrie Chamber of Commerce, City of Airdrie Economic Development, and Community Futures West.

Sara Chamberlain of Airdrie Economic Development is also a Committee member with SMARTstart.  She says the get together where the program is launched, is always a highlight for everyone involved.

"That's really the first opportunity to get all of our entrepreneurs and mentors and sponsors together.  There was such a great energy in the room and we always love this event because it's really the beginning of something for all these entrepreneurs who have signed up to take our program.  It's the beginning, for many of them, of their business journey."

Chamberlain says people sign up for the program for all kinds of different reasons.  "There's people who come into the program because they specifically may need help with financial management.  They come into the program because what they really need is a mentor for their business.  There is a lot of anticipation, the expectations are high and it's our hope that we're going to deliver them a really solid program that helps them move their business forward."

24 entrepreneurs, representing 19 different businesses, have been accepted into the program for 2018.  Of those, nine are entrepreneurs with an idea and 10 are new business owners.  Chamberlain explains the difference.

"Entrepreneurs who have an idea are those that have been thinking and they have a thought of something that they think could make work and they come into the program and usually complete a feasibility study to see if they can, in fact, make their business a success.  We also have new business owners who've all established a business in Airdrie, and they just really see this as an opportunity to get some learning to make their business a success."

20 business leaders have volunteered as mentors for the program.  Five of them are brand new.  Chamberlain says the mentorship aspect of the program is a key to it's success.

"Each entrepreneur is paired with a mentor from the business community.  Their role is really to support them through the eight-month program.  They're not there to solve problems or tell them how to run their business but they're really there as a coach or a guide or sounding board.  They're instrumental in helping the entrepreneur with their business or feasibility plan.  The mentor actually plays an active role in reviewing that plan and helping to move it forward so they complete the program with a business plan that's ready to go."

The program runs from March through October.  Since SMARTstart began in 2014, it's assisted close to 70 entrepreneurs.  As a result, 11 new businesses have opened in Airdrie and a further 30 percent of participants had expanded their business opportunities by the end of the program.

Questions, comments or story ideas? Email us at news@discoverairdrie.com