Cory Hurley/The Western Star
Whether naive or optimistic, or borderline desperate, the manager of Navigate — a program designed to help post-secondary students obtain skills and support to launch business ventures — is doing his part to turn around a receding business environment in western Newfoundland.
St. George would describe his statement to members of the Rotary Club of Corner Brook last week as truthful.
“Sometimes the fit is not perfect,” he said. “So, we help them look at, not only the idea they have, but what is around it.”
Striving to create a business plan, every successful business must also have a strength or expertise in areas such as marketing, finances, human resources, and product development skills, according to St. George. The problem often is that not many individuals or even groups starting or running a business possess all the necessary tools.
Navigate — formerly known as Gateway West — is a partnership designed to promote, assist and support the creation of new entrepreneurs in the western Newfoundland region. Through its cluster of partners, the expertise for all business needs is available.
Where once a business was on its own to survive, Navigate helps entrepreneurs find their way and succeed. St. George said a statistic that was once only one in five businesses succeed has basically reversed because of all the support and planning that now goes into starting a business.
Success is expecially important in western Newfoundland, where the number of businesses decreased from 3,438 in 1998 to 2,998 over the next 14 years. St. George attributed that to industry struggles in areas such as fishing and forestry, especially in rural Newfoundland.
However, the loss of 440 businesses has left opportunity, according to the manager. Navigate is looking to turn things around by creating a larger and stronger culture of entrepreneurship, especially within graduating students.
Information technology, tourism, and environment are just some of the key areas identified.
Since 2004, Navigate has played a role in the creation of more than 71 businesses and employed over 123 full and part-time employees in the region, reported St. George.
Navigate provides clients with:
— Activities to assess a person’s entrepreneurial potential
— Idea generation for potential business opportunities
— Assistance in business planning – how to write a business plan
— Assessment skills in marketing, finance, product development etc.
— Direction on where to find information for a business plan
— One-on-One business counseling service
— Networking and mentoring opportunities with fellow potential entrepreneurs and established business owners
Source: Navigate
