Telfer Entrepreneurship Program back for military and veteran families

After receiving a 94 percent satisfaction rating last year, the Telfer Entrepreneurship Program for military and veteran families is back for the second year in a row.

“We are incredibly satisfied with the success of this program, which was confirmed by participant feedback and overall participation numbers. We are excited to see the 2017 program roll-out and appreciate the support and partnership of hosting MFRCs,” said Katie Ochin, Employment and Entrepreneurship Program Manager, Military Family Services.

Sponsored by Military Family Services and hosted by different Military Family Resource Centres (MFRC), the sessions will take place in February and March. The first session took place this week at the  Gagetown MFRC. The National Capital Region MFRC will be hosting one from March 4-5 and the Central Saskatchewan MFRC from March 25-26.

The Telfer Entrepreneurship Program was designed specifically for military and veteran families by the University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management

The two-day sessions, take participants on an interactive journey to determine whether their ideas are viable and how to turn those dreams into a reality. Military families will learn about concepts like the financial and legal components of running your own business, marketing and social media and the components needed for a solid business plan.

In the evening session of day one, participants will also be given the opportunity to practically explore concepts. They will be given visa cards to go online and determine what it’s like to start your own website or buy apps. They will also have one-on-one time with the instructors.

At the end of the session, attendees will receive a certification of completion from the Telfer School.

“It really is a good launching pad for anyone that is looking to start their own business or is in the process of starting their business, because it’ll take them potentially through some areas of business development that they might not have known because of the expertise of the instructor, but it also gives them an opportunity to talk and meet with other entrepreneurs.

“Not only are they going to get quality instruction on business development, but they’re also going to be with people that are going through the same process as them and have similar life situations,” explained Orchin.

In the inaugural year, the sessions welcomed 130 military and veteran families.

“The overall feedback was just that it’s a very professional session. It’s definitely university level training, so, they’re getting that high-quality training. It’s very experimental, so they are able to practice a lot of what they’re learning in terms of testing out their entrepreneurial idea and making sure it’s a good idea before they jump into entrepreneurship,” noted Ochin.

The program will be offered in English, but materials will also be available in French. Limited complimentary child care is available at the MFRCs hosting the event.

For more information about the Telfer Entrepreneurship Program visit their website .