Business Bounce Back

Business Bounce Back Program Cohort 3

In partnership with the Town of Georgina and York University's YSpace, we have launched the Business Bounce Back program. This new three-month program is designed to support businesses and individuals who are primarily but not exclusively, within the hospitality and tourism sector who require the entrepreneurial and digital skills needed to pivot their existing business or create a new venture. The program will provide founders with the tools, skills, and connections they need to scale and thrive in the industry. Applications for Cohort #3 launch October 25, 2021.

Business Bounce Back Program

The Business Bounce Back Program will be broken down into three (3) cohorts and each cohort will span a three (3) month period. The participants are expected to dedicate the necessary time and effort and use the education and skills provided to create new revenue opportunities for their existing or new business.

Below are the program timelines and program components:

Timeline

Oct. 25	Nov. 14	Nov. 22	Nov. 29	Feb. 25 (2022)	Mar. 31 (2022)
Cohort #3 Applications Open	Cohort #3 Applications Close	Cohort #3 Participants are Selected	Cohort #3 Programming Kicks-Off	Cohort #3 Programming is Completed	Cohort #3 Offboarding Completed

Program Components

Ideation Validation Workshops

A two-part, six-hour workshop delivered over two days that enable participants looking to pivot their current business or start a new business to a) identify business ideas, b) validate these ideas and c) build the skills needed to implement new and sustainable revenue streams.

Workshop 1 – participants will gain the tools and knowledge needed to do market research, create customer personas, and build value propositions.
Workshop 2 – participants will gain the tools and knowledge needed to create a business model canvas, develop a minimum viable product, and set Objective and Key Results (OKR).

Digital Skills Bootcamp

In partnership with General Assembly, participants will have access to award-winning courses and bootcamps that will build their digital skills and test their ideas, such as social media marketing and e-commerce development. The newly learned digital skills will also help build a workforce equipped with skills to manage the fast-changing landscape of technology.

One-on-one Mentorship

Recognizing that each participant will have their own unique ideas and business challenges, the program will provide individualized mentorship with a structured OKR approach. The matched mentor will meet with the participant once a week to review business strategies, discuss key milestones, and how to successfully achieve Objective and Key Results. In addition, participants will also have access to a roster of subject matter experts who can support various business needs such as legal advice and accounting best practices.

Program Criteria

Participants are expected to contribute a minimum of 10 hours per month directly to program related events, such as attending workshops, meeting regularly with their mentor, and meeting with the program administration team.
Commitment to the completion of one General Assembly bootcamp program.
Participants are expected to contribute a minimum of 20 – 30 hours a week working on enhancing their existing business or developing their new business idea.
Full time commitment to the program by the Business Founder or Owner.
Participants must be in one of the following categories to qualify:
- Residents displaced from the tourism and hospitality sector and looking to create a new business in either municipality.
- Own an existing business in the Town of Georgina or East Gwillimbury.
- Creating a new business with a registered location in the Town of Georgina or East Gwillimbury.