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Successful proud Yellowknifer Erasmus honoured Wednesday October 21 2015 7 SMALL BUSINESS WEEK The Department of Industry Tourism Investment celebrates Power up your business. Invest. Innovate. Grow. Starting a business in the Northwest Territories We can help... Support for Entrepreneurs Economic Development Funding programs created by the Department of Industry Tourism Investment each of the SEED Policy Programs is geared to providingbasic contributions for starting your businessimproving capacity or skills or helping small communities to expand economically. BUSINESS SUPPORT Applicants under this category are eligible for up to 15000. This category is for start-up funding capital assistance operational support and market product development. SECTOR SUPPORT This new approach provides a borrowing incentive up to 15000 a year for designated sectors interest reduction for up to 2 years. For sector researchorinvestigationofnewopportunitiesthereisassistanceavailable up to 25000. COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT This program provides support of up to 25000 for a range of broad based community economic development initiatives. MICRO BUSINESS This element of the SEED policy is meant to replace Grants to Small Business with contributions of up to 5000 for selfemployment activitiesaimedattraditionaleconomyartsfilmandothersimilaractivities. INVESTING IN PEOPLE BUSINESS AND OUR FUTURE The Department of Industry Tourism and Investment works in partnership with others to provide quality programs and services that promote and support Northwest Territories economic pros- perity and community self-reliance. For further information on any or all of these exciting programs please contact your local EDO at 872-6435 or visit our website at www.iti.gov.nt.ca. BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE NETWORKING Where business trip costs exceeds 1500 assistance may be provided to a maximum of 3000. Each applicant must contribute a minimum of 1000 towards the eligible costs of each trip. SMALL BUSINESS WEEK OCTOBER 1824 2015 Business Administration Certificate and Diploma Programs teach skills that are highly transferable and in demand by government private industry and non-profit organizations The Northern Leadership Development Program prepares employed front-line workers to advance to more senior positions in their companiesorganizations Quality Business Education with a uniquely northern perspective Going into business for yourself is a challenging and rewarding venture. Aurora College salutes the many entrepreneurs who work tirelessly to provide vital services to our many communities. www.auroracollege.nt.ca Interested in becoming a small business owner Learn the skills you need at Aurora College. Small Business Week October 19-23 For program information check out www.auroracollege.nt.ca Aurora College Celebrates By CRAIG GILBERT RunninganapparelbusinessinYellowknife ts Sarah Erasmus like a glove. Her mind was already generating business ideas before she graduated from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology SAIT in Cal- gary in 2010. That idea to create t-shirts for the Aborigi- nal National Games has mushroomed into Erasmus Apparel and a shop that employed as many as eight people during the busy season earlier in the year. Now that she has more than 60000 units soldmostofthemarticlesofclothingheralma mater has recognized her as its Outstanding YoungAlumnifor2015.Thenewestawardwill have to share space in her trophy case with a pair of Peoples Choice Awards from Up Here magazines Frozen Globe Awards 2012 and theYellowknifeChamberofCommerce2014 as well as an Economic Developer of the Year honourfromtheCouncilfortheAdvancement of Native Development Ofcers in 2013. Erasmus Apparel lled a niche for fashions that both celebrated Yellowknife and were for lack of better terms stylish and cool. So glad you made these again happy cus- tomerChristaDomchekpostedontheErasmus Apparel Facebook page referring to a sweater with sayings about the North on the back. I have a collared one with no hood. I wear it ALL the time. Erasmus grew up with only a couple of op- tionsintermsofclothingshopsinYellowknife where kids tended to wear one of only a hand- ful of outt combinations available to them. Sarah Erasmus has sold more than 60000 items mostly clothing through her ve-year-old Yellowknife shop Erasmus Apparel. PhotocourtesyofSarahErasmus I love t-shirts I love going through vintage shopslookingforthingsnooneelsehasIliketo haveuniquestuffErasmusexplained.People intheNorthdonthavealotofoptionstoshop and I wanted to have something different that represented the North. Erasmus who is stoked about the latest awardkeepshershopbusywithamixofmar- keting customer appreciation and customer engagement. A happy customer wearing one of her shirts is a walking billboard but spon- soring teams and athletes donating clothes to non-protsandsupportingcharitiesincluding KidSport and the Stanton Territorial Hospital Foundation contributes to Yellowknifes so- cial fabric while getting her companys name out there. ErasmusApparelisalsooneofthemorethan 200 members of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce which celebrated Small Business Week with a series of free seminars on how to launch and maintain a business. Were only successful because the com- munity supports us she said. Its important to give back. Were always engaging with our customers too its so important. We use so- cial media and sponsor events around town. Erasmus is not immune to the relatively high turnover rates among retail and ser- vice businesses in Yellowknife. Her staff has swelled to as many as eight during the bus- ier summer season and managing workers takes a new set of skills separate from the creativity behind her brand. Havingemployeesisoneofthebiggestchal- lenges I have for sure she said. I pay them to be there so I have to make sure theres work to doandtheyredoingtheworkcorrectly.Iknow a lot of other businesses have struggled its a tough market to compete in when they can go workforthegovernmentfor30anhour.Weve been growing each year though so its a good problem to have. Asked what advice she has for prospective entrepreneurs Erasmus said its a lot of work but there is help out there. Alotofpeoplesitbackandwaitfortheright timebutthereneverreallyisarighttimeshe said and being a new business there are a lot of options grants and programs out there. The GNWT Business Development and In- vestment Corporation has a lot of options and the Industry Tourism and Investment Department does too. When youre starting every little bit helps and the support system is great in the North.