‘Students’ small business| startup aided by FBDB “JUST EXPECT hell the first month.”’ That’s Jason Cohen's ad-: vice to anyone contemplating setting up their own summer business, But he learned. “Life comes at you at 100 miles per hour some days but you learn to prioritize. “T don’t get stressed out now: because I’ve learned to handle it,’’ he says calmly. Cohen was one of eight successful North Shore - stu- dents to have loan applica- tions approved by the Federal Business Development _ Bank (FBDB) under Employment and Immigration Canada’s Challenge °93 program. Loans of up to $3,660 were available this year to enable students to operate their own small businesses during sum- mer. Barry Goodwin, FBDB Manager. business, — training and counselling, says the average student business loan approved was $2,700, with the money being lent after FBDB approval by the Royal or National banks. “We assisted in putting together the application and » providing some - follow-up support with ‘a business counsellor,”’ says Goodwin. To be ‘eligible the students had‘ to” ‘be. 15, or older, have attended school’ full-time in 1992/3 and plan to return te - school inthe fall.- ' The loans are’ interest-free fand. due in full on Oct. °8, -when. interest charges of - prime: plus-1{70 ‘Start to. ac- ‘crue. os 1. S46 the Joan’ is not repaid + we’ will take collection ac-_ tien,” warns Goodwin. in Cohen’s case that won’t be necessary... -.. He ‘plans on repaying his loan one month early to take advantage of a 5100 incentive ; bonus. «. ‘Despite. a stressful ‘ awakening. to the respon- sibilities of. being: his own boss, Cohen’s house-painting . business has © grossed © over - $43,000 in four months. ; After: wages (Cohen : employed up to four other people at any one time) and expenses he expects: to net $10,000. |. But Cohen says the expe- & By Martin Millerchip Contributing Writer rience was just as important as the money. “The learning curve was huge. Totally: changed me, that’s for sure. First of all, just handling people. Hand- ling them but also handling myself. Taking charge, but not in a juvenile way.” Besides hands-on manage- ment skills Cohen also learned the importance, of negotiation and contracts. “Iv’s so important to get written in the contract exactly what you are going to do and also what you are not going _to do,” says Cohen, admit- ting that he ended up working for free on. some of the carly jobs he took because of poorly drafted contracts. He also learned to plan for the future, “As a busboy | could really get away with a lot. I can still _ get up late, but I’ve learned that anything I do will have repercussions on my business. Maybe today,_ maybe three weeks down the road.”’ Now he takes a pride in getting a job done right and expects his new-found management ‘skills and at- titudes will benefit his band, The Illicit. Steven Siebold Cohen's response to running his own business for the first time. “It’s pretty rewarding when you did all of it yourself and people are calling you back because you did a good job.”’ Siebold is 21 and returning to Simon Fraser University to _ take pre-chiropractic courses, He ran a gardening and rubbish removal business this summer, A Plus Student ‘Landscaping, using the stu- dent business loan to buy equipment, and hopes to keep it going next year. . “T took it easy this year in order ‘not to get in over my head but I’ve been as busy as I want to be. “T could have made close to. the same amount doing casual labor but I don’t think 1 would have enjoyed it as much.” Both students seem to have thrived on their endeavors. s “INVEST IN YOUR ‘FUTURE! Learn to be come a more knowledgeable investor. F *. Courses introducing the securities markets are cur- . fently offered across British Columbia and the Yukon. « . The courses, with a text produced by the Canadian Securities Institute, are sponsored by the Pacific.s District of the Investment Dealers Association, the national self-regulatory body of the securities indus- s try, and are taught by qualtied industry professionals. These courses provide practicat, “now to” information , essential to the investing public. % For more information, contact North Shore Continuing Education at 986-8888, or the [DA i in Vancouver at *: 683-1338. echoes” Tourism industry offers training “I HAVE 20 years of experience in the restaurant indusiry but I’ve been laid off twice in the last two years. It can be very discourag- ing,’’ says 36-year-old Janis Doull. Thirty-year-old Tinguett Sand- ers understands what Doull is saying. ‘‘l want to work in the hospitality industry but it’s getting harder to find a gaod job.”” Doull and Sanders are a sign of the times. While tourism is B.C.’s biggest employer, the industry is short of people with the ap- propriate skills, Now, the major players in B.C.’s hospitality industry have joined forces to help people like Doull and Sanders upgrade their skills to meet current industry de- mands. The first session of this training initiative; funded by Employment and Immigration Canada, which took place in the spring of 1992, provided industry-related training to 175 front-line and supervisory employees in the Lower Mainiand receiving UI benefits. “The hospitality industry has such a high turnover rate that ‘it’s often difficult to maintain quality in service. It’s very gratifying to see the government and everyone - in the industry working together to improve the situation,’ says Tony. Wood of the Restaurant and . You may be eligibie for ‘government sponsorship. * Desktop Publishing * Cornputer/Accounting Technician * Business Computer Application + Business Admin./Management « Legal Secretary + Medica! Secretary + Receptionist/Secretary + Executive Secretary * Word Processing Call 738-7848 pimen CJ BUSINES. Food Services Association of British Columbia. Also involved in this initiative are the R.C. & Yukon Hotels’ Assotiation, the leading downtown hotels, the Pacific Rim Institute of Tourism and the Hotel, Restaurant and Culinary Employees and Bartenders Union Local 40. Course materials are provided by the Open Learning Agency and the American Hotel and Motel Association Educational! Institute. “This project is a great start,’’ says Kevin Hillstrom, Educational Services Coordinator with’ Union Local 40. : “By helping to equip hospitality employees with the skills they need to succeed, everyone in the. in- dustry benefits.’ According to employment counsellor Lauree Fay, Employ- ment and Immigration Canada is encouraged by the success of this training initiative. ‘We're looking at what has been accomplished and how the training can be’ improved for future sessions in the Lower Mainland,” says Fay. ; As far as Douil and Sanders. are concerned, the program’s: a definite hit. : Doull. has the ‘‘training bug’’ and is planning to take’ more in- dustry-related courses in the future, : For Sanders, it’s a fresh start. Courtesy Employment and Im- migration Canada. INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT Asia Pacific International University (registered under the Private Post- Secondary Education Act of B.C., and affiliated with East Asia Open Institute} invites applications from managers and executives for our seventh intake to this Executive MBC program beginning September 18, in our new classrooms, Floor A of the Marine Building. This unique two-year program offers: * a New Zealand government accredited degree * outstanding international! ly-experienced faculty * career enrichment; reasonable fees, tax deductible * no interference with full-time employment. - * monthly weekend classes (Saturday and Sunday) Admission requirements: * Bachelors degree (or equivalent) or professfonal designation AND * at least two years' significant work experience’ Further information may be obtained ‘from: Asia Pacific International University, Ste. 300-515 W. Pender St., Vancouver, B.C. V6B 1V5 (604) 688-3115. Other B.C. areas (toll-free) 1-800-661-8788. Applications welcomed. Class size will be fimnined. Register Now ~ Classes are Starting Soon Opening the Door to New Opportunities Build your skills for the workplace and beyond with career and personal development.courses at Capilano College. Extension Programs and Services offers non-credit evening and weekend courses in these program areas, in addition to art, photography, languages, music and more! + Legal Studies Upgrading - Word Processing, Spreadsheets and Database Management « Desktop Publishing and Graphic Design + Real Estate Development and Financing + Train the Trainer: skills for teaching adults + Smali Business Development + Family Daycare Program + Carcers in Tourism + Foodsafe for restaurant and food service workers and managers + Traffic Control/Flagging » Counselling and Conflict Resolution Some classes start the weck of September 13 — call Extension Programs soon at 984-4901 for course descriptions and registration. We're open Monday to Thursday until 8 p.m. to help with your next career move. CAPILANO : COLLEGE 2055 Purcell Way ¢ North Vancouver, B.C. © V7J 3H5 © Telephone: 984-4901