A Tilbury entrepreneur has received $5,000 to help grow his music school after winning first place in a business competition.
The Small Business Centre and Chatham-Kent Workforce Planning Board hosted their second annual Dragon’s Den style competition at the Retro Suites Hotel in Chatham on Wednesday. The event is in celebration of Small Businesses Month in Canada.
Small Business Centre and Chatham-Kent Workforce Planning Board second annual Dragon’s Den style business lunch October 18, 2017. (Photo by Sarah Cowan Chatham-Kent).
At the event, six local entrepreneurs pitched their business ideas for a chance to win one of three investments. A panel of six business experts asked the entrepreneurs questions and considered their business plans. Guests at the event were then given an opportunity to vote on their favourite business.
James Mason, who owns the Tilbury Music Centre, took home the first place prize of $5,000. He says he was "overwhelmed" and "very appreciative" when the results were announced.
"We're a full-service private music school in Tilbury. We do everything from piano, guitar, vocal, to violin lessons. Right now we have just over 100 students taking weekly lessons," says Mason.
Mason says the centre has been operating for two years now, with a staff of eight teachers.
"80% of our students are under the age of 18, so I think they're always going to remember when they took music lessons and it's always going to be a special thing for them. For a lot of our kids, they get their confidence from going to music lessons every week and it becomes an important piece of their life and their youth. We try to think that we're making memories," says Mason.
Mason says he will be putting the $5,000 investment to good use.
"We're gonna do some equipment upgrades, we're going to launch a pre-school music program, and we're going to launch a community choir. We'll also do a little bit of marketing. Mostly what we've done is through word of mouth, so it will be nice to invest in some actual marketing and see where the business goes from there," explains Mason.
Wendy from Aunt Wendy's Home Dog Boarding business in Wallaceburg placed second in the competition, which scored her an investment of $2,000.
"I am totally thrilled and grateful. It's been a lot of work and I'm so thankful for it. The money will be used appropriately for building my business," says Aunt Wendy.
Ben Gordon, who sells used ATVs and recreational vehicles in Chatham-Kent, won $1,000 in third place.