Sixteen young francophones establish summer businesses thanks to Young Millionaires Program

WELLINGTON, PEI – July 23, 2013 – Sixteen young PEI francophones, from the West Prince, Evangeline and Charlottetown areas, have just established 12 small summer businesses, thanks to Jeunes millionnaires, the French edition of the Young Millionaires Program.

These energetic teens offer a wide variety of products and services. Several are selling various types of candies, snacks and foods, while others are building and selling picnic tables and beach chairs. Others make paintings, sell titanium necklaces and still others paint fingernails.

“I’m really impressed with this year’s group,” says Jeunes millionnaires coordinator Ashley Arsenault. “They’re extremely enthusiastic and dedicated. Right from our very first meeting with them, they were ready to get to work and they already had their business ideas.”

RDÉE Prince Edward Island is again this year delivering the French provincial component of the Young Millionaires program, which is managed by Central Development Corporation.

TRAINING

Following a recruiting campaign, which includes visits to the schools, the coordinator delivers three workshops to teach the participants the basics of entrepreneurship, including business plans, market studies, customer service, quality control, budgets and other subjects. The participants then have to present their business plan during an individual interview.

Each participant then receives a grant (up to $100 for individuals and $150 for partnerships) to help establish his or her business and to purchase production materials. In early July, the youth start producing and selling their products or services, often with the help of their parents.

SALES

The coordinator will visit each of the young entrepreneurs during the summer to ensure that everything is going well. She will also help them with their promotion, including the preparation of posters and business cards. She will also help them identify sales locations, such as festivals and other community and family events, farmers’ markets and flea markets, from one end of the province to the other.

Among the sales locations to be visited in the Charlottetown area, there will be a social evening at the Bayou in the Carrefour de l’Isle-Saint-Jean Friday, July 26, at 5 p.m. (during a 5 to 8 reception with barbecue, theatrical play and welcoming of a newcomer), as well as a special sale Aug. 10 and 11 during Old Home Week on the Civic Centre grounds.

On Sunday, July 28, the youth will be at Prince County Exhibition in the Jacques Cartier Arena in Alberton from 1-5 p.m. Finally, they will also go to the Evangeline Area Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival in Abram-Village Aug. 31 from 2-8 p.m.

“We really hope Islanders and tourists will support our entrepreneurial apprentices by buying their products and services to encourage them to further develop their business skills,” concludes Arsenault.

THE BUSINESSES

Here is a list of the small businesses that have been established through the French edition of the Young Millionaires Program.

In the Western region of PEI (Evangeline and Tignish):

  • Chad et André Arsenault : Les Colliers de Chad et André (titanium necklaces)
  • Miguel Arsenault : La Grub à Miguel (cookies and candies)
  • Dominick Bernard : Xis 8 (paintings)
  • Morgan Hustler : Morgan’s Woodwork (picnic tables)
  • Chelsea Gallant et Karine Arsenault : KC Nails (nail painting)
  • Marissa Gallant : Marissa’s Treat Hut (candies, treats and beverages)
  • Chloé Arsenault : Tout de Sweet (chocolate suckers and « cake pops »)

In the Eastern region of PEI (Charlottetown and surrounding areas):

  • Elliott Fraser et Michael MacEwen : Simply Sno-Cones (flavored snow-cones)
  • Stuart Lawther : Stuie’s Beach Chairs (beach chairs)
  • Félix Thériault : Gator on Wheels (beverages, bottles of water and snacks)
  • Ian Cormier : Candy Bags (bags of candy)
  • Erin et Catherine Viger : E & C Simply Irresistable Desserts (various desserts).

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CUTLINE: Young artist Dominick Bernard of Mont-Carmel shows a couple of the paintings he created through his new business, Xis 8. Dominick is one of 16 francophone youth from PEI who are participating in this summer’s Jeunes millionnaires program (the French edition of Young Millionaires). Islanders and tourists will be able to see their wares are various locations throughout the summer.

Pour plus d’information :

Ashley Arsenault
Coordonnatrice
Jeunes millionnaires
(902) 854-3439, poste 240
ashley@rdeeipe.org