« alco 50: 19 6). page 2 isn't SESESSEeSeseses Bob Hornal knows the an- xiety of starting a small bus- iness. In 1979, he. and a partner set up from scratch = Piebe ws Waste Management nc With an_ investment of $190,000, the pair purchased a truck, a building with fur- nishings, and enough con- tainers to serve their first customers. “We had to have all of that - into place before even open- ing the doors,’ Hornal says. “And it was pretty scary. That truck was worth even more than my house.’’ But they persevered, and within five years the com- pany was sold at a tidy profit. When his partner retired, Hornal decided to help other new businesses become their own success stories. Today, Bob Hornal is man- ager of the Douglas Centre for Enterprise Development, and he’s looking to help people interested in starting their own business, creating their own job, or expanding an existing company. ~ “Out of every 100 people, about 50 will have an idea ~that could turn into a self- employment venture,’’ he says. ‘‘Of those, about ten will take the first steps, and finally, four will seriously attempt it.”’ ‘It is those first 50 people we’re targeting at the Centre ~ for Enterprise Development.’’ The Centre will help a person with a idea to explore their own suitability for self- employment, assess the via- bility of the idea, and prepare a person for the pitfalls and problems they may encoun- ter. - What is offered is a clear- ing house of information, to assist the small business per- son in making correct deci- “sions which could eventually lead down the road to suc- cess. The first meeting with the Centre’s staff will involve a personalized assessment of an individual’s business propos- al, detailing the potential of © an idea, and an evaluation of skills and experience. _ The Centre can also give more complete information on other organizations which Peete: rarer etetererelere ee 010.0. 0.6.0-0.0.0.0.0.0.' ore provide different services and forms of assistance. “We ‘act as a sounding board for ideas,’’ Hornal says. ‘‘The Centre does not duplicate the services that someplace like the Chamber of Commerce or Federal Bus- iness Development Bank may have, but we do give the potential entrepreneur a clear ‘road map’ of how to pro- ceed.’’ “well show them how to do themselves” Another aspect that differs from many other sources of business support services is the Centre’s philosophy, call- ing for an informal environ- ment. “Some people, especially those who have never been in business for themselves, are put off by pin-striped suits and large desks,’’ says Hor- nal. ‘We try to relate to everyone from the experienc- ed business person to the new entrepreneur.’’ “‘That means we have to be more comfortable in our ap- proach. ’’ - The purpose of the Centre is to give people some direc- tion to their own plans, and instead of telling a client what to do, the emphasis is on how to do it. “For example, if someone has a brilliant plan, it is well researched and appears to have great potential, how- ever, the individual lacks bus- iness skills, we could recom- mend what training to take.’’ Or where to apply for fund- ing, or how to set up a proposal for a loan, or how to approach the Ministry of In- dustry and Small Business Development (MISBD). The Douglas Centre for Enterprise Development can also help the starting-out bus- iness person contact the Inno- vations Office of the provin- cial government, the local school boards or community college,- or other business service agencies. The Centre is a non-profit, community society, based in downtown New Westminster at the main campus of Doug- oLedededeteteteteteececetetetetetetesececeneteseteteseseceneussessseseseserserenesereressseees 10% Off for D.C. Student Cardholders. CONTACT LENS TECHNICIANS 701-625 FIFTH AVENUE NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. 526-4631 The Other Press eretetere: las College, 700 Royal Ave., directly across the street from the city’s main Fire Hall. A board of directors for the Centre represents all ele- ments of the surrounding municipalities. The manager, Bob Hornal, can be contacted during reg- ular office hours to discuss any small business proposal at 520-5496. “We'll be a lot different . from other organizations,’’ he says. “‘Instead of doing the work for the up-and-coming entrepreneur, we’ll show them how to do it themselves.’’ “Our role is to coach a person through the resources and services offered by others.’’ The Centre began work in the early fall, and is expected Peesestatatatatatatatatate’. Start-Ship Enterprise a7 o%oPetee%s%e%e%ePeteMetee%e%e%e%e"e%eee%e%e%e%e"s o%0"o%eo%o%e%e%e"s", rareretererereteceresecereteteteteteretetetetetatetatatatatatetatatetatetstatatetatataatatalatatetetatetatatetatatetatatetetatstetatstetatstetetatetetatetetetetetatatetetats retatatatetetetetetetatetetete etehetatetatctetstetatetees eeatetatetatatatetetetetetetetstseetetstsee! secenecesee ee eeeeenee enone ne ntahahn tata tatetahe tea tetete tate tetsteteeete® o 070 8 "ee eee ‘. to be running full steam, with up to 20 clients at a time. “We're here to help pre- vent people from becoming Bob Hornal wants to help you another failed business stat- istic, and our initial services are offered free of charge.’’ The United Nations Assoc- iation in Canada recently stat- ed that almost 80 percent of young people (15 - 25) ques- tioned in a recent study think that not enough is being done to reduce youth unemploy- ment. Two thirds of those survey- ed also said that paying young people lower welfare rates than those over 25 was wrong. Eighty-nine thought that young people need more information on workers’ rights, and 91.3 percent said | more information on rights was needed. These questions were part of a study conducted last fall by the B.C. Youth Forum, a project of the Vancouver Branch of the United Nations Association for International legal Ys YEAR. THE GOVERNMENT (S DOLING OuT SUMMER EMPLOYMENT FUNDS THE WAY THE CAFETERIA DOLES OUT JAM ON TOAST SPREAD THIN, YEAH, PAINFULLY INADEQUATE BUT WHEN CUT IN HALF AND IT BECOMES LUDICROU'SLY INEFFECTIVE Do UNO your rights? Youth Year, with assistance from United Communication Research (UNICOM) of Van- couver. The survey was based on a model of 387 respondents between the ages of 15 - 25 living in Burnaby, Surrey and Chilliwack. The survey is claimed to be accurate to within plus or minus 5 per- cent 19 times out of 20. ei ING Ce” eT