Pillar Details
Our Business Skills Training offerings are designed to support aspiring entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey—whether you’re exploring an idea, developing a business plan, or exploring an entrepreneurial journey for the first-time. These hands-on programs focus on real-world learning in a supportive, community-driven environment.
Choose from:
- Introduction to Entrepreneurship Workshop (2 hours)
- 8-Week Business Skills Training Program (BST)
- SMARTStart Program
Introduction to Entrepreneurship Workshop (2 hours)
A dynamic, discussion-based session that introduces five key concepts of entrepreneurship. Participants explore their business ideas—or uncover new ones—while identifying their deeper why and sense of purpose. Perfect for those curious about entrepreneurship and looking for a starting point.
Next Workshop: TBD
If you express interest in joining this workshop, please email our team, bst@employtoempower.com.
8-Week BST Course
A core entrepreneurship course that helps participants build the foundation of their business through weekly, small-group sessions. With real-life examples and hands-on exercises, participants learn essential business concepts and develop a business plan in a collaborative, supportive environment. Offered three times per year with 5–8 participants per cohort.
*Summer Cohort is currently in-progress until August 20th, 2025
*Our Fall Cohort will start in September – December 2025.
The 8-week business skills course will offer:
- 1 class each week for 2 hours
- Interactive and engaging classes
- Guided learning to create your own business plan
- Connect with other aspiring entrepreneurs
- Join a community of entrepreneurs
Course Topics
In the Business Skills Training Program, we will explore:
Week 1
Orientation
Week 2
Business Overview
Week 3
Purpose
Week 4
Product
Week 5
Ideal Audience
Week 6
Pricing
Week 7
Preparation
Week 8
Share & Ask
Program Eligibility
In order for applicants to be eligible for the BST program, we ask that participants meet the following criteria:
- Have a specific business idea ($5,000 or less )
- Low Income (Below $35,000 – $40,000/annually)
AND one of the following:
- Facing any mental or physical health barriers (self-declared)
- Access social services (ie: receiving support from community/non-profit organizations, agencies, government)
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I have more than one idea, can I still apply into the BST Program?
Yes, you can still apply if you have more than one business idea. We will encourage you to choose one specific business idea for the 8-week course. Once you’ve submitted your application, our team will also discuss the best options to support your business idea.
I’ve submitted an application, what do the next steps look like?
Once you’ve submitted your application, our BST Team will reach out via email on your application status. If you don’t hear back from us after 7 business days, feel free to email us at bst@employtoempower.com
What’s the cost of the program?
We want to offer our program for free to our participants and that’s why we have different funders and partnerships that fund our program. This means that this application form includes some questions to establish what funding stream the participant can be part of.
What business can Employ to Empower support?
ETE reserves the right to refuse support for businesses related to the trade of live animals, substances (including cannabis and alcohol), weapons, counterfeits, products or services that infringe on intellectual property, are otherwise prohibited by law, or that discriminate against any classes of people with accommodations for BIPOC and 2SLGBTQ+ communities.
Do you offer the BST program virtually?
No. Our BST program is designed and primarily held in-person at our office to provide the full classroom experience.
If I already started my business, can I still apply for the BST Program?
Yes! If you are interested in applying for the BST Program, we encourage you to submit an application. Once submitted, we will collaborate with you to determine the best service for you.
What are the available time slots of the classes?
During your application process, our team will ask for your availability and determine your class slot. This will be first come first serve. The class time slots are:
-
Tuesday’s from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
-
Tuesday’s from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
-
Wednesday’s from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Do participants receive funding to support their business during the program?
We currently don’t have funding for participants in the BST Program.
If I have further questions about the BST program, who can I contact?
If you have any questions related to the BST Program, please email our team (BST@employtoempower.com) or call us at (604)-900-9626.
