Mentor like a cup of double espresso!
Jennifer Pratt, founder and CEO of Seeding Square, is excited about her future, and the future of her two businesses under the company Contour Creations Inc. The Rhyze Up! program participant says her second business, Physio Covers, resulted from her increased confidence gained through Rhyze Up!.
Evolving from being new gardeners and wanting to find a better way to plant, Seeding Square is a colour-coded seed spacer that guides people to plant high-density, high-yield vegetable gardens making the experience easy and fun.
Rhyze Up! catapulted her business forward with the help of experts. “They helped me get a clearer vision and develop a path to get there,” she said. Because she valued the expertise, she has continued to engage IG’s services beyond the Rhyze Up! program’s completion. “I don’t have to take on the world on my own now.” Pratt said the expertise available to her through Rhyze Up! was priceless and enlightened her to the concept of process improvement and more. IG mentor Don Thompson went above and beyond providing value-added information. He helped Pratt refine and improve her Amazon presence which she is expanding to the UK as well. Innovation Guelph helped connect her with other resources providing her with the best opportunity to excel.
“Participating in Rhyze Up! helped me grow as an individual and now that I have new skills, in my gratitude, I make a point to pay it forward. It has a positive ripple effect,” Pratt said. “The leadership coaching gave me insight into how to do business and have more confidence in my approach.”
Because of what she has learned during the program and the increased confidence she has gained, Pratt said she is working to get into big box stores like Canadian Tire and Walmart Canada and is hoping to explore possible grants that would allow her to hire staff. She is also exploring the idea of writing a gardening book. Her processes are also more strategic. “Nancy Carroll, Innovation Guelph leadership coach, was phenomenal for having me reflect on why and how to approach my business. After every call with her I came away energized, enthusiastic, and ready to take on the world. She’s like a cup of double espresso!”
Through participating in Rhyze Up!, Pratt says her business, confidence, and business acumen has grown leaps and bounds and she says she brings more to the table now confidently helping others. “I see the value in what I know,” she said.
“I have such gratitude for this opportunity and the people I’ve had the good fortune to work with resulting in my personal and business advancement.”
