Saint John program helps kickstart new businesses

SAINT JOHN — Some entrepreneurs in Saint John are now equipped with some new tools to take on the business world.

Enterprise Saint John (ESJ) has just concluded their first “Kickstart You Business” program, aimed to help new business that are having difficulties wading through skills like marketing and bookkeeping.

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“I’m really good at what I do, but I don’t know what I don’t know, I’m clear on the fact that I know nothing about bookkeeping,” says Catherine Doucette who is a graduate of Kickstart. Doucette says since learning new skills, her business has picked up.

Naturopathic Doctor Tracy Palmer admits she’s still learning the ropes of business, but she’s already seen a difference in her practice, saying April has been her busiest month yet.

ESJ also hopes this program will foster more entrepreneurship in Saint John.

“As businesses succeed they start to hire people,” says ESJ development officer Mark Breen, “they start to invest more money in the local economy and it just helps grow our local economy.”