yes ns_marrch_2015

1. Project Update to OneNS Coalition
March 10, 2015
Daniel Holland & Bill MacAvoy

2. What inspired initiative?
Cameron Herold lives in Vancouver. He is an entrepreneur
who started his first business at the age of 21, and played
pivotal roles in 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, College Pro Painters and
Boyd Auto Body (the largest collision Auto Body shop in
North America.)
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4. What informed our initiative?
 Many elements of the OneNS Commission Report which spoke to
Entrepreneurs in our Province and the role they must play in
encouraging a culture of entrepreneurship, growth and start-ups,
AND, the results of a survey:
 What career sectors do youth say they prefer?
 Private - 32.2%
 Public/Government - 54.9%
 I’d rather start my own company - 12.8%
 Skilled trades – 42% would consider
Source: Apprenticeship Analysis: Youth Perceptions of Careers in the Skilled Trades, Sept 2013. www.caf-cfa.org (National Survey,
70% were 15-17 years old). In 2004, only 29% would consider skilled trades. Only 32% of parents encouraged them to pursue trades
and less than 20% of GCs.
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5. What has guided our efforts?
 Strategic, Long term thinking
 Drive private sector leadership – Government is not
the solution
 Ideas / programs addressing many industries,
 Organize for Collective Impact,
 Education: Develop extra-curricular initiatives
 Focus on 15-24 year olds, initially,
 Target programs that can get traction soon,
 Projects: self-funding; measurable impact; involve
entrepreneurs from across the province.
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6. What is YES NS, so far?
 7 private sector entrepreneurs (and intra-preneurs).
 4 meetings since September,
 First parts of a plan and energy is building.
 Early decision made to develop set of “hypotheses” or
possible programs,
 Next, a high level “landscape” analysis done to assess what
existing programs
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7. Who is YES NS, so far?
 Leaders from a range of industries, business size, NS
communities, and age of entry into entrepreneurial
venture(s)
 Daniel Holland, Nate Kroll, Bill MacAvoy, Matthew
MacLellan, Chad Munro, David Regan, James Surette, and
David Thompson.
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8. Where are we going from here?
 A wider event targeting private sector
entrepreneurs will be hosted:
 Review ideas, seek input, build energy and leadership,
 60-100 people (from diverse backgrounds and
entrepreneurial experience),
 Invitation to business owners, leaders inside private
enterprises, and people who have started businesses -
from across the province,
 Open Space facilitation and scheduled for April in
Halifax.
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9. Where are we going from here?
 The Ask? 2 hours of time and a contribution to the
conversation,
 The Hope? Increased energy around the projects,
added level of definition on some projects, a
number of volunteers who will lead.
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10. What are the desired outcomes?
 Ideas with the greatest interest and energy move
forward,
 Of 8-9 “possible ideas”, at least 3-4 move forward
in the next few months,
 Projects that move forward should have:
 A realistic start or launch date before September,
 A short list of goals (draft) for 2015,
 An agreed measure or impact that is quantifiable, and
 A small group of leaders that report back on progress
semi-annually.
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11. What are the initial focus areas?
 Mentorship,
 Celebrating success of local entrepreneurs through
media; print, online and social (Youth enabled),
 New access routes to small financing pools,
 Entrepreneurial education,
 A Business Challenge to transfer entrepreneurial
knowledge and skills to our Youth, and
 Outreach.
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