August 4, 2010
Ask Colleen Miller about Enterprise Brant and she’ll tell you she’s the agency’s No. 1 fan. The successful Brantford entrepreneur has not only been a recipient of the organization’s services, she was a long-time board member who helped dispense funding to fledgling businesses. “I always felt honoured to be part of the board of directors,” said the gregarious Miller. “The people who are part of the board are the movers and shakers in the community. Enterprise Brant is one of the most successful CDFCs in the organization. I think that’s because of the people.”
Miller launched Colleen E. Miller Enterprises in Brantford in 1993 with the help of the Ontario Self Employment Assistance Program administered by Enterprise Brant. With honours diplomas in communications, adult education and human resources - training and development, and more than 15 years in senior management, Miller was well-qualified to launch a business helping others find and, often, change their careers.
However, like most small business owners, she needed some backing. “Enterprise Brant offered me the support I needed to get the business up and running. It was wonderful to have someone who could look at my cash flows and projections. It’s vital for a successful business to have that. I knew I had a safety net and that I had resources that could help me, so I wasn’t worrying as much.” While Miller will still focus on career training and development, she is currently creating a new business plan that will include more keynote speaking and other services. Miller applied for and was eligible to receive funding from the Southwestern Ontario Community Adjustment Fund through Enterprise Brant for strategic realignment of her business. The dollars have been earmarked for market research, prospect database development, website development, sales/telesales development, and branding and marketing materials. “The folks at Enterprise Brant have been instrumental in my business growth and potential ‘reincarnation,’” she said.
One of Brantford’s most fervent community boosters, Miller was instrumental in bringing a Wilfrid Laurier University campus to the city more than a decade ago and was nominated in 2006 as Brantford’s Citizen of the Year for her involvement in myriad projects.