Home Grown in Perth County

Hi #HomeGrownInPerthCounty followers!

If you know anything about Perth County, you will know that there is so much delicious food to be had county-wide! Today, I am so excited to highlight a food truck in Shakespeare – The Tin House and its owner’s, Jay and Laurie. This food truck specializes in house-made burgers, pulled pork, poutines, hotdogs, and of course, fresh cut fries. Since moving to Perth County in 2017, the couple and their business have seen great success and are currently in their third season! 

Jay and Laurie both had an interest in the hospitality industry and lived in a nearby urban centre, where Jay pursued further education in culinary. In 2017, the couple decided it was time for their next big adventure and wanted to fulfill their dream of opening a restaurant. While real-estate was lucrative at the time, they searched online for listings and stumbled upon one in the village of Shakespeare. Beyond the quaint village being picturesque and filled with character, the house they had their eye on came with its very own food truck! In its past life, this food truck was successful and carried with it a loyal following – as its owners were ready to move on, they had placed their home and food truck up for sale. Jay and Laurie viewed this as the perfect opportunity for them to take their dream of opening a restaurant and make it their own. With the venture being relatively low-risk and the support from its previous owners, Jay and Laurie created their vision for The Tin House!

The couple decided Shakespeare was a good fit for many reasons – Jay noted that, “it had good proximity to the city and we had family close by so it didn’t feel like we were giving up anything by moving to this small-town.” When I asked about the transition moving from an urban area to a rural one, Jay and Laurie smiled – “We love living here, there is a sense of community in Shakespeare and we’ve felt welcomed by the people that live here” said the couple. Laurie went on to tell me about the immediate support and sense of community they experienced when moving to Shakespeare: “During our first week, Jay and I were trying to hang a sign. Within minutes, the neighbours and other business owners came over to help – this sense of community was overwhelming at first, but a good overwhelming. It’s been so amazing getting to know people. When we walk down the street with our dogs, everyone waves – you don’t get that in the city.” 

While Jay works full time at The Tin House, Laurie balances her time working at an engineering firm in a nearby urban centre – however, both are heavily involved in running The Tin House. When asked what advice they would give to others considering opening a business in rural Perth County, their response was simple – “treat the community right and meet with other local business owners, everyone supports one another here, you’re not competing. Owning and operating your own business is a lot of work, but it’s so rewarding!” Not only vouching for the business and entrepreneurial atmosphere in Perth County, Jay and Laurie also applauded the Stratford-Perth Centre for Business, a resource offered for entrepreneurs and business-owners in the area. The couple used this centre in the early stages of opening their food truck. “While owning a business is a lot of work, our goal from day one has been to have fun and be happy. We may work a twelve hour day when it’s busy and we’re exhausted by that night, but it’s worth it – it’s a good exhaustion. When you’re working to see your own business succeed, it’s a good feeling.”

Beyond the community, Laurie and Jay both note that their families have been so important in the process and success of their businesses. While they chose to move to rural Ontario, their family is still a short drive away and is always ready to support them. The couple is excited to see more sustainable growth in the future, with hopes of eventually allowing Jay and Laurie to work full time at the truck.

If you haven’t taken a drive to Shakespeare to try the food at The Tin House, you absolutely must! The menu has a wide variety of delicious eats and the truck offers daily specials. What are Jay and Laurie’s favourite menu item? “It’s always changing – everything is so good,” Laurie laughs. Right now, the couple agrees that they love coming up with new weekly features, like the Taco Fries, and the Cheeseburger Egg Rolls – but ask them again in a month, it will most certainly be another decadent item on their menu!

Follow The Tin House on Facebook or Instagram @thetinhouse_shakespeare !

#HomeGrownInPerthCounty followers, Meet Ashley! 

Ashley is the owner and head stylist at Lavish Salon in Listowel, ON. Five and a half years ago she decided to pursue her dream of opening a salon. With continued success, she has now expanded the facility and employs eighteen individuals!

Originally from Perth County, Ashley completed high school here and then moved to London to study business. Following that, she moved to Kitchener where she chose to pursue her apprenticeship in hair styling. Flash forward to 2013, she decided at the young age of twenty-five that she wanted to open her own business. Why Perth County to do this? For Ashley, this was an easy question – it was home and she knew it was a perfect place to start a family and a career. “You can build a life here – it can be a lot harder in the city. If you are loyal to the community, they are just as loyal in return. For someone opening a business, a small community is the perfect place to do it. You can easily build a book of business and create roots – very quickly your clients begin to feel more like family and friends.  Plus, the support you receive from everyone is amazing – if you need a hand, just ask your neighbour.”

Ashley never dreamed of the success she has experienced. “It was scary, I signed a five year lease and I wasn’t sure if the salon would launch itself as well as it has. By the end of my first year in business, I was completing renovations to expand my salon.” A firm believer in the community she is surrounded by, Ashley knows the success is because of just that – “my loyal clients and the community.” 

As a successful and young entrepreneur, Ashley is now paying it forward by giving other young people their start in the industry. She knows the importance of working with young individuals and providing a path for them – she brings them into the salon early and guides them through the formal education aspect of their apprenticeship. “Young people have minds like sponges – they take in so much information and learn from it – if you bring them on, you can train them and mould them into successful individuals. I always encourage my young employees to go and get their formal training, then return to Lavish where I’ll have a position ready for them. They can build a clientele and create roots here so much faster than they would in the city.”

What advice would Ashley give for anyone beginning a career or starting a business? “Take time for yourself, your business or career quickly becomes so important in your life, but always leave time for yourself and those most important to you.” This advice fits well with a rural lifestyle because people respect this ‘you time’ and want to support you while you find a work-life balance (a balance that is entirely possible in Perth County.) Another piece of advice – “when you make a mistake or learn a lesson, move forward and focus on what you can change to avoid the same mistake.” This is another positive aspect of rural areas, the community is always ready to help you get back on your feet if you’ve made a mistake.

As a young entrepreneur and mentor for many youth in our region, Ashley certainly proves that you can #ProsperInPerthCounty!

Follow Lavish Salon on Facebook and Instagram at @Lavish_Salon

Happy July, #HomeGrownInPerthCounty followers!

We are constantly talking about the amazing entrepreneurs we have in Perth County – they’re award-winning in fact! We’ve previously featured Virginia Ehrlich in our Youth Profile series as part of our #ProsperInPerthCounty campaign in 2018. Today, I am so happy to bring you an update on Virginia and her business, Acre 75.ca!

Acre75.ca is an online store that offers shoppers the luxury of online shopping, while also supporting small businesses and small-town economies. Virginia, Acre75.ca owner, only sells goods handcrafted by makers in small Canadian towns with a population of 30,000 or less. With her forward thinking and community-minded business model, Virginia was the Silver Prize winner of the 2019 FedEx Small Business Grant! I told you, award-winning entrepreneurs are right here in Perth County! With over 1,900 applicants, this contest was designed to provide small businesses with support and financial resources to help them grow and be competitive on both a local and international level. Virginia plans to use this grant to create an online marketing campaign for Acre75.ca.

Virginia and her husband chose to move to Milverton, where they started their family, because it was in the middle of where they both grew up – Mildmay and Wellesley. In addition to this, Virginia mentioned, “We had a few friends here and everything about moving to Milverton made sense – the amenities are fantastic, the housing prices are reasonable, and the proximity to the city is convenient.”

Small towns and rural areas are nothing new to Virginia, in-fact they’re the inspiration behind Acre75.ca. After growing up in Mildmay, ON on a 75 acre farm, she pursued advertising studies at Conestoga College and then worked in various marketing positions in nearby urban centres. Her dream of becoming an entrepreneur someday was solidified when she started working for a boutique marketing and communications company in Elora, ON. Virginia’s boss at the agency, an entrepreneur himself, encouraged her to pursue her dream of starting her own home business in Milverton. “All of the years I drove to the city for work, I felt very disconnected,” Virginia mentioned. “I wanted to work in Milverton and enjoy the small-town lifestyle, while still using my marketing and branding background.”

Knowing that most online purchases are made on foreign websites and online shopping is becoming more and more popular, Virginia wanted to make sure there was a way for online shoppers – who will shop online regardless – to still support local makers. “I am very proud of my small town rural roots and it was important that my shop reflected this. I love bringing the small towns to people who might not otherwise visit them and my hope is that those people will then take a drive out to the country to see all we have to offer.”

Perth County was the perfect place for Virginia to start her business, and she is so glad she did! “I love that it is intentionally simple here, its community minded, and friendly – so friendly. I love being able to walk down the street and say hi to everyone that goes by. It really feels like home here.” Aside from the picturesque small-town lifestyle, Virginia made note of the supportive entrepreneurial community that exists within the County. When you’re an entrepreneur, it can be isolating – but it doesn’t have to be. Perth County is a collaborative area and you just need to ask for help, everyone is happy to lend a hand!

With all of this in mind, we at Perth County would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Virginia and her business, Acre75.ca. She is another example of a young individual who has shown us that anyone can #ProsperInPerthCounty. Let’s celebrate our small town, rural roots as Virginia has, they’re something to be proud of!

Follow Acre75.ca on Instagram and Facebook at @Acre75.ca!

Hello #HomeGrownInPerthCounty followers!

I’m excited to introduce you to one of the fantastic initiatives happening across our municipalities! Have you heard of a Youth Action Council or Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) before?

Perth East and West Perth have paved the way for our youth to be formally connected to the political processes and communities within Perth County. West Perth’s Youth Advisory Committee directs and advices Council on youth-related issues. Perth East’s Youth Action Council is working to give a voice to youth and to create meaningful change. These YAC’s are open to all youth who are interested in participating and allows municipal councils, along with the community, to better understand the needs and desires of Perth County youth.

Not only is a youth council a great opportunity for youth to gain community hours, it also provides them the opportunity to expand their leadership skills, community engagement, and make meaningful change within their municipality.

Both in their inaugural year, our YAC’s have seen great success. Perth East is currently planning their first event, and West Perth just completed theirs. With this in mind, let me tell you about West Perth YAC’s first annual Amazing Race. This event was held on Saturday, June 8^th in Mitchell ON. With five teams participating, the youth organized over twelve different “challenges” across town by asking businesses to host them. Not only did these youth step-up as leaders during this event, the community was right there to support them! From delivering sponsorship letters to organizing how the event would run, the youth did it all. With the assistance of their Adult Allies Abbey and Janelle, the day was a huge success!

When given the chance, our youth are able and willing to step up. These councils are a great opportunity to do so and allow the community and municipal government to not only provide a voice to our youth, but also validate it. If we want our youth to choose Perth County when they look for future employment or a place to settle, we need to encourage them to be invested in our communities now. These councils are the perfect forum to inspire this type of investment.

The Perth East YAC will continue to run in the evenings throughout the summer. The West Perth Council will re-convene during lunch hours at Mitchell District High School in September. If you have questions about our Youth Action Councils, reach out to Paige Harrington (pharrington@pertheast.ca) at Perth East for more information.