learn more about the niagara falls ryerson innovation hub
Patience is a virtue they say but let’s face it...for most entrepreneurs, patience is hard especially when your vision is so clear that you can almost reach out and touch it!
BUT as the leader of your organization, you need to adhere to patience while building your empire or else you might experience some unintended, major and/or minor, setbacks. It’s like melting chocolate — if you don’t put it in a double boiler and stir it constantly you will burn it!! And burnt chocolate is not good to eat or use (trust me I’ve tried!).
Covid-19 has taught us many things including patience — long line ups, shut downs, delays…all have forced us to have to be patient… and courteous but that’s another blog! For some entrepreneurs it has meant slowing down your momentum, rethinking your strategy, re-inventing your core business model…and then trying it out while patiently waiting to see the results of these new changes. For some this worked out great! For others not so much and so back to the drawing board you went.
As we neared the end of 2020, we anticipated better. New Year’s Eve came and our anticipation turned into celebration as we did the final countdown towards the new year…
10,9,8,7,6…we could just taste the freedom from this most difficult year….5,4,3,2,1…HAPPY NEW YEAR!! WELCOME 2021!!!
January 1st was a Friday followed by the weekend…not a bad start! Then came the first work week, the first virtual school week and we all quickly realized to our disappointment…patience is needed once again. How disheartening after such great hope was placed in 2021!! How discouraging to realize the momentum, the journey to the other side is not yet over. So now what?
Many of you know the expression “hindsight is 2020”. Well in this case, it is true of both the expression as well as the year. Many valuable lessons were taught in 2020…lessons we thought might be good to be reminded of:
As you continue to adapt, pivot and change your business, remind yourself that things that matter take time and riding waves is never smooth sailing…and there are plenty of waves in the sea of entrepreneurship right now!
Your business is important on many levels and to so many people — your clients, your investors, your community, yourself — BUT it can never be more important than taking care of you — body, mind and spirit. Set and respect your work hours but also set and respect time for yourself and your well-being. You just might find you’re more productive because you’re better rested!
Not much needs to be said here as we’ve all felt the pain of not being able to physically see or hang out with some of our family and friends. HOWEVER what does need to be said is that we don’t need to wait until nice weather, the vaccine or the pandemic to be over for us to make family and friends a continued priority. We may be all zoomed out but there are so many fun ways to stay connected — calling by telephone or writing/sending a letter by snail mail are just a couple of ideas. As an entrepreneur you are already creative so use that creativity to stay connected to those you love!
The start of 2021 may be a little shaky but as differently as 2019 looked from 2020, so will 2021 as compared to last year. As that famous song from the musical Annie says: “The sun will come out tomorrow!”
Our memberships are all-inclusive pricing which means W.I.F.I, Utilities, Janitorial service, coffee and many other amenities are included. They start at 3 months! Memberships also offer business services including business coaching, perks and discounts, access to Spark’s Member Portal, events and workshops, and much more!
Unlike many other incubators, Spark is here for you in the long run. You're welcome to participate in our entrepreneurial community as long as you'd like.
We work with Ryerson University and the City of Niagara Falls on the Niagara Falls Ryerson Innovation Hub. This initiative is for tech-based startups in or looking to move to Niagara Falls, Canada to grow and scale their business.
We are happy to help provide guidance on the necessary steps towards receiving external investments. That being said, we will not invest in your business nor are we affiliated as partners in your business.
Spark stands by the mission of building our future with collective impact. We accept entrepreneurs whether they are affiliated with another incubator or not. We aspire to bring together the best talent in Niagara regardless of background.
We offer a free 7 day trial for serious applicants only.
