Who Should Apply

You are a Black youth, Ontario resident, and you are motivated to explore entrepreneurship. As well, you will:

• be enrolled in any of Grades 10, 11, or 12 in September 2022, or
• be enrolled in post-secondary studies in September 2022, or
• you are not currently pursuing formal education.

What

If we want more Black youth to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, where do we start? How do we inspire Black youth to recognize opportunities, and then, either now or in the future, be prepared and willing to take the necessary risks to start and operate a business? The answer is, ‘Start at the beginning’. Start by helping youth to see opportunities, to be confident in taking risks, and to understand that starting and managing a business or other enterprise is a real career option. As well, engage the business community in encouraging youth to see imagination, inventiveness, and perseverance as critical, transferable skills which lead to success in any business and career.

SummerUp’s Coaching Future Entrepreneurs program introduces Black youth to Black entrepreneurs who will share their personal entrepreneurial stories. These entrepreneurs will talk about their journey through failures and triumphs, their perseverance through trying times, their passion to succeed, and what makes entrepreneurship worthwhile. Students will also be exposed to different business models and trends by each guest entrepreneur. Students will also have the chance to participate in an interactive business simulation where they will create a fictitious business and receive fictitious angel investment from one of our entrepreneurs. With this exercise, students will have a memorable experience learning how capital is raised and commonly applied within a start-up venture.

This SummerUp exploration of entrepreneurship is for the student who is eager to begin their personal journey of starting their own business – now or in the future. This course is also for the students who simply want to be inspired to seize the many opportunities life has to offer. Seizing opportunities is the foundation of entrepreneurship.

Students will be guided by the following Black entrepreneurs:

Andrew Bromfield – President and Chief Technology Officer, Formative Innovations Inc.
Marlon Stephens – Founder, Square Circle Ventures Inc.
Clayton Martin – Founder, Square Circle Ventures Inc.
Dr. Tanya Williams, BA, MD, FRCSC – Owner, Dr. T. Williams Fertility Centre
Ray & Stefan McMillan – Owners – The McMillan Group
Nadia Carmino – Founder, Alliance One
Ivan Harrilal – Managing Partner, Alliance One

Why this Matters

“Opportunities for young Black students to acquire entrepreneurial skill sets are not often available and we need to create these opportunities. Furthermore, these learning opportunities should go beyond a dry classroom lecture and bridge into the dreaming, the doing, the connecting, the growing and the persevering.” (Sandra Kahale, Writer)

SummerUp’s Coaching Future Entrepreneurs program is a starter kit for instilling an entrepreneurial culture in Black students by providing them opportunities to develop their imagination, initiative, resourcefulness, and risk-taking. These attributes are common to effective leadership, career-building, and entrepreneurship. The program will also offer students ideas for realizing their entrepreneurial potential.

This SummerUp program will provide:
– a series of interactive meetings, each framed by the personal entrepreneurial journey of a Black Canadian businessperson,
– a behind-the-scenes look at entrepreneurship as experienced by Black Canadian entrepreneurs who have found success in technology, finance, marketing, and healthcare,
– a foundation on which students may build and realize their entrepreneurial potential,
– a realistic appraisal of the systemic barriers, challenges, and opportunities of entrepreneurship,
– an appreciation of entrepreneurship as a career option,
– a deeper understanding of the role of networks and supports in the success of a business, and
– through the M5M mentoring platform, students will have post-program access to a powerful network of established entrepreneurs who are willing to provide mentoring/coaching.

Here are the opinions of three students who took this course in summer 2021:

Student #1: “There were too many [takeaways] to count. The importance of routine, the importance of time management. We went through everything, and I took so much from it. It was really insightful and they were always trying to connect back with us as well which I found really touching.”

Student #2: “I liked how engaging the program was and how I was able to express my ideas and learn about other success stories of different entrepreneurs.”

Students #3: “I like how the program showed me the different setups of different entrepreneurs, and I also enjoyed how engaging the presenters were.”

Admission Details

Who: You are a Black youth, Ontario resident, and you are motivated to explore entrepreneurship. As well, you will:

• be enrolled in any of Grades 10, 11, or 12 in September 2022, or
• be enrolled in post-secondary studies in September 2022, or
• you are not currently pursuing formal education.

Since there will be ‘coaching interaction’ between students and entrepreneurs, you must have a reliable computer and reliable internet access. You must be willing to attend all scheduled learning sessions (see dates and times below).

Admissions Process: All eligible applicants will be considered for admission. Refer to application deadlines at https://llileaders.com/summerup/ An orientation session may be provided.

Start/Stop Dates: Coaching Future Entrepreneurs will span six weeks starting Thursday, July 14, 2022. Each session will commence at 6.30 p.m. and end at 8.00 p.m.

Meeting Pattern: This program will meet for ninety minutes on each of the following six days.
Week 1: Thursday, July 14 – (6.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.) Lead Entrepreneur: Giselle Melo
Week 2: Thursday, July 21 – (6.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.) Lead Entrepreneur: Clayton Martin
Week 3: Thursday, July 28 – (6.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.) Lead Entrepreneurs: Raymond and Stefan McMillan
Week 4: Thursday, August 4 – (6.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.) Lead Entrepreneur: Dr Tanya Williams
Week 5: Thursday, August 11 – (6.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.) Lead Entrepreneur: Nadia Carmino
Week 6: Thursday, August 18 – (6.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.) Lead Entrepreneur: Ivan Harrilal

Mode: Virtual (Zoom).

Course Faculty

Andrew Bromfield, President and CTO, Formative Innovations Inc.

Andrew’s mission is to help organizations seize new opportunities as they emerge in the marketplace. He leverages technology as an effective tool for service differentiation and process innovation, while remaining focused on the business objectives that must be met to achieve what his clients define as success. It is through this commitment that he founded Formative Innovations Inc. 16 years ago, a Toronto-based Digital Transformation firm that designs and delivers custom digital platforms that play a key role in how its clients do business.

As Formative’s President, Andrew is responsible for the creation and execution of strategic initiatives and the realization of the company’s long-term vision. In addition, Andrew plays a key role in the design and development of all product and service offerings as the Chief Technology Officer. Over the past 16 years, Andrew and his team have developed and deployed several highly effective digital platforms that span multiple industries, including healthcare and financial services.

Prior to founding Formative Innovations Inc., Andrew acquired his diverse skill set by earning a Bachelor of Commerce in Information Technology Management from Ryerson University, where he majored in systems development and implementation. He immediately applied that knowledge with meaningful tenures at DoubleClick (now a Google company) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

Andrew wore several technical hats while working for DoubleClick and learned the complexities of operating a successful Software as a Service provider (SaaS). Moving to PricewaterhouseCoopers, Andrew worked as a senior consultant within the Global Risk Management Group to deliver revenue assurance and business advisory services to leading telecommunications companies throughout Canada and the United States.

Most recently, Andrew has launched a next-generation talent development platform called My 5 Mentors. Its evidenced-based approach adds structure and accountability to mentorship, while enabling a deeper exchange of knowledge and know-how. The identification and development of high-performing talent is a critical component of most Digital Transformation initiatives and it’s why My 5 Mentors was created.

Outside of Formative, Andrew currently serves as a Board Member to the following organizations that are committed to Canadian economic development: Driven Accelerator (2012) and 100 Strong (2017). He has also served as a Board Member of the African and Caribbean Board of Industry & Trade (ACBIT, 2014) and The Francophone Workforce Development Council (FWDC, 2015).

Entrepreneurs

Dr. Tanya Williams, BA, MD, FRCSC

Dr. Williams has been practising Obstetrics and Gynecology, Infertility and Reproductive Endocrinology in Toronto since 1993. Recognizing the needs of couples in Toronto and Durham, she has expanded her training and practice to focus on the treatment of patients with infertility and related issues. Dr. Williams offers patients thorough investigation and the most up-to-date treatments using a caring and sensitive approach.

Giselle Melo, General Partner

Giselle founded Matr Ventures in 2021 because underestimated founders are known to outperform yet receive less than 3% of all venture capital funding. Some investors think that a focus on diverse and women founders implies an impact fund and, in turn, lower returns. Giselle views this asset class as the opposite – diverse perspectives, access to overlooked markets, and undervalued opportunities that lead to out performance and higher returns. Giselle is the Co-founder and CEO of NicheeStudio, a software development corporation that custom builds and rebuilds web-based applications, machine learning systems, enterprise software, and mobile experiences.

In 2012 Giselle built a consulting firm delivering growth strategies to niche businesses, including a boutique advisory and investment banking client – Toren& Associates. Starting as their supplier – 6 years later – Giselle was invited to become Partner, Head of Investment Banking in 2017. She completed transactions totaling over $5 billion in assets under management before stepping away to launch Matr.

Having experienced challenges accessing start-up funding, an eye for underestimated founders, and built technology that scales, Melo aims to invest capital, leverage software, and provide founders with access to a curated network to propel portfolio growth to scale and success.

Giselle is a passionate advocate for economic empowerment through entrepreneurship for TheCulture, women in STEM, and the Arts.

Raymond C. McMillan, B.A.

Raymond McMillan is a Mortgage Professional and Real Estate Investor who has been actively involved in the investment, banking, and lending industry since 1994.

After graduating from the University of Guyana with a degree in Geography and Economics, Raymond migrated to Canada in 1989. Raymond first entered the financial industry in 1994 when he joined Standard Life Assurance Company as an Investment Advisor. After a few years there he moved over to RBC Insurance, and then to CIBC where he spent some time as a Financial Advisor. Ray’s primary role at CIBC involved providing clients with investment advice and underwriting personal loans and mortgages.

With the extensive knowledge and experience he received at CIBC, Raymond decided to move full-time into Mortgage Brokering in 1999. He opened the doors of The McMillan Group in November 1999 and has been licensed as a mortgage professional since then. With hundreds of millions of dollarsworth of residential and commercial mortgages funded since 1999, Raymond’s unique experience and knowledge allow him to advise clients on all types of mortgage transactions.

The team currently consists of both realtors and mortgage brokers who are multi-lingual professionals. Included in the team is his eldest son, Stefan, who joined in the summer of 2015.

Through the years, Raymond has received several industry awards. He has also managed and coached two members of his team to the status of top mortgage volume producer’s awards.

Since migrating to Canada, Raymond has been involved in mentorship within various segments of the community, particularly those in the Afro Caribbean segment and at-risk youth. Once Raymond began his journey in entrepreneurship, he turned his attention to helping young entrepreneurs find their purpose. Along with 5 other colleagues, he formed the Afro Caribbean Business Network in the fall of 2017, an organization that has the sole purpose of connecting young entrepreneurs, both in age and experience, to connect, build and grow.

Stefan McMillan

Stefan McMillan began working as a licensed mortgage agent in 2017. His journey to becoming a successful mortgage agent in the industry is not an overnight story. His father, Raymond McMillan, is a veteran mortgage professional with over 25 years of experience in the industry. The office, which is nestled in the Meadowvale area of Mississauga, is where an adolescent Stefan, who is naturally observant of his surroundings, soaked in the mortgage brokering environment during visits to his dad’s office.

Stefan has moved the family mortgage legacy to new heights with accolades, including being awarded the Top Producing Broker awards in 2018, 2019, and 2021. Stefan appeared in the 2020 CMP Rising Star Recognition Achievement and contributed to the Canadian mortgage Professional magazine article features related to the mortgage industry. Stefan has an uncanny ability to analyze each client’s situation and simplify the tailored solution for each client to reach their individual financial goal. During his time away from the office, Stefan enjoys cycling around his neighborhood. He is also a connoisseur of exclusive collectible items and enjoys spending time with his fiancée, family, and close friends.

Nadia Carmino

Nadia Carmino is the founder and CEO of Alliance One Management Consulting (AO), a North American-owned, woman-led professional-services firm. She is a change maker in addressing business problems with highly strategic outcomes. AO addresses invisible systemic barriers that plague corporate supply chains in pursuit of diversification across all corporations. This is accomplished by amending by-laws and policies to bolster fair and equitable processes while calling out nepotism, corporate corruption, and other injustices that plague small businesses and impede access to wealth equity. AO ignites growth tools and critical thinking strategies to support their clients’ needs.

Ivan Harrilal, B.A.Sc. – Managing Director, Alliance One Inc.

Ivan Harrilal holds a Bachelor of Applied Science and Engineering from the University of Toronto. He has been an entrepreneur for over 25 years, developing beyond his technical abilities, an integral skillset of business development, strategy, marketing, and sales, in the Telecommunications, Technology, and Fashion industry. The highlight of Ivan’s entrepreneurial journey thus far, is being co-founder/owner and Vice-President of Global Business Development and Sales for iSkin Inc., one of the largest and most successful mobile accessory and fashion-for-tech brands within the industry at the time.

Ivan’s role at iSkin Inc. provided him with vast experience in international business and an understanding of international localized consumer and business culture inclusive of the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Pan-Asia. He also acquired a valuable network of relationships.

After 10 years of building the iSkin Inc., Ivan moved on to utilizing his business-development experience combined with his experience of building and managing international business, to create Brand Addicts Inc., a consulting business catering to various industries including telecommunications, travel, organic health, food and beverage and entertainment.

iSkin was born out of Ivan’s previous venture, Metamage Inc, as an in-house manufacturing and e-commerce project. Metamage was a full-service multimedia and website development business specializing in multimedia corporate presentations, database development, and e-commerce.

Today, Ivan is in the midst of the next major success story of his entrepreneurial journey, as co-founder, owner and managing director of Alliance One Inc., an international management consulting firm that is re-defining the consulting space for both small and diverse businesses and creating a foundation that inspires change.

Clayton Martin

Clayton Martin is a Sales and Business Development Strategist whose focus is helping governments and enterprises implement energy efficient solutions. After spending over a decade as a sales professional in the environmental and renewable sector for both Canadian and American companies, he has contributed by developing sustainable projects in the North American and Caribbean markets.

Clayton’s experience gives him an understanding of what truly drives decision makers to take action as it relates to creating a more cost effective and sustainable environment for their communities. His philosophy comes down to the importance of connecting with and understanding the challenges his customers face. Clayton is also a Football Canada Association certified coach who has been involved in youth sports for 20 years and enjoys mentoring young people.

Special Note:

SummerUp is a program designed to serve and support the personal and professional aspirations of Ontario’s Black youth. The program is developed and presented by the Lifelong Leadership Institute (LLI), and it is primarily funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education. The quality of the SummerUp experience is assured by the contributions of a diverse group of individuals, educators, institutions and corporations – all of which are committed to championing the well-being, development and advancement of Black youth.

The Lifelong Leadership Institute also offers the Leadership by Design program which provides extensive leadership-development opportunities to Black youth.

The SummerUp 2022 program is primarily funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education.