Owen Knowles, 19, is the 2024 winner of the William F. Bell Young Entrepreneur Award for the successful business he started with help from the city’s Summer Company program.
The family of former mayor William Bell joined Richmond Hill Mayor David West and other council members to present Owen Knowles with the 2024 William F. Bell Young Entrepreneur Award, recognizing his summer business.
The award was given on March 26 and honors a successful young entrepreneur who participates in Summer Company, an annual three-month program that helps students ages 15 to 29 learn how to operate their own businesses, according to a City of Richmond Hill news release.
“Summer Company has been an incredible experience for a young entrepreneur like me, especially as someone who grew up watching my family members run their own businesses. Having completed two years of my four-year BBA program at Trent University before applying to Summer Company really helped me further develop and reinforce what I’ve learned in school,” Owen said.
“What the future holds is unknown, but I know for sure that I’m in the right field, surrounded by the right people. I’m excited to see what tomorrow brings. Thank you, Summer Company, for opening my eyes to all the opportunities ahead of me,” he added.
During last year’s summer months, 19-year-old Owen ran a mobile interior car detailing service called Owen Knowles Interior Car Detailing. He helped busy residents in Richmond Hill and nearby areas save time and effort by offering mobile detailing and cleaning services right at their homes or workplaces.
Through this program, Owen improved his marketing and sales skills while gaining valuable mentorship that enabled him to build trust with clients and stand out in a competitive market, according to city officials.
“His perseverance and ability to deliver exceptional service resulted in over 60 clients and more than 100 vehicles serviced, generating more than $8,000 in revenue in just four months.”
“I am always so impressed to see Richmond Hill young entrepreneurs in action. The array of businesses being offered in 2024 was very inspiring; none more so than Owen Knowles with his determination and dedication to bringing his business to reality. Congratulations, Owen, for receiving this year’s William F. Bell Young Entrepreneur Award. I look forward to seeing where the future takes you as well as all the participants from this year’s Summer Company program. Your path to future successes shines bright,” Mayor West said.
Owen was one of 12 Richmond Hill students participating in the 2024 program who showed resilience, creativity and passion for entrepreneurship. This year’s participants also included:
Saif Bayouq, 18 – Terraform Landscaping provides landscaping services like lawn mowing, interlocking paving stones, and fence installation
Rehan Surani, 16 – Razer Hockey runs a summer hockey school for children aged 14 and under
Hasan-Ali Abidi, 19 – SOHO Photography Solutions specializes in photography along with social media content creation and management
Hamzah Ali Isam Al-sammarraie, 21 – Clear Vue Cleaning Services offers professional pressure washing as well as window cleaning services
Shaan Brown, 16 – RH Aquatic Coaching provides one-on-one swimming lessons along with group lessons in backyard pools
Catherine Li, 16 – Piano Pathways Academy offers piano tutoring focused on practice along with skill development
Aiden Ma, 17 – Stealth Tech produces custom goods using advanced technologies such as 3D printing along with laser cutting and engraving
Amber Malhotra, 17 – Amber Small Biz Web Designs creates professional yet low-budget websites tailored for small businesses
Bhavya Malik, 15 – BAS Jewels designs and sells custom jewelry pieces including beadworkand crystals through online platforms along with community events
Sanaz Amirnezhad ,17- Prodigy Prep provides consulting services designed to support students academically while preparing them for post-secondary education
Margaret Ping ,16- Anon develops grease-proofand moisture-proof paper book covers designed specifically for preteensand adolescents providing discreet solutionsfor anonymous reading
By the end of those three months together, the group collectively generated over $40 ,000in revenue.
The William F. Bell Young Entrepreneur Award is named after mayor Bell who served Richmond Hill for26 years including six termsas mayor.
If you’re a studentwith an ideafor a business, you can applyfor this year’s Summer Company program. Applications are dueby May15. Learn more at Richmond Hill. ca/Summer Company.
Fundedthroughthe Ontario government’s Summer Companyprogram , students receiveup tos3 ,000 eachin start-up fundingalongwithcomprehensiveonlinebusiness trainingand mentoringco-ordinated through Richmond Hill’s Small Business Enterprise Centre
Sincelaunchingin2004, Richmond Hill’s Summer Companyprogramhasprovided180locallyoung entrepreneurswith foundationalsupportto startand growabusiness.
Source link
Source link
