Truro Student Scoops Up Opportunity

A young entrepreneur from the Truro area is one of seven students to receive an award of merit today under the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills program (YES), an initiative of Economic Development and Tourism.

Manning MacDonald, Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, presented the awards at a luncheon at Halifax's World Trade and Convention Centre honouring some of the province's youngest business owners.

Tenille MacKenzie, a Grade 12 student at Cobequid Education Centre, started her own ice-cream shop last summer on the Salmon River Road near Truro. The 17-year-old said she got the idea from her father. He knew that she and her friends were looking for something different to do for the summer, and the space was available at Farmer's Dairy.

All she needed was some financial capital to help with the startup costs. It was then Ms. MacKenzie decided to apply for a YES loan.

The YES program provides loans to full-time students between the ages of 16 and 29 to set up and operate their own business. The program helps participants prepare a business plan and provides business counselling and training. Students must apply to Economic Development and Tourism and may receive a loan of up to $5,000.

Ms. MacKenzie was granted a loan of $1,000, which helped with the initial costs of the ice-cream shop. "We fixed the place up a little and bought the ice cream from Farmer's," she said. "I couldn't have done it without the loan."

Buy the Scoop opened for business in June with four other students as employees, and did extremely well over the summer with $8,100 in sales. Ms. MacKenzie said that running her own business was satisfying and the award, for the northeastern Nova Scotia region, is just another incentive to do it all over again next year.

YES award winners are selected on the basis of region, loan repayment, consultant reviews, regional development officer reviews, and demonstration of entrepreneurial qualities.