LIFT Startups

A new way to market and network your local Vancouver Island business!

Event News

LIFT Christmas Social 2021

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We’re in month 53,496 of this pandemic. Or at least that’s what it feels like… but let’s celebrate anyway! It’s Christmas, and LIFT is celebrating a new owner with a new vision, Liz Wootton (who you may know from Human Nature Development) – here’s an invitation from Liz…

Please join us for a virtual gathering on Thursday Dec 16th at 7pm. It’s a great opportunity to connect, reconnect, and hear a little bit about the new direction LIFT will be heading in 2022. It’s free to attend, and open to everyone (you don’t have to be a current LIFT member).

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it is:

  1. Accept this invitation by texting your name, email and XMAS to (778) 608-5999. Do it!
  2. Show up to Rally, dressed in your festive best (whether that’s decked out in sparkles or hunkered down in pjs)
  3. Make a delicious cocktail/mocktail to flaunt to the other party-goers and share your recipe. Prize for the most interesting. ($25 for Atlas Café)

There might be singing. There will certainly be the opportunity to share any new YOU have.

I would LOVE to see you there..

Liz

We’re excited to be working with Lucky Village Enterprises on WinterpreneurFest4

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Every winter LIFT invites Vancouver Island entrepreneurs, local businesses, and creatives to get together for an evening of business and fun. This year we’re working with Lucky Village Enterprises to create something unique and very special for your enjoyment!

Free for LIFT members until December 31, 2018.

Ready for LIFT VIP benefits?

Ready to upgrade your local business to LIFT VIP benefits – like free events and workshops and award-winning promotions at less than $1/day? Apply today and get free tickets to WinterpreneurFest4.

FMI about LIFT membership please call HPM at 250-792-1408

Keith Ippel keynotes PitchFest3 and #WeAreYQQ Party on Sept 27

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What is PitchFest3?

Throughout the year Vancouver Island entrepreneurs and creatives pitch for help to grow their businesses at 12+ LIFT business development workshops. Every year LIFT invites up to six of these entrepreneurs to pitch at the annual PitchFest event. This is the only annual pitch event that showcases the Islands local, grassroots businesses.

This year’s event features a keynote by Keith Ippel, founder and CEO of global startup school Spring Activator. Spring has a mission to help entrepreneurs change the world through their businesses. That’s a great fit with the LIFT ethos of Island businesses helping each other grow businesses and sustainable local economies.

Who’s pitching?

So much of the startup focus is on “tech.” But while technology is sexy, most Island entrepreneurs are actually working on building businesses in almost every imaginable sector. This year’s PitchFest3 lineup is reflective of this diversity:
Yarrow Willard of Wild Rose College of Natural Healing, Kyrle Symons of Prisym Renewable Developments, Jessica Dorzinsky of Fully Alive, Amie Webster of Motif Music, Sean Elliott of Tap Bike Solutions, and Ryks Davies of Ryks Davies Music.

Who’s judging?

Joining Keith Ippel as PitchFest3 judges are Ramon Ramirez of BDC and Sue Finneron (top Hyundai dealership in Canada in 2016). As well as giving feedback to the pitchers, Keith, Ramon, and Sue’s knowledge of business will inspire participants to up their own business game.

What’s a #WeAreYQQ Party?

LIFT is famous for its parties. Founder Hans Peter Meyer (aka HPM) is no fan of traditional business networking and mixer events. That’s why he asks the #WeAreYQQPartyCrew to make LIFT events more inviting, more useful, and way more fun than your Dad’s business networking event. The result: #WeAreYQQ Parties are considered by some to be the best business mixers on the Island, perhaps anywhere. A big claim. Here’s how that shakes out for September 27.

Music with DJ em.ash. Professional dance instructor Jennifer Walsh, helping participants get their groove on. Social media games with prizes from LIFT member businesses.

Get 50% off tickets when you buy now

Typically over 100 Island entrepreneurs show up for LIFT special events. Often they’re sold out. Use the READERS code to get 50% off.

It’s fun. And your business deserves to connect with the liveliest entrepreneur community on the Island.

I repeat: Do not miss out. Get your tickets now.

 

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

Hans Peter Meyer
Founder and CEO, LIFT and the Vancouver Island Local Business Directory
250-792-1408 / hpm@liftstartups.ca

Apply now and get 2 free tickets to PitchFest3 + #WeAreYQQ After Party!

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PitchFest3 is our annual showcase of Island startups and fundraiser for our local Startup Canada chapters. After a year of BizOnDeck workshops we invite up to seven entrepreneurs to pitch their business to a panel of three judges. You’re invited to join us for the Island’s only grassroots entrepreneur pitch event. Tickets are available online here – but first, here’s how you can get two tickets for free!

APPLY TODAY TO GET TWO FREE PITCHFEST TICKETS

LIFT won Best in BC for Entrepreneur Promotion at the Startup Canada Awards on May 30, 2018 in Vancouver. Then we launched what we think is the best tool for promoting grassroots entrepreneurs on the Vancouver Island: the Island’s first and only social media powered business directory. Our goal: to connect 1000 of the best community-minded, unique and innovative, local businesses on the Island. We’re inviting you to apply today for up to 60 days of award-winning promotion. Plus, when you get listed (and get LIFTed!) you get two free tickets to PitchFest3 and #WeAreYQQ After Party on September 27, 2018.

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT PITCHFEST3?

5pm Optional “community throwback” fundraiser dinner for our local Startup Canada community. Just show up and order from the “communty throwback” menu and $5 of your meal goes to support Startup Comox Valley.

6:30pm PitchFest3. Show up early to meet some of the region’s most welcoming entrepreneurs – and to get an early start on winning prizes with our #BCBuyLocal #LIFTVIP social media game. Prizes supplied by these LIFT members: Atlas Café, Bosley’s by Pet Valu Courtenay, BodyNetix, Coastal Coworking, Derm Essentials Medi-Spa, Hornby Island Soap & Skincare, Inner Strength Acupuncture and Health, Panther Workwear, Pure Audio Centre Ltd., Sure Copy Courtenay, Toscano’s, My Tech Guys, The Waverley Hotel – and more (add your business to this social media promotion opportunity here).

AGENDA

Opening remarks by MC and LIFT Solution Sponsor Leif Jason of Mastermynde Strategy

Keynote by Keith Ippel, Founder, Spring Activator global startup school

The pitches:

  • Yarrow Willard, Wild Rose College of Natural Healing
  • Kyrle Symons, Prisym Renewable Developments
  • Jessica Dorzinsky, Fully Alive
  • Amie Webster, Motif Music Studios
  • Ryks Davies, Ryks Davies Music
  • Sean Elliot, Tap Bike Solutions

The judges:

  • Sue Finneron, Finneron Hyundai and LIFT Solution Sponsor
  • Adam Speigel, BDC and PitchFest3 Special Event Sponsor
  • Keith Ippel, Spring Activator and PitchFest3 Special Event Sponsor

Entertainments:

  • LIFT VIP DJ Em.Ash & the #WeAreYQQPartyCrew! ???? with dance moves instruction by LIFT VIP Jennifer Walsh ????
  • Signature LIFT social media games with $1000s in prizes

ABOUT OUR PARTIES

Our #WeAreYQQPartyCrew throws the best entrepreneur parties! And that’s important. Business is always better when we’re having fun together.

Thanks to our #WeAreYQQPartyCrew Boss, Leanne Zdebiak-eni of Studio IPF for making our parties special!

SPONSORS

This year’s PitchFest is sponsored by Spring Activator and BDC.

LIFT’s award-winning promotional work on Vancouver Island is made possible by the support of 100s of individual business, as well as a select group of visionary businesses we call call LIFT Solution Sponsors and LIFT Community Partners.

Solution Sponsors

Sure Copy Courtenay, Mastermynde Strategy, 50th Parallel PR, Finneron Hyundai, Jabin Postal Films, Presley & Partners, and 98.9 The GOAT

Community Partners

Atlas Cafe, Island Word, My Tech Guys, McKinnon Photography, Gladstone Brewing, Island Soul Films, Investors’ Group, The Creator Space, Harmonic Arts, and Douglas Magazine.

Apply for your two free PitchFest3 tickets now!

Bluebird Pads wins big at PitchFest2!

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photo © Amy Criss for LIFT

40 entrepreneurs packed The Prime Chophouse September 28. The sold-out crowd was there as part of the second annual PitchFest and #WeAreYQQ Party, hosted by LIFT Comox Valley.

Keynote Luke Aulin, CEO of Vancouver’s RTown online social media marketing business, talked about the importance of pitching. Aulin then joined on the judges’ panel, with Mina Haghighi of Futurpreneur, a youth-focused entrepreneur development program, and the owner Canada’s top Hyundai dealership in 2016, Sue Finneron.

PitchFest2 was sponsored by Duncan & Company CPAs and Pacific Coastal Airlines. Generous prizes were supplied by Douglas Magazine, 98.9 The GOAT, TRIO Magazine, and the LIFT organization. It’s the culmination of a year’s worth of businesses pitching at LIFT’s twice-monthly BizOnDeck workshops. LIFT’s Hans Peter Meyer calls these entrepreneurs the “new face of business in the region, the talent that’s changing everything.”

LIFT’s Hans Peter Meyer congratulates the entrepreneurs who pitched at PitchFest2: (front, left to right) Jordan Savard, Matthias Hansen, Denise Ropp, Pieter Vorster, Julian Rendell, (back, l-r) Andrea Postal, Jabin Postal, Danielle Farrant,
photo © Paul M Hansen

Seven entrepreneurs, pitching

Kicking things off was Pieter Vorster, setting a high bar with an enthusiastic description of the online magazine and community calendar at TideChange.ca. Jabin Postal had mouths watering as he garnered support for his already successful BBQ YouTube channel. Danielle Farrant wowed with her tight and cheeky pitch for Bluebird Pads: organic, locally-produced menstrual pads. Julian Rendell impressed with his description of Make it Zone as education and training for the workforce of 2020 and beyond. The growing health sector importance of cannabis and related services by Grow Wise Health was Denise Ropp‘s pitch. Jordan Savard and Matthias Hansen, winners of the Teen Entrepreneur Club “Tycoon Challenge” in June, reprised with an even tighter pitch for their Age-Sex-Location fashion line. Andrea Postal made a powerful pitch for doula services and In Bloom Births.

And the winners are…

The ASL team of Savard and Hansen, and Andra Postal’s In Bloom Births shared second place media advertising prizes. The grand prize, a $3600 package by LIFT that includes branding and photography by McKinnon Photography, digital marketing support by Mastermynde Strategy, PR services by 50th Parallel PR, print services by Sure Copy Courtenay, and content marketing by LIFT, went to Danielle Farrant and Bluebird Pads.

“I’m excited to be working with Danielle and Bluebird Pads,” says Karen McKinnon. “They’re the kind of positive, earth-friendly business that I think is representative of the values of our community here in the Comox Valley.”

As with all of LIFT’s five annual special events, PitchFest2 featured a #WeAreYQQ Party. The focus is on fun – and social media games with over $4000 in prizes, contributed by LIFT member businesses. One of these is The Waverley Hotel, a LIFT Community Partner.

“These kinds of events are an important part of building an entrepreneur culture in our community,” says Don McClellan, owner of The Waverley Hotel. “We need to encourage young entrepreneurs. The Waverley is proud to be part of a welcoming culture, through what we do as a venue for entertainment, and our support of LIFT and its activities.”

For more information about upcoming LIFT events, including the region’s annual Festive Cheer “entrepreneur holiday party” and fundraiser on November 24, see the online listings at LIFTevents.ca

Ready to make shift happen for your business or organization?

Join the LIFT community of entrepreneurs, and grow with over $4000 in membership benefits and perks, plus discounts with digital partners like RTOWN, Spring Activator, OfficeHours, Rebel, and more.

Or contact LIFT CEO and Founder, Hans Peter Meyer (aka HPM), at:

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Luke Aulin. CEO of RTOWN, and keynote at PitchFest2

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Luke Aulin is the Founder and CEO (also known as the Mayor) of RTOWN – a company recently named one of the Top 20 largest digital marketing companies in BC by Business in Vancouver. He’s also our keynote at PitchFest2 on September 28, 2017. For background on RTOWN, see below my interview.

Prior to RTOWN, Luke had an equal number of successes and failures in business and, aside from his entrepreneurial pursuits, he’s a world traveller who’s been to over 60 countries.

Luke’s addicted to uncovering better ways to serve the problems facing people and planet. His life’s purpose is to help other entrepreneurs realize their dreams. He believes that business is a force for good in the world.

“Luke’s heart is sometimes bigger than his brain.”

Interview

HPM: Who are you and what is your background viz pitching?

LUKE: I’m the founder and CEO of RTOWN. Before that I founded two failed startups in my early 20’s before becoming an “intrapreneur” at a software company called Faronics. I grew two brand new business units from nothing to something and then traveled the world for a year before starting my latest company. We’ve been recognized by Business in Vancouver as one of BC’s 15 largest digital media companies in BC. I was recently named a Top 40 Under 40 recipient.

So needless to say; I’ve pitched a LOT! Investors, employees, customers, the media. Pitching is a major part of being successful as entrepreneur.

HPM: How has pitching helped you get to where you are right now?

LUKE: I’ve raised two rounds of financing for RTOWN. I’ve also attracted some amazing team members to work on our vision, which is to help local businesses succeed by making every town RTOWN.

Without the support of so many of these stakeholders, we would not be the company we are today. Which is a leading subscription-based digital marketing company focused on helping local businesses grow through our digital marketing tools.

We have a staff of 23 (and we’re hiring), and I have an amazing board of directors supporting us as we continue to scale.

HPM: What was your hardest pitch?

LUKE: My hardest pitch, by far, was during a time of poor business performance. I was taken through a full four months of due diligence by a VC in Vancouver who did not produce the check he promised after we got to the finish. We literally had paperwork signed and he showed up without the check to the lawyers office. I walked away from him, due to dishonesty, even though he promised a check would come. About 4 months later we came within about $10 of missing payroll. During that time of cash crisis, I pitched raising a round out of desperation. I was honest about what had happened, but the investors didn’t come through. It was a hard pitch, from a place of desperation that I failed to get. Thankfully, we didn’t need the bridge funding. We executed like the rock star team that we are and survived. We started running profitably, and we grew.

HPM: What was your latest pitch? Was it successful?

My latest pitch was to Business in Vancouver after I was nominated for Top 40 Under 40. A very prestigious award given annually after sifting through over 300 nominees. I’m humbled and honoured to say that, yes, that pitch was successful. All thanks to our team around RTOWN.

HPM: Why do entrepreneurs need to nail pitching skills?

LUKE: Because you’re always selling as an entrepreneur. Whether to investors, future employees, the media, or customers. You’ve got to nail all of your pitches to get people to buy into your vision or ideas.

Knowing your business, product, and value proposition is essential to helping others understand why they should care about you. Your pitch, to whomever you’re pitching, has to be fluid and compelling. Pitching is an essential skill to develop.

HPM: What is your latest / current project?

LUKE: I’m focused squarely on growing RTOWN. We’ve recently launched in Calgary, North Vancouver, Prince George, and the Fraser Valley. We’re still growing strong in Vancouver and Kamloops. Our mission is to make every town RTOWN. We love supporting local, typically smaller to medium-sized companies. We’re helping them do more with their marketing dollars than they otherwise could afford. We’re priding ourselves on bringing big business technology to small businesses. We believe in a world where “local businesses eat big businesses’ lunch!”

HPM: What kind of advice to you have for entrepreneurs/ startups on Vancouver Island?

LUKE: It’s not who you know or what you know. It’s what you DO with who and what you know.

Great entrepreneurs have a bias for action. It’s all about execution, hustle, determination, and the ability to get up after being knocked down. Resilience will serve you very well. Oh, and always speak the truth. No one expects your business to be without challenges. Be straight with everyone. Don’t worry about sharing the warts. It’ll build trust for you, and also help you get the help you’ll need to solve those problems. Ask for help!

HPM: How can LIFT members benefit from your work with RTown?

LUKE: We provide a fully integrated digital marketing solution (mobile ads, search engine marketing, social media marketing, responsive websites, and a digital loyalty solution). We’re like having an entire marketing team for the fraction of one headcount. LIFT members can benefit from 10% off their first year’s subscription with RTOWN should they need support through our marketing tools. [If you’re ready to experience LIFT VIP – member – benefits on Vancouver Island, be in touch.]

Luke Aulin is our keynote and one of our judges at our #WeAreYQQ PitchFest2 event on September 28, 2017. For more information and tickets (we’re almost sold out) see WeAreYQQ PitchFest2.

RTOWN

RTOWN’s core purpose is to help local businesses succeed. That’s a good fit for LIFT, as we’re about helping entrepreneurs in small towns grow their businesses by thinking BIGger. RTOWN currently serves the digital marketing needs of over 500 businesses all over Western Canada. LIFT isn’t at that scale. Yet. We’re trusting that Luke will inspire us when he comes to visit Vancouver Island.

hanspetermeyer
@hanspetermeyer on Twitter and Instagram

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