Launch or grow your side hustle

"The launch of my business was in its final stage, manufacturing the product, and it was thanks to the loan that I was able to fulfill my dream of seeing my board game hit the store shelves!"
-Kevin Bouchard, founder of Viviludi.

What product(s) / service(s) do you offer?

  • o Products
    •  • Board games
    •  • I'm also currently working on an offer of fun products other than board games for next year.
  • o Services
    •  • Board game publishing
    •  • Mid-November, I’ll be launching an entrepreneurial consulting service.

What made you decide to start your own side hustle?

  • o Wanting to be my own boss
  • o Wanting to be able to make my own decisions
  • o Wanting to build a product from scratch. It's incredibly rewarding to start from a blank page and see your product evolve over time!
  • o Wanting to be able to help people like me who want to start their own business, all while being able to do a job that I love. This experience even opens the doors to intrapreneurship as part of my professional experience.

How was the experience with Futurpreneur?

  • o Process: Really great! The support made getting started with the process very easy, they made me feel confident from the start!
  • o Mentoring : The mentor really helped me a lot regarding alignment and what to consider before making a decision. Even though I wanted a mentor for my one product in the first place, he was also able to guide me through the different service/product offerings I wanted to develop. This experience was very rewarding and even gave me the desire to share my knowledge through the entrepreneurial consulting service I will be launching. I also had the chance to become a mentor in my own right as part of my professional experience.

WE OFFER:

Financing

  • Apply for up to $15,000 in loan financing to launch or to help grow your business as much or as little as you like.

Mentorship

  • Get matched with an experienced mentor to help you build confidence and tackle your toughest challenges for up to two years.

Resources

  • Learn key skills like business planning, marketing and cash flow management through our online and in-person business resources.

  • Demonstrate that you have a source of sustainable, full-time income outside of the business (either personal income or from a member of your household), with disposable income sufficient to service the loan re-payments and any outstanding household debt.
  • Agree to work with a mentor for up to two years (4 to 5 hours a month).
  • Complete and provide all required documentation by the end of the application process.
  • Assure there is no intention of converting side business to full-time operations within the next 12 months. If you plan on turning your existing side business full-time, you might be eligible for our Start-up Program.
  • Agree to provide authorization for Futurpreneur Canada to carry out a credit check.
  • Assure that the business is NOT in the research and development stage.
  • Assure that financing proceeds may not be used for refinancing existing debt.
  • A side business must fall within specified industry guidelines in order to be approved for financing. Examples of businesses which do not meet Futurpreneur industry guidelines include: businesses that are sexually exploitive or that feature sexually explicit entertainment, products or services; businesses that are engaged in or associated with illegal activities; businesses trading in countries that are proscribed by the Canadian federal government; and any other commercial activities inappropriate for government funding. For more details on Futurpreneur industry eligibility, click here.
  • Demonstrate that you have been discharged from bankruptcy for at least five years or one year after receipt of a Certificate of Full Performance in the case of a Consumer Proposal.
  • Any age eligible entrepreneur (18-39 years old) who owns 5% or less of the business does not need to be party to Futurpreneur Canada.

For additional eligibility criteria for partnerships, incorporations, and business take-overs please click here.

For information on businesses not eligible for Futurpreneur Canada financing please click here.

Approval for financing is also dependent on an applicant successfully meeting credit score minimums determined by Futurpreneur.

  • Up to $15,000 with a term over four years.
  • Interest is charged at CIBC’s prime rate + 3%. (Note that if CIBC’s prime rate exceeds 6%, the interest rate charged is capped at 9%. If CIBC’s prime rate exceeds 9%, the interest rate charged will be charged at CIBC prime rate.)
  • Interest-only payments for the first year.
  • Principal repayments are made in equal monthly instalments together with interest, over the remaining 3 years.
  • No penalty for early repayment.
  • A one-time loan management fee of 1% of the total loan amount is charged at time of disbursement
  • The above points reflect current Futurpreneur loan terms; the exact terms of each entrepreneur’s loan are clearly defined in their loan agreement.

Futurpreneur Canada is a non-profit organization supporting Canadians aged 18-39 to become business owners with loan financing, mentoring and business resources. Our experts are here to answer your questions and put you on the path to success.