But recently, things have started to shift. I’ve been able to step out into the community, talk to people face-to-face and begin weaving Stagecoach into the community.
Taking Stagecoach to the market
Over the past few weeks, I’ve arranged to take part in local markets and community events. For a new business, these opportunities are gold not just to advertise, but to connect with our community. Setting up our booth for the first time felt like a small milestone in itself. I aimed to make it welcoming and fun with bright visuals, stickers and tattoos for the kids, and a spot for parents to connect. We even added an exciting raffle to make it extra enticing!
The experience of being at a community event is different from promoting online. People with and without children approach with curiosity, or children tug their adults over to the table for the freebies. Conversations usually start with “What is this? What is Stagecoach?” adjusting my ‘cold pitch’ on the fly with each interaction. When people reach out online, they’ve usually seen an ad or a post on Facebook or Instagram, giving them a frame of reference. From there, they either get more details by email before a call, or go straight to booking. At the community events, this is completely different as I am introducing them to Stagecoach for the first time. I have to verbally introduce my new business and impart enough information – but not too much. I can talk about our program for days so I have to curtail my inclinations to go off on a tangent. I am also ‘on show’ for the 4-6 hours that the event goes on. Luckily, my husband, Alex, can usually attend with me and is wonderful at talking with people as well. Event days leave me drained, but every interaction fuels my business and that makes it worth it!
Finding my people
Alongside community events, I also attended a mom entrepreneur meet-up. It was a lovely kid/baby friendly meet up at Andrew Haydon Park which is right on the Ottawa River (beautiful). This was my first ever networking / meet-up and it was really positive and energising to hear everyone’s stories. Some were further along, others just starting out but we all were there to support and connect. It was great to hear about other local businesses and share resources as well. Being new to Ottawa (having been away for 15 years), it also gave me a sense of belonging. I left with new contacts, places to visit and a mutually supportive group to keep in touch with.
Keeping track, moving forward
Back at my laptop, I’m steadily registering students while figuring out the best ways to nurture interested families. At the same time, I’m diving into operations and building the systems my business needs to succeed. Stepping into business ownership has meant navigating responsibilities and decisions I’ve never faced before. I’m learning just how important it is to be clear in my contracts about compensation, milestones and expectations (for both myself and my staff). This is a new territory for me, but every challenge is setting us up for success.
Step by step, the pieces are falling into place. The team is nearly complete, the first families are on board and Stagecoach is starting to have a presence in the community. We’re less than a month away from opening our doors and the excitement is building.
Soon, I’ll shift focus again to planning our inaugural term and creating an unforgettable Discovery Day event for families. It’s a whirlwind of preparation, but every step brings us closer to welcoming our first students and launching a truly special experience in Ottawa West!
