Picking up a cheque for $5,000 was a great start to Small Business Month for Kavita Kapil, founder, and owner of Dezeynne Studio.
Kavita just completed the Small Business Accelerator, a provincially-funded Starter Company+ program delivered through the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre. Kavita is one of eight Brampton entrepreneurs who fulfilled all the mentoring and workshop components of the program, successfully pitched their business or idea to an expert panel, and were selected to receive the funding.
“The program was a huge eye-opener,” says Kavita. “The hardest part about starting any business is figuring out where to start. You may have the most amazing business idea, but if you don’t have a solid business and financial plan to back it up, it’s not going to succeed.”
“The Small Business Accelerator Program not only guides you through the steps you need to take when starting a new business, it also encourages you to plan your short and long-term goals. They challenge you in each and every aspect of your business so that you’re prepared for both best and worst case scenarios.”
Kavita left her full-time graphic design job early in 2017, and in February, started Dezeynne Studio, a branding and digital marketing design agency that specializes in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands. Her client base is international, including Hudson’s Bay and New York-based Thursday Boots. Her initial focus was on building her online presence, but the Starter Company helped her add more facets to her business development.
“Aside from digital marketing, which is extremely important for getting your name out there, networking is just as crucial,” says Kavita. Local and regional contacts can lead to potential client connections anywhere.
Her current portfolio includes creative pieces developed within existing brands and complete re-branding projects. Either way, she enjoys the challenges each pose, and demonstrate how the right digital marketing design can lead to increased sales for clients.
Kavita plans to use the Starter Company+ funding to buy equipment and software to continue to grow her business. Her vision is a complete design studio, staffed with creative talent, bringing high impact visual design to her clients.
October is Small Business Month, and the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre is running many different seminars and workshops for would-be or existing business owners. Find out more at www.brampton.ca/bec.
Other Brampton Starter Company+ funding recipients
Karanjeet Kooner – Motorwise
Tam Duong – Tam Music
Lisa McDonald – USHINDI Health and Wellness
Amanda Steddy – Bali Bowls & Beans
Murtaza Khambati – Telkoware
Wilson Whistance-Smith – The Ontario Society of Continuous Improvement
Barb Paron – Professional Services Consultant and Life Coach
