OTTAWA, ON, September 24, 2015 | Startup Canada and Intuit are joining forces with entrepreneur community leaders across Canada Sept. 28-Oct. 4 for Startup Finance Week, a series of financial readiness events and workshops that will connect 500 entrepreneurs to the knowledge and tools needed to build financially fit and fundable enterprises.
“Lack of financial know-how is a root cause of startup failure,” said Victoria Lennox, CEO and co-founder of Startup Canada. “To change this, Canada’s entrepreneurs need access to financial literacy training in a manner that is experiential and pre-emptive. By partnering with grassroots community leaders, we are able to deliver this programming in local communities across Canada.”
“Intuit has a longstanding commitment to helping entrepreneurs achieve financial independence and success,” said Jeff Cates, President of Intuit Canada. “We are proud of our important partnership with Startup Canada, which allows us to reach entrepreneurs where it makes an impact – in the local communities they call home. Together, we aim to educate and empower entrepreneurs by providing the tools, resources, and support they need to achieve long-term success.”
Startup Finance Week will take place across Canada from Halifax, N.S., to Brampton, Ont., to Nanaimo, B.C., and online. Startup Finance Week events include:
- Startup Finance Bootcamps, three-hour intensive workshops featuring an entrepreneur keynote, expert workshop by a Chartered Professional Accountant, carousel mentorship and networking.
- QuickBooks Clinics, free drop-in events facilitated by a QuickBooks Small Business Advisor to give entrepreneurs live training on how to manage everything from cashflow and forecasting to payroll and taxes.
- Startup Finance Meetups, free drop-in events with a Chartered Professional Accountant and a successful local entrepreneur where entrepreneurs are invited to bring all their financial management questions.
Startup Finance Week is part of the Startup Canada Finance Program pilot, which launched in Spring 2015 and has directly benefited over 1,800 entrepreneurs across Canada by connecting them with education, tools and networks to grow financially sound businesses. The program launched in response to an Intuit study, which found that 39 per cent of Canadian entrepreneurs fail a basic financial literacy quiz and just nine per cent of entrepreneurs score above 90 per cent..
A similar Intuit study from 2012 indicated the majority of small business owners use personal savings to finance their company, started their company with $5,000 or less, still use paper and pen to manage finances, don’t seek professional finance help and tools when starting out, and don’t understand the role of the balance sheet.
The Startup Finance Program aims to prevent an upward trend in these statistics by increasing financial literacy with accessible programming in local communities.
For a full list of dates, locations and more information, visit startupcan.ca/finance/startup-
Press Contact:
Kathryn Forrest
Communications and Marketing Manager, Startup Canada
Startup Finance Program Contact:
Renee Tavares
Projects Coordinator, Startup Canada
About Startup Canada
Startup Canada is a grassroots network of entrepreneurs working together to build an environment for entrepreneurship in Canada. Through online platforms, grassroots Startup Communities and cross-sector initiatives, Startup Canada is advancing entrepreneurial momentum and a culture of entrepreneurship, as the voice of Canadian entrepreneurs. Learn more at startupcan.ca.
About Intuit
Intuit Inc. creates business and financial management solutions that simplify the business of life for small businesses, consumers and accounting professionals.
Its flagship products and services include QuickBooks®, Quicken® and TurboTax®, which make it easier to manage small businesses and payroll processing, personal finance, and tax preparation and filing. Mint.com provides a fresh, easy and intelligent way for people to manage their money, while Demandforce® offers marketing and communication tools for small businesses. ProSeries® and Lacerte® are Intuit’s leading tax preparation offerings for professional accountants.
Founded in 1983, Intuit had revenue of $4.5 billion in its fiscal year 2014. The company has approximately 8,000 employees with major offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India and other locations. More information can be found at www.intuit.com.