We are proud to work with over 70 businesses in the Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma district. Here are some of our clients and how we've helped them start and grow their business. Scroll down to check out some of our Client Profiles.
CLIENT PROFILES
COMPANY NAME |
Black Fox Fishing |
WEBSITE |
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SSMIC CLIENT SINCE |
June 2017 |
INDUSTRY |
Advance Materials & Manufacturing |
ABOUT THE CLIENT |
The Trigger by Black Fox Fishing is a Canadian manufactured ice fishing rod holder and auto setter tip up designed to help users land more fish. Its light weight sturdy design allows for fast set up and can be used with your own rod and reel. The Trigger folds up quickly into a neat package that can be stored in your fish pail or gear bag. The Trigger works on all species of game fish including walleye, pike, and panfish. Through their work with SSMIC and in the community, they were also awarded a SSMART Innovation Award for Innovation Startup of the Year in 2017. |
HOW WE HELPED |
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COMPANY NAME |
Veracity Asset Management Group |
WEBSITE |
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SSMIC CLIENT SINCE |
October 2011 |
INDUSTRY |
Digital Media and ICT |
ABOUT THE CLIENT |
Veracity Connect completely changes the way utilities prepare for and respond to extreme weather events and critical equipment failures. It is the category-defining, cloud based, collaborative Community for Utilities, providing a platform for more than 1,000 member Utilities to manage mutual aid, critical spares and surplus assets. Veracity was established in 2011 and became a tenant of SSMIC’s small business incubator in 2013, with the intent of expanding the business and taking advantage of the networking the incubator provides. While in incubation, Veracity leaned on SSMIC to assist in acquiring funding, finding market research, securing their intellectual property, affordable space and advice on growing the business. While in incubation, Veracity was awarded a SSMART Award for Innovative Company of the Year in 2015. Since graduation from SSMIC’s incubator in 2015, Veracity has become a self-sustaining organization and is continuing to see growth in Canada and the US. |
HOW WE HELPED |
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COMPANY NAME |
Insightworks Inc. |
WEBSITE |
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SSMIC CLIENT SINCE |
June 2014 |
INDUSTRY |
Digital Media and Software |
ABOUT THE CLIENT |
Insightworks provides interactive 2D and 3D training solutions as well as Human Resource software to the healthcare, industrial, and financial sectors. Their custom and hands-on solutions provide engaging learning, detailed metrics and a user friendly approach to content management. After spending four years as an incubator client with SSMIC, Insightworks graduated out of the program and to its own space, now employing 10 staff in Sault Ste. Marie. During their time spent in incubation, Insightworks benefited from the collaborative work space and the constant access to and support from SSMIC’s business development team. Insightworks accessed funding and market research supports, while using the business development team to gain added insight and advice on operations. Through their work with SSMIC and in the community, they were also awarded a SSMART Innovation Award for Innovation Company of the Year in 2014. |
HOW WE HELPED |
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COMPANY NAME |
H.R. Lash |
WEBSITE |
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SSMIC CLIENT SINCE |
June 2016 |
INDUSTRY |
Retail - Clothing and Shoes, Formal Wear |
ABOUT THE CLIENT |
H.R. Lash, a Sault Ste. Marie owned and operated clothing and shoe store has been operating in the Sault for over 100 years, learned about SSMIC’s Broadband for E-Business and Marketing (BEAM) funding program for eligible small to medium sized enterprises in the Algoma district. |
HOW WE HELPED |
SSMIC’s experienced team and BEAM funding program helped H.R. Lash connect with a local design team they could trust to build a new e-commerce site for the to help elevate the business and bring it online. “It was a lot of hard work taking a business that had a pen and paper inventory and putting all these new items into a computer database. It wasn't just entering a few lines of information, each product needed descriptions, pictures and had to be cataloged into a fairly simple navigation for the website. The process took about a year to complete. Our website design team helped arrange the site to give it the look and feel that I wanted and at the end of the process our new website was born” said Herb J. Lash, Owner. With the business now online, customers not only make online purchases, but they also browse the website and find items of interest prior to visiting the store in person to make a purchase. “Having inventory online means people in your city are able to browse while they have their morning coffee and plan their shopping around what they find. We are also able to bring our store across the country instead of only relying on selling to customers in the city. Orders have been places across Canada that would not have happened if we did not have a e-commerce site capable of selling the items. It was a great experience to be able to bring my business to the electronic age. I suggest anyone who is committed to propelling their business forward to look into the BEAM Program to see where their help can guide you,” said Lash. |