Georgian College

BONNIE AGUIAR Culinary Management, 2012 owner of Sweet B's Catering and Confectionery Georgian alumni and faculty have big ideas and sometimes they need a little help bringing them to fruition. Crowdfunding has become a popular way for startups to launch or grow their business by raising money online. The Crowdfunding Centre, based in the United Kingdom, reports that in March 2014, more than $60,000 U.S. was raised on an hourly basis via global crowdfunding initiatives and 442 campaigns were launched daily. Bonnie Aguiar, Marcia Woods and Dave Mottershall are three budding entrepreneurs who wanted to grow their food-based businesses and turned to crowdfunding to do it. Bonnie Aguiar used to be a kitchen surfer. That is, until 123 IndieGoGo backers helped her raise $9,000 to open a storefront in downtown Bradford for her bakeshop Sweet B's. What started as a hobby turned into a career for Bonnie. She had been feeding family and friends by word-of-mouth but decided to go back to school to study Culinary Management and realize her dream of opening a bakery. "I was nervous starting a new venture but my confidence shot right up right from the very first bake lab I had with Chef Anthony Borgo. He saw something in me and that vote of confidence kept me motivated," she says. When Bonnie was ready to grow her business, she turned to crowdfunding at a friend's suggestion. Leery at first, she realized she had a ton of supporters who outweighed the naysayers. "I grew up in Bradford. I love that I'm a resident, a business owner and am raising my family here. So to have the help of the community to open my business seems so very fitting," says Bonnie. She dreamed of a retro, open- concept shop to allow customers to witness handcrafted sweets being made right before their eyes. She even decorates cakes in the front window. Bonnie continues to draw from the business component of her studies and is building partnerships with other store owners to share her delicious treats. She makes cookies for a shop's ice cream sandwiches and pairs cupcakes with flower deliveries at the florist. Check out Bonnie's sweet treats at sweetb.ca. CRoWD CRoWD-PLEASING IDEAS FUNDING 15 GEORGIANVIEW 2015

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