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The Town of Innisfil is helping entrepreneurs across the region access business support programs to grow their ventures through the DMZ Innisfil start-up and business accelerator programs.
This year, the Economic Development team was able to support two local businesses by helping them form a partnership to further accelerate the growth of their businesses. Monika Fermoni, Founder & CEO of Marco and Sports, a textile-solutions company based in Innisfil, joined the DMZ Innisfil Business Accelerator program in January of 2024. During her time working with the Innisfil Economic Development team, she identified a gap in the market and sought new partners through which to scale her business across the region. That’s when staff introduced Monika to Jan Holland, owner of Marina Del Rey located along the north east shores of Lake Simcoe in the Township of Ramara
“After joining DMZ Innisfil and working with the Economic Development team and business mentors, I realized I could utilize partnerships to expand my business,” says Fermoni. “This is when I was introduced to Jan Holland and decided to team up with Marina Del Rey to expand my services to across Simcoe County.”
Marina Del Rey noticed over the years that their customers wanted the ability to receive marine upholstery services right at home, rather than having to remove their boats from the marina and transport them elsewhere to receive the service. The Town’s Economic Development team saw an opportunity to introduce Holland to Fermoni, who would be able to bring marine upholstery services directly to the marina.
“Our goal, at Marina Del Rey, is always to get our customers’ servicing-needs covered in house, without inconveniencing them having to take their boats elsewhere,” says Holland. “The fact that Monika is able and willing to travel to visit customers boats here at our facility and perform service work that way compliments our service department a great deal.”
By connecting the two businesses, the Town of Innisfil Economic Development team was able to help its client Marco and Sports position itself for future business growth.
“Through my partnership with Marina Del Rey I have received many other jobs,” notes Fermoni. “One of them has taken me up to Georgian Bay and introduced my business to Bay Port Yachting Centre in Midland. Bay Port is one of the five Maple Leaf Marinas. My business also got an independent contractor status there for marine upholstery and yacht interior services; that means if they have a boater in their marinas that need this type of work, they are contacting me.”
By fostering new partnerships, such as this, the team at DMZ Innisfil has helped facilitate new opportunities and avenues for local businesses to scale their businesses, onboard new products and expand their market.
“DMZ Innisfil has been a great help in growing my business,” says Fermoni. “The staff goes above and beyond, and I always think of the DMZ Innisfil community as a great family of likeminded people who want to do better. I am now a DMZ Innisfil Ambassador, spreading the word of their services to any business owner I meet who I believe would benefit from this program.”
Supporting local and regional business retention and expansion through increased collaboration is a key objective of the Town’s Economic Development Strategic Plan. Encouraging partnerships also plays an important part in support for an innovation-enabled economy – one of the goals of the Economic Development Strategic Plan. The Town of Innisfil Economic Development is committed to growing the community, and facilitating partnerships between local businesses is one of the many ways the team accelerates community development.
To learn more about economic development in Innisfil, entrepreneurial supports and to stay up to date on news and events, visit InvestInnisfil.ca.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Ontario and the Town of Innisfil.
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