Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jayne Baxter, owner of Maple Acres Farm, located in Iron Bridge, ON, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We started out as a maple business. My husband's family has been doing maple syrup for many years. We are now the third generation in the maple bush. We added on some chickens for eggs - starting with six. We now have 99 ourselves and work with local farmers, who keep chickens for us, totaling our chicken numbers at around 500 hens. We are very big on supporting other small businesses. We love to collaborate and help everyone get access to clean food and unique products. We try as much as possible to purchase Canadian-made products available in our store from small businesses across Canada.

We are doing what we can to reduce waste - offering our 'fill your own carton' option, allowing you to bring your own carton into the store, fill it yourself, and save the carton fee. We are also working on adding a refilling section in the market so you can bring your own containers with maple syrup, honey, granola, and maple sugar. We are collaborating with a refillery in Elliot Lake - which offers a wide variety of items for refilling. You can pick up their products at our market, and they will be popping up in our space in the near future! It seems many are starting to consider more what goes into their food and how food is raised, and those are our biggest supporters.

Tell us about yourself

I grew up in Toronto. I was born in Scarborough, Ontario, and moved closer to downtown when I was 6. I went to school for landscaping and then switched to medical office admin. Spent some time living in Niagara Falls and Calgary. Ron and I met in June 2011 got engaged on November 11, 2011, at 10:30 at night :) and were married on March 9, 2012. We settled on a corner of his family's farm in Iron Bridge. I remember very clearly the vast difference in the shopping! That was the hardest thing for me to adjust to. I had to plan ahead, take a cooler, and do our big shops an hour away!

Gone were the days of hopping off the subway, grabbing veggies in one spot and meat at the local butcher, and walking home to make some dinner! I felt there were some really good options out there, but none were making it up here. There was a disconnect between good food and the people. Lots could be shipped, but shipping is expensive. There was no middle man.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Barcodes. Lol. There was a week we got a really big order, and we got it ready and delivered, and the store manager called and said, 'there are no barcodes.' Yikes. So I took the next three days and learned everything about barcodes. I know, who cares, what's the big deal… lol those little things that no one pays attention to are very hard!

But I think really my biggest accomplishment as a business owner has to be seeing how our business has impacted the community. We have made good food available to people, and I love the fact that is what we are doing. There is no better feeling than supporting the farmers and makers, building everyone up together.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Time management. A business requires a lot of time. Both Ron and I work this business along with eight others - counting the farmers we work with- and it can take over! We have two young sons, and we try to balance work and life. The general feeling around owning your own business is 'it must be nice, you get to pick your own hours, take off when you want…..'. Yes. That is true. But there is a lot more to it than free time.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Business plan. Take the time to do a full business plan - it's annoying to have to sit down and write it all out, but it will be the best thing you do for your business. Anywhere you go for loans or grants, any type of funding will ask for your business plan. Have it ready.
  2. Invest in a really good accountant. Doing things right from the start will save a lot of headaches down the road.
  3. If you're looking to start up anything that may have red tape ( involving public health or Canadian food inspection agency etc.), call them first. Do not wait or move ahead and call later. Working with them from the beginning is the best thing you can do; it will save you time and money, and they will help you plan things out right!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Working together is the best way to help everyone grow.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.maple-acres.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rjmapleacresfarm/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapleacres/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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