We are now at the half-way mark in the program! We would welcome your honest feedback on the program so far and to hear how we can continue to support you and your team to success.

Please take a moment to complete this short survey here.

Thank you!

Deadline: Friday, January 21

*10 Team Challenge Pts* for Business Plan

*10 Team Challenge Pts* for Fixed Costs #1

Teams are required to completed the Lean Business Plan. Click here for template.

Submit your completed business plan here.

***Please note you can put any address and incorporation date in the plan - this is just to reflect what you would need if you were to do this in a "real life" scenario but student companies are not required to be incorporated.

Teams are required to pay Fixed Costs. Click here for more information.

Teams may seek additional revenue through sponsorship – for example, if you are running an event, you may seek out sponsors who may be interested in getting marketing exposure to your customers through a sponsorship agreement. 

Some of you have already indicated that you are interested in pursuing sponsorship as a revenue source. Before you reach out, JA will need to review your full list of prospects (who you plan to reach out to). Please email your list and any relevant details of your sponsorship ask to Lucia at lly@jacentralontario.org

This is a best practice that we do as well with our national office and other JA charters. This ensures that we are respecting our sponsors and partners’ time and agreements. 

Please review the Sponsorship Guidelines including relevant disclaimers to use in your communications here.

Save the Dates: January 31 - February 4, 2022

The Social Media Challenge Week is coming up soon! This is your team's chance to gain Team Challenge points over the course of a week by posting on social media each day.

JA will be providing guidelines in advance this year to give you time to prepare your posts. Make sure you follow the guidelines!

Here's a teaser as to what you will be asked to post:

In addition to Team Challenge points, the top three teams who gain the most points through the Social Media Challenge Week will also have an exclusive opportunity to be interviewed and featured on JA Alumni Rene Alvarez's YouTube and Instagram channels.

If you attended Student Management Training and/or Virtual Governors' Celebration, you may recognize Rene. Rene is a Junior Achievement Alumni and entrepreneurial minded leader who has been actively creating a positive impact in his community. Rene consults with Toronto small businesses, building their digital foundation, and developing, as well as executing, their marketing and advertising strategies. Rene is passionate about travelling and has his own YouTube channel where he shares all the lessons the road has taught him.

Date: Thursday, February 10

Time: 4 to 5:30 p.m.

We are so excited to announce that Cognizant will be leading this year's Battle of the Ads Commercial Workshop!

About the Workshop: Learn from the experts on what makes an effective commercial and how you can create one for your team.

About the Contest: Teams will be invited to compete in this year's Battle of the Ads Commercial Contest. You will have until Friday, March 25th to submit your commercial. Contest details and requirements will be shared following the workshop.

Dates: February to March

Each year between February and March, we schedule Company Program visits with each of our after-school Company Programs. The visit is an opportunity for JA staff and leaders to meet the students, provide some JA updates including upcoming events and CP awards and answer any questions your team may have.

We encourage your team to prepare a short presentation of their company - this is a great opportunity for your team to practice your pitch!

Visits will last between 20 to 30 minutes.

LEAD ADVISORS & PRESIDENTS: I will be in touch over the next few weeks to schedule your visits.

All deadlines are due at 11:59 PM on the dates listed below.

Submissions can be made by an advisor or by a student - please communicate with your team to determine who will submit on behalf of the team.

​Friday, January 21 - Business Plan and Fixed Cost #1 Due

Submit your business plan here

The weekly instructions and materials can be viewed on the JA Canada Campus: https://www.jacampus.org/

Are you still having login issues? Please email me.

A copy of all weekly emails can be found here:

"For entrepreneurs, resilience is about rethinking the way you see setbacks, and viewing them as catalysts of growth and progress rather than threats to be avoided. Because the truth is, the times you grow—as a person, as an entrepreneur—are the times when you’re faced with extremely difficult problems and decisions." (foundr.com)

While there may be challenges and setbacks along the way, we wanted to remind you to "trust the process". Whether your ideas comes together the way you imagined or not, whether you are able to make a profit or not, please remember that it will be this experience, the learnings and the connections you make that will be the most valuable to you in the long run.

Keep learning and keep going.

Lucia Ly (she/her)

Manager, Company Program | JA Central Ontario

T: 437.703.2375| E: lly@jacentralontario.org

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