Our Business Advisors are seasoned professionals with extensive backgrounds providing sound business advice tailored to your individual business model. All of the Advisors at the Centre have a wealth of relevant entrepreneurship business knowledge from operating their own small businesses.

Paul Prigione, Program Lead

e-mail: paul@guelphbusiness.com

Paul has acquired extensive knowledge and work experience within the music industry as well as in the areas of sales and marketing. In addition to his role as Program Lead, Paul owned his own retail store for over ten years and has worked as Management and Corporate Trainer for the largest, most successful big box store in the world. Paul has also worked as a Retail Consultant, Sales Trainer and Manufacturer’s Agent.

Mike Chuchmach, Business Advisor

e-mail: mike@guelphbusiness.com

Mike has owned and operated a variety of businesses for 25 years. Through his most recent experience in franchising his chain of restaurants, Mike has guided franchisees through every step of opening their restaurants through to selling their restaurants. He has also had many opportunities to be a guest speaker at entrepreneurial classes and has always taken the time to mentor other entrepreneurs. He takes great pride in his ability to guide people through developing their business dream, to making their dream come true.

Erhard Dreger, Business Advisor

e-mail: erhard@guelphbusiness.com

Erhard has worked in business start-ups and turnarounds in Canada, the USA, and Europe for 30 years. His fortés are start-up strategies and tactics. He has started and operated a number of his own businesses and has held senior executive sales and marketing positions in large family owned corporations. He has experience in a variety of industries including: farming, produce wholesale, cleaning, automotive accessories, hardware, home improvement, packaged foods, food service and business strategy consulting.

Tina Heathers, Business Advisor

e-mail: Tina@guelphbusiness.com

Tina has been an entrepreneur for the past 20 years. She has a corporate management and training background, but has spent the last 15 years specializing in coaching and training for small businesses. She has owned and operated a chain of fashion retail stores and has facilitated training programs across Canada and in the Caribbean. Tina has also been teaching and working in the field of natural healing for many years.

Gary Peters, Business Advisor

e-mail: gary@guelphbusiness.com

Gary has owned and operated two successful businesses within the last 20 years as well as a real estate investment business. Operating companies that range in size from start-up to those with $2.5 million in annual sales with up to 18 employees. Gary has thrived in costs and time driven environments within the retail and service sector. In addition, he has also acted as a group facilitator providing debriefing / consulting services for small to mid-sized companies.

Patricia Koopmans, Bookkeeping Assistance

e-mail: patricia@guelphbusiness.com

Patricia has 26 years experience in the accounting field and has owned & operated two businesses providing bookkeeping & accounting services to small business. Her background includes public accounting, Financial Manager for a Historic Museum and Accounting Manager for an international corporation. Her background in business is diverse and over the years she has developed knowledge for service industries, construction, professional and manufacturing. Patricia provides direction to SEB clients in software formatting, application and reporting and provides answers and links to tax questions and tax laws.

Chris Kuehl, Administration

e-mail: chris@guelphbusiness.com

Chris has an extensive administrative background with experience including Customer Service, Accounts Payable and Receivable, Order Entry and Vendor Contact.

Chris handles all of the administrative functions for the SEB Program from initial contact with program participants to administrative support for internal staff.

Lindsay O’Handley,
Research Database

e-mail: lindsay@guelphbusiness.com

Lindsay’s background is in National Sales Management, Product Management, National Account Sales and Territorial Sales for multi-national manufacturers with products sold through both Industrial and Retail channels. He assists clients in their gathering of Market Research in support of their business idea and is developing an electronic database of both business and government websites to assist with Market Research.

Len Robinson, Business Advisor

e-mail:

Len's forte is as a business generalist. He has over 30 years of experience in a wide range of industries including retail merchandising, warehousing and fulfillment, distribution and delivery, travel and tourism, and business development. He has owned and operated companies including startups and turnarounds. His staff levels have ranged from as few as 3 to over 250, operating from both single store front locations and multiple warehouses across Canada. He has also operated his own fleet of trucks. Now his passion is to help others become successful in their own business.