After learning about ACCEL online, Domanique Grant met with the program manager, who enthusiastically encouraged her to give it a try. Grant is a singer, songwriter, actress, motivational speaker and active volunteer in her Toronto community, leading her to volunteer as a Youth Advisor for the Pan Am Games, and later earning a gig as an Ambassador. As an Ambassador, Grant hosted and performed for each country’s welcoming ceremony to Toronto’s athlete’s village.
In a whirlwind five weeks, ACCEL has worked with Grant to build on the exposure she gained while performing at the Pan Am Games, as well as the upcoming Parapan Am Games in August. Her ACCEL coaches have worked with her to find creative approaches to sales, packaging, exploring her value proposition and have extensively assisted her in discovering her desired brand. “We’ve worked a lot on image, especially the quality of the content and making sure that everything has a purpose, a strategy,” she recalls. “We even worked on colour analysis – what you wear, different colours will grab certain people’s attention.”
Grant has been working closely with the ACCEL team to polish her brand in conjunction with the release of her debut album, set for late this fall. “The theme of the album is millennial conceptions of ‘home’ across Canada, and how many of us are struggling to find our place and figure it all out.” She hopes to begin a cross-Canada tour in the coming year and facilitate meaningful conversations about the topic online and through live events. In the meantime, Grant’s neo-indie sound can be discovered on her website, domaniquegrant.com.
Prospective entrepreneurs are encouraged to come and see how ACCEL can leverage and develop your personal skills and enhance your business endeavors. “We’re still taking applicants,” Dill says. “Come be our next success story.”
Background
Launched in November of 2014, Centennial College’s Accelerator for Centennial Community Entrepreneurs and Leaders (ACCEL) program has a mission to empower youths aged 18-29 across the GTA who are interested in growing their own business.
ACCEL works with participants over a three-month period to enable them to reach their business milestones, all the while working to enhance their personal skills. The program is funded by the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Centres of Excellence, and operates as a part of Centennial’s Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Services (ARIES) under the Centre of Entrepreneurship (COE).
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