Don Terry
Business Counsellor

I have been working as a Business Counsellor for SSILC’s Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program for 11 years. Over those years I have worked with many people with disabilities to assist them to start and manage their business.

In 1991 my wife and I started a business called Regina Bible Supplies. We started the business as a home-based business and soon moved the business into a strip mall. After four years we out grew this location and opened a second store. We then closed the first location to focus on the new larger store. In March of 1998, after seven years of operation, we decided to close our doors when the roof caved in due to too much snow weight on the roof.

During the time we had the business, I learned everything from preparing a business plan, to working with suppliers, leasing store space, marketing, inventory control, bookkeeping and hiring and managing staff. Starting and running a business can be a lot of work and there are a number of things I’ve learned over the years that I would have done differently. A program like the EDP program would have been very beneficial to us. I’ve now been able to use my experience to help others start and manage their business. As a person with a disability myself, I understand many of the challenges of running a business.

Besides working as a Business Counsellor I also have a small home-based bookkeeping business called Terry’s Business Service. I do bookkeeping and tax preparation for a few small businesses. I enjoy helping others achieve their dreams, however if I no longer worked for the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program I would expand my home-based business.

Brenda Ell
Marketing Counsellor

I started working for SSILC in January of 2000; I have had a few different positions within the organization since. In December of 2006, I started working with Don Terry for the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program.  By far this is the most interesting job I’ve had in my career. 

My business background stemmed as far back as my early childhood.  I grew up in a home where both of my parents were very young entrepreneurs.  They each had their own businesses; in fact my father often had several ventures happening at the same time.  He had a restaurant, a mobile lunch trailer, and he was a silent partner in other businesses in our community.

My mother was a hair dresser and we had the basement in our home renovated and made into a salon.  She did this for many years until she decided to partner up with another person and move to a building downtown, although she kept the hair salon at home to do extra work. 

My brother and I were expected to work in both businesses, mostly evenings and weekends.  We helped with most aspects of the businesses, throughout our child hood and up.  I can remember needing a stool to stand on to make the sandwiches, etc., for my father’s mobile lunch business. It was very much a family operation.

When I was 12 years old I had my own babysitting business. Later on in life I had a small cleaning business. I am still working on an online business at this time. 

Needless to say I’ve learned alot, from my parents, from my businesses, and by working in this particular program, but most importantly what I’ve learned is that I am still very much interested in becoming an entrepreneur and/or being self-employed.  As a foot note, I want to add that I am a person with disabilities; however this has never caused me to think differently about entrepreneurship or self-employment.

For further information on the SSILC's Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program go to www.ssilcsk.ca/EntrepreneurProgram.