# So excited right now!



## AshleyR (Apr 1, 2009)

I just got word that I have been "officially" approved for the Self Employment Benefit program that is put on by Employment Ontario!

I am so freakin' excited! I had a feeling I was going to be approved as the lady I have been dealing with has been letting it on all along, but I needed the official "OK" from the ministry and today they called me to say that I'm approved!

This means I will be eligible for Self Employment Benefits ($$$) which are really going to help with the costs of starting up my business. I am already getting Employment Insurance but not the maximum amount that I will get on the SEB program. I'll be getting a few hundred dollars more a month, which is really going to help me out!

I'll also go through a bunch of training classes that will teach me how to run my own business. I'm very excited for those! I start on Monday.

Some of you may have heard about this program from Lindy as she did it as well and was the one who told me about it (Thank you Lindy!!) This program is in Canada, so for anyone in the US who might be interested in getting more info, you should contact your local employment office to see if there is a similar program in the US (which I think there is).

YAY!


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## Guest (Apr 1, 2009)

Congrats Ashley!    Hope you'll keep us posted on things...


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## Lindy (Apr 1, 2009)

_*Ashley*_ That is so beyond fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Everyone Ashley has worked so hard on this and when they tried to brush her off the first time around she went back in and kept pushing.  I don't know anyone who could deserve this more.

Ashley you Go Girl!!!!!


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## Tabitha (Apr 1, 2009)

That sounds like the best program ever!


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## I love soap! (Apr 1, 2009)

Hooray! So happy for you


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## topcat (Apr 1, 2009)

Congratulations Ashley!  And so well deserved too.  Looking forward to hearing how your experience with your training classes develops your business ideas!

Tanya


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## AshleyR (Apr 1, 2009)

Thanks everyone! I am really looking forward to this!


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## Deda (Apr 1, 2009)

Ashley!  What fantastic news!  You Rock!


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## heartsong (Apr 1, 2009)

*x*

     

woohoooo!!!  that rocks!!! you GO girl!!    

monet


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## Lindy (Apr 1, 2009)

Hey Ashley - when does your workshop begin and are they focusing on your Business Plan?  Or are they doing other things in your workshops?  Next week I have an evening workshop on Year End and Income Tax.


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## starduster (Apr 1, 2009)

*Congrats*

*That is trully stupendous news*

I just know you are going to be wildly successfull.
The courses will mean you will meet other people to net work with so that will help a heap.
You're away now girl...FLYING,


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## rszuba (Apr 2, 2009)

yey ash. have a great time livin the dream.


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## AshleyR (Apr 2, 2009)

Lindy said:
			
		

> Hey Ashley - when does your workshop begin and are they focusing on your Business Plan?  Or are they doing other things in your workshops?  Next week I have an evening workshop on Year End and Income Tax.



I start on Monday! I don't know what we'll be doing right off the bat. They didn't give me much info about it, I guess I'll find out when I get there! (I have to travel an hour out of town to go to the classes).

I'll keep you posted on how it goes!


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## AshleyR (Apr 2, 2009)

*Re: Congrats*



			
				starduster said:
			
		

> *That is trully stupendous news*
> 
> I just know you are going to be wildly successfull.
> The courses will mean you will meet other people to net work with so that will help a heap.
> You're away now girl...FLYING,



Thanks starduster! That just made my day!


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2009)

Way to go Ashley , good for your girl , I am glad you did not take no for answer. With that kind of attitude I am sure you will have great success .                     
 I am so happy for you.

Kitn


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## AshleyR (Apr 2, 2009)

Thanks everyone! It has been difficult for me to get to this point as the people I have had to deal with were not all that enthusiastic about my idea at first. They kind of looked at me cross-eyed like "Handmade soap?  :shock: " It's not very well known in this area (which is good for me, no competition at ALL!) It was kind of discouraging trying to get them to understand me and realize that I wasn't just slapping together flour, water, and lye in my kitchen!  :wink: 

I'm really SUPER excited to be approved and able to move on with this now! It's such a relief and I'm really looking forward to all the things I'm going to learn in the next couple of months!   

Thanks for ALL of your help and encouragement!


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## angbaby4974 (Apr 3, 2009)

Congrats Ash!  Wishing you all the best!!!!!


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## kaseencook (Apr 3, 2009)

WOO HOO! That's Great Congratulations!!!!!     8) 

I applied for something like that here when I got my permanent residency, but I didn't qualify because I already had started my website and had some stock - even though I had only made one sale!  If only I had got my residency a month earlier. 

So happy for you! That is great news!    You'll do great!


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## AshleyR (Apr 3, 2009)

kaseencook said:
			
		

> WOO HOO! That's Great Congratulations!!!!!     8)
> 
> I applied for something like that here when I got my permanent residency, but I didn't qualify because I already had started my website and had some stock - even though I had only made one sale!  If only I had got my residency a month earlier.
> 
> So happy for you! That is great news!    You'll do great!



Yeahhh, I almost blew my chance too! I had already started my website but had not sold a thing yet when I went to see about the program. I told them I hadn't advertised the site or anything - it wasn't even done yet, but they kind of raised an eyebrow at me. 

They also almost didn't approve me because I do cakes on the side. Wedding cakes, etc... mostly for friends and family, and some of their friends. Nothing big. But, they didn't really like that either.

So, I am very relieved that it all worked out!   

Thanks for the congrats!


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## starduster (Apr 3, 2009)

*hmmmm*

Quote : applied for something like that here when I got my permanent residency, but I didn't qualify because I already had started my website and had some stock - even though I had only made one sale!  If only I had got my residency a month earlier. 



Or bent the truth just a little ??? :wink:  :wink:  :wink:


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## AshleyR (Apr 3, 2009)

*Re: hmmmm*



			
				starduster said:
			
		

> Or bent the truth just a little ??? :wink:  :wink:  :wink:



Hehe, that's the look they gave me when I told them about my website and my cake business -  "We'll pretend we didn't hear that" -


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## starduster (Apr 3, 2009)

*Re: hmmmm*



			
				AshleyR said:
			
		

> starduster said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I suppose it all apart of oiling the wheels of progress.
I did that same sort of course over here many many years ago. It was mightily usefull in many ways. Some parts of it you had to take with a grain of salt as well.


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## Lindy (Apr 3, 2009)

I was allowed to have my website up and to have sold a "few" soaps as part of my "market research" - I did however quickly close off the store portion of the website.....

Ashley it is amazing how different a program can be interpreted by different organizations and people!

I am just so proud  of you for perservering and getting this together - it's all you girl!


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