Enterprise facilitation a win for business owners

By Barbara Shaw staff reporter Bancroft This Week
When the business awards were being handed out at Community Futures on Oct. 21 in Bancroft there was some serious support coming from one woman in the crowd.

Glowing with pride and thrilled to celebrate the success of those working tirelessly to make their dreams come true in business, Darcelle Runciman would not have missed the event for the world.

If you don't recognize the name, it's worth getting to know.

Darcelle Runciman is heart and soul of the Hastings County enterprise facilitation initiative. This dynamic woman travels across the County meeting with business owners, those who are thinking about starting a business and those who are working on economic development.

With her focus being on the methods developed by Dr. Ernesto Sirolli, Runciman works to help guide Hastings County residents "through the process necessary to assemble an effective business team, in order to equally address product, finance and marketing."

Following the Sirolli model, Runciman is helping to build business and the theory is that this builds strong, sustainable community.

Runciman has been doing this for a few years with the program launching in Hastings County in 2009.

She has 127 clients, 24 businesses have been started, 52 jobs created, 762 types of assistance have been accessed, 18 businesses have been retained and a total of nine businesses have had a business tune-up.

Runciman has a high volume of clients and she meets with them all across the County. She goes to them and works on their schedule. She listens to their dreams and ideas and then helps guide them to making the connections they need to make things work.

"I work with people at all stages," Runciman says. "If you have an idea you can run it by me. Maybe you have a business that is ready to open or you have an existing business that you want to expand. We can help you connect with consultants and we can also help you find the funds for companies that want to expand."

Runciman is a business coach and she still maintains a private practice but from Monday to Thursday she's meeting with entrepreneurs from Desoronto to Algonquin Park.


Runciman is quick to point out that the program is not so much about coaching as it is about facilitation. She's not doing all of the work, she refers out to consultants in the community.

"I was meeting with a client in a coffee shop in Tweed and they called me a human Google," Runciman laughs.

And that is a great way to describe what she does.

When Runciman meets with you she asks guided questions to help you solidify your vision, to work through obstacles and then to help connect you with local people who can help you do what you need to do to thrive and survive in the creative economy of Hastings County.

"I'm a connector of people," Runciman says. "Referrals are always made and I try to give my clients three resources to choose from."

Runciman, for those who have worked with her, has celebrity status and it is not uncommon in business circles to hear people dropping her name in conversation.

She has a knack for getting people from point A to point B and that's what makes her so valuable. Her clients are quick to gush about everything she has to offer.

"I'm intuitive," Runciman says. "You're helping on a personal level first and then you work on the business. My biggest job is to teach the individual how to delegate so they stop doing everything. Community resources come into play so everyone spends back into the community."

And this is how the program works so effectively.

Runciman works with those who have often been working alone, trying to do everything themselves. She helps them figure out what they like to do and what they're good at doing and then she helps with referrals for things that the business needs. Local consultants are suggested and the business owner learns to share the work, the resources and the load. Everyone benefits.

Runciman is confident in saying that the program has created half a million in new sales.

"Business is business," Runciman says.

One of the biggest things Runciman tries to communicate to her clients is the need for an online presence and she's happy to report that some of her clients are moving forward with this strategy. She's helping business owners ask questions like, "how does my business look to the outside world?"

In addition to the connections and the sounding board that Runciman offers, her clients report that she's just a really positive, energetic woman. She's warm and nurturing, even when working through some tough issues with clients.

Always humble, Runciman re-directs praise but does say that she enjoys the people she works with.

"I care about people and there's nothing better than helping a business and getting them to take action and to see the results," Runciman says. "It's a rush."

At the business awards on Oct. 21 MP Daryl Kramp announced secure funding for the Eastern Ontario Development Program (EODP) and this is good news for Hastings County because the EODP contributes to the costs of the program which is totally free for Runciman's clients.

"It's like hiring a business coach," Runciman says. "But it's free for the client."

Runciman knows her current clients know how valuable the program is and she's happy to report that some of the first businesses she helped are now coming back for help with expansion.

Doing business in Hastings County and starting a business in Hastings County is very possible according to Runciman.

"This is an area that is untapped," she explains. "We're at the point where business can start to get going but there's lots of prep work to be done. We don't want people to just jump in; we want to be there for them."

Runciman's service is free and she can be accessed through the economic development office of Hastings County or through the CFDC in Bancroft.

For those thinking about starting or expanding a business or even for those just starting to work on a dream, Runciman is available to help. It's great service and it's free, all you have to do is take action. And that's exactly what Runciman likes.

"I have a passion for passionate people," Runciman says. "I love when people take action."