Minnedosa’s Boho Soul Market grows with Futurpreneur
Minnedosa entrepreneur Magen Swift started her business journey with a love for kombucha—the fermented tea drink that’s taken grocery store shelves and cafes by storm in recent years. “I started brewing kombucha in July 2018,” says Swift. “By February 2019, I had a thriving business and a new storefront on Minnedosa’s Main Street.”
Swift launched Boho Soul Market to sell her popular Boho Soul Kombucha. As her fledgling business took off, she saw growth in her future, but she needed financial capital to make it happen. Swift sat down with a business-minded friend to work through her business plan and create plans for her company’s growth. “My friend suggested Futurpreneur as a source for funding and encouraged me to apply,” says Swift. “We put my business plan together and I applied to Futurpreneur.”
Futurpreneur has been fostering the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young enterprise for over two decades. They are the only national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18-39. Their internationally recognized mentoring program hand matches young entrepreneurs with a business expert from a network of more than 2,400 volunteer mentors.
Enter Futurpreneur
Futurpreneur helps young Canadians launch and grow businesses by offering financing, mentorship, and business resources. Focused on young, aspiring entrepreneurs from 18 to 39, the national non-profit saw the potential in Swift and her business. Futurpreneur and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) both came to the table with funding, lending Swift a total of $60,000 to expand her business through the purchase of equipment to expand her product line and her production capacity. Futurpreneur also set her up with a business mentor to guide her through the growth and provide advice and ideas along the way. “My monthly meetings with my mentor really help me,” says Swift. “We discuss ideas, go through my numbers and keep me planning for now and the future.”
Expanding for the future
Swift used the funding to buy multiple keg systems for her storefront that increased the amount of product she could offer customers. She also upgraded her fermentation tanks and her brewing kettle—both boosted her production capacity and allowed her to grow her product line. “The investment came just as the pandemic hit,” says Swift. “However, I decided to go for it, and it paid off.” Boho Soul Market continued to grow even in the face of COVID-19—even with some struggles.
Main Street Minnedosa meets Manitoba
Today, Swift offers an impressive selection of kombucha flavours at her storefront. “On any day I can have 20 to 30 flavours available in 500 mL and refillable 1L and 2L sizes,” she says. “I also sell four flavours—Raspberry Lemon, Blueberry Ginger, Tangerine Mint, and Hibiscus Lime—to Co-op grocery stores in many parts of the province.” Consumers can find her Boho Soul Kombucha at Co-ops in Minnedosa, Grandview, Altona, Oak Bank, Winnipeg and more as well as many cafes and at Made in Manitoba locations. Swift has also expanded her offerings to include fermentation boxes for customers who want to try fermenting at home, and this spring she will offer a community supported agriculture (CSA) subscription box.
Advice for aspiring young entrepreneurs
Swift has learned a lot in her nearly three years in business and knows there’s more to come. “When you get started in business, you find out quickly there’s a lot you don’t know,” she says. “Resources like Futurpreneur not only provide funding but they also have the advice and guidance you need. Mentors have experience in business and share what they know to help.”
Swift also says that while launching a business is scary, don’t let fear hold you back. “If you have an idea, do it. Now is the time—you don’t want to regret not doing something.”
Find Boho Soul Market at 66 Main Street South in Minnedosa, Man. and online at bohosoulmarket.com. For more information and to apply, visit futurpreneur.ca.
