Step into our dynamic Entrepreneurial Summer Internship (ESI) Program, where nine remarkable student teams are granted a transformative summer job opportunity. During the season, they will have the opportunity to unleash their entrepreneurial spirit, crafting businesses from scratch, and accessing top-tier mentors, educational workshops, and a generous stipend. Meet our entrepreneurs and discover what inspires them and fuels their journey.
Embark on a captivating journey with GoFacepaint, a student venture that sprouted from humble origins and has since blossomed into an exceptional enterprise. The story began during a casual sleepover, where Siobhan Kelly, and her best friend Emma, at the tender age of 13, stumbled upon a face painting kit. Intrigued by the possibilities, they delved into the realm of face painting and soon discovered their innate knack for the craft. Enjoying their newfound passion, they crafted a website to showcase their skills and share their creativity with their local community.
GoFacepaint experienced a serendipitous turn when pandemic restrictions eased, opening a floodgate of opportunity for the company. In this post-pandemic era, parents yearned to create magical experiences for their children, GoFacepaint emerged as a wonderful and colourful solution.
The target market is primarily female parents ages 35-54 planning their child’s 1st-9th birthday in Whitby, Ajax, and Oshawa. Research shows that parents are looking for party activities that are photo-worthy (ready for Facebook and Instagram), cost-effective, and require minimal effort on their part. The company intentionally prices its service lower than the competition to appeal to middle-income households and bring face-painting magic to families who wouldn’t think to book it otherwise.
A secondary channel of the business is working with local indoor playgrounds and entertainment centers based in Pickering, Ajax, Oshawa, and Whitby. This generates one-third of the business through partnerships secured with popular venues, which book GoFacePaint regularly each week.