Marty Carew makes magic potions and casts spells for a
living. That’s because Carew is a professional wizard. He founded Young Wizard’s Academy, which offers 10 different themed parties for children
aged three to 16 years old in the Lower Mainland.
He recalls, “I came up with the business idea [because]
I had a friend in the birthday industry. She was telling me that there was
nothing out there on the market for boys, especially wizard (theme parties).”
Entrepreneurial
Wizardry
Carew quickly got to work to launch Young Wizard’s Academy.
He joined the Self-Employment
Program by Douglas College, where he
learned business plan development, entrepreneurial training and was given a
year-long mentorship.
“Starting a business is a lot of work and you have many
directions you can go in. My mentor was wonderful in directing me on the best
route to take,” Carew remarks.
His mentor was also able to give him specific advice about
his business. She suggested that he should pay himself for the time it takes to
set up parties. He remembers, “That really put things in perspective, as it was
taking way too long to prepare for a party and [was] costing me a lot!”
Carew and his mentor also found ways to lower his costs and
increase his prices by mass producing party items, and by increasing fees when
additional kids were included in bookings. He states, “These strategies were
important to direct me on a path that didn’t burn myself out and help my business
thrive.”
Carew also found his mentor helped increase his confidence,
stating “I owe her credit for believing in me when others didn’t.”
Spellbinding Success With
Mentorship
Carew’s efforts paid off. Young Wizard’s Academy has only
been in business for two years, but it’s already been voted as the “Best
Birthday Entertainer in Vancouver & Area” in May 2015 by Today’s Parent Magazine.
The business also expanded from just offering parties to offering
fun summer camps where children can dress
up, play and learn in exciting environments.
If you are interested in getting a mentor, Carew recommends
getting help from someone who is passionate about your business. It also helps
if they understand the many roads of growth and hurdles that may lay ahead.
If you are interested in getting a mentor and learning more
about the Douglas College Self-Employment Program, visit its website
today.