Working with Xa:ytem on their business plan proposal to the BC Social Enterprise Fund was a new experience for Mike Sherman, but one that engaged a lot of his experience and skills. Xa:ytem is a First Nations artisan and interpretive centre in Mission, BC, and as the primary coach for the application process, Mike helped them to think through how they could best meet the Social Enterprise Fund's goals, and move towards becoming a successful enterprise.

“Just the same as any new enterprise, they had to consider financial, strategic, and marketing elements. A lot of what I did was to help them articulate themselves. They had great ideas, but weren’t presenting them as effectively as they could.”

Mike was very pleased to see Xa:ytem selected by the Social Enterprise Fund Grants team for support. “We’ll get a lot of leverage on that money in terms of creating a more sustainable organization. For a relatively small investment, it will pay off considerably in terms of employment, program expansion, and community development.”

For Mike, the whole coaching experience was also one of high return for a small investment. “The time commitment was surprisingly low. I found them very well organized, and really the coaching process only took about an hour of my time a week.” In exchange for that time, he says that he learned a lot about First Nations in the Lower Mainland, and had the opportunity to work with some “really amazing people” who he would not otherwise have met. “It feels good to be able to help out.”