Fiddleheads earned funding from the Launch Online grant program

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Fiddleheads applied for a government grant with British Columbia's new Launch Online program in February, 2021. Owner Rhiannon Nachbaur is elated to share that just today Fiddleheads was approved for funding to go toward the completion and launching of this fantastic new website!

The Launch Online Grant Program provides funding to B.C.-based business to create an online shop and/or improve their existing online operations to attract new local customers and expand to new markets. The program is part of StrongerBC, BC's economic recovery plan and is administered by the tech experts at Alacrity Canada. The grant pays up to 75% of eligible expenses to a maximum of $7,500 per business and supports a rapid response for businesses ready to finish their online shop within 12 weeks.

"I was very pleased to hear that my application was successful and honoured that the adjudicators saw value in my project," said Nachbaur.

Rhiannon's hands on her MacBook laptop keys with Magento admin panel on the screen

[Photo] Nachbaur's hands on her laptop keyboard.

For over two years Nachbaur has worked seventy-plus hour, 7-day weeks compiling immense amounts of data, generating new content and photos, and learning the Magento administrator panel and settings inside and out.

"It's been an intense learning curve for this long-term project. This funding is the cherry on top of this already rewarding project when the added boost can really make a difference to seeing it launch after so much effort."

The website's final, most costly steps involve completing hundreds of hours of manual database entry/cleanup and to manage the huge database and marketing to reclaim a formerly #1 Google presence and put Fiddleheads back on the map as the world's first eco-friendly violin shop and one worthy of several business awards since the early 2000s.

"Recent laws affecting net neutrality and an overall evolution from 2.0 to web 3.0 means small businesses have to work that much harder to stay on top of the search results," Nachbaur explained.

"Unfortunately, web rankings are not just about offering quality content anymore, so little businesses like mine need to be innovative and adapt to the changes to new features to be seen and thrive on this global stage with corporate giants."

The site has enhanced selection features not even present on massive platforms like Amazon and Ebay and is expected to provide a far better customer experience than the competition.

"It's impossible to compete with a company that literally has more than a million employees, but what I lack for in sheer numbers, I make up for with my expertise and personal touches here and there that the big guys simply can't do."

 

Fiddleheads gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation.

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