Annie Rong Receives 2023 William F. Bell Young Entrepreneur Award

RICHMOND HILL – At yesterday’s Richmond Hill Council meeting, the Mayor and Members of Council were joined by the family of former Mayor William Bell to present this year’s William F. Bell Young Entrepreneur Award to Annie Rong. 

The 17-year-old Richmond Hill resident is the successful founder of a custom tote-bag company, Fill Your Tote!  Her distinctive artistic ideas have made Fill Your Tote! stand out for its sleek and original style. 

The William F. Bell Young Entrepreneur Award recognizes successful young entrepreneurs who take part in Summer Company, a program helping students ages 15-29 learn how to run their own business. As a participant of Summer Company, Annie was able to step out of her comfort zone. She encountered challenges, like pricing issues and tough gatekeepers, but never gave up. Her focus on forming quality connections and partnerships paid off with her tote bags being sold at the 2023 CNE, various markets and fairs, and gift shops. She even partnered with a summer camp! In total, 217 of her tote bags were sold across the Greater Toronto Area during the summer months. Annie is currently in discussions with several conference organizers as well as local libraries and community services initiatives to create their custom designed tote bags. 

Annie was one of 10 Richmond Hill student entrepreneurs to take part in this year’s program. Collectively the group generated over $20,000 through the summer months and many continue to grow their business. This year’s participants also included: 

• Zainab Abidi (16) – Ginger Boost produces ginger shots infused with black seed oil, aimed at boosting energy and enhancing performance for athletes
• Imran Alidina (22) – Project Mbappe Academy is a soccer training academy dedicated to coaching children between the ages of 6 and 17 to develop their skills and passion for soccer
• Alicia Au (22) – Maman Jeyran Foods produces and sells frozen-ready-to-heat halal Persian food
• Megan Brown (19) – Nature Gemz Accessories makes and sells handmade bags and jewelry with eco-friendly materials
• Alison Chen (19) – ReadySetGo Music Academy offers violin and music lessons to children between the ages of 4-17
• Andrew Cho (17) – Shine4LessNow is a pressure washing business that provides high-quality driveway and garbage can cleaning services
• Kevin Huang (18) – HOG – Hooked On Your Giftedness supports and empowers autistic children to build social skills and connections through various programs and activities (swimming, arts, etc.)
• Sabrina So (19) - TutorSOS is an on-demand tutoring and matching platform to help students with various topics and support with post-secondary applications
• Daniel Tan (17) – Ecoholics produces and markets a natural flea, tick and mosquito repellent spray designed for pets

Congratulations to this year’s Summer Company participants! 

Quotes

“What an honour it is to watch our next generation of young entrepreneurs turn their individual talents into creative and innovative businesses. This year’s award recipient, Annie Rong, drew on her creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to create a unique product and build partnerships with other organizations to showcase her art to a wider market. The progress she made with her business is both inspiring and at the very heart of our Summer Company program.”

- David West, Mayor

“Summer Company was easily one of the most memorable experiences I have gone through, and has changed the way I think about business. Through these months of developing my business, I have realized that entrepreneurship requires dedication and a spirit to learn and grow. I am grateful to my mentors, family, and friends who encouraged me and helped me face the obstacles I encountered. I am also honoured to be able to connect with like-minded individuals who are as passionate about business as I am. It has been an incredible journey. I hope to carry the lessons I learned and the connections I have made into the future!"

- Annie Rong, Richmond Hill’s 2023 Young Entrepreneur award recipient

Quick Facts

• The William F. Bell Young Entrepreneur Award is named in honour of Mayor Bell who served Richmond Hill for 26 years, including six terms as Mayor.
• In 2006, the City introduced the William F. Bell Young Entrepreneur Award to recognize successful young entrepreneurs taking part in the Ontario Summer Company program.
• Funded through the Ontario government’s Summer Company program, students receive up to $3,000 each in start-up funding along with comprehensive online business training and mentoring coordinated through Richmond Hill’s Small Business Enterprise Centre.
• Since launching in 2004, Richmond Hill’s Summer Company program has provided more than 170 local young entrepreneurs with foundational support to start and grow a business. 

Additional Links

• RichmondHill.ca/SBEC
• RichmondHill.ca/HelpforBusinesses