Two North Battleford entrepreneurs are among 57 business owners from 48 communities in Saskatchewan selected for a combined $285,000 in funding this year.
Kayla Kuttai Keys, owner of Free Spirit Salon Studio, and Clarissa Scheidl, co-owner of Birdies Golf Lounge, each received $5,000 through Saskatchewan’s Young Entrepreneur Bursary program and were recognized at a local presentation Friday morning.
Scheidl said she hopes to introduce after-school youth golf programs and possibly offer summer programming, with most of the bursary expected to go toward equipment. That includes clubs for different age groups and both left- and right-handed players.
“So to kind of add other legs onto your business, it can take a long time to get the extra capital to do that. So to have a little boost from them is really exciting,” she said.
She and Darvin Scheidl own Birdies, which is in its third season. The indoor golf simulator lounge hosts men’s and women’s leagues, lessons, tournaments and private events. The couple won 2025 BBEX Business of the Year.
Kuttai Keys opened Free Spirit Salon Studio in downtown North Battleford in 2022 and has 11 years of experience as a hairstylist.
“So the money I’m going to put towards expanding my premium hair extension line as well as investing in some education for our staff,” she said.
Both recipients encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to seek support from people around them.
Kuttai Keys pointed to the chamber of commerce, family, friends and customers. Scheidl said experienced business owners can offer valuable advice even when they work in a different industry, and she wished she had known earlier how willing others were to help.
Along with the funding, bursary recipients have access to mentorship opportunities in their local business communities.
Battlefords MLA Jeremy Cockrill urged the two recipients to use those opportunities and build relationships with business owners who have navigated the challenges of entrepreneurship.
“Sometimes you’re the only one responsible at the end of the day for your business. And when things are going well, that’s great. When things are not going so well, that’s tough,” he said.
Cockrill, who ran small businesses before entering politics, encouraged residents to support local businesses by spending money in their community.
“We’re entering a very exciting 10 to 20 years in our region. With the increased investment coming in agriculture and oil and gas, as well as nuclear down the road, there’s a huge opportunity in our community,” Cockrill stated. “That’s going to be more people moving here, more people needing their haircut, more people wanting to spend their money on Friday or Saturday nights and be part of golf leagues and so on.”
“It’s a great time to be a young entrepreneur,” Cockrill said.
The provincial government launched the bursary program in 2025, providing nearly $1 million over three years. It is administered by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, which works with regional chambers to reach communities across the province.
This year’s program received 321 applications from more than 70 communities.
According to the province, small businesses employed about 30 per cent of Saskatchewan’s workforce in 2025 and provided more than $8.3 billion in wages and salaries. Saskatchewan has 124 small businesses for every 1,000 people, the second-highest rate per capita in Canada.
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