BAY OF QUINTE ENTREPRENEURS: CANADIAN MADE EH!
Tom Potter, founder of CanadianMadeEH.ca in Napanee, ON, launched his custom laser engraving business in 2021, incorporating in 2024. The e-commerce company offers personalized Canadian-made products like apparel, drinkware, and awards. Despite the fear of starting, community support and guidance from trusted mentors helped him succeed. Potter values integrity and has found strength in the Bay of Quinte’s welcoming business environment and strong network of fellow entrepreneurs.
This story originally appeared on Work in Quinte
Read time: 2.5 min
Based in Napanee, ON, Tom Potter is the face behind CanadianMadeEH.ca, a custom laser engraving company that has partnered with other Canadian manufacturers to offer a full suite of bespoke products. This passion project, which was once a dream, became a reality in 2021 and incorporated in April 2024.
Canadian Made EH! is an e-commerce business, offering custom apparel, bags, and drinkware, as well as trophies, awards, and medals. They work with manufacturers to offer a full catalogue of Canadian-made products, which they can customize with their team of graphic designers and six laser engravers.
What the entrepreneur loves most about the region is the variety of businesses and the support within that community.
“This region offers a wide diversity of businesses, both small and large. We love the welcoming atmosphere and support offered from the business community,” he commented on the Bay of Quinte region.
Although he was prepared to start his own business, the hardest thing was taking that first step.
“Even after taking the time to seriously consider starting a business, discussing what we wanted to accomplish, and ultimately writing our business plan, the single most difficult thing to do was starting it. Taking that leap was terrifying. The fear of the unknown is a very real feeling, especially as first-time business owners,” he explained.
The thing that helped CanadianMadeEH the most was the support of other local businesses and mentors.
“I have carefully chosen several mentors in the business world based upon their success both personally and professionally. I value ethics and integrity as highly as, or even higher than, profit. One can never overestimate the value of a good name. As a member of three Chambers of Commerce (Belleville, Lennox & Addington, and Kingston), I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many fine business people. There have been a few that I’ve clicked with and have been able to share experiences, both good and not so good. These relationships have been key to advising our business decisions, especially our expansion. It is so very easy to invest in the wrong equipment and/or people. My advisors and mentors have helped guide me by challenging my opinions, offering critical, unbiased opinions and support,” he offered.
Outside of their business, Tom is active in the community, supporting several organizations, including the Quinte Skyhawks football team and Greater Napanee Pride. He’s also active in the Belleville Chamber of Commerce and Lennox & Addington Chamber of Commerce, of which he’s the Vice-President.
He feels that giving back to the community is imperative. When asked why he feels so passionate about giving back, he said, “We feel that it is essential to give back to the community and organizations supporting the community. We like to call it helping the helpers. Given that there are so many worthy organizations, and our funding is limited, we’ve chosen a broad range of charities and community groups to assist. We would love to support everyone, but that simply isn’t a possibility. We hope that by being inclusive and having a range of support going out, we can help as many folks as possible.”
Tom’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to take risks and seek help from other business owners in the community. “Never stop learning, ask questions from those already in business, and be willing to take risks. With the proper research and professional guidance, anything is possible. Get out there and go for it!”
