How it works · 7 phases
Starting a business is a lot of work, and it can be a large investment. So we break it into seven clear phases, with the same person guiding you from your first planning call to your grand opening, and beyond.
Phases from idea to open doors
Guide from start to finish
Typical smaller renovation
To certify in a single day
The journey
Each phase of our business startup process builds on the last, and you’ll always know what you’re receiving along the way. Here’s how a Shaped business comes to life, anywhere in Canada.
Phase 01
No pitch, no pressure. When you’re ready, tell us about your dream through our form, and we’ll schedule a planning call to hear your goals, your timeline, your budget and your space.
What you receive
Phase 02
Together we turn the dream into a plan: what you’ll offer, who you’ll serve and how you’ll grow. Then we search for a name that’s truly yours and build your brand around it.
What you receive
Phase 03
We build realistic financial projections and prepare your loan application with you. We’ll explain Canada Small Business Financing (CSBF) loans, help you choose the right loan, and walk you through flexible purchase and financing options.
What you receive
Phase 04
Sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation? We explain each in plain language, help you decide, and handle the registration paperwork. Then we teach the tax and bookkeeping basics that keep you organized from day one.
What you receive
Phase 05
It starts with pen and paper: your measurements and a few style questions become sketches of your future space. Prefer a storefront? We help you find a commercial rental. Smaller renovations usually take under 12 hours; larger ones, a few days.
What you receive
Phase 06
Hands-on training, tailored to you or your team: you alone, you and one employee, or you and two or more. Certify in one 8-hour day or two 10-hour days. It’s always a fun time during training sessions!
What you receive
Phase 07
Open your doors, and keep them open. We guide your marketing, our AI & Digital team can build your website and social media, and ongoing mentorship keeps you growing.
What you receive
In every phase
You work with the same person from your first planning call to your grand opening. Our close-knit team has fewer than 10 people, so you’re never passed around.
Owning a business is a lot of work and can be a large investment. Take your time. We move when you’re ready, never before.
The owners of Shaped JT were once small-business owners themselves. Our own studio opened in a compact two-bedroom condo in North Vancouver and grew into a six-figure income stream.
Phase 05, before and after
From raw commercial units to forgotten spare rooms, every renovation is designed around the business that will live there. Drag the handle to see the difference, then choose another space to compare.
Behind the scenes
Before a single wall is painted, we gather your measurements and ask about your style: the colours you love and the feeling you want clients to walk into. Those answers become hand-drawn sketches, and the sketches become your space.
One small studio renovation was completed in just 8 hours.
No pushy sales calls, ever.
Our promise to you
Good questions
It depends on your business, your space and your pace, so we never promise a one-size-fits-all timeline. Some milestones are quick: smaller renovations usually take under 12 hours, and you can certify in one 8-hour day or two 10-hour days. We’ll map out your timeline together on your planning call.
We schedule a planning call to hear your goals, your timeline, your budget and your space, and to walk you through every phase. There’s no pushy sales pitch. If it feels right, we move into your Business Blueprint together.
Yes. Our close-knit team has fewer than 10 people, and you work with the same person from start to finish.
No one can honestly guarantee approval. What we do is help you prepare: realistic financial projections, a strong business plan, loan application prep and guidance on options like Canada Small Business Financing (CSBF) loans, so you apply with confidence. Learn about financial advisory.
Nearly every renovation we complete includes a little surprise, chosen just for you. We’d tell you more, but then it wouldn’t be a surprise.
Not at all. Phase 07 includes marketing guidance and ongoing mentorship, from client retention to sustaining growth, plus a community of owners through the Shaped Lounge, opening soon.
Your next chapter
Choose your door and tell us about your dream. There are no pushy sales calls here: when you’re ready, we’ll schedule a planning call to listen to your goals and map out a business that fits your life.
