A summer job can be more than a time-killer for much-needed cash. It can become a career, just like it did for Brian Kliza.
In 2004, Kliza started Steamers Auto, Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning (callsteamersfirst.com) by himself, with the help of the Summer Company program through the London Small Business Centre. Today, he’s got six people working for him.
“Summer Company got me started,” said Kliza. “It helped pay for my first few flyers, my business cards, my first machine … It wasn’t a significant amount of money, but back then it was night and day from being able to do it to not being able to do it.”
Steamers grew slowly while Kliza was studying business at Western, and continued to build as he earned a degree in advertising copy writing at Humber College in Toronto.
“When I finished my post-grad, I came back to this huge list of clients,” Kliza said.
“I sort of had my job. I had this opportunity for running my own company when I got out of school.
“It was there and ready to go.”
