The Problem
Entrepreneurship is lonely — especially in rural Canada.
You're doing it alone. No one to bounce ideas off. No one who gets what it's like to run a business when the nearest city is an hour away and your network is scattered.
The isolation compounds everything. Uncertainty feels heavier when you're carrying it by yourself. Small problems stay small when you have peers to talk them through. Without that, they grow.
You don't need more advice. You need people who get it — and a place to connect with them.
What is AREA 81?
Area 81 is an entrepreneur community for rural Canada — a peer network, a set of tools, and regular programming designed to break the isolation that kills rural ventures.
It's for entrepreneurs already based in rural regions, urban founders building businesses that serve rural markets, and anyone considering the move to rural Canada.
The mix is what makes it work. Different industries, stages, backgrounds, and experiences — but a shared understanding of what it means to build something outside the usual startup ecosystems.
What You Get
Nexus - Your Network CRM
Nexus is our proprietary platform for managing your network and staying connected to the Area 81 community.
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Build your personal network CRM — add contacts, take notes, track relationships
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Tag other members in your notes to see linkages between your contacts
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See all upcoming events, workshops, and working groups — and who's participating
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Direct messaging — 1:1 and group conversations
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Forums for async discussion and community knowledge sharing
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Notifications via text or email — you control what you receive
Nexus is a CRM built for entrepreneurs, not salespeople. It's designed to help you build and maintain the relationships that matter.
Workshops
Focused sessions where you learn a skill or methodology — then apply it to your own business.
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Current topics: Venture Design, AI for Entrepreneurs
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Led by practitioners with real experience
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Includes dedicated work time — you don't just learn, you do
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One-time sessions or short series depending on topic
Workshops are the entry point. You attend to learn something specific and leave with something you can use.
Working Groups
Ongoing peer cohorts for members who want to go deeper on a topic. Working groups are for people who've attended a workshop and want continued practice, accountability, and feedback.
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Focused on building key entrepreneur and venture building competencies and skills
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Meet regularly to work through challenges together
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Current groups: Venture Design, AI (facilitated), Web systems
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Self-directed groups also available for members who want to start their own
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Includes dedicated work time — you work on your business alongside peers
Working groups grow over time as more members come through workshops. They're the "what's next" for people who want to keep building competency with peer support.
Events
Regular opportunities to connect in person — because relationships built face-to-face are different.
Meetups
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Monthly evening events at Powerlink (Port Elgin)
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Networking, conversation, and community building
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Top-of-funnel: a way for members to bring guests and grow the network
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Non-members can attend for a fee
Coffee Chats
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Monthly informal sessions in two locations:
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Port Elgin: Powerlink
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Owen Sound: Frog's Pond
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Low-key, conversation-focused — show up, connect, leave when you need to
Minimum two events per month. As membership grows and ambassadors step up, we'll add more.
Peer Community
The most valuable part of Area 81 isn't a feature — it's the people.
Other entrepreneurs who understand what you're going through. People to call when you're stuck, celebrate when you win, and remind you that you're not crazy for building something in rural Canada.
Everything else — Nexus, workshops, working groups, events — exists to make these connections happen and help them deepen over time.
Who is AREA 81 For
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Early-stage founders figuring things out
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Growth-stage owners looking for peer support
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Established business owners seeking connection
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Side-hustlers exploring entrepreneurship
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Solopreneurs tired of doing it alone
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Anyone building something in or for rural Canada
Area 81 is for any entrepreneur who wants community over isolation. The diversity is the value — no one is excluded.
Membership
One membership. Full access. Everything Included.
What's included:
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Nexus platform — your network CRM
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All workshops
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Working group participation
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All meetups and coffee chats
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Peer community and forums
No tiers. No upsells. No nickel-and-diming.
Group members who renew together keep the $400/year rate.
Need More Than Community?
If you're past the point of peer support — if you need hands-on partnership to design, build, or fix your business — that's what Venture Design Studio is for.
VDS is deep, structured work: business model design, go-to-market execution, building systems, reducing founder dependency. It's not for everyone, and it's not cheap ($2,500–$10,000/month). But it's real partnership, not consulting.
Many VDS clients start in Area 81. When they hit a ceiling that community alone can't solve, they move to deeper work. Area 81 membership is included with all VDS engagements.
Learn more about Venture Design Studio.
Ready to Talk?
Not sure if Area 81 is right for you? Book a discovery conversation. We'll talk through where you are and what's getting in the way — and figure out together whether community, deeper work, or something else makes sense.
No pitch. No pressure. Just a conversation.
