Aspire Services Featured by the City of Barrie’s Starter Company Plus Program
We’re proud to share that Aspire Services and our founder, Becky Kurtz, were recently featured by the City of Barrie’s Starter Company Plus Program — highlighting the journey of building Aspire Services from passion into purpose.
Becky completed the Starter Company Plus program five years ago and has continued to grow Aspire Services ever since, guided by the principles, confidence, and strong business network she developed during her time in the program.
Turning Passion Into Purpose
Becky’s passion for supporting neurodiverse youth and adults started early and evolved into a full career path. Her experience across education, intensive behavioural intervention, and applied behaviour analysis helped her understand the unique needs of individuals at different life stages.
After relocating to Barrie, Becky recognized a clear gap — there were very few services available for adolescents and young adults to continue building life skills. Rather than waiting for change, she created it herself.
“People don’t just stop growing at twelve years old,” Becky shared. “There was almost nothing in place to help teens or young adults develop life skills.”
Empowering Neurodiverse Youth and Adults
Aspire Services focuses on life skills coaching and group programs for neurodivergent teens and adults, both in-person and virtually. The goal is simple yet powerful — to help each person become the best version of themselves by building independence, confidence, and real-life tools for success.
“I want to be someone’s cheerleader,” Becky says. “I’m here to support people and teach them the life skills they need.”
Growing a Business in Barrie
Barrie became the natural home for Aspire Services because the community had a real and immediate need. Over the past five years, Aspire has grown from a solo venture into a full team, expanding group programs, adding virtual offerings, and partnering with national initiatives like EmploymentWorks, a federally funded program designed to help neurodivergent individuals prepare for the workforce.
“At the time, it was just me,” Becky reflected. “Now I have a whole team, and that’s helped me serve more people in more ways.”
Community and Continuous Growth
Community has been central to Becky’s success — from the support of the Small Business Centre to the network built through Starter Company Plus. Even during the challenges of COVID, she stayed connected, finding encouragement and mentorship that continues to shape Aspire’s path forward.
“It’s about finding your own cheerleaders and building a strong network,” she said. “That sense of community has stayed with me.”
Looking Ahead
As Aspire Services continues to grow, so does Becky’s vision — helping neurodiverse individuals build skills that open doors to independence, employment, and a fulfilling life.
We’re incredibly proud to be part of Barrie’s thriving small business community and grateful for the programs and people that helped us get here.
👉 Read the full feature article on the City of Barrie’s website https://www.investbarrie.ca/whats-new/latest-news-updates/becky-kurtzs-passion-grows-company.