Island entrepreneur credits UPEI with helping him realize his dream

Entrepreneur Matt Jelley graduated from UPEI in 2024 with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree, specializing in marketing. He is now the sole proprietor of Mobile Bicycle Services PEI, a unique door-to-door bike repair service, and credits his education and mentors throughout his time at UPEI with helping him realize his dream of becoming a business owner.

Jelley said he has always had an entrepreneurial spirit and started his first venture, a photography and video production business, when he was 12 years old through the Young Millionaires Program, a summer business program available to PEI youth that provides opportunity to explore entrepreneurship. His experience in the program sparked his continued interest in maintaining an entrepreneurial mindset and seeking unique opportunities. 

While studying for his degree, he took the Business 3710 – Entrepreneurship and New Ventures course in his third year. The course inspired him to create a business plan for an idea that he had in mind for a long time. Dr. Reuben Domike, associate professor in the UPEI McDougall Faculty of Business, was also a key factor in helping his plan come to life. Jelley said Domike was a great person to turn to for advice, helped him with certain things in the business plan, and asked important questions that helped him think about every aspect of starting his company.

“Matt has done an excellent job of utilizing the resources available for entrepreneurial students at UPEI: coursework, mentoring, competitions, marketing, networking. As a result, he has been able to generate significant value in his early days as an entrepreneur,” said Domike. “I expect that Matt will be able to leverage his experience and early success to continue on his entrepreneurial journey in the upcoming decades.”

Winning $18,000 in prize money during the MacLauchlan Panther Pitch at UPEI in March 2023 (a contest for students made possible through the Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program) was also key for Jelley’s business to help it grow and expand its service offerings and reach. 

Preparing for the contest helped Jelley transfer the ideas in his head to paper. Building the website for the business served as a “vision board” of the plan and helped him visualize what kind of company he was building. It was during the development of the website that Mobile Bicycle Services differentiated itself from its competitors by allowing customers to book their desired dates and times of tune-ups and servicing.

The core concept of Mobile Bicycle Services reflects its owner’s personal interests: to provide reliable, affordable, and dependable service for all cyclists while maintaining a 100 per cent carbon neutral business model by offsetting carbon emissions through environmental actions like tree planting. The truck he purchased for his business is a hybrid model to help cut down on carbon emissions while traveling from location to location. 

The biggest challenge for Jelley when first starting his business was finding suppliers, since most of them required him to have a physical store front. Raphael Amoit-Savard, who owns Knead a Brake in Summerside, lent a helping hand and became a huge supporter of Jelley’s business, especially during the early days. Amoit-Savard was able to get Jelley connected with various suppliers and offered advice whenever needed. Business owner Paul Jenkins has also been a mentor to Jelley and a reliable source for help and information when he needs advice on almost anything. 

“I think it’s important to be a risk taker when creating a business but not a reckless risk taker. In my mind there is a very big difference between the two, and sometimes the line between them is very thin,” said Jelley. “Having confidence in yourself is another important trait when it comes to being a successful entrepreneur.” 

Jelley measures his success by the growth of his company, expansion of his network of suppliers, and the personal fulfillment he derives from providing valuable service.

“One of my favourite parts of owning and running this business is that I get to be a tourist on PEI. I get paid to explore this beautiful Island and meet all kinds of people—tourists and locals alike,” he said. “Every community has something special to offer, and that’s one of the perks of running a mobile business.” 

While UPEI has played a significant role in providing the education and support that Jelley needed to get started as a young entrepreneur, he says he is excited to see what other business initiatives will grow from his alma mater now that the new Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship has been established in the University’s Robertson Library. 

“I’m sure the entrepreneurship centre will be a great collaborative space for people to bounce ideas off one another and be able to come up with some great business concepts,” said Jelley.

On April 22, 2024, UPEI launched its new student entrepreneurship centre at an official grand opening event. Named in honour of UPEI’s Chancellor Emerita Catherine Callbeck, the centre was made possible through gifts and contributions from the River Philip Foundation, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Innovation PEI, and the Credit Unions of PEI. The centre aims to support student entrepreneurship with programming, events, guest speakers and other collaboration projects with community partners. To learn more about what the centre has on offer, visit their website.

Looking ahead to 2025, Mobile Bicycle Services aims to offer tip-to-tip, brewery, and mountain bike tours as well as accommodations for cyclists visiting PEI. Each tour will include shuttle transportation and optional add-ons such as bike rentals and personalized gear packages. Adventures will be designed with both seasoned cyclists and casual riders in mind.

To stay informed about upcoming tours, new services, and special offers, those interested can follow Mobile Bicycle Services on social media or visit the company’s website.