The Alpha Group of Companies has a career college, staffing agency and catering business
The success story that is Alpha Group of Companies began with what founder and CEO Carol Thompson calls “a period of personal adversity”, when she made a promise to two employees who were worried about losing their jobs.
That propelled Thompson into building the Scarborough business group that is now celebrating its 20th anniversary.
“As I reflect on the past twenty years, my heart is filled with gratitude,” Thompson told MPulse. The businesses she has built that make up her company include Alpha Career College, which focuses on health care, social services and hospitality; the staffing firm Alpha Resources; and Alpha Katering, which focuses on corporate catering, along with the non-profit C.O.A.C.H. (Curating Opportunities and Creating Hope) Foundation.
“If I am being honest, no,” Thompson says, when asked about whether she was expecting to grow her business so large and for so long. “When I started Alpha, I wasn’t thinking about twenty years. I was thinking about surviving the next day, the next week, and the next month.”
“There were many moments when I wasn’t sure if we would make it. There were financial struggles, disappointments, setbacks, and times when the weight of carrying the responsibility felt overwhelming,” explains Thompson. “Like many entrepreneurs, I faced moments of self-doubt and wondered if all the sacrifices were worth it.”
But now Thompson, who began her career as a registered nurse and clinical leader, is focused on growing the business further and helping others do the same.
“The past twenty years were about building a strong foundation,” she says. “The next twenty years will be about expanding our impact.”
Newcomers make up a lot of the people that the Alpha Group of Companies supports. “Many of our students are newcomers to Canada who arrived with hope but faced barriers to employment, unfamiliar systems, and the challenge of starting over,” Thompson says of Alpha Career College. “Watching them graduate, secure meaningful employment, achieve financial independence, and build a better future for their families has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.”
Likewise, the staffing agency helps newcomers obtain their first jobs in Canada.
Thompson is now in a position as a long-time successful entrepreneur to serve as a role model and mentor to others. “My advice is simple: don’t give up too soon,” she says. “Building a business is one of the most rewarding journeys you will ever take, but it is also one of the hardest. There will be days when you question yourself, when opportunities don’t come as quickly as you hoped, and when the sacrifices seem greater than the rewards. Those moments don’t mean you’re failing; they are part of the journey.”
Carol Thompson was recently presented with a City of Toronto scroll recognizing her achievements.
“Carol Thompson’s 20-year journey with Alpha Group of Companies reflects the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of Scarborough,” says Scarborough Centre Councillor Michael Thompson (no relation to Carol). “I was pleased to help her navigate the permit process during Alpha’s early years, and it has been rewarding to see her vision grow into a successful organization that creates employment, empowers newcomers and strengthens our community.”
