Black to Business #27 - Black Business Initiative

The Periodical of the Black Business Initiative
DIME Inc.
Also in this Issue
• BBI AGM Overview
• NSCC Trailblazers
• More Successful
Entrepreneurs
Fall 2007 u Number 37
“A dynamic and vibrant Black presence within
the Nova Scotia Business Community.”
Black to Business
Message from the Board of Directors
In this Issue
Cassandra Dorrington, Chair, Black Business Initiative
1
Message from the
Chief Executive Officer
2
Youth on the Move
3
Ancient Hermit Drums
4
Sweet Spice
5
BBI Stats 6
7
9
11
Trailblazers Who’s Who at the NSCC
CULTURE BEAT
In the Search for Entrepreneurs
Taryn Della
Arm Candy Handbags
BBI’s Annual General Meeting
12
Cover Story
15
Business Forum
17
DIME Digital Signage Solutions
How Can Business Owners Retire
Steve’s Barbershop
18
A Multigenerational Business
People & Businesses on the Move 19
Business Calendar
21
Ask the BBI 22
BBI 2008 Training Schedule
23
Business Is Jammin”
24
What is Cultural Tourism?
the mandate of the BBI. We are not
in the business of developing black
businesses, but we are in the business of developing, mentoring and
supporting members of the Black
community in the development and
growth of successful businesses.
Paul Adams
Message from the Board
Che Kara Beals
Summer Youth Program
Regional Reports
Business Development
6
Central
10
Northern
21
Training & Business is Jammin’
23
I
f you have been watching the
news, the US stock market continues to reflect the volatility of
their economy, resulting in the US
dollar taking a beating on the world
market. With the strong linkage
of the Canadian market to the US
market there is some concern as to
how Canada will fare in this matter. In particular, how will the Nova
Scotia business economy fare?
Early indications point towards a
strong Canadian dollar which translates into continued confidence in
the Canadian economy. This is great
news for Canada and in particular
for our Nova Scotian businesses. A
strong and robust economy is one of
the key success factors for the Black
Business Initiative (BBI) client.
A couple of years ago, at one of the
BBI summits, I remember a statement that stayed with me long after
the Summit ended. The speaker was
very adamant that there is no such
thing as Black businesses, there is
just business and the color of business is green. This concept speaks to
Black to Business is the official periodical of
The Black Business Initiative and is published quarterly spring, summer, fall, and winter. Its goal is to support the
BBI as it fosters a dynamic and vibrant Black presence
within the Nova Scotia Business Community.
Mailed under Canada Post Publications Mail
Sales Agreement no. 0040026687
Fall 2007
For Advertising Information, Rates, Submitting
Stories, Notices or Community Events,
or for More Information,
call: 902-426-2224
In the development of a successful business, there are definitely
key factors to consider, such as the
strength on the business plan, the
technical and managerial capacity
of the business, and the financial
capacity of the business, to name
but a few. I am pleased to say that
all these factors are supported by
the BBI business model. The one
factor which is seldom discussed
but is fundamental to the success
of the business is an assessment
of the business owner/entrepreneur as it relates to the profile
of the successful entrepreneur.
For those of you considering taking that first step into starting
your own business, consider the
following list of traits of a successful entrepreneur. Do you have the
key traits of an entrepreneur?
1) Problem Solver: As a business owner, you will be presented
with many unique situations.
It will be your job to quickly
solve these problems. How do
you rate as a problem solver?
2) Calculated Risk Taker: Starting
your own business is inherently
risky. While risk is inevitable, a successful business person is a good
judge of acceptable risk levels, and
continued on page 10>
The Black Business Initiative
1575 Brunswick Street,
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2G1
Phone: 902-426-2224 Fax: 902-426-6530
Toll Free: 1-800-668-1010
E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.bbi.ns.ca
Published by: the Black Business Initiative
Editor in Chief: Rustum Southwell
Design & Layout: Design North
Production by: Mirabliss Media Productions
Cover Photograph: Paul Adams
Black to Business
Fall 2007
Message From The Chief Executive Officer
Peter Marsman
S. I. Rustum Southwell
I
f it seems like a long time since
you got an update report, it’s
because of the special 10th anniversary celebration issue of Black to
Business magazine. Consequently,
we have not had an opportunity to update you on the activities,
operations and services of the Black
Business Initiative (BBI) in the past
six months. Back then seems like the
good old days, because Starr Francis
our first Executive Assistant left for a
position with the Federal Department
of Justice. She was an invaluable
team member and made my job
easier.
In fact, as far back as May, when we
were getting ready for the annual
general meeting we were still fully
engaged in moving our mandate
forward. BBI’s Board has charged the
staff with the number one priority to
implement its growth strategy this
year. As we continue to deliver on the
various items of the composite structure simultaneously with the overall
governance model, we have begun
the process to re-brand BBI. This process is moving along at a reasonable
pace, despite our meager resources.
The investment fund and the consulting arm are already functional and
performing very well.
One of the good stories is the ramping up of the Business is Jammin’
(BIJ) charity. In April, Tracey Thomas,
the BBI’s training director, accepted
employment elsewhere and did not
return to the BBI from maternity
leave. And, Julius Kanyamunyu, who
was acting training director during
Tracey’s absence, left the organization
about the same time. It was then left
to Bernard Elwin and an eclectic mix
of BBI rookies to deliver the services
of the training centre and the BIJ program. Based on the results at the end
of summer they have far exceeded
our expectations. There is much more
detail about this in Bernard Elwin’s
training report but I must commend
him and Dorothy Fletcher, (Admin.),
Annette Slawter (Admin.) and Beverly
Parker (Admin) for the success they
had at the training centre in the past
six plus months. Their team and six
young student coordinators delivered a
very effective Business is Jammin’ program this summer.
2007 ended up being the most effective
BIJ summer program ever. The overall
quality of the six coordinators certainly was a big reason for the impact. Of
course, the BBI did not do this without
partnerships with Service Canada and
the Black Employment Partnership
Committees. It certainly helped to
have an expanded crew, with three of
the six coordinators returning for at
least the second summer.
2007 ended up being
the most effective BIJ
summer program ever.
The overall quality of
the six coordinators
certainly was a big
reason for the impact.
Seeing this expanded role of the BIJ
youth strategy is proof positive that we
are making an impact in improving
business skills in the Black community. Another example of this is the
incorporation of ADEPA, a construction project management company
wholly owned by the consulting arm
of the BBI. Early indications are that
ADEPA will surpass budgeted sales.
June 2007 is already four months
behind us now; however, the energy
and warmth at the annual general
meeting can still be felt. On June 29,
right before our eyes we were able to
see the vision come to life in a dramatic and vibrant fashion.
It really all began the day before, on
Thursday night, when the investment
fund, the Black Business Community
Investment Fund Limited (BBCIFL),
held its annual General Shareholders
meeting. The fund – currently just
short of $350,000 – has $300,000
invested in three companies. It is
stable and well managed with leadership from Greg Browning, who is
the Chair of the Board, and Gordon
Doe, who is BBI’s Director of Business
Development. Gordon is most likely
one of the most knowledgeable persons in Nova Scotia when it comes
to administration of Community
Economic Development Investment
Funds. The meeting went very well.
The following morning we were back
at it with an early start to a long day.
The session was chaired by Joe Parris.
The BBI Board of directors was joined
by the BIJ Board, all staff, student
coordinators, lifetime Board members
and a few guests. First up was the BIJ
meeting, quickly followed by the BBI’s
meeting, then by an engaging lunch
panel discussion, and finally Black
Business Consulting (BBC) held its
first Annual General Meeting.
As if all of this activity was not
enough to make one need a very long
rest, we still had the evening gala to
attend. And this year it was one for
the ages. There were some 300 guests
in attendance.
Her Honour Mayann Francis
Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
and the Honourable Peter MacKay,
(currently Minister of Defence) then
continued on page 21>
Black to Business
Fall 2007
Paul Adams
The Sky’s the Limit YOUTH ON
for Che Kara Beals
THE MOVE
Chad Lucas
When she’s not in the gym, she says
she likes to do “girl things” – hanging out with friends, or taking part
in groups like GEM, a mentorship
program for girls. “You have a mentor and they help you out. It’s kind
of like Big Sisters,” Beals says.
But basketball takes up plenty of
her spare time. She admits it can
feel overwhelming sometimes as
she has to keep herself in top shape.
“It’s fun … when I’m not sore,” she
says. “If I don’t play for a bit and
then go back to it, then I get really
sore.”
But she says she’s always loved
playing basketball with her friends,
ever since she was little.
“I grew up playing
C
ara Beals looks over
her daughter’s many
schedules, outlining all
the times Che Kara Beals will
be on a basketball court in the
next few months.
There are training sessions with the
Atlantic Centre for Performance,
Sundays at a regional development
camp, practices at the Community
YMCA, games in the University of
King’s College fall league – and
this is before the high-school season starts for the Grade 10 student
at Citadel High. “Yeah, it keeps us
pretty busy,” Cara Beals says.
Che Kara, 15, is in demand as one
of the top up-and-coming female
basketball players in the province.
She’s fresh off a second straight trip
to the under-15 national championships, where she helped Nova Scotia
capture a bronze medal for the second year in a row.
ball,” ... “We all used
Beals was the youngest player on the
team when she attended as a 14-yearold in 2006, but she played a key role
on the squad this year that defeated
powerhouse British Columbia 86-74
in the third-place game in August. “It
was good because it was my second
year,” says Beals. “I knew more what
to expect. It seemed easier, and I
knew more people on the team.”
Playing on the provincial team has
taken her across the country. Last
year’s national championships were
in Quebec, while this summer the
team travelled to Vancouver.
“It was a lot of fun because I’d never
been there before,” Beals says. “And
when we first got there we got lost, so
we saw a lot of the city.”
Basketball keeps her busy year-round,
but things are especially hectic in the
fall. Along with playing on teams
she’s involved in the Centre for
Performance, which brings together
just a handful of the top players from
around Nova Scotia and Atlantic
Canada.
to fool around, and the
Community Y told us we
could play there once we
reached Mini (age 10). Ever
since then we’ve all just
played, and keep going
to the higher levels.”
“I grew up playing ball,” she says.
“We all used to fool around, and
the Community Y told us we could
play there once we reached Mini
(age 10). Ever since then we’ve all
just played, and keep going to the
higher levels.”
She has her eyes set on even higher
levels, hoping to play university ball
in the future.
“I’m trying to get somewhere far,”
she says.
If she keeps working as hard as
she does, the sky’s the limit for Che
Kara Beals.
Black to Business
Fall 2007
Ancient Hermit Drums
Shawn Smith, BBI
Carol Dobson
source of these hides, local abattoirs are another. He knows of
a spot where hunters dump the
leftovers after a deer is cleaned
and that is a source of deer hide.
His customers come from all walks
of life. They include African-Nova
Scotian artist and curator David
Woods, members of the local First
Nations Community, and people
from as far away as Alberta.
“I sold two drums to Baptist
ministers,” he says. “One
was from the Meteghan/Clare
area while the other was from
southern New Brunswick.”
Pat Jarvis, Ancient Hermit Drums
S
ince the dawn of time,
the drum has called
people from all cultures
to a variety of actions. The
sound of the drum can be
primitive and soul searing, its
beat can stir the blood, and its
tone can be soft and gentle or
as deep as a big bass drum.
In September 2004, Pat Jarvis
attended a drum circle and
the beat he heard that night
changed his life forever.
“I was an alcoholic and after that
evening, I woke up and poured the
bottle down the drain,” he says. “I
fell in love with the drum. I was too
poor to buy one but I was a wood
carver and decided to make one.
That led to another and another…”
He looked at the drums his
friend and mentor Kadijah had
and figured out the lacing. He
also had some knowledge of
curing hides and brought that
knowledge to the process.
His father owns a wood lot and
many of the drums come from
those trees. He uses local woods
– pine, poplar, white birch, maple,
beech, larch (hackmatack), cherry,
and apple wood. Sometimes, a
piece of wood with a hollow centre is brought to him by local
loggers to fashion into a drum.
It’s a spiritual experience to make
a drum. He doesn’t know until
he strips the bark from a piece of
wood what is inside. When he
does see the wood revealed, he
can draw his inspiration from
the grain, from the location of
knots where branches may have
broken off in the tree’s young
years, and other features.
“I had one drum that looked
like it had eyes all around it. A
woman came down to look at my
drums and she had a dream a
few nights earlier about eyes. She
hadn’t even seen the drum yet.”
The skin of the drum is made from
different types of hides – bear, deer,
cow, goat, and even porcupine
and muskrat. Hunters are one
One drummer in Dartmouth
has been playing one of Jarvis’
drums for the past eight months
and he’s only three years old.
“You have to start them young.”
Ancient
Hermit
Drums Ltd.
Weymouth, Digby Co.
Patrick Jarvis
902-837-7178
[email protected]
www.ancienthermitdrums.com
Black to Business
Fall 2007
Sweet Spice
Spicing up Metro
Peter Marsman
Chad Lucas
Bruce serves up Jamaican staples
like oxtail, curried goat and jerk
chicken, along with a few more
Canadian dishes such as fish and
chips and burgers.
He says one of the biggest challenges so far has been striking the right
balance on the menu. He’d like to
please fans of authentic – and spicy
– Jamaican food without alienating
those who might not be adventurous enough to try things like, say,
goat’s head soup.
“That’s the only thing I was worried
about,” Bruce says. “You make a
little bend, but don’t (compromise)
too much. You can’t please everybody, I guess.”
Lajuane Bruce, Blair Payne & Dean Rogers - Sweet Spice
L
ajuane Bruce’s authentic
Jamaican cooking comes
with a recommendation
from an authoritative source:
his grandmother.
Sure, one might think a family member would be obligated to praise
his food, but listen to this stunning
endorsement: “My grandmother came
here when we first opened, she tasted
the food and said, ‘Oh my God, you’re
cooking’s better than mine!’” Bruce
says with a laugh. “My father says
that’s a real compliment.”
“For years (Rogers) always asked me
to do this,” says Bruce, who immigrated to Canada from Jamaica as
a teenager. “Finally I said, ‘All right,
I’ll give it a shot.’”
The other challenge has been finding the right supplies, especially
Jamaican drinks such as ginger
beer. But he says he’s growing into
the business side of the operation.
The small but sunny restaurant,
with pictures of Jamaica and Bob
Marley on the bright orange walls,
has been building a steady customer
base in its first year of operation.
Bruce, who worked for Bin Doctor
and did a string of odd jobs before
Sweet Spice, said he’s been pleasantly surprised.
Customers in Halifax’s North End and “Dean thought it would take off, but
I’m a little more cautious,” he says.
beyond have backed up his grandmother’s assessment: Bruce knows how “I figure it’s better to come in with
your expectations not so high. But
to cook.
it’s gone above
my expectations.
He may be a natural in the kitchen
I thought it
– he’s picked up most of his culinary
might take eight
skills from family members – but he
months before
admits his co-owner Dean Rogers
people really
had to pester him for years before he
(started to come).
finally agreed to join as a partner at
Sweet Spice Restaurant, which opened But it seemed
like in the first
in February.
two weeks …
2725
every day new
Rogers had run an all-day breakfast
customers were
at the same Agricola Street location
dropping in. It’s
that now houses Sweet Spice, but he
really grown.”
wanted to offer Caribbean fare.
“The most rewarding part is the
way people appreciate it, when you
hear a customer saying, ‘You guys
are doing good,’” Bruce says.
With all his experience these past
few months, he jokes he might
– just maybe – be able to lay claim
to the title of best cook in his whole
family.
“The things I’ve learned, I think I
could give my mother a run for her
money,” he laughs.
Sweet Spice
Restaurant
Lajuane Bruce
Agricola Street, Halifax
431-5500
Black to Business
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT
REPORT
Gordon Doe
This past summer was a busy one for me on
a number of fronts.
Construction Strategy
Implementing the recommendations of the
BBI-sponsored Black Construction Sector
survey report was our priority. To do so,
we have incorporated ADEPA Management
Inc. ADEPA will either support contractors
to directly bid and manage projects or will
operate as a general contractor on projects
and then partner with Black contractors to
successfully implement projects. This is a
new model of engagement between BBI
and our Black construction sector and we
are already seeing positive response from
the community.
We are also currently conducting roundtable
discussions in various communities to
present this strategy and to prioritize specific
training requests. We will then design
implementation plans in partnership with
institutions like the Nova Scotia Community
College.
Black Business Community
Investment Fund
During the summer things did not slow
down with the Fund. We had our fourth
annual general meeting (AGM) and we also
made our fourth investment. This was a
$50,000, two-year term investment in the
Stone Gallery This investment brings to a
total of $300,000, the invested capital of
the Fund. With over 90% of our current
portfolio invested, the fund is now playing
an integral part in assisting Black businesses
in Nova Scotia. We continue to look for your
further support of our future offerings in
order to increase our work in helping Black
Black-owned businesses grow.
Networking
We had the opportunity to host a delegation
from the Malawi government who were
visiting Canada to learn about best practices
in small business development initiatives. I
also presented the BBI model to a Chinese
government delegation that was here to learn
about community economic development.
I am also participating on a steering
committee of the Nova Scotia Construction
Association doing some research work to
promote and sustain skilled labour and
enable future growth in the industry. Last
but not least, during this summer BBI was
officially sworn in as a charter member of
the Nova Scotia Come to Life brand. It is
an acknowledgement of our contribution
and commitment to spreading the excellent
Nova Scotia brand everywhere we go and in
all we do to help Black Businesses succeed.
Fall 2007
We’re looking for
people With drive.
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WWW.oregans.com
BBI Stats
The BBI has been involved with
approximately 1402 clients over the past ten years
• Loans
206
• Approved Equity Loans
11
• Approved Development Funds
50
• Withdrawals
34
Fall 2007
Black to Business
Trailblazers
5
Juanita Peters
Who’s Who and What’s New at the Nova Scotia Community College
NSCC/Kingstec Campus –
Employee Services Advisor
Born: Wolfville, Nova Scotia
H
er career at the college
began on August
6, 1976. Charlotte
States was enrolled in a oneyear stenography program;
after graduating she learned
that the school was looking to
fill a position in the Student
Services Division. She and a
number of her colleagues were
interviewed and the rest is
history. She has now been with
the college for 31 years.
“I have served on a number of
committees both at the campus
level and college level including
a three-year term on the Board
of Governors for NSCC. The most
recent change in my department
came over a year ago which
has given me more hands-on
responsibility for our campus
employees. I enter all hires in
the system, initiate benefits,
casual pay, pay changes, i.e.
increments, status changes,
leave-reporting, etc. I help in
the interview process, either
sitting on the interview panels
or working with the Academic
Chairs/Managers in preparation
for the interviews and submission
of paperwork to Central Office.
I also work closely with our
Principal and as a member of the
Management Team at our local
campus, I enjoy and appreciate
being an active participant of the
decision-making process,” says
States.
“I believe what I do is rewarding
because it is working with
people. I am a people-person
and enjoy meeting new people,
and providing whatever support I
can to help them have a positive
experience in the work place.”
She says if she were not working
at NSCC, she would probably be
working as a volunteer for the
Nazarene Church in Volunteer
Ministries around the world. She
is a District Mission President for
the Canada Atlantic District for
the Church of the Nazarene.
Charlotte States is married to
Willard States. They have four
children (Marcey, Josh, Courtney
and Isaiah) ranging in ages from
eight to 23. She is also the proud
grandmother of 18-month-old
Issac.
Archy Beals
Peter Marsman
Contributed
Charlotte States
NSCC/Dartmouth Waterfront
Campus – NSCC AfricanCanadian Services Committee
Born: Halifax, Nova Scotia
A
rchy Beals graduated
from Dalhousie University in 1992 with a
BA in political science. While
at Dalhousie, he also took
some courses in education and
sociology. He says he decided
to pursue this route because
of hardships and struggles he
went through in the public
education system.
I can remember in junior
high being called to the Vice
Principal’s office and being told
that I should not pick academic
courses for high school, that I
Black to Business
The role Archy Beals plays today
at NSCC is one of recruitment,
retention, advising and advocacy
for African-Canadian students
at seven campuses across the
province. Since starting at the
college 13 years ago he says there
have been significant changes.
For 10 of those years, he was the
sole African- Canadian Student
Coordinator for 13 campuses
from Yarmouth to Sydney.
Now, there are two additional
coordinators – Sylvia Francis in
the Annapolis Valley and TriCounty Area as well as Darren
Desmond in Cape Breton.
“I believe this is the start of the
African Canadian Student Success
Division within the College. The
African-Canadian Transition
program for African-Nova
Scotians who do not have their
grade 12 diploma is another new
initiative at the college. Through
the Nova Scotia Human Rights
Commission, the college has
trained 21 diversity trainers to
deliver diversity sessions to all
NSCC faculty and staff,” says
Beals.
Archy Beals is married to Caroletta
Downey-Beals, and they have two
daughters, nine-year-old Letteisha
and five-year-old Kaya.
Jill Provoe
Peter Marsman
should go the general route and
pursue a trade at the Vocational
School. I knew that I always
wanted to go to university and
that I would do whatever it took
to get there. I was so distraught
that I went to my guidance
counsellor, Alma Johnston, and
she told me to put my best foot
forward and follow my dreams.
It took me an extra year to finish
high school, but I was overjoyed
when I did.”
NSCC/Akerley Campus –
Program Coordinator/African
Canadian Transition Program
Born: Glace Bay, Nova Scotia
J
ill Provoe says she came
to the campus last year
as coordinator of the new
African Canadian Transition
Program, which is offered in
partnership with the African
Canadian Services Division of
the Department of Education.
It is a program offered to African
Canadian adults wanting to
pursue their high school diploma
in an Africentric learning
environment. In essence,
program participants are given
the opportunity to experience
a total liberation of the African
mind, body and soul,” she
Fall 2007
says. “I believe strongly in the
value of Africentric educational
programming because,
overall, it promotes unity and
community involvement. In
the safety of our classroom, we
critically analyze topics such
as racism, power, privilege
and politics, as we encourage
students to strive for excellence
in all they do. This position is
a dream come true, and I feel
blessed as I strive to inspire
others to work hard and
persevere through education.”
Provoe is no stranger to
challenges. Through Mount
Saint Vincent University, she
earned a Certificate in Business
Administration, a Certificate in
Marketing, Bachelor of Public
Relations, a Master of Human
Ecology (Family Studies),
and a Master of Education
(Educational Foundations). By
age 25, she graduated with
her second Master’s degree
and was a single parent with
three children under age five.
“It was a difficult time, but I
believe this experience has
strengthened my character and
motivation to be successful.
It also helps me to build a
connection with our students
because I can relate to some of
their challenges,” she says.
Jill Provoe says if she is looking
forward to continuing her work
with the amazing participants
and staff of the program.
She says this is an exciting
opportunity to focus on the
needs of African Nova Scotians
in education. She says it is
time for change and, for these
participants, the transformation
starts here.
Black to Business
Fall 2007
Taryn Della
Shauntay Grant
Peter Marsman
poet, comedian, playwright
school students in their academic
endeavours.
Both Billie shows are quite different
in structure, but the goal remains
the same. “(Honouring) our ancestral strength and vision and beauty
and brilliance in ways that are very
vivid and involved and physical, so
that we’re actually honouring the
fact that we are able to do what we
do today by making sure that we
define our ancestry as brilliant and
beautiful.”
“... I think that humour
Taryn Della hosting the ANSMA Awards Show
I
t’s a hot summer afternoon in Halifax. About
50 people have packed
into the DANSpace on Grafton
Street to witness the latest from
Taryn Della: Billies Blues Revisited, a show that uses comedy, music and spoken word to
chart both the beauty and pain
of the Black experience.
“On the count of three I want you
all to give me one great big laugh,
ok?” Della smiles reassuringly, facing
rows of mostly Caucasian audience
members. “Here we go: one… two…
three!”
The audience explodes into laughter,
letting go their reservations in the
process.
“Healing and communicating
through humour” Della calls it.
“Connecting lives and stories and
events and history, and telling
things through humour. And having people somehow let their guard
down as they sit there.”
Della is a Nova Scotian journalist,
comic, workshop facilitator, and
writer. She’s shared her talents at
special events, corporate functions,
and festival of all sorts.
Della also works a lot with youth,
particularly in Halifax’s north
end community. She received
support from the Centre for
Entrepreneurship Education and
Development (CEED)’s Youth
Employability Project to provide
employment opportunities for
youth to learn entrepreneurship
and life skills. “I define success as
seeing our babies embrace their
brilliance,” says Della. “(Seeing
them) embrace their beauty and
believe in their possibilities. “
Billies Blues Revisited is the follow-up to Della’s previous Atlantic
Fringe Festival hit My Blues Are
Like Billies. Like with many of her
projects, proceeds from Revisited
went towards supporting high
not only engages,
but it brings people
together.”
– Taryn Della
In illustrating this ancestral legacy,
Billie’s Blues Revisited touches on
some serious and painful topics
– racism, lynching, misconceptions
about Black youth...
“I do what I can to just give a different version of the story,” says
Della. “And I think that humour not
only engages, but it brings people
together.”
And it’s through humour that Della
has proved successful in broaching
serious subjects, sparking dialogue
between diverse communities, and
ultimately bringing people together.
“I’m from a background that tells
me that if we don’t find a way to
heal from whatever’s going on, we
don’t move forward. We make the
same mistakes over and over, and
(the situation) may even get worse.”
“Humour will help you to let it go.”
Black to Business
10
REGIONAL
REPORT
Central
Message from the Board of Directors
continued from page 1
always minimizes their risk with
alternate or contingent plans. Where
do you fit on the risk continuum?
3) Change Enthusiast: A successful entrepreneur must be constantly assessing the business
environment and be prepared to
change as the business community changes. Inability to change
may result in failure. What is
your appetite for change?
4) Delegate Tasks: When you are
starting a business it’s impossible to
know how to do everything yourself. You must be comfortable in
delegating when appropriate and
running the parts of the business
that you excel in. Acknowledgement
of your skills and the value of
your time are vital to your success as an entrepreneur. How do
you feel giving up some control?
5) Handle Rejection Well: In the
start-up and establishment of your
business you are liable to run into
opposition from friends, family,
creditors, business associates, and
soon to be ex-co-workers. Dealing
with rejection is part of being an
entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, it
is up to you to believe in your business and stick to it until you obtain
the level of success you desire. Are
you easily overwhelmed by rejection?
Upon completing the self-assessment, how do you rate?
Given the strength of the current
business environment, your entrepreneurial profile, and the right
business plan, you are destined for
entrepreneurship and business success. It is important to understand
that the continued strength in the
economic climate supports and
bolsters the work of BBI. At BBI,
we recognize that our clients are
at different stages in their growth.
On a monthly basis, our Regional
Fall 2007
Business Development Managers
meet with budding entrepreneurs
who are on the verge of taking the
leap and require one set of supports.
There is also regular interaction with
those who have made the decision
to begin their own businesses, and
who require a different set of supports that may include assistance
and training in various aspects of
business to achieve their goals. BBI
continues to support the technical and business development of
our client base either through our
Training Centre or through referral
to other training facilities and access
to other business professionals.
A third group are those business owners who have flourished
through the first iteration of their
business plan. It is this group who
requires BBI’s assistance with their
growth plans, additional financial
planning or additional financial
resources to fund their growth strategies. BBI offers technical resources
through our consulting and referral
network, and financial resources
through the Community Economic
Development Investment Fund
(CEDIF) or other financial affiliates.
As we move into the second decade
of BBI operations, we are evolving
to meet the multiple and changing
needs of entrepreneurs. We would
like to congratulate all those business owners who have taken the
leap into the world of entrepreneurship and we welcome all the others
who are poised to take the leap.
Calling all entrepreneurs, your
success is in your hands, let
BBI help you to realize it.
Cassandra Dorrington, Chair
Evan
Williams
Congratulations to Craig Martin
owner and operator of the new
Niko Video franchise in Amherst.
The new concept of DVD rentals
has opened on Albion Road. You
purchase a rental card and use it
like a bankcard, with no personnel
to deal with. It never closes and
the rentals start at only $1. Check
it out at www.nikovdeo.com
The
summer
began
with
preparations for BBI’s 11th AGM
and Gala. Again, this event was
a great success and was well
attended. We are now in the
process of planning for the 2008
Business Summit.
In June, I was able to deliver our
Entrepreneurship 101 workshop in
Truro. I will be facilitating another
Entrepreneurship 101 workshop in
Amherst in the near future.
For those of you thinking of
finally starting or expanding your
business in 2008, you should be
talking to us now.
I look forward to assist in increasing
community
and
business
development opportunities in the
Black community.
For more information or to
book a regional visit please
contact me at (902) 426-6692
or 1-800-668-1010 or by email
at [email protected].
Black to Business
Fall 2007
11
Arm Candy
Handbags
Juanita Peters
Paul Adams
the sense that they
come to your home
with the product,
except you get to take
your purchase home
with you. You can
host a party and have
a number of people
come over to look at
the supply, or you can
order online.
“We take anywhere
from 100 to 150
purses with us to
show and we’ll also
bring accessories like
bangles and sunglasses. People just love
the experience. Try
on a lot of purses and
they are all in a reasonable price range,”
says Arisa.
What makes a good
purse? Well, they say,
that is dependent on
the woman. Some like
Arisa and Jason Jackson of Arm Candy Handbags
their purse to be big
and bulky. Some like small purses,
new shopping experisome like leather and others are into
ence is in your reach
canvas. It’s also about your personal
wardrobe and style. Jason says his
and Arisa and Jason
wife Arisa loves purses so much he
Jackson are ready to introduce
knew there had to be a market out
you to it. “It’s instant satisfacthere. So two years ago they thought
about
starting a business. They
tion and one size fits all,” they
first took the purses to family and
say.
friends. Then they introduced work
colleagues to the idea and the rest is
The Jacksons have created a busihistory.
ness they thought would have them
booked about four times a month.
But already, they have at least four
bookings every weekend. “We had no
idea it would be this popular, now we
are looking at hiring consultants to
go out and help with the sales,” says
Jason.
A
What are they selling? Purses. Big
ones, small ones, exotic ones. You
name it, they have it. The business
is very much like Aloettte or Avon, in
Now they knew they were on to
something, but how would they
work this? They didn’t want to set
up a new business and shop because
they each have a full-time job. Jason
works at the Royal Bank as an
account manager and Arisa works
for Big Brothers and Big Sisters. The
home party scenario became a perfect fit for them. They say they also
have contacts now in Ottawa and as
far away as Calgary.
“... People just love the
experience. Try on a lot
of purses and they are
all in a reasonable price
range,” says Arisa.
Currently the purses are also sold
at The Beauty Centre, 45 Waverley
Road in Dartmouth and the Jacksons
are in conversations with a couple of
other possible outlets as well. They
say they are most interested in locations that have lots of female clients.
Jason says there are five things a
person needs to be successful: a good
product, a dependable team, hard
work, commitment, and follow-up
service.
Request a quote now!
Black to Business
Fall 2007
12
Black Business Inititive’s
11th Annual General Meeting
by: Angela Johnson Photography: Peter Marsman
T
he African Nova Scotian community was decked out in
its finest again this year at the Black Business Initiative’s
11th Annual General Meeting Gala Dinner and Dance.
Business
The Hounourable Peter MacKay, Minister of
the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
The gala event was held in the
Schooner Room of Casino Nova
Scotia on Friday, June 29, 2007.
Her Honour, the Lieutenant
Governor of Nova Scotia, Mayann
E. Francis attended, and greetings
were delivered by his Honour Peter
MacKay, Minister of the Atlantic
Canada Opportunities Agency, and
dignitaries representing all levels
of government. In addition to the
requisite reports delivered from
various staff and board members,
four young ladies were celebrated for
their excellence, and awards were
given out in the now established
categories of Entrepreneur of the Year
and the Hector Jacques Award of
Business Excellence.
Four young ladies were celebrated for their excellence
KaSteva Benton, Kyiasha Benton, Sharon Smith & Mariah Cromwell
Her Honour, the Lieutenant
Governor of Nova Scotia,
Mayann E. Francis arrives
continued >
Barbara Miller
Manning, President
and CEO of
IT Interactive
Services, Inc.,
winner of the
Hector Jacques
Award of Business
Excellence with
Her Honour,
the Lieutenant
Governor of
Nova Scotia,
Mayann E. Francis
Entrepreneur
of the Year
This year’s honour was given
to Darla Johnston of SLIC Laser
Hair Removal Clinic in Sackville.
Johnston incorporated her business
in October 2002 and opened her
doors on Valentine’s Day 2003. She
says she was operating in the black
by her second year, and has recently
expanded her company, adding a
second laser that will allow her to
broaden her business. Johnston’s
acceptance speech was one of the
highlights of the evening.
Hector Jacques Award
of Business Excellence
Barbara Miller Manning, President and CEO of IT Interactive Services,
Inc., accepted the Hector Jacques Award of Business Excellence for her
achievements with her company. The former BBI board chair’s company
recently secured a $2.08 million rebate from the province to increase the
company’s staff. One of its subsidiaries, web search engine GenieKnows.
com, was recently featured in a full page spread in The Chronicle-Herald.
Manning and her husband John founded the business in 1999.
Former chair is toaste
Garnet Wright stepped down as Chair of the B
was treated to a toast and video roast. The pro
BBI CEO Rustum Southwell and Wright a la ‘s
a small world’ using actors who displayed a st
Wright worked at a local hamburger joint Sou
Southwell caught little Garnet day-dreaming a
was supposed to be working. It was a crowd p
Darla Johnston of SLIC Laser
Hair Removal Clinic, the BBI
Entreprenur of the Year 2007
Joe Paris presents Garnet Wright
with a special gift.
nt
s
BBI’s Annual General
Meeting Luncheon and Clinic
by: Gordon Doe
Dancing the
night away
After the food, reports, awards and video
fun were done, those who remained danced
the night away to the smooth Rhythm and
Blues ballads of Muzz Marshall and her
band. In between sets, DJ Mo Bounce, also
known as Ivan Skeet, shook up the crowd
with recent and ‘old skool’ hits.
Muzz Marshall and her band
entertained all evening
sted and roasted
f the BBI board last year and in true BBI fashion
The production traced the connection between
a la ‘six-degrees-of-separation’ or as in ‘it’s
ed a striking resemblance to the two gents.
nt Southwell owned. In one scene, the younger
ming about life after flipping burgers when he
owd pleaser.
Panelists (l to r),Delvina Bernard, Wayn Hamilton,
Carolann Wright Parks and Gordon Tynes.
There were lots to eat and learn at this year’s Board Clinic. As
part of the Black Business Initiative’s (BBI’s) eleventh anniversary
celebration, the BBI hosted a four-member panel who spoke
passionately on the subject “A Vibrant Community”. There was
representation from the provincial government departments of
Education and Economic Development to discuss the state of our
community.
The panellists were Delvina Bernard, Executive Director, Council
on African Canadian Education (CACE); Wayn Hamilton, CEO,
Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs; Carolann Wright-Parks,
Manager, Community Economic Development, Greater Halifax
Partnership; and Gordon Tynes, Manager, ADEPA.
The function kicked off with Rustum
Southwell, BBI CEO, presenting a
progress report on the ongoing work
of the BBI’s sustainability strategy.
He described the different entities
that have been created to enable
the BBI to become financially
Rustum Southwell
sustainable, thereby ensuring that
the quality services BBI provides and the resulting growth in
client business continues. Next, each panellist spoke briefly on
their organization’s mandate, brief history, achievements, future
opportunities and challenges.
The audience had the opportunity to participate through a
question and answer session. One of the key observations from
the discussion was that as a community we are not engaging
our youth in these kinds of debates and are at a great risk of
losing them and their vital contribution. This is a scary situation
since, to paraphrase Coach Carter, “the youth are a fraction of
our present but 100% of our future”. Also, the need to effectively
communicate what each organization is doing to ensure that
our entire community is well informed is vital. To this end,
Delvina Bernard elaborated on the work being done by CACE
on the Africentric Learning Institute.
Black to Business
DIME
15
Chad Lucas
Paul Adams,
Photography
Fall 2007
Steven Morrison with
an LCD Sign
digital signage solutions
Y
ou never know where inspiration will strike. For James
Doucet, it came while staring at a giant Captain
Morgan advertisement in downtown Halifax.
but I think at that point we
weren’t really all that happy
where we were,” Morrison says.
In a way, Morrison has come
full circle with DIME: he’d left
a corporate position to work
for the smaller online firm during the dot-com boom, but
that company was swallowed
up first by a competitor and
then by an American chain.
James Doucet, Keith Gordon, and Steven Morrison
of Dynamic Integrated Marketing Enterprises (DIME)
“We were out by the Argyle and
I looked up and saw this billboard,” says Doucet. “I said,
‘You know, if we had a projector or something that could
switch the ads on that, we
could make a lot of money.’”
What could have been a passing
thought turned into a lucrative
opportunity for Doucet and his
partners, Steven Morrison and
Keith Gordon. Four years later,
they’re on the leading edge of the
growing digital signage industry
with their company, DIME Inc.
DIME stands for Dynamic
Integrated Marketing Enterprises,
and it’s been a dynamic process of change for the three
friends and entrepreneurs.
Morrison was working for an
online contact lens retailer
and Gordon was doing communications for a biotech
firm in Montreal when Doucet
convinced them to strike out
with him on a new venture.
Both Morrison and Gordon
said it didn’t take much to
bring them on board.
“It was a risk for everybody,
“It went from a few guys like
us in a room to a staff of 200,”
Morrison says. “It was time to
move on to something new and
DIME was a great concept.”
DIME produces everything
from interactive displays to
the type of LCD signs that
are popping up everywhere
from malls to Tim Hortons.
The displays are becoming more
and more prevalent, but when the
three partners started it was difficult convincing companies to take
on a new technology that was
exotic and, at the time, expensive.
“We started back before the digi-
Black to Business
products. Killam can use them
not only for advertising but also
relaying important messages to
tenants, while Heritage Credit
Union can use them to both post
information and advertise services to people waiting in line.
cess, from helping clients develop
their ideas to producing content
and monitoring networks.
That means one day they might
be building a network, another
studying market trends or demographics, another shooting video.
“We’re in a position now to
figure out what works for
which client,” Doucet says.
“We all do multiple things,
and every day is different,” says Doucet. “That’s
fun about it, for sure.”
“One of the nice things about
what we do is we’re not just
building Product X and if
you don’t like Product X, go
to someone else,” Morrison
adds. “We try to build something that’s really in tune to
what (our customers) do.”
tal signage industry really had
a name,” says Morrison. “It was
quite a challenge. We were ahead
of the curve a fair bit, but we
knew eventually it was something that was going to be viable
for everyone. It was a good time
to (break in) because we were
able to learn it before anyone
else, and that’s why we’re the
leaders in Atlantic Canada right
now. We put in our lumps.”
DIME bills itself as an end-toend service provider, meaning
they do everything from developing content for their clients’
displays to taking care of maintenance and regular updates.
“It’s pretty much out of their
hair,” Gordon says. “They tell
us what they want to see on
the screens and everything else
is taken care of. So it simplifies their lives quite a bit.”
Morrison says DIME’s big break
came about two years ago, when
Aliant agreed to use their digital
displays in its retail stores. Since
then, they’ve also taken on large
players such as Heritage Credit
Union and Killam Properties.
Gordon says another big benefit
to customers is they can control all of their branding and
advertising from a central location, rather than depend on
each branch to look after itself.
“(Aliant) immediately gave us
credibility,” Morrison says. “We
weren’t just three guys – the largest IT company in the area had
sought us out for our expertise.”
Doucet says the beauty of digital signs is their adaptability.
For example, Aliant uses them
as a sort of virtual sales rep, displaying information about their
Fall 2007
16
“It allows companies to pretty
much instantly update their promotional campaigns to all their
outlets at once,” he said. “I think
a lot of customers see the value
in that instant communication.”
The three men say one of the
things they enjoy most about
DIME is the variety it brings to
their work day. Their company
employs six people and they’re
involved in every step of the pro-
And they figure they’ll only
grow busier as digital signage
continues to land in locations
from outdoor billboards to grocery stores. Morrison said he
thinks it will eventually eclipse
most old forms of advertising.
“There will come a time, I think,
where you just won’t see postering and stuff like that anymore,”
he says. “You can save a lot of
trees by not having to replace
posters. Yes, (digital signage)
is a little harder on the environment to develop initially,
but the renewable costs can
be realized quite quickly.”
As the market grows, expect
DIME to stay on the leading
edge.
DIME
Dynamic Integrated
Marketing Enterprises
Steven Morrison
Dartmouth, NS
454-5927
[email protected]
www.dimeinc.com
Black to Business
e
Business
Forum
W
Fall 2007
17
How Can Business Owners Retire?
- With a Do-It-Yourself Pension Plan.
hen asked what
the biggest challenge is in run-
ning their business, many
business owners say it’s finding and retaining clients, and
maintaining sufficient cash
flow. But too often, they put
off one thing that they should
be focused on – retirement
planning.
“Retirement planning is essential
for business owners and selfemployed individuals at any age,
especially if they won’t be receiving a traditional pension,” says
Jim White, Regional President
of Commercial Banking for RBC
Royal Bank in Metro Halifax.
“Business owners face an array of
challenges that, in the short-term,
seem more important,” he adds.
“Creating a plan now will help
them to achieve their retirement
goals, whether that’s around the
corner, or 20 years away.”
RBC Royal Bank, which serves one
in four small businesses across
Canada, offers a number of practical tips to small business owners.
First, it’s impossible to predict just
how your retirement nest egg will
grow. Things like the state of the
markets and interest rates are out
of your hands. But there is something important in your control
– what you set aside, and when.
The easiest savings strategy is
to set up monthly contributions
to your investments. There are
two big benefits. You won’t have
the financial strain of having to
assemble a large sum at any given
time. And you’re able to invest
consistently throughout the year,
which means you can pick up
more units or shares at times when
the price of the investment is low.
This is commonly known as dollar
cost averaging.
RRSPs offer two tax advantages
– contributions are tax-deductible,
and your returns are tax-deferred.
When it comes time to make withdrawals, that RRSP money will
be taxed at the same rate as any
earned income or interest.
“Ideally, you want to reduce your
tax rate in retirement, and one
strategy is to ensure that you have
a component of non-registered
investments that pays dividends,
capital gains, or return of capital,”
explains White.
According to RBC, people who have
a corporation and pay themselves
a salary can set up an Individual
Pension Plan (IPP) to increase their
pension savings.
“Basically, an IPP is a companysponsored defined benefit pension
plan, with a membership of one,”
says White.
contribution. There’s an expected
rate for investment earnings within
an IPP, currently 7.5% per year. If
actual earnings are less, the company can contribute additional
funds to top up the shortfall; this
isn’t possible with an RRSP.
Another option is an Insured
Retirement Plan (IRP), which offers
tax-free supplemental income
through tax-exempt life insurance.
“This makes sense if you’re at
least 10-15 years from retirement,
already making your maximum
annual RRSP contributions, and in
need of life insurance,” says White.
“You also need good health, excess
discretionary income, and an
insurance need such as estate planning or business succession.”
With an IRP, an individual buys
universal life insurance. The
annual deposits are invested, with
tax-deferred growth. Upon retirement, you can assign the cash
surrender value as collateral to a
lender. In turn, the lender provides
annual loans, and here’s the best
part – the loans aren’t considered
income for tax purposes. What
happens when you die? The outstanding loans are repaid by the
face value of the insurance, with
the remainder available for your
beneficiaries.
Who stands to benefit the most
from an IPP? Individuals who
are at least in their early 40s, and
who earn over $100,000. In these
circumstances, the maximum IPP
contribution is usually higher than
the RRSP limit.
“Entrepreneurs have varied
choices for retirement planning,”
adds White. “The key is getting
the right financial advice, and giving yourself enough time to take
advantage of all the options.”
For the company, IPP contributions are tax-deductible. If the
owner has run their company for
some time, he or she may be able
to make a lump sum, catch-up
RBC Royal Bank is one of Canada’s
largest banks. This article is part of a
series of publications produced and distributed by RBC Royal Bank. Used by
permission.
Black to Business
Fall 2007
18
Steve’s Barbershop
Evan Williams, BBI
A Multigenerational Business
Carol Dobson
“I got my training in Sydney,
which was lots
of fun. I came
back here
and worked
in Bob’s
Barber Shop
in Amherst for
a few years
before I found
the place
here.”
He had his
eye on a
large department store that was empty and
for rent. The owner of the building
was debating dividing it in two, but
Martin talked with him about creating a miniature shopping centre,
with smaller stores opening from a
central hallway. That was how the
subdivision of the building transpired and today, two decades later,
the original tenant – Martin – is still
there.
Steve Martin, the owner of Steve’s Barber Shop
P
rofessional motorcycle
racer Ryan Lockhart
travels all over the world
but he comes home to Springhill, Nova Scotia, to get his
hair cut. “His grandmother
started bringing him in as a
little lad and no one else but
me has professionally cut his
hair,” says Steve Martin, the
owner of Steve’s Barber Shop.
“He’ll be away for two or three
months in Europe, other parts
of Canada, or the States, and
he’ll wait until he comes back.
One time, in Florida, he went
and got a set of clippers and
tried to cut his hair himself
and that was enough. He decided never to try that again.”
“People these days get their hair
cut regularly so you don’t see the
rushes,” he says. “Things are usually good at Christmas though, with
good tips.”
Martin has been barbering for the
past 23 years, 20 years in his own
shop. He is a native of Springhill
and spent a few years in Edmonton,
Alberta, before coming back home.
His business is multigenerational
and he’s now seeing the grandchildren of his original customers
coming in. The shop is also a place
where local politicians of both the
There have been changes in the flow
of business in that time. When he
first began, he found he had a rush
at certain times of the year. Parents
would bring their children in at the
beginning of the summer for a close
haircut. That would be the last he’d
see of them until just before school
started. That trend isn’t as prevalent today. He also doesn’t get the
big rush just before Christmas that
he used to have.
red (Guy Brown) and blue (Murray
Scott) stripes go for their regular
haircuts.
His store is a gathering place,
where stories are told and where a
lot of networking takes place. The
day he spoke to Black to Business,
a customer came in and the talk in
the chair centred around a truck he
wanted to sell. As luck would have
it, a customer a few weeks ago told
Martin that he was looking for a
new truck. He put those two pieces
together and potentially connected
the two.
“Of course, in Springhill, we had
the bumps in the ’50s,” he recalls.
“One of the guys who was rescued
mentioned he’d like a 7-Up. The
Pepsi Company heard this and
gave him a job in Ontario. He
retired back here and was in getting his hair cut one day when he
saw that another man in the shop
was someone who’d been a good
friend when they were in the mines.
They’d lost track of each other. The
guy who lived here didn’t realize he
was back and because they met in
the shop, they were able to become
close friends again.”
Steve’s
BarberShop
Steve Martin
1 Elm Street
Springhill, NS
902-690-0254
Black to Business
19
Fall 2007
People & Businesses on the Move
YaNRo
Howard Windsor, the acting head of
the Halifax Regional School Board
has created a new African Nova
Scotian Advisory Committee.
Members of the committee are
Dr. Pemberton Cyrus, April HoweDiplock, Vivian Dixon, Angela
Johnson, Jeremy Martell, Sherrolyn
Riley, and RCMP Cpl. Craig Smith.
The Hon. Mayann Francis was the
special guest speaker at Marcus
Garvey Days at the historic U.N.I.A.
(Universal Negro Improvement
Association) Cultural Museum
in Glace Bay in August.
Ms. Francis held her first Garden Party
of her term as Lieutenant Governor
at the Halifax Citadel National
Historic Site of Canada in late June.
Congratulations to Dr. Linda
Carvery on her recent appointment
as a Citizenship Judge.
African Nova Scotia students
will benefit from a $1.8 million
investment in the Africentric
Learning Institute and in the
creation of an African Nova
Scotian Education Foundation.
The goal of this investment is to
improve literacy and raise the overall
achievement of black learners.
Maneesha Rajora, a Grade 12
student from Halifax West High
School is this year’s recipient of the
$6000 Dr. P. Anthony Johnstone
Memorial Entrance Scholarship.
This year’s Atlantic Film Festival
featured “Little Black Schoolhouse”,
“A Winter Tale”, and “Poor Boy’s
Game” on its schedule. “Poor Boy’s
Game finished the festival with a
number of significant prizes.
Congratulations to Geraldine
Browning, one of the recipients of the
2007 Volunteer Award for Outstanding
Contributions to Community-Based
Literacy in Nova Scotia. She was
honoured at this year’s International
Literacy Day celebration on Friday,
September 7 in Dartmouth.
East Preston United Baptist Church
celebrated its 165th anniversary in
September with a number of special
services, family events, and guest
speakers and musicians including
Elder Arthur Williams from Florida and
Trynda Thomas as well as selections
from a special anniversary mass choir.
Former BBI staffer Tracey Thomas
has accepted a one-year contract
as the acting executive director
of the Nova Scotia Association of
Regional Development Authorities.
Emmanuel Baptist Church celebrated
its 162nd Anniversary Celebration
during the weekend of August 24-6,
using “Catch the Wave” as its theme.
The SONAHHAR Canada Black
Sports Awards second annual Black
Ice Hockey and Sports Hall of Fame
Conference was held in Dartmouth in
August. Presentations included “The
Life of Willy O’Ree”, the lost history
of the Coloured Hockey League of the
Maritimes, and “The Black Ice Project &
The Underground Railroad”. O’Ree was
one of the speakers at the conference.
Other special guest speakers included
Percy Paris MLA and Cecil Wright.
Halifax’s IT Interactive Services, a
web-search advertising and softwaredevelopment company, is expanding
its Halifax headquarters. The company
received payroll rebate, set at a
maximum $2,082,500, from Nova
Scotia Business Inc. Over the next
six years, the company plans to hire
approximately 200 new workers.
Congratulations to Dr. Josephine
Etowa who recently earned her PhD
and became a tenured professor of
Nursing at Dalhousie University.
Congratulations also to Sharon
Davis Murdoch who received the
Premier’s Award of Excellence for her
work in diversity and inclusion.
The 20th Annual Cst. Jonathan
Skeete “Fun Run” was held on
August 6th in Whitney Pier.
Congratulations to Anthony Jackson,
of Service Canada, who received the
Public Service Award of Excellence for
his commitment to setting up and
maintaining the Persons with Disabilities
Collaborative Partnership. As the coordinator of the program, Mr. Jackson
has demonstrated a strong commitment
to the successfully employing people
with disabilities in this province.
Black to Business
Fall 2007
20
People & Businesses on the Move continued...
Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, the father of
Africentricity, delivered a talk at the
North Preston Recreation Centre on July 13.
The Freedom Schooner Amistad
made a Canada Day weekend visit
to Halifax. From Nova Scotia, she
was headed to England for the 200th
anniversary of the Wilberforce Act and
her journey will take her eventually
to Sierra Leone. On her journey, she
will be carrying a copy of the painting
depicting the departure from Halifax in
1792 of the 15 vessels that travelled from
this province to found Freetown, Sierra
Leone. It depicts some of the 15 Halifax
merchant vessels that left Halifax in
January 1792, carrying roughly 1,000
Black Loyalists to Sierra Leone.
Commemoration 2007: a week of
events marking the 200th anniversary
of the end of the slave trade and four
centuries of Black Canadiana and
heritage was held at Saint Mary’s
University from June 25 – 30. The
event featured lectures from scholars,
viewings of the file “Sankofa”, a town
hall meeting at the Black Cultural
Centre, and the unveiling of the new
statue at the North Branch Library.
Eric Husbands Senior of Spryfield a.k.a.
“the candle guy,” has created a business
making new candles from recycled
candle wax that he obtains primarily
from area churches. He sells his creations
during Christmas, Easter, and other
major holidays at the South Centre Mall.
The lives of two young people that
ended too soon were commemorated
in Dartmouth. A basketball court has
been named in honour of Demetreous
Beals, who drowned earlier this year
while Roleika Drive has been named
in honour of Roleika Downey who
lost her battle with lupus in 2002.
The first spelling bee organised by the
Regional Educators Association, held
at Mount Saint Vincent University
attracted 88 African-Nova Scotian
students. It was won by 13-year-old
John Beaton of New Glasgow.
Congratulations to
Veronica Marsman on her
unanimous re-election as the president
of The Canadian Association
of Social Workers (CASW)
On Thursday, July 12, the Black
Loyalist Heritage Society hosted
a workshop featuring the quilting
techniques if the ladies of Gee’s Bend,
and historical re-enactment and the
launching of Our Ancestors Garden,
quilts from the Black community.
Michael Duck was the guest
speaker at the 2007 Family Business
Dinner sponsored by the Canadian
Association of Family Enterprise, held at
Dartmouth’s Golf and Country Club.
Frank Dorrington was inducted into
the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame
at the annual induction ceremony at
Halifax’s World Trade and Convention
Centre on October 19. He was a star
of senior hockey in this province and
Newfoundland in the 1950s and had
both the distinction of being named
the best ‘import’ player ever to come
to Newfoundland and had his number,
17, retired, and commemorated in
the Humber Memorial Gardens
hockey arena in Corner Brook.
Dennie Oliver, a Halifax native
and star of the St. Francis Xavier team
has been added to the roster of the
Halifax Rainmen basketball team.
The Rainmen opened their training
camp in Bridgewater on August 25,
in preparation for their inaugural
season.
Canadian opera superstar Measha
Bruggergosman wowed the
audience at this year’s Royal Nova
Scotia International Tattoo. She was
featured in three segments – ‘A Night
at the Opera’, a tribute to this year’s
International Gathering of the Clans,
and the grand finale, where she
raised the roof singing “Ave Maria”.
Ryan Williams, of East Preston, was
named rookie of the year in the semipro Western Major Baseball League.
He is a reliever with the Lethbridge
(Alberta) Bulls and chalked up an
impressive record this season.
George “Budge” Byers, an outstanding
boxer from Prince Edward Island
was inducted into the PEI Sports
Hall of Fame. Byers also played
a significant role in the career of
Nova Scotia’s George Dixon.
Dr. Gaynor Watson Creed, Nova
Scotia’s new medical health officer was
the subject of a profile in the most recent
edition of the Dalhousie Alumni News.
The George Dixon Centre recently
received a significant renovation of its
grounds. Improvements include two
new basketball courts, including one
that can be flooded in the winter and
used as a skating rink, a fountain,
a wheelchair accessible playground,
new pathways, and lighting.
The 14th annual Tribute Ceremony
honouring Canada’s first and
only Black Battalion, “The #2
Construction Battalion C.E.F.”
was held on July 7 in Pictou.
The Victory Medal of the late Sapper
Percy Fenton of Yarmouth was
unveiled. The keynote speaker
was Percy A. Paris, MLA WaverleyFall River- Beaver Bank.
Black to Business
REGIONAL
REPORT
NORTHERN
Message from the
Chief Executive Officer
continued from page 2
Minster of Foreign Affairs and Minister
responsible for the Atlantic Canada
Opportunities Agency (ACOA) regaled
us by their attendance.
We were moved to have these two
public figures celebrate with us.
Having her Honour Mayann Francis
present the prestigious Hector Jacques
Award of Business Excellence to her
longtime friend Barbara Manning set
the stage for a night of celebration.
We seldom get a federal minister to
join us, so we were extremely pleased
that despite his busy schedule Peter
Mackay was able to fit us into his
calendar and bring the message on
behalf of the federal government. It
added to the elegance of the evening.
Apart from the messages from other
funding partners, delivered by Wayn
Hamilton on behalf of the province
and Rose Davidson on behalf of
Service Canada, there were other recognitions, awards and celebrations.
Carlo Simmons and Bruce Johnson
were thanked for a combined 18 years
of service on the Board of Directors
and Garnet Wright was celebrated in
a video tribute for his term as Board
Chair.
Later in the evening, Darla Johnston
of SLIC Laser Hair Removal Clinic was
named Entrepreneur of the Year.
It was only the second time the award
was given out. A “crowning” moment
of the gala came when we celebrated
four youth for their entrepreneurial
success. Kyiasha and KaSteva Benton
aged 10 and 11, and Sharon Smith
and Mariah Cromwell aged 5 and 7
received a standing ovation from the
packed house for business success at a
young age. Indeed we do help Black
Business succeed.
Now in October it seems like ages ago.
With all the business networking, new
companies and changes in operation
we are ready to face the twelfth winter of our existence. We are without
some good team members this year
– Matthew Johnson is now at ACOA
and as I mentioned earlier, Starr
Francis left for a position with the federal Justice Department. Both will be
missed.
We promise to meet our challenge and
help Black Business succeed. We will
fulfill our mission.
“Each generation out of relative obscurity
must discover its mission. Fulfill or betray
it.” – Franz Fanon
S.I. Rustum Southwell, CEO
Business Calendar
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Centre for Women in Business
- Women’s Networking Night
CASH FLOW– KEEPING MONEY IN YOUR POCKET
6:30 to 9:00 p.m
Holiday Inn Express,
133 Kearney Lake Road, Halifax
Cost : $10 members - $15 non-members
Register/Info: 457-6449 or
toll-free outside Metro: 1-888-776-9022
Thursday, December 6, 2007
BBI Christmas Social/Directory Launch
Waterfront Warehouse,
1549 Lower Water Street, Halifax, NS
5:30 pm
For info: 426-2224
Fall 2007
21
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Centre for Women in Business - Women’s
Networking Night
PUTTING THE SPOTLIGHT ON ‘YOU’
6:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Holiday Inn Express,133 Kearney Lake Rd, Halifax
$10 for members - $15 for non-members.
Register/Info: 457-6449 or toll-free outside
Metro: 1-888-776-9022
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Metro Halifax Business Awards
The Westin Nova Scotian Hotel, 1181 Hollis St.,
Halifax, NS 5:00pm – 10:00pm
Recognizing risk takers and the success of our
thriving business community
Black Tie
For info: Leanne Andrecyk. Tel: 481-1226,
[email protected]
Bernard
Elwin
Over the last three months I have made
it a priority to work at strengthening
partnerships in the Northern region
and to that end, have increased the
frequency of my visits to the area. As a
result I have met with a number of clients
and potential clients in New Glasgow,
Guysborough and Cape Breton. Key
contacts and partnering organizations
include Karen MacIver (African Nova
Scotia Employment Centre), Donna
Hochman (Antigonish Guysborough
Black Development Association) and
Chantel Reid-Demeter (Office of African
Nova Scotian Affairs – Sydney).
During the period under review a
grant of $5,000 was disbursed to The
Whitney Pier Youth Club. The BBI also
assisted (through sponsorship) the
Glace Bay Universal Negro Improvement
Association with its Marcus Garvey
Festival. Once again, the BIJ Summer
Youth Program had a successful run. The
program was facilitated by Ms. Robyn
Lee Seale (BIJ Youth Coordinator). The
coordinator ran a number of youth
camps and programs in Whitney Pier
and Glace Bay. We would like to convey
our sincere thanks to Miss Seale for
her hard work and for the professional
manner in which she conducted her
program. We wish her all the best in her
future endeavours.
Capacity building through education
is a key aspect of BBI’s mandate. With
this in mind it is imperative that we
decentralise our Training Program
beyond the Halifax/Dartmouth area and
into areas such as Sydney, Yarmouth and
Amherst. If you’ve identified relevant
courses that could be held in your
region please let us know. We would be
quite happy to run courses in your area
providing there’s ample demand.
For more information or to arrange
a regional visit, please contact
me at (902) 426-8688 or 1-800668-1010 or by e-mail at: elwin.
[email protected]
Black to Business
Ask the BBI
Featured Expert: Evan Williams,
Regional Business
Development Manager
What is Cultural Tourism?
C
ultural tourism is
focused on a country
or region’s culture.
It generally focuses on
traditional communities who
have diverse customs, unique
forms of art and distinct social
practices, which distinguishes
it from other types of
communities. Cultural tourism
includes tourism in urban
areas, particularly historic or
large cities and their cultural
facilities such as museums
and theatres. Cultural tourism
can also include tourism
in rural areas highlighting
the traditions of indigenous
cultural communities (i.e.
festivals, rituals, and sites)
and their values and lifestyle.
Cultural tourism has become
very popular throughout
Europe and is becoming
increasingly popular in the
United States and Canada.
Heritage institutions, governments
and tourist operators around
the country are increasingly
recognizing Cultural Tourism as a
Fall 2007
22
legitimate component of tourism,
capable of increasing tourist
visits and revenue. Tourism is big
business. In total, it generated an
estimated $19.4 billion in revenue
for all three levels of government
in Canada in 2006, up from just
over $15 billion in 2000. Nova
Scotia saw 2.1 million visitors in
2006, bringing in an estimated
$1.31 billion in revenues, up 1.7%
from 2005.
A challenge that cultural tourism
brings is ensuring that it does
not destroy the very heritage
that attract visitors. Tourism is
a competitive, fast changing,
sophisticated industry that
presents its own challenges. We
may want to believe that funding
for the protection, development
and the spirit of social good drives
preservation of heritage resources.
The reality is that the promise
of economic benefits through
tourism development is what
opens the wallets of investors
from the public or private sector.
Visitors spend money, which is
then used to improve the heritage
product. The improvements
help to attract more visitors,
greater expenditures and further
enhancements. Managed properly,
this cycle is great for heritage
institutions and the economy as a
whole.
L
Although, Nova Scotia has
amazing sites such as the
Halifax Citadel, the Fortress of
Louisbourg, Fort Anne and the
Alexander Graham Bell complex,
among many others, you may
not be aware of the influence of
African Nova Scotians at many
of these sites. In addition, there
are many sites that have played
and continue to play a major role
in the development and cultural
heritage of the province and the
country. These include, Birchtown,
Africville, Sand Hill, Glace Bay,
Pictou, Jordantown, and so many
others. To find out more about
these sites and the history of
peoples of African descent in this
province, visit the Black Cultural
Centre of Nova Scotia.
The BBI is in the initial stages of
a project designed to display to
stakeholders the potential tourism
and economic development
opportunities associated with the
historical African Nova Scotian
influence in the province.
If you have any questions
about the project please
contact me at (902) 426-6692
or by email at:
[email protected].
Black to Business
Fall 2007
23
Black Business Initiative
2008 Training Schedule for Metro
Courses:
Day
Date
Time
Creating a Winning Business Plan
Tuesday
Jan 8, 15, 22, 29
6-8pm
Marketing Your Business
Tuesday
Feb 5, 12, 19, 26
6-9pm
Website Design for Your Business
Tuesday
Mar 4, 11, 18, 25
6-9pm
Creating A Winning Business Plan
Tuesday
Apr 1, 8, 15, 22
6-9pm
Bookkeeping I
Tuesday
May 6, 13, 20, 27
6-9pm
Bookkeeping II
Tuesday
June 3, 10, 17, 24
6-9pm
Simply Accounting-Essentials of Computerised Bookkeeping
Tuesday
July 8, 15, 22, 29
6-9pm
Website Design for Your Business
Tuesday
Aug 5, 12, 19, 26
6-9pm
Microsoft Word I, II, III
Tuesday
Sept 9, 16, 23
6-9pm
Microsoft Excel I, II, III
Tuesday
Oct 7, 14, 21
6-9pm
Microsoft PowerPoint I, II
Tuesday
Nov 18, 25
6-9pm
Computer Basics I, II, III
Tuesday
Dec 2, 9, 16
6-9pm
Workshops:
Day
Date
Time
Entrepreneurship 101
Wednesday
Jan 16
2-4pm
Making Exceptional Customer Service Your Finest Asset
Wednesday
Jan 30
6-9pm
Canada’s Paper Money – Security Features & Detection
Methods
Wednesday
Feb 13
6-9pm
Entrepreneurship 101
Wednesday
Feb 27
2-4pm
Understanding, Keeping and retaining Credit
Wednesday
Mar 12
6-9pm
Submitting to Revenue Canada
Wednesday
Mar 26
6-9pm
The Ins and Outs of Import/Export
Wednesday
Apr 16
6-9pm
Human Resource Management
Wednesday
Apr 30
6-9pm
The Art of Negotiations
Wednesday
May 14
6-9pm
Intellectual Property: Is your Business protected
Wednesday
May 28
6-9pm
Basic Communications
Wednesday
June 11
6-9pm
Entrepreneurship 101 (Sydney)
Wednesday
June 25
2-4pm
Entrepreneurship 101(Yarmouth)
Wednesday
July 16
2-4pm
Entrepreneurship 101 (Amherst)
Wednesday
July 30
2-4pm
Entrepreneurship 101(Guysborough)
Wednesday
Aug 13
2-4pm
Personal Financial Management
Wednesday
Aug 27
6-9pm
Website Marketing
Wednesday
Sept 10
6-9pm
Search Engine Marketing
Wednesday
Sept 24
6-9pm
Market Yourself: aspiring musicians, artists
Wednesday
Oct 15
6-9pm
Advanced Searching & Internet Tools
Wednesday
Oct 29
6-9pm
Personal Financial Management
Wednesday
Nov 12
6-9pm
Email & Instant Messaging
Wednesday
Nov 26
6-9pm
Franchising
Wednesday
Dec 03
6-9pm
Understanding Outlook
Wednesday
Dec 10
6-9pm
Course Fee: Clients - $20.00, Non Clients : $40.00
Workshop Fee: Clients and Non Clients : $5.00
Registration is open to everyone.
To register for any session, please call 426-8683
Note: Course and Workshop delivery times are subject to change.
Training &
Business
is Jammin’
Report
Bernard Elwin
This last quarter saw the successful implementation
of the Business Is Jammin’ Society (BIJ) Summer
Youth Program. The Society was able to secure
financing for seven Youth Coordinator positions,
through Service Canada’s “Canada Summer Jobs’
program. This was a significant improvement
over the previous years. Of the seven youth
selected for the positions one individual decided
not to continue with the program. The remaining
six individuals continued with the program and
were successful in assisting the organization
in running this important component of the
Business is Jammin’ initiative.
The Youth Coordinators employed for the 2007
BIJ Summer Youth Program were: Robyn-Lee
Seale (Sydney), Jason Smith (Yarmouth), Leo
Cromwell (Kentville), Kelsey Jones (Amherst),
Collin Mansfield (Guysborough) and Shantia
Upshaw (Metro). On behalf of the board and
staff of the BIJ and the Black Business Initiative
(BBI) we wish to thank Robyn-Lee, Jason, Kelsey,
Leo, Collin and Shantia for their hard work and
dedication. We wish them all the best for the
future.
A number of courses and workshops were held in
the Metro area during the last quarter.
These included:
1.
Website Design for your Business
2.
Bookkeeping Level I
3.
Submitting to Revenue Canada
4.
Personal Financial Management
Of the 56 persons registered for these courses,
39 attended. This represents a completion rate of
approximately 70 % and a marked improvement
over previous figures. It is our desire to see
further improvement in the completion rates and
a parallel reduction in the attrition rates over the
coming quarters.
The Training Centre has been actively examining
the possibility of introducing a broader range
of courses and workshops in time for our next
training period. Some of these courses will
cover the important areas of Website Marketing,
Marketing Yourself and Selling Online. We will
also continue providing training in critical,
though often overlooked, areas of Word, Excel
and PowerPoint.
The training centre endeavours to actively
explore opportunities available through the
various public sector organisations. Should you
have course suggestions or would like any of the
listed courses held in your area, please contact
me at 426-8688 or
email: [email protected]
Black to Business
24
Fall 2007
Summer Youth Program
Bernard Elwin
Youth Coordinator
Profiles
Standing (left to right): Shantia Upshaw, Kelsey Jones
Sitting (left to right): Jason Smith, Collin Mansfield, Robin-Lee Seale, Leo Cromwell
T
he Business is Jammin’ Society
continued the strategy of
recruiting Youth Coordinators
throughout the province.
Coordinators were recruited from
Yarmouth, Kentville, Guysborough,
Sydney, Amhurst, Truro and MetroHalifax/Dartmouth. This year we
were determined to reach a larger
area and towards this end we
sought to increase the number of
Youth Coordinators. The number
of coordinator positions increased
from four, last year, to seven this
year. The positions were financed
through the Service Canada
Summer Employment program.
Jason Smith (Yarmouth), Leo
Cromwell (Kentville), RobinLee Seale (Sydney), Kelsey Jones
(Amhurst), Collin Mansfield
(Guysborough) and Shantia
Upshaw (Metro) ran successful
programs in their respective
communities. The individual chosen
for the Truro area was unable to
continue with the program.
The coordinators conducted 28
workshops, camps and presentations
within and on the outskirts of
their designated areas. A total
of 230 youth were impacted
through the various activities
organized by the coordinators.
Business Is Jammin’
Business is Jammin’ is a province-wide
charitable initiative that focuses on
motivating Black youth by stressing
the importance of education and
personal development in all its
programs. We have redesigned our
promotional flyer and instituted our
newly designed donation card. We
hope to re-energize our promotional
efforts through these materials.
BIJ’s goals are to deliver a
comprehensive enterprise and
entrepreneurship learning strategy
and instil business skills that would
offer long term benefits to young
people. It is hoped that participants
in the BIJ program will come away
with an experience that will positively
impact their future. Indeed, several
of our youth have established
their own businesses. While the
majority have returned to school, it
is hoped they will remain interested
in business and establish their own
businesses sometime in the future.
The summer program would not
be possible without assistance from
Service Canada, Summer Employment
Program and the Black Employment
Resource Centres in Kentville (Robert
French), Guysborough (Donna
Hochman), Sydney (Karen Green
MacIver), Amhurst (Elizabeth Cooke
Sumbu) and Yarmouth (Randy Fells).
Shantia Upshaw is a Halifax native
who has strong ties to the community
and its youth. She has worked as
a Summer Youth Coordinator at
Cornwallis Street Baptist Church
Day Camp and as a Personal Care
Worker in the community. Shantia
has done volunteer work for the
Ward Five Community Centre,
Needham Recreational Centre,
Metro Turning Point, and Elizabeth
Fry Society. She is currently working
Saturdays for the African Women’s
Association as a Program Coordinator
for the youth of the community.
Shantia is working towards a degree
in Social Work at Dalhousie University
that will aid her desire to continue
working with young people.
Colin Mansfield is from
Guysborough and graduated from
Guysborough Academy this year. He
has been employment at various jobs
in the community as well as doing
volunteer work for the Sunnyville ball
field, and Canada Day community
events. Colin prides himself on his
basketball achievements including
Athlete of the Year and Most
Valuable Player (MVP) for 2003.
Colin will be attending Atlantic
Transport School in New Brunswick
where he is enrolled in the Heavy
Equipment Operator’s Program.
Jason Smith is a three-year veteran of
the BIJ Program, running BIJ Business
camps, presentations and work
shops in Yarmouth, Shelburne and
Weymouth. BBI’s BIJ program teaches
young Black students entrepreneurial
skills to help them achieve confidence,
wellness and business awareness in
the work force. Jason states he has
learned many different skills but says
continued >
Black to Business
Fall 2007
25
Business is Jammin’
Kids learn entrepreneurship skills
by Carolyn Sloan / Annapolis County Spectator
he most enjoys working with youth
and watching them grow into adults.
Jason is a third year student pursuing a
challenging career in Human Services
at Nova Scotia’s Community College in
Yarmouth. He hopes to work with child
and youth services working in group
homes and youth corrections facilities.
Robyn Lee Seale is an active
community member in North
Sydney, Nova Scotia, where she has
worked for two years as a Summer
Youth Coordinator for BBI. Other
employment includes a basketball
referee and time keeper and Spirit
of the Island employee. Robyn has
volunteered as a Sunday school
teacher, and at Mira Pines Bible
Camp. She also perused her interest
in theatre by being a member of the
Church Players Dinner Theatre and
The Irondale Ensemble Project.
Robyn, who is enrolled for
her third year at St. Thomas
University in Fredericton, NB.,
is studying Philosophy.
Leo Cromwell is a native of Nova
Scotia’s Valley region making his
home in Kentville. He has an interest
in community development, stating
that many social, economic, and
environmental problems will need
to be tackled by communities, not
just individuals. “My job as Summer
Youth Coordinator has opened my
eyes to the importance of offering
one’s service to the community
in which one lives”, says Leo. “It
is a privilege to know that I have
had a positive influence in my
community and with the youth.”
Leo is majoring in physics and
mathematics at Bishop University.
His plans for the future are to
learn as much as he can about
any topic of interest to him and
to develop his web design skills.
Business was Jammin’ at the Inglewood
Community Hall, where a small group
of students put their budding business
skills to the test last week by opening
and running their own cafe for the day.
The business-for-a-day project was the
final activity of a camp program that
teaches kids about entrepreneurship
and business, including skills such
as networking, marketing, and
calculating profit. The camp is
offered through the non-profit Black
Business Initiative to African Nova
Scotian youth ages nine to 15.
Participant Tevin Johnson is all
smiles by the end of the day, having
earned a little cash after putting in a
day’s work. He and his fellow young
entrepreneurs were responsible
for buying supplies for the cafe,
advertising, and serving guests.
“We had to think up different
businesses,” Tevin explains.
“I thought of a cafe.”
He adds that now he has
taken the program, he’s more
interested in starting his own
business than ever before.
“Actually, I’m thinking about it,”
he says.
College student and BBI youth
coordinator Leo Cromwell has been
facilitating the camps in the Valley
area, one at the Gibson Woods
Community Centre, just outside
of Kentville, and the other at the
Nova Scotia Community College
campus in Lawrencetown.
“As a youth coordinator for the BBI,
it is my job to introduce African Nova
Scotian youth to entrepreneurship
as a viable career option, and to
stress the importance of education,”
he explains. “So we talk about their
plans for the future and look at
how furthering their education can
help them achieve their goals.”
A group of youth put their business skills to the
test by opening and running their own cafe for
the day at the Inglewood Community Hall. From
left to right, front to back: Jamika Johnson,
Tevin Johnson, Jenika Brooks-Adams, and
Channen Brooks-Adams. Carolyn Sloan
The camp is advertised through
the schools as well as through
networking one-on-one with youth.
From Cromwell’s point of view, the
program provides youth with insights
and skills that will help carry them
through life, whether or not they ever
start their own business venture.
“They get to see what is involved in
planning, starting, and running their
own business,” he explains. “They also
see how important entrepreneurial
traits, such as independence,
resourcefulness, determination,
discipline, when applied, can be
very beneficial to their lives.”
As a youth growing up in Inglewood,
the experience of returning and
working with young people within
his own community has been a
learning experience for Cromwell.
“It is a privilege to know that I
have had a positive influence in my
community,” he says. “This job has
opened my eyes to the importance
of offering one’s service to the
community in which [one] lives.
I know that I have learned just as
much from the youth, if not more,
than they have learned from me.”
Scenarios
Return and Risk Profile for a $5,000 investment
(50 shares)*
Investor A
Investor B
Investor C
Tax Bracket
30.20%
38.67%
43.50%
Average Annual
Income
29,590
59,180
93,000
RRSP Deferral
1,510
1,934
2,175
Equity Tax Credit for:
5 years
1,500
1,500
1,500
10 years
2,500
2,500
2,500
15 years
3,000
3,000
3,000
5 years
1,990
1,567
1,325
10 years
990
567
325
15 years
490
67
0
Capital at risk for:
*We assume a minimum investment of $5,000 for RRSP
holdings due to service fees
Thank you for investing in us.
For information on how the Fund works and
to become an investor, call Gordon Doe at
(902) 426-6985
Lynn Jones
“Finally, I can contribute to a meaningful
investment vehicle that allows me to help
Black Business and our African Nova Scotian
Community grow and prosper. The 30% immediate
tax incentive affords me the opportunity to
personally gain too!”
Tom Boyd
“This is my fourth year investing in the
Black Business Community Investment Fund
Limited (BBCIFL). It increases the level of
economic activity and prosperity within
Black-owned Businesses. And a 30% tax credit
is a considerable reduction in payable taxes.
All Nova Scotians should consider seriously
investing in the fund.”
Caution to Investor – This advertisement is
not to be construed as an exempt offering to
the public in Nova Scotia unless a simplified
offering document relating thereto has
been filed with and its use has not been
objected to by the Nova Scotia Securities
Commission. The offering is made by the
simplified offering document only and copies
thereof may be obtained from such sales
agents and promoters as may lawfully offer
these securities in Nova Scotia.
If undeliverable return to:
The Black Business Initiative
1575 Brunswick Street,
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2G1
Publications Mail
Agreement No.
Poste-publications
numéro de convention
0040026687 0040026687