Black to Business #27 - Black Business Initiative

The Periodical of the Black Business Initiative
Vale and
Associates
Also in this Issue
• Surviving a Recession
• Adams Consulting & Management Group
• Financial Sector Trailblazers
Spring 2009 u Number 42
“A dynamic and vibrant Black presence within
the Nova Scotia Business Community.”
Black to Business
1
Message from the Board of Directors
In this Issue
Cassandra Dorrington, Chair, Black Business Initiative
1
Message from the
Chief Executive Officer
2
3
YOUTH ON THE MOVE
Christian Upshaw
4
Sackville Wellness Centre
Steve Oliver 5
TRAILBLAZERS
Financial Sector
7
Adams Consulting
& Management Group
9
Strategic Direction
Stakeholder Roundtable
11
Keeping the Promise
12
Surviving a Recession
13
Rock Island Café
Khalid Wasi
16
ASK THE BBI
17
BBI’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award 18
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
Constructing the Future
19
BBI Welcomes new Staff
20
PEOPLE & BUSINESS on the Move 21
BBI 2009 Training Schedule
23
Business & Community Events
25
Regional Reports
Central
6
Business Development
10
Northern
15
Southern
20
23
Training Report
for others. In particular, these numbers act as a catalyst for those in
the entrepreneurial sector. In fact,
if the truth be known, recession
brings about a number of business
opportunities. For those who are currently entrepreneurs, it is important
to ensure that you continue to add
value for your clients. For individuals who had previously thought of
owning their own companies, it now
becomes a time to perhaps take that
leap.
Paul Adams
Message from the Board
COVER STORY
Vale and Associates
“The times they are a
changing”
In January 2009, the inauguration of
President Obama signified a change
in the business environment as we
know it. This change came at a
much needed time, the implosion of
the financial industry, the collapse of
the automobile industry, numerous
environmental and climate concerns
and the list goes on. We are at a
point when the jobless rate continues to climb. As a matter of fact, in
January the latest unemployment
rates for the U.S. sat at 7.6 percent or
11 million persons, rising by about
four million over the last 12 months.
It is important to match these numbers to our Canadian figures. In
January 2009 Canada’s unemployment rate was listed at 7.2 percent.
This was considered the lowest level of
employment over the past 30 years.
While the record high levels of
unemployment can trigger fear in
the hearts of some, on the flip side
of the coin, it also spells opportunity
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
Spring 2009
For Advertising Information, Rates, Submitting
Stories, Notices or Community Events,
or for More Information,
call: 902-426-2224
While many individuals may take
the leap, there will be some fallout
for those individuals who realize that
entrepreneurism is a mindset, a personality trait and does not necessarily match all personalities. For others, it will be an awakening, as you
discover your inner strengths in your
quest to grow and or implement new
business ideas. Given the economic
changes we are currently experiencing, we are definitely anticipating
growth in business start-ups over the
next 12 to 18 months.
While the Black Business Initiative
(BBI) continues to work with our client base and our strategic partners
to identify opportunities where we
can facilitate and support growth
in the Black business community,
there has also been a number of
new undertakings in these changing
times. Early in January, BBI together
with ADEPA proposed, and was
awarded a contract, to build community capacity in the trades. One
of the goals of this project is to build
increased capacity to support the construction industry.
continued on page 6>
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.ca
Published by: the Black Business Initiative
Editor in Chief: Rustum Southwell
Design & Layout: Design North
Production by: Mirabliss Media Productions
Cover Photograph: Peter Marsman
Black to Business
Spring 2009
2
Message From the Chief Executive Officer
Peter Marsman
S. I. Rustum Southwell
I
f it was getting stormy in
December when we were
finalizing issue #41 of
Black to Business, it has become downright turbulent in
all markets right now. And if
you feel that all the experts are
guessing, they are. What we
know is these are the very conditions that increase requests
to us for our services, because
we help businesses and people
who are in the margins. Inevitably, this group is the first
to feel the impact of the economic downturn and the last to
recover from it.
President Obama in the USA
and Prime Minister Harper here
in Canada are responding with
stimulus-spending to keep consumers purchasing goods and services.
Evidently, no one really knows how
long the recession will last so credit is
scarce and cash is once again king.
The best way to survive is to have
informed strategic management of
your business.
The law of the conservation of
energy in physics states that the total
amount of energy in an isolated system remains constant. Consequently,
energy cannot be created or
destroyed. In similar circumstances
in business, however, the term “correction” is used as one company’s
loss is another one’s gain. The more
unencumbered resources you have
the better you will come out of the
recession. Reduce your debt, become
more efficient, keep your clientele
happy, cut costs and wait for the
good times. It’s easy to say, hard to
achieve unless you are an accomplished manager.
As we move into our teenage years
at the BBI we are trying our best
to keep ahead of these very challenging business issues. As our
strategy has been from its inception in 1996, the Black Business
Initiative (BBI) developed and
worked around a cluster of strategic
objectives. These objectives were
informed by our vision to foster an
enduring presence within the Nova
Scotia business community of a
dynamic and vibrant Black presence. Our ultimate goal, to which
the strategic objectives point, has
been and remains to facilitate the
development, growth and expansion of Black-owned businesses that
will create and sustain a positive
influence on the province-wide
Nova Scotia business culture. In
practice, this means that BBI saw
and continues to envision itself as
a focal facilitator for the development and utilization of entrepreneurial skills among Black Nova
Scotians through: knowledge and
skills acquisition and their continual improvement and upgrading
through ongoing education and
training; connectivity with mainstream business and financial institutions; engendering and maintaining functional co-operative relationships with regional development
agencies, relevant provincial and
federal government departments,
and fostering and supporting Black
Nova Scotia business in its effort to
access the opportunities and financial and technical services offered
by these institutions; and ensuring
a strong intergenerational sustainability to the vibrancy of Black Nova
Scotia business by inculcating interest and orientation in entrepreneurship in Black Nova Scotia youth.
Current census results confirm that
the strategy is indeed working.
Despite a slight drop between 2001
and 2006, Black self-employment
maintains a 25.3 percent increase
since the BBI inception in 1996.
Recent census data on business ownership and employment in the Black
community reveals mixed signals
of moderate decline and significant
increase. Self-employment among
Black Nova Scotians across the province declined approximately 10 percent between 2001 and 2006, while
self-employment for the province as
a whole remained static. According
to Statistics Canada and the 2006
Census, Black self-employment
in Halifax Regional Municipality
(HRM) declined 3.7 percent over the
same period, while self-employment
for the region as a whole grew 6.9
percent.
Current census results
confirm that the strategy
is indeed working.
Despite a slight drop
between 2001 and 2006,
Black self-employment
maintains a 25.3 percent
increase since the BBI
inception in 1996.
When looking at employment
growth among Black businesses,
the picture is much different. Across
the province, Black businesses with
employees grew 57.7 percent –
continued on page 6 >
Black to Business
3
Spring 2009
Vale and Associates
Palm trees, tropical breezes, and picturesque coastlines are just a few perks that
came when sisters Cassandra and Cynthia Dorrington decided to expand their
business operations to the Caribbean.
Shauntay Grant
W
e’re in our sixth year of
business and, where we
started in Nova Sco-
tia, in the last three years we’ve
moved into an environment with
a more international focus, and
in particular the Caribbean,” says
Cassandra Dorrington, founder
and President of Vale and Associates Human Resource Management and Consulting, Inc.
Apart from Nova Scotia, the company
has clients in Ontario, Trinidad and
Tobago, St. Kitts, and St. Lucia.
“It’s our goal to be in at least one of the
other (Caribbean) islands this year,”
says Cassandra.
Vale and Associates’ primary service
is providing HR strategy and advisory
work, training and development. The
company has grown considerably over the
past six
years, with at least 60 percent of their
business now being out of province.
“We started off with a small idea,”
remembers Cynthia Dorrington,
founder and Vice President of Vale
and Associates. “We did not go into it
looking for (international work), it just
happened for us. But I think what it
allowed us to do is not limit ourselves.
And really, at the end of the day, you
can be as large or as small as you want
– it depends on your vision and what
you want to invest in the business. And
investing in the business is what has
allowed (our) business to grow.”
It also helps to have a good relationship
with your business partner.
“Working with family’s great,” says
Cynthia. “Cassandra and I complement
each other very well. From an early age
we’ve been able to put our differences
on the table and hash them out. And at
the end of the day, we’re still family, and
we love one another.”
Cassandra agrees. “I enjoy working
with family because we’re able to speak
quite frankly and openly with each
other. We’re able to have a difference
of opinion and still come to a resolution,
and walk away with no hurt feelings on
either side. And we’ve managed a professional but still familial relationship
that works well. And the good part is
you get to work through life’s many
challenges with people you really
know and love.”
Cynthia & Cassandra Dorrington with
Rustum Southwell at the BBI Offices.
Apart from their business venture, Cynthia and Cassandra
Dorrington have recently started
teaching, working with HR certificate programs at both St.
Mary’s University (SMU) and
Acadia University.
“Teaching is part of what we do – we
do a lot of face to face with clients
in board rooms,” says Cassandra.
“Teaching also provides us an opportunity to market our services, and
actually groom and guide practitioners. So it works from both a training
advisory role as well as a marketing
role for us as well.”
Despite their busy schedules, both
sisters are devoted community volunteers.
Cynthia Dorrington is a member of
the Halifax Police Chief’s Diversity
Advisory Committee. She’s a past
president of the Halifax-Cornwallis
Canadian Progress Club, an organization that gives support to various organizations including Special
Olympics Nova Scotia and Phoenix
Youth Programs. Cynthia is also a
member of the board of directors for
the Greater Halifax Partnership; she
also chairs the nominating committee.
Cassandra Dorrington is the Chair
of the Black Business Initiative (BBI)
Board of Directors. She also serves
as treasurer for Techsploration, an
organization working to increase the
number of women working in science,
trades, technical and technologyrelated occupations. Cassandra is
also a member of the national board
of directors for CMA Canada and a
member of the nominating committee
for Mount Saint Vincent University’s
Board of Governors.
With so much on their plates, Cynthia
and Cassandra Dorrington are hoping to add to the Vale and Associates
family over the next few years.
continued on page 12 >
Black to Business
4
Spring 2009
Youth on the Move
Christian Upshaw
The speedy point
guard nicknamed
“T-Bear” is one of
the top university
basketball players in the country.
He was named
the Atlantic
University Sport
MVP and a
first-team AllCanadian in
March during his
third season with
the St. Francis
Xavier X-Men.
In some ways,
Upshaw has the kind of skill that
makes the game look effortless. He
won three straight provincial championships in high school at St. Patrick’s
– losing only one regular-season game
in his whole career – and earned the
league MVP in his final season, scoring
37 points in the provincial championship game. And he was the only Nova
Scotian chosen to play in the adidas
All-Canadian game in 2005.
Upshaw had a great first season,
earning conference rookie-of-the-year
honours, but he struggled early in his
second year before a strong finish.
Coming into his third season, Upshaw
put in plenty of time in the gym to
make himself an even
better player. And the difference was noticeable.
An average three-point
shooter in his first two
seasons, Upshaw improved
his long-range game to
But not everything has come easily.
Upshaw didn’t have the grades at St.
Pat’s to move on to university, and he
had to go back for a year of upgrading.
“When I found out I didn’t have the
marks, I was kind of heartbroken. But I
realized it was my own fault and I had
to be a man about it,” Upshaw told the
Chronicle Herald at the time. “I just
really focused on school. I had to prove
to myself that I could do it.”
He did it, making his way to St. F.X.
in Antigonish and reuniting with St.
Patrick’s teammates Tyler Richards and
Will Silver.
ence, and he was among the league
leaders in steals, assists, free throws
and shooting percentage.
“Christian had a phenomenal
break-out year for the X-Men,” St.
F.X. head coach Steve Konchalski
said after Upshaw was named the
league MVP. “He ranks in the top 10
in the AUS in every category except
rebounding and blocked shots,
amazing feats for a 5’10” point
guard. He has done it all for the
X-Men this year.”
Upshaw’s success translated into
a strong year for the X-Men, who
spent the whole season ranked
among the top five teams in the
country and, as of press time in
March, were on their way to Ottawa
for the Canadian university basketball championship.
Emery Gbodossou, StFX Athletics
W
here natural talent
meets a whole lot of
hard work, that’s where
you’ll find Halifax basketball star
Christian Upshaw.
Chad Lucas
the point where he finished
second in the conference in
three-point shooting, sinking nearly half his attempts
(47.9 per cent).
He also upped his scoring
average by five points to 19.1 points
per game, good for fifth in the confer-
He was quick to credit his breakout
season to the help of his teammates
and the benefits of hard work.
“I felt like this year I even surprised
myself,” Upshaw said. “I put in a lot
of hard work
in the gym
with Coach
K and (assistant coach)
Doc (Ryan),
and I just
found it paid
off.
“I’m pretty
happy with
my year. My
teammates
have been
encouraging
me to shoot
the ball and
take it to the
hoop. It’s a
lot to do with
my teammates and
the help they’ve given me all year
round.”
Black to Business
Spring 2009
5
Sackville Wellness Centre
Paul Adams
bring the client back
into balance, both physically and emotionally.
He can divide the
Centre’s work into three
distinct areas. The first
is treatment – clients
coming in for a massage
or acupuncture. The
next area is education,
using ancient techniques
such as tai chi and
chi gong to improve
physical fitness and well
being. Finally, the third
area can be described as
“transformation”. This
takes in the workshops
the centre holds on such
topics as “Recovering the
Joy for Bereaved Parents”
and the “Yoga Intensive
Weekend”.
Steve Oliver, Director
S
teve Oliver, the director of
the Sackville Wellness Centre says that the role of his
centre is to assist its clients to “have
a sense of well-being, feeling good
about themselves, and happy with
their lives.”
He opened the Centre in September
2008 and has assembled a team of
complementary medical specialists
– massage therapist, doctor of acupuncture, counsellors, and a tai chi
instructor – to add to his own skills
as a tai chi and meditation instructor.
While traditional western medicine is predicated on diseases and
looking at health issues
from a cause and effect perspective,
Oliver says the modalities used at the
Centre look at the body in a different
way. “Eastern healing is all about
balance and, if the body is out of
balance, you use techniques to bring
it back into balance and then symptoms will disappear.”
“Together we have more than 175
years of combined experience in our
fields,” he says.
An example he uses is grounded
in the ancient practice of tai chi.
Research has shown that as participants move through the prescribed
series of movement, there is a tension
created between the left brain and
the right brain. To combat this, the
brain creates new neurons to bring
things back into balance. These neurons help keep the brain healthy as a
person ages.
The common goal of these healing
arts practiced at the Centre is to
When asked how he decided to open
this business, his answer was clear.
Carol Dobson
“I grew up in a family where spiritual healing and community development were a part of my life, because
of my mother and father,” he
explains. “I thought that was a normal upbringing, the way everybody
lived, but when I grew older, I realized that wasn’t the case. I started
studying various means of self development, such as tai chi, mediation,
and the various healing arts, while I
worked in technology to earn money.
But, I decided I wanted to go out on
my own and was able to through
the self employment program at
the Centre for Entrepreneurship,
Education and Development.
“I took a small seed of an idea and
expanded it into my desire to open
a clinic,” Oliver says. “I found this
great location in Lower Sackville
and decided to build a team of
senior practitioners in their field.”
His journey to entrepreneurship
has been documented by CEED
(the Centre for Entrepreneur ship
Education and Development) and
monthly video vignettes are posted
on the Sackville Wellness Centre’s
website – www.sackvillewellness.com.
Sackville
Wellness Centre
Steve Oliver
546 Sackville Drive,
Unit 400 (at Leaside)
Lower Sackville, NS
902-252-3290 (Office)
Email: [email protected]
www.sackvillewellness.com
Black to Business
REGIONAL
REPORT
Central
Njabulo
Nkala
I am excited and honoured to be the
BBI’s representative in the Central Region
of Nova Scotia as the new Regional
Business Development Manager for the
area. I am taking over this position from
my colleague Evan Williams who has
served the region ably, and needless to
say, I have quite big a pair of shoes to fill.
Since becoming part of the BBI team in
July 2008, and in the past few months
I have had the privilege of attending
various business workshops and seminars
and met with several of our partners.
Worth noting are the Geared for Growth
Conference hosted by NSBI as well
as the Financial Analysis for Business
Development Professionals Workshop
hosted by Acadia University.
At the end of November 2008 I made
my maiden trip to the region with Evan.
I met with partners from Truro to
Amherst. I have since returned to the
region for additional CANSA information
sessions in Springhill and a job fair in
Amherst. I also had the privilege of
attending the African Heritage Month
celebrations in West Hants County.
I would like to welcome Wayne Talbot
of Truro as a new BBI client. He adds
to my list that I will be working with
from Halifax Metro and the Central
region. I would also like to congratulate
Robert Brown and Robert Marsman for
successfully obtaining assistance from the
BBI to expand or start their businesses.
In the coming weeks and months I
look forward to working with new and
existing clients in making businesses
succeed.
For any inquiries, additional
information, suggestions and
comments please contact me at
(902) 426-4281 or by e-mail at:
[email protected].
Spring 2009
6
Message from the
Board of Directors
continued from page 1
Similarly Black Business Consulting
(BBC) and its associates continued
to build relationships and identified
opportunities to augment its service
export work in the Caribbean market. The work to date had been well
received and it is anticipated that this
significant initiative will lead to additional work.
Overall, it has been an extremely
busy quarter for BBI. Work has
ranged from the completion of the
Evaluation Report, the submission of
our Funding Proposal to our funding
partners, the design and implementation of the work associated with the
Labour Market Proposal, as well as
addressing renewed interest to take
the BBI model national. Amid all
these undertakings, the BBI staff continues to meet the needs of our ongoing client base in our maintenance of
operations. At this time I would like
to give a special thanks to the dedicated and talented staff members of
BBI for a job well done during these
busy times.
It is important to note that in these
changing times, companies can no
longer simply sit back and react to
market conditions. It is essential for
companies to assess the current and
future business indicators to identify
a business strategy that addresses sustainability and growth while mitigating against potential risk.
As evidenced by the actions taken to
date, BBI has engaged this risk management strategy wholeheartedly.
As the times continue to change, we
at BBI are dedicated to working with
our client base and our partners to
successfully manage business during these turbulent times. If the past
few months are any indication of the
times to come, we can only say that
while we see success ahead, in the
interim – hang on we are in for
a bumpy ride.
Cassandra Dorrington, Chair
Message from
the CEO
continued from page 2
significantly more than the 1.1 percent
growth for businesses with employees in the province as a whole. These
numbers are significantly stronger in
HRM as Black businesses with employees and all businesses with employees
grew 64.7 percent and 10.4 percent
respectively. This significant growth in
Black businesses that create employment indicates encouraging movement in the community toward more
growth oriented business development.
Across the province,
Black businesses
with employees
grew 57.7 percent
– significantly more
than the 1.1 percent
growth for businesses
with employees in the
province as a whole.
Such results are due to the consistent
and insistent way that BBI applies
itself to the vision with a good mix
of bright and dedicated individuals
from the volunteer board to our staff
members. It is energy similar to that
of new staff members like Monique
Carvery, RBDM Intern, and Omax
Charles, the Accounts Clerk who
keeps us all disciplined and focused.
They both joined the BBI team in the
fall and are providing good support
to our team.
Various reports in this issue will outline many of the projects we are currently working on. It is busy, yes, but
we will continue to focus on helping
businesses and improving our potential to succeed.
S.I. Rustum Southwell, CEO
Black to Business
Spring 2009
7
Greg Browning
Royal Bank of Canada
Working in the financial sector has
allowed Greg Browning to try all sorts
of different careers without changing
companies.
Peter Marsman
Financial Sector
In his 31 years with the Royal Bank of
Canada (RBC), Browning has worked
in administration, human resources,
credit-risk management and business
lending, among other roles.
“I’ve been able to do some really different things without changing organizations,” he says.
Browning is currently a commercial
mortgage manager at RBC, where he
finances large properties such as apartments, offices and retail stores. It’s a position he’s held for seven years.
Most of his clients are in the metro Halifax area but he works with companies in all four Atlantic provinces.
Like anyone working in the financial sector during the current economic
climate, Browning is trying to help his clients weather difficult times.
“Most of my clients are generally fairly experienced,” he says. “But they’re
certainly looking to us for advice and counsel, and looking to our experience as they make their decisions. The skill has come in trying to figure out
how to continue to serve your clients and grow your business in the midst
of all that uncertainty.”
The current conditions add a layer of complexity to what Browning says is
already a fast-paced job.
“The banking industry is very demanding these days, and very much salesand results-oriented,” he says. “It offers really good opportunity, good benefits and good pay, but you have to be prepared to work under the pressure
of reaching sales goals and targets on a consistent basis.”
Black to Business
Spring 2009
8
Chad Lucas
Photographs: Peter Marsman
Marc Paris
Peter Marsman
Scotiabank
Marc Paris describes his job as being like the quarterback of a football team. As a
client relationship manager in commercial banking at Scotiabank, Paris is the first
point of contact for his clients and directs them to whatever services the bank can
provide to meet their needs.
“We’re sort of the centre point,” he says. “Not only do we have clients coming at us,
but other people in the bank as well. Lots of times, things will just start with us. It’s
about prioritizing your day to get the most work in that you can.”
Paris’s job is about networking and building relationships, both with existing clients
and potential ones. “It’s a client-focused position, so there’s an opportunity to get
out and meet with people,” says Paris, who has been at Scotiabank for 11 years.
Paris says that while times are certainly tough right now, he still sees opportunities
for businesses to thrive.
“It certainly was an easier time over the past four or five years, but there are still
good opportunities out there,” he says. “I have some clients who are having fantastic years.
Mervyn Broome
Royal Bank of Canada
Peter Marsman
“Nowadays it’s about staying close to our clients, understanding their business and understanding the trends within
their business, so if they do run into any problems we can be an advocate for them. We don’t tend to ditch our clients
at the first sign of trouble. We stick with them.”
The banking business has seen plenty of changes in the 28 years
Mervyn Broome has been working in the industry, but he says one
thing is the same: it’s all about working with people.
“The most important thing is having the people skills, to be able
to listen and understand, to be open for criticism and to make
room for improvement,” Broome says. “That’s not just banking
skills, that’s life. If you respect people, inside or outside the bank,
you build trust.”
Broome is a senior business and personal account manager at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), working out of the
Burnside branch in Dartmouth. Born in Cape Breton and raised in Truro, Broome has held many different positions at
RBC and moved into his current role four years ago. He works mostly with small businesses, giving clients advice on
both their business and personal finances.
He says the biggest change he’s seen over the years is the rise in the number of products and services banks can offer
their clients. It’s good for business, but it means people in the industry constantly have to stay on their toes and keep
up to date.
“The challenging part is keeping up with the volume and the expectations of people,” Broome says. “Keeping up with
the expectations of the customer and the competition. Every time the competition raises the bar, we’ve got to be equal
to, if not above, it.
Black to Business
Spring 2009
9
Adams Consulting
& Management Group
Shauntay Grant
Peter Marsman
of a lot of people, the environment
has been a pursuit that I’ve been
involved in for some time.”
In 2006 Adams partnered with Barry
Creamer to start CaribREGEN, a
Nova Scotia-based company built on
the premise of developing renewable
energy from the sun, wind power,
biomass.
“With a great deal of faith, Barry
and I focused on viable means to get
into generating renewable energy,”
says Adams. “We found our first
real opportunity in the country of
Barbados, and we have established a
pretty solid foundation in that country with government, community
and industry.”
Wayne Adams, Adams Consulting & Management Group
“The highlight of owning
your own business?”
Wayne Adams pauses at the question
then responds in good jest.
“Being broke!” he laughs. “It’s suprising how much you can get done
without money, because we sure
don’t have any starting out, and
believe me it takes time to make
some.”
Adams Consulting & Management
Group (formerly Adams
Management Group) has provided
consulting services for clients across
a range of disciplines since 1999,
including diversity management in
human resources, community economic development projects, business
development, and broadcast journalism.
But the bulk of the company’s work
has been in government relations
and with environmental companies.
“After leaving politics in 1998, knowing that I had to keep on working
because I left politics with no pensions attached to me, I successfully
landed a spot as a consultant with
one of Halifax’s top consultancies.”
While working as a senior associate
with William Alexander & Associates,
Adams was engaged in consulting
of natural gas for such companies as
Sempra Atlantic.
“After leaving politics in
1998, knowing that I had to
keep on working because
I left politics with no
Adams attributes their success in
Barbados to being a small company
with commitment and focus.
“In the Barbados we adopted the
slogan ‘small is beautiful’, because
we knew the history of big foreign
companies in the renewable business
discarding the Caribbean as being
too small. Big companies had come
Adams
Consulting
& Management
Group
pensions attached to me, I
successfully landed a spot
Wayne Adams
as a consultant with one of
Halifax’s top consultancies.”
“I ran my provincial campaign in
1993 on an environmental platform,”
says the former Minister of the
Environment for the Government of
Nova Scotia. “Realizing that fixing
the environment required the efforts
488 7656 main
829 3102 cell
[email protected]
Black to Business
Spring 2009
10
in, built up their expectations and
then left.”
“We decided to go there, stay a while,
get to know some people, and talk
about long-term plans and solutions,”
says Adams. “And we had the view
that if we stayed small and committed, we could achieve a good degree
of success.”
Adams and his associate Barry
Creamer remain principal partners in
their significant wind-energy project
in Barbados. And once well established, they expect to expand operations to other Caribbean states.
Adams’ background helped prepare him for the work he is doing
today. “I graduated from a distance education program with the
American Consultants League in
1988 with a diploma in Business and
Management Consulting, and this
diploma has served me well.”
As noted, Adams was the Minister of
the Environment for the Government
of Nova Scotia between 1993 and
1998. Elected in 1993, he is the first
African Nova Scotia cabinet minister
“In 1998 I lost the election,” remembers Adams. “And of course everyone wants to win. But I always felt
that even though I want to win it,
there’s always a possibility of losing.
And in 1998, that happened.”
Adams says his approach to leaving politics was quite different from
some of his colleagues.
“I looked at some of my colleagues,
who were demoralized (by the loss)
and chose to stay low profile. But
for me, it was like ‘I gotta’ get up
and get going, get creative’.”
“I’ve always had an entrepreneurial
spirit, before and after politics. And
so after politics it was natural to
go back to what I really wanted to
pursue in life, which was to own a
business that could serve the greater
public good, as well as my family
and personal needs. I also need to
set an example for my grandchildren”
“My whole idea is that transition
is what you make it,” concludes
Adams. “Get up, and get going!”
Deep Panuke
gas project
business and career
opportunities.
For information on business opportunities with
EnCana’s Deep Panuke natural gas development in
Nova Scotia’s offshore, visit the Deep Panuke pages
on the EnCana web site at www.encana.com/
operations/canada/deeppanuke/
businessopportunities/index.htm
For information on employment opportunities
at Deep Panuke, visit the Career Centre on
EnCana’s web site at www.encana.com or
the Career Beacon web site
at www.careerbeacon.com
REPORT
Gordon Doe
Construction
We have launched our “Constructing
The Future” program in partnership with
the Apprenticeship Training and Skill
Development Division of the department
of Labour. This is a construction training
and job readiness program for the
unemployed and under employed in
the trades sector. The program aims to
increase the participation of working
age tradespersons in the mainstream
economy of Nova Scotia. It will equip
existing and aspiring tradespersons from
our community with enhanced skills,
basic certifications and competencies to
establish a stronger presence in Nova
Scotia’s construction sector.
The 40 week program includes 8 weeks
of personal training, 18 weeks of direct
construction training and 8 weeks of
work placement. Specifically, participants
will undergo construction training in
seven trade areas that are in high demand
and well-paying. The work placement
will be an on-the-job opportunity that
will require participants to practically
apply what they have learned about
themselves, the professional work
environment, safety and the trades.
Invest in Nova Scotia
With the declining financial markets and
expected reductions in new investments
the board of directors of the BBCIFL
elected not to have a 6th offering this
year. Consequently the fund did not
sell new shares this past RRSP season.
Our goal to move the Fund to the half
Million dollar mark is therefore delayed,
however, the Fund is currently in a sound
cash position to make investments in
good companies.
This year, shareholders who invested in
our first offering have reached the five
year mark of their investment and are
eligible to receive an additional 20%
equity tax credit for their investment.
We hope you plan and prepare to invest
in the next offering.
As always, please feel free to call
me at 902-426-6985 if you have
any questions.
www.encana.com
ECOR-7124 Deep Panuke_Generic ad_R2.indd 1
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT
9/17/08 8:38:18 AM
Black to Business
Spring 2009
11
Strategic Direction
Stakeholder Roundtable
O
n March 17, 2009 the
Black Business Initiative (BBI) hosted
a consultation session to gather
input on its strategic direction.
Participants included stakeholders the BBI has been associated
with over the years. This included
the federal and provincial governments, businesses, African Nova
Jocelyn Dorrington
Scotian communities, funding and
regional development agencies.
The aim of the roundtable was: to
apprise the stakeholders of the philosophy, principles and content of
the strategic direction the BBI has
developed to guide its activities and
operations for the next five years
to seek their critical appraisal of its
focus, its direction, and its feasibility in light of the vision and mission
of the BBI; and to offer suggestions
on what the strategy may need to
include to fulfill its mandate in the
period in view.
The goal of the BBI is longevity
in terms of institutional skilfulness, competence and relevance
to the causes it serves over time,
and in being able to pursue those
objectives, as attested in its founding vision and mission statements,
from a position of financial sufficiency, not necessarily self-sufficiency. It is to this dual agenda that
its Strategic Direction 2009-2014 is
directed. The constituent strategies
of the Direction are encapsulated
under the themes of sustainability,
partnerships, and capacity (SPC).
Kathy Murphy
Mike Hayes
Black to Business
Keeping the
Promise
A
s people across the
province get ready to
celebrate the 25th an-
niversary of African Heritage Month
in Nova Scotia, the region’s Black
Business Community is poised to
move forward in 2009 with the
promise of better things to come.
“Like all elements of the economy,
the onset of the recession is certainly
having an impact upon our small
businesses here in Nova Scotia,” says
Rustum Southwell, the President of
the Black Business Initiative (BBI),
the province’s development agency
that fosters the growth of businesses
owned by members of the Nova
Scotia Black Community.
Southwell says that his organization
is now focusing upon helping entrepreneurs and emerging companies to
weather the storm. “We have a number of initiatives underway involving
funding and marketing and costcutting seminars for our start-ups.
As well, we are putting the finishing
touches upon our construction strategy that will help several of our companies grow in that sector.”
In spite of the ongoing challenges,
he says, 2008 was also a year of
great hope. “The election of Barack
Obama has re-energized us,” he adds,
“and it has sent a powerful message
of hope.”
The Province’s Lieutenant Governor,
the Honourable Mayann Francis,
echoes the sentiment. “For our people, especially our young people, it
says that anything is possible if you
are willing to work for it,” she says.
“In that regard, there has never been
a better time for black businesses in
Nova Scotia.”
Spring 2009
12
Stephen Clare
Nova Scotia Business Journal
Andre Livingston agrees. The owner
of the Halifax Rainmen basketball
team is upbeat about the opportunities that now exist for African-Nova
Scotians. “The doors have suddenly
swung wide open for us here,” he
says. “All we need to do now is to
walk through.”
And while many in the province’s
Black Business Community share
that enthusiasm, others say that
there is still much work to be done.
“I am cautiously optimistic,” says
Irvine Carvery, who currently sits as
both the President of the Africville
Genealogy Society and as the Chair
of the Halifax Regional School
Board. “On the one hand, we have
had this incredible political breakthrough south of the border that can
serve as an inspiration for all of our
people everywhere.
“On the other hand,” he adds, “ignorance and prejudice still simmer
just below the surface of things here
in Nova Scotia, particularly in the
province’s business community.”
Along with that glass ceiling,
Carvery is concerned that the current global economic crisis might
spell trouble in the months and
years ahead for Black businesses
here. “We are not immune to the
fallout,” he says. “The interconnectedness of the world’s economy now
means that events anywhere in the
world can have an impact on our
businesses here at home.”
In spite of the dim financial forecast,
Southwell remains positive. “There
are obviously things taking place
elsewhere in the world that are
out of our control,” he points out.
“However, so long as we continue to
take care of business here at home
then we will make it through as we
always have.”
Reprinted with permission from:
Nova Scotia Business Journal
February 2009 Issue.
Vale and Associates
continued from page 3 >
“We’re talking about adding a couple of
associates over the next three years,”
says Cassandra.
And of course they are always looking
to expand geographically; apart from the
Caribbean, Vale and Associates is looking into opportunities in the United Arab
Emirates.
Cynthia says travelling to new places is
one of her favourite parts of the business.
“Aside from helping clients fulfill problems
in their company, (Vale and Associates)
has allowed my passion for travelling
to continue,” says Cynthia. “I’ve been
travelling periodically for over 20 years
and now this has allowed me to travel
frequently, but also interact in a different
way – not just going in as a tourist, but
learning more about the country and the
people.”
Still, no matter where they may travel to
do business, the Dorrington sisters are
proud of their Nova Scotian roots.
“Even though I’ve been other places,
these are my roots,” says Cynthia. “Both
Cassandra and I have said ‘we travel to
do our business, but we always come
home.”
Vale and
Associates
5622 Carriageway Cres, Halifax
Nova Scotia Canada B3K 5K4
PHONE
455-1114
EMAIL
[email protected]
WEB
www.valeassociates.ca
T
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Peter Marsman
What probably sets this recession apart from
all the others that have occurred throughout
the centuries is that this is the first one happening in the 500-channel universe. And, as
in every recession, there will be survivors who
will come out of the economic downturn bigger and better than before.
Dr. Harvey Millar
What is a recession you ask?” Harvey Millar,
a Professor of Operations Management at
Saint Mary’s University’s Sobey School of
Business says. “Well, economists generally
define a recession as a reduction in gross
domestic product (GDP) over two successive quarters. In essence, economic activity
is reduced and we have a contraction of the
business cycle. Signs of a recession are manifested in reduced GDP growth, contraction in
home prices, loss of employment and loss of
wages, decreased consumer spending, and so
on. Recessions can fuel consumer panic causing further deepening of the recession, leading
to the possibility of an economic depression.
“Surviving a recession requires action on
the part of several key dimensions of the
economic system (government, businesses,
banking institutions, consumer behaviour, suppliers, etc.) The prospect of survival depends
on whether these various elements can act in
concert to bring about synergy. The unfortunate reality is that each element typically acts
to protect its own set of interests.
“Banks stop lending; employers lay off workers to reduce costs; creditors foreclose on nonpayers; consumers stop spending and begin
saving for a rainy day; government raise taxes;
suppliers stop supplying; and so on. The
confluence of these mixed actions exacerbates
speed of recovery. These actions are nowhere
near optimal for the goal of economic recovery. However, once the jitters settle, we will
eventually return to a point of normalcy.”
Millar has come up with a number of tips to
help weather the storm:
Tip Number One: Focus on your most valuable customers. We are talking about trimming
the fat. Here is a case where the 80/20 Tip
applies. Typically, 20 percent of your customers drive 80 percent of your revenues. Identify
their needs and find ways to continue to serve
them effectively. It is likely that they will
remain with you during and after the recession.
Peter Marsman
urn on a television
or pick up a newspaper these days and
there’s one word that you
can’t escape – recession. Editorial writers and television
commentators are telling
stories of gloom and doom.
Jeannie Jones & Donna Gaskin
Jeannie Jones, one of the owners of Juice Eh!
says she and her partner Donna Gaskin are
doing just that. The two partners have spent
Carol Dobson
“We did a special Valentine’s promotion and
we’re looking for other ways we can keep our
name out in front,” she says. “We’ve also been
revisiting all of our suppliers to see what we
can do there to keep our costs down. The one
thing we can’t control is the number of customers we have.”
The Valentine’s promotion is one of several
they have planned to keep in front of customers’ eyeballs. They’re also, Jones says, looking
at developing new products.
“We haven’t had to cut any of our employees’
hours. But then, we only use the number of
staff that we need and we have become more
careful in how we use their hours,” says Jones.
Tip Number Three: Focus on maintaining a
solid cash flow. Reduce the level of credit or
tighten credit terms for “low value” customers.
Provide incentives for cash payments in cases
where much of the business is done via credit
transactions.
Tip Number Four: Focus on identifying new
needs triggered by the recession. Explore the
possibility of providing products or services that
satisfy these needs. Note that these needs may
change once the recession is over. Hence your
company must have the agility to provide the service quickly and eliminate it if necessary.
Tracey Thomas, BBI
Tip Number Two: Focus on the services that
deliver the most value. It may be necessary to
temporarily scale back some of your services.
Services with low marginal contribution to the
bottom line should be reviewed unless they
are loss leaders. Remember services consume
inputs and inputs costs money.
“We created some Valentine’s Day packages that
were fairly inexpensive yet gave good value for
the money,” she says. “We’ve also been remerchandising the store, moving things around, and
giving some items more prominence, and making the whole store look fresh.”
Gregory Nazaire, BBI
the last few months looking at the way they’re
running their business.
Valerie Rafuse
Saundra Vernon
For Saundra Vernon, of Ruby’s Sugar Shack in
Lunenburg, that means adapting hours of business each year so that there are summer hours,
when the streets are full of tourists, and winter
hours, when the town is less busy. During the
off season months, her emphasis is on the major
candy-giving holidays – Christmas, Valentine’s
Day, Easter, and Mother’s Day.
While the presence of Acadia University provides a measure of economic stability in the
town of Wolfville, conditions in the surrounding area, such as the closure of the nearby
chicken processing facility, have had an impact
on Valerie Rafuse’s Saucy Strides shoe store.
“We’re definitely down over last year,” Rafuse
says. “But there are things happening in the
community, such as Michelin not hiring any
more flextime workers, that are having an
impact. But, we are surviving. I’m looking at
ways to get my name out, such as advertising
on the radio,” she says.
continued over >
Black to Business
15
REGIONAL
REPORT
Northern
continued from page 14
“We’re bringing in our new spring shoes and
bags in nice bright colours. We’ve also brought
in new jewellery. So, I have customers coming
in already looking for their spring shoes because
they know I only bring in so many of each style
and they don’t want to be disappointed.”
Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, after two years in business
Ms. Rafuse has had to close the doors on Saucy Strides.
In a recent article featured on TheChronicleHerald.ca she
is quoted as saying, “Opening Saucy Strides wasn’t a
mistake. It would have been a mistake not to open. I’ve
learned so much and had so much fun.”
Tip Number Five: Focus on investments that
will assist in positioning the company well for
the post-recession period. This is the lookahead approach. Things won’t be bad forever.
Investments in technology upgrades, worker
retraining, equipment, etc. should be carefully
evaluated with a view to taking advantage of the
growth that will eventually follow a recession.
In other words, don’t put all of your eggs in the
short-term basket.
These investments don’t have to be financial
ones. Vernon and Rafuse have both developed
relationships with other merchants in their
towns. Vernon partnered with local restaurants
on special Valentine’s Day packages while
Rafuse works with a local women’s fashion
retailer with a large client base that extends far
beyond Wolfville so that information on her latest arrivals make their way onto the pages of
Reta’s House of Fashion’s regular newsletter.
Tip Number Six: Focus on maximizing the
value of the downtime of your human resources.
With the slowing of business, some “short-term
thinking” employers see the opportunity to cut
costs through layoffs. Your human resources
can be put to effective use fixing processes and
systems. They can be put to work identifying,
designing and testing new products and services.
They can be used to help clean up the business –
give it a facelift both internally and externally.
Tip Number Seven: Focus on identifying
business-to-business (B2B) opportunities that do
not require exchange of funds. In other words,
search for opportunities to exchange needed services. That preserves cash while getting much
needed work done.
Tip Number Eight: Focus on remaining positive and hopeful. The lack of faith and hope is
equally a business killer as bad business decisions. Try to inspire both your customers and
your employees to keep the faith while riding
out the storm.
Dale Swift, of Swift Realty is a firm proponent
of Millar’s last tip. He’s been in the real estate
business for the past five years and has seen the
rapid growth in housing starts, especially in the
Halifax area, during recent times.
Paul Adams
She’s also welcoming the various winter tourism events that bring people to the Valley town,
events such as Sheffield Mills’ Eagle Watch
Weekends and the Valley Ice Wine Festival.
Spring 2009
Dale Swift
“There is some good news that Nova Scotia
seems to be weathering the recession storm
and not nearly affected like other provinces in
Canada,” Swift says. “The first theory I have is
that we have one of the most stable and moderate
home prices in all of Canada. Secondly, the type
of industries and jobs in Nova Scotia haven’t
been largely affected by the recession.
“While the recession has affected Canada’s economics very sharply, Nova Scotia seems to be
strong despite the horror stories that we see on
the news. Also Nova Scotians recognize to be
careful and wise with their spending in this time
of uncertainty. In all, I highly suggest to protect
yourself further from recession is smart financial
planning and maybe it’s worth its weight in gold
to sit down with a financial adviser to seek additional advice.”
The final word goes to Millar. “Recessions will
come and go. Hence it is crucial for a business
to have a recession strategy that is rooted in a
grounded philosophy. Instead of acting as an
individual, businesses should seek to act as a collective and find ways to support each other. If
each business acts to protect only itself, the benefit of resilience that is derived from recognizing
our ecological interdependence will be hard to
come by.”
Cheyanne Gorman-
Tolliver
Spring is in the air and with the changing
of the season can come a change in
direction. Start fresh and take that step
towards entrepreneurship and let the BBI
be your guide.
The winter months have been quite
busy with community events. I had the
pleasure of being asked to be a part
of a Regional Education Workgroup for
the Antigonish/Guysborough area. This
group of educators, business people, and
community leaders came together to
tackle youth issues in the region. We
met twice over the past few months and
I am encouraged that a good plan will
be developed that will bring some new
inspiration to the youth in the area.
Also let me congratulate the Glace Bay
U.N.I.A. and Office of African Nova
Scotian Affairs for partnering and hosting
the 2nd Annual African Heritage Month
Gala in Membertou, Cape Breton. The
event was once again well attended
and enjoyed by all. Congratulations as
well to long time community member
and leader, Sarah Hayward on being
presented with the Thomas E. Miller
Award for dedication to equality and
human rights. The two organizations
hosted other successful events for African
History Month in Sydney.
Congratulations also to the Congress
of Black Women of Canada, Preston/
Cherrybrook/Lake Loon and area Chapter
on their successful partnership with
Canada Post to celebrate the release of
new stamps featuring African Canadians;
Rosemary Brown and Abraham Shad.
In the coming months I am looking
forward to promoting the Business Is
Jammin’ Program throughout the
Northern Region. If you work with youth
and would like to know more about BIJ
and what it offers please contact me and
we can discuss programs available in your
area.
As always I am available to meet with
potential clients and community groups
in the region. For more information
or to arrange a meeting please
contact me at 426-8685, toll free
at 1-800-668-1010, or by email at
[email protected]
Black to Business
Spring 2009
16
Paul Adams
Rock Island Café
Chad Lucas
Not bad
for a restaurant
that only
opened in
September.
“The
response
has been
very
favourable,” says
owner
Khalid Wasi. “Customers
like the food. The atmosphere is very warm and
people seem to like it.
We’re new and our advertising budget’s not been
all that big, but we’re
getting out by word-ofmouth and we have a lot
of repeat customers.”
Khalid Wasi and wife Kelly Dow, Owners
The Rock Island Café is a
hard place to miss.
With a bright green exterior and a
big pink starfish suspended above
the marquee, the café draws plenty
of looks along a busy stretch of
Quinpool Road in Halifax.
The interior is just as sunny and
tropical, with pictures of Bermuda’s
Horseshoe Bay adorning the orange
walls. But it’s the food that’s quickly
winning the most attention.
Chronicle Herald restaurant
reviewer Bill Spurr visited the café
last November and gave a glowing appraisal, calling the fish cakes
“out of this world delicious” and the
Bermuda Triangle entrée “outstanding.” He later awarded the fish cakes
the prize of Best Appetizer in his 2008
Stick a Fork In It Awards.
Wasi, a Bermuda native
who wound up in Halifax
after several of his children attended university
here, comes from a family of entrepreneurs back home on the Island.
His experience in the restaurant
business was limited – “Eating,” he
deadpans – but he knows what he
likes, and he made sure his kitchen
staff knew how to prepare it. In fact,
he flew in Herbie Bascombe, a chef
at Bermuda’s renowned Fairmont
Hamilton Princess Hotel, to share the
secrets behind his fish cakes and fish
chowder.
“The food that we serve had to meet
my taste expectations,” Wasi says.
Everything is made fresh and from
scratch on site, with particular attention to providing healthy foods, Wasi
says. The chowder is very different
from the usual East Coast variety, featuring a dark and spicy broth. But it’s
delicious enough to win over even the
staunchest traditionalist.
Yet for Wasi, the restaurant is about
more than food. An experienced
social activist in his native country,
he says he’s been drawn in by Nova
Scotia’s history. He’s already dreaming about a big project connecting
Nova Scotians with entrepreneurship
opportunities in African countries
such as Senegal.
His immediate goal is to develop
the Rock Island Café into a meeting
place and a community hub.
“The drive behind this was more community-oriented than food-oriented,”
he says. “I want this to be a place
where stories are told. Halifax is a
diverse city, and I like the richness of
its diversity. I want the community to
take advantage of our location, for
meetings or just dropping by.”
The restaurant is wheelchair-accessible and seats 48, with outdoor seating for 24 once the warmer weather
arrives. The café also offers live
music with an Open Mic night on
Thursdays.
Rock
Island
café
6293 Quinpool Rd,
Halifax, NS
P: 406 4385
Black to Business
17
Ask the BBI
Featured Expert:
Njabulo Nkala,
L
Regional Business
Development Manager
QUESTION
When spending dries up,
how do we promote
consumer confidence and
spending?
Consumer spending or personal
consumption is defined as the total
amount of goods and services purchased by individuals or households
for a given time. Consumer spending
accounts for the largest part of the
Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a measure of all economic activity within a
country. In Canada, consumer spending accounts for more than half of the
GDP. Consumer confidence, on the other
hand, measures the degree of confidence
consumers have in the economy and
their personal financial situation. It follows that when consumers have a more
pessimistic view of the situation, i.e. low
consumer confidence, their spending
will naturally be low. Conversely, high
consumer confidence means more consumer spending.
The record numbers of companies that
have gone out of business in the last
several quarters, the poor employment
figures (i.e. higher numbers of people
unemployed or being laid off), and the
general poor performance of the world
economy has resulted in very low consumer confidence as people are more
and more uncertain of their financial
future, hence they are spending less. Just
look at the retail, automotive and real
estate sector for testimony that, in fact,
we are in recession. Traditionally profitable companies aren’t making profits
anymore. All of a sudden consumers’
disposable incomes are no longer sufficient as “the dollar is no longer what
it used to be”; savings seem to drain
rather quickly and way ahead of time.
Individuals with a bit to spare have
become very cautious, choosing to save
their money for that rainy day rather
than use it today because “the times are
hard.” At the same time, declines in the
stock market are constantly and quickly
chipping away at those prized savings in
mutual funds and pension schemes. The
recession is affecting everyone in colossal proportions. Consumers have become
reluctant to spend, rightly so, to the detriment of the economy in general and
businesses in particular.
All this seems to spell d-o-o-m for the
small to medium business. You would
think these businesses have enough on
their plate as it is, having to compete
with all these mega stores such as WalMart, Atlantic Superstore, Sobeys et al for
both customers and suppliers. “If giants
like Circuit City in the U.S. and Linen ‘n’
Things have fallen by the wayside, can
the small businessman survive in this
dog-eat-dog environment?” you may
ponder. I would add to that the litany of
fellow small businesses down the street
that you know have folded.
On the contrary, I strongly believe
that this is a good time for small- and
medium-sized businesses. There are quite
Spring 2009
a number of advantages to being small
right now, that if made full use of, a
business can come out of this recession
on top.
By design, big businesses have a structure that is less efficient and are not
as nimble as smaller businesses. Small
businesses can very quickly adapt to
new environments than big business.
For example, it can take several years to
change the culture in a big business yet
the same change may take only a few
days in a small business. Big businesses
are the ones whose performances will
mirror the overall economic fundamentals simply because of their size. When
consumer confidence in the economy
goes down and spending dries up, it’s the
big businesses that are affected the most
and not necessarily the smaller ones.
Customers are not going to stop spending in a recession; they are just going
to spend less and differently. In fact, in
such times people are more likely to
spend their money locally with a small
business rather than making trips to the
shopping malls.
Customers are not going to
stop spending in a recession;
they are just going to spend
less and differently. In fact,
in such times people are
more likely to spend their
money locally with a small
business rather than making
trips to the shopping malls.
So, as a small business, how do you take
advantage of the situation?
Well, first you need to review the way
you operate on a daily and ongoing
basis. See where you are spending
money. Ask yourself the hard questions.
Can you afford to have so many employees? Are the opening times of your business optimal? See where and how you
can cut costs. Renegotiate with your suppliers for better deals; shop around for
cheaper alternatives. Discontinue those
loss-making products and focus your
resources on the profit generators.
continued on pqge 24 >
Black to Business
2009
Spring 2009
18
The Black Business Initiative Society’s Entrepreneur of the
Year Award is awarded annually to recognize demonstrated
business excellence of a company or individual within the
Nova Scotia Black Business community.
Who is eligible?
Any established business (minimum 3 years in business) in
Nova Scotia with at least 30% Black ownership, that has
demonstrated a strong business acumen and support for the
community.
All submissions must be made by
Friday, May 22nd, 2009 - 5pm in writing to:
2008 Entrepreneur of the Year Award Winner
Pauline’s Beauty Care & Boutique
Black Business Initiative
1575 Brunswick Street
Halifax, NS B3J
Website: www.bbi.ca
Email: [email protected]
phone: 426-8383
2007 Entrepreneur of the Year Award Winner
SLIC Laser Hair Removal Clinic
2006 Entrepreneur of the Year Award Winner
Simmons Paving Limited
Black to Business
Constructing the Future, a construction
training and job readiness program
for the unemployed and under
employed in the trades sector
launched on March 16th 2009.
Twenty enthusiastic young tradespeople successfully completed the
assessment week and are looking
forward to the rest of the program.
The program is funded by the
Apprenticeship Training and Skill
Development division of the Nova Scotia
Department of Labour and Workforce
Development. Program delivery is done
by BBI’s construction management arm,
ADEPA Management Inc.
“Over forty people applied to attend
the program but we could only accept
twenty,” said Gordon Doe, the BBI’s
Director of Business Development.
Joel Marsman a retired safety
inspector is the coordinator for the
program bringing two decades of
construction sector experience to
the training delivery.
Gordon Tynes, the managing
consultant of ADEPA, says he is
pleased with what he has seen
so far and is confident results
will be good.
19
Spring 2009
Black to Business
20
BBI Welcomes New Staff
Spring 2009
REGIONAL
REPORT
Southern
Greg
Nazaire
Monique Carvery
Regional Business Development
Manager Intern
Monique Carvery joined the BBI in
September 2008 as a Regional Business
Development Manager Intern.
Monique grew up on Maynard Street
in downtown Halifax with her father,
mother and two older brothers where she
still resides today. She attended Queen
Elizabeth High School where she graduated with Honours in 2002.
Omax Charles
Accounts Clerk
Omax Charles is one of the newer members of the BBI team. He is an accounting
graduate from Saint Mary’s University
and is also currently working towards his
professional designation. He has a background in Banking, mostly dealing with
the lenders side and customer service.
Omax is excited to be part of the BBI
team as he furthers his career.
We are partnering with several
agencies to plan and deliver
another series of business
workshops in the Yarmouth area.
Our goal is to include public and
private sectors representatives
to ensure a good mix for
networking and establishing
business relationships.
Throughout high school Monique supported her school in several ways including playing basketball, field hockey and
being a cheerleader. She was also the
head cheerleader and captain of her field
hockey team.
After graduation Monique furthered her
education at Dalhousie University in the
Bachelors of Commerce program. After
year one she took a year off to gain work
experience. She managed a retail store
and then returned to school to finish her
degree, balancing her time with work
and school. She will finish her degree in
spring 2009 and graduate in May.
Monique’s interests include traveling and
enjoying the outdoors. She is engaged to
be married and looking forward to furthering her career with the BBI.
On March 20th we welcomed,
for the first time, the Discover
Africa Roadshow of The Canadian
Council on Africa (CCAfrica) in
Halifax. The goal of this workshop
was to discuss sustainability and
the myths and realities of doing
business in Africa. A number
of high profile members of the
Halifax community and many
diplomats attended, including
the High Commissioners of
several African countries and Dr.
David Wheeler, from Dalhousie
University, who has worked on
several projects in Africa.
Njabulo Nkala, MBA
Regional Business Development
Manager
Njabulo Nkala is a business administration graduate from Saint Mary’s University
in Halifax, NS with a specialization in
Finance. He joined the BBI in July 2008.
He has past work experience in the physical sciences and customer relations where
he developed a passion for business development and entrepreneurship. Njabulo
also enjoys working with small to medium
businesses.
Congratulations to Glynis Simms
who continues to offer premiere
child care with Just Right Child
Care services. If you live in the
Kingston, Whispering Pines,
or Hidden Valley area and are
looking for child care, give Mrs.
Simms a call at (902) 242-2284.
For information or to book a
regional visit, please contact
me at:
(902) 426-1625
or the toll free number
1(800)668-1010.
Black to Business
21
Spring 2009
People & Businesses on the Move
The 15th annual W.P. Oliver Night
of Honour was held at the Black
Cultural Centre on February 9.
Deacon Nina Adams and
Mr. Charles F. Paris were this year’s
honourees. Rev. Rhonda Britten was
the guest speaker at this year’s event
and the Cornwallis Street United
Baptist Church Revival Choir provided
the musical entertainment.
Congratulations to the members of the
Maritime Centre for African Dance’s
Adult Troupe who were invited by the
African Foundation to perform at the
African Inaugural Ball for President
Elect Barack Obama in Washington
DC at the Washington Hilton Hotel.
MCAD was the only African dance
troupe chosen from Canada to
perform at this historic event!
The Symphony Nova Scotia Players’
Association held a fundraiser,
‘Jammin’ for Jimmy’, to raise funds
in support of SNS’ long-time Stage
Manager, Jim Tasco, who for several
years has been battling cancer on
Sunday, December 14.
Editor’s Note: Sadly Jim Tasco passed
away on March 19, 2009. The BBI offers
its condolences to Mr. Tascos friends and
family.
On December 16, the Black Cultural
Centre held an official opening for
the “Spirit of Democracy” display
which highlights the important
developments made by members of
the African-Nova Scotian Community
(levels of Municipal, Provincial and
Federal self-government) during
the 250-year development of
Parliamentary democracy in Nova
Scotia.
Asia and Nu Gruv will be featured
in a CBC drama production entitled
“Believe It” scheduled to be broadcast
later this year.
The Black Students Advising
Centre held a dialogue for the
university community on the theme
of “A Legacy of Hope”, to discuss
the relevance of Dr. King’s dreams to
people of African descent in the 21st
century.
The 11th Annual African Nova
Scotian Music Award Show was held
in on Saturday, January 10th, 2009
at the Casino Nova Scotia, Schooner
Room.
David Woods released a new, revised
edition of his collection of poetry,
‘Native Song’. The second edition
includes new writings on Africville,
the author’s student experience at
Dalhousie University and the Derby
Tavern as well as four new original
paintings, including the ‘stunning
portrait of Aunt Evie’. A reading
from his work was scheduled for the
Halifax North Library during African
Heritage Month.
Willie O’Ree was named to the Order
of Canada in December 2008. His
citation reads, “For his pioneering
contributions to the development
of professional hockey, and for his
tireless dedication to promoting the
sport to minority youth in Canada
and the United States.”
Congratulations to Dr. Abi Kirumira.
His company, BioMedica Diagnostics
was recently awarded the 2009
Technology Pioneer Award from the
World Economic Forum.
The Nova Scotia Mass Choir
sponsored this year’s Musical Tribute
to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
on January 17 at the Rebecca Cohn.
This year, B.A. Husbands, who has
been responsible for organizing a
number of community organizations
within the Black community of
Halifax, was honoured at the concert.
Special guests at the concert included
Linda Carvery, Dunnery Bond,
Woody Woods, and Gary Beals.
Capital Health released a study
into the health of African Nova
Scotians at the Black Cultural Centre
on February 9. The study’s findings
confirmed that heart disease and
diabetes are two of the major health
concerns within the community.
The Dalhousie Art Gallery presented
a film series during African
Heritage Month featuring the work
of Abderrahmaine Sissako and
Ousmane Saembeine, two noteworthy
African film makers.
Pairs figure skaters Shyanne Dolliver
and her partner James Blood were
part of the Canadian team at the
Special Olympics World Winter Games
in Boise Idaho in February.
Congratulations to Gary Waterman
on being named as the head coach
of the St. Francis Xavier X-Men
football team. He is the first X alumni
member to lead the football program
in its 55-year history.
Ryan States has been awarded a
$3000 educational bursary from
the Halifax Community Investment
Fund. He is currently attending
Humber College in Toronto, studying
refrigeration and air conditioning.
Halifax’s Eli Goree has been cast as
Malik in the Global TV series “Da
Kink in My Hair”. Goree also stars
in Vision’s “Soul” which is currently
airing.
The Association of Black Social
Workers held its 7th annual senior’s
tea and social on February 7th, 2009
at the Hammond’s Plains Community
Centre
Black to Business
Teens Now Talk (TNT) magazine
recently celebrated its second
anniversary. In a profile on Halifax
News Net, founder Jessica Bowden
says plans for year three include
“a Take Back the Power T-shirt
campaign against bullying and the
TNT power shopping card where
teens receive discounts at stores that
have signed up for the program.”
Teens Now Talk magazine is
available at a number of locations
throughout HRM including
Chapters, Lawtons, Atlantic
Superstore, and WalMart.
The Cumberland County African
Nova Scotian Association held a
number of events during African
Heritage Month including concerts
in Springhill and Amherst, an
African fashion show, and a book
launch commemorating 10 years of
Black artisans.
Mufaro Chakabuda, Shauntay
Grant, Saa Andrew, and Tionda
Cain were the leaders of “So You
Think You Can African Dance? A Dance
Journey for Black Youth”, held at
the Tatamagouche Centre in early
February.
A number of leading musicians
including Bucky Adams, Marcel
Symonds, Kim Bernard, the
Cornwallis Street Baptist Church
Youth Choir, and Corey Adams
joined voices to support the
Cornwallis Street Baptist Church’s
building fund at a concert held in
the Music Room on February 14.
Judge Jean Whalen was sworn
in to the Nova Scotia Provincial
and Family Courts in Sydney on
Friday, February 6th. Judge Whelan
was appointed to the Bench on
January 16th by Attorney General
and Justice Minister, Cecil Clarke.
Prior to her appointment, Judge
Whelan had been an instructor
and senior Crown Attorney in
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. She is
also one of the founding members
of the Black Lawyers’ Association
of Nova Scotia, vice-chair of the
Race Relations Committee of the
Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, and
a member of the Sexual Harassment
Committee at the Nova Scotia
Community College.
Spring 2009
22
The Southwest African Heritage
Month Committee, in partnership
with the Digby County Family
Resource Centre, Digby Education
Committee and Regional Educators
Program, BEA hosted the second
annual “Southwest African Heritage
Month Dinner & Dance Gala” at the
Digby Legion on February 21.
On Wednesday, Feb. 11, the Valley
African Nova Scotian Development
Association officially unveiled the
Ben Jackson commemorative panel
in Hantsport as part of the Matthieu
DaCosta Heritage Trail. This panel
details the history of Ben Jackson, an
African Nova Scotian civil war hero
who settled in Hantsport in the late
19th century.
VANSDA also hosted a ‘Quiz
Bowl’ pitting Grade 8 students
against teams from KROC, Acadian
University, and the TD Financial
Group and ended the month “From
the Heart of Nova Scotia – A Gospel
Experience” at Acadia University,
on Saturday, Feb. 28. The proceeds
will be donated to an entrance
scholarship fund that annually
recognizes two African Nova Scotian
students pursuing post-secondary
educations.
Pat Watson was the featured
artist for the February “Lunenburg
Sessions”, a series of folk/blues/
roots concerts held in the historic
Lunenburg Academy on the third
Tuesday of the month.
Auburn High School’s Youth of
Tomorrow hosted its 5th Annual
Gospel Concert on Friday, February
20th.
David Woods curated an
exhibition, “In This Place, 100 Years
of African Nova Scotian Art” which
was on display at the McCarthy
Hall Gallery of the Truro campus
of the Nova Scotia Community
College.
The Black Business Initiative and
the Greater Halifax Partnership
presented an Afrikan Village Bazaar
at the Bloomfield Centre on February
14 featuring Afrikan Nova Scotian
sculptors, painters, poets, authors,
musicians, and retailers.
Historian John Johnston gave an
illustrated talk about Mathieu Da
Costa, considered the first person
of African descent to visit Nova
Scotia, at the Maritime Museum of
the Atlantic on February 10th .
Shelley Hamilton presented a
performance of her one-woman
play, “A New Hope”, the story of the
Black Loyalists, at the Maritime
Museum on February 21.
The Vale Quilters hosted a special
exhibit, “A Feast of Quilts” at the
Ward One Community Centre in
New Glasgow on February 14. The
quilters featured were Marilyn
Brannan, Myla Borden, Heather
Cromwell, Marlene Dorrington,
Debra Jordan, and Shirley
Mackenzie.
The Nova Gospel Ensemble
performed in the Lieutenant
Governor’s Concert in Celebration
of African Heritage Month in Saint
Patrick’s Church in Halifax on
February 22. This concert was
part of the Lieutenant Governor’s
Concert Series and co-sponsored by
the Saint Cecelia Society.
The Black Law Students
Association of Canada (BLSAC)
is pleased to host the 18th Annual
BLSAC National Conference
from February 19-22, 2009. This
year’s theme is “Assessing the
Road Traveled, Strategizing for
the Road Ahead: Examining the
Law, the Legal Profession and the
Community”. Among the events at
the conference was the unveiling
of a portrait of James Robinson
Johnson at the Law Courts and
the annual African History Month
Gala on February 21.
In Memoriam
Orval Clifford Browning passed
on January 23rd, 2009 husband to
Geraldine Browning former BBI board
member, and father to Greg Browning
and Robert Browning who are both
current board members of BBI.
Russell Wyse passed on March 3rd,
2009; he was the father to Mike Wyse
former Chair of the BBI.
Marjorie Jean Parker passed on March
4th, 2009; she was the mother of
Beverly Parker staff member of the BBI.
Black to Business
Spring 2009
23
Black Business Initiative
2009 Training Schedule for Metro
Courses:
Day
Date
Time
Bookkeeping II
Tuesday
June 2, 9,
16, & 23
6-9pm
Excel I, II, & III
Thursday
June 4, 11,
& 18
6-9pm
Creating a Winning Business Plan
Tuesday
July 7, 14,
6-9pm
Workshops:
Day
Date
Time
21, & 28
Entrepreneurship 101
Wednesday
June 3
6-9pm
Website Marketing (Part 1)
Wednesday
June 10
6-9pm
Website Marketing (Part 2)
Wednesday
June 17
6-9pm
Basic Business Communications
Wednesday
July 8
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
REPORT
Evan
Williams
First, I want to thank the training center
staff and former Director of Client
Development, Bernard Elwin, for making
my transition into my new role a smooth
one.
Continued learning is essential for business
owners to stay current in their industries.
This quarter we were able to offer the
following courses: Computer Basics;
Excel; Simply Accounting; Marketing your
Business; and Business Plan Creation;
and the following workshops: Computer
Security; Introduction to Entrepreneurship;
Understanding Your Credit; and Customer
Service and Franchising.
The fees for courses continue to be
affordable at $20 for community members
and $40 for non- community members.
There is a standard $5 fee for workshops.
BBI understands the significance of
training and continues to subsidize these
courses for prospective, new and existing
business owners. Please see the training
schedule in this issue of Black to Business
for upcoming courses and workshops.
We are hoping to increase the amount of
people taking courses outside of Metro.
We will offer business related courses in
any area in the province, if the specific
community indentifies the need to us.
We have been collaborating successfully
with Student Connections to offer many
of our computer based courses. I want to
thank Abdul Hafez and his team for the
great work they have done for the BBI and
its clients.
If you have suggestions for business
related courses or you are interested in
any of BBI’s training courses outside of
Metro, please contact me directly at
902-426-8688, toll free at:
1-800-668-1010 or speak to the
BBI’s Regional Business Development
Manager in your area.
Black to Business
24
Spring 2009
continued from page 17 >
Secondly, you will need to reconsider
your marketing strategy. Look for new
and innovative ways of reaching out to
local consumers and attracting new customers. Increase the amount of time you
work on the sales and marketing aspects
of your business. Be aggressive. Look
at those aspects of your marketing and
sales strategies that have worked for
you in the past, see if you can improve
on them and make them more effective.
Look at how successful companies are
marketing themselves and imitate them.
Communicate to the consumer the benefits of buying from you instead of your
competition, being very mindful that
the purpose is to increase your overall
profits, so such an exercise needn’t be
too costly.
Though the economic outlook is gloomy
and consumer spending is drying up,
your business can take advantage of
the situation and still be profitable if
it adjusts its operations appropriately
and markets itself more effectively. The
strength of your business, and any other
small business, is its ability to quickly
adapt to change. It should be agile. So
do not close shop and flee to the hills
yet, there is work to be done in the short
term and profits to be made for the long
term.
For more on BBI’s services or
to register for an iInformation
Session held every Thursday at
BBI’s Training Centre,
2101 Gottingen Street,
Halifax,
call (902) 426-8683.
Business is Jammin’
Cheque presentation
Paul Adams
Talk to your bank and financiers; see
if you can get a lower interest rate or
better terms on your loan or mortgage.
Take advantage of government tax
incentives, rebates and other programs
for small businesses. As consumers are
turning away from the corporate giants,
be ready to fill that gap. Price accordingly; offer discounts where possible.
Greg Browning, Senior Manager, Commercial Mortgages, Royal Bank
Canada (RBC), presents cheque to Joe Paris, Chair of the Business is
Jammin’ (BIJ) program.
Greg Browning, Senior
Manager, Commercial
Mortgages, presented the
final payment on a three year
commitment by Royal Bank
Canada (RBC) to Business is
Jammin’ (BIJ) program staff on
March 6, 2009.
The $10,000 cheque brings
RBC’s total contribution to
this program to $30,000. The
monies have been used for
business camps and business
youth programming over the
last three years. Browning
says, “RBC is strong supporter
of youth and education and BIJ
qualified on both counts.” He
says in addition to organizations
such as BIJ, RBC supports youth
through after school programs
and post secondary scholarships.
An additional cheque of
$500.00 was donated to the BIJ
program under the RBCs staff
volunteer initiative. Browning has
volunteered close to 40 hours
a year for three years and each
year RBCs contribution under this
program has been $500.
Black to Business
Spring 2009
25
Business & Community Events
April 23rd
Halifax Chamber of
Commerce Spring
Dinner
Featuring Steven Brandman, Los
Angeles Film & Television Producer
Time: 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Where: WTCC
Dress: Business Attire
Info: www.halifaxchamber.com
468-7111
May 12th
Get Inspired Over Lunch
National Women’s
Luncheon Series
Guest speaker:
Karen Sheriff, Pres., C.E.O., Bell Aliant
Westin Nova Scotia
LUNCHEON: 12:00pm - 2:00pm
TO REGISTER: Call 1-800-354-3303
May 13th - May 17th
Provincial Black
Basketball Association
37th Anniversary Black
Invitational Basketball
Tournament
Saint Mary’s University
Contact:
T: (902) 443-9512
Email: [email protected];
www.blackbasketball.ca
May 15th-17th
Scotiabank Bluenose
Marathon
Full, Half, 10k, 5k and Youth Run
Halifax, NS
www.bluenosemarathon.com
Information:
[email protected]
May 21st
Nova Scotia Export
Achievement Awards
World Trade & Convention Centre
For additional information:
902-424-6814
[email protected]
www.exportachievementawards.com
May 27th - June 7th
Alegria (Cirque du Soleil)
Halifax Metro Centre
T: 451-1221
For additional information:
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/
CirqueDuSoleil/en/showstickets/
alegria/intro/intro.htm
June
2009
V-Day Halifax
-Violence Stops
Halifax (HRM)
Contact: [email protected]
June 15th
Rev. Jesse Jackson
Nova Scotia
Co-operative Council
60th Annual Banquet
World Trade & Convention Centre,
Halifax
Tickets $75 for members,
$100 for non-members
Contact [email protected];
(902) 893-8966
June 19th
BBI 13th AGM
and Gala
Halifax Marriott Harbourfront,
Halifax
July 1st-8th
Royal Nova Scotia
International Tattoo
Halifax Metro Centre
T: 451-1221
W: www.nstattoo.ca
July 16th-20th
Tall Ships 2009
Call for Volunteers
The Waterfront Development
Corporation Limited
Visit: www.tallshipsnovascotia.com
Volunteers: 902-405-7700
July 30th - August 3rd
Africville Reunion
Festival
July & August
Summer School
of the Arts
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
Classes for Children Ages 3 to teen
Contact: 902-424-7542
September 23rd - 27th
Nova Scotia Association
of Black Social
Workers International
Conference
Ramada Park Place Hotel,
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Theme: “Linking Borders”
Contact: Veronica Marsman,
[email protected]
13 AGM and Gala 09
th
You are cordially invited to the Black Business Initiative’s (BBI’s) 13th
Annual General Meeting and Gala on Friday, June 19th, 2009 at Halifax
Marriott Harbourfront
Luncheon and “Biz Show” Panel Presentation with Biz
Show Host, Mr. Robert Upshaw
Halifax Marriott Harbourfront
Nova Scotia D Room
1919 Upper Water St
12:00pm – 2:00pm
Admission in free
[email protected]
AGM Gala Dinner & Dance
For a $600 corporate table you will receive:
x
x
x
x
Signage on the table (company/organization name)
Company acknowledgement in the event program
Reserved seating at the Gala
A complimentary business-card sized ad in the 43rd or 44th issue of the
Black to Business magazine
[email protected]
For more information, please contact:
Halifax Marriott Harbourfront
Nova Scotia A Room
1919 Upper Water St
6:30pm – 1:00am
TICKETS are $50.00 each
Corporate Tables are $600
www.ticketatlantic.com/en/home/otherevents/blackbusinessinitiative.aspx
Tracey Thomas, Event Planner
902.477.0723
[email protected]
Purchase tickets online at:
www.ticketatlantic.com/en/home/otherevents/blackbusinessinitiative.aspx
For in-person ticket purchases go to any Atlantic Superstore ticket outlet.
Helping Black Business Succeed
For more information about the BBI, please visit www.bbi.ns.ca
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