GEORGE MOEN, PRESIDENT, BLENZ COFFEE

Transcription

SMALL BUSINESS BCPRESENTS
GEORGE MOEN, PRESIDENT, BLENZ COFFEE
George Moen proudly describes himself as a Serial
Entrepreneur. With more than 30 years of experience
in food and franchising, he specializes in transition
ing small businesses into big business success stories.
As President of Blenz The Canadian Coffee Com
pany, he’s used that expertise to grow the franchise
to more than 100 locations around the world.
Blenz opened its first location at Robson and Bute in Vancouver in
1992, back when the term “coffee shop” still brought to mind a
greasyspoon diner. Cofounders Brian Noble, Geoff Hair, and
Sarah Moen (“my boss and my wife,” George says) had a vision for
a specialty coffee store, but had a challenge selling the concept
to the landlords of the highprofile locations they wanted to lease.
Meanwhile, Starbucks blew the doors to the industry wide open.
While some would have viewed the emergence of such a strong
competitor as a problem, the founders of Blenz viewed it as an
opportunity.
For other entrepreneurs who are trying to work up that courage to
start, or the commitment to keep going, George offers the follow
ing tips:
1. Don’t be afraid to fail.
2. Do it rough until you do it well.
3. Avoid debt at all costs.
4. Only change if there’s a clear and obvious benefit.
5. Develop discipline.
SUCCESS STORY
“Most entrepreneurs will fail miserably at some point. Go out and
have a huge failure early on, because you’re going to experience
failure at some point anyway, and that’s the only way to learn
those reallife lessons. It’s only money – you can go out and earn
more.”
Brought to you by:
Blenz has dozens of locations in Metro Vancouver. You can find
them online – and get the location of the store closest to you – at
www.Blenz.com.
Created by Small Business BC: www.smallbusinessbc.ca
Editorial credit Christina Newberry: www.christinanewberry.com
HARVEY CHIANG, PRESIDENT/CEO, FLYING WEDGE PIZZA
When he was a student at UBC, Harvey Chiang and
his friends wanted to do something fun and creative
with food. They decided pizza was something they
could all relate to – and that they could vastly
improve – so they put their money and their efforts
together and opened the first Flying Wedge Pizza on
April 22, 1989.
“Everything was a challenge,” Harvey says. “But all things have a
certain logic. You learn out of necessity or because the pain of
failure causes you to change. In a way, not knowing the rules was
a large part of our success.”
Here are Harvey’s top five tips for starting and running a successful
business:
1. Put in the time to do the research about your industry,
idea, or business.
2. Pursue your goals with passion, focus, and action.
3. Be open to criticism – it can make your idea better and
stronger – but always have the courage to act. You will learn
by doing.
4. Seek out and be open to experts to help you along the way.
They will make you better, faster, and stronger when you most
need it.
5. When you’re done with the heavy lifting of the startup
phase and have moved into successful execution, learn to
take steps to rebalance and to nourish yourself so you can run
the longer mile.
SUCCESS STORY
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“You can’t lift a thousand pounds just by concentrating and
hoping. You have to work in increments to build your muscles over
time. You’ll drop weights along the way, but you’ll learn something
each time you drop a weight. This is how you build character. Then
later, when you’re knocked down by a challenge you didn’t
anticipate, that character allows you to get back up and carry
on.” You can find them online at ww.FlyingWedge.com.
SCOTT MORISON, FOUNDER, BROWNS SOCIAL HOUSE
Scott Morison is five years into building his second
multimilliondollar restaurant chain, but until two
years ago he had no corporate staff and worked
out of his car. “We have smaller, owneroperated
stores with a small menu and high quality food,”
Scott says.
When he launched the first Browns in North Vancouver in June
2004, he had just sold a $4 million ownership stake in the Cactus
Club chain. He’d grown used to brand recognition and economies
of scale, and says that purchasing was one of the biggest
challenges of a onelocation brand.
“It’s easier to run 40 stores than 10, 10 is easier than five, and five is
easier than two,” Scott says. “You’ve got momentum, economies
of scale, and brand loyalty. I don’t think it’s healthy to be an
independent restaurant –a franchise is much better.”
Five years later, there are 10 Browns locations and corporate
revenues are expected to top $20 million for 2009. There are plans
in the works to open five more locations next year, then another 10
in 2011, and 10 per year every year after that. Perhaps to prove his
point, Scott’s set an “Oprah” goal of creating 30 millionaires in 30
years – his franchisees. Here are his top five tips for those future
millionaires – and anyone else whose dream is to start a business:
1. Do what you love.
2. Don’t be undercapitalized at any point.
3. Learn to be a good communicator.
4. Be really nice to your wife.
5. Be transparent in your dealings.
SUCCESS STORY
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“The greatest victory is happiness – being content as a person and
fulfilled in life. I’m working harder and earning less money now than
I ever have before, but I’m happier than ever. It’s been an
awesome adventure, I’m on the right track, and I wouldn’t
change a thing.”
Browns Social House has nine locations in Metro Vancouver. You
can find them online at: www.brownsrestaurantgroup.com.
JUDY BROOKS, PRESENT/CEO, BLO BLOWI DRY BAR
If you can’t find what you need, create a business to
fill that market niche yourself – and create an
amazing brand and culture while you’re at it.
Judy was attending a lot of networking events after
work. She saw lots of nail salons offering an after work
pickmeup – but she didn't what she really wanted: somewhere to
get a fast, fabulous hairstyle to perk up her confidence before
walking into an event.
Chatting on the phone with her daughter, Devon, who was at
university in London, Judy wondered aloud about this problem.
Then, Devon set about crafting a business plan for Vancouver’s first
blow dry bar as a university project.
Neither Judy nor Devon had any experience in the hair industry, but
Judy did know how to build a successful service business from
scratch, and Devon had a keen sense of how to create a brand
that would be dynamic and fun. By August 2008, all three locations
were open, and Judy was thrilled with what she and Devon had
created. Looking back on it all, here are her top five tips for new
entrepreneurs:
1. Be very clear whether owning a business is just a dream, or if it’s
what you really want to do.
2. Make sure your values align with owning your own company.
3. Decide on your exit plan. Are you building a company to sell it,
or to be your own boss? You have to decide what you’re
doing, because it will impact the way you grow.
4. Recognize up front that you’ll need to spend more time and
money than you ever thought possible on intellectual property
and systems, especially if you plan to sell.
SUCCESS STORY
5. Get a controller as soon as you can afford to. Having an
expert to give you financial forecasting and models is critical,
especially if you plan to sell.
Brought to you by:
Blo Blow Dry Bar has three locations in Vancouver. You can find
them online at www.BloMeDry.com.
RICK BAXTER, PRESIDENT, WEST COAST AIR
Back in the late 1980s, Rick Baxter was a university
student with a summer job driving a tour bus and a
successful screenprinting business. Today, he’s the
President and CEO of West Coast Air, one of the
largest floatplane operators on the west coast.
After completing his degree in economics, Rick knew he wanted to
pursue business full time.
First, while working on his commercial pilot’s license in the early
1990s, Rick went to work for his father at Nanaimobased Baxter
Aviation, establishing a presence for the company in Vancouver.
Seven years later, an opportunity presented itself: West Coast Air
was looking for a new partner. Rick bought a 40% stake in 1998,
which he renegotiated to 50% two years later. He invested a ton of
sweat equity, got the business on the right track, then bought it
outright in 2004.
He’s also working on a personal commitment to make the business,
and other Canadian businesses, greener. The company is taking
steps to offset and reduce their admittedly large carbon footprint,
and Rick is serving on the boards of EcoTrust Canada and Climate
Smart.
For those who, like Rick, have a passion they’re hoping to turn into
a successful business venture, Rick offers the following tips:
1. Establish a clear vision and stay focused.
2. Develop your strategy, then test and tweak it. Execution is key.
3. Surround yourself with people that share your values and vision.
4. Have fun, and go for it!
SUCCESS STORY
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“Work challenges can be unpredictable, so you have to work really
hard to find a balance and not miss your children growing up. You
just need to communicate and work through it.”
Check flights, schedules, maps and pricing at:
www.WestCoastAir.com.
SHANDA JERRETT, GUMDROPS WET WEATHER BOUTIQUE
It was January of 2007, and Shanda already knew
she wanted to start her own business. She was three
weeks into a selfemployment program, developing
a plan to start an interior design company. But
something had been ticking away in the back of
her mind. She’d bought a pair of playful pink and
black gumboots to make it through Vancouver’s soggy winter, and
people were constantly asking her where she got them, and if she
knew where to get more. Suddenly she realized she had a market
literally asking to be served.
Nine months later, after jumping through “hoops and loops” to
secure financing and a retail location, GumDrops opened on
October 1, 2007.
Opening a retail store with no retail experience – especially one
with such a seasonal focus – was no small challenge. Two weeks
after opening her doors, Shanda sold out her inventory, then had to
wait a month to be fully restocked.
Shanda deals with the overwhelming time demands by making a
“conscious effort to be a human being” and making Sundays no
business days – no matter what. She turns off her computer and her
phone and makes time to spend with her husband, and to focus on
Shanda the person rather than Shanda the entrepreneur. Of
course, she’s quick to admit that her long hours bring her a level of
satisfaction no 95 job ever could.
For other entrepreneurs dreaming of big success, Shanda offers
these five tips for success:
1. Research, research, research.
2. Dream as big as you want – the world is your oyster.
3. Believe in yourself and the people around you.
4. Defy your inhibitions and those who say you can’t do it.
5. Learn. Be an open book.
SUCCESS STORY
Brought to you by:
“You will make mistakes. You will screw up. But how you pick your
self up will determine the path you follow.”
Visit GumDrops at: www.gumdropsonline.com
MICHAEL ZIFF & JEN MacCORMACK, HIPBABY
In 2003, Michael and Jen launched Twice Shy
(TwiceShy.com), an organic wholesale Tshirt line
based on Jen’s talent for graphic art and their
desire for ecoconscious clothing. After just two
years in business, their tshirts were bringing in
$180,000. When their friends started having babies
they spotted a new opportunity, launching Fig (FigKids.com), an
organic kids’ clothing line, in 2003. The two lines together peaked at
$500,000 in revenues. Then the bottom dropped out of their
business plan.
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Michael and Jen had partnered with a manufacturer who pro
vided their entire marketing budget. But when their sales out
stripped the manufacturer’s ability to produce the clothes, he
pulled out of the arrangement, leaving Michael and Jen with no
marketing money, no manufacturer, and no funding.
With their successful business suddenly in crisis, Michael and Jen
tapped into their extensive network and asked for help. After some
serious soul searching, they decided to open a retail store. HipBaby,
an established business in Kitsilano, was for sale, and Michael and
Jen decided the location and the existing clientele were a great fit
for their kids’ clothes and their ecoconscious business values.
Here are their top five tips for new entrepreneurs, based on the
essons they’ve learned from their six years in business:
1. Believe in what you’re trying to sell.
2. Don’t sacrifice control for quick gains or the lure of money.
3. Know your values and stick to them.
4. Operate an ethical business and be good to your staff.
5. Take time to relax, and give yourself some down time.
SUCCESS STORY
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“Get to know a lot of good people and don’t be afraid to ask
questions or ask for help. It’s a learnasyougo process – and that’s
what being an entrepreneur is all about.”
HipBaby is located at 2110 West 4th Avenue in Kitsilano. You can
find them online at www.HipBaby.com.
JOYCE GROOTE, PRESIDENT/CEO, HOLEYS
Holeys started in 2002 with Joyce’s neighbour selling
the colourful foam clogs out of her garage. When
her neighbour came looking for support for Holeys
in 2004, Joyce bought the business.
At the time, she was buying her clogs from a
manufacturer in Quebec, who was also selling to the company
that would be come Crocs. Then Crocs bought the manufacturer.
Fortunately for Holeys, they had already found another contractor
in China to provide their clogs. No so fortunately, Crocs sued
Holeys, claiming the foam clog was their intellectual property.
Holeys has consistently won in court, but the battle has been tiring
and expensive.
Of course, Joyce hasn’t made it through the challenges alone.
She’s a firm believer in building a solid team, and staying true to the
people around you as your business gets bigger. Here are her tops
five tips for building a great team and surviving big challenges
when they come your way:
1. Really think about what your business needs to look like, and
hire appropriately. Hire slowly, and if you make a mistake, get it
over quickly.
2. Make sure you have a solid business plan. This not only provides
direction for you, it provides confidence for banks or investors.
3. Start looking for money when you don't need it. If you wait until
you’re cashstrapped, money can be harder to find and much
more expensive to get.
4. Be prepared to change. Recognize when you’ve made a
mistake and move on, and select other people for your team
who are willing to change with you.
SUCCESS STORY
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5. Constantly innovate to grow your business. Having a great
product doesn’t mean you can sit on your haunches. You have
to think three steps ahead for yourself, and three steps ahead
of the competition.
Holeys are available at dozens of retail stores in Vancouver. You can
find them online (and access a dealer locator) at www.Holeys.com.
CYBELE NEGRIS, COFOUNDER & COO, WEBNAMES.CA
When Cybele Negris and her partners started an
online business in the middle of the dotcom crash,
they raised a few eyebrows from skeptical friends
and family. Nine years later, that business –
webnames.ca – is a thriving company that
manages domain registrations and other online
services for more than 40,000 clients, including many Fortune 500
companies.
As they found their footing, the partners focused on building
structure by templating everything. Every response to a customer
that might be used again was added to online help, their FAQ,
and turned into a canned email response.
“I have two kids, and I never took mat leave,” Cybele says. “On
weekends I carry my BlackBerry around, I confess. But evenings
and weekends are for my children now. The key daytoday issues
can be resolved without me getting involved.” Cybele offers the
following tips:
1. Network, network, network.
2. Never be afraid to ask questions of people who have been
there before – there is always someone more successful than
you, and people are often willing to help.
3. Focus. Entrepreneurs have no problem coming up with new
ideas – the hard part is to focus on accomplishing what you set
out to do.
4. Plan and set goals. If you write something down, you’re much
more likely to accomplish it.
5. Set out your core values and your core purpose at the outset.
Without them, you won’t know what you’re trying to
accomplish or how you’re going to do it.
SUCCESS STORY
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“We are who we are because of everything we’ve done, both
right and wrong. I see every challenge as a learning opportunity
rather than a mistake.”
You can access webnames.ca’s services online, and learn more
about the company at webnames.ca.
KIN WAH LEUNG, PRESIDENT/CEO, KIN’S FARM MARKET
When Kin Wah Leung opened his first produce
stand in 1987, he was “just trying to make a living.”
Twentytwo years later, he and his family are
running a produce empire with 26 stores and
revenues of $63 million per year.
“We wanted to market a product that we knew would sell,” Kin
says. “We always enjoyed eating healthy, so it was a nobrainer to
go into the vegetable business.”
The success of the produce stand led the Leungs to open their own
produce shop in Richmond. Then, the idea of expanding to multiple
stores was sparked during a business course Kin took at Vancouver
Community College.
For those who are hoping to build their own business empire, but
don’t know how to get started, Kin offers the following advice:
1. Work hard every day, always focusing on turning ideas into
action.
2. Focus on always learning new concepts and skills.
3. Always think outside the box and welcome changes.
4. Treat team members as family.
5. Exercise open and honest communication.
“As a business owner, you could not possibly be able to do
everything. So, it is important to hire capable people and give them
the flexibility to make decisions, make mistakes, learn, and
improve.”
SUCCESS STORY
“First, I never wait around waiting for things to happen,” Kin says. “I
always try to turn ideas into action as fast as possible. Second, I am
not afraid of making mistakes. We learn more from making mistakes
than from not having mistakes at all. Third, I am always thinking from
the customers’ perspective. I try to put myself in their shoes and I try
to address their needs. ”
Brought to you by:
Kin’s Farm market has 25 locations in BC. You can get information
about the store nearest you at: www.KinsFarmMarket.com.
GRAHAM BUSKA, PRESIDENT, RAYNE LONGBOARDS
It’s all about the plan. That’s the message from
Graham Buksa of Rayne Longboards, who won the
Small Business BC Business Plan Contest in 2004.
When he started thinking about the business in
2002, he was at the University of Alberta studying
to become an electrical engineer. And he’d only been
longboarding for a short time.
“I got my first longboard, and three months later I was designing a
new one,” Graham says. “Six months later I built one, and eight
months later I was ordering wood to make more.”
In the summer of 2003, after he graduated, Graham quit his job at
a U of A lab to focus on longboards fulltime. He’d taken a
business plan class in his final year of school, and armed with the
plan he’d developed, he set out for Vancouver to sell his boards
on the west coast.
Moving into his own shop in 2007 gave Graham a bit more
breathing room, but it brought a whole new set of challenges.
Graham has the following tips:
1. If you’re thinking about it, do it.
2. Write a business plan, then rewrite it many times.
3. Find three mentors and fire two – focus on finding the right
person with the experience and expertise that will help you in
the stage of business you’re currently at.
4. Network as much as you can.
5. Write a business bible – job descriptions, policies, procedures,
and training systems.
SUCCESS STORY
“I could have done quite well as an engineer, but this feels much
more rewarding and worthwhile. There’s a certain energy to being
at work, and a longterm vision.”
Brought to you by:
The Rayne Longboards is located in North Vancouver. You can
find them online at www.RayneLongbards.com.
NANCY MUDFORD, OWNER, LE PETIT SPA
Nancy Mudford was working as a call centre
manager when she realized that unlike many of her
colleagues, she really enjoyed talking to customers.
Figuring there was no better way to be close to
customers than by starting her own business, she
quit her call centre job and opened Le Petit Spa in
Point Grey in Sept, 2003.
For Nancy, that meant creating a small, personal day spa with an
emphasis on quality service and personal relationships. Her staff
make an effort to know their clients’ names and form a real
connection, and she’s designed the spa to be an oasis where
people can let go and relax. It’s resulted in a great retention rate
for both clients and staff.
“I had no idea what I was getting into,” Nancy says. “But I knew I
wanted to start a small business.” Not knowing exactly what she
was getting into turned out to be an advantage for Nancy, who
says a little bit of naiveté is actually a good thing.
“It’s not hard to make a business plan, but it’s hard to stick to the
plan,” Nancy says. “You have to be determined and you can’t
give up.” Nancy offers these tips:
1. Be ready to take a risk.
2. Be determined and stick to your plan.
3. Be patient. Things will take twice as long and cost
twice as much as you think.
4. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
5. Enjoy the ride – because it really is a ride!
There’s one final piece of advice from this successful entrepreneur
who’s never questioned her ability to succeed, even through some
very lean early years:
SUCCESS STORY
“There’s no magic formula. You just have to believe in yourself and
persevere.”
Brought to you by:
Le Petit Spa is located at #43701 West Broadway in Point Grey. You
can find them online at www.lepetitspa.ca
RICKI & NEWTON SAHOTA, OWNERS, TWIN BERRY FARMS
Ricki and Newton Sahota have always been a part
of the family blueberry farming business. But by
taking the family farm into the digital age with
online ordering for a farmdirecttooffice blueberry
delivery service, these identical twin brothers have
created a new business, Twin Berry Farms – that they
can proudly call their own.
Twin Berry Farms had humble beginnings. Ricki, working as an
environmental engineer, used to send an annual email to his
coworkers, asking if they’d like to order blueberries from the Sahota
farm. In the summer of 2005, when his 65 colleagues ordered 450
pounds of blueberries, he thought he might be onto something.
Feeling passionate about the idea, and seeing the huge potential
for growth, Ricki and Newton quit their fulltime jobs to put all of
their attention into their entrepreneurial venture in November 2005.
Ricki offers the following tips for success:
1. Research before you begin. Without information, you’re not
getting anywhere.
2. Don’t be afraid to start modestly. Otherwise, your money may
dry up before you have a chance to achieve your vision.
3. Be kind and respectful to everyone you deal with. You never
know when you’ll meet the person who will help you grow to the
next level.
4. Make sure you seek out the advice of lawyers and accountants
you can trust, then heed their advice.
5. Don’t start a business unless you are truly inspired by it.
SUCCESS STORY
Brought to you by:
“There are so many days of unbelievable challenge. The way is not
paved with gold. But if you are truly inspired by your business, that’s
all you need to keep you going.”
The Twin Berry Farms blueberry farm is located in the Fraser Valley.
You can access their office delivery service online at
www.TwinBerryFarms.com.
BRAD BROUSSON, CEO & FOUNDER, SILVER HILLS BAKERY
Twenty years ago, Brad Brousson had a simple dream and a simple
plan: to make healthy, organic, sprouted breads for the guests at
Silver Hills Spa Resortin Lumby, BC, where he and his family all
worked and lived. But the dream took on a life of its own, and now
Brad runs Silver Hills Bakery, a company separate from the spa, with
11 varieties of bread and bagels sold in major stores throughout
Canada.
“I started in my mother’s kitchen and then moved on to my wife’s
kitchen,” Brad says. “I had seven loaves in each oven, and was
running up and down the stairs, baking 151 loaves a day.”
By 2001, Brad had outgrown the family kitchens and moved his
production into a facility in Abbotsford with 45 employees. He
started approaching specialty stores in Vancouver, and got his
breads into Capers and Choices. From there, Brad took the breads
to other grocery stores, and the Silver Hills product line is now sold in
most major health food and grocery stores across Canada and in
Washington and Oregon.
“Our products don’t have as long a shelf life as some breads,
because they don’t have any preservatives,” Brad says. “But
people seem to understand that we have a pure product. They
can see what we stand for.”
For those who are thinking about starting a business of their own,
Brad offers the following advice:
1. Define the opportunity before pursuing it and believe in it enough
to hang on for the long haul.
2. Continually challenge yourself, asking why you are doing what
you do.
3. Hire and attract keen people who share your passion.
4. No matter how big or small the issue is, do not ignore something
that requires your attention. Face it and deal with it.
SUCCESS STORY
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5. Reinvest your profits back into your company.
You can learn more about Silver Hills Bakery, and find out where to
buy their products, at www.SilverHillsBakery.ca.
BRENT HOHLWEG & NIC BRAND, MEN IN KILTS
In 2002, Nic quit his job and spent his last $500 on
windowcleaning equipment and a ladder. He
strapped it all to his rusty old Honda and set off to
find customers. One of his friends suggested he try
wearing a kilt to break the ice when he went door
todoor offering his sales. The image got him his first
few jobs, and for the next few years, Nic earned a modest living,
bringing in $40,000 a year.
With no outside capital, Nic reinvested every cent of extra income
back into the business, buying equipment for half price on craigslist
and doing everything from selling to bookkeeping to window wash
ing himself. With no real money to feed the business, organic growth
was very slow.
Then, in 2006, Nic brought Brent on board to take the company to
the next level. With seven years’ experience leading a Fortune 500
retail chain, Brent knew a thing or two about how to build a brand.
Starting with the fun of their “No Peeking” idea (under the kilts, that
is), Brent and Nic rebranded and rebuilt Men In Kilts to a $1 million
per year business with crews based in every zone of the Lower Main
land and plans for franchises by 2012.
For those who are looking to build their own industrydominating
brand, Brent has the following tips:
1. Hire the right people.
2. Develop an amazing culture.
3. Inspire your employees to do their best.
4. Know your numbers – hire an accountant early.
5. Be remarkable.
SUCCESS STORY
Brought to you by:
“You can have worklife balance as an entrepreneur. That’s part of
the joy of creating a wellrun business. Just set your people up to
have the capability to create something wonderful and get out of
their way.”
Men In Kilts provides window and gutter cleaning services throughout
the Lower Mainland. You can contact them for a 5minute estimate,
and learn more about the company, at www.MenInKilts.com.
ANN KIRSEBOM, CHEF ANN KIRSEBOM’S GOURMET SAUCE
Ann originally created her sauces for her catering
business, which she’s been running for more than 20
years. When her friends and clients started showing
up at her door with empty bottles to fill up with
sauce, she knew there was a market for the sauces
on their own.
The first sauce she offered for sale was TequiLime, which is still her
flagship product. She put handwritten labels on the bottles and
took them to the Trout Lake Farmers Market, where she had a table
for several years in the early 1990s.
Most of Ann’s sales now come from placement in retail stores. She
secured placement with Save On Foods about 12 years ago, and
she got her sauces into Costco, a real victory for a producer who
didn’t yet have a distributor.
Ann has the following tips:
1. Go with your intuition.
2. Do the research and initial legwork for your new venture on the
side before you quit your job.
3. Find a mentor to guide you along the way.
4. Use the government resources that are available to you: loans,
grants, Agrifood Canada, Export Development Canada, and so
on; and network!
5. Demo your product. It’s the best form of marketing. Giving away
$1,000 of product gives you much more exposure than $1,000 of
advertising.
“You may end up working weekends and Christmas, and days
when everyone else is enjoying themselves. But it is always different
and exciting, and you meet so many interesting people.”
SUCCESS STORY
Brought to you by:
Chef Ann Kirsebom’s Gourmet Sauces are available at most
grocery stores, including Save On Foods, Whole Foods, and IGA, or
you can order them online at ww.BuyOurSauce.com.
MARSHA SIMONS, PRESIDENT, SISTERS SECRET
GOURMET FOODS
As the owner of a successful Bed and Breakfast in
Vancouver, Marsha was dedicated to serving
quality, delicious foods to her guests. Unable to find
products she felt good enough about to serve at
her table, Marsha created her own. Soon, her
guests were telling her they’d like to be able to buy
her softstyle granola, scones, and fragrant chili flavour enhancer
in stores to enjoy at home.
So in late 2006, Marsha launched Sisters Secret, and started the
process of getting her products ready for placement in retail
stores. She had no idea how many challenges lay between her
kitchen and the retail shelf.
For Marsha, the gamble has paid off. Revenues are over $200,000
per year, and they’re set to go way up from there this year after
some adjustments to product size and pricing. Whole Foods even
flew her down to Austin to present her product to the head office
team.
Marsha has these tips for those who are just beginning their
entrepreneurial journey:
1. Research, research, research.
2. Make friends with people who will help you.
3. Assemble a good team.
4. Seek out advisors and mentors.
5. Never give up.
For those who aren’t sure if they’re getting into the right business,
think about whether your enthusiasm is right up there with
Marsha’s:
SUCCESS STORY
Brought to you by:
“This business makes me really, really, really happy. I’m passionate
about food, and every day is about food, so every day is full of
passion. It feeds my need to feed.”
Sisters Secret products are available at gourmet food stores. You
can find them online, at: www.SistersSecret.com.

GEORGE MOEN, PRESIDENT, BLENZ COFFEE

Transcription

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