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Measure Up! Shape Your Future! October 16-22
Small
Business Week
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
BDC Small Business Week October 16 - 22 ‘Measure up! Shape your future’ Is your company as efficient as it can be? Do you know how your business compares with the best in your industry? Answering these questions could give you an edge on the competition. As part of BDC Small Business WeekTM 2016, we are inviting Canadian entrepreneurs to measure up and discover their true potential. Benchmarking your performance against other companies in your industry is the first step in your productivity journey. This is why on October 17 we are launching Canada’s first ever
business productivity benchmarking tool. This free online tool will allow you to compare your productivity levels to those of other companies in your sector and help you discover how you can improve your performance. During BDC Small Business WeekTM, join more than 10,000 business owners and professionals at over 300 events across the country to celebrate Canadian entrepreneurship and learn more about making your business as competitive and profitable as it can be!
RED DEER EXPRESS 3
President’s message for Small Business Week Small Business Week provides us with an opportunity to celebrate the many small businesses that comprise the backbone of our community, providing the invaluable goods and services we all rely on. This past year has not been an easy one for small business in Central Alberta as our energy sector continues to languish. Fortunately things aren’t all bad. Despite ongoing
challenges, all one has to do is drive around to see the many construction projects underway. While growth has slowed from the frenzied pace seen earlier this decade, Central Alberta remains ripe with opportunity, especially for small business. As your community Chamber of Commerce, we strive to provide the tools and supports to help small business achieve
success whether it is networking and marketing opportunities, topical and informative speakers, value-added benefits, or advocacy on important issues. I hope throughout Small Business Week you join us in celebrating the many success stories. Bradley Williams, President of the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce
Publisher’s message Small Business Week is an extremely important time to recognize the contributions of the local business community. Each year at this time, this designated week is a terrific opportunity to highlight the differences these companies make to Central Albertans on a day-to-day basis. Small businesses make up a large part of Red Deer and Central Alberta’s economy and it’s important to acknowledge their dedication and range of services to the region. We are very pleased to again team up with the Red Deer & Distric Chamber of Commerce to bring our readers the annual Small Business Week feature. This feature includes many stories about an array of local small businesses on a variety of relevant top-
ics. There are also practical articles about enhancing business strategies from the Business Development Centre. We want to thank the Red Deer & Distric Chamber of Commerce for the opportunity to bring this feature to
our readers. We would also like to extend our thanks and appreciation to the local businesses that participated. Tracey Scheveers, Publisher of the Red Deer Express
Thank You Central Alberta is great place to have a small business. People here are honest, hard-working, and community-minded and even in the tough times, we stick together. Thank you Central Alberta for supporting local businesses over the years!
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
Doormasters enjoying 30 years of business BY ERIN FAWCETT RED DEER EXPRESS For nearly 30 years Doormasters Inc. has been providing the best in customer service, right from the first install, all the way to annual maintenance of overhead garage doors. Doormasters Inc. not only installs new and custom doors for residential construction, renovations and commercial construction, they provide maintenance needs as well. “We do all doors,” said Dan Murdock, owner of Doormasters Inc. “There are a lot of garage doors out there. We have been saying for years, keep your children safe, don’t let them play around the ga-
rage door. “Most people never think of servicing their garage doors and it’s the biggest moving thing in your house. You’re driving your pride and joy under it and you’re letting your children play around it.” Murdock added maintenance of garage doors should be done once a year. Doormasters offers customized garage doors virtually of any nature. They are willing to work with customers to create the look they desire. “My team has an extreme level of commitment to keeping our customers happy,” said Murdock. “We do the best we can every day with everybody and
sometimes we stumble and fall, but we get up and make it right. My motto for the last 30 years has been, I don’t care how much it costs, make them happy, make them smile. “I just know that over the years every time you think it’s going to cost you a bit of money, well after 30 years that person you made happy, made smile again comes back to you. I have customers that I dealt with them, their children and now I am dealing with their grandchildren. If I hadn’t taken care of them 30 years ago, somebody else would be keeping their grandchildren happy. Luckily, all of my team feels the same way.” Another arm of the
business is Sunshine Door. The Sunshine Door is Murdock’s design and they are manufactured at their location on Gasoline Alley. “It’s a door that allows all the solar energy to come in and you can’t see through it. It’s translucent material which is made of poly-carbonate which is an indestructible product, so if you hit it with a sledgehammer you can’t break it,” said Murdock. “It is warm and allows all of the natural light in. If it’s a south exposure in the middle of the winter when it’s 30 below, you’ll actually get heat coming through the door. “We are the only ones in Central Alberta that make it,” he said. “There is get-
COMMITMENT - Dan Murdock, owner of Doormasters, stands inside the company’s new location on Gasoline Alley in Red Deer County. Zachary Cormier/Red Deer Express ting to be a lot of them. They are in residential, commercial, industrial
and agricultural. We are the home of the Sunshine Door.” efawcett@reddeerexpress.com
Steps to create an action plan for your business strategy Every strategic plan needs an action plan to bring it to life. It’s the road map that will show you how you’ll reach your objectives. An action plan details the concrete steps needed to attain your goals - usually covering the coming year - a timetable for each task, a description of who will do what and a follow-up process. The action plan is typically created at
the end of the strategic planning process, after you’ve set out your vision, done a SWOT analysis and established objectives. Here are the steps for creating your action plan. Involve your team - you’ll get the best team buy-in if as many employees as possible are involved in creating the action plan. Employees can give invaluable input on what steps are needed to
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achieve your objectives and how best to implement them. As well, they are more likely to work diligently on implementation if they are involved in the process from the outset. List actions - the core of the action plan is a list of tasks for achieving your objectives. They can include everything from arranging financing to buying equipment or a vehicle, hiring staff with specific expertise or developing a web site. Each action should be clearly described so as to avoid confusion later on. Set a timeline - now establish a timeframe for achieving each action. Designate resources - name who will be responsible for each action. Also outline what other resources (money, equipment, personnel) you’ll need to carry out the action. Establish a follow-up and measurement process - spell out how you will follow up on the action plan to ensure the steps are carried out. This can include internal reporting and regular meetings held to discuss the plan’s progress. Also specify the measures you will use to track implementation. These can include both milestones, such as the completion of certain tasks, and quantifiable measures, such as revenue or market share. Communicate the plan - make sure all
employees are aware of the action plan, including their role in implementing it. Explain how the plan fits into your overall business strategy. Keep the plan alive - when you get started on implementing your action plan, you should be disciplined about sticking to the follow-up and measurement process you’ve outlined. It’s also useful to recognize employees for meeting or surpassing their responsibilities and hold them accountable for failing to do so. Discussing the action plan internally on a regular basis is a good way to keep your entire strategic plan alive and at the forefront of employees’ attention. Invite employee feedback on how the implementation is going. In follow-up meetings to discuss your progress, it’s also important to revisit your action plan regularly and to continually update it. Allowing your action plan to be surpassed by developments in your company is a sure way for it to fall into disuse, which could cause your entire business strategy to unravel. After the 12 months are up, it’s time to create a new action plan for the following year, drawing on your overall business strategy and lessons you’ve learned so far. - Business Development Bank of Canada
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
RED DEER EXPRESS 5
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
Small business, big vision with Heuer Design BY KALISHA MENDONSA RED DEER EXPRESS The Heuer Design team takes special care to address the needs of their clients, and addresses these needs with a variety of skills and options to determine the best solution. Heuer Design is a creative marketing agency that offers a wide range of services, from strategy development, to web site design and maintenance to communications plans. The agency was founded by Dirk and Kerstin Heuer in 2008 and continues to grow and develop today. “We’re focused mostly on working with not-for-profit organizations and I think that makes us different than other agencies,” said Kerstin. “We have an intense discovery process to find out what our customers’ needs are and from there we develop a concept based on what they need. That could be a marketing strategy, communication plan, a web site or other action.” Kerstin and Dirk have a passion for non-profit agencies and other companies that align with their values of environmental and social consciousness. Heuer Design takes pride in being able to work with these organizations and in being able to help share the messages and missions of those groups. “We really like to work with clients who have the same values as our team. If their work is socially and environmentally responsible, or they have a product that helps people live better while being environmentally responsible, those are the kinds of things we are especially interested in,” Kerstin said. Originally from Hannover, Germany, Dirk
UNIQUE EXPERIENCES - Kerstin and Dirk Heuer founded Heuer Design after immigrating to the city from Germany in 2008. Now, the couple uses their experience in international brand management to help bring unique, visionary design and marketing strategies to Central Kalisha Mendonsa/Red Deer Express Alberta agencies and businesses. and Kerstin have a special set of international marketing skills to offer to the Red Deer community. Dirk worked with notable brand Kraft Foods as a branding project manager, which provided him insight into design and technical aspects of marketing. Kerstin
worked with many groups, from small business owners to Mercedes-Benz, which allowed her to develop an understanding of the various needs of organizations in terms of marketing, design strategy and creative thinking. “In Germany, we have all this culture and rich history and experience and we’ve found that the technology is much further forward there, so we love to bring that to Red Deer. We want to use our experience and expertise and use our resources to make this a better place,” Dirk said. “Our work is always a process of collaboration. I think the client has the best ideas, and we just need to listen. We are not going to try to come up with a strategy or plan that doesn’t suit your organization. Everything we need is within the client, and we just have to get to know them and figure out how we can bring it all together. That’s the creative part that we really enjoy.”
Heuer Design covers everything from video production to social media management to web site design and everything in between. The group works hard to be able to provide a variety of resources and is constantly looking to develop their process and network. Kerstin said she and Dirk both really enjoy working in Red Deer for the sense of community and for the range in cultures, visions and avenues for development. “Red Deer for us is synonymous with community, and that’s very important to us. Red Deer has a ‘can-do’ spirit, and we love that there are many different cultures and ideas in this small area. We want to do our part in creating a welcoming community, and that’s why we like to work with organizations who have similar values,” she said. The team is proud to take the time to get to know their clients and address their needs with a creative, one-of-a-kind resolution. kmendonsa@reddeerexpress.com
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
RED DEER EXPRESS 7
Country Cupboard offers a range of unique specialty items Longtime downtown business makes any house feel like home BY KALISHA MENDONSA RED DEER EXPRESS Country Cupboard might seem like a small shop from first glance, but the downtown store offers a whole lot more than meets the eye. From home decor to unique gift ideas, Country Cupboard houses over 3,000 sq. ft. of unique products that are sure to make any house feel like home. Don and Cathy Edwards have owned the shop since 2009, and have been working to expand and develop over their time at the helm. The Edwards take great pride in being able to offer charming, off-the-beatenpath goods, including hand-made local products and even an exclusive jewellery line. “We try to carry things you can’t find in a big chain store,” Don said. “We like to joke and say, ‘We have everything you’ll never need but will always want’. We carry quite a variety of things here from home decor to great gift ideas and unique works that only our store carries.” Country Cupboard stocks a huge variety of products, from kitchen ware and unique furniture to essential oils and a huge selection of ornaments. Their exclusive jewellery line, Kameleon, is also a big hit amongst customers. “People love Kameleon - those are probably our best selling items. As well, we
HAPPY IN BUSINESS - Cathy and Don Edwards took over Country Cupboard in 2009 and have since worked hard to make it the unique, comfortable shop that it is. Kalisha Mendonsa/Red Deer Express
have a lot of great pictures and scented goods like candles and soaps,” said Cathy. “Something we’ve started in the last year was bringing in more of the custom, unique hardware. We had some ornate handles, and people started asking for
knobs and we said, ‘Nope, but we can get them for you!’ And those have really taken off.” Cathy and Don said they are always looking for new ideas, unique pieces of furniture and new local producers to
help maintain their wide selection of goods. They added that they are currently hoping to get in contact with local woodworkers and furniture makers, to create partnerships and be able to showcase locally made goods. “There are lots of talented people who are looking for a place to sell their stuff, and we like to accommodate that if we can,” said Don. One of the store’s best selling and most unique items is the Red Deer Afghan blanket, designed and made in Red Deer. “It was designed here in town and we are the only ones who sell it. It’s got a whole bunch of the history of Red Deer. It’s got quite a few of the ‘ghost’ statues and landmarks and things on it. A lot of people will come and buy one of these for someone who has lived here for a long time and is moving away, and City Hall usually purchases quite a few each year,” Cathy said proudly. For Cathy and Don, Country Cupboard is a way to reach out and get to know members of the community. They both said they enjoy being able to chat with their customers and employees because it helps them to understand what people want and to bring in new ideas for the store. “Hearing people tell us they love what we bring in, and enjoy our uniqueness and that they like coming to the store always feels great. We’re always looking to expand on what we carry,” said Cathy. kmendonsa@reddeerexpress.com
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Top service the priority at Red Deer Funeral Home & Crematorium BY MARK WEBER RED DEER EXPRESS Remembering loved ones in a meaningful, personalized way is one of the primary goals for staff at the Red Deer Funeral Home & Crematorium which falls under the umbrella of Arbor Memorial. As their web site points out, “Discover the ease and convenience of comprehensive planning, comforting amenities and a caring, licensed staff who offer meaningful solutions to your specific needs of faith, taste and budget.” Red Deer Funeral Home & Crematorium offers personalized services for all faiths and cultures, a full range of burial and cremation caskets, urns and vaults and after care which is an important free service to assist families with practical guidance, literature and emotional support anytime it’s needed. Eventide Funeral Chapel, located near the City’s downtown core, is also under the Arbor Memorial banner. With 41 cemeteries, 28 crematoria and 92 funeral homes in provinces across
Canada, Arbor Memorial is prepared to serve the needs of Canadians, the web site shows. It’s also a family-owned Canadian company, established in 1947 that provides interment rights, cremations, funerals and associated services to families across the country. “As a member of the Arbor Memorial family, we share a proud heritage providing funeral, cremation and interment rights to families in Red Deer and across Canada. You can feel confident putting your trust in our compassionate professionals, whether planning ahead or at a time of need.” Also, through pre-planning, families can make many decisions ahead of time. That’s a service that has seen significant growth over the past several years, said Anne-Marie Roy, pre-planning funeral director and monument specialist. “It is growing definitely because I think people are more open to it now then they were back in the day,” she explains. Also, more folks are discovering that it can really be a positive experience, and it can
Look
COMFORT - Anne-Marie Roy is a master of putting her clients at ease during difficult times, and is always ready to make a tough situation more pleasant for families and loved ones who are working with Red Deer Funeral Home & Crematorium. Kalisha Mendonsa/Red Deer Express
open the doors of communication. They are therefore spreading the word about the benefits themselves. For one, it helps to eliminate stress that inevitably descends when a loved
This Season
Sharper Image opened on January 7, 2014 and we haven’t looked back since. The salon now has 7 stylists and an aesthetician. We are open 6 days a week and located in the Highland Green Plaza. We are determined to give each and every client the service they are looking for. Education is extremely important to our salon and our brand. Over the past year, the stylists have attended classes in Huntington Beach California, San Diego, Mexico, Montreal, and of course local classes in Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer. We have a very strong team of stylists and continue to get stronger. We are very team orientated which makes our salon and brand so different from other salons and something we are very proud of. We carry 2 premium lines: Unite and Neuma (100% pure line) and we also carry Redken, Kardashian and Revive. We are a family friendly salon serving all ages and would love to serve you and your hair care needs. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on our website sharperiagehairdesign.ca. We hope you meet you very soon!
~Jenn and the staff of Sharper Image Hair Design
one does pass away. It also ensures that the subsequent service follows what a loved one would have wanted. And finally, the price paid after pre-planning has been set up is ‘locked in’ - that is, even if the death occurs several years later, the service has already been paid for and families won’t see a related rise in price. “It locks in the price, so it never goes up again. “In the last couple of years, I’ve had a lot of people who are interested in it,” said Roy, adding people often wish to also cover funeral costs themselves and not leave them to their children or other loved ones. When there are no plans in place, funerals almost always have to be planned in a matter of just a few days, which can, as men-
tioned, add stress to an already very stressful and emotional time. Also, those with no family will also utilize pre-planning services just to make sure things are in place as well. To that end, ensuring that the one who has passed on is remembered in the most fitting and personalized way is what matters the most. “We try to personalize everything to their needs,” she explained. “We try to learn who they were and how (friends and family) remember them. So when it comes to a service, whether it’s a service in our chapel or it’s a party in our reception room, whatever it may be - whatever a family might want, we can do that,” she said, adding that increasingly loved ones want to describe services as a cel-
ebration of life or an evening of remembrance, for example. Other families may opt for a more traditional service at a church. Every Christmas, staff also host a candlelight service in memory of loved ones who have passed away. “We can even do an evening of remembrance instead of having a formal funeral,” she said. “The sky is really the limit.” For Roy, it’s work that brings a rich sense of fulfillment. “It’s about trying to find something in common or something you can relate to, so that person feels comfortable with you,” she said about sitting down to discuss the details of a service with families. “I do believe that every life deserves to be remembered - I believe that strongly.” editor@reddeerexpress.com
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
RED DEER EXPRESS 9
Busy times for the expanding Red Deer Construction Association BY MARK WEBER RED DEER EXPRESS The Red Deer Construction Association (RDCA) continues to broaden its scope in terms of offering a ‘collective voice for the commercial and industrial construction industry’ across Central Alberta. The RDCA is dedicated to providing effective representation and quality services to its member firms who are general contractors, trade contractors, manufacturers and suppliers of goods and services to the industry. The roots of the organization stretch back to the 1950s, when, according to the Association, managing the growth of the City remained a major challenge. “With projects such as the Penhold Air Base in 1951, a wave of oil patch activity in the outlying areas including Joffre, Sylvan Lake and Eckville, as well as the new Deerhome Institution (part of the Michener Centre) caused strain on existing processes and created a new way of thinking on how the City operated. “The need to provide a more organized structure to the construction industry was being discussed, including standards and access to plans and streamlined tendering.” In 1957, the Red Deer Building Exchange was established and later, on March 22nd, 1965, the Red Deer Builder’s Exchange became the Red Deer Construction Association (RDCA). “There was a real need for more structure, more policy and more consistent guidelines for people to follow to how tendering projects were rolled out,” explained Gary Gies, the Association’s executive director, of those early days. “And that really was the genesis of the Association.” Currently, the RDCA serves more than 300 members across various trade and associate companies. Members are represented provincially through the Alberta Construction Association (ACA) and federally by the
Canadian Construction Association. opportunities through technology to help The RDCA also covers one of the largest our members become more efficient at sections of the province extending from what they do. Red Deer west to the B.C. border and east “The project management for constructo the Saskatchewan bortion course at the Red der. It also covers the areas Deer College is an absolute north to Wetaskiwin and win for our local people south to Olds. because they don’t have to “WE OFFER As officials point out, the travel - they can get certiOVER 60 SAFETY construction industry is fied (here). The whole idea evolving and dynamic. really is raising the level of CLASSES HERE “We represent the comstandards locally.” A YEAR - RIGHT mercial construction arm That in turn can open HERE IN OUR of Central Alberta,” he said. doors far more broadly as OFFICE. WE ALSO “Really, our mandate is to well. “There are opportugrow our members’ bottom nities everywhere.” OFFER OUR lines. “And all the courses we OWN SPECIFIC “We do that through speput on here are Gold Seal INDUSTRYcific priorities - one being accredited.” business opportunities. There are also a number RELATED We offer tendering project of seminars offered, often CONSTRUCTION information, we offer netvia the associate memCOURSES.” working opportunities,” he bers. said, adding there are also “There are workshops on a range of safety and edufinancial planning, investGARY GIES cation programs available ing, legal issues, contracts as well. - those types of things. So “We offer over 60 safety those again are educating classes here a year - right here in our of- our members.” fice. We also offer our own specific indusUltimately, the Association exists to try-related construction courses,” he said. serve its members by displaying plans “We also partner with schools across and information on current projects in Central Alberta at this point in time where the industry; by acting as their collective we (provide) ‘Try a Trade’ opportunities. voice on issues of concern and by proWe also have a program that we are run- moting standards, education and comning right now where we take teachers on munication in an effort to benefit the their professional development days onto industry and society. construction sites to help get them better Kelly Slepicka, board president, said exposed to the construction industry,” he it’s also about building credibility, which explained. “The feedback is phenomenal.” bolsters a company’s ability in bidding to Gies also emphasized the Association’s local contractors. role of serving as an advocate for the local commercial construction industry as well. “As an Association we are very progressive. We are creating more educational opportunities for our members. “We’ve just partnered with Red Deer College on a project management program. Technology-wise, through the new web site, we’re trying to create more
Gies agreed. “It’s about supporting the industry locally. “We also have an associate membership level. I like to refer to it as a community. Because our construction companies utilize automotive, legal, financial and HR - we all have that as an Associate membership. It’s all about doing business. “There’s that business connection.” The Association also features what is called COOLNet which Gies described as an online tendering program. “It’s operated by eight local associations across the province,” he said. “It’s our number one service.” According to the Association’s Central Alberta Builder publication, “It truly is the number one source for online construction opportunities in Central Alberta. “Our members alone log over 20,000 hours per year accessing plans, documents and information on various projects.” The RDCA is also proud to have awarded scholarships to member company apprentices for over 10 years. The application process opens up in May of each year. Meanwhile, things continue to move along at a brisk pace across the industry overall. “Commercial construction is always long-term - there’s a bigger scope to it,” he said. “We’ve also gone from about 3,300 projects a couple of years ago to 4,100 last year, and we are looking at considerably higher. Those are all opportunities province-wide for commercial construction contractors. “The overall consensus is that everyone is steady.” editor@reddeerexpress.com
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403.343.FOOD(3663) CONSTRUCTING COMMUNITY - Gary Gies and Kelly Slepicka of the Red Deer Construction Assocation explain there are many aspects to the organization from industry training, connecting businesses and partnering with community outlets to build a stronger and more efficient commercial construction community. Kalisha Mendonsa/Red Deer Express
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10 RED DEER EXPRESS
SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
Red Deer Bolt provides top service at reasonable prices BY ZACHARY CORMIER RED DEER EXPRESS If you need a nut, bolt or fastener for one of your projects — large or small — Red Deer Bolt Ltd. is the place to find what you’re looking for. The business has been around in the community since 2004 and has become fairly well known in Red Deer’s industrial community. Despite that, though, there aren’t a lot of Red Deerians who could tell you exactly where the business is on a map. “A lot of people are still finding us and wondering, ‘Hey, how long have you been in town?’ And we’re like, ‘12 years.’ It kind of shocks a lot of people,” laughed Red Deer Bolt Owner Kevin Hounsome during an interview at the Red Deer Bolt storefront, which is located at 4731 61 St. just off Riverside Drive. Hounsome said part of the reason not a lot of people know where the Red Deer Bolt Ltd. store front is is because he and his team prefer to be out in the community. “We’ve always approached the customer
EXPERIENCE - The staff at Red Deer Bolt Ltd. posed for a photo in the store on 61 St. in Red Deer recently. Zachary Cormier/Red Deer Express base that we have as that we would prefer to go out and see them in their location versus them coming here. So we have
been going out and doing the sales calls. Because of the fact that we’re trying to sell customers product in their buildings, that’s one of the reasons that not a lot of people know that we’re here,” he said. Hounsome, who is a Red Deer College alumnus, said he started the business after working in concrete for a number of years. “I was basically desperate for a job 20-someodd years ago and ended up in the concrete world. And in the concrete world I ended up selling a lot of anchoring systems and nuts and bolts. So I’ve been in it for about 23 years now,” he remembered adding that between him and his two full-time employees, customers of Red Deer Bolt have more than 50 years of experience at their disposal. Beyond nuts and bolts and fasteners, Red Deer Bolt Ltd. also carries a number of other items that one wouldn’t necessarily associate with a company that specializes in the ubiquitous fastener system. “If we’re doing sales in the customers’ locations and asking them, ‘Hey, is there anything that you need that we can get for you?’ If they were to ask us for really odd things, we would attempt to go out
and source them and bring them in at a cost-effective price,” Hounsome explained. “I’ve always said that if somebody was willing to buy live chickens from me, I’d go out and find a source. Whatever they need, I will try and find it.” That flexibility and adaptability is part of the reason that Red Deer Bolt has been able to grow so much as a business from day one. “Yes, there’s a lot of things in here that you don’t normally correspond with a bolt store, but it’s just us trying to supply what our industrial customers will buy.” Another thing that makes Red Deer Bolt unique is that they don’t have to buy from one vendor, so they have the freedom to find the most cost-effective price for their customers. “I can look around and find the lowest possible prices and offer those to my customers. That’s the beauty of being a small independent is that I can look around and find the best possible price and then use that source. Finding the best possible source just allows us to be competitive even though we are a small independent.” zcormier@reddeerexpress.com
Customized IT services at Flexxcore Technology Solutions BY ERIN FAWCETT RED DEER EXPRESS Red Deer’s newest tech start-up is seeing much success in their first 10 months of business. Flexxcore Technology Solutions offers everything from Office 365 to Cloud Solutions for businesses of any size as well as non-profit groups and organizations with any kind of budget. “Really what we’re trying to do is to help companies get to the Cloud,” said President/CEO Jared Sayers. “The challenges of today and with today’s environment it’s different, you can’t do business the same old way.” VP Client Fulfillment Jenny
Magnuson added the Cloud can be compared to electricity. “The idea is that it is always there and you take as much as you need when you need it. The advantage when you look at that now in technology is that you don’t have to pay for a $25,000 or $100,000 server to meet your business needs. You can gear up or draw back when you need it. You only pay for what you use. That is one of the big benefits of the Cloud.” Amy Komarniski, sales lead, added there are many aspects that set Flexxcore apart. “We offer a very partnership-based model. We sit down with the organizations that we are working with, work through where
their business flow is and what their obstacles are, and together come up with the best strategy as a partner,” she said. Although Alberta’s economy has been on the downturn for nearly two years, Kormarniski said Flexxcore is using it as an opportunity. “It is a hard story for a lot of people right now. There is no question the economy is having an impact on everyone. The opportunity for us is companies are looking at how to do more with less and technology solutions is one of those areas that can be leveraged to help organizations figure out what that recipe is, how to become productive which much smaller budgets and
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with staff that need to be utilized to be able to do different things. There is a bit of an opportunity there for us,” she said. “People are looking at a new way to do business and that is where our organization fits in really nicely.” As for doing business in Red Deer, Sayers said there is no where else he would rather be. “This is our chance to give back to a community that has been really good to us and it’s our chance to foster and incubate some of these new clients and new companies that are just starting up,” he said. “Anybody can throw technology at a company, but is it really working for that company? And is it
TEAMWORK - From left, Amy Komarniski, sales lead, Jared Sayers, president/CEO and Jenny Magnuson, VP client fulfillment, stand in the Flexxcore Technology Solution’s downtown office. Kalisha Mendonsa/Red Deer Express providing value and helping them grow the business? That is our chance to give
back to the community and make those partnerships.” efawcett@reddeerexpress.com
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
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Zone 3 Business Solutions keeps pace with latest industry demands BY KALISHA MENDONSA RED DEER EXPRESS Zone 3 Business Solutions offers a huge variety of state-of-the-art products that are helping to meet the needs of many small to mid-size businesses. They offer multi-function devices, printers, postage equipment and even production print services as well as technical services for each product. Zone 3 also covers IT services, point-of-sale technology and basic office supplies. “We really are a one-stop shop for whatever your office needs are. From supplies of ink, paper and toner right up to equipment, software and IT services,” said Terry Coleman, a Zone 3 Business Solutions consultant. “We’ve got everything from sales to service, installation and training - really, anything that someone would require in their office equipment. We’ve got photocopiers, wide-format machines, point-ofsale systems and even postal equipment. There isn’t much we don’t supply.” Formerly operated as Independent Business Products, the company was aquired by Zone 3 Business Solutions in April of 2014. Darryl Graham started Zone 3, incorporating his sons to create a family business and he currently oversees operations from the main office in Calgary. Since 2014, Zone 3 has expanded the product line and diversified services, all while maintaining an excellent level of service to their customers, from sales to software.
Coleman has been a part of Red Deer for many years and said he’s been extremely proud to grow the company alongside the City. “When I first came to town, there were 55,000 people,” Coleman said with a laugh. “We try to keep up with the growth in town, but also have been able to keep many long-term customers. We are a service-based company and I believe customers appreciate what we can bring to their businesses. “With the acquistion of Independent Business Products by Zone 3, it has diversified our operations here in Red Deer by a great deal. Before, we were really only dealing with fax machines, photocopiers, printers - those basic things. What Zone 3 has brought to us is our point-of-sale systems (computerized cash registers), wide format printing (larger than 11 x 17 or standard sizes) and production units for other printing services.” Coleman said he’s glad Zone 3 has been able to elevate their services and continue to develop as a key member in Red Deer’s business industry. He said the group covers everything a business could need, from point-of-sale (cash register and purchasing technologies) to solutions for business workflow. Zone 3 Business Solutions even offers equipment-lease opportunities, and product and office management for its clients as well. In addition to helping out local professionals, Zone 3 Business Solutions also maintains a long-standing tradition of community engagement.
TOP SERVICE - Terry Coleman has been with Zone 3 Business Solutions (formerly Independent Business Products) for many years and has been proud to see the development in products and services that Zone 3 is able to offer to clients. Kalisha Mendonsa/Red Deer Express “We’ve been heavily involved with the Central Alberta Ronald McDonald House since its inception. We’ve also done sponsorship with the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and are involved with the Red Deer Food Bank,” Coleman said. “Giving back to the community is at the heart of those relationships. They all do so many good things, but we in particular are close with the Ronald McDonald
House. We’ve had members of our team involved with that house in their personal lives, and we’ve been a sponsor of that local branch in our professional lives since the opening of that facility. “I love Red Deer,” Coleman added. “It’s got everything you could want or need, and keeping the pace with growth in Red Deer has been great for us.” kmendonsa@redeeerexpress.com
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12 RED DEER EXPRESS
SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
Business of the Year Finalists
1-10 employees
Master Rim is always continuing to aim higher When Master Rim came to Red Deer in 2008, he didn’t know a single person. He started a small Taekwondo studio in the basement of a building downtown, with two siblings as students. From these humble beginnings, Master Rim has truly built an empire. But, if you asked him, he would tell you that his empire is not in his 10,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility on Gasoline Alley, his additional studios in Airdrie and SW Calgary, with a total of over 1,400 Master Rim students; nor would it be the fact that instructors from all over come to learn from him, or that he travels the world teaching his craft, or that he is continuously training world champions. Master Rim believes his biggest blessing and true success lies in the friendships he has built in Red Deer. “The people in Red Deer are so welcoming and I have really good friends, even closer to me than my
cousins,” he says. “I love the nature and the size of the City. I travel a lot all over the country, but I am proud to call Red Deer home. The people here have blessed me greatly, and I am obligated to give back to this wonderful community.” And he indeed does give back. Master Rim not only helps young people to use Taekwondo to increase their confidence and prevent bullying; he and his instructors also train wheelchair athletes, and persons with intellectual disabilities. In fact, they recently took a group of students to the INAS (International Association of Sport for para-athletes) Global Games in Ecuador, where they earned three medals – one gold, and two silver. Master Rim trains these students at no charge, as a way of giving back to the community. And he is not slowing down any time soon. His plans include building a school in Nepal next year. Once built, he will take
students over there on short-term mission trips, where they can help train others in Taekwondo and work to improve the lives of Nepalese children.
“As a master, but always a student, of the martial arts, I am always aiming higher,” says Master Rim. “I’m very blessed, but there is always more we can do.”
Jo(e) Social Media creates social media wins for everyone In 2012, Joe Whitbread and Jo Phillips sat on the Ross Street Patio having coffee and dreaming about a world where businesses and individuals, including children and youth, understood the ‘how and why’ of social media. The idea for a business was born, and in November of that year, Jo(e) Ideas for Business opened. However, the demand for support related to social media and its unique aspects was immediate, large, and growing. The Jo(e)s honed their focus and incorporated as Jo(e) Social Media Inc. in 2016. “The growth potential for social media is phenomenal,” says Whitbread. “Social media is only around
13-years-old, but social media marketing is really six or seven, so in its infancy. The horizon is pretty wide open, and because it’s still so new, businesses and individuals can all benefit from some guidance and support.” Jo(e) Social Media Inc. has found a niche training businesses to develop and manage creative content on social media – or they can provide that as a service, if desired – and has steadily grown over the past four years, hiring additional writers, business managers and other creatives. Their current office is in downtown Red Deer, on Ross Street, right above the exact spot where the idea was first formed.
“We love doing business in Red Deer,” says Phillips. “People here are more open, less rigid and ‘stuffy’, and business is done through relationship. It really suits our style.” Though the main concentration of their clients are in Central Alberta, they also provide services to businesses across Alberta and Canada. In 2014, they began speaking in schools about digital citizenship and social safety online, giving kids, teachers and parents a new resource for a complicated and unguided subject. This area of focus is rapidly expanding, as the need is great and most schools have little to no policy or training for
children and youth on this important subject. They do a lot of volunteer work and
sponsorship in schools and will continue to pursue these training opportunities to help
improve the social media experience for young people, while keeping them safe.
Let dogs just be dogs at the Freedom House Kerrie Meadows always had a passion for dogs, and had a dream to create a space for them where they would not spend their time locked in kennels, but have a space created for them where canine behavior would be understood, and where they could spend their time engaging, socializing, learning and playing. Meadows opened Freedom House in November 2010, in a small industrial bay with about 100 clients. Since then, the business has grown into a space of over 6,000 sq. ft., with a client base of over 2,700. Freedom House offers doggy day care, boarding services, retail pet food and supplies, and grooming. When visitors drop in, they might be surprised to see dogs enjoying couches, beds, a water fountain and play structures. They’ll also be surprised to find that there is little to no barking. “A constantly barking dog is a stressed dog,” explains Meadows. “We will work
with a dog when they first come in, for as long as it takes, to get them happy and comfortable with their surroundings.” Freedom House ensures that the dogs in their care have a great deal of structure in their day. Qualified staff work using a ‘pack’ approach to socialize and exercise the dogs, also giving leash training and providing one-on-one care as needed. The business has grown through word of mouth, has become one of the most popular, sought after dog care centres in Red Deer. “You know you’re doing something right when the veterinarians in town bring their dogs to you,” says partner Darrell White. White says the secret is in the team. “Kerrie lives and breathes her passion for dogs,” he says. “So we make sure we bring in team members who are not only qualified to do the work, but are as passionate about the pups as Kerrie. That comes out in everything we do here.”
Manager Chrissy Wilson took her passion to a new level when she discovered that her dog, Gremlin, had a medical condition called megaesophagus, which required him to have a special piece of equipment
called a Bailey Chair. She now organizes fundraisers for Bailey Chairs, as well as for other animal needs, including helping Red Deerians cover the cost of ACL surgery, amongst other community endeavours.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
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Business of the Year Finalists
RED DEER EXPRESS 13
11-20 employees
Massive potential unlocked at Locked Down Room When Tammy Oliver-McCurdie found herself locked in an escape room in Calgary in the spring of 2015, she was immediately hooked. She went home to Sylvan Lake and spent the next few months writing a business plan. She and her husband Ken, along with another investor, gathered a crack team of family and friends to design, build, manage and staff Lockdown Escape Rooms Red Deer Inc. (LDERI). They opened their first location on Oct. 15th, 2015. “We were extremely surprised by the immediate, overwhelming demand,” says Oliver-McCurdie. “We were turning customers away pretty much from the outset.” The crew set to work building a second location behind ABC Country Restaurant, which opened in August of 2016, as well as another location in Cranbrook, B.C. LDERI now has 20 staff across its locations, and continues to grow and explore new horizons.
Oliver-McCurdie says the top business priority for her is workplace culture. “Good workplace culture translates into a good customer service experience,” she explains. “The more the staff is happy, fun and enthusiastic, the more fun the customer will have.” They empower their staff to work closely with clients to ensure that everyone has a great experience. Lockdown Escape Rooms Inc. also offers corporate team building days, with facilitated sessions after the lockdown experience. Looking to the future, OliverMcCurdie wants to grow that aspect of the business, as well as the opportunity for their top-rated design team to assist with builds as the McCurdies sell franchises across Canada. Cross promotion is an important aspect of being part of the Red Deer business community, according to Oliver-McCurdie, and they are always exploring ways to support the business community and
create mutual wins. LDERI also supports community causes; currently, they are working with United Way of Central Alberta to raise funds for its annual fall campaign.
LDERI has unlocked some tremendous potential for fun and learning in Red Deer and beyond, and will continue to look for growth and collaboration opportunities.
Chopped Canada winner loves to cook at Sophear When Pete Sok was a teen, his family moved from Central Alberta to Ottawa, and lived in a very multicultural neighbourhood. He and his family would throw big parties in the backyard, with food as the central focus. These parties got really popular and many people encouraged Sok in his love for cooking. Moving back to Central Alberta, he worked his way up to general manager at The Keg. Eventually, he wanted his own independent place, so he sold everything he owned and went for a year to culinary school in Australia. The Sok family has been successfully operating the Blue Dragon Restaurant for a number of years, and has now expanded their presence to include Sophear Restaurant and Bamboo Hut in Sylvan Lake. “Cambodian food is not that well known in Central Alberta. People are becoming more familiar and comfortable with Thai
and Vietnamese food, so we are blending Cambodian food into the menu,” says Sok. “It’s very important to us to offer authentic Southeast Asian food in a comfortable environment, and we think we’re doing that at Sophear.” Sok says he endeavours to have a family atmosphere within the staff team, and hopes that translates into the customer experience. “I want our customers to come in and feel like the staff are all just like cousins they haven’t met yet.” Sok extends that family feeling to the independent business community in Red Deer and Central Alberta. “I love the collaboration in the business community. Even in the restaurant business, instead of being cut-throat competitors, we’re always looking for ways to help each other and work together so we can all win,” says Sok. You’ll find the Sophear crew cooking or donating their time at many community events, sponsoring for charity and being
active community supporters. As for what’s next, Sok says he wants Sophear to grow and become self-sustaining so he can get out and do more public service, charity events, and public speaking. He’d like to expand the Sophear menu to a food
truck. He’s also been doing a lot of private dining room bookings with a ‘blind menu’. “I love being able to get creative and really see the awe in people’s faces when they taste my food,” he says. “I want people to say, ‘Let’s go eat with Chef Pete.’”
The good ol’ hockey game is a community gathering place When Brent Sutter retired from playing NHL hockey in 1998, he knew he still wanted to stay in the game. In 1999, he purchased the Red Deer Rebels hockey franchise, which came to Red Deer in 1992 and was originally owned by the Simpson family. Over the years, the Rebels team has established itself as a beloved staple of the community. “People have options for where they want to put their entertainment dollars,” says Merrick Sutter, senior vice president. “We know we have to provide an experience, first class and professionally presented. At the same time, though, a big part of what we do is provide a fun gathering place for the community, and Central Alberta has really responded to that.” The Red Deer Rebels take young people who are both athletes and students, and work to prepare them for professional life, be that in the professional hockey world or elsewhere, while providing Central
Albertans with a first class sports entertainment experience. As such, the franchise’s commitment to professionalism permeates every aspect of the organization from, “The way we treat the players to the way we treat our employees and our fans, to our 36 game nights, to our involvement in the community,” says Merrick. The Rebels organization is always working to tweak and improve the experience for fans, and also to find meaningful ways to be part of the community. “We constantly ask ourselves what we can do, what role we can play, to enhance life in Central Alberta,” Merrick says. “We know that the Rebels’ presence in Red Deer definitely contributes to the economic vitality of the Red Deer region, and we also have our mental health initiative, school visits, minor hockey and community sponsorships. We are part of this community in every way and these are the things that matter to us and make life
better for everyone.” He hopes that, as a young, forward-thinking and growing community, fans from across Central Alberta will continue to gather 36 nights a year for many years to
come. “It’s so great to walk the concourse on game nights and see so many friends and neighbours. No matter how much the region grows, we still have that small town charm and strong community.”
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Business of the Year Finalists
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
21+ employees
Paul Davis Systems restores peace and home When disaster strikes, Paul Davis Red Deer is there to restore homes and peace of mind to home owners. When Greg Davey bought the company in 2003, there were six employees focused solely on disaster mitigation and restoration. Davey believes that the strong commitment to customer care and service has been a major factor in the growth of the business, which now employs 45, as well as dozens of sub trades. “When people call us, it’s usually because something unfortunate has happened,” explains Davey. “Our customers are often upset in those moments. Our job is to have empathy and build trust; we do that through careful attention to detail, taking great care of their personal property and ensuring that we are as fast and unobtrusive as possible in the process.” Paul Davis Red Deer is all about problem solving and having the right people for the right job. “Training and certification is an
integral part of our culture,” says Davey. “We pride ourselves on ensuring we have a comprehensive range of restoration experts in everything from property restoration and contents cleaning, to reconstruction or remodeling after fire, flood, or mould. “It’s really not just about the carpet or the drywall. It’s about ensuring our customers feel supported throughout the process. Our people have to make judgment calls all the way along in these projects so we always ask ourselves, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’ Once we answer that question, the tough decisions become easy.” Davey believes that business is all about relationships, and he appreciates the relational culture within the Red Deer business community. “Red Deer people are personable,” he says. “I really enjoy being able to foster that personal connection. A lot of business is done by technology these days,
but in our case it is nice to be able to run down to a supplier or adjustor and have a
face-to-face. The size and culture of Red Deer makes that possible.”
Commitment makes Holiday Inn and Suites South number one From the moment one walks into the lobby of the Holiday Inn and Suites South Red Deer, the commitment to elegance and style is evident. Sleek and clean lines, high ceilings and inviting but not overpowering décor marks the first impression. The second impression is often one of the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff team. Owner Shazma Charania says that is no accident. “My father brought his passion for hospitality with him from East Africa to Canada, and that passion has marked our lives and perspectives as a family ever since,” she notes. “My parents built a strong, close-knit family, and built a legacy that has extended to the staff team at every one of our hotels. We believe we are successful because we give back to our team, and so they take ownership of the work and they give back to the hotel. It shows in the atmosphere.” One of three Red Deer hotels for Charania and the ownership group, which will be-
come four in the not too distant future, Charania says the combination of the beautiful design and décor and the positive atmosphere have led the hotel to become the number one Holiday Inn in Canada. Charania sees Red Deer’s central location between Alberta’s two large urban centres as ideal. The City’s high standards for infrastructure and community beauty, as well as the great business support from the Chamber of Commerce and the business community as a whole makes doing business in Red Deer a pleasure. “The local support is just fantastic,” says Charania. “People are committed to shopping local and supporting each other to succeed.” Charania’s commitment to excellence and enhancing the Red Deer experience led to a decision to bring world-renowned chef Emmanuel David to the hotel’s Boulevard Restaurant & Lounge. In addition to his culinary genius, he shares Charania’s passion for giving people a caring, personal-
ized experience and guests will often find him at their table, checking on their meal and chatting. He, too, can be found giving generously to local charities. ZS Holdings, the parent company for the
Holiday Inn and Suites Red Deer South, has plans to continue growing, currently building a Holiday Inn Express on Orr Drive, and soon to start on Staybridge Red Deer North, an extended stay hotel.
Buy a car your way at Kipp Scott GMC Cadillac Buick Businesses that have stood the test of time have often done so because they know how to honour the past but evolve for the future. Although Kipp Scott GMC Cadillac Buick was started in 1968 by ‘Kipp’ (Griffith) Scott and the family is proud of the longevity of their business and its rich heritage, grandson Garrett Scott is definitely not resting on his laurels. Over the years the Scottsville Group has grown and taken on other dealerships as part of their automotive group, as well as the development of other business partnerships within the automotive industry across the country. “No matter how much we grow and move forward, though, we are always committed to Red Deer as our home town,” says Garrett. “We love north Red Deer. It is home for us, and we do all we can to make it the best neighbourhood to live and do business in.” He says giving to the community and doing business in Red Deer is a great
pleasure because, even though the community continues to grow, people still do business with people. Business is done through relationships, and Red Deerians develop strong business and personal relationships. Kipp Scott continuously shows its commitment to north Red Deer by working to improve the community. Their current charity focus is on children and youth. They sponsor food programs at Normandeau School and recently built a new kitchen in the school. Kipp Scott intends to be part of the Red Deer fabric for many years to come, which means they must adapt to new realities, employ new technology, and work to constantly ensure their team is well-trained and that their clients have a great experience. As the dealership looks to the future, they are working to simplify their processes without losing the personal touch. “We are always innovating and looking
for ways to be industry leaders. It’s a great business, but it’s really our amazing team that makes it all come together. Success would be nearly impossible without our
great team. People want to buy a vehicle from a dealership they know they can trust, and our people are committed to selling vehicles they would buy themselves.”
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SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
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Nominees for Young Entrepreneur Award Up close and personal with food at Steel Pony Farms In the early 2000s, Mike Kozlowski had an epiphany of sorts, after eating dinner at the table of a farming family in Kenya. As they ate, Mike was asked to describe his farm in Canada. When he told them that he was a ‘city boy’ and got his food from the grocery store, they were shocked. They asked him to describe farming in Canada; he couldn’t do that, either. “That night, as I lay in bed it struck me that, as a well-rounded human being, perhaps I should know more about where my food comes from. When I returned to Canada, I set out to learn as much as I could.” After a few years in Ontario and Quebec, learning, taking internships, and gaining hands-on experience, he decided it was time to return to Central Alberta. While the concept of Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs), where membership entitles customers to a weekly or bi-weekly order of fresh produce, is not new, Kozlowski has taken the concept to new levels. Using largely social media alone to
spread the word, he has grown his local food initiative, Steel Pony Farms, to more than 200 clients. Soon, he has plans to implement high tech software programs with algorithms that track customer preferences, which will help customers enjoy a customized experience. Kozlowski says that, in his industry, transparency is key. It’s important that people know that their produce may not look as ‘pretty’ when pesticides are not used. Although some feel that, in agriculture, there is a need for chemicals, Kozlowski is committed to offering produce that is completely chemical-free. He believes that people need and increasingly want, to be given honest information up front so they can make informed decisions. Collaborating with local chefs who use Steel Pony produce in their restaurant dishes is “so much fun,” says Kozlowski and something he hopes to do more. As the local food industry continues to gain momentum in Alberta, he hopes to grow his business to be able to
offer year-round CSA packages and stake land to others who would like to join him in this journey. “When I first told people I was going to do this, they thought I was crazy,” he laughs.
“To be recognized as a potential business of the year just shows how far this concept has come and that thinking around how and where people source their food is changing. It’s great!”
Bower Ponds Recreation builds community For the five summers of Jonathan Strome’s life in middle school, he worked at the paddle boat rental at Bower Ponds. After he had moved onto high school and was working elsewhere. The owners approached his family about buying the business. That was eight and a half years ago and though Strome became the fulltime manager of the business about 18 months ago, the family all continues to make contributions of their time and skills in a variety of ways. “I think our family unit is a model of how community ought to function,” says Strome. “Everyone needs to feel like they are part of something, and that they have a contribution to make. We strive to create space and activities that foster that sense of community. We want people to say, at the end of a summer, that some of their best memories were made at Bower Ponds.” The Stromes have significantly expanded their recreational offerings and di-
versified the business streams in many respects, making the recreation area at Bower Ponds a thriving hub of activity. “We’ve introduced water balls and, more recently, long boards,” Strome explains. “We also purchased the Chedda’ Heads food truck and incorporated that into our café menu and then introduced Pond Doggies, Red Deer’s favourite gourmet hot dogs.” Bower Ponds Recreation also boasts a popular games room, where community members of all ages can gather to play board games and enjoy each other’s company. The goal is to keep the centre open year-round and offer the community a great place to gather and to be active. Strome is also organizing fun events, like the three recent Pokemon Go events, which were attended by over 4,000 people. Strome says it’s easy to build community in Red Deer, where the business community is so supportive and engaged. “In Red
Deer, that old fashioned cut-throat competition thing is fading away. Other businesses are not just cheering us on from the sidelines; they are actively, meaning-
fully supporting our business, almost like partners, helping us succeed. We love that attitude and we support them right back, knowing that together, we all win.”
Empringham entrepreneur gets early start By the time Rio Empringham was 15, he’d been working and engaging in business activities for a long time. “I worked for my parents in their construction business. I had a paper route, then started flipping vehicles.” In the spring of 2012, he had saved up enough money to buy four bins and his parents signed for a truck loan, and thus began Empringham Disposal. “I drove my garbage truck to school at Hunting Hills every day and that big thing took up four spaces,” laughs Empringham. “I’m pretty sure the school was glad to see me finish and get my truck out of the parking lot.” This is what he wants to do. He loves being in business and enjoys focusing his efforts on providing the best possible customer care. Over the last four and a half years, his company has grown to over 200 bins and four trucks, providing service to construction sites, commercial sites, and now starting in residential service all
across Central Alberta. He says what matters to him most in business is delivering on his promises and building a solid reputation as a company that offers good value and is always true to its word. “We are committed to fair pricing,” he says. “Of course I want to grow and expand, but it’s much more important that I always maintain that personalized, excellent customer service. I never want to get so big that I forget to take care of my customers.” He learned his entrepreneurial ways and good values from his parents, who own a construction company, and from his grandpa, who first put the Empringham name on a truck. “My grandpa had a company in Regina called ‘Empringham Catering’ and later he owned a restaurant there. I think he would be proud to see the Empringham name still on the side of a truck, still carrying on that entrepreneurial spirit.”
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SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
Central Alberta Hay Centre tops in quality customer service BY ZACHARY CORMIER RED DEER EXPRESS Central Alberta Hay Centre has been operating in the City of Red Deer for more than 30 years, but it still remains one of the number one sources in Central Alberta for short line farm equipment. In true Albertan fashion, the Hay Centre, which is located on 67 Ave. in north Red Deer, was originally conceived of and started in the basement of the Great Feeds grain elevator by original owner Sam Dixon and his business partner. “My dad started the business with a partner in 1983. When he started it he was focused on two different manufacturers Vermeer Bailers and Haybuster Bail Processing Equipment,” recalled Sam’s son Ed Dixon, who now is the majority owner of the Hay Centre, which specializes in haying equipment of all kinds. “He built the business over the next few years with his partner Percy, but Percy had to leave the business because of illness. So dad ran it alone through the 80s, through the 90s and I didn’t come into the picture until sometime in 1998,” Ed said. By the time Ed came into the picture, the Hay Centre had established themselves as a short line equipment dealer, which
SERVING THE REGION - The Central Alberta Hay Centre is in its 32nd year in Central Alberta. Rob Wallator photo
means that they don’t sell main lines such as John Deere, Case or New Holland. Instead, they focus on specialized companies that excel in certain areas, such as round bail-
ers, cutting equipment or bailing equipment. “Today, it’s about relationships completely. You have better relationships with smaller suppliers. It lets you control your destiny.
It lets you diversify, so that in years like this year when nobody can get their hay up, we have special equipment lines that deal with that situation,” Ed said of why the company has main-
tained its focus on the smaller manufacturers all these years. He added that over the years, the company has seen a lot of changes in Red Deer. “We’ve been in this location for over 25 years. We were in the middle of a field with nothing around us. Now we’re in the hub of an industrial area, and the population probably would have went from somewhere near 45,000 to 50,000 all the way up to the 100,000 it is now.” Over the years, the Hay Centre has become part of the agriculture community as more than just a dealership. Ed said the dealership tries to participate in Agri-Trade every year and the company is a huge supporter of 4-H programs in Central Alberta. “The youth in farming is something I’m very interested in. It’s become increasingly harder for families to keep their kids on the farm, there’s so many opportunities,” he said. “We’d love to see more families stick with it, so 4-H is something we’d love to be more involved with. It’s a great opportunity but the support doesn’t have much to do with pride, it has more to do with seeing that industry get passed on to the next generation, just like our business got passed on to my generation.” zcormier@reddeerexpress.com
SMALL BUSINESS THRIVES IN RED DEER COUNTY
www.rdcounty.ca
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
RED DEER EXPRESS 17
SPONSORS Diamond BDC is the Business Development Bank of Canada. From over 100 offices across the country, BDC promotes entrepreneurship by providing highly tailored financing, venture capital and consulting services to entrepreneurs. A financial institution owned by the Government of Canada, BDC has been serving Canadian entrepreneurs for more than 66 years. Our team helps more than 29,000 businesses reach their full potential. As a complementary lender, we offer loans and investments that supplement services available from commercial financial institutions. We put special focus on SMEs in sectors such as manufacturing, exporting, innovation and knowledge-based industries. We pay particular attention to start-ups, innovators, fast growth companies, manufacturers and exporters. We also focus on entrepreneurs who are working to commercialize the fruits of R&D to create innovative products and globally successful companies. We put entrepreneurs’ success at the heart of all we do.
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KG Country 95.5 and Zed 98.9 is proud to support small businesses in Red Deer & Central Alberta and wish to extend congratulations to the 2016 nominees for Business Of The Year. To be nominated is truly an honour as the Business of the Year Awards represent the very best Central Alberta has to offer. From exceptional customer service to community involvement, being a business is more than a 9 to 5 job. It takes dedication, innovation, and a strong community spirit to be successful. To all nominees, thank you for making Red Deer and Central Alberta a great place to live, work, and play. We also like to thank the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce for raising awareness and highlight-
ing such excellence in our business community.
Promising a better reader experience, the Red Deer Advocate’s new website is here. Readers will love the cleaner and fresher look. The site promises greater ease of use with simple menus and functions. Publisher Mary Kemmis said the Advocate has been growing with the City of Red Deer for 109 years. “Through that time we’ve supported the efforts of countless community leaders and organizations to make Red Deer the vibrant, people-focused place it is today,” she said. “We give back to our community in a multitude of ways including sponsorship of community events and fundraisers and hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years in free advertising.” We n dy M o o r e, Advertising manager said we are excited to have new options available to meet advertisers specific needs with high impact solutions in addition to standard run of site placements. Kemmis said the updates will allow Red Deerians to get their news online, via mobile, desktop and tablet as it happens from Red Deer’s most trusted news source. “Today’s reader is busier than ever and wants to access the information that’s relevant to their lives on a variety of platforms.” “And for those who want to take a little more time, we have our printed newspaper, which includes special features that will only be available in-paper,” she said. “All this in addition to our active social media presence.”
Gold As Alberta’s largest benefits carrier, Alberta Blue Cross provides supplementary health and dental benefits to meet the needs of more than 1.6 million Albertans. As central Alberta’s leading group benefit provider, we offer plans for companies ranging from two employees to thousands with plans that strike a balance of flexibility and cost control. As an employer, you know that your employees are your company’s most valuable asset. Your group
benefit plan protects this asset by helping your employees stay healthy and productive. However, you also know that no two employees have the same benefit needs. To meet these diverse needs, Alberta Blue Cross group benefit plans provide levels of structured flexibility including a range of benefit options and differing levels of coverage. Our plans provide industry-leading cost management by keeping costs down to ensure your plan remains viable on a long‐term basis. The Alberta Blue Cross commitment to cost effectiveness ensures you get the best value for your benefit dollars, including best price agreements with all Alberta pharmacies; fixed bases of payment for dental claims; billing agreements with health providers; and a stringent system of checks and balances.
Celebrate and support Small Businesses in our community for all that they contribute. A summary of the past year from TD Economics speaks to the challenges we’ve faced this past year: The Alberta economy was hard hit this year, with the wildfires around Fort McMurray taking a significant chunk out of economic output during the second quarter. This development, together with the ongoing reverberations on spending and investment from the low oil price environment, will leave the provincial economy 3% smaller this year. Employment losses in Alberta have pushed the provincial unemployment to a two decade high with joblessness reaching double-digits for the first time in Red Deer on severe job cuts. The good news is that the worst is in the rear view mirror for both Red Deer and Alberta. With oil production having been restored by July, and reconstruction efforts already underway, the second half of the year promises to be better. Reconstruction in Fort McMurray will continue into next year. This, in combination with rising oil production from new oil sands projects set to come online later this year and in 2017, will be key in bringing Alberta’s economy out of recession. Indeed, economic growth
is expected to rise above 2% in 2017 and 2018.
X-cel, by choice, is not trying to be the biggest telecommunications company on the planet; instead, we are determined to be the best. Raising the bar of performance is intrinsic to our culture. Whether in research and development, sales, or service, if there is a better way, X-cel will find and implement it. Because we are driven to be the best in everything we do, our niche is to provide business owners, telecommunication solutions that work best for their business. Our ability to adapt to change is another integral part of our continued success. X-cel has evolved over the last 9 years from our roots as a simple supplier of telecommunications products. We are continuously exploring new opportunities to leverage our core values across new enterprises that will provide added value to existing customers and open new doors. We believe that our commitment to honouring our core values is directly linked to our success and continued growth.
Hearing Loops Canada is proud to be a authorized/ certified supply, distributor and install company for Contact a loop systems. We supply, install and maintain a unique range of induction loop, speech transfer, queue management and cash handling systems to enable service providers to interact easily with every customer. We bring clear communication and enhanced sound quality to the hard of hearing in all walks of life, from shops and offices, to the largest theatres, auditoriums and sports stadiums. Hear the difference a Loop System makes. Designed for easy set-up and maintenance, the Contact a selection process guarantees you the correct driver for the specific requirements of the area you plan to loop. Unlike other manufacturers, we provide the installer, venue manager and premises owner with a genuine end-to-end solution, covering every aspect
from the meticulous initial technical survey of the location through to ongoing maintenance. We’re active members of the communities we serve. That’s why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind.
Silver The Stantec community unites 22,000 employees working in over 400 locations across six continents. We collaborate across disciplines and industries to bring buildings, energy and resource, environmental, and infrastructure projects to life. Our work - engineering, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management, and project economics, from initial project concept and planning through design, construction, and commissioning - begins at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. Our local strength, knowledge, and relationships, coupled with our world-class expertise, have allowed us to go anywhere to meet our clients’ needs in more creative and personalized ways. With a long-term commitment to the people and places we serve, Stantec has the unique ability to connect to projects on a personal level and advance the quality of life in communities across the globe. Stantec trades on the TSX and the NYSE under the symbol STN.
Central Alberta: Access Prosperity is a not-forprofit economic development organization focused on promoting economic growth in the Central Alberta region. Representing over 40 municipalities in Central Alberta, we focus on - providing support to those local businesses that
are interested in entering the global market; - matching local businesses to potential foreign investors; and - attracting foreign direct investment to the Central Alberta region. The Access Prosperity team is equipped to answer all of your questions about doing business internationally as well as providing connection points locally.
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Friends of Business of the Year Awards
Reaction has been helping businesses in central Alberta succeed for over 8 years with our proven design, development and strategy expertise. We invest fully in our clients because there is no off-theshelf shortcut to what we do. And what do we do? Solve marketing and business problems that span across website design, development, branding, and marketing strategy. Whether you are an established business looking to take those next steps towards growth or your business is just starting out, our process is going to ensure that you succeed. That’s because we don’t succeed unless you do.
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Sportball helps make early athlete development fun BY ZACHARY CORMIER RED DEER EXPRESS Physical literacy is an important part of early childhood development. Kids start to learn the concepts of running, jumping, throwing and catching from a young age, and those baseline skills follow them for the rest of their lives. There’s just one problem, though: how do you get a five-year-old to pay attention long enough to teach them the proper technique for throwing for any length of time? Enter Sportball Red Deer, a physical literacy-based, non-competitive multisport program for kids which takes the ideas presented in established early childhood development models and applies them using fun and games to teach the various baseline skills that are part of physical literacy. “Basically they just get to have a lot of fun and they don’t realize that they’re necessarily learning a bunch of skills or movement patterns for each individual sport that we do,” explained Andrea Flieler, the area manager for Sportball Red Deer and Central Alberta. Flieler, who also works as a mentor coach for Sportball’s programs in the City, said that Sportball Red Deer offers multi-
sport and sport-specific programs and classes for kids ages 16 months all the way up to 12-yearsold and that participants can participate in up to 10 sports per ‘season’.
“BASICALLY THEY JUST GET TO HAVE A LOT OF FUN AND THEY DON’T REALIZE THAT THEY’RE NECESSARILY LEARNING A BUNCH OF SKILLS OR MOVEMENT PATTERNS FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL SPORT THAT WE DO.” ANDREA FLIELER
“This way it helps give them a wider variety to make them more of a well-rounded athlete, per se, or more of a well-rounded person,” she said. At the time of writing, Sportball incorporates 10 different sports into their programs including football, soccer and tennis. But instead of just giving a kid a soccer ball and trying to teach them how to prop-
Altalaw
erly trap a ball, Sportball’s programs boil everything down to basic movements which are taught based on developmental capability and focus more on ‘big kicks’ or ‘goalie kicks’. So the way that they teach a toddler is fundamentally different than the way they teach a 10-year-old. The coaches use simple instructions, key words and clear visual instructions to convey the movements they are teaching and using games to reinforce those skills. “Just skills in general; how to move properly, how to lift properly, which are simple things that some adults don’t even know how to do yet. So turning everything they learn into a game to make it as fun as possible for them,” Flieler said, adding that Sportball’s programs have a number of advantages for a developing athlete. “The advantages for them is that they are going to be more well-rounded, they’re probably going to want to be a little bit more involved in sports as they get older; in some sort of physical aspect that they’re going to get involved in, whether it’s a sport that we teach or it could be that they love running and they want to do running.” The programs also help to build confidence for kids when it comes to try-
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ing new sports or activities. “Through life they’re going to notice that things are going to come easier, physically, to them when it comes to movement. So if you’ve never really played football but with your friends when you’re at the beach one weekend, they want
LITERACY AND LANGUAGE CENTRE
BARRISTERS, SOLICITORS, NOTARIES
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École Barrie Wilson Elementary School.
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FUN AND GAMES - Laney Read, 4, participates in a Sportball Red Deer program outside
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Congratulations to all Nominees & Finalists!
Zachary Cormier/Red Deer Express
to throw a football around. Well, you kind of have the idea to know how to without looking super silly.” Class sizes range from four to five kids all the way up to 20 depending on whether the class is indoor or outdoor, meaning that kids also have the opportunity to play a number of team games throughout the weeks. “We’re not competitive, so it’s not really win or lose soccer games, it’s kind of like ‘well we tried our best, next time we’ll try again,’ and the teams will switch. But they get to work as a team and they get to work with people that they don’t know
because they’re not from their school,” Flieler said. Right now, Sportball Red Deer’s programs are split up into four seasons - summer, spring, winter and fall; but Flieler said the business is looking at moving into a more membership-based system, where parents can buy a yearly membership and get access to any class throughout the year, though nothing’s set in stone. For more information on Sportball Red Deer and its programs, you can visit their web site at https://www.sportball.ca/ red-deer-central-alberta. zcormier@reddeerexpress.com
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SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
RED DEER EXPRESS 19
Central Alberta Film Festival organizers plan for annual festival bers of the community who have something they want to showcase,” Arango said. “We want to bring businesses together Central Alberta Film Festival (CAFF) is continuing to plan for their grand film and prepare a great festival.” Arango said the team is also extremely festival, set to run in February. The CAFF team has also recently un- hopeful towards engaging youth through dergone some expansion in an effort to the Film Festival and the experiences of make the most out of their committee the CAFF team. “I see what we’re doing as a big opporand the gala/festival planned for early 2017. CAFF hosted a workshop and pre- tunity for kids,” she said. “We are here for people view event this month to who have interest in film get people excited about and want to get experience the festival. in film - we are an oppor“CAFF is in a good positunity for that. They can do “WE WANT tion right now. We’ve had that by volunteering and meetings with some peoTO BRING learning with us.” ple from Red Deer College BUSINESSES Mullakady said he’s very and from the City who TOGETHER excited to showcase the have been supportive of our submissions CAFF has redream to get bigger,” said AND PREPARE ceived for the February founder Ranjit Mullakady. A GREAT event. The organization is still FESTIVAL.” “We’ve watched some accepting submissions toreally interesting cinemawards the 2017 festival, tography from our current with information available PATRICIA submissions. The direcat cafilmfestival.ca for subARANGO tion, stories, lighting - it’s mission requirements. all been phenomenal,” he Fellow board member said. Patricia Arango added that “We have a couple of films that were dithe team is constantly seeking new partnerships, sponsors and ideas to make this rected and produced by people from Red Deer, but we’ve also gotten submissions festival a success. “We are looking for people to give us from Lethbridge, Grande Prairie, Stettler advice on how to make this work with the and Calgary. “This year we’re looking for Canadian community. We believe our festival is a very good project for the community. The submissions, and next year we’re lookCity has expressed interest in supporting ing to support internationally-shot films. us because they see we’re trying to bring We’ve got one international film already something good for the community, and from Lebanon, and we’re hoping to get a our larger vision is to support all mem- teaser on our web site of that soon.”
BY KALISHA MENDONSA RED DEER EXPRESS
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COMMUNITY-MINDED - From left, board members Christine Busch, Ranjit Mullakady and Patricia Arango stand together as part of the Central Alberta Film Festival team, which is working hard to prepare for their gala and film festival in February. Kalisha Mendonsa/Red Deer Express Memberships are also being offered for CAFF, which provide members discounts at events and special notifications for member-exclusive content and viewings. Memberships are $100, and Mullakady said he’s hopeful that more and more people will become a part of CAFF. As well, CAFF is working on a project to
get to know the community including film producers, actors, make-up artists, costume designers, editors and more. CAFF is reaching out and encourages the community to come forward and make connections in order to better develop the film industry community in Central Alberta. kmendonsa@reddeerexpress.com
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Mud, Sweat and Gears offers a full range of cycling services Business strives to be accessible to everyone interested in the sport BY ZACHARY CORMIER RED DEER EXPRESS An entrepreneurial spirit was the catalyst that turned Paul Burgess’ passion for trail riding into a career as the owner of his own chain of cycling stores. Burgess, the owner of Mud, Sweat and Gears on Gaetz Ave. in north Red Deer, said he’s always been interested in cycling. “I’m a rider and basically took my passion and made it my career. It’s a collection of the type of riding and product that I use and like, coupled with a lot of the people that I’ve gotten to know in the industry over the years and worked together with in our passion,” he said, adding that the original idea to start his own chain of cycling stores came nearly 30 years ago. “I started in the industry about 30 years ago after flunking out of university and after a few years of working in a store I started on my own and slowly grew my business to where it is now.” The business itself started out in Burgess’ laundry room and has since grown to encompass three locations in Alberta: the first one in Sherwood Park, one in Spruce Grove and the Red Deer location, which was the latest addition to the Mud, Sweat and Gears family. “My staff had grown to the point that they were itching to come to Red Deer, so we opened up a store here. The community’s just been outstanding with the receiving of the store,” Burgess said of the new location, which opened on March 1st.
PASSION - Paul Burgess, the owner of Mud, Sweat and Gears bike shop posed at the store’s Red Deer location. Burgess is an avid rider who decided to turn his passion into his career. Zachary Cormier/Red Deer Express “The community, the trail system, and the proximity to everything fun in the
province. Red Deer is an excellent community.” Burgess said that although he, personally, is a mountain bike rider, he wanted the store to be much more open and to cater to all kinds of bike riders - from people who prefer road cycling to those who just do it recreationally. “The store is designed to be friendly to everyone. My first experience going into a store that I can remember was not a good one. I felt intimidated and stupid by the staff there and I always remembered that. I wanted my store to be welcoming to everybody,” he said. When asked why he has such a passion for cycling, Burgess said he loves that
it’s an inexpensive way to get active and challenge yourself. “The great thing about cycling is that it’s free for everyone. There’s no enrollment. It’s passive entertainment that you can do at anytime, anywhere. You don’t have to be signed up or qualify. You don’t have to be a super athlete. It’s a great, low impact, social sport that anybody can do.” He added that, like riding, running a business is a challenging and fun thing to do. “Everyday is a battle. Just like a bike race there’s always something around the corner that makes it challenging and rewarding at the same time.” zcormier@reddeerexpress.com
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
RED DEER EXPRESS 21
Independent Control Services offers ways to address customer needs BY KALISHA MENDONSA RED DEER EXPRESS Independent Control Services has been long-standing in the Red Deer community, founded by John and Sandy Planaden in 1985. Current service manager Shaun Planaden works alongside his sister Stacey Weiland, office manager and their close family friend Justin Mathieu, DDC division manager, to serve the Red Deer community with their expertise in service, maintenance, heating and air conditioning. “We’ve got electricians, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics, and all kinds of other trades here to help with what we need. We’ve got the controls expertise here as well, so we offer a variety of services to the Central Alberta community,” Shaun said. “Our service and maintenance is our biggest branch of customers, and we try to really take care of them as best as we can. We do installations as well, but really focus on maintaining and servicing those products and customers over time.” Mathieu said the heating and air conditioning services are a huge player in the Independent Control Services repertoire, but that what sets them apart from other organizations is their control services. “What it means to do ‘building controls’ is basically linking different pieces of the building together so that you can control it all from one access point,” Mathieu explained. “You could go onto a computer and view what the entire building is doing. For example, in a hospital, you could go into one room and take a look at multiple air-handling units, or a boiler and it brings it all together in a simple way for an operator to monitor. “It provides remote access options, and hospitals are a great example of where that is utilized. They are full of operators all the time who come in daily to do checks on the computer and assess the system. The controls service integrates a lot of miscellaneous pieces into one system.” Weiland added onto Mathieu’s explanation, saying, “For example, we work with some companies that are not within the Red Deer area, but if they call us and let us know they’ve lost access to their boilers, Justin can log onto a server from our office and get their boilers back in working order. That prevents us from having to drive to say, Trochu, or another area.” Independent Control Services (ICS) is a 24-hour a day organization, with direct
FORWARD FOCUS - From left, Shaun Planaden, Stacey Weiland and Justin Mathieu of Independent Control Services stand together in front of a number of recognitions the local business has earned over the years in the community for their outstanding work. Kalisha Mendonsa/Red Deer Express
connection to managers at all times to ensure customer needs are met. “We always have somebody on call, and you’ll be answered by a member of management - you’re not going to a voicemail or call centre. It comes directly to one of us,” Weiland said. ICS primarily address the needs of commercial and industrial organizations. As a company, ICS reaches out to the greater community through sponsorships in fundraisers, tournaments and other local projects including a long-standing connection to the Red Deer curling rink. Shaun said ICS also works to remain top in customer service by constantly upgrading the training for their employees as it becomes available, and by maintaining a personalized interest in each customer at a managerial level.
Where to Start
W
hen you are ready to purchase a new home, one of the first steps is to take a close look at the builders in your community. Who you buy from can be almost as important as what and where you buy. Home building companies are highly varied. Some build only a few custom homes each year, while others build hundreds of homes and whole new communities. Each company caters to specific types of home buyers and their needs.
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Your new home buying experience and satisfaction depend on finding the right builder for you. A great place to begin looking is www.chbacentralalberta.ca Most new home buyers begin their search online. This can also provide you with insight into each home building company – there area of
specialization, history, experience, and so on. Use your online research to develop a list of builders and homes you want to learn more about, then take the next step—visit the company’s model homes or call the builder for an initial discussion. There are a number of reasons we recommend that you focus your
• Membership in the Association is voluntary. Members agree to the CHBA’s Code of Ethics, which is based on principles of fairness, integrity and consumer satisfaction. • Being a professional new home builder means constant learning. Through the CHBA, members can keep up to date on technological advances, regulations, products and materials, financing, design and so on-in short, what they need to know to provide home buyers with the best and latest in the marketplace.
search on home builders that are members of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association: Membership in the CHBA is a strong indication that a new home builder is a professional, dedicated to the business of home building, committed to customer satisfaction and in business for the long term.
• Managing a successful home building business means understanding what’s going on in the community, and how it might affect the industry and consumers. Association members have access to wide range of information to keep them informed and up-to-date on important community development issues.
Simply put, membership in CHBA is the sign of a home building professional.
• Home building requires teamwork that involves the skills, and expertise of many suppliers and trades. Builders who belong to the CHBA have ready access to a network of professional companies and individuals providing services to the residential construction industry.
For more information on the advantages of buying a new home or for a contact list of our CHBA Central Alberta Members visit www.chbacentralalberta.ca
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It’s a family affair at Smoky Trout Farm Ltd. BY ZACHARY CORMIER RED DEER EXPRESS Smoky Trout Farm Ltd. has always been a family business. Started 18 years ago by the father-son team of Dan and Max Menard, the farm has grown from a small two-person operation to include their spouses, Jane and Corrie and Max’s brother Ray. “It’s a family affair,” said Dan during an interview with the Red Deer Express at the Trout Farm, located just outside of Red Deer. “We enjoy it. When dad and I started it we were avid fishermen and we sort of had a passion for fishing. Now we don’t fish near as much as we used to but we enjoy it. It’s definitely a lifestyle thing. We enjoy providing solutions for our customers,” Max added. It was Dan who had the original idea to start their own fish farm. “One morning I read an arti-
cle in the paper of the Alberta Government offering a beginning aquaculture course and I phoned Max — he was up in Fort St. John at the time — and said hey do you want to go in this course and we did and here we are,” recalled the older Menard. “Initially, we just started as just a stocking farm, so we were providing rainbow trout for stocking ponds in the province and over the years that progressed into us then supplying product for our customers to help them maintain the water quality in their ponds,” Max added. And it’s just kept growing from there, as the business now provides product for commercial and industrial clients as well as governments and municipalities who have public fishing ponds that need stocking. The trout themselves are raised entirely in a series of filtered tanks
DEDICATION - From left, Ray, Max and Dan Menard stand in front of their private fishing pond at Smoky Trout Farm. inside of a large barn on the trout farm property, a fact that Max said can surprise a lot of people. “There’s a lot of people that come to us and ask us, in terms of our
Zachary Cormier/Red Deer Express
fish production, how many ponds do we have because they expect it’s an outdoor operation and that it’s in earthen ponds. But 100 per cent of our production is indoors,”
he said, adding that with indoor ponds, the company is better able to better manage the disease risks and the temperature throughout the year. The only problem with an indoor facility, he said, is that the risks are higher. “If you get a power failure, for example, we’ve got a backup generator that kicks on in about 30 seconds automatically. If we didn’t have that we’d have dead fish in about 15 to 20 minutes.” Because of that, either Max or Dan have to be within 20 minutes of the farm at all times, which makes some things, such as taking big family vacations difficult. Still, the family has made it work and in the process have been able to make a sustainable living out of something that started as a simple love of fishing. And that is something worth striving for. zcormier@reddeerexpress.com
High quality selection at Side Street Fashions BY ERIN FAWCETT RED DEER EXPRESS Offering high quality, modern and timeless fashion at a reasonable price is the mandate of one locally
owned boutique. Elsie Anctil, owner/operator of Side Street Fashion took over the business two years ago with her partner Mike Axworthy. “My passion for clothes
started when I was very, very little. I had a seamstress when I as growing up and I was always detailed in how I wanted things to be made and how they had to be sewn,” said Anctil. “My
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daughter had a couple of stores - one in Pigeon Lake and one in Ponoka and I went on a buying trip with her and I came home and I was bouncing off the walls.” Axworthy added, that is when the couple knew they had to follow Anctil’s dream. At that time, Anctil was working for the Hospital Foundation and she had always shopped at Side Street Fashion because she loved what they offered. She approached the former owner and asked if the store was hiring and began working there for four years on a part-time basis before purchasing the store in 2014. Side Street Fashion offers 100 designers and carries a variety of sizes for every shape. “We are bursting with fabulous finds and our customers get all of the latest styles and women’s fashions from all over the world,”
PARTNERSHIP - Mike Axworthy and Elsie Anctil are the proud owners of Side Street Fashion in Red Deer. Kalisha Mendonsa/Red Deer Express
said Anctil. “We try to bring more and more brands all the time. We have casual wear and evening wear, golf and tennis wear, intimate apparel and accessories and some men’s essentials.” Anctil said she is living her dream and could not do it without her partner. “I need to give a lot of credit to my life and business partner, Mike Axworthy. Without his support, I would
not have my dream job. Even though Mike has his own business, he still assists me at Side Street Fashion. There’s nights we have picnics on the ground in the store, as our day never ends when the store closes. I put in my 12 to 16 hour days, but wouldn’t give it up for the world. When you do what you love - you love what you’re doing.” efawcett@reddeerexpress.com
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SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
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Aspire continues to see increase in demand for services BY MARK WEBER RED DEER EXPRESS Staff at Aspire Special Needs Resource Centre are well into a full slate of fall programming, and they are also enjoying their expanded and renovated space. The non-profit organization’s mandate is to help children with special needs to reach their full potential. According to the web site, an Aspire team works along with parents in taking stock of what they want as they create a program to support a child’s learning. Staff includes a psychologist, a speech-language pathologist, a behaviour specialist, a physical therapist and an occupational therapist. Parents can also check out such programs as EASE Preschool (Early Access to Supportive Education). EASE is described as a specialized preschool program for children with severe delays or disabilities. “We focus on your child’s individual strengths and needs to build a solid foundation in this crucial stage of their development. Your family will feel engaged and supported as staff guide your child’s learning.” Aspire staff also provides assessment and intervention services and consults for children in the school systems. They work closely with other community providers and agencies and also provide training to teachers and educational assistants as well. The organization also serves the entire Central Alberta region. Meanwhile, Aspire, complete with its welcoming, friendly and warm atmosphere, is certainly a bustling place on a number of fronts. They have 60 staff on any given day; there are probably 70-plus children coming through as well. A number of assessments are available including psychological assessments, physical therapy assessments, speech-language assessments and occupational therapy assessments. “In 2015, we completed a strategic planning exercise with our board of directors and also our community partners, and people that have input into what Aspire does and how we do it,” explained Michelle Sluchinski, executive director. “We formed our next five-year outlook. “One of the things that came out of that in a big way was that we are seeing an increasing demand for our services,” she said. “So part of what we wanted to do with Celebrity Dance-off funds was to upgrade our facility, and we were able to
open up some new space.” New carpeting and flooring has also been installed to add to a fresh new look to the premises as well. “We’ve spent two summers renovating,” she said. “The other part of what we’ve been trying to do is to meet that increasing demand,” she added. “What we found during that strategic planning process was (increasing) demand was in the area of diagnostic and assessment services.” Aspire has grown from a gathering of dedicated parents and professionals with a vision back in the mid-1980s to a large, busy charitable organization offering evidenced-based programs and services that are family-centered. “Those parents were so brave because all they had was each other,” said Sluchinski, adding that that original group of parents also wrote the first government application for funding and got it. “They are the ones who really designed that TAC program (Transdisciplinary Assessment & Consultation) which is still with us today. That helped to open the doors for Aspire, and still continues to meet the needs of families today. “So that’s why we really have that family focus - because we were started by moms and dads. They knew what they wanted, and they made it happen. “There are so many grateful families, and they are just so happy to have found us and to get the help that they need,” she said when asked about feedback staff typically receive. Between 250 and 350 families are being served through the services of Aspire Special Needs Resource Centre. “We are family-focused. Aspire has always had that family focus. We recognize that it’s not only the children who are coming here during the day to have an assessment, or to come to the pre-school to develop fully. But those children also live within family units, and moms and dads need that support as well to be able to function as a family. “A huge part of what we do is to support that family as a whole, so they can know if they have a question they can call or if something isn’t quite as it should be, they can come in. “When parents are here and they find that community to belong to - that’s a really important things for us too, that they find other people to share whatever the issue for their child may be.” Visit www.aspirespecialneeds.ca. editor@reddeerexpress.com
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READY TO SERVE - Michelle Sluchinski, executive director of Aspire Special Needs Resource Centre, poses in the facility recently. Aspire specializes in providing a range of services including assessments and consultations for children and families across Central Alberta. Kalisha Mendonsa/Red Deer Express
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