Special Features - Small Business Week 2017

Small Business Week

October 15-21, 2017

Future proof your business Adapting to technology and demographic trends

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Small Business Week

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Small Business Week

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BDC Small Business Week October 15 - 21, 2017 This year, we’re looking toward the future to uncover emerging trends that will shape and grow Canadian companies in the years to come.

From emerging digital technologies that are redefining ways of doing business, to shifting demographic trends marked by an aging population, and an increasingly diversified and skilled labour force, Canada’s business landscape is changing in profound and unprecedented ways across all industries.

Join us at over 300 events across the country to celebrate Canadian entrepreneurship, and find out how you can start adapting your business to tomorrow’s trends today.

What is BDC Small Business Week?

It’s an annual celebration of entrepreneurship that the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) has organized for almost 40 years.

Publisher’s message Small Business Week is a wonderful opportunity to recognize the contributions of the local business community to the economic and social health of Red Deer. From the jobs they create to the many events they sponsor, small businesses make a difference in the lives of Central Albertans on a daily basis.

We are pleased to again partner with the Red Deer & District Chamber of

Mary Kemmis

Commerce to acknowledge and share their contributions with our readers in the annual Small Business Week feature.

This report includes many stories about local accomplishments, as well as contributions from the Business Development Centre that share practical strategies to grow business success.

Thank you to the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce for the opportunity to highlight Small Business Week and the importance of small businesses in our lives. Thank you also to the local businesses that shared their stories with us.

Publisher, Red Deer Express

1979 - BDC business centres in British Columbia’s Lower Fraser Valley first pooled their resources to organize a week of activities for entrepreneurs.

BDC Small Business We e k T M was officially launched across Canada in 1981.

10,000 - Entrepreneurs come together every year at hundreds of events across Canada to learn,

network with other entrepreneurs and celebrate entrepreneurship.

99.7% - Of all Canadian businesses are small and medium-sized businesses.

That’s something worth celebrating!

Great things happen when entrepreneurs get together. Come share ideas, find business opportunities and enjoy yourself at a BDC Small Business Week event near you. Check out our interactive map to see what’s happening in your community.

Chamber’s message Once again, we take time out of our hectic schedules to commemorate an important contributor to our economic and social well-being. No, I’m not talking about the beginning of hockey season, rather I’m talking about Small Business Week.

Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy here in Red Deer and Central Alberta and each year we dedicate a week towards acknowledging this fact.

Small businesses represent approximately 90% of all businesses in the region, and

range from small family farms, to flower shops, to manufacturing shops that employ dozens of skilled trades. It’s important to recognize and celebrate the impact that small business has on our day-to-day lives whether it be the innovation that comes from them or the contribution that they have on the social fabric of our communities.

Along with our board of directors, I’m proud to lead the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce, and represent the interests of small business in

the region. Together, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish; and I urge you to take some time to reflect on and appreciate what our communities would look like without the commitment and passion that small business owners demonstrate every single day - even in the off-season.

Robin Bobocel

CEO, Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce

Future proof your business Adapting to technology and demographic trends

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Bettenson’s Sand and Gravel doing business in Red Deer since 1929

BY TODD COLIN VAUGHAN todd.vaughan@reddeerexpress.com

Bettenson’s Sand and Gravel Co. Ltd. has long been part of the Red Deer business community—with the company being with the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce for over 50 years.

According to Senior Owner Doug Bettenson, the company’s origins began in the late 1920s.

“Bettenson’s Sand and Gravel was started around 1929 by my grandfather Jack Bettenson,” he said.

“He had a partner at that time, Mr. Stewart. It was known at that time as Stewart Cartage. Shortly after that, my grandfather bought Mr. Stewart out and Bettenson’s Cartage was formed.”

Once Jack took ownership, he turned the company into a furniture and freight company.

Around the 1950s, Jack’s son Carl Bettenson started a company called Amco Mix, which was located where Lion’s Campground is today.

That entity was bought by Consolidated Concrete and Carl moved on to Bettenson’s

Sand and Gravel.

Doug joined his father in the 1970s and Bettenson’s Sand and Gravel Co. Ltd. began to move more into sand and gravel and away from cartage, furniture and freight.

His sons, Joe Bettenson and Parker Bettenson, have since come on board and the company has diversified to include concrete and asphalt recycling, among other projects.

Parker credits the company’s success to this diversification.

“We started out mainly as a sand and gravel, concrete readymix supplier,” he said.

“We have gone into residential home construction, where we would do basement excavation and back filling. From there, it has developed into commercial contracting more so than residential clients, but we still serve residential clients as well. “Anywhere there is new development or construction we will try to stay competitive and capture as much of the work as we can.

“We have been in a recycling operation for the last 10 years.

We recycle concrete and asphalt

DEEP ROOTS - The Bettenson family, including Parker, Doug and Joe, have been in business in Red Deer since 1929.

Todd Colin Vaughan/Red Deer Express

ourselves and our equipment is sent out to different municipalities and individual companies who retain concrete as a recyclable product.”

He added building a strong team has allowed them to pro-

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“We are cultivating people in a variety of different ways. We have long-term employees who have been here for 40 to 50 years and we have new guys starting with us that want to stay and continue on,” he said.

According to Doug, having a good team and building relationships in Central Alberta has been beneficial to Bettenson’s.

“Red Deer has been a very good community for the Bettenson family,” he said.

“We have grown along with the City and the surrounding communities. We have appreciated the support of the local community.”

Dealing with Central Alberta has meant being a part of many

community associations— including the Chamber of Commerce.

“We are part of the construction association, we are part of the road builders association, we are part of the Chamber of Commerce: those are relationships that Jack and Carl established and we have continued those relationships,” Joe said.

“It keeps us in contact with the business community and it gives us a forum to know what people’s concerns are and to see what direction the local economy is heading.”

Staying in tune with the community has afforded the Bettensons the opportunity to give back.

“We try to support the

community wherever we can through different organizations, whether they are non-profit, youth groups or youth associations through baseball or hockey,” Parker said.

“We try to give back where we can.”

He added Bettenson’s longevity has meant that they have worked on several of Red Deer’s capstone projects.

“We have been able to participate in the 67 Street traffic circle; we did some work at the Collicutt when it was first coming out; we have done work at the new schools being built— we have been very fortunate that way to work on those types of projects in a community that is growing every year.”

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Small Business Week

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Providing one on one service at Kevin’s Hot and Cold Air

BY CARLIE CONNOLLY carlie.connolly@reddeerexpress.com

Kevin Strate, owner of Kevin’s Hot and Cold Air, is all about putting his customers first.

Originally from Magrath, a town south of Lethbridge, Strate grew up on a farm and had his own out of Yorkton, Saskatchewan. He later ended up in Medicine Hat where he got into the sheet metal trade, later receiving his ticket.

He decided he needed a change of environment and ended up at a company in Red Deer, before opening up his business, Kevin’s Hot and Cold Air just two years ago.

“We do a lot of service work on furnaces, hot water tanks and air conditioners,” he said, adding that he also installs them.

He said he does anything that’s related to the HVAC industry, serving his customers throughout Central Alberta.

“I’ll travel out to Rocky Mountain House or even out to Stettler, within an hour of Red Deer roughly,” he said.

He said he’s enjoyed serving Red Deer and finds that people are looking for a smaller business that’s more one on one, instead of being just a number.

With Strate being the sole operator of his business, he said he is able to pay more attention to detail on what

the customer is getting.

“I’m just a one man show where I do everything, so when I go to a home and give an estimate to a customer, I’ll be the one installing, and so whatever we have discussed will be done on the job. I find that what is very crucial is that the homeowner is happy,” he said, adding that it’s a more personable experience.

Strate said working alone has a few of its long days where he works until the evening, and then follows that up with hours of paperwork, but that he enjoys being his own boss.

He said in terms of how he differs from other businesses that do similar things to him, is that he is more one on one.

He does the estimate and the service work, where a lot of other companies will have someone come in and do the estimate, with a whole different crew later showing up to do the work.

“I think honesty is a big factor. That when you say something’s going to be done, it’s going to be done; and what things are going to cost, that’s what they’re going to cost - there are no hidden fees.”

He said when he does an estimate, if he misses something, it’s on his shoulders not his customer’s.

Strate has done work for approximately 200 to 300 clients, but it varies

SERVING RED DEER AND AREA - Kevin Strate, owner of Kevin’s Hot and Cold Air, serves Central Albertans, doing Carlie Connolly/Red Deer Express work related to the HVAC industry. per week.

“When it’s really hot in the summertime and people’s air conditioners break down or they want service work done, you could be doing five or eight

calls a day,” he said.

This summer, he said, has been good.

For any HVAC company, the hotter the better, as things tend to break down.

Strate said Red Deer has been good

to him and his family. He said if you do good work for someone, word of mouth spreads.

“I’ve had a lot of referrals from people I’ve done work for.”

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Alberta Science Network introduces kids to real life scientists

BY CARLIE CONNOLLY carlie.connolly@reddeerexpress.com

Students in Grades 1-9 have the opportunity to meet real life scientists and engineers that come in and do science-based presentations, fitting in with their curriculum.

Program Coordinator of the non-profit Alberta Science Network’s Central region, Sabrina Lynn is in charge of finding different scientists and engineers who would like to volunteer for them.

“And then I train them and I coordinate with the teachers to go to get them into the classes,” said Lynn.

The scientists and engineers will then go into the schools and present various topics to students.

“For example I started out as a volunteer and so I do Grade 3 Animal Life Cycles, and so I will go in and I will do a presentation that meets some points of their curriculum, so they can use it as extra enhancement for their studies and it’s free for the schools,” she said.

The topics are all science-based, with five topics

LEARNING SCIENCE - Sabrina Lynn of the Alberta Science Network links scientists and engineers with schools across the region to learn science-based topics. Carlie Connolly/Red Deer Express per grade, equalling 45 different topics for those in Grades one to nine.

“Primarily we focus on Grades two to six. In Grade three we do ‘Rocks and Minerals’, ‘Animal Life Cycles’; in Grade two we do ‘Small, Crawling and Flying Animals’. In Grade six a popular one is called ‘Sky Science’ and

it’s about the solar system and stuff like that.”

Another popular one, she said, is one of their engineering ones, which is building and testing a variety of materials so the volunteer who does that comes in and they build cranes with straws and popsicle sticks and stuff like that.

The Alberta Science Network started about 20 years ago as the Calgary Science Network and then Edmonton had the Edmonton Science Network and there were a few different ones, including the Central Alberta Science Network in Red Deer, along with one in Medicine Hat.

“In 2014 they decided that instead of having administration in each of these different networks and trying to get government funding for all of them, they would combine the whole province,” said Lynn, adding that the only place officially not part of the network is Medicine Hat. Lynn said the Red Deer location covers both Catholic and public school districts, and is for anyone that is interested.

“What happens is I will email the science coordinators for the two school districts and if they would like to request a program they go to our web site, and then on the web site they fill out a form and it comes to me.”

They currently have approximately 24 volunteers, which includes current ones and ones who are prepping to be volunteers.

She said a benefit for kids is meeting a real scientist or engineer, as a lot of kids have never met one.

“It’s neat when you come into the school and the kids are like, ‘Wow, a scientist’.

She said the volunteers all talk about what a great experience it

is to visit the different schools and share their love for science with the kids.

“It’s really great for the kids to be able to ask questions of somebody who knows different than their teachers, because especially in elementary school, most teachers aren’t science majors,” she said, adding that it gives the kids a different perspective.

Lynn said they also do teacher workshops.

“We have partnered with the Central Alberta Regional Consortium, which is like a teacher training resource, and so we’ll partner with them.

Last year I think we did three separate workshops and teachers from anywhere in Central Alberta can come,” she said, adding that instead of having the kids there, it’s the volunteers giving instructions to the teachers on how to teach those subjects.

Alberta Science Network currently has centres in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge and Grande Prairie, and hopes to get into Fort McMurray once they get more funding from donors.

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Access Insurance Group is continuing to grow in Central Alberta

BY TODD COLIN VAUGHAN todd.vaughan@reddeerexpress.com

Access Insurance Group is looking to continue to grow in Central Alberta. “I partnered with the owners in Edmonton to start up a Red Deer office five years ago,� Vice President Shawn Hankey said. “I had known them for quite a few years, they approached me and we started up a new office. We started as a brand new office, so we had no business then. “I grew it and then we bought Clark Insurance in February of last year, which had six locations across Central Alberta.�

Access Insurance Group provides many different forms of insurance to many different clients. “We are a general insurance broker,�

Hankey said. “We provide all lines of insurance— personal and commercial. We do all sorts of personal: toys houses, boats and cars. On the commercial side, obviously being in Central Alberta we do a lot of oil and gas, manufacturing, construction, transportation and we also get into aircraft.�

Hankey believes Access Insurance’s success in Central Alberta can be attributed to personal relationships. “Being a broker, we all have simi-

lar markets we deal with and we all have different contracts we deal with,�

Hankey explained. “What we strive to do is provide great service, which means quick return phone calls and responses. We try to be proactive about what our customers need—especially on the commercial side. I make it a personal touch to see my clients. I don’t just do business over the phone or make them come see me.�

Currently, Access Insurance has a robust staff which allows them to continue to grow and serve Central Alberta, according to Hankey. “We have our different departments: personal lines, we have four members; commercial lines, we have four members—we are trying to grow organically and through acquisition as well.�

Hankey feels it is important for Access Insurance to be part of the community. “We are a family-run organization, we are independent and not owned by any large corporations,� he said. “The partners’ belief is in that personal touch. You start to lose that good relationship-building once you enter the corporate world. Its important to stay local and personal. “It is our business and we want to run it a good way and be responsible.�

Being part of the Central Alberta

INSURING ALBERTA - Access Insurance Group is continuing to grow and prosper in Central Alberta.

Todd Colin Vaughan/Red Deer Express

business community is also very important to Hankey. “We find it important to dive into the community and be involved whenever we can,� he said. “We are involved with the Chamber and the Red Deer Construction Association.�

He added, “Our big fundraiser that we raise money for is STARS.�

Even though Central Alberta is prone to recessions, Hankey explained insurance is nearly recession-proof. “We start to lose a few clients in the small business sector and consultants.

However, now is the time those businesses want to shop and get the best rates when money and cash flow is lower.�

He added, “We are proud to be involved in the Chamber and it is important to stay involved.�

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Prairie Office Plus holds large buying group

BY CARLIE CONNOLLY carlie.connolly@reddeerexpress.com

Established in Red Deer in 1961 by Abe Demchuck, Prairie Office Plus has come a long way, serving over 50 years in the community of Central Alberta.

In 2006, Demchuck retired, and the ownership fell into the hands of Don Green of Christie’s Office Plus in Brandon, Manitoba. At that time, the name changed to include Office Plus in order to represent the buying group, Canadian Independent Stationers Inc. That name has 56 locations across Canada in which Prairie Office Plus holds membership.

And Sandra Farquharson, general manager at Prairie Office Plus said that’s a big benefit for the company.

“The buying group is about 60 businesses strong, which gives us buying power so that we can compete with Staples, Grand & Toy and that sort of thing,” she said, adding that all are

OFFICE FAMILY - From left, Tim Norris, Adam Pozega, Hilco Bolwyn, Sandra Farquharson, Melory McCune and Deanna Graham stand with their office Carlie Connolly/Red Deer Express mascot ‘OPI.’ independently owned. ers, going above and beyond for them.

The three main locations are Red “We will go to your location and do Deer’s Prairie Office Plus, Christie’s all the measuring and figure out what Office Plus in Brandon and Winnipeg. your needs are, recommend product; “What sort of business we are is office we work with a lot of companies that furniture and office supplies. Pretty are just new or rebuilding, so they’ll much anything that you would use in give us their blueprints and we will go your office or in your warehouse, we in with CAD drawings and figure out how the office will look in the space can supply,” said Farquharson.

She said they work with many custom- and then you can actually see it.”

Because furniture is a high priced item, she said, people want to make sure it will look good.

Prairie Office has a team that will also go and install the product and take away the garbage.

And the Red Deer store also carries back to school items and office stationary.

“With our business model it’s more so a lot going out the back door, shipping and receiving. We have three outside sales reps and they are account managers, so they’ll work with different businesses and figure out what they’ll use and a lot of it is they’ll order it online or over the phone and we’ll deliver it to them,” she said.

She said they still have their retail areas where businesses from downtown will pop in and pick up their supplies, but most will go elsewhere for school supplies.

“We have everything on the school list, but I think that people don’t

really think about us for that, but more so on the business side, we do work with Red Deer Catholic and Red Deer Public and supply them with their paper and envelopes and their office supplies.”

Farquharson said being in the Red Deer community has been great, but that a lot of it comes down to doing marketing to get people to remember who you are and know what you sell.

“Community involvement is great and a lot of people do support their communities. A lot of small businesses would rather support another small business than support a large box office, which is great, but then there’s a lot of people that don’t think about that,” she said.

She said with the company being part of a larger buying group, they have more buying power, so they can buy a skid of pens versus just a couple here and there, for example, continuing to keep their costs low.

L2 Mechanical Systems bringing heating and plumbing to City

BY TODD COLIN VAUGHAN todd.vaughan@reddeerexpress.com

Lance Bell, owner of L2 Mechanical Systems, wanted to make his own way in plumbing and heating services.

“I used to work for a larger plumbing company here in Red Deer and then things didn’t work out,” he said. “We went out on our own - that was seven years ago.”

Bell decided to start his business, initially with him being the only employee.

“Starting your own business is definitely a challenge both financially and also with the downturn in the economy,” he said. “Central Alberta is a great place to work and there are a lot of good people around here. There are a lot of people who are willing to give small businesses a chance. We have thrived on them giving us opportunities.”

L2 Mechanical Systems has since grown to three employees, with three trucks on the roads of Central Alberta servicing both residential and commercial clients.

“We work for builders like Integra Homes, Parkland Builders Corporation, BRB Enterprises, SACA Builder and Co. and builders like that,” Bell said. “We have grown in sales exponentially and we have not got to a point where we get the jobs that we always have wanted to do like schools and other larger commercial projects.”

Part of growing his business has meant ensuring their business is somewhat recession protected.

“Being diversified is something we have had to start to do,” Bell

said. “We need to be in every market we can be so that when things slow down when oil drops, it won’t effect us as much. We don’t want to have guys sitting at home.”

Part of getting into markets has meant joining the business community through the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce.

“For us, we decided to become a part of the Chamber of Commerce to have a face in the community,” Bell said. “We don’t advertise much and we don’t have a social media presence yet, so

that was a way for us to know people in the community. We got to meet people who who in the same type of business as us.”

Bell has seen how small business communications have changed since her started seven years ago.

“We have seen it go from phone calls and referrals to pretty much

the majority of our business done via text message and email,” he said. “Social media is a big thing, but we haven’t got that route. There is still definitely some of the old ways around here still - especially when you step out into the rural part of Central Alberta.”

Bell intends to continue to expand L2 Mechanical Systems.

“We would like to grow to about nine employees and have a full 24-hour service division. We want to have two crews on our commercial side and we still want to maintain our custom-home building side,” he said.

LOCAL BUSINESS - Lance Bell, owner of L2 Mechanical Systems, has been able to grow his business exponentially in Todd Colin Vaughan/Red Deer Express seven years.

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Providing second to none service at The Eye Care Centre in Red Deer

BY MARK WEBER mark.weber@reddeerexpress.com

There’s a long history of dedication to all facets of eye health at The Eye Care Centre.

In 1940, Dr. James Lampard and Dr. Sadie Lampard settled in Red Deer to establish Central Alberta’s oldest optometry practice.

“The Eye Care Centre was built on the tireless efforts of Mr. and Mrs. Lampard, erected on the pillars of exceptional service, ongoing patient care, and community involvement,” reads the company’s web site.

▾ “IT’S NOT JUST THE WORK DONE, BUT IT’S GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE AND BECOMING FRIENDS WITH THEM. THAT’S PROBABLY WHAT MAKES WORK MORE ENJOYABLE, TOO.”

Roger Rudyk ▴

The couple’s son, Dr. Tom Lampard, joined the practice in 1981.

Dr. Roger Rudyk and Dr. Jep Lund were added to the team in 1983 and 1987 respectively, as offices were opened in Rimbey and Rocky Mountain House to connect more Central Albertans to reliable eye care.

In 1999, the Red Deer Eye Centre expanded in size and services, changing locations and welcoming Dr. Kevin Hesterman (2000) and Dr. Scott Stevenson (2005) as partners.

In 2008, Dr. Daryl Berger and Dr. Pamela Syrota were added as associates to The Eye Care family.

Two years ago, The Eye Care Centre marked its 75th anniversary of serving Central Albertans, said Tom, adding that the practice is now in its sixth location in the City since first setting up shop all those years ago.

The current office, just next to the Port-O-Call Safeway, is a bright, spacious building that staff moved into back in 1999.

“Over the years, we’ve always strived to do the best that we can with the best people and the best products. A lot of places might be tied into one product, but we can offer anybody’s product. We deal with them all.”

That makes for a terrific ability to please the most patients they possibly can.

“People can be quite partial - maybe one product work for them and another doesn’t.”

Also, their attention to their patients is second to none.

“A lot of people say it’s the most thorough eye examination they’ve ever had. And over the last number of years we’ve moved more into the medical field as well. About 20-plus years ago, we started treating eye infections and inflammations.”

It’s indeed an industry that has seen its share of changes and it continues to.

There is always new technology to explore and utilize to make service that much better.

Rudyk said that the staff also works on their relationships with people.

“It’s not just the work done, but

TOP SERVICE - The staff of The Eye Care Centre provide the finest in eye care, and have been doing so for several decades. photo submitted

it’s getting to know people and becoming friends with them.

That’s probably what makes work more enjoyable, too.”

Tom agreed.

“I think that you go through a phase in your career where you might wonder how much longer you want to do this, but like Roger said, you go past that and you realize how important those relationships are. If you didn’t come to work anymore, there’s a lot of patients - and there are literally thousands

of them - that you would lose touch with.

“That’s an important feature.

Plus, we’ve built up a good staff - I think that altogether, there are more than 40 of us among the three offices.

“People still ask, ‘Do you still go out to Rocky and Rimbey’.

I say, yes - those are wonderful offices and we have good relatioships out there with the patients, and it’s nice to work with the staff out there, too.”

Some of those staff have been

working in those communities for 30-plus years.

“Relationships are a big part of it. Plus all of that new technology that’s out there that we can use - it just gets you more excited - every time something new comes in. The younger partners also bring a wealth of new knowledge and new treatment modalities. They learn some things from us; and we learn tons from them,” he said with a smile. “It just keeps reinventing and re-invigorating itself.”

Rudyk said the technology is indeed always improving and that in itself keeps things extremely interesting.

“It’s fun to see the new optometrists that come onboard, and they are so adapted to social media and those sorts of things. It allows us to follow some of their ideas as far as how they see which ways the practice should go, too.

“Also, it’s almost like family.

We’ve known these people a long time, so you do feel like they are a part of your family.”

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Small Business Week

CORPORATE

Wednesday, October 11, 2017 11

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12 Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Small Business Week

Business of the Year Finalists

www.reddeerexpress.com

1-10 employees

Entrepreneurial mom inspires daughters to become business partners Sisters Cortney Hollenga and Sheena Johnson lost their mother when they were young teens, a life event that had a profound impact on both of them. They quickly realized the important role that women play, and all that they do for their families, often to their own neglect. Since their mom was always entrepreneurial, they always knew they would someday start a business together.

In 2007, that dream, and the passion to help women be their best selves, came true when they opened The Bra Lounge.

“At The Bra Lounge we believe that proper fitting, quality undergarments is one investment a woman will never regret,” says Johnson. “We make it our responsibility to offer the best in fine lingerie, and we guarantee fit through personal fitting consultations.

We focus on fitting with integrity, compassion and flair, ensuring each guest has the ultimate bra shopping experience.”

The business has grown, from a small $500/

month space ‘in the most inconvenient location in town’, to a 2,000 sq. ft. retail and fitting space, with an attached 500 sq. ft. stock room. They have served thousands of Alberta women, and maintain an inventory worth over $350,000 at most times of the year.

Their enormous success has only spurred them to more entrepreneurial heights.

Last year, they launched Twig & Barry’s Underwear Company, which offers undergarments for men. They have a kiosk inside The Bra Lounge, which they have found to be very convenient for women, who are always looking for different brands and options for the men in their lives. Twig & Barry’s is also an online store, shipping across Canada.

“This fall, we are expanding into swimwear, which has been in high demand for many years now,” Johnson says. “This will be a very exciting change for us, because we know our community has been wanting it for a long time!”

Strong partnership equals a strong business for The Breathing Room When Bonnee Gregg took her yoga training in India in 2009, she already knew she wanted to open a studio. She moved to Red Deer with a business plan in hand.

When she met transplanted Halifax native Krista Vandenbrink, they decided to make the dream become a reality, and opened Breathing Room Yoga Studio + Café in 2011.

Krista also took her Yogi training in India, in 2010, which was key in helping the business partners establish their business with a common philosophy and approach.

“We have two primary goals for Breathing Room,” says Gregg. “Number one: create an inclusive space where anyone and everyone can come and practice yoga; and number two is to foster community.

That’s one of the main reasons we chose to include a café in our space.”

With classes for those in the prenatal stage, to mom and baby, mom and tot, children, tweens, teens, adults, people with disabilities, mobility challenges, and even cancer survivors – a class that they say has

been ‘karmically offered’, meaning at no charge – Breathing Room is making good on its goals.

The two have, since opening, experienced a number of life changes, including becoming moms themselves, and relocating and expanding their business in 2016.

“Without the strong bond we have formed, our mutual work ethic and our willingness to be innovative together, we would not have made it this far,” says Vandenbrink. “As Mommy-preneurs, we have to be business managers, yoga instructors, wives, mothers, visionaries, entrepreneurs, and so much more. Having this business, and having a great partnership means we get to express all of those pieces of ourselves, but don’t have to do it all at the same time, all the time. We can step up and step in for each other when needed.”

The women have a passion to support others, especially women, to also tap into and find ways to express all of the pieces of themselves, and to rise to be their best selves.

Fetch Haus - building a pet community in Central Alberta Sabrina Baker says her mission in the pet boutique she and husband Jesse founded is to, “Cultivate a community of responsible pet ownership.”

They opened in 2011, because they were frustrated trying to find good nutrition and health information for their two dogs, Casey and Zack.

Fetch Haus started with 500 sq. ft. of retail space and 500 sq. ft. in the pet salon, and no employees, but a strong commitment to doing intensive research to source out the very best North American-made, natural products.

“If I wouldn’t give it to my pets, I won’t sell it to you for yours,” says Baker.

“Just because it says ‘natural’ on the packaging doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

We research everything to make sure the products in our store will offer the pets you love the opportunity to live a long and healthy life.”

That commitment has served the

business well.

Fetch Haus has grown substantially, and now boasts a 2,500 sq. ft. store space and 1,200 sq. ft. salon. Sabrina and her staff of 10 work hard to not only maintain that dedication to quality and natural products, but also to foster a sense of community amongst the pet-owner population.

“It’s easy in Red Deer, because it’s already such a connected community,” she says. “I love how all the small business owners support each other.

We pick each other’s brains, refer to each other, promote each other; there’s a great collaborative spirit, and a lot of camaraderie.”

The Bakers have carried that community spirit into the culture of their store. “Our atmosphere is fun, but also supportive and caring. I love being able to get up every day and go somewhere I enjoy being, with my spoiled rotten dogs, in a special community.”

www.reddeerexpress.com

Small Business Week

Business of the Year Finalists

Wednesday, October 11, 2017 13

11-20 employees

360 Fitness believes it all starts and ends with the team Though Jack Wheeler is a personal trainer and loves physical fitness, the whole concept of the ‘big box gym’ never appealed to him.

When he decided to open 360 Fitness over eight years ago, he envisioned a different kind of fitness center; one where comprehensive, one-on-one, personal training was the priority, with help in nutrition, goal setting, lifestyle, and exercise.

He also knew he wanted to build his business by building a solid team.

“Most businesses focus on their target customer, and go after that first, and then bring on staff resources,” says Wheeler.

“We did it backwards. We knew that the best way to serve our customers and really offer them value is to invest in our staff.”

The company has developed a 12week, in depth Trainer Curriculum Manual, which has set a new stan-

dard and become renowned across Canada. They’re now working on a 360 Fitness Certification program, which will be a Canada-wide trainer certification program, and provide standardized training for aspiring personal trainers.

360 Fitness, having won the Business of the Year Award in 2012, in the category of 1-10 employees, has grown its team from two, to 20, and offers internships to several Red Deer College students. Additionally, they have staff in Sherwood Park and Calgary, putting them at a full employee size of 30.

As they have invested in trainer excellence, their loyal customer base has grown.

“We have the best team possible,” Wheeler says.

“We’re always learning, so that the customer can have the best experience possible.”

Dance Magic Studio: 30 years of movement and music in Red Deer Christine Slaymaker, who has owned Dance Magic Studio for the past 12 years, says that when founder Val Jensen first opened 30 years ago, it was with 32 students, in the lunch room in Eastview School.

Today, the business caters to 1,400 children and adults in two Red Deer locations.

In addition to offering classes in all areas of dance, such as ballet, tap, lyrical, and jazz, they also offer training in voice, guitar, banjo, ukulele and drums.

They even have a licensed preschool program, with a performing arts program.

“What we teach is much more than dance; we teach character skills,” says Slaymaker. “We think it’s important that children learn to care about the impact of their lives on the com-

munity. We instill self-confidence, discipline and respect for both self and others.”

Although heavily invested in kids, Slaymaker stresses that there is plenty for adults to get involved with, also.

She explains: “We have aerial silks and hoops for people aged six and up. Anyone can get started on this discipline and enjoy all the benefits. Aerial silk art brings positive effects to the mind and body, combining mental relaxation, strength enhancement, coordination and fun!”

Now seeing the second generation of Red Deer students come through its doors, Dance Magic Studio looks forward to 30 more years of investment in community movement and music.

Technology gives Shek Interiors a competitive edge What started out in 2007 as two partners working out of home offices, has become a strong, Western Canada company with a staff of 20 and a 6,000 sq. ft. warehouse and shop, in their commercial yard. Owners Kelly Slepicka and Evan Hochban built the company on some basic principles: high quality product, excellent work, and using technology to create efficiencies that benefit the client experience as well as the bottom line.

“Shek Interiors has been one of the first in its industry to hire its own architect and venture into Building Information Modelling (BIM), a process in which a digital model of the structure is made, to analyze the functionality and identify any issues that may occur,” explains Slepicka.

In addition to BIM, the company has also begun using a technology program called Integrated Project Design (IPD),

a program that allows the company to be more involved in the design process of structures, and identify issues earlier on in the design phase. They’ve also integrated software to help with inventory management and tool tracking, and devices such as iPads into their processes, which improves efficiency and productivity, and decreases waste.

As a forward-looking company, Shek Interiors is also looking to the next generation for the industry. They do presentations in schools to elevate industry awareness, and have taken a number of work experience students, which has led, on numerous occasions, to a permanent hire.

“We intend to not just survive the economy of today, but prosper for years to come,” Slepicka says. “For us, this means constantly innovating and improving ourselves.”

14 Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Small Business Week

Business of the Year Finalists

www.reddeerexpress.com

21 + employees

Central Alberta Tile One: Creating beautiful spaces and serving the community In 1997, when Shannon Moench opened his tile store, he was always grateful for every piece of business that came his way. He decided that a commitment to quality in product and service, and a focus on building a strong team of people and giving excellent customer service would be the cornerstones of his business.

This approach served him well over the years, and was strengthened as the business brand when partners Dean Gillespie and Troy Larsen joined in 2007.

Today, the company covers all kinds of flooring, including all kinds of interior and exterior flooring, and has added a stone/stucco business, granite shop, Rave Designs, which offers custom window coverings and furniture, and Central Alberta Lighting.

“We even have garage floors, synthetic grass, rubber patio surface, and more,” says Moench. “Basically, if it’s a walking

surface, we have it. We are a one-stop shop and design source in Red Deer.”

When Gillespie and Larsen joined the ownership team, there were 10-20 employees. In 10 short years, the company has grown to employ 80-100 people.

“Some of our staff have been with us for 15 years,” Moench says. “This is very important to us.”

Staff members are encouraged to be active community members, giving blood on company time, volunteering with causes near and dear to their hearts, and working together on team projects such as Weekend Warriors at Camp Alexo.

Moench says: “Even after all these years, and all the growth, we are still grateful to the community for every piece of business. It is an honour to deliver creative beauty to the region, and also be able to offer great quality of life for our team members.”

Collins Barrow is a local company with an international reach Since its establishment in 1944, Collins Barrow Red Deer LLP has been dedicated to providing a winning edge to its clients, through team work, innovative advice and superior service, and to its people by providing a challenging, fulfilling and positive environment.

The firm provides professional auditing and accounting services, and has grown over the past 70 years to employ a team of 80 diverse professionals, including 11 partners.

“From local owner-managed enterprises and not-for-profit organizations, to overseas and U.S. tax returns, our accounting, tax and advisory teams are able to think outside the box to develop innovative solutions to assist our clients,” says partner Greg Hemstad.

“What began as a traditional accounting firm, is now a leader in services, U.S. taxes, IT, HR consulting, business advisory for budding entrepreneurs, and more.”

The firm also offers business advisory

services, a growing stream of service.

They have also recently added a new service line for HR consulting, which will launch in October 2017.

They also recently opened a branch office in Sylvan Lake, and continue to hire more senior accountants to serve their existing and new clients. The firm makes hiring locally a priority.

“We make every effort to hire locally, contributing to economic stability of the region,” says Hemstad. “In the 2016/17 season alone, we made 10 offers to graduates of Red Deer College to join our team. We endeavor to stand out as a great place for Red Deer area people to work and a local business you want to work with.”

Sponsors of the 2019 games and many other community initiatives, Collins Barrow maintains an eye on the international business growth horizon with both organizational feet firmly planted in the community of Red Deer.

Olymel delivers a tradition of excellence in a modern company The Olymel abattoir, cutting and boning plant in Red Deer has been a community fixture, and the largest private employer in the region, for many years.

One of the largest of its kind in Canada, local managers are proud to call the plant a ‘world-class facility’.

With the capacity to slaughter 45,000 hogs per week, Olymel Red Deer employs more than 1,400 people, who are assigned to various product lines, including a variety of cuts of pork and seasoned pork.

“Alberta is one of the most ideal places to grow pork,” says Rob Ackerblade, Red Deer plant manager.

“Olymel purchased the Red Deer plant in 2001, which gave the company the opportunity to expand into new markets and be closer to its Asian market.”

Olymel considers its commitment to constant innovation and improvement to be a key factor in its ongoing success and growth. The company is the recipient of several awards, including winning the

2016 Dux award for New Product Line, Large Company.

“By listening to our suppliers and our customers, the company keeps abreast of new consumer trends, enabling it to better meet customer expectations,” Ackerblade explains. “Our products speak for themselves.”

In a constant quest for excellence, Olymel has positioned itself at the forefront of the latest developments in the food industry. Attentive to emerging trend and new scientific data, Olymel regularly implements process and technology improvements that put it on the award-winning edge for the quality of its products and its initiatives in healthy nutrition.

Olymel also prides itself on the strength of its work force, a team of multi-national, hard-working employees, as well as its community involvement.

The company provides sandwich meat for 340 Red Deer children, through the Mustard Seed’s school lunch program.

www.reddeerexpress.com

Small Business Week

Business of the Year Finalists

Wednesday, October 11, 2017 15

Young Entrepreneur

The Curvy Brush pops the lid off the painting industry What started out as a way to support herself while in college has become a fulltime passion and growing concern.

“I’ve been painting since I was in high school, so when a college friend asked what we could do to earn money through the summer, painting seemed like a natural fit,” says Owner Valena Lengwenus. “I wrote up the business model during reading week, and the whole thing took off from there.”

Armed with unique, bold visual brand elements, Lengwenus and her business partner April ground out their marketing the old fashioned, gum shoe way.

“We were out, in the dead of winter, handing out flyers,” says Lengwenus. “I had scrounged paper from all over the house and ran myself out of printer ink.

We did Kijiji Ads and everything else we could think of, that didn’t cost much money, and were soon rewarded with our first contract.”

That contract, grossly underquoted, netted the enough profit for burgers at DQ. But a burger had never tasted so good, that Lengwenus was hooked. Word of mouth led to more contracts, and soon the work was coming in steadily. A booth in the Home Show the following March gave The Curvy Brush more great exposure, and, in two-and-a-half years of operations, the business has grown from two college students to service teams doing up to five jobs in tandem, during peak season.

Partner April moved back to Ontario, but Lengwenus continues to build the brand and business.

“The painting market is somewhat saturated, so it can be hard to stand out,” she says. “We have built a stand-out brand, and our work speaks for itself. We do so much work through referral, because people have come to learn that we are a group of women who have both skill and heart.”

Happy clients and happy staff are the power behind Postma Electrical Coming from a background of family-run business, Jesse Postma knew early on his career as an electrician what kind of company he wanted to build. Originally from Edmonton, he married a Red Deer girl and moved to the community in 2010. In 2013, he ventured out on his own, establishing Postma Electrical Services Ltd. “New to business and still fairly new to Red Deer, I learned quickly that Red Deer is a very tight-knit community,” says Postma. “I have always been of the mindset that if you employ great staff, and provide value to your customers, the work will come.”

And that has proven true. The company has grown from a one-man operation to a team of diverse professionals, with seven vehicles, and a commercial space in Riverside Light.

Jesse’s key priorities are developing strong processes that facilitate the best customer service, and ensuring that his staff feel supported to pursue their highest personal and professional goals.

“It’s all about relationship – it’s really that simple,” he says. “Whether its clients, staff, other trade partners or the community as a whole, good relationship is the foundation of good business.”

In addition to walking out the philosophy that ‘when you have happy staff, you’ll have happy customers’, Postma is also committed to ensuring that he never loses the customer perspective. “We need to look at everything we do through the customer’s eyes, to ensure that we always provide the very best service.”

Local sustainability pratices mean quality products for Wild Brewing Co. After undertaking a personal journey in health and wellness that included discovering Kombucha, Brennan and Emily Andres decided to take up brewing it themselves. In May of 2016, they set up a commercial kitchen in their Blackfalds garage and sold their product at local farmers’ markets. They quickly outgrew their space, and made the decision to join the wellness business cluster emerging at the west end of the Cronquist Business Park, in the new Capstone area. With Brennan still working at his job, and also working the business, getting to ‘open’ was a longer process than they had envisioned.

“We realized that we had a real opportunity here when, before we were even open, other established businesses started coming to us and asking if they could sell our Kombucha.

We were blown away by that.”

Brennan and Emily knew from

the outset that they wanted to build Wild Brewing Co. on the principles and practices of local first, and sustainability.

“We use produce from local farms, which we juice, and then give back to those farms for composting. We’re very mindful to continuously work to reduce our overall waste. Our goal is to foster health consciousness, environmental responsibility and community collaboration.”

The Andres take great pride in the fact that they are building their business as an ‘eco-system’ of its own, and the local relationships they’re building with great care translate with like-minded people gives them the opportunity to offer the community great quality Kombucha.

“We’re so grateful for the outpouring of support we’ve received for our business, and we love the collaborative relationships we’re building with other local business owners.’”

16 Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Small Business Week

www.reddeerexpress.com

Planet Coffee continues to build relationships in community

BY CARLIE CONNOLLY carlie.connolly@reddeerexpress.com

Red Deer’s Planet Coffee is all about building relationships, and it’s not just a vendor or distributor, but a coffee service.

Planet Coffee started in Calgary and has a location there, Edmonton and now Red Deer, which opened in 2011, and is the newest location to the family.

“We stick to servicing Red Deer and Central Alberta,” said Sean Leach, general manager of Planet Coffee in Red Deer.

Originally from Calgary, Leach said moving to Red Deer was one of the best things that happened to him.

“I like the big city for what it has to offer economically speaking, but the people there don’t have time for people. They have time for devices and electronics, they don’t have time to sit down and communicate and actually

enjoy a cup of coffee.”

He said to be able to have such an open audience with people in Red Deer who are accepting, enjoy conversations and in turn build friendships is what makes everyone’s life easier, and keeps everyone a little bit happier.

Planet Coffee provides a wide range of products for people to choose from.

“We’re a Keurig authorized distributor, so everything that Keurig sells, their K-Cups, even their equipment. They have a little bit of portion packs, which is the ground coffee in the bags, they’ve got whole bean and stuff like that, too. We can carry anything that they can sell,” he said, adding that they do a lot of business with them.

Planet Coffee also does a lot of business with Kiana Coffee, a family run roaster in Calgary.

“You can’t get any more fresh than that,” said Leach, adding that they’re

COFFEE CREW - The Planet Coffee crew from left, Ryan Starrenburg, Sean Leach, Gerrie Friesen and Brenda Morisseau stand in their back warehouse Carlie Connolly/Red Deer Express where their coffee is kept. a big commercial roaster.

He said they’ve been able to develop and work closely with them.

One doesn’t just walk in and have a cup of coffee at Planet Coffee, as it’s strictly a coffee service.

They have a warehouse in the back for all the products they carry, with everything done in-house.

“We’re part of the community as it is and we’re just bringing these minds together and we’re going out and giving people a bit of joy in their cup,” said Leach.

“I like to boast that our service levels are unmatched,” he said, adding that their driver is never without a smile and that at Planet Coffee, employees always listen to the customers, never talking over them.

As far as Planet Coffee goes, he said, they will stay loyal to their existing clients, but with more growth business-wise, they will see an increase.

Planet Coffee serves over 100 clients in Central Alberta, mainly of which are businesses, but they do get the odd walk-in here and there.

Looking ahead, Leach said he sees good things for Planet Coffee.

Red Deer’s Kal Tire prides itself on exceptional customer service

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Providing exceptional service to the Red Deer community is top priority for Kal Tire, according to Manager Matthew Epp. “It is important for us to provide excellent service to our tire customers who are looking to purchase tires, as well as focusing on their mechanical needs to make sure they are safe on the road,” said Epp, adding Kal Tire is equipped with the tools and knowledge to service or provide tires to all makes and models of vehicles. “Our number one goal when we are transacting with any customer is to really exceed their expectations no matter what we’re doing.”

He added customers at Kal Tire could be coming in for a variety of reasons including for new tire purchases, tire puncture repairs and more.

“As far as vehicle maintenance goes, we see customers for basic maintenance to the more complicated items from front ends, brake work and suspension,” said Epp. “We have three licensed journeymen on site.”

He added Kal Tire also offers a wide selection of tires to help fit anyone’s budget.

“We carry multiple lines of tires to cater to the very budget conscious, all the way up to the premium consumer who is looking to really test the limits of a vehicle.”

EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE - Kal Tire Manager, Matthew Epp, stands in front of just some of the wide selection of tires that are offered.

Erin Fawcett/Red Deer Express As for how many people Kal Tire employs, Epp said that varies from season to season.

“In our business we have peak seasons - winter and spring being the peak seasons. We can run upwards of 45 team members during those times.

And then during the slower periods we will have about 25 team members,” he said.

Doing business in Red Deer has many benefits, Epp added.

“Red Deer has great opportunities for us. We have quite a large influx of new customers all the time. I think that Red Deer is a hub with new people moving in and we also have a great, long list of existing clientele that are repeat customers for us as well.”

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Wednesday, October 11, 2017 17

Looker Office Furniture sets up customer’s office from start to finish

BY CARLIE CONNOLLY carlie.connolly@reddeerexpress.com

In Red Deer since 1962, Looker Office Furniture has always been an independent company, selling a wide variety of office furniture.

Current Owner Terry Coutts bought the business about 15 years ago, but has been with the company now for 30 years.

“We are a full line office furniture company. We work with the largest furniture manufacturer in Canada with Global Furniture and Teknion out of the Toronto area, as well as we have other Canadian-based suppliers that we work with,” said Coutts.

He said they have about 25 different furniture suppliers to be able to provide full solutions to the clientele.

“The starting process actually with the client is we’ll go in, have a look at plans, do a space plan for them so that the furniture is functionally fitting in their offices correctly, and then bring it up 3D so they have a good vision of what they’re going to get in their office.”

He said they will then order the furniture in for them, bring it in and set it up in their office.

“We want to make sure that we go right from start to finish with them.”

He said their biggest area of business, even though they can do small offices or home offices, is on the commercial furniture business.

“We’ll take an office shell, do a plan for them and do it from start to finish, and outfit them that way with some very high-end or some of the most

LONGTIME BUSINESS - Terry Coutts sits in the showroom of Looker Office Furniture. prominent manufacturers of furniture out there,” he said, adding that they’re the only one in Central Alberta that can accomplish that.

Teknion, he said, is what’s considered a A Grade manufacturer, which are normally with dealers in Edmonton and Calgary.

“We’re the only mid-market dealer that has an A Grade manufacturer with Teknion.”

Looker started off just serving Central Alberta, but has covered and done projects all across Alberta.

“We’ve done numerous buildings in Grande Prairie, Edmonton and Calgary. Most of our business comes from Central Alberta-based businesses,” said Coutts.

He said having his business in Red Deer, the people are what it really comes down to, and the fact that his business is community-based.

“The business community looks after each other here, so they encourage local business, and I try and do my business locally.

“There’s many people that I

know that try and deal locally as well, so it keeps our busi-

Carlie Connolly/Red Deer Express

nesses vibrant here, even going through tougher times.”

Looker Office Furniture has everything office furniture related from desks to chairs to height adjustable work surfaces.

“We also do demountable walls, so that’s the newest thing that’s out now.

“Instead of somebody coming in and doing their brick and mortar, drywall and framing, we have a product with Teknion that hooks right into your t-bar ceiling, and gives you the same or better acoustics than traditional drywall that way.”

He said it’s a product where their customer can put their whole t-bar and carpet down and this product then goes on top of the carpet and hooks into the t-bar, so you can reconfigure your offices without disturbing your whole building.

“We’ve done a number of demountables in Red Deer College and through different organizations.

“Alberta Health Services has a lot of demountables in there, but it hasn’t become as prominent just in Central Alberta yet,” he said, adding that people will see more of that going forward.

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Norwegian Laft Hus offers glimpse into Norway’s culture

BY MARK WEBER mark.weber@reddeerexpress.com

For a delightful look into the culture and the history of Norway, there’s a little gem in Heritage Square that offers just that.

The Norwegian Laft Hus is nestled amongst other historic buildings in the scenic square - and was originally established there in 1987.

Volunteers actually built the structure near Blackfalds and then re-assembled it in its current location.

These days, it’s fun to hear what guests have to say when they drop by for a visit, said Julie Macrae, past president of the Norwegian Laft Hus Society. She has been involved with the Society for nearly 20 years.

“Betty Wulff had the vision and was the founding mother,” explained Macrae, adding that Wulff ’s initial vision was for an international village to be set up.

“Volunteers worked on the house on a site out by Blackfalds and then they took it

down, numbered all the logs and rebuilt it here. I think it was quite a process.”

It’s the perfect spot - and the Society just marked the 30th anniversary of the Laft Hus this past June. “We had a big festival,” she said, adding that the house is built in the style of a 17th century farm home built in Norway’s Numedal region.

“We had a master log builder giving advice as well - he was right from Norway, too.”

The house is warmly and richly decorated - one is struck by the immediate sense of warmth and welcome. There is much to explore, from all kinds of artifacts, furniture and books to a boutique with lots of items featured as well. One can get a real sense of how a home at that time in history looked, complete with the sod roof.

As the mission statement so aptly puts it, “The Laft Hus is a centre for the preservation, interpretation and study of material relating to life and culture of Norwegian-Canadians.

HERITAGE - Julie Macrae, past president of the Norwegian Laft Hus Society, stands in the kitchen of the richly-decorated house which is located in Mark Weber/Red Deer Express Heritage Square.

“As such it instills in Canadians of all ethnic backgrounds an awareness of the great diversity in their cultural heritage and enables Norwegian-Canadians to see, understand and appreciate their place in the mosaic of Canadian culture.”

Macrae said that the Laft Hus is also a recognized museum by the Alberta Museums Association.

“We are also a cultural centre, offering lots of classes to the public,” she said.

Workshops and classes run the gamut from ‘Rosemaling for Kids’ to ‘Weaving Norwegian History into Your Life’. There are lots of opportunities through the year to learn a host of subjects. There are also a variety of special events planned over the months as well - for example, this

past March there was an event called ‘St. Patrick’s Day the Norwegian Way.’ Rosemaling is a form of decorative painting from Norway, and the word literally means rose painting. This folk art became popular in Norway in the 1700s and there are several styles of rosemaling from different regions of the country.

There was also a Language Arts & Culture Camp this past August too.

Over the busy summer months, their hours are expanded as well but these days things are scaled back a bit.

“Mainly, we are here every Wednesday doing crafts for our craft and bake sale.”

This event runs Nov. 18th and 19th and will feature Norwegian craft and gift items, cooking equipment, non-perishable Norwegian foods and Norwegian baking.

All crafts and baked goods are made

by Laft Hus volunteers with all proceeds going to the Norwegian Laft Hus Society.

“What I personally like is offering the classes to the public,” she said. “We are here for the public.”

Central Diesel Injection provides unique service

BY TODD COLIN VAUGHAN todd.vaughan@reddeerexpress.com

Central Diesel Injection provides a specialized service in Red Deer that has been part of the business community for many years.

“We do diesel fuel-injection repair,” Co-Owner Lori Murray said.

“We started off in 1994. My dad owned the business at that time and Art and I started consecutively in ‘94 and ‘95.

“We have been working as a family business since then, and about 10 years ago we bought out my dad, who retired.”

Being a small, family business

is part of Central diesel injections identity, as they strive to provide top-quality customer service.

“It’s in our customer service and also the pride in what we do,” Murray said. “We are very specialized with diesel fuel injection. It is not just a regular mechanics shop.

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“As far as rebuilding injection-pumps and the injectors, we are the only authorized franchised service.”

Since diesel-injection is a unique service, Central Diesel Injection has clients coming from all over western Canada.

“They are from all over,” Murray said. “The majority would be from Central Alberta but we get clients from all over Alberta and even B.C. and Saskatchewan.”

Lori’s staff is small one consisting of Co-Owner Art Keeler and journeyman Andrew Aucoin, with an occasional part timer for busier times.

“Andrew has been with us for 10 years now,” she said. “He started with in-house training and then franchise training. They go away to school to learn the specifics of the different manufacturers.”

Finding qualified employees like Aucoin has been a challenge for

UNIQUE SERVICE - Andrew Aucoin, journeyman at Central Diesel Injection, is part of a business that provides a unique service in the Red Deer small business community.

Todd Colin Vaughan/Red Deer Express

Murray and Keeler.

“They don’t really teach fuel-injection in the automotive or the heavy-duty, they just touch on it,” Murray explained. “Being that we are so specialized, there is a lot of in-house training. Andrew is a journeyman automotive and he apprenticed from Art, who has his journeyman.”

Luckily for Central Diesel Injection, the affects of recessions in Alberta is only partially felt do the diversified nature of diesel engines.

“We do Ag, industrial and automotive which keeps us busy all year,” she said. “We definitely feel it. I don’t think it affects us as much

as others. We are so specialized and because we are diversified it helps.

Even though oil is quiet, there is still Ag going strong.”

Being a part of the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce and supporting other small businesses in Red Deer is important to Murray and Keeler.

“We try to support as much locally as we can and we appreciate when people support us. You try to keep that rapport with the local businesses that deal with you,” she said.

She added having face-to-face relationships with other businesses remains important to their business.

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Small Business Week

Wednesday, October 11, 2017 19

Local artist Nikki Reed is indeed the consummate entertainer

BY MARK WEBER mark.weber@reddeerexpress.com

Nikki Reed was simply born to entertain folks, and she can do that in an amazing number of ways.

She is an accomplished singer, comedienne, actor, ventriloquist and a world-class impersonator of celebrities from Mae West, Naomi Judd and Dolly Parton to Connie Francis, Minnie Pearl and Klondike Kate among others.

Hailing originally from England, Reed has lived in several places in Canada and now calls

Blackfalds home.

But she shares her many talents far beyond the Central Alberta region - she even appeared as Lucille Ball in the movie Rat Race with Cuba Gooding Jr. She has performed in Las Vegas, Hollywood and across the continent.

A gift for impersonating others surfaced years back, and it just came quite naturally.

Along with her warm, engaging personality, it’s clear she was really born to entertain.

“I always sang,” she recalls. “But I always felt I was more than that. One day, I was working for an agency in Calgary and (a manager) said to

me, ‘Have you ever (impersonated) Mae West?’

It’s been a story of success, and part of that “I’m thinking, Mae West? That’s from way back, stems from the fact that, as Reed puts it, she is who knows when,” she added with a smile. different - there is a uniqueness to what she offers.

But she did her research on the sultry, sexy “I never quite fit in. Growing up and all the actress and singer who enjoyed a time - when I was in a choir, I career spanning several decades. had to sing ‘down’, and be quiet ▾ “I looked at her movies and and blend in. But I was always listened to her voice.” And bethis gregarious, huge personality “I LOOK FOR JOY, I fore she knew it, she had West’s that was bigger. It was just big.”

LOOK FOR POSITIVE distinct way of talking down pat.

She also has a two and one-half THINGS AND I ALSO Next up came the wig, costume octave vocal range, so eventually LOOK FOR MAKING and make-up - and the image was she just had to break out and do PEOPLE’S LIVES complete. her own thing.

These days, she continues to “I do her comedy - which is a EASIER THROUGH write reams of new material for little saucy. And I just branched MUSIC AND OTHER out from there; I thought, who potential shows, including one MEANS. LET’S else could I do?” on the late Leonard Cohen.

HAVE A GOOD Naomi Judd seemed a good Coming up is a performance at choice with Reed’s own love for the Golden Circle on Nov. 9th at TIME AND FORGET 1 p.m. That show is connected to music.

EVERYTHING.” Remembrance Day as well.

Next up came impersonations of stars like Brenda Lee and of For Reed, the stage is kind of Nikki Reed course Ms. Parton. like home. ▴ “All of a sudden these people “You get me up there - bang just evolved through me! And I I’m there! My voice is right there, got the jobs. I’m doing my own shows, and I had and it happens. It’s fabulous. It’s natural - it’s just this new industry. It’s fabulous.” what I do.

She also has a number of special performances “I look for joy, I look for positive things and I that she does, including ‘A Season of Songs’, ‘Let also look for making people’s lives easier through Freedom Ring’, ‘Tales of God, Mom & Country’ music and other means. Let’s have a good time and ‘Laughing With Lucy’. and forget everything.

From specific characters to themed shows, Reed “It’s like reaching out to someone else and just is indeed in her element. “I enjoy doing them all touching their lives. Because they’ve touched - because I enjoy the music that’s ‘in’ them, too.” mine, that’s what I give back.”

Thank You!

PROLIFIC - Local entertainer/singer/actress Nikki Reed continues to enjoy a successful career photo submitted thanks to her range of talents.

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We are nominated in the category for 21+ employees and that’s who we want to thank first – our fantastic CAT1 team! They always go above and beyond for our clients, helping to create beautiful homes and businesses for Central Albertan’s.

We’d also like to thank our clients and the community. Because of your support, this year marks our 20th year in business, and we couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this amazing city.

Congratulations to our fellow finalists, we look forward to seeing you at the awards presentation on October 18th. #9, 7619 50th Ave., Red Deer, AB

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Planning all your events with Lori Angebrandt event planning and design

BY ERIN FAWCETT efawcett@reddeerexpress.com

Being a small business in Central Alberta has many benefits and Lori Angebrandt event planning and design, which has been in business in Sylvan Lake for nine years, has reaped those rewards.

“The benefits of doing business in Central Alberta are that you get to deal with some absolutely wonderful people. Red Deer is in a spot between Calgary and Edmonton where the idea has been Red Deer is not capable of doing big events - a lot of the businesses go to Calgary or Edmonton this is not true, we are totally capable of doing them,” said Angebrandt.

“Little by little we are educating people that Red Deer is absolutely capable. We have some fantastic vendors here - some of them to me are just top notch.

“Red Deer is an exciting place to work because it is a blank slate bringing new ideas here and new events - we have the spaces to do it and you’re dealing with some amazing people who are so open-minded and who are willing to try new things.”

The company offers full wedding and event planning to boutique services.

“Because of the economy where incomes are down, people still want services, but to make it affordable for everyone, we broke it down into anything from helping them write their vows, to helping them find their vendors, to picking out their decor, designing their event, making a timeline for the day - as little as that to planning a full day.

▾ “WHEN IT’S ALL SET UP AND READY TO GO AND IT’S SHOWTIME AND YOU SEE THE FINISHED PRODUCT OF MONTHS AND MONTHS OF PLANNING, I THINK THAT’S THE BEST PART RIGHT THERE THAT MOMENT.”

Lori Angebrandt ▴

“We are still planning a full day for a wedding or event, but clients have also been utilizing the boutique services.”

Prior to opening Lori Angebrandt event planning and design, Angebrandt owned a flower shop in Calgary.

“That grew because we were doing wedding flowers and people were coming in wanting me to help them with other elements of their planning.

It grew from there,” she said.

“When I first came to Sylvan Lake, I just got back into flowers and people started asking me again about aspects of planning. I had to make a choice of what I wanted to do because it got really busy, so I went to planning.”

For Angebrandt, the most gratifying aspect of her job is seeing everything come together.

“It’s almost a rush. When you sit down with your clients at the initial meeting and discuss - they’re not sure what they want and you are throwing ideas around - you get other vendors involved and the ideas start coming and a plan starts to develop,” she said. “When it’s all set up and ready to go and it’s showtime and you see the finished product of months and months of planning, I think that’s the best part right there - that moment.”

Angebrandt does a variety of event planning from weddings to parties to mermaid balls and even celebrations of life.

“We just did a 60th wedding anniversary, we are doing a mermaid ball coming up - it’s a real variety,” she said. “I truly love what I do.”

SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS - Lori Angebrandt, owner of Lori Angebrandt event planning and design, stands in front of her office in Sylvan Lake.

Erin Fawcett/Red Deer Express

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Wednesday, October 11, 2017 21

Century 21 Advantage is able to adapt to changing Red Deer economy

BY TODD COLIN VAUGHAN todd.vaughan@reddeerexpress.com

Century 21 Advantage has long been part of the Red Deer small business community.

“We are a full-service real estate company,” Broker Owner Patrick Galesloot said.

“We have associates who deliver services for residential and commercial real estate. We also do everything in between.”

Galesloot explained Century 21 Advantage started long before real estate was franchised.

“We have had roots in Red Deer dating as far back as 1911—far before it was a Century 21 franchise,” he said. “When the franchise system came out in the mid-70s, we got on board with Century 21. The name has changed a few times with different partnerships, but this has long been family-owned and operated.

“I took over from my parents in 2009.

They took over previously from their parents.”

Having a long history in the community has given Century 21 Advantage a unique perspective on the Central Alberta real estate market.

“The unique dynamic of Red Deer is the market swings we see with the economy,” Galesloot said. “Red Deer is very susceptible to oil and gas swings as a service-based city. The diversity that is

missing in Red Deer is certainly reflected in the real estate market. We have been around long enough and seen all kinds of different swings.

“We are mindful and aware of the market and can certainly adapt as a business to deliver services. We have a strong history to help counsel our clients.”

Galesloot noted the relationships Century 21 Advantage forms with their clients allow for a long-term business relationship, which can help clients through the many real estate transactions that may occur throughout their lives including their first home, first business, buying a larger home and even vacation properties.

“It is always important to understand what our clients’ needs and wants are,” he added.

The business side of real estate often comes from clients who initially purchased residential properties.

“As we get older, we can expand our business reaches,” Galesloot said.

“A lot of clientele start as young entrepreneurs and then their businesses grow as well. On the commercial side, we see that growth so initially we help them find that first leased space and then eventually we move into different opportunities of development.”

Being a part of the business community is something integral to Galesloot and

his business.

“It is important to have a vested stake in your community, whether as a member of a real estate organization or a member of the Chamber of Commerce,” he said.

“It is about continuing to have an active presence and an active say in what is going on in our community. We have always been an organization that is actively involved. We are not a passive passenger on what is going on.

“We want to create direction if we can and have a say in different outcomes in areas that affect, not only our business but our community as a whole.”

Galesloot sees a bright future for Century 21 and the Central Alberta real estate market.

“It is very exciting looking forward in terms of what’s happening and what is developing,” he said.

“It is good to have a historical perspective. We can learn from some of the mistakes that may have happened in the past and say let’s look at things a bit differently going forward. It is exciting to adapt our learning and apply it to some of the projects in Red Deer.”

He noted carriage-style homes in Timberlands and the new Capstone at Riverlands communities are both examples of some of the exciting new developments in Red Deer.

“We are proud to be involved,” he said.

REAL ESTATE - Century 21 Advantage has roots in Red Deer since 1911. De and Patrick Galesloot took over the broker from Patrick’s Todd Colin vaughan/Red Deer Express parents.

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Red Deer Overdoor celebrates 40 years of success in community

BY ERIN FAWCETT efawcett@reddeerexpress.com

and that is going to last a long time.”

Red Deer Overdoor carries overhead doors in a variety of colours and designs Red Deer Overdoor has been in opera- to match a customer’s home or business. tion in the City for more than 40 years - a Karol said the company also takes pride milestone that they reached last month. in that the staff at Red Deer Overdoor is “We are a family-run business,” said Rob longstanding. The newest employee has Karol, operations manager been with the company for at Red Deer Overdoor. four years. ▾ Red Deer Overdoor “We have some great “WE WANT TO SELL specializes in all aspects of experienced employees.

OUR CUSTOMERS overhead door needs - not They know how to fix only in installation, but in SOMETHING THAT doors, they know how to maintenance and repair put doors in - they are all THEY WANT THAT as well. They also carry a very seasoned.”

IS GOING TO BE wide range of accessories.

According to their web EFFICIENT AND THAT site, “The entire Overdoor “We install overhead garage doors for all IS GOING TO LAST A team is dedicated to supebuildings, all residential, rior quality workmanship.

LONG TIME.” all commercial and we These highly trained peorepair commercial and ple are the best workforce Rob Karol residential garage doors,” in your community.” ▴ he said. “We also fix gate Karol said what makes operators, we carry rollRed Deer Overdoor stand ing steel doors, accordion doors, security out is the customer service and the high grills, dock levelers, and strip curtains are number of quality staff. also available.

“We’re more staffed - if there is a break “How it works here is it’s not what we in a door and you need a crew, we can want to sell you, it’s what the customers supply that immediately,” he said. “We want. can supply on demand and we can supply “There are so many kinds of doors out a service crew immediately. We also have there these days and if a customer sees a 24 hour on call to fix doors.” door they like, we try and get it for them.

In addition, Karol said one of the chalWe want to sell our customers something lenges of being a small business in Central that they want that is going to be efficient Alberta is keeping up with the market.

LONG-TIME BUSINESS - The staff at Red Deer Overdoor are proud to be part of the community. photo submitted

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Talk to Us.

Let us help you develop a marketing plan for your business.

MICHELLE VACCA

MELISSA FLINN

mvacca@reddeerexpress.com

melissa.flinn@reddeerexpress.com

403-309-5460

403-309-5469

Special Features

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Small Business Week

Wednesday, October 11, 2017 23

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.

Platinum

Real 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 2017 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 highlighting such excellence in our business community.

The Red Deer Advocate this year celebrated 110 years of bringing news and information to Central Albertans.

During that time, we’ve seen the advent of flight, two world wars, moon landings and the ubiquitous use of smartphones.

Through it all, the Advocate has recorded the history of this community and regional and world happenings. The Advocate has also supported the efforts of countless community leaders and organizations to make Red Deer the vibrant, people-focused place it is today. “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,” says Publisher Mary Kemmis.

And as the world has progressed, so has the Advocate.

From a weekly paper delivered on Fridays, the Advocate now serves as the principal news and information source for Central Albertans in both print and online, delivering news as it happens. The newspaper serves readers and advertisers with a respected print edition five days a week and extended reach through our digital products. Doorstep delivery of our newspaper is supplemented with numerous updates online through the day accessible directly at www.reddeeradvocate.com or through social media channels.

Gold Congratulations to all of those nominated for the 2017 Business of the Year awards. At William Joseph

Communications we celebrate your entrepreneurial spirit, your drive for success, and your tenacity for embracing both the ups and downs of starting and running a business.

Like you, our agency was founded on entrepreneurial spirit, and with a passion to succeed and see our clients succeed alongside of us.

Fifteen years later, William Joseph Communications is now Western Canada’s leading full-service marketing agency, with offices in Red Deer, Calgary, Grande Prairie and Saskatoon.

William Joseph understands that marketing your business can be a challenging task.

With determination, strategic thinking, and a bit of ingenuity, we have successfully helped businesses of all sizes achieve bold performance targets and succeed on a local, national, and international scale. Our commitment to founding all our solutions on strategy, ensures clients connect with their ideal target audience and compel them to act. With us as allies, our clients will have the vision and ability to create extraordinary outcomes through objective driven marketing.

Imagine the infinite possibilities the future holds for you and your business. Being ready for change is one thing.

Staying ahead of change is entirely another. What do you imagine for your company?

How soon will you make it happen? If not now, when? www.williamjoseph.com

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 last 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.

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.

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 firmly believe that our commitment to honouring our core values is directly linked to our success and continued growth.

Silver Business and IT aligned.

Finally. For over 28 years, Graycon has provided business-building IT solutions and real business value for more than 1,000 leading Canadian companies – specializing in the design, implementation, security, and support of infrastructure, cloud and networking systems. Our unique approach to aligning business goals with IT provides predictable costs, consistent performance and reliable systems and support, freeing you to focus on your core business.

Powered by Ricoh, our team of over 200 IT and business professionals bring both a global awareness and local perspective to your business.

From troubleshooting unexpected issues to supporting your long-term vision and growth, we’re always a step ahead of your needs. No excuses. No problem. We’re on it.

X-cel, by choice, is not trying to be the biggest telecommunications company on the

Central Alberta: Access Prosperity is a not-for-profit 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.

Opening a business? Get out of the gate fast with Scotia Running Start for business banking package, featuring a six month free introductory membership to CFIB. The package gives you everything you need to start your business, including savings on personal and business banking services as well as other

special offers. If you want to maximize your bottom line from day one, speak with a Scotiabank Small Business Advisor today.

Friends of Business of the Year Awards

Hearing Loops Canada (Division of X-cel Communications Inc.) is proud to be a authorized/ certified supply and install company for Contacta 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.

Contacta has perfected hearing loop systems for every conceivable application, as well as systems that integrate the loop with other voice transmission systems, such as building entries, drivethrough windows, checkout counters or ticket windows.

For every stakeholder a Contacta hearing loop system combines the most effective, reliable and convenient solution with the lowest cost per user.

24 Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Small Business Week

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