Ottawa Business Journal 20150119

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Strong-willed Fitness club owner Jean-Luc Boissonneault believes building relationships is every bit as important as building muscle > PAGE 4

January 19, 2015 Vol. 18, NO. 5

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Run your business, not your books

Leave the bookkeeping to the team at Henschel Business Services Inc. Dr. Vikas Dhawan is your typical entrepreneur – he is always looking for the next opportunity.

He learned early on that the recipe for success is to stick with your core competencies, and rely on trusted service providers for everything else. This includes the financial aspects of running a business, such as bookkeeping, payroll and tax remittances.

Henschel and Dr. Dhawan have grown together. From his first modest location, Dr. Dhawan has expanded into a multidisciplinary practice that includes chiropractic, massage therapy, physiotherapy and psychotherapy. Today, he has 16 practitioners at his head office on St. Laurent Boulevard. He is also building up a second location on Baseline Road.

and resources for most business owners to even attempt to keep their books, prepare payroll or calculate government remittances,” said Henschel. “Because bookkeeping is compliance-based, governed by many rules and regulations, it’s the perfect ‘job’ to outsource.”

It’s also the kind of job that should be left to an objective, third-party specialThrough it all, the consistent and expert ist, rather than well-meaning friends or support of Henschel, and then of her team family. From secure off-site servers that at HBS, has been crucial.

Dr. Dhawan launched his first business in allow remote access over the Web, to 2003, a chiropractic office. In that busy professional business coaching for its “They’ve allowed me to stay on top of team, HBS is always striving to serve its first year, he was a one-man show. my numbers, without having to manclients better. In fact, much of its business age the books myself,” he said. “That’s is referrals from local accounting firms.

“At that point, I didn’t want to deal with given me the insight to know when I’m doing all my day-to-day bookkeeping,” stretching myself too thin, or seeing a “We want to work with you to help you he said. “It was important that I had it poor return, so I can make better business grow your business,” said Henschel. done properly from the get go.” decisions.”

HBS works with sole proprietors, NPOs, Dr. Dhawan turned to professional bookcharities, as well as SMEs with multiplwe Because of HBS’s internal procedures keeper Marilyn Henschel. locations and dozens of staff. To learn and processes, and its emphasis on havmore, please visit www.hbsbookkeeping.

“With Marilyn’s help, I was able to focus ing at least two bookkeepers versed on com or call 613-738-3003. on growing my business and become each client’s account, Dr. Dhawan can profitable in the first year so I could hire always trust that his business will be staff,” he said. well-served in a timely and reliable fashAt that time, Henschel was a one-woman operation. Today, she is founder and president of Henschel Business Services Inc. (HBS). She has grown HBS into one of the largest dedicated bookkeeping firms in Canada, with a team of 21.

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

HBS has become that rare bookkeeping firm with the resources to scale with the needs of its clients’ growing businesses.

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ion.

“It’s seamless, it flows, it doesn’t disrupt my business,” Dr. Dhawan said. “As an entrepreneur, it just makes sense to trust these aspects of my business to the professionals.”

HBS: The business behind your business “We think it can be a huge waste of time

RETAIL

“We can’t speculate on anything until we get something from Target. We’re reading in the newspapers, same as you.” – PLACE D’ORLEANS GENERAL MANAGER CURTIS FORTOWSKY

Target’s closure leaves local malls asking, ‘What’s next?’

Landlords take wait-and-see approach toward U.S. retail giant’s exit from Canadian market

BY TOM PECHLOFF tom@obj.ca

I

t’s too early to tell what the fallout of Target’s decision to shutter all Canadian operations will be for local malls, the general manager of Place d’Orleans said

last week.

“I think every landlord in the country is sort of saying, ‘OK, what’s next?’” Curtis Fortowsky said.

Minneapolis-based Target announced on Jan. 15 it will close all 133 of its stores in Canada, laying off 17,600 employees in the

process.

The U.S. retail giant arrived in Canada in March 2013, with less than stellar results.

While many shoppers expected to see stores similar to the ones they crossed the border to frequent, instead they were greeted with empty shelves, less selection and higher prices.

Speculation about Target Canada’s future has now been answered, at least partly.

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What happens next is up in the air, said Mr. Fortowsky, because he hasn’t received any official notification from the company. Target is one of the eastend shopping centre’s main anchor tenants.

“We can’t speculate on anything until we get something from Target. We’re reading in the newspapers, same as you,” he said.

Mr. Fortowsky said his mall is looking more at the process that’s going to be involved and waiting for “the story to unfold,” adding he couldn’t speculate on what kind of tenant would take over the space once Target leaves.

“At this point, it’s just business as usual because they’re open and nothing has changed other than they’ve made a big announcement,” he said.

“I’m sure you’ll hear from everybody, there is nothing anybody can say.”

The announcement ends the wait for the new Target location that was to open at Bayshore Shopping Centre this spring.

“It’s a Target lease, so that’s all I can say right now,” said Sébastien Théberge, vice-president of public affairs and media relations for Bayshore’s owners, Ivanhoe Cambridge.

“For us, we’re monitoring developments and events considering the proceedings that are underway.”

The west-end mall, which recently underwent a major expansion, was also hit with news Thursday that Sony will close all 14 of its Canadian retail stores, including the Bayshore location, as it refocuses its business.

Mr. Théberge said the retail industry is highly competitive, whether it be between retailers or shopping centres.

“Obviously we monitor what goes on in the retail industry and we talk a lot about the departures,” he said. “We talk sometimes less about the arrivals. It’s an industry that’s in flux.”

03 OBJ.CA

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Free Form Fitness founder Jean-Luc Boissonneault, shown with wife Chelsea (left) and sister Ashley Lawrie, has lots to smile about. PHOTO PROVIDED

Muscling in on the competition Free Form Fitness founder says gym chain just part of his long-term plans

BY DAVID SALI

david@greatriver.ca

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

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OBJ.CA

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ean-Luc Boissonneault is the first to admit his initial interest in personal fitness wasn’t motivated by the most altruistic of goals.

The 31-year-old founder of Free Form Fitness started working out as a teenager “with the pure purpose of looking good for girls,” he says with a laugh during an interview at his new gym in the Glebe.

Now a married father of one as well as a successful entrepreneur with four Free Form locations in Ottawa, Mr. Boissonneault can afford to chuckle about his humble beginnings. Growing up in a working-class family, he held two jobs as a kid, manning the front desk at a gym and selling vitamins and other supplements at a store.

That gave him the time and opportunity to dive head-first into what soon became a passion for personal wellness. He remembers reading everything about training and fitness he could get his hands on during lulls at work, knowledge that has paid off in spades since.

“I was super hungry for info,” he says. “I just wanted to know everything.”

Mr. Boissonneault’s enthusiasm did not

go unnoticed. One day, a 400-pound man entered the gym during one of his shifts. He could barely trudge up the entrance steps.

“My job at the time was to sell him a membership,” Mr. Boissoneault recalls. “He was going to walk out. The hardest part is to start. I said, ‘Listen, I’ll help you. I’ll train you four days a week for free. We’ll do it for a year, and let’s see what happens.’”

Twelve months later, the client had shed 200 pounds.

“He was like a walking billboard for me,” Mr. Boissonneault says. “Everyone was like, ‘Holy smoke. That guy’s doing well.’”

Then 17, he was soon being sought out for advice by other clients. He became a personal trainer, registering his first business, Progression Fitness, and learning the fundamental steps of bookkeeping and other tasks on the fly.

Many of his clients were well-heeled business owners. While tutoring them on proper nutrition and weightlifting techniques, Mr. Boissonneault in turn soaked up as much of their knowledge as he could.

“They just seemed to have the perfect life for me,” he says. “I was like, ‘That’s really cool.’ As I was helping them get to their goal, they felt the need to help me back.

They were becoming my mentors.”

One client in particular stood out – local homebuilder Claude Dagenais, the founder of Junicon Homes.

“He was a huge influence on me,” Mr. Boissonneault says. “He was like Donald Trump, this guy. He just told it like it was.”

During their sessions, the hard-driving entrepreneur would impart key nuggets of wisdom to Mr. Boissonneault, such as the importance of focusing on long-term strategy rather than getting mired in the day-to-day details of running a business.

One day, Mr. Boissonneault, then about 20, told his mentor his dream was to open his own gym.

“He said, ‘Give me a deadline. I don’t care when it is.’”

When Mr. Boissonneault mentioned a date a year away, “He said, ‘You can do it in six months.’ He cut my deadline in half, which forced me to do it. He made me commit to that goal.”

The result was the first Free Form Fitness location in Kanata, financed by a $250,000 bank loan co-signed by his future mother-in-law.

At first, Mr. Boissonneault tried to compete with the big chains. But he soon realized he could offer something the massive fitness facilities couldn’t – a more personal relationship with clients.

“I had to fight in a different way than head-on,” he says.

He revamped his business model to ensure every Free Form client had his or her own personal trainer. Revenues initially nosedived – “We were worried if we could pay rent,” he admits – but eventually word of mouth from his predominantly businessoriented client base helped turn things around.

“Businesspeople, when they like something, they’re going to help,” he says.

There were other missteps along the way.

Mr. Boissonneault had to buy out his original partner at his second location in the ByWard Market when that relationship soured. When he found himself getting spread too thin after opening his third gym in Westboro, he turned to another trusted mentor, restaurateur Ion Aimers.

“I was like, ‘I’m freaking out, I don’t know how to fix everything.’” Mr. Boissonneault recalls. “He said, ‘Just let it break and then you’re going to make the right moves.’”

Though that advice might have seemed almost counterintuitive, he says it worked.

He stepped back, re-evaluated the business and refocused on his clients. He considered the merits of a major expansion, but ultimately decided smaller was better.

“Franchising didn’t seem like a good option,” he says. “What made me successful was the personal touch.”

Today, he has plenty to smile about.

He opened the Glebe location earlier this month with his sister, Ashley Lawrie, who serves as company president and whom he calls “a phenomenal businessperson.” The four Free Form locations employ 27 people, who serve 500 members.

But Mr. Boissonneault isn’t resting on his laurels.

Last year, he launched Free Form Academy, a five-week program where personal trainers gain practical experience in dealing with clients and get tips on things like making healthy food taste more appealing.

“I found a need for hands-on teaching,” he says. “When (trainers) come and apply … they may know stuff in their head but when they get on the floor with a client, they’re not confident. I think most people learn by doing.”

He’s also partnered with three local farmers, who now sell grass-fed beef at the Free Form gyms. He hopes to eventually offer other products such as free-range eggs.

The guy who started pumping iron to impress girls is now motivated by a higher calling – building his own business while helping others along the way.

“I’d love to start a whole bunch of businesses that have good synergy with that purpose in mind,” he says.

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There’s a huge difference between 0.0 and 1.0 – ask your ears

Morin Bros., Rockfon seminar explores how to tame noisy spaces There are few things more frustrating than trying to hear, be heard, or concentrate on the task at hand when there’s too much background noise. What can you do when finding a quieter spot, or eliminating the source of the noise, isn’t an option?

One solution is to fit your space with materials that absorb sound rather than just reflecting it back.

Any surface in your space, from ceilings to walls and even hanging tiles, can be used to reduce background noise, ensure greater privacy and improve clarity of speech, if they are made with sound absorbing materials.

The trick is to find options with high acoustical performance that are economical, durable, healthy and attractive.

And let’s not forget tested compliance with the latest building codes, including standards such as the seismic code for earthquakes and other foundation-shaking events.

On Feb. 18, Ottawa’s Morin Bros.

Building Supplies and partner Rockfon will co-host a seminar that will shed light on how to optimize acoustic performance through new materials and design.

Acoustics design guidelines for buildings, especially healthcare and educational facilities, are changing quickly, and with good reason. Various studies have demonstrated how disruptive and maddening poor acoustical performance can be.

sound. One with an NRC of 1.0 absorbs all sound.

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These are issues that can directly impact the bottom line, due to stress, fatigue and lost productivity. For example:

Rockfon’s products are available in Ottawa at Morin Bros. Building Supplies.

For 29 years, contractors, architects, engineers and designers have trusted Morin Bros. for their most challenging and ambitious projects.

• In hospitals: Studies have shown that sound pressure levels in health care have risen significantly since 1960. Night time noise pollution is one of the main complaints of patients in hospitals.

• In classrooms: Classrooms typically have speech intelligibility ratings of 75 per cent, meaning every fourth spoken word is not understood. This may impact learning outcomes, and force teachers to raise their voices, increasing stress and fatigue.

• In the Workplace: A survey of 65,000 people by the University of California, Berkeley, found that more than half of office workers are dissatisfied with the level of “speech privacy,” making it the leading complaint in offices everywhere.

The Rockfon difference

Outfitting a space with materials that absorb sound is critical. A surface’s ability to absorb sound is measured by its Noise Reduction Co-efficient (NRC). A surface/ material with an NRC of 0.0 absorbs no

Learn more at the February 18th seminar

After decades in Europe, Rockfon’s stone wool acoustic ceilings have finally arrived in Canada. Morin Bros. Building Supplies has them in Ottawa. Learn how Rockfon can tame noise in your space at this Feb. 18 seminar.

The seminar takes place from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Centurion Conference and Event Centre, 170 Colonnade Rd. S. Pre-registration is required and there is limited space available. Please contact Kathy at 613-552-4311 or email a_dSupport@morinbros.ca

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

Intended for both the experienced designer and the layman with no knowledge of acoustics, the seminar will feature Dr. Gary Madaras. He is Rockfon’s acoustics specialist, and has worked in the field for 20 years.

Why it matters

05 OBJ.CA

LAUNCH PAD

Welcome to the latest instalment of OBJ’s LaunchPad, a new monthly section dedicated to local startups and entrepreneurs. Story ideas and other suggestions can be sent to adam@obj.ca.

result is an “evolutionary” way to design a website and comes with a hefty portfolio of patents pending, says Mr. Fitzpatrick, CEO of the five-month-old startup that’s set to launch its product in February.

Greg Evans, PageCloud’s vice-president of business development, concedes he remained skeptical about the idea for a while.

“Hasn’t this been done before?” he thought. But when he and Mr. Fitzpatrick went to San Francisco to get a temperature check from a number of Silicon Valley pros, they got the reaction they had been looking for.

“When their eyebrows went up, then I knew we were on to something special,” he says.

The trip also led to a $1-million Greg Evans (left) and Craig Fitzpatrick of PageCloud, a new Ottawa startup. PHOTO BY ADAM FEIBEL September investment round that included Silicon Valley notables Avanish Sahai of Demandbase and Sam Zaid and Jessica which was run on an often clunky and Scorpio from Getaround. nitpicky system.

“First reaction was, I didn’t believe “The building of websites has always it. And for someone who’s been in the been the domain of developers, and for software business for a long time, that’s not all of their skills, developers aren’t always a reaction I would normally have,” says Mr. the best designers,” he says. “That was my Sahai. frustration for years, and I just assumed that An expert in growth-driven marketing, someone else will solve it ... and 10 years Mr. Sahai says a company like PageCloud later, nobody solved it.” needs to apply a concept called “delight He found some solace in Apple’s iWeb, your customer.” That means making a great which allowed for user-friendly and visually and simple product that clients will love so inclined web publishing. It was far from much they’ll spread the word. perfect, but he bent it to his will.

“It’s not about building a big sales team,” Mr. Fitzpatrick had hoped Apple would he says. “It’s not about spending millions someday come out with a pro version that of dollars on marketing and advertising. It’s would fix the problems he had with it. about making the product experience so Instead, the company discontinued it in compelling that the customer walks away 2011. delighted.”

“I thought, ‘This is ridiculous. I am not Local investors in PageCloud include going back to hand-coding HTML. I just Tobias Lütke of Shopify, Frédéric Boulanger refuse,’” he recalls. of Macadamian and Peter Sandiford,

BY ADAM FEIBEL He went home and started writing founder of LPI Level Platforms and adam@obj.ca code on evenings and weekends, aiming Netstone Technologies. to create a solution that would bring the The company also held a second raig Fitzpatrick sat down one night usability of desktop publishing to web financing round that raised another $1 and decided to reinvent the web. design. million this month.

After 20 years in charge of product And so he did.

Now a six-man operation working out teams, he kept running into the same issue: He created PageCloud, software that lets of a temporary space on Rideau Street, the marketing teams would always steal away users add photos, text, videos and other company will move into a 1,250-square-foot his software programmers for days at a elements to web pages using drag-and-drop office at the other side of the building by the time so they could fix the company website, movements and keyboard shortcuts. The end of the month. Mr. Fitzpatrick says he

Designs on web greatness

Ottawa entrepreneur projects ‘Shopify trajectory’ for revolutionary software firm

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

C

CHANGE LOG You.i lands Crackle contract Fast-growing user experience design firm You.i TV nabbed another big contract last month, this time with Sony’s web show distributor, Crackle. The multi-year contract comes not long after You.i landed a major gig with Shomi, the video-on-demand service launched by Rogers and Shaw in the fall. The You.i Engine will run on eight different platforms such as iOS, Android, Xbox, PlayStation, Smart TVs and more.

Christmas tree promo helps families in need Drivers with LocoTruck delivered Christmas trees during the holiday season, with a portion

Growing stronger for the future Norton Rose Fulbright Canada is pleased to introduce Charles Hurdon as its new Managing Partner. Charles brings over 25 years of experience to the position and will lead Canada as it continues to expand its reach on the global stage.

Law around the world nortonrosefulbright.com

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expects to more than double the firm’s head count and be on “a Shopify trajectory” by the end of 2015.

“I see this as sort of the next big Ottawa hit,” he says.

The company will release four versions of its software one at a time, beginning in February and continuing through the year.

Mr. Evans says the key will be finding good partnerships to help with distribution, scale and support as the firm grows.

“I like to look at technologies that are so good that you can have a monopoly,” he says, offering Google as an example. “I think about what we need to do … to keep being that good as we expand.”

Mr. Fitzpatrick says content management systems such as WordPress and the like were revolutionary at the time, but they’re only the first half of a journey – and PageCloud is the other half. It’s time to “democratize” web publishing, he says.

“Everyone who can use e-mail should be able to do this,” he says. “The endpoint is complete creative freedom for everyone.”

Charles Hurdon | charles.hurdon@nortonrosefulbright.com | +1 613.780.8653 NRF_3166 - Ottawa Business Journal - Hurdon Announcement.indd 1

20/11/2014 2:24:11 PM

“First reaction was, I didn’t believe it. And for someone who’s been in the software business for a long time, that’s not a reaction I would normally have.”

– PAGECLOUD INVESTOR AVANISH SAHAI OF DEMANDBASE

of the proceeds going toward helping families in need. Founded in 2014, the Uber-esque company connects people who need something moved with locals who have a truck and some spare time. LocoTruck ended up donating three Christmas trees along with lights and decorations to the Ottawa Food Bank, CEO Cedric Meloche told OBJ. Klipfolio on the move After more than 10 years as an early-stage startup, Klipfolio – known until a few years ago as Serence – is growing fast. After doubling its customer base and head count and tripling its monthly recurring revenue in 2014, the dashboard marketing software company is hiring left, right and centre and will soon occupy the whole second floor of its Gloucester Street office building as it prepares for exponential growth in the new year.

Chefx gets financing to promote Ontario food Ottawa-based food delivery startup Chefx was one of nine eastern Ontario companies selected for a provincial program that aims to promote locally produced foods. The Ontario government agreed to provide 25 cents on every dollar Chefx puts toward its 52-week local food showcase proposal for the province’s new Local Food Fund.

Medical marijuana startups get licensed Hydropothecary, a new player in the fastgrowing Canadian medical marijuana market, received its production licence from Health Canada in early December and completed its first harvest. Meanwhile, big-hit Smiths Falls grower Tweed was relicensed for its Niagaraon-the-Lake medical marijuana facility. That will allow the company to grow up to 11,500 cannabis plants through the end of 2015, according to a release.

Neighbourhood finder makes Ottawa debut Navut, a Montreal-based startup founded in 2012, recently launched an Ottawa edition of its real estate app. The program learns its users’ lifestyle preferences and uses an algorithm to suggest the neighbourhoods most suited to a person or family. Ottawa is the seventh major Canadian city to be included in Navut’s directory.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Kinaxis Career Fair Wednesday, Jan. 21, 4-7 p.m.

Holiday Inn & Suites, 101 Kanata Ave. Info and registration at kinaxis.com/careerfair

Eggs n’ Icons Thursday, Jan. 29 7:15-9 a.m.

Sheraton Ottawa Hotel, 150 Albert St. Info and registration at business. ottawachamber.ca/events “Toast to Success” Business Dinner Thursday, Jan. 29, 5:30-9 p.m.

The Westin Ottawa, 11 Colonel By Dr. Info and registration at tecde.ca/events TechTuesday Tuesday, Feb. 3, 5-8:30 p.m.

The Marshes, 320 Terry Fox Dr. Info and registration at wesleyclover.com/ philanthropy/techtuesday Tax Information for Small Business Tuesday, Feb. 3, 7-8:30 p.m.

Ottawa Public Library, main branch, 120 Metcalfe St. Info and registration at biblioottawalibrary.ca/ en/program

Université d’Ottawa

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University of Ottawa

Learn to build reliable, flexible and usable software.

This 2 day professional workshop will teach you to develop software by incorporating a new generation of best practices: • help ensure software is reliable • software can be adapted to meet new requirements • software can be quickly mastered and efficiently used.

Workshop offered February 19-20, 2015 Register today to 1 of 10 professional development courses in engineering and computer science.

Consult our list of workshops: continue.uOttawa.ca

The discussions about “emerging markets” are often dominated by countries such as China and India.

However, Brazil is quickly becoming a dominant player on the world stage.

It is currently globe’s seventh largest economy (by nominal GDP), already ahead of India and Russia. And in the coming decades it is expected to take the fifth spot, overtaking both France and the UK. Brazil’s many diverse sectors are showing strong and sustainable growth and the federal government is backing this up with major investments.

Ricardo Pereira is a Business Development Manager at Invest Ottawa who oversees the Brazil market. Pereira has 15 years of international business experience, the majority of which has been focused on establishing SME’s in the Latin market. Pereira shares his thoughts on how a business can “break into Brazil.”

What sectors are seeing the most growth in Brazil?

There are major plans for aerospace, advanced defense and telecommunication satellite programs. And Brazil is home to one of world’s largest aircraft manufacturers. Cleantech products such as advanced filtration, water distribution and reuse, rainwater systems and membrane filtration are in demand. In 2011 the Brazilian water utilities industry took in revenues of $34.1 Billion. Brazil meets 50% of its energy demand through renewable sources. A tenfold increase in solar, wind and biomass energy generation and transmission is expected by 2020.

Brazil is also one of the world’s largest emerging ICT markets with annual expenditures of over $120 Billion (USD). There is growing interest in cloud computing, data centres and IT services. In the life sciences sector, 80% of the country’s equipment needs are imported.

Opportunities exist for suppliers in advanced medical equipment, disposables, diagnostic devices, implants and components.

The security market is worth over $30B and growing by 15% each year.

Half the security products used are imported. Firms looking for solutions for financial institutions, port and airport security, vehicle surveillance and alarms but there is much more.

What is driving this growth?

Faculty of Engineering

613 562-5802 continue@uOttawa.ca continue.uOttawa.ca

The government is making unprecedented investments in infrastructure; over $800 Billion (USD) in the coming years.

Ricardo Pereira, Invest Ottawa The money will develop energy generation, telecommunications, water and wastewater, urban infrastructure and public security.

Brazil is also one of largest consumer markets in the world. 40 million new consumers have joined a burgeoning middle class since 2003 driving growth in many sectors (B2C and B2B).

Do you know of any local businesses already finding success in the Brazil market?

Companies such as Skywave Mobile Communications, Edgewater, Iogen Corp, Ross, Secure City Solutions, Solink, Alscott Air Systems and Sage Tea software (a successful graduate of Invest Ottawa’s portfolio) have all made prominent inroads into Brazil.

In some countries, forming strategic partnerships with local companies is the best way to access a foreign market. Is this a typical path to enter Brazil?

Absolutely, “doing business” in Brazil can be quite different from what Canadian companies are used to (i.e. regulations / language / financial system / tariff and non-tariff barriers). When I was working in Sao Paulo assisting Swiss companies to enter the Brazilian market, 85% broke into the market via strategic partnerships. Ottawa companies should devote a good amount of time not only in evaluating the market but also taking the necessary steps to land the most suitable partner. These two items alone can mean “make it or break it” in the Brazilian market.

07 OBJ.CA

From 3D Printing to Production Monday, Jan. 26, 1-3 p.m.

Invest Ottawa, 80 Aberdeen St. Info and registration at investottawa.ca/events

Breaking Into Brazil

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

Building Business Brilliance Tuesday, Jan. 20, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Centurion Conference and Event Center, 170 Colonnade Rd. S. Info and registration at womensbusinessnetwork.ca/events

Living Our Dreams Through Entrepreneurship Wednesday, Jan. 28, 7 p.m.

Hooley’s Pub, 292 Elgin St. Info and registration at startupottawa.ca/ events

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COMMENTARY Modular homes far from cookie-cutter Eastern Ontario-based Guildcrest carves out solid reputation for quality and efficiency

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015 OBJ.CA

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PUBLISHER Michael Curran, 238-1818 ext. 228 publisher@obj.ca SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT OF SALES Don Mersereau, 238-1818 ext. 286 CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Terry Tyo, 238-1818 ext. 268 EDITOR, PRINT CONTENT David Sali, 238-1818 ext. 269 david@greatriver.ca EDITOR, ONLINE CONTENT Tom Pechloff, 238-1818 ext. 291 editor@obj.ca

H

enry Ford’s spirit was alive and well when I recently visited modular homebuilder Guildcrest’s 120,000-square-foot plant in Morewood, about 50 kilometres southeast of Ottawa.

Watching factory-built homes roll down the company’s assembly line each week in this giant hive of activity with more than 120 employees is inspiring.

Once assembled, the homes are loaded onto flatbeds, trucked to their new location, placed on footings and a foundation, and voilà, homebuyers have a new dwelling.

Along the way, Guildcrest Homes has found creative solutions to problems such as how to keep load heights to about 13 feet – gang nail roof trusses are hinged so they unfold upwards after delivery and lock in place.

As my tour guide at the plant, 12-year company veteran George Tierney, notes: “We’re pretty sure that if a wood-frame building comes into contact with a concrete overpass at 100 km/h, well, we know who’d win.”

The company has overcome technical challenges like this through innovation.

It also appears to be able to consistently deliver good-quality products on time, an issue that often bedevils the stick-built mainstream homebuilding business.

Indeed, a lot can go wrong when building a new home. It’s a complicated process, and it’s not unusual to have 30 or more unresolved building issues when a new stick-frame house is completed.

But assembling houses in a controlled environment, as Guildcrest does at the rate of about one a day, should mean that they can deliver on time and with fewer problems.

The firm’s record with Tarion, Ontario’s new home warranty program, seems to bear this out.

In 10 years, Guildcrest has sold 418 dwellings in Ontario. Over that time, it has had just one chargeable conciliation, which occurs when Tarion determines that one or more items reported by the homeowner are warranted under the plan and the builder failed to repair or resolve the items during the applicable repair period.

Guildcrest has an interesting history.

It started out as Dutch Sash and Door,

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created by a legend in this part of Ontario – Adrian Huef. It was sold to a Toronto-based company that drove it into bankruptcy within 18 months, whereupon it was purchased by Bob Egan, David Poupor, John Coppens and two others who transitioned it to the Guildcrest brand and name. It’s also been known as Morewood Homes in the past.

Today, Guildcrest is owned by SaintApollinaire, Quebec-based modular home manufacturer Pro Fab, which in turn is owned by an enormous private equity firm, Wynnchurch Capital of Chicago.

Wynnchurch has been buying up modular homebuilders across North America with a view to driving down costs and increasing market share. If it succeeds, it could revolutionize an industry that clearly needs updating.

So what’s standing in its way? First, the conservative nature of the industry itself, which suffers from an unwillingness to embrace change in what is a very inefficient system.

Second, what works in Quebec, Michigan, New York or New England doesn’t necessarily work in Ontario and vice versa.

A one-size-fits-all-approach to design and construction isn’t always the right way to go.

Third, a significant portion of the traditional new home marketplace mistakenly thinks of modular homes as unimaginative and inflexible in terms of design.

But Guildcrest sales chief Roy Mills dismisses such worries, saying those issues are a thing of the past.

“That stigma is gone,” he says. “We build big homes, small ones, town(homes), sideby-sides, duplexes, triplexes. We fire rate them vertically and stack them side by side.

We do in-fill housing now. Plus, from start to finish, we deliver in just four months.”

The firm has three sales channels: retail (sales to consumers who have their own lots), authorized builders (a wholesale channel) and developers (who are bringing an entire subdivision online). Guildcrest is able to do more than just sell a consumer a modular home. It will take charge of a whole project from excavation, footing and foundation to the occupancy permit.

It is also a major exporter to the United States. When the Canuck buck sank to 63 cents, Mr. Mills recalls fondly, “We made a killing, especially in upstate New York, where Guildcrest is a licensed builder.”

Guildcrest also exploits the land-lease recreational market in a big way – its largest customer is Parkbridge, which has about 300 retirement communities, cottage and RV resorts in its portfolio.

One of its main competitive advantages is a stable, experienced workforce. At one point during my tour, Mr. Tierney points out a 75-year-old man walking slowly but purposefully up and down the assembly line in a blue, knee-length winter coat with a safety vest on top.

“I have no idea what (the employee) does here, but he’s never worked anywhere else in his life,” he says.

It’s that kind of loyalty that spawns intense commitment from everyone I met there.

Maybe one day, homes will be built using 3D printers or tiny machines. But until then, Guildcrest and other modular homebuilders are trying to find a better way forward for an archaic, frustratingly hidebound industry.

Bruce M. Firestone is founder of the Ottawa Senators and a broker at Century 21 Explorer Realty. Follow him on Twitter @ ProfBruce.

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If you’re a small to medium-sized tenant looking to lease an office near the Brookstreet Hotel, virtually all roads will now lead to KRP

Cornering the north Kanata market KRP Development Group’s $69M deal likely to spark rent increase in March Road corridor

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major real estate firm’s purchase of a north Kanata office portfolio has the potential to change the face of the west-end office market in 2015.

KRP Development Group’s $69-million acquisition of a seven-building, 411,000-square-foot office portfolio currently administered by Colonnade Management will give the real estate arm of the Terry Matthews business empire control of 50 per cent of Kanata’s total commercial market.

While that’s not a true monopoly, the deal effectively leaves KRP in possession of virtually all the quality vacant office space in north Kanata.

In addition, almost 85 per cent of the remaining empty space not in KRP’s control is located in only four buildings –

two owned by Morguard, one by Gilmore Printing and one by the Regional Group.

These buildings range from 45,000 to 106,000 square feet and account for a large portion of Kanata’s current vacancy rate, but they are simply too large to be easily divided for smaller tenancies.

A quick look at the remaining space reveals some startling facts. Not counting Kanata south, including all the buildings clustered near the Canadian Tire Centre, and the four big buildings mentioned above, less than 60,000 square feet of vacant inventory remains for small to medium-sized tenants to lease – a measly 3.36 per cent of the remaining space available in the March Road corridor.

In short, if you’re a small to mediumsized tenant looking to lease an office

near the Brookstreet Hotel, virtually all roads will now lead to KRP. Already Cresa has seen the new owners scupper deals at their new holdings where the rents fall below what KRP considers to be in line with the new realities of the market. This is a sure sign of the new landlord’s intent to leverage its “micro-monopoly” sooner rather than later.

As a result, Cresa is predicting that average Kanata rents will rise from the current rate of about $12 per square foot to as much as $15 in the next 12 months. We are also expecting to see a corresponding drop in the amount of free rent and cash incentives.

This process could be accelerated, depending on how quickly the federal government takes occupancy of the 2.3-million-square-foot former Nortel campus it purchased in 2010. With the feds having publicly stated their intent to

Darren Fleming is a managing principal at Cresa Ottawa, which tracks real estate trends in the capital region. He can be reached at dfleming@cresa.com.

ate letbr Cebes employers!

2015

the

POST-BUDGET BREAKFAST The highly-anticipated federal budget will be released in a matter of weeks. What will it mean for business?

What will it mean for Canada? What will it mean for Ottawa?

The surveys are complete.

The results are in.

EMPLOYEES’

CH ICES

AWARD 2014-15

Join this salute to the region’s best employers, as determined by the ECA employee engagement surveys.

Attend this networking cocktail to find out what sets these companies apart.

Stay tuned for more information on this must-attend breakfast.

MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

move 8,500 National Defence employees to the campus starting late next year, it’s a good bet the market will continue to tighten after those workers move in.

The good news is that even as the north Kanata market catches fire, there are still great deals to be had in other parts of the west end and in more central parts of town.

The downtown market is especially soft at the moment and, in the face of steep rent increases in Kanata, it is possible that the city’s next wave of tech startups will choose to locate near the ByWard Market or Lansdowne Park, where fierce bidding wars for tenants continue to accelerate.

January 28th, 2015

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Market forces, not monopoly, driving rent hikes Re: “Cornering the north Kanata market” (Jan. 5)

I read with interest this article in the most recent OBJ. The headline seems to infer that KRP Properties’ purchase of Kanata North Tech Park will result in an increase in rental rates in Kanata North.

The writer goes on to argue that this will

happen as a result of KRP having a 50 per cent share of the market. He suggests that KRP has already “scuppered deals at their new holdings where the rents fall below what KRP considers to be in line with the new realities of the market.”

This individual seems to be a regular contributor to your newspaper, providing “his” insights on the real estate industry.

I believe he has crossed the line from providing market information to using your publication to further his own agenda.

The deal he refers to as being “scuppered” is one that his company is running with, and is one that Cresa is trying to do at 25 per cent below the average rental rate within the Kanata North Tech Park, rates that were established well before KRP acquired this portfolio.

Cresa represents a tenant with a limited budget whose lease is likely up for renewal at its current location. It is unlikely that Cresa will receive a commission if the tenant simply renews its lease, which will likely be the case unless Cresa can negotiate a deal substantially below current market rates.

For the past decade, KRP Properties has represented 40 per cent of the Kanata North market. Over this period, rental rates have decreased substantially from what they were during the tech boom, primarily a result of 20-30 per cent vacancy rates.

Never miss an issue. Get the digital edition of OBJ’s newspaper delivered to your inbox.

Subscribe to the email news alert.

Over the past year, however, the city has seen a significant resurgence in the tech sector. As a result, the vacancy rate in the Kanata market has dropped from 16 per cent at the beginning of 2014 to 10 per cent today. Any first-year business student knows an increase in demand and a reduction in supply could result in increased pricing. This is what is happening in Kanata today, and any increase in rental rates, if it occurs, will likely be the result of a tighter market, not because KRP has

increased its market share.

Kanata continues to represent significant value over alternative sites in the downtown core, despite a reduction in downtown leasing rates. And despite what the article states, there continue to be numerous opportunities for tenants of all sizes in the Kanata North market.

Misinformation such as that contained in this article can only confuse readers.

— Martin Vandewouw, President, KRP Properties

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POST-BUDGET BREAKFAST Stay tuned for more information on this must-attend breakfast.

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MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

The highly-anticipated federal budget will be released in a matter of weeks. What will it mean for business? What will it mean for Canada?

What will it mean for Ottawa?

09 OBJ.CA

Watch ottawachamber.ca for event details.

EMPLOYEES’ CHOICE AWARDS 2014 THE RECIPIENTS • • • • • • •

Ceridian Chipworks Christie Walther Communications Collins Barrow Ottawa LLP Glitchsoft Senstar Kardish

CALCULATING ENGAGEMENT • • • • • • • •

Is my work challenging?

Am I proud to tell others about my employer?

Am I optimistic about the future of my organization?

Am I willing to put forth extra effort?

Does my organization inspire me to do my best work?

Would I recommend my employer to others?

Does my job provide me with a sense of personal accomplishment?

Is there a connection between my work and the organization’s objectives?

THE CEREMONY

Why you want to work for these seven companies

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MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

mobile video game manufacturer, a health food chain and a twoway radio provider are among the eclectic group of companies that are among Ottawa’s top employers, according to the organizations’ own workers.

In total, seven companies are being honoured with Employees’ Choice Awards, a program organized by Ottawa Business Journal, the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce and Nepean-based employee survey firm TalentMap. To participate, local organizations are invited to launch confidential employee

engagement surveys, which measure their perceptions of managers and senior leaders, opportunities for personal and professional growth as well as overall job satisfaction.

Participating organizations must have at least 30 employees and achieve a statistically relevant response level. The recipients are selected based on hundreds of employee surveys.

“There is no better way to find Ottawa’s top workplaces than by directly asking their employees for feedback,” says OBJ publisher Michael Curran.

Employees’ Choice Award recipients will be honoured at a cocktail ceremony on Wednesday, Jan. 28, starting at 6 p.m. at Lago Bar & Grill. Tickets are $25 for Ottawa Chamber of Commerce members and $30 for non-members. For more information, visit employeeschoice.ca.

must also make it clear to employees that ultimately it is up to them to take responsibility for their own careers.

“These employers have found creative “The onus is on both sides,” he ways to connect with their employees says. For employees, that means and have achieved an enviable level of asking questions, talking to managers, engagement.” networking within the organization and After nearly 15 years of producing such figuring out how to get things done. surveys, TalentMap founder and president At the same time, the best companies Sean Fitzpatrick has turned the art of play an active role in encouraging and employee engagement into a science. assisting their workers in that process.

For many employees, he says, job This year’s Employees’ Choice Award satisfaction comes from being able to recipients are clear proof of that. visualize a clear career path.

“By working together, employers While some steps employers can take and their staff build better businesses,” are easy, such as highlighting job openings Mr. Curran says. “It’s a win-win for internally, for example, he says managers everyone.”

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE EMPLOYEES’ CHOICE AWARD WINNERS and thank you to the Ceridian Ottawa team for making our office a GREAT place to work.

Join the company that is transforming human capital management.

We’re hiring! Visit CAREERS.CERIDIAN.CA

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CERIDIAN CANADA

EMPLOYEES’ CHOICE AWARDS 2014 ‘Fun, intelligent teamwork’

supports employees who are willing to take lateral moves to try different roles in the business.

The company has also set up the s the head of a human resources the bottom line.

Ceridian Cares Foundation, which has firm, Dave MacKay knows his For example, when employees raised more than $600,000 for charity. The company’s workers are its most alerted management that the program is run by employees, with the important asset. implementation process for Ceridian’s company matching their donations dollar “Our business is human capital cloud-based software “wasn’t satisfying for dollar, Mr. MacKay says. management,� says Mr. MacKay, the the customers,� the company took He adds Ceridian is “starting to build Ottawa-based president of Ceridian HCM. immediate steps to solve the problem, Mr. an employer brand,� which is particularly Keeping employees engaged is simply MacKay says. It shortened the software’s important for attracting top talent in the good business, he says. implementation time, which ended highly competitive software industry. “We believe that happy employees up reducing costs as well as pleasing It’s all about “creating meaning in mean happy customers,� says Mr. customers. employees’ lives,� Mr. MacKay says, MacKay, who has worked at Ceridian for “It’s really important that everyone get through “fun, intelligent teamwork and more than two decades. connected to the business drivers,� Mr. treating people with respect.� — Jacob For that to happen, he says, MacKay says, adding there’s “no doubt�

Serebrin “communication and transparency is that engaged employees work harder and key.� are more productive.

Ceridian Ceridian holds town hall meetings He’s also a big believer in providing Number of employees: More than 110 in in its offices “as often as possible,� Mr. room to grow. As a result, the company Ottawa, 5,000 worldwide MacKay says, in an effort to build a encourages its workers to continually Year founded: Through its predecessor “transparent, open environment� and Ceridian’s Dave MacKay. PHOTO BY COLE BURSTON upgrade their skills through training firms, Ceridian traces its history to 1932. foster two-way communication between courses and provides mentorship The Ottawa office opened in the 1980s. employees and management. improvements. opportunities to staff.

ECAs won: 1 “It’s a matter of integrity,� he says.

The firm puts a strong emphasis on Mr. MacKay says his goal is for 80 per What it’s doing right: The company also conducts regular making “needed changes to get rid of cent of all the company’s management • Maintaining engagement and employee engagement surveys. It then frustration points,â€? says Mr. MacKay. positions to be filled internally. Since communication shares the results with staff and brings He says that doesn’t just help Ceridian’s not everyone is interested in moving • Providing employees with room for together focus groups to help make workforce – it also has a direct effect on into management, he says, Ceridian also advancement

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Senstar Corporation

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

Proud to Sponsor the 2015 Employees’ Choice Awards

Congratulations to the 2015 award reCipients!

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EMPLOYEES’ CHOICE AWARDS 2014 ‘Open door’ policy pays off for Chipworks

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MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

or Julia Elvidge, communicating effectively with employees means sharing the bad news along with the good.

It’s all part of being open and transparent, says the president of Chipworks, an Ottawa-based reverse engineering and patent infringement analysis firm.

“Why do it? Because (employees) trust you in the long term,” Ms. Elvidge says.

Giving workers the straight goods means they will “listen to gossip less,” she says, adding she believes that “gossip is always worse than the truth.”

She says that when employees know their bosses are being honest with them, they will have more patience when things aren’t going well.

“It can be a really fantastic relationship,” she says. It also means that “when we need to pull together a group of people to achieve results quickly, we can,” Ms. Elvidge says.

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While many companies talk about their metaphorical “open door” policies, Chipworks takes the concept much more literally than most.

“There’s nobody that actually has a door on their office,” says Jennifer Rantz, Chipworks’s vice-president of human resources, which encourages interaction between employees.

Chipworks also makes an effort to promote wellness, says Ms. Rantz, because it helps foster a feeling of camaraderie among staff. The firm offers exercise classes at lunch three days a week, featuring both yoga and boot camp instructors.

That approach also extends to other employee benefits. Recognizing that “individuals have different needs,” Ms. Rantz says the company introduced a program in which employees can each year sell back a week of vacation or buy another.

The program is popular because it

Chipworks employees have access to an array of unique programs. PHOTO BY COLE BURSTON

allows employees to take extra vacation when they want it or work more hours when they need the money.

“People love it because it gives them more control,” says Ms. Elvidge.

The company also provides summer jobs to employees’ children who are in universtiy.

Chipworks is selective with who it hires. Not only does it seek workers with the appropriate skills, it also looks for people who “fit with our culture,” says

Ms. Rantz. “We’re only as good as the people we have.” – Jacob Serebrin

Chipworks Founded: 1992 Employees: 110 full-time No. of ECAs: 6 What it’s doing right: • Management sharing successes and failures with staff • Offering unique programs • Maintaining “No door” policy

EMPLOYEES’ CHOICE AWARDS 2014 Big wins boost morale

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hristie Walther Communications is a family-owned business, and vicepresident of sales Joe Hickey says the company tries to cultivate a family feeling among its staff.

“Everybody knows everybody by first name,” he says. “The small company feel certainly creates more intimacy between the employees.”

He says that team spirit is important for the firm, which specializes in two-way radios, because multiple departments frequently have to work together.

Whenever the company wins a new account, Mr. Hickey says, sales and service staff have to collaborate with technologists to get the customer connected and provide a high level of service.

Those customer gains have been happening more often, he says, and that’s good for morale.

“Everybody wants to be part of a winning team,” he says. “When we have significant wins, we always have team celebrations.”

Even though the company is actively seeking new business, it still puts a lot of importance on long-standing clients.

Christie Walther opened its doors in 1962, and Mr. Hickey says “some of those customers have been with us for the entire period of time.”

According to Mr. Hickey, one of the things that makes Christie Walther a desirable place to work is the training it offers. Sales and marketing personnel take a certification program with Motorola, while service staff are encouraged to obtain their Certified Engineering Technologist designation.

More and more, the company has also been using social media to promote itself, and it now offers training programs focused on that field.

Mr. Hickey says he wants to create an environment where “people feel they’ve got the right tools to do their jobs.”

Christie Walther also provides twoway radios for free to programs such as Operation Red Nose and Dreams Take Flight, a volunteer organization that sends special needs children to Disney theme parks. “We want to be a contributor to the community,” Mr. Hickey says. That’s not the only thing in which his team takes pride, he says.

The Christie Walther team does its best to cultivate a family feeling. PHOTO BY COLE BURSTON

Christie Walther’s radios are used by public works services and private snowplow companies throughout the region. A radio system the firm set up for Lanark County firefighters several years ago remains a particular point of pride for Mr. Hickey and his staff.

“When fire has to respond,” he says, “we’re kind of the behind-the-scenes support to make that happen.”

– Jacob Serebrin

Christie Walther Communications Founded: 1962 Employees: 67 ECAs: 2 What it’s doing right: • Encouraging team spirit • Celebrating “wins” as a group • Fostering a sense of pride and satisfaction in the work its staff does

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

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EMPLOYEES’ CHOICE AWARDS 2014 Pride, passion fuel workers’ loyalty

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ollins Barrow Ottawa’s run of success at the Employees’ Choice Awards comes down to “pride, passion and professionalism,” according to Rosa Maria Iuliano, a tax partner at the firm.

“That’s the tone we set at the top,” she says, discussing the keys to the company’s fifth ECA. “We try to cultivate that in the people who work for us.”

With many of the audit, tax and advisory firm’s employees joining the company directly out of university, training workers for their Chartered Professional Accountant designation is a top priority.

“Goal No. 1 has been to develop our people,” says Kenneth Tammadge, a managing partner at the firm.

Those efforts appear to be paying off.

“We seem to have a (good) reputation at Ottawa’s universities,” Mr. Tammadge says.

Being such a sought-after employer has also allowed the firm to be “very selective” when it comes to hiring, says Ms. Iuliano. Even though young recruits could move on to private practice, the firm doesn’t have a lot of turnover, she adds.

Mr. Tammadge credits that employee loyalty as a major factor in the company’s continued growth. Collins Barrow Ottawa is constantly striving to challenge its workers, he says, preventing them from getting bored or disenchanted.

“It very much contributes to our growth to have people coming in every day who are happy,” Ms. Iuliano says. “We don’t sell widgets, we sell services.”

Mr. Tammadge agrees. He says Collins Barrow’s employees communicate well with their clients, allowing them to get to know their needs and give them appropriate advice and assistance.

“A lot of our growth comes from the

Clarity is seeing the path to your potential

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

Meet another leading light

OBJ.CA

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The partners of Collins Barrow Ottawa LLP are pleased to announce that Erica Clapp, CPA, CA, has been admitted to partnership, having most recently served as a principal with the firm.

Erica provides audit, assurance and tax services to owner-managed and midsized companies, plus not-for-profit clients, and frequently delivers external financial reporting presentations.

“That Erica has reached this milestone in her career is testament to her dedication to the profession, the firm and to her clients, bringing to each the benefit of her keen business insights,” says Managing Partner Ken Tammadge.

Learn how Erica can help your business by contacting her directly at 613.768.7546 or by email at edclapp@collinsbarrow.com.

Collins Barrow’s No. 1 goal is developing its employees. PHOTO BY COLE BURSTON

growth of our clients,” he says.

But cultivating a rewarding work experience for employees is about more than just building a strong balance sheet, Ms. Iuliano says.

“We really encourage our staff to get involved in the community,” she says, noting the company participates in the Alzheimer Society Walk for Memories and the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival.

Employees are also encouraged to sit on community boards and offer their expertise to various causes.

“We’re pretty proud of our office,” Mr.

Tammadge says. “It’s not partner-driven, it’s staff-driven.” — Jacob Serebrin

Collins Barrow Founded: Predecessor firms go back 51 years; operating as Collins Barrow since 2003 Employees: 110 in Ottawa ECAs: 5 What it’s doing right: • Supporting career development • Empowering staff to grow business • Encouraging community involvement

EMPLOYEES’ CHOICE AWARDS 2014 Glitchsoft staff game for fun, hard work

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he management team at Glitchsoft has earned superhero status among its employees by balancing creative hard work with friendly fun.

The company creates video games on mobile platforms for “triple-A brands” such as Disney and Marvel, including a recent X-Men game.

Winning an Employees’ Choice Award is a great honour for the entire company, says Glitchsoft CEO Andrew Fisher.

“You’d better have a good culture, a strong culture to retain them, nurture and grow them because they’re your biggest asset in our sector,” says Mr. Fisher. “Respect is number 1. You’ve also got to challenge them, reward them and recognize them in ways they want to be rewarded and recognized.”

Finding people with the same beliefs and commitment is key, he says.

“It’s really hard work to make quality content. We’re talking about millions of ones and zeros that could go wrong at

any given time. So it takes a lot of passion and a lot of hard effort, dedication and long hours,” says Mr. Fisher.

According to director of marketing Erik L’Abbe, that attitude starts right at the top.

“An important factor is that the leadership here works really, really hard and that trickles down throughout the organization,” he says.

Making time for fun is essential to break up the long hours. Participating in a Japanese class taught by one of Glitchsoft’s employees, hanging out at a booth at Ottawa Comiccon and playing bubble soccer top off the favourite group activities list.

“We do a lot of other things to build on the culture,” says Mr. L’Abbe. “We have gaming nights – we’re a gaming company and it makes sense we play games together. And we like to share that experience.”

Adds Mr. Fisher: “It’s a constant

Glitchsoft’s staff always manages to have fun despite working long hours. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

evolution. As we get bigger, we’ll try to maintain that friendliness and camaraderie,” “We have a staff lunch every Friday and the reason we do it is twofold: one is so we can have all-staff meetings. But at the same time there’s something about just having a meal together, you know? It’s almost like a family.” — Alexia Naidoo

Glitchsoft Founded: 2009 Employees: 28 ECAs: 1 What it’s doing right: • Rewarding employees • Creating a fun work environment • Fostering a family/team dynamic among staff

EMPLOYEES’

ICE CH ARD S

AW 4-15 201

Come celebrate Ottawa’s best employers at the first networking cocktail event of 2015!

The surveys are complete.

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Join this salute to the region’s best employers, as determined by the ECA employee engagement surveys.

Attend this networking cocktail to find out what sets these companies apart.

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EMPLOYEES’ CHOICE AWARDS 2014

Leaders in Communication

Name:

Terry Kerr

Title:

Manager Co-Owner and General

WHAT IS MINITEL COMMUNICATIONS?

In 1983, Terry Kerr and his wife, Lorraine, founded Minitel Communications providing telephone systems to local, regional, and national businesses. They have since expanded to provide services addressing every aspect of their customers’ communications needs, including networking. Terry explained, “We help customers save money by ensuring that they have the right connections at the right price, a task more difficult than it might sound.”

Minitel is a single-source provider with a complete offering of telephone systems, including voice, data, and VoIP solutions. They also offer cellular (Blackberry and Android), competitive long distance plans, and telecommunication arrangements with the goal of maximizing savings for their clients.

Terry attributes Minitel’s longevity and success to its strong commitment to service and personal attention.

WHAT IS AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT MINITEL COMMUNICATIONS? Minitel Communications has many clients that have been doing business with them for 20, 25, and even more than 30 years, including two Ottawa school boards and the Government of Ontario. Terry explained, “Customers stay because we provide exceptional value and personalized service.” He added, “When customers call, they reach someone right here in the Ottawa office, not an overseas call centre like with some of the large carriers.”

Minitel also enjoys equally strong employee retention. Terry further explained, “Our employees take pride in what they do and in the loyalty of our customers.”

HOW IS MINITEL COMMUNICATIONS INVOLVED WITH THE SENS?

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

Minitel Communications holds two pairs of season tickets. One in the first level, and another in the second level. They have been purchasing season tickets since the Sens’ inaugural year.

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Tickets in the first level are used primarily for customer appreciation. Terry shared, “These tickets are to say thank you for your business and thank you for supporting us.” And for Customers with corporate policies against accepting gifts, tickets are often used to raise money for charity. It’s like giving twice.

Tickets in the second level are used for employee recognition. Every employee receives a pair of tickets. All names are entered in a draw that determines the order in which they will choose their tickets.

Luckily, there are usually a few tickets left over for Terry and Lorraine to enjoy. Terry says, “We’re fans too!”

Kardish isn’t afraid to give its employees more responsibilities. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

Healthy respect key to Kardish’s success

R

etail employees appreciate a healthy work environment, and Kardish’s Employees’ Choice Award proves it.

“My brother and I grew up in the business,” says Robert Assaf, CEO of the local chain of health food stores that’s been in Ottawa for 35 years. “Our dad was a franchisee growing up and we acquired the business eight years ago. We’ve put it through a lot of changes and brought it up to today’s standards for retail stores.”

Kardish has eight stores in Ottawa, with a ninth location opening in Kanata this spring.

“We’re still at a point where we’re moving from a small business to a medium-sized business, and we’ve done it really quickly,” says Mr. Assaf.

Growth in the business has also meant growth in the opportunities for employees.

“We developed store employees into management, trained them, and then began stepping away, letting them take more and more responsibility,” says Mr. Assaf. “Now we’re at the point where we’ve got a head office that oversees the stores with some key positions, a human resource manager, a finance department and logistics people.”

But such rapid growth hasn’t made the business impersonal.

“One thing I think we’re able to hold onto is that passion for the employees and the caring nature of the business,” says Mr. Assaf. “We’re constantly sitting down with employees and giving them

goals and seeing where they’re at and trying to help them along. We do a lot of surveys, so we’ve been constantly getting the feedback and making small improvements.”

Part of that process of constant improvement is making sure employees are provided with training sessions, as well as plans for an upcoming online resource library.

“Customers demand more, and they see us as a knowledge-based industry,” says Mr. Assaf. “There’s thousands and thousands of products and they’re changing constantly, so staying on top of that is tricky. But our program that we’ve developed for training has really helped us along.”

Mr. Assaf says he was surprised to hear about the award, given the nature of the sector. He says he has heard about a lot of bad experiences the company’s employees have had working elsewhere in retail.

“We’re hoping we can raise the bar and the standards (in the industry),” he says.

— Alexia Naidoo

Kardish Founded: 1979 Employees: 70 ECAs: 1 What it’s doing right: • Training employees in product knowledge • Providing opportunities for career growth • Maintaining a positive work environment

EMPLOYEES’ CHOICE AWARDS 2014 Senstar’s ‘transformational journey’

S

enstar manufactures, sells and supports the world’s largest portfolio of perimeter intrusion detection sensor technology, but the Carp-based company also likes to build something less tangible, yet every bit as important – connections.

Indeed, engaging with employees and the outside community has been an important part of Senstar’s mission.

The company created a team of people to come up with a plan for what it calls its “transformational journey” of where it wants to go and what it wants to do over the next five years.

“We came up with areas we really wanted to focus on: quality of work, tangible rewards, future growth opportunities, enabling environments, inspirational values and work-life balance,” says Eleanor Hodgson, Senstar’s vicepresident of operations. “All the activities we did this year tied into those main areas.”

As part of this process, the company had brainstorming sessions. As well, suggestion boxes, which Ms. Hodgson says had “kind of petered away,” were brought back.

From those efforts, a lot of great ideas came forward upon which management was able to act, such as implementing reduced summer hours and showing appreciation for co-workers through “caboodles” – note cards written to say a special thanks.

Another initiative was nominating employees who make significant contributions to the business and the corporate “journey.” Each month’s winner gets a gas card (tying in with the journey theme) and a preferred parking spot near the building’s front door.

Ms. Hodgson adds, “One of our goals here, part of the employee engagement, was to become more active in the community.”

To that end, the company became a sponsor of the Carp Fair and entered a float in the town’s Santa Claus parade. It also celebrated Good Deeds Day by helping out the local Huntley Community Association.

“The whole company shut down for the day,” says Ms. Hodgson. “We went there and painted the outdoor hockey rink and spruced up the community centre

Senstar’s employees are proud to engage with their community. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

building.”

In November, “all the Movember (an initiative to raise funds and awareness for men’s health issues) candidates put all their instruments together – drums, saxophones, et cetera – and went around the office playing music. People would give them donations as they stood at the door,” she says.

— Alexia Naidoo

Senstar Founded: 1981 Employees: 75 in Ottawa ECAs: 1 What it’s doing right: • Listening to employee feedback • Engaging with the community • Acknowledging employee contributions

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

Kidsfest Ottawa supports our charity partner CHEO

17 OBJ.CA

For more information, visit our website at kidsfestottawa.ca

THE LIST 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

15 16 17 18 19 20

Largest HR consulting firms (Ranked by number of local employees)

Company/ Address/Phone/Fax/Web

No. of local employees

No. of contract CHRP certified Canadian staff professionals offices

Year founded

Key local executive(s)

Ceridian Canada Ltd. 343 Preston St., 10th Floor Ottawa, ON K1S 1N4 613-228-0222/613-228-1674 ceridian.ca Aon Hewitt 600-333 Preston St. Ottawa, ON K1S 5N4 613-288-3808/613-728-5534 aonhewitt.com Mercer 550-55 Metcalfe St. Ottawa, ON K1P 6L5 613-230-9348/613-230-9357 mercer.ca

121

106

0

9

WND

Dave MacKay, president WND

60

0

1

8

WND

Moe Renaud, viceSmall to large Benefits; pension; talent; rewards; communication; president of health and enterprises in all sectors strategy; commercial risk benefits

50

0

1

12

1945

Susannah Crabtree, principal and head of office

Morneau Shepell 601-350 Sparks St. Ottawa, ON K1R 7S8 613-238-4272/613-238-3714 morneaushepell.com Human Resource Systems Group 100-6 Antares Dr., Phase II Ottawa, ON K2E 8A9 613-745-6605/613-745-4019 competencycore.com Knightsbridge 1505-85 Albert St. Ottawa, ON K1P 6A4 613-569-4910/WND knightsbridge.com TalentMap 202-245 Stafford Rd. W. Ottawa, ON K2H 9E8 613 248-3417/613 248-3418 talentmap.com David Aplin Group 910-350 Sparks St. Ottawa, ON K1R 7S8 613-288-2211/855-273-7393 aplin.com Buck Consultants, A Xerox Company 1000-333 Preston St. Ottawa, ON K1S 5N4 613-798-2825/613-798-1742 xerox.ca/hrconsulting Hay Group Ltd. 1200-81 Metcalfe St. Ottawa, ON K1P 6K7 613-288-7987/1-888-210-6976 haygroup.com/ca Business Sherpa Group 503-2039 Robertson Rd. Ottawa, ON K2K 2X3 613-797-7511/WND businesssherpagroup.com Lee Hecht Harrison 201-111 Albert St. Ottawa, ON K1P 1A5 613-235-0076/613-235-9733 lhh-canada.ca McConnell HR Consulting Inc. 603-260 Hearst Way Ottawa, ON K2L 3H1 613-836-4648/WND mcconnellhrc.com RenaudFoster Management Consultants Inc./Odgers Berndtson 550-100 Sparks St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5B7 613-231-6666/WND renaudfoster.com Intersol Group Ltd. 300-205 Catherine St. Ottawa, ON K2P 1C3 613-230-6424/613-567-1504 intersol.ca Right Management 830-360 Albert St. Ottawa, ON K1R 7X7 613-230-1311/613-230-1347 right.com Catalyst Research & Communications 78 Delaware Ave. Ottawa, ON K2P 0Z3 613-565-4081/613-565-9229 catalystottawa.com Andre Filion & Associates Inc. 500-151 Slater St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5H3 613-230-7023/613-230-7390 filion.ca Clariti Group Inc. 900-251 Laurier Ave. W. Ottawa, ON K1P 5M8 613-656-2010/WND claritigroup.ca

48

61

WND

15

1979

Jean-Paul Raymond, managing partner, Ottawa office

25

15

2

2

1989

Suzanne Simpson, president and CEO

20

WND

WND

18

2001

Margo Hoyt, principal

Private; para-public and Leadership training and development; leadership coaching; public-sector team development; talent management; talent acquisition; organizations career management; career transition

20

8

1

3

1999

Sean Fitzpatrick, president and founder

Serves organizations of Employee engagement surveys; consulting; talent entry and all sizes in the public, exit private and not-forprofit sectors.

19

WND

WND

10

2004

James Baker, vicepresident

Private sector; nonprofits; crown corporations

Executive search; engineering; sales; IT; accounting; office professional

14

WND

WND

3

1994

Marc-Andre Vinson, Ottawa market leader

WND

Retirement consulting; investment consulting; health and productivity consulting; individual pension plans; technology solutions

13

5

4

10

1962

Francois Ducharme Philip Johnson, vicepresidents

Public sector; Crown agencies; high tech; pharmaceutical; manufacturing

Rewards; job classification/evaluation; organizational design; leadership and talent management; executive and employee selection and assessment; employee surveys; 360째 assessment; competency-based management; coaching

10

15

15

1

2008

Margo Crawford, president and CEO

High tech; NGOs; owner-operated businesses; private sector

6

6

2

11

2011

Rose Ann Alfieri, vicepresident of business development

WND

Full-service virtual human resources services provider for small companies, covering all elements of HR from strategic business decisions through to operational activities, including recruitment, compensation and performance management.

Career transition; leadership development; employee engagement; change management

6

WND

6

1

2002

Tim McConnell, managing partner

Compensation; organization analysis and design; HR outsourcing

6

WND

WND

5

1986

Lili-Ann Foster, president and CEO Nicole Poirier, vicepresident

NGOs; non-profit organizations; associations and agencies in Ottawa and New York Associations; Crown corporations; not-forprofits; health; academia; government; international

5

20

0

4

1989

Marc Valois, senior consultant and partner

Public and private sector; associations; NGOs; not-for-profit organizations

5

6

WND

18

1980

Gary Fehr, vicepresident of client services

WND

3

3

WND

1

1987

Lynne Tyler Joan Riggs, partners

Non-profit organizations

Employee and stakeholder engagement; organizational development and learning; strategic planning; performance alignment; cultural transformation; technology-enabled collaboration; crowdsourcing; emotional intelligence; coaching Talent management and career management; transition; outplacement services; career development; individual and team assessment; leadership development; leadership coaching; performance management; succession management; employee engagement Organizational development; HR policies, tools and strategic advice in the context of larger organizational goals and initiatives.

2

2

WND

6

1985

Claude Forget, president Government; private sector

Coaching and developing talent; assessment of potential and selection; career management and transition; organizational health

2

6

1

4

2014

Tara Azulay, founding partner Kevin Barwin, cofounders and partners

Outplacement/career transition support; career and job search coaching; leadership development and coaching; workshops; resume writing; exit interviewing

2

1

1

1

2003

Kathy Mosgrove, president

HRPM Solutions Inc. 120 Abbeyhill Dr. Ottawa, ON K2L 1H2 613-297-7512/WND hrpmsolutions.com

Major clients

Industry specializations Payroll; HR; EAP

Serves organizations of Consulting services including health and benefits, wellness, all sizes in high tech and retirement, employee communication, investment and other private, public, human capital.

Crown corporations and not-for-profit sectors.

Clients of all sizes in all Helps clients enhance the health, productivity and financial industries. security of their people through consulting and third-party administrative services in employee assistance plans, disability management, health and wellness, and pension and benefit plans.

Government; financial Competency-based management services; IT

Skate Canada; Canadian Forces Morale & Welfare Services; Employment & Social Development Canada DND; AAFC; ESDC; DFO; PSC; PWGSC; SSC

Executive search; governance, leadership; interim management

Project management and human resources

WND = Would not disclose

OBJ.CA

18 Should your company be on this list? If so, please send details to research@obj.ca. This list is current as of January 19, 2015 by Ottawa Business Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced by any method in

whole or in part without written permission by Ottawa Business Journal. While every attempt is made to ensure the thoroughness and accuracy of the list, omissions and errors sometimes occur. Please send any corrections or additions by e-mail to research@obj.ca. OBJ lists are primarily compiled using information provided voluntarily by the organizations named. Some firms that may qualify for the list are not included because the company either failed to respond to requests for information by press time, because the company declined to take part in the survey or because of space constraints. Categories are drawn up in an attempt to gather information of relevance to the Ottawa market.

Research by Patti Moran. Please send questions and comments to research@obj.ca.

FOR THE RECORD People on the move The Medical Device Commercialization Centre has announced the appointment of Richard J. Meadows as chief operating officer. Mr. Meadows has had a successful career in the fields of medical devices and biopharmaceuticals.

Jamie Kwong will be leaving the Orleans Chamber of Commerce to pursue a new position as the executive director of the Quartier Vanier BIA. A search committee has been formed to find a replacement.

Mario Côté has been named a partner at Collins Barrow Ottawa LLP and Collins Barrow Gatineau Inc. Mr. Côté

Contracts

The following contains information about recent contracts, standing offers and supply arrangements awarded to local firms.

Deloitte Inc. 100 Queen St. Description: Systems Integrator Buyer: Canada Border Services Agency $8,192,500 Dalian Enterprises and Coradix Technology Consulting, in joint venture 151 Slater St. Description: IM/IT professional services: set-aside Buyer: Aboriginal Affairs & Northern Development Canada $3,535,339 Donna Cona Inc. 106 Colonnade Description: IM/IT professional services: set-aside Buyer: Aboriginal Affairs & Northern Development Canada $3,097,567

PricewaterhousCoopers LLP 99 Bank St. Description: Operating cost reviews Buyer: Veterans Affairs Canada $1,368,000

Halogen Software has welcomed two enterprise software leaders to its executive team. Karen Williams takes on the role of vice-president of product development and Marc Harrison becomes vice-president of corporate development.

Carleton University has appointed Karen Green as director of equity services. Ms. Green served with the Department of Justice for more than 15 years and as CEO of the Native Women’s Association of Canada. She

ADGA Group Consultants Inc. 110 Argyle Ave. Description: Enterprise architect, Level 3 Buyer: Health Canada $785,124 Acme Future Security Controls Inc. 2170 Thurston Dr. Description: Alarm, signal and security detection systems, miscellaneous Buyer: Industry Canada $646,215 Triangle Pump Service Ltd. 2565 Delzotto Ave. Description: Bath, ON – removal and replacement Buyer: PWGSC $415,691 Valcom Consulting Group Inc. 85 Albert St. Description: Intermediate life cycle management specialist Buyer: DND $355,234 The Aim Group Inc. 130 Albert St. Description: Senior technician Buyer: DND $332,898 Eclipsys Solutions Inc. 411 Legget Dr. Description: ADP Software Buyer: Agriculture and AgriFood Canada $317,188 Eclipsys Solutions Inc. 411 Legget Dr. Description: ADP Software Buyer: DND $305,035 Printers Plus 1181 Belanger Ave. Description: Printer toner and consumables Buyer: Natural Resources Canada $295,646

Cache Computer Consulting Corp.

275 Slater St. Description: ERP functional analyst Buyer: Employment and Social Development Canada $271,200

Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall LLP/s.r.l. has announced that Christopher P. Morris has joined the firm’s partnership. Mr. Morris has been a lawyer in the firm’s litigation department for more than 10 years, specializing in commercial, employment, insurance, estate and tax litigation.

Hats off Trend Micro has been placed by Gartner in the leaders portion of the Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms.

Kivuto’s electronic licence management system has been Advanced Chippewa Technologies Inc. 802 Nesbitt Pl. Description: ADP software Buyer: Citizenship and Immigration Canada $214,575

named a Readers’ Choice Top Product

by University Business magazine for making a positive difference on college campuses. Winners are selected by the magazine’s editors from submitted nominations.

R.A. Malatest & Associates Ltd. 294 Albert St. Description: Public opinion research – quantitative and qualitative Buyer: Employment and Social Development Canada $199,998

Totem Offisource Inc. 1 Promenade du Portage Description: Office furniture Buyer: Canada Border Services Agency $181,668

Anew Electrical Contracting Ltd. 877 Boyd Ave. Description: CEP lighting retrofit project Buyer: Agriculture and AgriFood Canada $268,940 Emerion 368 Dalhousie St. Description: Two ERP system analysts, Level 3, and one ERP technical analyst level 2 Buyer: Justice Canada $248,120 Motorola Solutions Canada Inc. 360 Albert St. Description: Radio and television communications equipment, except airborne Buyer: RCMP $244,088 Si Systems Ltd. 170 Laurier Ave. W. Description: Systems analysts, Level 3 Buyer: PWGSC $241,447 Les Traductions Tessier S.C.C. 188 Montcalm Description: Translation services Buyer: PWGSC $241,447 Altis Professional Resources Inc. 102 Bank St. Description: One engineering graduate, Level 2 Buyer: DND $228,205

THE REDEVELOPMENT OF RIDEAU CENTRE: Why now and how will this $360M investment change the face of retail in Ottawa?

Cindy VanBuskirk General Manager, Rideau Centre

Thursday, January 29th, 2015

Sheraton Ottawa Hotel –150 Albert St. Rideau Room 7:15 am - 9:00 am Individual Tickets: $30.00 + HST (Members) $45.00 + HST (Non-Members)

Corporate Tables of 8 with Signage $210+HST (Members) $315+HST (Non-Members)

Register online at www.ottawachamber.ca

Lead Event Partner

SparksStreet

Audio-Visual Rentals Locations audio-visuels

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Ottawa Business Interiors 183 Colonnade Rd. S. Description: Treasury Board seating Buyer: PWGSC $1,198,519

Tracey Parslow has joined the Shaw Centre in the role of account manager for national convention sales. Most recently, Ms. Parslow was with the Novotel Ottawa Hotel and the NAV Centre.

also previously had her own law practice and consulting firm.

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

Marcomm Systems Group Inc. 29 Antares Dr. Description: Perimeter detection systems CCTV Buyer: Correctional Service of Canada $2,123,826

most recently served as a principal with the firm.

REACH FOR THE SKY!

We’re looking for 40 young leaders who exemplify business success, professional expertise and community giving.

Nominate your colleague. Nominate a client.

Nominate your friend. Nominate yourself.

Visit fortyunder40.fluidreview.com

2015 NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN

FORTY UNDER

Nominations close Tuesday, March 31, 2015.

Recipients will be announced in late April.

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MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

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OTTAWA’S BIGGEST AND BEST CELEBRATION OF BUSINESS EXCELLENCE Forty Under 40 Gala, Thursday, June 18 @ Hilton Lac-Leamy | Tickets: $175 Ottawa Chamber members/$195 non-members Get your tickets today at OttawaChamber.ca | For ticket info, email info@ottawabusinessevents.ca or call 613.236.7029 ext.135