Success Story Archives - Page 4 of 5 - Community Futures North Okanagan

For the Love of Trees

May 7, 2019/in Success Story

Like the Lorax from Dr. Seuss’ famed fable of the same name, you could say that Caitlyn Snyder speaks for the trees. She not only loves trees, like the Lorax, but she also has a penchant for bright colours, which is evident from the very pink wood chipper that is attached to her new work truck.

Snyder was able to purchase the truck thanks to the business loan she received from Community Futures North Okanagan.

The truck is essential to the work Snyder does as an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Board Certified Master Arborist. The owner of Wise Wood Tree Care Ltd., Snyder performs tasks such as tree removal, pruning, stump grinding, and tree surgery. She also practices something she likes to call “tree-cycling.”

“We utilize all the material that we take from the landscape and recycle it to make mulch and even furniture,” says Snyder, who has a sawmill, firewood plant and lathe on her 12-acre property in Lumby, BC. “I really care about trees, and I always encourage proper tree care and maintenance. That’s why I believe people should always hire a properly trained and insured arborist.”

“I really care about trees, and I always encourage proper tree care and maintenance. That’s why I believe people should always hire a properly trained and insured arborist.”
Caitlyn Snyder

Surviving Mother Nature

Snyder’s love of trees has taken her all over the world. From Calgary originally, she started landscaping when she was 18 years old. Her love of adventure and warmer climates eventually took her to Australia and New Zealand, where she lived for two years and worked as a tree consultant, silviculturist, and tree surgeon.

With her visa expiring, Snyder decided to return home to Alberta, where she finished her diploma in environmental horticulture at Olds College, majoring in arboriculture. She then moved to Vancouver, where she worked for a tree company, before moving to Vernon.

“I had just moved here when I was offered a job as parks technician with the forestry department up in Wood Buffalo near Fort McMurray. I was up there for a year and a half and worked on a huge transplant project in downtown Fort Mac before all the trees perished in the 2016 wildfire.”

It was around then that Snyder decided to seek greener pastures.

A Hand Up

Snyder started Wise Wood Tree Care four years ago after securing her property in Lumby. Named the best home-based business in 2016 and in 2018 at the Lumby District Chamber of Commerce Business Awards, Snyder has seen her business grow from the ground up.

However, she recently had to seek help when her first work truck started giving her mechanical trouble.

Referred to Community Futures, which offers loans to new and existing businesses, Snyder met with loans advisor Scot McNair and filled out a loan application.

“With the type of equipment I run, I need a truck that is outfitted with a boom and bucket as well as a dump box, so that we can carry all the wood waste from the tree removals and prunings,” explains Snyder. “This was an amazing opportunity to be able to get a new truck from the help of Community Futures.”

Climbing her Way Up

Snyder not only runs a successful business but she also competes as a tree climber, and has been a judge for the Pacific Northwest and the Prairie chapters of the ISA.

She is about to demonstrate her tree-climbing prowess to the rest of Canada when she makes her TV debut on the CBC-TV comedy show, Still Standing.

A TV crew, along with the show’s host Jonny Harris, recently visited Snyder’s property when the show was filmed in Lumby.

“I taught Jonny how to climb a tree,” laughs Snyder.

The episode is expected to air during Season 5 of the series.

In the meantime, you can find Snyder doing what she loves best — caring for trees and driving her new truck with the distinctive pink wood chipper.

Are you looking to expand or add to your business? Community Futures Business Services is available to those who want to start a new business or take an existing business to the next level. CFNO also offers business loans for most business-related purposes, including start-ups, seasonal requirements, working capital, and expansions. To learn more, contact our Lumby office at 250-547-6483 or in Vernon, call 250-545-2215.

Charging Ahead: New Business Owner Overcomes the Odds

November 20, 2018/in Success Story

Before arriving in BC in 2008, Darcy Lacombe did not have a fixed address. He had been incarcerated for a time and spent more than a decade homeless, living on the streets in Calgary.

“When I was released from prison, I managed to use the acquired skills that I learned there, such as carpentry, to find the odd job. I basically bounced from job to job,” said Darcy.

In 2009, Darcy moved to Cherryville, a small community 60 kilometres east of Vernon. It was around then he was introduced to the programs Community Futures North Okanagan provides through Employment Services.

The Future is Now

Darcy is proof that the past is not what defines your future. With a strong ambition and willingness to put in hard work, he has overcome a troubled past to become an accomplished business owner.

After finding out he was eligible for Community Futures North Okanagan (CFNO)’s Self Employment Services, Darcy attended business workshops and received one-to-one coaching. Darcy worked hard to create a solid concept and business plan, and applied for financial support through CFNO’s Business Loans program to get everything rolling.

Darcy is now the proud owner of Big Bear Landscaping, which provides a number of home and business services within a 200-kilometre radius from its headquarters in Cherryville, BC.

A Big Bear of a Business Idea

Big Bear’s clientele has also broadened from Cherryville and Lumby to Vernon and other parts of the Okanagan, and includes both residential and commercial jobs.

“I found there were lots of opportunities for creating my own work,” says Darcy.

“Since we started, our work has snowballed to include everything from building retaining walls, excavating, backfilling, irrigation, aeration and planting to home improvement jobs such as drywalling, painting, and tiling. We’re even thinking of offering snow removal and are looking to start up a small wood mill as well.”

When he’s not attending to the labour side of operations, Darcy also manages every aspect of his business from marketing —Google and Facebook are the best way to find Big Bear— to preparing the books.

“I learned a lot from the Community Futures North Okanagan’s Self-Employment Services. I was told by my tax preparator that they trained me well there,” Darcy shared.

“I’ve come a long way and hopefully I can help turn the next guy’s life around.”

Giving Back as a Way Forward

Although Darcy has moved on from his past, he hasn’t forgotten it. He often provides a hand where he can by putting those less fortunate to work.

“I’ve worked with homeless people and have helped out at Howard House. I try to offer jobs to some of those guys as I know how hard it can be for anyone wanting to hire you when you’re down on your luck,” says Darcy.

“I’ve come a long way and hopefully I can help turn the next guy’s life around.”

Community Futures Business Services is available to those who want to start a new business or take an existing business to the next level. CFNO also offers business loans for most business-related purposes, including start-ups, seasonal requirements, working capital, and expansions. To learn more, contact our Lumby office at 250-547-6483 or in Vernon, call 250-545-2215.

For the Love of Dogs: Employ Participants Overcome Challenges, Raise Funds

November 1, 2018/in Success Story

Growing up on his grandfather’s Westside ranch, Cyprian Louis was more accustomed to the movements of horses and the family’s 12 blue heelers than the small talk of strangers. But he wasn’t just shy around people. He also had anxiety, and as a young adult trying to secure—and keep—a job, Cyprian struggled.

“I was really shy and reserved,” says Cyprian. So shy his answers were rarely more than one word long, and usually spoken looking down. He tried a few employment support workshops before landing at EMPLOY! three-and-a-half years ago.

EMPLOY! is a 10-week employability skills training program for youth providing paid training to improve interview and communication skills with the support of a job coach to find employment.

“The program really got me out of my shell.”

Cyprian’s job coach connected him with Wiggle Waggle Dog Hotel. He recalls how in the interview, owners Mary Zamniuk and Lyle Rauser made him feel so comfortable.

“They were so welcoming.”

Cyprian was hired. Over the next few weeks and months, Mary and Lyle encouraged Cyprian to step out of his comfort zone.

“Whether it was in the yard or on the computer, if it was something we thought he could do, we had him do it, and it stretched his boundaries,” says Lyle. “That helped him gain self-confidence.”

“Whether it was in the yard or on the computer, if it was something we thought he could do, we had him do it, and it stretched his boundaries,” says Lyle. “That helped him gain self-confidence.”

“When Cyprian came here, he was a different person,” says Lyle, recalling a younger Cyprian who would have preferred sticking with the dogs rather than talking to the owners at the end of the day, but he did it, and in time the owners came to appreciate and respect Louis.

“We’re proud of him.”

Cyprian has come a long way, and in addition to building communication skills, he’s built some special relationships.

“I love the dogs so much,” Cyprian says, as a pack of dogs paw at his legs for attention. He leans down to pet each one. “It’s not work to me. It’s like a second home.”

Over the years, several dogs have especially grown on him, including a four-year-old Bernese Mountain dog named Odin.

A FOUR-LEGGED GOFUNDME

Employ! youth employability participant Cyprian Louis initiated a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Odin.

After trying to jump over an air conditioner, Odin tore his cranial cruciate ligament and needed tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) surgery—at a cost of $10,000 to do both legs so they’re even and he has full mobility.

When Cyprian found out, he offered to create a GoFundMe page to help raise the fee. Wiggle Waggle was in full support, putting up posters around town and a sandwich board outside their front door to raise awareness about Odin’s plight and how others could help.

After gaining some local media attention, the full amount was raised in just a few weeks.

“That was amazing. I didn’t think it would happen so quickly,” says Cyprian, moments after learning Odin had just come out of the surgery. “I hope he rests well and gets better quickly.”

A number of key people, including Cyprian, wanted to make this happen for Odin.

INSPRING A SOCIAL ENTREPRISE

When news about Odin and the GoFundMe reached back to the current group of EMPLOY! youth, it was clear that Odin would be the recipient for their social enterprise fundraiser.

As an ongoing exercise to help improve their service skills, participants sell pizza and ice cream to staff at Community Futures once an intake, and donate the profit to a local charity selected by the youth. Odin’s surgery would be the perfect cause.

“When we heard about it, we thought, ‘Yes, we are doing this,’” recalls April Fletcher, who is also working to overcome shyness and anxiety.

And so they did. That day, the group raised $150 to contribute to Odin’s surgery fund.

“It felt really good to be a part of that.”

April may soon have a chance to meet Odin.

ANOTHER DOG-LOVER WALKS IN

Youth Employ! participant April Fletcher

Just as Cyprian prepares to move on from Wiggle Waggle and pursue computer science studies, April has been hired to help out at the hotel.

Just a few weeks in and she’s got a favourite shepherd cross she loves to play with, and a whole host of things she can do.

“They have been great at helping me feel comfortable and boosting my confidence. There’s no babying around. It’s just, ‘Let’s do it,’ and I realize I can do it and it’s not as scary as I thought.”

In one of the grassy play areas outside, both April and Cyprian share another sentiment: “I couldn’t have done it without EMPLOY!”

Are you or someone you know a youth looking for opportunities to improve employability skills and receive paid training? Learn more about EMPLOY!

Where Good Things Grow

July 18, 2018/in Success Story

Sonja Peters knows how fulfilling it is to grow something from a simple seed of an idea. She planted seeds and tended plants for years, working for others in the fields of agriculture and horticulture. However, after she moved to rural Lumby to live with her partner, she decided a change was in order.

That’s when she decided to start her own business. With the help of Community Futures North Okanagan’s Self-Employment Services, she is now growing her own plants at her Greenbush Greenhouses and Farm.

Sowing the Seeds

Born and raised in Kelowna, Peters always had an interest in plants.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Victoria, where she majored in biology and minored in environmental studies.

After graduating in 2003, she returned to the Okanagan and started working as a grower at a local greenhouse and later for CropHealth Advising and Research, where she advised public agencies, landscape companies, golf courses, nurseries, and greenhouses on plant health care and pest management.

After moving to rural Lumby three years ago, Peters decided it was time to do something different.

“My partner and I had talked about getting into the greenhouse industry and being where we were, we decided to build one,” she says.

While Peters had the knowledge and technical expertise to grow plants and her partner had experience in building and equipment maintenance, neither knew what it took to start and operate their own small business.

That’s when Peters sought out Community Futures North Okanagan for help.

Plowing a Path

Peters, with help from business service coordinator, Kazia Mullin, was able to come up with ways to get her greenhouse idea off the ground.

She attended different workshops offered by business experts from both CFNO and the local business community, which she says helped her get some great information and also provided networking opportunities.

“Community Futures really helped me with the business side of things. I learned about marketing and accounting and about making a business plan,” says Peters. “They give you the base knowledge from which you can build upon.”

Tending the Garden

After using their savings and getting a bank loan, Peters was able to build her dream.

She and her partner ordered a prefabricated greenhouse and put all the pieces together to build a 60-by-30-foot structure on their property.

Erected over winter, the couple next set out to heat and supply water to the greenhouse and then fill it with plants.

“We started with a hanging basket program, along with herb planters, this spring,” says Peters. “Our target market is selling them to sports and community clubs to be used as fundraisers.”

“It’s been a bit of learning experience looking at our niche and how we can distinguish ourselves from everyone else,” she adds.

To do that, Peters has also been looking at using more sustainable growing methods from pest management to containers to nutrient management. She has also invested in a chip boiler, which uses wood chips taken from trees on her property to heat the greenhouse.

“We also hope to diversify with vegetable and annual transplants and target garden centre markets and market farmers,” she says.

While mostly wholesale, Greenbush Greenhouses and Farm is open for retail by appointment only and will also be at the Vernon Farmer’s Market next spring.

Do you have an idea for a small business and don’t know where to start? Find out how our self-employment business planning workshops and one-on-one coaching can help you by contacting Community Futures North Okanagan’s business team.

Nicholas Alexander Landscaping Goes Back to Its Roots

April 30, 2018/in Success Story

Vernon’s Nick Moffat comes by his profession honestly. Having grown up in his parents’ garden centre, it was a natural progression for him to work his way up in the industry, first as a landscaper and now as the owner of Nicholas Alexander Home & Garden.

“I worked at the garden centre my whole childhood,” explains Moffat, who leases the same property along the Swan Lake Auto Mile where his parents, Scott and Juanita, operated Art Knapp Plantland for nearly 30 years. “I started selling hot dogs in front of the store when I was 10 because I wanted to buy a snowboard. I did it for three seasons, and then I started in the garden centre in customer service.”

Moffat, now 31, went from sweeping floors and helping customers carry their purchases, to eventually managing the store for four years until his parents closed it in 2013. He says he would have loved to take over the family business then, but adds: “It just wasn’t in the cards at that moment in time to take it on.”

Instead, Moffat and his wife, Jamee, started Nicholas Alexander Landscaping in 2015. To get it started, though, they needed some capital. That’s when the Community Futures Loans Program entered the picture.

“I knew Rob Short (loans coordinator) from previous endeavours and came to him with my business proposal,” says Moffat. “I supplied the numbers and he helped me through it and got me started with a business start-up loan.”

That loan helped the Moffats purchase the landscaping tools, trailers and truck he needed to begin operating. They haven’t looked back since.

“It got us off the ground,” says Moffat. “It was just a really big help because we were growing at such a rapid pace. Even after the first season, we doubled our crew. We needed more tools, more equipment…more of everything. That loan helped us achieve that.”

Rob Short, loans coordinator at Community Futures North Okanagan, says Nick’s passion for his business is exemplary.

“His professional approach to providing solutions to his clients’ needs is paramount to Nick and his team, which, in turn, has resulted in the business receiving award-winning recognition in the market place. Community Futures is very pleased to have been able to help Nick with his ‘growing’ business.”

The business grew to the point where the Moffats needed a place to store their vehicles, equipment and plants. They approached Vernon Kia, which had acquired the property from Nick’s parents, about leasing the land. That eventually led to the idea of reopening the garden centre, which became a reality in spring 2017.

That’s a lot of growth in just a few short years, and the couple credits their supportive team for helping them pull it off. In particular, they were able to re-enlist many of the experienced garden centre staff that had worked at Art Knapp.

“We’re only four years in right now,” says Moffat, the grandson of former BC premier Bill Vander Zalm, who started out in the nursery business himself before entering politics. “The success we’ve had with the landscaping has helped get us where we are now.”

“It’s nice having the garden centre because our landscaping clients can come into the office, pay their bill, book other services and then shop for everything they need for their yard.”

For the Moffats’ landscaping clients, now “everything is under one roof.”

“Our focus is to keep the garden centre as a place where people can come and get an honest opinion. We want them to be successful. We like to learn form the older gardeners and we like to teach the new.”

Both aspects of the Moffats’ business—the landscaping and garden centre—are thriving. In addition to receiving a lot of traffic and high praise at the newly renovated garden centre, Nicholas Alexander Landscaping has earned a pair of industry awards for their work on a high-end construction project. They collected both a Tommy (Okanagan-based) and Georgie (provincial) Award for Best Outdoor Space for collaborating with Bercum Builders on the Bella Vita residential project on Kalamalka Lake.

“Doing those kinds of homes, you get to put your stamp on it,” says Moffat, who operates a crew of 12 landscapers, which includes yard maintenance and irrigation services. “We’ve created a bit of a name for the quality that we’re doing. As a result, more and more of our year is getting booked for these bigger projects.”

Would a business loan help you or someone you know take your business to the next level? Community Futures offers business loans for most business-related purposes, including business start-up, seasonal requirements, working capital, and expansion. Learn more or contact our business services department at 250 545 2215 to see if we can help!

How Read Head Got Ahead: The Full Business Services Menu

December 28, 2017/in Success Story

Even though Natalie Appleton had interviewed dozens and dozens of business owners in her former work as a journalist, and even though she had been getting paid to write since she was a teenager, in 2012 she had no idea how she would create a business around writing for companies.

SELF-EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

“The mere idea of it all…registering for a business number, the bookkeeping…that all seemed so overwhelming and unknown to me, but I was excited about my idea, and I knew if I could get help with all those steps, I’d be OK,” says Natalie Appleton, founder and principal of Read Head Copywriting (pronounced redhead). She and her team write website content, blog articles, press releases and more for businesses across the Okanagan, Canada and even in the US.

“And then I had this amazing opportunity to participate in the self-employment services at Community Futures North Okanagan. Step by step, as we progressed through building a business plan, we ticked off all those kind of left-brain steps I was afraid of—along with the more right brain ones I was excited about, like marketing—and day by day my business started to come to life.”

Appleton credits amazing program facilitators, a strong program and a supportive cohort for the launch of her business and its ongoing success more than five years later.

“So many of the things we learned in those workshops still ring in my ears, especially when I’m working through the parts of running a business that can be hard. I have no idea how people run businesses without that kind of learning and support.”

For Appleton and her business, that relationship with Community Futures North Okanagan didn’t end at the beginning.

“They have a wealth of resources, so many of which are free and incredibly valuable, and I make use of them whenever I can.”

BUSINESS COACHING

Appleton in the historic space her team works out of in downtown Vernon.

Over the years, as Appleton’s client list grew to include national and international accounts as well as some local “stars,” and her team moved into a space downtown, she found herself needing guidance around hiring staff, building a strategy for growth and being more profitable. In effect, she’d outgrown and fulfilled her original five-year business plan, almost to the day.

So, Appleton called over to the business services department, asked for Connie Viszlai, business services advisor, and made an appointment to come in for business coaching.

“When you’re a sole proprietor, you often find yourself facing these humps with no one to sound off to, and so several times Connie was that person, and she was so brilliant at helping me arrive at a solution by asking the questions I needed to answer.”

Viszlai also facilitated at SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) session with Appleton and her team as part of creating a business strategy for new opportunities.

“We really needed that outside leadership to get to the bottom of what we’re good at and how we can do more of it for the right clients—and it lit a fire that’s really inspired us and helped us achieve our goals.”

LOANS

Writing content for a troupe of “amazing” clients is just one side of Appleton’s entrepreneurial endeavours. She’s also co-founder of Storymakers for Girls, a program that fosters writing creativity for teenager girls, and she herself is a creative writer.

She wrote a memoir about feeling lost in your twenties, being afraid to ask for what you really want, and abandoning everything in Alberta for Bangkok, where she ended up meeting and falling in love with a man from her hometown. Last year, Appleton felt the manuscript was ready for the world, and when she struggled to find the right publisher, she turned the hurdle into an opportunity.

Except that it was an expensive opportunity.

Appleton with her soon-to-be-launched literary memoir, I Have Something to Tell You.

Appleton says she was lucky to come into contact with a publishing team based in Vancouver that gives non-fiction writers access to some of Canada’s best editors, designers, marketers and even distributors.

“Again, I had that feeling that I was going the right way. I just needed help.”

So, back to Community Futures Appleton went. This time she knocked on the door of Rob Short, loans coordinator. After a couple of meetings and submitting a business plan for the venture, Appleton was granted a loan for a portion of the project.

“It was really the leg up I really needed to get the project going, and it was so validating to have Rob and the organization essentially say, ‘We believe in this and we want to help.’ I’m incredibly, incredibly grateful.”

Appleton’s memoir, I Have Something to Tell You, is now available as pre-orders via Amazon.ca, with books available online and in stores Jan. 22, 2018.

Help your business reach goals with a variety of business services at Community Futures North Okanagan. From workshops and business coaching to loans and hiring programs, we’re here to help!

(feature image photo credit Heath Fletcher)

The Interview: How Breanna Got Confidence & the Job

November 29, 2017/in Success Story

When Breanna Bloor thinks back to job interviews after high school, she remembers her words stumbling, getting stuck somewhere between her mind and her tongue. She remembers not getting calls back. She remembers getting calls back for retail jobs that saw her standing around alone most of the day, looking out the window. That stuck feeling, it enveloped her.

And then, a former classmate told her about Employ! It’s a program hosted by Community Futures North Okanagan that’s designed to give young adults the employment skills they need to find and secure jobs suited to their strengths and interests.

In addition to learning how to research jobs and write a good resume, Bloor and her classmates learned how to shine in an interview. That training started with seeing the typical questions employers ask, and then practicing answering them.

When Bloor came out of the program, she found herself across the table from the manager of a local truss building company.

“A few questions in, he stopped.”

Bloor had answered the first few questions so well, he told her he didn’t need to continue with the rest. And she was hired.

It wasn’t just that she’d had the answers. She’d had confidence about delivering them. Within hours, Bloor was building wall frames and trusses at the plant.

“I liked how physical it was. I like physical labour work,” said Bloor. “They said I was catching on really well.”

But impending winter layoffs saw Bloor looking for work that would also be physical and long-term. She’d noticed the Total Restoration trucks around town, and then saw they were hiring.

Once again, 20-year-old Bloor was in a job interview, this time with two people at once.

“I was getting drilled with questions, but I just took some deep breaths and thought about it before answering.”

Again, Bloor had strong answers, and, even more, the composure to articulate them well. Soon she was wearing a Total Restoration t-shirt, helping to demo and clean homes that have been damaged by flooding or fire.

“It’s great because we’re at a different site every day. My coworkers are awesome and my boss cares a lot. The day we had that snowstorm, he texted us to make sure we all got home OK.”

When Bloor came back to Community Futures to say hello to Employ! facilitator Angie Fisher and tell her about her job at Total Restoration, “Angie was really excited and thought it was a good fit for me.”

That unwavering enthusiasm, said Bloor, is a critical part of how Employ! helped her succeed.

“I thought the facilitators were really great. They always make you feel like they want you to be there and they want you to do well. They’re very understanding people, but they have very high expectations for you, and that makes you have high expectations for yourself.”

They always make you feel like they want you to be there and they want you to do well.

Fisher said from the initial interview it was clear Bloor’s intention was to find meaningful work.

“Sometimes you can just tell when someone has the drive to work, and this was clearly Breanna,” said Fisher, adding working with young people who are driven and willing to put in the effort to find employment, do the research and practice the skills is an exciting journey to be part of and one of the highlights of her own job.

“Breanna has demonstrated focus, determination and a desire to be great. We really appreciate how Breanna stays connected with us and really feel she demonstrates how focus, determination and hard work are rewarded.”

Escaping to a New Adventure

October 30, 2017/in Success Story

IT LOOKS JUST LIKE GRANDMA’S LIVING ROOM. Every detail of the space screams vintage, save for the large flat-screen monitor off to the side. Centred on the chocolate brown shag are two rusty brown floral patterned sofas. Pictures of family members in shiny metal frames are showcased on shelves around a veneer cabinet that is mysteriously padlocked. A painting of sunrays shining down on a mountain range is prominently displayed, while on the coffee table sits an envelope, where the clues of escape lie within.

Part of a worldwide entertainment craze that, with the opening of Beyond Belief Entertainment Centre, is now in Vernon, escape rooms are not the same games we played as youth, where Colonel Mustard used the wrench in the ballroom to murder Miss Scarlet.

“Our escape rooms offer interactive live entertainment, where the players have to solve puzzles and riddles while looking for clues using the three theme scenarios we have. They have 60 minutes to finish the mission and escape the room,” explains Gary Woitzik, the co-owner of Beyond Belief, which not only features three escape rooms, but also an indoor axe-throwing target area.

Situated in a warehouse building in the north end of Vernon, Beyond Belief is the brainchild of Gary and his wife Jenn.

After acquiring the space two years ago, the couple’s plan was to start an event venture that used different theme rooms for birthday, Christmas parties and the like. They started last November, when Jenn, who has an aptitude for design, created a Santa’s village with her mom, and opened it to the public.

“After two weeks of crazy, hard work, we decided to change our idea,” said Jenn.

Gary and Jenn Woitzik in ‘Aunt Edna’s condo’ escape room at Beyond Belief Entertainment Centre in Vernon.

That’s when Gary, who specialized in computer technology and once owned and operated an indoor golf simulator in his native Ontario, came up with the idea to open an escape room.

“Gary has the Midas touch when it comes to business,” said Jenn. “We both felt there was not much here as far as entertainment goes for a certain age group and we heard that escape rooms were popular.”

After conducting extensive research and communicating with escape room forums online (yes, they are a thing), the Woitziks came up with a plan.

“We had our own vision and didn’t want to copy other rooms, some of which are designed by game designers then franchised out. We wanted to create something unique,” says Jenn. “We were thinking of possibility starting with one or two scenarios, but we wanted to make a good first impression, so that our escape rooms would not only cater to a younger generation, but to everyone.”

The three different themed rooms include the aforementioned ‘80s Aunt Edna’s condo, the ‘50s Hollywood room, which resembles a starlet’s dressing room, as well as a serial killer theme —think Hannibal Lector from The Silence of the Lambs.

To keep things fresh, the Woitziks plan to change the theme of the rooms on an annual basis.

“Everything in our rooms is monitored. We have microphones and cameras so that we can help people by giving them nudges. We want to see them succeed. That’s also why we give them 60 minutes to escape instead of the standard 45 minutes,” said Gary.

“It’s taking an evening of playing board games at home to a whole new level!”

– Rob Short, Loans Coordinator, Community Futures North Okanagan

Having poured a good chunk of their life savings already into the building, the Woitziks needed funds to bring their escape room-entertainment centre idea into fruition. That’s when they decided to approach Community Futures North Okanagan about its business loans services.

Guided by loans coordinator Rob Short, the Woitziks created a business plan, which was eventually approved by Community Futures’ loans committee.

“Jenn did most of the work, which saved us a lot of money as she designed it herself, but we also are grateful to Community Futures. Rob came to the warehouse a few times to check out what we were doing. He really helped us out at a good time, when we wouldn’t have been able to keep moving forward,” said Gary.

“Community Futures shared in the excitement that Gary and Jenn brought with their business plan, as it had both a high degree of entrepreneur spirit and introduced a new form of family entertainment to Vernon,” added Short. “It’s taking an evening of playing board games at home to a whole new level!”

The Woitziks know they made the right decision about their business venture, as they have already held a soft opening to some good reviews. More recently, they catered to a group of lawyers from Nixon Wenger and some doctors visiting from Calgary.

“Escape rooms are great for teamwork building,” said Jenn. “Some people that have visited other escape rooms have said that they like ours the best.”

“The axe throwing is also a great way to blow off some stream and frustration after a hard day at work,” added Gary.

With their official opening expected for some time in November, the public can now start booking into Vernon’s newest entertainment adventure. To book an escape room or axe throwing session, visit beyondbelief.ca or call 250-244-8408. You can also find Beyond Belief on Facebook.

Do you need financial help to open or expand your business? Reach out to Community Futures North Okanagan business loans program by contacting our business team at 250-545-2215 or at futuresbc.com

Saying Yes to the Business

June 21, 2017/in Success Story

FOR MANY MONTHS, Sue Cairnie had a conundrum: She knew she loved creating ceremonies and wanted to be a celebrant; she just had no idea how to turn that passion into a paying job.

“I knew that was my passion or my calling. I had a burning desire to make money doing what I love, but I’d never met anyone who did what I wanted to do,” says Cairnie, owner of Earth to Sky Ceremonies.

What she wanted to do was create the ceremony—the words and the steps—that mark life’s most special moments: commitments, births and deaths.

Cairnie discovered celebrancy through her sister, who was getting married and couldn’t find quite the right person to lead the ceremony.

“The percentage of people who want to get married in a church is declining and they also want something more personal. This generation really values individualization,” says Cairnie. “Some people grow up with religion and they have that system for marking important transitions, but for those who don’t, they still want and need that ritual, and to create something meaningful.”

Cairnie literally stepped in.

At her sister’s ceremony, there was singing. There was a procession of drums. There was a story, the couple’s very own story, told by Cairnie.

“It was so creative and so fun. So many people said they’d never been to a ceremony like that, and afterwards my dad said, ‘You need to find a way to do this for your job.’”

After eight months of celebrancy and self-employment training, Sue Cairnie performs a range of personalized ceremonies.

So, Cairnie pursued two paths: the education and training she needed to become the kind of celebrant she wanted to be, and the education and training she needed to turn her talents into a viable business.

First, she approached Community Futures North Okanagan, and eventually made her way into the organization’s Self-employment Services.

Next, while she took the workshops and did the work of planning to open a successful business, she embarked on her celebrant training. After eight months of celebrancy training Cairnie became a Certified Life Cycle Celebrant through the Celebrant Foundation and Institute, an Ordained Inter-faith Minister through the Canadian & International Metaphysical Ministry and a Red-corded Priestess through the Red Moon Women’s Mystery School.

In June 2016, she was ordained as a minister and graduated from the self-employment program. She performed four weddings (her area of specialization), and will perform more than 20 this summer.

The support from Community Futures North Okanagan (CFNO), says Cairnie, gave her “an incredible leg up.”

“There’s no way I would have been able to do as much with my business while working full-time and getting started,” says Cairnie, who studied sociology and ended up working with special needs children. “I’m a creative type. I’m not a business-minded person, so they covered all these steps which I would have muddled through on my own.”

In addition to the “free and amazing” (government-funded) tools and workshops, Cairnie said she also felt supported by the people at CFNO, especially her mentor, Kazia Mullin.

“I felt like she had a genuine interest in me and my success.”

Just a year after the launch of her business, and Cairnie has become a sought after celebrant for a range of unique ceremonies, including blessingways to support women about to give birth, naming ceremonies, and commitment or wedding ceremonies that incorporate glass-breaking, ‘jumping the broom’ or Celtic hand-fasting rituals.

Unlike officiants of traditional wedding ceremonies (though her vows are legal), Cairnie encourages guests to cheer, sing and dance as they see fit. And she carefully writes a script that revolves around the couple’s unique love story and values.

“Every ceremony is unique. I want people to feel like they’re a part of something, not just a spectator. I think that’s how I help create a feeling of connection and community.”

Are you thinking about starting your own business? Set yourself up for success with the training and resources provided through Community Futures North Okanagan’s Self-employment Services program. Reach out today!

Massage School Changes Hands

April 24, 2017/in Success Story

Last September, at a staff dinner for all the instructors and administrators who work at Okanagan Valley College of Massage Therapy (OVCMT), Roxanne Petruk joked to the founder, Doug Fairweather, “Yeah, well, when I’m running this place…”

She was teasing, of course. And then Fairweather, replied: “OK.”

Petruk is a registered massage therapist (RMT) and graduate of OVCMT who was now a sessional instructor. A few days after the dinner, she sat in Fairweather’s office and asked, “Were you serious?”

He was.

What began as banter quickly became an exit strategy for Fairweather, who had been running the school since its founding in 1994 and was now ready to retire, and a business opportunity for Petruk, who fell in love with the people and the passion behind the school in 2009 when she entered it as a student pursuing a second career.

“The staff here are wonderful. I’ve seen it from all sides, as a student and as an instructor, and that was a big motivation for me to want to buy the school,” says Petruk. “They’re so passionate about massage therapy and they’re really engaged in student learning. In turn, the students become engaged with each other and with their own learning, and it’s become a great opportunity to engage with the public.”

The hitch was, Petruk didn’t know anything about buying a business. Fairweather, who had once sat on the Community Futures North Okanagan (CFNO) board of directors, suggested Petruk visit the organization for guidance. Community Futures Loans Program supports existing and start-up businesses in the region. Petruk ended up in the office of Rob Short, loans coordinator.

“I said, ‘I’ve never valued or purchased a business. I’m a teacher. I’m passionate about massage and students and teaching, but this opportunity has come to light.’

Short said, “Well, let’s explore it.”

Soon, Petruk had handouts and links and a to-do list to help her get started on Step 1, the business plan. Back and forth she went in and out of Short’s office as he continued providing feedback on her business plan. During one of those visits, Short told her he had an idea for Step 2, the financing, and an application was started.

“I knew this was a project Community Futures would want to support,” says Short. “It ticked so many boxes for us—employment, economic development, business retention, and we were very confident that Roxanne was really invested in its success.”

Every day, dozens, if not hundreds, of cars and people pass the OVCMT building on the corner of 30th Ave and 34^th Street, without realizing the machine running in its two floors and 14,280 square feet. With twice-yearly intakes of classes ranging from 25-46 students and four classes running simultaneously, at any given time, there could be nearly 150 students taking the two-year program, which prepares students to become registered massage therapists.

At the school’s on-site training clinic, more than 400 residents take advantage of affordable massages, and dozens more receive treatment through community outreach clinics. In a year, thousands of locals improve their health through the offerings at OVCMT.

The school employs nearly a dozen management/administration staff and up to 50 part-time or contract teaching and supervising staff, many of whom have a practice in Vernon as well.

Most of the students come from across the Thompson-Okanagan to study here, and so contribute significantly to the economy, particularly downtown, where they congregate in the cafes and restaurants, and later, after becoming registered, set up their own practices.

“There were other parties outside the Okanagan interested in buying the school because of its great reputation, and we knew it was really in the best interest of the community to keep the school here,” says Short.

Petruk’s loan application was approved. On March 10, she officially became executive director.

Today, from a corner office where she sits below thumbnail images of all nearly 120 current students, and an abstract painting somehow as vibrant and optimistic as her, Petruk talks about what she sees for the future of ‘our’ school. She envisions online education, research partnerships, acting as a hub for an entire alternative health education community.

“We really want to develop the leaders in massage therapy and be at the forefront of research and innovation in the industry,” says Petruk, practically fizzing with enthusiasm about building on the great work of her predecessor.

She says it’s hard to believe just eight months ago she was in the waiting room at Community Futures, sitting with just those ideas.

“They believed in me. They believed in the history of the college and what we do well and what we can do. It’s exciting.”

Are you looking at buying or expanding a business in the North Okanagan, and need someone to believe in you? Reach out to the Community Futures North Okanagan business loans department and find out how we can help!