‘We were already big winners’: Couple shares exciting business journey

What RJ San Jose and Precious Gatpandan dreamed of for their young children was the chance to grow up in a peaceful country with plenty of opportunity. That dream led them to Vernon—and, with help from not just one or two but three initiatives led by Community Futures North Okanagan—they’ve also had the chance to realize their dream opening a business.

Getting to Vernon via RNIP

First came the tremendous task of leaving the Philippines and finding work in Canada. San Jose, a mechanical engineer by trade, landed in the Lower Mainland in 2020. Soon, he got invited by a friend to visit Vernon and heard about how the new Rural and North Immigration Pilot (RNIP) had launched here to help employers hire skilled workers and give those workers a faster path to permanent residency.

In 2021, San Jose’s RNIP nomination was approved and he began working for a local handyman business.

“Ward was so helpful in guiding me at that time,” says San Jose, of RNIP coordinator Ward Mercer, who always made time to answer questions and make connections to local services.

Several months later, San Jose received permanent residency and began making plans to have Precious and their children join him in the North Okanagan.

“We wanted a better future for our kids,” says Gatpandan. “We love that Vernon is quieter and very scenic and feels like an ideal place to raise a family.”

After landing in BC, she focused on taking care of their young children at home while

San Jose carried on building his handyman skills, thriving on the feedback of his attention to detail with every task—from tiling and paint touch-ups to mounting TV’s and deck repairs.

“I really like this work,” says San Jose. “I think it’s so rewarding when the client is happy and I can take care of these things for them.”

The Great Beyond of Opening a Business

Gatpandan, who’d been a senior marketing executive back in the Philippines, began to imagine how she could best use her skills once her youngest child was attending school. Not one to shy away from hard work or ambitious goals, she began to consider entrepreneurship.

“Coming from a different country, though, when you aren’t aware of how business is done, it can be quite intimidating.”

When she heard about Community Futures’ Self-employment Program, she jumped at the chance to learn how to develop a business plan as well as get advice and workshop ideas with other emerging entrepreneurs.

“This program gave me a boost of confidence and made me realize I can open my own business here.”

Her business idea? Expand on taking care of people’s to-do lists with errands and handyman services, focusing on local seniors. After fulfilling a promise to be a part of his employer’s team for two years, San Jose also felt ready to embrace Gatpandan’s vision.

In September 2023, Errands and Beyond officially opened. With Gatpandan running the administrative and marketing side of the business and San Jose performing a wide range of handyman tasks like minor renovations and assembling furniture, they enjoyed a promising start.

“Whenever he finishes a job, his clients tell me what a great job he did and a lot of people refer us to their friends and family,” says Gatpandan. “Our primary market is seniors but we mostly cater to anyone who needs an extra set of hands, and try to do everything we can for them.”

Looking back on those exciting first weeks and the foundation the business had from all her hard work at Community Futures, she says: “If I did not do the self-employment program, my dream of opening a business would still be a dream.”

Enterprize Challenge

Back during her self-employment program days at Community Futures, Gatpandan saw and heard all about Enterprize Challenge. It’s an entrepreneurship competition that sees participants vie for $35,000 in prizes like marketing and banking services to support a successful business launch, and it’s open to businesses started within the last year and those about to open. As the 2024 competition opened, they decided to go for it.

After weeks of honing that business plan alongside a mentor, Gatpandan and San Jose became one of the seven finalists pitching their business to a panel of judges at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre May 9. There they were, on the stage, talking about what a joy it was to brighten the days of seniors with their helping hands.

“At first we were very nervous, and then we heard the loud noise of applause from the crowd,” says San Jose.

“I was teary-eyed during that time already because it was a sign to me that our message came across and was well accepted,” says Gatpandan, adding, “Regardless of the outcome, we felt like we were already big winners.”

Soon, the second place Enterprize Challenge winner was announced: Errands and Beyond.

The couple believes the brand awareness and flow of community support has been invaluable. Plus, they now have an even stronger business plan.

“For anyone trying to dream (of a business) don’t get intimidated,” says Gatpandan. “Reach out to Community Futures.”

Learn all about how Community Futures North Okanagan supports entrepreneurs at every stage of business: www.futuresbc.ca