Please enjoy the August 2019 issue of Spotlight on Business Magazine
August 2019
— Making events memorable for all the right reasons Toursec
— a nova scotia The Riverfront Jubilee
signature event
5 WAYS to Boost your Brand this Summer
— making beekeeping E-Z Manzer Apiary Inc.
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Janice Buckler Jody Euloth Dan Monk Brittany Pickrem John Allaire Jordan Parker David MacDonald CREATIVE DESIGN LEAD Natasha Griswold WEBSITE DESIGN LEAD Amy Zhang GRAPHIC AND LAYOUT DESIGN LEAD Rui Hu
MANAGING DIRECTOR Rod Gregg EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lee Ann Atwater RESEARCH TEAM LEADS Kate Carter Ashley Tanner
COMMUNICATIONS AND ADMIN LEAD Calli Gregg SPECIAL PROJECT CONSULTANT Tanya Chedrawy VIDEO PRODUCTION CONSULTANT Brian Cottam
EDITORIAL TEAM Jamie Barrie Jordan Parker
PUBLISHER Spotlight on Business Media
spotlight on August I n this month’s issue we take a deeper look into festivals, events and farming and see what all the buzz is this summer as we kick on the second half of 2019. Pictou County is the birthplace of New Scotland, now known as Nova Scotia. Famous for its majestic coastline, amazing beaches, and home to one of Canada’s most enchanting places, the Cape Breton Highlands, but if you are on the lookout for the best iconic Canadian Music then New Glasgow is the place to be in Nova Scotia this summer for the 24th Riverfront Jubilee. We chat with Jubilee organizers about the 3-day event that is affectionately called, “The Jube” to find out how they have been so successful over the past 23 years and what Jube goers can expect from this year’s event. We have all attended a festival, concert, sporting event or some other type of mass gathering, but have you ever thought about all the work that goes into that event before the lights come on and your favorite team takes to the field or before your favorite artists or entertainers takes the stage. Well Dan Barry, President and Owner of the PEI-based event security company Toursec has, in fact he has built a business on doing just that. As he says it, Toursec works in one industry – Entertainment, and if you are going to an event or hosting one, you want Dan, the ultimate “Professional Worry Wart” and his trained and professional team behind the scenes and in the crowd. In this month’s issue we chat with Dan about Toursec and their focus on making your event memorable for all the right reasons. When we hear about declining bee populations in the news, and you think who should we bee calling? Well, Brian and Owen Manzer, the founders of Manzer Apiary Inc are the brains behind the E-Z Hive, a modified top bar beehive, have already answered the call and are capturing the attention of researchers and hobby beekeepers alike. Spotlight on Business Magazine spoke with Manzer brothers about their knowledge- based start-up success story – one that has the potential to make a positive global impact (not to mention an impact on Digby County’s future).
Summer is not only a time to work on your tan, but it is also an excellent time to work on your brand. Brand and Design Expert, Brittany Pickrem, takes you through 5 ways to boost your brand this summer. We hope you enjoy the issue and we would like to thank all our featured companies for sharing your challenges, successes and for inspiring others to follow their dreams and passion. We also thank all those involved in putting this month’s issue together along with our advertisers and readers as we look forward to telling more stories about successful businesses and the people behind making it all happen.
Lee Ann Atwater Editor •
P.O. Box 35007, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3M 0G3 P: 902 593 0533 E: info@spotlightbizmag.com spotlightonbusinessmagazine.com
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what’s inside August
03 SPOTLIGHT ON AUGUST 08 AUGUST INDUSTRY EVENTS 12 SPOTLIGHT ON INDUSTRY 14 THE DYNAMIC SOUL OF SELLING Avoiding Solution Overloading Your Customer 16 BLU WAVE BOARD CO Making SUPs for the Great White North 28 CONTRACTOR'S CORNER TRUST — Either You Have It Or You Don’t 30 FIRST PLASTIC BAGS, THEN IT WAS STRAWS, NOW COFFEE CUPS HIRING TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS 64 5 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR BRAND THIS SUMMER 70 THE COLLINGWOOD BREWERY One of Canada’s Best 80 SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION 82 MANZER APIARY INC Making Beekeeping E-Z 86 RED PADDLE CO. Explore Your World 92 SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH 96 HOLISTIC HEALTH 34 SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS 36 THE RIVERFRONT JUBILEE A Nova Scotia Signature Event 52 TOURSEC Making Events Memorable for all the Right Reasons 58 WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN
on the cover
— making beekeeping E-Z Manzer Apiary Inc.
Pictou County is the birthplace of New Scotland, now known as Nova Scotia. Famous for its majestic coastline, amazing beaches, and home to one of Canada’s most enchanting places, the Cape Breton Highlands, but if you are on the lookout for the best iconic Canadian Music then New Glasgow is the place to be in Nova Scotia this summer for the 24th Riverfront Jubilee. We chat with Jubilee organizers about the 3-day event that is affectionately called, “The Jube” to find out how they have been so successful over the past 23 years and what Jube goers can expect from this year’s event. — a nova scotia signature event
36 The Riverfront Jubilee
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When we hear about declining bee populations in the news, and you think who should we bee calling? Well, Brian and Owen Manzer, the founders of Manzer Apiary Inc are the brains behind the E-Z Hive, a modified top bar beehive, have already answered the call and are capturing the attention of researchers and hobby beekeepers alike. Spotlight on Business Magazine spoke with Manzer brothers about their knowledge-based start-up success story – one that has the potential to make a positive global impact (not to mention an impact on Digby County’s future).
We have all attended a festival, concert, sporting event or some other type of mass gathering, but have you ever thought about all the work that goes into that event before the lights come on and your favorite team takes to the field or before your favorite artists or entertainers takes the stage. Well Dan Barry, President and Owner of the PEI- based event security company Toursec has, in fact he has built a business on doing just that. As he says it, Toursec works in one industry – Entertainment, and if you are going to an event or hosting one, you want Dan, the ultimate “Professional Worry Wart” and his trained and professional team — Making events memorable for all the right reasons Toursec
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Summer is not only a time to work on your tan, it is also an excellent time to work on your brand. Brand and Design Expert, Brittany Pickrem, takes you through 5 ways to boost your brand this summer.
behind the scenes and in the crowd. In this month’s issue we chat with Dan about Toursec and their focus on making your event memorable for all the right reasons.
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July
A Solid Commitment to Innovation and Community The Annapolis Valley is known for many things, its amazing views of the Bay of Fundy, its apple orchards and for being Acadia University
one of the best wine regions in Canada. It is also known for having one of the best universities in Canada, Acadia University, which plays an important part in the exposure and growth of the Annapolis Valley’s economy. Spotlight on Business Magazine talks with Marcel Falkenham, Leigh Huestis and Amit Batra of Acadia University about the university’s commitment to innovation and the community and how they look to continue to grow together.
July
B yputtingaspotlightonyour business, organization or community with effective and interactive media and advertising we will help you capture the interest of business leaders and potential clients, giving you an opportunity to promote your brand and grow market share through mobile, online, print, video and social media support, helping your business connect and stay engaged with your customers.
416 Automation Inc. LIVE AND IN PERSON The Tyne Valley Oyster Festival & Rock the Boat Musicfest
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The funds raised through this event will be allocated to the Possibilities Fund, supporting the highest priority needs at SickKids. Because of the support SickKids receives from this event and community initiatives like it, important advances have been made in child health research, new life-saving medical equipment has been purchased for their clinics and operating rooms and their young patients continue to receive the best care that science, technology, and compassion have to offer in Toronto and around the world. Formoreinformationof theevent: http://www. canadianfoodtruckfestivals.com/ Follow on Twitter: @FoodtruckfestCA Follow on Facebook: @CanadianFoodTruckFestivals Follow on Instagram: @canadianfoodtruckfestivals
The Retailer/Buyer has over 130 apparel, footwear, accessories, children and gift agencies and retail-related businesses to choose from, located in multiple venues either in permanent or temporary showrooms. It is the “fashion walk- about” trade show! For more information of the event: https://www.metroshow.ca/
Connect Networking Reception. Showcase your company as a sponsor to our 80,000+ and growing USC Marshall global network and 450+ attendees and recognizing industry best practices through supply chain excellence awards. For more information of the event: https://globalsummit. uscsupplychain.com/ Follow on Twitter: @USC_GSCM Follow on Facebook: @USCSupplyChain 5th International Conference on Computer Science Networks and Information Technology (ICCSNIT) August 9th - 10th, 2019 University of Quebec at Montreal| Montreal, QC, Canada The International Conference on Computer Science Networks and Information Technology, organized by the Innovative Research Publication will take place at the University of Quebec in Montreal, Canada. The conference will cover areas like Algorithms and techniques, artificial intelligence, circuit implementation for fuzzy systems, circuit modelling and scientific computing, component-based development and many more. For more information of the event: http://www.iccsnit.org/
August 2019
Follow on Twitter: @MetroShowVan Follow on Facebook: @MetroShowVan
Southeast Building Conference (SEBC)
Canadian Jewellery Expos Toronto (CJ Expos Toronto) August 12th – 14th, 2019 The International Centre | Mississauga, ON, Canada Known for being Canada’s Largest B2B Professional Jewellery Exhibition, Canadian Jewellery Expos comes up with such shows and corresponding schedules that jewelry enthusiasts cannot afford to miss. This event displays stunning fashion trends, the largest selections of jewellery and other products and services related to the sector in the Gems & Jewelry industry. World-class exhibitors introduce the latest trends, fashions & exclusive discounts to retailers. With educational sessions and novel networking opportunities, CJ Expos can be relied upon to present the unusual and specialty items. CJ Expos is a recognized leader in the jewellery exhibition scene and introduces the latest in trends from over 150 of the industry’s very best exhibitors and over 12,000 buyers in attendance. For more information of the event: http://www.cjexpos.com/ Follow on Twitter: @cjexpos Follow on Facebook: @cjexpos Follow on Instagram: @cjexpos
August 1st — 2nd, 2019 Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center | Kissimmee, FL, USA TheSoutheastBuildingConference (SEBC) represents a powerful business-building opportunity for companies that want to reach the huge home building market in the South. The Southeast Building Conference (SEBC), is the largest building industry trade show in the southeast. As the premier trade event, the SEBC includes outstandingeducational programs featuring hard-hitting seminars, networking opportunities, round table discussions and industry briefings. The 2019 SEBC is a two-day Expo and Education Show featuring various networking opportunities, professional development, and continuing education conference for anyone and everyone working in the building industry. For more information of the event: https://sebcshow.com/ Follow on Twitter: @spiritsfestival Follow on Facebook: @SanDiegoSpiritsFestival Follow on Instagram: @sdspiritsfestival
Toronto Food Truck Festival August 2nd – 5th, 2019 Woodbine Park | Toronto, ON, Canada Woodbine Park has never tasted this delicious before. Back for another year, The Toronto Food Truck Festival is serving up some real must-eats! As always, admission is free and there’s something for everyone. Entertain yourself with some of Toronto’s best local talent, participate in our live-eating challenges and enjoy a cold beer! This year’s event will feature live musical performances and 30-50 Food Trucks showcasing diverse and delicious menus in beautiful green parks. Attendees are encouraged to walk around and discover the sights and sounds while enjoying a cold beverage as each festival site is fully licensed.
Global Supply Chain Excellence Summit August 8th – 9th, 2019 Ronald Tutor Campus Center| Los Angeles, CA, USA The purpose of this event is to connect leaders and create transformation through supply chain excellence. This year’s theme is: Evolution, Revolution & Disruption You will be able to gain access to unparalleled networking opportunities with top business leaders and companies. Learn how to manage high performing supply chains through insights developed from industry experience and applied research. Learn to recruit top supply chain management talent in a relaxed and engaging setting at the Industry Network
METRO Show August 6th – 10th, 2019 Multiple Venues | Vancouver, BC, Canada The METRO Show is a one-of-a- kind industry buying show held four times a year in Vancouver, British Columbia. If you are a Retailer, Buyer or Owner of a bricks & mortar shop or online store, then our show is for you.
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as one of the top cocktail festivals in America. The goal of the San Diego Spirits Festival is to advance the industry and all that it encompasses via market launches, industry advancement and exposure, product innovation, education, and of course, a good time filled with entertainment camaraderie and just good fun. The two-day Cocktail Festival attracts thousands of people from all over the country and abroad who join the fun and entertainment that the San Diego Spirits Festival has to offer. For more information of the event: https://www. sandiegospiritsfestival.com/ Follow on Twitter: @spiritsfestival Follow on Facebook: @SanDiegoSpiritsFestival Follow on Instagram: @sdspiritsfestival
Pan American Food and Music Festival August 17th – 18th, 2019 Dundas Square Toronto | Toronto, ON, Canada This is Canada’s only event that brings together the 41 countries that make up the American continent. This year’s event is a celebration of flavours, music, and dance with more than 20 chefs, 40 performances and over 600 artists on stage, there is something for everyone at the Pan American Food & Music Festival. For more information of the event: http://panamfest.com/ Follow on Twitter: @panamfestto Follow on Facebook: @ PanamFest Follow on Instagram: @ panamfestto
San Diego Spirits Festival August 24th – 25th, 2019 Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier | San Diego, CA, USA The San Diego Spirits Festival is the major Cocktail Culinary and Cultural extravaganza celebrated annually each summer on San Diego Bay and has been ranked
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Netflix underperforms in market S hares in Netflix underperformed in the stock market as word of other streamers taking popular shows within the next few years has spread. Included in those leaving the streamer are TV classics Friends and The Office, which is leaving in 2021 and being pulled by NBC. It’s found new popularity on Netflix. They offered nearly $90 million to NBC a year to keep the show, but were rebuffed. As a result, Netflix stock is trading down five per cent over the last year.Though it’s gone up 41 per cent in fourth quarter over last year, that hasn’t been enough to keep things steady. Netflix is currently working on more original content as Disney and Comcast are starting their own streaming services and planning to pull titles from Netflix.
United Airlines quarterly profit sees second-quarter profit U nited Airlines Holdings reported an increase in second-quarter profit, due to air travel demand and the ability to charge more for seats. The costly seats come from supply constraints due to the Boeing Co 737 MAX grounding. The grounding has been on since March, when crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia killed 346 people. Adjusted earnings per share rose to $4.21 in the second quarter, from $3.23 last year.
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Export numbers surge in May C anada hit a trade surplus In May 2019 as U.S. exports rose to an all-time record. The nation posted a trade surplus of $762 million, a 4.6 percent jump just over $56 billion in June. Shipments of cars and car parts are reportedly the reason for the added benefit. The shipments rose 12.4 percent to $8.4 billion, and the monthly record hit $39.3 billion. The numbers, according to Statistics Canada, also showed a boom in the aerospace sector, making this the fourth time since oil prices caused a plummet in 2014 that Canada’s trade showed a surplus.
U.S. appeals as court rules N.Y. can ban ads inside Ubers, Lyfts A federal U.S. appeals court has said New York City can ban advertising in Lyft and Uber vehicles. The2ndU.S. CircuitCourtofAppeals inManhattan ruled 3-0, reserving a lower court ruling, in a case brought by a technology company that places ads. The ban excluded Taxi TV, which allows drivers of taxis to put in technology to help riders monitor fares and pay by credit card. Vugo Inc. sued New York City back in 2015, calling it unconstitutional. But passengers couldn’t turn the ads off.
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by Jody Euloth
T hese days, we have so many options to choose from and too many decisions to make. Don’t you sometimes wish decisions were made for you? There’s nothing better when decisions are made easy. It is satisfying and refreshing when there is no doubt or hesitation because you just know it’s right. I have a close friend who is great at planning things. Though she has a successful career in insurance, I swear she was an event planner in another life. When it’s time for a girls’ weekend away, we collectively brainstorm all the destinations of interest. Once we’ve narrowed it down to our top five, we leave it up to our friend to do all the research and report back with the best options. She typically gives us one, maybe two options. She knows us well enough that if we have a choice between Paris, New York, Toronto, Atlanta or Las Vegas, we would never decide. Or it will, most definitely, take a lot longer to agree. To avoid delay and confusion, she presents the best possible option and makes a great case for it. She presents why it’s a great opportunity to go, the dates that offer the best pricing on flights and accommodations, events that are happening in the city during that time, and a restaurant with a vibe she knows we will enjoy. She always presents a strong case and then, kindly offers to book the trip for us. And all we have to do is show up at the airport. How easy is that? It’s a done deal and the trips always exceed our expectations. The same strategy goes when presenting solutions to your prospect. After completing the proper discovery sessions with your client, you should know the best solution and offer it. And as the expert, you must confidently and convincingly present the benefits and differentiators of choosing this option. Failure to clearly communicate and demonstrate this can lead to consumer confusion, in turn, having a negative impact on the sales cycle.
Consumer confusion stems from information overload and leaves room for your prospects to make imperfect purchasing decisions. It leads to reduced sales, reduced satisfaction with purchase and insecure decision making. With too many options, it can be very overwhelming making it difficult for your client to comfortably say yes. This confusion steers them in the wrong direction and makes it easy for them to opt out of deciding. It will stall the sales cycle and you will potentially lose the sale completely. When it comes time to present your proposal, deliver one strong option with confidence and make sure it’s the best option for your client. You can offer a few options, especially regarding price points, but make sure you vocalize the option you think is best and why. Information overload triggers insecure decision making, which can lead to buyer’s remorse. If anything happens after the purchase that does not meet or exceed your client’s expectations, it will have them thinking they made the wrong decision and should have chosen one of those other options. Let’s make it easy for one another, shall we? It’s our duty to help one another in offering solutions to problems and in articulating this in a persuasive way. I know I appreciate it when someone makes my decisions easy, and your clients will to. Now, time for me to get after the girls for another trip to explore a new destination. Enjoy your solution selling and stay dynamic. •
AVOIDING SOLUTION OVERLOADING YOUR CUSTOMER
Jody Euloth is the CEO of The Mesh Media Network and Founder of The Dynamic Soul of Selling . She helps entrepreneurs, business and sales professionals and creative visionaries get over their fear of selling so they can generate more revenue and make a bigger impact in business.
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BLU WAVE BOARD CO. —Making SUPs for the Great White North
by John Allaire W hat is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about surfing? Is it the huge Pacific swells of the coast of Hawaii, California, South America or Australia, how about Central Canada? Surfing in the land of hockey heroes on frozen lakes? Well, we revisit our conversation with founder and owner of Blu Wave Board Co., Aaron Pilon, to cast your stereotypes and misgivings aside. As he lets us know that surfing is alive and well in Canada, as is Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP), an emerging sport with a growing following in the Great White North. Located on Georgian Bay in Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Blu Wave Board Co designs and manufactures quality boards in shapes that provide optimal paddling in a variety of conditions that are commonly found in Canada. It was founded in 2009 by avid traveler, paddler and surfer, Aaron Pilon. Pilon discovered stand-up paddleboarding on a trip to a surf town on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. He figured that a combination of his two favourite sports — surfing and kayaking — would be a hit in the lake-rich cottage countries across Canada.
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“While on one of my surf vacations, I started to see stand-up paddleboarding at some coastal destinations.”
This abundance of lakes and a cottage culture provide the perfect canvas for a number of different surf-related activities and Blu Wave is focused SUP a very accessible sport in Canada and around the world for that matter. So how did Blue Wave Board Company come about, “while on one of my surf vacations, I started to see stand-up paddleboarding at some coastal destinations,” Pilon explains. “The paddling I’ve done in Ontario around Collingwood, I would kayak out in Georgian Bay. Those days when the winds would pick up and you get three-or- four-foot swells, I’d grab my sea kayak and take full advantage of the conditions.” The wheels started turning. The prospect of a paddleboard that you could both stand on and catch waves, should conditions become favourable, became attractive to Pilon. “My first SUP experience was in a small Mexican town. The next year I went to a surf town in Chile and met a fellow surfer and a board designer who would design boards as a hobby, just for himself,” Pilon points out.
That particular trip was supposed to be a three- week surfing getaway. It turned into a six-week discover, as Pilon began to think seriously about designing new boards specific to the Canadian experience. Even for those of us unfamiliar with SUP and surfing, it seems obvious that the designs of the boards would have to consider conditions and varying uses. Pilon explains that his unique designs account for such variances. “There is definitely a distinction between a board you would use on flat water in a small inland lake versus a board you would use to surf an ocean. Shorter boards that look more like a performance surfboard are designed for waves and more of the typical surfing conditions. Flat- water boards tend to be longer and narrower withmore of a pointy nose on them. More like the look of a kayak. We call them ‘touring boards’.” Pilon also points out that there is a category of board design that does a bit of everything.
“There’s a board design in the middle which we call ‘all-rounders’ and they are just what you’d assume them to be. They are made for a variety of conditions. So, a 10-6 or 11-6 all rounder, you could use on flat water or to surf small waves.” So, what about the surfing conditions in Central Canada? “The really interesting thing that many people don’t realize is that, the Great Lakes are basically inland seas. In certain conditions they feel very much like an ocean. Great Lake surfing has grown in popularity over the last decade. And stand-up paddle boarding has brought people into sort of a surfing culture and has spawned an interest in Great Lake surfing. SUP has brought this culture to more people.” Unlike ocean surfing in destinations like Hawaii and Mexico, the waters of the Great Lakes and many northern bodies of water can be frigid. Pilon laughs about the adverse conditions being part of the quirky Canadian surf culture. “Great
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Lake surfers are quite a hardy bunch! They have to be. Most of the best waves in the Great Lakes come in the fall and winter. The water’s cold and you don’t get ground- swell. So, you could surf an ocean wave in Hawaii, and there might not be any wind at all, and you could still be surfing a 10-foot wave. In the Great Lakes, to get waves, they’re all wind-generated…. Often people say that if you can surf in the Great Lakes, you can surf anywhere.” In a nutshell, these Great Lake surfers look out their windows, waiting for what the rest of us would consider to be lousy weather, to grab their board and head out to the beach. “We go out on days that a typical ocean surfer would say forget it! I’m not going out today. It’s too windy and rough!’” Blu Wave is proud to be on the forefront of building the sport of SUP in Canada. There are, in fact, competitions on the race side and on the surf side of this emerging sport. “There are distance races from 5K to 20K. And even some of the marathon canoe and kayak races like the Muskoka River X, which is a 120 km race, are now offering a SUP division,” Pilon explains. “There’s another one up in the Yukon that now has a SUP category. So, it’s happening all around these types of competitions.”
The evolution of the sport is occurring quite quickly, all things considered. The racing side of SUP is becoming less of an add-on to canoe and kayak competitions, and one that is (pardon the pun) standing up on its own. Pilon points out that international sporting bodies are taking notice. “There’s a strong movement toward seeing paddleboarding as an Olympic sport in the next decade or so.” One might assume that the SUP culture resembles that of the coastal surfing scene or that of a snowboarding or an “X-Game”- type philosophy. But Pilon explains that the SUP culture is much more accessible to a wider range of participants at different skill levels of most “extreme” sports. This changes the profile of the SUP culture to be somewhat unique. “The SUP core demographic tends to be a bit older than that of the snowboarding and extreme sport people. I would say generally 30 to 60 years old rather than 15 to 25. You see a lot of athletes that have come into SUP racing that have been competitive athletes in other disciplines, whether it be triathlon, or other paddling disciplines like canoe and kayaking. Some of the top SUP racers in Canada are former Olympic athletes in these other sports. Many have found SUP racing as their second career as an athlete.”
“Great Lake surfing has grown in popularity over the last decade.”
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When we spoke with Pilon he said that the company’s primary focus is the Canadian market, but he didn’t rule out expanding into other markets down the road. “U.S. expansion is something we certainly think about. It’s a possibility in the future. The sport has grown exponentially in recent years. In fact, it is definitely the fastest growing water sport in the world. So, for the time being, we are going to focus on our home market where we have a pretty cool story to tell. Our customers seem to really like that we are a Canadian company.” “We are really focused on design and moving the sport forward,” Pilon mentions. “We have a true quality focus as well. We aren’t the most expensive board out there, but what we offer for a medium-to- high-end price point, you get quality, great customer service and a company that actively supports the sport.” Stand-up paddleboarding has become one of those great accessible sports that almost anyone can enjoy on almost any body of water. So, grab a Blu Wave board and hit the beach — and take it at whatever speed you chose! You can check out all of Blu Wave’s boards at bluwave.ca to find the best board for you and your lifestyle on and off the water.
“We are really focused on design and moving the sport forward.”
“The SUP core demographic tends to be a bit older than that of the snowboarding and extreme sport people.”
Perhaps the best summation of the SUP experience and Blu Wave’s role in the sport comes from Simon Whitfield, Canadian Olympic Triathlon Gold Medalist. “There’s nothing like open space out on the ocean paddling, it’s cycling without the cars, mountain biking where the ground moves. Beyond paddling the SUP community is special. It’s inclusive. We share a joy for being out on the water, dancing on a board, out exploring… There’s nothing quite like sharing your passion for paddling with like-minded individuals who love to explore. During my sporting career I loved to innovate by asking questions ‘is there another way to do this?’ and looking for creative answers. When I discovered paddling I was drawn to people who thought the same way. Blu Wave thinks differently, whether it’s the hatch cargo compartment on the Catalina EXP touring board, their paddle surfboard shapes or Aaron’s willingness to listen to me ramble about new design ideas. It is a testament to Blu Wave’s commitment to innovate and explore well beyond the water. It’s great to see a Canadian company finding success in an industry that was once thought to be the exclusive domain of Hawaiians and Californians!”
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“We share a joy for being out on the water, dancing on a board, out exploring… There’s nothing quite like sharing your passion for paddling with like-minded individuals who love to explore.”
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because someone else you might like worked with them and they did not get along is that a good enough reason for you to automatically assume the same or should you give them the benefit of doubt and make your own judgement based on the projects that you have been assigned to do. Second is to remember that you do not need to like them, and they do not need to be your friend. What you need to do is to get along and work effectively with them, you need to remember this is not personal it is professional, and it needs to stay that way. Keep your emotions in Check. Dealing with someone who rubs you the wrong way can have a negative effect on your job performance and your own attitude at work and at home. Regardless of your colleague’s behavior, always take the high road. This is business not personal so concentrate on the project not the person you are working with. Also remember not to give them the power to control your attitude and that is for you to decide and control and only you. Communication is Key. It is always good to communicate with a colleague when working together. However, it is critical with people you dislike or that may dislike you. That means havingmore dialogues both verbally and written through email. It means listening more than you speak and spending more time understanding their point of view, you never know you might inspire your office nemesis. Stay focused on your goal. If you are unable to improve your work relation with the person you have been assigned to work with then learn to play or in this case work nice and on achieving the goals of the project. Working with a colleague you dislike is never fun. However, if you use this tips you can remain professionalism. It may also help you identify when someone dislikes you in the office and help you work better together after all you could be the one that is disliked. •
Why can’t we all just get along
by Calli Gregg L ets all be honest with each other for a minute no matter how much you like your job or where you are at in your career you will eventually end up working with someone that you do not like, whether it is a colleague, supporting team member or your boss.
Everything is great when you get to work with people you already respect, trust and know that you can work well with. The true challenge is when you have to work on a project or task with someone that you do not like for the previous mentioned reason. If it has not happened already, I don’t want to scare you, but it will, and you will find yourself having to working with someone that you just don’t like. Some will try to get assigned to another project or department, but what if this is an opportunity that you do not want to turn down and you do not want to get reassigned. This is why learning to collaborate successfully with people you dislike is such a valuable skill because eventually you will need to use it, so I
recommend that you take baby steps and start working your office nemesis on smaller projects, and work on the following skills before you find yourself in the position of being forced to collaborate with them or another person that you do not like in the office. First thing you need to do is understand why you dislike the person. Sometimes we form a dislike for people at work because they remind us of someone else or of talk around the office about their work ethic and or personal life. Understand why you do not like someone if it is because you have worked with them and they did not pull their weight then you need to deal with that. If it is
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For those of you who have been fortunate enough not to experience this, “skunked beer” is a term we use when referring to beer that has been compromised by exposure to UV rays and a chemical reaction in the beer. Now I want everyone to know that the technical industry term is “lightstruck.” This only happens in bottles, as you would expect, as cans are not affected by UV rays just the warmth of the sun, but that is a different story. However, I will take a warm beer over a skunked one any day of the week. Now the reason only bottled beer can be skunked or “lightstruck” is because UV rays can only reach the beer through glass bottles, which makes sense and now your question may be does the color of the bottle make a difference, which would be an excellent question and the answer would be, yes it does. Brown bottles do the best job at protecting the beer, about four times more protected than other glass colors and likely why most brewers use them when bottling beer. The green bottles would be second to the brown glass, while the clear bottles would definitely be the most susceptible to skunking, which explains my first experience with Corona. Also remember that the UV rays affect the beer very quickly and it does not take a long time for a beer to get skunked. Now knowing this makes all the difference in the world, as I know now to keep green or clear glass bottled beer or any bottled beer for that matter out of the sun. Back to my Corona, I always thought that a beer that is promoted to be enjoyed on the beach should be better protected against the harmful rays of the sun, but then I remembered that once out of the cooler they do not tend to stay in the sun for too long, and the clear bottle makes it easy to see your lime floating around in there as a beer gauge for when you need another. •
What Skunked My Beer
by Jamie Barrie I always wondered why some beers taste skunky, if that is such a word. I remember many years ago when I was first introduced to Corona. My buddy and I were heading to the beach and he had brought a 6 pack with him to have a few sociables while soaking up the sun by the water as I was going to be doing the driving. It was a hot day on the beach and after pouring a few waters into me and several offers from my buddy to try one of these amazing Mexican beers, I took him up on the offer. Now I was not expecting it to taste like my Keith`s, the favorite of mine at the time, but my first taste was one that would stay with me for years and would be my first experience with what is known as a skunked beer.
27 AUGUST 2019 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
HALIFAX’S TRUSTED PROFESSIONALS for KITCHEN, BATHROOM and BASEMENT RENOVATIONS I hope this article gave a few nuggets of knowledge that can help you as you move forward with your passion. • Just one more thing to add, I heard a phrase many years ago that struck me as a critical element to building a great team and mutual respect - “trust, but verify.” There is nothing wrong with having a process of delegating responsibility, it will often increase efficiency and profitability, but verifying that tasks are completed to the required standard is necessary. Verification is not a sign of distrust but rather a method of quality control. All entrepreneurs know that they are ultimately responsible, therefore establishing a trusting relationship with employees, suppliers, and sub-trades is critical and verifying that a task will be completed, or materials delivered is simply due diligence. We should understand that trust is something most people want in their relationships; we desire to trust and be trusted. Trust is a feeling, not a fact or a number, and it is often this feeling of trust that is so powerful that will reward you with a client’s business, an employee’s loyalty, and truly long-term friendships and relationships. Work hard to establish trust and work even harder to protect it because once trust is lost it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to regain.
Contractor’s Corner TRUST— Either you have it or you don’t
by Dan Monk T rust is an enormous topic and critical for any person or business to be successful regardless of the industry that you are in and you either have it or you don’t. It is so important that companies spend millions each year on marketing in an attempt to convince clients to trust them with their time and money. Trust is also critical between the employer and its employees; if this relationship lacks trust, the company is doomed. TRUTH — Always tell the truth, especially when it is the hardest. Truth is the most basic element of any trusting relationship. You may be wondering - does this mean you have to tell everyone everything? Certainly not but when you are providing people with information, it must be truthful. The nice thing about the truth is that communication is always consistent and believable. “If you tell the truth, you won’t have to remember anything” – Mark Twain; I use this little gem of knowledge regularly. Here are some simple and effective ways to gain and maintain trust:
COMMUNICATION — Nobody wants to be surprised or kept in the dark. This is the reason why newsletters, blogs, annual reports, and account statements are sent to clients on a regular basis; to keeps everyone on the same page by providing relevant details. When dealing with clients, staff, suppliers and sub- trades, it is equally important to communicate in order to build and maintain trust. ACTIONS — “Actions always speak louder than words.” If you say you will do something, do it without excuses. If there is a valid reason for not being able to complete a task, it is imperative to provide ample notice. Simple things such as show up on time, follow up to ensure tasks are completed, and ensure nothing stands between you and your commitments. People trust more when you stick to your word and follow through with your promises. PLAN — “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail” - Benjamin Franklin. By creating a plan, we must acknowledge the potential risks of a situation which makes it easier to identify a course of action if problems arise. Little things like leaving early to avoid being late, making a prioritized check list to ensure everything gets done, maintain realistic expectations, set reminders for important items, and the list goes on. Having a plan for success is another way to gain and maintain trust.
K I T C H E N • B AT H R O O M • B A S E M E N T • A D D I T I O N S E X T E R I O R S • D E C K S & A N Y T H I N G I N B E T W E E N !
2018 RENOVATOR OF THE YEAR 2017 MOST OUTSTANDING KITCHEN RENOVATION 2016 RENOVATOR OF THE YEAR 2016 MOST OUTSTANDING KITCHEN RENOVATION
2016 BRONZE WINNER! SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR HALIFAX BUSINESS AWARDS
We would like to be your contractor of choice. Please call, email us: (902) 497-0011 info@monkreno.com www.monkreno.com
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019
29 AUGUST 2019 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
FIRST PLASTIC BAGS, THEN IT WAS STRAWS, NOW COFFEE CUPS
TheCanadian government has released numbers that Less than10percent of plasticused inCanadagets recycledand that without a change in course, that Canadians will throw away an estimated $11 billion worth of plastic materials each year by 2030. Taking action they announced that the Government of Canada would take steps to reduce Canada’s plastic waste, support innovation, and promote the use of affordable and safe alternatives with the plan to ban all harmful single-use plastics (such as plastic bags, straws, cutlery, plates, and stir sticks) where supported by scientific evidence and warranted, and take other steps to reduce pollution from plastic products and packaging by early as 2021. European governments have a similar goal to ban by 2021, with India following them with a ban by 2022 and Taiwan by 2030. However, the United States has not followed suit and they along with Japan are two nations that did not sign the G7 Ocean Plastics Charter, which has the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union (EU) have all agreed to increase plastic recycling by 50 percent, while also working towards 100 percent reusable, recyclable or recoverable plastics by 2030. For chains like Starbucks, which goes through about 6 billion cups a year, and brands like TimHorton and Dunkin that generate close to 60 to 70 percent of their revenue fromcoffee or hot beverage drinks, this is a huge dilemma. But it is not just limited to those in the coffee business, it is a pressing problem for the fast-food industry as a whole. Executives have long suspected this day would come. Separately and together, they’ve been working on a more environmentally friendly alternative to the plastic-lined, double-walled, plastic-lidded paper cup for more than a decade. But unfortunately, the search for an alternative has not gone that well.
Disposable cups are a relatively modern invention. About 100 years ago, public health advocates were eager to ban a different kind of cup — the public drinking vessel, a shared tin or glass cup left near drinking fountains. When Lawrence Luellen patented a wax-lined throwaway cup, he billed it as an innovation in hygiene, a prophylactic measure to counter diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis. Now the cups themselves are the issue. In just the U.S. alone, of the 120 billion paper, plastic and foam coffee cups, or about one- fifth of global total, used each year, almost all of them, 99.75 percent, end up as trash, where even paper cups can take more than 20 years to decompose. A wave of plastic bag bans has inspired the new efforts to curb cup trash. Food and beverage containers are a much bigger problem, sometimes generating 20 times the garbage that plastic bags do in any one locale. But reverting to reusable cloth bags is relatively easy. With to-go coffee cups, there’s no simple alternative. Berkeley is encouraging residents to bring a travel mug, and both Starbucks and Dunkin give discounts to those who do, but this not enough and reusable have their own issues both health and operational. With reusable cups servers never know whether a cup is dirty or if they should wash it, and it’s hard to know how much to fill a small or medium coffee in a large mug. With municipal governments like Berkeley not waiting for answers and looming global bans just around the corner industry’s will have to continue to work on making a better cup for their customer to enjoy their favorite cup of joe. •
by Calli Gregg C offee cups have become environmental enemy number one; industry has been working on a more environmentally friendly alternative to disposable cups for well over more than a decade, but finding an alternative has not gone well. Berkeley, California, is a city in Northern California on the east side of San Francisco Bay and home to the University of California. It is also known for its leadership on all things civic and environmental. It is the birthplace of the 1960s Free Speech Movement, and it was one of the first U.S. cities to adopt curbside recycling. It banned styrofoam and was early to take on plastic shopping bags.
Now they have a new mission and earlier this year, the Berkeley City Council industry noticed that they are on a new environmental mission to change the use of the “to-go” coffee cup. Some 40 million disposable cups get tossed in the city each year, according to the City Council, almost one per resident per day. So, in January, the city said it will require coffee shops to charge an extra 25 cents for customers who use a take-away cup. “Waiting is no longer an option,” Sophie Hahn, the Berkeley City Council member who wrote the legislation, said at the time. Being overwhelmed by trash, local, regional and national governments around the world are banning single-use plastic takeaway containers and cups.
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019
31 AUGUST 2019 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
The true cost of housing versus minimum wage
Below are the variations across all the eleven provinces and three territories with the ranks one through thirteen for Rent Cost, Wages and Percent of Wages needed to cover rent to give you a better understanding of the costs of living.
Rent
Wage
Percent of Wages
Nunavut Quebec
= 32.77% (#1)
$737 (#13)
$2,249.00 ($13.00) (#5)
= 34.30% (#2)
$776 (#11)
$2,262.50 ($12.50) (#7)
New Brunswick
= 37.24% (#3)
$741 (#12)
$1,989.50 ($11.50) (#10)
Prince Edward Island
= 38.55% (#4)
$817 (#10)
$2,119.25 ($12.25) (#8)
Newfoundland
= 42.38% (#5)
$836 (#9)
$1,972.20 ($11.40) (#11)
Manitoba
= 45.37% (#6)
$891 (#8)
$1,963.55 ($11.35) (#12)
Nova Scotia
= 45.49% (#7)
$909 (#7)
$1,998.15 ($11.55) (#9)
Ontario
= 45.79% (#8)
$1,109 (#4)
$2,422.00 ($14.00) (#2)
Yukon
= 47.31% (#9)
$1,040 (#5)
$2,198.33 ($12.71) (#6)
by Jordan Parker I f you are looking at national averages Canadians are paying around $1,000 for rent on average which includes both rent and utilities. The average minimum wage earners makes on average $12.58 or $2,176.34 per month, based on 173 hours worked which shows that the average tenant is paying 45.94 percent of the monthly wages to cover housing cost. We have put the numbers together to show the wage versus rent comparison for all provinces and territories in Canada so you can see where your region falls in comparison to the amount of other provinces and territories. We were very surprised with some of the results. The most expensive province to live in Canada when comparing minimum wages to rental costs is Saskatchewan. With an average rent of $1,021 per month which is #6 and a minimum wage of $11.06 which is #13 giving wage earners $1,913.38
British Columbia
= 47.91% (#10)
$1,148 (#3)
$2,396.05 ($13.85) (#3)
Alberta
for the month. Renters in Saskatchewan are spending 53.36 percent of their monthly wages to cover their rent. This is 116.15 percent of the national average. The least expensive province in Canada to live in when comparing minimum wages to rental costs is actually one of Canada’s three territories, Nunavut. With an average rent of $737.00 per month which is 73.7 percent below the national average and a minimum wage of $13.00 which is 103.34 percent of the nation average giving wage earners $2,249.00 for the month. Renters in Nunavut are spending only 32.77 percent of their monthly wages to cover their rent, which is only 71.33 percent of the national average. However, in saying that, when factoring in other costs of living such as food this saving gets eaten up very quickly.
= 49.28% (#11)
$1,279 (#1)
$2,595.00 ($15.00) (#1)
Northwest Territories
= 51.15% (#12)
$1,191 (#2)
$1,913.38 ($11.06) (#13)
Saskatchewan
= 53.36% (#13)
$1,021 (#6)
$1,913.38 ($11.06) (#13)
These stats go to show that you need to look at more than just wages in order to get a true understanding of wages across Canada. •
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33 AUGUST 2019 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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