JANUARY 2020
Taking a look back at our top stories from last year
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JANUARY 2020 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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DECEMBER 2019 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2020
MANAGING DIRECTOR Rod Gregg
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lee Ann Atwater Janice Buckler Jody Euloth Shannon Ferguson Calli Gregg Dan Monk WEBSITE AND GRAPHIC DESIGN LEAD Matthew Erickson GRAPHIC DESIGN LEAD Matt Allen Jordan Parker Christi Rideout
COMMUNICATIONS & ADMIN LEAD Calli Gregg
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lee Ann Atwater
PUBLISHER Spotlight on Business Media
RESEARCH TEAM LEADS Ashley Tanner
spotlight on january
Now that the holidays and blue Monday are behind us, it is time to put our 2020 business plans into action. For us we look back on the amazing entrepreneurs and brands that we had the opportunity to work with in 2019 and how excited we are about the prospect of connecting, engaging and inspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders of today and tomorrow, while giving them the platform and the opportunity to do the same with their customers in this new year and decade. We hope that you enjoy a look back at the top stories from 2019 in Spotlight on Business Magazine as selected by you, our readers, and see if your favorite story received the Best of 2019 honors. As they say, you need to look back to see where you are going, so we hope you enjoy looking back at 2019 with 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 would also like to thank all those involved in putting the publication together in 2019 along with those involved in this month’s issue.
We wish our advertisers and loyal readers all the best in 2020 and we wanted you to know that we are extremely excited and looking forward to sharing more stories about successful businesses and brands, while spotlighting 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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the best of 2019
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BLACK BUTTON DISTILLING
ANNAPOLIS CIDER COMPANY PREMIUM FLAVOUR ENCAPSULATED IN VALLEY CIDERY
MAGO HOT SAUCE FIESTY FLAVOUR IS SOCAL TAILORED
2 PARTS BUSINESS ACUMEN + 3 PARTS PASSION = 1 SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS
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LARGE LAD CLOTHING MORE THAN JUST A BRAND, IT ’ S A BROTHERHOOD
416 AUTOMATION INC BUILDING A COMPANY FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS
BLACK RIVER VALLEY NATURAL PROMOTING RURAL NEW YORK’ S AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE
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january
03 SPOTLIGHT ON JANUARY 08 UPCOMING EVENTS 12 BEST OF 2019 12 BLACK BUTTON SITILLING 2 Parts Business Acumen + 3 Parts Passion = 1 Successful Business 18 RAGING CROW DISTILLING Nova Scotia distillery prides itself on local wares 24 TRIM DESIGN INTERIORS Successfully staging company selling Newfoundland homes 28 ANNAPOLIS CIDER COMPANY Premium flavour encapsulated in valley cidery 34 MAGO HOT SAUCE Fiesty flavour is SoCal tailored 40 JYM LINE GLASSWARE LTD Five-decades of family effort 44 STILLDRAGON A Business Built on Keeping our Customers Happy 50 BLACK RIVER VALLEY NATURAL Promoting rural NewYork’s agricultural heritage 56 LARGE LAD CLOTHING More than just a Brand, it’s a Brotherhood 60 416 AUTOMATION INC Building a company for the next 100 years 66 ALBERTA BEER FESTIVAL INC Growing an Industry one Festival at a time 88 NORTHERN CANNING Professional packaging services at your doorstep 74 GATEWAY CLASSIC CARS Over 20 years of connecting Car Enthusiasts with the
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ALBERTA BEER FESTIVALS INC GROWING AN INDUSTRY ONE FESTIVAL AT A TIME
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GATEWAY CLASSIC CARS OVER 20 YEARS OF CONNECTING CAR ENTHUSIASTS WITH THE DREAMS
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JANUARY 2020 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
B y putting a spotlight on your business, organi- zation 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 oppor- tunity 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.
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2020
December 2019
Gateway Classic Cars Over 20 years of connecting Car Enthusiasts with their dreams Esme Original Jacket Creative and unique clothing for today’s women
december
Banded Peak Brewing Inviting you to taste the adventure
Serving thirsty, hard-working people damn fine beer Medicine Hat Brewing
December 2019
Gateway Classic Cars Over 20 years of connecting Car Enthusiasts with their dreams Esme Original Jacket Creative and unique clothing for today’s women
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DECEMBER 2019 • SPOTLIGHTON BUSINESSMAGAZINE
Banded Peak Brewing Inviting you to taste the adventure If you are a classic and exotic vehicle enthusiast, then you probably already know who Gateway Classic Cars are as they have been in the classic and exotic vehicle sales business for over 20 years now. They have come a long way since Sal’s humble beginnings in the company’s original garage and showroom in St. Louis back in 1999. Gateway Classic Cars now as 18 locations across the United States with an inventory of over 3,500 vehicles. Spotlight on Business sat down with Sal Akbani, President and CEO, and Ken Dusman, Marketing Manager, of Gateway Classic Cars to chat about the past 20 years and how they have become the World’s largest Classic and Exotic Car Sales Company along with how they plan to continue to be the sales leader in their sector of the industry as we move into the next decade. Serving thirsty, hard-working people damn fine beer Medicine Hat Brewing
december
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Banded Peak Brewing Medicine Hat Brewing Esme Original Jacket
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JANUARY 2020 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
PaperWeek Canada is PAPTAC’s flagship conference & tradeshow serving the pulp/paper and forest products industry. It is a great platform to facilitate the exchange of best practices of in Operations and Management as well as show- casing the latest developments in new technologies. For more information on this event go to https://www.paperweekcan- ada.ca/ INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR, BUSINESS AND INVESTORS SUMMIT (ITFBIS 2020) February 3rd – 6th, 2020 Apostolic Church of Pentecost – Calgary, AB, Canada The aim of 4th International Trade Fair, Business and Investors Summit is to promote trade relations between Canada and countries abroad. The event is for entities interested in establishing new business relations, networking with business leaders and political rep- resentatives, learning more about business opportunities in various sectors and meeting market entry experts. The event engages distinguished business leaders, international trade and development experts, and government representatives as speakers and panellists in order to reveal trade and investment oppor- tunities For more information on this event go to http://internationaltradefair. ga/
February 2020
TORONTO TEA FESTIVAL February 1st – 2nd , 2020 Toronto Reference Library Appel Salon – Toronto, ON, Canada Whether you are a newbie or an afi- cionado of tea culture, the Toronto Tea Festival will enable you to discover the world of tea from the traditional to the trendy. You will be able to sample hundreds of teas and learn from experts in the industry at one of the complimentary presentations. Taste a variety of teas uniquely and exquisitely prepared by exhibitors; noting how the flavoursmay differ depend- ing upon place of origin, process- If you are into tea, this is where you need to be. For more information on this event go to http://teafestivaltoronto. com/ THE ANNUAL CONFER- ENCE OF THE PULP AND PAPER INDUSTRY IN CANADA (PAPERWEEK) SUPPLY CHAIN SUMMIT February 3rd – 6th, 2020 Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Montreal – Montreal, QC, Canada ing techniques, and preparation styles.
WELLNESS SHOW VANCOUVER February 1st – 2nd , 2020
Vancouver Convention Centre West Building – Vancouver, BC, Canada For 28 years the Wellness Show has been bringing new approach- es to nutrition, fitness, physical and emotional well-being to help people achieve their most holistic, healthiest selves. This event connects like-minded businesses and thought-leaders in wellness as is Western Canada’s biggest and most established health and life- styles showcase. For more information on this event go to https://thewellnessshow. com/
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CARGO LOGISTICS CANADA EXPO & CON- FERENCE (CLC) February 4th – 6th, 2020 Vancouver Convention Centre West – Vancouver, BC, Canada Cargo Logistics Canada is North America’s most dynamic and com- prehensive multimodal supply chain event of its kind. This is the platform for logistics industry pro- fessionals to learn, share, network, and move their supply chains into the future. For more information on this event go to https://www.cargologistics- canada.com/
BIG DATA & ANALYTICS SUMMIT (BDA) February 12th – 13th, 2020 Hyatt Regency Toronto Hotel – Toronto, ON, Canada The Big Data & Analytics Summit Canada is the only event for data and analytics leaders where you can connect with hundreds of like-minded peers to discuss big data business and technical uses, AI and ROI optimization with ana- lytics. Take advantage of this amazing interactive environment to join thought leaders, experts and professionals from across North America. For more information on this event go to https://www.bigdatasummit- canada.com/ ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONVENTION February 19th – 20th, 2020 Scotiabank Convention Centre – Niagara Falls, ON, Canada The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention is an annual gather- ing of horticultural crop produc- ers involved in the production of fruits and vegetables. Now entering its 18th year, OFVC is attended by a cross section of the horticultural sector including government, industry, business, consultants, producers, associ- ations, researchers and educa- tors. For more information on this event go to http://www.ofvc.ca/
METRO SHOW February 4th – 8th, 2020 Multiple Venues – Vancouver, BC, Canada The METRO Show is a one-of-a- kind industry buying show held four times a year in beautiful Vancou- ver, British Columbia. If you are a Retailer, Buyer or Owner of a bricks & mortar shop or online store, then this show is for you. 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 on this event go to https://www.metroshow.ca/ GLOBE 2020 FORUM February 10th – 15th, 2020 Vancouver Convention Centre West - Vancouver, BC, Canada GLOBE Series is the largest and longest-running sustainable business summit and innovation showcase in North America. Since 1990, 170,000 people from 97 coun- tries have come to GLOBE to learn from industry leaders, marvel at cutting-edge technology and form long-lasting partnerships. Given the urgency of the global climate crisis, GLOBE 2020 will have a laser focus on impact, action and outcomes. Offering stellar growth and networking opportunities to thousands of corporate, govern- ment and young leaders, GLOBE is the business summit with global impact. For more information on this event go to https://www.globeseries. com/forum/
CONVERGX GLOBAL SUMMIT February 4th – 6th, 2020 Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire – Calgary, AB, Canada CONVERGX aims to create invest- ment and growth opportunities between the Energy, Mining, Aero- space, Defence & Security Sectors for the past 5 years. This event provides a unique business oppor- tunity to partner with capable industry leaders in delivering immediate solutions. For more information on this event go to https://convergx.co/cana- da-summit-2020/
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JANUARY 2020 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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By Jordan Parker I t was only six years ago that Jason Barrett was the “numbers guy” at an accounting firm in Washington, D.C. He was doing the checks and balances, but his home-brew- ing hobby landed him as the representative for some alcohol industry clients.
Jason Barrett’s family has provided some of the finest men’s suit buttons that have closed suits worn by Presidents, Popes, Kings, and Businessmen the world over since 1922. So why did Barrett leave his family’s fourth generations business, his answer is clear and simple, “I was meant for a different path.” So, he broke tradition and started to make whiskey. The lessons he had learned in his family’s factory as a kid still guide him to this day; work hard, work with your hands, make your product the best on the market, and you can’t cheat time. Although he is now in a completely different business, his distillery pays homage to his grandfather and the world he knew – where real men worked hard and drank real pot distilled whiskey. When we sat down with Jason Barrett and asked if it was a hard decision to start his own company. We learned that it was not just one decision, but a series of them along with a driving desire to strike out on his own; to make his mark on the world.
After enough time helping others’ brewing/distilling busi- nesses, Barrett couldn’t help but want to start his own.
Then began the events that would lead to the creation of Rochester, N.Y. business Black Button Distilling.
“One of my clients was Catochin Creek Distilling. They loved what they did every day. I had a tinge of jealousy and through this experience I now understood the business and production,” he said. Barrett’s initial interest in home brewing led him to learn more about the alcohol industry. He translated that knowl- edge to spirits and discovered a newfound passion for making Bourbon. “And it just so happened the laws in New York were also being re-written to make craft distilling more cost-effective.” The cost to get a license to distill went from $60,000 to $1,500 a year, allowing Barrett to open a business that just a few years ago would have been impossible. The universe had spoken.
“The state realized if they lowered the introductory license,
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more money could be made by taxing every bottle,” he said.
“So, I quit my job, sold my house and moved back to Roch- ester. I had started home brewing in college due to an economic need. Distilling was going to be a way to make a living and love what I was doing.”
doors for one day and sold over 700 bottles of vodka; the only spirit available at the time. In January 2014, the Roch- ester location was open permanently and will celebrate their 5 year anniversary shortly. “The biggest thing I’ve learned since then is it’s the people who work here who make this company great. You can have a great product and idea, but it’s nothing without the blood, sweat and tears of those who work with you,” he said. “We have 88 people working right now, and we truly couldn’t do this without them.” Black Button Distilling has grown dramatically. They have gone from three products to 13 and have increased distri- bution throughout New York State plus 11 others and Japan.
He had always liked tinkering, and it seemed like the ideal job for Barrett.
“My family had always been involved in button manufactur- ing, hence the name of the business,” he said. “I wanted to make something tangible with my hands. Coding and apps seem like the way of the future, but I like getting my hands dirty. I’m more tactile.” “My family had always been involved in button manufacturing, hence the name of the business.”
On December 21, 2013, Black Button Distilling opened its
“We are on pace to make 250,000 bottles in 2019. We
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started as a two-man crew, and this has turned into a mon- strosity, in all the best ways,” Barrett said.
“We have seen industry changes too. We were the 21st dis- tillery to start in the state, and there are now 100. There’s been huge growth in the industry, and things are more competitive.” But a major differentiator is how Black Button Distilling has embraced supporting local farmers. Black Button Distill- ing is registered as a “Farm Distillery” which means they purchase all ingredients used in the process from local, New York State farms. Over 90% of the ingredients used by Black Button Distilling comes from New York, allowing them to be accredited as the first distillery in the New York State Grown and Certified Program. “We literally shake the hands of farmers who grow the crops we use for our spirts,” said Barrett. “They are some of my favourite people. They bring things to market every year, and we learn so much from them. It’s a pleasure knowing and working with them.” From a business standpoint, it is also a sustainable model and opens up so many avenues. With a farm distillery license, Black Button Distilling is able to have a tasting room, sell at farmer’s markets and county fairs and directly to liquor stores. Rochester and Western New York have embraced them like he never imagined, and they now have another tasting room in Buffalo.
“We expected we’d be bored, with 20-to-30 people in on a Saturday for the day. We see 50-to-60 an hour, and our
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tours run back-to-back,” he said.
For the future, Barrett just hopes Black Button Distilling keeps growing and diversifying.
Black Button Distilling expects revenue to come in just shy of $4-million, and that’d be 65 percent growth from last year. “The company has doubled in size every 14-18 months, and we now have 88 employees, double what we had last year,” he said. “We have four buildings in Rochester, one in Buffalo, and rent 27,000 square feet.” “The company has doubled in size every 14-18 months, and we now have 88 employees, double what we had last year.” Black Button Distilling was also named to the Inc. 5,000 list. It ranks as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America. “We were named the second-fastest growing craft distill- ery in the nation. We were also the 2020th fastest-growing company of any kind,” he said.
“We are trying to have more whiskey, and we make as much as we can. Our current growth rate is such that by the time we get new facilities in, it’s time to grow again,” he said. “We are always wishing we had more space or capacity, and that’s a very good thing. We are keeping busy and doing something we love. You cannot ask for anything more.”
“I hope you will try our small batch, grain to glass spirits and join me in raising a glass and Live Large in Small Batches.”
“To see that kind of hard work rewarded is amazing, and to be able to take that victory lap is something special.”
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By Jordan Parker J ill Linquist fell into the distilling business by chance, and found a love she didn’t know existed. She now runs Raging Crow Distillery in North River, N.S., but she would have never expected to end up in the industry. “My husband and I have a small hobby vineyard. We grow grapes and sell to Benjamin Bridge for their Nova7. We took wine tours each year, and in June 2016 we went on an Okanagan wine tour,” she said. “We stopped at Legends Distilling, and a young lady from Lunenburg gave our tour. We were pretty amazed at every- thing,” she said. “He taught small fruits, and he jumped at the chance. We looked at equipment and the costs, formulated a business plan, and incorporated in September 2017.” “I always had a great love and interest in fine food, and I’m a dietitian by trade. I had worked for food companies and had that business background. I knew that all distilleries were different, and we felt that there was room in the industry.” The Canada Revenue Agency granted them with a license in February, and Linquist and Pruski then went to a master distilling course in Kelowna, B.C. before opening. “I always had a great love and interest in fine food, and I’m a dietitian by trade. I had worked for food companies and had that business background. I knew that all distill- eries were different, and we felt that there was room in the industry,” she said. “We kept it small, had a building on the property that my husband and I own, and we went into it with manageable startup costs.” By July 2017, Linquist wanted to make a go of it, and called retiring Dal professor Kris Pruski to be a business partner.
In the hub of Nova Scotia just outside of Truro on Hwy 311 is a place called North River where you will find some of best small-batch, hand-crafted, artisanal distilled spirits in the province and after having the opportunity to sample some of their products, I would go as far to say in Canada. We had the opportunity to sit down with Jill Linquist, owner and operator of Raging Crow Distillery and learn about their focus on creating amazing products and their commitment to sourcing local Nova Scotia grown products, wherever possible. So that you know when tasting one of their hand- crafted spirits that you are getting honey from the local beekeeper, the rye from the local farmer, the coffee from the local coffee roaster, the maple syrup from the local maple shack and bacon smoked by the local butcher because at Raging Crow Distillery, Jill and her team is focused on quality versus quantity and it shows in the product that they produce.
She said the biggest trouble was her unfamiliarity with the regulatory aspects of selling a controlled substance.
“The NSLC and CRA were such a fabulous help. It was definitely a learning curve, but we got the hang of it pretty quickly. Other distilleries in Nova Scotia were also very helpful. They’ve been so supportive even though we are competitors in some ways,” she said.
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“It’s the same for the wine and craft beer industry in Nova Scotia. They are all different, but try to help each other out.”
She can’t say ‘support’ without mentioning the community around her.
“We support other businesses and they support us. The coffee in their coffee liqueur comes from Aroma Maya in North River, and their grains fromHorton Ridge Malt and Grain Company. Our honey in the liqueur comes from our own beehives. The spruce in our spruce-tip gin comes from our cottage. The maple comes from the MacRae’s five minutes down the
road,” she said.
“By supporting each other, we make sure everyone around here benefits. We give credit to those around us who help make our product great, and we help grow other small busi- nesses in the area.” She said they mostly advertise through social media, and she’s thrilled with the support they have seen. “By supporting each other, we make sure everyone around here benefits. We give credit to those around us who help make our product great, and we help grow other small businesses in the area.” “We have had a number of events recently and we’re getting excellent exposure. We’re seeing repeat customers and restaurants are carrying us too. We are happy people are buying, trying, and telling their friends,” she said. She’s proud to say their products are also all natural and chemical-free, and she feels this is important with people focusing on clean eating. SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2019
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“We wanted to make sure we were all-natural. Some sed- imentation occurs because of that, and people may need to shake the bottles. But it goes back to people wanting to know where their food and drinks come from,” she said.
“They know what they’re getting here isn’t artificial. It makes for better taste and has a uniqueness to it.”
They’re not making your everyday liqueurs in North River either. “We want to do more events, expand our exposure and just keep people coming here and enjoying what we do.”
With their Spruce Tip Gin, Honey Liqueur and Cajun Choc- olate Liqueur, they’re keeping things innovative.
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2019 “They advised us at the course not to do this. It’s difficult, has a lower yield, but it’s also really good,” she said. “Kris is 20 22 “They advised us at the course not to do this. It’s difficult, has a lower yield, but it’s also really good,” she said. “Kris is 30 Their signature vodka is a potato vodka which is the only one produced in Nova Scotia. “We also have a dill pickle vodka. It goes fabulous in a Caesar. When we took the master distillers course, there was one there and we loved it,” she said. “We just want to be a little different, and keep on innovating down the road.”
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Polish, and traditionally their vodka is made from potatoes. It has a nice, silky, smooth feel to it. We persevered, and we managed to produce it.”
“We will continue to develop new flavours. Traditional gin is hard to develop and takes a lot of trial and error, and we have started on that journey,” she said. “We have also started barrelling. We took a trip to Kentucky in October and we were inspired by what they were doing there. We are currently aging vodka, rum and organic rye in barrels.”
The company is at a point where each batch is 100-200 bottles.
“We see that as manageable, and we have a single-bot- tle filler and we hand-label. Small batch is great because we can try out flavours. There’s only one employee besides us,” she said.
But she also has some broader visions for the company.
“We want to do more events, expand our exposure and just keep people coming here and enjoying what we do.”
She has high hopes for the next year for the business.
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When Megan Callahan moved from Houston, Tx. with her husband home to St. John’s, Nfld., she began helping friends and family decorate their homes. Pretty soon, her hobby exposed a talent she never realized she had. She went from a Business Analyst - a numbers person - to a creative thinker with a mind for design. She began Trim Design Interiors and went from helping her family to helping strangers. Callahan built relationships with realtors, and now she’s doing consulting with their clients to get homes sold efficiently and quickly.
By Jordan Parker W hen Megan Callahan moved with her oil worker husband from Houston, Tx. Back to her home in Newfoundland, she found herself looking for a She used to be a business analyst at PAL Aerospace, and she had a background in accounting. However, she has now realized her talents are far more creative than she ever imagined. “When we were living in Houston, I thought our house looked perfect. But the realtor told us we needed to stage the home. I learned about what staging was then,” she said. “I began by doing it for friends and family when I moved home, and it was working really well. I’d always enjoyed interior decorating, and I really got to explore that.” new passion.
buying and selling.
“The purpose of staging is to get homes sold for the highest dollar value with the lowest time spent on the market,” she said. “When people are trapped in the hustle-and-bustle of buying and selling homes and the stress that goes along with it, we hope to be a breath of fresh air. We can maximize space, showcase the home and show its potential.” “When people are trapped in the hustle-and-bustle of buying and selling homes and the stress that goes along with it, we hope to be a breath of fresh air. We can maximize space, showcase the home and show its potential.”
With three kids, her design company theoretically allows her to work her own schedule, and she loves helping people.
She discusses the difficulties of moving, and the various benefits home staging can have on clients in the world of
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For Callahan, she says the biggest part of the business is currently consultations, set up through real estate agents.
“I do a room by room walkthrough, explaining to the home- owner exactly what needs to be done to showcase the house,” she said. But in an occupied home, the issue is getting rid of things and opening up the space, not adding to it. “Teamwork is an integral part of this business, from Trim Design to the real estate agent to the home-owner. We make sure we’re on the same page as the agents, and we all have the goal to get the house sold.” “We work with the furniture there to make things look amazing. We declutter and streamline. The biggest part of my business is making homes look good,” she said. “We catch the home-owners’ vibes, and if they’re willing, we roll up our sleeves and get to work. If not, we go for a measured approach. There’s a way to make staging work for everyone.”
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“The purpose of staging is to get homes sold for the highest dollar value with the lowest time spent on the market.”
Trim Design is an extension of the real estate agents they strategize with, and try to make everything work in tandem. “Teamwork is an integral part of this business, from Trim Design to the real estate agent to the home-owner. We make sure we’re on the same page as the agents, and we all have the goal to get the house sold,” she said. “I take it personally when a house sells. I’m excited if a house that’s been on the market for a long time sells quickly after our work. We hope our work helps get the job done.” Everchanging but consistently part of the process are deadlines, and Callahan makes sure she gets things done in good time for the client. “No matter how organized I am or how structured, timelines change and clients’ needs change. When people decide on staging, sometimes they decide they need it immediately. You need to help your client,” she said. “We deal with short selling seasons here, and people need to get in to view homes. You must work hard through panic. Overnighters are not uncommon, and the job needs to get done fast and well.” Whether it’s washing floors, dealing with clients, or doing walk-throughs, Callahan and her team are ready and willing to help every step of the way. Reputation is everything, to the point that Callahan often gets asked about her formal training. She has none, but her business and reviews from clients allow her to draw on word-of-mouth. The future of her business depends on strong recommendations.
“This is a business, and if people aren’t happy, word will get around. I want people to be happy with their end result with Trim Design,” she said. “There are some great staging companies. Your reputa- tion precedes you out here, and my business comes on the recommendations of agents and homeowners who like my work.” Trim Design accommodates those selling with full staging, partial staging and consultations. But Callahan takes great pride in affordability. “The feedback I most often get is people are happy with the monthly rental costs. I have an inventory of furniture I use rather than renting furniture for homes. It makes for a greater selection that we can tailor to each space, and most importantly, the costs are lessened for the client,” she said. Callahan hopes to gain more clientele in the future and grow her brand, but she also has some more immediate wishes for her business. “Right now people may not want to spend the extra money, and the outlook for real estate isn’t bright. But the better the market gets in the future, the better it is for us,” she said. “I hope the real estate market takes a jump up. Everyone benefits from a more lucrative market right now. Even with this current lull, the company is doing well. I can’t wait to just trend further upward.”
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Spotlight on Business followed up with Sean Myles and Gina Haverstock of the Annapolis Cider Company which is nestled on Main St. in downtown Wolfville, a small town in Nova Scotia that is equally known as the epicentre of the local food movement as it is for being the home of Acadia University thanks to Sean Myles and Gina Haverstock’s unique ciders that are gaining popularity throughout Canada.
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By Jordan Parker S ean Myles & Gina Haverstock have been involved with Annapolis Valley food and bev- erages for years. They moved to the valley in 2007, with Gina -- the inspiration for Gina’s Red, sold at NSLC -- working as the winemaker at Gaspereau Vineyards. Myles himself works for Dalhousie University in Kentville, N.S., with a focus on apple breeding. It was their love of wine, beer and apples that bore their business, the Annapolis Cider Company. “We always kind of had that entrepreneurial itch. We saw wineries cropping up and bene- fiting Wolfville, and then we saw the craft beer movement explode. We felt uniquely suited to start something,” said Myles. “To do cider made a lot of sense because of my research and understanding of the apple supply chain. My wife’s expertise in fermentation was also a key factor.” The two began looking for a little space, as cider was the fastest-growing local product at the NSLC. “In April 2016, we opened our doors. We had spent two or three years visiting all the production facilities we could in Atlantic Canada, and even out west in Oregon,” he said. “We felt we were well-equipped to head into the market, and got a tiny space downtown.” The cidery is different, in that they believe in the premium nature of the brand. “Increasingly, we feel confident saying ‘no’ as opportunities present themselves. We could put our product in a 500 ml package to compete with others in volume, but that doesn’t speak to the nature of our brand or our relationship with our customers,” he said. “Our ultra-premium product stands out, and we package in a 750 ml bottle. We’re a wine-like product, and we love to focus on what makes us different.”
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It’s something we need to do to continue living here,’ “ he said. “It propelled us from feeling the cidery was some- thing we could perhaps do to something we felt obliged to do. There was a social responsibility attached to it.” He said focusing on their business through the Ivany report’s recommendations was hugely helpful. “It’s a lens through which we can view activities and what we’re doing. If you read the report, and come to visit our business, you see we represent the report. We are buying local product for our cider-making, it’s value-added, and we’re in a small Nova Scotia town employing young, educated people,” he said. “We’re a rural town with premium product for export. We check all the boxes. This is a way to provide us extra motivation to be exceptional and
cider.”
While they moved forward in 2016, the couple had been considering this business since 2014, when Ray Ivany’s report, Now or Never: An Urgent Call to Action for Nova Scotians, was released. The report called for a number of goals to be set by 2024, including growing local business start- ups and increasing exports. “We always kind of had that entrepreneurial itch. We saw wineries cropping up and benefiting Wolfville, and then we saw the craft beer movement explode. We felt uniquely suited to start something.”
“We were constantly hearing about it in the news. Ivany was saying ‘this isn’t a choice for Nova Scotia.
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Myles calls Wolfville the “epicentre” of the local food movement. “We have the Devour Film Festival, the best farmer’s market, and a unique agricultural region. We are surrounded increasingly by beautiful wineries, making this a destination to experience agriculture. We are committed to local and val- ue-added, and we see so many good things for the future here,” he said. “The threat of political interference in this is always there, as are changes in policy. But we’ve got
excel. It provides a justification for a lot of what we do, and we can remind ourselves that our mission and vision should align with the report.” Myles says he’s learned a whole lot in the last 18 months, and that the business needs to be about individuals. “We have turned our focus from production, pack- aging and labelling to the people who make up our business. We are working on HR management and trying to become an exceptional employer,” he said. “We are learning to operate in a respectful manner and the way we feel our employees deserve. We are made of people. You can hit all of your Key Performance Indicators and have big net revenues, but you cannot have a great business without peace in the workplace. We are diligent in ensuring we never have a workplace that’s full of tension and conflict.” They have 12 employees, five of whom work full- time, and they’re ready to tell their customers each day why they’re different. “While many industrial ciders are made in two weeks, we ferment at low temperatures for six. That way we retain nice apple aromatics. We car- bonate at low levels, and let the fruit speak for itself. We don’t sweeten with sugar, but use fresh juice,” he said. “We want to make sure these things are highlight- ed, and our relatively higher cost reflects how dif- ferent we are. We sit on a thin piece of the industry
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nothing but support so far. There are numerous social and economic benefits to the agricultural industries around us. The growth and positivity is contagious.” He said their belief in eating and drinking local has pushed their cidery forward. “We are firm believers that eating local is key to rural economic sustainability. We think if everyone got involved, we’d experience a tre- mendous economic boom in rural Nova Scotia. We are happy to be a part of all this,” he said. “We have turned our focus from production, packaging and labelling to the people who make up our business. We are working on HR management and trying to become an exceptional employer.”
but good things to say about selling the Wolfville brand, making our drinks right here in our town, and following the Ivany report. We are totally happy with our situation and what we’re doing.”
“People are catching on, and we have nothing
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Clark Olson has been inspired by his travels and has been fascinated by the many different cultures and the food that they offer. He has always loved spicy food and has created a brand of hot sauces that are all very unique. It’s a worldwide taste tour with a sauce for any meal. All this he attributes to his adventures abroad. Launched in Southern California, the company has been steadily growing for almost three years now, and Clark has turned it into a full-fledged career. By Jordan Parker C lark Olson caught the travel bug early, and his need to experience the world took him from Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and finally to Argentina. It was these revelatory experiences that formed the basis for his three-year-old business, Mago Hot Sauce. The business, based in the picturesque Laguna Beach, U.S., is a representation of all the flavours and cultural experiences that owner Olson has been fortunate to enjoy. The sauces are made in a facility in Irvine, and have a knack for blending with the best of foods. And yet, like little garage tech company Apple and many other brands that boom, Mago Hot Sauce had a humble beginning. “When I moved home, I had learned so
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The demand was there, and Olson just had to get things going. With friends helping him along the way, he began his hot sauce revolution in SoCal. “He (Travis) likes spicy food too, and he’s been a big part in helping with the label and look. There’s a big artist’s community here, and that played well into what I was trying to do,” said Olson. It was Olson’s love of gardening and growing chilis that pushed him into dabbling into hot sauce. Whether he was living and teaching English in Argentina, backpacking in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, he made sure to bring the best of his experiences home. “We launched three years ago, and these tastes and ideas definitely developed through my travels. I just got to know and understand a wide variety of produce and peppers, and had things that come from regions and lands we don’t get supplies from,” said Olson. “When I started really cooking, I got into the spicy stuff, and it might have been because traveling raised my tolerance for hot food. I went from the Siracha to hotter stuff, and I got really cooking and enjoying it.” He quickly became the family cook, and found sat- isfaction in pleasing the taste buds of others. His palate and his taste profile kept growing, and that slow, gradual process allowed him to incorporate the things he picked up from other parts of the world.
much about cooking, and I began experiment- ing in SoCal,” said Olson. “I started taking some recycled bottles to people at work (he was an employee of Avila’s El Ranchito). I got amazing feedback.” “I started to realize what people really liked, and I was hearing from people that they wanted to try a wide variety of sauces with different consistencies and heat levels.” “When I moved home, I had learned so much about cooking, and I began experimenting in SoCal.”
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“He (Travis) likes spicy food too, and he’s been a big part in helping with the label and look. There’s a big artist’s community here, and that played well into what I was trying to do.”
“I just love to be creative in the kitchen, and food fusion can be sketchy. But I love being inspired, and when I do things right, it’s a lot of fun to work on sauces,” said Olson. “All different sauces and chilis are special and take time to process and produce.” “I have a serious passion in the hot sauce game, and the traveling was worth it. Bringing this world- wide and working closely with suppliers allows for our best ingredients.” On top of their Roasted Habanero, Roasted Green Thai, Mago Red, and Mago Green, they’ve also begun selling Ghost Pepper. Of Habanero, Olson says it’s the easier of the sauces. “It’s a little more mild than our other sauces. It’s a bit more palatable, and most consumers can handle it,” he said. Olson has seen a great amount of love for the Ghost Pepper sauce. “It’s been out a month, and it’s taken off. The feedback and love for the product is amazing. We
don’t expect sales to slow down any time soon,” he said. “We use a lot of carrot, which is common in Carib- bean sauces. We also use yellow bell pepper. This sauce is on the sweeter side.” “I just love to be creative in the kitchen, and food fusion can be sketchy. But I love being inspired, and when I do things right, it’s a lot of fun to work on sauces.” They also have a chipotle on the way, and each day, Olson is figuring out how to bring the world to SoCal. “I do art walk events, get in front of consumers, and I know you need to be creative in your cooking and your promotion. Our brand is growing,” he said. “We are fine-tuning how we do business and we’re connecting more dots with time. We’re effi- cient, fine-tuned, and on a good track.” Mago Hot Sauce keeps bringing something new to the table for consumers.
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“We have a nice surprise factor when we’re doing farmer’s markets, and doing demonstrations. That’s another part of the business, as we go to three markets a week. Regulars come each week and taste-test,” said Olson. “We’re tied to the community, and we also volunteer at a local farm each week. We learn from suppliers and we love to reach out financially and culturally. We want to be involved with those we serve.” “We’re tied to the community, and we also vol- unteer at a local farm each week. We learn from suppliers and we love to reach out financially and culturally. We want to be involved with those we serve.” He says each Mago sauce is unique, and in a dif- ferent realm than the others.
“They don’t compete with each other. Each sauce brings something new. Our emphasis is flavour over heart, and we aren’t the first to do it. But we make sure we mean it and it shines through.” Next for Mago and Olson is the New York Hot Sauce Expo in April 2019. They won a spot through the lottery, and will be going to the seventh annual event for the first time. No matter what, Olson wants to remain true to the reasons why he started Mago, and the things that makes it perfect for the area. “We are using spicy food fusion in a unique way based off our experiences in other countries, and translating our inspiration into sauces unlike any others on the market. Laguna’s art community has played a role in the brand, but I am trying to bring different flavors to the hot sauce game in Califor- nia and the U.S.,” said Olson. “Our community has had our back since day one and I think that is because it has very creative and
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artistic roots, and MAGO is bringing very creative spicy sauces to the table. The surrounding Southern California (and the U.S and Canada) has indeed become a very diverse place, so I think we are set up for success.”
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As Atlantic Canada’s premier custom decorator of glassware, ceramics, growlers and bottles since 1969, Jym Line Glassware has meant a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Spotlight on Business sits down with Tom Adams, the President of Jym Line Glassware Ltd in Elmsdale, Nova Scotia, to learn more about how they continue to grow the business and that after all these years, he is still amazed and proud when he sees someone pouring something into one of their products knowing that it all started at their facility in Nova Scotia and how he is truly grateful, and thankful for all of their clients over the years.
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By Jordan Parker I nitially known as Jym Line Products, the company was created on a brisk November day in 1969, nothing more than husband-wife venture. By 1972, the couple were out of their living room and into a rented office space in north end Halifax, on the storied Agricola Street. By the time young Tom Adams began officially working for his parents at 18, they were on Agricola Street. “I started working here in 1987. It was like a life sentence,” laughs Adams, who has been working with glassware for more than 30 days. “You have your good days, your ups and your downs.” From the old site of the Agricola liquor store to a production facility in the mid-1970’s and a 1997 relocation to Bedford, Tom has seen it all.
They started printing promotional products, including wearables, glassware crests, pins and t-shirts, and moved to specializing in decorated glassware in the mid-1980’s. “We bought our decorated glassware from Ontario at first, but the product quality was poor, and delivery was slow,” said Adams. “So, my dad taught himself how to do it using library books. As markets changed, things became more competitive in the textile and promotional markets, my dad decided to focus on glassware and ceramics.” “You have your good days, your ups and your downs.” When they expanded and moved to Bedford, two more semi-automatic screen printers were bought, and in 2000, Jim and Lynda retired and left Tom in charge, which also came a name change to better
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