Editor’s Spotlight
MANAGING DIRECTOR Rod Gregg EDITOR Lee Ann Atwater ACCOUNTS & ADMIN Calli Gregg COMMUNICATION, RESEARCH & ADMIN Tristyn Gaudette Jill McGuire EDITORIAL & PROJECT MANAGER Ashley Davis Kate Lindsay CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jody Euloth
As we hurry hard into 2024, we sit down with Canadian and World Champion curling skip, Rachel Homan, at her home in Alberta, between breakfast with the kids and heading out to train for the upcoming Canadian national women’s curling championship. Rachel shares about her ability to balance life and the many challenges of being a professional curler throws at her, her family, and her teammates. Rachel’s passion and understanding of the game have led her to be one of the most dominant skips and teams in international curling for more than a decade and her ability to balance life has made her an amazing mom. We connect with Bras d’Or Lakes Inn’s General Manager, Wendy Abbott, and chat about the transformation of this iconic Nova Scotia cedar log inn. Covering topics such as its onsite restaurant that offers fantastic fresh and local cuisine, plus the property that has a spectacular view of the world- famous in-land sea, historic swing bridge, and man-made canal that connects it with the Atlantic Ocean. We are confident that you’ll be planning your next visit before you finish your first! Jon and Erin Welch left the province of British Columbia to seek a new beginning in Nova Scotia. As aspiring entrepreneurs, they took a chance by bringing something new to a rural area. But while Jon and Erin invested in their business, the communities of Annapolis Royal and Bear River invested in them. With local support, Sissiboo Coffee Roaster grew beyond their expectations and continues to expand, producing high-quality, fair trade, and organic products. Agnes and Ray Direnzo have never shied away from adventure. Whether traveling in the great outdoors or picking up their lives and heading east to start a business in rural Nova Scotia, they are ready to take on any challenges along the way. Agnes explains how Smiths Cove Cottages came to be and how the couple continues to expand their brand by offering affordable family summer vacations in Nova Scotia’s beautiful Annapolis Valley. Leanne and Ben Brooks share their journey of returning to rural Nova Scotia to transform the historic Myrtle Hotel into a modern haven known as the Riverport Inn B&B. An adults-only accommodation that includes a dining room, salon, sitting room, and the guest-only private Myrtle Bar, all echoing the Inn’s original speakeasy vibe and history, providing an easy, comfortable, and memorable stay for discerning guests. Our 2024 Craft Brewing and Distilling Series kicks off in the mountains with Alberta Beer Festival’s recent Jasper Beer & Spirits Festival and the upcoming Edmonton Craft Beer Festival along with Triangle Events’ BOTTLED Truro Wine & Spirits Festival. This six-part series will provide a platform for craft breweries, cideries, distilleries, meaderies, and others in these industries to share their journeys with craft enthusiasts who cannot make it to these amazing events and experience them live. As always, my team and I want to thank everyone who made this issue possible, and we look forward to sharing more stories about growing industries, successful businesses, and brands, while spotlighting the people behind and in front of making it all happen. Lee Ann Atwater Editor
Shannon Ferguson Gabrielle Gamblin Taylor Evans Hendrix Deborah Jaremko Shawn Logan Ashley MacInnis Kris McCarthy Ryan Myson Teresa Siqueira Amanda Stellisano
WEB DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Joe Uttaro GRAPHIC & LAYOUT DESIGN
Misha Mahmood Brittany Pickrem SOCIAL MEDIA Troy Gregg PUBLISHER AIDACA Media
SPOTLIGHT MAGAZINE ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • VOL 24 ISSUE 1 3 P.O. Box 35007, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3M 0G3 E: info@spotlightbizmag.com spotlightonbusinessmagazine.com
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