SpotlightDecember2018

DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2018

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lee Ann Atwater MANAGING DIRECTOR Rod Gregg SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER David MacDonald RESEARCH TEAM LEADS Alia Morash Ashley Tanner

EDITORIAL TEAM Denise Alison Jamie Barrie Janice Buckler Jody Euloth Dan Monk Jordan Parker CONTRIBUTING WRITER Ceiledh Monk Katie Davis Arleen Atienza MEDIA CONSULTANT Tim Kohoot

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Carmen Fitzpatrick GRAPHIC DESIGNER Matt Erikson COMMUNICATIONS &

ADMIN LEAD Calli Gregg PUBLISHER AIDACA Media

Upon us again is the season to reflect on another year that has passed, the challenges that we faced, the great entrepreneurs and business leaders that we have had the honour to work with and the amazing stories that we have been able to bring to our readers as we put the spotlight on the people that made it all happen in 2018. This time of the year many businesses look to close out their year strong, while focusing on planning strategies and setting goals for 2019 and beyond. Like the year before, 2018 was an interesting year which saw many new challenges for businesses on both sides of the border. We, like many of you, will learn from 2018 and look ahead to all that 2019 has to offer. We would like to share with you our “Best of 2018” as we look back on the year and celebrate as we get ready for the amazing year ahead and a new look to the magazine. We hope that you enjoy looking back at 2018 and we would like to take this time to wish you all a Merry Christmas and all the best of the Holidays as you take time to be with friends and family. We would also like to thank all those that were involved with this year’s issues, the writers, researchers, featured companies, advertisers and our amazing readers as we look forward to sharing more stories about successful businesses and the people making it all happen in the New Year. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and most of all a Happy and Successful New Year. The Spotlight on Business Magazine Team

P.O. Box 35007, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3M 0G3 P: 902 593 0533 E: info@spotlightbizmag.com spotlightonbusinessmagazine.com

DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2018

02 SPOTLIGHT ON DECEMBER 08 DECEMBER INDUSTRY EVENTS 10 SPOTLIGHT ON INDUSTRY 12 MESH MEDIA NETWORK- THE DYNAMIC SOUL OF SELLING When it’s time to invest in growth 14 STRATIGRO- GROW YOUR BUSINESS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA! Am I ready to go live? 16 CONTRACTORS CORNER What is Sales? 18 THE CITY OF PERRYVILLE A Rising Star 24 TASTING THE HEAT Going Live with Spicy Goodness 30 DIY MOM Demolishing Stereotypes, branding a future 36 LEWIS COUNTY Recruit. Retain. Expand. 42 SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS 44 OLD ST. AUGUSTINE GOURMET Meet Angela Bean, the ‘Datil Pepper Lady 50 MT. BEGBIE BREWING CO Make Beer, not War 54 BLINDMAN BREWING Great vibes, great beer 60 MOUNT ARROWSMITH BREWING CO Hitting theGroundRunning 66 WIGGLY BRIDGE DISTILLERY Spanning generations into the future 70 MONK RENOVATIONS 10 years of trusted profesionalism 78 TURTON INTERIORS Interior Design and Home Staging 82 WIDAHL WOODCRAFT It’s all possible 86 NEAR NORTH LOG HOMES Making dreams come true 90 HEARTWOOD LOG HOMES Handcrafted in Nova Scotia, Canada since 1984 106 SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION 108 IRON HEART CANNING CO. Quality on the road 112 FORWARD SLASH TECHNOLOGY Top tier managed IT services for a tech partner 116 TWIN MONKEYS BEVERAGE SYSTEMS INC. Canned beverages are the future! 120 RED PADDLE CO. Most Popular stand up paddle boards 126 NORTHERN CANNING Ontario’s Mobile Canning Company 130 SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH 132 HOLISTIC HEALTH TIP FOR DECEMBER BY JANICE BUCKLER 136 WEED MD Dedicated to Client care 96 BC DIESEL REPAIR & PERFORMANCE For a clientele that deserves the best 100 GRANDWEST ENTERPRISES See how far the envelope can be pushed

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A IDACA MEDIA understands that small and medium size enterprises and businesses are key to the successful growth of any economy and just as import- ant as big businesses to the global economy as a whole. By putting a spotlight on your business, organization or commu- nity 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 and social media support, helping your business connect and stay engaged with your customers.

SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2018

In May 2014, MH said, “Patricia Turton was so awesome at Staging our home that we sold it in four days!” In November 2016, ZT said, “I was very lucky to work with her. Patricia is into details. She is easy to work with. Has bright ideas and good taste. She definitely knows her work.” And in October 2017, FYL said, “Patricia transformed my tired-looking condo into a work of art!” These unsolicited testimonials from grateful Turton Interiors clients were our initial introduction to Patricia Turton here at Spotlight on Business. Her colleagues, like the folks at Tapis Essgo Carpets, are equally impressed: “We have been working with Turton Interiors for years. Patricia is a talented and a true professional.” The popularity of her “classic yet modern minimalism” approach has Patricia’s phone on permanent glow-up mode. She is an interior decorator.

DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

The Connections Summit gives attendees the opportunities to gain C-level insights and make some con- nections of your own with leading companies in the digital living space. Hear groundbreaking research on connected devices and Smart TV, digital content and multiple platforms, value-added services and new roles for service providers, and strategies for monetizing it all. For more information of the event: https://www.ces.tech/Conference/ Conference-Program.aspx Follow on Twitter: @ces 3RD ANNUAL JOINT TACTICAL NETWORKS SUMMIT January 16th – 17th, 2019 Parma Payne Goodall Center – San Diego, CA, USA Defense Strategies Institute’s 3rd Annual Joint Tactical Networks Summit will focus on improving the Joint Force’s ability to communicate and exchange information across the domains and services. This Summit will bring together senior leaders to examine the tactical data linkage capabilities, network architectures and network security strategies critical to the success of advanced Joint multi-domain operations. The Joint Tactical Network Summit presents a unique opportunity to meet with distinguished speakers from across the services and Pacific AOR to discuss strategies and tech- nologies aimed at improving tactical network security and interoperability. Follow on Facebook: @CES Follow on Instagram: @ces

For more information of the event: http://affiliatesummit.com Follow on Twitter: @affiliatesummit Follow on Facebook: @AffiliateSummit

PCMA CONVENING LEADERS

January 6th – 9th, 2019 David L. Lawrence Convention Center – Pittsburgh, PA, USA PCMA starts 2019 with its most important, influential and inspiring industry event, Convening Leaders! Join Business Events Professionals from around the world for four dis- ruptive days of really cool school. For more information of the event: https://conveningleaders.org/ Follow on Twitter: @pcmahq Follow on Facebook: @PCMAHQ Follow on Instagram: @pcmahq January 8th – 11th, 2019 Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NV, USA With more than 250 sessions, the CES conference sessions touch on nearly every topic arising from the show floor, including key trends and emerging technologies. Get the big picture, the future landscape or a deeper understanding of emerging technologies with CES conference sessions. CONNECTIONS SUMMIT

AFFILIATE SUMMIT WEST 2018

January 7th – 9th, 2019 Paris Las Vegas Hotel – Las Vegas, NV, USA More than 6,000 digital marketers will gather in Las Vegas for this perfor- mance marketing industry’s premier global event where high-level decision makers are comprised of online pub- lishers, bloggers, media owners, traffic sources, advertisers, global brands, networks, technology firms, agencies, and other solution providers. They come from over 70 countries looking for new connections, inno- vative visions, cutting-edge tech- nologies, and to get a better under- standing of the ways in which the best businesses are leveraging them to grow and improve their bottom line. There is no substitute for being here, demonstrating your solutions and building face-to-face relationships. The top companies and key decision makers in the space come to Affiliate Summit. Show them what you’ve got and what they’re missing.

For more information of the event: http://jointnetworks.dsigroup.org/

THE ELECTRICITY, DISTRIBUTION, INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY

SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2018

(EDIST) 2019 CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION January 16th – 18th, 2019 Hilton Toronto/Markham Suites Conference Centre & Spa – Markham, ON, Canada The Electricity, Distribution, Informa- tion Systems and Technology (EDIST) 2019 Conference & Exhibition is an educational conference and exhibi- tion addressing critical engineering, operational, IT and management issues faced by Ontario’s Local Dis- tribution Companies. Suppliers, man- ufacturers and service providers will have the opportunity to network and showcase their products and services. The EDIST 2019 Conference & Exhibi- tion represents optimal opportunities to: Share with your industry colleague’s opportunities to expand their techno- logical horizons. Network with some of the top engineering, operational or IT specialists in Ontario. Learn the latest technological advances that impact the electricity sector. For more information of the event: h t t p s : / / e d a - c o n n e c t . c a / c o n - nect-event-series/edist-2018/

from startups to large corporations will be at our conference).

the stage at OPEX Week in Orlando and kick off their 20th anniversary cel- ebrations! With the best speaker line-up year on year, the world’s leading brands and most innovative companies continue to place their business and profession- al development needs in our hands. #OPEXWeek has been the leading event for business transformation executives for the past 20 years, deliv- ering an invaluable and unforgettable learning and networking experience for the leaders of the OPEX World. In its 20th year, 150+ inspiring senior leaders will take the stage as together you shape the future of business and process excellence. Never before has PEX Network and the OPEX commu- nity seen what’s coming this January at the 20th Annual OPEX Week: Business Transformation World Summit 2019! 3RD ANNUAL GLOBAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CONFERENCE January 23rd – 25th, 2019 Santa Clara Convention Center – Santa Clara, CA, USA This event is will be the largest vendor agnostic conference in AI space this year with all industry verticals (Finance, Retail/E-Commerce/M-Commerce, Healthcare/Pharma/BioTech, Energy, Education, Insurance, Manufactur- ing, Telco, Auto, Hi-Tech, Media, Agriculture, Chemical, Government, Transportation etc.) represented. The Conference allows practitioners to discuss AI through effective use of various techniques. Over 100 leading experts in Artifi- cial Intelligence area will present at our conference. So you will get to meet technical experts, Senior, VC and C-level executives from leading innovators in the AI space (Executives For more information of the event: https://www.opexweek.com/

For more information of the event: http://www.globalbigdataconference. com/santa-clara/3rd-annual-global-ar- tificial-intelligence-conference Follow on Twitter: @bigdataconf Follow on Facebook: @globalbigdata- conference

DIGITAL MEDIA AT THE CROSSROADS

January 25th – 26th, 2019 Santa Clara Convention Center – Santa Clara, CA, USA The Digital Media at the Crossroads is an annual conference on the future of content in digital media. It is a platform for graduate students or academic studying digital media. Canadian Content and the Role of the Over-the-Top Foreign Internet Services • What to Do About Google and Facebook News • European Audiovisual Policy and the Internet • Copyright Policy and New Technology • Measuring the Digital Media Universe in Canada • A “Town Hall” Meeting with the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel For more information of the event: https://www.digitalmediaatthecross- roads.ca/ Topics Include:

OPEX WEEK January 21st - 25th, 2019 Omni Orlando Resort – Champions- gate, FL, USA Get inspired by 150+ of the opex world’s greatest leaders as they take

DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

ADVENT CALENDARS FOR ADULTS THIS CHRISTMAS

Move over chocolate, as advent calendars are hitting the bottle this Christmas season in Canada and the U.S.

The cardboard calendars, used to count down to Christ- mas are usually filled with chocolates behind each door as a build up to Christmas for children all around the world, but now companies are getting adults into the spirit, literally with beer, wine and spirits behind each door. They’re meant to appeal to nostalgic adults who still want to count the days till Christmas morning and get into the Christmas spirit with something other than a chocolate surprise usually wanted by children.

CHICKEN BONES AND CHRISTMAS IN THE MARITIMES Well we are not talking about the chicken bones you might be thinking of, but if you live in Eastern Canada and are over the age of 35 you are well aware of this Christmas candy. The pink, cinnamony candies with the bittersweet chocolate filling have been a Christmas staple on the East Coast since 1885. But this Maritime Christmas candy has American roots, as the candy was invented by an American candy-maker named, Frank Sparhawk who arrived over 132 years ago in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada to take a job at Ganong. The late 19th century was the heyday of hard candy with candy companies, Ganong Bros. releasing up to three new varieties every month, which would then be retired and replaced. Sparhawk’s Chicken Bones were one of his many creations for Ganong during this time. In 2017, Ganong Brothers Ltd. the oldest candy company in Canada, all but stopped making hard candies, except for Chicken Bones, they have never been retired as they are still enjoyed to this day by many over the holiday season. Not much is known of why Sparhawk went with the name “Chicken Bones” — or how, for that matter, the candy has become so linked with Christmas for Maritimers.

SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2018

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN CANADA REACHES 40-YEAR LOW Canada added 94,100 net jobs for its largest monthly increase since March 2012 when there was a gain of 94,000 jobs, Statistics Canada said in its labour force survey. The November surge was fuelled by other positives: 89,900 new full-time positions and 78,600 employee jobs in the private sector. The jobless rate fell to 5.6 per cent last month from October’s reading of 5.8 per cent, which had been the previous low mark since comparable data first became available in 1976. The old statistical approach, prior to 1976, registered an unem- ployment rate reading of 5.4 per cent in 1974.

CANADIAN INFLATION RATE SINKS TO 1.7% Lower gas prices, which were five per cent lower in November than they were a year earlier, pulled Canada’s annual inflation rate in November down to 1.7 percent, the first time in 10 months it has been below the Bank of Canada’s 2.0 percent target, underscoring market expec- tations that imminent interest rate hikes are off the table.

DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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.

SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2018

By Jody Euloth T his one is dedicated to my fellow Entrepreneurs and Senior Level Executives who know they want more growth but are unsure just how to get it. Are you comfortable and moving along at a steady pace with your business, do you want more revenue growth and not sure where to start and you’ve thought about investing in some- thing, like marketing that will help take your business and brand to the next level? If this is you, then you know sales coaching may be the right option, and worth investing in either for yourself and/or your team. As I look back over 2018, it is clear that my clients who have experienced significant growth in their business, are those who invested in sales coaching. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some brilliant entrepreneurial minds and some incredible corporate sales teams who were open and willing to improve their sales skills. As a result, this invest- ment made a direct, positive impact on their business. Too many times, I see clients who think they need to double their marketing budget to attract and secure new business. But that’s not the case. Chances are people already know what you do and the services you offer. It’s your efficiency in translating leads into sales that could use some help.

in doing things, the same way day in and day out. But moving into 2019, there’s no time for comfort zones. Challenge yourself and your staff to try new approaches to business.

Make sure that you are asking the following questions of yourself and your sales teams:

Are we asking the right questions?

Are we qualifying our leads the best we can?

Are we spending too much time with people who are never going to buy?

Are we treating objections to provide more information?

Yes, there are lots of questions to think about in this short piece, but now is the time to consider all of it and put it into action. As we look at our strategic plans and marketing budgets for the next year, take into consideration that sales coaching just might be the winning formula for growth.

Wishing you all the best in the coming year, let’s invest in our growth. It’s time.

The questions you want to ask yourself are:

For more, sales tips and strategies, sign up for ‘The Dynamic Soul of Selling’ Newsletter at www.meshmedianetwork.ca/ dynamic-soul- of-selling/ For a free 15-minute sales consul- tation to determine if you would benefit from ‘The Dynamic Soul of Selling 90-minute Strategy Session’ email jody@ meshmedianetwork.com Jody Euloth is the CEO of The Mesh Media Network and Founder of The Dynamic Soul of Selling. She helps entre- preneurs, 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.

Are you skillfully maximizing your interactions with potential clients?

Are you looking for opportunities to enhance services to your existing base?

Are you planned and prepared to handle sales communi- cations?

When’s the last time you’ve infused freshness into your sales processes?

Social handles @jodyeuloth www.meshmedianetwork.com

As we move through our days, it’s very easy to get caught up

DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Denise Alison empowers business owners to build relationships and connect with their potential customers on social media, and through live video.

By Denise Alison R ecently someone asked me the question “Am I ready to go live?” I was a little surprised because no one had ever specifically asked me that question before. And then I got to thinking, many of you might be thinking the exact same thing. Well from my point of view the answer is simple, yes, you are ready to go live! Why do I know this? Well that is also simple, because no one is ever ready to go live. Well let me clarify that a little, I really don’t think anyone is sitting around, super pumped about going live: about the uncertainty of what can happen live, about seeing their face and hearing their voice, or generally putting themselves out there. If you are one of those people, good for you. But I sense most of you are not that person.

Creating a Live Video Show comes with a certain learning curve. This means that no matter what you do, you will look back at your first few videos at some point down the line and think “what was I doing?” I know that I did.

I look back on some videos and think “Why did I say that?” “Where am I looking?” “Why was my skin so orange?”

I had no one helping me out when I started my live video show. Partly because it was a new concept, and partly because I was just messing around and trying new things. But sometimes I wish I could go back and help myself along to get to creating great videos faster!

Because there are certainly a few that have a certain “character” to them.

That’s why I created the Live Video Formula, to help other entrepreneurs avoid making the same mistakes I made and to help them get to making great live videos faster! I want to help remove the “What was I thinking” aspect. Because honestly, I see many live video creators making simple mistakes that take away from their expertise. It doesn’t have to be that way!

As long as you are clear on what challenges you solve for your clients, and who you work with, then YES, you are ready to go live! So, get ready to start off with

SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2018

a bang by joining the Live Video Formula!

Remember that Live Video receives 600% more engagement than other types of content and is watched for 3 times longer than other types of video and is becoming a must for small and medium size business owners who want to increase their visibility online and attract more customers with an effective online and live video presence.

If you are ready to take action to improve your visibility, increase your engagement, and attract more loyal customers with live video. Get ready to start off with a bang by joining the Live Video Formula!

For more details on the Live Video Formula, visit my website or watch my weekly Facebook live episodes on The Art of Online Marketing every Tuesday at 9am EST or you can view on my website at Stratigro.ca/blog.

DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

By Dan Monk, P.Eng., Red Seal Carpenter and Owner of MONK Renovations N obody wants to be sold anything and a home ren- ovation is no exception. We all prefer to be well-in- formed in order to make wise spending decisions rather than feeling forced into a purchase. A general rule of thumb is to follow your gut feeling; if a contractor puts you in a position where you feel uncom- fortable then you should find another. Some examples are scare tactics, offering discounts for cash payment, general lack of knowledge, or simply putting too much pressure on the sale. This article is intended to help you understand how the sale process should go when working with a professional. Being able to recognize key aspects of a professional will guide you in choosing the right renovator and make you more confident throughout the process.

Knowledge - A professional renovator will be knowledge- able without appearing “cocky” or putting other people or businesses down. Sharing knowledge with a client should be an easy process and not one where the contractor is trying to impress a client by demonstrating how much they know. Honesty – Professionals will always be honest with the client about their project; time lines, price, potential chal- lenges, sub-trades, and potential unknowns and extras. Though nobody likes a surprise, there are bound to be a few through the renovation process. The truth is not always good news but you should still expect honesty along with clearly and promptly communications. When a client asks for an immediate solution, sometimes I don’t have one but I am not afraid to admit it and will always get back to them with time. Homeowners appreciate this honest approach. Lies are very difficult to keep track of and often cause troubles for the contractor, but on the contrary, honesty is easy because it’s easy to remember and the story remains consistent. Solutions Driven – When I look at a renovation project, I want to know the important details; how the client plans to use the home, why they want particular aspects, and how long they plan to live in the home. Asking questions and imagining the bigger picture allows me to give my clients the best solution for their unique situation. Relationships – Building a relationship with the client, actually getting to know them and their lifestyle really facil- itates the renovation process. This trust and confidence are necessary because you are allowing them into your home. Many of my clients over the years have become great friends and our relationship continues long after their renovation is

SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2018

complete.

WherePride in Workmanship MeetsCustomer Satisfaction What we do: Ceiling repairs, texture and beading. // Internal and external drywall // Boarding andmudding // Finishing // Patching, taping and repairs // Complete renovation &muchmore.

The sales process or more accurately said, the relationship process, has always come easy to me. Somehow, I have always understood that sales can only happen when you provide an honest solution to a person’s problem and have genuine motivation to help the person, rather than doing business for self interest. Once any professional realizes this simple fact, sales are easy and not so scary for both parties. The sales process becomes two, soon to be friends, dis- cussing a solution to a problem. I hope you find this article helpful in making renovation dis- cussions and enjoy the process of building a relationship with a knowledgeable, honest, solution driven professional, that could turn into a life-long friendship.

604.845.1019 andresdrywall@telus.net andresdrywall.com

DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2018

A few miles from the banks of the Mississippi, a little over an hour drive south of St. Louis sits the unassuming City Of Perryville, Missouri. It is a city that prides itself on its foundation in faith and small-town values. In fact, it is the birthplace of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and the historic seat of the American Vincentians (Perryville actually had the first seminary west of the Mississippi). Concordia University was founded in Perryville and there are upwards of 35 small country churches throughout the county. But why is a business magazine covering a Middle-American city with the population of approximately 8,400? Simply, it’s their impressive economic development history. And the fact that, unlike most places in North America, Perryville currently has more jobs than people to fill them. This is a credit to the collective efforts of the Perryville Development

Corporation (a private corporation that owns the city’s industrial park), the City and County. The Development Corporation has, over a number of generations, forged relationships with regional, national and international corporations with a view toward making Perryville an economic hub in Missouri. For example, TG Missouri (a Tier 1 automobile supplier) employs upwards of 1,900 workers. Gilster-Mary Lee, which produces food products, employs another 1,600. Perryville also has Robinsons Construction, Earthworks, Semco, Perry County Memorial Hospital, Bank of Missouri, Roziers, Buchheit’s and a host of other small companies all owned and operated right in the city. Natural resources are abundant and the region has a thriving lumber industry, exporting product all over the world. Spotlight on Business Magazine spoke with Brent Buerck, Perryville’s City Administrator, about faith in the City’s history, economic development, tourism and the high quality of life the small Missouri city has to offer. By John Allaire T o understand the direction Perryville is headed, it’s helpful to take a step backwards and discover its foun- dations. Buerck talks about the City’s roots. “The city itself dates to about 1831 when we were incorporated. Our original settlers were actually from Germany, and the story goes that they were looking for something that reminded them of home. So the Lutherans settled from Germany in the east end of Perry County. That’s where the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod was actually founded. Concordia University also has its roots here. There is a campus in St. Louis and one in Fort Wayne, Indiana as well. That’s where Lutheran pastors go to be ordained, and it all started in Perry County in a little log cabin in a town called Altenberg.”

Around the same time and toward the middle of the county, the land was settled by Catholics who started St. Mary’s of the Barrens, which was the first Catholic seminary west of the Mississippi.

“The foundation of faith is very much a part of who we are,” Buerck explains.

“There’re Baptist churches, Methodist churches, Assembly of God churches and several smaller nondenomination- al services. It’s very much a part of our everyday life here.”

If the foundation of faith explains their roots, it is their forward-looking economic development processes and commitments that will define their future successes.

DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

The dedicated efforts of the Chamber of Commerce, the Perryville Development Corporation, and many City offi- cials led to the development of the Perryville Industrial Park and the establishment of an “Enterprise Zone.” Since its opening, the Perryville Industrial Park has thrived and is now home to a diverse mix of industries. “The foundation of faith is very much a part of who we are.” “In the first half of the 19th-century, Perryville had a Johnny Poultry’s chicken factory and a couple of shoe factories. At that time, even that many years ago, the town leaders thought that they needed to diversify,” Buerck points out. “And when the Perryville Development Corporation started, it was a for-profit corporation. They went door-to- door selling shares to residents. The idea was, if you buy a $10 share in the Corporation, it was going to invest in some jobs and opportunities that everyone could benefit from.” Buerck continues to explain that some key investments by the Development Corporation has had a lasting effect on the City of Perryville. “Several years later, the Development Corporation started working with a company called Gil- ster-Mary Lee. It was an investment, and they thought that the company would do well and therefore the Corporation would do well, and the shareholders would get a return on their money. Well, Gilster-Mary Lee now has 1,600 employ- ees in Perryville. And they make over 200 different types of food. For example they make the store brand cereals and noodles for Walmart and other large chains, and are also the exclusive provider for the Chick-fil-A chicken coating.”

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“They changed the Economic Development Corporation into a not-for-profit entity.” “It is independently owned but somewhat affiliated with Toyota Motor Company. They make parts. So right now they make airbag components, steering wheels and interior trim pieces for automobile manufacturers, most notably Toyota. And they started chroming, so many of the chrome parts that you see on cars are often made here in Perryville. The company is up to 1,900 employees here. So for a town of 8,400 people, it’s great to have two major employers supplying well over 3,000 jobs.” “I believe the City’s location is one of its greatest strengths,” exclaims Buerck when asked about enticing people to apply for one of the many available jobs and move to Per- ryville. “We are about 80 miles from downtown St. Louis, we’re 35 miles from Cape Girardeau which is a city of about 40,000 people. There’s a university and two large hospitals there. And we also have a small community hospital that is absolutely thriving. They have completed a couple of major expansions over the last few years. So for health related jobs, our location is really key.” One of Perryville’s major selling points revolves around glistening community safety numbers and how it is contrib- uting to a higher quality of life and a family-oriented life- style. In fact, the City is continually recognized as one of the safest communities in Missouri, with a reputation for having a second-to-none school system. Buerck also emphasizes that key infrastructure investments have improved the quality of life for residents. ”We have a park system that we have invested heavily in here in the community. We have a 105,000 ft.² recreation center that features an Olympic size swimming pool, a 400-seat theatre that shows first run movies, it has a large gym, racquetball, a walking trail and a library. In addition to that, we have a soccer park sponsored by the Bank of Missouri. The Opti- mists built 10 soccer fields on what used to be a floodplain. I think it’s probably the nicest park between St. Louis and Memphis for soccer.” “For a town of 8,400 people, it’s great to have two major employers supplying well over 3,000 jobs.” Fun activities include an annual Mother’s Day weekend festival in Perryville’s downtown core. “Mayfest” has been taking place for the past 30 years. “We have a soccer tourna- ment that coincides with “Mayfest” that will have anywhere from 90-100 teams depending on the weather so that’s thousands of parents, grandparents and kids that come to Perryville for the weekend. We are doing a lot of those kind of activities, baseball tournaments, volleyball tournaments,

The success of Gilster-Mary Lee and other investments made by the Perryville Development Corporation invari- ably made their stock much more valuable than their earlier door-to-door value. Buerck offers that this is where the story shifts. “At some point, and I think this is the most important part of the story of Perryville, these business leaders that had invested in their community with the original purpose of trying to make a little money and provide some jobs in Perryville, made enough money that they decided to start forgoing profits and they changed the Corporation into a not-for-profit entity. So they turned what was originally profit that they could’ve put in their pockets, and walked away from it in favor of an investment into the community — an investment that wound up becoming the purchase of the industrial park property. Today there is still a 20 person Board of Directors that oversees the assets of the Perryville Development Corporation and they continually invest in the community.” As one might imagine, the economies of small cities can be greatly impacted over many generations by the hard work of their economic development leaders and their ability to draw international corporations to town. Thirty years ago this past year, the Perryville Economic Development Cor- poration started working with a Japanese company called Toyoda Gosei.

Buerck explains that bringing Toyoda Gosei to the City was another game-changer.

DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

that sort of thing.”

“Other tourism opportunities include Tower Rock which is in the Mississippi,” Buerck goes on to explain. “It’s a huge tower that is literally built out of rock that just pops up in the river. Lewis and Clark spoke about it in their explorations. Perry County is unusual in its topography. It has the longest caves in the state of Missouri. The longest cave here is 30 miles. People love to go down there and explore.” There are many religious shines and historical buildings and artifacts for those interested in the early settlement of the area, but Buerck emphasized that the City and County also are keen to express great reverence for their veterans. “We have a long history of service organizations. A couple years ago we brought the traveling Vietnam Wall through the city and it was a great moment for the community in a lot of ways. A lot of folks found peace in viewing the Wall and it was well received.” The traveling exhibit was so moving, it inspired one veteran to donate substantial funds toward the construction of their own Vietnam Wall. “The veteran said ‘if you guys will do something on a permanent basis I’ll donate money.’ And he started with $1-million donation, and it’s up to over $2.5 million now and over 46 acres. Right here in Perryville, we are building the Missouri National Veterans Memorial, which is going to include the only full-size exact model of

SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2018

the Vietnam Wall in Washington DC. So, all 58,000 names will be on the same black granite. We went to India to get the granite, just like they did in Washington DC.” Buerck concludes with a statement about the unique char- acter of the people in Perryville and how it has shaped their business community. “Perryville was full of entrepreneurs before entrepreneurs were even a thing, really. There are incredible people doing incredible things here… We’ve been doing things the right way here in Perryville for a long time, and our motto is “plant your family here” which we truly believe.” “I think it’s probably the nicest park between St. Louis and Memphis for soccer.” On the chance that there is an influx of people getting away from the big cities to live and work in Perryville, the City is preparing for change. “We’re working hard on housing. The community is being built out. We need subdivisions, we need to invest in the community so people can live and work here. Many times, people come to Perryville for the

jobs but they’ve had to find houses in neighboring commu- nities. And that’s the next thing were fixing. We’re working hard with the Development Corporation to increase our housing stock so more people have an opportunity to live here.” It is staggering to see what Perryville has achieved, and continues to attain. And it shows no signs of sitting back and resting on laurels. Undeniably, Perryville is booming. Businesses are setting up shop, and unemployment is under five percent. It just might be what you’re looking for!

DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2018

By John Allaire T hose foodie pictures you see on your friends’ social media pages are more than an exclamation of momentary bliss over reaping the spoils of a life well spent. There is actually a need buried somewhere in the human psyche driving people to share their good experi- ences with others. Kendall explains, “You know when you find a new recipe or have a great meal at a restaurant that you really love and want to share with everyone? And you take pictures and post it on social media? That’s what Tas- tingTheHeat.com is all about. We are offering the informa- tion we have gathered from all around the world and we have turned it into an easy, fun way to look up these differ- ent hot sauces and find out more about them.” The independent or “craft” revolution is no longer limited to breweries and distilleries. Boutique coffee producers, soda producers and hot sauce inventors are throwing their hat into the indie producers ring, and the potential for growth seems limitless. “If you look at the craft beer industry, the hot sauce industry is doing kind of the same thing,” Kendall points out. “Where your Budweiser and Miller is kind of like your ketchup… You know, name two or three brands of ketchup, and you would say Heinz or Hunts, but there aren’t a lot of them out there. And hot sauces used to be the same — just Tabasco and Frank’s. And now it is just exploding with independent hot sauce makers, just like the craft beer industry. The choices out there now are amazing!” “We are offering the information we have gathered from all around the world.” This is evidenced by full stores and mall outlets across North America being dedicated solely to hot sauces, salsas and other spicy condiments. Kendall explains that this is where you can use TastingTheHeat.com to full advantage. “You can go into these hot sauce boutiques and bring up TasingTheHeat.com on your smart phone, find reviews for many of the hot sauces on the shelf, and make informed choices. And we only review what we consider to be the very best. Consumers can really benefit from the legwork we have done for them.” Unlike the craft beer and distillery world, where craft products are still hovering around the 5% mark of total mar- ketshare, The Stadler’s research tells a different story in the hot sauce world. In fact, the independent producers have flipped the tables, leaving a mere 30% of the marketshare to the major players. “The other 70%, which is huge, are these small-batch boutique hot sauce makers. And there are now thousands of them, and the numbers are growing every day. It is getting to the point where they are making new sauces, and the flavor is becoming more important than the heat. The heat is becoming an added benefit.”

When a business venture is driven by pure passion, the excitement it creates can ooze off the webpage and onto your plate. Literally. Such is the case with Tastingtheheat.com, a website dedicated to lovers of hot sauces, salsas and just about anything that will make your taste buds stand up and sing! Kendall Stadler, a retired rock and roll musician out of St. Clair, Michigan teamed up with his wife Tracy and decided to let their passion guide them into their future. Three years ago, while honeymooning on a beach, they started talking about those TV ads you see where people declare “I can work from anywhere. I have an Internet business.” The wheels started turning and Tracy referenced Kendall’s love of hot sauces as a possible business direction. An avid connoisseur of hot sauces from around the world, the idea made perfect sense to Kendall. Specifically, a review site where people could quickly look up and read about the best sauces being produced on the market today. A reference guide to the new independent hot sauce revolution. Spotlight on Business Magazine spoke with Kendall Stadler about his website, his social media presence, his motivation, and how he and his wife are hitting the road in search of the best hot sauces and spicy foods from around the world.

Of course, social media plays an increasingly large role in

DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

interviewed somebody from Australia, and I get requests to be on the show, because the way things work now with social media, they can take the video and share it with their friends and customers on their own websites and social media pages. It increases their exposure 100-fold.” “If you look at the craft beer industry, the hot sauce industry is doing kind of the same thing.” Kendall is very clear with his mission statement. Their efforts all point to giving a voice to the hot sauce makers and enthusiasts — a forum that serves as a hub or clearing- house for the hot sauce community. Stepping back from the canvas a little and waxing philo- sophical, Kendall explains the important role sauces play in the preparation and diversification of dietary planning and fulfillment. “The whole world has the same basic four proteins: beef, poultry, fish, and pork. With hot sauces, you can completely change the profile of the food you are cooking on many different levels. If you have 1,000 dif- ferent hot sauces, you can cook that chicken a thousand different ways.” He goes on to point out that this variety plays directly into the hands (or the tastebuds!) of a society hooked on multi- plicity. “I find that, especially here in United States, we get bored with stuff really quickly. Cooking with all the different hot sauces, especially for people who are on specific diet, they can spice up what would normally be pretty drab meals day-in and day-out. This is a way to bring excitement back to your food like never before because they’;re such a vast amount of new and upcoming hot sauce choices. It’s endless.”

the success of most businesses, and in particular, inter- net-based review sites that strive to hit a broad- spectrum audience. In fact, probably the best way to find out what’s happening and what’s new on TastingTheHeat.com is to join their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/tastingthe- heat). Kendall mentions, “The Tasting The Heat Facebook page is the hub of their information for the hot sauce world. We can point you towards the events, to our actual website, and to our YouTube page with our video series. We also do a live show, Tasting the Heat Live. That’s where I interview these hot sauce makers from around the world. Just last week I

SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2018

seeing a huge trend that way. I get e-mails and questions on Facebook from around the world because they want to know what we are doing here in the USA when it comes to hot sauce production. We are world leaders in this industry.” Asking Kendall to pick his favorite hot sauce is like asking a record store owner to pick his all-time favorite LP. The field it is just too large, and there are so many external cir- cumstances at play that can dictate ones taste at any given time. “I get asked this question a lot,” he agrees. “It’s an extremely hard question really. There are so many amazing sauces out there that just make you go wow! Like the habanero sauces. I love the habanero sauces because of the flavor of the pepper, but also because of the way these boutique spicy sauce makers blend it with other things. Carrots, tomato, garlic and so many more amazing ingredi- ents. Look at the ingredients of some of the sauces on the website and it will blow you away reading what they add to them to get these unique flavors.”

Perhaps part of the uptake on independently produced sauces has something to do with lower start-up costs and less red tape to deal with than their counterparts in the alcohol businesses. Whatever the reason, Kendall offers that the popularity of the ever-expanding industry is nothing short of revolutionary. “It is exciting to be part of that explosion right now,” he beams. “It has increased at a rate of about 150% over the last few years. And people following this revolution expect it to be a $24 billion industry or more by the end of the year.”

“We want to give a voice to the whole hot sauce industry.”

“You can see it happening in front of your eyes,” he adds.

And what’s more, hot sauces aren’t just for dinner-time chicken wings anymore!

“Go to your grocery store and walk down the aisle that used to have only Tabasco and Frank’s sauces. Now the hot sauces are becoming large sections in the supermarket. And then go down to where the chips and nachos are, and you will find all these new spicy flavors.

Every meal can be enhanced by its own unique choice of spicy condiment. Kendall hints at some of his favorite cat- egories and pairings. “Of course, it depends on what food you are eating. If I’m having eggs in the morning, I like a habanero sauce on them. However, if I am having some red

Everybody is getting into this market because they are

DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2018

meat that needs to blend well with something else on the plate, I like a good scorpion pepper sauce because I feel it attaches well with the red meat.” “Our goal is to take Tasting the Heat Live to the mainstream.” Like the beer and spirits industries, celebrities are getting in on the hot sauce action. And yes, there is a special section on Tastingtheheat.com specifically dedicated to celebrity sauces. “I had the pleasure of interviewing Eddie Ojeda from Twisted Sister. He has some excellent sauces. They’re called Twisted Hot Sauces. I’ve had him on my show, Tasting the Heat Live. That inter- view is now on our YouTube page. It was really cool talking with him because I understood some of the things he was talking about with regard to music and he talked about the similarities between the two industries (music and hot sauce production). You’re playing to peoples’ tastes one way or the other.” As well, Dexter Holland from the best-selling punk band The Offspring sent Kendall a case of his own Gringo Bandito line-up of hot sauces. He actually went the extra mile and signed the bottles so we could give them away as prizes on his talk show. Speaking of the talk show, Tasting the Heat Live is a Facebook/YouTube channel show and an ongoing concern for the Stadlers. It airs live on their Facebook page on Sunday nights at 8pm EST and is archived on their YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/tastingtheheat). “We do give- aways on Tasting the Heat Live and in that way, people feel they can get involved. People respond live with questions and we answer them on the show, I’m working on bringing in a phone line so people can call in live during the show. Tasting the Heat Live is the original spicy food talkshow on Facebook.” Kendall feels we are bringing a new light to an industry that no one has thought of before in terms of special interest TV shows.” The end-game for the Stadlers is, of course, greater exposure. And that means trying to get them a commercial and mainstream television show to expose this spicy food revolution. “Our goal is to take Tasting the Heat Live to the mainstream. What Tracy and I would like to do next is try and take Tasting the Heat Live on the road — attending different shows and conventions and interview people live and hopefully make this industry explode even more.” Kendall emphasizes that there may never have even been a concept for this venture without Tracy’s input and con- tinued support. “My wife Tracy is a big supporter of what I’m doing here. Without her there’s no way that this would happen so I have to thank her up-and-down. She puts up

with a lot of my obsessive love of this hot sauce revolution!”

On the business side, Kendall is talking to companies to hopefully develop an iPhone and Android app. “So when you’re out and you come across hot sauces, you can imme- diately look them up on the app and get reviews to see if you think it would fit into your taste profile.” Right now there is a survey on tastingtheheat.com to help us develop the phone app best tailored for your needs. “If you’re doing something you love and you’re helping others, eventually it’s going to come back around to you.” But the burning question is, how is all this financed? Kendall admits, “There is the donate button on the site, but at this point, I’d say 99% of the funding comes out of our pocket. It is truly a labor of love. And the way I feel is, if you’re doing something you love and you’re helping others, eventually it’s going to come back around to you. And I really believe that. I think we are doing a professional job that is helping spicy food makers to reach an audience they may not been able to on their own. Eventually the goal is to do this on a TV show. Then you’d really see the explosion of this industry, and it would really help these people who are working two or three jobs just to keep their hot sauce business going.” To quote the famous Field of Dreams line, “If you build it, they will come.” The Stadlers have built it, and people are logging on. The momentum is building, both for TastingTh- eHeat.com and the industry as a whole.

“We really want to help people achieve their dreams, and the best way to do that is for us to achieve our dreams.”

Sign-up for their Facebook and YouTube channels and start Taste the Heat for yourself! You’ll be glad you did! facebook. com/Tastingtheheat YouTube.com/Tastingtheheat

DECEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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