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JUNE 2017 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JUNE 2017
EDITOR Lee Atwater
RESEARCH MANAGER Brent Brown James Oxley
EDITORIAL David MacDonald Jamie Barrie Katie Davis
MANAGING DIRECTOR Stewart Gregg
RESEARCH Gwen Chaisson Alia Morash Ashley Tanner
DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE & GRAPHIC DESIGN Carmen Fitzpatrick
CONTENT AND OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Rod Gregg
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Janice Buckler Denise Alison Jody Euloth Ceiledh Monk
SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Nick Gregg PUBLISHER AIDACA Media
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Kyte Carter
ACCOUNTS MANAGER Samantha Ford
Festivals over the summer give businesses a great opportunity to partner with amazing events to not only promote their brand with a unique opportunity to have direct access o a target market of twenty thousand to more than a million for some festivals over a three to ten day period. These events give businesses the opportunity to promote their brand and the promoter to attract the best performers in the industry to these events which makes it a win for everyone involved; festival goers, artists, promoters and sponsoring businesses. There are a lot of amazing festivals that are happening this summer so try to take in as many as you can. Our staff has had the opportunity to work with many events over the years and have also spoken with both concert goers and sponsoring businesses to find out what makes a successful event and we then put together our “Top 10” Summer Festivals for Canada and the US. We also feature two festivals in Canada, the Tyne Valley Oyster Festival (Roc k the Boat Musicfest) and one of Canada’s largest country music festivals, The Boots and Hearts Music Festival. Remember, before going to any festival you need to find the one that is the right one for you. As you will see there are many amazing festivals to choose from, but you don’t want to end up somewhere you don’t enjoy so remember atmosphere is just as important if not more than just a spectacular line-up of artists. So we hope that our top 10 music festival picks for the summer of 2017 will surely give you a couple of ideas to find what you are looking for according to your mood, tastes and the festival’s atmosphere and for businesses looking for sponsoring opportunity this is just as important for you as you want to sponsor an event that has happy festival goers that had the best time of their life and an amazing festival experience.
vals like, the Cavendish Beach Music Festival, understand and embrace that there is a lot more involved than putting people in a potato field and supplying; music, food and beverag- es. In our interview with Dan Barry, the President and Owner of the PEI-based event security company Toursec, we found out how involved these events are and the time and effort that goes into these events behind the scenes and why people choose to partner with Toursec to make sure your event is memorable for all the right reasons. We also spotlight the Town of New Glasgow and Municipality of the County of Pictou in this issue and uncover what Mayor, Nancy Dicks and her amazing team along with area businesses are doing to make Pictou County a better place to visit, live, work and do business and why the area is flourishing. We hope you enjoy this issue and we look forward to telling your stories of innovation and success with others.
There is a lot that goes into making an event memorable and the best festi-
AIDACA MEDIA TEAM
PO Box 350007 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3M 0G3 P: 613 699 6672 E: info@spotlightonbusinessmagazine.com spotlightonbusinessmagazine.com
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50 New Glasgow is the third largest town in Nova Scotia with close to 9,100 residents. It’s known as the commercial-service centre of Northern Mainland Nova Scotia and is working to become known as the ‘Mobile Work Capital’ of Canada. The Town has several active business corridors and is located along the East River of Pictou County. Big and small businesses alike call it home. Art, culture, entrepreneurship, business and industry all coexist here with great lifestyle amenities and close proximity to fantastic beaches. Diversity is not only the cultural reality here; it’s the rule in commerce. The Town of New Glasgow, along with the Pictou County Chamber of Commerce, offer a focused support for business that has been...
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03 SPOTLIGHT ON JUNE
08 JUNE INDUSTRY EVENTS
10 SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS
10 TOWN OF NEW GLASGOW Let New Glasgow Flourish
26 WORLDWIDE CYCLERY
When you Passions come Together
32 STRATIGRO SMALL BUSINESS TIP FOR JUNE Break out of your Comfort Zone
I don’t know about you, but the excuses can be pretty loose around my house to plan a trip to Prince Edward Island: ‘I miss swimming in the warmest beach waters north of Florida,’ or ‘I think I’d like to visit wherever Canada’s number one golf destination is,’ usually work. This year, I’m going to play the Rock the Boat Musicfest card. A part of the 64-year old Tyne Valley Oyster Festival, the one-day family- friendly music bash is back for its fourth consecutive year and it’s a full deck of new and old faces. The lineup this year includes Finger Eleven, April Wine, Slowcoaster, Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys, The Ellis Family Band, Ben Chase, and more. The five-day Oyster Festival kicks-off ...
40 SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION
44 SPOTLIGHT ON INDUSTRY
44 ROCK THE BOAT MUSIC FESTIVAL The Ultimate PEI Kitchen Party 50 TOP MUSIC FESTIVALS FOR CONCERT GOERS HEADING TO OR IN THE US THIS SUMMER
56 TOP 10 MUSIC FESTIVALS IN CANADA THIS SUMMER
63 BOOTS AND HEARTS MUSIC FESTIVAL Nothing can Compare
66 TOURSEC
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We work in one Industry- Entertainment
Introducing Dan Barry, the President and Owner of the PEI-based event security company Toursec, as a suc- cessful Atlantic Canadian entrepre- neur just doesn’t seem to do him justice – it’s too mundane. He holds a degree in Emergency Manage- ment. He trained at the DHS FEMA Emergency Management Institute in Maryland and attended Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK. He’s an expert in both Mass Gather ...
76 SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH
78 HOLISTIC HEALTH TIP FOR JUNE BY JANICE BUCKLER Collagen: Our most Abundant Bodily Protein
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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.
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There’s nothing better than a good story teller who has the facts – the hard numbers – on the tip of their tongue for that moment when something really sparks their interest. I had a history teacher in high school like that. His side stories were the thing of legend. When I spoke with Erika Jones, the Marketing Manager at Maple Leaf Homes in Fredericton, New Brunswick, in mid-May, I was immediately reminded of those fact-laden detours in the classroom that made every topic come to life. As she detailed the history and current operations of the award winning and industry leading modular housing manufacturer, it was like I was walking alongside her on the factory floor.
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America and beyond. Since the events inception in 2001, they have had folks from all across Canada and the United States, Britain, Belgium and Grand Cayman, to name a few. Come and celebrate all things automotive, as well as Canada’s 150th birthday, we want absolutely everyone to enjoy themselves at this year’s show. We pride ourselves in planning and producing the entire event locally.
TOOL DEALER EXPO
ence itself. You may decide to only take a Pre-conference Workshop, only attend the Conference, or to do both–the Pre-conference /Confer- ence Package. At Registration, you will select one of these three choices which will each have a different cost attached. The conferences are open to both ANWG and non-ANWG members. For more information of the event: ht tp://www.anwgconference2017. com/
For more information of the event: https://www.atlanticnationals.com/
June 30 th – July 1 st , 2017
Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center - Kissimmee, FL, USA
FUTUREFARM CANADA EXPO WINNIPEG
Tool Dealer Expo, is a global trade- show for the automotive aftermarket focused on tools and equipment for vehicle service. This is a great event for tool and equipment distribu- tors to attend and learn about new products available, train on the latest tools and vehicle service trends, and take advantage of the best pricing on products all year. Tool Dealer Expo is one of the automotive aftermarkets largest industry events.
July 6 th – 8 th , 2017
Olds College - Olds, AB, Canada
FutureFarm Canada Expo will be the show to learn about emerging tech- nologies, see live equipment demon- strations, gain access to education- al seminars, network and celebrate agriculture throughout the day and enjoy bustling evening events.
For more information of the event: http://tooldealerexpo.blogspot.ca/
For more information of the event: https://futurefarmexpo.com/
ANWG CONFERENCE
INTERNATIONAL SOLAR FUELS CONFERENCE
July 1 st - July 2 nd , 2017
University of Victoria - Victoria, BC, Canada
July 6 th - July 10 th , 2017
ATLANTIC NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE EXTRAVAGANZA
University of California - La Jolla, CA, USA
The ANWG 2017 Northwest Weavers’ Conference theme is Treadle Lightly. The conference is focused around exploring ways we can be more careful of our environment through the choices we make in our fibre activities. ANWG 2017 Northwest Weavers’ Conference is made up of two distinct parts. There are Pre- con- ference Workshops and the Confer-
We take great pleasure in inviting you to the 2 nd biannual Internation- al Solar Fuels conference. The con- ference will bring together scientists working with biological and chemical approaches to utilize solar energy for direct fuel production.
July 5 th – 9 th , 2017
Centennial Park - Moncton, NB, Canada
This year is the 17 th anniversary of this event and it will not disap- point as it will welcome upwards of 2,000 vehicles from all across North
For more information of the event: http://isf2.ucsd.edu/home
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NATIONAL SECURITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY SUMMIT
how-to sessions, thought- provoking predictions, and a healthy dose of irreverence.
unique platform for engaging with senior peers who can make a real dif- ference to your business. For more information of the event: ht tp://www.euromoneyseminars. com/canadian- infrastructure-fi- nance- forum/details.html
July 8 th - July 11 th , 2017
For more information of the event: http://www.startupfestival.com/
Hilton San Diego Bayfront - San Diego, CA, USA
The Esri National Security and Public Safety Summit (formerly Esri Homeland Security Summit) is the world’s largest geographic informa- tion system (GIS) event dedicated to homeland security, national security, and defense. It is attended each year by professionals from around the world, including executives, analysts, intelligence personnel, and frontline staff, to discover how Esri software, services, and partner agencies improve mission workflows. For more information of the event: http://www.esri.com/events/nation- al-security
HONDA INDY TORONTO
July 14 th – 16 th , 2017
Exhibition Place – Toronto, ON, Canada
The Honda Indy Toronto is back with the best Indy race car drivers taking to the streets surrounding Exhibition Place.
12TH ANNUAL CANADIAN INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE FORUM
July 13 th - July 14 th , 2017
The Fairmont Chateau Whistler - Whistler, BC, Canada
The Canadian Infrastructure Finance Forum has established itself as the premier meeting place for the coun- try’s key infrastructure decision-mak- ers. On stage, you’ll hear public and private sector leaders discuss and debate the pressing issues con- cerning the financing of Canadian infrastructure assets. Off stage, the intimacy of the forum provides a
STARTUPFEST
July 12 th – 15 th , 2017
Exhibition Place – Montreal, QC, Canada
Startupfest has grown into a global gathering of the world’s best entre- preneurs, founders, investors, and mentors. It features world-class content, from back-of- napkin ideas to champagne-popping exits, across three days of keynotes, interactive
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New Glasgow is the third largest town in Nova Scotia with close to 9,100 residents. It’s known as the commercial-service centre of Northern Mainland Nova Scotia and is working to become known as the ‘Mobile Work Capital’ of Canada. The Town has several active business corridors and is located along the East River of Pictou County. Big and small businesses alike call it home. Art, culture, entrepreneurship, business and industry all coexist here with great lifestyle amenities and close proximity to fantastic beaches. Diversity is not only the cultural reality here; it’s the rule in commerce. The Town of New Glasgow, along with the Pictou County Chamber of Commerce, offer a focused support for business that has been a lifeline for local entrepreneurs, a guiding light for industries, and a thing to be admired by many other communities. The dynamic nature of its economy is the result of careful consideration. Director of Community Economic Development, Geralyn MacDonald and Business Development Officer, Frank MacFarlane are what you would call best practice experts and advocates. When they spoke with Spotlight on Business Magazine, along with Mayor Nancy Dicks,
in late April, one thing was clear: the vibrancy of New Glasgow’s economy is the result of an entrepreneurial spirit and lifestyle its residents have honed and its Council continues to support.
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By David MacDonald M ayor Dicks, for those who may not know who you are, can you please tell the readers about yourself? ND : Absolutely. This is my first term as Mayor of New Glasgow. Previously, I had the honour to serve a term as a Councillor, so I understand the perspective of the six councillors with whom I serve. So in total, this is my fifth year on Council. As a mother of three adult children and a retired teacher, I understand the importance of listening to all voices within our community. “Early on, I got involved with volunteer organizations and took advantage of many of the great assets here in our community, such as the arts and music scene – and sports. We have it all in Pictou County.” And what does it mean to you all to call New Glasgow home? ND : My family moved here when I was eight years old, so
I have been raised and grown up in New Glasgow. Like many others, I moved away for my education with no direct intention of settling back in my home town. But fate inter- vened and my first job was here in Pictou County. Not many are lucky enough to get a job in their chosen field in their hometown, especially a town that is so vibrant and where there are so many opportunities to get involved. These opportunities were and are immense. Early on, I got involved with volunteer organizations and took advantage of many of the great asset here in our com- munity, such as the arts and music scene – and sports. We have it all in Pictou County. My children have been taught to take advantage of the opportunities this county has to offer. They received a great education growing up and had every opportunity a parent could hope for. The town and county’s proximity to every- thing meant that there was never a shortage of places to go and things to do. I have family on Prince Edward Island and it’s so fantastic to be able to visit so easily – Cape Breton as well. FM: I grew up here in Pictou County, just outside of the town of Pictou. There’s something that I learned over the course of my life that I think is unique to Pictou County: Any time someone would ask where I’m from – whether I was away at university or travelling – I’d always say Pictou County, rather than specifically where our family home was. New Glasgow has always been the commercial service centre of the county, it’s where the hospital is; there are multiple banking services, recreational facilities and shopping centres. GM: I grew up in Heatherton, a small community in Antigo- nish County, a little over an hour away. Growing up I thought the whole area was New Glasgow. I quickly realized when I did move here in 2005 that most people here don’t see those boundaries either. When I started working in economic development, I realized that people see the region as a community because it benefits everybody. There are so many shared amenities within these six municipalities that people like myself, who lived away for many years, choose to relocate to this particular area of Nova Scotia because of its perfect mix of nature, community, and commerce. It’s a great place to raise a family, it’s adjacent to the Trans-Canada Highway, and it’s centrally located in the province with wonderful access to the airport. New Glasgow is right at the corridor to Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island, New Brunswick, and Halifax. It never takes you more than a few hours to get to any of these destinations. I love it. Mr. MacFarlane and Ms. MacDonald, can you please tell the readers about what your positions entail and what motivates you to do your jobs with such conviction? FM: I am employed by both the Town of New Glasgow and
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the Municipality of Pictou County. I can say that any time we reach out to the public through written pieces or speakers or whatever the method, the Town of New Glasgow rec- ognizes the importance of a regional perspective. It’s what we do because the whole region is our home. The pillars of business retention are human assets and it’s stories like Nancy’s and Geralyn’s that we want to encourage. If anywhere in Pictou County was once your home or you’re looking for a place to call your own, we want you back, we want to welcome you here! Business and infrastructure plays a big role in attracting people to stay and live here, whether they’re former residents or not.
“We support local and small businesses every step of the way.”
One of the newest attractions is the Pictou County Wellness Centre. This is a wonderful regional asset that everyone I know takes advantage of in some way. We moved back here after being away for many years. My wife and I have three young boys and we use the Wellness Centre many times a week – through the winter we’re there most days for hockey. Our family takes advantage of the gym and the pool, too. These are the kinds of things that make this region such an attractive place to do business and raise a family.
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in New Glasgow and places like Glasgow Square Theatre and the Wellness Centre are invaluable public forums to promote the cultural richness of the region. The Town of New Glasgow just signed several proclama- tions, one for Gaelic HeritageMonth, one for Asian Heritage Month, one for the Marathon of Respect and Equality as well as one for Human Values Day. These are only a few of the ways we recognize and honour the rich multicultural fabric of our community and demonstrate a commitment to inclusiveness and diversity. FM: I believe that you can’t do justice promoting any town or city in Nova Scotia without also promoting the diversity of the region in which it exists. Pam Mood, the Mayor of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, was recently in the area and during her speech she emphasized some of the very same philoso- phies that we live here: When she promotes Yarmouth, she promotes the regional assets that are in nearby Digby and Barrington and everything the South Shore of the province has to offer. GM: I belong to a Municipal Community Economic Devel- opment group. As a provincial CED organization, we meet a couple of times of year for a ‘Best Practices’ conference – a sharing of knowledge around the table, really – and we usually find that we’re facing the same challenges. The issues of attraction, retention, and growth are always para- mount. One way to approach this issue is through what we call ‘economic gardening.’ This is where we seek out what we call ‘anchor businesses,’ businesses that are success- ful and embedded in the fabric of the community and we try to develop strategies along with them to address the challenges we all face. We’re tapping into their success and asking ‘Why are you doing so well?’ It’s about helping every business within the community grow – and this is a shift. More and more businesses are seeing what they have in the communities they call home and helping those communi- ties grow in every way possible is a good business model. Would you say that the grass roots approach is your priority, your go-to, your model? GM : For sure. I’ll go back to our Community Economic Development Plan: we’re one of the few municipalities in
ND: The Wellness Centre has been a tremendous asset in attracting major events of both a regional and provin- cial scope to our county. The centre has hosted the 2016 Nova Scotia 55+ Games, the UNSM Spring Conference, the provincial Silver Economy Summit, Hockey Nova Scotia Day of Champions, plus major concerts and many, many skating and hockey provincial championships. The corpo- rate sector and community organizations are also hosting major events for their businesses and organizations in this amazing facility. The Maritime Junior A Hockey league and it member teams have also named the Wellness Centre as one of the top facilities in their league. All of these activities help to put the town and the region on the map for future events. “The way small businesses have taken over downtown where some of the bigger, old anchor businesses have left off is incredible. It’s going and it’s growing!” GM: Because of the diversity of the people of the region, the people of Pictou County really work hard to promote and support cultural events and festivals that are for everyone. We’re a very inclusive community. We have a very active Race Relations and Anti-Discrimination Committee
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Nova Scotia whose Development Plan is entirely construct- ed by community members.
work plan for the next four years. It’s our accountability to the Town Council, the Mayor, CAO and the tax payers.
When neighbouring communities work together, rather than compete, this whole process is much more stream- lined and much more beneficial. We have also renamed the plan to be called an Integrated Development Plan to reflect all of the municipal and community resources needed to create and execute the plan to grow our community. We have a vibrant regional Farmers Market here that has an excellent reputation and is recognized for the strong partnership that exist between the Market and the Town. Owned by the Town of New Glasgow and leased by the Market Cooperative, the Town received support from the federal government, provincial government and the Munic- ipality of the County of Pictou to build the seasonal building and the year round building. Town staff were instrumental in securing the funding. The market attracts more than 2,000 people to New Glasgow every Saturday morning and the business community also benefits. Usually when there is an event happening in New Glasgow, we connect immediately with the organizers of the Farmers Market because they can provide all kinds of support, including hosting on their site. Just last year they hosted a Christmas market in the new all-season facility. It opened at four o’clock and by the end of the night 2,500 people had walked through the door. I spoke with several restaurant owners and from what I could
“Because of the diversity of the people of the region, the people of Pictou County really work hard to promote and support cultural events and festivals that are for everyone.” We gather input from all demographics and broad rep- resentation of our community. Community development is the planned evolution of all aspects of community well-being, which includes economic, social, environmen- tal, and cultural considerations. It’s a grass roots process by which communities become more responsible, orga- nized and plan together healthy options to empower our- selves, create employment and economic opportunity. It’s all about community input. Every four years we reach out again and update the plan. That means new community sessions and new ideas from the business community, the residents, organizations, youth, and seniors. We just held these sessions again in January and February and we’re continuing to run an online survey. I’m currently pooling the information from the community to present to Council at the end of June for approval. That will essentially be our
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gather several restaurants in New Glasgow had been jam- packed that night because of this special event. We work with the Market to launch Winter Carnival season with an event called Chill-out and for the past three years, it has brought more than a thousand people to the downtown core annually. This has made businesses throughout the region more interested in the Farmers Market than ever before. They all want to know when these kinds of events are taking place so that they can take advantage of the economic spinoff. I can say with certainty and sincerity that the New Glasgow Farmer’s Market is known and respected far and wide. How has its success shaped the entrepreneur- ial community in New Glasgow? GM: I was recently asked to make a presentation on the partnership between the local municipalities and the Town of New Glasgow with the Farmers Market at the Farmers Markets of Nova Scotia AGM in Halifax. I was asked by several people why we are so enthusiastic about partner- ing with the FarmersMarket at the municipal level. When I talked about the economic spinoff there were no longer any questions about justifying the resources we put into this. I told them that every Farmers Market is a business incubator and I strongly believe that.
We have a local entrepreneur who combined working out of a community art studio space owned by the Town with
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lessons and a café. People became interested in what she does at the Farmers Market. The Market is an opportuni- ty for new entrepreneurs and smaller businesses to spread their wings in a low risk environment. It also exposes them to a fairly large marketplace on a regular basis. People have traditionally and strictly associated New Glasgow with industry, haven’t they? I suggest this says Pictou County. FM: Yes, typically Pictou County has been known as an industrial centre with Northern Pulp, coal, steel mills, and Michelin, to give a few examples, and they certainly are the types of industries that Pictou County was built on. Industry has put a lot of clothes on people’s backs in this county over the generations. Diversifying is critical in today’s economy and the diversification has been taking place in Pictou County for quite some time. Sobeys has been an anchor of the economy for more than a 100 years here. The Ivany Report, the Now or Never Report, here in Nova Scotia, outlined how small business was destined to be the new driver of the new economy and this is a reality we recognize and embrace here in New Glasgow – wholeheartedly. We support local and small businesses every step of the way. Crombie REIT, located in New Glasgow, is the real estate investment arm of Empire. They own a bulk of the Sobeys-anchored strip malls throughout the province such as the Highland Square Mall andAberdeen Business Centre in New Glasgow and they’re a major employer in the region in addition to Sobeys Inc. and Empire, the parent company. They are a great community-minded company as well and provide hundreds of good jobs in diverse areas of exper- tise. ND: Yes, they’re extremely valuable to the community and region. Stellarton, Pictou County is known internationally as the home of Sobeys and they are very loyal to their roots and generous to our community, province, and country. FM: Absolutely, Crombie REIT played a key role when the Web.com Customer Service Centre came here to New Glasgow. NSBI were instrumental in bringing this huge company to Pictou County and Crombie REIT were a critical piece to the recruitment. ND: That’s a perfect example of groups working together to enrich the community. The Town of New Glasgow itself also played an important role in acquiring Web.com. We did this in partnership with NS Business Inc. who were leading the recruitment along with the Chamber of Commerce, Career Connections, and Crombie REIT. FM: The more people that are on board with an idea makes it that much more likely that it’s going to happen and it’s our job to get those ideas out there. Web.com is one of those instances where it all came together – and we’re seeing that a lot more these days.
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being a frequent vendor at Farmers Market – who started at the New Glasgow Farmers
Market and after only a year, she now owns her own business with a downtown storefront. Her business is called Perfect Diversity Clay Art Studio and it offers clay art with pottery
Webbuilders is an example of the knowledge economy
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that has become the new face of New Glasgow.They do what their name says: they build and improve websites for individuals and companies. So when you own and operate a business here, you can even hire local when it comes to designing your website. So would you say that your identity hasn’t changed but rather that it has grown? ND: I’d say that we’re in the business of providing quality infrastructure and an environment for business success and growth. The economy is the leading driver for every- thing that makes a town, a municipality; this impacts what is available for residents, for families. And so, we have to pay attention to businesses and work in partnership with them whether they are an anchor business, a small or medium-sized business, or a start-up. As times change, so does the business environment and creating opportunities means keeping up with trends and strategies – and that’s something we take very seriously. We recently held a Virtual Job Fair here in New Glasgow and it really reinforced something that I’m always thinking of: What will the economy and the Town look like in 20 years? We have a viable and sustainable community and how to keep it that way is engaging the people and making sure that every kind of business thrives.
As I listen to Frank and Geralyn just now it’s no wonder why
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N O DE DOSSIER : NOM DU FICHIER : FORMAT FINAL : MARGE PERDUE : COULEURS : CETTE ÉPREUVE :
SW-8054 SW-8097 Banniere_10X2.5 EN 10 X 2 1/2 pieds (1”=1’) OUI QUADRICHROMIE 100%
SUBWAY BANNIÈRE - IMPACT LOGO SUBWAY
CLIENT : SUJET : TITRE :
N/D N/D N/D
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we’re doing so well here in New Glasgow on the business front. We have strong and dedicated staff. I understand that the East River Business Park is in the midst of an expansion. How did this unfold and what does it mean for the region? FM: New Scotland Business Development Inc. is a corpo- ration that was created in 2014 between the Town of New Glasgow and the Municipality of the County of Pictou. The purpose of the company is to facilitate business develop- ment and economic growth opportunities through the sale of business park lands within the region of Pictou County.
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Linacy, N.S. LOCALLY OWNED
& OPERATED (902) 755-1151 demontascl@demont.ns.ca
unique shopping and eateries, among others – and a host of small businesses I’d like to discuss shortly – but I want to focus on your goal to develop as the ‘Mobile Work Capital of Canada.’ Can you please ell the readers how this came to be? FM: Effort, effort, effort. I do a great deal of travelling and reaching out to meet with business leaders. We reach out and we find opportunities like Web.com. As Mayor Dicks mentioned earlier, we had the Virtual Job Fair here recently. One of our councillors, John Guthro, has worked from home, telecommuting for years and it was his brain child years ago to promote New Glasgow as the ‘Mobile Work Capital’ of Canada. The Virtual Job Fair was actually a proposal he had and we jumped on it. It was held at Glasgow Square Theatre, a great venue for businesses
One of my jobs is to attract businesses to that park and drive development and that involves a lot of travel, a lot of outreach to talk to a lot of different industries, different companies. It could be distribution, retail, or service as the park is zoned for almost anything. Boston Pizza is coming to New Glasgow and we’re very pleased with that. Again Crombie REIT played a critical role in this recruitment. It would not have happened without them – they were the driving force. The brick and mortar side of things is well-established in New Glasgow with shops and services. Y You have a regional hospital, regional library, banking institutions, Cineplex Cinemas, Big-box stores, and
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and the community to host a variety of events, and it was an informational session for people to learn about all the opportunities there are to work from home in the telecom- muting industry, including the financial implications. Jack Kyte, Executive Director of the Pictou County Chamber of Commerce, participated in our Virtual Job Fair and talked about a project they are currently working on called ‘Chamber Hub,’ which is a co- workspace. This is a space for people who work from home to come to once a week or more so that they can get out of their home office and just work in a different space. It’s also a great space to meet and collaborate with like-minded individuals. We were also able to, at the Virtual Job Fair, Skype-in five international employers who run work-from- home busi- nesses who spoke to the nearly one hundred people in attendance about the best practices and opportunities this career path offers. We want the people of New Glasgow and Pictou County to know that we’re looking into every sort of option to bring the most jobs, the most career opportunities, the best jobs, to this region and that’s what the Virtual Job Fair was really all about, offering another tool to success to our residents. At the end of the day it’s about retention, too – keeping people living and working in Pictou County. GM: We jokingly call it ‘The Ten Foot Commute.’
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Downtown New Glasgow certainly has a lot of new faces: Angela’s Attic, Cakes and Things, The Commune, Chelsea Laine, Perfect Diversity Clay Art Studio, The Office, Naturally Bare, The Black Pearl, Fly By Knight Comics, Cards & Collectables, Mamatsu, to name a few. How has Town Council facilitated this natural tran- sition from old to new? ND: Having lived here most of my life, I can say that the downtown here in NewGlasgow has gone through the same ups and downs as most small towns experience anywhere you go in North America. “It’s about helping every business within the community grow – and this is a shift. More and more businesses are seeing what they have in the communities they call home and helping those communities grow in every way possible is a good business model.” But through all the change it’s always remained a commu- nity gathering place- the heart of the community. It’s where so many people go after work, on the weekends, but we definitely recognize that times have changed. It has more of a mixed commercial with residential feel to it now which means it has to be looked at in a different way moving forward. It has become diversified in such a modern way by local and respected developers such as Jamie McGilli- vray who has created outstanding architectural and interior design that has an urban style yet pays homage to our region’s industrial roots. It makes me so optimistic about what we’re doing here. The way small businesses have taken over downtown where some of the bigger, old anchor busi- nesses have left off is incredible. It’s going and it’s growing! Downtown now has its own anchors of today – restaurants, cafes, pubs and retail such as The Dock, The Bistro, Ekim Fashions, Marshall’s Antiques, Inglis, Zelda’s, Soley Shoes, White Lotus, Leslie’s Finery, and Inspirations. These busi- nesses are destination-draws for customers from across the province and even PEI and New Brunswick. Also, we are blessed with anchors such as regional library and the many financial, real estate and professional services. FM: Jamie is at the forefront of development. He’s ren- ovating space that allows people to both live and work downtown. It’s a healthy mixed-use environment for a downtown, I think. The typical setup is the bottom floor is commercial while the second and third floors are resi- dential. That’s what Jamie has provided in a number of his buildings downtown. GM: On June 1 st , there was an announcement of another
new business downtown: a dance studio owned by a young entrepreneur. This revival downtown goes back to a decade ago with investments by the business community, the town, province, and federal government. It was and is a catalyst for business growth. There were façade improvements, new heritage sidewalks, heritage paintings, a new way finding signage, a pedway under the bridge that connect- ed the trails and downtown and more. The New Glasgow Business Advisory Committee over the years has played a leadership role. Since 2009, several million has been invested downtown on a variety of projects. We also looked at Wi-Fi. When people are downtown, they want free Wi-Fi. It’s convenient to be able to check your email or look up an item when you’re in a store. We were able to accommo- date this at a very low cost – only $1,200 – and the routers setup throughout downtown are great. It’s 20 minutes of free Wi-Fi and people love it. We’re always looking for technological advantages like this to draw people into New Glasgow. We’re even looking at ways now to branch-out with the Wi-Fi at sites such as the Farmers Market and the Marina. ND: Something that’s important to note is that most people in New Glasgow, myself included, think of our downtown as our front street and our backstreet but also everything in between. Our downtown includes our riverfront and the areas around it.
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garbage cans, and smiling faces. There’s also Goodman Rotary Park and a kayak/bicycle rental business along the trail. Between the kayaks and the marina, the views on the East River are incredible. All these locations, all downtown, are all connected and accessible by foot and that’s good for the business community and the community at large. GM: We even have Wayfinding Kiosks downtown that talk about the history of New Glasgow and gives great tips on where to visit and information about businesses, restau- rants and events. It really promotes the walkability of the town. It encourages people to get out of their cars and visit businesses and landmarks like our historic Town Hall where we have on display a heritage painting series, created by local artist Dave MacIntosh. So it’s clear that nature and business walk hand-in- hand in Pictou County. I also understand that New Glasgow has a vibrant festival culture. Can you please comment? GM: Events planning is critical when you work so closely with other municipalities like we do in New Glasgow and Pictou County in general. Canada Day is a good example of this. Our Canada Day celebrations in New Glasgow will be June 30 th because a neighbouring town has theirs on the 1 st of July. It’s always been that way and we believe it’s a show of respect to host our event before our neigh- bours in Westville so we can encourage our residents to take in their celebrations as well. We always throw a huge pre-Canada Day event here in New Glasgow and last year New Glasgow received the Lieutenant Governor Commu- nity Spirit Award by the province. The Lieutenant Governor and the NS Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage came to town and there was a big celebration. We’re known as aleader in festivals and events and we’ve been a model for many communities in this regard. We are proud to have many events that are signature events for Nova Scotia and of the work so many volunteers do to create high calibre events and experiences. Art is also vital to life in New Glasgow. Community volun- teers host an annual event called Art at Night which cele- brates the creative sector of the town. It’s a fabulous and unique event where local artists and musicians showcase their talents and individuality. The town is lit up with creative excitement and it’s a wonderful event for all ages. ND: This event is in its fourth year and while it started out small, it’s now housed in about 20 different venues downtown. Many businesses open their doors to host musi- cians or place local art in their windows and it brings a great deal of business to the town and to the region. GM: There were about 3,000 people show up for this year’s event and it can only get bigger and better going forward. The volunteers make this event happen, which really goes to show you the true entrepreneurial and creative spirit of our residents. ND: The Johnny Miles Running Event Weekend and the
Something as important, as beautiful as the riverfront is inarguably prime real estate. The New Glasgow Farmers Market is located along the riverfront, as is Glasgow Square Theatre, and the Marina, which is currently undergoing upgrades. We’re investing in these kinds of things because they’re an investment in business moving forward, and investment in a unique downtown experience. FM: The consultations with the community that Geralyn spoke of earlier, in every one of those instances every group, whether it was the residents, business community, seniors, or youth, all identified the riverfront as the number one asset to New Glasgow. It’s up to us to be stewards of this natural gift we have here and to maximize our enjoy- ment of it while minimizing our impact. The Town of New Glasgow has been very active in trail development. Access to nature and scenic views brings people into town and the region as a whole. ND: Most of the riverfront in town has a walking and biking trail system alongside it called the Samson Trail. It even goes underneath the George Street Bridge on a walkway and connects the trails and parks to the business communi- ty. Maintaining the trails is very important to the people of our community and this interest has sparked talks of expan- sion here. I use the trail quite often and it’s lovely. There’s always people walking their dogs, there’s good lighting,
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JUNE 2017
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Race on the River-Pictou County Dragon Boat Festival are also huge draws for business, as is the Riverfront Jubilee. The Farmers Market is bustling with activity and new vendors each week as well as their anchor producers and artisans. There are so many things going on here that it’s rare when a weekend rolls around and there’s nothing to do. FM: For those weekends and after work, we have one of the nicest beaches in all of Canada just a short distance from New Glasgow, Melmerby Beach. We also have Waterside Beach and Caribou Provincial Park Beach. Pictou County is breathtaking. In terms of accommodations for corporate retreats and business conferences, what does New Glasgow have to offer? FM: Between New Glasgow and Stellarton, there are four hotels, but throughout the region there are many more businesses that offer overnight and extended stay accom- modations. Pictou Lodge is a seasonal operation that is just phenomenal. And again, even though it’s not in New Glasgow, it’s an incredible regional asset that should be promoted by the entire region. Corporate retreats and business conferences at Pictou Lodge Beach Resort make for a memorable experience.
The Wellness Centre also offers excellent conference and meeting spaces. Summer Street Industries is another incredible organization here in New Glasgow that offers banquet services and meeting space in a great facility while Glasgow Square offers a beautiful setting for wedding, gatherings and meetings in addition to performances and productions. ND: Summer Street Industries is an inspiring success story. They offer vocational services and life coaching to people with disabilities, mental and physical, and they are key to our community and they really model what we do here in New Glasgow: we lookout for one another and we know that we’re strongest when we’re all engaged together. The non-profit sector in Pictou County is extraordinary and leading the way in their work. Editor’s note: New Glasgow is one of many communities in Pictou County that have actively responded to the Syrian refugee crisis. The Pictou County Safe Harbour Project has provided new homes to several Syrian families throughout the region. Hijab Day was celebrated at the New Glasgow Public Library in January with support from the Multicul- tural Association of Pictou County and the people of New Glasgow. Human Values Day was also recognized in the Town of New Glasgow on April 24.
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There is no pretense to Jeff Cayley. When he answers a question, it is honest and without delay. He says it comes with the territory of being a “learn on the fly kind of guy” and you might think he is being modest when you discover that this Millennial entrepreneur owns and operates a business that cleared over $5 million USD in sales last year alone. Worldwide Cyclery was built on Jeff’s sincerity. His cycling and high- end bike shop is where it is because Jeff and his staff of twenty-somethings – save one 30 year old – offer a customer service experience that is rare these days: their expert knowledge goes to work after you’ve detailed what you’re looking for, never before. “For us, it’s always been about making the buying experience about the customer,” Jeff told Spotlight on Business Magazine in early May. “We’re not here to change their habits or move a particular item off the shelf – we don’t have an agenda like that. Every one of us is super passionate about cycling and high-end mountain bikes, so we all know where and how the industry can be more customer-focused.”
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By David MacDonald I f you are a numbers kind of person and that $5 million USD figure caught your attention, here are a few more to consider: Jeff launched his business at the age of 21 in 2011, and in its seventh year it is still growing – and fast, too. Worldwide Cyclery has grown by 35 percent or more every year since 2011. They process on average 200 orders per day. They have shipped to 160 different countries. Fifteen percent of their ship- ments are international. They have made the Inc. 5000 list two years running. There are two locations: retail stores paired with fulfillment warehouses in Newbury Park, California and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
The numbers, Jeff explained, do not lie. “We’ve made a name for ourselves in the industry so quickly because our invest- ment at Worldwide Cyclery is in the customer experience and the happiness of the staff, not just making a sale.”
The 16,000-plus positive reviews on eBay are a testament to Jeff and his team’s investment.
Customers love Worldwide Cyclery because Jeff and his team give them what they want: rare high end bike brands like Evil, Yeti, Devinci, and Transition as well as special order brands including Banshee, Canfield Brothers, Turner and NS Bikes. (All this in addition to a massive catalogue of top-tier components, accessories and apparel from the likes of Rockshox Suspension, Sram, Fox Shox, Maxxis Tires, KETL MTN, and much, much more.)
But it is more than just top brand names that propelled Worldwide Cyclery so quickly away from the peloton – a French word that Jeff taught me which means a pack of riders in a bike race. For Jeff and his team it is all a labour of love.
“I loved riding bikes and motocross as a kid. I grew up riding BMX bikes and dirt bikes before a friend of mine intro-
“I discovered early on that I love talking about bikes, especially when it’s someone’s custom dream.”
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