Special Features - Small Business 2013

SMALLSMALLBUSINESSBUSINESSweekweek

Oct. 20-26, 2013

2 Red Deer Express Wednesday, October 9, 2013 – Small Business Week

Small Business Week – Wednesday, October 9, 2013 Red Deer Express 3

4721 50 Ave (Downtown)Red Deer, Alberta, T4N 4A2

P: 403.343.1155F: 403.341.3300

E: [email protected]

“we succeed in helping your business succeed”

@copiesnowNEW www.fb.com/copiesnow

@ i

STORE HOURSMonday - Friday: 7:30am - 5:30pm

print.design.copy.success.

OILFIELD FORMSBUSINESS CARDSBROCHURESNEWSLETTERS

LETTERHEAD & ENVELOPESINVOICESCARBONLESS FORMS

POSTERSFLYERSCHEQUES

FULL COLOUR BANNERS (REGULAR / STAND UP / X-FRAME)

wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwNEW

ONLY locally owned and operated Funeral Home in the City of Red Deer

www.parklandfuneralhome.com

403.340.4040Taylor Drive, Red Deer

Remembering a Life LivedRemembering a Life Livedis Worth Celebratingis Worth Celebrating

Let Us Help You Plan aService of RemembranceFor Your Loved One

Central Alberta Family Funeral Services Ltd.

Small and medium-sized

businesses are the cornerstone

of the Canadian economy. They

account for 99.8% of all Cana-

dian companies and employ

more than 60% of private sec-

tor workers. At the Business

Development Bank of Canada

(BDC), we believe this contribu-

tion deserves to be celebrated.

We also believe entrepreneurs

need support in building suc-

cessful, innovative businesses.

BDC Small Business Week™ ac-

tivities provide an opportunity

to celebrate, develop new skills,

make new contacts and plan for

new opportunities.

About BDC Small Business

Week™. For 34 years, the Busi-

ness Development Bank of

Canada has been organizing

BDC Small Business Week ™

in recognition of the contribu-

tions and achievements of Can-

ada’s entrepreneurs. Events

held during the week bring

entrepreneurs together at con-

ferences, luncheons and trade

fairs across the country where

they have the opportunity to

learn, network and enjoy them-

selves in the company of their

peers.

BDC Small Business Week™

2013 takes place Oct. 20 – 26

under the theme: SUCCESS

AHEAD! MAP YOUR FUTURE

GROWTH

Every business begins with

an idea and a vision. Yet the

roadmap to growth is never

simple. Canadian entrepre-

neurs know that long-term

success requires passion, com-

mitment, hard work, a great of-

fering and a solid plan. Expand-

ing your market—whether at

home or abroad—demands

determination and adaptabil-

ity, resources, an appetite for

greater risk and even a little

luck. Use BDC’s Small Business

Week 2013—a time to celebrate

and recognize the nation’s busi-

ness owners— to help map your

future growth and success!

BDC- Small Business WeekOctober 20-26

Success Ahead! Map Your Future Growth

2014 is a milestone year for the

Red Deer Chamber of Commerce

and I am excited to be a part of it.

This year, the Chamber will cel-

ebrate its 120th anniversary. This

anniversary represents not only

an incredible legacy of bringing

together businesses from across

our region but of leading this

region to become the growing,

vibrant centre that it is today. As

one of the youngest presidents to

lead this Chamber, I am honoured

to be a part of this legacy and to

add my name to this incredible

milestone.

Small Business Week embod-

ies the entrepreneurial spirit that

thrives here in Red Deer. We are

fortunate to live, work and do

business in a community with a

truly diverse economy and mul-

titude of opportunities. However,

this didn’t happen overnight, the

Red Deer Chamber of Commerce

has played an integral role in the

development of Central Alberta.

Today, we continue to see Cen-

tral Alberta grow by being a key

player in projects such as Central

Alberta: Access Prosperity and

Red Deer Regional Economic De-

velopment. We often receive let-

ters from people with old news-

paper clippings or literature from

the Chambers’ past. These stories

are intrinsic to where we are to-

day because they not only show

us what we’ve done and from

where we’ve come, but they are a

part of who we are. I know I speak

for the entire Board of Directors

when I say that we are committed

to ensuring that we honour these

stories of success and prosperity

by writing new ones going for-

ward.

This past year, our Chamber,

once again, showed its prowess

in the area of policy develop-

ment and advocacy. I am always

impressed with policies that

come from our policy commit-

tees. These volunteer committees

come together to develop solu-

tions to the most relevant and

important issues that our busi-

ness community faces. The tire-

less work of the Chamber staff

to bring these policies to light at

the municipal, provincial and

federal levels creates a better eco-

nomic environment for our whole

region. It is by working together

that the Red Deer Chamber has

become known across the coun-

try as a leader in policy develop-

ment.

I would like to take this oppor-

tunity to remind you that Cham-

ber membership brings access to

many of our great benefi ts such

as the Chambers of Commerce

Group Insurance Plan, preferred

rates for merchant services, and

President’s message for Small Business Weekmany more. But the Chamber

also works hard to create qual-

ity networking and learning op-

portunities. I invite you to join us

each month at any of our mentor-

ship breakfasts or lunches fea-

turing relevant speakers. Or our

Business After Hours networking

events. If you would like to get

even more connected to the busi-

ness pulse through the Chamber,

consider joining our Ambas-

sadors Committee or one of the

policy committees.

It is the people involved with

the Chamber of Commerce that

make it so great. The directors,

the ambassadors, the policy vol-

unteers and those that help out

are the lifeblood of both what we

do and who we are. The Chamber

staff bring passion, professional-

ism and a desire to serve in ev-

erything that they do. Most of all,

our members give us a purpose as

an organization: a drive to create

a better future.

During my year as president,

it is my desire to ensure that this

milestone points towards that

better future. I hope to have the

honour of connecting with each

of you and hearing about what

that looks like to you. Together, I

believe that we will have an even

brighter tomorrow.

CHAMBER PRESIDENTTYLER BOWMAN

Publisher’s messageSmall Business Week is

an important time to recog-

nize the contributions of the

local business community.

Each year at this time, this

designated week is a terrifi c

opportunity to highlight the

differences these companies

make to Central Albertans on

a day-to-day basis.

Small businesses make up

a large part of Red Deer and

Central Alberta’s economy,

and it’s important to ac-

knowledge their dedication

and range of services to the

region.

We are pleased to again

team up with the Red Deer

Chamber of Commerce to

bring our readers the annual

Small Business Week feature.

It includes many stories

about an array of local small

businesses on a variety of rel-

evant topics. There are also

practical articles about en-

hancing strategies from the

Business Development Cen-

tre. We want to thank the Red

Deer Chamber of Commerce

for the opportunity to bring

this feature to our readers.

We would also like to extend

our thanks and appreciation

to the local small businesses

that participated.

Tracey ScheveersPublisher, Red Deer Express

TRACEY SCHEVEERS


www.renomark.ca

Why Use a RenoMark™ Member?

www.renomark.ca403-346-6165

www.homerenewals.com403-347-3334

www.kcbcabinets.com403-309-7327

www.windowmasters.ca

Window and Door Specialists

Authorized Dealer

403-352-8116www.freshrenos.com

Reasons to Hire aRenoMark™ RenovatorWhether you’re re-doing your kitchen or adding a new addition to your home, the CHBA - Central Alberta Home Builders’ Association encourages you to do it right the fi rst time. No job is too small to call on a professional renovator. Most renovators do a whole range of projects from small to massive. In fact, “Do it right” is the battle cry of our parent association, the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, as together our goal is to make you aware that dealing with a professional is the right way to approach any renovation job.

But how do you go about fi nding a reliable and reputable renovator?

Look to the CHBA-Central Alberta RenoMark™ program for the answer - and look for our logos.

Our Members… • Subscribe to a professional code of conduct• Provide Warranties• Are up to date on trends, materials and regulations• Understand the value of customer service

9, 7711 - 50 Ave, Red Deer www.sunnfun.ca 403-346-4465

5151STST ANNIVERSARY SALE ANNIVERSARY SALEBESTBESTPRICING OF PRICING OF THE YEAR!THE YEAR! Quality, Warranty & Service

you Expect & Deserve!

444440000

Hurry!Sale Ends

October 19th

Life is Better with Products from

Sun N Fun Pool & SpaQuality Products & Service

YOU Deserve!

Look for the DUCK!

BY ERIN FAWCETTRed Deer Express

Doing business in the

downtown core has proven

to be a success for one local

shop.

Hudson Madison, a home

décor, design and accesso-

ries store, fi rst opened their

doors in Red Deer 10 years

ago. The store moved to a

downtown location (4824

Gaetz Ave.) just a couple

of years ago, has expanded

their space in the last year

and has been reaping the

benefi ts ever since.

“We are more of a bou-

tique experience,” said

Janell Malkin, co-owner of

Hudson Madison. “Our fur-

niture is defi nitely a little

bit more higher-end be-

cause it can be customized.

What you’re seeing in House

& Home and Style At Home

magazine is what we try

and do. In the last two years

we have changed and we’ve

dove into the gifts more and

that has been very well re-

ceived. We do more jewelry,

scarves and hats as well

with candles and tableware.

Our gift end has really ex-

panded and changed which

has been a lot of fun and

we’ve noticed our custom-

ers have loved that.”

Moving to the down-

town core from the previ-

ous south hill location was

a big change for Hudson

Madison, but one that has

paid off, said Malkin.

“I would say that I love

downtown Red Deer. We

genuinely love to support

our downtown core. I do

think that this is the heart

of a city and to bring people

down here to our historical

setting is great,” she said.

“To see people wandering

through the shops with a

cup of coffee is wonderful.

“I love Red Deer so being

able to do business in Red

Deer means you can con-

tribute to Red Deer. I feel

like our downtown core re-

ally supports us and they

want us to be there and

they do what they can do to

make sure we’re here. A lot

of the places downtown are

locally owned and operated

so it’s important to support

those businesses.”

Malkin added she has

seen an increase in traffi c

in the downtown core re-

cently.

“On Wednesdays we have

our farmer’s market which

is right in front of us and it’s

really fun to bring your fam-

ily out, grab some ice cream

and walk through some of

the shops,” she said. “Then

at Christmas they decorate

the streets with lights and

it’s so beautiful.”

As for moving forward,

Malkin said Hudson Madi-

son will stay the course and

continue to provide fash-

ionable, comfortable and

good quality home décor

and gift items.

“Our goal has always

been to provide furni-

ture and home décor that

our customers really love

and want to come home

to. We’ve always said love

where you live and that is

important to us.”

[email protected]

Local business relishes downtown location

HOME AESTHETICS - Janell Malkin, co-owner of Hudson Madison, stands in her downtown location along with staff Stephanie Schwartz and Sarah Lehman. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express


CANADIAN YOUTH BUSINESS FOUNDATION

CYBF can help!cybf.ca

Are you 18-39and ready tostart your ownbusiness?

Up to $45,000 financing

Business mentoring

Pre-launch expertise

Business resources

1-800-464-2923

CYBFAlberta

@CYBFAB

Is your business tired of Is your business tired of hearing this from your IT guy?hearing this from your IT guy?

www.F12.net

“We’ll be out to fix it in a few

days, I think…”

“Surprise! It’s another

service invoice!”

“We’re out of the office now,

please leave a message after the

BEEEEEEP”

Networker Calvin

Register for a free site assessment within the next

30 days and receive 3 free months of all-inclusive business

IT services!*

*Provided upon acceptance of a term contract.

F12 Networks, your key to I.T.

If so, check If so, check us out at us out at

F12.netF12.net

If so, check If so, check us out at us out at

F12.netF12.net or call or call

403403-967-0180-967-0180or call or call

403403-967-0180-967-0180

BY KIRSTEN PALARDYRed Deer Express

Living in Alberta, the oil and gas in-

dustry is a familiar part of life for many

people, but for CWC Well Services it is not

only their way of life, but their business

entirely.

“We are in the well servicing business,

meaning we service existing and new wells

both oil and gas with our equipment being

service rigs, coil tub-

ing, snubbing and well

testing,” said President

and CEO Duncan Au.

Au said that after a

drilling rig goes into

drill a hole down in

search of the oil and

gas, a fracking compa-

ny follows and injects

high-pressure water

and sand to crack the

rock surrounding

where the oil or gas is

trapped.

“What we do then

with the service rig

and coil tubing is we

go and lay the pipe down hole so that the

oil or gas can fl ow out into the pipe and

eventually into production,” said Au.

CWC Well Services is one of the most ac-

tive operators of service rigs and coil tub-

ing in the Red Deer area.

In Red Deer alone they have 20 active

service rigs operating as well as eight coil

tubing units, seven snubbing units and 11

testing packages.

The company was incorporated in 2005

and became a public company in 2006.

Au said CWC Well Services is the sixth

largest service rig company in Canada.

“From a young fl eet and technological

advancement perspective our rigs are su-

perior. We have been really quite success-

ful in a short three year period.”

The company also has operational loca-

tions in Alberta in Grande Prairie, Slave

Lake, Lloydminster, Provost, Brooks as

well as one in Weyburn, SK.

CWC Well Services employs 520 people

and services right across what Au refers to

as the oil and gas basin.

Some of the accolades the company has

acquired in their years include being in the

top 50 companies in the TSX Venture Ex-

change in 2012.

Au said the company came in fi fth in the

Diversifi ed Industries category.

This year, CWC

Well Services has

placed among the

PROFIT 500 Listing,

which is a list of the

fastest growing com-

panies in Canada in

the last fi ve years.

CWC Well Services

made this list with

a fi ve-year revenue

growth of 137%.

“We also placed on

the Report on Busi-

ness list of the top

1,000 companies in

Canada here for 2013.

“Most recently in

Alberta on Sept. 1st the Venture 250, Al-

berta’s top 250 companies, we also placed

on there.”

Au said the key to being so successful is

having quality people delivering quality

service.

“We think that we have the best of the

equipment available to get the job done.

That new equipment attracts the better

quality fi eld hands out there, so we think

that has been a key part of why we’ve been

so successful.”

He said CWC Well Services customers

have enjoyed all of the success through the

employees delivering top service.

“Of course we are always looking for

good people. We have an RSP program,

paid benefi ts, and cash bonuses on the ser-

vice rig side.”

[email protected]

CWC Well Services sees steady growth

“WE THINK THAT WE HAVE THE BEST OF THE EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE TO GET THE JOB

DONE. THAT NEW EQUIPMENT ATTRACTS THE BETTER

QUALITY FIELD HANDS OUT THERE, SO WE THINK THAT

HAS BEEN A KEY PART OF WHY WE’VE BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL.”

DUNCAN AU


TROUBLE FOLLOWING CONVERSATIONS?

Exclusive discounts available to our national partners.

HEARING AIDS

2 WEEK FREE TRIAL+ Price Match Guarantee

Hearing loss affects one in two people over the age of 50. Book a complimentary hearing screening today and try hearing aids for two weeks at no cost, and no obligation.*

* No fees and no purchase necessary. Complimentary Hearing Screenings are only applicable for customers over 50 years of age. See clinic for details. ®CAA and CAA logo trademarks owned by, and use is granted by, the Canadian Automobile Association. Show Your Card & Save® is owned by, and use is granted by, the American Automobile Association.

connecthearing.ca

Red DeerC203 - 5212 48th Street 403.347.3133

Maybe it’s time to get your hearing checked...

blogggggggooooblbl ggg

VAC, WCB accepted.

I want Money for Life.

Life insurance • RRSPs • RRIFs • Payout annuity

Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada is a member of the Sun Life Financial group of companies.© Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, 2013.

Red Deer Financial Centre403-346-2041www.sunlife.ca/Red.Deer4940 – 51st Avenue #1Red Deer, AB T4N 7C6

Life’s brighter under the sun


Breathing Room Yoga

Studio + Café is a family-

friendly yoga studio that is

more than just yoga.

“Breathing Room grew

out of the desire to have

a space that was welcom-

ing, non-judgemental and

comfortable. A space where

individuals and families

could come to connect with

themselves and each oth-

er,” said Bonnee Gregg, co-

owner and instructor.

Gregg added that Red

Deer has been using

Breathing Room not only

as a place to do yoga, but a

place to meet new people,

socialize and fi nd solace.

Breathing Room features

two yoga studios. One is a

large, main practice studio

and the other is a smaller

children’s studio, café and

sitting area along with two

family-friendly change

rooms.

“During the day, chil-

dren’s programs run si-

multaneously with adult

programs ensuring that

adults can spend time on

themselves while their

children are engaged in

positive, educational pro-

grams like dance, yoga and

art,” said Gregg.

To date, Breathing Room

is the only family-friendly

yoga studio in Red Deer.

Additionally, it is the only

studio in town that has a

full service café.

Gregg added that Breath-

ing Room often travels to,

or hosts, yoga classes and

team building and develop-

ment classes for local busi-

nesses and organizations.

Some of the classes

Breathing Room offers in-

clude therapeutic yoga for

backs, yoga for curvy bod-

ies, prenatal yoga, yoga for

moms and tots and moms

and babies.

Something special to

Breathing Room is their

eight-week session called

Life with Cancer. It is a class

led by a certifi ed yoga thera-

pist and is developed to cater

to those living with cancer,

undergoing treatment, or

recovering from treatment.

“Life with Cancer is also

open to the members of the

families affected or their

support people.”

Gregg said people seem

to really enjoy the oppor-

tunity to make new friends,

and that she has seen many

new friendships develop

from meeting at the studio.

“We’ve seen grandmoth-

ers form a connection with

college students and as a

result they’ve set up times

to go for walks together.”

September 2013 marked

the second anniversary of

Breathing Room’s opening,

and Gregg said it has fi lled

a void that hadn’t been ad-

dressed in Red Deer.

“Breathing Room is a

place for moms and dads

where they can bring their

kids or come solo, fi lling

their own cups without

guilt or judgement.”

She added that people

practice yoga for any num-

ber of reasons including the

relaxation, rehabilitation of

an injury, gaining physical

strength or mental strength.

“That’s one of the beau-

tiful things about yoga, ev-

eryone takes from it what

they need.”

Some of the other health

benefi ts of yoga proven by

research include decreased

blood pressure, improved

circulation, reduction of

symptoms related to ar-

thritis, migraines and back

pain, and improves posture,

strength, energy and can

even impact sleep patterns.

[email protected]

FINDING BALANCE – Breathing Room Studio + Café offers a variety of classes for every yogi’s needs, taught by a variety of instructors including this class taught by Sam Belanger. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express

Breathing Room offers family-friendly environment


immediate innovative impactful

continuingeducation

Advance your career with high quality training from Red Deer College. We offer certificate programs that will take you to the next level:

• Applied Management• Change Management NEW• Conflict Leadership NEW• Leadership• Management Skills for Supervisors

(Blue Seal approved)• Supply Management

Need customized corporate training? We will work with you to identify your training needs and recommend effective and affordable training solutions, customized to your exact requirements.

Make training part of

your plan for SUCCESS

For more information visit www.rdc.ab.ca/continuing_educationor call us for your free copy of the Continuing Education course guide 403.356.4900.

BY MARK WEBERRed Deer Express

Offering unique ways of

hiding unsightly elements

in one’s property, The Rock

Company also provides a

means of making a yard

more attractive at the same

time.

Jodi Hertlein is owner

of The Rock Company, a

dealer for DekoRRa Rock

Enclosures. She launched

the business in 2009.

The rock enclosures are

‘faux’ rocks that can be

used in landscaping pur-

poses to hide things such

as septic tank lids, wells or

electrical posts. “There are

about 14 different models

and four different colours.”

Irrigation equipment on

acreages is another exam-

ple of where they come in

handy, she said. They can

also be used in a decora-

tive sense to display house

numbers, for example.

“They can also display a

family’s last name.”

They are realistic looking

and durable as well as light

in weight. “You can carry

them yourself, because the

biggest one weighs about 80

lbs.” That adds to their ver-

satility – obviously if the

largest models were real,

they wouldn’t be moving

at all once they were put in

place on a given property.

But with the models, they

can be moved at will any-

time for a new look or deco-

rative purpose.

Hertlein got the idea to

look into the business liter-

ally in her own backyard.

“We have a septic tank

outside our deck, so I start-

ed thinking about what we

could put there to cover

it,” she explains. “I found

this company – DekoRRa

Rock Enclosures – online

and they have these sep-

tic tank lid covers that are

easy to move. That way, you

are not going to be fi ghting

with it if you have to get it

off.

“And they look good

– so I ordered one. One

thing then led to another

– I started talking to the

dealer in Ontario and even-

tually started up a small

home-based business. Now

I’m a dealer for Central Al-

berta.”

Hertlein has several

examples of the rock en-

closures at her home, and

they certainly do come

in a range of shapes and

sizes and several different

shades and colours as well.

They also look like the real

thing – and can be used for

more than just covering up

unsightly things around a

property.

“They are made of recy-

clable plastic, so they are

durable. And they are also

made in Wisconsin so they

are really made for our cli-

mate too because they have

the same kind of weather

as we do. So they’re not go-

ing to crack in the winter.”

Meanwhile, the business

continues to grow as people

learn about the product

through word of mouth

and the annual Home Show

in Red Deer, for example.

There is usually plenty of

curiosity about the product

line when people stop to

check them out.

“Everyone wants to

touch them, and they al-

ways knock on them to see

if they are hollow,” she

adds with a smile. Mean-

while, she enjoys chatting

with customers about the

possibilities that The Rock

Company can provide to a

particular setting – wheth-

er that be of a primarily

practical nature or a more

decorative purpose.

“I like meeting people,

and I’ve always liked land-

scaping.”

Plus the company is al-

ways coming out with new

concepts, such as water

features which can be in-

stalled on and around the

rocks, too.

“I like to bring the new

products in and see how

people feel about those.”

[email protected]

Innovative yard solutions with The Rock Company

INNOVATIVE - Jodi Hertlein, owner of The Rock Company, poses with a number of products her company specializes in. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express


Proudly supports the

2013 Small Business Week

Awards2013 BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Congratulations to all the best of luck to all the finalists at the

nominees and

Thank you to all our 2013 sponsors!

RedDeerChamber.com 403-347-4491Earl Dreeshen, MP4315 - 55th Avenue, Suite 100A

403-347-7426

Congratulations Congratulations to all to all

nomineesnominees

www.earldreeshen.ca


Fully preparing prospec-

tive employees for a range

of posts in the oilfi eld and

the province’s industrial

sector is the top goal of

Gateway Training Services

Inc.

The Red Deer-based com-

pany provides “Innovative

and client-centered servic-

es to individuals who are

looking to access employ-

ment within the Alberta

industrial sector.” Staff

specialize in recruiting,

training and job placement

support.

“Our unique brand of

programming sets us apart

from the fl y by night and

‘crash course’ competition

by offering intense pro-

gramming that covers all

the concerns associated

with relocating to Alberta,

fi nding work in Alberta and

staying here in Alberta.”

Rus King co-owns the

company along with his

wife Kelli-Ann King and

Mihai Vlaicov.

As Rus points out, many

looking for work in the oil-

fi eld for example are sig-

nifi cantly unprepared for

what it entails in terms of

training.

“They may not know

where to start, what to

do; they may not be fi nan-

cially prepared. They may

not have a resume or they

don’t realize there is a drug

test,” he said, listing off ex-

amples of what can be over-

looked. “Our program is

a 17-day one that prepares

them as best we can for this

industry.

“We also bring employ-

ers into the course and they

present about their compa-

nies and what is required

to work for them,” he said.

“We are a gateway to the oil

and gas and heavy indus-

trial industries.”

Rus also described a

common ‘condition’ that

surfaces in some newcom-

ers to the province – ‘Al-

berta-itus’. It’s a set of mis-

conceptions people have in

connection to fi nding work

in the oilfi eld or heavy in-

dustrial in general.

Some will phone looking

for help to land a ‘fl y-in, fl y-

out’ type of job.

Expectations can indeed

be unrealistic and exces-

sive, and if they aren’t cor-

rected, they can ultimately

turn employers off. Some

newcomers also mistaken-

ly believe they can come to

the province and start mak-

ing certain demands, even

when they have virtually

no experience in the fi eld.

“Getting into the oil and

gas industry is not as easy

as people might think. You

have to have something

that sets you apart, and

that’s what our program

does. We put you in front

of the employers.” Under-

going the training shows a

certain seriousness, for one

thing.

But that ‘Alberta-itus’

can still sneak in. As the

men become more trained,

often expectations surge in

terms of what they want

from employers. Some-

times, guys earning very

little elsewhere end up

turning down solid offers

in search of something

even bigger and better.

But overall, what Gateway

Training Services Inc. pro-

vides is critical not just to

preparing workers, but for

adjusting these kinds of

faulty expectations.

Kelli-Ann also pointed

out that the retention rate

for companies who hire

workers who have utilized

Gateway Training Services

is much higher than the

norm.

“It’s successful for the

employers too. For us,

the retention rates we see

are between 75 to 100 per

cent for the guys who go

through the program. They

stick with their compa-

nies.” She added there is

also a pre-screening pro-

cess prior to the training

sessions, which also helps

ensure that those who un-

dergo the training are right

for what the industry of-

fers. “There are quite a few

steps to even get into the

program.”

Looking ahead, Rus said

the company is working

on a program for mature

workers (those who are 50

and over).

“I think the western Ca-

nadian economy has a duty

to help these mature work-

ers,” he said. “We’re work-

ing with the employers to

fi nd jobs for these people

in the industry, so they

can get paid what they are

worth. I want to see where

we can go with this. Let’s

take the next step and see

how we can help these ma-

ture workers who cannot

afford to retire. I’m pretty

excited about that.”

Ultimately, whatever the

age or employment circum-

stance, it’s a win-win for

everyone involved.

“It’s great for people

coming from all over the

world, or from across the

country,” explains Vlaicov.

“We also paint a very real-

istic picture, and we really

help to set them up for suc-

cess. We have many, many

success stories from our

clients.”

It’s also a fulfi lling line

of work for the company’s

owners.

“It’s great to see people

go through it and they’re

genuinely happy and see

their lives turned around,”

he added.

“I’m very proud of what

we do.”

[email protected]

TICKETS MADE EASY – The staff at Gateway Training Services stand in front of their location in southeast Red Deer. Back from left are Lance Kangas, Rus King, Mihai Vlaicov, and Ted Glad. Front from left are Cassidi Wagner, Kelli-Ann King, Marlena Crookedhand and Dawn Volmer. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express

Gateway Training Services specializesin employment preparation


Business of the Year Finalists 1 - 15 employees

“Stems started as a fl oral shop,” says Steph-

anie LaPrairie, co-owner with husband Jus-

ton, and a professionally accredited fl oral de-

signer, “And has become a gift shop, a home

decor, jewellry and knickknacks store, and

also a cafe and little deli.”

She says, “People know to come to us for

something special. We use a lot of different

and unique products, we also use almost 90 per

cent Canadian-grown product. We are about

supporting local and if we are not supporting

local ourselves, then we can’t expect people to

support us locally. This helps with shipping

and volume, so our product is longer lasting

and fresher, and we can do volume discount-

ing.”

After locations in Calgary and Lancaster

Centre in Red Deer, Stems Flowers and Cafe

opened again in the new medical centre build-

ing on the old site of Central Alberta Florists,

just north of the hospital, in 2012.

It was a Red Deer institution and LaPrairie

says Stems benefi ts greatly from their old cus-

tomers and services.

At Stems the emphasis is on personalized

service, because, “It’s a tricky business. We try

to be all about service because we sell emotion.

Yes, we are a great one-stop shop, with amaz-

ing products and reasonable prices, but we

read between the lines for what people want

when it comes to fl owers.”

A Red Deer native, LaPrairie says, “I’ve

learned that it really is the greatest place to

do business. I got to see how business works

in Canada’s biggest booming city (Calgary)

where I had a lot of growing pains. But we

sold our shop in Calgary and focused 100 per

cent on Red Deer because it’s a wonderful little

market of its own. It’s a little niche pocket that

has the best of everything, the best people.”

When it comes to community support, “We

do tons and tons of stuff, big and small. Our

policy is if they buy one, we give one. We are

also involved with the Festival of Trees, Mas-

ters Swim Club, Tour of Alberta and many

others.”

Success with fl owers at Stems

The Coverall Shop provides personalized,

ready to wear, fl ame-resistant work clothing.

General Manager Jeremy Jablonski says with

one phone call a company can place an order

for an individual, or any number of employees,

for personalized coveralls for those employees

down to their nametag and get it in a couple of

days locally with free delivery service

“Work clothes are a need, not a want. They

are a huge necessity, so we saw an opportunity

to do it differently from what was offered in the

market. We did our research, our due diligence

and went ahead. We built a business based on

just-in-time delivery for our clients, ready to

wear garments, with (company) crests, em-

broidery, all done. They show up ready to

wear, whether they want one pair, a hundred

pairs, or more.”

While it started with coveralls, it now in-

cludes safety equipment, gloves, footwear and

other accessories. A separate company, Park-

land Coverall Cleaning, provides laundry ser-

vice for work clothes. Jablonski says business

grew faster than expected. Now in the fourth

year of business, he says revenue has already

reached what he projected for year six.

“The speed at which we’ve grown is quite

exciting and a lot of fun, but has created chal-

lenges too. However, urgency is important to

us. It’s a word we use a lot. Every order is an

urgent order. Other companies provide similar

services, but we’ve taken it to the next level.”

Jablonski adds that The Coverall Shop

would not be the success it is without tre-

mendous support from his family (some are

partners), his hardworking staff and loyal

customers. “We’re family-owned and commu-

nity-minded, and our people are the most im-

portant thing. Red Deer is by far the best place

to live, work, do business and raise a family.

And because it’s a good place to do business it

allows us to give back. Among the many orga-

nizations we support are the Festival of Trees,

Red Deer College (with scholarships and bur-

saries), Rotary Clubs, Red Deer Food Bank and

the Christmas Bureau.”

Personalizing the coverall business

Babycakes Cupcakery co-owners Diana Kn-

apton and Andrea Fox are two Red Deer girls

who had a dream and fulfi lled it successfully.

Their dream business involved one specialty

product: gourmet cupcakes.

Knapton says, “I found myself here after

having lived in places like Montreal and Van-

couver and seeing ... there is lots of opportu-

nity here to build a small business in Central

Alberta. There are so many feeder communi-

ties, the opportunity is huge in Red Deer. I just

had a feeling the market was ready and hungry,

literally!”

She was right. “We had a line outside our

door before we opened,” says Fox. “We had

pregnant women following our truck around

town before we even had the store. It was awe-

some. It caught us off guard at the beginning,

but our product speaks for itself and word-of-

mouth works really well for us.”

On an average day Babycakes bakes 30 to 45

dozen cupcakes. Their busiest day is Valen-

tine’s Day and last February they made over

150 dozen and they were sold out by mid-after-

noon.

“Red Deer was ready for something unique

and independent, kind of fun and retro,” says

Fox. “We took a well-educated risk, we worked

hard on our business plan while doing our for-

mer jobs ... most cupcake businesses take the

quick and easy route, the cheaper route, where-

as we were the opposite. We wanted a high stan-

dard for our store, our product and our service

that would pull people from everywhere, not

just Red Deer. The product had to be top notch.

So no one can compete with how we do it.”

Fox says Red Deer is a great place to do busi-

ness because, “It has a small town feel ... but

it’s a big city atmosphere. We wanted to be a

place that brought people into Red Deer and

it’s been really good that way.” When it comes

to community support, “We do as much as we

can,” with organizations like Festival of Trees,

Ronald McDonald House and the Red Deer

Women’s Shelter benefi tting from the success

of their business dream.

Dream business success story

Stems co-owner Stephanie LaPrairie is an accredited member of the American Institute of Floral Designers and a Certifi ed Floral Designer.

Coverall Shop General Manager Jeremy Jablonski says they treat all their workwear orders with urgency.

Babycakes Cupcakery Co-owners Diana Knapton (left) and Andrea Fox can serve up 30 to 45 dozen cupcakes on an average day.


Business of the Year Finalists 16 - 49 employees

“We specialize in manufacturing fi re resistant

workwear for the oilfi eld and electrical indus-

tries,” says Reg Radford, president of IFR Work-

wear, one of the top fi ve companies in the indus-

try. They believe in the integrity of their clothing

and the IFR brand gives companies the reassur-

ance their employees are wearing quality safety

garments. Radford and his daughter, vice presi-

dent Erin Buckland, started the business from

scratch with only one other employee. Today,

they have 26 employees and are still growing. In

December, they are moving into a new 26,000 sq.

ft. distribution centre in Queens Industrial Park,

three times larger than their present space.

“We don’t sell direct to end users,” says Rad-

ford. “Our business is developed through dis-

tributors across Canada , the U.S. and offshore

as well. We purchase all our raw materials and

major components from well-established known

names like Westex, Dupont, 3M and YKK and

ship it to our manufacturing plants in Mexico to

complete the cut and sew operations. Our gar-

ments are setting the quality standard expected

in the workplace today.”

Buckland says, “Our mission is to provide qual-

ity, trusted garments. When somebody buys an

IFR garment they know that it is quality product

and they can trust the garments’ components.

That’s really important for us, to make sure that

everything is top quality.”

“Staff are the backbone of any successful busi-

ness,” says Radford. “We have excellent, dedicat-

ed staff.” Buckland adds, “We also support our

employees and encourage them to be involved

with the community, and will lend support to any

organization they are involved in.”

“As business owners it is important to be in-

vested in the community,” says Radford. “Our

family is well known for our volunteer work and

support of many local organizations like Ronald

McDonald House, Red Deer College, Festival of

Trees and Red Deer Curling Centre.”

“Red Deer is a really good place to do busi-

ness,” says Buckland. “It’s a right size of commu-

nity. It’s a good balance between a place to live

and a place to work.”

Trusted quality behind success at IFR

General Manager Reg Radford (left) and Vice President Erin Buckland started IFR Workwear in 2005 to produce fi re resistant work clothes.

John Donald, president and general manager

of Deermart Equipment Sales, says the presi-

dent of John Deere Canada once told him that

if he could pick any place in Canada to jump out

of a plane and start a John Deere dealership, he

would pick Central Alberta.

Deermart is one of the few independently

owned John Deere dealerships left in western

Canada. It sells ag machinery, lawn and turf

products, parts and service. Last year sales

were over $40 million.

Donald says, “We’ve hired some great people.

That’s probably the thing I’m most proud of; 50

per cent of our employees have been with us for

over 20 years. Our service is outstanding, John

Deere product has a good reputation in the in-

dustry and our parts and service departments

run exceptionally well.”

He says farmers using modern technology,

better agricultural inputs, and better equip-

ment probably doubled production in the 31

years he’s been in the business. And if agricul-

ture hopes to feed the world’s increasing popu-

lation, it will have to double production again

by 2043. “It’s a challenge. But better technology

keeps coming. Agriculture is changing fast and

we’ve made sure we are staying on the cutting

edge of it.”

Donald, also chairman of Western Tractor

with four outlets in southern Alberta, says,

“Red Deer’s been phenomenal for our family

(his father Jack Donald started Fas Gas). I’ve

watched it grow and thrive. It’s got agriculture,

oil and gas and professionals putting down roots

here. Red Deer has really established itself as

an emerging force as a community and I think

it’s got a long way to go.”

He says, “I couldn’t tell you how many boards

and committees I’ve been on.” Examples on a

long list include the Red Deer Hospital Founda-

tion, Agri-Trade, Love of Children Golf Clas-

sic, STARS, SPCA and Employment Insurance

Board. “We’re a big believer in giving back. You

get to a certain point when your needs are met

and your staff needs are met, when it’s impor-

tant to go out and make Red Deer a better place.”

Serving Central Alberta agriculture

Deermart President/General Manager John Donald has seen dramatic changes in agriculture in his 31 years in the business.

Although it’s only been at its 12,000 sq. ft.

Southpointe Common location for six years,

Carpet Colour Centre has been providing fl oor

coverings and window treatments to Central

Alberta for over 30 years.

Owned and operated by the Wiebe family

for the last 25 years, manager Rick Wiebe says,

“People come in and we help them choose their

colours, we help them choose their products,

we try to steer them in the right direction.

When you are renovating there are so many

choices, it can be overwhelming to a lot of peo-

ple. Sometimes people come in and they don’t

know where to start and that’s where we step

in and help them decide on colour schemes,

and give them lots of ideas.”

He says, “What sets us apart is we are a full

service store - the full meal deal. From the start

to the fi nish we help the customer with every-

thing. Then we guarantee it. We have a war-

ranty called the Beautiful Guarantee. If you

don’t like it, for any reason, we’ll replace it. No

questions asked.”

Wiebe is happy his son Andrew is taking

over Carpet Colour Centre and that the busi-

ness will continue in Red Deer. “This City is

phenomenal. It’s big enough it’s got almost all

the amenities, but it’s small enough I can still

get to work in 15 minutes. You know where ev-

erything is. Sharon (his wife) and I have been

here since 1982 and wouldn’t dream of moving

anyplace else. We raised our family here. We

just love Red Deer.”

As a successful businessman Wiebe is often

approached to help in the larger community.

Right now he’s especially involved with A Bet-

ter World, a volunteer Central Alberta-based

international development organization dedi-

cated to improving lives in developing coun-

tries for over 20 years. Wiebe himself manages

four projects (like drilling wells) in Kenya. Ad-

ditional support goes to Big Brothers/Big Sis-

ters, the Pregnancy Care Centre, local home-

builder and construction associations, and “I

don’t think there’s a church in town that we

haven’t helped out.”

One store for a perfect fl oor

Carpet Colour Centre Manager Rick Wiebe (left) and son Andrew provide complete fl ooring and window dressing services and guarantee their products.


Business of the Year Finalists 50+ employees

Joel Ward, president of Red Deer College, says 94% of their graduates fi nd jobs within six months.

Red Deer College is known throughout the prov-

ince and beyond as a hub of innovation, a place

where culture is created as communities connect,

strengthening the social fabric of Central Alberta

by providing practical and relevant learning op-

portunities.

As a vibrant centre where innovation thrives,

RDC supported more than 500 small and medium-

sized enterprises last year alone through the Cen-

tre of Innovation in Manufacturing, helping busi-

ness and industry in the manufacturing process

through prototyping and design. This is just one

reason RDC was recognized as one of Alberta’s

Top 25 Innovators.

As one of Red Deer’s largest employers, employ-

ing more than 1,800 people, the college contributes

$300 million to the local economy each year.

“We’re proud of the fact that we employ faculty

and staff who are experts in their fi elds; because

we draw such incredible talent, we provide a prac-

tical education that prepares our learners for suc-

cessful lives and careers,” says Joel Ward, presi-

dent and CEO of RDC.

More than 94% of graduates get jobs within six

months of studying at RDC. With more than 7,500

students and 13,000 community learners each

year, RDC not only meets the learning needs of

the region through in-demand programming, it

provides businesses in Red Deer and throughout

Central Alberta with highly skilled employees.

The vision of RDC has always been bold, and

never more so than through its active role in the

revitalization of downtown Red Deer. Through

the Donald School of Business, RDC has shown

its responsiveness to the needs of business and in-

dustry by adding new programs like the Bachelor

of Business Administration degree. Through the

recent acquisition of City Centre Stage, with its

Art Gallery, Cinema and Theatre, RDC it is truly

a place where culture can be created and enjoyed.

By offering in-demand programs, exceptional

facilities, and by supporting hundreds of busi-

nesses and thousands of learners each year, RDC

will continue to contribute to the social and eco-

nomic well-being of the City and help ensure the

region thrives.

Opportunity and innovation at RDC

Now celebrating 30 years as a Canadian-owned

company, Red Deer’s Peavey Mart supplies hard-

ware, tools, work wear, agricultural and garden-

ing supplies through 31 outlets. That includes one

just opening in Rocky Mountain House and an-

other early next year in Spruce Grove. The com-

pany also operates Main Street Hardware stores

(Peavey Marts for smaller markets). The fi rst

opened in Blackfalds and a second is set to go in

Vermilion.

“We’ve got 170 people in Red Deer and about

160,000 square feet of warehouse and offi ce here,

all the buying and administrative work is done

here as well,” says Peavey Mart President Doug

Anderson. “Altogether we have about 700 – 750

employees, mostly in Alberta and Saskatchewan,

plus single stores in Manitoba and B.C. and we’re

looking to continue to grow.”

Anderson says, “Red Deer is such a strong and

vibrant area.

As well as oil and gas and agriculture, it has a

strong sense of community in my mind, and, at

the end of the day, it’s my home. We are a rural

roots type of organization with an appeal to ur-

ban people, acreage owners, farmers and busi-

nesses too. It’s a really good mix for us.”

Their success, says Anderson, is because,

“We’ve consistently looked at doing things bet-

ter, working with our product mix and maintain-

ing a unique product mix. We have a very loyal

customer base. People really love shopping in our

stores because we’re down to earth, economical

and have a fantastic product selection.”

Community support comes from the Red Deer

head offi ce and individual stores. Many thou-

sands of dollars are raised for food banks across

their territory and a long list of organizations like

Wild Pink Yonder (breast cancer research), Eas-

ter Seals, Women’s Outreach Centre, Telemiracle

in Saskatchewan and 4-H.

“I’m especially proud of our community agri-

cultural grants,” says Anderson. “It’s something

new we’ve started as a way to reach out to rural

communities and help them build. We’re really

looking for innovation and it’s a way to creatively

reach out to our customers and supporters.”

Red Deer-based western enterprise

Robert Bilton started his own small welding

company in Innisfail in 1993. “I started by my-

self with a portable welding rig. And just slowly

built it up.”

Now Bilton Welding and Manufacturing Ltd.

is celebrating its 20th anniversary. It has close

to 200 employees, plus contract employees de-

pending on project requirements. Growing fa-

cilities in Innisfail cover 77,000 sq. ft. and the

company just opened an offi ce in Calgary. Bil-

ton’s core business is fabrication welding with

complementary products and services: insulat-

ing, painting, specialty coating, whatever the

job needs. “When a customer comes to us and

says they need something, we don’t job it out,

we do it all from initial engineering to fi nished

product.” Bilton’s secret for success - good peo-

ple and work hard.

“Right now we inject into Central Alberta,

between wages and materials purchased, about

$25 million annually. We work really hard to de-

velop good relationships within this community

and invest as much money back into it as we feel

we can afford. And because this is really a small

community we reap the benefi ts of that invest-

ment.”

The company likes to support charities with

lots of volunteers, like the SPCA and Hospice

Society. “One of the ones I really like to work

with is the Red Deer Hospital Foundation. There

are thousands of volunteers who give what they

can, and time is very precious. I have a little

bit of money, they have a little bit of time, so

we both give. One is no more valuable than the

other, they are both necessary.”

Bilton says, “Alberta is the land of opportuni-

ty. There’s nothing special about me other than

a bit of good luck, a lot of hard work and a lot of

support from my family (allowing me to work

16 hour days at the beginning). This company

is nothing without our employees. I know it’s

a cliché, but it is the truth. That’s what’s most

important: to recognize everybody. They (our

staff) are knowledgeable, hard working and

pretty important. The fi rst person I hired is still

working for me today.”

Welding his way to success

Peavey Mart President Doug Anderson says his company continues to expand with new Main Street Hardware stores.

Bilton Welding and Manufacturing president Robert Bilton oversaw tremendous growth of his Innisfail business the last 20 years.


Dr. Allison FoxM.Sc., Au.D.

Audiologist/Owner

Dr. Susan HopfM.Sc., Au.D.Audiologist

Your Hearing Aid Centre

• Precision inAssessments

• Care inProduct

Selection

• Excellence in

CustomerService

5125 48 StreetRed Deer, AB T4N 1T1

Bus: 403-346-0404#107, 5033 - 52 StreetLacombe, AB T4L 2A6

BUS: 403-782-3457

Toll Free 1-888-956-0404www.strategichearingsolutions.com

AADLWCBDVA


Offering expertise and ex-

perience as well as superb

customer service is what one

local travel agency strives for.

UNIGLOBE Mills Travel

recently moved to a new lo-

cation on the City’s east hill

(3020 22 St.) and said busi-

ness has been good.

“It’s excellent here. This

is a very busy location,” said

Shelley Cota, branch man-

ager. “People are stopping in

on their way to work or when

they get groceries, so it has

been very good.”

UNIGLOBE Mills Travel

specializes in holiday travel

and offers vacation packages

on cruise lines, adventures,

destination weddings and

river cruises, among others.

“The hotspots are Mexico

followed up by Jamaica and

Punta Cana.”

Cota added with Air Can-

ada now fl ying out of Red

Deer, it is a great opportu-

nity for local travelers to be

connected with fl ights world-

wide.

“People don’t really think

where that can take them.

You can go Red Deer to Cal-

gary to anywhere in the

world,” she said.

In addition, Cota said what

sets the travel agency apart

from others is the strength

that comes with the UNI-

GLOBE name.

The company offers ex-

clusive rates, price match

guarantees and has access

to group space discounts on

many different cruise lines.

“We have competitive

rates, we have our own UNI-

GLOBE cruise department

and our expertise that we

have here as well.”

Cota, who has been with

the company for 25 years,

said she is passionate about

travel. “I love selling travel

from fi rst time travelers to

seasoned travelers. There is

a sense of excitement when

we plan a holiday of a life-

time or a group for a desti-

nation wedding. It is a great

job.”

As for doing business in

Red Deer, Cota said she loves

welcoming her longtime cli-

ents and new clients as well.

“Red Deer has grown and

changed so much that it’s a

good place to do business. We

love to see the clients we’ve

had for years and we love to

meet new clients as well.”

[email protected] – Shelley Cota, branch manager at UNIGLOBE Mills Travel in Red Deer, poses in their new location on the City’s east hill. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express

UNIGLOBE Mills Travel thrives in new location


Honourable Cal Dallas

MLA Red Deer South403-340-3565

Mary Anne Jablonski

MLA Red Deer North403-342-2263

Saluting contributions Saluting contributions

Small Businesses Small Businesses are making to our are making to our

local economy local economy and our community.and our community.

Advertise YourselfAdvertise Yourself

Promote your businessPromote your business

Technologywith

• iPhone Case• Screen Cleaner• Spray Cleaner• Stylus Products• Phone Rests

Gel case for

iphone 5Pen-Stylus

Stylus Keychain

Stylus

Screen Cleaner

Printing your Logo on items we use every day!Promotional Items & Ideas

403-347-3768

Enabling Success

Affordable Accessible Accredited Advisors

Drop-in Mondays & Fridays. Other times by appointment

Suite 205, 4711 51st Ave. Red Deer, 403-986-8574 www.chinooksolutions.com

Congratulations to all 2013 Business of the Year finalists

BY JENNA SWANRed Deer Express

‘Physical literacy in

Central Alberta’s youth’

is Sportball’s mission said

Program Director, Bran-

don Robb.

Now entering into their

third season, they are well

on their way to achieving

this goal.

Having started with only

20 children in their pro-

gram, they now facilitate

over 300 kids per season.

Robb explains that Sport-

ball is a “Non-competitive

sport instruction program

where they work with kids

anywhere from 18 months

to 16-years-old and teach

them the fundamentals of

eight different sports.”

Soccer, football, hockey,

basketball, volleyball, base-

ball, golf and tennis are

Sportball’s specialties and

instructing children on

proper techniques to train

in these sports is their pas-

sion.

“We teach them the fun-

damentals and the skills,”

said Robb. “Then as they

get older we teach them

how to properly play the

game so that they don’t get

thrown into a competitive

environment without nec-

essarily knowing the rules

of the game.”

By organizing after-

school programs in various

schools in Central Alberta

usually from 3:30 to 5 p.m.,

kids are given a great place

to be active after class.

Parents are embrac-

ing the program as it gives

them peace of mind to know

their children are in a great

program and learning skills

for a healthy, fi t life.

Often Robb and the oth-

er coaches of Sportball

will give demos in schools

where they teach gym class

for the day.

Students are delighted

to get the chance to learn

more about the sports they

love, or never knew they

loved until Sportball came

and showed them how fun

it can be.

Sportball Fitkids is also

making a splash in the eyes

of parents and children as

a new fun fi tness program.

“Here we give them func-

tional fi tness training,” ex-

plains Robb.

“We teach them how to

properly train and work

different muscle groups

within the body and give

them the fi tness fundamen-

tals.”

Designed for kids aged

six to 12, the program

aims to help build strength

through non-competitive

sports instruction for chil-

dren.

“Typically when kids are

that age they already have

a sport they are interested

in and likely are wanting to

play it in a minor league,”

said Robb.

“So Fitkids is there to

give them that extra edge

and show them how to

properly train for the sport

they enjoy.”

Robb believes that “By

developing the physical

literacy skills in kids early

on, we are teaching them

how to properly move in

different environments,

which develops skills to

teach them how to properly

jump or properly throw a

ball which in turn builds up

their confi dence especially

when they are put in those

situations outside of Sport-

ball.” In the younger kids

who join Sportball, coaches

work on team values and

social dynamics of sports,

such as taking turns, fair

play and teamwork.

“With the younger kids

we work a lot on the team

and social dynamics of

sport as opposed to the

‘mine, mine, mine’ atti-

tude.”

All Sportball coaches

are certifi ed with standard

Sportball methods and usu-

ally have a background in

early childhood education,

sports administration, oc-

cupational therapy or kine-

siology.

As well as being certifi ed

in the Sportball Mentor-

ship Program, First Aid,

and CPR – Sportball coach-

es love to teach kids about

what they love.

[email protected]

Sportball focuses on child athletic development

BRANDON ROBB



A local consulting busi-

ness aims to offer top qual-

ity professional develop-

ment training and project

coordinating services.

Kimberlink Consulting

is operated by Kim Darby-

son, who holds a psycholo-

gy degree along with more

than 16 years of experience

in workshop development/

facilitation and project co-

ordinating. She is also a

True Colors International

Trainer. “When I was with

Cosmos, one of the projects

I was doing was Toastmas-

ters. We had a relationship

with the youth employment

program at the time. Basi-

cally I coached the indi-

viduals with Toastmasters

to deliver a public speaking

course for the youth,” she

explains of the business’

beginnings.

She later moved on from

Cosmos and decided to

launch her own consult-

ing business, as she had

often been doing that kind

of work in her day-to-day

employment as it was. Kim-

berlink Consulting was of-

fi cially launched in 2010.

“So I developed a pub-

lic speaking program, and

started there. And then I

wanted to be trained to do

one of the personality in-

ventories – that was really

interesting to me with my

psychology degree. I did

some research, and found

True Colors.”

She offers True Colors

International Personal

Success Seminars which

are described as a model

of personal identifi cation

that is easy to understand,

remember and use. Par-

ticipants’ personalities,

after careful and thorough

analysis, are described by

particular colors – gold, or-

ange, green and blue.

In general terms, blue

equals relationship-ori-

ented, whereas green rep-

resents a love of learn-

ing. Gold points to an

organized, procedural style

whereas orange represents

an essentially outgoing and

spontaneous personality.

Darbyson said the semi-

nar helps employees have

more self-confi dence, re-

spect for one another and

work as a connected team.

It also helps business

owners better understand

customers, and it has appli-

cations for communication,

team building, confl ict res-

olution, coaching, leader-

ship and sales. Ultimately,

facilitators say True Colors

distills the concepts of per-

sonality theory into a user-

friendly, practical tool.

Meanwhile, other work-

shops and seminars offered

by Kimberlink Consulting

include Speak Freely Pub-

lic Speaking Workshops.

There are also ‘Project

Coordinator/Facilitation

Services’ for folks that fi nd

themselves on a deadline,

short-staffed and in need of

getting a project completed.

Next up, Darbyson, who

is also executive director of

the local Learning Disabili-

ties Association of Alberta

offi ce, will be taking a pro-

gram in confl ict leadership

as well.

“What I’m really inter-

ested in doing is tying the

True Colors with confl ict

resolution and starting to

use that by teaching work-

shops and also going into

companies as a mediator,”

she said. “I think that the

more I have to offer, the

more diverse I can be.”

Darbyson has extensive

experience in coordinat-

ing a range of projects in

the non-profi t sector - she

has coordinated an annual

community science festi-

val, assisted a government-

funded agency to prepare

for their accreditation re-

view, developed a volun-

teer-match program for a

community organization

and coordinated a Commu-

nity New Year’s Eve festi-

val, among several others.

She has indeed found a

fulfi lling path in life.

“I love working for my-

self – I’m very much a

‘walk to the beat of my

own drum’ kind of person

whenever I can be,” she ex-

plains, smiling. “That defi -

nitely appeals to me – the

independence factor.

“And I love teaching. The

populations I work with

are usually really keen to

learn this material, and

the True Colors workshops

are so cool because I actu-

ally get to know the people

on a personal level. Their

stories start to come out as

they are engaging with the

material and understand-

ing how it all fi ts together

for them.”

[email protected]

10 year Celebration

Spring & FallBridal ShowsRed Deer’s Annual

February 2, 201410am-4:30pm

Fashion Shows11:30am & 2:30pm

403.340.3300www.bridalgala.ca BOOK YOUR SPOT NOW!

SpringWesterner Park, Red DeerWith qualifi ed specialists to assist you with all your wedding details.

403-347-5274 www.slashlax.ca#11 – 6200-67A Street Red Deer

Central Alberta’s most exclusive Lacrosse Store

Phone: (403) 348-0102Fax: (403) 755-7053

[email protected]

Sales • Service • Supplies

G9 5550 - 45 StreetRed Deer, Alberta T4N 1L1

We areyour printer

experts

Fun-Filled Trade ShowFor the Whole Family!

• Treehouse Character • Petting Zoo • Bouncers• Face Painters • Much More!

centralalbertafamilyexpo.com

403.346.8226March 22 & 23, 2014

Westerner Park

Saturday, 10am-5pmSunDAY, 10am-4pm

Consulting business offers range of services

KIM DARBYSONwww.parklandtransmission.com Ph: 403-342-1700

Proud to be nominated forProud to be nominated forSmall Business of the Year!Small Business of the Year!

Thank You for supporting a community minded business!

DUHAMEL MANNING FEEHANWARRENDER GLASS LLP

BARRISTERS, SOLICITORS, NOTARIES

altalaw

THOMAS G. LANGFORD

5233 - 49th AvenueRed Deer, AB T4N 6G5Web: www.altalaw.ca

OFFICE: (403) 343-0812FAX: (403) 340-3545

Email: [email protected]

403.347.3261142 Erickson Drive, Red Deerwww.family1stchiro.ca

So proud to be part of such a vibrant Small Business Community!

@famfi rstchiro

Thank you Red Deer!

Dr. Joelle Johnson

Dr. Stephen Kelly

Dr. Marlee Laméris


CANADIAN YOUTH BUSINESS FOUNDATION

CYBF can help!cybf.ca

Are you 18-39and ready tostart your ownbusiness?

Up to $45,000 financing

Business mentoring

Pre-launch expertise

Business resources

1-800-464-2923

CYBFAlberta

@CYBFAB

October 11 & 12, 2013October 11 & 12, 2013October 11 & 12, 2013October 11 & 12, 2013


Red Deer is home to a

number of radio stations,

and Shine FM tries to set

themselves apart with a

different genre of music,

and a different approach to

being radio-friendly.

“Shine FM is a small in-

dependent broadcasting

company and has a single

owner out of Edmonton,”

said Mark Imbach, station

manager for Calgary and

co-manager for the Red

Deer station.

The station is located at

13-7619 Gaetz Ave.

The station moved to its

new location about a year

ago after being located in

Scott’s Parable Christian

Store.

The fi rst property was

CJCA AM out of Edmon-

ton in the spring of 1994.

The Calgary station started

in December of 1997 and

Red Deer came onboard on

April 1, 2011.

“One thing we really feel

is an advantage is that we

are locally-owned so we

don’t have to worry about

what the big companies are

saying,” he said.

“We make our decisions

right here. This allows us

to be able to refl ect and re-

spond to what’s going on

right here in the local mar-

ket.”

Imbach said that the big

idea behind Shine FM was

wanting to be safe and fun

for the whole family.

“What this means to us

is that if a mom or dad are

taking their kids to school

or driving around, they

don’t have to shut the ra-

dio off because of what was

said or even explain to the

kids what was said.”

He added that the on-air

radio personalities have a

lot of fun with their jobs,

but that it is done so in a

practical way.

The genre of music

played on Shine FM is de-

scribed by Imbach as being

contemporary Christian

music.

“We feel strongly about

providing a positive alter-

native to what’s out there,”

he said.

“Our mandate is not to

preach on the air but to let

the music send the message

through the lyrics of the

songs.”

The station’s value state-

ment also says “To promote

healthy Christian values

and standards with an em-

phasis on traditional fam-

ily values.”

Imbach also said that

what news is broadcast

on Shine FM is the news

people need like traffi c,

weather reports and basic

reports of what is going on.

“What we don’t talk

about is the entertainment

news, that’s for the other

stations to deal with. We

aren’t even really heavy on

the news,” he added.

“If people want the hard

edge stories they’ll have to

fi nd that somewhere else.”

He said after a recent

survey done in Calgary,

listeners responded say-

ing the things they enjoy

the most are the weather,

traffi c, saving money tips,

relationship advice and in-

formation on how to con-

nect with kids that are now

teenagers.

“Our positioning is that

we don’t want to sound a

whole lot different from the

regular music or other sta-

tions, we just try to be very

connective to where people

are right now.”

The music played on

Shine FM might not even

sound any different from

the other stations, said Im-

bach.

He said the music is so

contemporary most people

wouldn’t notice the differ-

ence from their station to

Shine FM.

Imbach also said that

Shine FM does get involved

in community events in-

cluding Shake the Lake,

events at Bower Ponds and

Westerner Days.

“What we look for and

target are the family activi-

ties. One of the things we

do have too is our mascot,

Shiner,” he said.

“The kids love him and

whenever we go some-

where for kids, Shiner is a

part of that.”

[email protected]

Shine FM offers family-friendly radio

Station specializes in contemporary Christian music

“WE FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT PROVIDING A

POSITIVE ALTERNATIVE TO WHAT’S OUT THERE. OUR MANDATE IS NOT

TO PREACH ON THE AIR BUT TO LET THE MUSIC

SEND THE MESSAGE THROUGH THE LYRICS

OF THE SONGS.”

MARK IMBACH


Proud to be a Family Operated and Community

Minded Business!

Thanks to all of our great staff and loyal customers

for all your support!

(1-15 employees)

ly unity !

at rs

www.thecoverallshop.cawww.thecoverallshop.ca

7610 EDGAR INDUSTRIAL DR.RED DEER, AB403.314.0346

(1 15 l )

Business of the Business of the Year Finalist!Year Finalist!

For all your work wear needs, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED!

medicine river wildlife centre

Come Grow With Usfacility upgrade project

leave the legacy of a tree planted in your name that will grow with our facility

www.comegrowwithus.mrwc.ca


An online entertainment direc-

tory which showcases fun activi-

ties to do in and around Red Deer

continues to grow.

Wendy Swales, spokesperson

of RedDeerNightOut.com said

the business has seen success

since opening in September 2012.

“It’s been really good and it has

been very busy but it has been so

much fun to put together. I’ve met

so many great people and there is

a lot more going on in Red Deer

than people realize,” she said.

RedDeerNightOut.com high-

lights a variety of things includ-

ing entertainment on a nightly

basis throughout the City as well

as nightly restaurant and drink

specials. The goal is to try and

consolidate everything that is

happening in the City in one con-

venient spot for Red Deerians.

“We try and promote the best

in Red Deer. It’s basically every-

thing you need to plan a fun night

out. There is a calendar of events

that shows what is happening

any given night of the week and

then highlights a lot of the local

businesses we have in town too

because there are people looking

for different ideas.

“The tag line for the site is ‘The

place to go for the place to go’,”

said Swales. “It has lists of res-

taurants, bars and other enter-

tainment options.”

The online directory is part of

a franchise which is seen in the

U.S. and there are a few popping

up in Canada as well, but Swales

has launched the fi rst web site of

its kind in Alberta.

“There are about 450 sites

worldwide. There is also a free

app (MyNightOut) that people

can download and it will link

them up to all of the other sites so

if they are traveling they can see

what is going on in the area they

are visiting.”

Swales, who majored in tour-

ism in college, got involved with

RedDeerNightOut.com after do-

ing some research online and see-

ing a link to the night out sites.

She thought Red Deer could ben-

efi t from one like it.

“I had a passion for being a

hometown tourist – trying out dif-

ferent things that are happening

in and around where I currently

live.”

As part of RedDeerNightOut.

com there is also an ‘ad pints’

program where local businesses

can purchase ad space on a pint

glass. The program is currently

at International Beer Haus &

Stage.

“It’s an easy way for other busi-

nesses in town to target a specifi c

clientele,” said Swales. “It’s great

because you have a captive audi-

ence.”

In addition, RedDeerNightOut.

com is holding a monthly contest

via its facebook page and twitter

account for participants to win a

night out in the City.

[email protected]

EASY ACCESS – Access the Red Deer Night Out web site or app from any smart phone or tablet to fi nd out what’s happening in the City tonight, or advertise on one of the Red Deer Night Out and International Beer Haus’ ad pints.

Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express

Web site provides one-stop shop for local fun


SPONSORS

BDC is the Business De-

velopment Bank of Cana-

da. From over 100 offi ces

across the country, BDC

promotes entrepreneur-

ship by providing highly

tailored fi nancing, venture

capital and consulting ser-

vices to entrepreneurs.

A fi nancial institution

owned by the Government

of Canada, BDC has been

serving Canadian entre-

preneurs for more than

65 years. Our team helps

more than 29,000 business-

es reach their full poten-

tial. As a complementary

lender, we offer loans and

investments that supple-

ment services available

from commercial fi nancial

institutions.

We put special focus on

SMEs in sectors such as

manufacturing, exporting,

innovation and knowledge-

based industries. We pay

particular attention to

start-ups, innovators, fast

growth companies, manu-

facturers and exporters.

We also focus on entrepre-

neurs who are working to

commercialize the fruits of

R&D to create innovative

products and globally suc-

cessful companies.

We put entrepreneurs’

success at the heart of all

we do.

Servus Credit Union is

proud to sponsor the Busi-

ness of the Year Awards

and celebrate Small Busi-

ness Week. In fact, we cel-

ebrate the success of small

businesses all year.

Our Business Banking

Centre, located in Servus’

south hill branch, has a

focused, experienced and

supportive team ready

to meet the needs of the

business sector, and our

knowledgeable and friend-

ly staff can manage your

day-to-day business bank-

ing needs at any Servus

branch. We understand

your community and the

local economy, and we con-

sider these factors when

exploring fi nancial solu-

KG Country 95.5FM and

ZED98.9FM are owned and

operated by Newcap Radio,

one of Canada’s leading

radio broadcasters with 88

licenses across Canada in-

cluding 35 locations across

Alberta. Our company

reaches millions of listen-

ers each week through

a variety of formats and

is a recognized industry

leader in radio program-

ming, sales and network-

ing. We are honoured to

partner with the Red Deer

Chamber of Commerce as

sponsors of the 2013 Busi-

ness of the Year Awards.

We are equally honoured to

help support and promote

small business which are

the very backbone of any

strong economy. Our team

is a dedicated, community

focused staff committed

to providing excellence in

our content. Our objective

is to provide exemplary

customer service to our

listeners and our partners

in business. Our aim is to

not only meet but also ex-

ceed all expectations. We

are proud to be located and

operate our business from

Red Deer and to serve and

contribute to not only the

needs of citizens and busi-

nesses in this great Alberta

city but to all in our cover-

age area throughout Cen-

tral Alberta. Industry Can-

ada defi nes small business

as fi rms with fewer than

100 employees. Small busi-

ness in Canada contributes

more than 30% of our na-

tion’s GDP. Small business

owners employ approxi-

mately 48% of the total

labour force in Canada’s

private sector. Small busi-

ness matters to Canada, to

Alberta, to Red Deer and to

all of us at KG Country 95.5

and ZED 98.9.

Collins Barrow is a proud

sponsor of the 2013 Busi-

ness of the Year Awards.

We congratulate all the

fi nalists on their achieve-

ments.

Whether you’re a multi-

million dollar enterprise

or an entrepreneur who

aspires to be one, we work

closely with you to develop

optimal solutions that meet

all your accounting, tax

and advisory needs.

Our partners and pro-

fessionals have experience

with virtually all of Red

Deer’s key industries, from

agriculture and oil and

gas to manufacturing and

distribution. As such, we

offer sector expertise and

regional knowledge to op-

timize every area of your

operations. What’s more,

with offi ces from coast to

coast, we provide seamless

support wherever business

takes you.

For genuine insights,

combined with objective,

actionable advice, turn to

Collins Barrow.

Diamond

Gold

Silver

Platinum

tions for your business. We

have local infl uence over

the fi nancial decisions that

impact you and we’re fl ex-

ible.

Servus has a fi nancial

solution for any business..

Whether you’re an estab-

lished business or just

starting out, we can help

you fi nd just the right bank-

ing solutions to help you

make the most of your time

and energy. After all, we’re

also an Alberta-based busi-

ness that understands the

economic climate you’re

operating in.

Servus Credit Union is

member-owned and pro-

vides fi nancial services

to nearly 390,000 member-

owners from more than

100 locations in 62 commu-

nities across Alberta. Our

vision of building a better

world – one member at a

time inspires our commit-

ment to provide sound, ad-

vice-based fi nancial prod-

ucts and services. We’re

committed to serving our

members and making a dif-

ference in the communities

where they live and work.

Platinum Platinumpassion in radio. Sonia

grew up in Red Deer and

has extensive experience in

broadcasting working as a

television producer in Lloy-

dminster, Saskatoon and

Red Deer. Sonia’s past posi-

tion as executive director

of the Red Deer Downtown

Business Association and

her continued involvement

in the Red Deer Chamber

of Commerce and Rotary

keep her actively involved

in the local business com-

munity.

As an independent, lo-

cally owned company, LA

Radio Group adds diver-

sity to the Central Alberta

radio market. L.A. Radio

Group is a young, dynamic

company that is looking

forward to continuing to

be part of the Central Al-

berta business community

and successful radio broad-

casting business for many

years to come.

*Source: BBM Fall 2012:

Full Coverage BBM Spring

2013: Red Deer Ctrl, Mo- --

Su, 5A- --1A, %AQH Audi-

ence, A12+

**Source: BBM Fall

2012: Full Coverage BBM

Spring 2013: Red Deer Ctrl,

Mo- --Su, 5A--- 1A, %AQH

Audience, 12+

It starts with a vision.

Where others see an empty

space, you see a dream.

We get that, which is why

we’re proud to support

Small Business Week in

Red Deer and across Al-

berta. After all, like you, an

Alberta business too. We

have worked with innova-

tive Albertans for 75 years

and understand doing busi-

ness in Alberta. We are not

only here to help and sup-

port you with your bank-

ing needs, but to be part

of helping you grow your

businesses and achieving

your goals. Learn more

about how ATB Financial

can help you achieve your

dreams and grow Alberta.

Visit www.atb.com/busi-

ness.

Silver

recognizing the incredible

contributions that small

businesses make to our

communities through busi-

ness opportunities and em-

ployment, and their overall

contribution to Canada’s

prosperity. This October,

TD is sponsoring, hosting

and participating in a num-

ber of activities and events

across the country to show

our support to small busi-

nesses and entrepreneurs

in our communities. There

are over one million small

businesses in Canada.

And these small busi-

nesses drive almost half of

Canada’s gross domestic

product. So it is clear just

how important small busi-

nesses are to the quality

of life in our communities

and how they drive signifi -

cant growth in the overall

economy. And at TD we’re

committed to supporting

that growth. Small busi-

nesses don’t just provide

local employment oppor-

tunities. They are also of-

ten involved in their local

communities, supporting

charitable causes, business

improvement associations,

sponsoring sports teams,

etc. At TD, we believe in

the same kind of commu-

nity involvement. We give

signifi cantly at the corpo-

rate level every year. And

we also encourage our em-

ployees to get out there and

get involved in their local

communities. And we have

a formal employee volun-

teer program that supports

this. TD is committed to

continue to support the

small business community.

We recognize the powerful

role small businesses and

entrepreneurs play in the

quality of life we are lucky

enough to enjoy in Canada.

So this October, we thank

small business owners and

entrepreneurs for their

hard work, creativity, pas-

sion and ability to “dream

big”. Without your contri-

butions, our communities,

and our country, would

look very different indeed.

Platinum

L.A. Radio Group is an

independent, locally owned

corporation operating two

radio stations -- Sunny 94 in

Lacombe and KRAZE 101.3

in Red Deer.

KRAZE 101.3, Red Deer’s

hit music station reaches

44,800 listeners weekly*

with their Top 40 hits music

format. Sunny 94, Central

Alberta’s greatest hits sta-

tion reaches 33,100 Central

Alberta listeners weekly**

with their classic hits mu-

sic format.

L.A. Radio Group’s man-

agement team are seasoned

broadcasters from the Cen-

tral Alberta community.

Husband and wife team

Troy Schaab, president and

Sonia Sawyer-Schaab, CFO

are the founders and own-

er-operators of LA Radio

Group formed in 2005.

Troy and Sonia believe

understanding and being

involved in the local mar-

ket is what makes a radio

station successful. This be-

lief is one of the underpin-

ning values of L.A. Radio

Group. Troy plays a major

role in Central Alberta’s

community, living and

working here for the past 17

years following his life-long

This year, TD is celebrat-

ing small businesses and

entrepreneurs through-

out the entire month of

October. It is our way of

Gold

Small business owners

often start up businesses

based on a deep personal

passion. They bring their

own special talents to the

products and services they

offer to consumers – talents

that are more enjoyable

and often far removed from

the many “paperwork” de-

tails that often take up so

much of a working day.

Small business owners

can fi ll in the gaps between

what they like to do and

what they have to do, by

having better and easy ac-

cess to relevant resources,”

says Rina Pillitteri, nation-

al director, small business,

RBC Royal Bank. “That’s

where the expertise of or-

ganizations such as banks

comes into play”.

Pillitteri adds that in

addition to providing tai-

lored products and advice

to clients, they also pro-

vide online resources to

all small businesses. This

web site, www.rbc.com/

tips, provides advice on

key aspects of starting up

and growing a business,

including matching fi nanc-

ing solutions to your needs;

keeping your cash fl owing;

building a better business;

making sense of taxes and

opening a business depos-

its account.

New tips are added

throughout the year to cre-

ate a comprehensive advice

archive for Canadian small

business owners. People

who visit the site also have

the opportunity to submit

tips of their own – the web

site is an interactive meet-

ing place, where small busi-

ness owners and aspiring

entrepreneurs can share


SPONSORSSilver

and learn from the real

life experiences of oth-

ers. For more information,

please call 1-800-ROYAL-20

(769-2520) and to fi nd valu-

able small business tips

and resources online,

please visit www.rbc.com/

tips.

Since 1988, the Red Deer

College Alumni Associa-

tion has worked to engage

our alumni and promote

the goodwill, prestige and

reputation for excellence

RDC has earned in its fi rst

half century. The Associa-

tion is dedicated to ensur-

ing that RDC continues to

be a critical service for all

Central Albertans.

Maintaining informed,

interested and committed

alumni is the optimal way

to promote and encourage

the well being of the Col-

lege. Building on the friend-

ships and associations

established while they at-

tended RDC, our alumni

share a rich and rewarding

legacy as they pave the way

for future generations to

share in that success.

Stantec, founded in 1954,

provides professional con-

sulting services in plan-

ning, engineering, archi-

tecture, interior design,

landscape architecture,

surveying, environmental

sciences, project manage-

ment, and project econom-

ics for infrastructure and

facilities projects. Continu-

ally striving to balance eco-

nomic, environmental, and

social responsibilities, we

are recognized as a world-

class leader and innovator

in the delivery of sustain-

able solutions. We support

public and private sector

clients in a diverse range

of markets at every stage,

from the initial concep-

tualization and fi nancial

feasibility study to project

completion and beyond.

Locally, Stantec occupies

the top six fl oors of Stantec

Executive Place in Down-

town Red Deer. This offi ce

serves as the hub of the

Alberta central and north-

ern region which includes

offi ces in Fort McMurray,

Grande Prairie, Cold Lake

and Lac La Biche as well

as Whitehorse, Yellowknife

and Iqaluit in Canada’s

North.

For the last two decades,

our inspired team has

taken on projects know-

ing that our work and our

clients are transforming

our community. Whether

it is designing new residen-

tial neighbourhoods like

Inglewood, Vanier Woods

or Timberlands, providing

transportation solutions

like the North Highway

Connector or delivering a

more effi cient waste water

treatment infrastructure

for the region, our commit-

ment to Central Alberta

resonates loud and clear.

In simple terms, the

world of Stantec is the wa-

ter we drink, the routes we

travel, the buildings we vis-

it, the industries in which

we work, and the neigh-

bourhoods we call home.

Our services are provided

on projects around the

world through approxi-

mately 13,000 employees

operating out of more

than 200 locations in North

America and four locations

internationally.

Stantec - Design with

Community In Mind.

Central Alberta: Access

Prosperity is a non-profi t

economic development ini-

tiative focused on promot-

ing economic growth in the

Central Alberta region. We

represent over 40 munici-

palities, managing projects

that focus on local business

retention and expansion

while also promoting for-

eign direct investment in

the region. We emphasize

our business-to-business

matching program that

connects local companies

with international invest-

ment or trade opportu-

nities, letting our local

business owners be the am-

bassadors for the region.

And, as we keep a running

inventory of all assets in

the region, we are the only

resource site selectors and

investors need when con-

sidering the region.

Silver Silver

Bell is a Canadian leader

in information and com-

munications technology

(ICT) strategies that help

enterprises improve busi-

ness performance, speed

time-to-market, and realize

peace of mind. The founda-

tion of our world-class ICT

infrastructure is a high-

powered reliable network

backed by a multidisci-

plinary team of experts.

Our highly skilled profes-

sionals offer diverse exper-

tise in business process as-

sessment, solution design,

and deployment across a

wide range of industries.

Bell solutions and services

can be customized to meet

industry-specifi c needs and

satisfy current and future

business demands.

HSBC Bank Canada,

a subsidiary of HSBC

Holdings plc, is the lead-

ing international bank in

Canada. With around 6,600

offi ces in 80 countries and

territories and assets of

US$2,645 billion at June 30,

2013, the HSBC Group is

one of the world’s largest

banking and fi nancial ser-

vices organizations.

For nearly 150 years,

we have been where the

growth is, connecting cus-

tomers to opportunities.

Today, HSBC Commercial

SilverBanking serves businesses

ranging from small enter-

prises to large multination-

als in over

Sixty developed and

faster-growing markets

around the world. Whether

it is working capital, trade

fi nance or payments and

cash management solu-

tions, we provide the tools

and expertise that busi-

nesses need to thrive. With

a network covering three

quarters of global com-

merce, we make HSBC the

world’s leading interna-

tional trade and business

bank.

What do you want to do

today? The Redwoods Re-

tirement Residence serves

seniors from independent

care to those that need

daily care or assisted liv-

ing. We strive to nurture

the mind, body, and spirit.

Healthy seniors need more

than health care, we pro-

mote active aging through

exercise programs catering

to all fi tness levels, men-

tal aerobics to keep minds

sharp and a variety of so-

cial, spiritual and wellness

programs to ensure Red-

woods Seniors have it all!

With three homemade

delicious meals served

daily, weekly housekeep-

ing and transportation

services for shopping and

appointments, you set the

pace of life at The Red-

woods.

Silver

“REaction Marketing is a

marketing, web design and

creative services agency

located in downtown Red

Deer.

We are a team of nine

full-time creative profes-

sionals that love what we

do and always put our cli-

ents fi rst.

We do this by listening,

learning and defi ning real-

istic goals that ensure you

are receiving value and ROI

for your marketing dollars.

We value the lasting re-

lationships we have built

with so many of our clients,

but this wasn’t by accident

- it comes from consistently

delivering a very high level

of service while offering

original, strategic and cre-

ative thinking, backed up

by design and technical ex-

cellence.

Friends ofBusiness

of theYear

Awards

Here’s how to improve your odds abroadIf you’re an entrepreneur with growth

on your mind, the place to look for fresh

markets is no longer just the U.S., the Eu-

ropean Union or Japan. It’s increasingly

important to consider China, India, Bra-

zil and emerging countries in Southeast

Asia, says Frank Pho, vice president,

global expansion, at the Business Devel-

opment Bank of Canada (BDC).

China’s economy grew by over 10%

annually from 2000 to 2010, while India’s

expanded by 7% yearly and Brazil’s has

grown by nearly 4% per year. Meanwhile,

the economies of Canada, the U.S. and

the European Union each grew by less

than 2% annually. “The emerging mar-

kets are where you have constant GDP

growth. Going to those countries should

no longer be a question of why, but rather

a question of how,” Pho says. Expanding

into these markets offers not just growth

potential but also much needed diversifi -

cation, he says.

Just 8% of Canadian exports explore

the fastest-growing emerging markets,

while 85% still focus on the mature devel-

oped world. Many companies don’t even

consider pursuing international sales,

and Pho says that can be dangerous. “If

you don’t expand abroad, you’re playing

a defensive game, because you will still

be competing against foreign companies

doing business in Canada.”

Canadian entrepreneurs need “a para-

digm shift” to catch up, Pho says. Many

start selling abroad without an under-

standing of the target market’s behav-

iour, their different supply chain and/

or business practices, which results in

costly false starts.

Entrepreneurs must adopt the con-

sumer mindset of the target country and

adapt their products and solutions. Too

often, Canadian companies fail because

they assume a product that sells in Cana-

da will sell elsewhere.

It’s important to get help from advi-

sors who understand the local consumer

mindset, target market and players in

the supply chain, Pho says. This process

can take two to three months, but it will

save you a couple of trips. You will then

need an additional six months to a year

to adapt your product, develop a rela-

tionship with in-country partners and

validate the business model before you’re

ready for a full launch.

That’s often much more time than Ca-

nadian companies give themselves. “Ca-

nadians often want to get a deal signed

with a local partner after a couple of

meetings. That won’t work in a country

like China. They want to get to know you

and build a relationship,” Pho says.

Robert Desrosiers agrees. He started

marketing his company, RH Hydrau-

lique—which makes telescoping ladders

used on utility trucks—in developing

countries fi ve years ago. Sales have just

started to pick up now from those efforts,

but they already represent 15% to 20% of

his revenues. “It’s just the beginning. The

potential is enormous,” he says.

Managing an international team of

employees or overseas partners can be

tricky. You often have to negotiate across

thousands of kilometres of time zones,

language and cultural differences, and

unfamiliar business practices and rules.

Pho advises developing two layers of

checks and balances to improve your

odds of success: create a “multi-level”

monitoring system - don’t rely just on

communications with the person desig-

nated to work with you.

Establish “multi-dimensional” moni-

toring - by developing contacts up and

down your supply chain in the local

country. This helps you keep ahead of

changing market conditions and gives

you quick access to alternate supply op-

tions, if needed. -BDC


71 St

Grant St

68 St

67 St

Ga

etz (50

th) Ave

Red Deer6858 Gaetz Avenue 403 986-8855

Monday to Saturday: 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.Sunday: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Thanks rise shine

to you

we and

Warmest thank you from the entire Cora team!

We couldn’t have done it without you!

GOLDEN FORK AWARDS

2013 Readers’ Choice Awards

BRUNCH

GOLDEN FORK AWARDS

2013 Readers’ Choice Awards

BREAKFAST

BY JENNA SWANRed Deer Express

Two years after opening their

doors with nothing but their own

stock on the shelves, the walls at

Big Gold Pawnshop are now lined

with high-caliber guitars and a

variety of interesting goods.

Co-owner Trevor White, who

owns the business alongside

his wife Kim and friend Darren

Kshyk, explains that if you’re

looking for junk try a garage sale,

because Big Gold only buys and

sells the best. It shows in their in-

ventory with a collection of jew-

ellery, guitars and electronics.

Aside from customer-pawned

items, the shop also brings in a

range of products of their own

which White explains stems from

the starting days of Big Gold

when they wanted to start out

right with full shelves.

“Unlike other pawnshops we

bring in our own merchandise,”

said White. “Because when we

fi rst opened up we wanted to en-

sure that we had good quality

products for sale every day.”

White went on to explain that

often times when they were start-

ing, they would fi ll up the coun-

ters in the morning with items

acquired from customers just for

someone to come in and say ‘I

want that, that, that, and that.’

“Then you’re left with noth-

ing on your shelves,” said White.

“And when you fi rst open you

want people to come and shop but

we had trouble keeping anything

on the shelves. So we started

bringing in the shirts, masks and

some jewellery and our custom-

ers love us for it.”

The recent trend of acquir-

ing vintage items with character

value has left the Big Gold Pawn

shop happy business owners.

“We can’t keep record players

on the shelves right now,” ex-

plains White to a young customer

who came in looking for a turnta-

ble. “As soon as we get them they

are gone the next day.”

The shop also carries a vari-

ety of vinyl to accompany the

turntables they see come and go

so quickly. White explains that

although the shop has had their

rocky moments over the last two

years, sales are increasing and

their customer base is growing.

“Pawnshops are just like any

other business,” said White. “You

don’t make any money for the

fi rst while when you’re starting

out, but now we are really start-

ing to see things take off.”

While he often sees specialty

items coming through the shop,

it was the merchandise they or-

dered in that kept them going the

last two years.

“We like to do the specialty,

in fact we love to do it but some-

times it can be hard to sell,” ex-

plains White. “You need to fi nd

the right person to buy it.”

White explains that over the

last two years he has learned

to try and just stick to the bet-

ter items when purchasing from

customers. From that ideology

he has developed a vast item base

that gets only what he thinks

his customers will want into the

shop. “I get American Gibson and

Fender guitars and I’d like to try

to get into art more. We also get

some interesting, cool stuff com-

ing through because of that. The

idea is just to keep the shop roll-

ing right now.”

[email protected]

GOLDEN FINDS – Co-owners of the Big Gold Pawnshop, Kim and Trevor White display their collection of fi ne guitars and jewelery for sale in their shop located just off Gaetz Ave. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express

Big Gold Pawnshop continues to see success


A Great Place To Live, Work & Grow

SMALL BUSINESS THRIVESIN

RED DEER COUNTY

www.rdcounty.ca

To learn more about howCentral Alberta: Access Prosperitycan help your business become strong,stable and ready to grow, contact:[email protected]

We all know Canada’s population is ag-

ing. But how will changing demographics

affect your business?

First, the good news. Aging consumers

have different buying habits, so that means

opportunities if you’re creative. The bad

news is that as baby boomers retire, many

businesses will face labour shortages be-

cause not enough younger workers will be

around to take their place.

Either way, businesses that don’t adapt to

the aging population could face challenges

and are going to miss opportunities, says

Pierre Cléroux, chief economist at the Busi-

ness Development Bank of Canada (BDC).

The impacts are already being felt in

some sectors and regions where business-

es are struggling to fi nd younger employ-

ees to replace retiring boomers.

In the next 20 years, the median age

of Canadians is expected to rise to 45, up

from 26 in 1991, Statistics Canada proj-

ects. Twenty years ago, nearly two people

entered the labour force for every person

nearing retirement. Today, the ratio is one

to one, and it is expected to drop further.

Cléroux says entrepreneurs can take

steps to adapt. “Every sector of the econ-

omy is going to be impacted.” To deal with

the coming labour crunch, you can start

by creating more accommodating work-

places to entice aging employees to put off

retirement, he suggests. Older workers of-

ten can’t or don’t want to work full-time.

Flexible hours, part-time jobs and tempo-

rary work are ways to keep them on board.

Some companies also deliberately recruit

seniors to fi ll labour gaps.

“Older workers usually have a great work

ethic and experience. Businesses will need

to keep their people working for them lon-

ger. The perception is that at 65 people are

done. That perception will have to change.”

Les MacIntyre believes in retaining old-

er employees to make up for a shortage of

younger workers at his company, Super-

port Marine Services. He has no mandato-

ry retirement age and offers retirees fl ex-

ible, part-time and temporary jobs. He also

pairs them with younger workers to pass

on skills. “Those guys pick up a wealth

of expertise. The retired guys have the

patience to pass on that knowledge. They

bring a lifetime of skill,” he says.

MacIntyre also works hard to foster a pos-

itive workplace culture so retirees are eager

to come back. “I try to instill a stimulating

and satisfying workplace so they enjoy work-

ing here and I have a high retention rate.”

Another solution is immigration, which

has always been important in addressing

labour shortages in Canada, Cléroux says.

That role will grow: 20 years from now,

32% of the labour force will have been born

outside Canada, versus 21% today.

Cléroux says Canadian entrepreneurs

will need to be more welcoming to foreign-

born workers. “Businesses will have to be

more fl exible in accepting people trained,

educated and born outside Canada.”

Creative changes will be needed to re-

main competitive, he adds. “We can no

longer do the same things as in the past.

The structure of the last 40 years is going

to have to change. But if we do things cor-

rectly, we should be able to retain Canada’s

competitive position.”

- BDC Canada

Boomers and your business


‘Your Total Home Comfort Specialists’

Small Business of the Year Nominee2013

‘an Independent Lennox Dealer’

Residential & Commercial

Furnace Replacements

Air Conditioning

Garage & Shop Heaters

Indoor Air Quality

Maintenance

www.CanAirHeating.com

24 hr Emergency Service403.358.3730

We would like to thank the people who nominated Can-Air for Small Business of the Year 2013

We are very proud!

• STEEL STUD • DRYWALL• INSULATION• ALL TYPES OF CEILINGS

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL

403-346-0116 RED DEER

ServingCentralAlberta

since 1985

Red Deer

PEACE-OF-MIND MAINTENANCE SERVICESERVICE INCLUDES:• Up to 5 litres of Genuine Mopar® Motor Oil• Mopar Oil Filter• Rota on of 4 res• Free washer solvent top-up• Peace-of-Mind Inspec on of cooling system, all uid Levels, electronic ba ery test, front and rear brake Systems, exhaust system and suspension system• Provide wri en report• Manufacturer’s Check

*Environmental handling charges may apply. Addi onal charges may be applied based on vehicle con gura on and

op ons, and uid disposal. See your dealer for details.Synthe c/semi-synthe c oil available at addi onal cost

$7495*V6

$7995*Hemi

$6995*

www.southsidedodgechrysler.com

E-commerce is revolutionizing the way

Canadians do business, but Canadian en-

trepreneurs are missing out. Just 10% of

small businesses were selling online last

year, Statistics Canada says.

Meanwhile, Canadian consumers spent

an estimated $21 billion on online pur-

chases last year, up nearly 30% in just two

years, according to research fi rm eMar-

keter.

“The world is moving toward this type of

commerce,” says Anita Bezeau, Assistant

Vice President, Information and Commu-

nication Technology Solutions at the Busi-

ness Development Bank of Canada (BDC).

“Canadians are online, but Canadian busi-

nesses aren’t there.

“The result is Canadian consumers are

buying online from the U.S. and other

countries.”

Get your feet wet

The good news: It’s never been easier or

cheaper to get started in e-commerce. No

longer do businesses need to invest huge

sums in an e-commerce web site.

You can create a sales-ready site with no

programming knowledge using free ser-

vices such as OpenCart and PrestaShop, or

inexpensive providers such as Shopify and

eBay Stores.

These sites come with an online shop-

ping cart, product catalogues and the abili-

ty to pay via credit cards or other methods,

such as PayPal. Also included are options

for customer reviews and feedback, and

data on your sales to help you track per-

formance.

“If you know how to use e-mail, you can

build an e-commerce site in 15 minutes,”

says Harley Finkelstein, Chief Platform

Offi cer at Shopify, a leading e-commerce

web site provider.

E-commerce can level the playing fi eld

for small businesses, including those in

small towns, Finkelstein notes.

Online sales allow you to punch far

above your weight in attracting customers.

With a well-designed web site, a small busi-

ness can reach as many people online as a

much larger company.

Plus, your site can be seen worldwide 24

hours a day, and Internet marketing tends

to be cheaper than traditional methods.

“The Internet has democratized entre-

preneurship,” Finkelstein adds. “Thanks

to the Internet, I think the future of com-

merce belongs to small businesses.” Anoth-

er advantage: E-commerce lets businesses

test products and marketing approaches

at little cost, while getting quick feedback

from potential customers.

The online advantage - unlike a bricks-

and-mortar store, where you might be

stuck with the same product display for

months because of the investment, an e-

commerce site can be changed for free in

minutes to include new products or a dif-

ferent look, Finkelstein says.

You can then quickly check your web

traffi c data to see how clients are respond-

ing to your changes.

E-commerce allows the kind of trial and

error that entrepreneurs often need to do

before succeeding, Finkelstein says.

“One of the advantages of online sales

is you can pivot quickly.” Bezeau agrees:

“The cost of entry is very low. The Internet

allows you to try and fail and learn.”

Selling over the Internet helps stream-

line order processing, reducing costs and

errors, Bezeau adds.

And it offers businesses a “huge compet-

itive edge” because of the convenience of

online ordering, she says. “The more con-

venience you create for clients, the more

they’ll stick with your business.”

Here are three tips for e-commerce suc-

cess.

1- Start small - don’t get bogged down

trying to create a huge, high-end website

featuring hundreds of products. Start with

a free or low-cost e-commerce site, and test

three or four products to gauge customer

interest while working out the kinks in

your ordering and fulfi llment process.

2- Test and learn - don’t expect to suc-

ceed with your fi rst efforts. “It’s really

about learning,” BDC’s Anita Bezeau

says. “Technology allows us to do and test

quickly and economically.”

3- Be attractive - in your online store,

feature attractive product images, clear de-

scriptions and an easily navigable layout,

so visitors can quickly fi nd what they’re

looking for and make a purchase.

Also, engage visitors with fun and edu-

cational extras: how-to tips for products,

interesting videos and background infor-

mation on the story of your company.

- Business Development Centre

Not selling online yet? Here’s why you should


IIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY/////////////////RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTIIIIIIIIIIIIIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG//////////////////////////////DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

With over 40 years of design and construction experience.

RED DEER I EDMONTON I CALGARY

s c o t t b u i l d e r s . c o m


City Motion is a fi tness

center looking to change

the way people work out.

Co-owners Krystal

Kromm and Jonathan

Wieler said there were a lot

of driving factors behind

opening City Motion.

“Part of wanting to open

it was the mom and me

classes and being able to

bring the kids to class.

“I’m a mom, I have four

kids, and I could go and

sign up for classes but then

I had to pay child minding

and the fee for class,” said

Kromm.

She added that City Mo-

tion is different in that

you pay your monthly fee

and you can attend any

number of classes within

that month, and the child

friendly space is included

in the fee.

Wieler said his motiva-

tion for getting involved

opening City Motion was

the drive to provide a group

atmosphere for working

out.

“When I used to go to the

gym I would put my head-

phones on and run on the

treadmill for a half an hour

and then go home and quit.

Being in a group of people

who are like-minded with

the same goals is a big mo-

tivator.”

He added that at a gym if

you go by yourself you may

spend two hours there and

get half the workout you

would in a group setting.

“A lot of people really

just want to come in and

get their workout done, but

at the same time you’re get-

ting the motivation of be-

ing in a group setting.”

City Motion is all about

community and family fi rst

values, said Wieler.

This is why, he said, the

area for children is de-

signed so that moms can

see their children while

they work out, and chil-

dren can see their parents

as well.

“It’s great because they

see mom or dad working

out and they’re learning

healthy values and that

it’s cool to work out,” said

Wieler.

Kromm is the primary

boot camp instructor with

City Motion and said that

what the classes really try

to focus on is functional fi t-

ness.

“When you go to the gym

and do leg lifts, you’re prac-

ticing a motion you don’t

necessarily use on a daily

basis. We try to work the

muscles in the ways that

people use them all day and

every day,” said Kromm.

Some of these motions

include rotating at the hips

which is a common offi ce

movement when reaching

around for objects. Kromm

said practicing functional

fi tness is key to a healthy

body.

“We have such a wide va-

riety of classes including a

special needs class. We re-

ally just want fi tness to be

easily accessible for every-

body,” said Kromm.

Part of City Motion’s

statement is that they get

you in shape faster than

the gym.

“You can come so often

without having to pay high-

er rates or having to pay

a personal trainer three

times a week. All of our

instructors are personal

trainers so you’re getting

that service but for a lower

rate,” said Kromm.

The reason Kromm said

this is important is instead

of signing up for Tuesdays

and Thursdays at a set

time, pass holders are in-

vited to take part in classes

whenever they are able to,

even if that’s a different

time of day every day of

the week.

[email protected]

City Motion offers versatility in fi tness programs

“A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY JUST WANT

TO COME IN AND GET THEIR WORKOUT DONE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU’RE GETTING THE MOTIVATION OF BEING IN A GROUP SETTING.”

JONATHAN WIELER

• Home Watch™ • Pet Watch™• Custom Shopping • Personal Assistant

• Auto Care • Senior & Convalescent Services• Business Services • Employee Incentive Packages

• Free Quotes• Customized Service• Reasonable Rates• Licensed and Insured

SOLUTIONS FORSOLUTIONS FORSOLUTIONS FORToday’s LifestyleToday’s LifestyleToday’s LifestyleToday’s Lifestyle

403.302.9032RED DEER, ALBERTA

www.metroconcierge.ca


We live and work where you do. Which is why we have a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in your market.

Get the Servus Business Banking team working for you. Let’s talk.

servus.ca | 187SERVUSCU

Before advising your business,

we get to know your business.

feel good about your money.


Are you positioned to hire and retain quality employees in a tightening job market?

Get a competitive edge by putting the Alberta Blue Cross advantage to work for you.Alberta Blue Cross delivers the group benefits that employees prefer, and the value your business needs.

www.ab.bluecross.ca/group

Need a benefit plan for your business, but don’t have much time on your hands?

We make it easy for you to get a group benefit plan—providing you with a confidential no-obligation quote, easy sign-up and hassle-free

plan administration.

ABC 83098 2013/01

Call us today! Red Deer 403-347-7999 Toll-free 1-866-513-2555

Special Features - Small Business 2013

Documents

Transcript of Special Features - Small Business 2013