comox valley business gazette jun/jul 2012

AZETTEUSINESS

TELL US WHAT YOUTHINK

Make a charitable gift.

WWW.BUSINESSGAZETTE.CA

THE COMOX VALLEY

APRIL 2011

GBJUN/JUL 2012

The time is now to ‘green up’ your businessBethany Pearce

See ‘Real Estate’ Pg. 4

Alot of us think aboutmaking our work-places more energy

efficient, but how many ofus do much more thanputting a recycling bin inthe lunchroom orinstalling a few compactfluorescentlight bulbs?If you’ve been

putting offthose eco-upgrades toyour commer-cial space,now’s the timeto “green up.”In fact, there’srarely been a better timeto undertake a commer-cial renovation.The construction industry

isn’t nearly as busy as itonce was. One of the

main factors in the declineof volume is the upcomingswitch from the HST backto the old PST/GST model.Many people are choosingto hold off on their resi-dential renovation andconstruction plans in

order to savethe PST portion. This unique sit-

uation givescommercialproperty own-ers/managersa doubleadvantagewhen consider-ing commercial

renovations.First, because the indus-

try is so slow, contractorsand designers are morelikely to offer competitivebids on your commercialproject, and they may

even be more open tonegotiation than theywould otherwise. Pricesfor materials and labourare also becoming morecompetitive, so additionalsavings not easilyachieved during boomtimes can be had simplyby getting multiple quotesfrom trusted suppliers andtradespeople.Second, as an HST-regis-

tered business, you getback every penny of HSTyou pay on your businessexpenses. So by undertak-ing your project now, you’llget every cent of your 12per cent HST back, asopposed to just five percent that you’d get if youwait until next spring.When you factor in profes-sional fees such as feasi-bility, design and engi-

neering, you’re looking tosave a whole lot of money.

“Green up”If your business goalsinclude introducing a“greener” work environ-ment, you have a wideselection of innovative,

practical and eco-friendlymaterials from which tochoose. Even salvaged orrecycled materials can besourced creatively, andwhen designed andinstalled professionallycan make for a veryrespected professional

image and even save youmoney through greaterenergy efficiency.

Bethany Pearce is aVancouver Island-borndesign-build professionaland a partner in CapstoneDwellings Design-Build.

“... there's rarelybeen a better

time to undertakea commercial renovation.”

Bethany Pearce, of Capstone Dwellings Design-Build, says now's the time for commercial renovations. See her top picks for eco-upgrades on page 7. .

Dianne Hawkins, CV Chamber of Commerce Pres. & CEO.

See ‘Sustainability’ Pg. 7

Intel Parkconcepthas Valleytalking...

Last issue’s report onJames Smith’s push

to establish a technologypark in the Comox Valleyreally got the communitytalking. See page 10 forsome highlights.

Printing is a necessityfor almost all busi-nesses. It can also be

a powerful marketing toolto increase revenue. Butwhat kind of printer is idealfor your business?

That depends on a fewfactors. What is your present printing volume?How much will your volumeincrease in the future?

What is the volume ofblack &white vs. colour?And what kind of prints are

you producing? Depending on the answers

there are a number of dif-ferent approaches to take.

Consumer Printers: Youcan buy a consumer-oriented printer at a typicalBig Box store. As long asyour volume is quite lowand you’re not going towork it too hard, it’s a very good choice. The definition of low

volume depends onwhether you’re doing

Is your business dataimportant to you? Howimportant would it be to

someone else — say, a

competitor or a disgruntled employee? How much would it cost

your company — in dollarsand credibility — if wordgot out that you somehow“misplaced”confidentialinformationabout clients,patients oremployees?If these questions make you nervous, read on.Most business peoplethese days know the

importance of data back-ups. (If you’re not one ofthem, we seriously needto talk!) But just how safeis your backed-up data?External drives are so

small andportablethese days,they’re easyto lose. Theftis less of aconcern here

than it is in a big city, butit still happens. For many businesses, the

Iam very excited to havethe opportunity to writethe real estate column

for the business Gazetteand hope that my wordswill simultaneously entertain and educate. Inmy first column I wouldlike to go over my assessment of how themarket has performed inrecent history and where Ithink that it is headed.

Working as a full timeRealtor has allowed me togain a great deal ofinsight into the housingand overall economic conditions of the valley.Despite the last three andhalf years of recession Ihave managed to continuously finish in thetop five out of 60+Realtors in my office everyyear. I have been able to

Working closely withthe Ministry, theBC Chamber of

Commerce has created a$3.1 million pilot programto allow the BC Chamberand its local Chamber ofCommerce members todeliver training to smallbusiness owners andenhance their skills.Training will be targeted

to micro-business ownerswho have less than fiveemployees and no post-secondary education, orother recognized certifica-

tion. Eligible participantscan receive up to $1,500to cover the cost of train-ing fees, materials andtravel.“This program leverages

the unique ability of theChamber of CommerceNetwork to deliver skillstraining to micro businessowners in the sectorswhich need it most,” saidDianne Hawkins,President & CEO of the CVChamber of Commerce,whom you can call at250.334.3234.

What kind of Multi-Function Printershould you buy for your office?

Protecting your backed-up data Small business training program announced

State of real estate in the Valley

Don Linder, AGS Business Systems

Matt Behrens, PrimeTek IT Solutions

James Smith —Royal LePage

See ‘Printer’ Pg. 4

See ‘Backup’ Pg. 4

survive where many havefailed by doing extensiveamounts of homeworkand finding value, if notgreat bargains, for myclients. Anyone living andworking in the Valley isacutely aware that ourlocal housing sector hasseen a reduction in values, longer periods oftime for homes on themarket and greater bargaining powers of the

“If these questionsmake you nervous,

read on.”

Sustainability Issue 2012

Comox Valley Business Gazette — Jun/Jul 2012

www. businessgazette.ca

www.businessgazette.caThe Comox Valley Business Gazette is delivered eight timesper year to every business address in the Comox Valley.

Associate Publisher: Jim McQuillanExecutive Editor: Ryan Parton

Advertising Inquiries: 250.897.5064 / 250.702.1103 or [email protected]

Editorial inquiries: [email protected]

The opinions, ideas and advice of columnists and contributors tothe Comox Valley Business Gazette are theirs alone and do notnecessarily reflect the views of this newspaper.

WordStreet

onthe

“Full-suspension mountainbikes, 5-10 bike shoes,Chromag bars and reverbheight-adjustable posts.” —Jeff Beeston, Trail Bikes

Ducky 500 tickets! Betweennow and July 1, Rotarian and

former citizen of the year JohnMarinus says he’ll visit 90% of

Valley businesses with achance to purchase a duck.

“Community service is my wayof repaying the fact that

Canadians liberated my coun-try,” says the Dutch immigrant.

“Animals Taste Good - aka Death by Burgerito! It’sgrilled chicken, crispy bacon and piles of shaved ham,topped with pepper smoked brie, crazy mayo, lettuceand tomato and served on our toasted easy rye bread...snort, growl, bark, moan or whatever it takes to get thisone down!” — Amanda Longman, Mad Chef Cafe

“Bring Up the Bodies byHilary Mantel, and Bucket ofBlood by K. Bannerman.Everybody is buying that.”Jane Masutani, LaughingOyster Bookshop

Ties! Bright, bold andsilk ties. Socks, too!”— Drew Bradley, Jim's Clothes Closet

“Hair designs.(Think like atattoo, onlycut into thehair.) Well, foryounger men,anyway. Forg e n t l e m e nover 40, theCaesar cut.”— RyanOrdway, HubB a r b e rStylists inCourtenay

“Historical fiction like JackWhite or Conn Iggulden. BChistory is big for non-fiction.Two years ago it was militarybooks.” Craig Carson,Second Page Used Books

Courtenay Employers! Need help hiring?

Working together to help keep BC strong

We specialize in connecting you with your next great hire, at no cost to you!

Save time ��

Reduce turnover ��" �� #��$��$��$�$��

Save money �� $��$��$��%&'�($�)$�$�*+�-��.��$��/&'�($�)$�$�*+�-��.��0�� 1�� $�$��$0��

What are your options?��2��3��$��$��$��0��$��)��$��

How do you get started?4��5��6� ��7%&�88+�94+8��$��)��7��#��$��$�� $��$0��$�� 8��:�� $��

;��<��#��"5�� )��=��>��$��

1.888.388.4217 | www.MyJobOptionsBC.ca

250-941-2243

Question of the Month:What’s popular? What’s selling?


FREE email subscription at www.businessgazette.ca

Community Futures consolidates offices

Budget Blinds launches commercial division

Community FuturesStrathcona (CFS) hasmade a strategic

decision to close its down-town Courtenay office andmove its entire operationto Campbell River. Themove was made to realignoperations and betterserve its region, whichstretches from Fanny Bayto Sayward and west toGold River and Tahsis. “The decision to maintain

one centre effectively galvanizes our strengthsand consolidates services,which stretch across abroad geographic region,”explains CFS general

manager Marc Crane.“Advances in technologyhave reduced the need fortwo locations. Focusing onservices, rather than onmaintaining infrastructure,is a win-win situation forCommunity Futures andfor emerging businessesand community projects in the region.” Generating development

and growth of entrepre-neurship and communityprojects continues to bethe mandate of CFS. Since its inception, theorganization has providedmore than 900 loans tolocal businesses that have

created and maintainedmore than 3,000 jobs. Aswell, CFS has been instru-mental in the growth ofsignificant non-profit initia-tives in arts and cultureand other sectors. “Although we’re focusing

on one administrativeoffice, we remain open forbusiness right across theregion,” says Crane. “Wecontinue to provide loanfinance to entrepreneursstarting or expanding theirbusinesses as we’ve donefor more than 25 years.” Community Futures

Strathcona is a registeredcorporation governed by a

volunteer board of direc-tors. The network ofCommunity Futuresoffices across Canada, ofwhich CFS is a part, wasestablished in 1985 toprovide communities withservices ranging frombusiness developmentloans, technical support,training and information,strategic planningprocesses and support fora diverse range of community economicdevelopment projects. For more information

about CFS visit www.cfs-trathcona.ca or call250.830.0999.

North America’slargest network ofwindow coverings

specialists has officiallyentered the commercialmarket.BB Commercial

Solutions, the brand newcommercial division ofBudget Blinds, is repre-sented in the ComoxValley by franchise ownerStu Tunheim, who’s excit-ed about serving the localbusiness community.“What BB Commercial

Solutions offers businessowners and property managers is a completelyturnkey solution for theirwindow covering needs,”explains Tunheim, whoalso serves Nanaimo,Parksville and CampbellRiver. “Because we’rebacked by the immensebuying power of theBudget Blinds name, wecan offer some reallycompetitive pricing onpopular and unique window coverings for commercial buildings.”Whereas residential

clients tend to choosewindow coverings for theiraesthetic or perhaps environmental benefits,says Tunheim, commercialclients have a diverserange of specific require-ments. Nonetheless, hesays he’d be surprised if acommercial client didn’tfind the perfect windowtreatment with BBCommercial Solutions.“We carry custom

window covering solutionsfor retail stores, hotels,schools and even healthcare facilities,” heexplains, adding that he’salready serviced promi-nent commercial build-ings like Courtenay CityHall and the new SidWilliams Theatre underthe Budget Blinds name.“Commercial window

treatments are availablemotorized, flame retar-dant, kid friendly, cordlessand even energy conserving. In fact, wehave a whole line of green window coveringsthat are eco-friendly andmade from sustainablematerials.”For hotel and healthcare

clients, or perhaps justbusiness people who liketo nap on the job, BBCommercial Solutionseven offers a completeline of room darkeningdrapery and bedding.Though the name is new

and the focus is slightlydifferent, Tunheimemphasizes that the service his clients receivethrough BB Commercial

Solutions will be on parwith the extremely highstandards he’s set withhis Budget Blinds franchises.“Our success comes

from, and will alwayscome from, the highlyqualified people on ourteam,” he says. “From our

local design consultantsto our installation expertsand administrator, we’reall very passionate aboutdoing the very best job foreach and every client,whether they’re a residential customeraccessing us through theBudget Blinds name or acommercial client taking

advantage of the valuewe’re now offering throughBB CommercialSolutions.”To learn more about BB

Commercial Solutions, orto request a consultation,visit www.BBCommercialSolutions.com or call250.338.8564.

Marc Crane, general manager Community Futures Strathcona

Budget Blinds franchise owner Stu Tunheim (R) and design consultant Chelsy Veniot are excited tolaunch their company's new commercial brand: BB Commercial Solutions.

Our mission is to offer you high quality printer supplies

at unbeatable priceswithout compromising on

genuine quality and service.

Simultaneously save money andbe environmentally conscious!

Serving Beautiful B.C. since 1997


colour or black &white andthe amount you print on atypical page.But anythingunder a fewhundredprints amonth is consideredlow volume. Also consider

whether you’llbe doing a lot of scanning.Some offices do a lot of‘scan-to-email’ and someof the lower-end All-in-Onecopiers could prove frustrating and time consuming.The big advantage to

consumer printers is yourinitial cost is low and forlower volumes you will getadequate performancefrom either a laser or ink-jet printer. A drawback is if you do

print high volume the costof operation can reallytake off on you. I’ve seen a number of

times where people end upspending hundreds of dollars a month on tonerand/or cartridges. Andthese printers break downfaster and add to the land-fills because they aren’tworth investing in repairs.Keep in mind, too, that

some consumer printers; ifyou run out of either acolour or the black, theprinter won’t print. You’llhave to go refill the colourjust to print black &white.

Commercial PrintingServices: This is a greatchoice for a lot of people ifyou’re looking for excep-tionally good quality, orhave high volume needs ofa document that doesn’tchange much. Otherwise,we’ve all had the fun ofrecycling brochures andpamphlets from the backoffice because changeshave been made and theyare no longer current. A downside to commercial

printing is, even thoughthey are in most cases fast

and timely, it’s not like youcan stay up all night atyour local print shop get-ting a job done for themorning. Or sometimes,you need it in an hour andtheir workflow can’taccommodate.

Business Grade Printers:These provide much superior quality over theconsumer printers, but notquite at the quality a com-mercial printer will do forcertain things, like rackcards, glossy brochures,etc. Close, but not quite.

One of the surprising factsabout businessgrade printers isthat if you printsignificant volume they canbe very inexpen-sive to operate. As example,

we have a client who wasspending upwards of$300-$350 a month ontoner and cartridges usinga consumer grade printer.A business grade printerdropped that cost to about$50 for consumables andfull onsite service on theprinter. Of course, the purchase

or lease for a businessgrade printer is more, butthis client is still saving$150-$200 a month.Sometimes, a businessgrade printer can pay foritself in a year. To make an informed

decision you want to takean accurate count of howmuch volume you printnow. If you have a consumer-grade printer,what is your total capitaloutlay on consumables?Plus, how valuable is yourtime for trips to the store,or trying to fix the printeryourself using those alwaysfrustrating help lines? Another point to consider

has to do with the wholegreen/sustainability issue.A business grade printercan easily last four to nine years while a con-sumer-grade printer willend up in the landfill everycouple of years.

AGS Business Systems hasbeen providing office tech-nology to Vancouver Islandcustomers since 1976 andprides itself on being 100%locally Island owned andoperated. Don Linder canbe contacted at the AGSoffice on Cliffe Avenue inCourtenay at [email protected]

“Sometimes, a commercialgrade printer

can pay for itselfin a year.”

relatively low probabilityof someone “finding” theirdata and actually doingharm is an acceptablerisk. (Do you really care ifsome average Joe getshold of your Publisherdocument that demon-strates proper hand-washing procedures?) But what about more

sensitive documents suchas employee records,client details and financialreports? Some business-es have a legal obligationto prevent this data fromgetting out. Others don’tbut would still be devas-tated should the data belost or compromised. Ifyou’re not sure whatyou’re legally obligated to protect, now would bea good time to contactyour lawyer.So how can you ensure

your data is protected?The answer is encryption.

Encryption is what protects you when connected to secure websites, and a similarmethod is used to protectyour data as it’s beingbacked up. When you firstset up the encryption, youcreate a pass phrase thatbecomes the key to yourdata. As data is backedup, this key translates itinto random “noise” onthe drive. You can thenuse the key to decrypt thedata if you ever need torecover it. In the mean-time, should anyoneacquire the back-updevice, they will not beable to recover any infor-mation without the key.There are a variety of

encryption solutions available to protect yourdata that add little or notime to your current back-up routine. Many back-updrives are sold withencryption software pre-loaded. Paid software thatmanages back-ups oftencomes with encryptionoptions as well. A rock-solid free (andopen-source) programcalled TrueCrypt is ourfavourite for ad-hoc situa-tions where there are noencryption utilities avail-able. It’s also the encryption utility of choicefor many back-up programs and technologyprofessionals. (Visitwww.truecrypt.org or callus and we’ll walk youthrough it.)If you don’t have the timeor patience to protect yourdata backups, make suresomeone else is handlingit for you. Please give us acall and we’ll make sureyour data doesn’t fall intothe wrong hands.

Matt Behrens is a partnerin PrimeTek IT Solutions,which offers technologysupport and training tosmall businesses in theComox Valley. He can bereached at 250.871.8547or www.primetek.ca.

buyers. It is a buyers mar-ket and has been sincethe fall of 08. Despite thefact that residential salesnumbers were off by 25%for the first quarter of theyear, anecdotal and statistical evidence pointsto gains for the secondquarter. Homes that arewell maintained in desirable areas, that arepriced fairly based on the

last two years of sales history are selling quicklyand often are garneringcompetitive bids. Homes that need work or

are poorly positioned andin less desirable neighbor-hoods remain challenginglistings to sell.It is my opinion that the

spring activity is establish-ing a bottompricing. Thenumerousmultipleoffers andthe level ofactivity insegments ofthe marketlike condosand acreagewould indicate that there is aninflux of out of town buyers and first timehome buyers are buyingat an increased rate asthey look at a rise in

With a "PurchasePlusImprovements"

mortgage, it's possible topurchase a new (to you)home and also get some

extra cash for renovations.

There are extra rules andsteps involved in qualify-ing for this type of mort-gage since the lenderneeds to know the typesof improvements you willdo and the value they'lladd to the property.

Typically, you need to pro-vide quotes from licensedcontractors and an "ascomplete" appraisal reportstating what the value ofthe property will be whenthe renovations are done.

Other rules govern thetypes of improvements

allowed, which can beminor or major. Typicalexamples include updat-ing flooring, replacing anold roof, renovating datedkitchens and bathroomsor adding an enclosedgarage. If you'd like to know

whether the home youhave in mind could workwith a Purchase PlusImprovements mortgage,just give me a call!

Find today’s rates online atcomoxmortgages.com. Fora free personalized quotecall Mackenzie at250.331.0800.

It’s been a good year forthe Comox ValleyBusiness Network

(CVBN). Membership inthe local networking grouphas grown more than 50per cent in the first half of2012, and the organiza-tion is making its pres-ence known throughoutthe community.

“It’s really exciting to seethe rapid growth the grouphas experienced in thefirst part of 2012,” saysCVBN president ShellyStanchuk. “We’ve added10 members since thebeginning of the year, andwe’re now just one mem-ber short of our target of30 businesses. The newmembers have injected afresh energy that’s appar-ent at our meetings.”

The CVBN, which formedfive years ago, meets

every Wednesday at 7:30a.m. at the White Spotrestaurant. Members net-work, promote connec-tions within and outsidethe organization and learnabout other members’businesses. Laughter andcasual conversations areplentiful.

While networking andbusiness growth are keyto the CVBN’s success, itsmembers are also com-mitted to communitydevelopment throughdonations and volunteerservice. This year’s pri-mary recipient of thegroup’s goodwill is

KidSport, which CVBNmembers have supportedthrough volunteer work atseveral sporting eventsand a weekly bottle drivein association with CrownIsle Resort.

“It’s all great fun,” saysCVBN member JasmineMcKay. “You meet newpeople and you get to sup-port a really great organi-zation like KidSport. It’s awin-win!”

The CVBN also hostsoccasional members-onlyevents to help build andstrengthen the networkingprocess. The next suchevent is a golf and dinnerevening at Longlands inJune.

To learn more about theCVBN, and for a list ofmembers, visitwww.cvbn.ca or call Shellyat 250.331.2489.

Mackenzie Gartside Verico Select Mortgage

How to buy a home AND get money for renos

CVBN membership explodes in 2012

CVBN members Annalise Eldstrom, Steve Blacklock and Shelly Stanchuk present the group’smost recent donation to KidSport Comox Valley.

“It's all great fun!”

interest rates and regain confidence in the strengthof the local markets.It is also my opinion that

a combination of externaland internal factors is

going to createfair to robustgrowth in thehousing sectorover the next 2-5 years. The formal

announcementof the newHospital is likely the mostimportant

internal factor. It will produce a large amount ofwork for local tradespeo-ple and will increase the employment opportunitiesfor heath care workers. It

will also have a positiveimpact on out of town buyers who are looking ata variety of regions to consider for their retirement. The recentlysigned water agreementwith Kensington IslandProperties, the RegionalDistrict and the UBID isanother sign of growth tocome and if done rightcould become the mostattractive new develop-ment on the Island, whichwill be of great economicbenefit to the valley.It remains a buyers

market, but I don’t think itwill last much longer. Thestrength of the Albertaeconomy and the renewedpressure on the housingmarkets of Calgary and

Edmonton will produce anew crop of Alberta buyerswhich will increase pres-sure on our local markets.I anticipate that theseinternal and external factors will produce mildgains in home values overthe next 2- 5 years. It is inmy opinion a good time tobuy if you can find a wellpriced home.If you have any real

estate questions , residen-tial or commercial, feelfree to contact me and Iwill provide you with a noobligation meeting to dis-cuss your needs.

James Smith — RoyalLePage in the Comox Valley.Call 250.218.2324 or [email protected].

Matt Behrens, PrimeTek IT Solutions

Backup - con’t from pg. 1

Real Estate - con’t from pg. 1

Printer - con’t from pg. 1

Don Linder, Account Mgr,AGS Business Systems

James Smith —Royal LePage

“It is a buyers market and

has been since the fall of 08.”


IRONS IN THE FIRE

2nd Floor 350 17th StreetCourtenay, BC V9N 1Y4p. 250.871.TRAP (8727) e. [email protected]. www.bettermousetrap.ca

Better Mousetrap Marketing gives you the opportunity to spread

the word about new business, mergers, acquisitions, new hires and

awards. Simply email your 40 word, non-time-sensitive newsworthy

announcement and contact information to jenny@bettermousetrap.

ca and, if space permits, we will include it in our column.

Please note: Inclusion is not guaranteed.

The Vancouver Island Visitor Centre would like to thank everyone who came to their Grand Opening event on April 28th. More than 3000 people came to see the exhibits, taste local treats and enjoy a surprise fly over by the Snow Birds. www.discovercomoxvalley.com

Vancouver IslandVisitor Centre

Better Mousetrap Marketing is a full-service marketing agency located in

the Comox Valley. With our clients’ unique goals in mind, our team excels

at creating dynamic marketing concepts and implementing them on time

and on budget. We specialize in deceptively simple marketing plans, brand

establishment, and web development for any size of business - big or small.

Welcome to the Gower Design Group which recently relocated from Victoria to the greener pastures of the Comox Valley. John, Graeme and Diane specialize in design of “small footprint homes that live large”.They are pleased to be in their new Tin Town location.

www.gowerdesigngroup.com

Gower Design Group

Graeme Sargent and Doug Ingram of Household Heroes are pleased to announce that they are now operating as 21 Degrees Mechanical and offer HVAC, gas fitting, plumbing, solar and electrical servicing. Visit them at their new location at 1910 Cliffe Avenue in Courtenay. www.21deg.com

Household Heroes

Clark Temperature Control is excited to announce the appointment of Deon Lane, a certified Journeyman Refridgeration Technician. Deon has extensive experience maintainig and installing refridgeration systems.

www.clarktemp.ca

Clark TemperatureControl

Roxanne’s Fashions, in business since 1977, located in the Comox Centre Mall, was recently sold to Valerie Porteous. In addition to the current product lines, Valerie will be adding some exciting new manufacturers including Simon Chang, and a plus size department.

Roxanne’s Fashions

Better Mousetrap Marketing is thrilled to announce their 2nd Anniversary this month. The Mousetrap crew has more than doubled in size since their inception. A big thank you to their clients for their continued support of the marketing work they do.

www.bettermousetrap.ca

Better Mousetrap Marketing


Bethany Pearce’s top picks forgreening commercial spaces:

SalvagedWide PlankHardwoodor WallFeaturesUsed For:Higher EndCommercial Source:WoodlandFlooring & Millwork, Comox

Metal Siding — Durable, 100% RecyclableUsed For: Commercial Exteriors/AwningsSource: VicWest - Central Builders Home Hardware

WindowFilm —UVblock-ing,energyefficien-cyUsedfor:externalwindows Source:Safe & Sound Window Film, Budget Blinds

RecycledContentCarpeting —Sweatshop FreeUsed For:Medium to HighCommercial FootTrafficSource:www.Flor.com or

Capstone Dwellings Design-Build

“Live Edge”Custom MillworkUsed For:ReceptionDesks, DisplayShelving, CaféTables/BarsSource: LiveEdge Design,Duncan

Salvaged Accessories — Vintage Lighting, SalvagedSlate/Marble, Architectural WoodUsed For: High-Impact Design - Restaurants, Salons,High-End RetailSource: Demxx Deconstruction, Coombs

Sustainability Feature 2012Go green for less with window film

Creating the Resilient HomeJohn Gower, Gower Design Group

Courtenay City Hall is one of more than 40 com-mercial buildings from Nanaimo to Campbell Riverwhose windows are protected by Safe & SoundWindow Film. Photo credit: James Matthew Design.

While solar panelsand Energy Starappliances tend

to steal the “green” spot-light, more and more busi-ness owners and propertymanagers are discoveringan affordable way toreduce their energy con-sumption by as much as aquarter: window film.At its most basic level,

window film consists of apolyester substrate that’sapplied to the inside of abuilding’s windows or sky-lights. A wide variety offilms are available, eachwith its ownunique prop-erties andbenefits.There are

solar filmsthat dramati-callyincrease theinsulatingeffect ofglass, deco-rative films used for sig-nage and dramaticeffects, one-way visibilityfilms and even securityfilms that make glasscompletely shatterproof.Most window films todayalso block 99 per cent ofthe sun’s UV radiation,which virtually eliminatesthe fading of flooring, fur-niture, artwork and inven-tory. The film that steals the

spotlight, however, is onethat does it all.“I call it Super Solar

Window Film, and it’s theone everyone’s askingfor,” says Dave Barlow,owner of Safe & SoundWindow Film in Comox. “Inthe summer, it blocks up

to 83 per cent of the heatthat enters your windows.In the winter, it increasesthe insulating effect ofglass by as much as 35per cent.”Customers who have had

the film installed, saysBarlow, have reportedenergy savings of as muchas 20 to 25 per cent. Infact, the film generallypays for itself in just a fewyears. Even home comfort pro-

fessionals recognize theadvantages of window

film.“When

installing ourequipment inthe vicinity oflargeamounts ofglass, wealways sug-gest incorpo-rating ther-mal windowfilm,” says

Don Gulevich, a licensedrefrigeration technicianand former owner of TotalComfort Solutions. “Itallows our heating and airconditioning equipment torun so much more effi-ciently.”“You’re saving money,

you’re making your busi-ness much more secureand you’re lowering yourenergy bill,” says Barlow.“It’s not just a win-win -it’s a win-win-win!”To find out more about

window film, or for a free,no obligation consultationand quote, call Safe andSound Window Film at250.339.7003 or visitwww.SafeAndSoundWindowFilm.com.

There’s an old sayingthat goes, “When theshelter is secure, the

storm is good.” The wind-

storms that routinely tearacrossVancouverIsland could bemetaphors for awhole range offorces beyondour control —like energyprice fluctua-tions, economicuncertainty andglobal warming — thathave the potential toaffect our daily lives. These systemic threats

are increasingly in thenews, leading many towonder, and even fear,what the future may bring.But what if your home

could offer shelter, security, comfort and theability to meet most ofyour essential needs,regardless of what thefuture throws at us? Thisis the promise of theResilient Home.One of the most impor-

tant features of a resilienthome is energy efficiency.Although it seems likewe’re swimming in energyright now, costs will rise. The resilient home drasti-

cally reduces its energyneeds, then meets someor all of those needs withrenewable sources.Passive solar heating andnatural ventilation, forexample, cost little toimplement and continueto work even when thepower is out.Given regular

maintenance, the resilienthome is built to last, withhigh quality finishes andcomponents, particularly

on the exterior envelope. It’s also capable of beingproductive, whether thismeans harvesting rain to

water the gar-den, creatingenergy fromsunlight, grow-ing food oreven helpingyou earn a liv-ing. Additionally,

its design istime-lessratherthan

trendy, so it’spleasant to live ineven if renova-tions aren’t affordable.Finally, a resilient

home is connect-ed to its surround-ing community forsecurity and sup-port and is locatedwhere the needsof daily life can beaccessed withouta long drive.The resilient

home offers peaceof mind ahead ofan uncertainfuture and paysoff in a reducedcost of living. Andunlike investing inthe stock market,you’re guaranteeda positive returnfrom day one. How great is

that?

John Gower is theowner of GowerDesign Group andan advocate of sus-tainable buildingdesign. To readmore about theResilient Home, visit his blog at www.gowerdesigngroup.com.

“Customers... havereported energy

savings of as much as 20

to 25 per cent.”

“The resilienthome offers

peace of mindahead of an

uncertainfuture.”

Diane Cartwright, Graeme Tuck and John Gower, ofGower Design Group, like to share their passion fordesigning sustainable homes.


Today's heat pumps are30% more efficientGraeme Sargent, 21° Mechanical

Eco-friendly paving turning blacktop green

Four Keys to ReducingWorkplace WasteGayle Bates, CSWM “Power of R” educator

Creating a 'living forest community' in the Comox Valley

As energy rates rise,money is disappearing

from your pockets fasterthan ever, and you’re getting less for it. Keepingyour family - or youremployees - comfortable,however, doesn’t have to cost you and arm and a leg. You can save money and

greatly increase the

efficiency of your heatingsystem simply by installinga new heat pump. Thesavings on your energy billcan be substantial compared to other formsof heating, and even compared to older modelheat pumps. In fact, if youalready have a heat pumpthat’s eight or more yearsold, you’ll save 30 per

cent with a new model.As the government

continues to promoteenergy efficiency throughprograms such as LiveSmart BC, you can alsobenefit from additionalsavings when upgradingyour system. Until the endof June, in fact, home

owners can save $2,600through government andmanufacturer’s rebates. These savings alone arewell worth the upgrade.

Graeme Sargent is theowner of 21°MechanicalLtd. He can be reached at250.334.2100 or online atwww.21deg.com.

When most of us think“green,” we’re more

apt to envision a meadowthan a driveway. Yet it’s ondriveways throughout theComox Valley that a neweco-friendly paving alter-native is breathing new lifeinto drivable surfaces.CORE Systems, headquar-

tered on CumberlandRoad in Courtenay, offersa variety of porous pavingalternatives that facilitatebio-degradation of vehicleoil, help rainwater infiltratethe soil, replenish ground-water and even reduce thefrequency and severity offlooding. The CORE system is recyclable, manufactured from recycled materials and isUV and heat resistant.“The beauty of the CORE

system is it’s permeable,but it’s also really robust,”says Jeff Vandermolen,who owns BeaufortVineyard & Estate Wineryand recently installedabout 1,500 sq. ft. of

CORE gravel. “In just acouple of hours with acrew of four, we were ableto convert formerly unus-able space into an excel-lent area for parking heavyvehicles. The CORE sys-tem’s honeycomb patternnot only keeps gravel inplace, it’s as hard as rock.You can park tanks andbuses on this stuff!”The CORE system can be

filled with gravel or grass,and is essentially a stabilized system consisting of panels ofconnected honeycombcells. The honeycomb design

holds its shape while providing maximum loadbearing. When filled withgravel or grass, the prod-uct is practically invisible,making for attractive driveways, laneways, andpatio installations.

To learn more about CORESystems, visit www.coregravel.ca or call 250.871.6840.

The average workplacecan produce a lot of

waste. Here are four tipsto help your office reduceworkplace waste. 1. If there’s more thanone of you, talk about whyyou want to reduce work-place waste, and howmuch everyone is willingto contribute to the goal.Getting buy-in from thestart will lead to a moresuccessful workplace pro-gram.2. Choose to refuse — theless waste you create, theless you have to deal with.Eliminate single-use itemslike plastic/Styrofoamcups, one-cup coffee dis-pensers, water bottlesand sandwich bags.

3. Paper and cardboardare still our biggest wasteitems. Email, thumbdrives, virtual or cork mes-sage boards are cost-effective and waste-reduc-ing ways to communicatein the workplace. 4. Make recycling, reusingand reducing as easy aspossible - clear signagehelps. There are localservices that will comeand take it all away foryou, too.To learn more about the

Power of R, or to learnabout what can be recy-cled where, visitwww.comoxvalleyrd.ca/powerofr.Do you have a questionfor Gayle Bates? [email protected].

Evolving from a clearcut in the mid 1970sinto one of the

Comox Valley’s first sustainably designed ruralproperty developments,Mountain Spirit GardenEstates is a prime exam-ple of how a collaborationbetween the public andprivate sectors can meetthe needs of a new community and the goalsof the developer while stillprotecting the integrity ofthe natural environment.

“This unique property hasso many environmental

features that we wantedto preserve,” explainedproject manager DanBowen of the property,which is situated offForbidden Plateau Road inthe Comox Lake water-shed. “Working with theRegional District and aproject team that includeda fisheries biologist, ahydrologist and an engi-neer resulted in a compre-hensive vegetative man-agement plan in additionto park dedications.“This is the first time

we’re aware of that a veg-etative management

covenant has been placedon more than half of theproperty on this type ofsubdivision,” he added.“What that means toprospective owners ofthese five-acre lots is thatthe plan ensures the veg-etative natural elements,as well as the sensitiveecosystems within thewetland areas, will remainintact.”

The covenant area hasbeen made neighbour-friendly with existing walk-ing trails to be maintainedin place. Each lot has two1.5-acre buildingenvelopes for two homessurrounded by a park-likeenvironment.

“Our vision,” said proper-ty owner Catherine Egan,“was guided by primarysustainable design con-cepts. We wanted to mini-mize the building enve-lope and maintain natural

vegetative buffersbetween streams andhomes, with access tolow-impact outdoor recre-ational activities. I like tothink of us as having cre-ated a living forest com-munity.”Catherine Egan and sus-

tainable building designexpert John Gower, ofGower Design Group, willhost an open house onthe property on Saturday,June 16, from 1:30 to4:00. The public is invitedto visit Mountain SpiritGarden Estates, walk thetrails, view Gower’s designconcepts and learn moreabout the community. DanBowen will also be on-siteto give tours of the proper-ty Sunday, June 17between 2:00 and 4:00.For more information, visit

www.MountainSpiritGardenEstates.com and/orwww.DanBowenConsultingServices.com.

Gayle Bates is a waste reduction educator for theComox Strathcona Waste Management (CSWM) service.

Graeme Sargent (L) and Doug Ingram, co-owners of 21º Mechanical Ltd.

The Core System path Beaufort Vineyard uses to movewine from their cellar to their winery.

Catherine Egan (inset) at the Information Kiosk showcasing her sustainable development project, Mountain SpiritGarden Estates. Main photo: A view from the entrance of Eagle Ridge (Lot 6).

Sustainability Feature 2012 Transition Towns seeks responsible businesses

What would happen toour community if the

price of oil rose substan-tially within a short periodof time? How would oureconomy function, howwould the prices of goodsbe affected and what dif-ferences would we experi-ence in our daily lives?

These are questions beingasked by the TransitionTowns Comox Valley, part ofan international grassrootsmovement to re-localizecommunities and theireconomies as a response tothe challenges of peak oil,climate change and globaleconomic uncertainty.

“With oil getting more andmore expensive, this sortof scenario planning is nolonger simply a thoughtexperiment,” says organiz-er Nancy Hofer. “Our goalis to create a vision,exchange ideas and gettangible sustainability proj-ects off the ground.”Transition Towns Comox

Valley, which has beenmeeting monthly since lastSeptember, is especiallyinterested in hearing from,

and profiling the work of,local businesses thatsource locally and/or provide goods or servicesthat are environmentallyand socially conscious, “When we support local

businesses, and a localproduct manufacturingsector, we’re ensuring adegree of resilience in ourcommunities,” says Hofer.“We’re investing in a local-ized skill set and ensuringmore of our money staysin the community.”For more information, or to

present your businessideas, contact Nancy Hoferat [email protected] a schedule of upcomingmeetings and events, visitwww.transitiontowncv.org.

Nancy Hofer, CV TransitionTown Steering Committee


It’s so close. Almost in your backyard. Golf courses have such a natural soothingbeauty. They undulate. They curve. Sculpted, almost. What a great place to be!

Anytime of day. Sure, sure. Mark Twain called golf ‘a good walk ruined’. He hasa point. He was also a humourist! For those who like it, golf is a chance to testyourself. To improve. To move the body. To feel almost nothing when you hit atruly great shot. The dew on the grass. The shadows on the fairway. The ‘oohs’ and‘ahs’. The aw sh%*&s! (Hey! That’s shucks! :) Good fun. A great place to be withfriends. A great place to take clients. A great place to come alone and wonder,“Who will I play with today?!” Great specials and events on now. Come enjoy alittle healthy (and affordable!) decadence. We’re a little slice of beauty... right inthe heart of town. ’Cause you have to agree. Nine holes and a bevy? That’s a littleslice of heaven! Call 250-339-4444 for more information and treat yourself today.

Treat yourself to the invigorating natural beauty of the Comox Golf Club

When was the last time you played a round? The Comox Golf Club is a fun, beautiful, yet challenging course... right in the heart of the city. Come enjoy yourself today!

Corporate Package: Seventy 9-hole coupons that can be used by the owner orgiven to employees or clients as incentives or rewards. Just$995. Call the Golf Shop at 250.339.4444 and our friendlystaff will be glad to answer all your questions.

Beautifully conditioned fairways and well-maintained greens offer both challenge andreward – an exciting combination for golfers of all levels. Our friendly semi-privateclub is welcoming new members and is open to the public for green fee play. In theclubhouse, Sprinkler’s Restaurant offers casual licensed family dining that is open tothe public. Just $16 after 6 pm. Call 250.339.4444 for information.

www.comoxgolfclub.ca1718 Balmoral Ave., Comox

Iknow I’ve written aboutthis before, but its greatness, and

appropriateness for somany local businesses,simply can’t be overstated: ifyou’re looking foran employeebenefit planthat doesmore, you definitelywant to havea look at theChambers ofCommerceGroupInsurance Plan. The Chambers plan car-

ries all the traditional cov-erages — life, health, den-tal, disability, critical ill-ness — but delivers somuch more. It’s the largest plan of its

kind, providing customcoverage to more than28,000 firms, and it’s customizable to meet the

needs of your businessand your employees. Bychoosing the types andlevels of benefits you wantfrom a wide range ofchoices, you can get theprecise coverage you wantto offer your employeeswhile controlling yourcosts at the same time.In addition to coverage,the Chambers ofCommerce plan comeswith three guarantees,which are key to keepingyour plan in place foryears to come:

1. If you have three ormore employees, you canchoose from options thatguarantee benefits toeveryone.

2. If you payyour premi-ums on time,your coverageis guaranteedrenewable.

3. Regardlessof claims sub-mitted underyour plan,your firm willnever be sin-

gled out for a rateincrease — guaranteed.

As for additional benefits,every Chambers planincludes Best Doctors,which helps employeesand their families makeinformed decisions abouttheir health care when itmatters most. Long-term disability cover-

age includes coaching

services for employers fac-ing difficult personalissues, and employers caneven refer employees forcounselling.Health options give youremployees preferredvision and hearing services, discounts oneyewear purchases, lasereye surgery and hearingdevices, plus a healthaccess phone line forimmediate answers tohealth, nutrition andregional resource questions.The plan even offers the

My-Benefits software,which allows you toadminister your groupplan from anywhere, anytime.I’ve said it before and I’msure I’ll say it again: theChambers of CommerceGroup Insurance Plangives you so much morefor your employee benefitdollar. Whether you’re a

member of your Chamberof Commerce or not, youcan request a free quoteat www.buychambers.ca. Alternatively, you can

simply give me a call andI’ll help you choose theoptions that are right foryour company.

Darren Kardynal is an insurance broker withGlacierview FinancialServices Ltd. For a free, no-obligation quote call250.890.7580 [email protected].

Chambers plan too good to be overlooked

In business, sustainability comes from within

In business, what youdon’t know can — andinevitably will — hurt

you. It’s a truth that canbe delivered with a partic-ularly large hammer vialoss of market share, law-suits, and even bankrupt-cy. Usually, when I begin

working with a company,it’s because they are insome kind of trouble thatcould have been prevent-ed had the executive teamhad a consistent systemfor evaluating the statusof their business. Large companies have

teams of auditors to dothis task, butexecutives inprivately heldsmaller com-panies oftenignore thecriticaldetails of aproper sys-tems analy-sis until it’stoo late.If you want your business

to be sustainable, youcannot ignore the details.Small and mid-size com-panies can find the criticalsupport they need in theservices of a professionalauditor. It is important tocheck the credentials ofany auditor before con-tracting them. A financial audit is the

one most familiar to exec-utives. But your financialwellbeing is influenced bymany factors, most ofwhich are driven by yourbusiness relationshipswith employees, contrac-tors, suppliers, customersand partners.

The flow of money withinany business can occur inalignment with its relation-ships — including yourrelationship with yourself.It was an understanding

of this interplay between acompany’s financialhealth and its businessrelationships that inspiredme to create my “FiveUltimate Business AuditChecklist.” This checklist offers a

unique way for executivesto do business with anawareness of every detail. One example is the

“Values and Quality of LifeAudit.” If a company’s

actions arenot alignedwith its corevalues, orthe execu-tives areburnt outbecause ofthe poorquality ofhis life, it isnot likely

the company will buildsustainable profits.

InternationalSustainability Once you have a grasp on

the finer points of yourcompany and your busi-ness is sustainable on thehome front, it’s temptingto look further afield forgrowth. Here again, getting to the

core of your company’svalues and relationshippatterns is an integralstep in preparing for inter-national partnerships, anarea in which I have signif-icant experience andexpertise.

If you don’t understandthe finer details of yourbusiness prior to engagingwith international part-ners, in all likelihood youmay commit business sui-cide. This is particularlytrue when seeking to dobusiness with China, thesecond-largest andfastest-growing majoreconomy in the world.Whether your goal is to

dominate the global mar-ket or just your corner ofthe Comox Valley, younever want to be blind-sided by something youdid not know — especiallywhen that something istoo close to you personallyfor you to properly evaluate without an appro-priate system in place. Like a lot of things, busi-

ness sustainability comesfrom within.

Lourdes Gant is a professional internal auditor, international business strategist andhuman relations special-ist. To download a copy ofher Five Ultimate BusinessAudit Checklist, visitwww.LourdesGant.com/freegift.

“... get the coverage you want to offer

your employeeswhile controlling

costs at the same time.”

“ The flow of money within any business

occurs in alignment with

its relationships. ”

Lourdes Gant, LourdesGant International

Darren Kardynal,Glacierview FinancialServices Ltd.

“The healer opens the gates ofheaven for others, for simple reasons: because she likes people and it feels good.”

— Haven Trefino

Lucia Brodie Clairvoyant and HealingTouch Practitioner — offering longdistance healing, aura readings, past

life and rose readings, energy channelbalancing, land and house clearings.

$70/session 250-338 1440 www.deeppeace.ca


“Combat fatigue & improve productivity! Try ourmorning energizing class or lunchtime revitalizer.”

Gary & Cindy Fort

Gary and Cindy teach a meditative style of Yoga which, when you lay on the mat,transports you to that magical place: the PRESENT MOMENT.

Freedom Now Yoga Studio & Clothing Boutique

333 5th St, Courtenay250 871 7225

[email protected]

www.facebook.com/freedomnowyoga

BNI Olympic Gold Every Thursday; 7:00 am - 8:30 am;Westerly Hotel. Keynote speaker, networking and referrals. FMI, call Robert Mulrooney at 250.338.5222.

Comox Valley Business NetworkEvery Wednesday; 7:30 am - 8:30 am;White Spot. Supporting business growththrough networking and referral partnerships. FMI, visit www.cvbn.ca.

Comox Valley Chamber Business Mixer —hosted by My Tech GuysApr. 19; 5:30 pm to 7:30 June 5; 5:30 pm- 7 pm; 5-2401 Cliffe Ave. A proven way tomake business connections. Attendanceis free, door prizes welcome. FMI and to

register, visitwww.comoxvalleychamber.com/events.

Merchant Services Demystified — presented by the CV ChamberJune 12; 8 am - 9 am; 2040 Cliffe Ave.Rob Patten, our TD Chamber Servicesprovider, breaks down the hype of therecent spate of too-good-to-be-true mer-chant services offers. Attendance is free,continental breakfast included. Pre-register atwww.comoxvalleychamber.com/events.

CV Chamber of Commerce Summer BBQJune 21; Two Eagles Lodge, Union Bay.Catered by Carmie's Café. Watch fordetails in the Chamber's e-news!

Comox Valley BUSINESS EVENTS

New business offers ‘daily deal’ marketing

How would you like totry a new type ofadvertising that

offers compelling, measur-able results? What if itwere risk-free andinvolved no up-frontexpense?That’s the promise of

West Coast Daily Deals(WCDD), now operating inthe Comox Valley using

the exciting “daily deal”marketing method to pro-mote local productsand services. “Many business

owners, especiallynew businesses,have difficulty spend-ing hundreds orthousands of dollarson newspaper orradio advertising

with no realguarantee they’llsee growth insales,” saysKevin Niemi,who haslaunched WCDDto the NorthIsland. “Word-of-mouth advertis-ing is powerful,but can be frus-tratingly slow.With a dailydeal, there’s noup-front cost toget started, andevery dollar youspend advertis-ing brings actualcustomers intoyour business.

You also get people talk-ing about you, generating

immediate buzzin the communi-ty.”The daily deal

concept, popu-larized by siteslike Groupon, isquite simple.Businesses offera product or

service at a substantialdiscount - say, a $50 cred-it for just $25. The deal ispromoted to thousands oflocal opt-in consumers onWestCoastDailyDeals.ca,social media sites likeFacebook and to a list ofemail subscribers. Userssimply click to purchase avoucher for the deal, and -just like that - a new cus-tomer is born.“West Coast Daily Deals

kind of hits a whole newdemographic market forus,” says Mike Collins,owner of the BrokenSpoke, which has grownthrough non-traditionaladvertising and will beoffering its first half-price

Kevin Niemi has launched West Coast Daily Deals to the North Island.

Four-year-old Spencer Vallintine explores the new Vancouver Island Visitor Centre. TheVisitor Centre, which celebrated its grand opening April 28, offers a “fun and interactiveintroduction to Vancouver Island from alpine to ocean.”

Mike Collins, owner of the Broken Spoke

bike tune-up deal throughWCDD in early June. “There’s a lot of people

who shop online; a lot ofpeople who go looking forbargains. This is a way tocompete with those onlinestores, while driving cus-tomers to a ‘red brick’business. It’s using theInternet to market locally.” “It costs a lot more

money to gain a new cus-tomer than it does toretain one,” says Niemi. “A daily deal gives

consumers a low-riskopportunity to try out yourbusiness or a new productyou’re offering, and itgives you a low-cost wayto attract new customers.Because there’s a timelimit associated with eachdeal, your new customersare motivated to act quickly. All you have to dois impress them andthey’re yours to keep!“Younger consumers are

becoming very adept atblocking out advertising

messages, which meanswe have to start thinkingoutside of traditional mar-keting methods; you needthem to ‘want’ to hearyour message” he adds. “You have a great

company; we have a net-work of thousands of localconsumers who are motivated to try new businesses. If you’venever tried a West CoastDaily Deal, you’ll love howeasy, exciting and risk-freeadvertising can be!”

“What if itwere risk-freeand involvedno up-frontexpense?”

COMOX VALLEY BBUSINESS GGAZETTEPromote your events in the Business Gazette for as little as $10 an issue.

Call 250.702.1103 or 250-897-5064 or email [email protected] 7am-7pm

4985 Cotton Road • Courtenay • 250-338-2440

NEW FEANEW FEATURESTURESon the 6th, 7th & 8th Fairways

TTeeee TTiimmeess RReeccoommmmeennddeedd

BBBBEEEESSSSTTTTRRRRAAAATTTTEEEESSSS

ffoorrGGOOLLFF

aanndd tthheeDDRRIIVVIINNGG RRAANNGGEE

able to the citizens of theComox Valley.Jamie McCue

I was invited to speak at aComox Rotary meeting twoweeks ago and received, forthe most part, a very enthusiastic reception. Thesuccess of co-workingspace across NorthAmerica and the growth ofInnovation/ Science/ Techcenters in similar sizedcommunities have madethe prospect of creating anorganized and supportedIST sector a reality. If wecan help the public (taxpay-er) understand the valueand importance of support-ing this sector, there is agood chance that formalgovernment or governmentagency support could follow. It is my intention tohelp create a clear and con-cise document outlining theneeds and potential of thiskind of project in order tofoster formal support. Thatwill occur when our voicescan no longer be ignored.James Smith

Let’s focus on DOING andcreating action! A projectlike this would be best in aplace central to Courtenayand close to the communi-ty. I personally think developments like the onesurrounding the new visitorcenter is exactly the opposite direction of an“Intelligence Park” and a“Co-working Space.” I thinkit should be aimed at bring-ing people and the commu-nity together — keeping itcentral could help bringnew life into the core ofdowntown Courtenay.Darcy Lefebvre

I can’t see why we shouldn’t be able to attractattention. We are so closeto Vancouver (and Calgaryand Edmonton) it seemslike only a matter of timebefore a big company realizes that like Kelowna,and perhaps even more so,we are a great place to dobusiness. Lots of talent,close to cities and muchlower costs to operate.Miguel Strother


LadysmithPressWeb press printers of:• Newspapers • Flyers• Catalogues • Newsletters• Vacation & Recreation Guides• Newsprint Magazines

940 Oyster Bay Drive, Ladysmith, BC

250-245-0350A division of

Most business owners launchtheir businesses

because they want to dowhat they love, set theirown hours and be theirown boss. That utopian ideal,

however, rarely lasts long.Most of us soon realizeour lives are consumed bywork and, instead of oneboss, we have 10. Or 20.Or 200. Michael Gerber, author of

the “e-Myth” series ofbooks, calls this the“entrepreneurial seizure.”So how do we get back ontrack to that entrepreneur-ial ideal that most of usstarted with? It boils downto one word: vision. Youcan’t get to where youwant to be if you’ve forgot-ten where that is; youcan’t become somethingunless you have a clearvision of what exactly youwant to become. The first step is defining

your goals. Start with yourpersonal goals — how

much you want to work,how much time you wantwith your family and whatconstitutes your idealquality of life. Now, with those personal

goals in mind, set yourbusiness goals. Wheredoes your business needto be in order for you toachieve your personalgoals, and how long will ittake to get there?That’s your vision.

Defining it is the easypart; keeping it withinsight is whereit gets tricky.When you’re

doing 100things at once,it’s easy tolose sight ofthe big picture.Everythingneeds to bedone, every little fireneeds to be extinguishedand you’re the only onewho can do it — soundfamiliar? Many entrepreneurs are

driven by an irrationalneed to be in control ofevery detail of our busi-ness. It’s a trap — we justget more and morestressed and further andfurther from where wewant to be. In the great book

“Synchronicity,” authorJoseph Jaworski discusseswhat’s sometimes calledthe Power of Intention.Essentially, when you have

an intention to do something (your vision),synchronicities happenthat allow you to accomplish those goals.As soon as you start to

focus on your visioninstead of the daily grind,you start to notice the bigger picture forces thatare continually presentingopportunities for you tomove closer to your goals.Maybe it’s a casual introduction. Maybe it’s a space for

rent sign alongyour morningcommute.Whatever it is,it’s yours forthe takingwhen you’reconscious ofyour vision.With clear

vision, you suddenly realize there are multipleroutes to the same destination. So when a particular

action plan doesn’t go theway you intended, yousimply shift your attentionto an alternate pathtoward your goal. Andthere are always alternatepaths. It’s synchronicity,remember?Ann Scott is a charteredaccountant and a partnerwith Presley & PartnersChartered Accountants. She can be reached at250.338.1394 [email protected].

Sustainability andmessy conflicts don’t go together in

any area of life, but inbusiness they can end up being especially costlyin terms of both moneyand time. This is a particularly

relevant topic right nowbecause our provincialgovernment has proposeda new civil resolution tribunal to expedite thesettling of disputes thatwould otherwise beresolved in small claimscourt. This new initiative is

needed because smallclaims courts are nolonger fulfillingtheir original purpose.Small claims

court was origi-nally designedfor disputesinvolvingamounts of upto $3,000, but that upperlimit has gradually risen to$25,000, so the system isgetting clogged up. Peopleare waiting for up to ayear to get a hearing. The new tribunal will pro-

vide a framework for par-ties to resolve their owndisputes without gettingbogged down in a long,expensive, energy-suckingprocess.Of course, the best

approach to conflict is toprevent it, or at least bewell prepared. With that inmind, here are five tips for

business owners whowant to be proactive inavoiding the losses associated with long,drawn-out conflicts:1. The more that’s writtendown clearly ahead oftime, the easier it is toresolve disputes later.Don’t neglect contracts!2. If you’re a contractor orconsultant, get a depositup front and arrange payment in pre-deter-mined installments.3. For businesses in thefood and beverage orretail sector, customerservice plays a crucialrole. Anticipate the typesof disputes that might

occur, andtrain staff todeal withthem properly.The old adagethat the cus-tomer isalways right isnot entirelytrue, but as a

business owner you needto provide mechanisms sothat clients can be heard. 4. In knowledge-basedsectors where the workdone is not necessarilyeasy to quantify, it’s goodto have performance indicators in the contractstating what should bedelivered and when.5. When entering into acontract, it’s good practice to check out theother party. Do they havea good track record? Abank can help you run acredit check.

If, in spite of your preventative efforts, yourun into a situation wheresomeone hasn’t paid youfor goods or services,there are mechanisms tohelp you, including smallclaims court (it will stilloperate if the new tribunalcomes into play) and collection agencies. There are also peoplewhose business it is tofacilitate dispute resolution, such as arbitrators and mediators,and there’s a wealth ofdispute resolution tools onthe Internet. Simply google“dispute resolution.” Although conflict can’t beavoided entirely, knowinghow to minimize it anddeal with it quickly andeffectively will help keepyour business on a sustainable path.

Paul Ives is a lawyer withIves Burger Barristers &Solicitors in Courtenay. Hecan be reached at250.334.2416 or www.ivesburgerlaw.com

Synchronicity and the power of vision

Intel Park concept has Valley talking...

Five tips for avoiding drawn-out disputes

Ann Scott, Presley &Partners CharteredAccountants

Paul R. Ives, B.A., LL.B,Partner, IvesBurger

“Defining it is the easy part;keeping it with

in sight is where it gets tricky.”

“Of course, the best

approach to conflict is to prevent it...”

I really think it’s a goodidea. I came across thisarticle a few days back andI could see the validity ofwhat he is proposing and itis refreshing. The townneeds diversity and help tobuild thriving culture... technology based or otherwise. The vacuum outthere needs filling withfresh, progressive, collabo-rative social spaces thatnourish creativity and better communities. Christine Corlett

Good climate, local airport,creative citizens — yes, gofor it. Someone needs toget their head out of thesand. Stop this "we are anaging community" garbageand create an environmentfor all ages... It is nice tosee some people believingin the community. Thereshould be a citizen’s committee composed ofvarious people who comeup with ideas and report toa gov’t body that actuallylistens. I may be turning 60this year, but I actually prefer younger folk and others who think this is an area for everyone, notjust seniors. Ian Phillips

I wonder whether the focusshould be on innovationrather than high technolo-gy. After all, we may say toourselves we are in thehigh technology business.The fact is, technology is inall of our businesses now.You have brick and mortarbusinesses with full ITdepartments complete withdevelopers, designers, HCIexperts, usability gurus...ok, not the norm in theComox Valley. But business-es here rely on tech every-day. Why are they excludedfrom the prospect of build-ing innovative ideas? Weneed to create the environ-ment to innovate in thisregion... we need to lead it. John P. Keyes

I’d love to hear a responsefrom John Watson ofComox Valley EconomicDevelopment on the mat-ter. So far the folks whoshould be our leadersseem to be the quietest,even non-existent on thefuture of the Comox Valley.Economic Developmentneeds to be more account-

Last issue’s report on James Smith’s push to establish a technology park in the ComoxValley really got the community talking. See page 10 for some highlights from a lively

discussion that’s still raging on the Comox Valley Web Posse group on LinkedIn. Specialthanks to Web Posse Coordinator Jamie McCue for initiating the conversation. Read the original story at www.businessgazette.ca.

Regardless of whatyou think of the“junk mail” that

lands in your mailbox eachweek, direct mail can be agreat way to promote yourbusiness. It’s easy totrack, easy to target and,done properly, can achievesome of the highest

response rates of anyform of advertising.Writing for direct mail, of

course, isn’t the same asblogging or writing thegreat Canadian novel. Direct mail has

a specific pur-pose, and thereare proventechniques formaking it work.Assuming

you’ve doneyour preliminaryhomework andidentified theright target market foryour product or service,here are six more tips tohelp you craft money-making direct mail:

1. Include a letter. Mailing

a letter is much more per-sonal that simply sendinga rack card or flyer, andthey almost always outpullmailings without letters.2. Start writing on the

envelope. Ordon’t. Zero percent of allmailings thatdon’t getopened resultin sales. A brief

“teaser” onthe envelopecan help per-

suade the reader to openit, as long as it promises areal, alluring benefit.Otherwise, sometimes justusing a nondescript(addressed) envelope canachieve a better open rate

by piquing curiosity at themailbox. 3. Write about the reader,not about your companyor product. Discuss yourproduct or service in away that emphasizes ben-efits rather than features.Remember, you’re not selling a shoe with an air-cushion sole; you’re sell-ing relief from aching feet.4. Include a call to action.Always always ALWAYS tellthe reader what to donext. “Order now and getmy free report!” “Call nowfor a free trial!” Andplease don’t forget toinclude your contact info.5. Write a postscript (P.S.)Studies have shown thatwhen many people readletters, they read the salutation first and thepostscript second. Sorepeat your main benefit,

Ryan Parton, Ryan PartonWriting Solutions

“ Zero per cent of all

mailings that don't get

opened result in sales. ”

your call to action and, ifappropriate, your guaran-tee or special offer in ashort “P.S.” at the bottom.6. Repeat as necessary.Success in direct mailcomes with the cumula-tive effect of repeat mail-ings. Make each mailingdistinct, but be consistent

with your key messageand brand promise.

Ryan Parton is a profes-sional copywriter and ownerof Ryan Parton WritingSolutions. He’s also execu-tive editor of the ComoxValley Business Gazette.Visit www.ryanparton.ca orcall 250.702.1103.

The 2012 UEFAEuropean FootballChampionships are

set to begin on June 8th.To celebrate this event,Sure Copy Courtenay isputting together theComox valley’s biggestsoccer pool. Set to launchon May 26th, SureCourtenay is looking todraw as many as 250 par-ticipants from the valley.With support from our

generous sponsors andlocal businesses we havetons of great prizes to giveaway to participants herein the valley. Better yet,entry into Sure Copy’s2012 Euro Cup Soccerpool is absolutely free. Allyou have to do to enter isvisit the website for ourpool, make your bestpicks and press submit!

For more information, andto enter now, please go to:http://euro2012.surecourtenay.ca/. Don’tmiss this event, it’s sureto be a hit for all ages! If you have any questions,please do not hesitate tocontact me at (250)-334-2836. Email inquiries canbe sent [email protected].

The Gazette is lookingfor a sales and mar-keting person, writer,

photographer, productionand a transcriber.Ideally, we are looking for

a well-rounded personwith multiple talents inthe publishing industry.Someone who likes pub-lishing, follows the news,is plugged in locally (orwould like to be), andfinds business a fascinat-ing subject. Someone whogives a damn and likes todo good work. If you possess, or can

develop, a number of theskills listed above, we’dlike to talk to you. Emailyour resume and/or coverletter to [email protected]. All replies willbe answered. Thank you.


Automatic & Easy backup

GetPeace of Mind

Protection from CrashesViruses, Fire & Theft

Got Backups?

www.mytechguys.ca

Courtenay Comox250-338-4411 250-890-10655 - 2401 Cliffe Ave 1812 Comox Avenue

EMERGENCY: 250-897-9911RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion Securities Inc. is a member company of RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. ®Registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. © 2012 Royal Bank of Canada. All rights reserved.

RBC Dominion Securities Inc.

Professional Wealth Management Since 1901

Your online resource for planning your financial future

www.LaraAustin.com | Password: Future

White Paper: From Downturn to Upside - New thinking on business succession for today's economy

I T ’ S I N T H E V A U L T

Six tips for writing money-making direct mail

Sure Copy Launches 2012 EuroCup Free Online Soccer Pool

HelpWanted

Adil Amlani, Sure Copy

BRANDING . WEB . ADVERTISING

COURTENAY 250.792.1296PARKSVILLE 250.240.8727

NANAIMO 250.667.4107

www.bettermousetrap.ca

SOCIAL MEDIA

NEED MORE PEEPS AT YOUR TWEETS? MARKETING

STILL GETTING MARKETING ADVICE OVER BREWSKIES?

SIT DOWN WITH ONE OF OUR MARKETING EXPERTS TO GET

SOBER, PROFESSIONAL ADVICEAND GET YOUR BUSINESS

BACK ON THE WAGON.

How career colleges contribute to sustainability

Sustainability meansbeing able to adapt.These days, people

switch jobs and careersmore often than everbefore, adapting to aworld that’s changing atan almost dizzying rate. The right career training

is essential for anyonewanting to be sustainablein today’s volatile job market. Even people whostay in the same job overthe course of their careeroften need to re-train inorder to stay current andcompetitive in their field. Private career training

institutions are often thebest choice for this sort of

career training andupgrading because theyfocus fully on providingemployable skills. As president of such an institution, I know first-hand how fundamentallyimportant it is to us thatour graduates get jobs —which is why we go togreat depths toensure whatwe’re teaching iswhat the marketneeds. We keep a very

close eye onchanging eco-nomic and demographic trends,keeping our fingers on thepulse of the moment.Insofar as it’s possible,our mission is to predictthe future so that we canbe assured the programswe offer are equipping ourstudents with the skillsthey’ll need to find good-paying and sustainableemployment. Because private career

training institutions likeours are generally small,

they can be agile and canadapt to communityneeds according to realdemand. Additionally, thetraining happens locally inthe community, whichavoids all the complexitiesand negative economicimpacts of relocating.Which brings us back to

the sustainabilityof the communi-ty itself. For a city to be

self-sustaining, it needs individuals whocan service thecommunity’s

needs from within. In theComox Valley, we’re see-ing a major shift right now.With changing demo-graphics and aging babyboomers, there’s a greaterneed for certain servicessuch as health care; private career traininginstitutions train the nextgeneration of workers whowill fill these vital jobs.There’s a push these

days toward a more localeconomy, and toward

communities becomingmore self-sufficient.Communities are lookinginternally to provide the

“The right careertraining is

essential intoday's volatilejob market..”

Comox Valley Business Gazette — Jun/Jul 2012 Page 1 2

Who the heck is Barry Back...and what the hell is he up to?

Business Gazette: Amongst thethousands of calls that you’vedone, what is the most common?

Barry Back: I would say I oftendeal with leaking pumps and faultyheaters. That usually happensbecause the owners don’t knowhow to chemically balance thewater.

BG: Have hot tubs and poolschanged much over the years?

BB: Pools haven’t so much, buthot tubs are better insulated forthe colder Canadian winters andsome now have multiple pumpsand far more jets.

BG: When you service a hot tub,do you haul it back to the shop?

BB: No, never. Regardless of whatthe problem is, I always fix hottubs in customers’ backyards. Thatway, I can educate customers andanswer all of their questions andconcerns.

BG: What’s the secret to yoursuccess?

BB: It’s extremely important toteach customers about water balance, and to have their hot tubsand pools regularly tuned up sothat their health isn’t adverselyaffected.

BG: What’s the new trend in yourbusiness?

BB: There are UV (ultraviolet)

sanitation systems that allow hottub and pool owners to put far lesschemicals in the water. These systems kill 99.9 per cent of bacteria, which is more efficientthan traditional chemical sanitiz-ers. It’s better for people’s healthas well as the environment.

BG: What’s the craziest jobyou’ve ever done?

BB: I’ve seen some doozies, butI’d have to say the guy who drovehis car into his pool. We drainedthe pool, craned the vehicle out,cleaned the pool, refilled it and putit back in operation.

BG: Who has been your biggestinfluence?

BB: I would have to say my dad.Before he passed away last yearhe taught me about the impor-tance of honesty and integrity. Hehad a successful heating businessfor 50 years.

BG: How do you go about gettingnew customers?

BB: It’s mostly through word ofmouth. There’s no better marketing than happy customers.They usually tell their friends andrelatives about our service.

Barry Back can be emailed [email protected] and called at250.334.8886.

With 30 years in the industry, Barry Back has plenty of experience servicinghot tubs and pools. He recently moved to the Comox Valley and has openedup shop to offer an array of services to improve water quality and equipmentfor all types of hot tubs and pools. So, inquiring minds want to know ...

We strive to help you make fair arrangementsfor child custody and access, financial supportand division of property.

Proud to provide consistent, quality services,coupled to prompt, cost-effective legal advice.

• Family Law• Divorce

• Corporate &Commercial• ICBC &

Personal Injury• Wills & Estates• Civil Litigation• Conveyancing & Development

Providing LegalGuidance and

CommunitySupport in theComox Valley since 1973.

250-334-2416 505 5th Street, Courtenaywww.ivesburgerlaw.com

Hans H. Urdahl Paul R. Ives Mark Burger

Let us help you through difficult and stressful times.

Lois McNestry, DiscoveryCommunity College

goods and services theyneed rather than lookingexternally for grants andsupport from higher levelsof government. Havingtrained people in place isessential to making thathappen.

Lois McNestry is the president of DiscoveryCommunity College. Formore information on thecollege and its programs,call the Courtenay campusat 250.338.9663 or visitwww.discoverycommunitycollege.com.

comox valley business gazette jun/jul 2012

Documents