B.C. small businesses find ways to win despite the pandemic – Vancouver Sun

Breadcrumb Trail Links

Record number of people voted to nominate a small business in their community for outstanding service or products

Author of the article:

The husband-and-wife team that owns and operates Sea to Sky Sourdough BReD in Whistlers Creekside scrambled when COVID-19 hit to pivot from a potential customer base of three million tourists to the about 12,000 residents who make the area their permanent home.

Our whole business model relied on the visitors we get each year, said Ed Tatton, who like his wife grew up in England. So it was devastating when they closed the mountain.

Natasha and I had sold our house in the U.K. Everything is on the line for us. If the business fails, then it would essentially take us years to recover.

The vegan and organic BReD was a week away from celebrating its first anniversary when Whistler/Blackcomb shut down for the first time in March of 2020.

I think when youve got that driving force behind you weve borrowed a lot of money and weve invested a lot of money ourselves we just have to make it work, Tatton said.

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

The Tattons bakery was one of six Small Business B.C. award winners in the under-35 category for youth entrepreneur.

Like other small-business people, they had to move fast to upgrade their website, to adapt, to creatively come up with new ways of getting bread to customers, and to attract new customers. And, like a lot of small-business owners, the Tattons said they were incredibly grateful for the federal and provincial grants available during COVID-19.

A record number of people voted to nominate a small business in their community for outstanding service or products, a sign of support for local entrepreneurs who endured many challenges this past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Small Business B.C. said.

I think its clear from the overwhelming number of nominations and the more than 50,000 public votes that the spirit of support for small business runs strong in our province, Tom Conway, CEO of Small Business B.C., said.

This has been the most difficult year for small business owners and now their communities are standing behind them, recognizing what theyve been through and celebrating their success. We saw an overwhelming show of support from friends, families and communities coming forward to honour the small businesses they love.

Joining the Tattons were:

Jada Creations, Terrace, solopreneur category: Owned and operated by founder Jaimie Davis, a Gitxsan & Nisgaa artist, who sells Indigenous wearable art.

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Matidor, Vancouver, innovation: Co-founders Vincent Lams and Sean Huangs company simplifies the complex world of software services. The ultimate location visualization and data collaboration tool for businesses, with the only software solution of its kind that has built-in GIS functionality, according to the judges.

Sisters Sage, Vancouver, community impact: Lynn-Marie and Melissa-Rae Angus, the sisters behind Indigenous handcrafted wellness and self-care products inspired by their culture and traditions, give out so much inspiration to others who need some personal empowerment.

Bigfoot Donuts, Courtenay, premiers peoples choice: Lyndsey Bell and Jay Valeri are on a mission to reinvent the humble doughnut.

Charcuterie Vancouver, immigrant entrepreneur: Sadaf Rahimi arrived in Vancouver from Afghanistan, via a short stay in Russia, and established her business in 2019, elevating special events and occasions with custom-made charcuterie boards, tables and boxes.

At first it was super difficult, Rahimi said of running a new business that catered gatherings. We totally shut down in March and April (or 2020).

By May, she was coming up with new ideas, including buying a 3D printer and targeting special occasions, such as birthdays and Mothers Day, instead of preparing tables for 50 to 200 people at weddings and Christmas parties.

I had to pivot. Instead of doing boards and tables like we were doing beforehand, we ended up doing individual boxes. All of a sudden it just boomed.

gordmcintyre@postmedia.com

twitter.com/gordmcintyre

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Vancouver Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it please check your junk folder.

The next issue of Vancouver Sun Headline News will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notificationsyou will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

See the original post here:

B.C. small businesses find ways to win despite the pandemic - Vancouver Sun