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Feature - No suits for these cowboys

Young entrepreneurs make their way

By Stella L. Harvey

They're successful entrepreneurs providing a range of services to a varied customer base. They live and work in one of the most beautiful places in the world. They don't complain about Whistler's inflated rents and cost of living. Instead, they talk about having goals, doing right by their employees and customers and not getting overly stressed by the pressures of responsibility. They're focused, competitive and have the advantage of naivety – words like "can't be done" or "too complicated" don't enter they're minds. They see a demand and rush in to fill it oblivious to the obstacles that shackle the rest of us. No formal business attire here. No MBA in a back pocket. All are under 30 and all are shaping their work lives one step at a time.

Jody Edgar of Jody's Internet Services, located on Main Street in Whistler, was born and raised here. His youthful appearance deceives me at first, although I'm not sure what I was expecting. The shoes he wears are a dead giveaway. Shouldn't he be on a skateboard somewhere rather than running an operation that started with one person and now has five full time employees with talents ranging from graphic design to software development?

Jody started his first business, a Web design company, when he was 15. Now at 21, he continues to operate that original business for small specialized projects and has been running Jody's Internet Services for the past two years. His clear eyes and the eloquent, unpretentious way he speaks display an enthusiasm and passion for his work that is enticing and infectious all at once. As part of his application development service offering, he has built a point of sale system that can help any business track their sales in real time.

"It's an open system design built using Internet technology so it's scalable and can run on any hardware," he says with pride. "It's a generic point of sale system that we can quickly customize to fit any business.

"I'm excited about it," Jody says, "because software development is where I want to take my business. Right now, the storefront operation gives me the income I need to develop the graphic and Web design work we do for clubs and other local businesses. I will continue to provide those services but I want to branch out. This system is letting me do that. It's a starting point for bigger things."

Like what, I wonder and as if reading my mind he says: "Can't talk about those things yet, but there's lots of opportunities out there."

"So where did you learn about computers, about running a business?" I ask. He answers with a simplicity that is difficult to understand.

"Just listening," he says. "I'm always talking to people. But one of the most important things I do is listen. Then I decide what to pay attention to and what to let drop. When I don't understand something, I try to read the instructions. Like when I was in Grade 6, my friend David Hardy and I wanted to design a computer game for the science fair. We picked up a book and followed the instructions."

It turned out that there was no computer game category at the Grade 6 science fair so their project was bumped up to the Grade 12 category and they placed third overall. Again I see the pride in his eyes but there's no arrogance in his tone.

"I also had a lot of great teachers at Whistler Secondary who encouraged my entrepreneurial spirit. They wanted us to look at things differently. Challenge ourselves. Simon Hudson, a youth co-ordinator who has now moved to Squamish, was particularly supportive of me. He talked, I talked and then I listened."

"Why start a business in the first place?" I ask. "I mean it's a pretty complicated thing to do, isn't it?"

Jody smiles and replies, "Not really. I wanted control. I looked ahead and knew I didn't want the stresses associated with a corporate job. I also love Whistler and wanted to find a way to stay."

So while recuperating from a knee injury he thought of what he'd rather be doing and Jody's Internet Services emerged.

"Space came available right away and in less than a year I was up and running." He looks around at the mountains we're sitting in front of while we talk and says, "Can you think of a better place to work?"

"Do you think you're kind of unique? I mean there can't be that many successful entrepreneurs your age."

"I don't know," he replies. "I'm sure there are." He could be right.

According to the federal government's Western Economic Diversification Web site, titled, A Youth Entrepreneurship Strategy for British Columbia, "during the past decade, the number of self-employed workers in B.C. increased by more than 60 per cent – more than four times the growth in the number of individuals working for private and public sector employers. While self-employed individuals represent only a low proportion of the total B.C. workforce (21 per cent in 1999), during the past 10 years, this employment category has increased considerably faster than employment in traditional organizations."

Tim Orr, 17-years-old and graduating this year, started Two Minds Combined with his best friend, Mike Rencz, a 16-year-old, Grade 10 student. Both Tim and Mike grew up participating in various snowboard competitions. While talking to Tim's uncle and owner of Ace Embroidery, they got the idea they could design snowboard and skateboard clothes that would wear their Two Minds Combined logo. Tim and Mike came up with the design and they ordered the clothes through Ace Embroidery. The company has operated for a year and sells clothes in Whistler and Calgary.

Tim says, "I've been working at this part time while going to school. I'd like to expand, but right now I want to finish school and start my business degree at the University of Victoria. Even part time we've been successful. Our name is getting known mainly because we know a lot of people in the industry, we know what they're looking for and we always follow through on our orders. Word gets around. It's our best marketing tool."

As for future goals, Tim says, "I'd like to stay on the West Coast, expand the business into the U.S. and finish my degree. Working for myself, doing what I enjoy and living in beautiful surroundings is where it's at for me."

Twenty-one-year-old Richard Harvey was also a competitive athlete who gave up ski racing a few years ago but never forgot the lessons it taught him.

"Discipline, commitment, working under pressure and confidence were the things I learned in ski racing. Comes in handy when you run a business."

Richard has operated Student Works Painting in Whistler and Pemberton for the last three years.

"It was a coincidence I got involved with Student Works. A person, who would later become my mentor, came to speak at the one class I really didn't want to be in at SFU. I wasn't really paying much attention because I 'happened' to sit down beside a cute girl. It wasn't until my mentor-to-be was walking out of class that I decided to read the little piece of paper that had been placed on our seats before coming into class. I read it and what caught my eye was the tick box that said, 'win tuition money' and below that was another tick box that said 'information for summer employment opportunities'. I decided to check off both boxes and ran after the guy to hand in my form. Three gruelling interviews later I set up shop in Whistler and started marketing and hiring employees."

Richard says, "The corridor is a great place for this type of business because the harsh weather means homes and businesses need lots of restoration painting. And I'm here to deliver it."

Richard has staffed up in anticipation of the growing demand. On average, he employs 10 people and enjoys providing work for others. When his employees do well, he does well. Like Jody, he also likes to be in control.

"Now that I've worked for myself, I can't see going back to work for someone else. I like running the show. Student Works has grounded my experience. It's pointed me in the direction I want to go. I want to finish my degree and fill a gap in service demand by starting another new business in the future. And there's no better place than Whistler to do that."

Tara Martin, owner and operator of Baby's On The Go, currently based in Pemberton, gave up a lucrative service industry job in the city to change her lifestyle. She moved to Whistler in 1996, at the age of 20 and started a cleaning company. She wanted to do something completely different and knew she didn't want to work for anyone else. Running her cleaning company in various hotels in the village she noticed that the number one question people asked was, Do you know where I can rent a crib or a stroller?

"I tried to find out but came up short."

Tara took it upon herself to buy a few strollers and Baby's On The Go began.

"It was a bit of a fluke. I was already running a successful business and had no intention of starting another one. But as it was, I saw a need and thought I could help. And people around me, other businesses, were very supportive. Whistler is that type of place. It is a youthful place. People took me seriously even though I was young. They helped me meet my goals. They never doubted that I would follow through."

Baby's On The Go started in 1998 renting and delivering high-end baby furniture, toys, children's pools and winter clothes for kids. Tara employs one full time staff member and hires part time help, as she needs it.

"Hotels are our biggest customers. They run out of equipment and call us. And we deliver so they keep calling."

The business has expanded over the last four years and now also rents barbecues, tents, ironing boards and the like.

In terms of the future, Tara says, "The business is at a point where I need to move it to a store front operation in Whistler. When you run a home-based business you're always on. People can call at any time and you're there to respond. I'd like to have my home back."

Kyle Bubbs can identify with the complications of running a home-based business. He has operated Molten Metalworks for the past three years, a company that does custom steel work and fabrication such as handrails and unique furniture. At 29, he's the oldest member of the entrepreneurs interviewed for this article. Like Tara he's moving his business to the next level by opening a studio. Unlike Tara, he will be opening in a completely redesigned building that is situated on his property in Pemberton. His plans are to open in July of this year.

"I'm always working as long as I'm here. So when I need a vacation, I leave. I could never have a true holiday if I stayed home. I know that. So I found a way around it," Kyle says.

Kyle has always found a solution when life presented challenges. When he couldn't find anyone who was doing the kind of custom metal design and polishing work that he wanted to do at a reasonable price he set up his own company. Some of his clients include builders who are looking for something unusual yet affordable. When he wanted to ensure that only unique artistic works would be displayed in his studio, he looked around and chose those artists in Whistler, Gabriola Island and the Lower Mainland that understood what he was trying to accomplish.

"Glass work, iron work, and pottery will be on display. The art is local (all from B.C.) for the most part and unusual. Stuff you don't see anywhere else."

And to draw them into the studio/gallery, Kyle has continued to operate a freestyle mountain bike track on his property to ensure if he builds it they will come.

He seems to have the bases covered. You'd expect nothing less from an individual who comes from an entrepreneurial family. His family owned and operated Whisky Jack Resorts in Whistler, his brother runs a ski touring company and his sister runs an interior design business in the city.

"My dad always told us that we never had to work for anyone else if we didn't want to. We just had to work hard and follow our goals. I took his advice to heart. We all did."

In addition to his father's advise Kyle gets support from his best friend, who helps out in the shop when it gets busy, and from his girlfriend who takes care of the books.

"In the end," Kyle says without hesitation, "I had the dream, made it happen through hard work and the support of my family and friends. I keep at it because I'm providing a service people want and appreciate. That's why I do this. And the fringe benefit of the lifestyle I enjoy in Pemberton is a bonus."

Sally Reid, a16-year-old Grade 11 student at Whistler Secondary likes making things happen.

"Starting a business," she says, "is a chance to meet people, provide a service, have fun, learn things and actually make money."

Sally started a lunch program at school over the last few months because, "there is no cafeteria here and most kids don't get up early enough to make their own lunches."

She brings baked potatoes, cupcakes and muffins every Tuesday to school and sells these lunches to about 20 of her classmates.

It's not the first time Sally has ventured into the business world. At last year's Bizarre Bazaar, she made clothes she wanted to sell to kids for their dress up games.

"I didn't sell many of the dress-up clothes to kids. The toy store in town saw them and bought some from me to resell in their store."

So she bakes, sews and knows she wants to eventually run a business that will have an artistic focus. Sally's other venture last year was to produce a small newspaper entitled, Between the Lines.

"I got the idea when I went through some small towns on holidays with my parents. All the towns had small newspapers like this that listed community events and other interesting things. I thought Whistler should have one too so I did some research on the Internet, developed the paper, made it available through 36 locations for free and paid for it through local advertising."

Asked if she would continue with the newspaper, Sally replied, "it was a lot of work, didn't make much money and didn't really give me enough of an artistic outlet."

These entrepreneurs are as different as the services they provide. And yet there is a common theme running through all their stories. Most like the lifestyle the Sea to Sky corridor offers and wanted to find a way to stay. All are driven by a need to control their destiny while doing the kinds of things that interest them.

Jody sums it up best: "It's about doing what you want to do, where you want to do it."

If you are interested in any of the services these entrepreneurs provide you can contact them at:

Jody Edgar - Jody's Internet Services at www.jodys.ca or 604-932-8380

Tim Orr - Two Minds Combined - 604-938-1146

Richard Harvey - Student Works Painting -- 604-938-3797

Tara Martin at Baby's on the Go.com or 1-604-894-0092

Kyle Bubbs - Molton Metalworks at krbmetal@direct.ca or 1-604-894-3651

Sally Reid - 604-932-3665



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