Making it work
Business owners get creative
By Isabelle Southcott
Braeden Coburn quietly naps in a playpen while his mother Andrea Westie pays bills and greets customers. He plays with his toys while Andrea works on bookkeeping.
At 22 months, Braeden is a going concern. Grandfather Hugh bounces his grandson on his lap when he takes a break and at noon, it is usually Grandpa who ends up feeding him.
"He just won't eat for me," says his Mom.
Andrea has been working full time since January at the family-owned business, Westie Enterprises, a window and roofing company. "It was quite an adjustment," she says. "When you have your child at work, you need to be creative."
She manages to keep Braeden happy and get her work done at the same time.
Because she is with her son all day, Andrea doesn't feel like she's missing out on anything. And Braeden gets to be with his mom and grandparents.
"Most customers don't mind it," she says. "And as long as this is working, why not?"
Especially for small business, making it work often means thinking outside of tradition.
When Melissa Call, owner of Sunshine Organics, wanted to open Ecossentials, she asked Sue Russell, owner of TrendzEssence Fashions, to join forces with her. Russell moved her store from Alberni Street to their first location on Marine Avenue. This past summer Ecossentials, TrendzEssence and FeltiGirl Ecotoys moved to the old Burnt House Import building on Marine.
"It's three in one," Sue explained. "Everything is eco-friendly."
When Sue started TrendzEssence in 1990, it was as a seasonal clothing business under a different name. "I did the festival circuit and farmers markets." Her daughter was born in 1994 and it "was easy to be a mom and work my business around her."
TrendzEssence has had several homes over the years and the business has grown slowly but steadily. "We have clothes that aren't available anywhere else in Powell River. I went to the folk fest this year and every seventh person was wearing stuff from our store," she says.
Although different, all three businesses are eco-friendly.
"Sharing retail space is great for several reasons," says Melissa. "We can give customers more variety with a one-stop shop."
Sue points out how they both save money because they can share some of the big bills such as labour and utilities and explains how they can be creative with expenses. "Sharing has helped me reduce my expenses," she says.
Melissa says sharing has provided them as small business owners with the opportunity to have a storefront. "We couldn't afford a storefront on our own," she says. "This all works in with the theme of sustainability around locally made and fair trade products," she says.
Another plus is being able to share ideas. "Three heads are better than one," says Melissa. "Though with staff it's more like five heads!"
Sue is happy in her business situation. "I need to have a partnership. I know that. If I just did it myself it might get stale faster."
Ecossentials sells food and cleaning products in bulk. With "Get Unpackaged" as the businesses tag line, it fits in perfectly with Melissa's other business, Sunshine Organics, an organic food home delivery service.
The third business, Feltigirl and Detox your Toybox is owned by Anna Strumecki. She sells eco-friendly toys and her business fit in perfectly with the other two.
In order to make it work you have to communicate with the other business owners, says Sue. "There's give and take involved. It's like being in a band or a relationship. You have to work things out."
