Celebrating 40 years in Business: The Journey & Legacy of Era Rowles

In 1995, gallerist Era Rowles was honoured as December’s Woman of Vision. And the next year, she joined the Women of Vision Advisory Board. It was the first program of its kind to recognize successful women who have made a difference in their community.

Era also joined the Downtown Rotary Club in 1995. She was one of only seven other women in a club numbering over 250 members. Over the next 25 years, she held several senior positions within the club and sponsored over 15 women. She attributes much of her success with Rotary.

I had every business resource at my fingertips and developed many friendships with like minded people. Rotary was like getting an MBA degree on the go… for free…

In 2005, Era was awarded the "Four Avenues of Service Award" from Rotary International for contributions and service to the community. To this day, she continues to be one of Edmonton’s most successful entrepreneurs.

Era Rowles reflects on the journey of Rowles and Company located in the historical LeMarchand Mansion.

What year did you open Rowles and Company?

In 1981, I was a full time Special Education Teacher in a maximum security unit, working with challenged children. I discovered that using art related activities improved and promoted both their educational success and their damaged self image. If I could affect the success of these students, I could only imagine my influence in the world at large. I had always wanted to start my own business. I had heard of an art dealer from Toronto who was running a successful art business out of her penthouse apartment. So, in September 1981, I rented a 2400 sq. ft. penthouse apartment on the 20th floor of College Plaza and set up 80% of the apartment to be an Art Gallery. During the next three years, I presented nine invite only art shows while still teaching. I started to build a client base.

Did you always want to open an Art Gallery?

I loved anything artful as a girl, and worked as a student Curator during my University years at McMaster University Art Gallery. I spent a year in Europe in 1971, right after graduating, travelling through 11 countries, spending days touring every major Museum and Art Gallery in those countries. The World of Art seemed to course through my veins, as I began to understand its role in recording so much of man’s historical, cultural and spiritual development.

How have your priorities changed from when you first started?

My work effort has always remained the same! Priorities are forever changing as the world continues to develop faster each year. The Internet happened halfway through my career and I jumped on board. We were one of the first Galleries in Alberta to computerize and to have a website in 1998. I wanted to focus on a corporate customer base, so I had to adapt and learn to communicate in the same way the business world did. By the late 1990’s, I also had a busy second location in Calgary that I had to keep track of. Computers and websites were a huge investment at the time, but all my advisors encouraged me to invest in technology.

I truly believe that this initial investment in technology elevated Rowles and Company in my industry and gave it the “edge”. In the later half of the 1990’s, there were six other Gallery businesses in Edmonton’s downtown core. By 2002, Rowles and Company was the last Gallery standing. We must have done something right!

What is unique about your business?

I like to think that I introduced the idea of a full procurement business, using local artwork, and offering personal symbolism. The Gallery became a full procurement business from deciding what kind of a gift would be appropriate, creating of the gift, including a biography of the Artist as well as the significance of the symbolism, including personalized inscriptions, gift wrapping, labelling and shipping to the recipient. We became experts in corporate gifting using artwork.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently when you were first starting out?

I wouldn’t change much of my journey. Perhaps I would sleep more and not work on the weekends and holidays so much. Entrepreneurs have a tendency to work every day because they love what they get to do. We rarely count our hours and often have no reason to separate work and play. Warren Buffet said this was true for himself. I actually got to meet this amazingly simple man in 2012 here in Edmonton and I encourage everyone to view his truly inspiring documentary, “Warren Buffett — The Making of an Oracle”.

As a business woman, I have navigated through seven economic recessions during my 40 years and each time, I wondered if my business would survive! Many businesses did not! It was these challenging times, however, that really shaped my ability to think outside the box, make and carry out decisions quickly and adapt to the new conditions. Staying the course and nurturing your core business, tightening your belt when you need to, seeking partnerships and not being risk-adverse to explore every opportunity — these were all necessary ingredients to my business survival.

Any words of wisdom for young entrepreneurs starting out today?

· Your most important investment in your life is investing in “yourself.”

· Everything deserves your very best effort!

· You will learn most from your most challenging times.

· Always put a little money aside each month/year in order to sail through the tougher times.

· Your returning clients will be your ultimate report card!

What legacy do you hope to leave?

An appreciation of the importance of artwork in the workplace whether it be on your wall or as a service award or retirement gift. I would like to think Rowles and Company played a small role in identifying the significance that art plays in our everyday lives.

www.rowles.ca

Era's Keys to Longevity

· None of us do it alone! Choosing the right people and aligning oneself with the best employees, partners and advisors you can find.

· Putting aside 10% of any profit made each year for a cushion for the next recessionary period. This saved the Gallery on more than one occasion over the years.

· Creating a Code of Ethics and following it to the letter.

· Always providing bonus services and giving more than what is expected.

· Offering assistance and giving back every chance you have.

WORDS BY BERYL BACCHUS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TREVOR TSOI