Douglas Magazine Dec/Jan 2020

DEC 2019 /JAN 2020

MAKE 2020 YOUR YEAR! Trends that will impact your work-life and business

THE FUTURE OF GIVING

A generational shift is changing philanthropy

Tessa McLoughlin, founder/director of KWENCH

AND WE’RE ROLLING

Is Victoria’s film industry getting its big break?

Culture Queen Tessa McLoughlin’s new cowork and culture club is transforming how Victoria works and connects

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR’S WINNERS! JUDGES’ CHOICE

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DEC 2019/JAN 2020

CONTENTS FEATURES 20 In Conversation

Tessa McLoughlin of KWENCH work + culture club is uniting coworking and culture with her new space and an exciting club concept. BY ATHENA MCKENZIE

42 The Way We Give is Changing

Savvy local non-profits are changing how they fundraise to deal with shifting demographics (hello, millennials!), attitudes and spending priorities. BY JODY PATERSON

50 And We’re Rolling

Victoria’s film industry is buzzing as Hallmark doubles down and a film studio appears to have traction at last. BY JODY PATERSON

18

36

MAKE THIS YOUR YEAR!

VREB Douglas showcases the trends, ideas and people that will impact the way you work, live and do business in 2020.

BY KERRY SLAVENS

DEPARTMENTS 8 FROM THE EDITOR 11 IN THE KNOW Comic Con,

50

cruise-ship controversy, Olympian Adam Kreek’s new book, meditation moves closer to work and more.

18 CASE STUDY Sleep is a sound

business at eco-minded Fawcett Furniture and Mattress. BY DANIELLE POPE

28 BIG IDEA At Women’s Equity Lab, local

female investors pool their money to invest in early-stage startups and learn about investing along the way. BY ALEX VAN TOL

62 LAST PAGE Check out the

photos from Douglas magazine’s first (and sold out) IDEATION event.

INTEL (BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE) 56 ENTREPRENEUR New rules for giving back. BY JIM HAYHURST

58 NEXT LEVEL Why you really need a vision. BY ALEX VAN TOL

60 GROWTH The missing link in improving performance. BY CLEMENS RETTICH 6 DOUGLAS

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JEFFREY BOSDET/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

FROM THE EDITOR

It’s a bit rich

Would you like a 55 per cent pay raise?

So would Victoria City Councillor Ben Isitt, who put forward a motion in October asking City staff to look into the costs of paying each councillor the same as the median income of City employees. The motion was then amended to direct staff to seek public feedback, which they did through an online survey as part of the City’s 2020 financial planning process. The survey question read: “Do you agree with adjusting annual salary and benefits for members of council to $70,100, equivalent to the median income of a City employee (excluding police and fire)?

This would result in an increase of approximately $25,700 per Councillor annually, for a total of $205,600 additional remuneration per year for all of Council.”

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8 DOUGLAS

If approved, this would take each city councillor’s pay from $45,384 plus benefits to $70,100 plus benefits for a three-quarter time position. No mention was made of the mayor’s salary.

One rationale for this is that councillors are paid to work three-quarter time but are actually working full time. “It strikes me that if we want to attract professionals and others,” Isitt said in a November 15 Times-Colonist article, “and not just have very wealthy people serve on council, I think we do have to set the compensation at a level that younger people wouldn’t see it as a huge penalty if they’re going to take time out of their career.”

I don’t begrudge some kind of salary increase for city councillors. They have not had a raise (beyond the cost of inflation) for more than a decade and lost a major perk in January when the feds took away the tax-free status that applied to one-third of their salaries. They’re a hard-working group with a great deal of responsibility in a city that essentially acts as the core for the entire Capital Region.

Nevertheless, an “ask” of 55 per cent is audacious — especially when police have repeatedly asked for an increase — and would place them among the highest paid councillors for cities of Victoria’s size in Canada. The increase would also raise them head and shoulders above their counterparts in Saanich, who voted themselves an increase of 11.47 per cent, taking councillor salaries from $41,309 to $46,047.95.

“I’m amazed that running for council is now based on salary rather than volunteerism and commitment to the community,” Saanich Councillor Judy Brownoff told me.

It’s not that $70,100 is a huge salary in the ultra-expensive city of Victoria, but the optics of such an increase are entirely wrong in a time when many Victoria constituents struggle to afford childcare, rent or mortgages, property taxes (which are going up again) and even to achieve a living wage while working full time (or in multiple jobs). According to Statistics Canada, the current median salary for someone working full time (for a full year) in Victoria is $49,464. What is needed is a review of councillors’ duties. If the job really can’t be done in three-quarter time, increasing councillors’ salaries to the median wage of the average Victorian (not City employee) sounds reasonable, especially given some councillors, including Isitt, receive compensation for roles on the Capital Regional District board.

A city’s tone is set from the top. In these times, proposing a 55 per cent pay raise strikes me as tone deaf.

— Kerry Slavens kslavens@pageonepublishing.ca

“Nevertheless, an ‘ask’ of 55% is audacious — especially when police have repeatedly asked for an increase ...”

Lugaro

www.douglasmagazine.com VOLUME 14 NUMBER 1

We believe the ultimate measure of our performance is our clients’ success. It has guided our approach for over 30 years.

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jim Hayhurst, Jody Paterson, Danielle Pope, Clemens Rettich, Alex Van Tol CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jeffrey Bosdet, Belle White, James MacDonald

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PROOFREADER Paula Marchese

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10 DOUGLAS

I N N O VAT I O N | D E S I G N | BU S I N E S S | ST Y L E | P E O P L E

JEFFREY BOSDET/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

[IN THE KNOW]

COMIC CON IS ON

BY LAURA BROUGHAM

Excitement for the third annual Capital City Comic Con has been growing since the announcement of the first featured guest, Gates McFadden, who first portrayed Dr. Beverly Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

From March 20 to 22, an anticipated 12,000 fans of Star Trek (or Marvel Comics, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and more) are expected to attend the entertainment and comic-book event at the Victoria Convention Centre and Crystal Garden — many dressed as their favourite characters — to meet one another, attend panels and workshops and see the celebrities.

Candice and B Woodward —

pictured above in Ghostbusters gear with their children — co-own Cherry Bomb Toys, and are the organizers of Victoria’s Comic Con. Candice says the convention is an event everyone can be excited about attending, and is meant to bring people to the city and grow the vibrancy of downtown.

“Even if you’re not into the geeky and nerdy, you might love to meet a celebrity or an artist that you follow.

We bring in different talent from all over the world,” Candice says.

Destination Greater Victoria says last year the convention’s economic impact was just under $1.5 million, with 9,348 attending and 24 per cent of guests being from out of town. capitalcitycomiccon.ca



CRUISE SHIPS BY THE NUMBERS

243

45%

$13 million

Number of cruise ships that arrived at Ogden Point cruise ship terminal in 2018.

Percentage of cruise ships arriving at Ogden Point in 2018 that were shore-power enabled.

The 2012 estimate to install shore power at just one berth at Ogden Point. Victoria has three berths for cruise ships.



POWER TO CHANGE





GREATER VICTORIA HARBOUR AUTHORITY

EVERYONE AGREES SHORE POWER IS NEEDED TO REDUCE CRUISE SHIP EMISSIONS IN VICTORIA. THE QUESTION IS TIMING.

BY LAURA BROUGHAM

NEW TO THE CITY

HEATH MOFFATT

A

motion to make the City of Victoria’s cruise ship port more sustainable has raised serious concerns on both sides of the issue.

An October 2019 motion tabled by Mayor Lisa Helps and councillors Ben Isitt and Marianne Alto requests, in part, that the port install shore power before being allowed to expand the industry further. Shore power enables ships with the necessary equipment to shut down diesel-powered auxiliary engines and plug into land-based electrical power. This significantly reduces emissions.

Isitt says he would prefer an even stricter motion “in terms of signaling to the industry that the status quo in terms of the number of vessels is unacceptable and the industry should be wound down until such time as it has a sustainable power source.”

But Ian Robertson, CEO of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA), says winding down the industry until shore power is installed is impractical.

“I’d like to find a way for this to

Victoria’s Ogden Point terminal is Canada’s busiest cruise ship terminal.

work, but the only way it’s going to work is by having industry and government work together,” he says. “I don’t think it should all be on industry, and I obviously don’t think it should all be on government.”

Robertson says the GVHA had already been studying the environmental impacts prior to the motion. In the spring 2019, it hired consulting firm Synergy Enterprises to measure emissions from the cruise ship terminal. The report, released in October, showed that since 2010 air contaminants

from the port have fallen by 41 per cent, sulphur oxides by 95 per cent and airborne particulates by 79 per cent. Greenhouse gas emissions at the terminal have risen by 19.1 per cent, but cruise ship passenger counts have risen by 45 per cent.

Synergy founder Jill Doucette, who will moderate a cruise sustainability panel at the 2020 IMPACT Sustainability Travel & Tourism Conference in January, says regulations for the industry should come from higher levels. “Where the regulation becomes really impactful is at the international or

“This motion is setting out to damage a fundamental basis of our economy,” says Victoria City councillor Geoff Young, noting his concerns about putting restrictions on industry growth. national level,” Doucette says.

Sustaining Tourism’s Rachel Dodds, a professor at Ryerson University, says some cruise lines are taking steps to be more sustainable, but more needs to be done.

“Cruise lines could do an awful lot,” she says. “Their practices are not innovative. When you look at the hotels and a lot of the other more sustainable businesses within the tourism industry, they’re taking proactive steps and I feel like the cruise lines are being quite reactive at this stage.”

[ AI HAS ARRIVED ]

[ EXPANDING INTERNATIONALLY ]

[ HERE’S THE PROOF ]

Element Human, a new Canadian subsidiary of U.K.-based CrowdEmotion, has set up business in Victoria. This Artificial Intelligence (AI) tech company works on machine learning of body language so that individuals and organizations can measure, model and simulate the human experience.

Seattle-based NetMotion Software Inc. expanded in Victoria this fall with a new office of 12 employees that represents its largest international presence yet. NetMotion develops software to make working remotely more efficient. Clients include the BC Ambulance Service and FortisBC. NetMotion first opened in Victoria in 2018.

One of Victoria’s newest tech companies is Proof, whose smart workflow management platform expedites the decision-making processes within governments and empowers them to go paperless by streamlining approvals, digitizing forms and improving data-driven decisions. Proof also has offices in Winnipeg, Whitehorse, Halifax and Toronto.

12 DOUGLAS

BUSINESS INSIGHTS

HOW THEY DID IT

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR SUCCESS

BUSINESS

IMPACT

UNMANNED XPLORERS

WHAT BUSINESS NEEDS TO KNOW

A

s Adam Kreek says, “The grit that’s required for success in athletics is the same grit that’s required for success in business.” In his new book, The Responsibility Ethic, the Olympic champion and executive coach shares some of the principles that have fueled his own accomplishments — 12 strategies to do the work and make success happen.

“My main audience [for this book] may not have rowed before, but there are universal truths in it,” Kreek says.

“I’m trying to translate the lessons of a rowing eight [a competitive racing team of eight rowers] because they are very different from that of an individual athlete. The book is about the individual in the context of a team. That’s The Responsibility Ethic: If you were to break it down into a simple formula, it would be self-leadership, plus team mindset, plus hard work equals group success and fulfillment that drives personal success and fulfillment.”

The book contains an evolution of the SMART (specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, and time-bound) goal philosophy.

Unlike SMART, the CLEAR strategy addresses the innate emotional and collaborative nature of big projects and allows one to adjust for changing outcomes.

According to Kreek, “clarifying each element of CLEAR will keep you moving toward, and past, the biggest outcomes you can imagine.”

COLLABORATIVE

Goals must include a social framework to drive momentum and completion of a task. Who will you work with to achieve this goal?

LIMITED

Goals must be limited in both scope and duration. They must have simple metrics so that anyone can objectively determine if your goal has reached completion.

EMOTIONAL

Goals should make a sincere and undeniable emotional connection to your core and the core of your team members. Why should you achieve this goal? Why do those you serve care?

APPRECIABLE

Large goals must be broken down into smaller actions and reasonable milestones so that results can grow over time. What are the small steps? What are the bigger steps?

REFINABLE

Goals must be set with a headstrong and steadfast objective, but as new situations or data arise, refine and modify your targets. Anticipate change.

Plan for risk. Create the best-case scenario, the worst-case scenario and most-likely scenario. Make sure the best case and worst case are dramatically different than the most-likely scenario.

The Responsibility Ethic is published

by Page Two. Learn about Adam Kreek at www.kreekspeak.com

2

Employers don’t often get good news about payroll deductions, but here’s a tidbit.

Due to continuing strong employment levels in Canada, Employment Insurance will go down again this year, by six cents to $2.21 in B.C.

3

In 2018, the Island received a Foreign Trade Zone designation (FTZ-VI) to help attract international trade activity and to expand production of goods for export. Export Development Canada now plans to open an office in Victoria and the Port of Nanaimo has received $46 million to expand docking facilities.

OPEN OCEAN ROBOTICS

CHALLENGE The amount we know about the ocean is relatively limited, and it is highly impacted by climate change. Researching the ocean often requires large boats and crews, which can have a negative impact on the environment.

SOLUTION Open Ocean Robotics has created autonomous boats that emit zero greenhouse gases and do not need anyone on board to collect and transmit data. The two boats they have created so far, Solar Xplorer and Force12 Xplorer, can be programmed to sail along a set path and collect information, or can be steered from a control room. The boats are equipped to instantly send data to the operator to be examined.

Julie Angus, cofounder and CEO of the Victoria-based company, says, “The oceans are so poorly understood, whether it’s the impact of climate change, overfishing, pollution, plastics — and it’s challenging going out there in traditional boats.”

Angus says one of the benefits of these boats is that they can be sent out in conditions not safe for crewed ships.

“These boats are really heavily ruggedized, so they’re made to go through the worst storms, even hurricanes,” Angus says. “It gives us the ability to study the ocean in states that we otherwise couldn’t explore.”

The boats operate on solar and wind energies and can be used to detect and clean up oil spills, safeguard the Arctic and find more fuel efficient routes for ships to take.

The boats are not currently commercially available, but Angus says the company will be conducting pilots and hopes to have them be commercially available by next year.

JEFFREY BOSDET/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

BELLE WHITE/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

1

Commercial parking permit prices are set to triple after Victoria council voted to support a staff recommendation to raise rates between $100 to $300 a year depending on vehicle size. The move comes after the Union of BC Municipalities bowed out of administering the province-wide Commercial Vehicle Licensing program, which cost drivers $25 to $40 per vehicle.

Open Ocean Robotics cofounder Julie Angus works with Matthew Cairns on a Data Xplorer.

DOUGLAS 13

MEET UP

WHERE BUSINESS HAPPENS

“We’re all so busy sitting in front of computers all day, and it can be quite analytical. Your brain gets really full. Taking a dedicated amount of time to focus on just clearing it out, you can wind down. Then your brain learns to form those pathways to wind down, so you don’t have to take work away with you as much.”

— HERE: URBAN MEDITATION CLIENT TAIMI KOSKELA OF QUADREAL FINANCE

Here: Urban Meditation brings calmness and community to downtown Victoria Here: Urban Meditation’s central location at 1515 Douglas means nearby workers — like those from Global Remediation Technology — can easily fit the practice into their day.

BELLE WHITE/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

Original designs with a flair for the unusual

Fairmont Empress Tea Lobby stonesjewelleryvictoria.com 250-382-4841 14 DOUGLAS

THE THIRD PLACE “Typically, if you do something like this, it won’t be at your home or office, it will be at a third place — and often that’s a disincentive to go,” says founder and CEO Eric Gerritsen. ”We looked for a space where people could easily stop by in the course of a normal workday.”

MODERN ANTIDOTE “It’s a very powerful antidote in terms of the other kinds of benefits that come from having a calm, stable mind, including better productivity and better concentration,” Gerritsen says.

“And invariably that is helpful for work and life.”

PERFECT TIMING “Three or four years ago, this probably would have been too early,” Gerritsen says. “But four years from now, I think you’ll see similar set-ups in office towers around the world. It rationally fits into the needs of a modern computerized working environment.”

MAKING CHANGE

Disciplined Value Investing That Works Odlum Brown Model Portfolio: A Proven Track Record Average Monthly Performance1

3.1% 3.5%

Compound Annual Returns2

14.4%

JEFFREY BOSDET/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

DOWN MONTHS (40% OF TIME) UP MONTHS (60% OF TIME)

-1.7%

Odlum Brown Model Portfolio* S&P/TSX Total Return Index

-3.5%

Russell Markel, president of Outer Shores Expeditions, aboard Passing Cloud.

Since December 15, 1994

Feel free to contact me for a copy of our monthly Odlum Brown Report.

R. H. Mark Mawhinney, CPA, CMA Investment Advisor

ECO AWARD WINNERS 2019

Tel 250-952-7755

mmawhinney@odlumbrown.com

Changing the world, one great idea at a time.

When Outer Shores Expeditions, a carbon neutral niche adventure travel company, takes clients out on its 21-metre classic wooden schooner, Passing Cloud, to iconic places like the Great Bear Rainforest, or Haida Gwaii, a commitment to the environment is second only to a focus on safety.

Outer Shores’ dedication to the environment, in general, and to preserving the pristine beauty of Canada’s wild Pacific Coast, in specific, has earned them a 2019 Ecostar Award in Maritime Excellence. The company is among 20 winners of the prestigious award, which is administered by the Synergy Sustainability Institute, to recognize outstanding environmental achievements and leadership on Vancouver Island.

Now in its fifth year, Ecostar’s list of winners includes businesses, nonprofits, academic institutions, government and individuals. Read about the winners at douglasmagazine.com.

THE TROPHY

8.3%

1 Performance measured mid-month from December 1994 - October 2019. 2As of October 15, 2019. *The Odlum Brown Model Portfolio is a hypothetical allequity portfolio that was established by the Odlum Brown Equity Research Department on December 15, 1994 with a hypothetical investment of $250,000.

It showcases how we believe individual security recommendations may be used within the context of a client portfolio. The Model also provides a basis with which to measure the quality of our advice and the effectiveness of our disciplined investment strategy. Trades are made using the closing price on the day a change is announced.

Performance figures do not include any allowance for fees. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.

200-plus reclaimed chopsticks from Victoria restaurants

Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund Odlum Brown Limited

@Odlum_Brown

Odlum Brown Community

OdlumBrown

COMPLETE EYE EXAMINATIONS BY

DR. JASON MAYCOCK DR. TOBY VALLANCE DR. MANDY LETKEMANN DR. NICHOLAS CATCHUK OPTOMETRISTS

3D printed wedge made of recycled bottles

CLIENT: MAYCOCK EYECARE PUBLICATION: DOUGLAS MAGAZINE SHIPPING DATE: JUNE 2019; AD SIZE: 4.94” x 4.7”

DOUGLAS 15

LEARN | GROW

Bobbi Leach, CEO of RevenueWire is reading THE CHALLENGER SALE

DOUGLAS READS 2020

Based on an exhaustive study across multiple industries and geographies, The Challenger Sale breaks down the elements of the Challenger approach into teachable skills. “[It] is a must read for any company in a highly competitive industry. Based on a decade of sales performance data, this book provides a road map for companies to sell from a position of value, not price.” Published by Porfolio

Looking for a fresh mindset for 2020? Check out what these local influencers are reading and listening to.

Dan Gunn, CEO of VIATEC is listening to 99% INVISIBLE “It’s self-described as being about all the thought that goes into the things we don’t think about — the unnoticed architecture and design that shape our world. It is not about what is next but instead dives deeply into why things we often overlook are the way they are. Understanding the influences, values and people who have very deliberately made choices we cannot see and the impact of those decisions provides a unique context, added appreciation and insight into what might shape the future ... and it’s not what you would expect.”

99percentinvisible.org

Daniela Cubelic, founder of Silk Road Tea, is reading ALTRUISM: THE POWER OF COMPASSION TO CHANGE YOURSELF AND THE WORLD “This book inspires me to do more, and to encourage others to join me. Regardless of size, every business has more power than they realize to be influencers and changemakers. I choose to shift practices, educate customers, incentivize staff and stimulate competitors to alter their behaviour. Earlier in my business career, I used to find it upsetting when my competitors copied me. Now I welcome it, because when I innovate on eco-friendly approaches, I want them to do the same.” Published by Back Bay Books

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16 DOUGLAS

Neil Tran, owner and creative director of LeapXD, is listening to DESIGN MATTERS “It’s a long-running podcast, hosted by Debbie Millman, a writer, artist and educator.

Debbie has a way of conducting insightful conversations with famous and nonmainstream creative thinkers, makers and game changers.

Each episode is loaded with her research and backstories that weave you through her guests’s struggles, successes and evolution in life and business. I learn best from my own and other people’s mistakes and failures. This show offers a valuable perspective to learn from other people’s journeys and life paths, so hopefully I can avoid similar pitfalls.” designmattersmedia.com

IDEAS | IMPACT

Mike Geric Construction’s Speed and Frances development will provide 245 new homes.

MORTGAGES GO THROUGH A MINDSHIFT Canada’s first crossover disruption to traditional mortgage lending is gaining ground in B.C. Is this the future of impact investing?

BY ALEX VAN TOL

I

f everyday British Columbians as Apple-owned land for affordable were able to access mortgages housing and support for populations at reasonable rates, would at risk. it change the shape of B.C. Similarly, Elkins says Impact communities and the broader MIC is a fiscal solution to a social economy? Serial entrepreneur, problem. “Our research is telling tri-sector leader and advisor to us middle-class incomes aren’t eligible for mortgages, yet these government Peter Elkins believes it people have good jobs,” he says. could.

“They’re the people you want as With the introduction of the your neighbours.

Impact Mortgage And yet they can’t Investment live in a mid-sized Corporation (MIC), B.C. community in partnership with because they the BC Construction cannot get access Association (BCCA), to a mortgage.”

Elkins and BCCA Elkins studied chief strategy amortization rates officer Lisa Stevens from around the have given life to world, most notably a scalable impact in Europe, where investment fund Peter Elkins, acting CEO of mortgages have they say will Impact MIC, is pioneering a much longer concept to help B.C.’s essential enable more British workers and skilled tradespeople amortization Columbians to buy homes affordably. periods, allowing buy homes. Think people to get teachers, skilled into the market and start building tradespeople, nurses and other equity. He and Stevens worked with essential workers — middle-class UVic MBA students to study global taxpayers who have been shut out amortization trends and to examine of home ownership due to rising the legal and taxation structure real estate prices. around mortgage investment “B.C.’s construction industry is corporations in Canada. facing a significant skills shortage, despite the significant earning power of trades careers,” Stevens says. “When I heard Peter’s Impact MIC concept, its relevance for workforce development in construction was immediately clear. Our worlds collided in a very inspiring way.”

A Pioneering Idea It’s an idea whose time has come.

On November 4, Apple announced it would funnel $2.5 billion into an affordable housing investment fund and a first-time homebuyer mortgage assistance fund, as well

A REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE Principal:

% Interest Rate: Monthly Payment:

25-Year Mortgage

40-Year Mortgage

$500,000

$500,000

3.00%

3.00%

$2,371

$1,790

Average rent in Victoria: $2,156 the amortization periods are, as long as investors feel comfortable with it.”

Longer amortization periods (25 to 40 years) and lower monthly payments are a key draw for homebuyers. In addition, there’s a more attractive loan-to-value ratio (up to 90 per cent), resulting in lower down payments. MICs are also not bound by federally regulated stress tests.

“We can actually look at somebody’s ability to pay, using rent as the indicator, and extend the amortization period,” Elkins says.

“When I heard Peter’s Impact MIC concept, its relevance for workforce development in construction was immediately clear.

Our worlds collided in a very inspiring way.”

— BCCA CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER LISA STEVENS

“What we found was that we weren’t constrained by any of the rules that the class A and B banks and credit union lenders are faced with,” Elkins says. “We get to decide what

“That person can continue paying the same amount they’re paying in rent, but actually acquires the ownership of a property. And the loan-to-value ratio allows people

AVERAGE RENT, 2 BEDROOMS, RENTALS.CA, NOV 2019

who don’t have huge savings to access a mortgage.”

Investment with Impact Investors put into the 100 per cent flow-through, tax-free Impact MIC for a targeted return, and their money is spread across a number of mortgages. Shares serve as qualified RRSP, RESP, RDSP, RRIF and TFSA investments.

“We can keep building government-subsidized and managed social housing,” Elkins adds. “However, people enter into those solutions not by choice but rather because the structure gives them no other options.

“There are some very specific instances where some people need their housing managed for them, but most of the population is more than capable of paying their mortgages and maintaining their homes …

Canadians want to own a home. It’s still very much a part of our culture.”

The BCCA board is planning to make mortgages from the Impact MIC available as of spring 2020.

DOUGLAS 17

CASE STUDY ■ BY DANIELLE POPE

■ PHOTOS BY BELLE WHITE

THE BUSINESS OF

SLEEP

As the Island’s only mattress manufacturer, Fawcett brings an eco-minded approach to sleep.

1

D

uane Franklin cares a lot about how well people sleep. In fact, he’s dedicated his entire career to finding the materials that maximize comfort and health.

“When you’re not sleeping well, it’s terrible — it impacts every other element of your life,” says Franklin. “And, yes, there are a lot of things that can contribute to that, but a big one is what you choose to sleep on.”

Franklin is the managing partner and lead mattress designer at Fawcett Furniture and Mattress — Vancouver Island’s only mattress manufacturer, and one that has made its business custom-creating sleep environments by exclusively using sustainable, earth-friendly materials.

While eco-minded consumables have gained in popularity, the mattress industry has barely made a crease in the green product movement. Yet, as Franklin will remind you, most people spend a third of their lives on these mattresses. What you choose matters.

TRADITION AND INTEGRITY “My first memory of a mattress, as a kid, was flipping it over because we used to use both sides,” says Franklin, who began making mattresses right out of high school. He perfected his skills for 17 years, then ran his own company for 11 years before co-creating Fawcett. “The components were simple, and they kept people well — that integrity is what I wanted to bring back.”

Fawcett is a little different from your typical mattress store. Located in a recently renovated space in the heart of



BETTER SLEEP = BETTER PRODUCTIVITY 18 DOUGLAS

2

GROWN-UP NIGHT LIGHT

The Glow Light from Casper cues your body for rest with a warm light for reading and relaxing, then gradually dims so you can fall asleep. In the morning, it fills the room with light for an easy, gentle wake up.

“

People are more thoughtful today about what they are purchasing, and the biggest difference we can make is showing them what’s in their mattress.

Rock Bay, it’s one part showroom, one part manufacturing centre and one part sleep counselling station. Clients can sample the options, consult on material preference, then watch their mattress (or one like it) being created.

Franklin and founding partner Ross Taylor were industry associates for nearly 30 years before joining forces in 2012 3 to create Fawcett. The company moniker comes from Taylor’s middle name — a name held over from a revolutionizing great uncle, and one Taylor was teased about as a kid. Yet, with their own revolution in sight, the two wanted to fill an industrywide gap: mattresses made entirely of natural materials that won’t off-gas, stack up the landfill or deconstruct as quickly as their synthetic counterparts. That means using materials like cotton, wool, hemp, natural latex and rubber, which are organically and sustainably sourced.

CUSTOMIZED SLEEP EXPERIENCE With allergies and health preferences top of mind, there are vegan options, too. And, every mattress is fully customized, right down to distinct sides — from firmness to material — for couples who have completely different sleep preferences.

“Often, when you’re a couple looking for a mattress, someone is going to have to compromise, and the beauty of a custom piece is that you can both get exactly what you want,” says Taylor. “One of the questions we often get is: ‘What’s your best

1 Dylan Franklin works on a tape-edge binding machine, a specialized sewing machine used to finish the edges of mattresses. Fawcett owns the only two such machines on the Island.

mattress?’ And I tell people it’s not about the cost — our ‘best’ mattress is the one that feels best for you.”

Becoming an eco-friendly mattress company is not an easy feat, especially considering the high-volume competition and the bed-in-a-box phenomenon the industry has bolstered these past few years.

However, Franklin is dedicated to sharing his passion for sustainable options and believes that, even though one-click convenience appeals to some, given the choice, most people prefer sleeping on a healthy alternative.

CONSCIOUS CONSUMERS If the company’s growth is any indication, Taylor and Franklin are onto something.

“People are more thoughtful today about what they are purchasing, and the biggest difference we can make is showing them what’s in their mattress,” says Taylor.

“When you can touch the components and see these simple, natural products, it changes how you look at every other option. It’s an amazing experience to watch someone actually make the thing you’ll be sleeping on.”

4

2 The manufacturing floor’s other specialized equipment includes a pneumatic tufting press, which can hold a king-sized mattress.

3 This quilted ticking is made from a wool and cotton blend.

4 The showroom allows customers to have a hands-on experience with the products.

5 Founders Ross Taylor and Duane Franklin.

THE POWER OF SCENT

Roll-on sleep oils or diffuser mists can help one relax. Saje’s Goodnight blend uses lavender and myrtle to soothe, and marjoram for its grounding effect.

5

BEDTIME STORY

Popular meditation app Headspace has a special sleep section. Along with sleep music and meditations, there are sleepcasts to help you wind down.

DOUGLAS 19

IN CONVERSATION TESSA MCLOUGHLIN FOUNDER OF KWENCH

Culture Queen With KWENCH work + culture club, Tessa McLoughlin is transforming how Victoria works and connects.

BY AT H E N A M C K E N Z I E

W

alking into KWENCH work + culture club, you immediately grasp that you’re not in staid-old Victoria anymore. The expansive space in the historic Francis Rattenbury building on Store Street was once just an attic that was considered unusable space when the lower level was home to Sports Traders. Now, sunlight streams through an enormous peaked skylight, illuminating a modernistic reception area with an eye-catching circular yellow couch and the sleek lines of custom Kurva Design desks. The design-forward esthetic projects an urban, big-city, big-culture vibe.

“My first impression was that KWENCH is a gift to the city of Victoria,” says Nicole Smith, founder of Flytographer.

Tessa McLoughlin is the wizard behind this Oz. But it wasn’t an easy skip along the yellow brick road to get here. When the Australian-born McLoughlin first arrived in Victoria in 2013 from Squamish, she was spinning from a recent divorce, which she calls an unexpected turn.

“It put my children and me in incredible financial and emotional stress,” she says. “I truly believe it was because I had gone through this upheaval and came out the other side that my determination to see my vision for this place to fruition was so strong.

Failure was not an option. I wasn’t going to let someone else control my future.”

20 DOUGLAS

The 2018 Douglas 10 to Watch winner initially launched KWENCH — her coworking-meetsculture-based collective — in a smaller Fort Street location, while the Rattenbury building was being renovated. She knew her vision called for a generous space with a large footprint.

“It came about out of my own desire to have a central physical space that removed the busyness from my life and supported happiness,” McLoughlin explains.

Working closely with local interior designer Sarah Donald of Hansenbuilt, KWENCH was brought to life. The 23,000-square-foot club is home to solo entrepreneurs and creatives, and businesses, such as Avalon Accounting and Becoming Design Office. Along with dedicated office space or desks for lease, there are hot desks and boardrooms, plus a telephone room, library, event space and fitness studio. Non-members can access the facility with a day pass and outside companies can book the boardrooms.

As an entrepreneur scaling up her business, Annabel Youens, cofounder and CMO of Appreciation Engine, believes KWENCH has the ideal setup for her tech business.

“No more coffee orders or checking up on the cleaners,” she says. “My team gets access to worldclass amenities and are totally looked after. The ability to just focus on my business is invaluable.”

But it’s not just about the work. Culture is also

DOUGLAS 21

JEFFREY BOSDET/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

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Al Hasham, President of Maximum Express McLoughlin and interior designer Sarah Donald of Hansenbuilt created a playful and refined space that celebrates the history of the building.

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Great Kids WANTED!

We invite you to visit our two campuses during our OPEN HOUSE on Friday, January 31 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 2 p.m. Learn all about GNS, our unique delivery of the International Baccalaureate curriculum and the variety of experiential opportunities we offer to our community of learners. Visit with staff, students and parents to ask them all your questions and learn about our Financial Support options.

Register today: http://www.mygns.ca/open-house Meet in Denford Hall at the Middle and Senior School Campus at 801 Bank Street with parking off Richmond or Maddison, or in the library at the Junior School Campus at 1701 Beach Drive.

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22 DOUGLAS

key to KWENCH. Smith calls McLoughlin “a generous connector” who realizes the power of community to elevate, both personally and professionally.

“KWENCH provides a hub where people can work but also not feel alone [and to] tap experts if they have a question, take a yoga class, grab a meal together,” she says.

“There’s nothing else like it in Victoria.”

Douglas sat down with McLoughlin in KWENCH’s new space to learn how she plans to change how Victoria works and connects.

What inspired you to create KWENCH? I’d moved to Victoria with my two young kids, and I didn’t have any family or anything here. It was a very tough time. It got to the point where I just asked myself, “What do I ultimately want for my life?” I knew I wanted to move back to Australia one day, and I wanted to know that what I was doing was giving back. I’ve always been in the arts and creating — I was a professional musician — and that kind of stopped before I moved here.

That’s when the idea for KWENCH came to me. I had started Thinklandia, and I was running everywhere to try and stay happy.

Going to the YMCA, going to yoga, trying to eat healthy food, trying to meet people. I just wished it was all in one place.

How did you find this space?

I had come to see the woman who used to run Ingredients to see if that space could work, but it was too small. As I was leaving the building, I noticed these totally rickety blue stairs that went up. I asked if we could go look. It was so crappy up here. Just disgusting. Very “attic,” very dark, very musty. There was no light at all, but I could

FINEST AT SEA

JAMES JONES

see these beams on either side of me, and I realized there were two roofs that we could join and create a much larger space.

What was the next step?

I had heard Matt Phillips [of Phillips Brewing & Malting] had bought the building, so I messaged him and said, “Hey, I’ve got an idea.” And Matt, being the visionary he is, said, “Let’s chat.” I sent him a proposal of what I was looking at doing. Then I came with two friends, one who is an architect and the other a designer. We had to go up in a construction lift and sneak through the ceiling to get to some of the spaces. The top floor, the attic, had never been used. We proposed opening up and connecting the space all the way through. Two and a half years later, here we are.

What were the challenges in getting this space up and running?

The biggest challenge, first off, was finding someone who believed in my vision and would take the risk. I have huge, huge respect for Matt for putting that commitment into something that’s a new concept for people. He took the risk and said, “Yes, I’m going to do that.”

What were the the other barriers to your success?

The second was financial — finding investors and financial assistance. When you’re a new company, you have to have been around for two years before the bank gives you anything. I’m a single parent, and so therefore I don’t have the assets and things that coupled people often have. I don’t like to whine about that, but it is a reality.

FINEST AT SEA CHRISTMAS PARTY FAVOURITE

LEMON DUNGENESS CRAB CROSTINIS Preheat broiler. Brush both sides of each baguette slice with olive oil, and broil on a baking sheet for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until lightly toasted and golden.

INGREDIENTS • 1 baguette, sliced • 3 or 4 tbsp of olive oil • 3/4 cup mayonnaise • 1 tsp lemon zest • 3 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, divided • 1/2 tsp salt • 12 ounces pre-shucked local Dungeness crabmeat • 2 tbsp finely chopped red onion • 1 carton cherry or grape tomatoes • Grated Grana Padano cheese • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

In small mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon zest, 3 tablespoons dill, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In medium bowl, combine crab, red onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Take 2 or 3 tablespoons of the mayonnaise mixture and stir into crab mixture.

Spread remaining mayonnaise mixture evenly over toasts. Evenly divide crab mixture and press onto each slice. Cut tomatoes in half, lengthwise, and top each crostini with 3 to 5 tomato pieces (as desired). Dust each crostini with Grana Padano.

Broil 1 to 2 minutes to warm all ingredients together. Sprinkle with black pepper and remaining 1/2 tablespoon dill. Serve immediately.

Enjoy with good company!

Wishing You Holidays Filled with Fun, Warmth and Good Cheer!

Finest At Sea Seafood Boutique 27 Erie Street (Across from Fisherman’s Wharf) 250.383.7760 finestatsea.com

DOUGLAS 23

How did the concept challenge potential investors?

It was hard to explain to people what makes us different, but now that we’re here, we’re not going to need to explain as much. You can see people get it as soon as they walk in.

Why coworking?

I don’t think coworking is my main focus — it’s just one of the functions of KWENCH. For me, it’s about being a club. A big culture club where you feel seen. A place where you can explore and learn and be a part of something.

We’re a club. We’re full-service. We take

care of everything so our members can concentrate on what they’re here to do.

What else inspired KWENCH? When the idea came to me, coworking was just coming about. While I totally could see that as the foundation and potentially the revenue, I knew that while people will leave their homes to go to a cool space, they won’t stay just for space. You’ve got to create way more. For me, that’s the culture. I usually say in my pitch decks that we’re kind of a cross between a WeWork and a Soho House.

The cultural part is absolutely key. Taking

“I knew that while people will leave their homes to go to a cool space, they won’t stay just for space. You’ve got to create way more. For me, that’s the culture.” in those pillars of KWENCH — knowledge, wellness, experiences, novelty, curiosity and connection — brings health and happiness.

Everything we do in this space is about that.

How does that translate into action?

We’re very inclusive and have designed the space without a gender bias. We have kombucha on tap because it’s supposed to be healthy. We offer fitness classes [and] have learning opportunities, be it through events or workshops or lunch and learns. This space is somewhere where the city can come and really foster an intense sense of culture, whatever that means to each person. We’re really into supporting the arts community.

We were the clubhouse for the Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival this year and had the Victoria Short Film Festival here. We’re going to be doing dance classes. We’ll be starting up our choir. And we’re really consciously environmental too ... When people rent out the space for events, we let them know that we do not allow single-use plastic. If they’re getting catering, we have suggestions so they’re aligned with our practices.

Island Grown Our mission at Trees Restaurant is to highlight Vancouver Island-grown produce in a sustainable way. We feature a seasonal menu reflecting our passion for fresh ingredients and our love for local food. Everything on the menu is made in-house for you to enjoy. This is a family-oriented space where all are welcome.

Looking for a venue to host your next event? Book your next meeting, workshop or party with Trees Restaurant. Email us at info@treesrestaurant.ca to start planning with our Event Coordinator.

537 JOHNSON STREET TUESDAY – SUNDAY 8 AM – 3 PM | 5 PM – LATE TREESRESTAURANT.CA

24 DOUGLAS

What does the future hold?

Finding financing was hard in the beginning.

Now I have quite a few people knocking on my door. So our plan is to expand in Vancouver next year. Once we’ve done Vancouver, and we’ve figured out how the clubs work together, we’ll expand into the States. So within the next five years, we want to have a minimum of nine locations throughout Canada and North America.

What’s it like seeing people’s reactions?

Because the process has been so long, this building has been like watching your child grow. You know when someone says, “Oh, they’ve grown so much!” And you don’t see it. Everybody’s been coming in, going, “Oh my gosh, this is incredible.” Obviously, I designed the space with my interior designer to [address] how we thought people were going to function within the building. But then to actually see people functioning in it, and connecting with each other, that’s when I get emotional. 

L-R: Bill Reid, Adam Taylor, Elizabeth Vannan, Jim Cameron, Sanci Solbakken, Steve Wellburn

With its roots in the Prairies, MNP has been providing accounting, tax, consulting and financial advisory services to Canadian businesses for more than 60 years. The firm arrived in Victoria in 2012 with a single employee and has grown to include six partners with an ownership interest in the firm and 40 additional team members.

The firm’s local client base includes smalland medium-sized private enterprises, professionals, provincial ministries and agencies, and local governments, as well as not-for-profit organizations and Indigenous communities and organizations.

Close Relationships With Clients And Community Local private enterprise partner Steve Wellburn credits the strong local growth to the firm’s unique business model, entrepreneurial approach and mid-market focus. “We operate with a ‘one-firm’ philosophy that puts the needs of our clients at the centre of everything we do,” Wellburn explains. “Our local partners develop very strong relationships with our clients so we can offer personalized advice. At the same time, we can draw on our resources as a national firm to connect our clients with all of the specialized

expertise they need to achieve their goals.

It’s really very simple, our role is to help our clients succeed.”

MNP’s business services include: • Accounting (bookkeeping, financial statements, audits) • Tax (compliance, tax planning, crossborder, GST/PST) • Consulting (technology advisory, human resource management, succession) • Financial Advisory Services (valuations, enterprise risk, cyber security) The firm’s spirit of personalized attention extends to the local community as well.

“Supporting the communities where our team members live and work is a longstanding MNP value,” Wellburn says.

“For our Victoria team, this is home. We take pride in supporting local community organizations and events both corporately and through the active involvement of our team.”

Recent examples include: • Hosting the MNP Torch Relay in Victoria for the 2019 Canada Winter Games • Partnering with the Victoria Harbour Cats Baseball Club to raise donations for the Victoria Foundation

• Supporting grassroots fundraising events like the Paddle for Health; and • Participating as active members in the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and South Island Prosperity Partnership.

Fulfilling opportunities like these have led to MNP recently being named one of Canada’s Best Employers for the 12th straight year.

Your Partners in Business “If there is any single standout word that defines MNP, we are entrepreneurial,” says Elizabeth Vannan, who leads MNP’s technology consulting practice in B.C. “This approach empowers our partners and employees to take risks, stay focused on what our clients need and bring solutions. We really believe in being a partner in our clients’ success.”

Rather than being driven by internal metrics, MNP focuses on breaking down any internal silos that pop up in order to bring the right industry-specific expertise to each client – wherever they are located and whatever resources are required.

“It all starts with a relationship – let’s talk about your business and where you want to go,” Wellburn concludes. “When we do the right thing for our clients, we know the results will follow.”

Accounting & Tax: Suite 701, 1803 Douglas Street, Victoria | 250.388.6554 Consulting & Advisory: Suite 300, 888 Fort Street, Victoria | 778.265.8883 @MNP

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@MNPLLP

@MNP_LLP

WWW.MNP.CA

FEATURED BUSINESS

“It’s really very simple, our role is to help our clients succeed.”

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MNP LLP WHEREVER BUSINESS TAKES YOU

FEATURED FEATURED BUSINESS BUSINESS

ATTRACTIONS VICTORIA A FAMILIAR NAME GETS A BRAND REFRESH UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP

A

ttractions Victoria has a new lease on life, thanks to an invigorated vision and a motivated leader excited to refocus its strength and modernize its brand.

The tourism organization welcomed Executive Director Viktoria Csanicz to its team this year, and the Smith School of Business at Queens University graduate and recent transplant from Toronto plans to innovate its structure and programs while building and serving its member base.

For over 40 years, Attractions Victoria’s mandate has been to promote its attraction, activity, and transportation-based members’ voice and identity within the larger tourism landscape. As a collective group of attractions, they’re most known for partnering with Destination Greater Victoria and the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority on the Official Destination Map, as well as for their annual Be A Tourist in Your Own Hometown program.

Csanicz (pronounced cha-ni-tz) recently worked with Bone Creative on a complete brand overhaul for the organization, including logo and visual identity, launching their new websites attractionsvictoria.com and beatourist.ca in November.

“We know we need to be more agile and innovative online. I’m working to automate the member engagement and registration process for Be A Tourist as well as to create an intuitive, clickable online map experience and itinerary builder for visitors.”

Be A Tourist is “closest to my heart and certainly is the most complex one,” says Csanicz. “It provides opportunity for our members to give back to the community by providing discounts, allowing locals to try out more, for less money. It is a real win-win for the businesses that otherwise would not have traffic in late February and for locals who long to get out after a long winter.”

Csanicz says its other benefit is exposure to thousands of people “who then become local attractions ambassadors for that very important word of mouth out there. We

Insider's Guide to the Capital City since 1972

"[Be A Tourist in Your Own Hometown] is a real win-win for the businesses that otherwise would not have traffic in late February and for locals who long to get out after a long winter.”

Attractions Victoria Executive Director Viktoria Csanicz

provide participants with valuable data about the visits during the event, which allows them to make educated marketing decisions, follow up with people and gather feedback.”

As they begin planning 2020’s Be A Tourist (February 27 – March 2), Csanicz expects to be out and about meeting current members and enrolling new ones as she breathes new life into the event, finding different ways for locals to interact

attractionsvictoria.com | beatourist.ca info@attractionsvictoria.com

A D V E R T O R I A L F E AT U R E

with area attractions. “We’re focused on inclusivity and creating opportunities by forming meaningful partnerships within the community,” she says, “and we’re here to listen and to help.”

Csanicz encourages anyone interested in being part of Be a Tourist to email her at bat@attractionsvictoria.com. “Together we can make 2020 a banner year for BAT and Attractions Victoria.”

FEATURED BUSINESS

FEATURED BUSINESS

SOUTH ISLAND PROSPERITY PARTNERSHIP

Three years ago, leaders from local governments (municipal and First Nations), businesses, institutions (like the three post-secondaries), non-profits, and other stakeholders, including business & industry associations took a leap forward in creating a regional alliance to pursue economic development across the Greater Victoria region.

The South Island Prosperity Partnership was founded by 28 members. Today, we stand united together with more than 55 members. Our collective belief is that through collaboration we can achieve results that would not be possible working alone.

We’re honoured to work together with our members to boost prosperity in this incredible region we call home. Every day we aim to create a lasting and sustainable economy. Nothing could be more important than ensuring South Vancouver Island remains strong, resilient and future proof for the next generation.

How does SIPP boost prosperity in the South Island?

Here are some of the approaches the region undertakes through this collaborative approach:

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southislandprosperity.ca

Cluster and Innovation Development The regional economy is comprised of multiple businesses and employers, but did you know that when like-minded firms locate near each other, their productivity increases? Only at the regional level can we pursue bold strategies that transcend borders and create the next generation of careers right here at home.

Business Growth and Expansion Research shows up to 80% of job creation can come from existing business growth. This means that by providing services and programs that help growthoriented companies expand, we will achieve the result we want. SIPP has a focus on increasing exports and internationalization by offering both oneon-one guidance and workshops to help facilitate export and international trade.

Business and Investment Attraction By taking the “Greater Victoria’s story” abroad, SIPP works to attract values-based companies that care about the future of the region. We do this through developing a diverse mix of marketing and recruitment strategies.

@SIProsperity

First Nations Economic Development We are not a truly prosperous region unless everyone is included. The South Island is home to ten First Nation communities and over 17,000 Indigenous people. SIPP supports First Nation-driven economic development activities by collaborating with communities, sharing leading practices, and creating an inclusive platform for broader collaboration.

Collaboration, Communication, and Research Working together requires a number of key ingredients. Among these are a compelling regional vision that achieves buy-in, a solid strategy that moves us toward the vision, good governance that is accountable, and solid data that tells us where we need to improve. SIPP brings partners together through shared governance, special projects, dialogues and roundtables, citizen engagement activities, economic research, exploring big ideas through thought leadership, and by advocating on behalf of regionally significant issues.

For more information, please visit our website to read our 2018-19 Annual Impact Report.

@Southislandprosperity

A D V E R T O R I A L F E AT U R E

South Island Prosperity Partnership

BIG IDEA ■ BY ALEX VAN TOL ■ PHOTO BY BELLE WHITE

Fewer than 20 per cent of Canadian angel investors are women. Women’s Equity Lab has set out to shift that statistic, helping women learn the ins and outs of investing and to make money while they’re at it.

the

Venture Catalysts I

t’s an educational experience. It’s a force for good in the local impact space.

It’s a safe place to ask endless questions about how investment works. And it’s serious fun.

Women’s Equity Lab (WEL) is a Victoriaborn innovation that gathers local women to pool their money to invest in early-stage startups. Members — 23 in the first round, 20 in the current round — meet regularly to learn how to invest in companies, discuss opportunities, vet deal flow and make investment decisions. In the most recent round, each participant invested a minimum of $6,000 for a pool of $100,000, which was then used to co-invest in companies the group thinks will generate the best return.

Billing itself as a fun and low-risk environment for women to learn about and

28 DOUGLAS

try early-stage investing, WEL was recognized last June with VIATEC’s Angel of the Year award — a huge validation and show of support from Victoria’s business community.

A New and Equitable Way of Thinking It was the systemic imbalance of having only men as shareholders in early-stage companies that got WEL’s founder Stephanie Andrew thinking a few years ago.

“It creates a whole business dynamic,” says Andrew, who also serves as executive director of Capital Investment Network and VP of Finance at TIMIA Capital. “That’s a foundation that then ripples its way through the whole business ecosystem.”

Along with WEL’s other founding partners — Bronwen Campbell and Nicole Lee — Andrew understood from experience that

DOUGLAS 29

WOMEN'S INVESTING BY THE NUMBERS

27%

14%

1/3

The percentage proportion ofoffemale The female business angels is highest overall business angels is highest in Western Canada versus 13% in overall in Western Canada Ontario Quebec, based on versusand 13% in Ontario and angel group membership.

Percentage of partners at Percentage of Canada’satmost active partners Canada’s venture-capital funds who most active ventureare funds women. capital who

Portionof of Canada’s Canada’s Portion venture-investment dollars venture-investment controlled teams with no dollarsbycontrolled byfemale teamsleaders. with no

NACO, NACO,2018 2018

FEMALEFUNDERS, FUNDERS,2018 2018 FEMALE

FEMALE FUNDERS, FUNDERS,2018 2018 FEMALE

Quebec, based on angel group membership.

are women.

when women are engaged with advising and steering early-stage companies, our world ends up with a different — generally more balanced — mix of companies.

This investment model gives women a voice in the traditionally male-dominated domains of venture capital and tech.

“For a lot of women, they’d like to invest in and have the exposure to these investment opportunities,” says Campbell. “But we don’t

30 DOUGLAS

female leaders.

hear about them. You might hear something in the news, but by that point, you’re not involved.

The opportunity to participate in the angelinvesting world — and do it collaboratively — generates more discussion about the opportunity. And it diminishes your risk if you’re all in it together.”

The kernel of the WEL idea originated with the Bend Venture Conference (BVC), a community economic development strategy

out of Oregon that gathers investors to channel private investment into promising business and non-profit startups.

The Seattle Angel Conference — sparked by Bend’s model of collaboratively pooling funding and then going through a process of learning, vetting investment opportunities and making decisions — provided a framework and a mentor for WEL to follow.

“Josh Maher is the cofounder of the Seattle Angel Conference fund model, and he helped us bring the model to Canada,” says Andrew.

“We saw this opportunity for it to be very effective for engaging women specifically, and bringing women into investing in new business ventures.”

In it Together While there are female-only venture groups active in North America, WEL is unique in that it has an education component as well.

“We have speakers come and talk about tax implications and exit strategies,” says Campbell.

“Female venture capitalists have come and told their successes, and their failures as well.”

It’s that education component and the sense of “we’re in this together” that really drew local impact investor Paula Carey to the group.

“You have 23 people with totally different

backgrounds, totally different understandings, different experiences, maybe different businesses, and a huge range of ages,” she says.

“Think of how brilliant it is to have all the information available in one place, with a responsibility to look at it, the ability to talk to the entrepreneurs if you want and ask your own questions, but also the brilliance of voting anonymously — and if it’s 70 per cent, it goes.

How collaborative that feels.”

This investment model gives women a voice in the traditionally male-dominated domains of venture capital and tech.

As a long-standing member of several local boards, Carey has been on many committees where decisions get made by the extroverts around the table.

“This just evens everything out,” she says. “I think that is why we were able to learn so much so quickly.”

More Than Just a Return WEL is not only about making money. Sure, that’s often a happy outcome of the learning process (one of the four companies WEL invested in last year is already raising at 10 times its original valuation), however the real benefit is equipping women with the knowledge to make their own decisions in the area of finance — and directing money to its best possible use.

“As a group, what we’ve learned is that we want to invest with companies that are giving back in some way,” says Dr. Olivia Dam, an eye surgeon who joined WEL for its first round.

“They’re companies based on being profitable, obviously, but based on the concept of making the world better.”

That conviction — that women can drive investment and drive good at the same time — is freeing.

“Oftentimes, people equate a lot of money with corruption or greed,” says Dam. “If someone wants to ask a certain fee for their time, there’s some negativity attached to it. For me, money is just a resource and a tool. And we can do so many good things if we have enough resources to do so. To want to earn money, to take a proportion of it and put it back into the world, is a good thing. People that frown upon

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DOUGLAS 31

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seeing the bigger picture.”

Now in its second round (WEL2), the group has been going strong for two years and is looking to establish a branch in Vancouver.

The organization has sparked a firestorm of interest across Canada, having proven itself as a sustainable, fluid model that gives voice to a vastly under-represented faction of investment power.

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FEMALE FUNDERS, 2018

A Driver for Change It is a model of women coming together with other women from diverse backgrounds, learning the ins and outs of investing and making money at it while delivering good into the world. And it’s a model that can drive significant change if widely adopted.

“Women’s Equity Lab has created an opportunity for other communities to introduce the Bend model to their economic development strategy to take advantage of the emerging economy,” says Peter Elkins, member of the provincial government’s Emerging Economy Task Force and, along with Andrew, a cofounder of Capital Investment Network.

The organization has sparked a firestorm of interest across Canada.

Andrew is excited at the idea of seeing the WEL model replicated everywhere to get women involved at the shareholder level in all businesses — and not just businesses run by women.

“We see a disproportionate amount of women-led deal flow, and we’re definitely keen to invest in women-owned businesses, but we don’t only need women investing in women,” she says. “We need women investing in all businesses where the best return and impact potentials are available. We’re creating a further divide if we’re only investing in women-led companies.” 

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2020 TRENDS FOR

MAKE THIS YOUR YEAR! It’s a new decade and that means 2020 vision is available to every business owner and manager who knows how to tap into the trends, technologies and societal shifts coming our way.

BY K E R R Y S L AV E N S

Remember a time before Amazon or Netflix? What about before Uber and Airbnb? It seems impossible now, but at one time, these massive and disruptive brands did not dominate the world. In fact, even when they first launched, few people foresaw the way they would totally shift the consumer market and, indeed, society.

While we all wish we had crystal balls to predict what’s next and how it will impact our businesses and lives, it’s not easy. But one thing is certain —

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right now, somewhere out there, an idea or product or technology is being born that will change our world in ways we can’t yet fully comprehend.

Will it be something to do with artificial intelligence(AI) or extended reality? Maybe it will involve 5G, blockchain, gene editing, tissue engineering, autonomous driving — or something else entirely.

At Douglas, we’ve assembled some emerging trends to help you gain a foothold in the future.

MARKETING Hello Fresh is a meal delivery service that is popular in Canada.

Once Again, With Meaning

Selling Beyond Stereotypes

In a topsy-turvy world where consumers are constantly trying to figure out where they fit in, what makes them happy and how they feel, they are increasingly seeking that meaning in brands.

According to creative agency Emotive Brand, “Meaningful connections come when a brand forges a link between what it does, and what people are seeking on a very deep, human level.”

Emotive Brand believes that, deep down, people are all seeking ways to feel:

In 2020, everything is fluid, from parental roles to gender. Brands can no longer view customers through a narrow lens or make assumptions based on past experience, according to Wunderman Thompson, publisher of Future 100, a predictive report on social trends.

For instance, in the past, marketers of infant-care products like diapers and strollers focused almost exclusively on at-home moms. But with millennials (and the first gen-Zers) now becoming parents, there’s a deep expectation that brands must address gender equality.

This year, the diaper company Pampers engaged Grammy winner John Legend for YouTube ads showing dads changing diapers. Pampers also pledged to install 5,000 change tables in men’s restrooms.

Marketers must also realize a certain percentage of the population does not identify with traditional male or female roles, which is why the men’s grooming line Axe launched its “bathsculinity” line, encouraging men to indulge in self-care. Beyond that, a growing percentage of the population does not identify as either male or female — they are non-binary. Responding to that, clothing giant Zara launched its Ungendered fashion line this year and Air Canada recently announced it is switching away from the gendered “Hello, ladies and gentlemen” to “Hello everyone.”

Safe and secure in our surroundings, our social situations and in our hearts.

Connected to the people, ideas and ideals we care about, and which nurture us.

Physical, mental, emotional and spiritual growth through our thoughts, actions and possessions.

What that means is that people no longer simply want to buy: More than ever they want to buy happiness, meaning and understanding from brands they trust and see as authentic.

A local brand that succeeds in making meaningful connections with customers is Elate Cosmetics, an organic, sustainable line of makeup.

Here’s part of their mantra: “At Elate Cosmetics, we believe everyday routine becomes ritual when the action is more meaningful than the outcome.

We believe true beauty is in the ritual itself. The small measures of self-care we afford ourselves daily are the seeds of self-love we plant to grow more confident, more powerful and more beautiful than we could ever imagine.”

Elate is not just selling makeup — it succeeds at selling self-care, confidence and beauty that’s more than skin deep.

Advertisers are recognizing that parental roles are changing.

Health is the New Wealth Aspirational lifestyles are in, according to studies by The Behaviours Agency, which notes that “gym memberships, workouts and personal trainers now compete with holidays, houses and cars as displays of doing well in life.” So by all means drive that Tesla (because electric vehicle purchases are on the rise), but do look healthy and fit behind the wheel. This trend can also be seen in the ever-increasing rise of yoga studios, fitness centres like Orangetheory Fitness with structured programs and even in Victoria’s new downtown meditation centre, Here: Urban Meditation, focused on business owners and career professionals.

We’ll also see this trend continue in the grocery market, with an increased focus on healthy foods, including more organic and vegan options.

Subscription Models will Rule From beauty boxes to hot-sauce packs to shaving clubs, subscription boxes are big business and a form of recurring revenue that will continue to grow in 2020. Even Nike is in on it, introducing a subscription model for children’s running shoes, where four, six or 12 times a year, a box arrives with your child’s name on it and new shoes.

According to McKinsey Insight’s 2018 study, Thinking Inside The Subscription Box consumers “want fantastic end-to-end experiences and are only willing to commit to subscription boxes where their recurring payment gives them concrete benefits, like reduced costs and personalization.”

Any business can capitalize on subscriptions, even without a “box model.” Hair salon and medi-spa subscriptions anyone?

DOUGLAS 37

W O R K C U LT U R E

Millennials Become Managers As older boomers head into retirement, millennials (1981 to 1996) are moving into management roles, starting families and buying homes. They differ from boomers and gen-Xers in big ways. Many are digital

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natives who grew up using computers and smartphones. They were the first generation to be given credit cards from the age of 18, according to PWC, and prefer “access over ownership,” choosing to stream music

rather than own albums and preferring Uber and Airbnb over cars and holiday homes.

Business models of the past simply don’t cut it with this group. Some big differences, according to CNBC’s Make It report, include:

Millennial managers are nearly three times more likely to believe people should be responsible for keeping their own skills current and mastering new tools and developments within their industry. That differs from baby boomers of whom 90 per cent believe it’s up to the employer to reskill their workers, according to a survey by freelancing website Upwork and research firm Inavero.

A Deloitte survey of 7,700 millennials found 64 per cent of those in senior positions relied on their own values and morals to guide decision-making at work. Goals such as meeting their company’s profit goals or target revenue ranked well below millennials’ concerns about the social impact of projects.

Annual performance reviews are over. Sixty per cent of millennials want to hear from their managers at least once a day, according to JB Training Solutions.

Generation Z Gets Workforce Ready The next generation set to take over is genZ, whose oldest members are about 23 in 2020. This is a far bigger cohort than millennials. They expect a lot from their employers and have short attention spans. Having seamless, usable software is important, as 60 per cent of gen-Zers say they won’t use an app or website if it is too slow. They also prioritize the ability to access information and people instantly, and expect crossfunctional teamwork.

Gen-Zers were raised to be curious; they want to be part of the solution and make a difference. Employers were caught out for the paradigm shift that millennials represented. The next decade of business will be dominated by employers who take the lessons learned from adapting to millennials and apply them to genZ. By engaging their curiosity, unique skills and tech-savvy minds, you can distinguish yourself as an employer of choice and create a real competitive advantage.

Flatter Organizations Nowadays, business decisions often need to be made with velocity. Faster decision-making means organizations are increasingly seeing the need for flatter management structures in order to process information quickly to seize business opportunities.

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Diversity Rules

Free Agent Workforce

With four generations −­boomers, genX, millennials and genZ − in the workforce, and gender and cultural diversity on the rise (the number of visible minorities in Victoria grew by 38 per cent between 2011 and 2016), smart businesses are welcoming a broader set of values and radically rethinking all of their internal interactions, especially those involving how to approach, deploy, develop and retain people when it comes to age, gender and race. This means looking deeply at your work culture and making a conscious decision to be open and inclusive.

The gig economy is still going strong, which represents an opportunity for business owners with project-based or durational work. Instead of taking on the responsibility of hiring employees, businesses turn to free agents to get the job done without the overhead and need for more workspace.

Teamwork Gets a Tune-Up Teams today need to work as cohesive units to meet the challenges and pace of business. “Think about the difference between a swim team and a soccer team,” says Gale Moutrey, vice president of workplace innovation and brand experience at Steelcase. “Swimmers stay in their own lane, but soccer players interact and transition constantly, relying on each other to win. Teams today need to do that, too — navigate a fast-paced flow, bouncing between team members, iterating and improving on each other’s ideas. Everyone is accountable to keep work moving forward.”

7% Percentage of Canada’s 18.7 million workers in the gig economy.

STATISTICS CANADA

73% Percentage of millennials who anticipate having a gig job, more than any other generation.

ENVIRONICS RESEARCH, 2019

WORK PL ACE Diversity Carries Through to Office Design In the Mad Men heyday, private offices were standard. Then along came the big tech era and open-concept offices were suddenly on trend. But in 2020, the key to satisfying employee needs is the diversedesign workplace, with sociable, open-plan workspaces and communal tables, mixed with cozy, distraction-free corners and pods.

Steelcase launched its Flex Collection in order to allow teams to create the kinds of spaces they need, as they need them, to better align people, culture and work processes. Bringing diverse design into modern office spaces allows teams to work with the maximum flexibility they need to be creative, collaborative and efficient.

Height adjustable desk from Steelcase’s Flex Collection

24-7 Online Quoting

megsonfitzpatrick.com Remotely Interesting By 2020, remote work will be even more prevalent than it is now, thanks to cellphones, laptops, video-chat services and apps like Slack. According to a recent workforce survey commissioned by Staples, 40 per cent of workers list a remote work option as a “must have.” The same survey shows that currently only one-third of Canadians spend all of their working time in an office.

This means employers who thought the trend might fade need to firm up their HR policies and practices regarding remote work.

Conscious Coworking Coworking is nothing new, and with the gig economy on the rise that trend is expected to continue. But what is new is savvy coworking companies blending work and lifestyle solutions into one space. In Victoria, the newly relocated KWENCH calls itself a full-service work and culture club, offering everything from turnkey offices and shared coworking spaces to fitness classes, workshops and a collaborative art space.

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DOUGLAS 39

Square POS transforms a phone or tablet into a point of sale

CUSTOMER E XPERIENCE Human Connection is Another Luxury B.C.’s low unemployment rates, expected to continue into 2020, means less staff — or less qualified staff — for many businesses. That means less personalized attention. This trend, coupled with the rise of AI-powered interfaces and computerized checkouts, means talking with an actual human can seem like a luxury. That’s why the new luxury is analog — where human interaction, service and experience are as much a part of the purchase as the product itself. Insights, a market-research association, notes four ways to engage with customers:

1. KNOW YOUR MARKET

Know how they want to shop.

Engage in customer experience and path-to-purchase research to understand their attitudes and behaviours so you can deliver the best product mix and add value to their shopping experience.

2. GET CREATIVE

Create pop-up stores to pull in specific consumer segments; use technology to enact realtime promotions or enhance the shopping experience; and provide loyalty discounts and unique or personalized deals online retailers can’t match.

3. PUT CUSTOMERS FIRST

4. FOCUS ON THE CONNECTION

Help your sales team provide a positive customer-centred experience by training them to engage and giving them the knowledge they need to add value. And make sure your customers have a smooth, seamless experience at every touchpoint.

Online shopping doesn’t satisfy customers who love the tactile nature of shopping. Nor does it work for those who find shopping to be a pleasurable and tangible change of pace from their computers, connected lifestyles and the demands of life. Offer interactions with products and services so consumers can engage their senses while they shop.

A CLEANER, GREENER FUTURE Cleantech

Consumers Expect Sustainability

As worry about climate change increases, the push to be part of the solution is intensifying as businesses seek to reduce CO2 emissions, deal with plastic pollution, clean our water and more. In a $3 trillion global market, Trade and Invest BC says more than 270 cleantech companies focused on small hydro, wind, solar, bioenergy, tidal and geothermal call B.C. home. These include CarbonCure, whose technology introduces recycled CO2 into fresh concrete, converting it to a mineral, and Pani Energy, which develops new technologies for the desalination and energy storage industries. Expect to see cleantech continue to grow.

Consumers are pushing back at businesses that don’t engage in sustainability solutions. This will intensify as genZ, an entire generation that has grown up being told the planet’s ecosystem is in distress, enters the workforce. Smart businesses will do more than give lip service to sustainability solutions, taking steps to work with experts like the Synergy Enterprises to implement workplace solutions. Even the small things matter. For example, many restaurants no longer pass out plastic straws. It won’t solve the plastic pollution issue on its own, but as governments ramp up to ban single-use plastics, collective efforts will add up to big results.

Paper, glass and metal straws are replacing plastic in a big way.

City Transportation Infrastructure Will Continue to Change Like it or not, bike lanes are here, and more are coming. The pace and planning of the City of Victoria’s bike lane rollout has drawn criticism, but there’s no doubt that this is a trend that will only continue to grow. So how do businesses take advantage of it? Add bicycle parking or storage to let your customers know that you are a bike-friendly business. Tap into this lucrative market (yes, cyclists do shop) by offering cycling discounts. In fact, a 2012 study from Portland found that people who biked to a bar, restaurant or convenience store spent 24 per cent more per month than those who drove. The study suggests cyclists have more disposable income because they spend less money on auto repairs, gas, insurance and car payments.

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The Rise of Electric This spring, for the first time, three major automakers displayed fuel-cell electric vehicles — Hyundai Nexo, Honda Clarity and Toyota Mirai — at the Vancouver International Auto Show. What is driving the push to electric? Government incentives, improving access to EV charging stations, increasing vehicle range and product availability, rising gas prices and a growing environmental consciousness have combined to drastically alter the automotive landscape. According to a recent survey by Research Co., 51 per cent of British Columbians who drive their own vehicles are “very likely” or “moderately likely” to buy an electric-battery model for their next vehicle. The highest proportion of respondents who said they are likely to make the switch were in Metro Vancouver (55 per cent) and Vancouver Island (52 per cent).

CHANGE IS THE NEW NORMAL

Expectations are Up, Waaay Up

It’s All How You Experience It

“You are no longer competing with those in your own industry,” according to Nalina Athyantha of Salesforce. “The moment a new positive experience is received, customer expectations reach new heights. If a customer can instantmessage with a service agent on their favourite food delivery app, they want the same experience from their bank and car dealer.”

Blame Amazon Prime, especially the company’s shift to free one-day shipping. Consumers are now less patient than ever. A PwC study shows 88 per cent of them are even willing to pay for same-day shipping. Part of this comes from the streaming culture.

The need for speed has also translated to eating. SkipTheDishes has made a big dent in the local market.

Uber Eats is also here. And TUTTI, which says it “delivers everything”, is now in Victoria. How do local restaurants compete? It’s all in the experience, which can’t be duplicated at home without a lot of effort.

A report by Walker Information called Customers 2020: A Progress Report found that by the end of 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator.

The motorcycle company HarleyDavidson is a good example. With their motto “All for Freedom and Freedom for All,” Harley-Davidson holds “brand fests” where customers get together, have memorable experiences, forging deeper alliances with the brand.

Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom

DRINKS, BITES INSIGHTS

How often do you see the clichéd advertising slug “The Future is Here”?

Well, yes it is, obviously, but many people find themselves unsettled by the pace of change. How can we deal with it? The answer is: Get rid of micromanagement and instead focus on agile and flexible management structures.

Think of your organizational structure as a web (spiders know a thing or two about building with strength) rather than a tower that can be easily toppled. Then build resiliency and train for it. Start by anchoring yourself and your business to the values that make you strong, then put those values, like empathy, integrity in leadership, self-management and selfawareness into action. Focus on making your mission crystal clear and encourage accountability, flexible thinking and problem-solving, mutual trust and psychological safety.

The pace of change is intimidating, but it’s also exciting. The most vital thing is to keep your mind open to change, while anchoring yourself to a solid foundation, so you don’t get swept away by it. 

On October 9, 2019, we held the first session of Ideation, an exciting new series moderated by Douglas magazine editor Kerry Slavens. Ideation is a place to listen and to share, to connect, get unstuck, and mix with leading entrepreneurs and influencers.

A special thank you to our October session sponsors PRESENTING SPONSOR

EVENT SPONSORS

Save the date for the next session: February 6 | 5:30 –7:30 PM | KWENCH, 2031 Store Street Details at douglasmagazine.com DOUGLAS 41

SIMON DESROCHERS

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THE WAY WE GIVE IS CHANGING (and Savvy Charities are Changing Too) Douglas explores how local charities are shifting fundraising strategies in a market where there is more competition for fewer dollars, a generational shift in attitudes to philanthropy and a drop in people’s financial ability to donate.

BY JODY PATERSON

PHOTOS: 1. HeroWork does “radical renovations” for charities, with the help of donated labour and building supplies.

2. Victoria Hospitals Foundation’s Visions Gala is a black-tie fundraiser for Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals.

3. Poutine With Purpose is a one-day poutine crawl, supporting Mealshare to provide meals for youth.

4. The Ride for Refuge supports charities, like the Cridge Centre, that assist vulnerable people and families.

5. Man & His Dog Fashion Show by Outlooks for Men raises funds for the Victoria Humane Society.

6. Hike for Hospice raises funds and encourages people to honour memories of loved ones.

W

hen a tragic crash killed 16 people on the Humboldt Broncos team bus in 2018, a distraught resident from the Saskatchewan city launched an appeal on the popular GoFundMe crowdfunding platform to raise money for the families. In two weeks, $15 million in donations flooded in.

Months of confusion and court hearings followed. A charity was hastily created to manage the mountain of money. When the dust settled, each family with a child who had died received $525,000, and the families of injured teens got $475,000.

And GoFundMe — the publicly traded California company that provides an online platform for fundraising while taking a cut of every donation — got $482,000.

The story is both an inspiring reminder of human generosity and a cautionary tale about shifting winds and new trends in charitable fundraising. People don’t give like they used to — or for the same reasons — and it’s changing how charities think about fundraising.

For Greater Victoria’s 1,000-plus registered charities, fundraising is a fact of life — one increasingly affected by a crowded market, a new kind of donor and the impact of growing wealth inequality.

“Fundraising isn’t predictable anymore because there are so many charities

to choose from,” says Tracie Clayton, executive director of HeroWork, a six-year-old local charity that musters volunteer labour and donated building supplies to do major renovations for select charities. “Sixty years ago, there were a handful of big charities and everyone gave them their money. Now, people are not giving in the same way, nor is the same loyalty there.”

Shifting Streams Charities generally depend on three key revenue streams to fund the vast array of community services they provide.

Government funding accounts for about a quarter of the revenue to charities across Canada and comes with many strings attached and no guarantees of getting it in the first place. Grants from foundations and other funders require charities to write time-consuming proposals and compete with each other for short-term project funding.

The third major stream is fundraising, which is counted on for up to a third or more of their budget for many charities.

For some, these donations literally keep the doors open. Others have the basics covered by contracts and grants but count on fundraised dollars for the extras: a field trip for children in a day care program; a trip to visit family for a person with an intellectual disability; special events at a seniors’ facility.

DOUGLAS 43

Thinking of Going Electric or Hybrid?

“Fundraising isn’t predictable anymore.

Sixty years ago, there were a handful of big charities and everyone gave them their money. Now, people are not giving in the same way, nor is the same loyalty there.”

– Tracie Clayton, executive director, HeroWork

(Some charities also have fees for service that provide flexibility.)

Charities value fundraised revenue because they can put it where the needs are.

It gives them the ability to respond nimbly when they see a shift in community needs or as new issues emerge. It lets them tackle urgent issues without having to wait until an appropriate grant or government contract comes available.

“Fundraising is crucial for us,” says Susan Howard, development director for the Victoria Women’s Transition House Society, which raises $1.2 million in funds from the public a year. “Our client numbers are increasing every year, particularly these last two years with more awareness of issues of domestic abuse. But with that awareness comes the need for increased funding.”

Giving Less Than Ever

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The South Island’s EV Superstore 44 DOUGLAS

Collectively, people in the Capital Region give about $118 million a year to charities. But the percentage of Canadians giving to charities has fallen in the last 15 years, from 24 per cent to 20 per cent. Canada’s population grew 1.1 per cent annually from 2006 to 2016 while donations grew at less than half that rate. The percentage of each generation that gives to charity has been declining since 1985.

“Simply put, our rate of charitable giving is not keeping up with population growth,” notes The 2018 Giving Report from CanadaHelps. “Canada might have more people, but we’re giving less than ever.”

Observers of fundraising trends have made much about the donating habits of gen-Xers (1965 to 1980) and millennials (1981 to 1996).

They’re less likely to give to charity than the older baby boomers, and they prefer causes over individual charities — mental health, say, but not necessarily a specific charity that provides such services.

Nationally, annual donations from those younger generations combined are barely half of the $6.4 billion that boomers give, and nobody gives at the level that Canadians now

Thousands gather around the harbour annually for Victoria Symphony Splash, a fundraiser for Victoria Symphony.

in their 80s and 90s are known for.

But that shouldn’t be misinterpreted as a lack of generosity among younger people, cautions Elisabeth Hazell, manager of donor support and engagement at the Sierra Club BC. “When I started fundraising 20 years ago, we had the 80/20 rule — 80 per cent of the money came from 20 per cent of the donors,” she says.

“Now it’s more like 90/10, or even 95.

We’re really seeing income inequality playing out in donations. That’s why millennials give less. They have less.”

Once upon a time, charities could rely on direct-mail campaigns and loyal donors who would give for a lifetime. These days, younger donors like to see the immediate results of their gifts and get up-close and personal with a cause.

“Every year we try to do something new and fresh,” says Lorraine Tanner, director of development for the Victoria Symphony, which raised $2.47 million in 2018-19. “The demographic that likes the symphony is generally older, and they still write cheques and have credit cards, so our annual giving campaign works for them. But we’ve also got ‘Text to Donate’ and online campaigns.

You’ve got to stay on top of it — try something new, measure it, reframe it, test again.”

Even charities with steady government contracts still fundraise for necessary extras. Community Living Victoria (CLV) serves people with intellectual disabilities, with core supports funded by the province through the Crown corporation Community Living BC. But that strictly covers the basics, says Ellen Tarshis, CLV executive director.

“For instance, if one of the people we support gets a job in a restaurant, they need new clothes for work, but they can’t afford them,” says Tarshis. “A lot of dental care isn’t covered. Maybe you have subsidized housing but furniture

isn’t covered. These are quality-of-life issues. More and more, there’s not enough. Many of the people we’re supporting live in poverty.”

Galas and special events are popular fundraisers. But they’re also a ton of work for a risky payoff, and a grand struggle for those without fundraising staff or legions of devoted volunteers.

The small sex-worker charity Peers Victoria Resources Society organized five fundraising events in 2019, from an axe-throwing event to a “high tea.” But that was a push prompted by Peers’ selection as the beneficiary of a building renovation by HeroWork, whose model requires chosen charities to fundraise a third of the fair market value of their reno.

For Greater Victoria’s 1,000-plus registered charities, fundraising is a fact of life — one increasingly affected by a crowded market, a new kind of donor and the impact of growing wealth inequality.

“Efficiency-wise, it’s far more productive for me to write grants than to fundraise,” says Rachel Phillips, Peers executive director, whose agency usually attracts a loyal but small group of lower-income donors.

There are so many charity galas, and golf tournaments going on these days in Greater Victoria that charities are tripping over each other, says

Brenda Wilson, executive director of Greater Victoria Citizens’ Counselling Centre.

“More and more non-profits are entering the field, all of which is time taken away from their primary purpose,” she says. “We lucked out because Michelle Le Sage from Oak Bay Beach Hotel got together with others she knew and became our champion.

Last year, they put on our gala and we barely lifted a finger. If you find the right champions to walk alongside your agency and clients, that really works.”

The Rise of Peer-to-Peer GoFundMe and other crowdfunding platforms are versions of what’s known as peer-to-peer fundraising. It takes a number of forms: A birthday party where the host asks you to give to Charity X in lieu of a gift; a bike ride you sign up for because a co-worker was newly diagnosed with cancer; an emotional pitch for a sick child that passes through your Facebook feed and catches you at the right moment. (Interesting fact: A third of all GoFundMe campaigns are raising money for sick Americans with insufficient health care.)

Overall, a personal connection is a rising factor in giving. An Insights West survey in May 2019 found the top three reasons British Columbians give are all personal: an event in their personal lives, a personal request, or sponsoring someone they know.

When it brings in extra money for good works and raises the profile of a charity among new donors, “friendraising” is positive. But it’s no substitute for regular giving from loyal donors, says Joanne Linka, manager of communication and fund development for The Cridge Centre for the Family.

“The Ride for Refuge is one of those kinds of fundraisers. We’re in the sixth year of that and have seen the benefit,” says Linka of the national bike ride in which participants form teams and DOUGLAS 45

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Canada’s population grew 1.1 per cent annually from 2006 to 2016 while donations grew at less than half that rate. The percentage of each generation that gives to charity has been declining since 1985.

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pick a charity of choice. “But those donors are giving to their friends, not the charity.

They’re one-time donors, and the chances of them being invested in the charity itself is not as likely.”

The Victoria Foundation, which distributed $22 million in grants to Greater Victoria charities in 2018, wants to help local charities understand what drives younger donors.

The foundation now has a select group of 20 couples under age 40 that the foundation has invited to chip in funds to be matched by the foundation and distributed by the group.

For the foundation, it’s a lesson in understanding how younger generations practice philanthropy, says foundation CEO Sandra Richardson.

“They want to give to places where they can take their children and teach them,” she says. “When we talk about writing a cheque, they remind us that they don’t use cheques.

They’re more entrepreneurial, and they question your decisions. They’re definitely more about causes.”

The national charity fundraising consultancy KCI says the giving habits of young donors are so different that charities may need to rethink many of their approaches.

“Millennials in particular tend to see charity as a lifestyle, defined more by the choices and purchases they make rather than by financial contributions to charitable organizations,” writes the company in a 2018 report on campaign trends.

Wherever the trends go, building relationships is still the most important thing a charity can do, agree those interviewed here. Nothing beats a coffee date with a regular donor and a handwritten thank-you note.

“People are committed to the Sierra Club because they got to know our board and staff,” says Hazell. “Too much credit goes to the big one-off gifts and not to the tens of thousands of $5 and $10 monthly gifts that keep us all going. If people really want to make a difference, give monthly.” 

COMMUNITY PROFILE

COMMUNITY PROFILE

HEARTPRESS #BROKERSOFGOOD

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hilanthropy has shifted. Today’s workforce is attracted to companies who lead with purpose in their communities. Employees want more and they want to be involved.

That’s why HeartPress created #BrokersOfGood. HeartPress is a forprofit company with a huge social impact using technology for good. Their web app #BrokersOfGood facilitates the relationships between companies and charities, offering a complete matchmaking service to make philanthropy work for your company.

HELPING BUSINESSES DO GOOD “We believe philanthropy is more than just writing a cheque,” says Lori Muñoz Malcolm, Founder of HeartPress. “#BrokersOfGood offers hundreds of opportunities to give back, whether it be through volunteering, pro-bono services, sponsorship opportunities, in-kind or cash donations. It’s about matching the resources your business has — whether it be time, talent, or treasure — with a charity in need.”

Businesses use #BrokersOfGood to search and engage with the cause-related

involved in giving back?” Studies show that employees who take place in charitable activities are happier and are overall more invested in their work. This means lower staff turnover, attracting top talent, improved communication skills and decreased absenteeism.

For companies looking to carve out a competitive edge in the changing workforce, #BrokersOfGood has a special feature which allows businesses to search and save individual volunteer activities they can share with their employees. Some companies offer their employees 2-3 paid days within a year to volunteer, but the uptake within the office on those programs are generally low.

The#BrokersOfGood individual feature allows businesses and their employees to easily find appropriate individual activities within the community that align with both thehilanthropy company’s has andshifted. the individual Today’s employee’s values.is attracted to companies workforce

HeartPress’ #BrokersOfGood is the go-to resource for businesses looking to improve their company’s philanthropic portfolio. Our clients are investing in their company by investing in the community. opportunities of local non-profits. A basic account on #BrokersOfGood is free to set up. HeartPress’ system is similar to a dating app: browse through opportunities to get involved, save the ones you’re interested in, then connect with non-profits by requesting a match. The non-profit will be notified and can either accept or decline the match. If they accept the match, HeartPress will make that first introduction. They like to say they “take the awkwardness out of the first date.”

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT “How can I take my corporate philanthropy to the next level and have my employees

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who lead with purpose in their HANDLING DONATION REQUESTS communities.

Employees want Flooded with want donation from more and they to berequests involved. charities?

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Each philanthropy for your company. request has information about the requesting organization what they are HELPINGand BUSINESSES DOlooking GOODfor.

Simply accept or decline the request “We believe philanthropy is moreand than just HeartPress take caresays of the writing will a cheque,” Lorirest.

Muñoz Malcolm, Corporate philanthropy giving back Founder of HeartPress.—“#BrokersOfGood to the community in of a way that’s strategic offers hundreds opportunities to give back, and whether impactfulit— be tough to navigate. becan through volunteering, pro-bono Businesses onsponsorship #BrokersOfGood can further services, opportunities, in-kind theiror corporate philanthropy through a cash donations.

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COMMUNITY PROFILE

PHARMASAVE BROADMEAD HELPING YOUR COMMUNITY LIVE WELL

This drug store was built for you, like they knew you were coming and exactly what you needed.

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isiting the local drug store can be part of an automated routine of chores for most of us trudging through the weekly grind. Get in, grab your prescription, and get out. But one visit to Pharmasave Broadmead and you’ll experience a place that is like no other drug store you’ve ever seen! This drug store was built for you, like they knew you were coming and exactly what you needed. The perfect balance of day-to-day convenience, spa-like ambience, and elegant product lines will have you leaving with a calm satisfaction and sense of accomplishment in addition to a few check marks on your ‘to-do’ list. At Pharmasave Broadmead, they are part of your community, and they take care of you.

Not only have they expanded on the typical convenience and services of a dispensary with a full-service pharmacy with experts that can provide timely medication advice, custom compounding lab to help your child who can’t swallow pills, and a Canada Post outlet, they’ve also created a beautiful, luxurious space you truly won’t

charity partners. Over the last 10 years, the team has hosted a series of in-store campaigns resulting in donations of over $350,000 for local charities and over $300,000 for joint Pharmasave regional charity initiatives. All of this is in support of great local causes, including Variety – The Children’s Charity, Victoria Women’s Transition House, Santa’s Anonymous, Movember, and CIBC Run for the Cure, to name a few.

Satnam Lalli want to leave. With and Andrea high-end cosmetic Hyndman and fashion lines opened the like Mat & Nat, Pharmasave Guerlain, Liz Broadmead Watier, and a in 1991 and giftware section were joined with something for in ownership The Pharmasave Broadmead Queen Bees CIBC Run for everyone on your

by Dave and the Cure Team was the top fundraising team in Victoria list, you’ll have Michelle raising $13, 844. Andrea Hyndman, owner, was the top trouble finding a Jeske in 2011. fundraising individual and won the Determination Award. reason to carry Conveniently on with your list located in of chores. the Broadmead Village Shopping Centre, And if all of this wasn’t enough of a reason they offer a wide variety of products and to put them in your GPS, top it off with one of services to meet your daily needs. A part the best customer service experiences around. of Pharmasave, one of Canada’s leading Every department is staffed with a team of independent pharmacy and drugstore professionals to help you every step of the retailers, the team at Pharmasave Broadmead way — staff members who genuinely care is dedicated to providing exceptional, about helping their community “Live Well.” customized service, value, and wellness The staff are so fully connected and choices to their community. committed to their community, they go out At the end of the day, Pharmasave of their way on a daily basis to raise money Broadmead really is here to help you and the for local charities and Pharmasave’s regional Victoria community “Live Well.”

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COMMUNITY PROFILE

START UP IN SIDNEY MEANS NEW OPPORTUNITIES

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recent editorial headline in the Globe and Mail caught my eye: “Dear Boomers — the economy still needs you.”

The piece goes on to explain that there are many people between the ages of 54 and 72 who would still like to work, at least part time, and that employers across Canada would be eager to hire them.

Yes, I thought, and that is equally true right here on the Saanich Peninsula.

I don’t have to tell readers that throughout the CRD, but especially here on the Peninsula, employers are desperate to identify, recruit and hire people who are eager to work, willing to learn and enthusiastic. And that’s true for all sorts of jobs — from managers to baristas, from receptionists to industrial painters and more.

Because Vancouver Island enjoys one of the highest rates of employment in Canada, the Sidney Business Improvement Area Society has initiated a new campaign called Start Up in Sidney (startupinsidney. ca), part of which includes a Job Bank, designed to connect employers with potential employees. The Job Bank is open to all Peninsula businesses to post their jobs and to all potential employees to check out the opportunities. Right now there are dozens of jobs awaiting applicants!

So whether you are a boomer, a student, a returning-to-work parent or a retiree looking for a few extra dollars, take the plunge and consider working right here on the beautiful, safe and diverse Saanich Peninsula!

And remember, Sidney is on the main bus line and, indeed, many employers offer bus passes or a transportation allowance in addition to other excellent benefits. So give yourself — or someone you know — a chance to start up in Sidney, or maybe to start up in Sidney again!

Through Start Up in Sidney, the Sidney BIA is also attracting new businesses to

Through Start Up in Sidney, the Sidney BIA is also attracting new businesses to town.

Sidney offers a dynamic environment for business opportunity and investment.

services, restaurants and other amenities.

Many new businesses have already discovered that Sidney is an ideal place to start, relocate or expand a business.

Check out startupinsidney.ca to read their stories and learn more about what might be possible for you or someone you know!

For a complete listing of Sidney businesses, check out sidneybia.ca.

To learn more, contact Morgan Shaw at morgan@sidneybia.ca or visit SidneyBIA.ca town. Sidney offers a dynamic environment for business opportunity and investment. In addition to its stunning, safe environment, Sidney provides free public parking and a business-friendly municipal government. It also serves as Southern Vancouver Island’s transportation hub: the Victoria International Airport Authority and BC and Washington State ferry terminals are minutes away.

Sidney features a unique downtown with boutique shopping, multiple grocery stores, cafes, pubs, fun recreational and cultural options and a wide range of professional

Sidney Business Improvement Area Society | 250-893-0093 | sidneybia.ca

AND WE’RE R

50 DOUGLAS

Victoria’s film industry has gone through many highs and lows over the years as it has struggled to secure a reputation as a great place to make films. Now, it appears the hard work is coming together as Hallmark doubles down and a film studio gets traction at last.

BY JODY PATERSON

Pendray Inn and Tea House was one of the filming locations for an unidentified Hallmark production.

Several movies on the Hallmark Channel were shot in the city, including The Last Bridesmaid and Sailing Into Love.

ROLLING

JAMES MACDONALD

T

he clifftop villa with the milliondollar view has likely never seen the likes of this. The shooting of a German TV movie about a Mary Poppins-like nanny trying to work her magic on the sullen teenage daughter of a wealthy Canadian family is underway in the Central Saanich mansion, and every inch of it is alive with a film crew on the move.

Lunch break is almost over, and only a handful of the 50 people working on the film are lingering in the makeshift cafeteria set up in the enormous garage. People rush past carrying ladders, clipboards, rolls of plastic. There are cameras everywhere. Two purposeful-looking women pass by draped in heavy-looking shoulder bags packed with makeup, spray bottles, hairbrushes, tiny sponges; I’ll later learn every actor has their own bag (numbered for ease of reference).

A distinguished-looking fellow making his way along the upstairs hallway stops to be introduced. “He’s very famous in Germany,” whispers my host Andrew Williamson, whose company Cedar Island Films is producing the movie, which will eventually air to eight million German TV viewers who are big fans of The Nanny movies.

“Quiet on the set!” someone calls out, and the organized chaos pauses in place. “Did you turn your cellphone off?” Williamson asks in a quiet but urgent way. “Because that’s one mistake I wouldn’t want you to make on your first visit to a film set. It can be unpleasant.”

I’m here to get a feel for the region’s film industry, which was born in the late 20s to early 30s when filmmakers wanting to air their work in England began travelling to “the colonies” to meet a content quota.

Britain required at least 10 per cent of its screened films to be shot either in-country or somewhere in the Commonwealth. The seeds for the Greater Victoria film industry were sown.

A UNIQUE LOCAL SCENE Eight or so decades and many stops, starts and heady periods of stardom later, the local industry feels both vibrant and a little bit stuck, still waiting for its big breakthrough.

DOUGLAS 51

THE FILM-FRIENDLY FACTOR Building a successful film industry is a complex undertaking. Sure, the South Island is a stunning and versatile location, but the 52 DOUGLAS

JAMES MACDONALD

“WE ARE A COMMUNITY HERE, AND CAN CALL ON EACH OTHER FOR HELP.”

world is full of pretty places. The region’s many independent filmmakers scratch by on the skinniest of margins as a matter of course, but even bigbudget film productions prepared to spend $200 million are mindful of expenses.

So the first ingredient for a successful industry is film-friendly governments offering tax credits generous enough to compete with all the other film-friendly governments around the world also eager to lure filmmakers to their towns.

“The first thing now and always are the tax credits,” notes Gilbert.

JEFFREY BOSDET/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

Film shoots like The Nanny: Mission Canada put a smile on everyone’s face, both for the millions of dollars that a TV movie like this drops into the local economy and for the priceless exposure of the South Island’s natural beauty to all those German viewers, some of whom are sure to want a closer look.

Movie shoots fill up local hotels; spend great amounts on supplies, services and food; and provide well-paid jobs for Greater Victoria’s nascent film workers, who do everything from set-building and transport to a diverse array of creative arts.

But the local industry accounts for just $20 million of the $3.2 billion spent annually on film productions in B.C. That $20 million expenditure hasn’t changed much in two decades, a time during which the provincial spending doubled.

Boom years when everything looked to be on track have alternated with periods of gloom when nobody was working enough: the 2008 recession; the infamous 2007-08 writers’ strike; a rough six-year period when a past provincial government excluded the region from a “distant location” tax credit.

“It took until 2014 to turn that one around,” recalls Kathleen Gilbert, film commissioner with the Vancouver Island South Film & Media Commission, which acts as a concierge for filmmakers seeking to get connected to crew, locations, materials and services.

Meanwhile, the Vancouver film industry just kept growing. The city now has 100plus sound stages and studio/crew capacity for 50 shoots simultaneously. Victoria has sufficient crew for two and a half shoots at a time, and no studio. Vancouver sees more than 300 productions a year; Victoria saw 20 in 2018. In Vancouver, there are full-time jobs in the industry; in Victoria, the more typical experience is steady work for a few months and then a couple months of waiting for the next production, says Gilbert.

But there’s still something special about the local scene, says independent filmmaker and UVic film professor Maureen Bradley.

“We are a community here and can call on each other for help,” says Bradley. “Sure, Vancouver and Toronto are the places to go, but nobody can afford to live there. Victoria is happening, but we need a sustainable place for young people to live. A studio.

A government that finds ways to mitigate the risks of film production. Tax credits, specifically for series. We need to show that we are where Vancouver was 25 years ago – equally beautiful and cheaper!”

The B.C. government, for instance, offers a tax credit on certain labour costs incurred in the province, recently adding scriptwriting to that if the work is done in B.C. The “distant location” tax credit that Victoria was excluded from for more than six years was a lure aiming to draw filmmakers to other parts of B.C. and away from Vancouver, which is now so busy with film shoots that some in the industry worry about citizens losing patience with the street closures, the blockedup parking and the disruption to their lives.

After tax credits, the next most important

BC’S FILM INDUSTRY IN 2018 VANCOUVER ISLAND SOUTH

$20 million 22 productions

VANCOUVER ISLAND NORTH

$60 million 30 productions BC OVERALL

$3.2 billion 384 productions SOURCE: CREATIVE BC

ingredient for a thriving industry is the number of skilled, experienced people a region has available for hire. Hiring locally can mean big savings, and avoids logistical nightmares like trying to find hotel rooms for an imported crew at a busy time of year in a tourist town, with two-weeks notice.

“You can fulfill positions in almost every department here,” says Gilbert.

The fact that Vancouver is still the place to be if you want to work in film in B.C. makes it challenging to build up sufficient crews in Victoria, where there’s not enough work.

Not having enough crew members available locally can be the deciding factor in whether a filmmaker opts for Vancouver instead.

Victoria has the talent, but now it needs enough steady work to keep people on the Island. “We need a series here, because that’s

what pays the bills,” says Bradley.

Sufficient space for moviemaking is a whole other complex industry need. Film productions typically require massive amounts of warehouse space for equipment, costumes, set construction, workshops, offices and crews. (The big shoots in Vancouver employ upwards of 400 to 500 crew.) They require vast warehouses with four-storey-high ceilings and plenty of parking, and motivated investors prepared to own and manage buildings with a rotating cast of short-term tenants.

Those are challenging requests in the tight confines of Greater Victoria, where even finding empty land for building something big is a tough order to fill.

“Netflix just called us looking for 100,000 total square feet,” says Gilbert. “When Victoria gets its studio, I would never build anything less than 18,000 square feet. We really need that.”

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THE STUDIO DEBATE Ah yes, the studio. Whether to build one or not has been a hot topic in the region for many years. “Build it and they will come!” proponents have exhorted. “Don’t build it until they’re coming!” others have warned.

Governments have walked a carefully neutral path, wary of ending up with a taxpayer-built studio like the one in Regina, Saskatchewan that has never recovered from the loss of Corner Gas and an end to tax credits for the film industry in that province.

But these days, getting a studio built seems to be on everyone’s mind. Saanich Mayor Fred Haynes campaigned in last year’s municipal election on a promise to build two

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Victoria filmmaker Maureen Bradley’s debut, Two 4 One, premiered at the 2014 Calgary International Film Festival. provides access to facilities, training, equipment, networking opportunities and even potential project funding, like Telefilm Canada’s Talent To Watch grants for emerging

filmmakers of up to $125,000.

“That’s a microbudget for the big guys, but really big for an indie filmmaker,” notes Geiss.

What does the indie scene need to thrive? “You need to be able to meet people in the same headspace, brainstorm, find crew, find partners.”

Founded in 1991 as a space for making that happen, CineVic is deepening those efforts with an eight-month series of weekly workshops aimed at giving people the skills to make their own films.

The society’s popular Short Circuit Pacific Rim Film Festival returns May 1 and 2 with an array of short films from indie filmmakers from 30 countries bordering the Pacific Ocean.

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Big productions might pay the bills for local film workers, but it’s the region’s flourishing indie scene that feeds their passions.

“This region is booming with great people and creativity,” says David Geiss, executive director of the CineVic Society of Independent Filmmakers.

“Yes, you have to work your butt off to pay rent here, but you’re also in this fun, creative scene.”

Non-profit CineVic caters to “the people with many irons in the fire – the ones who might have one job in the film industry but are also doing writing, acting, directing on their own,” says Geiss.

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or three of them in the municipality.

Haynes’s enthusiasm has now caught the attention of Camosun College, which met with him and an investors’ group he brought to the table. They are now putting together a proposal that would see Camosun providing land at its Interurban campus in exchange for space for film-related trades training in a purpose-built production complex with two 20,000-square-foot studios.

“Our interest is on the educational side,” says Geoff Wilmshurst, Camosun’s vicepresident of partnerships. “Our focus will be on the trades and tech side, maybe in some specialties like costume design, hair and makeup, 3D animation. Our next step is to get the business plan to Camosun’s board of governors, then to the Advanced Education Ministry.”

It’s way past time for a studio, asserts Haynes, who would like to see as many as five studios and accompanying production spaces opening around the region.

“Paramount, Netflix, Amazon — they’ve all come to myself and members of the film studio team, saying, ‘Hey, we’ll film here but we need a studio,’” says Haynes, whose brother Matthew works in the industry in Los Angeles. “We could be delivering to the coming generation of young people the opportunity for studio work, and a number of ancillary skills. I’m optimistic we could be breaking ground on a studio by 2020.”

Recently losing out on two major series due to a lack of warehouse space has really “put the fire in people’s bellies” this time around to get a studio built, says CineVic President Darlene Tait, a retired real estate developer who now works as an actor and filmmaker. TV movies typically don’t require studios, but feature films and series do, as do those coveted series like Hallmark’s Chesapeake Shores, which has just finished its second season in Parksville/ Coombs using a customized warehouse space as a studio.

Be careful what you wish for, cautions Allen Lewis.

He’s the vice-president of production for Front Street Pictures, the largest such company in the region. Front Geoff Street produces six to 10 films Wilmshurst, a year in the region at $2.5 to Camosun’s vice-president $3 million apiece, most madeof partnerships for-TV movies for Hallmark,

most shot on location with no need for a studio.

A small studio could be a benefit, Lewis acknowledges. But wishing for a film scene like Vancouver is folly in a comparatively small town that would quickly grow weary of the disruptions a significantly expanded industry would bring, he adds. There’s also the problem of crew shortages for smaller filmmakers when the big productions come to town and suck up all available resources.

“A lot of people think that if we build a studio, we’ll get stars and sexy things coming to Victoria,” says Lewis. “But you’ve got to look at it in economic terms, and remember that once you build a studio, now you’re in the real-estate business. The draw of Victoria is location. Victoria stands alone because of its intrinsic beauty. Even in the slow years, we stayed working here.”

announced to the public before any money was secured. This time is different, she adds.

“Right now, there are at least four organizations doing business plans for a studio,” says Gilbert. “Camosun is the only one who has come out publicly, but the Malahat and Tsartlip bands are also talking about studios on their lands. It’s definitely piquing the interest of the big companies in Vancouver.”

She dreams of a day when 20 big feature films are being produced every year in the region, with numerous TV movies and series providing the “bread and butter” that keeps

people working. Bradley says the feature film might be Pup Star and the series might be Pup Academy, but a major production of any kind is still a terrific learning experience that helps local auteurs develop the skills they need to make their own films.

“Elsewhere, everyone’s working on big American films and generating enough money to be able to seed their own narrative film. As a teacher, it’s so cool to see my students going on to do that,” says Bradley.

“Sure, it might be Pup Star everyone’s working on, but it pays the bills. That’s what will build this industry.” 

BUILDING AN INDUSTRY Gilbert feels confident a studio is coming soon. In fact, she pegged her retirement on it, telling local media in 2015 that she wouldn’t retire until Victoria had its film studio.

“You don’t want people thinking it’s never going to happen,” she says, noting a number of false starts over the years that failed because they were poorly thought through or

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DOUGLAS 55

INTEL

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

1990

JIM HAYHURST

Members of Trails Youth Initiatives in its early years and again at a reunion (right). The unique charity, cofounded by Jim Hayhurst during his time in Toronto, provides lifelong, consistent programming for vulnerable youth.

2017 ENTREPRENEUR

BY JIM HAYHURST

The New Rules of Giving Back Entrepreneurs have more ability than ever to make a difference, but often, we forget the basics when we decide to give our time, talent or treasure to philanthropic causes.

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y first startup was Trails Youth Initiatives, a charity for at-risk kids, which I cofounded in Toronto nearly 30 years ago. While running a small nonprofit, I experienced firsthand the various manifestations of giving, which I came to know as the “3 Ts” of philanthropy: Time, Talent and Treasure.

Trails received support from all kinds of companies in a variety of forms, from unrestricted seed funding from Sears Canada, to baseball tickets from the big banks, to my friends’ new ventures cocreating incredible fundraising events with their employees.

No matter the stage of the company or age of the leaders, I could always tell the ones who not only knew why they were giving back but also the best way to do it to fit who they (and the charity) were. And whenever that was the case, the impact on our organization was deeper, longer lasting — and a lot more fun for me and my team.

I’ll admit, I also judged people and companies on how they engaged with us. The ability to manage the details of organizing a fundraiser or how seriously they took board responsibilities were “signal skills.”

These signal skills said a lot about the

capabilities of the companies and their leaders — mostly positive, sometimes not.

More than once, I steered my friends away from (or toward) companies that Trails had worked with as philanthropic partners, based on how they treated our little charity.

Learning the “3 Ts” Since those days, I’ve served on the boards of larger non-profits, schools and associations; advised social-impact founders and been close to companies and private foundations as they developed impact strategies.

While I’ve had the unique vantage point of being on both sides of the table, I’ve also made mistakes as a volunteer, donor and board member. I’ve learned that what makes for successful philanthropic relationships is the same as in any business relationship.

Aligning expectations is critical. Whether you’re a start-up entrepreneur or a seasoned veteran, here are some tips on how to give — and get — the most out of your “3 Ts.”

TIME: Show Up Are you ever 30 minutes late for client meetings or do you not follow through on promises to your employees? No, of course

traditional donors (government, foundations) tend to avoid. The payoff can be significant for a small non-profit.

JAMES DUNCAN DAVIDSON

not. Your business (and reputation) is too important. So don’t change when you commit to a charity. Just because your time isn’t being paid for doesn’t mean there’s no expectation of delivery.

Read your materials, do your homework, block out time to plan and tell your company, family and friends that’s what you’re doing. No excuses.

Because, like it or not, people are watching (and judging), especially in a small city like Victoria. And if you’re on a board or committee that’s underdelivering, maybe it’s time to hold people to account. These days, it’s becoming standard practice for non-profit boards to do performance reviews of their directors — with real consequences for underperforming. (As in, yeah … you get fired for not showing up.)

Dan Pallotta’s TED Talk “The Way We Think About Charity is Dead Wrong” is transforming the way we think about giving.

TREASURE: Fund Risk (Even Just a Little) Every year, entrepreneurs raise millions of dollars from investors for ideas that have a good chance of failing. As a business community, we’ve decided investing in bold business ideas can be worth it. Imagine if we took the same approach to risk in charities, whose ideas are just as ambitious and whose impact could change lives? More and more, this is what the world’s wealthiest donors are doing, in part, because many of them made their money on big, audacious, “risky” business bets. So they know the payoff potential.

But you don’t have to be Bill and Melinda Gates. Investing even in small projects with uncertain outcomes will fill a gap in funding that

TALENT: Don’t Be a List Maker Like startups, most charities usually don’t have big teams or budgets. Timelines are often short, outcomes are ambitious. Which is why every time a volunteer or board member says, “Hey, here’s another idea for you!”, non-profit leaders die a little inside. So here’s a rule: If you bring an idea, make sure it fits your particular talent (or that of someone you can bring on-board).

Make sure it’s an idea you are willing to help make happen. Ideas without follow-through are a recipe for frustration on both sides.

ABOVE ALL ELSE: Start Early In the list of things that need to get done early in a company’s formation, not many founders write down, “Figure out our charitable strategy!” And I get it — all “3 Ts” are often in short supply when you’re getting going. But here’s the deal: If you haven’t exercised “the muscles of philanthropy” by the time you make the money and find the time, your value to the cause you care about is diminished.

To be blunt, by that point your money is the same as anyone’s. Yeah, there may be more of it, but without the ability to really leverage it through applicable talent and truly useful time, your donations become commodified. Getting involved early on a small board or providing in-kind services as a small company gives you experience and insights that create a multiplier effect later on when matched with money.

Soon it’s not just Treasure or Time or Talent. It’s Treasure x (Talent + Time).

And that’s how the world really changes.

Jim Hayhurst is a trusted advisor to purposedriven organizations and leaders. He is currently active in six companies and social impact projects that elevate Victoria’s reputation as a hub of innovation, collaboration and big thinking.

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NEXT LEVEL

BY ALEX VAN TOL

Without a Vision, You’re Flying Blind

A vision statement anchors your strategic plan and gives your team something to build on.

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Vision Statement Checklist

e might laugh about projects when we find ourselves building the plane in the air, but it’s no laughing matter when your entire organization is operating this way. To make your mark on this world — to sell your products or services so that they improve people’s lives and deliver betterment — you need to know where you’re going and why. What are you aiming for, if you don’t have a collective “place to go”?

When you’ve got the basic phrasing for your vision hammered out, step back and refine it.

Your vision should be:

WHAT IS A VISION? Your vision is a statement of what your organization uniquely delivers into the world and how that offering improves the world. It gives your team something to organize around and focus on. It anchors your strategic plan, and outlines what your organization would like to achieve.

Here’s an example from Patagonia, a longstanding go-to in business circles (especially B Corps): “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”

The what, how and why of that vision are pretty clear. It offers a concise statement of the offering, the company’s commitment to making its finest contribution and the rationale and strategic clarity around serving the bigger picture.

Bite off the big end of ambitious, if you want.

Oxfam’s vision is: “A just world without poverty.”

Or keep it a little closer. Our Place Society’s vision is, “Nourishment, hope and belonging for all.” Destination Greater Victoria puts it out there this way: “To be internationally recognized as a leader in sustainable tourism development, ensuring Greater Victoria remains one of the top

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Short and memorable, because you want everyone — including external stakeholders — to remember it (two sentences max)

Framed to state your organization’s unique offering, or the approach it takes in delivering on your outcome(s) that only you can provide

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Aligned with your company values

Clear for anyone to understand, whether inside or outside your organization (leave the jargon out)

Ambitious in a doable way

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Somehow quantifiable, whether that’s a time peg or a statement of the reach and impact you’re looking for

Finally, every employee should be well acquainted with your vision, as should customers, investors and the broader community

destinations in the world.”

The point is, your vision is your Big Dream, your burning hope for the world. How will this place look after your company has done its work to the best of its ability? In this way, a vision is a different thing than a mission, which states what you do on a day-to-day basis; a vision is what galvanizes each member of your team to find meaning in their contributions, and to aim for that perfect delivery. It’s how they live out the values of your organization.

SAMPLE VISION STATEMENTS Accelerate the advent of sustainable transport by bringing mass market electric cars to market as soon as possible.

58 DOUGLAS

To enrich and delight the world through foods and brands that matter.

A world free from cancer

Create better everyday lives for as many people as possible.

FIND YOUR WHY To give you a super clear visual to work with, imagine your product/service as that perfect gift that issues, powerful and fully formed, from the skinny end of a funnel. That skinny end of the funnel is your vision. Everything that goes into the funnel — every action, email, order, conversation, decision, shipment and choice — should be aligned with and in support of that vision.

Typically, groups that don’t have a vision don’t have a very strong sense of the importance of their contribution, nor how it fits into the company’s why. In these organizations, you find employees who just put in the time at their desks, complain about being overloaded and don’t see how their work contributes to the bigger picture. They don’t bring new ideas forward. They stand around when a problem hits, looking at the crater and expecting someone else — typically their leadership — to tell them what to do. They don’t know what the organization stands for, really, so they don’t have a clear sense of their agency or ability to take action. They don’t have a clear understanding of what to put into the funnel.

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT CREATING A VISION? Understand that in order to craft a compelling vision that sets the strategic direction for your organization and guides your team in delivering on your mission to the best of their abilities every day, you need to invite your team into the room. Leaders who refuse to consult with their employees on what makes them get up in the morning, but instead develop their own vision and values, then present it to their team for their buy-in discover that this approach just doesn’t work. For proof, just look at traditional schooling, where the teacher sets the learning goals and everybody “has to” work toward those goals, regardless of their relevance or each individual’s level of interest. How does that make any room for feeling engaged and purposeful?

Vision and values travel together; it makes sense to develop them at the same time. Bring your people together for a day or two, and open up the floor. Find out what people think your vision and values are, or should be. Find out why they get out of bed in the morning — and if it isn’t for their job, start digging. Your people are your power. If they’re not in the boat, you’re not making it to the horizon.

AG125_feel something_douglas_X1a.pdf

CREATING YOUR VISION

USING YOUR VISION TO REACH NEXT-LEVEL LEADERSHIP

To craft your statement, use the following steps:

➊ Keep your focus on outcomes rather

than inputs. So if your company makes stylish and functional clothing from natural fibres, ask yourself what the outcome is for the customer who purchases the clothing.

The outcome is not the clothing itself; it’s the way the customer feels comfortable and elegant as a result of wearing it.

Leaders of some of B.C.’s most dynamic organizations — Wildplay Element Parks, First Light Technologies, Galvanize (formerly ACL) — point to Verne Harnish’s book, Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It ... and Why the Rest Don’t as their strategic bible. Harnish, founder of Entrepreneur Organization and author of Mastering the Rockefeller Habits, walks you through not only the establishment of your company vision, but an ultra-powerful, one-page strategic plan that will help everyone in your organization get their oars rowing in the same direction.

Victoria is home to a number of fantastic consultants and agencies who will walk you through this strategic work, too. Ask around. When you come across a business that’s operating like a well-oiled machine, leaving customers with a positive vibe and a great degree of satisfaction with their product, talk to their senior leaders and find out how they got there.

➋ Figure out the unique twist your company offers that no other competitor offers.

Maybe your goats are raised on a specific mountaintop in Siberia, where they lick exposed Jurassic minerals that make their coats uncommonly fluffy. Maybe all your skirts are sewn by an old miner on Gabriola who sings pagan love songs as his needle moves in and out. Whatever makes your product different, this is the place to share it.

➌ Don’t be afraid to quantify. If you want to

put your moisture-wicking merino-goat wool clothing on every Victoria resident, say so.

Alex Van Tol works with organizations to shape and communicate their brand stories. From real estate to tech, she uncovers what makes organizations tick — and what can help them grow.

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BY CLEMENS RETTICH

No Ghost In The Machine Better performance means harmonizing people and systems.

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azz giant John Coltrane’s composition Giant Steps is one audiences love and jazz musicians fear. In fact, Vox Media calls it “the most feared song in jazz.” Whether that’s true or not, Coltrane’s performance of the piece combines crazy theoretical complexity and captivatingly beautiful music that represents the union of human performance and a formal system (musical composition and jazz improvisation).

This kind of union is something we would like to see more of in business — an ideal state of harmony between humans and the systems they work within.

The problem? In business, people and processes are too often treated as separate things, with separate disciplines wrapped around them. On the people side, we have disciplines like psychology and behavioural economics and human capital. On the process side, we have project management, engineering and industrial design. What’s missing is a discipline that looks at that space where the two areas interact — the intersection between people and process.

It’s not that no one has looked at this.

Groundbreaking work has been done with Nobel-prize recipient Daniel Kahneman’s work on behavioural economics; science author Daniel Pink’s work on human motivation; and philosopher Gilbert Ryle’s criticism of Descartes’ idea that the mind and the brain are two different things (what he called the “ghost in the machine”).

Perhaps the closest anyone has come yet to finding a way to harmonize people

with processes is the Toyota’s Kata system.

Writer and researcher Mike Rother detailed this approach in his 2009 book Toyota Kata: Managing People for Improvement, Adaptiveness and Superior Results. (See page 61.)

UNDERSTANDING HOW HUMANS AND SYSTEMS INTERACT The trouble is, concepts like the Toyota production system, and the subsequent Lean management approach that grew out of it, are used only sparingly, in enlightened microcosms of the business world.

The rest of that world relies on half-baked, untested pop-psychology and expertworship that passes for “thinking” in business management. It’s not enough.

If we’re going to achieve the true performance potential of organizations, we need to deeply understand how humans and systems interact.

We need a single uniting discipline.

Without that discipline, it’s like trying to explain a Coltrane performance by only talking about jazz theory, or only by breathing and moving your mouth, tongue and fingers. It’s like trying to groom a sports team for success by focusing only on the rules of the game or only on physical fitness.

Businesses need to take a cue from artists and athletes who know humans interact with systems of rules, constraints, movement, rhythm, harmony and language to create results. They know talent without systems, or systems without talent, is simply unthinkable.

So why hasn’t the business world figured this out? Why are we still drawing a line between managing people and managing processes?

We call the former a “soft skill”, while suggesting things like finance or operations are “hard skills.”

That language mirrors a limiting people/process divide. In my opinion, the phrase “soft skills” should vanish from our vocabularies.

CREATING UNITY

To improve the performance of our organizations, here are some effective places to begin understanding and integrating our people and systems.

Implement transformative training.

The best way to maximize the effectiveness of people’s interactions with processes and systems is through an unflinching commitment to the best possible training. Starbucks, McDonald’s, Disney, Toyota, Nordstrom — all have world-class training programs, but go much further; training is central to their business models. Engage in rapid feedback communication. To manage the flow of information in a business, we need digital tools and an ever-present feedback loop to verify our assumptions and understanding of our people, customers and results.

If we’re going to move organizational performance into the 21st century, we must take giant steps and find a new language that unifies and transcends the binary division of people (the ghost) and systems (the machine) in organizations.

In high-performing organizations, the people and the systems are not two separate things that can be dissected and then put back together like Frankenstein’s monster. Instead, they are one thing, which I call “organizational performance.”

We need a culture that supports continual improvement by challenging the status quo every day.

Align culture, people and processes. Getting the culture right is foundational. We need a culture that supports continual improvement by challenging the status quo every day. Our people must feel safe to do this. The culture must support “always on” communication. The image of the hive is a powerful one. The best place to start building a culture like this is by reading Dan Coyle’s book The Culture Code.

Standardize processes. For a system to be truly responsive (able to adapt at “the speed of change”) it must first be standardized. Processes that aren’t standardized can’t be trained, measured or understood in the way required to change them rapidly and successfully. If the rules of jazz were whatever anyone wanted them to be, there would be no Coltrane, no Davis, no Krall. True creativity requires standardized systems to function.

Clemens Rettich is a business consultant with Grant Thornton LLP. He has an MBA from Royal Roads University and has spent 25 years practicing the art of management.

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What is Toyota Kata?

Writer and researcher Mike Rother delved into the relationship between people and systems in his 2009 book Toyota Kata: Managing People for Improvement, Adaptiveness and Superior Results. The book explores how the automaker set out to achieve continuous improvement and human ingenuity through the kata concept. Kata, which means “form” in Japanese, is a detailed, choreographed pattern of movements used in Japanese martial arts as a way to memorize and perfect the movements being executed.

In Toyota Kata, Rother asked why — with effective models for systems and human behaviour all around us — do businesses underperform?

His answer examined our habit of treating the management of people and processes as independent disciplines. And that’s something Toyota sought to overcome through Coaching Kata and Improvement Kata.

PERSPECTA BEAUTY

Coaching Kata is a repeating routine in which leaders and managers teach the Improvement Kata to everyone in the organization by giving procedural guidance — not solutions — that make the learner successful in overcoming obstacles.

Improvement Kata is a repeating four-step routine in which an organization continually improves and adapts through a scientific problem-solving method of plan, do, check, act.

Toyota Kata and Lean Management have forged the way for a growing number of companies, including Vancouver Island’s VMAC Global Technology, to engage in the process of continuous improvement, where the interaction of systems and human behaviour are treated as a single discipline, for improved performance.

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IDEATION

BY DOUGLAS and insights.

IDEATION presenting sponsor Al Hasham, Maximum Express Courier, Freight & Logistics with Ruth Mojeed, The Inclusion Project, and Corina Ludwig, FunctionFox

Kerry Slavens, Editor-in-Chief of Douglas magazine

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IDEATION panelists (L to R) Paul Underhill, Rumble; Heidi Sherwood, Sapphire Day Spa; Bruce Williams, South Island Prosperity Partnership; Nicole Sorochan, One Net Inc.

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Darlene Hollstein, The Bay Centre, and Rahim Khudabux, Max Furniture

A sold-out crowd of influencers, entrepreneurs and disuptors turned out for the kick-off event in Douglas magazine’s exciting new speaker series IDEATION. Hosted in the new KWENCH work + culture club and sponsored by Maximum Express Courier, Freight & Logistics, IDEATION was a night of big ideas and brave conversations on the topic of “Turning Points.”

Douglas Editor-in-Chief Kerry Slavens interviewed a compelling, candid panel of business leaders who shared stories and lessons from major turning points in their lives, businesses and careers. The result? A bold conversation with valuable insights and takeaways.

Don’t miss the next IDEATION on Thursday, February 6 at KWENCH. Tickets are limited!

Visit douglasmagazine.com.

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