UVIC’S MYSTIC MARKET WINS RAVE REVIEWS
A P R / M AY 2 0 1 5
BUILD A POWERFUL BUSINESS TOOLKIT
WIRED FOR
SUCCESS Bobbi Leach takes RevenueWire into the e-com big leagues
Transportation in a tailspin STAKEHOLDERS TALK TOUGH ON ISLAND TRANSPORTATION ISSUES
CAFFEINE HIGH VICTORIA’S COFFEE CULTURE AS AN AGENT OF CHANGE
DOES YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE NEED A RETHINK?
PM41295544
Bobbi Leach, CEO, RevenueWire
BMW Victoria
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Contents APR/MAY 2015
FEATURES
24 Wired for Success
Bobbi Leach, CEO of the e-com phenomenon RevenueWire, talks about leadership, innovation and the status of Victoria’s tech industry. BY NEVIN THOMPSON
32 Business Tool Kit
Choose the best apps for your small business. BY KERRY SLAVENS
42 Coffee Culture
Victoria coffee shops and roasters are riding a caffeine high and transforming neighbourhoods in the process. BY NEVIN THOMPSON
48 The Art of Great Customer Service
It’s ironic, but good old-fashioned customer service is trending. BY SHANNON MONEO
36
Transportation in a Tailspin
From ill-kept highways to rusting rail lines and ferry fare anxiety, Douglas looks at Island transportation. BY ANDREW FINDLAY
Uvic’s mystic market WiNs RAvE REviEWs
A p r / M Ay 2 0 1 5
Build A POWERFul BusinEss tOOlkit
Wired for
SucceSS
Bobbi Leach, ceO, revenueWire
Bobbi Leach takes RevenueWire into the e-com big leagues
Transportation in a tailspin
DEPARTMENTS
sTAKEHOLDERs TALK TOUGH ON isLAND TRANsPORTATiON issUEs
cAFFEiNE HiGH VICTORIA’S COFFEE CULTURE AS AN AGENT OF CHANGE
18 TAKE THREE
10 IN THE KNOW
Colour psychology in the workplace
MediaCore’s big deal, Peter Gustavson’s encore and Social Media Camp brings on the experts
16 PEOPLE IN BUSINESS The who, what and where of the business scene 4 DOUGLAS
INTEL [Business Intelligence] 54 ENTREPRENEURSHIP Building the BY PETER ELKINS
Eco-design drives success
56 DIGITAL LIFE Green computing for
BY JUDITH LAVOIE
a better world
62 LAST PAGE
58 SALES & MARKETING Why blogging
BY ATHENA MCKENZIE
ON THE COVER Styling by Caitlin Ing/ Mayfair Shopping Centre Hair and makeup by Erin Bradley Clothes provided by Banana Republic, RW&Co. and Town Shoes
Island’s entrepreneurial ecosystem
26 THE BIG IDEA
What you didn’t know about Victoria’s Harbour Ferry
DOES YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE NEED A RETHINK?
PM41295544
BY DAVID ALEXANDER
is a business must
BY MIKE WICKS
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FROM THE EDITOR
Why Ecosystem Thinking is Essential to Entrepreneurs
CAN CHANGING OUR VOCABULARY change the way we do business? In a word, yes. Let’s look at the word ecosystem. A few years ago, it belonged mostly to biologists and environmentalists concerned with everything from coastal rainforests to coral reefs. That’s still true but now there’s a new kid who has taken up the word ecosystem — the entrepreneur. Forward-thinking entrepreneurs have adopted the word ecosystem to describe vibrant, interconnected entrepreneurial communities that value collaboration over the old “swim with the sharks or get eaten” mentality. Yes, there are still market leaders, but instead of gobbling up all the little fish, these leaders are invested in helping the entire system to thrive because a healthy ecosystem doesn’t just celebrate the seasoned players — it nurtures new businesses, which keeps the system from stagnating. A good example of this approach is Sam Jones of 2% Jazz, a Victoria coffee culture pioneer. Not only does Sam own some amazing coffee shops, he’s legendary for the coffee he roasts. And as you’ll see in our article “Coffee Culture in Victoria,” Sam doesn’t just talk about his business — he has plenty of praise for his competitors too. In fact, he has an in-depth understanding that the success of Victoria’s entire coffee culture enhances the success of its members. The concept of an entrepreneurial ecosystem isn’t new. James F. Moore introduced the idea in 1993 in the Harvard Business Review article “Predators and Prey: A New Ecology of Competition.” Essentially, he said each business is like an organism in an ecosystem and needs to co-evolve with other companies. For that to happen, a business must create mutually beneficial connections with suppliers, customers and, yes, competitors — and leverage those connections. There’s so much leveraging of connections in Victoria right now it makes your head spin. VIATeC has played a leading role in carving out mental and physical space for businesses to co-evolve and has broadened its ecosystem to include the creative community with events like Thinklandia. Business incubators and accelerators are popping up everywhere. The Capital Investment Network is hosting pitch and mix nights for startups to present ideas to investors. Colleges and universities are engaging with entrepreneurs who want to harness the innovation in post-secondary trades, engineering, science and business programs. And here’s something I love: Coffee shops have become caffeinated boardrooms while boardrooms are becoming co-work spaces like Spacebar, The Dock, The Nest (a co-work space for women) and The Watershed, FanTan Group’s new purpose-built co-work and co-design space for optimizing group and individual performance. More on this after The Watershed’s big “reveal” on April 1. In fact, our “Entrepreneurship” columnist Peter Elkins told me every boardroom needs to become a co-work space as a place for new ideas to hatch and grow — we need to fill the dusty and dull corners of Victoria with idea generators. So landlords, think about turning empty spaces into pop-up locations for startups. Each of us, including Douglas magazine, plays a role in creating a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem. At Douglas, our role is to tell the stories that emerge from our ecosystem and serve as a connecting point where businesses and professionals can learn about each other. I think it benefits us all if, the next time we are out meeting with people in our community, including our competitors, we ask the question: How can we support each other to create a healthy ecosystem in which we all thrive? — Kerry Slavens kslavens@pageonepublishing.ca
An entrepreneurial ecosystem isn’t just one component in a bag of entrepreneurial tricks, it’s the whole bag.
6 DOUGLAS
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A Breakfast to Remember [1] Alissa Lauren, Bruce Williams and Joe Perkins of CTV (back row); Cynthia Durand-Smith of Victoria Hospitals Foundation; Rich Leboudec and Amanda Wilson of CTV (front row) Greater Victoria Housing Society’s Thanks for Giving [2] Christy Love of RDH Building Engineering, Al Hasham of Maximum Express and Anne Batey [3] Cecilia Bush of Greater Victoria Housing Society, Roya Darvish of Low Hammond Rowe Architects and Kaye Melliship of Greater Victoria Housing Society Victoria Film Festival’s Opening Gala [4] Ken Kelly of DVBA and Jo-Ann Roberts, Green Party candidate Heart & Sole Shoes Grand Opening [5] Keith Gage-Cole of Heart & Sole Shoes and Kerry Slavens of Douglas and YAM magazines YoUnlimited’s Unlimited Woman Awards [6] Carolyne Taylor of YoUnlimited, Linda Ferguson of Linda Ferguson Designs and Teresa Lindsay of Vic42 YAM magazine’s Chef Dinner by Zambri’s [7] Lise Gyorkos of Page One Publishing, Terry Behro of Capital Iron, Kerry Slavens, and Craig Norris of Eagalus Management [8] Jennifer (Cook) Van Hardenberg of St. Margaret’s School Orangetheory Fitness Victoria’s Weight Loss Challenge [9] Participants raised $1,150 for three local families in need
DOUGLAS 9
INNOVATION | DESIGN | BUSINESS | STYLE | PEOPLE
[IN THE KNOW ]
“MediaCore’s mission is to transform how people teach and learn, using video.”
STUART BOWNESS, CEO of MediaCore, which was named one of the Top 20 Learning Platforms of 2015 by E-Learning 24/7, and one of the world’s most innovative companies in digital video by Fast Company.
There are deals and then there are monster deals. Vanedge Capital’s decision to fund MediaCore with $4.5 million in Series A financing falls in that rare Godzilla category. “It’s a big thing for our company and a big thing for the city,” says MediaCore CEO Stuart Bowness. His Victoria-based tech firm sells a cloudbased educational video platform that helps education institutions streamline the process of securely recording, managing and sharing video. With the Vanedge investment in place, MediaCore plans to invest in its product
10 DOUGLAS
and scale up operations, doubling its staff this year from 20 to 40. The majority of those jobs will be local. “We’re here for the long haul,” Bowness adds. MediaCore’s deal, he says, is even more phenomenal considering there are only five or six venture firms in Canada doing four to six deals a year — and only about 135 venture filings in North America each year. It’s even more mind blowing when you consider that MediaCore is in a vertical that sees only sporadic investment — and its home base is a
small Canadian city on an island. “That puts MediaCore in the niche of niches,” says Bowness, and MediaCore has worked hard to get here. In 2014, the company achieved record-growth and welcomed 100 universities as clients, including Yale, UC Berkeley and Royal Roads. “It’s great for the local ecosystem,” says Bowness. “It also shows that you can build a great company here in this city and raise capital … The more that happens, the more it works to encourage other companies to build their businesses here.”
JEFFREY BOSDET/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE
MEDIACORE DEAL MEANS EVERYONE WINS
Gustavson’s Encore
BUSINESS IN ACTION ▼
Peter Gustavson re-engages in the foreign exchange business with EncoreFX Peter Gustavson’s name is synonymous with entrepreneurship. Now, more than five years after he sold his company, Custom House Currency Exchange, to Western Union for $370 million, the man with UVic’s business school named after him has returned to the foreign exchange business. After the non-compete agreement with Western Union expired, Gustavson partnered with former Custom House executive Paul Lennox to form EncoreFX, a foreign exchange offering risk management and international payment services. Starting with a head office in Victoria, the company has quickly opened franchises in Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, and there’s more to come.
“Once we’ve solidified our base in Canada and our systems are operating and scalable, we will certainly look to expand beyond the Canadian border,” Gustavson says. He also expects to expand from the current 35 employees to 60 by the end of the year. Most of the employees are from Custom House. He’s candid about what happened to the Custom House workforce after Western Union bought the company and laid off en masse, outsourcing the jobs offshore. He says he has no plans to outsource jobs at EncoreFX. “I was very disappointed with Western Union. They led us to believe they were buying the business because of the people and eventually they outsourced …”
What would he do differently if he had to do it again? “We could have built in better controls,” he adds, “but this time around we plan on building a business for the long term here and leaving a legacy in Victoria.” One thing he would not change is the focus on customer service. “…there’s been a real drift [in the industry] away from focusing
on the customer and moving toward a focus on corporate earnings and quarterly profits,” he says. EncoreFX plans to be “disruptive” by focusing on “old-fashioned customer service,” which Gustavson says was key to Custom House’s success. Gustavson says he’s looking forward, not back. He says EncoreFX is predicting $2 billion in foreign exchange this year.
ADVICE FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS Following the sale of Custom House, Peter Gustavson donated $10 million to UVic. The Peter B. Gustavson School of Business is named in his honour. “I tell students to take more risks. They’re young and if they have the opportunity to test some entrepreneurial ventures, they can fail, get up and fail again. Right now, most of them have very little to lose. They’ve got a lot of runway in front of them and there’s a big upside if they just catch the right opportunity. … At some point, they are going to end up with a home, a mortgage, children and won’t be afforded that opportunity to take risks at the same level … I’m jealous of these young people — they’re fearless.”
EXECUTIVE HOUSE re-opens this spring as the new DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and Suites Victoria, following the completion of a multimillion dollar property-wide renovation. Managed by Mairet Consulting and Management of Victoria, the property marks the first hotel from the Hilton Worldwide portfolio to open on Vancouver Island. It features 181 guestrooms. POMME, a Victoria-based organic/natural grocer, recently acquired Island Natural Markets in Nanaimo. The company also has two Lower Mainland locations. HELIJET INTERNATIONAL has launched harbour-toharbour service between downtown Nanaimo and downtown Vancouver. SEAFIRST INSURANCE has launched Trade Guard, an online insurance service for small trades contractors who work primarily on residential properties. At tradeguard.ca, they can get quotes, buy coverage, make changes mid-term and request proof of insurance. It’s the first service of this kind in Canada.
Supporting our community
by recognizing innovative new businesses
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TO WATCH TITLE SPONSOR
The exposure winners receive through 10 to Watch gives them well-deserved applause, builds brand recognition and shines the spotlight on the Island’s vibrant spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. Watch for the winners in the June/July issue of Douglas magazine.
SUPPORTING SPONSORS
DOUGLAS 11
CLEAN, GREEN AND GROWING THE WETCLEANER LOOKS TO TRANSFORM THE DRY-CLEANING INDUSTRY
THE CHALLENGE Offer an alternative to traditional drycleaning, which uses perchloroethylene (PERC), a probable carcinogen declared toxic in 1997 in Canada. Local impact includes ground-contaminated lots on Yates Street and in Cook Street Village.
cleaner,” Dave says. “From an angora sweater, to a mohair jacket, to an Armani suit, to wedding dresses.”
NEXT STEPS A successful pitch on a recent Dragons’ Den episode saw them shake on a $250,000 deal with Jim Treliving. While Dave and Cindy were originally THE BACK STORY Dave eyeing Vancouver to and Cindy Hatt were purchase dry-cleaners running a dry-cleaning to switch to their wetvalet service in Victoria. cleaning system, they are Upon learning how now looking at Phoenix “nasty” the traditional as a launching point for process could be, Canada/U.S. expansion. they looked for an THE END GAME “We alternative. As a result, want to be the face of they purchased Elite Earth Friendly Cleaners, change in this industry,” Cindy says. “We want rebranding it as The people to know how bad WetCleaner. traditional dry cleaning THE SYSTEM “Wet is for the environment, cleaning uses water and for the people who work non-toxic detergents to in it and for the people clean anything you who get their clothes would take to a dry cleaned a lot.”
VicPD Business Survey Results (based on a 2014 survey of 136 Victoria and Esquimalt businesses)
12 DOUGLAS
Social Media Camp to Tackle Tunnel Vision
Social Media Trends to Watch What changes to social media can businesses expect in the coming year? Three Social Media Camp keynote speakers offer Douglas readers their vision of what’s next.
Y
ou may think popular platforms like Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn are all you need to build your brand, but the organizers of this year’s Social Media Camp (SMC) say social media is just one important part of the big marketing picture. That’s why this year’s SMC is all about social integration — and “For any business or nonbreaking out of the tunnel vision profit, social media is just that social media is a marketing one of several marketing wonder drug. disciplines that they have The 6th Annual Social Media Camp plans to be bigger than ever, to employ in order to expanding into three full days of grow their business and workshops, panel discussions, an achieve their objectives.” Interactive Knowledge Café and — CHRIS BURDGE, CO-FOUNDER, SMC many opportunities to network. Chris Burdge, who co-founded SMC with Paul Holmes, anticipates 700 attendees this year, an increase of 10 per cent over last year. Featured speakers include Jas Dhaliwal, social media director at AVG Technologies; John Jantsch, bestselling author of Duct Tape Marketing; and Denise Lloyd, CEO of Engaged HR. Douglas magazine is a proud sponsor of Social Media Camp 2015, which takes place from May 21 to 23 at Victoria Conference Centre. Visit socialmediacamp.ca.
NEAL SCHAFFER
JILL ROWLEY
Neal Schaffer, founder and editorin-chief of Maximize Social Business, says that in the past “a Facebookcentric strategy was all we needed.” But with so many new platforms, businesses must learn to spend time on multiple applications like Snapchat and Instagram along with Twitter and Facebook. “There’s also the notion now that you have to pay to play,” says Schaffer. “Social media is not free and there needs to be a paid component if you really want to go farther.” maximizesocialbusiness.com Jill Rowley, the San Franciscobased social-selling evangelist, differentiates between social media and social networks. She stresses that businesses need to recognize this
MARC STOIBER
difference. “Social media is primarily still being used as a broadcast hole to put stuff out there and really hasn’t evolved enough to what it’s designed for, which is all about building relationships. It’s not supposed to be a new channel to spam ... We should use it from more of a network and relationship perspective than a broadcast channel.” jillrowley.com Marc Stoiber, author of Didn’t See It Coming, says, “In the coming year, social media will move back into understanding human brands and values and making messages align. We have to go back toward brands and the whole idea of lining up to what people are looking for, and providing real human value.” marcstoiber.com
Thank you to our great clients, like Rugby Canada, for helping us celebrate 25 years of providing employee benefits to Vancouver Island businesses.
250-478-9288 AdamekFinancial.com 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION DOUGLAS 13
10 TO WATCH WHERE ARE THEY NOW? From suit makers to cloud-based news content distributors to restaurateurs, Douglas magazine’s 10 to Watch winners are a varied and innovative bunch. In the countdown to the 2015 awards on May 26, we checked in with a couple winners from years past.
BOB HEWITT
VIBES FITNESS won in 2010 for being the first to introduce the concept of wave vibration workouts to the Island. “I understood immediately that the success of the business depended on developing long-term relationships with my clients so I work very hard at ensuring their workout experience is positive,” said Jessica Cruise, founder and CEO, at the time of her win. Since then, Vibes has gone on to open four more locations, including their recent expansion into Vancouver.
Jessica Cruise, CEO, Vibes Fitness
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FIRST LIGHT TECHNOLOGIES won in 2012. This specialized designer and manufacturer of architecturalquality, integrated solarpowered LED lighting products was recently named to the Ready to Rocket Cleantech list for 2015. The list identifies the top
private companies best positioned to capitalize on the trends for growth. “Our growing portfolio of high-performance solar LED lighting products is seeing rapid acceptance and adoption across the globe,” says Sean Bourquin, who co-founded First Light with Justin Taverna.
Sean Bourquin at the First Light booth at Lightfair 2014, the world’s largest lighting-focused trade show in Las Vegas.
Am alg am at io n
WHAT’S NEXT? During the November 2014 municipal election, eight of the region’s 13 municipalities included a non-binding question on the ballot to review governance in the region; 75 per cent of the 80,000 who cast ballots voted in favour of a study. In response to these results, B.C.’s Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Coralee Oakes issued a statement saying the government would review. SO, WHAT’S NEXT? According to Tony Heemskerk, chair and spokesperson for Amalgamation Yes, the B.C. government needs to take a leadership role in organizing a study, and the municipalities need to push the province. “We’ve sent them some guidelines on how we think a study could be done,” Heemskerk says. “Part of that is just to continue the conversation. We’re not saying it’s definitive but it gives some ideas and thoughts as to how it could be moved forward.” Another group looking at the amalgamation issue is The Greater Victoria Conversation, a series of public events to get citizen input on what residents of the Central Region believe should be included in a study. An event in February looked at eight different issues related to amalgamation, from public safety to transportation to arts funding. The April 21 event will feature former B.C. Premier Mike Harcourt as keynote speaker. “Hopefully, all of this will mean we’ll get some good ideas out of there,” Heemskerk says. “And that people will continue to write letters to the editor, to contact their local councils and let them know they want this amalgamation issue looked at and studied, to see where we should go.”
DOWNTOWN RETAIL TRENDS According to the Colliers International Victoria Retail Market Report for year end 2014, retail activity in the downtown is expected to pick up in 2015, due to heightened demand from consumers wanting to live and shop downtown. Other highlights from the report include:
YOUR LAWYERS, YOUR TAX SOLUTIONS Cook Roberts LLP is delighted to announce the addition of a Tax Group to the firm. The firm’s new Tax Group is made up of Andre Rachert, Shelley Spring, Craig Young and Ryan Green (pictured right to left). Together they bring nearly 40 years of experience practicing exclusively in the areas of tax planning, trust and estate planning, and tax litigation. The Tax Group complements the high level of service that clients and other professionals have come to expect from Cook Roberts LLP and makes Cook Roberts LLP the only full service tax firm on Vancouver Island.
To talk to one of our tax lawyers, call
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Restaurants, custom roast coffee shops and bars continue to be some of the most active segments of downtown, with local ownership catering to the younger tech community, which prefers to live, eat and shop downtown.
While downtown enjoyed a positive tourist season, and a slow increase in its urban population, the downtown retail market saw a significant jump in vacancy from 6.2 percent in 2013 to 10.2 percent in 2014.
Greater Victoria retailers can expect to be negatively impacted by shoppers heading to the Lower Mainland to take advantage of new malls and stores, including Nordstrom, Tsawwassen Mills and the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Mall.
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REAL FOOD DONE FAST DOUGLAS 15
INNOVATION | DESIGN | BUSINESS | STYLE | PEOPLE
1 AWARDS 1. DAVID FOSTER has been named Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 by the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria. Foster is a multi-awardwinning musician and producer and a 16-time Grammy winner. Foster owns the boutique label 143 Records, a joint venture with Warner Bros., and is chair of the Verve Music group at Universal. The WILSON FAMILY, owners of Canadian Homestay Network (CHN), has been awarded this year’s Family Enterprise of the Year Award by CAFE Vancouver Island. The business began as a home-based venture before expanding to 75 employees in 25 communities, coast to coast. CHN has hosted tens of thousands of students from 120 countries, becoming Canada’s largest homestay network in the process. Jennifer, the daughter of founders Robin and Fraser, joined the CHN in 2005, and in 2010 she took over the managing director role from her mother.
ON THE MOVE 2. PEDRO MÁRQUEZ has been named vice-president of global marketing and business development at Royal Roads University. Márquez was formerly dean of the Faculty of Management at RRU and has been with the university since 2007. Prior to RRU, Márquez was dean and department head at the Tecnológico de Monterrey at Mexico City’s business school. IAN ROBERTSON has been appointed CEO of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority. Robertson is currently CEO of the
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Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia. He has over 30 years’ experience developing business solutions in companies ranging from Procter and Gamble to the Rocky Mountaineer. His appointment takes effect on April 27. 3. BETH LAUGHTON has been appointed VP of finance at Beacon Community Services. Laughton comes to Beacon from Royal Roads University, where she served as director of business planning and performance management. A chartered accountant, Laughton’s background includes serving as a senior audit manager for KPMG. 4. MALCOLM BARKER, VP and general manager of Seaspan’s Victoria Shipyard, retires this spring after more than 21 years with the company. He began his shipbuilding career at 16 and has been in the B.C. marine industry for nearly four decades. He was formerly with Yarrows Shipyard. Seaspan Shipyards president Brian Carter says Barker has been instrumental in successfully building Victoria Shipyards to the thriving organization it is today. LORI HAMSTRA of LJH Golf Academy joins the team at the GBC Golf Academy at Olympic View Golf Club. Hamstra, a GBC Golf Academy alumna, has spent the past five seasons as lead instructor at Bear Mountain’s Golf Academy. She is an award-winning golf coach and was awarded the 2006 PGA of BC Teacher of the Year. DALE GANN has been hired as director of business development by Ecoasis, owner of Bear Mountain Resort. Gann was formerly president of the Vancouver Island Technology Park.
CEDRIC AND DORENE STEELE, owners of Prospect Lake Golf Course for four decades, have announced plans to retire after the 2015 season. Although they will retain ownership, they are accepting expressions of interest to lease the golf course and its properties. The Steeles purchased the course in 1974, at which point Dorene became one of B.C.’s first women to play a management role in the golf industry. JOE O’ROURKE has joined Victoria Shipyards as the new vice president and general manager. O’Rourke has nearly 30 years’ experience in positions of leadership and senior management throughout North America. He joins Seaspan after serving as senior VP, business development, at Vigor Industrial LLC in Oregon. JOHN MCLEOD has joined the law firm of Reed Pope Law Corporation as associate counsel. McLeod previously worked with two leading business law firms in Vancouver and with Baker & McKenzie in London, England. He has more than 18 years of experience advising individual, corporate and institutional clients on a range of business law matters. 5. DAVID CAPORALI has been named Viking Air’s regional sales director for Latin America. Caporali was previously aircraft general sales manager at Lider Aviacao in Brazil. He will also be the main point of contact for Twin Otter aircraft sales in Latin America. PAUL SCHROEDER has been hired as the Vancouver Island sales representative by Rolex Plastics and Printing, with an initial focus on building Rolex’s customer base in the restaurant and hotel industry.
BMW Motorrad Canada
bmw-motorrad.ca
The Ultimate Riding Experience.®
MAKE LIFE A RIDE. Every moment is a crossroads. You can turn left, you can turn right, or you can go straight ahead. You could go back to where you came from and just keep on riding. You could find the closest meridian and follow it until you reach the sea. There are a million paths laid out before you, each of them better than the last and none worse than the next. Choose a new path every second and never look back. Because everything you discover along the way will be yours forever. And that’s how you make life a ride. Find out more at Island BMW Motorrad
740 Roderick Street | Victoria BC 250.474.2088 | islandbmw.ca © 2015 BMW Motorrad Canada. “BMW”, the “BMW Logo”, “The Ultimate Riding Experience”, all BMW model designations and all other related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and/or trademarks of BMW AG, used under licence.
Dlr#30561
New hires who undergo a structured orientation program are
58%
more likely to be with the company after three years. – Wynhurst Group
57%
of organizations view employee retention as a problem. – PayScale
TAKE THREE
COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY IN THE WORKPLACE Colours have been found to influence mood, emotions and productivity. That’s why business owners need to carefully consider colour in workplace design and décor decisions. You may not be able to change the colour of your entire office, but do opt for accents or focal points in colours that will best suit your type of workplace.
STRONG BLUE
For local options, visit thefishguys.ca Research by the University of British Columbia has proven that blue enhances creativity. It also increases calmness and focus, so it’s a good choice for meeting and waiting rooms. (Blue is used a lot in corporate brands as it is thought to denote loyalty.) Consider adding a “blue” feature like an aquarium to your space.
DO YOU NEED A DIGITAL RESUMÉ? The Internet is the preferred tool when it comes to learning about any subject, so a digital resumé can be the best way to put the information you want into the hands of potential employers. Not sure where to start? While your LinkedIn profile will do, sites such as aboutme.com and vizualize.me help you create a visually powerful resumé that reflects your personal brand.
JARGON BLEEDING-EDGE TECH: Something even more current and advanced than “cuttingedge.” Generally used on hyped-up technologies or gadgets that are so new they may prove to be unreliable.
TECH FORWARD Missed the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas? Here are some of the tech highlights with business appeal.
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ENERGIZING RED
Artifort Megan 5-Legged Chair (Gabriel Ross, $1,470) Because it actually stimulates the adrenal gland and the neurons, red is an invigorating colour and can be used to boost energy. Too much red can cause stress or provoke anger so limit it to things like accent walls or furniture.
EYES TO THE FUTURE From architecture to medicine, virtual reality’s potential business applications are staggering. The new Oculus Rift DK2 prototype, a popular breakthrough virtual reality kit, offers better positional tracking and display technology. oculus.com
MOVABLE SECURITY With mobile payments becoming more popular, HYPR-3 looks to eliminate cyber fraud. The thin and light Bluetooth-powered gadget affixes to a smartphone and integrates with its software to give three-factor authentication, including biometrics. hypr.com
RED motivates and enlivens employees ORANGE is energizing and can be a stimulant for appetite
YELLOW feels welcoming and can spark memory
VIOLET stimulates imagination
BLUE VIOLET inspires clear thought and focus
THE EMOTIONAL COLOUR WHEEL
It’s simple. Hire a student. See results. Contact us today to hire a student.
MEDIUM BLUE symbolizes loyalty, often found in logos
SOFT BLUE calms the mind and aids concentration
GREEN reduces anxiety and is restful for the eyes
TAGGED BY TANTA PENNINGTON, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 40" X 30"
Hire innovative, job-ready students and grads.
Co-operative Education and Student Employment www.camosun.ca/cese | 250.370.4100
MELLOW YELLOW
A waiting room aquarium designed by Okeanos Aquascaping in New York
ROBOT REVOLUTION For those telecommuters worried they are missing important events at the office, the iRobot Ava 500 allows remote employees to stroll around the office and virtually interact with colleagues through highquality audio and video. irobot.com
OKEANOS
“Tagged” by Tanta Pennington, 30" x 40" (Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Art Rentals and Sales) Studies show yellow causes the brain to release serotonin (the “happy” chemical) and that it enhances concentration. But too much of this buttery tone can cause fatigue. It’s also the most difficult colour on the eye. That’s why it’s better used as an accent colour in office décor items such as art or area rugs.
HANDHELD 3D If your business needs high-resolution models, Scanify is a handheld scanner that allows you to capture three-dimensional information for 3D printing or on-screen applications. fuel-3d.com
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BRENTWOOD BAY RESORT & SPA FOCUSING ON ORGANIZATION HEALTH, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND LEARNING
(From left to right) Andrew Langford, Matt Smiley, Daniel Jordi, Natasha Richardson, Kelsey Rogers, Sean Norris, Gina Amato, Pablo Reyes
D
OES IT SEEM LIKE a novel concept for an organization to value staff engagement and fulfilment above all else? The leadership team at Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa think so. Led by General Manager Natasha Richardson and Hospitality Director Daniel Jordi, the team has been leading a cultural change at the resort for approximately 16 months. The results have been remarkable, from guest feedback to increased sales and ultimately an improved bottom line. Nestled on the shores of the Saanich Inlet, Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa is the only 5-star boutique waterfront resort in the city and was named one of Condè Nast ’s Top 10 Resorts in Canada in 2014. Central to their success, there is a fundamental awareness that a healthy organization exhibits high morale, high productivity, minimal politics and low turnover. “By eliminating the politics and confusion that plague most organizations, people come together and set aside their individual needs for the good of the whole. It allows 20 DOUGLAS
teams to accomplish what might have looked impossible on paper,” says General Manager Natasha Richardson. The resort’s vision statement declares that the organization’s purpose is to enrich the lives of their guests, their community and themselves. They do this by being a ‘learning organization’, dedicated to cultivating a mindful and graceful presence in the world. A learning organization fosters a culture of communication, collaboration, learning and teaching. Equipping the staff with training and education is one of the resort’s foremost objectives. Every member of staff takes part in orientation courses, tailored to foster the culture of mindfulness and with a focus on maintaining a graceful presence. The resort also offers a comprehensive Management Training Program, which allows for hands-on training from industry leaders. Building a foundation of organizational health has allowed the leadership team to focus on the finer points: from the luxury of the hotel itself, to the wellness spa and
the awe-inspiring Dining Room, where Chef Sean Norris’ culinary innovation draws rave reviews. Overlooking Tod Inlet, the Brentwood Pub features the most scenic patio in Victoria, and is preparing for another spectacular summer season. In every hallway, meeting room and dining space, guests are presented with a spectrum of art from local artists. Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa is doing things differently — and it seems to be working.
849 Verdier Avenue, Victoria 250.544.2079 www.brentwoodbayresort.com
BEACON HILL WEALTH MANAGEMENT CLIENT FOCUSED, LOCALLY OWNED AND INDEPENDENTLY OPERATED
B
EACON HILL WEALTH MANAGEMENT brings a refreshing mix of transparency and simplicity to Victoria. They focus on guiding clients through the intricacies of global markets, creating custom solutions for complex situations and building legacies to span generations. Opened last year, this independent office of Raymond James builds on the foundations of Raymond James Financial, Inc., which was founded in 1962 and has over $483 billion in assets under management. Partners Dixie Klaibert, CFA, and Chris Stooksbury both come from a background on Wall Street, where they counseled the world’s largest investment managers. “Many of the strategies and concepts employed by these large institutions are directly applicable to small business and affluent investors. We saw the opportunity to share these global ideas with the local business community and add value on day one,” says Chris. Family and lifestyle also had a lot to do with their moves from the global financial centers of London and New York to Victoria. “New York is a different experience when you have a two year old,” quips Dixie. Armed with experience unique to the Island, the Beacon Hill team is changing the way people
invest. Dixie says, “Everyone is trying to beat the market, despite studies (qualified by a 2013 Nobel Prize in Economics) pointing the industry in the opposite direction. Instead, we harness the market, shifting the focus to factors we can control, like managing risk, building a solid financial plan and controlling costs.” There are no smoke and mirrors or secret trading strategies here. After spending years structuring and trading complex credit derivatives, they came to the conclusion that the simplest solution is often the best. Beacon Hill focuses on building longterm solutions for their clients, based on the foundations of a solid plan. Their clients understand the assets they own, but more importantly they understand why they own them. Their global experience is vital in today’s markets, and plays directly into their investment philosophy. “The Canadian market represents under 5% of the global market — we like to consider the other 95%,” continues Chris. They’re currently invested in over 40 countries, maximizing the concept of diversification. “It’s exciting to show clients what they can achieve when they think differently,” says Dixie. The financial services industry is ripe for innovation and change, which is why Beacon Hill is challenging the status quo.
Partners Chris Stooksbury and Dixie Klaibert, CFA
“WE HARNESS THE MARkET, SHIFTING THE FOCUS TO FACTORS WE CAN CONTROL, LIkE MANAGING RISk, BUILDING A SOLID FINANCIAL PLAN AND CONTROLLING COSTS.” — PARTNER DIxIE kLAIBERT, CFA
Beacon Hill Wealth Management Raymond James Ltd. Independent Financial Services 404-620 View Street, Victoria 778.433.1314 beaconhillwm.ca Raymond James Ltd., Member – Canadian Investor Protection Fund
DOUGLAS 21
SIMON DESROCHERS
HEART & SOLE SHOES PASSIONATE ABOUT SHOES
Left to right: Danica Wilcox, Freni Waidelich, Keith Gage-Cole and Carolina Lopez-Urbina, the friendly and knowledgeable staff of Heart & Sole Shoes. Hats and fascinators by Tierre Taylor millinery.
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ICTORIA IS PASSIONATE about shoes, and one of the city’s most passionate proponents of high-quality footwear is the team at Heart & Sole Shoes, which recently relocated to 1023 Fort Street in the vibrant Mosaic Village. Behind a neo-Tudor and lipstick-red façade, Heart & Sole’s interior is filled with sunlight, charm and stylish hand-picked footwear from exciting brands like Chanii.B, Camper, Miz Mooz, Red Wing Heritage and John Fluevog, and eco-friendly lines like El Naturalista. You’ll also find unique bags, artful accessories and Victoria’s largest selection of legwear. What differentiates Heart & Sole is its focus on creating a special experience for each customer, with custom fittings and shoe alterations, and even personal wardrobe consultations to help you look and feel your best. “Our products represent a connection between our love for what we do and the need for something unique that speaks to you,” says store manager Freni Waidelich. ”Every single sock and shoe has a purpose and means something to us. We’re not interested in fast fashion and disposable
22 DOUGLAS
trends — we value items which can be treasured in your closet for a long time.” Everyone at Heart & Sole has a deep love of their profession, beginning with owner Keith Gage-Cole, a legendary leather worker who launched Heart & Sole in 2008 as a leather-smith workshop featuring handcrafted leather goods. Since then, Heart & Sole has evolved and expanded with the help of Freni, who has 15 years of retail shoe experience and over 10 years of industry expertise in buying, managing and marketing footwear. The Heart & Sole team also includes assistant manager Carolina who specializes in shoe alterations and repair, learning her profession from Italian cobblers and at iconic local bootmakers Viberg. Danica, the newest team member, has over 24 years of retail experience and will be assisting in customer service, creative displays and wardrobe consulting. With Heart & Sole settled in its fabulous new location, look for more exciting women’s footwear and an even bigger focus on stylish socks and shoes for men who are increasingly fashion conscience. And watch for special events, including “Meet the Designer” salons.
“WE’VE CREATED A WARM ATMOSPHERE, WHERE PEOPLE CAN FEEL CONFIDENT IN OUR EXPERTISE AND LOVE FOR WHAT WE DO, AS WELL AS GETTING A UNIQUE, DURABLE PRODUCT.” — FRENI WAIDELICH, STORE MANAGER
1023 Fort Street, Victoria 250.920.7653 heartandsoleshoes.ca
BRENTWOOD COLLEGE SCHOOL WHERE THE WORLD COMES TO SCHOOL
B
RENTWOOD COLLEGE SCHOOL is a co-educational boarding school for Grades 9 to 12 located on the shores of Mill Bay on Vancouver Island. Prospective students are drawn to our school’s innovative approach, university preparatory programmes and spectacular 77-acre oceanfront campus. Since 1923, we have established a transformative place of learning and leadership, mirroring the educational experience of a small college rather than a traditional boarding school. Our primary purpose is to help students gain the independence and skills necessary to succeed in the post-secondary world while studying in a safe and nurturing environment. Boarding is not an afterthought at Brentwood but the very heart of the school, with 491 students from over 32 countries calling our campus home. Our community is special, defined by a culture of inclusion and empowerment. Students learn to become young adults in a contemporary setting, surrounded by caring friends and mentors, in relationships that last well beyond their years at Brentwood.
What Makes Brentwood Different Our Philosophy of Student Choice: Students choose to come to Brentwood, they are not sent here. This cornerstone of our entry process means students are surrounded by likeminded peers in a supportive and progressive learning environment. We seek students who value opportunity, embrace challenge and are prepared to enrich our vibrant, friendly boarding school community. Our Programming: Our unique tripartite programme and timetable are designed to ensure unrivalled access to extracurricular activities; allowing students to try new disciplines and develop skills unexplored in a traditional setting. Academic studies are at the core of our challenging curriculum that allows every student to participate in athletic and art programmes. Personal discovery and empowerment is a pedagogical philosophy few Brentonians would change. Our Staff: Educated at distinguished universities in many countries including Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Cuba and South Africa, Brentwood teachers form a community of leaders and learners,
WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A TRANSFORMATIVE PLACE OF LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP, MIRRORING THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF A SMALL COLLEGE RATHER THAN A TRADITIONAL BOARDING SCHOOL. dedicated as mentors and pathfinders for the students in their care. As Brentonians, they are also involved in athletics and the arts. Teaching at Brentwood is a lifestyle, as well as a profession. Many who come make it their life’s work.
2735 Mount Baker Road, Mill Bay 250.743.5521 www.brentwood.bc.ca DOUGLAS 23
“It’s fun and rewarding to work with people who aren’t happy with the status quo and who like to be challenged.”
IN CONVERSATION WITH BOBBI LEACH OF REVENUEWIRE ■ BY NEVIN THOMPSON ■ PHOTO BY JEFFREY BOSDET
WIRED FOR SUCCESS
I
t may surprise you to know Victoria is a hub for e-commerce, but it’s no revelation to Bobbi Leach, CEO of RevenueWire, the company behind a Victoria-based e-com triple-threat: a powerful e-com platform combined with performance marketing channels and AffiliateWire, a global leader in affiliate marketing. Leach joined the company as employee #18 in 2009 and became CEO within five years, taking RevenueWire into new global markets, championing development of its e-commerce platform, and expanding the company’s verticals from one (affliate marketing) to three ... and counting. RevenueWire now has clients in 120 countries and a top-line 2014 revenue of $350 million. This is the big leagues, and as a former baseball player Leach knows sports analogies well — her honours degree in commerce from Laurentian University includes a major in sport marketing. She also has an MBA from Athabasca University. Leach loves growing businesses. In fact, she cut her teeth at an Ottawa startup, where she rose through the ranks from associate to partner and VP. Then an offer from Education International (EI) brought the Esquimalt High grad back to Victoria, the city she grew up in. Once again, her business acumen and drive were noticed. During seven years with EI, she moved from a marketing role to shareholder and VP. Today, from RevenueWire’s new offices in Saanich, Leach leads a company of over 80 employees, virtually all of them in Victoria. With RevenueWire on a growth trajectory, she still finds opportunity to indulge her love of startups. RevenueWire recently served as the incubator for FuturePay, a new concept in online payments where shoppers put items they want on a tab and receive a monthly statement. Online businesses like RevenueWire and FuturePay run 24/7 — a pace Leach has no trouble matching, and there’s every sense that she has even more gears. You’ve been there at the start of several companies which you helped grow. Why do you like startups? With startups, I get to be involved with all facets of the business and I get to work with entrepreneurial people. You’ve helped build RevenueWire into a global force. Is the challenge still there for you? RevenueWire has been a challenge every single day! I think that’s what keeps me engaged. I have that energy and personality that need to be challenged ... As a company, we’re in very competitive space. It’s online and the technology changes fast, so we’re always having to invent or create new and better ways to support our clients’ businesses.
Then there’s the complexity. In a lot of ways, I have three different verticals so we’re always having to prioritize where we invest. The latest challenge is how we go after new verticals ... You studied both business and sport marketing. What’s the connection for you? I think it’s the whole competitive spirit and teamwork. Those are huge. I certainly notice the difference when people, females in particular, have played team sports. They are competitive but they still know how to pass the puck ... Past employees consistently praise your leadership skills. What drives you to be a great leader? Working with high-performance teams — people who challenge
and hold each other accountable to achieve outstanding results. That’s a large part of what drives me. It’s fun and rewarding working with people who aren’t happy with the status quo and who like to be challenged. There’s nothing better than seeing people grow as they learn new things and become experts in their area. My philosophy is to be very communicative, to always be learning and to always move forward. Even if something didn’t work, it’s still better to try new things, share the learnings and figure out the next steps. Is there a challenge finding qualified tech employees here? It can be a huge challenge, but it’s easier than it was 10 years ago. When I first moved back to Victoria from Ontario in 1997, opportunities for technology careers were very limited, especially in the e-commerce and online marketing space. Now, there are a lot more opportunities because there are a lot more technology companies in Victoria. So, when you are trying to recruit talent from outside Victoria, now you have a much better story to tell — whoever moves here with their family knows that if things for some reason don’t work out, there are plenty of other technology companies they can work at. You’re a female CEO in an industry still weighted to men. Has gender impacted your career? I don’t even think that way. It’s just not part of my psyche. I just think about running a successful company and about being the best CEO I can be. This means making the right decisions to build successful businesses — what my entire career has been about.
Are women underrepresented at Victoria tech companies? I think the male/female ratio of employees in Victoria’s technology sector is 70/30, according to a study of employment trends [here], released in late 2014. RevenueWire for example, only employs one female developer, although our marketing and operations teams typically include more women.... What is the obstacle? I don’t know ... but I think it starts young and I do believe it’s getting better. More girls and young women are choosing non-traditional careers and more technical careers. I would love to hire more female developers if we had more applicants, and if they were just as qualified. The global economy has been sluggish in recent years. Has that affected tech in Victoria? In terms of an economic downturn, maybe in construction and other sectors there might be people out of work. That’s just not true of high tech in Victoria in general. In North America, since the start of the downturn, e-commerce and online marketing have grown as an industry anywhere from 20 to 30 per cent over the past five years. What’s next for Victoria’s advanced technology sector? I only see opportunity and good things on the horizon for RevenueWire and for Victoria’s tech sector — there are so many talented, creative and entrepreneurial people in Victoria’s technology sector. The critical mass compared to a decade ago means we are ripe for an explosion of many more opportunities. I think the tech community is very young, and there are lots of ideas yet to be born and ideas yet to be created. ■ DOUGLAS 25
THE BIG IDEA BY JUDITH LAVOIE
ECO-DESIGN DRIVES SUCCESS According to designer JC Scott of JC Scott eco Design, the striking structure in the middle of the food court is the “centrepiece” of the market and is meant to be a metaphorical tree in the forest. It was created from FSC-certified wood.
26 DOUGLAS
JOSHUA LAWRENCE
MYSTIC MARKET, THE UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA’S REDESIGNED CAFETERIA, IS WINNING RAVE REVIEWS FROM STUDENTS AND FACULTY. ITS SUCCESS SPEAKS TO THE POWER OF CREATIVE COLLABORATION BETWEEN CLIENT AND DESIGNER.
JO-ANN LORO/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE
A
Thomas Bain, director n unmistakable expression of of UVic’s food services, pride lights JC Scott’s face as he and JC Scott of JC Scott watches jostling groups of students eco Design, observe how surge up the boardwalk, intent UVic students and faculty on grabbing lunch between classes at the interact with Mystic Market’s new design. University of Victoria’s Mystic Market. “It’s not very often that I am really this proud of something, but this is one of the most successful projects I have worked on,” says Scott, of JC Scott eco Design, watching the activity at the University Centre space that formerly housed a utilitarian cafeteria and the Maltwood Art Museum. Scott’s redesign has transformed the space into a bustling hub of West-Coast-style food kiosks, linked together by flooring resembling a boardwalk, and surrounded by clusters of seating, ranging from café tables to lounge-style groupings around fireplaces. At the entrance is a store, loosely based on Coombs market, where customers can grab sushi, cheese and veggie platters or freshly made sandwiches. “The concept is a local market — with a boardwalk through a forest,” Scott says. When the idea was in its infancy, about five years ago, Thomas Bain, director of UVic’s food services, researched projects at the handful of other Canadian universities that operate their own food services and then decided on a West Coast theme.
DOUGLAS 27
THE CONCEPT IS A LOCAL MARKET, WITH A BOARDWALK THROUGH A FOREST. “I wanted to do something really interesting with a wow factor,” he says. “I Googled West Coast Trail and there was a perfect image with a raised boardwalk and trees surrounding it.” As the project took shape, the name Mystic Market was chosen to reflect Mystic Vale, the university’s own woodland trail. FOOD CHOICES A KEY FACTOR The idea, although inspired by the desire to build a unique eating and meeting place, also had some compelling recruitment reasons for going ahead. Studies have shown that while location, programs and reputation are the main drivers in choosing a university, food services do play a part, according to Bain and Scott. “Good food is part of the draw,” noted a student interviewed in the 2012 Macleans University Rankings. In fact, the June 2013 Canadian University Survey Consortium report showed only 27 per cent of students interviewed about food services at Canadian universities were “very satisfied” — leaving ample room for improvement. One of the goals of Mystic Market is to overcome cafeteria stereotypes.
Unlike most Canadian universities, UVic has eschewed franchises and Bain was delighted when, after consultations, students voted overwhelmingly in favour of a cafeteria redesign that would feature in-house brands with local purchasing. “Thank heavens we got the right answer,” he says. STUDENTS LIKE LOCAL Warner James Architects Inc. was selected to handle the transformation, and JC Scott, with a decades-long history of eco-friendly designs, was brought in as the consultant. “He put in the interesting design aspects combined with what we were already doing sustainability-wise,” Bain says. A top-notch team, a shared vision and clear goals of an environmentally-friendly project, with healthy, delicious local food, helped make the $7-million renovation run smoothly, according to Scott. “The quality of the food is something I really bought into,” he says, adding that he is personally offended by the thought of universities offering fast-food, franchised meals.
The only small disagreement was Scott’s insistence on an outdoor seating area — an argument he won — and, as he surveys the results of his work, he looks with satisfaction at the number of outside tables in use, despite the cool weather. DOING THE RIGHT THING It proved more expensive to build an environmentally friendly project, but, in the long run, says Bain, it is good for UVic’s bottom line. The obvious popularity of Mystic Market is a bonus and the loan from the university, which funded the project, is being paid down from the proceeds. “By branding our own operations, the money stays entirely on campus and is able to go towards renovation/expansion projects like Mystic as well as to maintaining and refreshing our existing operations,” Bain says. A requirement was to make Mystic Market into a zero-waste facility and, with lines of recycling bins outside the kitchen, the diversion rate into recyclables and compost has reached 100 per cent. “It was not that easy, but I think we have
PHOTOS: JOSHUA LAWRENCE
(Left) The popular lounge area features couches and a Broadleaf Red Maple table with beachpebble insert, from Live Edge Design.
28 DOUGLAS
The texture in the FSCcertified wood panelling of this living wall is meant to symbolize both marine ship building and First Nations’ wood carvings. The plants help clean the air.
MOBILE LOYALTY APPS:
NOT JUST FOR NATIONAL CHAINS INCREASE REVENUE. The easiest way to increase revenue without spending a fortune is through customer retention and word of mouth. This concept is not new to national chains; Starbucks has been encouraging customer retention through its mobile loyalty app since its launch in 2009. Starbucks has reported to have seen an average of 7 million mobile loyalty app transactions per week which represents 16 percent of their total sales. According to a study conducted by BIA/Kelsey, 54 percent of small and medium sized businesses (SMB) are currently offering loyalty programs, but are primarily using paper-based loyalty programs. While this is a great start, using a mobile loyalty app that is integrated with the merchants payment processing system will help to reduce operating costs, boost revenue, and is proven to bolster the number of visits made by customers and increase word of mouth advertising.
WHY YOUR COMPANY SHOULD HAVE A MOBILE LOYALTY PROGRAM Consumers are savvy shoppers, they want to diversify how they shop, whether it’s making purchases online or receiving customer shopping incentives. A mobile loyalty app has the ability to provide you with context around the entire purchase decision. You can control the consumer checkout experience and drive a seamless consumer centric in-store shopping experience by tailoring offers based on past purchase history, the consumer’s exact location, or featured in-store deals. A mobile loyalty app gives you a permanent branding opportunity and “always on” connection with your customers. In BIA/Kelsey’s ongoing study of local commerce, it was discovered that SMBs using a loyalty program estimate 17.7 percent of their total business will be generated by customer retention and acquisition programs. Interested in taking the next steps to having a mobile loyalty app, but aren’t sure what your options are? There are a few options available: • You can either hire or contract a mobile app developer to create a custom app for your business. This tends to be costly both in up front expenses and ongoing maintenance and updates.
• There are also numerous stand-alone mobile loyalty service providers you could use for your business. The challenge with this option is that you run the risk of your app not integrating with your loyalty program and payment system, which creates more work for your staff and you lose the ability to tightly couple ROI to your program. • The final option is to look for a payment and point of sale system that is allencompassing and includes an integrated loyalty app.
OFFERS IN THE CLOUD, THE NEW MOBILE LOYALTY PROGRAM ON THE BLOCK A mobile loyalty app will help to enhance customer experience, further your brand proposition, and help your company to remain competitive in a consumer driven commerce world. The key to mobile loyalty app success is finding a program that is hosted on the same platform as your payment services.
Ready to get started with sproutPOS? Give us a call:
1-888-472-2072 | Beanstream.com/sprout-pos
Beanstream, a Digital River Company, has recently released sproutPOS, a mobile point of sale solution designed for SMBs in-store and on-the-go. A notable feature of sproutPOS is the ability to accept debit and chip and PIN cards on-the-go, which allows you to capture a sale no matter what payment method your customer wants to use. What sets sproutPOS apart is a feature called Offers in the Cloud, which allows loyalty and marketing apps to integrate right to the point of sale terminal. Offers in the Cloud opens the door to a plethora of Beanstream partners who specialize in customer retention, loyalty, acquisition, and greatly extends the value your business receives from your point of sale solution. Using an integrated loyalty module, you can easily deploy a customized mobile loyalty app for your store. When customers download your store’s loyaltyapp, they are able to sync their credit and debit cards with the app so when you swipe the customer’s card, your point of sale automatically recognizes eligible offers and redemption occurs at the touch of a button.
Executives, business owners, entrepreneurs: >
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got it now,” says Bain, explaining that some suppliers changed packaging after being told to take back non-recyclables. Sorting is done in the kitchen as cross-contamination became a problem when hurried students put waste into the wrong bins. DESIGN DRIVES USE As Scott walks around the market, he revels in design aspects of the food kiosks. “Some of the wood is detailed to remind us of First Nations or the old British navy,” he says, pointing to the distressed siding. Another kiosk is designed to look like an old food truck, with sheets of quilted metal. The shape of a tree arches over one area, while another has “metaphorical clouds.” The water station has a bubble-effect backsplash and the pebbled flooring resembles a beach. Two small “living walls” are each made up of more than 200 plants. Seating areas include a raised bench — a design that always allows one more person to fit in — flanked by an electrical bar allowing students to plug in phones and laptops. Although the area is packed with students, conversation is easy because of acoustic panels, combined with careful use of wood and fabric. “For me, the acoustics are near the top in environmental design,” Scott says. Light is maximized by skylights and LED panels, another element that is more expensive to install, but saves over the long-term. CUSTOMERS GIVE HIGH MARKS Sandra Hagedorn, coordinator of retail operations, who rushes out of the kitchen to greet Scott, says when Mystic Market opened
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JO-ANN LORO/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE
A West Coast boardwalk was the thematic inspiration for the whole market, and a tile path that looks like wood runs through the space. The food kiosks in the food court are finished with computer cut wood, which JC Scott refers to as “noodle wood.”
at the beginning of this university year, it was an instant hit. “It is absolutely wonderful. The feedback we have been getting is so positive. It’s such a lovely place. The kids come here to do their homework and meet their friends, and there are faculty meetings [held here],” she says. That is music to Scott’s ears as one of his initial aims was to break down barriers between faculty and students by providing a common meeting place. As an added bonus, a growing trend, especially on weekends, is for community members to drop in, attracted not only by the surroundings, good food and perks such as all-day breakfast, but also by great prices, according to Hagedorn. With a free-run, two-egg omelette with three toppings, rosemary potatoes or a fresh fruit kabob going for $6.99 or a salmon burger on a brioche bun for $7.50, it is a point that is difficult to argue. Although hamburgers and pizzas are available, one of the longest lineups, on a busy weekday lunch hour, is the vegetarian kiosk where Hayley Ford, a third-year social work student, chooses the vegetarian chili. “I would say this is the best option on campus. It’s definitely the nicest place for sure,” she says. Tamara Chavez, also studying social work, has a specific reason for liking Mystic Market. “It has lemon cucumber water,” she says happily. For Bain and Scott, the concept is paying off in both satisfaction levels and the bottom line. Since Mystic Market opened last year, figures show an increase in sales of about 50 per cent over the old cafeteria. And by any measure, that’s healthy. ■
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The latest apps and service software for business can help you run your company better and gain the competitive edge. But with so many tech tools out there, how do you know exactly what you need?
CHOOSE THE BEST TOOLS for Your Small Business It’s never been easier to find robust yet streamlined tools for managing your business thanks to a grand slam of software as a service (SaaS) and mobile apps that have rendered obsolete many of the pricey, unwieldy enterprise solutions of the past. Here are some of the top-rated business tools for 2015. Most of these are fairly new to market, but we’ve included a few seasoned ones that have kept their relevance by paying heed to consumers’ demand for mobile solutions.
BP
BUSINESS PLANNING
If you don’t have a business plan, you don’t know where you’re going. Maybe you think you can keep it all in your head or on notebooks or napkins, but probably not. The business-planning process is as important as the plan itself, forcing you to think strategically about where you are steering your business and how you get there. StratPad is cloud-based business planning software developed by a Victoria-based firm. This well-thought-out planning tool asks vital questions about your business, then it creates the necessary financials. StratPad’s step-by-step approach is simple and practical for startups and small businesses, and helps you easily create a bank- or investor-ready business plan. stratpad.com Business Model Canvas is a different take on the traditional business plan. Its grid-based approach allows you to describe, design, challenge, invent and pivot your business model. businessmodelgeneration.com
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FT
FINANCE TRACKING
When businesses don’t keep track of invoicing, cash flow and projections, they dramatically increase their odds of failure. These easy-to-use, small-business-sized tools will keep you on track at a scale you can handle. FreshBooks’ claim to fame is that it “gives smallbusiness owners comptroller skills” via a cloudbased platform. It enables small firms to operate at levels as sophisticated as large organizations. FreshBooks Mobile makes it easy to manage accounting needs on-the-go. It auto-synchs with the web application for a seamless mobile-tooffice transition. More than accounting software, Freshbooks allows you to create, send and track invoices — and it tells you when your client has viewed an invoice. freshbooks.com Harvest has a simple, intuitive interface that allows your team to track time, invoice, send scheduled invoice reminders and estimate future projects, all in real time. Harvest has powerful
Beanstream, which launched in Victoria in 2000, has become an online and mobile payment-processing success story, with a proven reputation as a bank-neutral, secure gateway for merchants. Now, with Beanstream Mobile, merchants can accept cards using tablets or smartphones equipped with the company’s mobile app and Beanstream’s card reader. Swipe or key in credit or debit card info, accept and track cash, check transactions, capture online sales and use the app to print, email or text a receipt. beanstream.com
School of Business
reporting capabilities and includes a feature that allows you to snap photos of receipts and store them in Harvest with its free iPhone and Android apps. getharvest.com
See things differently.
Gustavson
BY KERRY SLAVENS
Founder Suite is a suite of five web apps for entrepreneurs working on a new business service or product idea. Its Idea Validation module and Idea Summary tool help you sharpen your ideas. It also includes a question database and social survey tools to run focus groups of peers, advisors and target customers and to A/B test your ideas. foundersuite.com
TM
TIME MANAGEMENT
With so many things going on and too few hours, staying on track can be overwhelming. These time and task tools will help you streamline and organize everything from workflow to delegation, so you can free up time for what you need to focus on — building a better business.
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Nimble overcomes the problem of too many contacts in too many places by gathering your contacts’ conversations from Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and more in one place so you can listen and respond in real time. Each interaction becomes part of the contact record so you always have context. nimble.com
Maptive transforms raw location data into customized Google maps. Plug in your data to track everything from customer distribution to delivery locations. Create territories based on travel time, customer size, yearly income and more. Filter data and view it at multiple layers of granularity on a single map. maptive.com
an intuitive graph, creating metrics to help you determine the right audiences to target based on who is most interested in your content. SocialBro also helps you manage your Twitter presence and it delivers stats that show you what’s working and what needs enhancement. socialbro.com
Evernote makes it easy to create digital notes and notebooks that store everything you could ever want to remember — from reports and receipts, to websites, notes, voice memos and photos. Evernote keeps information synched between your computer, smartphone or tablet, and all of this information is easily searchable. With the mobile app, just take a picture of something you want to remember and Evernote will pull out text and context from the image for easy reference. evernote.com
Mailchimp has some worthy competitors, like InfusionSoft, but the “chimp” is still king for functionality. With Mailchimp, you can design and send emails and gain insight about your campaign. Click a subscriber profile to see engagement, website activity, and more. Send automated emails based on customer behaviour and preferences and use the detailed reporting to discover best send-times and more. mailchimp.com
LikeAlyzer helps marketers understand and analyze Facebook “likes” received by a business page. It generates reports to show areas for improvement, and its page-rank feature lets you see how you measure up against competitors. likealyzer.com
Pipedrive is nowhere near the size and stealth of Salesforce.com, but it’s a slick, easy-touse sales pipeline tool for small businesses who don’t want big solutions, big prices or big learning curves. Pipedrive lets teams view all deals on a visual sales pipeline, organize contacts, follow up on leads, do sales forecasting and work from anywhere with Pipedrive’s iOS and Android apps. pipedrive.com Wunderlist is an incredibly easy-to-use tool for managing business or lifestyle activities. It allows you to schedule tasks, create reminders and delegate to other team members. wunderlist.com Timeful bills itself as intelligent time management. Just tell it what you want to do and its advanced algorithms will suggest when to schedule them. The longer you use Timeful, the better it is able to build a more personalized schedule. timeful.com Asana is a robust task-management system giving basecamp.com some serious competition. Create tasks and flag them with due dates, assign them, attach files and add notes, and use comments to share with your team, or create internal checklists. Tasks can be grouped according to project, which means team members can brainstorm, assign subtasks and collaborate easily. A mobile version is available for iOS and Android. asana.com
ME
MARKETING AND ENGAGEMENT
Marketing today is an omnichannel endeavour and its success depends on effectively reaching customers and assessing how they are responding to your messaging. These tools give you more creative ways to reach customers, plus the ability to view your market from various angles. 34 DOUGLAS
HR
HUMAN RESOURCES
While no business tool can replace the human touch, there are some very smart tech solutions to help you keep track of the hard numbers so you know who is using too many sick days, who is always late, what your turnover rate is and more. This leaves you more time for the personal touch with employees.
Adobe Voice helps you produce 60- to 90-second videos in minutes, using voice recordings, motion graphics and images. Create animated, design-savvy videos just by pushing a virtual button on your iPad, speaking a sentence, choosing an image or icon, then repeating. The BEFORE YOU BUY app comes with music selections and over 25,000 WILL THIS TOOL SAVE YOUR BUSINESS TIME graphic images. View on OR MONEY? any mobile device; share Many free or almost-free easily on social media. solutions end up wasting getvoice.adobe.com your time if they don’t
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Shopify is an e-commerce platform that gets great reviews. It offers more than 100 SEO-friendly website templates to choose from, simple pricing and an easy-to use interface. shopify.com Buffer is a terrific tool for scheduling and posting social media. Just create a content lineup and use Buffer to choose which social profile you want to post that content to and when. Buffer can link to your Facebook pages, profiles and groups, Twitter, LinkedIn profiles and company pages. Buffer also offers intuitive analytics so you know which posts have performed best. buffer.com SocialBro is a Twitter tool that maps your audience’s engagement on
perform well, but you can’t always go by price. Sometimes free versions work exceptionally well; check the reviews. DO YOU HAVE TOO MANY TOOLS WITH OVERLAPPING FEATURES? Look for tools such as Asana or Harvest that play well with other software. HAVE YOU TESTED OUT THE SOFTWARE WITH EMPLOYEES? Unless you’re a sole proprietor, consult your team before you commit to a software solution, because if they don’t like it, you’ll end up with frustrated employees and lower productivity. DOES IT MEET YOUR BUDGET? Some tools seem well priced until you start adding up monthly fees and upgrades. Do the math: a bigger, integrated solution might just be more cost-effective in the long run.
BambooHR simplifies HR management without the expense of investing in a fullscale system. Track attendance, time-off requests, employee benefits, contact information, trainings and certifications — all facets of the employee work cycle. In-depth reporting features provide managers with intel on business indicators like employee retention, turnover rates and compliance. bamboohr.com ScheduleBase is a web-based employee scheduling solution that allows managers to easily schedule and communicate with employees, decreasing communication conflicts that can lead to under-staffing and customer service issues. Managers can notify employees by email or texts when schedules are posted. Employees then access the free ScheduleBase mobile app to see their work schedules from their phones, update their availability at any time and view notifications. Managers see current availability when they log in, making it easier to create accurate schedules. ScheduleBase.com ■
ADVERTORIAL
RECYCLING
END-OF-LIFE ELECTRONICS
By Craig Wisehart Executive Director, Electronic Products Recycling Association, Western Canada
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LAST YEAR ALONE, EPRA BC COLLECTED OVER 23,234 TONNES OF UNWANTED ELECTRONICS, WHICH AVERAGES TO 5 KILOGRAMS PER PERSON IN BC.
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P
eople in British Columbia are proud to live in a province that is highly environmentally conscious—Recycling and reducing waste is an everyday part of life. For the most part, BC residents are accustomed to recycling paper, cans, bottles and even batteries, but what about recycling end-of-life electronics? Research by Insights West shows that in British Columbia, 80% of residents claim they know how to dispose of electronics in an environmentally friendly way, and yet over 83% of households have at least one unwanted electronic product sitting around. The Electronic Products Recycling Association, also known as EPRA, is the national not-forprofit organization dedicated to the responsible recycling of the end-oflife electronics that the majority of people have at home. With over 170 Return-It™ Electronics collection sites in BC, people won’t have to go far to dispose of their obsolete electronics. In fact, over 98% of BC residents live within 30 minutes of a depot in urban areas and within 45 minutes in rural areas.
After the unwanted electronics are dropped off at collection sites, they are taken to approved recycling facilities across North America. Once there, they are then harvested for the glass, plastic and precious metals that they contain. The recovered raw materials are put back into the manufacturing supply chain and then used to make new products, giving them a second life and keeping them out of BC landfills. According to Insights West, 98% of people in British Columbia agree that the disposal of electronics through recognized recycling programs is important—taking your electronics to a Return-It Electronics collection site ensures responsible recycling. EPRA recycles in a manner that protects the environment as well as worker health and safety and only works with recyclers who have been audited and approved under the national Recycler Qualification Program (RQP). This means that all recyclers working on behalf of EPRA are prohibited from exporting electronics or substances of concern to non-OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) nations, and EPRA neither permits nor supports the use of prison labour. In addition, EPRA
requires enhanced worker health and safety provisions and downstream accountability. EPRA will recycle virtually all endof-life electronics including computers, televisions, gaming devices, electronic toys, fax machines, scanners and printers. Since its implementation, over 131,000 metric tonnes of these end-oflife electronics have been collected in British Columbia. (For a full list of accepted products visit: return-it.ca/ electronics/products) EPRA wants to ensure that electronics are recycled in a safe, secure, and environmentally friendly way. By responsibly recycling electronics today, BC residents are committing to a cleaner future tomorrow. Take the opportunity to drop off old and unwanted electronics at the nearest Return-It collection site and help extend nature’s warranty. TO FIND THE COLLECTION SITE CLOSEST TO YOU VISIT: RETURN-IT.CA/ELECTRONICS/LOCATIONS OR CALL 1-800-330-9767.
TRANSPORTATION From ill-kept highways to a rusting rail line and the constant bunion of ferry fare increases, Islanders have a lot to complain about with our transportation network — and complain we do. And a B.C. government initiative to create a plan to smooth it all out only seems to be deepening the dissatisfaction. by Andrew Findlay
FREIGHT With limited offerings in the way of a container ship port (the Nanaimo Port Authority will be upgrading its container operation, which currently includes only one container crane) the bulk of goods needed on the Island arrive by freight trucks on ferries.
8
AIR The Island’s major airports — Victoria, Nanaimo and Comox — served more than 2 million passengers in 2013 — a nearly 20-per-cent increase from the year before.
The number of independent transit systems on the Island from Port Hardy to Saanich. Some communities like Ladysmith on heavy commuter routes have no transit at all.
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RAIL Federal, provincial and local governments have earmarked approximately $21 million to replace over 100,000 deteriorating wooden ties — further improvements are estimated at more than $200 million.
IN A TAILSPIN
MARINE There are more than 100 ferry crossings per day between Vancouver Island and Mainland ports, including Vancouver, Seattle, Port Angeles and Anacortes.
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If there’s one thing that binds us as Islanders, it’s our perpetual unhappiness with ferry fares. But getting here is only one piece of the transportation puzzle. Once on-Island, there’s a confusing mix of transit authorities, airports and notorious bottlenecks like the Malahat and the Colwood crawl, not to mention the beautiful but sometimes heartstopping drive across the Island on Highway 4 to Tofino.
T
COLD STAR FREIGHT SYSTEMS
ransportation infrastructure doesn’t exactly set the dinner discussion ablaze and it’s definitely not a first-date topic, but transportation issues will impact the cost of that entrée and bottle of merlot you order on that first-date dinner. Issues surrounding transportation also impact the viability of tourism, the ability to attract business investment and the overall quality of life, be it a dedicated bike lane that goes past your favourite coffee shop or a much-needed passing lane on a dangerous stretch of highway. Last fall, the B.C. Government, as part of the BC On The Move transportation planning process, launched an online survey and a series of stakeholder meetings across the Island. However, many observers believe that, at 10 years, the government’s planning horizon is too short to address our economic opportunities and future population growth. Many stakeholders feel the process was rushed to fit political timelines, not real-world ones, and is too focused on project-by-project prioritizing and less on big-picture planning. But it’s also vital to note that the public purse is limited and the Island presents some interesting challenges from a transportationplanning perspective. At more than 780,000 inhabitants and with a projected annual growth rate of .8 per cent, Vancouver Island is the largest ferry-dependent population in North America, as noted by Vision Victoria blogger Bernard von Schulmann.
municipalities pave, patch and repair roads within their boundaries. Industry maintains forest roads, some of them used as de facto public highways, under the auspices of the Forest Land and Natural Resource Operations ministry. There are eight independent transit systems on the Island from Port Hardy to Saanich, leaving some communities such as Ladysmith on heavy commuter routes without any transit at all. On the maritime side of the transportation spectrum, BC Ferries, Black Ball Ferry Line and Washington State Ferries service the Island, along with smaller private operations like the MV Uchuck that delivers goods and tourists to remote communities such as Zeballos and Friendly Cove on Nootka Island. Turning skyward, seven airports compete for Vancouver Island inbound and outbound airline passengers. COMPLEXITY REIGNS From an overall planning perspective, it’s a dog’s breakfast. Bruce Carter, CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, considers it a doubled-edged transportation challenge: first
For details and commentary on the newly released B.C. Transportation Plan, visit douglasmagazine.com Seventy-five per cent of that population is concentrated on the east side of the Island, south of Comox Valley to the Capital Regional District. A matrix of governments and agencies are responsible for various aspects of transportation, few of them coordinated, some of them working at odds with one another. For example, the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is in charge of highways while 38 DOUGLAS
people and freight need to get to and from the Island, and second it has to move around once customers have shelled out for ever-increasing ferry fares or airline tickets. If he could get the ear of B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone for 10 minutes, Carter would offer the minister a laundry list of immediate needs. For starters, Carter would demand a break on
Cold Star Freight moves over 500,000 lbs. of product per day on its 45 trucks. The company pays approximately $3 million per year to transport its trucks between the Island and the Mainland.
ferry rates. (As far back as 2008, Island truckers were feeling the squeeze from the double whammy of high fuel costs and one-way ferry trips costing around $400.) Next, Carter would move on to upgrades for the shoddy Coho Ferry Terminal on Belleville Street. Also on his list is an extension of bus-only lanes all the way to the Western Communities to alleviate “Colwood Crawl” congestion and boost transit ridership. As for rail, which is an emotional topic on the Island, Carter sees a future for it but only as a freight service north of Duncan. With an estimated $100-million in upgrades required for the Esquimalt and Nanaimo line, including the Courtenay to Victoria line and the Port Alberni extension, not to mention another $30 million for VIA stations and trains and a potential $84 million for bridge improvements, Carter doesn’t believe passenger ridership would be adequate to support such a massive investment. Given this diversity of transportation issues, he questions whether BC On The Move has the necessary depth and timeline. “We really need an Island-wide transportation strategy to coordinate and connect communities,” Carter says. “I’m hopeful for the provincial plan but it really seems like something that was timed for political reasons more than anything else.” MOVING ON UP THE ISLAND Head up-Island and the transportation question becomes increasingly diverse and complex, and you still can’t avoid the touchy issue of ferries. On November 4, 2014, a leaked report by the Independent Ferries Commissioner included a suggestion that closing the Departure Bay
terminal and shifting all mid-Island to Mainland ferry traffic to underutilized Duke Point would be a way for the corporation to save money. The public furor was immediate and vociferous. The day after the report leaked, Minister Stone moved quickly to quash the politically fatal Departure Bay closure option. The citizen’s website FerryHostage.com captures the general public antipathy towards the ferry corporation. But George Hanson, president of the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance, believes a myopic focus on ferries unfairly overshadows other pressing transportation issues that he hears from business owners and VIEA members, such as transit connectivity between communities, links between ground transportation providers and the various regional airports, and the sorry state of Island roads and highways. The public comment period for BC On The Move closed December 12, 2014 and Hanson was one of more than 12,000 British Columbians who completed an online survey. “There’s no shortage of transportation wish lists. A planning process that focuses too much on incremental improvements is reactive,” Hanson says. “We need a deeper conversation about where the Island is going and growing — and that doesn’t happen in an online survey.” That’s why VIEA has been working on a parallel process with stakeholders to develop an Island-wide transportation plan with a 30- to 50-year horizon, says Hanson. [Ed. Note: VIEA also partnered with the Victoria Chamber of Commerce, Chemistry Consulting and Douglas magazine to host the first Vancouver Island Transportation Forum on March 31 to encourage dialogue around transportation.] ACCOMMODATING INDUSTRY An hour west of Nanaimo, over the hump on the notoriously windy Highway 4, Port Alberni has big plans for a deep-sea port and container facility on Huu-ay-aht First Nation traditional territory 30 km south of Port Alberni, with three deep-sea berths and 17 acres of storage assembly area. In theory, this $1.7 billion port would accept incoming container ships from Asia, capitalizing on a location several hours’ sailing time closer to Asian markets than Port Metro Vancouver, where containers would be resorted and shipped off to ports in the Lower Mainland and Puget Sound region. “Six thousand ships pass by the mouth of our inlet very year. We see our position on the West Coast as a great advantage and we hope to attract a portion of container traffic that would otherwise got to the Lower Mainland,” says Zoran Knezevic, president and CEO of the Port Alberni Port Authority, describing the rationale behind PATH, the Port Alberni Trans-Shipment Hub project. “It’s a large project and we’re looking at realistically six to seven years before it’s completed.”
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However, for PATH to set sail, Port Alberni is reliant on major transportation decisions made in Victoria. Though a rail line already connects Port Alberni to the east coast of Vancouver Island, Knezevic says truck transport, because of its relative flexibility and the short haul distances, will be an essential component of the plan. “Port Alberni needs to be better connected to other communities on the island,” Knezevic says. “For example we couldn’t develop a wind power project because trucks carrying that infrastructure couldn’t negotiate the highway around Cameron Lake.” Though government has and will continue to invest in the cross-island Highway 4, Port Alberni will be on its own to attract private investment to develop its port plans; a transportation ministry spokesperson said that government will let market forces — and private money — determine whether or not a container port in Alberni Inlet is viable. TRANSPORT AND TOURISM Vancouver Island’s $2.2 billion tourism sector is also heavily dependent on transportation infrastructure working properly, with connections for travellers as seamless as possible. A few late or poorly timed connections can quickly kill a business trip or holiday buzz. Comox Valley’s growth as an active
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tourism destination has been boosted hugely by expansion of air travel to YQQ, the regional airport that shares a runway with CFB Comox. In 2004, the Comox Valley Airport Commission cut the ribbon on a new terminal, built at a cost of $11.7 million, split between the province, feds, local tax payers and the commission. The building replaced a shabby, makeshift ATCO trailer that had been air travellers’ first point of contact for years. In 2001, prior to the new terminal being built, WestJet had already launched its first flights to the Comox Valley. It was a game changer for the region — passenger arrivals nearly doubled that year. Since then, annual arrivals have grown to more than 315,000 passengers. But competition for carriers and passengers is fierce. In June of 2013, WestJet Encore announced flights to Nanaimo, which heated up the regional rivalry. On the plus side, for the Comox Valley, Air Canada Jazz is resuming twice-a-day service to YQQ starting in May 2015 after pulling this service several years ago. Such is the fickle nature of the airline sector as companies alter, add and drop service in response to changing demands and preferences. “Yes, we’re competitors but we’re all in it to serve our communities,” says Comox Airport CEO Fred Bigelow. “What’s key for us is having strong links and connectivity between the
airport and other modes of transportation on the Island.” CONNECTIVITY MATTERS Connectivity is a word that pops up often in transportation and tourism discussions. It’s critical for Tofino and Ucluelet, perched at land’s end on Highway 4. The region is home to an upscale, heavily seasonal tourism sector. More than 800,000 people visit Long Beach every year. Tofino, with a permanent population of roughly 1,600, can swell to a crowded tourist hub of 22,000 on some July and August days. Hoteliers like Charles McDiarmid, whose family opened the Wickaninnish Inn in 1997, need to generate almost a year’s worth of revenue in a concentrated window of peak summer travel, plus a few niche off-season attractions like storm watching. McDiarmid, the hotel’s managing director, says that thanks to a former military installation, Tofino and Ucluelet are blessed with a 5,000-foot airstrip and small terminal. The airport is serviced with scheduled flights run by Orca Airways and KD Air, as well as seasonal charters from American carriers like Seattle’s Kenmore Air. McDiarmid says encouraging more open skies — a federal responsibility — would help leverage the full potential of this runway. As for ferry fares, he says even the Wickaninnish
Inn’s luxury clientele are sensitive to increases. Improved ground transport connections to the ferry terminal would also help make for a better visitor experience as they travel across the Island. However, McDiarmid’s biggest beef is with the state of Highway 4 and some of the treacherous curves around Kennedy Lake and over Sutton Pass. Though Tofino’s isolation is part of its appeal, it’s also one of its problems. “The government spent $600 million on Sea to Sky improvements. It’s time they channeled some resources into Highway 4,” says McDiarmid. BALANCING NEEDS AND BUDGETS Darryl Anderson, managing director of Victoriabased Wave Point Consulting, works with the private sector and government agencies on strategic transportation issues. He agrees with some of the other skeptics that BC On The Move’s 10-year scope is too limited. It may be politically expedient but not optimal for longrange planning, he says. Anderson believes the province needs to identify “demand drivers” on the Island. Increasingly, he says, those are less resourcebased and increasingly tech, tourism and baby boomer/retiree-driven. That means air access is key, and B.C. is limited in terms of what it can do to open skies and help airports grow traffic, other than freeing up tax dollars to invest in airports. “BC On The Move seems to be focused on highways and bridges and moving goods and people safely and those aren’t prime needs on the island. I would say let’s at least look 20 years out. I think most of my colleagues would agree with that,” Anderson says. Government, not surprisingly, believes it’s right on track with transportation planning. To kick off BC On The Move in September 2014, Jordan Sturdy, Liberal MLA for West VancouverSea to Sky and parliamentary secretary to the transportation minister, toured the Island with ministry staff. The goal was to meet stakeholders. Douglas requests for an interview with Sturdy were denied; questions were channeled to transport ministry public affairs officer Sonia Lowe. Responding to critics of the process, Lowe says that although BC On The Move is a 10-year plan, it is set within a longer-term provincial vision for the transportation network. As a necessity, projects are prioritized on a short term (one to three years), medium term (four to six years) and longer-term (seven to 10+ years) basis. However, she cautions that all new transportation investments will be weighed against the government’s commitment to balance the budget. In other words, be prepared to be disappointed unless your pet project makes the cut. One point that was driven home loud and clear by Islanders during Sturdy’s September
tour is that ferry rates are a perennial sore spot, with not only private citizens but also with businesses. Sure as it rains each November, ferry users can count on future increases already established by the BC Ferry Commission, with the next jump coming in at 3.9 percent effective April 1, 2015. What will happen during the next four-year performance term, 2016 to 2019, depends on what the ferry commissioner hears from government and the public. It would be hard to envy the task that lies ahead for the transportation minister and his staff, as they try to balance transportation priorities among a long roster of stakeholders. Given an unlimited pool of funds and
regulatory influence, we’d have an upgraded E&N railroad with regular commuter and freight service, smooth HOV and bus-only lanes to ease congestion in the Western Communities, open skies to keep the tap of tourists turned on fully, the nasty narrow curves on Highway 4 along Cameron Lake straightened, and seamless connections between land, air and sea transport — the list goes on. But we don’t have endless funds so there will be winners and losers, depending on whose priorities prevail. One thing is almost certain, however — Islanders will most certainly find unity in their ongoing frustration with BC Ferries’ rising fares. ■
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The eclectic décor and cozy ambience of Bean Around the World (“The Bean”) encourages lingering, making it a favourite hangout in Victoria’s Chinatown for locals and tourists alike.
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COFFEE CULTURE IN VICTORIA
BY NEVIN THOMPSON
PHOTOS BY SIMON DESROCHERS
IF YOU WANT TO LEARN about coffee in Victoria, Sam Jones, founder of 2% Jazz, is a key person to talk to. Jones has developed an encyclopedic knowledge of coffee shops in Victoria, and the business of coffee in general. “Some stats say there are 52 coffee shops in the downtown core alone,” says Jones. “That works out to one coffee shop on every block, but there are probably more. Is the Victoria market saturated with independent coffee shops? I don’t think so.” According to Jones, about 90 per cent of coffee sales in North America are still per cup coffee as opposed to specialty coffees. “Coffee consumption is even starting to compete with soft drinks,” he says. “Independent coffee companies are simply going to continue to eat up a bigger share of the beverage market.” THE GROWTH OF COFFEE CULTURE Indeed, Sam Jones has been around since the beginning of the specialty coffee renaissance in Victoria two decades ago when Starbuck’s, which had just opened its first shops in Victoria, was considered cutting edge. “On trips to Seattle in the early 1990s, I was amazed by what David Schomer was doing with espresso drinks, and I wanted to serve quality coffee here in Victoria too,” says Jones. By 1996, Jones had set up his own small coffee kiosk in a parking lot beside the Times Colonist building on Douglas Street. Then, in 2003, he was offered first dibs on street-level retail space when his Douglas locale was transformed into a retirement complex. “I was able to keep my clientele,” says Jones, “all of whom had developed an appreciation for specialty coffee...” In 2012, Jones became one of the first commercial tenants in the newly renovated Hudson building on Fisgard Street, in the same building as Victoria Public Market. 2% Jazz’s newest location in the Hudson is home to a massive roaster, and Jones sells his beans commercially all over Victoria, including to other coffee shops such as PiCNiC. “Before deciding to open a location in the Hudson I carefully observed foot traffic on Douglas,” says Jones. “When The Bay department store closed, an entire stretch of Douglas Street basically died,” says Jones. “Without The Bay, there was no ‘anchor’ to bring foot traffic this way. The Hudson and Public Market have started to attract more pedestrians, re-establishing a community in this part of downtown.”
“
Our focus has always been on serving quality coffee while creating a welcoming place that people in the community want to keep returning to.
”
Maureen Gardin of Bean Around the World with partner Mike Garnett
DOUGLAS 43
COFFEE SHOPS AS AN ECONOMIC INDICATOR? According to Stan Humphries, co-author of the recent book The New Rules of Real Estate, proximity to a local coffee shop has a very real and positive effect on home values.
SAM JONES’ COFFEE FACTS AND FIGURES There are at least 52 coffee shops in downtown Victoria. That’s a coffee shop on almost every block. There are 9 independent coffee roasters: • Caffe Fantastico • Bean Around the World • Discovery Coffee • Bows & Arrows • Fernwood Coffee Company • Mirage Coffee • Second Crack (Rock Bay) • Niagara Grocery • Moziro Coffee Roasters and Chocolatiers
70 cups of coffee are poured every hour by an independent coffee shop (averaged out across the whole day). The average independent coffee roaster roasts 31 tons of green beans each year.
44 DOUGLAS
These days 2% Jazz’s Hudson location is constantly filled with residents of the building, students from the many ESL schools downtown and office workers from government buildings nearby. Jones is optimistic that the northern edge of downtown Victoria will get even busier, thanks in large part to developer Townline Properties’ ongoing effort to create a “Hudson District” anchored by the transformed Bay building. “Hudson Mews is right next door to 2% Jazz here on Fisgard Street, and Townline plans to go forward with Hudson Place on the other side of the block on Herald Street,” says Jones. “There’s even plans to finally build where the large excavation is next to the Jack Davis Building on Caledonia.” Combined with Jawl Properties’ plan for a massive commercial development at 1515 Douglas, just around the corner from 2% Jazz, Jones is confident that, with increasing density and the promise of even more pedestrian traffic, bright days are in store for the neighbourhood, with perhaps room for even more coffee shops. AN ORIGINAL BEAN Just a few blocks west of 2% Jazz on Fisgard Street, another independent coffee shop has experienced and contributed to the rise of coffee culture in Victoria over the past two decades. “Coffee shops don’t make nearly as much profit as you might think, even though the markup on coffee beans can be substantial,” says Maureen Gardin, who operates Chinatown fixture Bean Around the World with her partner Mike Garnett. “At an average of two dollars per cup of coffee you have to have an awful lot of volume before you can pay the rent. Anyone who operates a coffee shop in Victoria has to be prepared to work long hours.” Like 2% Jazz, Bean Around the World also got its start in Victoria in 1996. “We saw this space at the end of Fisgard Street and immediately wanted to open a coffee shop,”
High ceilings, exposed pipes, reclaimed wood and an open-concept roaster create a warm and creative atmosphere at 2% Jazz’s Hudson locale. The café also offers a solar-powered mobile device charging station on its patio.
says Gardin. “There wasn’t a lot of foot traffic in this part of Victoria back then, so we had to work really hard for many years to make Bean Around the World a stable business.” The Fisgard Street location sources and roasts its own beans, and is not an official Bean Around the World franchise. To use the company’s name, Mike Garnett has a “gentleman’s agreement” with his childhood friend Barney McKenzie, founder of Vancouver-based Bean Around the World, which operates nearly 30 independent coffee shops as franchises around B.C. “Mike has always been enamoured with coffee, so it’s that interest that drives our business, not making loads of money,” says Gardin. “Our focus has always been on serving quality coffee while creating a welcoming place that people in the community want to keep returning to.” For Gardin, this means hiring employees who have the right attitude, are friendly and give customers what they want. “We don’t have the attitude that we are going to educate our customers about how to drink coffee,” says Gardin. “We just want to give you a space you want to keep coming back to. That — and roasting the best coffee possible — is our passion.” THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF COFFEE In Fernwood, a coffee shop has helped transform an entire neighbourhood. “Some might call it gentrification, but we see Fernwood as a neighbourhood in transition,” says Lee Herrin, executive director of Fernwood NRG, the social enterprise non-profit that since 2005 has operated the Cornerstone Cafe in the heart of what has traditionally been one of Victoria’s most artistic, creative, but also less polished neighbourhoods. “Profits from the Cornerstone are reinvested into
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local community programs,” says Herrin. The coffee shop itself was part of a project a decade ago to revitalize what had been a shambolic two-storey red brick building on Gladstone Avenue built by pioneering Victoria construction company Parfitt Brothers in 1910. The Cornerstone, Herrin says, has acted as a gathering space and community hub, which in turn has helped revitalize Fernwood as a destination for families seeking a walkable, livable place close to downtown Victoria. “There are three schools within walking distance of the Cornerstone Cafe,” says Herrin. “Families want to live in the neighbourhood because there are so many amenities close by.” CREATING A SCENE Ryan Taylor lives nearby on the other side of Bay Street from Fernwood, also within walking distance of his own independent coffee shop and roaster, Caffe Fantastico in Quadra Village. Like 2% Jazz and Bean Around the World, Caffe Fantastico has been around since the start of Victoria’s specialty coffee renaissance started 20 years ago. “I became interested in quality coffee after experiencing café culture during a visit to Japan in the early 1990s,” says Taylor who now operates three cafés in Victoria, including his main shop and roaster at Quadra and Kings, another location in Dockside Green, and a licensed bistro, Tre Fantastico, in the Parkside Hotel off of Humboldt. Taylor started out by opening a small coffee kiosk on Victoria’s Inner Harbour causeway in 1993. “While we had tourists as customers, there was also quite a community of regulars made up of people living on boats in the marina as well as local office workers who all made the trek to get fine coffee,” says Taylor. “This was a sign people in Victoria could become dedicated to quality coffee.”
coffee. “In early days on the causeway we experienced constant issues with quality and freshness,” says Taylor. “My employees suggested I quit complaining and start roasting myself.” Taylor operated the first independent coffee roaster in Victoria, relying, at the dawn of the Internet, on newsgroups and forums to educate himself. Like Sam Jones, Taylor says he was also influenced by David Schomer and the Seattle coffee scene, including the idea of finding and using single-origin coffees. He now travels with his family to Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and other countries to meet directly with producers and small-scale farmers. “Single-origin coffees are not unlike high-end wines,” says Taylor. “There’s the same concept of ‘terroir’ found in wine, where slight variations in landscape can produce radically different flavours.” This increasingly sophisticated approach means coffee is for many people an affordable luxury, says Taylor. As Victoria continues to embrace quality specialty coffee, making it a distinct part of our local culture, there is still room for more independent coffee shops, says 2% Jazz’s Sam Jones. “Making truly great coffee is an activity perfectly suited for entrepreneurs,” says Jones. ”For one thing, there is nothing easy about this business, so people have to be dedicated, innovative and creative to thrive. The result is a coffee culture that has blossomed in Victoria over the past two decades.” ■
TASTING NOTES
“Single-origin coffees are not unlike high-end wines. There’s the same concept of ‘terroir’ found in wine, where slight variations in landscape can produce radically different flavours.” — Ryan Taylor, pictured at Caffe Fantastico’s Dockside Green location
By 1997, Taylor had started roasting his own coffee, and by the following year had opened his first café on the corner of Quadra and Kings. Taylor now owns the building, which has become a community hub in Quadra Village. “We were attracted to what would become Quadra Village because it is a diverse, densely populated neighbourhood, and everyone likes to drink coffee,” Taylor says. “And it was also a matter of economics. At the time, commercial rents were cheaper here too.” Taylor says he never intended to roast his own
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DOUGLAS 47
BY SHANNON MONEO
The Art of
GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE AS VICTORIA PREPARES FOR PRIME TOURIST SEASON,
Douglas talks to people with a deep understanding of what it really takes to win and keep customers.
PRICE SERVICE EXPERIENCE SELECTION QUALITY DELIVERY CONVENIENCE
48 DOUGLAS
8 MUST-HAVE TRAITS for Excellent Customer Service
1 2 3 4
LEARN EVERYTHING ABOUT A PRODUCT OR SERVICE Having extensive knowledge of a product or service adds depth to communications with customers and inspires confidence. PRACTISE EMPATHY AND ATTENTIVENESS Expressing understanding helps to establish trust and rapport. ENGAGE IN CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING Thinking beyond the training manual leads to more personable, flexible service. PRACTISE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS Listening to customers and responding appropriately helps prevent conflict.
Ian Powell has been in the hotel business for almost 30 years and has managed some of Canada’s top hotels, including the Inn at Laurel Point in Victoria. He says he doesn’t have any secrets to offer, but he does have a philosophy on how to hire and orient employees to deliver excellent customer service. “You have to hire the right people with the right characteristics,” says Powell, managing director at the Inn at Laurel Point. Potential employees are interviewed at least three times to determine if they are genuinely friendly and competent. At the Inn, must-have traits include empathy, a glass-half-full attitude and the ability to multi-task and find the “joy” in serving people, says Powell, who is also an Anglican priest. Orientation involves teaching basic service principles. Instead of hard rules for providing great customer service, new staff get a skeleton version of rules and are expected to use critical-thinking skills to flesh out how to behave. That way, instead of mouthing
5 6 7 8
MAINTAIN A CALM PRESENCE Having a calm composure helps keep customers calm, in turn. ANTICIPATE CUSTOMERS’ NEEDS Thinking ahead of time about what customers want makes them feel like they really matter. BE CLEVER WITH MULTI-TASKING Learning to deal with multiple customers without appearing stressed is the hallmark of great customer service. UNDER-PROMISE AND OVER-DELIVER Following through with commitments and exceeding expectations creates loyalty and wins good reviews.
scripted greetings and clichéd dialogue, staff pay attention to what the customer is doing. For instance, a businessperson rushing to check out might not appreciate an employee asking, “What are your plans for the day?” They would more likely appreciate a fast but courteous check out. Another feature of the Inn’s approach to customer service is that there’s no meaningless mission statement. Instead, staff — up to 200 employees during the busy summer season — are expected to personify the Inn’s four core values: curiosity, respect, excellence and stewardship. Curiosity is Powell’s favourite because inquisitive staff try to think of better ways to get the job done. Yet, great service doesn’t happen overnight. “It has to be cultivated,” Powell says. IT TAKES TIME Smaller businesses may have the somewhat mistaken perception that they don’t have the time or resources that large companies have for staff training, says Mark Colgate, a University of Victoria professor of service
excellence at the Gustavson School of Business. But at large businesses, leaders are often removed from the frontline staff, whereas owners of smaller establishments have likely served their customers, so they know what customers want. “Small businesses have to carve out the time [for training],” says Colgate, who is also a customer service consultant. “If you’re not coaching staff, what are you doing?” Businesses often think that doing the extra work necessary to provide great service is expensive, but that’s just not so, says Colgate. “Your processes get sharper,” he adds. “There are less bottlenecks, fewer inefficiencies. In the end, you’re saving money.” WHAT CUSTOMERS REALLY WANT Colgate has discovered that customers really want three things: reliability, so that when a promise is made, it’s kept; responsiveness, which means timely, efficient service; and relationships which entail real warmth and attentiveness.
DOUGLAS 49
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Businesses try to satisfy those needs by hiring friendly, responsive people, but what’s often missing is coaching, Colgate says. Employers also have to show that they trust their staff members by letting staff make some decisions. While giving employees carte blanche can be risky, a rigid system of rules and scripts can prevent them from being empathetic and creating the customer connection. Employees also have to sense that their job is meaningful. Highly important is customer feedback. Recently, Colgate was crestfallen after a “horrible” dinner at one of Victoria’s top-rated restaurants. No one from the eatery asked him about the experience, which drastically needed improvement. In fact, he’s lived in Victoria for 12 years and not once has a retailer or restaurateur bothered to get his opinion about the service when he’s leaving the premises. “It’s incredible. You’re running a business and you don’t talk to people,” he says. While working in Australia, Colgate observed a restaurant owner, who each day asked five departing customers about their visit. Great service comes from knowing what’s done wrong. Ask the customer, don’t wait for them to scream at you or rant on social media. TWEETS, BEEFS AND FREEBIE-SEEKERS Today’s customer service world includes social media and websites like Trip Advisor so customer-review opportunities are ubiquitous. Employers, particularly in the hospitality industries, are keenly aware of people who use social media to spout off about a bad experience. Some of them may even try to squeeze out a fancier room or free meal. Ray Freeman teaches at Royal Roads’ School of Tourism and Hospitality Management and is also a tourism consultant with Left Coast Insights. He’s well aware of customers with an agenda, who want to get the most they can out of a business. Part of this is fed by the growth of mass tourism, where profits are the focus and customers’ needs are secondary. Just think of the negative perception of some airlines. “We’ve set the bar low. Customers don’t expect good service,” says Freeman, a Tourism Victoria board member. So when customers get fine service, it stands out. His advice? Because small and mediumsized businesses tend to fail if the “passion” for customers is missing, it’s important to encourage staff to understand what customers want. Being happy and enthusiastic isn’t enough — there needs to be empathy for the customer.
1.6 million
SKY-HIGH CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
Number of passengers served by Victoria International Airport in 2014.
BY PATRICK GRACE
JO-ANN LORO/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE
When it comes to customer service, what does it take to soar above the crowd? We asked Geoff Dickson, president and CEO of the Victoria Airport Authority, which recently won a prestigious North America-wide award for customer service. “At Victoria International Airport (YYJ), we have a single-minded focus to make every point of contact with us easy,” says Dickson. “It’s the small things that add up to make a difference.” The small but important touches include customer-friendly features such as security wait-time clocks and comfortable benches so customers can sit down to remove their shoes before going through the security screen. These considerations all add up to making YYJ arrivals and departures less stressful and more comfortable. YYJ’s focus on quality and detail is one of the reasons the airport was recently recognized by the Airports Council International with the 2014 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Award for the Best Small Airport (fewer than two
million passengers a year) in North America. Winners of this prestigious award are determined by the results of an ASQ survey that measures quality standards of excellence among passengers at over 250 global airports. More than 550,000 passengers participated in the survey. This is the second time YYJ has won an ASQ Award. “The Airports Council International Airport Service Quality Award,” says Dickson, “is the highest possible distinction in the industry and we are honoured to be recognized.”
“To win the award in 2012 and then for a second time in 2014 ...” says Dickson, “tells us we’re doing something right.”
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DOUGLAS 51
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Freeman points out that cruise ship visitors alone make up about 465,000 of Victoria’s three million annual visitors, and those numbers are climbing. Many of these return to Victoria, drawn back by the atmosphere and unique experiences provided by small businesses. And that’s why “hospitality” — from the word “hospitable” — is so important. “Treat visitors like family,” Freeman offers.
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JUST LIKE HOME Daniela Cubelic would likely agree. When she co-founded Silk Road in 1992 in Victoria’s Chinatown, she decided the customer service experience had to be warm and welcoming. “Treat people like you would treat guests in your home,” she says. Her customers responded well to this approach. Business grew. Today Cubelic has 35 engaged and responsive employees who know what great customer service means. Her success comes from training. “It’s really a missed opportunity when you don’t spend time 8 on customer training. I don’t think businesses realize how much it costs them [when they don’t],” Cubelic says. Most employers focus on orientation, but standards and ongoing coaching are necessary. Cubelic is so serious about customer service 8 that’s she’s developed training manuals and tests. Good service can be taught through constant training, she believes. Another challenge is fixing the damage to interpersonal skills caused by the rise of digital communications such as texting. “Younger applicants also don’t always have strong one-to-one interpersonal skills,” says Cubelic. “Eye contact, confident voice
Cruise ship visitors alone make up about
465,000
JO-ANN LORO/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE
THE NEXT GENERATION IS HERE.
of Victoria’s three million annual visitors. Many do return, drawn back by the atmosphere and unique experiences provided by small businesses.
projection and conversational skills don’t seem to be as strong as they used to be, yet they are crucial for great customer service.” Dealing with unhappy customers in person is also difficult for staff more accustomed to the digital world. But it’s all about how the message is delivered. “How you say ‘no’ affects how it’s taken,” Cubelic adds. WHEN NOTHING SEEMS TO SATISFY And yes, there are always a few customers who aren’t content, no matter what. Ian Powell recalls one customer at Inn at Laurel Point who wouldn’t back down from his demand to have a room with a view of the Inner Harbour. The guest was making such a scene in the lobby that Powell was summoned, a rare occurrence. It just happened to be a day that the Reverend Ian Powell was wearing his priest’s garb. A strong believer in respecting not only customers, but also staff, the Reverend told the customer to leave. “I’ve never seen anyone clam up so quickly,” Powell recalls. Not all business owners can don a priest’s collar to placate customers but they can hire staff who wear honest smiles and can give heavenly service to both saints and sinners. ■
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DOUGLAS 53
INTEL
[BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE ]
54 ENTREPRENEURSHIP Building the Island’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
56 DIGITAL LIFE Green Computing: IT for a Better World
58 SALES AND MARKETING I Blog, Therefore I Am
60 MONEY Oil: What the Frack Happened?
VIC42.COM
José Barrios is CEO of Cognilab, a tech firm now in beta with the world’s first virtual laboratory for cognitive and medical research. Through the Startup Visa program he was able to come to Canada and build a company that contributes to the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP BY PETER ELKINS
Building the Island’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem With the South Island’s natural resources running down and key sectors such as tourism maturing, how do we find the next all-important “first dollar” to energize our economy? The answer: changing our mindset around attracting and growing entrepreneurs. Something exciting is happening on the South Island. Instead of exporting mostly logs, coal and fish, today we’re also shipping a whole lot of zeros and ones into the world via the Internet. Behind this export of software solutions are tech companies who like the Island life, spend money here and reinvest revenue here. They embody an entrepreneurial drive and innovative mindset that are key to shifting our local economy. So how do we better support the ones who are here and attract others from the Lower Mainland and beyond to our Island? 54 DOUGLAS
THE TIME IS RIGHT First, there’s never been a better time to grow entrepreneurship. For software firms, in particular, barriers to market entry are so low that most of their needs can be solved through smart investment rather than government-funded startup support and special programs. It’s amazing what these companies do with a little business acumen, some skill, a modest investment, a couple of computers and a desire to find creative efficiency solutions to everyday challenges. This holds true for the companies who are here now and the ones we want to attract from other parts of Canada and around the world. Here are a handful of low-cost, simple suggestions to help us build our entrepreneurial ecosystem:
■ Take advantage of the Start-up Visa Program, a federal program that allows community-based angel investor groups to invest in startups outside of Canada. Founders of these companies become eligible to apply for the Startup Visa program, just as José Barrios of Cognilab was able to do. Barrios applauds the program and notes it’s far more advanced than the U.S. system. “But it’s not enough,” he says. “We need an entire ecosystem that includes companies, investors, access to capital...” ■ Implement revenue-based financing as our investment vehicle to recycle our investments faster and ensure we’re funding almost all startups, not just the “swing for the fences” startups that make up less than 10 per cent of businesses we see coming through publicly funded start-up programs. ■ Create local entrepreneurial playbooks and entrepreneur host programs for tourism bureaus, banks, associations, schools, economic developers and all levels of government to promote us to entrepreneurs and talent through their channels.
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■ Adopt new approaches to economic development by changing the subliminal message from “Come to our community, bring your investment and we’ll do what we can to facilitate your needs” to “We will invest in you and champion you as you invest in us.”
“Broaden your reach by connecting to businesses whose products and services complement yours, and then work out a reciprocal referral arrangement.”
■ Strengthen the case for local investment. If we do this here at home, the ripple effect will draw outside investors wanting to participate on Vancouver Island. This is a positive, vibrant approach in keeping with a movement sweeping the globe. What I’ve offered are simple ingredients that accelerate a completely new economic driver outlook in our communities. The question I’ll leave you with is this: “Do you want to be part of enhancing our local living economy through the support and import of entrepreneurs and craftspeople whom we can call our neighbours — people who want to be here and whom we’re willing to invest our hard-earned money in?” I know I am. Peter Elkins is co-founder of the Capital Investment Network and Kick Accelerator. He is passionate about driving Vancouver Island’s entrepreneurial economy.
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■ Invest in ”revenue ready” education, coaching and mentoring programs to accelerate entrepreneurs and craftspeople (experts in their fields) towards positive cash flow. ■ Convert more vacant commercial space into turnkey co-working incubators, accelerators and offer shared solutions specifically designed for entrepreneurs and craftspeople. This, in turn, will increase building owners’ return on investment.
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FIVE GREEN TECHNOLOGY GADGETS DIGITAL LIFE
BY DAVID ALEXANDER
Green Computing: IT for a Better World The computing industry has long been touted as clean and green; unfortunately, its products and processes aren’t so eco-friendly. Douglas looks into ways for businesses and individuals to reduce e-waste and energy use — and provides some compelling reasons why.
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ANY OF US ARE
conscious of the need to be kind to the environment through everything from recycling to bike riding instead of driving. These sorts of activities are common on Vancouver Island. How about when it comes to IT? Computing is a surprisingly high consumer of energy; those tech items we all use suck electricity from the grid. Plus, each time you upgrade your gadget or replace your laptop for a newer model, the rejected model needs to find a home. Often, that home is the landfill. Computing and its waste has spawned a whole movement dedicated to sustainable IT. It’s called green computing. This term refers to using computers and their associated resources in an environmentally friendly manner. Green computing focuses on minimizing energy consumption and cleanly disposing of, or repurposing, discarded electronics and reducing the waste produced during the manufacture of those digital devices. HOW MUCH DOES IT TAKE? Taken alone, the standard computer doesn’t use a huge amount of energy — about 200 watts for a desktop and about 50 56 DOUGLAS
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watts for a laptop. More than a clock radio, less than a washing machine. What most of us do online doesn’t use a huge amount of energy either. Each Google search uses about one kilojoule (kJ) of energy and emits about 0.2 grams of carbon, the latter due to energy used to run massive server banks and keep the servers cool. That’s not so bad, except when you consider that you likely have one computer at home and one at work, plus you probably have a smartphone and perhaps a tablet. And there are millions and millions of people just like you. Add to that at least 40,000 Google searches every second or 3.4 billion each day across the world. It adds up dramatically.
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We are also creating and consuming huge amounts of data in our everyday lives and those data centres that store it are often energy hogs. They are improving — rapidly — but they account for about 1.1% to 1.5% of
the world’s total energy use and consume up to 100 to 200 times more energy than other standard office buildings. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to reduce your IT energy consumption and waste.
E-waste includes items containing circuitry or electrical components with either power or battery supply. The average Canadian generated nearly 25 kilograms of e-waste in 2012 — which translates to more than 860,000 tonnes for the entire country. The U.S. EPA estimates a 5% to 10% global increase in e-waste each year. — step-initiative.org B.C.’s Return-It Electronics program currently diverts more than 1,200 tonnes of electronic waste a month from landfills. — Recycling Council of B.C.
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EASY WAYS to reduce your IT energy consumption and waste
AUDIT Have a professional audit done of your systems and energy use. Yes, this costs money but it will also save money over the long term. The audit should provide you with a snapshot of your current situation, suggestions for improvement as well as costs associated with going green (and not going green!).
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BUY WISELY When you are replacing equipment, look for Energy Star-rated products. Energy Star is a government-backed certification program that tests new electronic products. Equipment with this rating can use as much as 60 per cent less electricity than standard equipment.
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TALK ABOUT IT If you have vendors in the IT sector, let them know you are concerned about this topic. The industry is, partly due to public pressure, greening very quickly. And if you have staff, have that conversation with them. Talk to them about what you are doing to make a difference and ask for their ideas.
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POWER DOWN This one is dead easy. Turn off your computer and monitor at the end of the day. That, plus activating the sleep cycle on your machines, will save you money. In the olden days, turning off a computer was a no-no but we’ve come a long way. Also, opt for a laptop over a desktop; they generally consume only a quarter the energy.
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RECYCLE WISELY Don’t even think about kicking that old desktop or phone to the curb. If you can, hang on to it just a little longer — the iPhone 4 will be considered retro soon! If it has to go, take it to one of the many Return-It locations on the Island for recycling. In many cases, old equipment can be recycled efficiently with zero waste left behind.
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AIM FOR THE CLOUD Cloud computing is — arguably — a greener option. Yes, I did talk about data centres consuming high amounts of energy, but cloud computing allows for some efficiencies such as clients sharing servers, making it a less energy intensive option.
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Reducing your IT footprint saves money and helps the environment — and also differentiates you as a business that cares about the world around us. Many people are looking to business leaders who make greener choices and will follow them for these choices, so you may well find yourself gaining fans — and customers. ■ David Alexander manages Digital at the Royal BC Museum and has a keen interest in the technology trends that affect our businesses and lives.
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SALES AND MARKETING BY MIKE WICKS
I Blog, Therefore I Am
T
he first time I really thought seriously about blogging was back in 2005 when the book Blog! hit bookstores. Written by David Kline and Dan Burstein, the book’s sub-title reads, “How the newest media revolution is changing politics, business and culture.” Burstein compared blogging to cave paintings he saw on a visit to southern France. These images, left behind some 17,000 years ago, were in his eyes a multi-generational conversation. As he says of the paintings, “The conversation continues and is stored and archived for future access. The group memorializes and institutionalizes knowledge — and learns as a result.” His point: blogging is not new; it appears in different formats across history, especially in the form of famous peoples’ diaries.
David Kline, who coauthored the book Blog! says blogs are conversations. The world of one-way messaging is over. Businesses need to invite discourse.
Ten years after Blog! was published, blogging shows no signs of losing its raw power as a means of allowing people to express their thoughts and beliefs, and share their knowledge. Of course, it’s also used to promote its creator, causes, products and services. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the blogosphere was the territory of journalists, academics and those of a literary bent; it wasn’t long before businesses caught on to the value of reaching out to their target market via blogs. Today, a business without a website is not only rare, it’s downright suspicious. It’s a common belief all real businesses have websites; how long will it be before we say the same about a business that doesn’t have a blog? I suspect not long. There is no shortage of opinion on the rights and wrongs of blogging well. For me, the biggest challenge is simply keeping up with my blog, especially as I ghost write blogs for a number of companies. It’s a case of the cobbler’s kids having no shoes. But there’s the rub — if your last blog post was more than 14 days ago, then your blog may be doing you more harm than good. One of the main reasons for having a blog is to drive potential customers to your website,
and once there, find enough value to keep coming back. One of my clients told me a while ago that they had let their blog slip, posting no new information for a month or so. They were unpleasantly surprised to see it had a noticeable effect on sales. Once the blog was back and full of relevant, up-to-date information, sales rose. They were surprised by such a direct cause and effect. Since then, they have taken their blog a lot more seriously! They now post to it at least weekly. Blogging is a far more complex topic than it at first appears. If you want your blog to be über successful, then you have a lot of studying ahead of you. (Of course, you could simply ask an employee or contractor to handle it for you.) A good blog will drive traffic to your website, help make it search-engine friendly, allow you to inform and educate your customers and build credibility for your company and what it sells. Your blog may not still be drawing attention 17,000 years from now, like the stories told by the paintings at Lascaux in France, but posting entertaining and informative articles builds a solid following for what you have to say. ■ Mike Wicks is an award-winning author, blogger ghostwriter and publisher. He is president of Blue Beetle Creative Media.
TOP 10 TIPS 1 KEEP IT UP TO DATE
Ensure you know how you are going to generate relevant content. If you or one of your employees can’t keep up with researching and writing the posts, outsource this important role.
2 POST REGULARLY
Most experts suggest posting once a week as a minimum. For most businesses, the more the better. Daily posting works well in keeping the momentum up. Not every post needs to be a full-blown article — short updates, stats or links can be interspersed with more detailed discourses.
3 TREAT YOUR BLOG LIKE A PRODUCT
Think about its Unique Selling Proposition (USP); what makes it different? Why should people visit your blog rather than your competitors’ blogs?
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ENSURE YOUR BLOG HAS PERSONALITY Don’t just list new products, major deals or news about you. Ensure your blog is fun to read and informative. If it’s too promotional, readers may turn away. Ideally, you want people to Tweet about your posts, post links on Facebook or LinkedIn, or forward your posts to friends and colleagues.
FOR MAKING YOUR BLOG WORK FOR YOU 5 CATCHY TITLES WORK WELL
A few months ago I wrote a short post for a client titled “5 Ways to Pack Like a Flight Attendant.” It was extensively tweeted and re-tweeted. The key is to pique the interest of people scanning your blog. If you can come up with a catchy title that also has your keywords in it, all the better. Use subtitles to make your posts more accessible and readable.
6 KEYWORDS MATTER
There’s a lot of talk about lacing blog posts with keywords. The rule is: not too many and they must be the right ones. Personally, I find the whole issue complicated. Trying to write by the rules stifles my creativity so I ignore those rules and write what I think people want to read, on relevant issues. Using too many keywords can also make what you write come across like a sales pitch. If you want to get serious about keywords and SEO, I suggest hiring an expert.
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MAKE SURE YOUR POSTS ARE INFORMATIVE Remember, you want people to think, “Wow, I never knew that” or “That’s fascinating, I want to know more” and then forward it to lots of people, while bookmarking your blog.
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DOUGLAS 59
8 REPURPOSE
YOUR CONTENT Write a series of linked posts — short articles on the same topic. Once you have enough of them, turn your content into an ebook.
9 KEEP TRACK
Find ways to gather contact information on people visiting your blog. Offer a free copy of an ebook, sign them up for a newsletter, ask them to participate in contests. Do follow the new privacy rules for collecting client info.
10 KEEP IT SUCCINCT
I tend to write posts of 300 to 500 words, a good length for getting, and keeping, people’s attention when you want to focus them on a call to action. But longer posts have value too. They offer increased keyword flexibility — that is, you can use more keywords, which search engines love, without looking too obvious. And, longer posts are shared more and attract more comments.
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MONEY
BY STEVE BOKOR
Oil: What the Frack Happened? We’re currently living through one of the worst energy boom and bust cycles ever faced by governments, investors and consumers. The past few months have seen oil prices fluctuate wildly, and while we might like the result at the pumps when prices fall, some of the other effects are causing anxiety.
I
N THE PAST YEAR, the effects of rapidly changing oil prices have affected Canadians in a mostly positive way unless you own real estate in parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan and B.C., or energy stocks/mutual funds in your investment portfolio. However — and this might be a hollow victory — some of us have seen modest savings on our credit card payments and improvements in our chequing/savings accounts at the bank. So what happened?
Why Prices Rise and Fall In a word: technology. There is an old saying in the oil industry: the cure for high oil prices is high oil prices and the cure for low oil prices is low oil prices. When oil prices rise, it induces oil companies to increase production by exploiting new deposits that were uneconomic at lower prices. Eventually, this creates a situation in which supply swamps demand, leading prices to fall. Likewise, when oil prices fall below the cost of producing and refining it, oil wells get capped and total supply shrinks relative to demand and prices rise. But it’s different this time.
According to OPEC’s 2014 World Outlook for Oil, the current global demand for oil is just over 91 million barrels per day and it is expected to rise by about a million barrels per day per year for the next five years with possible minor economic hiccups. Unfortunately, according to OPEC global oil supply is expected to exceed total demand over the next five years and here’s why. At the end of the last cycle peak in 2008, when oil prices hit US$125 per barrel, a technological revolution was taking place on the exploration side of things in North America. Previously identified oil reserves locked in high-cost geological structures were getting drilled, tested and brought online. The new process used directional drilling techniques combined with high-pressure hydraulic fracturing techniques to unlock trapped oil and gas. A well would be first drilled vertically into a deep underground zone and then the drill bit would be rotated 90 degrees and drilled horizontally for up to 2,000 meters. The horizontal portion of the well would have a series of holes blasted through the pipe and then
Upcycle Downcycle
Higher prices improve cash flow
OIL PRICES
UPSTREAM OPERATING CASH FLOW
Prices drop, hurting cash flow
THE GLASS
CAN BE HALF EMPTY
OR HALF FULL Production undershoots demand
Cash flow declines force spending cuts
Production growth outpaces demand
PRODUCTION GROWTH
Low reinvestment hurts production
Higher reinvestment grows production
large volumes of water would be forced down the well under tremendous pressure causing the surrounding rock to fracture and unlock the trapped oil and gas. The water would then be pumped out of the ground and the trapped oil would then flow up the well.
The Flow of Wealth… and Worry
Cash flow growth allows increased reinvestment
AS LONG AS THERE’S
WHISKY
UPSTREAM SPENDING MORGAN STANLEY
The exponential growth of horizontal drilling and fracking in Canada and the U.S. effectively negated the production cuts by OPEC. To make matters worse, this surge in production coincided with major geopolitical events that have continued to hamper the stability of price, supply and demand.
Previously inaccessible oil deposits are now Position Yourself to Benefit flowing at an incredible rate. For example, the So what are the net effects and how should giant Bakken shale oil deposit located in North consumers and investors position themselves to Dakota, Montana and Saskatchewan dramatically best benefit from the new energy paradigm? highlights the success of new horizontal drilling First, if you are a consumer, the typical pattern and fracking techniques. Production from this of energy boom/bust cycles are very “V” shaped. region has skyrocketed. The North Dakota In other words there is a tendency for prices to Industrial Commission recently reported that fall rapidly (60 per cent) in six months followed in their state alone there are now over 10,000 by rapidly rising prices. (It could be different this wells producing over 1.1 million time; a 50 per cent rebound is barrels of oil per day. At the end a reasonable guess.) Therefore, THERE IS AN OLD SAYING of 2007, that figure was 446 stay cautious and ignore the IN THE OIL INDUSTRY: wells producing just over 33,000 desire to buy large, gas guzzling The cure for high barrels of oil per day. vehicles because prices at the oil prices is high oil pump appear cheap. Instead, Unfortunately, this has created a problem in global oil prices and the cure take the savings and either pay markets. As a group, OPEC is the debt or invest the savings. for low oil prices is down world’s largest producer of oil For investors, high-cost, low oil prices. and, since 1973, they have used high-debt companies need to their near-monopolistic abilities be reviewed. Rebalance your to influence prices by increasing or decreasing energy exposure and make sure you are investing the production (supply) of oil to meet world in low-cost producers of oil and gas, especially demand. ones that can grow their production in a low-price For example, when demand for oil plummeted environment. Lastly, consider the midstream after the 2008 financial crisis (demand players, those companies that handle the product destruction), OPEC members led by Saudi Arabia from the pipeline to the refinery. Regardless of got together in December and cut production by the price of the commodity, volumes will continue 4.2 million barrels per day. In previous cycles, this to move through the system and midstream reduction in supply would have likely resulted in players will benefit. ■ prices rising back to a pre-established trading range of $90 to $100 per barrel, but the strategy Steve Bokor, CFA, is a licensed portfolio manager with PI Financial Corp, a member of CIPF. did not work this time.
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LAST PAGE BY ATHENA MCKENZIE
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FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT VICTORIA HARBOUR FERRY Victoria Harbour Ferry’s iconic green and black “pickle” boats and yellow ferries are a familiar sight on the Inner Harbour, zipping around planes, the Coho and the Clipper as they shuttle passengers between 10 stops. In fact, last year 300,000 passengers rode these boats. Some locals even commute daily between James Bay and West Bay. But there’s more to these vessels than meets the eye. 1 > Victoria Harbour Ferry actively focuses on hiring retirees as captains. Under the company’s employ are former mayors, retired Crown attorneys and people with distinguished naval careers. “I don’t recall us ever advertising for the job,” says VP of Operations Barry Hobbis. “We get dozens of resumés and people inquiring every year. The biggest job we have is filtering that down.” 2 > The company’s captains rescue from six to 12 canoeists, kayakers and paddleboarders every year. “We’re almost always the closest vessel because we’re there all the time,” Hobbis says. A former captain, Ronald Tinney was awarded the Silver Medal for Merit for rescuing a young boy who had fallen while climbing below the Johnson Street Bridge.
4 > Every year, all the boats are taken out of the harbour and put in storage. One by one, they are taken to the company’s maintenance facility where they are taken apart and refitted. “Our first boat was built in 1984 and I challenge anybody to come down and tell me which boat that is,” Hobbis says. 5 > The company just bought its first electric boat, which will be unveiled on its 25th anniversary on May 30. It will be used exclusively on the Gorge cruise. “The amazing part to me is that you’re going through the water and there is no noise,” says Hobbis. “It’s like being in a sailboat.”
62 DOUGLAS
Fleet Operations Manager Frank MacIntosh has an extensive sailing, boating and racing background. He’s in his eighth year with Victoria Harbour Ferry.
JEFFREY BOSDET/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE
3 > The Sunday morning Water Ballet has been running for 22 years and was created by Captain Arnie Yates, who is still with the company. There are “ballet captains” who have undergone vigorous evaluations, as the ballet is a demonstration of the boats’ manoeuvrability. The harbour master has a patrol making sure nobody interferes with the performance.
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