Douglas magazine Oct/Nov 2023

SUCCESSION PLANNING

Sell, pass down or walk away?

HOLLYWOOD NEXT

What Victoria needs to become a true film and TV superpower INVENTING THE FUTURE

Victoria’s surprising sources of innovation

Collaborative solutions to a complex problem

Julian Daly, CEO, Our Place Society

Small

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FEATURES

20

He Won’t be Undersold

The king of small business, Gordy Dodd, shares a lifetime of entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

BY MOIRA DANN

28

Downtown’s Dilemma

Who’s fixing downtown? Small businesses, social agencies and City Hall address the challenges of living and working in the downtown core.

BY ANDREW FINDLAY

49

Inventing the Future

Victoria’s universities — UVic, Camosun, Royal Roads and VIU — have become buzzing hives of innovation.

BY ERIN SKILLEN

54

Get Ready for Take Two

Hollywood next: Some 50 movies are shot in Greater Victoria each year, and filmmaking has become big business both for out-of-town studios and for locals.

BY LIAM RAZZELL

58

How to Succeed at Succession

Should you sell your business? Pass it down to family or employees? Or just fold your cards and walk away?

BY SHANNON MONEO

Downtown’s Dilemma — p. 28

SPECIAL SECTION

35

Meetings + Retreats

The face of meetings, conferences and corporate events has changed. Whether you’re planning a live or hybrid event, Douglas shares insight and practical advice, including:

 Five Meeting Trends

 Talk Like TED

 How to Organize a Conference

Get Ready for Take Two — p. 54

DEPARTMENTS

8 NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

13 IN THE KNOW Raptors to the rescue; Victoria’s Jurassic Park; Gustavson’s new dean; previewing the UPLIFT and VIEA summits; the new Vic Biz Hub as an entrepreneur’s haven; the saga of BlackBerry’s rise and fall.

64 LIFE + STYLE

Unleash your inner race driver at Island Motorsport; carry your laptop in style; discover the cozy and eclectic Humboldt Bar.

66 INTEL

66 THE ART OF BALANCING WORK AND WELL-BEING

Forget yoga and pizza, here’s how to really show employees you care. BY LAURA

PUTNAM

67 WE SPEAK, THEREFORE WE ARE Step up to the microphone with confidence.

BY JIM HAYHURST

70 DID YOU KNOW Small business by the numbers.

How to Succeed at Succession — p. 58

PENNY ROGERS

There’s Nothing Small About Small Business

BUT HOW DO YOU DEFINE SMALL BUSINESS?

Well, it depends if you’re talking to the CRA, StatCan or your bank. Small business is generally defined as any business that is independently owned, typically with fewer than 100 employees, and less than $10 million of revenue. A mediumsize business has 100 to 499 employees. Banks, however, look at revenue rather than employees.

Small business is big in Canada. Small- and medium-size enterprises account for 98 per cent of businesses and 88 per cent of employees. Big corporations might get the attention when it comes to creating jobs, but small businesses employ far more people and are more resilient when times get tough. They are often the first to introduce new products and services to the market, which can lead to job creation and economic growth.

But there are challenges, too:

Lack of funds: Nothing can hold a business back like money problems or owners giving up their own salaries in order to pay employees and vendors.

Lack of time: Are you working on the business or in the business? It’s often both. You are the one responsible for executing business plans and winning new customers, but also answering phones and dealing with vendors.

Finding good employees: Finding qualified employees isn’t easy. In many cases, your benefits package can’t compete with larger companies. And while large businesses can hire people for specific jobs, yours will likely need to juggle multiple tasks.

Ineffective web presence: The internet can provide opportunities to find customers without breaking the bank, but you need to be digitally savvy.

Take heart! In this issue we cover a wide variety of businesses that are successfully facing these challenges. For starters, we talk to the king of small business, Gordy Dodd, about his larger-than-life persona and his philanthropy to the community that welcomed him.

We consider the challenges of doing business in downtown Victoria, the small businesses that have chosen to put down roots there and the often thorny social problems and politics they face.

We also look at workplace wellness, the art of public speaking, the thriving business of movie making in Greater Victoria, even dinosaurs and raptors.

— Ken Winchester, Editor

“Small-and medium-size enterprises account for 98% of businesses and 88%of employees.”

®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence. Scotia Capital Inc. is a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. For more information visit www.scotiawealthmanagement.com. McNaughton Group is a personal trade name of C.P. (Chuck) McNaughton.

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The Page One Story

For a quarter-century, this independent publishing house has produced the high-quality magazines that capture Victoria’s business and lifestyle stories.

It’s Tuesday at 10 a.m. and Page One H.Q. — a small, brick building near Uptown — is buzzing with energy. Camera bags in hand, Jeffrey Bosdet, the director of photography rushes out the door on his way to a photo shoot across town. Two advertising consultants walk past him, returning from a successful client meeting. Page One owners Lise Gyorkos and Georgina Camilleri are on a conference call with their Vancouver-based printer. The art department is working on the beautifully designed pages the magazines are known for. The digital media specialist schedules the release of online content. Down the hall, in editorial, computer keyboards click-clack rapidly, adding a percussive beat as writers and editors craft the stories of this lively city.

“Our team has different interests and areas of expertise, and that helps us publish magazines that everyone loves to read,” Gyorkos says. “The impact the team has made on this city makes me so proud.”

She and Camilleri teamed up 25 years ago, back when the pair were working for another publisher. “Georgina was the art director and I was the production manager,” says Gyorkos. “We really liked working together, both as friends and colleagues, and we knew we wanted to start our own publishing business.”

And so they did.

In 1998, they founded Page One Publishing. Working out of Camilleri’s basement, at first they produced custom print publications for tourism organizations. “Humble beginnings,” Camilleri says with a laugh.

As new business owners, the pair immersed themselves in Victoria’s small but vibrant business community, where they quickly spotted a gap in the magazine market: Nobody was producing hyper-local content for and about Victoria-based entrepreneurs and business owners. So they began to think about starting a business magazine.

Once their custom print contracts expired, Gyorkos and Camilleri decided to forgo the steady income tourism associations provided and take a risk — a big one.

In 2006, the first issue of Douglas hit newsstands around Victoria. It was a name the publishers thought would resonate with residents familiar with Douglas Street and the local Douglas fir tree — and they were right.

“By starting a business magazine, we thought we could address the need for local business content,” says Gyorkos. “But we also saw it was a way to learn about entrepreneurship from business leaders here.”

Camilleri adds: “There were areas we hadn’t worked before that were completely new to us. We hadn’t been using many freelancers, we hadn’t had to look after distribution before, we didn’t have a sales team, we had to hire writers and create a business strategy.”

That was just the beginning.

Victoria’s popular lifestyle magazine YAM began as an insert in Douglas, and in 2009 became its own standalone publication. It was joined in 2017 by the home-and-design magazine Spruce

Much of Page One’s success has to do with its support for all things Victoria. For instance, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Page One produced countless articles promoting, supporting and offering advice to struggling local businesses. They also launched a video series with CHEK-TV called Road to Recovery, sharing lessons from business owners who had overcome obstacles during the pandemic.

That community-oriented attitude sets Page One apart, whether it’s the stories the team covers or their sales practices. “Our goal is never to make a quick buck or compromise on our content,” says Gyorkos. “We offer marketing opportunities that we think will get our clients the best return on their investment and we are very grateful to them for supporting us over the years.”

Just as important for lifting the community are Page One’s can’t-miss annual events: Douglas’s 10 to Watch Awards, which promotes new businesses in Greater Victoria, and the YAM Best Restaurant Awards, a heartfelt celebration of the city’s restaurant industry. Next up, the Page One team is launching its first-ever Spruce Awards of Excellence to honour individuals who are punching above their weight in the home, design and building industries.

“People have expressed that winning an award from a Page One event has been lifechanging,” says Camilleri. “Working with our awesome team to have that kind of effect is very rewarding.”

needs through both advertising

Above left: Production. The creative department is renowned for its compelling design, photography and visual storytelling. From left: Digital marketing co-ordinator Claire Villaraza; graphic designers Janice Hildybrant (YAM and Spruce) and Caroline Segonnes (Douglas); and director of photography Jeffrey Bosdet.

Above: Editorial. The editorial department produces engaging content for Page One’s three magazine brands, covering the stories Victorians care about most. From left to right: Joanne Sasvari, editor in chief and YAM editor; Spruce editor Danielle Pope; Douglas editor Ken Winchester; and editorial assistant Liam Razzell.

Left: Sales office. Page One’s sales and marketing team focuses on building relationships with local businesses, serving their marketing

and events. Back left: Advertising co-ordinator Rebecca Juetten and marketing and events coordinator Lauren Ingle. Advertising consultants, from left: Deana Brown, Cynthia Hanischuk, Will Gillis and Brenda Knapik.

Since starting Page One in 1998, co-publishers Lise Gyorkos (left) and Georgina Camilleri have built one of Victoria’s best-loved media brands.

VOLUME 17 NUMBER 5

PUBLISHERS Lise Gyorkos, Georgina Camilleri

EDITOR IN CHIEF Joanne Sasvari

EDITOR Ken Winchester

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Jeffrey Bosdet

LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER Caroline Segonnes

ASSOCIATE GRAPHIC DESIGNER Janice Hildybrant

PRODUCTION MANAGER Jennifer Kühtz

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Deana Brown, Will Gillis, Cynthia Hanischuk, Brenda Knapik

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Rebecca Juetten

MARKETING CONSULTANT Amanda Wilson

DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR Claire Villaraza

MARKETING COORDINATOR Lauren Ingle

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Liam Razzell

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Moira Dann, Andrew Findlay, Jim Hayhurst, Laura Putnam, Shannon Moneo, Erin Skillen

PROOFREADER Lionel Wild

CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Getty Images p. 16, 37, 46, 49, 54, 55

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COVER Julian Daly, CEO, Our Place Society

Photo by Jeffrey Bosdet

Published by PAGE ONE PUBLISHING

580 Ardersier Road, Victoria, B.C. V8Z 1C7

T: 250.595.7243 E:info@pageonepublishing.ca pageonepublishing.ca

Printed in British Columbia by Mitchell Press.

Ideas and opinions expressed within this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Page One Publishing Inc. or its affiliates; no official endorsement should be inferred. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement and any and all representations or warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not the publisher. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in all or part, in any form — printed or electronic — without the express written permission of the publisher. The publisher cannot be held responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs.

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Douglas magazine is a registered trademark of Page One Publishing Inc.

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Douglas is a premium magazine dedicated to innovation, leadership and business lifestyle. Established in 2006, Douglas is the first choice for business leaders and achievers. Align your business with Douglas. For more information or to request an advertising rate card, please call us at 250.595.7243 or email us at marketinginfo@douglasmagazine.com.

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

Raptors to the Rescue

Raptors create a “landscape of fear” to control problem birds at airports, industries and businesses.

BY LIAM RAZZELL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY BOSDET

READ THE FULL STORY P. 14

Nature’s security guard: A Harris hawk lands on handler Samantha Hammond atop the Board of Trade Building.

Gulls, geese and pigeons are like other wild animals: If they can find an easy source of food and a protected place to live, that’s where they’ll go. But this means they often venture into manufactured environments like airports or condos, which create problems.

Bird droppings can erode metal and stonework as well as pose a health hazard. At airports and industrial sites, birds can impede the safe use of aircraft and machinery.

This presented a business opportunity for Duncan-based Pacific Northwest Raptors. For 20 years they have been using hawks, falcons and bald eagles to redirect problem birds away from man-made environments.

Though the company’s goal is redirection, Raptors wildlife program co-ordinator Sean Baynton says lethal removal does happen. Their birds of prey occasionally catch and kill. Shooting birds with firearms is sometimes necessary when they are posing an acute risk to aircraft at airports. Other methods the company uses to scare birds away include sirens, drones and even pyrotechnics.

“We try to create a landscape of fear,” says Baynton. “In whatever area you’re managing, you’re setting up that sustained predator pressure.”

Wildlife management accounts for 70 per cent of the company’s revenue. This business used to subsidize the company’s raptor centre in Duncan, where staff train and breed birds, and offer courses and hands-on experiences to bird lovers of all ages. The centre has gained in popularity and is now almost self-sustaining.

Millions of birds around the world live side by side with humans, and it would be impossible to relocate them all to natural environments. Pacific Northwest Raptors is cognizant of that.

“We’re building where birds naturally live,” says Radcliffe. “We don’t just want to kill or move these birds unnecessarily; we want them to find homes that are healthier for them, and keep people safe in the process.”

Dino Lab’s Carly Burbank holds the toothy skull of a tyrannosaurus.

JEFFREY BOSDET/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

FOSSIL Fuelled

Dino Lab is recreating the age of dinosaurs one fragment at a time.

BY LIAM RAZZELL

usband and wife Terry Ciotka and Carly Burbank opened their fossil restoration business Dino Lab 18 years ago. What started as just the two of them working out of a garage in Calgary has grown to a team of 17 in a massive warehouse in James Bay. Together, they restore fossils and sell them to collectors and museums. Currently, they’re working on seven fossil reconstructions including a juvenile tyrannosaurus and three triceratops.

But what is Dino Lab’s business model? Burbank breaks it down.

When the lab finds or is approached with dinosaur bones, it first locates a funder — sometimes a museum, sometimes a private collector — willing to pay up front for the restoration process. This can cost millions of dollars, which the lab needs to fund the painstaking, years-long process of restoring a specimen. With funding lined up, Dino Lab then has the fossils transported to its Victoria facility. And it’s there experts separate bones from surrounding rock and piece them back together. Its team includes a specialized technician who recreates missing bones with a 3D printer and another who paints them to match the genuine bone. Once completed, specimens are shipped to their funder.

Dino Lab’s business doesn’t stop there. In 2019, it opened its doors to the public and now offers 90-minute tours where visitors can check out lab facilities and dinosaur specimens, and watch lab staff gingerly cleaning bones with picks and pneumatic drills.

What makes Dino Lab tours unique is that visitors are encouraged to touch and handle specimens, which include mammoth hair, razor-sharp megalodon teeth, dinosaur bones and eggs, a small but weighty meteorite and even fossilized poop.

Burbank says what she loves most about her job is seeing visitors’ reactions while on a tour. “It’s one thing to know that dinosaurs roamed the Earth millions of years ago,” she says, “but to hold tangible evidence of that in your hands is a truly special moment in someone’s life.”

TAKING THE PULSE OF

Vancouver Island’s Economy

The VIEA Summit is a crystal ball that takes a hard look at the future of Island business.

The 17th annual State of the Island Economic Summit will take place on October 25 and 26 at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre in Nanaimo. The event is sponsored by the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance, a non-profit society that spearheads regional economic development for Vancouver Island. Other VIEA initiatives include the Island Good campaign, the Foreign Trade Zone Vancouver Island and the Forest/Wood Industries Initiative.

The conference itself aspires to be a two-day journey of learning, inspiration and connection. The organizers describe it is a “mustattend event for business owners, community leaders and would-be entrepreneurs in the region.” Here are some highlights:

Networking opportunities: Attendees have the opportunity to meet business leaders, decision makers, First Nations members and government officials to foster connections and collaboration.

Speaker series: These are a collection of passionate and inspiring talks to kick off the event, followed by informal Q&As, where attendees can learn more about the topics they care about from experts in the field.

Action labs: An opportunity to dig deeper into current pressing topics and collaborate with others to seek solutions to thorny local problems.

Keynotes: Prominent speakers will share their expertise and inspire new ideas and strategies relevant to Vancouver Island and the rural islands.

Topical sessions: This is a to-and-fro with panelists, where attendees can exchange perspectives and explore solutions with experts in their field.

Island Good Celebration: This popular event showcases the bounty of Vancouver Island, where guests can enjoy a lavish spread of local Island Good food and drink, along with music and entertainment.

Data and Insights: VIEA publishes the annual “State of the IslandS” economic report, with valuable statistics and analysis on the latest economic trends in a rapidly changing world.

For more information: viea.ca/vi-economic-summit/register-summit

ARROWSMITH AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

ARE YOU READY TO GET unstuck?

The UPLIFT Women’s Business Summit aims to empower and connect.

BY KEN WINCHESTER

Some 800 businesswomen and dozens of workshops will take part in the UPLIFT Women’s Business Summit on November 14 to 15 at the Victoria Conference Centre.

Among the more than 25 speakers will be:

Meghan Milkowski, a senior vice-president at Dow Jones, which owns The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s;

Jamie Kern Lima, who founded IT Cosmetics in her living room and went on to sell it to L’Oréal in a billion-dollar deal;

Sarah Nicole Landry, an influential social voice who speaks on wellness, personal growth and relationships, and in 2020 won the Iris Awards’ Instagrammer of the year. Attendees will learn how to overcome entrepreneurial challenges, gain financial literacy and investment guidance, and discover marketing strategies. But an important subtext to the presentations and workshops will be wellness. That means both physical and emotional health, says cofounder Kelsey Pringle, to maintain creativity and inspiration as well as find that elusive work/life balance.

Another important theme of the event, say the organizers, will be connection the chance to find common ground with other like-minded women in business.

To that end they have created the UPLIFT women’s business community app, an exclusive platform designed to help attendees connect with a vibrant community of women. The app has exclusive content, discussion forums and connections with other attendees from past and future UPLIFT events. This event promises to be well-rounded, welcoming both business leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs.

For more information: upliftwomensummit.com

More THAN JUST OFFICE SPACE

The newly opened Vic Biz Hub is a welcoming centre for small businesses and startups.

BY LIAM RAZZELL

do you need a hot desk, a Zoom room or a cool conference space to impress clients? The newly opened Vic Biz Hub, a short drive from downtown Victoria on Tennyson Avenue, has you covered. The Hub rents offices, hot desks (shared workstations), and offers a menu of administrative, mail and courier services. Additional spaces include a boardroom, screening room, Zoom room, even a patio and kitchen, all of which have access to high-speed Wi-Fi. The Hub offers membership options, too, which include access to networking events, professional-development workshops and personal-business coaching sessions.

Why rent office space? For those who work remotely, a few days away from home can improve that elusive work/life balance. And business owners who don’t have adequate facilities to host meetings can rent a Hub boardroom.

Then there are those without the budget for a full-time assistant who can use the Hub’s administrative services. And entrepreneurs who seek guidance can benefit from professional-development workshops and personal-business coaching.

The Hub has a diverse menu of services, and the founders hope it will help strengthen Victoria-based businesses and in turn the economy as a whole. The goal is for economic energy to stay in the community. Their philosophy is that when money is spent at a local enterprise, close to 70 per cent of that money continues to circulate in the community, building a more resilient and robust local economy.

GARNET MCPHERSON

UVIC’S GUSTAVSON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Announces New Dean

The Gustavson School of Business at UVic recently announced a major leadership transition. Dr. Saul Klein completed his second term as dean, and the school is welcoming incoming dean Dr. Anita Bhappu.

Dr. Bhappu’s business credentials are formidable. She holds a PhD in management from the University of Arizona, and served most recently as associate dean in the School of Engineering at the University of California. She was also an associate professor and division chair of retailing and consumer sciences at the University of Arizona, and held prior faculty positions at Georgetown University and Southern Methodist University.

DOUGLAS READS

The inspiration for a major motion picture and winner of the National Business Book Award, Losing the Signal by Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff tells the story of BlackBerry — both its meteoric rise and dramatic crash. It was recently reprinted and is an entertaining cautionary tale in these days of AI and smartphones. This is the mostly untold story of how BlackBerry engineered one of the most spectacular technological upsets of the century before it lost its way in the fog of tech wars, management indecision and the breakdown of a successful partnership. Its rise and fall is a story about the unrelenting speed of success and failure.

CPAs are your greatest business allies in this changing world.

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Gordy Dodd

HE WON’T BE Undersold

BY MOIRA DANN | PHOTO BY JEFFREY BOSDET

Everybody on Vancouver Island knows Gordy Dodd: businessman, entertainer, philanthropist.

If you haven’t met him in person at an event or at one of his three stores (in Victoria, Nanaimo and Campbell River), then you may have seen Gordy Dodd in an ad supersized on the side of a bus that depicts him as SuperGordy or the whip-wielding “Hindiana Jones and his Temple of Savings.” Most Islanders can hum the tune behind the seven-syllable radio ad tag line: “Dodd’s fur-niture and mat-tress.” His ads might be goofy, but they’re unmistakably Dodd’s. They’re unforgettable and they work.

He's also well known for his generosity, including his annual Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for the less fortunate provided through Our Place Society. This year will mark a quarter century he’s been doing this. In 2019, the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce awarded him the Governors’ Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2022, he was inducted into the Chamber’s Business Hall of Fame.

Gordy Dodd has passed the torch to son Love, but can’t seem to retire. His one small store is now several big businesses, from Victoria to Campbell River, and he can often be found trading stories with customers.

How long have you been in Canada?

I came first, you know, one time and I went back. Then I got married over there [India] and we decided in 1977 to come back, so it’s been 46 years.

When you still lived in India, did you ever envision a life such as the one you have now?

Not really. I heard and had seen the people who went to this country from my village. When they were back home on holiday, I could see the difference. These people were more satisfied, doing better financially and everything. They didn’t want to come back,

they wanted to stay over there. That meant it was something I should go and see. So, we came over here. This is a big country with a big population and the system is a lot better. If anybody wants to do anything, they can do it. I got good experience over here, while living here for the last 46 years. I’m pretty happy. I had my family and I developed my business.

You’re well-known and well-loved for being a philanthropist. How did that get started?

Well, God has given me everything that I need, the satisfaction of everything that I

need. So that’s why I thought with all that God has given me, I should do something to help the community. So that’s what started me, whenever I can afford it, helping homeless people, working with Our Place and working in Nanaimo and Campbell River. It’s not part of any advertisement, it’s all part of giving back to the community, giving back to the Island. We’re feeling good.

You started with one small store and now you have three big ones.

We like to serve the whole Island. Victoria, it’s a unique community, a lot of retired

people. They’re wonderful people and we’re enjoying them. They want to talk; they like to tell stories. That’s what we wanted to establish elsewhere on the Island. That’s why we opened up in Nanaimo and Campbell River. Also, Victoria is getting more expensive. So, people from Victoria, they want to move to Nanaimo, some to Campbell River. It’s beautiful up there. A great community, full of parks, wonderful places. Less population there. It’s a quiet place and cheaper, too.

You’re also well known for your terrific , funny TV ads.

In my business, there are so many big ones, like The Brick or Leon’s. To compete with them, I learned you have to do something different. Then you can survive. So, I started doing a different kind of advertisement. Those ads we made were my own idea and I explained to CHEK-TV, I wanted movie stories in 60 seconds. They helped me. And they were so popular. I’m going to start it again … Some of them are internationally popular. We get lots of comments. “Your ads are funny; your ads are good.” People like them.

No one has come after you for parodying them?

They have. We’ve had a few problems. The Price is Right challenged one, we got letters from them. But we changed them and they said OK.

You’re in your late 70s now. Any notion of slowing down?

I want to keep in touch. I’m not working full time. I’m in for a couple of hours this morning, but I can take time off. I don’t have too many hobbies. I don’t have golfing; I don’t have fishing. But still I have a couple of hours in a day to come here and spend time, meet everybody. Some customers 20, 25 years ago, they bought a sofa and they want to tell me stories, talk about the old times. It makes me happy. That’s how I pass my day.

You have three granddaughters. Is grandfathering harder or easier than being a dad?

They think their grandfather is funny and easy. I’m pretty easy with them. I want to enjoy the time with them. They’re good, we always have fun. I take them across the street for ice cream and they can eat a hamburger if they want. They feel more

“This is a wonderful country. If you help somebody, people recognize it.”

freedom with their grandfather. We’re enjoying it. They’re 12, 10 and eight. What is your favourite thing about your life?

So far, my favourite thing is to come to my business and check what’s going on. I go to Nanaimo, I go to Campbell River every once in a while, and check there. And playing with the grandkids, that gives me happiness. When I go to India, I do some work over there. My village, the people are poor, so giving, I work helping the school, helping the kids. Like every year before winter, I buy them uniforms, shoes. When school opens, I buy them backpacks. Helping them over there, that gives me happiness.

Succession plan?

I will stay in touch with my community work and the business, that’s my son. How would you summarize your success?

I just want to add that it’s a wonderful country. I am here where if you do anything good, if you help somebody, people recognize it. Other countries, it doesn’t matter what you do, people don’t care. The mentality is different. Here, there’s a chance to do anything. We’re pretty lucky! •

DODD 2.0

Gordy Dodd’s son and scion, Love Dodd, has been working in the business for some 27 years “… since I was 18.”

It couldn’t have been easy growing up the son of Gordy Dodd in Victoria. Love says it was tough when he was in elementary school; he “kind of got picked on.” But as he got older, people loved the commercials (Love is in many of the ads), thought they were funny and that actually helped him “gain more popularity at school.”

Did he ever have a moment wanting to do something else?

“There might have been a bit of a rebellious time where I thought: It’s a bit slow, is it a business I really want to get into? But when I started to get into it, I fell in love with it. People need a couch. And then the relationships you build with them. That’s one of my favourite things,” says Love.

Gordy is leaving him with “big shoes to fill,” Love allows. “I want to continue on with the philanthropy work, whatever we can do to help the community, make it a place that’s good for everybody.”

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DRIVEWISE

In the sprawling landscape of driver education, one name has remained steadfast as a pioneer of innovation and excellence: Kate Harris, the driving force behind DriveWise BC. With almost half a century of experience, DriveWise BC has consistently equipped new drivers with not only the necessary skills to pass their tests but also the knowledge and confidence required to navigate the ever-evolving complexities of modern roads in British Columbia.

Kate Harris’s vision extends far beyond her own driving school. Her latest venture, the Affiliate Driving School initiative, embodies her unwavering commitment to expanding road safety education throughout British Columbia. By forming strategic partnerships with other driving schools in the region, Kate aims to extend the reach of DriveWise BC’s proven programs to a wider audience.

Kate Harris explains, “There are so many driving schools out there since COVID-19.

This way, we can partner with schools that meet our expectations and share our programs all over BC! This concept also helps prepare the often smaller schools on our innovative programs we have created over the 48 years we have been in business.”

The Affiliate Driving School initiative not only promotes collaboration among likeminded educators but also ensures that new drivers across the province receive top-tier training and preparation for the road ahead.

DriveWise BC’s commitment to innovation doesn’t stop there. They have recently earned recognition as one of the first driving schools in B.C. to be licensed by ICBC for e-learning in their full driving program. Through platforms like Zoom, they can now educate new drivers anywhere in B.C. The classroom portion of the program is conducted online with DriveWise instructors, while accredited DriveWise driving instructors in various locations handle the in-vehicle training.

With an expanding team of instructors and accredited affiliates, DriveWise BC

is upgrading its technology to meet the growing demand for comprehensive driver training across the province.

Kate Harris’s overarching goal is to increase the percentage of young people taking driver training across British Columbia. She believes in empowering new drivers to feel confident and skilled behind the wheel by making it more relevant, accessible, and convenient. “Each student that feels empowered to drive safely is a win for our team and a great thing for road safety in British Columbia,” she states.

In a world of constant change, DriveWise BC and Kate Harris continue to lead the way, revolutionizing driver education and ensuring a safer future on the roads of British Columbia.

COAST LEADING THE CHARGE

One local organization is equipping B.C.’s ocean innovators to take on the $3 trillion global blue economy. Spearheaded in 2021 by the South Island Prosperity Partnership, COAST (the Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies) supports its members to start-up, scale and adopt sustainable ocean innovation for national and international markets.

Within the broader ocean economy, the blue economy sector works to conserve marine environments, seeking sustainable ways to utilize its resources while protecting its biodiversity. It attracts industry and innovators who are finding solutions to key challenges facing our oceans today, often engaging new technologies and new products.

B.C. is on the leading edge of research and commercial development of ocean technology, generating more oceantech startups in 2022 than any other province in Canada. Its confluence of world-class ports,

research institutions, robust investment and entrepreneurial ecosystem mean the sector is ripe for massive growth over the next decade.

As Pacific Canada’s hub for the sustainable blue economy, COAST is well positioned to accelerate that momentum.

“Our ocean and marine industries are a vital component of our economic and social prosperity and we’re seeing an increasing number of innovators and entrepreneurs working to better our use and interactions with the ocean,” says Executive Director Jason Goldsworthy. “COAST supports these enterprises on their path to market, helping find solutions to key industry challenges, attracting talent, capital and partnerships, identifying and providing training opportunities and connecting an ecosystem of private and public organizations.”

Earlier this year COAST announced a $2 million funding investment from the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation’s Clean Energy

Fund and $3 million from the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan) and began building out its team, membership and programs.

“As we develop Pacific Canada’s hub for the sustainable blue economy, we’re bringing innovative solutions, progressive industries and inspirational entrepreneurs together to nurture a sector that’s not only well positioned for growth, it’s also an important contributor to a sustainable future,” says Goldsworthy. “We encourage ocean and marine businesses in B.C. to get in touch with us to explore ways to work together.”

COAST Executive Director Jason Goldsworthy

UPLIFT WOMEN’S BUSINESS SUMMIT

Envision networking with 800 dynamic women, with British Columbia’s serene beauty as your backdrop. Victoria BC Conference Centre, in Victoria’s heart, hosts the UPLIFT Women’s Business Summit. Scheduled for November 14th and 15th, the venue merges contemporary elegance with toptier facilities, creating an environment for innovation and dialogue. Attendees will engage in workshops led by compassionate thought leaders and be empowered with tools and knowledge to elevate both personally and professionally.

Keynote speaker Jamie Kern Lima embodies the essence of UPLIFT. A self-made billionaire entrepreneur, Jamie’s inspiring journey resonates with every dreamer who has ever dared to pursue a vision with passion and perseverance. Her story is not just a tale of business success; it’s a love letter to every woman who has ever believed in herself, even when the world doubted her. Jamie’s trajectory is inspiration personified.

UPLIFT is more than an event; it’s a heartfelt gathering. The very soul of UPLIFT

lies in understanding the silent struggles many women face as they navigate the challenging terrains of their professional lives, battling personal demons like imposter syndrome and self-doubt. Our “Sticky” approach ensures everyone is heard and involved, able to connect and learn, and leave with lasting, positive change.

Discover UPLIFT’s Pathways:

• Mental Health: Find strength in vulnerability. Uncover ways to navigate life’s stresses and business challenges.

• Leadership: Embrace genuine leadership. Lead with heart and unwavering belief in yourself.

• Technology: Journey through the digital age. Streamline, boost efficiency and stay updated with tech trends.

• Financial Literacy: Secure your future. Dive into wise financial choices and growth opportunities.

• Wellness: Embrace total well-being. Harmonize work and life, fostering habits that nurture success.

• Equity and Inclusion: Celebrate every

voice. Advocate for an inclusive workspace, honouring everyone’s unique story.

UPLIFT also extends beyond presentations. In collaboration with Mamas for Mamas, we pledge 1% of the summit’s revenue, emphasizing our commitment to uplift beyond business, reaching out to mothers and caregivers in need.

Victoria’s charm and the conference centre’s advanced setup enhance our summit’s essence. Together, we craft narratives where women lead, innovate and redefine. UPLIFT isn’t just a platform — it’s your launchpad. Secure your spot at upliftwomensummit.com. Join a brigade reshaping industries. Dive in, rise and let Victoria’s allure inspire at UPLIFT 2023!

MAYFAIR OPTOMETRIC CLINIC

Live your life with happy eyes

Mayfair Optometric Clinic has been proudly serving the greater Victoria area for over 25 years, and Dr. Stephen Taylor has been seeing Victoria patients for almost 30 years. Born and raised in Victoria, he is a graduate of Oak Bay High School.

In 1986, Dr Taylor graduated from Pacific University in Oregon. He is licensed to practice optometry in British Columbia and Washington. Dr. Taylor attends seminars throughout the year to remain current in advancements in his profession. He participates in close to sixty hours per year in continuing education. In his spare time, he loves to support his favourite teams the Victoria Royals, Victoria Harbour Cats and the Seattle Seahawks.

Mayfair Optometric Clinic is welcoming new and past patients for routine eye care, glasses, and contact lenses. 9am to 5pm, six days a week by appointment.

VICTORIA HOSPITALS FOUNDATION

Supporting Royal Jubilee, Victoria General and Gorge Road hospitals

With community support, the Victoria Hospitals Foundation (VHF) enables donations to every area of care at Royal Jubilee (RJH), Victoria General (VGH) and Gorge Road hospitals. Every year, donors to VHF generously fund equipment, healthcare research, caregiver education and recognition initiatives for care teams. An outstanding 40% of the equipment at RJH and VGH is donor-funded.

VHF is launching its latest campaign, Imaging is Power, to replace and upgrade 3 MRI machines, 2 CT Scanners and one C-Arm at RJH and VGH. Join the Foundation to help power the next decade of scans in our referral hospitals!

DOWNTOWN’S

DOWNTOWN’S DILEMMA

the city core. It was a sharp departure for a progressive community that had traditionally taken a hands-off approach to homelessness.

When a growing number of downtown Victoria’s marginalized residents began rummaging through the back alley dumpster Michael Rodgers shares with his Fort Street neighbours, his first impulse was compassion over fear. But the risk of a fire from a carelessly discarded cigarette was always in the back of his mind. When a blaze finally broke out earlier this year, it was a nail-biter.

“There was a container of kitchen grease right next to the dumpster. If that had caught [fire], businesses could have been lost,” says Rodgers, who owns The Papery and has worked downtown for 27 years.

It was a close call that also served as a powerful metaphor. To say that the downtown core is a dumpster fire of social problems might be too strong, but some people think it’s not that far off. Many business owners fear the plight of addiction, homelessness, mental illness and poverty on city streets is beginning to spiral out of control. Add to that the lingering fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that provincial government workers haven’t returned in their former sidewalk-filling numbers, and it’s safe to say that small, bricks-andmortar businesses have seen happier days.

Now, as more and more of them consider closing up shop and abandoning downtown, a growing number of players — from law enforcement, social agencies, civic organizations and all levels of government — are floating solutions and committing funds to this complex problem. But will any of these solutions work? Will they be enough? And most importantly, perhaps, will they be in time?

The city’s small businesses are caught between the all-too-obvious street disorder and the people tasked with solving it, and

they are quickly running out of patience. As Keith Johnson, co-owner of Oh Sugar on Johnson Street, says, “I think we have five, maybe 10 years to save downtown.”

Symbols of Urban Decay

Victoria’s downtown is unique, its walkable streets lined with colourful heritage buildings and small, locally owned businesses that charm visitors and locals alike. But when it comes to the problems plaguing downtown, Victoria isn’t unique at all, and doesn’t have to look far to see what a dystopic future could look like.

Portland, Oregon, was once a destination city renowned for its craft breweries, bikefriendly streets, independent businesses

Portland perfectly encapsulates what the School of Cities at the University of Toronto has identified as the major factors in downtowns struggling to recover from the pandemic. In its ongoing “Downtown Recovery” study, the school is following the progress of 62 major cities in the U.S. and Canada in the wake of the pandemic, tracking downtown vitality via three key indicators: office vacancy rates, public transportation ridership and retail spending.

The slowest to recover is San Francisco, whose downtown vitality in July was only at 32 per cent of what it had been in 2019. Portland (37 per cent), Seattle and Vancouver (tied at 46 per cent) are not doing much better. All have a higher share of factors that encourage remote work, specifically, employment in knowledgebased industries and/or more highly paid workers, as well as a shortage of affordable housing.

Add the mild weather, largely progressive attitudes and ongoing problems surrounding substance abuse, and they also sound a lot like Victoria.

Little wonder, then, that at the Downtown Victoria Business Association’s June 15 AGM at the Hotel Grand Pacific, homelessness, addiction, parking and negative perceptions about downtown dominated discussion.

and funky hotels. Today it’s a sad symbol of urban decay that has this city of 619,000 grappling over how to deal with crime and the more than 5,000 people estimated to be living on the streets.

“Homeless camps represent nothing short of a humanitarian catastrophe. As a result, our community continues to suffer substantial public health, safety and livability concerns,” Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said in an official statement in May, just before his city council approved a policy outlawing makeshift camps in

“We market from Sooke to Sidney to tell people that we are one of the most walkable cities in the world and visitors love to come here. We have to remind people of that,” says Jeff Bray, the DVBA’s CEO, even as he watched two men “obviously high on drugs” from his DVBA office on Centennial Square.

Bray hopes the provincial government will make good on promises it has made to provide complex-care beds so people with serious mental health and addiction issues can get the help they need. He also wants to see the courts get tougher on repeat offenders.

Victoria businesses are surrounded by street disorder. The problems are obvious to everyone. What’s not so clear is how to fix them — and who will do it.

BY ANDREW FINDLAY

“We market from Sooke to Sidney to tell people that we are one of the most walkable cities in the world and visitors love to come here.”

— Jeff Bray, DVBA’s CEO

Michael Rodgers of The Papery has no plans to leave downtown, but suffers from “compassion fatigue.”

Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto says she feels a responsibility to do what she can to change the heartbreaking situation of people struggling on downtown streets. But it’s not all that easy.

“It’s like a huge puzzle that requires many partnerships. If we had a magic wand that we could wave and build all the housing and get people all the care they need, then we would have already done it,” she says. “We’re talking about people who are residents of our city, many with very complex issues.”

Meanwhile, time and patience are quickly running out. As Julian Daly, the CEO of Our Place Society, points out, “A lot of people forget that 10,000 people live downtown. Frankly, the DVBA has some members with leases coming up for renewal and they are taking a serious look and wondering if it’s time to retire.”

Compassion Fatigue

At The Papery and other downtown businesses, cleaning up discarded needles and trash from people sleeping in foyers has become a morning ritual. Petty theft is increasingly brazen. Employee security is another concern. Add to that the growing perception among some shoppers that downtown is no longer safe — or worth the hassle of finding ever-more-expensive parking.

“I see it every day when I ride my bike or walk to work. To have this kind of poverty, addiction and mental illness in a country as wealthy as ours is crazy,” Rodgers says. “My fear is that things are going to get worse before they get better.”

Still, he has no plans to leave. Johnson, who co-owns Oh Sugar with his wife Jenn Douglas, isn’t so sure. He remembers hanging out downtown with his friends as a kid growing up in Victoria. “It was fun and vibrant and it was safe,” he says. But these days he’s not sure he’d tell anyone to send their kids downtown for an afternoon.

Recently, he says, a couple of guys entered Oh Sugar, looked him straight in the eye and said, “We’re not going to rob you because we like you.” He blames a lack of a coherent plan and resources to address addiction and mental illness,

coupled with a judicial system that’s weak on repeat offenders.

“We were told by the previous mayor that we all need compassion, but a lot of people are running out of compassion,” he says. “I talk to a lot of other business owners trying to put food on the table and fatigue is setting in.”

Compassion may be running thin, but

it’s not gone. Tessa McLoughlin, founder of the membership-based, co-working business KWENCH, has a deep affection for downtown, but shares some of the growing concerns. On a late June morning, she had to clean up human feces from the outdoor patio of her Store Street business.

“I come from a place of compassion. We have a philosophy that if someone comes

“If we had a magic wand that we could wave and build all the housing and get people all the care they need, then we would have already done it.”

— Marianne Alto, Victoria mayor

Julian Daly, CEO of Our Place Society, says it helps some 1,000 people in need each day, providing wellness services, housing support and hot meals.

JEFFREY BOSDET/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

off the street and says they need the toilet, we allow them,” McLoughlin says. “The thought that there are people on the street that have no place to go to the bathroom is heartbreaking to me.”

KWENCH is on the periphery of downtown and for the most part insulated from its associated social problems — insulated, but not immune. McLoughlin says she’s watched the situation on Pandora Street four blocks to the south deteriorate over the last six months to the point that she routinely sees people openly shooting up whenever she walks down the street.

“I don’t have an answer, but we know that most of these people are coming from a place of trauma and abandonment,” McLoughlin says.

Health and Housing

In August, Victoria City Council endorsed Alto’s motion to create a community safety and well-being plan. Council has tasked a 10-member panel, which includes Fort Properties CEO Suzanne Bradbury, Victoria Fire Department Chief Daniel Atkinson, Songhees artist Brianna Bear, Our Place Society’s Daly and Jonny Morris, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s

POSITIVE ACTIONS

In 1998, Canadian cities declared homelessness a natural disaster. Twentyfive years and a full-blown pandemic later, the problem is worse than ever in many cities, including Victoria. Here are three places around the world that have made positive strides, however tentative.

 Medicine Hat: In 2021, this small Alberta city became the first in Canada to “functionally end” chronic homelessness. Advocates credit the city’s housing-first approach, in which the city has created rapport with landlords and initiated a number of reforms, including replacing one-size-fits-all programs with specific services designed to meet vulnerable individuals’ needs. However, despite these efforts, officials have begun to see a stubborn resergence in homelessness and at least two homeless encampments.

 Montana: An influx of well-heeled incomers starting in early 2020 nearly doubled housing prices overnight, creating a shortage so bad that full-time workers in cities like Bozeman are living in homeless shelters. In response, the state recently passed a massive bill — with rare bipartisan support — authorizing US $225 million in housing spending.

B.C. Division, to guide the development of a plan by October 2024.

Alto likens the effort to a “reimagination of community safety and well-being.” She expects the plan to include actions that the city can take directly, for example, building on initiatives like the $1-million downtown revitalization program currently underway and supporting bylaw enforcement teams in their interactions

The government also passed an array of regulatory reform measures to accelerate home construction by making it easier to build new homes, as well as a bill that earmarks US $175 million for housing initiatives and an extra US $50 million for low-interest loans to developers who build rent-restricted apartments.

 Helsinki, Finland: In 1986, more than 18,000 homeless people were living on the streets of Helsinki; by 2017, the number had dropped to around 6,600 and in 2022, none. Under the country’s revolutionary Housing First plan, access to housing is unconditional, which means the unhoused don’t have to jump through hoops, such as promising to avoid drugs or alcohol, to qualify for a roof over their heads. Government agencies and NGOs created 3,500 new permanent homes and hired 300 support workers to support the program. And while the initial cost was steep — some 250 million euros — the government now says it saves more than 15,000 euros per year in emergency health care, social services and the justice system for every person in properly supported housing. The program is so successful that France, Australia and the U.K. are looking into similar models.

“We were told by the previous mayor that we all need compassion, but a lot of people are running out of compassion [...] I talk to a lot of other business owners trying to put food on the table and fatigue is setting in.”

— Keith Johnson, co-owner, Oh Sugar

with unhoused people seeking overnight shelter in city parks.

Just as important, says Alto, will be short-term interventions to address crime and public disorder and finding ways for the City to support the provincial government’s delivery of much-needed housing and mental health and addiction treatment services.

In its 2023 budget, released in March, Premier David Eby’s government

committed more than $1 billion over the next three years for mental health and addiction treatment. As part of this funding, the Province is investing $586 million into the health-care system, including the creation of 195 treatment and recovery beds throughout B.C.

Using the Red Fish Healing Centre in Coquitlam as a model for supporting people with “concurrent mental-health and addiction” challenges, the Province says it

In a random act of vandalism, the window of Jennifer Robinson’s Adventure Clothing on Yates Street was smashed. She commissioned local artist Meaghan Crow to paint the boarded-up window, turning a setback into a positive message.

— Jennifer Robinson, owner of Adventure Clothing

will expand to other locations in B.C. This effort can’t happen soon enough, says Daly.

On any given day, Our Place Society helps approximately 1,000 people in need, providing wellness services, supportive housing (in association with BC Housing and other partners) and hot meals at its Pandora Street community centre.

“The downtown business community has been very supportive of us and I totally understand the frustration,” Daly says.

He says the challenges facing downtown are serious, but not insurmountable. Daly has a four-point prescription for what he calls “compassion coupled with action.”

Foremost, he says, is having a dialogue with people to find out what it will take to get them off the streets. Second is providing a range of housing options. Third is access to treatment for addiction and mental illness, which at times might require enforcing involuntary treatment, a view he says is divisive in the non-profit community and particularly unpopular among what he calls the “harm-reduction fundamentalists.” “Yes, safe supply is important to keep people alive, but it has to be coupled with treatment,” he says.

Finally, Daly says, repeat offenders who target downtown businesses and prey on the vulnerable need to be incarcerated. “We need to support the judiciary. I’m talking about bad operators who are dangerous to people on the streets — the ones that small businesses are talking about,” he says.

Given recent provincial government announcements, he’s hopeful. Earlier this year, Mike Farnworth, B.C.’s minister of public safety and solicitor general, announced the formation of 12 regional law enforcement hubs targeting repeat violent offenders.

“I’d welcome a bigger discussion around the root causes of addiction and more trauma-focused counselling,” Daly says, adding that he also fears things will get worse before they get better.

“But I don’t think we’ll ever become Portland or San Francisco. In Victoria, we’re really talking about 150 or so people who are chronically homeless. Frankly, it will be an embarrassment if we can’t deal with this as a society.”

Hope for the Future

Early in the morning of January 19, Jennifer Robinson, owner of Adventure Clothing, got an alarm notification that there had

been a break-in at her shop on Yates Street. She raced down to find one of the big storefront windows smashed. It was a random act of vandalism and nothing was stolen. Still, for Robinson it felt like a gut punch. When she learned the hole would be boarded up for a month, she was inspired to transform the plywood into an artist’s canvas.

One of her employees told her about Meaghan Crow, and she was immediately drawn to the Victoria visual artist’s whimsical, surrealistic paintings. Robinson approached Crow to ask if she’d be interested in taking on an unconventional

commission.

“She thought it was a great idea,” Robinson says. “It felt good to turn this into something positive.”

Staying positive is the mantra of all small business owners in downtown Victoria. Yes, there are problems and it can be crushing to see people struggling with mental illness and addiction, living rough on the streets. However, Robinson believes it’s not all bad.

“I think there’s a gap between perception and reality,” she says. “Downtown is near and dear to my heart, and we still have a beautiful city.” •

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“Downtown is near and dear to my heart and we still have a beautiful city.”

10 NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN! 10 to Watch Awards

Nominate Vancouver Island’s best new businesses.

Now in its 15th year, this prestigious award provides the publicity and “rocket fuel” that startups (three years old or less) need in those critical early years of enterprise. Nominate your own business or a business you think is worth watching.

What are the benefits of being a 10 to Watch winner?

 The credibility of winning a highly respected award

 You will be interviewed, professionally photographed and featured in the April/ May issue of Douglas magazine

 Positive exposure to 120,000-plus Douglas magazine readers

 Exclusive networking opportunities with other 10 to Watch winners and local prominent business leaders

Nominations open until Nov 10, 2023

Presenting Sponsor

Blue Grouse in Duncan is one of several Island wineries that offer group tours and tasting. JACQUELINE DOWNEY

5 TRENDS That Are Changing the Face of Event Planning

Meetings don’t look the way they used to. Today, businesses and meeting planners alike are racing to adapt to trends that make conferences and events more engaging and dynamic than ever before. While the shifts are plentiful, there are five trends that stand out:

1. Millennials are the decision makers now — and Gen Z is not far behind. In 2016, millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) became the largest segment of the Canadian labour force. Because of that, they’re also now the largest pool of potential meeting attendees, and successful events have to cater to them. Meanwhile, Gen Z (1987 to 2012) brings even higher expectations.

So what does that mean for modern conference attendees? Everything has become more competitive in the last 10 years — and as a result, events have become a professional development pipeline, especially for younger workers.

That makes networking the most important part of any conference. But a successful event should also cater to a growing number of attendees who:

 Value experiences over material goods;

 Want to share those experiences via social media;

 Have high technological literacy;

 Are much more likely to travel than in the past.

As their screen time increases, workers place increasing value on face-to-face interaction.

2. Attendees want more control over the agenda.

Gone are the days where speaker after speaker shuffles on stage while attendees

remain seated.

Today, personalization is key. Attendees want fluid agendas with many options that appeal to different interests. In many cases, this means “crowdsourcing the agenda,” sometimes even in real time to present a personalized experience.

Letting attendees choose their path links them to the content at hand, whether it’s technology or real estate. When they can choose topics that excite them, there’s more energy and increased engagement.

However, this shouldn’t just apply to content. Food, activities and even breakout sessions should give attendees an element of choice.

3. Meetings should be “purposeful” experiences.

The new generation of meeting attendees don’t want to be ushered into a ballroom to sit and listen. Today, the industry trend includes fresh event concepts and meetings with meaning, innovation and insight.

Just as important, attendees are looking for well-being, that elusive work/life balance and a connection to the world at large. In short, today’s attendees want meetings to have a purpose.

These “purposeful meetings” are a large part of why most event planners say that their jobs involve more experience creation than they did five years ago. As reported in Janet Sperstad’s white paper, “Purposeful Meetings,” the concept of “meetings with purpose” has become the focus of the events industry.

Trapeze chairs, a speakeasy, smoothie shots, Cirque du Soleil performances … Montreal’s C2 Conference is the benchmark for creative meetings. The list of attractions sounds more like a festival than a networking event. But make no mistake, intensive networking between creative

types is there, in the form of more than 3,000 face-to-face meetings.

Stunts aside, C2’s innovative approach brings professionals together in an event that offers engagement and interaction around every corner. In fact, attendees had 11 different ways to spend every single hour of the event.

Fittingly, the theme of the event was “transformative collisions.” Sometimes, that meant a face-to-face meeting in a private room, other times it was an unexpected encounter with a ninja. C2 more than lived

Today’s conference attendees are demanding purposeful experiences.

The new generation of meeting attendees don’t want to be ushered into a ballroom to sit and listen.

up to the theme, providing exceptional networking spaces and technology along with a heaping helping of the unexpected.

4. Technology helps planners pull off more than ever before.

Meeting and event planners are expected to design more complex, innovative experiences than ever before. Meanwhile, according to the Amex Global Meetings and Events Forecast, the number of meetings has only grown 5.4 per cent since 2009, but the total number of attendees has grown by 22.7 per cent.

Put simply, meetings aren’t just more complex. They’re also just plain bigger. So what’s a planner to do? Technology is the answer, and is evolving as fast as the industry itself. In fact, studies show using event technology can:

 Decrease cost by 30 per cent.

 Increase planners’ productivity by 27 per cent.

 Increase attendance by 20 per cent.

Popular programs include Eventbrite, Slack and Whova. These technologies help event teams to market better, manage guests more efficiently, map out their events

in detail, engage with the audience in realtime, track return on investment and more.

5. Where you meet matters.

The meeting industry has realized, at long last, that a destination is more than just geography. It’s a quintessential piece of the puzzle that defines meeting success.

Christine Shimo Shimasaki, of consulting company 2Synergize, sums it up: “The city serves as the backdrop for the content. It’s like designing the stage. What kind of feel do you want that stage to have when your attendees come out?”

Essentially, a purposeful meeting isn’t complete without a destination that reinforces that purpose. And today’s travel-happy conference attendees aren’t just looking for business they’re in for a side of leisure, a.k.a. “bleisure.” So they’re consciously blending the two when they travel to conferences and trade shows.

New research from the Experience Institute shows that 78 per cent of attendees indicate destination is a top driver in the decision to attend. It’s also the fifth-largest barrier to attendance, coming in behind only time- and cost-related concerns.

Ultimately, attendees want to travel for

professional purposes, but also feel like they’re on vacation. That desire drives demand for more appealing destinations and authentic experiences in the host cities.

One trend is that smaller cities like Victoria are becoming more attractive to meeting planners. In the past, first-tier cities like Vancouver and Toronto were planners’ first choice.

Today, there’s nothing “second tier” about Greater Victoria. In fact, it offers what experience-hungry attendees crave: convenience, knowledge economies, authentic culture and (just as important) cheaper prices.

Events will never be the same.

At the end of the day, these meeting industry trends are redefining what it means to design and execute successful events. Planners are being pushed to create bigger, richer, more engaging experiences than ever before. Meanwhile, technology is enabling them to actually pull it off.

While it’s tough to say where the meeting and events industry will be in five years, at this pace one thing’s certain: Being a part of the industry is as interesting and exciting as it’s ever been. •

Meetings that get people talking.

You come here to connect and to inspire. Inn at Laurel Point offers one-of-a-kind meeting spaces that enhance team communication. With bright, open view rooms and connected break areas, our spaces facilitate productivity and relaxation at the same time - and don't get us started on our homemade pastries. Plan to get them talking, today.

The Fairfield Up to

Talk Like TED

The hugely popular TEDx series provides inspiring examples of public speaking on topics as diverse as artificial intelligence and Buddhism. Effective speaking can captivate an audience with new ideas, inspire them and even influence their opinions. According to author and communications coach Carmine Gallo, the key to becoming a good public speaker means speaking with passion, incorporating a memorable moment and presenting something new to your audience. Harking back to Aristotle, Gallo says the perfect talk consists of 65 per cent pathos (an emotional connection with the audience), 25 per cent logos (data and facts) and 10 per cent ethos (your credibility as an expert on the topic).

If you’ve even watched a single TED Talk you probably know how addictive they are. Here is some practical advice based on the more than 3,000 events they host each year.

Experts say that the ideal presentation is 15 to 20 minutes long. TED has an 18-minute rule established by its creators to encourage speakers to condense their message and keep listeners engaged. What is the best structure for a talk or presentation? There’s no single format, says TED, but here’s one structure that they’ve found to work particularly well:

 Start by making your audience care, using a relatable example or an intriguing idea.

 Explain your idea clearly and with conviction.

 Describe your evidence and how and why your idea could be implemented.

 End by addressing how your idea could affect your audience if they were to accept it.

Like a good magazine article, an idea can be new or surprising, or challenge a belief your audience already has. Or it can be a great basic idea with a compelling new argument behind it. An idea isn’t just a story or a list of facts. A good idea takes evidence and observations and draws a larger conclusion.

You don’t need to be the world’s foremost expert on the topic, but you do need to be an expert. Remember that the audience relies on you to give accurate information, so whatever you say in your talk, factcheck it — especially facts you may take for granted: statistics, historical anecdotes, scientific stats. If you're drawing an example from a discipline that is not your main area of knowledge, use research from widely accepted and peer-reviewed sources and, if at all possible, consult with experts directly.

The primary goal of your talk is to communicate an idea effectively. Sometimes this means telling a story or evoking emotions, as Jim Hayhurst writes on page 67, “We Speak, Therefore We Are.”

A strong introduction is crucial. Draw in your audience members with something they care about. If it’s a topic the audience is familiar with, start with a clear statement of what the idea is. If it’s a field they never think about, start off by invoking something they do think about a lot and relate that concept to your idea. If the idea is something fun, but not something the audience would ever think about, open with a surprising and cool fact or declaration of relevance (not a statistic). If it’s a heavy topic, find an understated and frank way to get off the ground; don’t force people to feel emotional.

Should you use slides? Slides can be helpful for the audience, but they are by no means necessary or relevant to every talk. Ask yourself: Would my slides help clarify information for the audience, or would they distract and confuse them? When it comes to the ubiquitous PowerPoint presentation, use as little text as possible. If your audience is reading, they’re not listening. Avoid using bullet points. Consider putting different points on different slides. The most important rule: Keep it simple.

Shorter talks are not lesser talks. It may only take five minutes to make your point unforgettable. Browse through TED’s extensive library of videos and podcasts for examples; many are short and sweet.

Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! The experts

at TED can’t stress this enough. Rehearse until you’re completely comfortable in front of other people: different groups of people, people you love, people you fear, small groups, large groups, peers, people who aren’t experts in your field. Listen to the criticisms and rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. If someone says you sound “overrehearsed,” this actually means you sound stilted and unnatural. Keep rehearsing, and focus on talking like you’re speaking to just one person in a spontaneous, one-way conversation

Inhale. Exhale. Do it like you practised. Finally, savour the glory. Congrats, you’re done! Bask in the praise you get over how you seemed so relaxed and spontaneous. •

Whether in the boardroom or at a conference podium, being a strong speaker is a powerful business tool.

It may only take five minutes to make your point unforgettable.

Inspiration Awaits

Sidney is a meeting planner’s dream. It offers multiple options for meetings and conferences of almost any size. Located next to the the beautiful Salish Sea, Sidney venues have been shown to increase attendance, inspire participants, and make event planners look like superstars.

FEATURES OF THE MARY WINSPEAR CENTRE

 The Charlie White Theatre (seats 310) is known as one of the premier community performance theatres in the province

 8,100-sq.-ft. Bodine Hall, (seats 900), complete with an 18-ft. vaulted ceiling and wood beams, performance stage, drop screen, lighting, and sound system

 5,000-sq.-ft. outdoor courtyard, large commercial kitchen

 Intimate executive style boardroom

 2,000-sq.-ft. gallery space perfect for exhibitions and receptions 4 breakout rooms offering natural lighting, 9-ft. ceilings, attractive flooring, accent walls, and wet bars

 Catering services available on-site, off-site catering also permitted

SIDNEY OFF-SITE VENUES, ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES

 Over 300 hotel rooms in Sidney

 Victoria Distillers, located along Sidney’s waterfront. Home of world-renowned Empress Gin.

 Aquarium available for private dinners and cocktail receptions amongst the displays

 Outdoor activities including whale watching, fishing, kayaking, and standup paddle boarding

 Over 350 unique shops and services

HELLO@SIDNEYBIA.CA | EXPLORESIDNEY.CA

LET NATURAL WONDER DRIVE BUSINESS PROGRESS

Host your next meeting where natural spaces spark meaningful connections.

What if you could find a meeting place that truly changed perspectives and unleashed creativity? Only 15 minutes from downtown Victoria, Langford offers over 300 hotel rooms, intimate venues for smaller groups, luxury ballrooms for 750 and over 20 meeting and conference spaces. What really sets Langford apart is the thousands of acres of outdoor meeting spaces which offer creative options for natural and inspirational team building activities. Business is changing, so should your approach to meetings and conferences. There’s nothing usual about us.

PLAN YOUR MEETING TODAY

Our team is available to assist with your upcoming meeting, conference, or event:

Sample itineraries

Familiarization tour coordination

Delegate package information

On-site visitor services. And more!

SPACE TO DRIVE BUSINESS IDEAS

With conference and meeting facilities that can accommodate receptions of up to 500 people, the Four Points by Sheraton Victoria Gateway offers everything you need to make your event a success.

Enjoy stylish event spaces, including a 5,113 square foot ballroom and two boardroom-style meeting rooms, as well as on-site audio-visual equipment, Wi-Fi access, and a business centre. At the Four Points by Sheraton Victoria Gateway, a dedicated team of event planners will work with you to create a tailored event that meets your specific needs and requirements. Further, enjoy on-site catering services featuring locally sourced ingredients or dine at the popular Metropolitan Bar + Grill.

START PLANNING TODAY:

829 McCallum Rd, Langford, BC | 250-391-5069 26387-halfpage

WHERE BUSINESS & ADVENTURE MEET

The recently renovated Westin Bear Mountain Resort & Spa is a premier venue, offering unparalleled meeting facilities.

This one-of-a-kind venue features over 5,000 square feet of event space, including boardrooms, meeting rooms with a view, and a ballroom that can accommodate banquets up to 300 and receptions of 750. All meeting rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including advanced lighting, AV, and staging capabilities (Ballroom), ensuring a seamless experience. The Westin Bear Mountain Resort & Spa offers a knowledgeable Sales team who are client-focused and dedicated to making your event a success.

START PLANNING TODAY:

1999 Country Club Way, Langford, BC | 250-391-7160

Highlights:

Versatile event spaces for up to 500 people

On-site catering

Dedicated event planning team

Highlights:

Largest 4K LG Video wall in North America – located in the Ballroom

Fully retractable windows and roof wall in Callisto Casual Dining

Sommelier on site; wine cellar (seats 20); Private Wine Den (seats 20)

HOB Fine Foods Event Space

Catering | Events | Cooking Classes

In the heart of Langford, our venue is the perfect space for product launches, social gatherings, intimate weddings, and special events.

The space can accommodate cooking demonstrations for up to 12 guests, long table dinners for up to 40 guests, and cocktail style receptions for up to 50 guests.

Solo Suites

Specializing in both short- and long-term stays, SoLo Suites, built in 2018, provides condominium style accommodation and each of its 42 suites includes complimentary Wi-Fi, cable, parking, and air conditioning. The flexible check-in experience is one-of-a-kind: guests can book, pay, and receive access codes online without having to visit a check-in desk or speak to anyone. Conveniently located in the heart of Langford, SoLo Suites is close to dining, shopping, and plenty of outdoor recreational activities.

590 Goldstream Avenue, Langford (250) 882-7178 | admin@solosuites.ca | solosuites.ca

Fairways Hotel On The Mountain

Fairways Hotel on the Mountain is located along the first fairway of Bear Mountain’s rugged Mountain Course. Each of the 65 spacious guest rooms is furnished with a kitchenette or kitchen, private balcony offering stunning views, complimentary high-speed internet access and ultra-comfortable beds, so you’re guaranteed a restful night’s sleep. Tee off on the award-winning golf courses just steps from your door or take a short drive in to Langford to experience local dining, shops and more.

1376 Lynburne Place, Langford (778) 401-2020 | reservations@fairwayshotel.ca | fairwayshotel.ca

How to Create a Conference

Hosting a business event is a marathon, not a sprint. Here are 10 steps to get you to that finish line in one piece.

BY DEE McCURRY, EX ORDO

Organizing a successful event is all about milestones, resources and workload. You’ll need to budget enough time (and hands) to get everything done. And it’s always a good idea to leave some wiggle room around cost and deadlines.

1. Formulate your event strategy. Whether you’re organizing a one-off business conference or the 75th annual meeting of an esteemed association, the first step is to outline what you’re hoping to achieve. The events market is busy — and has gotten busier with the lifting of pandemic restrictions. And spending is way up as a growing number of organizations recognize the value that both physical and virtual events bring to their brand. Being clear from the start on what you hope to achieve will help differentiate your event from the thousands of others out there. Can you express what it is

your delegates want and need? Do you understand what motivates your audience? Do you have a unifying theme for the event?

What your audience wants is vital to the decision to go virtual, hybrid or physical. A modern-day event strategy is based on choosing a format and venue that best suits your audience. So, be sure to survey and analyze the needs of your conference delegates or association members.

2. Embrace technology.

Conference software isn’t an add-on. It should be as much a part of an event as choosing a date and venue. It removes tedious manual tasks, allows the team to work collaboratively and will save money in the long run.

But when you can’t inhabit the same room, how do you ensure the team can collaborate? Free software like Slack for project messaging and Skype for group

video chats can help prevent problems with communication from snowballing into thorny issues.

And when it comes to managing the 1,001 tasks involved in organizing a conference, software like Asana for project management and Trello for task management can move things forward.

Good-quality conference management software can collect and review submissions, build programs and register delegates. Most conference software will have a cost attached, and it may be significant. But it can’t be stressed enough how much time (and aggravation) it will save. Plus, you can often save money in the long run by not paying for printing.

Even if you’re planning a physical event, you should consider a platform that provides virtual conference software. Too many organizers have faced the panicked last-minute changes from physical to virtual events.

3. Delegate, delegate. There’s a vast amount of work involved in organizing an event, so don’t carry it all on your shoulders. Get an organizing committee on board early on.

If you have a small team, each person may be responsible for several areas. But if you’ve got a bigger team, you can assign individual responsibility for details like sponsorship, marketing and logistics. Also consider enrolling students as volunteers to help you on the day.

Look for enthusiastic, organized and driven team players. And to avoid death by committee, make sure everyone’s clear on who’s responsible for what.

If you’re not an events pro and it’s your first time organizing a conference, consider getting help from a professional (a.k.a. a PCO or conference manager). What happens if your keynote speaker pulls out the month before your conference? Or your AV supplier goes AWOL the week before? A professional conference organizer has seen it all and knows just what to do to keep things on track.

4. Think through your budget. The goal of a conference isn’t usually to turn a profit — but it’s not to take a loss either. So creating a detailed budget is a vital part of the planning process.

If your conference has taken place in previous years, get as much feedback as possible from last year’s event. Develop as clear a picture of income and expenditure as possible. Recognize that there can be a fair bit of guesswork involved and the budget will shift as conference planning progresses. Start conservative and scale as needed.

And don’t forget that registration fees aren’t the only source of income for the event. Create sponsorship opportunities and investigate if there is government or industry funding available. Just don’t lose sight of the importance of creating a positive experience for your delegates on the day. Don’t skimp on details.

One way to save money when searching for conference technology is to identify a solution that helps you save more money over time. A long-term licence with flexible pricing, like Ex Ordo, can help save money. It will also enable you to have predictable expenses for future events. That’s another stressful task ticked off the list.

5. (Carefully) choose your venue. The right venue needs to meet both your needs (enough rooms for parallel sessions) and the needs of your delegates (comfortable, accessible, welcoming). Lighting and acoustics are often

overlooked when choosing a venue, but they’ll have a huge impact on delegates’ experience, especially with a hybrid event. If possible, schedule your venue scouting when an event with a similar setup to yours is taking place to see the rooms in action. And as well as looking at the cost of a venue, look for hidden costs like charges for outside suppliers, parking, sponsors and even Wi-Fi. When it comes to the overall cost, talk through what is and isn’t open to discussion — and be prepared to negotiate. What incentives will the venue throw in? Discounted rates on delegate rooms? Complimentary accommodation for members of your organizing committee? Even small perks like an airport shuttle, free tea and coffee, or discounted packages to send to virtual attendees can add up to big savings.

your conference. If you’re organizing a conference for academics or researchers, it’s not the norm to pay professionals. But it’s appropriate to cover their travel and accommodation costs, and provide a small honorarium as a gesture of thanks. If you want to attract a high-profile speaker, you may need to offer a larger fee and perhaps cover their travel costs.

Another thing to keep in mind is diversity. You want the people who are speaking to truly represent your delegates. Maintain a balance, and have a Plan B in case a speaker has to cancel at the last minute.

8. Get your reviewers onboard. Some conference presentations need to go through a peer review process, which can be a delicate balancing act. Peer reviews usually happen over a few intense weeks, with the majority of reviewers assessing multiple submissions. So reviewing for a conference generally means a substantial time commitment, with an immovable deadline at the end.

So bring enough reviewers onboard to avoid overloading the ones you have. Overloaded reviewers are not happy reviewers. And unhappy reviewers tend to withdraw or go missing. When they do, you’ll be left scrambling to replace them.

9. Build some hype.

6. Build a compelling website. Your conference website will showcase your event, answer visitors’ questions and allow them to submit, register and stay in touch. And it should get them as excited about your event as you are. Your website should welcome visitors with strong visuals and the most important event details up front. What is your conference about, where is it located and when is it happening? Put all this info “above the fold” on your home page. Getting the website live as soon as possible is crucial. So make some key decisions early on, get a bare-bones website up and flesh it out as you go. If your event is taking place virtually, you’ll need to make it as easy as possible to access the event and to enable late registrations (this is the trend with online conferences).

7. Invite your speakers. Good keynote or plenary speakers will attract delegates and set the tone for

Potential delegates are busy people and they’re making choices in a world of 24hour media messages. So how can you grab their attention? Create a marketing strategy that includes strong messaging through PR, online content and email campaigns. Publish interviews, blog posts, pictures, programs and speaker announcements on your conference website to help build excitement. And bring people into the conversation on social media by creating a hashtag for your conference. Make sure your promotions are running right up to the day of your event to catch latecomers.

10. On the day of the event:

By the time conference day is on the horizon, the bulk of the work will be done, but there will still be lots to do. Use tools like Mailchimp and other communication software to keep in touch with your delegates and speakers. And make sure they get all the necessary details: venue address, guidelines, contact details, registration info, virtual Q & A advice and so on. Once the event is underway, cover the presentations in real time.

Take a deep breath, then go forth and conquer! •

Being clear from the start on what you hope to achieve will help differentiate your event from the thousands of others out there.

Gather. Connect. Grow.

Vancouver Island Conference Centre is an award-winning event venue conveniently located in vibrant downtown Nanaimo. VICC is an ideal environment for reflection, networking and decision making. With award-winning facilities, dedicated staff and a full range of complimentary services, we will help you create memories that last. Let us help you plan your next event.

 Meetings

 Conferences and conventions

 Trade and consumer shows

 Special events and festivals

250-244-4050 | viconference.com

Zambri’s

Elevate your next event at Zambri’s, Victoria’s Best European restaurant*: Our private spaces are perfect for any occasion, from family gatherings to corporate meetings.

Savour authentic Italian flavours in a sophisticated yet relaxed atmosphere.

Our professional and attentive team is dedicated to ensuring your event’s success.

Scan to reserve your spot now. Experience the best of Italian hospitality and create lasting memories…

*2023 Yam Best Restaurant Awards

820 Yates St, Victoria | zambris.ca

Victoria’s Premier U rban E vent S pace

Ideal for all types of special events including corporate events, fundraisers, fashion shows, weddings, private parties and more, Victoria Public Market’s urban space is a blank canvas that can be completely transformed to create an atmosphere that is intimate or grand. The Market is very easily accessible by car, bus and bike because it is located on Douglas Street in the iconic Hudson’s Bay Building one block North of City Hall. View the floor plan at victoriapublicmarket.com/venue

778-433-2787 | info@victoriapublicmarket.com victoriapublicmarket.com

Black & White

As Vancouver Island’s 2023 Small Business of the Year, Black & White knows full well that the world has re-opened for business. And with our 10,000 square foot warehouse full of rental equipment for indoor meetings, trade shows, celebrations, team building and incentive/reward program events, we have what you’ll need for your next corporate gathering. Whether you are planning an event for the end of 2023 or Spring/Summer 2024, now is the time to contact Black & White. Dave and Chris are ready for your call!

info@bwparty.com | 778-433-1282 | bwparty.com

Buzzing Hives of Innovation & Collaboration

Victoria’s colleges and universities are inventing the future.

BY ERIN SKILLEN

VICTORIA’S FOUR SEATS of higher learning — the University of Victoria, Camosun College, Royal Roads University and Vancouver Island University — are more than classrooms. They are also research labs, entrepreneurial launch pads and stewards of B.C.’s heritage.

In a time of climate crisis, seismic socio-economic shifts and Indigenous reconciliation, what does meaningful, game-changing innovation look like?

Douglas examines four compelling projects from Victoria’s post-secondary institutions that are truly moving us all forward.

AI-ASSISTED MEDICAL ANALYSIS

Farouk Nathoo, University of Victoria

AS A PROFESSOR in mathematics and statistics and Canada Research Chair in Biostatistics at the University of Victoria, Farouk Nathoo focuses on creating AI-powered biostatistics methods and collaborative research. This involves developing analyses for highly complex data provided by medical scientists, and establishing new statistical methods. What does all that mean? Nathoo and his collaborators build AI software that helps decipher complex data to better understand diseases like Alzheimer’s and ovarian cancer.

“I would define an innovation as something that allows other researchers to make better use of their data in a way that they couldn’t previously,” says Nathoo. “By using AI, we’re not training robots or anything like that. We’re taking images and constructing an extremely complicated description of them that wouldn’t be possible for human beings to come up with.”

The collaborative nature of his approach means that not only do Nathoo and his team work with medical scientists to develop their software, they also make their software tools available online for free. Anyone dealing with complex data can use these tools to accelerate their studies. There have already been thousands of downloads.

“Where I would like to see this in five years is that we have improved the way [researchers] analyze their data. We’ve improved the way they interpret their data. We’ve improved the accuracy with which they report and communicate their results. And we’ve developed tools that allow them to make the best use of this,” he says.

“I think it falls upon academics to consider very carefully how their work influences the world. And the extent to which it makes it better. Curiosity is always something that drives an academic, as

it does most people, but the extent to which it improves the lives of others is an extremely important consideration. And it’s one that motivates me,” Nathoo says.

“I’ve had people in my family with Alzheimer’s disease, I’ve had people in my family die of cancer. So all of this stuff really carries meaning. It’s powered by statistical thinking and mathematical thinking and computation. But its motivation is beyond that.”

“I would define an innovation as something that allows other researchers to make better use of their data in a way that they couldn’t previously. ”

REDEFINING SEAFOOD

“THE SEAFOOD SECTOR is in a bit of a bad way. We’ve got labour shortages, we’ve got a complex regulatory system, we have people aging, we have public perception issues,” says Debra Hellbach, manager of VIU’s seafood business accelerator (SBA) program. “With independent harvesters, the numbers are really declining, which is also affecting the coastal communities. Their economy is really suffering and so is the social wellbeing of people, so it was just this whole storm of issues … it all sounds really bad, but there are tons of opportunities.

“Canada, with all its coastline, is producing less than one per cent of its potential. There are all these underutilized species we could be using. How do we help these potentially new businesses? How do we help people from First Nations communities through this kind of quagmire and get them to the other side?”

The SBA program was established in collaboration with VIU’s Centre for Seafood Innovation and the BC Commercial Fishing Caucus, with integral input from Indigenous community representatives. Hellbach, along with research and community project co-ordinator Olivia Alexander, identified opportunities in the seafood industry, including sustainability, food security in Indigenous communities and benefits to the economy. They also explore how businesses can adapt to the realities of climate change.

“With oyster farming, many of the harvesters are seeing a decline in what they’re harvesting,” says Alexander. “We

were able to connect people with experts and business coaches to see how they could make more from what they’re getting rather than catching more. That’s also the future for seafood, as we see with climate change affecting the species that are currently being harvested. How can they divert to different, value-added products?”

Hellbach agrees. “If we’re looking at new species, or we want to provide different things to people, we have to educate them on how to eat those and educate them that they’re actually good. You don’t just have to eat just salmon and oysters.”

The SBA program provides entrepreneurs with a way to test their business ideas and methods without spending an extraordinary amount of time and money, only to learn it won’t work. They’re able to tap into the experiences of other harvesters to discover what did and didn’t work for them. Instead of the traditional one-page businessmodel canvas, they complete a one-page innovation-plan canvas. They’re also able to bring VIU’s biology and culinary students together and build connections between them.

“For me, innovation is doing things differently for results,” says Hellbach. And the SBA program is getting results on many fronts, including socio-economic development. “We’re creating a more diverse set of job opportunities, as well as showing them these opportunities,” says Alexander. “Because you don’t always think of them on your own.”

I enjoy helping my clients solve problems and providing practical advice to help them reach their goals. My core specialties are corporate accounting, business advisory and tax planning services for owner managed businesses and corporate groups.

Debra Hellbach and Olivia Alexander, Vancouver Island University

“Canada, with all its coastline, is producing less than one per cent of its potential. There are all these underutilized species we could be using.”

Angus, Susan, Matt and Ross are pleased to welcome their new Partner, Vanessa Reid.

 ENERGY FOR ALL

“WHEN PROGRAMS, projects, initiatives actually think about the benefit to society, that's innovative — this is really about social innovation,” says Julie MacArthur, the associate professor and Canada Research Chair in reimagining capitalism at Royal Roads University.

“That is not something we have historically seen when it comes to the very engineering- and economics-dominated focus on energy systems and climate transitions. The innovation is in bringing things back to the question: ‘Who are we doing things for? And what does it mean to people?’ ”

With this approach to innovation in mind, MacArthur is an active proponent of “energy democracy,” which seeks to bring a social justice lens to energy systems, and explore how energy poverty — limited or no access to energy — can be alleviated through energy transitions.

“Much of what I’ve been doing is looking at how ownership and control feature into making these systems more just or not, as the political economic system of capitalism

is about private ownership of resources and goods and profit making.”

“Democratizing energy includes opening up access to people who have traditionally been excluded from the process of ownership and/or decisionmaking. Historically, energy industries have been maledominated, very centralized and highly extractive in Indigenous communities. Democratizing is about decentralizing, extending the technical, the social and political decision-making.”

This inclusive approach to energy allows for ownership of the charging infrastructure, where solar panels can be distributed among people who live in the community where the power is being generated and are able to make decisions about it. Co-operatives are an example of how ownership models can be used to achieve energy justice, with one such co-op starting up on B.C.’s coast. “It’s led

by women in Haida Gwaii and the idea is to have solar arrays because some of the communities there are diesel reliant … for reconciliation purposes, but also for decarbonization purposes, that is a natural place for there to be change.

“The focus of this is not just about getting more money into business as usual. This really is about transforming business as usual. It needs to work for most people. The vast majority of the population, not everyone, because nothing works for everyone. Systems that benefit enough people and don't keep the same people down,” MacArthur says.

“I think one of the goals of public academic institutions is to ask questions that make the world a better place.”

THE WITNESS BLANKET was created by Kwakwaka’wakw and Coast Salish artist Carey Newman and now stands at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg. It’s a large-scale installation that holds hundreds of objects reclaimed from residential schools, churches and other sites across Canada. While The Witness Blanket has previously toured, greater accessibility was needed to honour the children and the survivors and continue steps forward in reconciliation.

This is where Camosun College’s Camosun Innovates, B.C.’s first technology access centre, was brought in to collaborate with Newman to create a virtual version of the installation.

“The idea of the blanket is to bear witness to the tragedy that occurred and it’s a reminder to not do that again. It’s a very powerful piece,” says Camosun Innovates team member Connor Yutani-Patterson.

“We sent a team to Winnipeg to scan the blanket using 3D technology, to get all of it to scale. And we got from that as well, the texture information,” he explains. “I think the most unique thing about our process is that we’re actually scanning these artifacts and using that on a one-to-one scale. We’re getting the actual texture from them, as opposed to abstracting it.”

Julie MacArthur, Royal Roads University

 THE WITNESS BLANKET IN 3D Connor Yutani-Patterson, Camosun College

“The focus of this is not just about getting more money into business as usual. This really is about transforming business as usual.”

“I think the most unique thing about our process is that we're actually scanning these artifacts and using that on a one-to-one scale.”

MATT ZELENY

“We have designed it with the philosophy that this needs to be as accessible as possible to as many people as possible, because the goal is to bring this story to everyone who can possibly see it,” says Yutani-Patterson. “Eventually we will load it onto stand-alone headsets and send it out to lower-income or disadvantaged communities, so they have the chance to experience the Witness Blanket. It ’s a way to connect people to this story, to this experience when it ’s not feasible for them to physically travel.”

To add dimension to the virtual-reality experience, sounds from Indigenous culture are being collected and curated by Newman and Kirk McNally, the associate professor of music technology at the University of Victoria. Yutani-Patterson has been deeply affected by this combination of objects, stories and sounds and how it affects the viewer.

“I’ve felt the weight of what we’re doing here. I felt it the most when I was modelling, because I had to recreate these things that are, for a lot of people, objects of suffering,” he admits. “I remember that my job here is as a steward. The creative elements I add are all there to assist Carey and Kirk, and all of the people who have contributed to the blanket in the past and the present to tell this story. And it is one that needs to be told,” he says. •

Victoria is about to become a film and TV superpower, with a huge economic impact on the region.

BY LIAM RAZZELL

As far back as the 1930s, production companies have chosen to use Greater Victoria as a filming location for movies and TV shows. Prominent productions include Five Easy Pieces, Little Women, Final Destination, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men 2, Deadpool, Maid and Reginald the Vampire. From a business perspective, the industry here is strong; it injects millions of dollars annually into the local economy. From 2019 to 2021, it grew considerably in terms of direct spending and projects filmed, and experts agree that, with the right ingredients, the Capital Regional District could see exponential growth that would turn the South Island into a production powerhouse.

The Movie Business by the Numbers

The budget for a film or TV show shot in the district ranges from $1.2 million to $10 million, with the average between $3 million and $4 million. The effects of this business are wide ranging. In 2021, production companies shot 40 local projects — from TV shows and feature films to music videos and commercials. The result: $59.2 million in direct spending, which includes everything needed over the course of production.

Bruce Williams, the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, says every dollar production companies spend in the CRD benefits local crews and a range of businesses, including those involved in catering, construction, hospitality, security services, vehicle rentals and traffic control.

Mark Leiren-Young, a veteran screenwriter, playwright and novelist, has worked in film and TV in Toronto and Vancouver, and recently moved to Victoria, where he writes and teaches at UVic. He says there are other factors that bring money to the CRD not included in direct spending numbers, including the money movie stars spend. “How much is Patrick Stewart dropping here when he’s playing Professor X at Royal Roads?” he quips. Film and TV’s effect on tourism, one of the CRD’s

key sectors, is another example. “How is it going to hurt Victoria to have the Inner Harbour on film in a Hallmark movie?” says Leiren-Young. “When you get a beautiful location in TV and film, you can sell off it.” Nelson, for example, still gets people visiting from the 1987 movie Roxanne, and Gibsons still gets tourists from The Beachcombers, which first aired over five decades ago in 1972.

Victoria’s film and TV industry has grown considerably in recent years. In 2019, only 19 productions filmed here. With the demand for streamable shows and movies high during the pandemic, film industries exploded globally. In 2020, productions in the CRD rose to 38, in 2021 to 40 and in 2022 to 51. Despite its growth, the CRD’s output pales in comparison with Vancouver, its production-powerhouse neighbour.

Vancouver, dubbed Hollywood North in the trade, offers similar shooting locations to the CRD, but also sound stages, equipment rental and postproduction houses, animation studios and more crew. So why are production companies drawn to Victoria?

The CRD’s Draw

For starters, the B.C. government offers three sets of filming tax credits. For non-Canadian productions, total credits amount to 40 per cent, while Canadian production companies with a permanent presence in B.C. can claim 53.5 per cent. Compared to Vancouver, which only qualifies for the province’s basic credits — 28 per cent for non-Canadian productions and 35 per cent for Canadian ones — shooting in the CRD can keep costs down.

However, Kathleen Gilbert, the commissioner of the Vancouver Island South Film and Media Commission, says of the CRD’s tax incentives: “They don’t cover the extra expense to come to the Island.” There are locations on the mainland, in places like the Okanagan, that qualify for the same

incentives as the CRD, and are easier to access from Vancouver. The cost of getting equipment, actors and heads of department from Vancouver to the CRD cancel out a good chunk of the credits.

But for smaller productions, the tax credits are a real incentive. “The lower budgets have a lot less equipment. That means fewer trucks to bring over on the ferry,” says Gilbert. “They’ll use a [local] crew that might not be as experienced, so they don’t have to pay hotel and per diems to bring really experienced people from Vancouver.”

Still, this hasn’t stopped major productions from coming here. For example, Maid, a Netflix miniseries starring Margaret Qualley, filmed in Sooke, Saanich and Victoria with a budget of $10 million. And the Fox Broadchurch spinoff Gracepoint, which filmed in Sidney, Saanich, Oak Bay and Victoria in 2014, had a budget of $8 million.

Gilbert says well-trained crews and talented background performers are a draw for big productions, but beautiful locations are the main reason they come here. The proximity of locations is also a plus. “You can be filming multiple different locations and not have to move your circus,” she says. “The travel time for your actors is a lot less.”

Maureen Bradley, a local screenwriter, teacher and award-winning director of the feature film Two 4 One, agrees. “The city

is still small, and it’s still nimble, and we have all the same stunning locations that Vancouver’s always boasted,” she says. “So we’re a small city with massive production value, looks and access to locations.”

Leiren-Young adds that the proximity to Vancouver is also a plus. Once finished filming, it’s easy for production companies to hop over to the mainland to start on post-production.

Victoria’s film and TV industry has a lot to offer, and its growth in recent years is impressive. However, the dramatic growth the CRD saw between 2019 and 2021 isn’t guaranteed to continue. Though statistics on the amount of direct spending haven’t been released for 2022, Gilbert thinks the number will be around $50 million; that would be a $9.2-million dip from the year before. Expected revenues from 2023 are $60 million, and that would only be an $800,000 increase from 2021. So what does the CRD’s film and TV industry need to grow?

The Missing Superpower: A Studio “It’s straight-up studio space,” says LeirenYoung.

A studio would bring shows to the region

with budgets 10 times bigger than nonstudio productions. Gilbert says, “If we had a studio here, we could land shows that have budgets of $30 million, $60 million, even $200 million.”

Without a studio, the CRD is losing out on business. “Right now, basically everybody in L.A. knows we don’t have a studio,” says Gilbert. However, Disney, Netflix, Prime and Google have all expressed to the commission that they want to know as soon as a studio is built. But until then, production companies will take their multimillion-dollar shows, and the direct spending they bring with them, elsewhere.

Appetite for a studio goes beyond direct spending. Studios attract productions that film for months, often with the promise of doing so long into the future, and therefore would bring job stability to the local film and TV industry. Bradley warns that without a studio, the future is uncertain for film and TV professionals here. “You can’t really count on a long-term career or … have a family or get a condo.” Studios, then, would be a boon for the CRD, but is that all that’s needed here?

“We’re a small city with massive production value, looks and access to locations.”

— Maureen Bradley, screenwriter, teacher and director

A production crew sets up a nighttime shoot in Waddington Alley off Johnson Street. This tracking shot, where the camera is mounted on a dolly, uses Steadicam technology to follow the action.

SHAWN BARRY

Beyond Studios

If the CRD does get a studio, it will need equipment houses and more crew.

In 2008, when the district didn’t qualify for B.C.’s distant tax credit (six per cent for Canadian and non-Canadian productions), the film and TV industry here collapsed, and professionals either moved or sought work in other industries. Since then, the commission has been working to build up crew.

Victoria currently has enough professionals for approximately three crews. However, Gilbert says Hallmark regularly uses a whole crew and a big show like Reginald the Vampire can take up the rest. “If anybody wants to come in after that, then we’re struggling,” she says.

In addition to crew, studios need grip, electric, lighting and camera equipment. Currently, productions in the CRD rely on equipment houses based out of Vancouver. Having local equipment houses would make shooting here easier. So with the right infrastructure, studios would be a boon for the industry. But who’s going to build one?

The Camosun Project Camosun College has offered a plot of land on its Interurban campus with a 99year lease to potential funder Visionary Education Technology Holdings Group that, if all goes to plan, will build a studio. In return, Visionary would build a space on site for Camosun to offer film education.

Negotiations are underway. “We expect to conclude at least the early stages of those negotiations sometime early in the fall,” says Geoff Wilmshurst, vice-president of partnerships at Camosun. “I would anticipate shovels in the ground sometime in 2024, but we have to go through a number of steps.”

Wilmshurst says those steps include public hearings at the District of Saanich and approval from Camosun’s board of governors and B.C.’s Ministry of PostSecondary Education and Future Skills.

Wilmshurst is confident the studio will be approved. In its latest election campaign, B.C.’s governing NDP promised to support the development of a studio at Camosun. So there’s provincial support, and Wilmshurst says that Saanich’s mayor and council have been supportive of the proposed studio.

There’s also a proposed studio in Langford, and the Malahat First Nation is looking into building one.

In a year, five years, perhaps a decade, Greater Victoria’s film and TV industry may look a lot different than it does now, and people are hopeful that whatever change there is will be positive. And, as LeirenYoung says, there’s a surefire way for the CRD’s industry to grow: “If we get a studio, it would be packed non-stop.”

Victoria’s ready for its closeup. •

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Succeed at Succession HOW TO

Do you sell, pass down or walk away?

BY SHANNON MONEO PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY BOSDET

You’re ready to exit your business. Do you sell to employees? Put it on the market? Maybe fold and let the enterprise disappear? Or is there a family member waiting in the wings? It’s estimated that 75 per cent of Canada’s small business owners are planning to leave their livelihood in the next decade. A well-planned swan song would make the flight easier.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has found that only 10 per cent of business owners have a formal business succession plan. Without a strong retreat strategy, lost jobs, erosion of business stability or even bankruptcy are possibilities. The biggest holdup in succession planning for 55 per cent of small business owners is finding the right buyer or successor.

David Evans’s first-hand experience seconds that finding.

When he opened The Stick in the Mud Coffee House in 2007, the former writer, landscaper and dave-of-all-trades had not predicted how much time the business would require. “I opened a place where I wanted to be a customer,” he says. “I didn’t want it to fail.”

Which meant long days where Evans crafted a coffee spot that not only served high-quality brews and eats, but became a much-loved gathering place in Sooke. Despite its popularity and many loyal regulars, it took five years before The Stick was profitable. “The business took a lot from me. I will never get that time back with my family,” Evans says of missed soccer matches and school concerts.

Business Or Family?

So a couple of years ago Evans contacted Chinook Business Advisory to help him sell the coffee shop branch of the business, leaving him with the Roastoreum, where he sells the coffee beans he roasts. There were a few bites and two were appetizing, but in the end a deal couldn’t be brokered. So he announced he would be closing the coffee shop in July, but would continue to operate the roasting/retail business in the same building. Rather than risk having the business fail under new ownership, Evans chose to exit on a high note.

Evans’s experience fits with the CFIB’s “Succession Tsunami” report, which found that 21 per cent of owners scale back from business responsibilities, in

The key is a well-planned swan song.

David Evans created Sooke’s The Stick in the Mud Coffee House in 2007, not just as a coffee shop but as a gathering place for locals. He eventually decided to focus on roasting coffee.

effect prolonging their departure from the business.

“I had a pretty clear succession plan before COVID, but as many business owners experienced, the presence of an existential threat provides a unique opportunity to look objectively at my business … and my life. That’s when my plan was both expedited and updated and at this moment I am ready to move ahead with just the coffee roasting side.”

Laure-Anna Bomal, a co-author of the CFIB report, says that no business can avoid dealing with succession. “One thing we really recommend is to plan as early as possible,” says Bomal, an economist with the CFIB. The planning should involve outside resources like lawyers or accountants. Determining the value of a business is not only difficult, but can be a deal-breaker. “If the transition is not fully managed, the full value of the business won’t be realized,” says Bomal.

The CFIB report found that 49 per cent of owners exit their business by selling to a non-family buyer, while 24 per cent sell to a

family member. Another 17 per cent simply close the business.

From Painter to Property Manager

Andy Spurling falls into a double-track succession scheme. His father Eric Spurling started Proline Property Management with a partner in 1985. Eric, a former building painter and then credit union loans official, wanted his three children to gain higher education and build professional careers outside Proline. “I didn’t grow up in an environment where you come back and be the next generation,” says Andy, 47. So he became a Bay Street lawyer, working in mergers and acquisitions for Bell Canada. But he found the work unfulfilling because shareholder value took precedence. “It wasn’t the healthiest environment,” he says of the cutthroat atmosphere.

In 2007, Andy, his wife and new son returned to Victoria and soon after he joined Proline. But his arrival at the company, which manages strata, rental and commercial properties, was not the return of a prodigal son. He had to convince his

By empowering employee ownership, Proline’s Andy Spurling has made entrepreneurs of co-owners Kelly Whitney, Katherine Soetaert and Kathryn Squires Basson, among others.

“I had a pretty clear succession plan before COVID, but as many business owners experienced, the presence of an existential threat provides a unique opportunity to look objectively at my business … and my life.”

David Evans, The Stick in the Mud Coffee House, Sooke.

DRAFTING A SUCCESSION WILL: SIX TIPS FOR SUCCESS

1. Establish goals. Succession planning is all about setting goals, such as the future of your business, ensuring staff understand objectives and what your retirement and cash-flow goals will be.

2. Once the future has been contemplated, identify successors and key roles. Are the top candidates within the company? Consider how successors will be trained.

3. Address tax and legal implications, something often not considered. Even if family or another party take over, items such as capital gains, real estate taxes and the business’s liquidity need to be addressed, best done via professional help.

4. Get a business valuation/ appraisal. Whether cashing out or selling, the company’s worth must be established for all parties.

5. Plan the exit strategy so that when it’s time, everyone involved will know what the succession plan is, when and how the plan will activate and how those involved are affected. Updates are crucial.

6. Meticulous document maintenance needs to be done. Files include: legal wills, power of attorney, property deeds/leases/ rental agreements, mortgages, tax returns, financial records and bank account information.

With notes of snow-capped fir, pine needles, crisp eucalyptus and a blend of leather, smoky woods and musk, this

father why he should be hired. So Andy penned a formal letter, outlining what he hoped to do at his father’s company. He also knew he’d be starting at ground level, as a junior property manager. “I was thrown in the deep end,” Andy recalls.

But over the next few years, he became a valued resource thanks to his legal training. By 2015, father Eric was ready to retire. Andy’s two younger sisters had careers of their own and were made aware that their brother wanted to take over Proline. Because his sisters were not interested in the business, the transition was less complicated.

Andy accepted the value his father

placed on the business, which also made succession easier. “I knew I could create future value. For me, it was understanding what was important to my father and honouring his work over all the years.” In that first succession transition, Andy assumed 49-per-cent ownership while Eric and mother Marilyn retained 51 per cent of Proline.

By 2022, Spurling became 100-per-cent owner of Proline, but during his previous years with the company his somewhat contrarian business philosophy continued to percolate. “I love small business, being an entrepreneur, but I’ve never felt the need for full control,” he says. “As we [Proline]

evolved, I wanted to focus on a different way of doing succession.”

Employee ownership was one area that interested him. He believed the company’s small size, less than 30 employees, would create legal and accounting challenges. So he decided on a phased-in approach where five key staff members would each be offered 10.1 per cent of the company shares (50.5 per cent in new owners’ hands), leaving Andy with 49.5 per cent. “There wasn’t a blueprint for this,” he says. But he had a clear vision and he enlisted the help of an accountant, lawyer and banker to create a stewardship agreement.

Eric initially thought his son was crazy, giving up controlling interest of Proline. While Eric didn’t originally think Proline would be a family legacy, when Andy successfully returned Eric had a change of heart. “Part of him felt the need to protect the company,” Andy says. The two spent much time debating the move, but they were never adversaries.

For Andy, enabling employee ownership is about creating more entrepreneurs. The five share his values and they all work well together. “It’s not about keeping people. They weren’t about to leave. It’s an elevation strategy,” he says.

As for Proline’s future, Andy is repaying the loan for the original share purchase and may sell more of his shares via the stewardship agreement. “Entrepreneurship is not just a me thing. It can be all of us.”

All in the Family Victorians have undoubtedly heard the Heirloom Linens’ radio ads with owners Bob and Joan Ianson.

But ad writers will need new copy. In keeping with the business name, after 28 years the husband-and-wife team are passing Heirloom over to daughter Kristen

Andy Spurling says he didn’t have a blueprint for succession. He eventually chose the route of employee ownership.

“I knew I could create future value. For me, it was understanding what was important to my father and honouring his work over all the years.”

— Andy Spurling, Proline Property Management

Stannix. “We decided the future of the company was with Kristen,” says Bob Ianson. “There’s no point in delaying. Now we’re employees.”

Two years ago, the couple got a nudge toward retirement when Joan dealt with cancer. That episode made her and Bob realize it was time to step back and enjoy life. “The long-term plan was, we weren’t going to deal with it [succession], but that changed,” says Joan.

Stannix became the de facto business heir. While she worked in the Broadmead store as a teenager, she later earned a psychology degree. But in 2009, an employee went on maternity leave and Stannix stepped into the full-time job of purchasing store inventory. In 2011, she took over bookkeeping duties and since then has been doing everything: planning, website building, sales, buying and hiring at the 15-employee business, which also includes a downtown warehouse. “I work everywhere here. I’ve done 95 per cent of it.”

Bob has worked in the linen industry since 1975, first with Woodward’s department stores, then the U.S.-based Pacific Linen where he has seen some businesses disappear, others go bankrupt and a few succeed. “If you asked me 20 years ago if one of the kids would take over, I would have said, ‘Never,’ ” Bob says. Kristen’s sister is not interested in the business, but Kristen wouldn’t mind if one, or both, of her two children became the third generation of owners.

The Iansons had considered employee ownership and would have nurtured it, Joan says. But that option didn’t materialize. So, as Joan and Bob watched their daughter evolve in the job and demonstrate not only the skills, but the passion, they realized they wouldn’t find someone as dedicated as their daughter. “I don’t think we’d sell to someone else,” Joan says now.

Kristen became owner on June 1, the store’s fiscal year-end. Knowing they had to get a head start on succession plans, it took three months to get a valuation on the business, Bob says. A 600-per-cent sales increase during COVID-19 days, when customers shopped online for comforting bedroom products, would certainly have impacted the valuation.

Even though Stannix has almost 15 years of Heirloom experience, being a new owner means unforeseen challenges. “We’re a phone call away,” says Joan of being available for guidance. But that’s unless they’re on a long-awaited five-week river cruise or other travels they’ve not been able to take due to business demands.

Stannix has one bit of advice for the former owner. “I told Bob he needs to come in and clean his desk out. That box will hold 28 years of memories.” •

system, it’s easier than ever to administer.

VROOM, VROOM!

This is the place for driving enthusiasts, friends and businesses to socialize, meet and dine among like-minded aficionados. Situated in the Cowichan Valley north of Duncan, the circuit offers professional training, trackside support, defensive driving skills and driver’s education to increase confidence and safety on and off the track. With 19 corners and an 11-per-cent change in elevation, the circuit proves just how technical a track can be. Its impressive fleet of high-performance vehicles includes Porsche Caymans, BMW M2s and a sporty Alfa-Romeo 4C convertible.

The circuit offers programs for drivers ranging from learning-to-drive newbies to corporate teams to aspiring racers.

Its new driver training program is a half-day course providing drivers who are new to the roads with the skills and awareness to help improve their confidence in everyday driving. The unique ability to test new skills at a private facility away from other drivers sets this program apart.

Then there’s Hot Laps, where drivers experience a heart-pounding five laps around the circuit. Aside from the adrenalin rush, this experience demonstrates why the Circuit has been called “the most beautiful track in the world” by Autoweek magazine.

And if a driver is really serious about taking first steps into the world of motorsport, there are two levels of highperformance driving. This program addresses the finer points: driving lines, under- and oversteering, braking, cornering, vision and acceleration. Then drivers can put their skills to the test seated next to a driving professional on an exhilarating hot lap on the track.

The circuit is also courting corporate meetings and events, from intimate gatherings of 10 to exhibitions for up to 300. The cars, they say, are simply an added bonus. •

HUMBOLDT BAR is an intimate cocktail lounge in the heart of downtown Victoria, with a fascinating backstory. It was inspired by the life and work of Alexander von Humboldt, the 19th-century German naturalist and polymath who influenced our modern concept of nature.

The Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit is a car-lover’s playground.

Raise a glass to a nearforgotten naturalist.

HUMBOLDT BAR

ANDRÉA CONFORTI

But don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of him. At Humboldt Bar you’ll find cocktails inspired by his journeys and discoveries, his stories and accomplishments. You’ll find a cozy space graced by art reflecting his works and an esthetic intended to evoke the naturalist’s view of the world.

Leading this vision is bar manager Brant Porter. Porter has led several awardwinning bar programs, including Veneto, Bartholomew’s Public House and Little Jumbo. Humboldt combines Brant’s awe of the natural world with an immersive cocktail experience.

Its Bright & Fresh cocktails include Theory of Colours (gin, rhubarb, Riesling

CARRY YOUR LAPTOP IN STYLE

Whether you’re a techie, creative director or CEO, here are some options.

EVERYONE HAS A LAPTOP, but how you carry it depends on a number of factors, from size to personality. Do you commute on foot, bike, bus or car? How minimalist are you? What else will you carry: phone, water bottle, papers, lunch? Finally, what’s your look: techy, classic, sporty, fashionable? Douglas has selected four styles to cover your needs.

SLEEVE: For the minimalist, the Targus 15.6-inch Strata II Sleeve with Handles. Light and simple.

BACKPACK: With an internal laptop sleeve, room for paperwork and side water-bottle pockets, the Lululemon Everywhere Backpack also comes in four colours.

and jasmine) and Desert Sketches (strawberry bitters, banana, cucumber soda).

Savoury offerings feature Cyanometer (Raincoast Gin, pisco, citrus, oolong tea, cyan and egg white) and Life in The Woods (wheated bourbon, candy cap mushroom, maple water, wild blossom honey, cypress, grand fir).

Bold, spiced cocktails include CosmosCola (cachaça, kina wine, yerba mate cola, roasted Brazil nut) and Leaving Lima (pisco, Träkal, chicha morada, grapefruit). Whew! There is also a small but thoughtfully curated wine and beer list, and Humboldt is a wonderful place to start or end an evening. •

MESSENGER BAG: The Trendhim Retro Cognac Leather Messenger Bag also comes in canvas and slings across the shoulder. This is the best style if you commute by bike.

BRIEF: Yes, it’s a splurge and there are far less expensive alternatives, but the Coach Metropolitan Slim Brief features glove leather and is handcrafted to last a lifetime. •

Laura Putnam is a workplace well-being expert, international public speaker and author of Workplace Wellness that Works, about how employers can help their employees balance work and well-being. Putnam has shared her insights in dozens of publications, from The New York Times to Forbes

JUGGLING WORK AND WELL-BEING

For employers, managing the elusive work/life balance is an opportunity to show their employees they genuinely care about their well-being. It means leading from the front by setting an example and implementing tangible policies that make meaningful change in employees’ lives.

I’ve worked with hundreds of organizations and over thousands of CEOs and managers to implement workplace well-being strategies. Here is a list of five ways employers can prioritize their employees’ wellbeing.

 The first step is to address root causes. If CEOs and managers want to implement a workplace well-being strategy, the first step is to recognize and identify the root causes of the problem. For example, the top drivers of burnout are often about the workplace itself, such as work overload. Once the root causes have been identified the next step is to implement meaningful change that makes a tangible difference, such as eliminating after-hour emails or unpaid overtime for salaried employees.

 Eliminate cookie-cutter employee benefits programs. Study after study shows many employee wellness programs fall short of actually helping.

A study by RAND Health found that 80 per cent of eligible employees actually opt out of their company

wellness programs. Companies need to recognize that cookie-cutter benefit programs don’t work when the problem is the workplace itself. No amount of therapy or yoga can make up for a toxic boss.

 Well-being needs to be a collective responsibility. For decades, businesses believed their employees’ well-being was their responsibility and placed the onus on the individual to seek help rather than looking at the larger issues in the workplace. Today, businesses need to understand that employee wellbeing is a collective responsibility and requires a holistic approach and support from the CEO down.

 Managers can be multipliers of well-being. Managers play a critical role in cultivating a safe and caring workplace environment. To end the stigma around mental health, including discussions about loneliness, managers should be encouraged to speak openly about their own personal challenges.

 Encourage team care, not just self care. Establishing a culture of comraderie within a team is critical. Teams can implement rituals, such as a moment of silence or expressions of gratitude at the start of meetings. These kinds of team-care rituals can go a long way in building both friendships as well as psychological safety.

Other Strategies For Employers:

Bosses need to demonstrate that they actually care about their people as people. This comes down to paying attention, being fully present, being civil and kind. Investing in small acts of empathy, which take little or no time, such as making eye contact, saying hello, noticing if team members are feeling left out, and managing meetings to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. In fact, empathy accelerates performance. One of the best examples of this was the story of how Douglas Conant, former CEO of Campbell’s Soup, famously turned around a failing company by building a culture around the ethos of being “tough-minded on standards and tenderhearted with people.”

I think what works better than team building is team care. While a once-a-year team-building day

There are practical ways employers can prioritize employees’ mental health, manage stress and promote healthy routines.

can be fun and might build camaraderie in the moment, what counts most is how the work gets done every day. Having worked directly with over 200 companies and having trained over 15,000 managers and leaders, I’ve witnessed how much team members’ day-to-day experience is shaped by their team and their team leader. As a 19-country survey conducted by ADP Research Institute revealed, the culture that employees experience when they’re at work is largely the one that they experience within the context of their team. Upshot: Well-being needs to be more than just selfcare. It needs to be team-care, in which every team member feels like their co-workers and their boss have their back.

Finally, we need to think less in terms of “benefits,” such as on-site yoga classes, gourmet food options, expansive fitness facilities, state-ofthe-art platforms, mindfulness apps or over-the-top incentives. We need to think more about the dayto-day work experience. What I see repeatedly is a mismatch between the well-being benefits that are offered and the larger company culture. It’s this pervasive mismatch that is leading to the high level of employees opting out of company wellness offerings. Ultimately, it’s not the gift cards or logo mugs that employees are craving. What today’s employees want most is connection connection with others, connection to their purpose and connection to what matters most. •

WE SPEAK, THEREFORE WE ARE

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

Of all the speeches, emcee duties, toasts and eulogies I have given in my life, none stands out more than the 1980 regional finals of the Simcoe County public-speaking contest.

There, having just delivered three perfectly memorized minutes on the artist Tom Thomson, I waited for my final competitor, a character from the other Grade 6 class, to step up to the microphone.

I had heard that Billy won his classroom competition because his speech was funny also he might have bribed his friends with chips. Here, however, the judges weren’t his buddies. They were the principal, a town lawyer and the editor of the

Generally, you need to register if you:

• Employ and pay workers on a regular, casual, or contract basis

• Are a homeowner who hires someone to work in or around your home (e.g., to provide childcare or lawn services)

• Come from another province or country to work in B.C.

• Work in the commercial fishing or trucking industries

Every time we step up to the microphone, we tell the world something about ourselves and our organizations. Here’s how to make those moments count.

local newspaper. It was an unfair fight for poor Billy.

And so, when his opening words reverberated awkwardly through the microphone “You ever think much about your LOCKER?!” I smiled. Surely, I had already won.

Ten long seconds later, when the raucous laughter of the students and judges finally died down, I realized I had actually just lost. His speech literally about the contents of his locker was brilliant. It was funny, detailed, delivered with ease and totally surprising. He spoke of forgotten homework stuck to an old banana; the dents and the smells; the prime location near the water fountain; the lock that always stuck when the bell rang.

The audience related completely. From me, they heard well-delivered facts about Tom Thomson. From him, they felt a deep connection to the speaker and the subject. They learned everything about him and nothing about me.

Years later, people talked about his performance. And my own father whose speech about our Mount Everest climb together took him around the world in the 1990s even referred to it when interviewed for a book about public speaking.

To this day, I measure not only my own performances by Billy’s speech, but I judge (fairly or not) everyone else’s. At awards shows, conferences, pitch contests and weddings I’m the guy loudly cheering for the unexpectedly good and silently admonishing the lazy and ineffectual.

My friend and professional speaking coach, Trevor Currie of Podium Consulting, puts it bluntly: “Speaking is a ‘signal skill.’ If you’re a compelling and confident speaker, people assume you’re good at other things,

So I always recommend retaining a professional like Currie, or Victoria’s own Marc Stoiber, to help with major presentations. Their skill in crafting your story, deciphering your truest voice and giving honest feedback is invaluable.

But many of us find ourselves in front of a room for shorter speaking spurts more than big talks. And these moments are just and sometimes even more difficult to master because we give them less

So, I tell Billy’s story to all who ask for pre-speech advice, along with a few other tips about mastering the various “micro” moments that leaders face onstage.

“I am pleased to introduce …” When asked to introduce a guest speaker, do us all a favour: Don’t just read the bio they sent you in advance or worse, recite whatever you find online. It shows lack

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The WetCleaner team (L to R): Adrian, Summer-Rain, TJ, Hanna, Lily, Robin and Cedric

of preparation, disrespect and disinterest. Instead, ask one of their colleagues for a lesser-known fact about them, explain why you are excited for them to speak, or prep the audience for what to listen for. Heck, ask ChatGPT to give you a draft. Anything is better than regurgitating a LinkedIn profile.

“And now, a word from our sponsor …” You paid for the sponsorship, so don’t devalue it by reading your “About Us” page. Surprise us and make us remember you. One of the great sponsor intros was by a law firm that had to present a VIATEC Award to the guys behind the very popular (if trickily named) F*ckup Nights speaker series (yours truly and Ian Chisholm). The firm’s clever approach was to read a legal disclaimer, noting that they did not condone “f-ups,” but were happy to help anyone in such a situation. The deadpan delivery, air quotes around the key phrase and a 1-800 number brought the house down and distinguished themselves as a firm with personality and creativity.

“And the award goes to …”

Winning awards is great exposure and endorsement. But again, so much of that can be undone by charging the stage without a plan. Here are my top three “award season sins”:

 1. Not preparing a speech because “Gosh, we didn’t expect to win.” If true, then give the award back. You went through the hassle of applying, so make the effort to prepare something if you win. And if you don’t win? Read it to your team afterward at the bar or send it in an email. A perfect thank you and moment of humility.

 2. “You get to speak! And YOU get to speak! We all speak!” For sure, take everyone up very cool but please, choose a speaker, or two max. Make it the CEO if you like, but even more powerful is when a junior person gets to say a few (prepared!) words on behalf of the team.

 3. Speed, slippery slopes and slurred words. First thing at the podium: pause and breathe. Then speak slower than you think is reasonable. Fewer words plus longer pauses equals perfect pace. Avoid ad-libbing unless you are a pro (it’s remarkable what can come out of your mouth and can’t be put back in). And never, ever go onstage under the influence. Public speaking is a top-five human fear. Standing up and standing out is both hard and necessary today, whether in person or virtual. But the simple trick remains: Increase the delta between what the audience expects and what the speaker delivers, without stretching it so far that they don’t believe that the words they are hearing are truly the words of the speaker. •

SMALL BUSINESS BY THE NUMBERS

Small businesses are the backbone of Greater Victoria’s and B.C.’s economy. They represent the overwhelming majority (98 per cent) of local businesses. And small businesses in B.C., including self-employed workers, employ over 1.1 million people that’s one in five British Columbians.

DRIVING THE ECONOMY

Small business represents 98 per cent of businesses in B.C. While twothirds of businesses report they are doing the same or better than before the pandemic, a third say they are still worse off.

GDP: THE ECONOMIC GAS GAUGE

Taken together, gross domestic product (GDP), salary and employment present a broad picture of productivity. Small businesses account for one-third of B.C.’s GDP — the highest in Canada.

SMALL BUSINESS BY SECTOR

Small businesses operate across all major sectors in the province but the majority (81 per cent) are in service industries. B.C.’s service sector employs 622,000 people, 78 per cent of the small business workforce.

WHO’S WINNING THE GROWTH RACE?

Over the past five years, the professional, scientific and tech sectors grew fastest at 20 per cent or 14,000 jobs. The construction industry grew almost as fast at 16.5 per cent. The lowest-performing sector has been information and cultural industries, losing 10.8 per cent of their jobs, mostly due to the pandemic.

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§ $9,000 savings based on Federal ZEV credits of up to $5,000 and provincial Go Electric BC credits up to $4,000 (for qualifying customers) for lease, finance & cash purchases of 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge fully electric models. Vehicles are subject to Volvo Cars Canada’s One Price Promise. Retailers are free to set and charge administration fees, which may change the APR or the price of the vehicle. See Volvo Cars Victoria for full details. Offers subject to change or cancellation without notice. Features, specifications and equipment may vary in Canada. Visit volvocars.ca for more information on Canadian models and features. ©2023 Volvo Car Canada Ltd. Always remember to wear your seat belt. DL4891 #41497