Trail Blazers
By Alayna Ward
Alayna.jpg
In 2015, I had a challenging job I liked with a great salary and a boss I highly respected. But I dreamed to be my own boss, doing work I felt truly passionate about and making my own rules. After doing some market research on communications consulting, and analyzing my finances to see how long I could make it without a paycheque, I took the leap. Today, I have my dream job – communications consulting for non-profits, government, and small businesses. I sometimes have fond memories of my old 9 to 5 life, especially when working a third 70-hour week in a row, but I also get great satisfaction from completing projects, seeing repeat customers and having the option to work on my sunny back deck on beautiful summer afternoons. And I have lots of company. Nationally, and globally, more women are embracing entrepreneurship, eschewing traditional female occupations to start their own companies. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, 2013 Global Report, entrepreneurs really are happier than other people, particularly those who are women. Small and medium-sized businesses, many of them owned by women, account for nearly 98 percent of all Canadian businesses, and these firms in Canada create 90 percent of the jobs. I talked to a handful of the many strong female business owners in Yellowknife and found each to be inspiring, working hard to achieve their business goals, overcome obstacles and become true success stories.
Diana.jpg
Diana Curtis – Diana Curtis Designs
When Diana Curtis graduated from high school, her goal was to open her own business. She worked for 14 years as a graphic designer and then opened her own business 13 years ago. She loves her work, and after nearly three decades as a graphic designer, she shows no signs of slowing down. Owning a business has been a positive experience for Curtis. She’s received encouragement throughout her career from her clients and many other people who told her she should keep doing what she was doing because it was the right thing for her, her family and her community. “It’s a learning experience being by yourself as a female and know that yes, we can do all of these things on our own,” Curtis says. “With challenges, I face them, I learn them, I do them. “If there’s any females out there thinking of opening a business in Yellowknife, do it! You will have all the support you need and you’ll never look back. If you have the drive to make it work, it’s going to work!”
Cynthia Mufandaedza-Moyo – Best Movers & Best Movers Event Rentals
In 2011, Cynthia Mufandaedza-Moyo founded Best Movers. She had one moving truck and lots of hope to be a stay-at-home mom. Things didn’t work out quite the way she planned. Today, her fleet has expanded to 10 trucks doing residential and office relocations in Yellowknife, across the north, and across the country. Not only that, she recently opened an event supply rental business under the Best Movers banner that caters to special events. Both companies are doing well and Mufandaedza-Moyo is now looking at expansion plans for both. As a woman heading a moving company – typically a male-dominated industry – she has no issues with being an anomaly. “My biggest focus is on the opportunity of being female in a male industry,” she says. “I give the female touch in a move and that’s really contributed to our growth. A lot of time it’s all men onsite and people say it’s nice to have a female around to lighten things up sometimes. People ask me for my opinion and like that, I have a different perspective.” She says she learned all about perseverance and community when starting and building her company. “Even though it feels like it’s impossible, keep on pushing, keep on trying and it will work,” says Mufandaedza-Moyo. “The biggest thing is being able to network and be involved in the community and give back as much as you can.”
Sasha Jason – Merle Norman Spa
Sasha Jason grew up learning to run a business. Born and raised in Yellowknife, as a teenager she worked in her family’s business, the KFC franchise, opened by the Jason family in 1968. She eventually became the restaurant’s general manager. She also found the time to work part-time at Merle Norman Spa in the Yellowknife downtown mall. When the opportunity came to purchase Merle Norman, Jason was ready for a new challenge. “I learned a lot working in the family business – a lot of patience, a lot about finances, a lot about the general management of business operations and customer service – but being with fried chicken every day wasn’t for me,” she says. “Working at Merle Norman was fun, I knew how the business worked and I was ready to do my own thing.” Jason bought the business in 2012 and has never looked back. One factor in her success she says is to give yourself credit for knowing what your business needs. “You need to be confident in your skill set and not second-guess yourself,“ Jason says. “Owning a business is a lot of work – more so than people realize. But there’s a lot of support in the Yellowknife business community. I recently attended an evening charity event and I looked around and was so happy at the amount of strong, confident women present who are successful in business. Do it! You will have all the support you need and you’ll never look back. If you have the drive to make it work, it’s going to work!”
April Desjarlais – Expedite North & Khione Resources
A former biologist, April Desjarlais bought Expedite North in 2005 and started Khione Resources – connecting northern projects with northern workers in construction, exploration and mining – in 2009 after being inundated with requests from companies looking for qualified workers. Desjarlais has faced some difficulties in the world of mining, but it has only served to stimulate her competitive edge. “Not only am I female, I’m northern. I’ve grown up here, I’m Aboriginal and I’ve spent my whole working career here,” says Desjarlais. “I have a good understanding of the challenges that are happening here in the North. I’ve broken down these barriers and my clients see that my commitment and dedication speaks for itself.” Desjarlais says persistence is a key to success. “There’s always going to be doors closed on you – I still get doors closed on me – but every day you have to pick yourself up and know you provide a good service and keep on doing what you do best. “You have to be persistent because that door that closed last year could open up this year.”
Rosemary Youngblut – RY Counseling
“Diverse” describes Rosemary Youngblut’s career as a business owner. With a background in fashion design, she worked as a clothing buyer and was once part-owner of a Yellowknife clothing store. A stint in Rankin Inlet as general manager of a sewing company with the NWT Development Corporation signaled a change in her career path. “Living in a small Inuit community was an eye-opening experience,” Youngblut says. It confirmed that she was interested in helping people, so she went back to school and earned a Bachelor of Arts in social work, and eventually finished a Master’s in counseling a few years ago. In 2011, Youngblut opened her own private practice, RY Counseling, and now serves a variety of clients across the north and at remote mine locations. “I always wanted to have my own business,” she says. It’s important to really do the research and reflect on what it is you want to do and learn from the experiences of others.” Youngblut has simple advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. “Just do it! You can plan for contingencies but part of the excitement of owning your own business is realizing what you can handle. Nike wouldn’t have got too far if they said, ‘Just try to do it’.“
Janet Pacey – Signed
When the opportunity to purchase a local printing company came along five years ago, Janet Pacey put her doubts about owning a large company and managing employees aside and just jumped in with both feet. Pacey had several years of design experience from working at Adobe, CBC and other Yellowknife design companies, but found the first year of business was still a mind-opener. “We changed the name to ‘Signed’ to signify a new beginning and new way of doing business and have been building relationships and working non-stop ever since,” says Pacey. “There’s tons of support in this town and it’s a great community to have a business.” In the south, she wasn’t always well received as a female business owner. “Every printing conference I went to was nearly all men and salespeople had no interest in talking to me. I wasn’t taken seriously,” she says. “In Yellowknife, it’s the complete opposite. Nearly 80 percent of my clients are men and they really listen to me and are some of my most loyal clients. As long as you show that you are able and smart and know what you’re doing, people don’t care if you’re a man or a woman.”
Gabrielle Decorby – Polar Developments Ltd; Luluz Market
Gabrielle Decorby is the CEO of Yellowknife-based real estate development and management company, Polar Developments Ltd., a company she co-founded several years ago with her husband, Ray. She also owns Lulu’z Market, specialty food and gourmet kitchenware store that includes an intimate café specializing in light, made-in-store lunches. While some people can’t imagine the challenge of owning two businesses, Decorby has risen to it. “In the end, there will always be challenges. Life is 10 percent of what happens to us, and 90 percent of how we react to it,” she says. “The only way to build confidence is through trial and error. It’s ok to not have all the answers – get out and try, and be prepared to do the work.” As a business owner, Decorby’s had the opportunity to present a female perspective through various roles in business, industry, and educational boards she’s been involved with. “Anyone can bring equal qualifications or talent to the table,” she says. “However, having different viewpoints around the same topic can provide more balanced perspectives, hopefully resulting in better and well-rounded decision making.” She has some advice for those thinking about starting a business. “If you have a bold dream that you are very passionate about and have conviction for, then be well researched, be prepared and architect your life around your priorities. Prepare a business plan, obtain professional help such as an accountant to further develop your plan, and be solution oriented. These aspects become your solid foundation on which to build your business.”
