Vincent is often called upon to travel and do on-site
work. Working 14 to 16 hours per day during summer
and averaging eight to nine hours in winter, she recognized
the need to balance work and home life. To meet that
need, she now operates her business with the help
of a full-time employee, Cambrian College graphics
graduate Emily Boriss.
Occasionally, UCA is contracted for unusual projects.
“One
time, we were contracted by another painter to paint
a set of drums for (rock band) Honeymoon Suite,”
recalls Vincent. “They were ultimately used
in a McDonalds' (television) commercial.”
Other
clients include Maxell Canada, Mastercard, Volleyball
Canada and Orillia S.P.C.A.
Vincent has not only outgrown her living room, she’s
already outgrown plans to build a larger workspace
and is now setting up her business in a leased building
in Barrie.
Kevin Richards and Associates –
Repo man
www.kevinrichards.net
Selling
and leasing high-end exotic cars in Toronto was the
spark that ignited Richards' interest in repossession.
Vehicles would return occasionally and after questioning
his employer as to why they had returned, Richards
learned they had been repossessed. Speaking with his
own mother, a local auctioneer, Richards discovered
that bailiffs were kept busy and their work was profitable.
But finding employment with a bailiff company wasn’t
easy. After several disappointments, Richards landed
a position in 1997 with a small company looking to
expand.
“They brought me aboard and basically said,
‘The legislation is in the book on the filing
cabinet, and we'll see you when we get back from Florida
in a few weeks,’” Richards explains. “I
was essentially asked to train myself and figure out
what I needed to. I read the books over and over and
learned the basics. When the owners finally came back,
I began to get my hands-on training and started to
market their business. I increased their revenue by
approximately 300 per cent the first year I was there.”
Deciding to venture out on his own, Richards established
Kevin Richards and Associates Inc. in September of
2002. He began by contacting potential clients.
Working alone, Richards managed his own marketing,
customer follow-up, repossessions and accounting.
His initial investment was a cell phone, a computer
and an Internet connection. For tools, a legislation
book and knowledge of its contents were of paramount
importance. A reliable towing company and excellent
insurance were also essential components of the business.
“I (also) wear a bullet-proof vest on many occasions
and have to use my lock picks from time to time,”
Richards adds. “A GPS is helpful as well as
a good pocketful of dog treats for the occasional
dog that gets in your way.”
With more than 400 per cent growth since start-up,
Kevin Richards and Associates has provided employment
to assistant bailiffs from across Ontario, including
the local area.
“The average work day is never really average,”
says Richards. “It depends on what sort of files
we receive. If I am asked to evict a commercial tenant,
I will be working at night. I find the majority of
people are home at night and that is the ideal time
to repossess their vehicles.”
Kevin Richards and Associates currently represents
most of the major banks in Canada in addition to several
American clients. The company has also done work for
commercial landlords, property managers, lawyers,
paralegals and private lenders. A portion of their
work also comes from a large re-marketing centre,
including auctions.
Jeff
Argue Landscaping Inc. – Grass roots success
www.jeffarguelandscaping.com
Jeff
Argue established Jeff Argue Landscaping Inc. during
the year 2000. The Humber College horticultural graduate's
initial investment consisted of a pick-up truck, Bobcat®
machine and backhoe. His start-up cost of $150,000
put him far away from his original goal to pursue
a profession in nursing.
With the help of local summer students, Argue began
taking on small landscaping jobs in and around Simcoe
County. Through word-of-mouth advertising, Argue established
a reputation for reliability and quality workmanship.
Four years later, riding on a wave of success which
“exceeded our expectations,” Argue knew
he had to expand. The result was the construction
of an office complex and a large shop to house the
company's equipment. The addition of a hydro seeder
pushed his equipment worth over the half-million dollar
mark – a far cry from the not-so-humble figure
of $150,000 at start-up.
During peak season, which runs from April to September,
Argue and his crew of 13 put in long hours, typically
working from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Indeed, his professionalism
and dedication to excellent service have landed him
projects for well-to-do clients visiting Canada from
the United States and as far away as Hong Kong.
Winter is another story. During the downtime, Argue
saw the need for diversification. In 2006, he expanded
his services to include snow removal. With a snow
removal fleet that includes two plow-trucks, a loader
with plow and a sander, the job gets done.
Entering the company’s headquarters in Waubaushene,
Ontario, it's easy to see the reasons for Argue’s
success. Attention to detail is evident from floor
to ceiling, right down to the nature-inspired shade
of green used on walls as well as brochures. Another
recurring theme is the inukshuk, which shows up as
a massive landmark on the company grounds and in miniature
as a logo on company letterhead and invoices.
Jeff Argue Landscaping is a member of Landscape Ontario,
Construction Safety Association of Ontario, and Southern
Georgian Bay Chamber of Commerce.
Classic
Trailers and Trikes
A business on the roll
www.classictrailersandtrikes.com
It has
taken James O'Rourke, owner of Stayner's Classic Trailers
and Trikes, more than 30 years to nurture his business
into its now highly diversified state. With a start-up
investment of $5,000, O'Rourke began Canadian Cycle
Accessories in 1974, out of his garage in Concord,
Ontario. For the first three years he worked alone,
creating and welding small motorcycle accessories.
As demand for his product increased, O'Rourke found
it necessary to purchase additional manufacturing
equipment, such as benders, presses and extra welders.
Quickly outgrowing the garage, Canadian Cycle Accessories
was forced to move into a 2,000-square-foot rental
unit. Production had included high quality saddle
bag rails, bumpers, and running boards. During that
time, Honda and Yamaha's motorcycle division approached
him with a deal: he was asked to supply their touring
line of motorcycles with packaged parts under the
Honda and Yamaha licence. Three years after that monumental
leap, O'Rourke's business had doubled, and ultimately
outgrew its facility once again.
“Anything that we could make out of steel, we
were making it,” recounts O'Rourke. “I
still see our stuff on the older Wings (Honda Goldwings)
at bike rallies. These parts were going onto their
(Honda and Yamaha) touring bikes. We were the Number
one accessories manufacturer in the country. We had
420 dealers selling our stuff. That's when we really
outgrew everything and came to Stayner in 1980. We
didn't want to rent – we wanted to buy. We could
only afford to buy here, so we bought a couple of
lots and put up the building.”
For the first five years in Stayner, Canadian Cycle
Accessories ran two shifts with 11 employees. Then,
Advanced Car Specialty approached O'Rourke with an
offer to purchase his product line. After a four-year
period spent overseeing the transition from Canadian
Cycle Accessories to Advanced Car Specialty, O'Rourke
decided to revisit the welding industry, a move that
ultimately led him to his current biggest customer:
Honda Motor Company.
During the early 1990s, Honda Motor Company of Alliston
approached O'Rourke with a proposition. After inviting
O'Rourke to their manufacturing plant to review their
needs, Honda commissioned him to design and create
paint jigs – tools that would aid their robots
in grasping specific fixtures located on the vehicles
during the paint process.
“We
provide Alliston (Honda) with thousands and thousands
of paint jigs for their different vehicles,”
explains O'Rourke. “We repair them or change
the design when they change production to a different
vehicle. I would say 75 per cent of the paint jigs
they use are ours. Between the two plants, about $150,000.
Actually, we are also currently doing repair work
to another company's paint jig.”
It has been a slow and steady road to unimaginable
business success for O'Rourke. Currently operating
under the name Classic Trailers and Trikes, building
motorcycle trike conversions and selling toy haulers
(fifth-wheel trailers that have a cargo area for recreational
vehicles) is the perfect complement to his welding
business.
Donna
Douglas Communications • Training – and
much more
For Donna
Douglas, it's business as usual. Making business her
business, she began her company, Donna Douglas Communications
• Training, in 1995. Her Go Venture program
offers start-up training for new businesses and management
training for existing businesses. Since its launch,
Douglas has helped start 800 businesses, mostly from
the Barrie area.
What do entrepreneurs look like? According to Douglas:
Business start-ups by women (54 per cent) outnumber
those started by men, at 46 per cent.
Forty per cent of business owners are over 46 years
old.
Thirty-five per cent are between the ages of 35 and
46.
Twenty-five per cent are under 35.
Eighty-two per cent of Barrie area entrepreneurs are
self-employed full-time and self-supporting by the
end of their second year in business.
Twelve per cent are working part-time jobs by the
end of their second year to supplement their business
income.
Six percent of businesses started are now closed,
re-employed, or unavailable.
