 2021 Vital Award - Winner Interview Series David Muise, a dedicated Cultural Ambassador at Membertou Trade and Convention Center, is one of three individuals that won the Vital Excellence Award 2021, which was awarded to individuals who have played a vital role in their community through volunteerism, culture, leadership, innovation, etc. He is described as an important link between the First Nation and surrounding communities, and known for being a motivational, inspired and kind soul in Membertou. Snapshot about David Muise:
1. What is the INITIAL INSPIRATION for your career choice? Being on the Pow Wow trail and also going back to college, gave me the passion to learn more and more about the Tourism Industry. My love for singing and dancing is an instilled pride to what connection gives you. You feel yourself open up and understand more about the world. The sharing circle of it all tells us that we are all in this world together and the teachings of the sacred Medicine Wheel colors tells us we all have to be balanced and get along in this world. That is what the pow wow means to me. Pow wows would happen every weekend. Now they are slowly starting to open up again.  David Muise (left), a dedicated Cultural Ambassador at Membertou Trade and Convention Center, is one of three individuals that won the Vital Excellence Award 2021 I received my Tourism and Travel Management Coordinator Diploma and learned a lot being an Intern for Tourism Prince Edward Island. To take on the role of Cultural Ambassador of the Membertou Community, the leadership of Chief Terry Paul and the Council here in Membertou, this is an honor of inspiration which I am very humble for. 2. Can you share activities on one of your typical days? On a day, it would be a song, a smudge, a greeting, a medicine pouch, a dreamcatcher workshop, a welcome, a medicine walk, a community tour or singing at events or gigs. There are many activities that happen here and around Membertou and Unama’ki. I take part in anything that deals with singing, dancing. I did singing for Hospice, Cape Breton Hospital Foundation. I also go into schools and give Medicine Walks to the children and teachers. The portfolio of what I did not work will fill a book or two. 3. What are the difficulties to inspire people about Mi’kmaq culture? There are no difficulties. It would happen in the person themselves. One way to connect is to show people how to get along. That’s one step. Instilling the basic teachings to participants allows them to be connected with not just mother earth, but with the people they interact with on a daily basis. Overall, it is what the person is feeling at that time. 4. Could you share one of the MISTAKES you made and the lesson from it? One mistake that makes you feel regretful would be not showing up, being a no show. The lesson with this mistake, and you can call it a mistake or spiritual guidance, that you were not supposed to be there at that time. Something may have come up at the last minute and you had to step out. Not letting the boss know is another mistake that costs you merit. Merit to make you feel when you work in Membertou, you are a professional and always have to be professional. In all words, have fun and be professional.  David Muise in a Dreamcatcher workshop with the faculty at the Shannon School of Business in October 2021 5. What makes you appreciate most about Cape Breton? The people are the most important part of Cape Breton / Unama’ki. The diversity of languages and culture. I am honored to learn the Mi’kmaq language. Unama’ki is where I will relearn to speak and understand our people’s language. 6. What are the proudest CONTRIBUTIONS that you made to the community in Cape Breton? Sharing the drum, song and dance and mixing the Membertou Mi’kmaq Medicine Walk (*). It is a three hour five senses experience. Learning the practices from the ancestors, this is taught to the people on the Medicine Walk. There is singing and dancing, language learning and testing of medicines. Overall, it’s an experience to connect with each other and learn more about yourself as you take on the experience. Experience has helped many people connect with each other, and also learn more about the history of Membertou. Kun’tewiktuk came a long way to where it stands today as Membertou. This story always helps people understand struggle and flourish. Kun’tewiktuk is the original community of 126 and was forcefully shipped from one encampment to the next. The Exchequer Court case that took ten years to close. From 1916 till 1926, the people of Old Kings Road had fought for their land and lost. Chief Ben Christmas had found land and their journey took them up to Membertou. The Membertou community is named after Grand Chief Henri Membertou, who was the first Mi’kmaq man and his family to be baptized to Catholicism. This happened in 1610 in Port Royal.  David Meuse (first one from the right) led a group on Mi’kmaq Medicine Walk journey in September 2021 (Source: CBisland.com) 7. Which opportunities and challenges that COVID-19 gave you? Being on lock down for nine months, yes, you can have a lot of time to rebuild your product and delivery. My whole life, I was not shy to perform or sing in front of crowds. I did sing a lot during the lockdown and it gave me the strength for my voice to always be able to sing for the people when requested. I have been a pow wow singer for over twenty some years. I am still learning more about my voice. So the lockdown gave me the ability to learn more about my voice and what I can do to keep it healthy. Moreover, the Membertou Mi’kmaq Medicine Walk Experience was going to be purchased on the Cruise Ships. That anticipation to have made it that far in two years, gave it a lot of potential to grow even more. With the setback, it gave it more thought, more growth to see opportunity and the visitors that come here to Membertou with an experience they will never forget.  “Number one in my list would be performing in front of a million or more people. Every song I sing, I make sure that the people are going to get the best song and voice my spirit has to offer.” - David 8. Describe one SUCCESS FACTOR in your journey? The most important success factor is to believe in what you are doing, showing passion, love and dedication. Always ask for help and always know that when there is a team, anything is possible. ‘Teamwork makes the Dream work’ 9. People usually make a list of 100 things to do before they die. If you have one, could you share with me three from your list? My number one would be performing in front of a million or more people. Every song I sing, I make sure that the people are going to get the best song and voice my spirit has to offer. Number two would be put on the biggest music show that Atlantic Canada has to offer. Music from all genres and age brackets. This would be awesome. Number three, see all my children graduate in their studies. It is important because I tell the kids, one day, you will have to take care of me and your mother. (*) Membertou Mi’kmaq Medicine Walk is a three-hour tour in which you will learn the medicinal practices used by our ancestors while walking through a beautifully wooded trail in Membertou. The experience then continues with a dreamcatcher workshop, the breaking of traditional (luskinikn) bread, and then shopping at Petroglyphs Gift Shop. This guided tour begins at our Membertou Welcome Centre. Since early June, our Mi’kmaq Medicine Walk has welcomed over 150 people from all over the world including Florida, Miami, Ohio, Europe and more. Book the tour here:: https://membertoutcc.com/mikmaq-medicine-walk/ Interviewed and edited: Grace Le
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 2021 Vital Award - Winner Interview Series Having been nominated by Harman Singh, CEO of Breton Ability Center (BAC) (1), Kaitlin Munroe excellently becomes the winner of Vital Employee Excellence Award 2021, which honors employees who have played a vital role in their workplaces. “She puts them first and foremost and will go above and beyond for the residents and the organization” - Harman Singh portrayed Kaitlin in her nomination. Snapshot about Kaitlin Munroe:
1. First of all, what is your INITIAL INSPIRATION for your career choice? In grade 3, I met a young girl who had Autism. We became great friends over the years, we used to hang out and have sleepovers. I saw the struggles she had with our peers, and I always felt that this came from a place of misunderstanding and lack of education around people with Autism and people with varying abilities in general. When it came time to choose my career, it was very easy for me to decide which sector I was interested in working in.  Kaitlin Munroe (first one from the left) and her colleagues 2. What are the proudest CONTRIBUTIONS that you made? My proudest moments are the small everyday accomplishments of the people I support. There are often tasks or situations that we as able bodied people navigate with ease that takes a lot more support and learning for some of our residents. Being able to help them accomplish small things that others take for granted is something I am very proud of. 3. How about one CHALLENGE that you remember most? Some of the biggest mistakes I have made are when finding solutions to challenging situations and behaviors and forgetting that: sometimes, the solutions are the most obvious. I had a resident with challenging behaviors, he had incidents daily multiple times a day, surrounding noise, other clients, events on television or the newspaper. After many attempts of programs such as the usage of headphones, ear plugs, creating a private place for him, making sure the TV didn’t have the news on, taking traumatic things out of the newspaper, the solution was a “good day” program. We set expectations of what a “good day” was to him and what a “good day” looks like, giving him strategies to use. If he had a “good day” he got pop chips at a specific time. Since this program has started, the decrease in his incidents is phenomenal, and all it took was pop & chips at a scheduled time.  Seeing people she supports make small accomplishes is Kaitlin’s proudest moments 4. It is difficult for everyone in the pandemic. Which was the biggest challenge you faced during this time? The residents of BAC were particularly affected by Covid 19 restrictions as being in a highly populated living environment. We often fall under the guidelines of long term care yet many of our residents are young, active, and involved in the community. During this time, they were isolated from loved ones, from their community, and limited in their ability to access outside resources. There were times where they were unable to even leave the property for months at a time. This required daily problem solving and creative solutions that sometimes fell outside of the everyday duties of our job.  Kaitlin and BAC residents in the trip to Hank's Farm Market We created opportunities for our residents by turning our Abiltea’s café (2) into a store, selling preferred items we knew residents liked such as pop, chips, bars, make up, body wash, decorations ornaments, etc. We had “runners” for residents when they wanted something that they could not access at the café, staff would run out and get what they were looking for. We set up video chats with loved ones. Staff made newsletters with word searches to highlight the fun things we did during that month. We went for lots of drives, we had fun activities in each neighborhood, scavenger hunts on our property, parties, movie nights, bingo, karaoke. We were always thinking of ideas to keep our residents happy and engaged and safe on property. The biggest difference for me before COVID-19 and now is that I recognize just how important our connection to others is whether it be our family, community, and the support systems we require. The Covid 19 pandemic highlighted the need for human connection and togetherness and that this is true for our residents as well. 5. Can you describe one SUCCESS FACTOR in your journey? We use a System called TEACCH, TEACCH uses a method called “Structured TEACCHing". This is based on the unique learning needs of people with ASD, The Structured TEACCHing approach focuses on:
This method supports meaningful engagement in activities. It also works to increase students’ flexibility, independence, and self-efficacy.  Kaitlin has dedicated 7 years at BAC, from a Resident Care Worker to a Behavioral Interventionist Using this method, I was able to teach important life skills. For example, myself and a co-worker set up a work system of sweeping the floor. After many attempts at holding the broom, the sweeping motion, holding the dustpan and dumping it in the garbage can without spilling, they can now successfully sweep independently. They are now the first person to offer to clean up a mess. Seeing someone accomplish something that they didn’t think they would be able to do, to see the pride in their eyes is the most rewarding feeling. 6. Is there anyone that you feel grateful to everyday in your journey? The residents for sure. We share difficult moments but also celebrate successes together. They bring a unique perspective to most situations, and have allowed me to learn and grow in ways that I would never have without their involvement in my life. Your “disability” does not define you as a person, the person comes first then the varying ability. I have worked with many people over the years, I have seen different levels of functioning, every person is different and so is everyone’s strengths. I have grown so much and I am so grateful for all the time I’ve got to spend with the people I met as they changed my life and taught me so much. “I have grown so much and I am so grateful for all the time I’ve got to spend with the people I met as they changed my life and taught me so much” - Kaitlin Munroe From the good days to the bad days, nothing else has tested me and I have never known the happiness and the rewards from anything else. They teach me lessons every day that I would not have learned in any other way, and the most important one is. Most people simply want you to listen and to be treated equally, get to know the person first. If someone handed you a chart with all your bad days, is that how you would want to be known? Take the time and put in the effort to create meaningful relationships. 7. Do you have any MENTORS and what you have learnt from them? Jimmy & Lori Kennedy are one of my best friends' parents, they are the owners of Louisbourg Seafoods Ltd. and its divisions — Ka’le Bay Seafoods Ltd., Northsyde Processing Ltd. and Canso Seafoods Ltd. Lori & Jimmy Kennedy are known in the community for their entrepreneurial mindset and building successful business from the ground up. Throughout my life, they have remained constant support for me. I’ve always admired them for their generosity and hard work ethic. Harman Singh is the CEO of Breton Ability Centre. I met Harman here at BAC. Harman Singh is a strong advocate for inclusiveness in the community. She often inspires me to think out of the box and come up with creative solutions that are effective in supporting the residents but also remain within their rights. Kaitlyn Strickland is the lead social worker at BAC, we became very close co-workers working with each other daily that turned into an amazing friendship. Kaitlyn Strickland is someone who I work with very closely. Kaitlyn is always there to help me work through any challenging scenarios, when it comes to the rights of the residents and ethical guidelines she is always able to point me in the right direction. Kaitlyn is always there to help me when seeking information, she has so much knowledge and information. 8. And, you are also a Special Olympics floor hockey coach too? (Smile) Yes, I recently just joined. It's been since October, we practice every Monday at the YMCA. We run drills, the athletes play against each other and to end the practice we normally do a shoot out! We have roughly 20 athletes, we have not had any games due to the pandemic currently.
Interviewed and edited: Grace Le
 2021 Vital Award - Winner Interview Series Ashley Roach-Poirier was nominated and became one of three Vital Excellence Award winners this year for being an “extremely dedicated and charitable person” (said by her nominator). Besides a full-time job at a construction company, Ashley has dedicated her heart to a long list of community activities, including teaching Zumba for all ages, fundraising, coaching sports teams at school level, being a board member of arts council, performing at nursing homes, churches, concerts, etc. in her hometown. Snapshot about Ashley Roach-Poirier:
1. Where do you originally come from and what made you decide to settle down here in Cape Breton? I have always lived in Cheticamp for 30 years, except 4 years that I went away for college. I love the small town life that Cheticamp offers. There’s so much to do for our little town. Everyone knows everyone and I like that. When you need it, the community is always there to support you. I ended up returning to Cheticamp right after my college studies as I had met someone who is now my husband. He owned his own construction company and was settled already, so it was an easy decision to move home. I've been working for the company for 7 years now!  The photo was from “Stuff the Cruiser” where Ashley and her group did a Christmas carol while they collected donations for our local food bank. 2. Can you share some of the funding activities you did and what is your INITIAL INSPIRATION for what you have been doing? I also love supporting fundraising for good causes. With our Rainbow Rockstarz fundraisers during Covid, we managed to raise roughly $3,400 this summer for both our causes, which are Relay for life and Cape Breton Cancer Patient Fund. This was done by canvasing the sidewalks, we had music going and of course some dancing. When we can do our variety Concerts, we usually bump that number up to $5,000-6,000 per year. Let’s hope for 2022! (Editor: Read more about this campaign: https://www.invernessoran.ca/top-story/625-cancer-fund-run-cheticamp) Our annual “Stuff the Cruiser” with the RCMP gets many food donations as well as monetary donations which amounted to over $5,000. The event is coming up on December 11th. Our Gospel concerts are usually performed in one of our local churches. Donations are accepted at the door and donated to the church. Usually every concert we do raises between $1,000-1500. We try to do at least two concerts per year. Our last Christmas concert raised roughly $2,000 for the Arts Council. We also participate in the annual Radioton for Arts Council which raises roughly $5,000 per year. We participate in the annual fall Radioton that is held for our local Radio (CKJM) and that also raises roughly $5,000 per year.  Ashley was in the rainbow canvasing the sidewalks as a fundraiser Throughout the many different benefit dances that we have been involved in, the community of Cheticamp never ceases to amaze me. We usually see funds raised for families in need anywhere from $5,000$ to $10,000, sometimes even more! Most every year we have a local “Papa noel/Christmas daddies” for our local “St Vincent De Paul” charity. We always make sure to participate in this event. I am not entirely sure of amounts raised but I know this is an important event as it raises money prior to Christmas and allows the charity to provide food during the holidays to many families in need.  Ashley in the Committee of Jackie Deveau Memorial Golf Tournament I had forgotten to mention that I am also on the committee that organizes the Jackie Deveau Memorial Golf Tournament that raises money for various causes. Our last tournament raised just over 12000$ for these causes. I've always been involved in many different activities even at a young age. I love a busy schedule and so being involved in the community keeps me occupied. When I moved back home, my involvement was with the Radio board of directors and with coaching volleyball for about 5 years. More recently in the last few years, I teach dance at our local school to both young children and adults. I also teach Zumba classes and partake on the Arts Council board of directors as well as the Cheticamp cooperative.  Ashley and her students in KIDS Zumba class My inspiration for teaching dance comes from my involvement as a kid. Someone took the time to teach me, to coach me and now I feel privileged to be able to contribute to others. Along with dance, music has always been a big part of my life. We sing at various benefits, concerts. But what I hold dear to my heart is singing at our local Foyer pere Fiset (a nursing home in Cheticamp).  La P’tite Brise, a group of young step dancers in the Cheticamp community, are students of Ashley. The pandemic has really opened our eyes to how much things can be taken for granted. I have sang at the Foyer roughly once a month since 2011, but with the pandemic, we weren’t able to go. Just last week, I got the call that we’ll be able to start singing there again. 3. One REMARKABLE MEMORY in your journey? There are so many over the years. One thing that I find extra special is our Christmas day. Every Christmas (of course apart from last year) for 6 years now, we go to the Foyer with a group of people and we sing Christmas carols throughout the halls to spread some Christmas Joy. I can’t explain the feeling when we see the residents sing and follow along, the families smiling and joining in, and even the staff dancing and laughing. It is truly a special part of our Christmas day that we look forward to.  Ashley and her group sang at the local Foyer in Holiday season 4. Are there any MISTAKES that you learned by heart? As everyone, I'm sure I've made my fair share of mistakes. I think the biggest lesson that I learnt is that not everyone is as committed as you. Sometimes, when I get inspired and want to do something, I expect everyone to feel the same. I've had to realize that not everyone shares the same passions as me, so of course I had to lower my expectations. I also had to learn that you can’t please everyone, so it’s finding a balance of doing things in the best way you can and being ok with that. This was hard for me as I'm a go-getter and I like to achieve goals. I set the bar high for myself. So sometimes, it's just learning to be ok with not everyone being on board or accepting your best. 5. Who are your MENTORS? Could you share with us THREE MOST SIGNIFICANT THINGS that you learnt from them? I have so many mentors that have inspired me. Throughout my life I've had knowledgeable teachers, sports coaches, stern but good bosses, dance instructors, loving parents, supportive friends and family. I feel like there is a BIG list of things that I learnt but if I have to pick three it would be:
 Ashley participated in the rainbow Rockstarz variety concert. Her team fundraised for Cape Breton Cancer patient fund and for Cancer society. 6. What CHANGES do you really want to make in your Community? I hope that my involvement will inspire others to do something as well. I think everyone has a gift that they can share, a strength that they can use to help our community become stronger and better. I hope my love for dance and music is spread to the younger (and not so young) generation. Someone asked me why I accepted to be on the board of the coop as my schedule is pretty hectic to begin with. The way I see it is if I want things to ameliorate, I can’t help by being a bystander! For things to positively change people have to be active in their community! 7. Do you have any GOALS in the next 5 years? I hope that we continue to move forward with live events, and strive to find our new normal. I would love to develop more opportunities for dance in our community, as well as other similar physical activities. I look forward to working with others towards these goals. I hope to be able to make a difference on the committees I'm currently involved in. Sometimes new ideas and a fresh outlook can go a long way. God knows what new endeavors I’ll be doing in five years, but I look forward to it.  “If I want things to ameliorate, I can't help by being a bystander” - Ashley 8. Finally, how did you feel when you got nominated and finally became the winner this year? To be honest, I had no idea I had been nominated let alone win! It is truly an honor to receive this award! I was so touched that someone would consider nominating me. I guess it really goes to show that you really never realize the impact you are having!
Interviewed and edited: Grace Le
 1. Tell us about yourself/ your business. My name is Jay Rawding and I own and operate Highland Bow & Arrow on the Cabot trail. I co- own the Wreck Cove Wilderness Cabins with my partner, where Highland Bow is now located. I have also been a freelance graphic designer for the last ten years. When I am not working on my businesses I tend to be out in nature photographing, birding, and being active. Highland Bow & Arrow is about making archery accessible and teaching the correct ways to respect and care for the equipment involved. I teach instinctive shooting which means the bows do not have sights and success comes from a combination of good form and consistency. For many this is a teaching of patience and acceptance, or a much needed break from the busyness of life. For most it is new evidence that they are capable of much more than they thought.  2. What was your path to your current position/ business? My path to my current position was formed on the idea that if I wanted a certain lifestyle, I had to become self reliant in terms of making money and living in a more rural place. It started with being a freelancer, which I did for years on top of having a full time job to prepare for a time where I may be living somewhere far outside a city center. That was my dream and I needed plans to fall back on to earn income. I started Highland Bow with a very small budget and built that business to be as rugged as the sport actually is. I worked my way up to refine the experience over time. When I met my partner and we took on the Wreck Cove Wilderness Cabins in October 2019, we purchased the company from his father who operated for 23 years. Highland Bow moved to this site and re-opened in July 2020. Design continues to supplement my income, which means my plan b turned into plans a, b, and c. They all work together. 3. How long has your business been operating in CB? I started Highland Bow & Arrow in 2017 and I am finishing up my 4th season open.  4. What inspired you to operate a business in Cape Breton/ Unama’ki? The nature here is what inspired me to be here. People seeking out adventure in Cape Breton realize we have some of the best of it preserved right here. I was on my journey to figuring out how I was going to finance my next move in life, and in the meantime I was shooting lots of archery. I couldn’t give much advice to people on where to shoot, since at the time most archery clubs were either shut down or barely operational, so lots of people tried my one bow and few arrows. 5. What was your “ah-ha” moment when you knew you had the right idea? Friends of friends would then come by my cabin to try, and I noticed more and more their delight in hearing about how I spend my time with the bow. People clearly wanted to be outside enjoying something simple, and many more wanted activities that take them off of their devices and into the present moment. I acquired a couple more bows and did one shooting event which was all women. Their excitement was brilliant and I saw confidence form in front of my eyes within every participant. After that experience I thought, I have to keep doing this!  6. What did you study in school? How has it helped you in your journey? I studied event management, public relations and graphic design. It has helped me immensely and made it possible for me to be completely self reliant for all my marketing, design work and advertising for business. I have a relationship with my branding that works incredibly closely with the real me, and it shows to my customers. 7. If there was one thing you could have done differently early in your career, what would it be? The one thing I would do differently in my career is realize that I had the power to control my life earlier. Sure, circumstances can make that really hard to see, and especially when you are young and influenced by so much, that can be hard. It is still hard! But I do have choices.  8. What is your advice to a ‘shiny new’ business owner or entrepreneur? To run a business successfully you need to be firm: firm on the price, the policies and the decisions you will have to make. Firm on what you can and cannot handle. If that is difficult for you, practice it. A business owner must protect their time to do work that benefits the customers they serve, while staying healthy and ready to show up for them. It is not an easy balance. 9. What advice would you offer aspiring business owners or entrepreneurs who want to stay on the Island? My advice to anyone aspiring to open a business on the Cabot trail is to do it, and use the community of like-minded entrepreneurs on the island as guides. Reach out to people and create a network. Focus on ideas that promote a healthy use of our natural landscape and help us keep it that way.   In 2014, as a fresh graduate from Sydney Academy, I wanted nothing more than to leave Cape Breton. I was yearning for freedom and independence. I think that’s pretty typical for most 18 year-olds. A lot of people thought I wanted to leave to be in a bigger city, but that wasn’t the case. It’s funny because most of my friends headed to Halifax, some stayed here, and I moved to Sackville, New Brunswick, and spent four years at Mount Allison University.
I always had a pretty strong sense of community- one that only got stronger after living in a VERY small town of 5,000 people. It’s such a cliché, but Mount A and the Town of Sackville really helped me find myself and grow into the person I really wanted to be. By 2018, when all my friends were deciding what was next for them, I was really struggling. There was one thing that was clear, I loved community. And there was no better community to learn from than my own. After four years away, I moved back to Cape Breton and began a very exciting new journey pursuing my MBA in Community Economic Development. Once you live away from home for a little bit, you truly appreciate everything about it. The reasons I wanted to leave so badly in high school very quickly became the things that made me fall in love with Cape Breton all over again. I moved back as a completely different person. One that wanted to make other people see the things that make my home such a special place. It helped that I surrounded myself with incredible people. I forced myself to get out and get connected. I’d be silly not to thank my Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation and Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce families for helping me do this. Now, 2 years later, at 24, I’ve started my career dreams and advocating to make my community a better place every single day. I know we have a lot of work to do and I know there are so many of us in Cape Breton with the same goal. I’m a firm believer that in order to get things done, we need to work together and share our ideas. For me, becoming a board member of NextGen Unama’ki means I can do exactly that. I’ve been looking for opportunities to join a board that supported a cause I’m really passionate about and that’s why I am so excited to join the NextGen team as one of the newest board members! The work NextGen has done over the years has proven that they’re truly a catalyst for engagement and use their voice for empowering young leaders to be the change. Great things are happening in Cape Breton/ Unama’ki and I cannot wait to see how we can work together to reach our full potential. I hope that I can play a role in encouraging and inspiring more young Capers to get involved in their community, the same way that so many did for me! 1. Tell us about yourself/ your business. My name is Tasha and I am a super proud Cape Bretoner! When I was in University, I knew I wanted to stay here and contribute to the Island in some way. I love reading, learning, spending time with family and friends, and of course spending lots of time with my boyfriend, our three dogs and cat. Our business is something that we truly love! It has become a part of my identity and brings me so much happiness. Tasha’s Dog Training & More serves a wide variety of dogs. We work with any breed, any size, any age and any training issue. We have a focus on dog behavior and obedience. We offer multiple groups, private training, board and train, virtual training and information sessions for businesses. Our group training is done in a group setting and allows people to work with multiple distractions. Private training is done one on one and is focused on the particular issues the owner wants to work on. Virtual training is our online format and we meet with clients from the comfort of their own home. Board and Train is when a dog stays with us for a period of time and we work with them to overcome any training or behavioural issues. Our info sessions for business have been mainly focused around safety, dog behaviour, dog body language and preventing bites. We have done this for dog daycares and other companies where people go into people’s yards or homes.  2. What was your path to your current position/ business? I went to CBU for an Art degree with a major in Political Science. I chuckle at that now because it has nothing to do with my businesses. However, that time at CBU was so important in helping to develop and create who I am. When I left CBU I was hired at a doctor’s office and eventually moved on from there to work for Canada Revenue Agency. My boyfriend and I got our first dog together 9.5 years ago. Long before we brought Chloe into our lives, we began researching dog training and how we wanted our dog to behave. I am obsessed with learning! This turned into me taking my first certification in dog training. Being someone who likes to learn, that rolled into additional courses, certifications and travelling to meet and learn from other trainers. Even to this day I belong to several networks with a wide variety of trainers, I continue to take courses and with technology it allows me to connect with some amazing trainers and engage in great one on one discussions. You learn something new from every dog that you interact with. This is why it is important to not get complacent in this industry and always be open to more information. 3. How long has your business been operating in CB? We officially launched our business 6 years ago. Prior to that we were offering training, but it was primarily by word of mouth. I really should have launched it earlier, but it was an intimidating thing to put yourself out there like that. I knew that I had the knowledge and the skill to share with people, but it is scary to do it and be unsure if anyone would be interested. However, it clearly worked out and now we are so busy with private, group, board and train, virtual training and even information sessions we offer to other businesses. 4. What inspired you to operate a business in Cape Breton/ Unama’ki? I love this Island! I really mean that and I know that this place is amazing and has so much to offer to people. I really wanted to stay here and offer something to the community. 5. What was your “ah-ha” moment when you knew you had the right idea? When our facebook page went live it was definitely an ah-ha moment. One of my friends had organized a little launch party for me and we counted down, I opened the page to the public and they all shared it. We received so many messages that our first group filled instantly. It really blew me away and I remember being so shocked by it all. 6. What did you study in school? How has it helped you in your journey? I attended CBU for a Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Political Science. My minor is in business and I believe that helped, me on my journey. I definitely have the type of mind that is more drawn to arts courses, but those business courses were very interesting and I carried that knowledge with me. Then I suppose my next schooling was when I started with trainer certifications. Speaking with other trainers really allowed me to learn from so many experienced and knowledgeable people. That has been so valuable in helping me to develop my business. 7. If there was one thing you could have done differently early in your career, what would it be? I would have launched my business sooner. I had the knowledge and the skill, but I was hesitant to do it.  8. What is your advice to a ‘shiny new’ business owner or entrepreneur? Put yourself out there! Everyone has something they can offer or teach someone else. There are people who will want what you have to offer. 9. What advice would you offer aspiring business owners or entrepreneurs who want to stay on the Island? I say do it! This Island is filled with talent and you are exactly what this island needs. I would suggest getting out there and talking to other business owners and engaging with different people. My biggest mentor was my godfather Dannie Hanson and he didn’t know anything about dog training. He did know about Cape Breton and about business. Find those people that you can engage with and who will offer you support. Even reach out to someone you admire and ask them if they would mentor you. 10. Where do you see the future of your business headed? I have so many ideas for my business. We have grown so much and are doing so many things that I feel blessed for the growth we have had. I think the pet industry is definitely one that still has so much potential growth. I would like to explore more opportunities with our board and train and virtual training. We have reached a place with our board and train that we are more comfortable expanding this and increasing the number of clients we take in. With virtual training I really like that we can connect with people from anywhere in the world. Visit Tasha's Dog Training
We do much of our training outdoors and in real life situations. Many of our sessions happen in front of the municipal building on the Esplanade in Sydney. 320 Esplanade Sydney, NS B1P 7B9 Our board and train takes place in our home. Contact Tasha Website Phone Connect on Social Instagram: @tashas_dog_training Facebook: @tashasdogtraining TicTok: @tashasdogtraining YouTube: Tasha's Dog Training & More_  Hello! My name is Reilly Graham from Judique and I am the owner of Ceilidh Tent & Event Rentals. We are your full-service wedding & event rental company supplying everything you need from start to finish. Whether you are planning a quiet outdoor wedding or a black-tie event, we take great pride in providing people with the highest quality rentals and dependable service. Making every event our top priority!
After high school I graduated from Power Engineering-Process Operations at NSCC, Marconi Campus. However, soon after graduation from Marconi I found myself purchasing Ceilidh Tent & Event Rentals - a business in which I worked my way up through the ranks. In 2018 I went back to school to further my education in business and started the Business Administration program at NSCC, Strait Area Campus. Halfway through my second year of the Business Administration Program I accepted a job with the East Coast Credit Union as an Assistant Manager for the Port Hawkesbury branch. Being an entrepreneur at such a young age and experiencing the ups and downs of starting a small business with limited help and experience made me want to help recognize and support other individuals doing, or aspiring to do, the same. It is not an easy task and I think the NextGen/ Unama’ki board will be a great way for me to help recognize and help individuals looking to create their own careers here in Cape Breton/ Unama'ki. Through Ceilidh Tent & Event Rentals I look forward to continuing to make peoples' dream events become reality all over Nova Scotia and possibly even the Atlantic provinces in the future. Living here in Cape Breton, is living at home. It is where your neighbours are your family and friends. And no matter what community you are visiting it feels like home. The opportunities are endless! 1. Tell us about yourself/ your business. My name is Valerie Walsh and I am co owner of Doktor Luke’s - a respectable coffee house with my husband James Walsh. James is the person you see all the time. He runs the show, I fill in the little bits and pieces mostly behind the scenes. I work as a full time optician and James manages the cafe.  2. What was your path to your business? Doktor Luke’s was started by two women from Moncton in 2014. They opened up in an adorable little place on Kings Road that they quickly grew out of. About a year and half later they moved to our current location on Prince Street. James has been working for them for a few years when Missy and Julie (past owners) decided they were moving to Ontario. So we were given the opportunity to buy the business. We’ve owned it for two years now and we couldn’t have been happier about our terrifying purchase. We knew James could run the daily barista lifestyle, but we had never owned a business before. It was always kind of something James thought about but starting a business was terrifying. Buying a pre existing business that we both loved and beloved in was a much easier plunge. 3. What inspired you to operate a business in Cape Breton/ Unama’ki? Like many Cape Bretoners, James and I left the island right after high school, attending St FX and then lived and worked in Halifax for a short time. James took a year and travelled to Dublin with his brother and friend. But we always came back to Cape Breton/ Unama’ki. We’ve never been without work, doing whatever we could to make it work here. We are both pretty close to our family and have a real great group of supportive “Cape Breton first” friends. We’ve surrounded ourselves with like minded people who appreciate what we have here and work hard to make it the best place to live and work. Operating a business here means we can help in revitalizing our downtown core. We can stop complaining about what we don’t have and appreciate what we do have.  4. What was your “ah-ha” moment when you knew you had the right idea? Well, it wasn’t our idea. But when we made it through our first year as the owners and realized that our bills were paid, people enjoy coming to the cafe, they love our product, plus we were employing four people, that was a pretty big “ah-ha” moment. It was also a pretty big “we didn’t mess this up yet!” moment. 5. What did you study in school? How has it helped you in your journey? Neither of us excelled at school or studying. We both graduates high school and continued on to take bachelor level courses at St FX and then CBU but neither of us completed our degrees. I have since gone back and have an optical science diploma for my other job. But we have learned about running a business from our hard working friends and family, from trial and error, and from never giving up.  6. If there was one thing you could have done differently early in your career, what would it be? I don’t generally like to think about what I could have or should have done. I prefer to look forward and plan for how we can grow Doktor Luke’s. 7. What is your advice to a ‘shiny new’ business owner or entrepreneur? Cape Breton is too small a place for competition. Support other small businesses and they will support you. Make friends with your neighbours in business like you would your neighbours at home. Find some really great employees that you can trust and will show pride in their work, not only because they want to do a good job, but because they believe in your business and love where they work.  Contact Valerie
Business Address: 54 Prince Street on the corner of Prince and Bentinck Street inside the Prince Street Market. (What we have been calling Sydney’s New Action Corner) Connect on Social Instagram: @doktorlukes Facebook: Doktor Luke’s Twitter: @doktorlukes  My name is Nina Kent, I am an Anishinaabe woman from a small First Nation community in Northern Ontario known as Washagamis Bay. I came to this beautiful Island to attend Cape Breton University and received my Master’s in Business Administration, specializing in Community Economic Development in the fall of 2017.
During my stay in Unama’ki, I met my life partner in Eskasoni First Nation who is Mi’kmaq, we purchased our first home in Sydney, NS, and had our first child in 2018. Safe to say, I am a lifer in Cape Breton. Often when I share my story with local people in Cape Breton, they joke, ‘you did things backwards’ citing it’s the common experience that people move away from Cape Breton to get an education and set a foundation for their life. I believe it was suggested I apply for this role because of my position at In.Business: A Mentorship Program for Indigenous Youth, a program facilitated by Cape Breton University’s, Unama’ki College. I have been in this role for over 4 years; working with youth has always been a passion of mine and I strongly believe that investing in youth is the best possible way to make change for the future of communities. The In.Business program vision is to inspire Indigenous youth to a become business leaders in their communities, by completing a business education and understanding the synergies that exist between business and other disciplines. Historically, enrolment levels of Indigenous youth have been well below non-Indigenous levels and even more so in the area of business. We operate at the high school level, engaging, educating and mentoring Indigenous youth to make the transition to post-secondary studying business. I personally believe it’s important to show youth that there are sustainable, socially responsible ways to run a successful business and invest in a life in Unama’ki. Indigenous youth are the fastest growing demographic in Canada, setting them up with the confidence to become leaders in their community is so important and critical for the future of communities. Investing in Indigenous youth and providing the opportunity to pursue their educational dreams will change lives and the overall impact it will have is the economic growth and future sustainability of Indigenous communities in Unama’ki. I was first introduced by NextGen in 2017, and excitedly await the presentation of the Vital awards each year. I have seen young people receive these awards and thought, ‘what an amazing way to recognize the successes of youth’. It is so important to provide youth with diverse role models, who are finding success here in Unama’ki, and to recognize that there are young people working to make Cape Breton an amazing place to live AND that it doesn’t necessarily require moving away to another larger city center as often the narrative plays out. I look forward to my role on this board, and working with the team to promote the vision and mission of NextGen. 1. Tell us about yourself/ your business. My name is Keven Taylor; I am currently 34 years old. I was born and raised in Sydney, Nova Scotia and currently reside in the area. I graduated from Sydney Academy in 2004 and have a Bachelor of Community Studies Degree from Cape Breton University. I have worked in the Food & Beverage industry for most of my adult life and have many passions outside of work such as sports and volunteering in the community. Some of the volunteer work I have done in the community includes being the Head Coach of the Sydney Academy JV Boys Basketball team for several years as well as a mentor through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. I am currently the Founder and President of Island Sauce Company Limited otherwise known as Island Sauce Co.  2. What was your path to your current position/ business? As I previously mentioned, I worked in the Food & Beverage industry for most of my adult life, so it was only natural to continue on that path as an entrepreneur. It was always a dream of mine to run my own business, and after helping establish professional basketball in the community while working with the Cape Breton Highlanders Pro Basketball Team, I felt it was time to try and make my entrepreneur dreams come true. I was always intrigued by some other local businesses that came before me such as East Coast Lifestyle, Breton Brewing, and Nova Scotia Spirit Co. I knew I wanted to do something like that, and after doing some market research and identifying an opportunity in the sauce and food condiment industry, I started my journey with Island Sauce Co.  3. How long has your business been operating in CB? How long has my business been operating in Cape Breton is a tricky question. I originally registered Island Sauce Co. in May 2017 and followed that up by incorporating the business in October 2017. My journey from then to now was extremely hard, and took a tremendous amount of hard work, determination and more than anything, belief in myself and my vision for Island Sauce Company. It is impossible to properly articulate everything I have been through over the last 3 years to be in the position we are in now, but I will do my best to summarize the journey to this point. From May to October of 2017 was spent developing our products, securing some funding and finding a facility to produce our products. I was able to secure a small business loan through CBDC and secured a co-packing facility just outside of Halifax. In October 2017, we launched our products and began generating revue. To be honest, we never had close to enough funding to properly launch the business, nor did I have the proper structure to succeed long term. By early 2018 we were almost out of money, but to make matters worse, the company that was manufacturing our products decided to get out of the co-packing business. For the time being, this was the end of Island Sauce Co, but my journey was just getting started. What followed was two years of trials and tribulations. The biggest hurdle I had to overcome was that there were no other facilities in our region that could properly manufacture our products, the second hurdle was securing funding to somehow keep the dream alive. I continued to work full-time while also working to bring the company back to life. In the Spring of 2019, I was fortunate enough to secure the lease for the concessions building at Open Hearth Park in Sydney and proceeded to open our seasonal take-out food shop, The Island Sauce Co. Snack Shack. This allowed me to finally generate some revenue in the company again. Finally, in early 2020 we were able to secure a facility that was able to manufacture our products right here in Nova Scotia. Once we had our facility in place, we were then able to secure funding through Futureprenuer, BDC, and the Sydney Credit Union. Finally, we were back in business. Our products are currently sold in grocery stores through Cape Breton and Mainland Nova Scotia, and we also run the Island Sauce Co. Snack Shack and Island Sauce Co. Catering.  4. What inspired you to operate a business in Cape Breton/ Unama’ki? There were several things that inspired me to build a successful business in Cape Breton / Unama’ki. First and foremost, I wanted to build a better life for myself and my family, but secondly, I wanted to inspire and be a leader for others in the community. I’m just a regular guy from a lower/middle income family that was born and raised here in Cape Breton. If I am able to start and grow a successful business right here in Cape Breton, it will only go to show that anyone can do it. I hope to give back as much as I can to our community, be a good corporate citizen, and hopefully be a role model for younger generations of Cape Breton entrepreneurs. 5. What was your “ah-ha” moment when you knew you had the right idea? The ah-ha moment when I knew I had the right idea came not long after my first meeting with our now Company Chef, Nathan Susin. Nathan is one of the best young chefs in Canada and I knew he was the final piece to bring this dream to reality. I had previously identified an opportunity in the sauce and food condiment industry and knew there were being needs unfulfilled in that market. Once Nathan agreed to come on as a minority shareholder and help develop the products as the company chef, I knew we had the right recipe and team for success. 6. What did you study in school? How has it helped you in your journey? I studied community studies at Cape Breton University and that experience has helped in many ways while shaping my career. The overall depth and diversity of my education, as well as my work experience in many different fields as a young adult helped prepare me for my journey as an entrepreneur.  7. If there was one thing you could have done differently early in your career, what would it be?
If I could have done one thing differently, I would have started my journey as an entrepreneur sooner. 8. What is your advice to a ‘shiny new’ business owner or entrepreneur? To be successful, you must be willing to do things today that others won’t do, in order to have things tomorrow others won’t have. 9. What advice would you offer aspiring business owners or entrepreneurs who want to stay on the Island? My advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs who want to stay in Cape Breton is that everything can be done and it can be done right here in Cape Breton. We are as smart and as great as any other people, from any other place. It starts with belief and the will to follow your dreams. After that, anything is possible. 10. Where do you see the future of your business headed? I believe this is just the beginning for Island Sauce Company. We believe we will continue to grow our sauce and food condiment business throughout Nova Scotia as well as establish our food service and catering business throughout Cape Breton. Furthermore, we believe we are going to continue to grow and become one of the top sauce and food condiment companies in all of Canada. The sky is the limit for our business and we are just getting started. |
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