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Mind the skills gap

Ottawa Commercial Leasing

Business owners like Jeff Westeinde say finding the right people to fill key posts can be an issue for many firms > PAGES 14-15

October 12, 2015 Vol. 18, NO. 24

creating the right space for your business merkburn.com 613.224.5464

For daily business news visit obj.ca

Advice to bank on OBJ columnist Michael Prentice says financial institutions will show flexibility — if you’re persistent. > PAGES 12-13

Michael Bennett, owner of athletics store Euro-Sports, says small businesses must constantly find ways to stay unique and relevant. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

Big success never easy for small biz Passion and perseverance are key ingredients in the drive to thrive, owners tell OBJ What does it take for a small business to make it in today’s tough economy? Find out in our six-page special section > PAGES 4-9

The new Porsche Panamera. Thrilling contradictions.

611 Montreal Rd. Ottawa porsche.markmotorsofottawa.com

Brand reboot An Ottawa marketing agency went head-tohead with industry Goliaths for a major contract — and won. > PAGE 16 Canada Post Publications Mail: Agreement No. 41639025

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— SPONSORED CONTENT —

A marriage contract just makes good business sense Legal agreement ensures transparency, fairness for everyone

Adrienne Curran and Carol Cochrane - Family Law Practice Group at Low Murchison Radnoff LLP

qualization of net family property. Joint family venture. These are legal concepts that can leave a spouse’s business interests vulnerable in the event of a relationship breakdown. In Ontario, a married spouse is entitled to apply for an equalization of net family property (“NFP”), a concept that (with few exceptions) allows for the growth of the spouses’ net worth accumulated from the date of marriage to the date of separation to be equalized. That may include interests and ownership stakes in a business.

A million-dollar miscalculation But with a marriage contract, (or a cohabitation agreement, if the couple is not married), the spouses can agree in advance how, if at all, the value of an ownership stake in a business will be addressed.

Family law lawyer Carol Cochrane once worked on a file where a husband thought he would have no financial obligation to his spouse in the event of divorce and ended up cutting a cheque for $1 million. “By not having taken the necessary steps to ensure his marriage contract could withstand the scrutiny of the court, the husband was saddled with unanticipated and significant payment obligations,” she says. “This is the kind of unpleasant surprise that can be avoided by planning ahead.” Cochrane is the managing partner with Low Murchison Radnoff LLP, where she has worked on family law files for 30 years. In her experience, a cohabitation agreement or marriage contract is a prudent proactive measure. Fairness and transparency Fairness and transparency are key, says Adrienne Curran, an associate lawyer with LMR who works with Cochrane. Spouses should each have their own legal counsel through the process to advise them of their rights and obligations.

“Both spouses need enough time to allow their counsel to do their due diligence,” Cochrane adds. “It involves a process of negotiation, dependent on full and frank ﬁnancial disclosure. We want to address all the ‘what if’s’ to make sure every eventuality has been considered. ” A balanced reﬂection of both party’s interests Any contract must be fair to both parties. A contract that is too one-sided can be deemed unconscionable and be at risk of being set aside. “This means a business owner must recognize the need for some give and take in negotiations,” Cochrane says. And it isn’t just about planning for divorce or separation, adds Curran. Domestic contracts can be an important aspect in estate planning. A well-prepared contract can ensure everyone’s interests are protected in any life-changing event, whether it’s a break up, death or a debilitating illness.

Plan for the worst when times are good “It’s much better to have this conversation when the relationship is on a positive footing,” Curran says. Creating a contract can often be a team effort that draws on expertise from across LMR’s practice groups. It can touch on corporate law, estate planning, immigration and tax, in addition to family law. “Discussing a domestic contract early on with your partner and a family law lawyer just makes good business sense,” Cochrane says. “If you wait until the relationship is in crisis, it may be too late.” For more information, please contact Carol Cochrane at 613-696-1301 / ccochrane@ LMRlawyers.com or Adrienne Curran at 613-696-1327 / acurran@LMRlawyers.com

03 OBJ.CA

“We tell clients, “this may be one of the most important contracts you enter into

during your lifetime. Give yourself plenty of time to learn about your options, discuss them with your partner and allow us the time to put together the comprehensive, detailed agreement that you need,’” Curran says.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015

In Ontario, unmarried spouses are excluded from this equalization scheme. Property sharing, however, is still possible for common law spouses where the relationship can be described as a family unit, something the Supreme Court of Canada has labelled “a joint family venture.” Since a landmark ruling from the Supreme Court in 2011, this concept of a joint family venture also places a common law spouse’s interest in a business at risk.

Sorting that out in advance with the right legal counsel can make a big difference.

SPECIAL REPORT

SMALL BUSINESS WEEK

“Feeling like you are noticed and heard is so valuable, and a small business can deliver that.” — KATIE FRAPPIER, CO-OWNER OF VICTOIRE BOUTIQUE

‘You’re not just buying stuff, you’re buying an experience’ Small businesses offer consumers something their larger competitors can’t – a personal connection, an Ottawa conference heard earlier this month BY ADAM FEIBEL adam@obj.ca

or Marc Doiron, his Elgin Street restaurant isn’t just a business – it’s who he is. And that’s what’s so appealing about small business ownership, said the 43-year-old chef and entrepreneur, whose Town restaurant turned six years old this year. With an adventurous dinner menu that includes duck hearts and octopus and a late-evening soundtrack that features hip-hop and punk rock, the eatery’s atmosphere owes a lot to his personality. “It’s hard to express yourself when you’re a big business,” Mr. Doiron, who has worked in the food industry for 23 years, told an audience at the Ottawa Little Theatre during the Small Conference on Oct. 1. With a number of Cinderella stories and what seems to be the gradual return of Silicon Valley North, the tech startup sector in Ottawa has garnered much attention as of late. However, the Small Conference opted to turn the eyes of the city’s business community instead toward local companies with goals that might be more modest. But, as the audience heard, that doesn’t make the challenges they face any less daunting. Mr. Doiron was one of several panellists who discussed strategies and challenges for small business owners, much of which revolved around the idea

of creating a company that represents one’s personal identity and presenting it in a way that’s appealing to consumers. “Feeling like you are noticed and heard is so valuable, and a small business can deliver that,” said Katie Frappier, another panellist along with her business partner, Regine Paquette. For 10 years, the two women, now in their early 30s, have owned and operated Victoire Boutique, a women’s fashion

retail company with two stores in Ottawa and one in Toronto. Also on the panel were Steve Cody, a longtime serial entrepreneur who is currently the CEO of the L-Spark accelerator’s The Better Software Company, and moderator Ian Capstick, president of MediaStyle. Both Mr. Cody and Mr. Capstick stressed the value of finding a quality mentor and accountant to guide a business through its early

WORKING WITH ENTREPRENEURS TO PROVIDE PERSONALIZED BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015 OBJ.CA

Panellists at this month’s Small Conference discuss strategies. PHOTO COURTESY DANRASCAL.COM

stages, and of negotiating different terms with individual vendors in order to better facilitate cash flow. Ms. Frappier said she believes people like to choose small businesses over larger corporations because they offer an experience that transcends a simple sale. “You’re feeling like you’re contributing to something bigger,” she said in an interview with OBJ. “You’re not just buying stuff, you’re buying an experience. And I think that starts with the people you encounter when you walk into the shop … to feel a stress release, an excitement build. That’s very important for a small business to be able to survive.” That’s why it’s crucial to provide not only quality products that people want to buy, but also service that leaves people with a lasting impression that will bring them back. However, as the panellists were quick to note, not everyone will like what you like. Mr. Doiron said it comes down to prioritizing feedback. If hundreds of people react positively to his restaurant and a magazine or website ranks it among the city’s best, he’s probably on the right track, he said – even if some others don’t like what he’s offering. “You can’t be everything to everyone,” he said. “You have to do it from your heart, and you have to be your own identity. This is me putting myself out to the public. Some people aren’t going to like me, and I get a lot of bad Yelp reviews for those things … but I can’t be anything but me.”

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SPECIAL REPORT

SMALL BUSINESS WEEK

“Mezzanine funding is good for a company with a clear vision of what value it can create and a track record of delivery. But you have to get your metrics right.”— PRONTOFORMS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DAVE CROUCHER

Ottawa firm grows its own way with mezzanine financing With few tangible assets for collateral, ProntoForms turned to BDC for higher-risk funding help, a decision it says paid off

rontoForms needed capital to grow, but didn’t want to dilute existing shareholders by selling equity. Based in Ottawa, the company is a leading provider of mobile forms services to more than 3,500 businesses around the world. ProntoForms delivers realtime data access, collection and sharing between field workers, office managers and executives. With increasing sales and several strategic partnerships lined up, the firm opted for mezzanine financing in 2012 as a way of retaining ownership and flexibility to grow on its own terms, says chief financial officer Dave Croucher. The new funding came from the Growth & Transition Capital group at the Business Development Bank of Canada. ProntoForms earmarked the financing for investment in sales and marketing in an effort to help grow its customer base and increase revenue. It has been recognized as a TSX Venture top 10 technology and life sciences company.

equity raise, considering the dilution that comes with it. Mezzanine financing was a great fit for our business model and took us to the next level.” Mezzanine financing is unsecured debt that’s lent on the basis of a company’s track record, management strength and anticipated future cash flows. It’s more expensive than secured debt because it’s riskier. However, Mr. Croucher believes it was the right choice for ProntoForms. “We had the numbers to show how quickly we could pay back the money and knew we could create value several times over,” he says. “The funding was a seed that we could use to grow our revenue and pay back the loan within the allotted time. Mezzanine funding is good for a company with a clear vision of what value it can create and a track record of delivery. But you have to get your metrics right.”

WE DID IT OUR WAY

Mezzanine financing is an attractive alternative to equity, especially when a company lacks a fixed asset base, says Trevor Allibon, managing director at BDC Growth & Transition Capital in Ottawa. “Most of our transactions are with

“We didn’t fit the classic profile for a bank loan because we had few tangible assets for collateral,” Mr. Croucher says. “On the other hand, we didn’t feel that the circumstances were right for an

IS MEZZANINE FINANCING FOR YOU?

Ottawa’s ProntoForms sought out mezzanine funding when the firm needed cash. STOCK PHOTO

technology and services companies that have a significant base of human capital,” he says. “Apart from a few laptops, their predominant assets walk into the office and leave at night. As one of the few Canadian banks to offer mezzanine financing, we look at companies past the startup phase, with good cash flow, a strong management team and proven market traction.” Mr. Allibon advises companies considering mezzanine financing to answer a few basic questions:

IS YOUR STRONG FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE SUSTAINABLE? Is your customer base welldiversified? Where’s your market going? Could you be hit by a disruptive technology? Do you have a Plan B ready if things

don’t play out as anticipated?

DUST OFF YOUR ELEVATOR SPEECH Preparation is key to when applying for mezzanine financing. “Be able to explain your value proposition concisely,” Mr. Allibon says. “Avoid the 40-slide presentation and get to the point of the problem that needs financing. “Sometimes engineers find it difficult to explain complex software in simple terms, but with ProntoForms it was easy to understand what they were doing,” he adds. “They also had the financial statements and business metrics to back up their forecasts, as well as a well-defined strategy to create return on investment.” – Special to OBJ

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SPECIAL REPORT

SMALL BUSINESS WEEK

As part of OBJ’s coverage of Small Business Week, reporter Adam Feibel asked local entrepreneurs what advice they had for others looking to take the leap and launch their own companies. Here are their replies:

Road to success paved with hard work, planning

ichael Bennett, owner of EuroSports, an athletics store at City Centre since 2005:

KEEP AN EYE ON CASH FLOW “The three most important things for any business are cash flow, cash flow, cash flow,” Mr. Bennett says. Trends are always changing, especially in retail, so it’s important to be able to “reinvent yourself” and diversify in order to provide products and services that are unique and can’t be outsourced or bought online. “That’s the biggest battle for us,” he says.

HAVE THE CAPITAL TO COVER YOURSELF You’ll need enough to pay yourself for at least a few years until the business starts seeing some profit. It may seem obvious, but Mr. Bennett stresses that

the best businesses are the ones with expenses that are minimal in relation to their revenues. Euro-Sports did that by moving into a smaller unit within the same building. As well, make sure your landlord is trustworthy so you’re not hit by extra expenses. “No one makes money right off the (bat),” he adds.

CAPITALIZE ON TRENDS, BUT DON’T ALWAYS BANK ON THEM “Whatever you have, the minute it becomes popular it will be copied, and you’ll have to look for the next one,” says Mr. Bennett. If you can create a trend, that’s great, and if you have a product or service that can’t be copied, that’s even better. “Twenty years ago when I got into this, you’d take out an ad in the Yellow Pages and set up shop and people had to come see you if they wanted to look at something. Now, all that’s done online

Euro-Sports owner Michael Bennett says finding a unique niche is key. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

and if you’re really lucky, they might show up,” he says. That’s why it’s so crucial to offer something truly unique. With rising prices for merchandise and endless selection available over the Internet, customers are choosier than ever, and you need to do whatever you can to make your business stand out.

HIRE STAFF YOU TRUST Over the last 10 years, Mr. Bennett says his business has been through a roller-coaster of highs and lows. That’s why staffers who know and believe in the business and can be trusted with the responsibilities of helping to run it are so important for keeping it afloat.

— SPONSORED CONTENT —

Investing in a beach property Ottawa’s HolaEcuador helps hundreds of Canadians each year

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015

OBJ.CA

ust think of it: Your very own piece of paradise, in a balmy tropical setting where people have never seen snow. Each year, the team at HolaEcuador Property Development Inc. helps hundreds of Canadians to achieve this goal. HolaEcuador is a Canadian-owned and operated business that’s been active in Ecuador since 2010. Its 130-acre masterplanned gated community is 60 kilometres south of Manta, the regional capital, and its international airport. Only 400 of the community’s 1,700 lots are still available, says Gordon Poole, HolaEcuador’s vice-president of design and construction. “With the majority of site infrastructure complete, home construction is ramping up quickly,” he said. “We expect the project to be sold out by the end of 2016.” Early buyers are already enjoying a spectacular beach, lush parks and an extensive sports complex, with 24/7 security. Boutiques, restaurants and other services are forthcoming. Why Ecuador? The country is known for its warm and welcoming people, rich

history, culture and heritage, folklore, gastronomy, and perhaps most of all, its spectacular and diverse natural wildlife and environments such as the Amazon, the Andes and the Galapagos Islands. “Ecuador is consistently rated as a top destination for retirement living, has efficient and accessible healthcare and boasts a cost of living that is three times lower than Canada’s,” said Mr. Poole “It’s also one of the safest countries in South America and has no hurricane season.” HolaEcuador has the team to get you there with no regrets. Buyers sign a Canadian contract with a Canadian company, and are guaranteed full title to their land.

“We demystify and facilitate the international property acquisition process for you,” Mr. Poole said. “We work in harmony with the people of the region, local regulations, customs, cultures and language, to make your dream vacation property, retirement home or investment opportunity a reality.” LEARN MORE AT HOLAECUADOR’S FREE SEMINARS HolaEcuador is hosting information seminars in the Ottawa area. To reserve your spot, please contact Michel Sylves-

tre at 613-518-2077 or online at www. holaecuador.ca The first seminar, in French, takes place Oct. 21, 7 p.m., at the Quality Inn and Suites at 111 Bellehumeur St. in Gatineau. The second, in English, takes place Oct. 22, 7 p.m., at the Westin Ottawa, 11 Colonel By Dr.

SPECIAL REPORT

SMALL BUSINESS WEEK

‘Passion is extremely important’

teve Cody, founder of The Better Software Company, an L-Spark accelerator company:

FIND A PROBLEM It’s advice heard many times before, but it never becomes less true. As a serial entrepreneur who previously ran multiple successful companies – including the largest window-washing company in Ottawa, followed by a scaffolding business, a Halloween specialty store and a party rentals venture, among others – Mr. Cody kept running into a familiar problem: the lack of an efficient, universal tool to help with the everyday tasks of managing a business, such as invoicing, scheduling and marketing. He created software to solve that problem and thought that if his many former businesses would have paid for that solution, others would do the same.

MAKE SURE PEOPLE WILL PAY TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM It’s not enough just to identify a problem and fix it. What matters is

whether that problem is dire enough, and your solution unique and effective enough, that people will give you their money to make it happen. “A lot of businesses are created where they solve a problem, but people aren’t willing to pay to solve the problem,” says Mr. Cody.

WORK YOUR ASS OFF It will take a lot of work and there will be a lot of tough days before a small business gets off the ground. But once you’ve ticked off those first two boxes, it’ll just take lots of hard work for it to pay off. “I don’t know that that changes for 99 per cent of the businesses I’ve done,” he says.

BE PASSIONATE When he got into franchising, Mr. Cody says, he really started to see businesses succeeding and failing, and noticed why. “Passion is extremely important because you always have hard days, and the only thing that can get you out of bed is passion,” he says. “If you don’t even enjoy what you do and then you get into trouble on top of that, it’s kind of hard to succeed.”

Steve Cody says you have to find a problem people will pay to solve. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015

07 OBJ.CA

SPECIAL REPORT

SMALL BUSINESS WEEK

‘I always want to win people over’

arc Doiron, owner of Town restaurant on Elgin Street for six years:

GO WITH YOUR GUT Mr. Doiron’s restaurant is currently in the process of a small expansion. Before he decided to grow the business, he looked at all the other nearby eateries – his competitors – and wondered whether it was a good idea. “Somebody asked, ‘Well, what’s your gut feeling?’ And I think gut feelings mean a lot. You can’t ignore it. Sometimes gut feelings don’t make sense financially. Many people will tell you don’t do it. But if you believe strongly in that feeling, then I think it’ll be successful.”

SERVICE IS KEY

Town restaurant owner Marc Doiron (right) says you’ve got to go with your gut feeling about starting a business. PHOTO COURTESY DANRASCAL.COM

Don’t ever take the importance of good, friendly service for granted, says Mr. Doiron. “I always want to win people over no matter what. If they come in and they look angry and they’ve had a bad day … my thing is that I’m going to make these guys laugh.” Even if they think you’re a bit weird, as long as they leave the place with a smile, you’re doing

something right, he adds. You won’t be able to win over everyone, of course, but you should always make the effort.

SUPPORT THE LOCALS Mr. Doiron has plenty of friends and acquaintances in the city who are into art, music and fashion, so he

tries to make his space available to those cultural interests by occasionally hosting live bands and art shows at the restaurant. “I put my name out there for those events so that people recognize that Town is a supporter of the arts, for instance,” he says. That includes advertising in areas that certain sects of

the city are likely to see and take note, such as with the National Arts Centre, he says. What goes around comes around. “Associating yourself not necessarily with what you do, but with whatever you’re passionate about … people will put those two things together, and those people come.”

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SMALL BUSINESS WEEK

Putting his own spin on the record biz

ohn Thompson, owner of The Record Centre on Wellington West for four years:

IS THERE A NEED FOR IT? Ask most entrepreneurs what someone needs to know before starting a business and they’ll tell you to ask the same question. Does it solve a problem or fill a market hole that’s in demand? Mr. Thompson decided Hintonburg needed a record store, so he took the leap.

DO YOU HAVE THE EXPERTISE? The owner of a successful small business knows his niche inside and out. For Mr. Thompson, it was quite simple. “I thought there was a need for a record store, and I know records and vintage audio. That’s my business,” he says. The Record Centre can make money not only because people want to buy the records, but because Mr. Thompson is an expert in all things vintage audio and can provide customer advice and make business decisions based on that expertise.

ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT IT? Half-measures get you nowhere, says Mr. Thompson. You need to be so zealous about your small business that you’re willing to take risks in an enterprise that makes you happy even if everything else is stripped away. When the Record Centre moved into its new location next door from the old store, it was a big investment, says Mr. Thompson, but the demand was there and he was capable of supplying it. “I don’t do anything halfway.”

WORK WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE THOSE SAME QUALITIES Staff can make or break a small business because they’re the people with whom customers see and interact when they walk in the door, says Mr. Thompson. Those people should be good employees who are compatible with the owner and share his vision. “I know people that know vintage audio and I know people that know records,” he says. “I know very few people who (like me) know both. That’s

John Thompson (right) says staff can make or break a business. PHOTO COURTESY DANRASCAL.COM

a lifelong obsession.” Mr. Thompson carefully picked his staff, including a main partner who has the same expertise and

passion that he does. “You can’t do it on your own,” he says. “You have to sleep, spend time with your family.”

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2015-02-05 11:26 AM

EVENTS Shopify boss sees ‘massive opportunity’

hopify might already be having a banner 2015, but its chief executive says the best is yet to come. “We’ve just started, I think,” Tobias Lütke told the crowd gathered at the Westin Ottawa on Oct. 6 for the latest instalment of the CEO Talk Series, an event co-sponsored by the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce and the Ottawa Business Journal. Mr. Lütke said he sees a “massive opportunity” for Ottawa in the tech sector, adding he believes fantastic companies can be built in the capital. And his company, he said, will be around to watch it all happen. “I want Shopify to see the next century,” he said. The 2014 CEO of the Year said he is a big fan of co-op and apprenticeship programs, which is how he developed many skills in his native Germany. He told the crowd these programs are the key to developing skilled tech workers, adding Shopify hires people for their potential and then lets them develop it. – OBJ staff Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke (right) chats with Invest Ottawa CEO Bruce Lazenby at the CEO Talk Series event on Oct. 6. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

Having started in 2010 with the sale of land lots on the Ecuadorian Pacific coast, HolaEcuador, a Canadian company is now into its sixth year with diversified real estate opportunities and a wide array of services. Every year, the team helps hundreds of Canadians acquire property in South America.

WHY ECUADOR?

Comfortable year-round weather, low cost of living (about three times lower than in Canada), an efficient and affordable healthcare system and benefits for retirees makes Ecuador more and more attractive to North Americans who wish to have a second home under the sun or who would literally like to retire and relocate to this marvellous part of the world.

• • • •

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015

75% SOLD

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"The development on which we’re currently working is a beautiful 130 acre property that sits directly in front of the Pacific Ocean", states Gordon Poole, Vice-President Design and Construction. "It is located 60 kilometers south of Manta, the regional capital. Of the 1,700 lots on the development, there are only about 400 left unsold. Infrastructure is coming along quickly, and home construction is well underway, with 125 homes completed and many more starting this year.", he adds.

• •

Best country in the world for retirement – International Living, 2009-2013, 2015 13th in the world for the effectiveness of healthcare – Bloomberg Magazine, 2014 One of Latin America’s safest countries Cost of living 3 times lower Accessible residency status No hurricanes

WHY HOLAECUADOR? "With HolaEcuador, buyers have the benefit of signing a Canadian contract with a Canadian company and they are assured that they will fully own their deed outright", confirms Yves Cormier, Vice-President Sales and Marketing. "and all the documentation is provided in English, while the property is in a Spanish-speaking country. We also make sure that we work in harmony with the people of the region, their local customs and culture, and, of course, in agreement with the laws and rules of the country." he adds.

The administrative team works tirelessly to enhance its support service to further help those who are just taking Amelie Riel, a resident living on-site, says "The overall their first steps towards international property ownership growth of the development is incredible. A beautiful outdoor and living. "In addition to helping our clients, step by step, in sports facility is now operational, businesses are beginning their choice of a land lot and eventually in the construction to set up shop and the parks are simply breathtaking. A few of their dream home, our sales representatives can refer years from now, this little slice of heaven will be the envy of them to various complimentary services such as relocation investors who didn’t seize the opportunity!". and immigration." says Mr. Cormier.

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“Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” — Sam Walton

Among the business leaders who came out to hear Shopify chief executive Tobias Lütke speak at the CEO Talk event were OBJ publisher Michael Curran (above) and Ottawa Chamber of Commerce president Ian Faris (holding paper, far right). The event, which is co-sponsored by the chamber and OBJ, drew hundreds of people to the Westin Ottawa for lunch and a chance to meet the boss of one of the city’s hottest tech companies. PHOTOS BY MARK HOLLERON

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015

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COMMENTARY Great River Media 250 City Centre Ave., Suite 500 Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 6K7 obj.ca PUBLISHER Michael Curran, 238-1818 ext. 228 publisher@obj.ca SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT OF SALES Don Mersereau, 238-1818 ext. 286 CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Terry Tyo, 238-1818 ext. 268 EDITOR, PRINT CONTENT David Sali, 238-1818 ext. 269 david@greatriver.ca EDITOR, ONLINE CONTENT Tom Pechloff, 238-1818 ext. 291 editor@obj.ca COPY EDITOR Krystle Kung CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tanya Connolly-Holmes, 238-1818 ext. 253 creative@obj.ca

Striking a blow for seniors As Michael Prentice found out firsthand, financial institutions will admit their mistakes – but sometimes you have to take them to task first

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015

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wo recent unpleasant experiences – one with a bank, the other with a credit card issuer – have taught me that financial institutions can sometimes be boneheaded and inflexible. The good news is that sometimes these lenders will admit their misdeeds or mistakes when challenged by a customer. In both cases, the financial institution eventually saw things my way and I got what I wanted. I won’t identify these institutions because I dealt with them as a customer, not a reporter. And I suspect the poor service I initially received may be typical of the banking and credit-card industries. My first unpleasant experience – or, rather, series of unpleasant experiences – came after my wife and I decided to convert our mortgage into a home equity line of credit in order to lower our monthly payments. Our neighbourhood branch of the bank said we could do this, but there would probably be legal costs. While in the branch, I strongly questioned why there should be any legal costs, since we were not seeking to borrow any more money. I subsequently wrote a letter to the branch manager inquiring how much these costs would be. I got no answer to this letter, nor to a followup letter, nor to two telephone messages. So I sent a registered letter to the bank’s president and quickly got a call from the neighbourhood branch saying, “Come on in and raise your line of credit with no legal costs.” But there was a snag when we were

required to sign a clause pledging to pay prime rate plus 10 per cent in annual interest on our line of credit. The loans officer explained that the clause didn’t really mean what it said. It was something to do with any future increases in lending rates, he explained. “I can’t possibly sign this,” I said, only to be told I must sign if I wanted to raise my line of credit limit in order to transfer all of my mortgage to it. But then I realized I was locking in to an interest rate of less than three per cent annually for the next two years. And if in future the bank wanted to greatly increase the interest rate on the line of credit, my wife and I were free to take our business elsewhere. So, with objections, we signed. Then, several weeks after the limit was raised on our line of credit, we received a bombshell letter from a vicepresident of the bank informing us that the transaction was subject to legal fees and other costs totalling $695. We were panic-stricken. We could not possibly agree to pay this sum. It was a matter of principle. I visited the neighbourhood bank branch the next morning and the loans officer explained that the letter was a technicality. The sum had been charged and then withdrawn, he said. But why was this letter sent to us? I sent another letter of complaint to the bank. In reply, a bank vice-president sent us a letter of apology and enclosed a gift certificate for $100 to be spent at a well-known restaurant. And now for my second story.

Indirectly, this increase in the limit on our line of credit caused us headaches when my wife and I applied soon afterwards for a new credit card from another financial institution. To establish my identity, I was required in a phone interview to answer a series of multiple-choice questions. One of the questions was: “Which branch of your bank did you deal with recently in raising your line of credit?” I was stunned to be told my answer was incorrect and my application for the card had been rejected. Subsequently I realized that the bank branch on file with the credit bureau was one near my previous address where I lived 15 years ago when the line of credit was established. I complained by phone to a manager of the credit-card issuer, who was sympathetic and said the same thing had happened to him after he moved from one Canadian city to another. He said I should try again to apply for the card over the phone. This time I completed the questions, but again my application was rejected. I called the manager a second time. He looked at my file and explained that this time the application had been rejected because my income was too low. During the application, I had been required to state my annual income. Since I am mostly retired, my annual income is not what it once was. I live partly on government and private pensions, partly on savings. Surely savings become “income” when they are spent on paying credit

ART DEPARTMENT Jamie Dean, 238-1818 ext. 278 jamie@greatriver.ca Regan VanDusen, 238-1818 ext. 254 regan@obj.ca ADVERTISING SALES Wendy Baily, 238-1818 ext. 244 wbaily@obj.ca Alison Stewart, 238-1818 ext. 226 alison@obj.ca Susan Salsbury, 238-1818 ext. 229 ssalsbury@obj.ca MARKETING & SALES CO-ORDINATOR Cristha Sinden, 238-1818 ext. 222 cristha@greatriver.ca INSIDE SALES SUPPORT Marc Nordemann-Keller, 238-1818 ext.259 marc@obj.ca CAREER ADVERTISING & MARKETPLACE ADVERTISING SALES 238-1818 ext. 251 VICE-PRESIDENT OF OTTAWA BUSINESS EVENTS Susan Blain, 238-1818 ext. 232 susan@ottawabusinessevents.ca FINANCE Jackie Whalen, 238-1818 ext. 250 jackie@greatriver.ca SUBSCRIPTIONS/DISTRIBUTION 238-1818 ext. 248 subscribe@obj.ca PRINTED BY Transcontinental Qualimax 130 Adrien-Robert, Parc Industriel Richelieu Gatineau, QC J8Y 3S2

Ottawa Business Journal is published by

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Mark Sutcliffe PRESIDENT Michael Curran All content of Ottawa Business Journal is copyright 2015. Great River Media Inc. and may not be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher. Publisher’s Liability for error: The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with any advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of monies paid for the advertisement. A guaranteed minimum of 14,000 copies per week are printed and distributed.

card bills and such? Isn’t it discriminating against seniors not to count savings as income for the purpose of obtaining a credit card? Again the manager was sympathetic. He asked me to hold. A few minutes later, he came back on the line. Upon review, my credit-card application had been approved, he said. Bingo! My hurt pride was restored. I had struck a blow for seniors. I had put

a credit-card company in its place. And I was two for two in my most recent interactions with banks and credit-card companies, proving it does pay to stand up for yourself when it comes to dealing with financial institutions.

ntal e m n o ir v n E t u Serious Abo key c o H d n a … g Contractin

Michael Prentice is OBJ’s columnist on retail and consumer issues. He can be contacted at news@obj.ca.

Grover

Barry Name: Mark Seaman and and Co-founders Title: Managing Partners vironmental Contracting En ne sto ile M : ny pa Com WHAT IS MILESTONE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRACTING? Milestone Environmental Contracting is a privately held, full-service environmental contracting company that works with the owners of environmentally challenged sites to eliminate or reduce their environmental liabilities. Barry Grover, Managing Partner and Co-founder at Milestone shared, “We are a group of capable people driven to solve problems for our clients in a fun and cooperative way. We apply proven technologies, or new technologies when none already exist, to meet the demands of even the most challenging projects.”

WHAT IS AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT MILESTONE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRACTING? Barry and co-owner Mark Seaman both call Ottawa home but most of their work takes place across Canada. Mark explained, “Our strength comes from the quality of our people and the relationships we strive to maintain with project partners, suppliers, sub-contractors and owners.” At Milestone, they’re also serious about hockey. Every Project Manager at Milestone in Ontario is still playing hockey in an organized league some in multiple leagues. Mark added, “None of us are getting any better!”

Barry said, “Hockey has been a large part of growing up for us in Canada. It has taught us how to function as a team under adversity and to celebrate our successes. We truly believe that the education that comes from playing hockey transcends into our daily working environment.”

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Mark is also a very involved hockey parent, coaching the Ottawa Valley Silver Seven Minor Peewee AA.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015

HOW IS MILESTONE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRACTING INVOLVED WITH THE SENS? Mark and Barry are huge Sens fans and have been Season-Seat Members since they started Milestone. They currently have two tickets in section 109 that they use to recognize staff, clients, and partners.

44%

EDUCATION Landing top talent a tough job, local employers say For many Ottawa companies, finding workers with the right skills is easier said than done, according to a recent survey of city businesses BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015

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ike many business owners in Ottawa, Jeff Westeinde knows all too well how hard it can be to find that elusive “dream candidate” for a job vacancy. His company, Windmill Development Group, has just launched one of the biggest real estate projects in the city’s history, an ambitious billion-dollar plan to rejuvenate the former Domtar lands with an environmentally friendly mix of condos, shops and parks. Before the plan was approved, Windmill had to scale a mountain of hurdles just to gain the blessing of various levels of government and interest groups. But since then, finding the right people to manage the project – requirements include fluency in English and French, a thorough knowledge of sustainable building and a sound understanding of a raft of regulations on both sides of the Ottawa River – has been almost as much of a challenge. “That’s a tall order,” Mr. Westeinde says bluntly. “It’s very difficult to find someone who has operated on a worldclass level on a project like that. They don’t exist.” As specialized as its needs might be, Windmill is far from the only company in town facing the frustrating reality of having empty chairs it can’t fill. According to the Ottawa Business Growth Survey, a study of more than 350 local firms conducted earlier this year, more than 90 per cent of respondents say finding employees with the technical skills they need for their business is either a serious or a moderate problem. Two-thirds say landing workers with the necessary soft skills is a similar challenge. Overall, respondents single out “access to a skilled workforce” as the No. 1 barrier to doing business in the city, just ahead of access to capital. Those findings are no surprise to Algonquin College president Cheryl Jensen, who regularly meets with

entrepreneurs and executives from all business sectors. She remembers their not-so-subtle replies when she started querying them about a “looming skills shortage” in Ottawa a while back. “Five years ago, I had employers saying to me, ‘It’s not looming any more. It’s here now,’” she says. “They’re the ones that are on the ground. They’re the ones that can’t get the workers or can’t get people with the right skills.” Those complaints apply to a broad range of industries, according to a study from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

LACK OF QUALIFIED APPLICANTS A BIG WORRY A survey of nearly 9,000 CFIB members across Canada last fall found more than two-thirds of respondents had difficulty hiring qualified workers, with positions that required on-thejob training being the hardest to fill. In Ontario, the figure was slightly lower at 62 per cent. The skills shortage was particularly acute in sectors such as hospitality, construction and administration. Of those who had trouble finding the right employees, 88 per cent said the biggest problem was a lack of qualified applicants. Only eight per cent of those companies said they had trouble finding candidates for jobs that required a university degree. Nevertheless, the results from the Ottawa Business Growth Survey suggest many local firms believe Canada’s post-secondary institutions aren’t making the grade when it comes to preparing graduates for the “real world.” Three in 10 respondents to the Ottawa survey say the country’s colleges and universities are doing a poor or very poor job of getting students ready for the day-to-day grind of work. Peter Ricketts, vice-president academic at Carleton University, says one of the prime roles of universities is to arm graduates with the critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed to survive in a fast-changing economy – a mission he believes his

47%

FINDING EMPLOYEES WITH PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN YOUR SECTOR

34%

45%

FINDING EMPLOYEES THE TECHNICAL YOU NEED FOR YOUR BUSINESS FINDINGWITH EMPLOYEES WITH THESKILLS SOFT SKILLS NEEDED FOR YOUR BUSINESS

44% 23%

47% 44%

FINDING EMPLOYEES PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN YOURTOSECTOR FINDINGWITH EMPLOYEES WILLING TO RELOCATE OTTAWA

34%19%

45% 34%

FINDING EMPLOYEES THE SOFT FORBUSINESS YOUR BUSINESS FINDINGWITH EMPLOYEES WHOSKILLS STAY NEEDED WITH YOUR FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME

23% 11%

A SERIOUS PROBLEM

44% 34%

A MODERATE PROBLEM

FINDING EMPLOYEES WILLING TO RELOCATE TO OTTAWA

19%

34%

WOULD YOU FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME FINDING EMPLOYEES WHOHOW STAY WITH YOUR BUSINESS EXCELLENT JOB

11%

RATE POST SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS IN CANADA 34% IN PREPARING THEIR STUDENTS FOR THE WORLD OF WORK?

54%

A SERIOUS PROBLEM

VERY POOR JOB A MODERATE PROBLEM GOOD JOB

24%

10% UNSURE

POOR JOB

institution is accomplishing. “I think there’s always a skills gap between education and what’s needed right at this moment in the economy,” he argues. “Part of that I think is just because the economy has become so much more flexible and so much more fluid and unpredictable in the last 20 years or so. “All of the statistics show that a university-educated person is going to be the most successful in terms of career path and lifelong earnings. But in this day and age, your first job is likely to be a first step in a whole series of jobs and career paths which will take you through to what eventually will be your ultimate career.”

PASSION FOR LEARNING Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke, who dropped out of school at 16 and learned his computer programming skills as an apprentice in his native Germany, says there is no way colleges and universities can realistically be expected to churn out job-ready candidates for every position. He says his company prefers to assess a person’s passion for learning and

potential for growth rather than focus on what degree or diploma a candidate holds. “This planet is very different from how it was a year ago, and 10 years ago, none of us had a smartphone, right?” he says. “Essentially, no one has (all) the skills that anyone needs.” The co-founder of another of the city’s hottest tech firms echoes those thoughts. Jason Flick of software maker You.i TV, which has hired more than 100 new employees in the past year, says Ottawa has an abundance of intelligent, highly motivated workers, but “they just don’t necessarily have the skills we need right out of the gate. We’re looking more for the aptitude than just the skills. We’re much more interested now in training people to understand more of our technology, and the cultural fit is far more important to us.” Many local business leaders say an effective way to help bridge the so-called “skills gap” already exists in the form of co-op and internship programs. “Getting the degree is not enough anymore,” says Invest Ottawa CEO

Bruce Lazenby, whose agency touts the benefits of co-op programs on its website and has pushed for more collaboration between the business community and post-secondary schools to promote hands-on learning opportunities. “You have to have real work experience to go along with it. In fact, I’m very reluctant to even interview people who only have a degree and who’ve never had a real job, and preferably something in their domain.” All five of the city’s main postsecondary institutions, including privately funded Willis College, are working together on ways to expand and improve co-op offerings and build closer relationships with business, he notes. Willis, for example, has been offering network security programs with the direct support of California-based tech firm Fortinet, which recently invested $1 million in a new lab at the school and then hired more than 50 of its students immediately after they graduated.

‘SOFT SKILLS’ VITAL Such collaboration “is probably the most important thing for our future workforce,” Mr. Lazenby says. “The unemployment rate in the technology sector now is effectively zero. But if you don’t have the skills, you won’t get hired. Just those qualifications are not enough – it’s the soft skills and the hard skills that need to go with it.” Learning is a process that never stops, Mr. Lütke notes, and co-op and internship programs help ingrain that philosophy in a company’s culture. “I think co-op programs are fantastic because once your organization brings in co-ops … there are going to be people showing up who are kind of raw and you have to help them be of impact,” he says. “Once that idea proliferates in an organization and people take it seriously, the secondary and tertiary benefits of that kind of approach are going to be

GAP COSTLY FOR BUSINESS According to a 2013 study by the Conference Board of Canada, a shortage of skilled workers in many industries is costing the province’s economy big money:

“It’s very difficult to find someone who has operated on a world-class level on a project like that. They don’t exist.” – WINDMILL CO-FOUNDER JEFF WESTEINDE, ON THE FIRM’S STRUGGLES TO FIND PROJECT MANAGERS FOR ITS ZIBI DEVELOPMENT

more people into the co-op program if they can’t find co-op positions. This is where the Ottawa business community really has to step up and stretch to find opportunities for co-op students in their businesses. They will never regret it. If you’ve got 10 employees, one of them should be a co-op.” Business leaders say it’s also up to companies and their workers to keep searching for other innovative ways to make learning a habit. At You.i, for

example, small groups of five to 12 employees called “guilds” regularly meet to share knowledge on subjects ranging from art and science to coding standards. “The logical conclusion that everyone just needs to get to is: Get really good at teaching and build that into your organization,” Mr. Lütke says. “If you crack the code on that, you’re going to be a world-class organization because it’s all about personal growth.”

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• The board also says skills mismatches — where employees’ skills and talents are underused by employers — cost the provincial economy a further $4.1 billion in forgone GDP each year as well as $747 million in forgone federal tax revenue and $627 million in lost provincial tax revenue.

realized across the entire organization.” Mr. Westeinde says his company has at least half a dozen co-op employees on staff at any given time, and Windmill is also working with Algonquin College students on ways to make its Domtar redevelopment more socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. He too has high praise for such practical learning initiatives. “Ideally, if you do that right, then the yield at the end is (students) have got a skill set that matches with our needs and that leads to permanent placement.” But such programs aren’t as widespread as they should be, Mr. Lazenby argues, and part of the blame lies with employers themselves. “When I talk to the co-op placement officers, they tell me that their challenge is finding suitable positions for the students,” he says. “The last thing you want to do is bring

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015

• The Conference Board estimates that skills gaps annually cost the Ontario economy up to $24.3 billion in forgone GDP as well as $4.4 billion in federal tax revenues and $3.7 billion in provincial tax revenues.

Windmill Development Group’s Jeff Westeinde says finding qualified candidates for key positions can be a challenge. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

BRANDING Ottawa firm powers European energy giant’s brand refresh McMillan beats out heavyweight agencies from around the world to win seven-figure contract with Schneider Electric BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015

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n two decades at the helm of the business-to-business branding and marketing agency that bears his name, Gordon McMillan has worked with some pretty heavy hitters in the corporate world. With a client list that includes Canada Post, Cognizant, Hitachi and Intuit, the downtown Ottawa firm is used to dealing with big-name customers. None of its past jobs, however, matched the breadth of expertise and intensity required for McMillan’s latest major contract. When global energy management specialist Schneider Electric rolled out its brand refresh in mid-September, McMillan’s fingerprints were all over it. The Ottawa agency beat out much larger competitors from Europe and the United States, earning a seven-figure deal to revamp the design of the Paris-based corporation’s “Life Is On” marketing campaign. “We built the rulebook is I guess the best way to say it,” says Mr. McMillan, the firm’s CEO and chief creative officer. “For an Ottawa-based agency to refresh the brand of a $27-billion company, I don’t think that’s ever happened before. That’s in a different stratosphere than we’re used to here. For us, it was a great feather in our cap to do it and also an opportunity to prove ourselves on a global stage.” Getting there took a lot of hard work and a bit of good fortune. Far from Madison Avenue and with just 80 employees, McMillan isn’t exactly the first name that springs to mind when multinational corporations go looking for branding help. But the agency had something even more important than name recognition – a strong relationship with Schneider’s former chief marketing officer, Chris Hummel. Mr. Hummel had worked with McMillan on a campaign for one of his previous employers, Oracle, before moving on to Siemens Enterprise Communications, a subsidiary of the German conglomerate. McMillan ultimately led the effort that rebranded that company as Unify, beating out 10 European firms to get the job. So when Mr. Hummel was seeking candidates to forge a new marketing

strategy for Schneider, he invited the Ottawa firm to make a pitch. In the end, McMillan lost the initial six-month research contract to Manhattan-based Interbrand, the most famous branding shop in the world. “Although we were perceived as the best cultural fit, there was concern about us being too small to do the job,” Mr. McMillan says. Still, the agency wasn’t out of the race. When Interbrand’s six-month contract ended, McMillan was brought on as a consultant and was later asked to go head-to-head against another industry Goliath, Paris’s BETC, for the right to oversee the second-phase design work. This time, the little Ottawa agency that could came out on top. “I think that Interbrand did a lot of good work on the research end and I understand the decision,” Mr. McMillan says graciously. “But you know, sometimes if you’re just tenacious and you just stick around, it’ll come back.” But the heavy lifting was just beginning. Mr. Hummel left Schneider for a new job in the spring, and his replacement, Chris Leong, made it clear she wasn’t a fan of the direction the firm’s rebranding effort was headed. And unlike Mr. Hummel, she had no cosy history with McMillan. “All we asked is … give us a new brief,” Mr. McMillan says. “‘Give us your brief of what you think this brand should be and give us two weeks to prove our value.’ To her credit, she said, ‘I don’t know you guys, but I’m going to give you a shot.’” McMillan routinely had up to a quarter of its staff working on the Schneider campaign throughout the 18-month process. For those two weeks, those employees thought about little else. “That is what we live for and that is also what drives us crazy,” Mr. McMillan says with a chuckle. “Every creative will say I need more time. But the reality is, when you only have two weeks to do something, your synapses start to fire – you produce four times as much. That’s really a caffeine-fuelled frenzy where you’re really running against the clock. Everyone’s running on adrenaline and everyone’s completing everyone else’s sentences, basically.” McMillan’s new campaign replaced Schneider’s previous colour scheme, a myriad of greens and secondary colours,

McMillan played a major role in Schneider Electric’s brand refresh. PHOTO COURTESY McMILLAN

“Every creative will say I need more time. But the reality is, when you only have two weeks to do something, your synapses start to fire – you produce four times as much. That’s really a caffeine-fuelled frenzy where you’re really running against the clock.” – GORDON McMILLAN, CEO AND CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER AT McMILLAN

with a single vibrant shade of green. Static photos of technology gave way to active images of people smiling and having fun. A ubiquitous green line that runs throughout the campaign “becomes the connection between the technology and the real world,” Mr. McMillan explains. “Although Schneider was the green company, it was green plus a whole bunch of other things. It really became obvious to us that our solution wasn’t to complicate the universe but to simplify, and to really, really create focus.” Ms. Leong loved the new campaign, which is gradually being introduced

around the world. “It’s a very, very simple idea,” Mr. McMillan says. “It’s very easy to implement. Over time, the more you see it, the more you go, ‘Ah, that’s Schneider.’” His says his company’s early decision to forgo government contracts in favour of business-to-business campaigns – all its revenue so far in 2015 has come from clients in the United States and Europe – is paying dividends. “We don’t look at local, we look at global,” he says. “In that sense, I think that that sets us up to compete for jobs like Schneider.”

TiECon Canada 2015: New World. New Rules. No Limits!

October 29-30 @ Brookstreet Hotel, Kanata

2 1

ebel entrepreneurs are taking on multinationals. Talent is transient and untethered. Mexico, Columbia and Kenya are the new emerging markets. Turbulence is transforming business models. Competitors are collaborating. And the Internet of Things will change everything. The entrepreneurial ground is shifting. It’s a new world with new rules and no limits. Are you ready? Join us at TiECon Canada on October 29 and 30, 2015 at the Brookstreet Hotel to chart your entrepreneurial future and succeed in a business world where change is the only constant. Hosted by TiE Ottawa, this ﬂagship entrepreneurial conference will bring you faceto-face with hundreds of serial entrepreneurs, industry veterans, investors, innovators and other members of the Canadian and global business community.

So, why attend TiECon Canada 2015? Gain rare access to angel investors, VCs, and government funders, and opportunities to increase deal ﬂow.

make your voice heard at

Compete for the opportunity to pitch for $25,000 in seed funding and more than $100,000 in business support at PitchFest 2015 – submit your application today until Friday, October 2, 2015 at midnight at: https://tiecon.ﬂuidreview.com/ Hear from inspirational speakers who are breaking boundaries and charting a path to success

3 4 1. Kelly Hoey Forbes (“1 of 5 Women Changing the World of VC/Entrepreneurship”) to Fast Company (“25 Smartest Women On Twitter”)

Beneﬁt from one-on-one mentorship, learning opportunities, competitive intelligence and formulas for success Network with peers, prospective customers, investors and partners from our nation’s capital, across Canada and around the world

2. Vicki Saunders Serial Entrepreneur and Founder of SheEO 3. Mike McDermint Co-founder and CEO of FreshBooks,

For additional details, please contact: Dr. Jasvinder Obhi, Executive Director of TiE Ottawa:

ed@tieottawa.org.

4. Mary Spio inventor, Serial Entrepreneur, President Next Galaxy 5. Devin Brooks Co-founder Blo, the world’s largest franchise of blow dry bars. 6. Ray Sharma Founder and Executive Managing Partner of Extreme Venture Partners

FALL UPDATE:

www.ottawa business survey.ca MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015

Audit

Tax

Accounting

Consulting

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THE LIST 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 13 14

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16 17 18 19

Company Name Address, City, Postal Code Phone / Fax Web site Fulton’s Pancake House & Sugar Bush 399 Sugar Bush Rd. Pakenham, ON K0A 2X0 613-256-3867 / 613-256-2624 fultons.ca A.H. Fitzsimmons 1878 Co. Ltd. 46 Daly Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6E4 613-238-2100 / 613-238-7456 ahfitzsimmons.com Marchand Lighting and Electrical 1283 Algoma Rd. Ottawa, ON K1B 3W7 613-749-2279 / 613-749-9952 marchandelectric.com Sanderson Roofing 437 Catherine St. Ottawa, ON K1R 5T7 613-233-9369 / 613-230-4646 sandersonroofing.com E.R. Fisher Menswear 199 Richmond Rd. Ottawa, ON K1Z 6W4 613-829-8313 / 613-829-8111 erfisher.com McIntosh & Watts 11-700 Industrial Ave. Ottawa, ON K1G 0Y9 613-233-2332 robmcintosh.ca Freightliner of Ottawa 3818 Russell Rd. Ottawa, ON K1G 3N2 613-744-0974 / 613-744-8952 freightlinerofottawa.com Budd Gardens Perennials 2832 Innes Rd. Ottawa, ON K1B 4K4 613-830-4328 buddgardens.com Snelling Paper & Sanitation Ltd. 1410 Triole St. Ottawa, ON K1B 3M5 613-745-7184 / 613-745-7949 snellingpaper.com Binks Insurance Brokers Ltd. 100-881 Lady Ellen Pl. Ottawa, ON K1Z 5L3 613-226-1350 binks.ca Frisby Tire 1377 Clyde Ave. Ottawa, ON K2G 3H7 613-224-2374 / 613-224-3782 frisbytire.com

Year founded

Tanner Insurance Service Ltd. 200-2435 Holly Lane Ottawa, ON K1V 7P2 613-232-5704 / 613-232-6486 tannerinsurance.com McGarry Family Chapels 315 McLeod St. Ottawa, ON K2P 1A2 613-233-1143 / 613-233-9166 mcgarryfamily.ca Tubman Funeral Homes 403 Richmond Rd. Ottawa, ON K2A 0E9 613-722-6559 / 613-722-3879 tubmanfuneralhomes.com Scrivens Insurance And Investment Solutions 270 MacLaren St. Ottawa, ON K2P 0M3 613-236-9101 / 613-236-0856 scrivens.ca Rideau Bakery 384 Rideau St. Ottawa, ON K1N 5Y8 613-789-1019 rideaubakery.com Francis Fuels Ltd. 105-28 Concourse Gate Ottawa, ON K2E 7T7 613-723-4567 / 613-723-6722 francisfuels.com Armstrong & Richardson Fine Footwear 4-1050 Baxter Rd. Ottawa, ON K2C 3P1 613-596-5511 / 613-596-5651 armstrongandrichardson.com Bourk’s Complete Car Care 24 Hamilton Ave. Ottawa, ON K1Y 1B6 613-728-4646 bourks.com General Bearing Service Inc. 490 Kent St. Ottawa, ON K2P 2B7 613-238-8100 / 613-236-8207 gbs.ca

OLDEST FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSES (RANKED BY YEAR FOUNDED)

# Family members currently involved 11

Founder(s)

Current owner/ Principal

Type of business

1860

# of generations currently involved 5

John Fulton

Shirley Fulton Deugo

Maple sugar bush; seasonal restaurant; gift shop; corporate training; producer of maple body and bath products

1878

Alexander H. Fitzsimmons

Frank Rizzo

Full-service real estate brokerage

1892

P.E. Marchand

Jacques Marchand

Electrical distribution; lighting supplies

1895

J.D. Sanderson

Don Mann

Residential and commercial roofing, all types

1905

Emerson Ralph Fisher

Sonia Fisher

Men’s tailored clothing and sportswear; made-to-measure service

1906

Grant McIntosh; Christina Watts

Rob McIntosh; Barb McIntosh; Peter McIntosh

Retail, fine tableware and gifts. Specializes in fine bone china coffee mugs designed in Ottawa under the “McIntosh” brand.

1910

H.G. Francis

Matthew Francis

Heavy truck sales and repair

1911

Peter Budd

Don and Dave Budd

Growers of perennial flowers, specializing in hostas.

1915

1918

Harry S. Binks

Specializes in directors’ and officers’ liability; automobile and power sports dealerships; manufacturers; non-profit organizations; defence industries; contractors and property management firms; Binks Financial; Binks Personal

1920

George Frisby

Don Frisby

Offers name brand tires, wheels, auto repair and brake services for customers located in and around the Ottawa area.

1922

Allan R. Tanner

Steven A. Tanner; Keith R. Tanner; Robert D. Tanner

Commercial insurance; home and auto insurance; boat and yacht insurance specialists; group auto and home insurance

1925

Charles Hulse

Brian McGarry; Sharon McGarry; Patrick McGarry

Funeral and cremation service provider

1925

Albert Lloyd Tubman

Julie Tubman

Creates celebrations of life, memorial and funeral services, including cremation and burial. Specializing in arranging services in advance of need (pre-need services).

1929

W.H. (Bill) Scrivens

Peter Scrivens; Michael Scrivens; Ole Jensen; David Scrivens; Shawn Ryan

Commercial insurance: contract bonding; marine insurance; manufacturers; directors liability; professional errors and omissions. Personal insurance: home; auto; boats. Financial & estate planning; group life insurance and employee benefits; RRSPs; GICs

1930

Abie Kardish; David Kardish

David Kardish; Louis Kardish

Bakery; wholesale and retail

1933

H.G. Francis

Brent Francis

Fuel; gasoline; heating; air conditioning

Omar Armstrong; Clarence Richardson

Eric Armstrong; Blair Armstrong; Deanna Armstrong

Fine women’s and men’s shoes, boots and accessories

1934

Food service packaging; janitorial supplies and equipment; industrial packaging; safety supplies

1937

Robert Bourk

Gary Bourk; William Bourk

Automotive wholesale and repair; property development (Bourk Family Developments-Westboro Station)

1946

Ernest Bouchard

Pierre Bouchard

Industrial distribution of bearings, power transmission components and material handling equipment

WND = Would not disclose. *Did not respond to 2015 survey – using data from previous years. Should your company be on this list? If so, please send details to research@obj.ca This list is current as of October 7, 2015. © 2015 by Ottawa Business Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced by any method in whole or in part without written permission by Ottawa Business Journal. While every attempt is made to ensure the thoroughness and accuracy of the list, omissions and errors sometimes occur. Please send any corrections or additions by e-mail to research@obj.ca. OBJ lists are primarily compiled using information provided voluntarily by the organizations named. Some firms that may qualify for the list are not included because the company either failed to respond to requests for information by press time, because the company declined to take part in the survey or because of space constraints. Categories are drawn up in attempt to gather information of relevance to the Ottawa market. Research by Patti Moran. Please send questions and comments to research@obj.ca.

FOR THE RECORD People on the move

Hats off

Adam Nassar has joined PureLogic IT Solutions as its new vice-president of sales and marketing. Mr. Nassar has more than 15 years’ experience in the telecommunications, cybersecurity and storage and compute industries.

Emergency Response Portal has won the 2015 BOMA Canada Pinnacle Award for Innovation. The emergency response portal gives property managers and owners access to key building information and easily allows them to share this information with trusted third parties. Kivuto Solutions’ OnTheHub platform won a best in show award for visual appeal of website features at the 2015 W3 Awards for the company’s interactive Evolution of Windows Microsoft tribute. The W3 Awards recognize innovation in websites, apps and online and social media marketing.

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada has announced the appointment of Jody Ciufo as its new executive director. Ms. Ciufo brings extensive experience in the management of national non-profit associations. She is currently the executive director of the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association. Nav Canada has announced that Neil R. Wilson, currently executive vicepresident of administration and general counsel, will succeed John W. Crichton as president and CEO when Mr. Crichton retires at the end of December. Robert Turner has been appointed e|djuster’s new director of software development. Mr. Turner will lead the expansion of the company’s e-xclaim platform. He brings a wealth of experience in software technologies and engineering practices. ProntoForms announced that Philip Deck, the CEO of Extuple, has been appointed to its board of directors. Mr. Deck brings more than 20 years of experience in technology company operations, leadership and merchant banking, and has served as the CEO of MKS and Certicom.

Bernie Ashe of the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group has been named the 2015 CEO of the Year by the Ottawa Business Journal and the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Ashe took charge of OSEG’s business operations in January 2013 and is a graduate of the University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management. Amika Mobile announced that its Amika Mobility Server product was honoured as a judge’s choice award winner as part of the ASIS Accolades 2015 Security’s Best Awards. The product is an intelligent security platform. Shopify has won the 2015 Canada Post E-commerce Innovator’s Award. The award recognizes a company that has made a significant contribution to the advancement of e-commerce in Canada. Sonia Zouari and Carolyn Andrews of CSV Architects, along with interior designers Sam Milne and Ally Darling of HOK and Yomna Anani of Parkin

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You.i TV’s co-founder and CEO Jason Flick has been named Entrepreneur of the Year in Ontario by Startup Canada. The award is presented to individual entrepreneurs who have made an impact on Canadian entrepreneurship through exemplary activities and leadership of their startup companies. Halogen Software has been recognized for its innovative leadership development program in the Brandon

The City of Ottawa presented its Urban Design Awards, which recognize exceptional projects built between Sept. 1, 2013 and Sept. 1, 2015. The awards recognized the work of designers, planners, architects, engineers, developers, builders, students and artists. The awards of excellence went to: Public places and civic spaces award: Art of Balance Rock Sculpture, Ottawa Rock Art Student project award: 6 Homes for Canadians, Desirae Cronsberry of Carleton University Urban elements award: Blanding’s Turtles of the South March Highlands, Ottawa Public Library Urban infill (lowrise) award: Sir John A. Macdonald Building, Public Works and Government Services Canada Visions and master plans award: Lansdowne Urban Park and Public Realm, City of Ottawa

Professional Development IT PAYS TO KNOW

Mark your calendar for payroll education! Marty S., CPM - Member, Ontario Region

Improve compliance and reduce the risk of audits and penalties with help from Professional Development seminars from the Canadian Payroll Association (CPA). CPA offers seminars for all levels from beginner to advanced. On a variety of topics covering Learning Payroll, Taxable Benefits, Employment Standards, Pensions and more.

Upcoming Seminars in Ottawa: Payroll Administration in Quebec – Oct 22-23 Special Payments & Completing the ROE – Oct 30 2015 Year-end & New Year Requirements – Nov 25 Legislative Update: Year-end & New Year – Nov 27

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“Sweet Memories Baskets and Favours is a social enterprise of Y’s Owl Maclure Co-operative Centre that provides a greater range of employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.”

Architects, won the World Cerebral Palsy Day Sponge House Competition with their entry called A.B.L.E. – Access a Better Living Environment. The team’s design created a safe, functional, ergonomic home for a child or adult with cerebral palsy. The winners will donate the prize money to help local disability support organizations implement their ideas.

Hall Group 2015 HCM Excellence Awards. The talent management vendor received a bronze award in the Best Advance in Leadership Development category for its program, which focuses on the ongoing development of Halogen’s current and future leaders.

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