NLOWE Head Office2nd Floor, Regatta Plaza II84-86 Elizabeth AvenueSt. John’s, NL A1A 1W7 TEL: (709) 754.5555 FAX: (709) 754.0079TOLL-FREE: 1.888.NLOWE.11E-MAIL: info@nlowe.org

NLOWE I e-Newsletter I December 2015

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Send your feedback, inquiries and Spotlight Q&A forms to info@nlowe.org.

NLOWE offers services to women in business thanks to the financial support of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

What’sInside

• The Shoebox Project

• Regional Profile: Central

• Spotlight: Cindy Butt & Dominique Hurley

• Celebrate the Holiday with Us!

• Events & News

In the spirit of the holiday season, NLOWE is taking part in The St. John’s Shoebox Project for Canadian Women in Shelters. Happening for the first time in St. John’s, the local initiative is being led by NLOWE board member Mandy Wood-land and her business partner Karen Moores (Moores Woodland, Mandy Woodland Law, and TOWN Group). This year the partner recipients are Iris Kirby House, Naomi’s Centre (Stella’s Circle) and Momma Moments (Choices For Youth). Each shoebox filled will have $50 worth of items that a woman may not neces-sarily splurge on for herself during diffi-cult times. For a list of suggested items and for additional information, we rec-ommend checking out the project’s website www.shoeboxproject.com. If you would like to be involved in this project with NLOWE, there are two ways you can contribute. 1. You can complete an entire shoe-

box (valued up to $50) and drop it off at the NLOWE Head Office in St. John’s); or,

2. You can drop off items to be placed in shoeboxes and NLOWE staff will prepare the shoeboxes for distribu-tion.

All items must be dropped off Tuesday, December 8th, to the attention of Judy Raske (jraske@nlowe.org or 754-5326). If you are not located in the St. John’s region, and would like to be involved, please contact the business advisor in your region for assistance. If it is more convenient for you to have a drop off location in Mount Pearl, you can drop off shoeboxes to NLOWE member Bonnie Edgecombe’s business location, AbbyShot, at 75 Barbour Drive, as they have already committed to be-ing a drop-off location for the project. We hope you will help us in supporting this initiative! If you have any questions, please contact Morgan Chafe, Local Co-ordinator, at stjohns@shoeboxproject.com.

The Shoebox Project #LoveWhatsInside

Regional Profile: Central

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Let it Snow... Let it Snow... Let it Snow:Winter in Central NL Means Lots of Activities that Ensure You Don’t Sit Idle!

will be held on February 26 -27. After a day of back country snowmobiling, ice fishing, and sightseeing, everyone will enjoy an evening of food and en-tertainment. To the get the latest news and updates on this year’s event check out the website: www.destinationgan-der.com.

Every February, the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor play host to the amazing Mid-Winter Bivver. This annual event is a weekend of fun includes tasty treats and great entertainment. The 2016 Mid-Winter Bivver will be held from Feb-ruary 19-20. The event kicks off with a snowmobile “Fun Run,” followed by the evening of activities that encompass traditional Newfoundland hospital-ity, gourmet food and live entertain-ment…outdoors! For complete details on all the events visit the website www.midwinterbivver.com.

The Baie Verte Peninsula celebrates the best of winter in NL with the week long Peninsula Shiver Shore Festival. The event, culminates with a spectacu-lar event in Middle Arm, that includes snow machine races, snowshoeing,

gourmet delights, hockey games, kids events and musical performances in various venues around the Peninsula. Check out the 2016 event at www.dorsettrailtourismassociation.com/pen-insula-shiver-soiree.

Winter Carnivals are held in many of the communities across the region; included in the long list is Winterlude, held annually in Grand Falls-Windsor. Winterlude features cross country ski-ing, hockey/skating tournaments, dances, family swimming, family en-tertainment, snow frolics and snow sculpturing, and fireworks. Botwood’s annual Bayside Blizzard Winter Carnival includes a community breakfast and dinner, hockey game, dance, snow sculpture contest, snowmobile run, dart, pool and card tournament as well as a special community idol show. The community of Point Leamington hosts their annual Winter Fun Week with an array of events every night closing with a day of snow games and races.

Cross Country skiing has been mak-ing a big comeback in the central re-gion. The Airport Nordic Ski Club lo-cated 3 kms west of Gander has 16 kms of trails groomed for both diagonal stride and skating, along with 5.5 km of dedicated snowshoe trails. The Exploits Valley Cross Country Ski Club partners

Winter is one of the best times in Cen-tral NL. The region is well known for its continuous blankets of fresh snow, so there is no wonder that winter creates economic opportunities for many com-munities in the region.

Residents and visitors can break up winter with an array of exciting indoor and outdoor activities. Business owners can take advantage of opportunities in what, for many, is a slower time, espe-cially those directly associated with the tourism industry. Regional recreational activities include cross country skiing, snowshoeing, hockey tournaments, curling bonspiels, winter carnivals and special events like the Mid-Winter Biv-ver and SnowFari. All this activity com-bines to contribute to the economic prosperity of the region.

Destination Gander invites us to break up the winter with a trip to their annual winter extravaganza, SnowFari. Started in 2008 and held in February, SnowFari combines the outdoor win-ter fun of Central NL with outstand-ing hospitality, accommodations, and entertainment. This winter’s SnowFari

Central ContactsLindsay Mercer

Business Start-up AdvisorPhone: 709.489.0218

Toll-free: 1.888.489.0218E-mail: lmercer@nlowe.org

Betsy SaundersBusiness Growth Advisor

Phone: 709.533.9486Toll-free: 1.888.533.9486

E-mail: bsaunders@nlowe.org

Photo courtesy of Destination Gander: www.destinationgander.com

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“Let it Snow...” con’t

NEWSLINK

with the town of Grand Falls-Windsor; the town maintains the trails and the club offers training, a youth program and social events.

There’s no such thing as hibernating in Central NL with the range of oppor-tunities to get outside and play. The regional events and community activi-ties are just a snapshot of what the re-gion has to offer. These activities bring the region together and provide local businesses, including hotels, B & Bs, recreational retail providers, restau-rants, coffee shops, service stations and convenience stores opportunities to grow their business.

Photo courtesy of Exploits Valley Cross Country Ski Club

Member MentionsWelcome to our new members!

• Heather Buckle, Health & Perfor-mance Centre

• Allison Chislett, IDesign Ltd.

• Jill Curran, Maxxim Vacations

• Tracy Gardet, Optimized Risk & Insurance Limited

• Katie Hayes, Bonavista Social Club

• Eileen Matthews, NERRL

• Sharon D Pippy, Bareneed Studios

• Natalie Reardon, QI Surveys

• Jacqueline Shannahan, The Fish Depot Ropewalk

• Anita Wilkins, BMO

CongratulationsCongratulations to NLOWE member Susan Fitzgerald and the team at Fitz’s Mobile Welding Inc. who were recently named one of 50 honourable mentions in The Globe and Mail’s Small Business Challenge contest.

Happy Anniversary

Denise Pottle owner of Believe Fit in St. John’s celebrated 1-year in business on November 18th.

New Membership Accouncement

As business-owners, you are always working to keep your customers happy. Meeting their needs and ensur-ing they see very real value for their money. At NLOWE, we feel the same way about you, our members. Therefore, we want to let you know that we will soon be announcing some exciting changes to our membership packages! All the benefits you have now will remain–those will not change. We are simply building on what we have–we want to make a great thing even better. Because we know times are changing, and that the needs of wom-en entrepreneurs are changing too. We want to ensure that we continue to support you, and that one of your

best investments has been an NLOWE membership. So we are now in transition, work-ing hard to get everything into place. Because of that, our blog has been sus-pended. Also, you may have noticed that the business profiles look a little different. This is all making way for something new–more opportunities to build your network and your busi-ness through NLOWE. So stay tuned... exciting changes are on the way!

SAVE THE DATE for our next conference

April 27-28, 2015 Delta Hotel St. John’s

www.nlowe.org

Upcoming Events

Celebrate the Holidays with Us!

Holiday MixerJoin us for a

Spend the evening networking with other members of the local business community.

Date: Wed., Dec. 16th, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Where: Bay Roberts Visitor Centre, Veteran’s Memorial Highway, Bay Roberts RSVP at www.nlowe.org/events

For more information contactColette Crosbie • 709.786.6408 • ccrosbie@nlowe.orgPaula Flood • 709.759.3777 • pflood@nlowe.org

Join NLOWE, BDC, PAL & the Deer Lake Chamber of Commerce for a ChristmasMixer Meet, greet and celebrate the holiday season with fellow business owners. Join us for an evening of fun!

Date: Thurs., Dec. 17th, 6-9:00 p.m. Where: Holiday Inn Express, 38 Bennett Ave., Deer Lake RSVP by emailing info@deerlakechamber.com

Members

“Take care of your mind and your body will follow,” words of wisdom from Cin-dy Butt, motivational wellness coach, postnatal fitness expert and owner-operator of FarOut Fitness in St. John’s. Cindy opened the doors to FarOut Fit-ness studio less than one year ago; prior she rented school gyms and taught private classes to groups such as the military, City of St. John’s, and Ecole des Grands-Vents at their locations. Today, Cindy has 6 instructors work-ing for her. “My biggest success so far is the growth from just 4 classes last year with only my clientele, to over 20 classes running this fall, plus studio rentals and birthday parties.” Cindy says she is also thrilled to fo-cus on her mission as a postnatal fit-ness specialist by growing classes that improve support for mommies in the community, province, and coun-

Member Spotlights

try. “I developed a Kettlebell Mom-mas program from my training and experience as a mom, to give them strength of body and mind after baby.” “A funky, fun way to get fit without counting down the minutes at the gym” says the FarOut fitness website, and if you check out their class list, it’s easy to see why. Classes include: HoopFit-ness (Don’t forget your sparkly, bright hula hoop), Adult Ballet & Retro Jazz, Belly Dancing, Kettlebell, Cardio-Condi-tioning, and Zumba just to name a few. To see a full list of classes and offerings check them out online at www.FarOut-Fitness.ca. FarOut Fitness is located at 117 Ropewalk Lane in St. John’s. You can get in touch with Cindy by emailing, cindy@faroutfitness.ca.

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Cindy ButtFarOut Fitness

“My biggest success has been the ability to both hear and follow my in-tuition. I don’t consider myself a risk-taker, so it’s been a journey of feeling the fear and doing it anyway,” says Dominique Hurley, owner of Domi-nique Hurley Intuitive Art & Inspiration. Dominique has been helping people connect to their essence through en-ergy-based intuitive paintings since the late 80s. Her products and services now include original paintings and re-productions, inspirational photography and blogging, intuitive readings (guid-ed visual journeys), and energy painting commissions. Dominique recently com-pleted a series of 12 mandala paintings on the Universal Laws that will be the focal point of a full-day Winter Solstice event coming up on December 20th. Dominique started teaching arts & crafts in day camps and after-school

programs at the age of 15. After gradu-ating from university, she became Cul-tural Programs and Public Arts Officer for the National Capital Commission, and it was during those 4 years that she started to exhibit and sell her paintings. In 1992 she left government to teach English overseas, discovering the joys of photography and varying worldviews. “It’s only with hindsight that I can see how all the dots are connecting. My educational and professional back-ground in recreating, public adminis-tration, education, spirituality, leader-ship, photography, and visual arts all influence the services I offer today.” To learn more about Dominique and her work, or register for her Winter Sol-stice event on December 20th visit www.DominiqueHurley.com.

Dominique HurleyDominique Hurley Intuitive Art & Inspriation

Events & News

HEAD OFFICEPaula Sheppard, Chief Executive Officer

Kristy Martell, Chief Operating Officer

Tammy Hapgood, Business Start-up Advisor, Avalon

Deborah Moores, Business Growth Advisor Avalon

Judy Raske, Office Manager

Melissa Wheeler, Supplier Development Coordinator

Deborah Youden, Export Consultant

REGIONAL STAFF Colette Crosbie, Business Start-up Advisor, Eastern

Paula Flood, Business Growth Advisor, Eastern

Joanne Gillis, Business Start-up Advisor, Western

Lindsay Mercer, Business Start-up Advisor, Central

Betty Morris, Business Start-up Advisor, Labrador

Betsy Saunders, Business Growth Advisor, Central

Marvella Wells, Business Growth Advisor, Western & Labrador

BOARD OF DIRECTORSBernice Walker, Vice-President

Paulette Fudge, Executive Member

Renee Attwood, At Large Director

Hilda Broomfield-Letemplier, Labrador Director

Eddi Kenny, Avalon Director

Cathy Martin, At Large Director

Pauline Pennell, At Large Director

Andrea Sharpe, Eastern Director

Mandy Woodland, Appointed Director

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Certifying your company as woman-owned is one way of growing your business and opening the door to new opportunities. In Canada, we have two certifying organizations that can provide you with a certification: WEConnect International in Canada, and WBE Canada. For Aboriginal-owned businesses, CAMSC (Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council) is the organization that will provide the certification. In NL, we currently have 26 certified woman owned businesses. (www.nlowe.org/NLCertified) If you ask any certified woman business owner, they will tell you that simply having the certification isn’t enough for the doors to magically open for you; you really have to work to leverage your certification and find a way to take advantage of all the opportunities that come along with it. The first step is to have a strategy. Knowing how you are going to use your certification before you complete your application is the recommended route. If you are unsure how to frame your certification strategy, the best place to start is to set up a meeting with your NLOWE Business Advisor. At NLOWE, we have seen the certified woman business owners use their certifications in a number of different ways to grow their businesses. Some have used the certification to facilitate the procurement process with major companies, some have used the certification to present

Starting in January 2015: Pathway to Opportuniy Series

at national and international conferences, some have obtained business contracts from being in the certified business owner database, and some have used the certification as part of their leveraging power in partnerships and joint ventures. To provide education and information about maximizing your certification, NLOWE is presenting the Pathway to Opportunity series, taking place in the winter of 2016. The series will be offered in four parts:

• Jan. 21: How to Write a Capability Statement

• Feb. 10: Sales Prospecting and Closing the Deal

• Mar. 1: Certifications at Work • Mar. 15: Speed Networking with

Corporations

The Pathway to Opportunity series gives you an opportunity to prepare yourself and your business for selling situations as well as allowing you to hear first-hand testimonials from some of the certified woman business owners in the province. If your business is WEConnect International, WBE Canada, or CAMSC certified, this series is for you. Additionally, this series may be of interest to anyone who is considering certifying their business and would like to learn more about the process and benefits. For more information contact Melissa Wheeler, Supplier Diversity Coordinator, at mwheeler@nlowe.org.