Breaking into the St. Albert marketplace and carving out a successful business isn't easy but can be done.
That was the message shared by local entrepreneur Lynn Carolei, owner of Sublime Swim & Sunwear, at the Homegrown Successes forum hosted by St. Albert Business and Tourism Development on Tuesday.
Carolei was one of three local business people speaking about the challenges and triumphs of creating a successful business. Her business, which specializes in men's and women's swimwear and accessories, is now in its 10th year of operation.
"There's been lots of successes, lots of triumph and lots of heartache along the way," Carolei said.
She said the key to success is simple: tell people you are the best and follow through on that promise.
"We must be doing something right, but the challenges never stop and that's part of being an entrepreneur," she said.
Unlikely venture
John Farlinger, owner of Farlie Travel Ltd., started off in a completely different career direction.
In 1973, Farlinger began his six-year career with the Edmonton Eskimos. In his last season in 1978, he put $25,000 – all he had at the time – into purchasing Farlie Travel Ltd. The business is now in its 35th year.
Despite the differences between sports and travel, he said football taught him the vital skill of being inclusive.
"You have to develop a culture where you work hard, you have some laughs in the business and you have a chance to grow," he said.
Another key is that he, as the owner, has to be a "normal guy in the business" and understand that there's life outside of work, he said.
The business was purchased for a total of $133,000 in 1978 and grossed $1.3 million in sales that year. Last year, sales soared to $16 million.
"The business is fairly stable and is running quite well," he said. "I don't think you can be a successful business without taking risks and being aggressive."
Accidental gig
Carol Olivieri, co-owner of Blue Kettle Specialty Foods, said she intended to help her sister get the business off the ground before finding a "real job."
Instead, Blue Kettle Specialty Foods became her career and is now celebrating 16 years in operation.
The pair started by making products for family and friends, then decided to sell at the St. Albert Farmers' Market. The response prompted them to take the business to the next level.
Roughly five years ago the pair purchased a building in Campbell Business Park and there's potential for further expansion.
"Something that we found too is that often business owners will confuse success with how fast they can expand their business," Olivieri said, adding the business only grows at a rate they can maintain.
Blue Kettle now sells 15 products in retail stores throughout the province. Roughly half of the company's business comes from this, with the remainder coming from supplying food services businesses with products made specifically for them.
"I think the key is that we've listened to our customers and found that they are such an integral part of our business," Olivieri said.
