I know I’ve said this countless times but I love my job! For most of my career I’ve worked for someone else, and just over six years ago, my dream of having my own business came true with Seaside Magazine.
There is no question that owning your own business is a risky proposition. But with risk comes reward, and the better you are at managing risk, the more rewards you can reap. Consider the flexibility that comes with it, along with a better work/life balance, whether that entails working from wherever you want or setting your own hours. And how great it is that I make a living doing what I love; it’s my passion.
It’s also about promoting and supporting our community through the magazine; it’s something I truly believe in and the experiences gained through working with the local business community continue to inspire me and this has given me the confidence to take the risks necessary to own and operate a successful business on the Saanich Peninsula. We are celebrating “Small Business” this issue with our special feature, The Professionals, where you will meet many local business owners who also take pride in what they do. We have such a diversity of business here and these owners work hard every day to create something they love to share with all of us.
It’s in this spirit that writer Jo Barnes chats with a panel of professionals (pg 10) about the critical pieces of information a small business owner should know. As well, we asked writer Lara Gladych (pg 30) to explore the place of personal relationships in a world where online connections have become a mainstay in business. These technology tools are all useful in helping communicate with each other when separated: they help us bridge the gap and create brand recognition while providing fast, efficient means of communication. However, I still haven’t forgotten how important face-to-face communication is for business.
We are also celebrating the Arts in this issue, and one of the premier events of the ArtSea festival is the Sidney Fine Art Show, a juried show featuring more than 350 works on display October 13 to 15 at the Mary Winspear Centre. The theme for this year’s ArtSea Festival is “Try it. Do it. Be it. Art is for everyone.” Many events for the festival are taking place from October 13-22 throughout the Saanich Peninsula and most are free. What better way to spend some face time with friends and colleagues in the beautiful community we live in!
