When glass smiths work, it is more like magic than art. They can take a fragile material and manipulate it with heat and air to transform it into something beautiful. The process itself is ancient and has been practiced for centuries, but glass artists can also tease out contemporary works of beauty. Glass-blowing is nothing short of amazing to watch – and this is exactly what Mariel Waddell invites guests of the Kingston Glass Studio & Gallery to do.

Ms. Waddell is originally from Trinidad and came to Canada as an international student to study art. She attended Sheridan College, where she realized that she loved the challenge and rewards of hands-on, three-dimensional work. She entered the Crafts and Designs Program as a Ceramics major and used an elective to try glass-blowing. It was fortunate that she did; she fell in love with the medium, its flexibility, and its possibility. She changed majors and jumped into glass-blowing, where she has been happily creating works of art ever since.

Next time you celebrate your anniversary, you could do it with the same old chocolates and flowers – or you could give the gift of indulgence. Juicy ripe strawberries, sweet tangy pineapple, plump grapes, chocolate-dipped fruit… if this entices your taste buds, stop in and see Pam Morey at Blossoms. A proud Canadian company, Blossoms offers gorgeous, unforgettable gifts for anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, sympathies, weddings, and more.

After working in daycare and staying home with her own children for 20, Pam decided it was time to try something different. But what? She knew she wanted to start her own business, but wasn’t sure what it should be. Flowers? Gifts? Owning a Blossoms franchise would allow Pam to have her own business and offer a unique product for the Kingston area.

With help from KEDCO, Pam opened the doors of Blossoms in November 2010. She found that orders came in steadily during the year, but they poured in during holidays. Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and other occasions brought in customers who wanted to get something a little different and more than a little special.

You’re in business and things are good, then comes tax reporting time and your stress level goes through the roof! But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can have success with peace of mind. It’s all about record keeping.

Stay Organized

Keeping good records that are accurate and complete is easy once you decide to stay focused. If you are just starting your business, becoming informed, setting up good procedures and making this a habit from day one is simply a matter of including it in your daily To-Do list. If you have been around a while, you may need an extra reminder.

Reconciliation

 BusinessDictionary.com defines bank reconciliation as:

Does your furniture have a personality? When you lean close to its surface, can you see the skill and expertise that has gone into its construction? Or do you see a mass-produced, machine-pressed composite of inferior woods? The Mennonites, who were among Ontario’s earliest settlers, believed in making furniture that would be used – and enjoyed – for generations. Ryan Smith, owner of Generations Canadian Mennonite Furniture, continues the tradition of excellence, offering the Kingston area outstanding quality and value.

No one who compares Mennonite furniture with the inexpensive pieces you find at big box stores can help but be impressed by its quality, solidity, and durability. Ryan Smith is no exception; the design, the style, the craftsmanship, and the flexibility captured his interest and planted the seed for Generations Canadian Mennonite Furniture.

Ryan knew that, beyond our homes and vehicles, furniture is the biggest purchase most of us make. When you are willing to shop around for the best quality, you may spend a little more at first, but this furniture, he says, is “worth its weight in gold.” The craftsmanship, versatility, durability, and custom finishing make it an investment that you will enjoy for generations.

In September 2009, Ryan opened his first store in Brockville, Ontario but soon found that most of his customers were coming in from the Kingston area. It made more sense for him to come to them; he found a facility in Kingston that not only offered more space but location, location, location. The new store was close to new home construction and new subdivisions. In the next five to ten years, the population will grow by some 11,000 to 12,000 new homes – and what better purchase for a new home than high quality furniture?

Ryan makes it a point to be involved in every aspect of his business, from sales to building to delivery. He meets with builders, helps create new designs, troubleshoots styles, and is very active in the building process. Why? The more you know, the more you can inform your customer. Ryan’s passion for Mennonite furniture drives him to create and sell only the best for his customers.

Wait, did you see that? Was that a pair of Iron Fist shoes walking down the street? In Kingston? They had bows and pink skulls? Where did they come from? Toronto? Montreal? Actually, it is Montreal – Montreal Street right here in Kingston. Funky has come to town, and it lives at the Get Funky Boutique.

Get Funky’s owner, Aara Macauley, came to Kingston for university  in 2000 and couldn’t escape. She fell in love with the city. The question, remembers Aara, wasn’t should I stay or should I go, but how can I stay here? Opening a business had been in the back of Aara’s mind, but it quickly moved to the front as she considered her career options. With help from KEDCO, Aara wrote her business plan and secured funding through CYBF (Canadian Youth Business Foundation).

What was the plan? To make her adopted hometown a bit funkier. It’s strange, thought Aara, that even with Kingston’s big population of students, artists, and musicians, we don’t have a lot of exciting and different options for retail products downtown. To escape from homogeneous big name brands that dominated Kingston, shoppers had to travel to Toronto or Montreal. Aara wanted to offer fun, unique, alternative finds that you can’t get anywhere else in Kingston.

Since opening in May 2010, Aara has stocked her shelves with goods from local artisans, including fresh, fragrant soaps and fun, unique jewellery. Get Funky features primarily Canadian companies with a sprinkling of American names as well. She looks to her customers for feedback: what do they want to see, what are they frustrated at not finding in Kingston? Their answers help Aara get the things they want – and the things they didn’t even know they wanted.

The first year is over, and Get Funky is making its stylish mark on Kingston. Aara has gone from an entrepreneur in spirit to an entrepreneur in practice, with a better sense of where her business is and where she wants it to go. Her plans for Get Funky: to continue providing “Alternative Finds for Original Minds” and making Kingston fierce one shopper at a time.

As a child, Ron Armitage used to watch his uncle race cars. Enthusiasm turned to passion, and Ron knew he wanted to be around machines. After starting off his career as a helicopter pilot and ground crew member, Ron’s love of cars and driving sparked in him the idea to start a business offering high quality driving instruction. Ron worked with different driving schools over a period of five years, researching the industry, before launching Limestone Driving Academy Inc.

Ron worked with KEDCO and the SEB (Self-Employment Benefits) program to obtain a grant to start his driving school. The grant provided Ron with the capital he needed to learn about starting and running a business. KEDCO helped him create a business plan, write a forecast and start-up cost sheet, and apply for funding through CYBF (Canadian Youth Business Foundation).

In 2011, Ron was ready to put his plan into gear. The Limestone Driving Academy Inc. opened its doors in November, targeting primarily teenagers and new drivers. But the work of owning a business doesn’t stop when it opens; Ron discovered the secret to entrepreneurial success: forcing yourself to get out there. He worked to build word-of-mouth buzz and developed a referral program for students.

The Limestone Driving Academy Inc. offers in-class instruction and a Ministry-approved BDE (Beginner Driver Education) program. In the first month of operation, the Academy made money – a rare feat in the business world. In addition to great instruction, Ron is committed to providing convenience to his students. The Academy is open for business from 7AM to 9PM and offers a graduating scale of programs. Most driving schools offer 10 hour programs, so the students who had no time to practice would get knocked down instead of built up. At Limestone, you can choose the Fast Track (a 10 hour program), On Track (13 hours), or Sure Track (15 hours) to get the driving time, and confidence, you need.

What are Ron’s plans for the future? In the next year, he would like to focus on growing his student base and building word of mouth. Limestone is driven to become the best option in town by offering the most convenience, flexibility, and value for students.