Monday I’ll be chatting with the new airport manager of Stanhope Airport, Duane Hicks.  Duane and his family have a really interesting aviation background and Duane was in the TV series Ice Pilots NWT.  Despite his misgivings he agreed to be on the show and he was the new guy, shaking things up.  We’ll chat about his life and times and welcome him to the Highlands.

Tuesday we have Pat Martin, Dysart et al’s very capable Director of Planning and Development, and Councillor Andrea Roberts to chat about the Cultural Mapping Project taking place in Dysart and the visioning session coming up Thursday of this coming week at Fleming College, the School of The Arts,  in the Great Hall.

Wednesday, wow, we have Sheila Carabine of Dala chatting with us.  Juno nominees and winners of the 2010 Canadian Folk Music Award for Vocal Group of the Year,these two ladies have made an incredible impression on the Canadian music scene.  They will be appearing at the Red Umbrella Inn, Saturday, January 23rd.  I so love their music.  This is a treat.

Thursday, maybe Friday, we’ll have one of the Marigolds as our special phone guest.  Gwen Swick, Suzie Vinnick and Caitlin Hanford, three of Canada’s top singer/songwriters, have combined their talents to form the Marigolds. Accompanied by drummer Randall Coryell, the Marigolds are part bluesy, part jazzy, and part traditional country and bluegrass, specializing in angelic harmonies and gutsy playing.  Their big show will be at the Northern Lights Pavilion on Sunday January 29th, 2 to 5 pm.

We’re still sorting out for our fifth interview of the week … but I just know it’s going to be fun and interesting.

Phew!

No wonder I need a weekend off.  This volunteer stuff is a killer.  All kidding aside, I hope you can join us for these interesting people next week on Canoe FM, 100.9 or at www.canoefm.com.

Following a successful year, Wai Products attained readiness for graduation from the incubator facility.  This milestone was achieved through a combination of hard work, determination and clear-minded decision making.  Supported by her mentor, Larry Grigg and incubator staff, Brandi achieved a number of goals in the past year:

• Monthly sales targets met and often exceeded
• High levels of customer and supplier satisfaction
• Training event for irrigation contractors
• Hiring of a full-time employee
• Development of a comprehensive financial management system
• Introduction of an on-line e-commerce site
• Development of a corporate website
• Regional winner of the Bear’s Lair business plan competition
• Trade and consumer show participation – and development of a professional Wai Products booth

Brandi will continue her association with the business incubator as part of the extended mentoring program.  This will enable Brandi to meet on a scheduled basis with Larry Grigg, her mentor and the incubator manager.

In the picture Brandi is seen receiving a graduation gift of a hand-built clay moose (in Wai corporate blue) on a granite base.  Larry Grigg gifted Brandi with an appropriate business resource, a subscription to Money Sense.

The Haliburton Creative Business Incubator Committee congratulates Brandi on achieving the next stage in the development of a growing and sustainable business.  Wai Products Ltd. adds to the economic development and diversification of Haliburton County.

The Haliburton Creative Business Incubator is a program of the Haliburton County Development Corporation.

Contact:   Mike Jaycock  hcbi@bell.net   705 754-9996

Brandi Hewson  brandi@waiproducts.com  705 455-9751

     Jim Carroll is a Toronto-based futurist and author and last year he ranged the globe to speak to groups as varied as the Professional Golf Association and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Here the forecasts, as described in his blog, that suggest a year of possibilities for rural economies.

Rise of the tinkering economy

The future is once again being built in the garage next door. But now it’s by a globally connected, new generation of hobbyists, working in what are being called “micro factories” and “personal factories.” The impact, Mr. Carroll predicts, will be massive.

Generation re-generation

A massive generational change is under way in ownership of our organizations – from family farms to medicine to business – as change-adverse baby boomers are replaced by a younger generation keen to try new and different things.

Our challenge in Haliburton County is to encourage, retain and import younger people who would choose our way of life as an adjunct to their business pursuits.

Revenue reinvention

With the increasing velocity of business cycles, product innovation, new business models and the rise of social networking, soon every organization will find be faced with the need for relentless reinvention of its products or services.

We have seen many businesses reinvent themselves and it is not out-of-step with the character of the county.    Business people and our entrepreneurs are sensitive to their marketplace and the need to stay out in front of their markets.

Leading locally

We’re becoming more local even as the world becomes more global. Mr. Carroll notes that a University of Pennsylvania study found that areas with small, locally owned business of less than 100 employees had greater per-capita income growth than those that were home to larger, non-local firms.

Our efforts to foster small businesses has paid off.  The Haliburton County Development Corporation has provided early support for many of these initiatives.  As a community we take great pride in the success of small, locally owned businesses.

If you’ve got any custom sewing or alterations you need, let Bea know.  She’s very committed to servicing her customers and brings fine sewing skills to each and every project.  The incubator manager has a pair of heavy duty outside winter coveralls, with leg zippers, that were designed for someone about a foot taller.  Bea said “no problem”, even to shortening the leg zippers.  The coveralls just got a whole new life.

Pass the word along … Sew Bea It! is open for business.

Bea is a talented seamstress who does a range of clothing alterations as well as more advanced creative projects like costumes, bags, toys and custom orders.  We believe that Bea will find a good home in the incubator to develop her business and grow it to a thriving sustainable enterprise.  Bea will be moving into the incubator in the next week.

Bea is thrilled to be developing her business in the incubator facilities, noting that it is a convenient, central location for her to be able to welcome many of her current clients.  More information will be forthcoming in the days ahead.

Earlier in the year Brandi hired her first full time employee, Jenny Smith.  The two of them together are a formidable team.  Customers, retail and trade, have come to respect the depth of knowledge and their attention to customer service.  They are on their game every day of the week, from early in the day to early evening.

Brandi is fortunate to have a high quality line of products that are very price competitive in the market. The user-friendly nature of both the water and irrigation product lines make them very appealing to both the DIY user and contractors.  Canadian Tire will be looking at a segment of Brandi’s product line early in the new year.  They were very impressed with Brandi and Jenny’s presentation to them.  This is a very exciting opportunity for this young company.

Brandi is now gearing up for next year and all the signals suggest a significant growth year for Wai Products.  We look forward to sharing their news as they progress forward.

Happy Anniversary …. and continued success!

See their product line at www.waterproductssupply.com

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DCCJYND