TRUpreneur

An on-premises conversation with Lisa Sliwowska owner of Figs and Honey Beauty Therapy and Healing Arts, which also includes wonderful guest accommodations available through Air BnB. Lisa provides everything from pedicures and facials to Reiki and Transformational Therapy

An interesting and informative conversation with Valerie about the complexities of running a business supporting seniors in their homes as they experience physical and mental health challenges. This will be a growing issue as the baby boomers age

Jason Griffin in conversation about moving to Saltspring and building a bus-based tour company that provides a range of exciting tours for tourists showcasing the topography and people of this island

David chats with Peri Lavender one of the partners in Salt Spring Apple Company about their amazing quest to start an ambitious apple orchard and a cidery while also making nearly every conceivable product one can from apples. Including crowd favourite fritters

I enjoyed my conversation with Kaeli Yarwood who became -  as she terms it  - a reluctant art gallery owner with the tragic death of her mentor and business namesake Matt Steffich in June, 2020 just as Covid was also ramping up. She faced other problems including a premises flood that resulted in a gallery relocation. Despite all of this she has come through with flying colours, some of it on the back of the Shopify e-commerce site she built under Matt's oversight in 2019

Sandi Poystila talks about her 20 year publishing venture: starting it, growing it, and ending it about a year ago. She talks about passion, the key requirement for sales capability, how she enjoyed dealing with people who worked for the publication and the tough decision to stop. It is a lesson for all entrepreneurs: how is your business going to end

This intriguing 2 part episode features Holly MacDonald the principal behind the 19 year old e-learning firm located on Salt Spring Island whose clients are literally found globally. Holly talks about her business and where it is in 2026 and then, after listening to it  she reflects on a previous podcast from 2021 that described her professional services firm. It is truly a tribute to her that the core strategies have seen her go from strength to strength

David Crouch reviews the 10 year history of Gulf Island Community Radio Society as a board member and the treasurer from a perspective as a business start-up. He goes over honestly and without blushing the variety of mistakes made - in his opinion - on the long but ultimately successful path that led to the on air broadcast station CHIR FM

In this episode I explore what I have called the Pam Paradox. There is no one right way to do anything as an entrepreneur but that many people really aren't suited to it. I review a few of the behavioural types that make very unsuitable and in the end unsuccessful entrepreneurs/

This episodes covers two distinct topics. That the entrepreneurial journey is really not for everyone. But for those who chose this path it is an adventure where if you are mindful you can craft your own adventure

In this episode on go through my inspirations for the type of entrepreneurs I most highly value and why I call them TRUpreneurs

In this episode I talk about my bona fides starting as a 13 year old interested in small business to the decades of hands-on experience I have as an entrepreneur, primary owning and growing a variety of different consulting enterprises

In this first episode I define what I mean by TRUpreneur to clarify people starting and building real businesses in an era of part time side hustles and quick for a buck hacks. I also deal with the historical root of entrepreneur, and demonstrate that Silicon Valley definitions are silly. If you are a small business owner you are likely a TRUpreneur