WESTSHORE – At the Chamber’s monthly mixers, I have the pleasure of speaking to a lot of people. June’s mixer, hosted by Farley Martin Notaries and Wise Financial Services, was no exception. One of the people I spoke to was Dr. Janine Fraser of West Shore Family Naturopathic, and one of the things we discussed was building relationships. From speaking to suppliers who work elsewhere in the country, she observed that the importance of building relationships and getting to know the people you are doing business with is an approach valued more here on the west coast than perhaps in other areas of the country. It was an observation that reinforced the tagline my colleague Joshua Schmidt has been using around the office: “business is personal.”
This mix of business and personal is a real strength in the West Shore, and I certainly find that it is easiest to support our local businesses and organizations when I better understand the people behind it all, what their challenges are and what motivates them. And while there is always a place for national and international markets, I am constantly learning about the extensive products and services offered locally.
One example of this is Vancouver Island Alarms, a local security company with 13 years of experience providing security systems and monitoring services across Vancouver Island. While this company provides service across the Island, it has a strong presence in the West Shore and this means that if I pick up the phone to owner Barry Gribbon I get an immediate response. In this day and age of automated phone service and call centres, such personalised service feels practically luxurious!
It doesn’t end there, as Victoria Alarm Service is another security firm based in the West Shore that provides both residential and commercial services. Its remit includes not just security devices, but also monitoring such things as fire detectors, flood protection and medical alarms.
One of the lessons I find myself absorbing is that a national company usually has a local face, and a good example of that is the well-known security companyADT, whose local representative Bonnie Drouillard is based in Langford. I met Bonnie at our February mixer hosted by Browns Socialhouse, and was impressed by her passion, and how she infuses the company she works for with her personal drive.
An upcoming opportunity to mix business and personal takes place on July 17th, when the WestShore Chamber of Commerce partners with the Young Entrepreneurs Society to present the WestShore Quay Classic Golf Tournament at the beautiful Olympic View Golf Club. Starting at 1:00 pm, this fun golf tournament will involve surprises and prizes across the 18 holes before a delicious dinner, awards, music and a casino night. All proceeds will support the non-profit WestShore Chamber and the Saanich Legacy Foundation. Limited tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available, so for more information please go to www.westshore.bc.ca or give us a call on 250.478.1130.
– Julie Lawlor is the Executive Director at the WestShore Chamber of Commerce. You can reach her at 250-478-1130 or jlawlor@westshore.bc.ca.
