Lifeclass, MONEY!, a quote from Leon Wieseltier "Sink so as to Rise", an image of a smiling Michael J. Fox, a box with "Shipped for Free" on it these are a handful of magazine cut-outs from my 2013 dreamboard.I know it's time to create a new one because more than half of the pics have come true. No kidding.
On to the journal, or should I say journals, I think I have chronic scribble syndrome with more messy half-filled books going than I know what's in them.Lately I've been compelled to fill my journals with page after page of hand drawn squiggly lined schedules.
What?
Yes, schedules. Last year I was in high pursuit FITTING IT ALL IN and it consumed me. So guess what January 2014 is going to look like? You got it a scheduled week with chunked sections so I can indeed, fit it all in. If my 2013 dreamboard is any indication of what I can expect from my journals then at least half of my new and improved timeline will fall into place.
Good business is an art. It's where inspiration informs the bottom line, where good service to customers fosters loyalty and community, and for the business owner, it's where entrepreneurialship can allow for a great life driven by purpose. So how do Bowen Island business owners do it? I asked a few starting with Fawn Gill of The Gym up at Artisan Square.
"I don't make resolutions. I reflect on the previous year and what it felt like. What do I want more of? Less of?"
The Gym's new business hours of 6am 10pm with a coded entrance has lived as an idea in her head for a year answering a desire for more personal balance while meeting the need of more client hours. The solution came to her while she was working out as the best ideas always come to her when she's moving.
Julie Cree of Artisan Eats has a really cool way of approaching each New Year. It's much less about goals and more about offerings. She has a strong desire to give Bowen Islanders what they want. "This year we created The Long Table Dinners featuring meals from other countries with guest chefs. These events are sold out as much as a month in advance even though Bowen Islanders are often very last minute planners." It's not that Julie isn't a dreamer or a strategizer, it's that more than anything, she wants to SERVE, and by that I mean, her clients, her staff, her bottomline, and of course, her life too.
Moving on to something a little more unconventional, meet Kat and Cam Hayduk of Turtlebox Productions. They create innovative media for businesses and organization as well as produce entertainment and interactive apps for kids. They are mom and dad to Sam Hayduk (at BICS) and they're currently in production of their third series of music videos for Kids CBC. Kat's the strategizer and Cam's the dreamer and although the New Year is a time for reflection, much like Julie, their goals are an ongoing dialogue throughout the year. They see humour as a renewable resource to inspire them and fuel their creativity. As for the bottomline, "We've always believed that if the monetization of the project is the goal, then the final product will most likely suffer. We gave up lucrative careers to pursue what we're doing, and our financial bottom-line is not our measure of success."
Lastly, I wanted to know what long time Bowen Islander Mike Carachelo of Mike's Bins does to set up his year. He's a community minded guy, hockey loving dad and a loyal ball player for the Firemen's team. His business is the big yellow Mike's Bins trucks that drive on and off the island daily removing construction and yard waste and returning with top soil for our lawns and gardens. "I do a lot of looking back when I start the year. This past one was tough. Things are changing. I've been at this for 20 years now and I want to put less into the landfill and do more for Bowen at the same time." In light of that Mike has added a smaller truck and a new service for home pick-ups to help us get rid of larger items that can still be recycled. He's a community guy and is aware of how his part impacts the whole picture. "This business has fed my family and when I add a service I don't want take food off another guy's table. All of us recycle, so I can help there."
Embracing the possibilities of the new year as business owner on Bowen whether dreamer, strategizer or go with the flow type, the one thing we appear to take pride in is remaining purposeful and knowing each other by name. Thanks Fawn, Kat and Cam, Julie, and Mike for a glimpse in to your upcoming year. Now on to my 2014 dreamboard
Tina Overbury
