The stats: 32 years old; co-owner of Definitions Wellness Safety Services. Has a background in kinesiology, and is currently completing a PhD at Memorial University. 2011 ACE Student Entrepreneur Regional Champion - Atlantic Canada.
Please tell us about Definitions Wellness Safety Services. How did the company start, and how has it evolved over time?
I co-own the company with a friend, which began as a small personal training gym in St. John's. This stemmed from my kinesiology background. Then over time, we started training a lot of people who worked in the oil sector, for companies such as Exxon Mobil. When they started noticing positive results, they asked us to come in and work with people in their office. This was something we hadn't done before, but we said, 'why not?' We started going into corporate offices, but noticed that the motivation for fitness wasn't there, unlike with the people who were already coming to the gym. We realized our product was good, but we needed a different approach. So we began catering our services for the corporate side, and we had some great success with that. Then one day, we were asked to go offshore and work with people on an actual oil rig. That was a huge step forward for us.
If you've got different clients, at different levels of interest when it comes to health and fitness, how do you engage them?
The reason why typical wellness programs don't usually work is because they're one dimensional. Not everyone feels comfortable talking about fitness. So we find different entry points. We're an outsourced consultant company working within the organization. We try to keep it light. We play health and safety videos during meetings that everyone sees. We put newsletters in every room, so people can read the literature on their own time.
...And what about the clients on the oil rigs?
This is different because we go out and live in their environment. So a lot of our counselling can be done on a coffee break, informally. It's casual... no white coats, suits or intimidation. We're part of the crew. There's an old Scottish saying, 'You have to get your feet under the table' [before you make any big changes]. So when you get to know people in their environment, and respect them for what they do, they in turn start to respect you. There's an element of trust built.
What are some of the hardest lessons you've had to learn as a boss?
As an owner, you're an owner. And the people working for you probably aren't coming in to work for the same passion that you might have for the business. This took me a while to understand. But at the end of the day, our workers teach us more than we do. So many of them have different insights and views on situations. We have an open form of communication, and that works really well. This award with ACE is our staff's achievement, and we're really proud of it as a team.
Any advice for budding entrepreneurs?
Nothing comes easy. It takes hard work, time and dedication. If you're an entrepreneur, you probably have a technical skill, but there might be areas where you need help. Hire the people around you and build a team, so everyone can do things they're good at. That way, everyone is doing something they love, and your company succeeds. If you're struggling through something you're not good at, it will end up costing you. Other than that, have a specific goal and a work plan in place. At least that way, you're heading in the right direction.