For a columnist who usually focuses on the miserable things happening in this province’s business community, it’s wonderful that once a year I can let loose and have fun writing about some amazing entrepreneurs: Alberta’s coolest small businesses.
The idea started as an excuse to test-run the database I was building for our research department last October.
But I had so much fun, and it was such a hit, that my editor asked me to give it another shot this year.
Last year, I wrote about a guy who made his living doing golf tricks, like driving golf balls through Yellow Pages. There was also a granny living in Alberta’s foothills writing books and selling millions of them, mostly adolescent female fiction. All the companies profiled were similarly unique.
Many of the 10 small businesses were home-based. Of the others, the largest company was building shoe computers for Nike and had about two dozen employees.
Now it’s time for my second annual sampling of Alberta’s coolest small businesses, and I’m going to the opposite extreme. Last year, I profiled companies with 25 employees or less, even though some people define a small business as having up to 100 employees.
This year I’ve decided to push the definition of small to its outer limits – five companies with roughly 100 full-time- equivalent employees.
Alberta has some amazing large small businesses. Some are not well known. One company, for example, builds sets for Disneyland, Broadway, films, cruise ships, and the like. When I asked the knowledgeable staff who work in my local video store if they knew that the submarine in K-19, the film starring Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson, was built in Alberta (twice, the second time for re-shoots), they had no idea that a local company even did that sort of thing.
Some of these companies are low profile because there is no real reason for them to market themselves to Albertans. They often export worldwide, get lots of business, and don’t need to toot their own horn. Well, I think we should toot their horn every now and then.
Some of these companies are very well known, and have received a lot of coverage in the media, like Micralyne. But cool doesn’t have to mean obscure.
So what’s cool?
In my eyes, cool is a completely subjective measure that depends on factors including uniqueness, success and personal interest. As you will notice, I have a great inclination towards the arts and sciences. I hope you enjoy my selections featured on the next two pages.
I invite suggestions of companies that you think would be worthy of similar recognition. Maybe you disagree with my picks. Let me know.
I did not have a chance to respond to everyone who responded to the ad inviting nominations for this feature, and I apologize. But thanks to all who helped me out.
