In areas outside the big cities, many small businesses in B.C. are making a better living by marketing their goods and services outside their region.

Vernon is home to an antiquarian book dealer who operates through the Internet, while Nanoose Bay boasts a company that distributes wall-painting stencils, mostly to the U.S. And in Chilliwack, a log-home manufacturer is building a reputation internationally, with clients in Europe, Asia and the U.S.

Helping others make their dreams come true has made founders of the company more successful than they ever dreamed in a very competitive field.

“The edge we have over other companies is that we understand that for our buyers, this is their dream,” says Shelley Mohammed, who with husband Keith Ollenberger and his son Colin started Chilliwack Mountain Log Homes in 1999.

Keith took a log-house building course in 1979 to help his brother build a house, and “I fell in love with it. I quit my job and went building log homes.”

Over the years, he became disenchanted with the way other builders treated their customers. With his son and wife also dissatisfied at their jobs, they decided to strike out on their own.

Photo courtesy Chilliwack Mountain Log Homes
There are about 70 Chilliwack Mountain Log Homes around the world, including the first-ever log house, above, in Israel.

From one home built in Powell River in 1999, the company has seen steady growth. The second year of business, gross sales were about half a million dollars. Now gross sales are more than $2 million, and the company has more than 20 staff and a worldwide customer base.

One of their first decisions was to establish a website. “I said, ‘You guys and your computers – it’s just a game.’ But I was the first one to eat crow and I’ll admit it,” says Keith. “We get e-mails every day from all over the world.”

And one of the best decisions, says Shelley, was to pursue international business by joining government trade missions, international log-building
associations, and the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Commission’s export division. They are registered at Canadian embassies and consuls around the world.

“If someone (overseas) is thinking about a log home, they think: ‘Where do they come from? – Canada.’ Then they think: ‘Where do I find a reputable builder?’ ”

Every log is hand-peeled, hand-cut and hand-crafted.
There are about 70 Chilliwack Mountain Log Homes around the world, ranging from average homes of 2,500 to 3,000 square feet and up to 9,000.

The company built the first-ever log house in Israel, and this week Keith and a team return to re-assemble a restaurant and five cabins for a customer.

Although Keith sees the company growing gradually, “it won’t be by leaps and bounds,” he allows.

“We want to keep it around 16 to 20 homes a year,” says Shelley. “This is a family-run business. We don’t deal with agents or brokers. It’s important we keep the personal touch.”

(Sharon Adams can be reached at sharon@businessedge.ca)