You don’t have to be big to make a big splash, as these 10 small Alberta businesses will attest.

This is Business Edge’s first annual list of 10 of the coolest businesses in Alberta.

A few weeks ago I launched a hunt for small, distinctive, exciting businesses.

From a little-known (at least in Alberta) grandmother penning dozens of novels that literally sell tens of millions of copies, to a golfer who plays on the PGA tour and has made more than $3.5 million doing it, I’ve profiled 10 astonishing individuals and small companies, most of whom are making a mark internationally.

To find these stories, I pursued people connected to various sectors of our economy, checked facts and verified claims to come up with the final selections. Business Edge owes a special thanks to the many readers who submitted suggestions.

Each of these companies or self-employed individuals met stringent criteria.

Most importantly, we selected small businesses that were doing something out of the ordinary. Some of these businesses are manufacturing unusual products (log caskets), others are succeeding in fields that provide, at best, modest earnings for anyone else involved in the same profession (book writing, golf).

A couple of these companies are finding bold new uses for modern technology.

And one young athlete is leveraging the strength of his 245-pound frame to pound golf balls farther than anyone else, and making a respectable living as a result.

The second important criterion, this being Small Business Week, was that each operation be small. The largest company on the list has only 25 employees, and the majority of the selections are one- or two-person operations.

The third criterion was that each company (or individual, as the case may be) should have its residence in Alberta.

Finally, they were judged on a scale of “coolness” (whatever that means!).

With these four criteria as the filters, the results that came out the other side are thrilling. I’m only sorry I could not include more of the many excellent suggestions that came my way (they will have another chance next year).

In the meantime, I hope that the creativity and ingenuity behind each of these 10 entrepreneurial ventures inspires you as much as it has me. You can find all of our 10 business profiles on this Website under the heading Top 10 Cool Businesses.