MBiz

20 SPRING 2019 A Beausejour man's line of vibrant succulent arrangements is poised for a full bloom this summer, thanks to a video contest celebrating the spirit of rural entrepreneurs. Jeff Stoneham — owner of Jeff Stoneham's Creative Planters — took top prize in the Seasoned Entrepreneur category of this year's Just Watch Me! contest, a Community Futures-sponsored initiative showcasing the efforts of business owners with health conditions or disabilities. In business for nearly four years, Stoneham designs and sells succulent arrangements that come in colourful, eye-catching planter bases — ranging from pastel letter and animal shapes to hand- decorated chalkboard bottles to rustic repurposed logs. "What first drew me to succulents were the colours and the wide variety they came in," says Stoneham, who once had a profound fear of public speaking and one-on- one conversations. "I have always enjoyed working with them, and wanted to find creative things to put them in." Already a hit online, Stoneham's handiwork is available through his Facebook page (@JScreativeplanters), and at The Forks Trading Company and Pennyweight Market in Beausejour. In addition to a $1,000 prize, his Just Watch Me! winnings include a marketing toolkit comprised of three hours of business plan consultations, plus logo and business card design services. Stoneham hopes the new tools will help expand the popularity of his business to the point he'll need to hire someone to help complete his orders — though as a first-time entrepreneur, he's also been primed on the importance of pacing yourself. "One piece of advice I got was to take things slow, and don't put too much on your plate," he explains. "The most challenging thing (about the business) is completing my planters in a timely manner during my otherwise busy schedule. The most rewarding thing is seeing the reactions on people's faces when they receive them." Each year, Community Futures invites entrepreneurs from Manitoba and Saskatchewan to produce videos sharing their business success stories. Over 5,000 votes from across Canada and the world were cast to determine the latest Seasoned Entrepreneur winners. Christina Hooper, owner of Backcountry Fitness and Conditioning in Warren, Man., took third place in the same category. A certified Canfitpro instructor who deals with anxiety stemming from post-partum depression, Hooper recently marked four years of leading fun and affordable boot camps for women in the Interlake — helping her clients lose weight while embracing healthier, more active lifestyles. No stranger to busy schedules (she also runs a hobby farm with her husband and five kids), Hooper says Backcountry has allowed her to make her passion for fitness a priority — and to grow as both a leader and an entrepreneur. Also attracting contest buzz was fourth-place finalist Julie Paseschnikoff, owner of Oak Bluff- based apiary Bee Boyzz Honey, which she runs with her husband and three children. With nearly 200 hives to tend, the family has expanded its line to include both liquid and creamed honey (the latter available in 15 different flavours, from maple to espresso to pumpkin spice), with all products available at grocery chains and specialty stores throughout the province. "It's scary, but it's so worth it in the end," says Paseschnikoff, who notes being her own boss allows her to work around the mobility issues caused by osteoarthritis in her right hip. "It gives me great happiness in knowing I accomplished the goals I set out to accomplish, even with my disability." In addition to the Seasoned Entrepreneurs chosen by voters, a panel of judges selected a winning Start-Up Entrepreneur from each province. Manitoba's winner was Jody Hunter, owner and operator of Studio 23 in Ste. Anne, where for more than a year he's provided audio recording services for music, TV and film, video games and radio commercials. "I'm very happy with how my first year in business went," says Hunter. "The second year is looking even brighter." ■ JUST WATCH ME! Video contest shines spotlight on Manitoba entrepreneurs JUST WATCH ME! CONTEST "It gives me great happiness in knowing I accomplished the goals I set out to accomplish, even with my disability."

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