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INNOVATIVE ART FORM SPAWNS ENTREPRENEURIAL DREAMAs this joyous holiday season descends upon us and we embrace a moment of celebration, let’s add a celebration of achievement of a remarkable entrepreneur that Laurel Douglas, Womens Enterprise Centre suggested we visit to hear.. her entrepreneurial story.
I always enjoy learning of families that begin with a special closeness and stay in that mode during life’s highway. As in this example of Christine Pinette, born in Williams Lake of an entrepreneurial father who presented – the virtues of a meaningful role model and a mother and younger brother whose talents and love round out a formidable family unit.
Christine began her journey with a passion for life and a zest for challenge. She told me over coffee recently that she has always loved creativity and adversity that would drive her gut-level determination and commitment to whatever tasks were before her. In the mid-1980’s, Christine entered UBC with a career goal of becoming a physical therapist after completing the first of three university degrees – in 1989. A few short years later, with an altered view of her future, Christine embraced the dream of an education degree and teaching in high school environment. With her graduation in Education, came her travel to the Okanagan following her heart both professionally and personally.
From 1993 to 2000, Christine,experienced extreme difficulty obtaining permanent teaching status with the Kelowna School District and hence found commuting throughout the Valley honing her skills teaching a variety of high school subjects the norm .
One of these subject areas was Fine Arts which led to the completion of her third university degree in Fine Arts from the University of Victoria via the OUC Kelowna campus while continuing her teaching .
What is interesting, with the accumulation of the three degrees, Christine believes that none of these educational advancements provided and prepared her with “ direct business and entrepreneurial training” However, what they did instill in her was the element of resourcefulness and a skill set to take on challenges no matter what and why – in essence, “ preparing her for the journey.that lay ahead.”
Upon reflecting, little did she realize at these educational milestones and her immersion into professional teaching in the Okanagan Valley – would form the genesis of her entrepreneurial role formation.
Pinette was a high school teacher who enjoyed her work but had, she states, uneventful summers off during the school breaks. Realizing she needed an outlet, she opened her mind and let the spark of creative imagination take hold. Intrigued by fridge magnets and never finding any that she really liked for her own use coupled with a continuing fascination with the alphabet. (she wasn’t kidding me ) – she zeroed in on the game of “ scrabble “ and plastic fridge letters of days gone by.
This amalgam of thought drew her to porcelain floor tile and a roll of magnetic strip from a local hardware. Before she knew it, she attached the magnet to the floor tile, painted funky images and letters on the tile and gave the results to family and friends as gifts – oops. Could this be the birth of an entrepreneurial idea and opportunity taking hold of our guest, Christine Pinette. ?
Continuing on a “ I’m having creative fun and pleasing others “ mode – she eventually decided that “ fun “ might include selling some of her creative art form to the general public and here is where Christine enters the crossroad that would change her life forever.
A local gallery provided a venue to present her “ concept “ of magnetic art to the public. The tiles sold consistently but not to the degree that Christine could leave teaching.
But, in 1999, a friend told Pinette about a retail trade show in Vancouver that had a “ juried “ component for artisan/entrepreneurs. Making it through the juried process led to her appearance at the tradeshow later that year convinced her forever that she indeed had a “ genuine “ product for the marketplace and after inviting another creative friend to be a business partner – led to the “ Each An Original “ name and entrepreneurial venture creation.
Hence, Each An Original was born in 2000 as a small home-based business and has now blossomed into a team of permanent staff and a diverse demographic of talented subcontractors – about 20 talented female artisans. Producing charming hand-painted original designed magnetic tiles that are both eye-catching, interactive and collectible has captured a worldwide audience with their vibrancy and uniqueness.
Surrounding herself with a strong effective team, this multi-talented and personable entrepreneur has her magnet products displayed throughout Canada, the U.S. and believe it, …Europe.
A solid testimony to her entrepreneurial creativity, and yet sadly disappointing, is when the President of a large Canadian company in a related industry area visited her trade show display asking numerous questions when viewing the attention her products were receiving.
Innocently, Christine shared her immense pride in her accomplishment only to discover shortly thereafter, her concept had been copied.
But, our Valley entrepreneur remains undaunted and focused in her course of constant innovative analysis of her company and its vision for growth and sustainability.
In fact, when she took me on a tour of her facility in Kelowna, I could’nt help but notice the “entrepreneur look “ – that stardust gaze that only is allowed to genuine entrepreneurs to share with others in the world . And, always open to explore new marketing channels for her artful products, a “ little bird” just happened to suggest a potential for new sales right here in the Valley landscape - I’m hoping Christine will let me know the outcome……. |
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