Behind the Scenes of Founding Muskoka Highlands Golf Links with Donald MacKay

Navigating the Technology Space as an Innovative Brand with Daniel Bradbury

Welcome to a new episode of Building Business in Muskoka, featuring Daniel, President and owner of CREATIVE ONE®, an innovative Muskoka-based brand, web and technology firm known for its creativity and results for clients. The first recipient of the 2003 Muskoka Business Plan Challenge Award, Daniel has continued to pursue entrepreneurship with passion. He has travelled to over 30 countries and has served with the Muskoka Community Foundation since 2012. He is also the current Chair of Muskoka Futures. Stuart & Sarah speak with Daniel about how CREATIVE ONE® came to be, changes he’s been seeing throughout the technology industry over the years, key tools in creating a successful business plan, and much more. Listen in to learn more about: 1:00 - Introduction & background 3:00 - Self-taught resources 4:55 - Summer Company 6:20 - Business Planning 9:00 - CREATIVE ONE® 11:10 - Evolving needs in the technology industry 15:00 - Web3 18:00 - Challenges for small businesses 22:30 - Client care & marketing 27:00 - Challenges of running a business 29:55 - Protecting your data 35:20 - Muskoka Futures & Muskoka Community Foundation 44:30 - Adjusting business with COVID 46:00 - Travelling to over 30 countries 51:00 - Building a business plan Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoy the podcast, please feel free to leave a review on the podcast platform! Resources: Website: https://creativeone.ca/ [https://creativeone.ca/] Muskoka Futures: https://muskokafutures.ca/ [https://muskokafutures.ca/] Muskoka Community Foundation: https://muskokacommunityfoundation.ca/ [https://muskokacommunityfoundation.ca/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-bradbury/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-bradbury/] Connect With Us: Instagram: @businessinmuskoka LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buil... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbFdfUWVmZ0FKWTRVZmRsUE9CZTJ1VGk4LXE2UXxBQ3Jtc0tta3JFdWVSOGo0SUhWT01JcVRuaWRJZHlrcEF0MXFUSW5oRXdQNGd6dWNvclpmU2IxNWs1OGxmcnFST3BGTno4VmpuT3h4Q0N4c0RxVGFBUGVZMHY1ektfOXZVQ05Na3JPRTZkUDlBZU1UOTI1NjVDaw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Fbuilding-business-in-muskoka-podcast%2F&v=lW0zRjW3NuQ] Podcast website: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXNhaVA5eVFybnZ3WTNZV1llYzJUMnZ3amxUUXxBQ3Jtc0tsSmF4U3FsRnVIUWpNYmpKcjRraXBockJpWXdXSUE4VkNCLXZITk1vaGJ2UjZGbjJlbWFBU0phZEdSbjZWcjRXbGFBQlhmX3FvRnZHSXRxcWd5emhnMkl5eUtkX0paYlVLaEZub3NsNGJfVUFfdUdhTQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fanchor.fm%2Fmuskoka&v=lW0zRjW3NuQhttps://anchor.fm/muskoka [https://anchor.fm/muskoka]

Journey of the Multi-Passionate Business Owner & Musician with Lance DeCaire Part 2

Welcome to a new 2 part episode of Building Business in Muskoka, featuring Lance DeCaire. “Born in Parry Sound, I spent my early years in Muskoka and Ontario until at 14 my family moved to Vancouver.   I returned to Ontario in the late 1970’s. I have two children, Mary, who works in a Law firm in Toronto and Greg, who works in the entertainment industry all over the world.   My partner Elga and I live in somewhat unique house across the street from Gull Lake in Gravenhurst. I developed a love of music in High School.  I had taught myself to play drums and joining the high school band brought a measure of structure and I learned to read music.  I took six months off in 1974 and my girlfriend and I went to Europe, bought a car and toured around from Spain to Greece to north of the arctic circle in Norway. What would become Promeric Technologies Inc. started as a supplier of hardware and networking equipment.  One of my early customers was an importer of mid to high end watches that became an important piece of the early success of the company. We launched our new software after working through development with several firms including BDO.  We entered a market where our competitor had 98% of the market and our product was about four times more expensive. I currently sit on the Board of Parry Sound Muskoka Community Network and in the past I have been on the Boards of the Muskoka Lakes Chamber of Commerce, Wahta Mohawks Trust Fund and worked with Skills for Change, a Toronto based non-profit working with foreign trained engineers to get Canadian accreditation.” Listen in to learn more about: 1:00 - Introduction & Background 4:10 - Transition from moving to different locations 8:10 - First career & getting involved in music 11:45 - Getting into entrepreneurship 30:00 - Technology Space 43:00 - Managing staff 46:55 - The music business 52:40 - Building his software business 1:22:00 - Attracting the right people Part 2: 1:00 - Lessons learned in selling the business & overall entrepreneurship 7:50 - Insights on investors 17:00 - Advice for a successful business 21:20 - Creating a unique business 26:20 - Bankruptcy Trustees 36:23 - Life since selling the business & starting an Airbnb 47:00 - Advice for moving your business to Muskoka Resources: Lance LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-decaire-aa474b28/?originalSubdomain=ca [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-decaire-aa474b28/?originalSubdomain=ca]

Journey of the Multi-Passionate Business Owner & Musician with Lance DeCaire Part 1

Welcome to a new 2 part episode of Building Business in Muskoka, featuring Lance DeCaire. “Born in Parry Sound, I spent my early years in Muskoka and Ontario until at 14 my family moved to Vancouver.   I returned to Ontario in the late 1970’s. I have two children, Mary, who works in a Law firm in Toronto and Greg, who works in the entertainment industry all over the world.   My partner Elga and I live in somewhat unique house across the street from Gull Lake in Gravenhurst. I developed a love of music in High School.  I had taught myself to play drums and joining the high school band brought a measure of structure and I learned to read music.  I took six months off in 1974 and my girlfriend and I went to Europe, bought a car and toured around from Spain to Greece to north of the arctic circle in Norway. What would become Promeric Technologies Inc. started as a supplier of hardware and networking equipment.  One of my early customers was an importer of mid to high end watches that became an important piece of the early success of the company. We launched our new software after working through development with several firms including BDO.  We entered a market where our competitor had 98% of the market and our product was about four times more expensive. I currently sit on the Board of Parry Sound Muskoka Community Network and in the past I have been on the Boards of the Muskoka Lakes Chamber of Commerce, Wahta Mohawks Trust Fund and worked with Skills for Change, a Toronto based non-profit working with foreign trained engineers to get Canadian accreditation.” Listen in to learn more about: 1:00 - Introduction & Background 4:10 - Transition from moving to different locations 8:10 - First career & getting involved in music 11:45 - Getting into entrepreneurship 30:00 - Technology Space 43:00 - Managing staff 46:55 - The music business 52:40 - Building his software business 1:22:00 - Attracting the right people Part 2: 1:00 - Lessons learned in selling the business & overall entrepreneurship 7:50 - Insights on investors 17:00 - Advice for a successful business 21:20 - Creating a unique business 26:20 - Bankruptcy Trustees 36:23 - Life since selling the business & starting an Airbnb 47:00 - Advice for moving your business to Muskoka Resources: Lance LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-decaire-aa474b28/?originalSubdomain=ca [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-decaire-aa474b28/?originalSubdomain=ca]

Behind the Scenes of Founding Muskoka Highlands Golf Links with Donald MacKay

Welcome to a new episode of Building Business in Muskoka, featuring Donald MacKay, President of Muskoka Highlands Golf Links. Don was born in Sudbury, Ontario in 1952, and attended High School in Aurora at St. Andrew’s College. He then went on to the University of Waterloo, and become a Chartered Accountant in 1976. Don is married to his wife Joyce, with three sons, and have lived in Muskoka since 1980. The MacKays built Muskoka Highlands starting in 1993, opening the first 9 holes in July 1994 and the second 9 in 2001. In 1997, the first 1000 square feet of the clubhouse was erected, and in the Spring of 2001 they added another 1000 square feet. The Highlands is a member of Golf Muskoka, Golf Ontario, Golf Canada and the National Golf Course Owner’s Association. Don is also a Rotarian, a Director at  Explorer’s Edge, the Muskoka Airport Board and the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Stuart & Sarah speak with Don about how he first got into the golf industry, what made him decide to start Muskoka Highlands Golf Links, the challenges of running a golf course in this area, and much more. Don shares what is key in opening a successful golf course, and some of the common mistakes that are made as well. We also discuss considerations that must be made with a seasonal business, how he decided on the layout and design of the course, and about his volunteer work & why this is critical for our community. Listen in to learn more about: 1:00 - Introduction & background 9:00 - What makes a successful golf course 12:00 - Designing the golf course 16:40 - Challenges of running a golf course in the area 21:00 - Building a business plan in the golf industry 32:00 - Trying new ideas in business 40:00 - Realities of being a business owner 50:00 - Family & business dynamics 54:00 - Staying motivated as a business owner 1:02:00 - Local groups & organizations 1:05:00 - The Muskoka Airport 1:15:45 - The Founders Circle Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoy the podcast, please feel free to leave a review on the podcast platform! Resources: Website: https://muskokahighlands.com/ [https://muskokahighlands.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muskokahighlands/ [https://www.instagram.com/muskokahighlands/] Twitter: https://twitter.com/muskokahighland [https://twitter.com/muskokahighland] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/muskokahighlands [https://www.facebook.com/muskokahighlands] Connect With Us: Instagram: @businessinmuskoka  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buil... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGk5S2tYaEdSMFBEM3FQTlhDUFZjMjVQb2VMZ3xBQ3Jtc0tselZ3TzNETnJwWnNQQ2FHYjM0ODBuVU53cGFfaFlONUxoOER2c09GNGhfQ0I0RGxSMjRiV0xUdklEeU5GUEZtZmJETWt2OWhEbEhrRFhWQlRHNUJfRTk0aENaMlJNeWE1S2dQeWFuUnRMQmVjaXpYbw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Fbuilding-business-in-muskoka-podcast%2F&v=LgONEnV8Z4s]   Podcast website: https://anchor.fm/muskoka [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmgtNUNXYmZiSTBONWhMalFkc1Y0NFRHWkQ0Z3xBQ3Jtc0ttMDhKUWVxZTlLQURkb2JQM0RQMmhvQUE2UnVHTTJDU1JhUXM3VVRrUVJYNzNKYmhRbzdTQURzdFhVcDRJUVN0TTZWSGlNZl9XenlVTWMtQ1lkSzdvdUR2WWZlMlF1cEp1MTJ4SmNhTFVRN0ViVW9zOA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fanchor.fm%2Fmuskoka&v=LgONEnV8Z4s]

Building a Brewery as a Young Craft Beer Pioneer in Muskoka, with Darren Smith

Welcome to a new episode of Building Business in Muskoka, featuring Darren Smith, President & CEO of Lake of Bays Brewing Company. Darren Smith is known as a craft beer pioneer in our region and one of the youngest business owners in this space. “For 10 years, Lake of Bays Brewing Company has been a mainstay of the Ontario craft beer scene. The brewery started as an idea by our president and founder, Darren Smith, in his university apartment. At the young age of 23, his dream became a reality, as patrons from around the area gathered to witness LB’s official ribbon cutting in May 2010. Since then, our beer lineup has broadened to include everything from light lager to double IPA to stout, and we’re always experimenting with more styles and new flavours to bring to our fans. Our brewery has continued to grow over the years and now employs over 50 people. But we haven’t stopped at just beer: in 2018, we introduced our first ever restaurant, the Huntsville Brewhouse, located in downtown Huntsville. The Brewhouse is now known for our delicious locally sourced menu and exclusive beer selection. Inside you’ll find our microbrewery where we come up with new recipes for our beers that you can only try at the restaurant. In 2021, we opened the Bracebridge Barrelhouse, located in Bracebridge, ON. Visit us at any of our three locations, where you can try our current lineup, brand-new flavours, and even the occasional retro beer from our back catalogue!” Stuart & Sarah speak with Darren about how he got into the brewing industry, behind the scenes of starting up a business in the alchologic beverage space, marketing tactics that have been successful in the business, advice as a young entrepreneur, and much more! Hear about the highs and lows of running a brewery including some of the misconceptions many people may have, the differences in starting up the brewery versus opening the restaurants, the expansion of the business in the past few years including now employing over 100 staff across three different locations, and the benefits of starting a business in Muskoka! Listen in to learn more about: 1:00 - Introduction & background 5:00 - The Craft Beer Brewing Industry 12:00 - Profitability in the Alcholic Beverage Industry 22:00 - Craft Beer Demographics & Marketing Tactics 30:00 - Expanding into the Restaurant Industry 36:00 - Hiring & Managing Employees 44:00 - Challenges Faced in the Brewery Business 47:00 - Time Management as a CEO 52:00 - Doing Business in Muskoka 1:01 - Family & Business 1:06 - The Challenges of COVID-19 in the Industry Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoy the podcast, please feel free to leave a review on the podcast platform! Resources: Website: https://lakeofbaysbrewing.ca/ [https://lakeofbaysbrewing.ca/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lb_brewing/ [https://www.instagram.com/lb_brewing/] Twitter: https://twitter.com/lb_brewing [https://twitter.com/lb_brewing] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lbbrewery/ [https://www.facebook.com/lbbrewery/] Connect With Us: Instagram: @buildingbusinessinmuskoka LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/building-business-in-muskoka-podcast/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/building-business-in-muskoka-podcast/] Podcast website: https://anchor.fm/muskoka [https://anchor.fm/muskoka]