Business Excellence Award - Qualicum Beach Small Business of the Year
Business excellence. What do those words mean to you?
- To be profitable?
- To provide needed services?
- To have customers gush over your brand?
- To maintain high employee morale and productivity?
- To do good within your community?
All of the above? And more?
A business services its customers, traditionally by providing goods or services. But how they execute that is what makes all the difference. To be excellent means to be on point in a variety of areas.
Keep in mind, there is no doubt that as business owners we strive for excellence each day. Some days we achieve it and some days we don’t. It is the pursuit of excellence that motivates us to keep moving forward.
There was a poster that used to hang in the lunchroom of a previous job I had. It read, “the difference between extraordinary and ordinary is a little extra”. Cheesy, yes. But it is still true. It’s the little things that add up to big experiences.
On March 24, 2022, at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre the Chamber of Commerce for Parksville and Qualicum Beach held their annual Business Excellence Awards.
As a proud supporter of our community, Raymond James Qualicum Beach Branch sponsored the Qualicum Beach Small Business Award. And, as such, would like to shout out the top three finalists.
In our digital age, these are three brick and mortar stores that you can visit in Qualicum Beach. Pop in and say hi. We assure you, the business is excellent.
FRENCH PRESS
French Press Coffee Roasters has fast become a destination coffee shop for coffee enthusiasts throughout North America and beyond. This multi-award-winning coffee roaster relishes the challenge of international competition but is never more at home than when serving their Oceanside community in beautiful Qualicum Beach. Although coffee is front and centre, their passion for food has led to their inclusion in Island Eats, a cookbook that celebrates the Vancouver Island food community.
Jeremy Perkins enthusiasm is infectious! He has a real passion for the industry he is in, ensuring to source excellent coffee and prioritizing ethical / sustainable and innovative companies / green bean stockists. He has travelled to countries of coffee origin to meet with farmers and do the work hands on—so he’s no stranger. FP Coffee roasters was a key community member throughout the pandemic and into 2021. The business supported the community by creating a safe, inviting and inspirational place for people to come and enjoy away winning coffee.
https://www.fpcoffeeroasters.com/
Q BURGER
Q Burger food stylist Kevin “Mad Chef” Munroe (featured on Food Network’s “You Gotta Eat Here”) has a passion for gourmet burgers made with upscale, fresh ingredients. Try over-the-top poutines, crisp wedge salads, or their local beer-battered halibut and polish it all off with a salty and sweet cheesecake “smash”! Fabulous weekly burger specials pair perfectly with local craft beers & ciders. Attentive, friendly service will keep you coming back for more. Craft beer & craftier burgers!
https://viqburger.business.site/
And finally, our third finalist and winner of the Small Business of the Year Award,
BOREALIS HAIR BAR & CHAMPAGNE BOUTIQUE
VIRGINIA WORCESTER (WINNER), SHIRLEY NELLIST AND DAVID NELLIST (SPONSORS), PHOTO BY HEYDEMANN PHOTOGRAPHY
Virginia is the proud mother of three beautiful children, owner of Borealis and Champagne Boutique, a Rotarian, Director of the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce, and the Founder and CEO of the District 69 Backpack Program. Since Borealis opened 25 years ago, it has been a hub of love, laughter and community support. What began as a small Secret Santa program providing food and gifts for two local families quickly expanded to making sure 120 local families received a helping hand over the Christmas season. That program evolved into what is now the District 69 Backpack Program, which addresses the needs of children facing food insecurity on weekends when school meals are not available. In July 2021, Virginia opened Champagne Boutique to showcase fashion, decor, and artisanal foods "for women, by women" as a means of promoting other businesswomen. The support Virginia has shown our community was returned with the honour of being recognized as the 2008 Business of The Year.
https://www.borealishairboutique.ca/
Special thank you for everyone who came out to the event. It was such a pleasure to see all your faces in person and reconnect with old friends. Community is important to us. We cherish these opportunities to give back and to recognize local small businesses doing outstanding things.
For more information about the Parksville & Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce, listen to this interview with executive director Kim Burden:
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