Taking on the ATV industry
Although many big-time manufacturers are trying hard to make him fail, one local entrepreneur is on a mission to make all-terrain vehicles a whole lot safer. David Sullivan is the president of Quadbar Industries, the Kelowna company that manufactures the quadbar, a “crush protection” device Sullivan says has the potential to save hundreds of lives. […]
‘Better not to know the rules’
Most of the time, when Lance Davidson sketches out his next design improvement, the engineers tell him it can’t be done. Usually, of course, they’re eventually able make it happen, and Hybrid Elevator Incorporated’s machines get a little more efficient. “Sometimes it’s better to not know the rules,” Davidson says with a smile. In the […]
Phone bill warrior
A local entrepreneur’s clever new startup is helping people slash their ballooning phone bills. Time Brokers, the brainchild of Kelowna’s Michael Lavigne, negotiates with telecom companies on its customers’ behalf, snagging (sometimes substantial) discounts for those unhappy with how much they’re paying. For as long as he can remember, Lavigne has negotiated his own bills, […]
New wave wave creators
An innovative tweak to an established idea vaulted a pair of Kelowna entrepreneurs into the startup spotlight this week. SurfStage made a splash recently when a video of it in action, set against the backdrop of Okanagan Lake, hit YouTube. Laurence Parlane and Daniel Benson are the co-founders of Voltus Industries Ltd., which builds SurfStage. […]
Next evolution of arcades
Kelowna is humming with new businesses that have harnessed technology to solve any number of serious problems, but one of the city’s newest additions is using it purely for entertainment. The newly opened Kelowna Escape Games takes the latest in virtual reality technology and makes it available to the mainstream, letting its customers rent play […]
The non-business business
Kelowna is a city bustling with passionate young entrepreneurs, pouring the full weight of their education and angel investors into their budding businesses. They have clever solutions to many of life’s annoyances, and have created beautiful apps and websites to help bring those solutions to the people. Brandon Storozak doesn’t have an app, a business […]
Classic vans get new life as rentals
Sadly, Jeff McSweeney can’t keep the shag carpet, disco balls or eight-track players. The Vernon man is fresh from a successful first summer spearheading his new business, Vantastic Rentals. He rents out three classic Chevrolet “Boogie” vans as an alternative to pricier—albeit newer—RVs and motorhomes you see cris-crossing the highways more these days. All of McSweeney’s vans […]
One Big Table, many big dreams
In less than two weeks, a tiny grocery store built on some very big ideas will open its doors in Kelowna. Filled with local and B.C.-produced cheeses, produce, meats and other grocery items, the small, “European-style” One Big Table grocery store aims not just to make local food more accessible, but to change the way […]
Bread with a 166-year history
It’s somewhat of a tradition among tradespeople for children to take up the (sometimes literal) tools of their parents and continue the family trade. Kids of carpenters, farmers, butchers and bakers often follow in their parents’ footsteps, but when it comes to “the family business,” the Bronswyk brothers have just about everybody beat. Dan and […]
Bringing neckties to the people
Davis Yates still remembers one of the first presentations he gave as a young business student. Still a wide-eyed freshman, he walked into the room looking as professional as he could, in a full suit, black shoes, “and just white dad socks up to my knees.” Yates, like so many of his peers entering the […]
