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Organizers of the Top 20 under 40 awards are getting ready to honour young, Vancouver Island business people at their third annual Top 20 under 40 event, and two local women will be among the honorees.
Sponsored by the Comox Valley’s Old House Village Inn & Spa, awards recognize promising business people under the age of 40.
Jolleen Dick, or Yahmiss, her Nuu-chah-nulth name, is a university graduate who earned a Bachelor of Tourism Management from Vancouver Island University last summer. When she returned home, she began doing historical research for Hupacasath and also worked in their parks department. Now she works as a Communications Coordinator for Hupacasath First Nation.
Yahmiss is proud to say that she is the one who started the summer Sunset Markets in 2013 on the waterfront at Victoria Quay. The sunset markets ran last summer every Wednesday evening and were such a hit that they will be continued in the 2015 season, with Yahmiss working as the manager.
“Being nominated is an honor and also feels humbling; it means that the work I do in our community is appreciated and hasn’t gone unnoticed,” Yahmiss said.
She went on to say that it feels great to be a role model to youth.
“Chasing your dreams and making things happen is achievable. I started making things happen by thinking more realistically and by setting a path forward with simple goals,” she added.
Michelle Lapointe, Cree, is the proud owner of a successful, long-standing, full-service esthetics business called EM Salon & Spa.
Lapointe started out in the esthetics business in 1999 when she worked for her mother at Precisions. From her mother she learned how to run a successful business. She stayed at the old location until 2007; then she moved a few blocks away to a heritage house that she and her husband renovated and transformed into a stylish new salon.
The house became EM Salon & Spa and, for the past 8 years, has been the place people go for hairstyling, mani/pedi’s or other spa treatments.
Lapointe said she tries to be a forward thinker in her efforts to keep her business flourishing in a small community. She is creating space at EM Salon & Spa for more treatment rooms. Other plans include launching a mobile esthetics service to deliver products and care to house-bound clients.
She will soon be opening a satellite salon at the Toyota dealership in Port Alberni where she will help her staff sharpen their business management skills.
“It is about succession, passing on the skills,” said Lapointe.
The Top 20 under 40 nomination is especially important to Lapointe because it is the last year she is eligible to win it. She said it means a lot to be recognized for her efforts.
Lapointe’s business has won several awards over the years including NEDC Youth Entrepreneur, Port Alberni Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence and the BC Aboriginal Small Business Achievement Award.
In fact, Lapointe says she is grateful to NEDC for all they’ve contributed to her business and for helping her fulfil her dreams.
Throughout the island there were 146 nominees for the Top 20 under 40. Today there are 100 finalists, with eight from Port Alberni.
Nominations were held in Victoria, Langford, Duncan, Port Alberni, Courtenay and Campbell River in early January. The nominations are open to everyone and the public can nominate entrepreneurs, executives, managers and professionals in public, private, and non-profit sectors.
According to Top 20 under 40, nominations are based on such values as achievement, experience, innovation, leadership, and community involvement. Nominees will have demonstrated excellence in business judgment and leadership and for contributions to their communities on a local and regional level.
The winners will be announced on March 14 at a gala event at the Florence Filberg Centre with a VIP reception at The Old House Village Hotel & Spa.
Each Top 20 Award winner will receive a trophy and a framed certificate and publicity through various forms of media.
