On a sunny fall afternoon, most local arenas are prepping for the start of hockey season. That wasn’t the case in Creighton Sept. 6-7, as dozens of small businesses packed into the Sportex for a home business showcase.
Over half of all businesses in Canada are now considered as “micro-businesses,” according to Statistics Canada. Micro-businesses are businesses with between one and four workers. The wide variety of items on display showed businesses like this are on the rise.
Rhea Highland works as an x-ray technician, but was at the showcase selling honey products.
“You're trying to find a way to make more money,” she said.
“It's not like it's easy to find a small job that can fit into your already busy lifestyle. I've done a lot of different kinds of things I've done like makeup and all that kind of stuff.”
Highland explained the shift to honey was driven by her husband.
“He really missed the agricultural part of his life,” she said.
“He started doing this. I said, ‘Let's do smaller jars. Get the girls’ perspective, let's do some candles.’ As a couple, we decided to start changing a little bit from just the bulk selling of honey.”
Highland takes time off during the summer to sell honey at different shows.
“It is hard,” she said.
“We've decided for ourselves that this is important. But the more time that we're together doing it is is good for us.”
One of the struggles running your own business can bring is setting your own hours, especially with other responsibilities. Highland hopes to take the honey business up to her only source of income.
“You have your job, and then you have your life and then you have your passion,” Highland said.
“Those are all things that can be very difficult to balance. For us, it's been a commitment. Long term, we want to be beekeepers.”
Danita Stallard was also at the show. The second chapter of her self-published graphic novel, Flann, is written and moving towards publishing. She was at the show selling copies of the first edition.
“It's allowing me to do what I love to do,” Stallard said.
“I chose to self-publish because gives me a bit more control over the end product.”
Stallard said because creating is her passion, it allows her to balance out her time.
“When I'm enjoying what I'm working on, I'd be doing it anyway,” she said.
“[Working] allows me to do it more. You definitely have to schedule out and there's certain things that have to get done, like your bookkeeping and everything. That's where that's where I have to sit down and tell myself, ‘Okay, do this job now.’”
Annette Mikkelsen was selling quilts alongside her husband Glen, who was selling woodworking art. The duo started going to shows and selling their creations after retiring 20 years ago. Annette said she’s seen changes in fellow small businesses.
“When we started, it was mostly just crafts,” she said.
“Now it’s more home businesses.”
The Mikkelsens have seen the shift towards online sales in a younger generation, but hasn’t changed their own business practices.
“I think [younger people] are doing more shopping [online] rather than coming out to a show,” Anette said.
“We don't [sell online].”
Despite the online shift, shows and sales are still strong.
“They’re holding their own,” Glen said.
“Maybe they’re dropping a little bit. I’ve got to go farther afield, because people will come up and say ‘I’ve got that, I’ve got that.’”
Home businesses will get another chance to show off their wares during Culture Days. The Wild Things Market will be active Sept. 28 from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.
