There’s a lot to brag about in Atlantic Canada – and more than a few people you’ll want to keep your eyes on. We’ve singled out 10 of them, representing a wide variety of industries, from biotech to hi-tech, wellness to beauty, caffeine to construction.

When asked about leadership, these fast-moving entrepreneurs were surprisingly similar in their answers; words like “empowerment” and “team building” came up again and again. These individuals have the spark, drive, and positive attitude to lead their teams steadily forward.

Read on for a quick glance at 10 business leaders to watch. And stay tuned! We predict you’ll be hearing more about these men and women very soon.

Barb Stegemann
CEO, The 7 Virtues Beauty Inc.

Nova Scotia-based Barb Stegemann uses uncommon scents to make the world a better place. The 7 Virtues Beauty, Inc., launched in June 2010, sources fair trade essential oils from countries in the process of rebuilding – including Afghanistan and Haiti – and blends them into fragrances available across Canada.

Stegemann’s belief that “women can flex their buying power to effect change” inspires her bustling business.
She is sought after for speaking engagements; her book, The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen, is in its third edition.

In just two years, Stegemann’s company has sold more than $500,000 in fragrance in Canada. She credits her mentors and partners – particularly W. Brett Wilson, an investor Stegemann connected with when she successfully pitched her business on CBC-TV’s Dragon’s Den – for aiding her fast success.

Next up? Stegemann is focused on bringing her line to new markets in the UK, Europe, and the United States. The 7 Virtues will be at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralymic Games as part of an economic trade component, and Stegemann has already begun European media interviews and promotion. “None of this happens overnight,” she says. “It takes relationships and nurturing and being innovative.”

John Atkins
President, John Atkins & Co (JAC)

At 17, John Atkins started his first company, building customized computers and servers for business clients.
His love of technology and entrepreneurship has never left: today, John Atkins & Co. (JAC) is a leader in online marketing and web design and development.

Four years ago, JAC started with one employee and one client. Within a year, Atkins had five employees and
50 clients. Today, Atkins manages 10 staff, a number of outside contractors and freelancers, and a roster of 200 clients. By year-end, Atkins expects another 100 clients, and formal expansion beyond Newfoundland. Locations in Halifax and Alberta are already in development and, Atkins says, the company is on track to double the amount of projects and revenue from last year.

In addition to Atkins’ fearless and creative approach to the web, JAC is poised to make waves through the creation and launch of new online marketing and management tools, the details of which he’s necessarily keeping close to his chest. “I’m not afraid to push the limits of what we do,” Atkins says. “The web is organic, and you need to learn to adapt, change, and embrace it.”

Jeff LeDrew
CEO & founder, Jumping Bean Coffee Inc.

Jeff LeDrew’s goal has always been to produce the perfect coffee. By importing fair trade, organic raw coffee beans, and roasting them locally using Jumping Bean’s own technology, he’s achieving that – and the marketplace is noticing. The company’s annual revenue has jumped from $2,000 in 2005 (the first year of business), to $1.3 million in 2011. Jumping Bean coffee is listed in major Newfoundland grocery stores, over 100 smaller stores, and has four retail outlets in St. John’s.

Along the way, LeDrew has invested $600,000 in new technology. The resulting ECO2Roast process produces 85
per cent fewer emissions than traditional roasting. That, says LeDrew, has given Jumping Bean the marketing advantage to go national, targeting the eco-conscious consumer – as well as “doing the right thing.”

In 2012, the company will implement a franchise model, bringing its coffee and cafés to more Canadians. After locating a major franchisee in Ontario, and regional franchisees in Atlantic Canada, LeDrew plans to have at least five (and as many as 10) new locations within the next 12 months. It’s part of LeDrew’s “multiprogram approach” to growth that includes Jumping Bean’s popular fundraising programs, brokers, and distributors in new markets for food service, office supply, and retail.

Sylvio LeBlanc
President and CEO, LeBlanc Custom Homes Inc.

In 1994, while working as a long-haul truck driver, Sylvio LeBlanc decided to build his own house. The process – coordinating tradespeople, dealing with suppliers, creating the home he envisioned – was so satisfying he decided to make it his full-time job. In 2004, LeBlanc Custom Homes became a reality.

LeBlanc faced challenging times in the late 2000s, after a decision to enter the spec home market didn’t pay off as planned. LeBlanc refocused his business and is now a leader in top-tier (he attracts clients “with unlimited funds”) custom home construction in southeastern New Brunswick.

Growth has been steady since the restructuring: sales increased 15 per cent between 2009 and 2010, and another nine per cent in 2011, hitting “the sweet spot between $3 million and $4 million.” Leblanc expects over $5 million in sales this year.

With a trusted group of local contractors and suppliers around him, LeBlanc moves steadily forward. “On some levels our business has exceeded our expectations and on a few occasions it has taunted us to keep up,” he says. “We have chosen to grow in a clear and definite direction.”

Paul Gunn
President and CEO, Soricimed Biopharma Inc.

New Brunswick is not the most likely place to start a biotech company, but Paul Gunn is making it work. He
takes pride in having raised the required finances (some $10 million), engaged partners and shareholders, and set up shop in Sackville.

Soricimed Biopharma launched in 2006, focused on two key projects: a new cancer drug (which could stop the growth of ovarian, breast, and prostate cancer cells); and a suite of tests for the early identification of those same cancers. Both have huge potential, from a life-saving perspective and a financial one. As Gunn points out, successful cancer drugs generate sales well over $1 billion a year – some, many times that.

The company is facing a major milestone: the human trials for Soricimed’s cancer drug are on track to start in May 2012. If early results, expected this summer, are as promising as expected, Soricimed will partner with a major pharmaceutical company for further testing and ultimately bring the product to market.

Gunn says the company is ready for the next step. “Our business development program has been underway for some time,” he says. “And we do have some interest from a number of large international pharmaceutical companies.”

Dallas Mercer
President & CEO, Dallas Mercer Consulting Inc.

Founded in Dallas Mercer’s basement a decade ago, Dallas Mercer Consulting is rapidly approaching her goal of
“being recognized as a national provider of disability management services.” In addition to disability management (getting people back to work quickly), the company offers occupational health and safety and industrial hygiene services, and operates a St. John’s training facility.

Health and safety is becoming front of mind for a lot of companies and organizations. By hiring “seasoned professionals who have a deep level of expertise and have been in the trenches,” Mercer says she offers a rare complete suite of services, from proactive training to reactive problem solving. She’s led her company through rapid growth of more than 75 per cent in the past two years, now counting more than 240 clients across Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta. She plans to double her operations again by 2013.

Mercer knows the need for her services is there, and has targeted additional nation-wide opportunities. Through an integrated marketing strategy, adjusting the company’s customer service model for national clients, and her own tenacity, Mercer intends to access them.

Tom Hickey
President, Wedgwood Insurance

The commercial insurance marketplace is a competitive one, says Tom Hickey, and his job as head of Wedgwood Insurance is to stand apart form the crowd. After a fairly stable period, Wedgewood is showing new growth, as Hickey succeeds in rebranding the company as more than just an insurance vendor.

What’s changed? Well, you won’t see any more billboards advertising Wedgwood home insurance, though that is still available. If you are looking to reduce business risk and increase productivity, however, take note of Wedgwood’s newest offerings. Under Hickey’s guidance, seminars and services relating to business productivity and continuity, strategic hiring, and “Noise Reduction” have become a growing part of the company’s revenues.

“Our client feedback has been tremendous,” says Hickey, noting that the new consultancy services, launched midway through 2011, accounted for 15 per cent of that year’s new revenue. It’s also allowed for deeper commitments from clients.

Across the business, Hickey is working to simplify processes and integrate social media platforms to improve communications. Although technology is making it less necessary than it once was, Hickey plans to open a branch outside Newfoundland within a few years, capitalizing on the new business direction.

Alexander MacDonald
Vice-President, Admiral Insurance

The Halifax office of Admiral Insurance offers seven-day-a-week sales and support for Admiral’s UK-based clientele. Led by Alexander MacDonald, it also happens to be one of the fastest growing and highly rated offices of the billion-dollar auto insurer.

MacDonald’s biggest recent challenge, he admits, was an enviable one: to grow the business as quickly as possible in response to UK market demand. In other words, MacDonald had to increase his employees by 45 per cent (growing from 285 people to 420) in 2011.

To do so, he developed a “quick hit leader development program” to train existing employees to take on higher-level roles. The efforts to promote from within were so successful that three courses for new managers have been developed. In 2012, Admiral Insurance will add yet another 100 employees to the Halifax office, following the same model.

“We are developing our own internal talent spotting and talent development program,” Macdonald says. “To … help (employees) develop into a talent pool of future senior leaders.” The results have been tangible: high customer service rating and over-achievement of sales targets, even in the face of rapid growth.

Mike Wahl
Co-founder, Director Canada, Definitions

Eight years ago, Definitions opened as a small, respected fitness studio in downtown St. John’s with two staff: co-founders Mick O’Neil and Mike Wahl. There are still a handful of Definitions fitness studios, but the company is better known for providing office and industrial wellness safety programs to major international and local clients.

Today, Definitions staff can be found on offshore oil-rigs, in factories, and on other industrial and office sites. With 33 highly trained employees and successful, scalable programs, Wahl’s goal “is to grow Definitions to be a globally recognized name in industry.”

It’s already started. Successfully established in Houston, Texas, this year Definitions will begin work overseas. The company has been able to expand through their current client base, primarily within the oil and gas industry, to access different geographic regions.

Another key to success will be innovation and research: Wahl, named the Graduate Student Entrepreneur Global Champion at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards a few months ago, is a PhD candidate in medicine. “Everything we do at Definitions is science-based,” says Wahl. “It’s been our philosophy from the start.”

Milan Vrekic
CEO, TitanFile Inc.

Milan Vrekic characterizes TitanFile’s current status as a “rapid growth stage.” That sounds accurate: since 2010, the high-tech company has consistently doubled its customer base every six months. These aren’t small clients: they include Lionsgate movie studio, Emory University, the University of California, and law firms, including Stewart McKelvey.

TitanFile offers secure online document transfer and tracking solutions for businesses. If a file is too large or confidential to send via email, TitanFile will step in with military-grade encryption and impeccable security standards.

Vrekic intends to keep a small, effective team (currently at five employees) in the Nova Scotia office – even as he foresees TitanFile becoming a global security player, providing a crucial service in today’s cyber-dominated world. Vrekic is already in talks with potential partners in the U.S., the UK, and Germany. “Each market brings us unique challenges,” he says. “Having experienced partners will be a key to our foreign market entry.”

There was no way I was going to be late for a meeting with Michelle Snow. I know that should go without saying, but coffee with an etiquette coach? I made sure I was good and early.

Snow is a seasoned event planner and project manager, having organized everything from student functions to conferences to convocations to formal dinners. She’s worked with heads of state, senior military officers, and recording artists. She says she became a master of etiquette by necessity.

“Growing up, we never sat down together for a family dinner,” she says. Everyone was too busy running the family business, and meals had to be eaten in shifts. “I’d say I ate more dinners in front of the TV or in my room than anywhere else.”

The result? When it came time to organize sit-down dinners, often involving dignitaries or people from different cultures, Snow found herself feeling self-conscious and, sometimes, at a loss.

Not for long. Through her own observations and intuition – and a little help from Emily Post – Snow quickly learned what she needed to know. From there, she progressed to giving workshops on etiquette. It’s not just about avoiding embarrassment; it’s about being comfortable. After all, if you’re too worried about using the wrong fork or saying the wrong thing, you’re not likely able to fully engage in the conversation around you.

It’s a full-fledged side business for Snow now – from one-on-one training to corporate seminars on how to dine, network and behave in the professional world. No matter the topic, the founder of MHS Presentations says her advice always comes down to three things: “courtesy, honesty, and respect.”

“It’s not about how to drink a cup of tea,” Snow laughs, “though I can tell you that too.”

Mobile mentality
My personal pet peeve is the inappropriate use of mobile devices: texting at the table; checking email during conversations; ringers going off all the time, everywhere; business professionals talking into their phones while ordering coffee or paying for lunch …

Snow laughs. And reverts to her mantra: courtesy, honesty, respect. “Technology is a tool. It can help you be more efficient, but it cannot replace the human interaction,” she says. “That is the most precious thing – no successful business can exist without personal relationships.

“Is it respectful for me to sit at a table with you and text someone else? It’s obvious; it’s not. But we don’t stop to think about it.”

Yes, cell phones should be off and away from the table during dinner parties. Business lunches may be a little different, but check your email before and after the meal, not during. If there is an exception (e.g. if you’re a member of the volunteer fire department or a big deal is about to break), advise the other people ahead of time. And always excuse yourself.

“We are enamoured by technology,” Snow says. “But when we’re distracted by it, are we missing the opportunity to connect with someone, to make a great business deal, to pick up a key piece of information?”

As Snow points out, networking doesn’t just happen at networking events – it can happen in the elevator, in a lineup, anywhere – even when you don’t expect it. Think of it this way: never lose the ability to have, or the appreciation for, the one-on-one encounter.

Speaking of networking …
As for formal networking events, Snow also has some words of wisdom. Who hasn’t faced a room full of strangers and felt a surge of fear or a loss of confidence? Who hasn’t scanned the room, found a familiar face, and stuck by that person like glue?

Again, “think of all the missed opportunities,” Snow bemoans. The key is to be prepared. Know who might be in attendance, and who you’d like to talk to. Make a plan. Snow has three easy ways into conversation: first, be generic and talk about current events, or weather; second, open with an event-specific comment – talk about the keynote speaker, for example; third, start with a topic that is specific to the individual (don’t be creepy about it, but you could ask a relevant question).

Snow has a wealth of etiquette advice and insight, from what to do with your napkin at a formal dinner (fold it in half and place it in your lap, with the opening facing you – the better to delicately wipe your fingers in) to how to handle clashes within corporate culture.

Although some may urge the relaxing of protocols and formalities, Snow is proof that good manners never go out of style.

It has also grabbed the imagination of major players in Newfoundland and Labrador’s oil and gas industry. The exchange of harsh environment expertise between the two regions is an obvious opportunity for both. But given the province’s location – due south of Greenland – Bob Cadigan, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Oil and Gas Industries Association, sees another: “Hopefully we can get the supply chain operating directly out of St. John’s.”

With Husky Energy slated to drill offshore Greenland in 2013, in a program the company will manage from St. John’s, Cadigan expects that supply chain may be very close to getting its first trial run.

Supplying offshore Greenland would help position the province’s capital as the go-to hub for future projects offshore Canada and elsewhere. An Arctic gateway, so to speak.

“We see ourselves and the Greenland piece as the first step in getting a foothold into supplying oil and gas in the eastern Arctic Circle,” says Cadigan. “We’ve got a lot of expertise in ice. And once they come here to get that expertise we’ve got to try to round it out with other services that we can supply.”

Jim Keating, vice president of Nalcor Energy Oil and Gas (Newfoundland and Labrador’s crown-owned energy cor- poration) shares Cadigan’s enthusiasm. Fresh from his latest trip to Greenland, Keating has a ready list of areas in which he believes Nalcor and Nunaoil (Greenland’s state-run oil company) can work together, including seismic and data collection projects, promotion, education, and professional exchange.

“We have production, demonstrated capability, and 15 years of activity here which they are preparing to do,” says Keating.

“So they’d like to learn from us: how did you structure, how did you prepare, what did you do to get your children interested in science and technology and engineering, right up to what are your economies of scale to providing service and supply to Greenland.”

Of course, every good partnership must go two ways. On the flip side, Newfoundland and Labrador could stand to learn a few things from the Greenland way of doing things, as evidenced by a 2010 land sale off the country’s west coast. This land sale first turned heads at Nalcor towards Greenland.

“What was remarkable to us early on was the level of interest in West Greenland. There’s no discoveries there . . . but a tremendous amount of international interest,” says Richard Wright, Nalcor Energy Oil and Gas’s manager of exploration.

At the time, Nalcor was working out how to attract global interest in land sales offshore Newfoundland and Labrador. Why did more than a dozen international oil companies apply to be the operator of land offshore Greenland – while a land sale in the less remote, less harsh Canadian offshore would only pull in two or three bids?

It came down to information and promotion.

“By telegraphing they were going to have a land sale a few years down the road, that allowed data companies to come in and acquire seismic data, seismic seep data . . . By demonstrating there is significant potential in this region, and then offering the land sale, they brought the world to their door.”

Lessons from the Greenland experience could be applied in Nalcor’s efforts to “demystify and de-risk” the Newfoundland and Labrador offshore.

“We want to lower the barriers. Make it accessible,” says Keating. “Give the (oil companies) as much information as we can . . . It’s all about making sure the data is packaged and presented to the right people at the right time.”

Similarities between the province and Greenland abound, from historical culture to modern-day issues like out-migration and the struggle with the fisheries. When it comes to oil and gas, Keating says royalty structures and regulations are compatible. It all makes for a solid foundation for partnerships, he continues, hinting of formalized agreements to come over the next few months.

“Now is the time,” he says. “Newfoundland and Labrador companies, or anyone at all interested in serving in a marine environment, should look at Greenland and be interested.

I know: It’s hard enough to stay on the exercise track in your usual environment, striving to find a balance between work, family, activities and fitness – but it’s even tougher on the road, when your schedule is out of your control, routines are gone, and your hotel workout room is no help at all.

This is a matter of personal interest: I am currently staying in a hotel (that shall remain nameless), lovely in all aspects except its fitness centre. Fifteen minutes on either of the two creaky pieces of equipment available and I’ve had enough of the stuffy broom closet.

How do the experts do it? The first priority: “Decide. Am I going to maintain my regimen/workout while travelling?” says Fred Aylward (aka Fit by Fred), a Halifax-based fitness and lifestyle coach. “These are captains of industry we’re talking about, correct? Once a true decision is made, most will follow through.”

Next: get organized. Schedule those workouts into your calendar – make an appointment with a local personal trainer if you need to – and don’t show up late.

“These folks,” (Aylward is talking about you, dear reader) “are owning, operating, or managing tremendous businesses in our community. They . . . just need to remember to plan their energy and time for something other than business meetings.”

Research nearby fitness centres. If you have a trainer, ask for travel-friendly workouts. At the very least, pack your gym clothes.

Now you have the intention – you just need the time, right? Don’t we all.

Laurissa Manning, a personal trainer and owner of Core Essentials fitness studio, says, “the biggest challenge I hear from my ‘corporate’ clients is finding time to actually work out.” The days are packed, the evenings full of receptions and networking events, many flowing with food and booze.

Get up and get ‘er done. “Getting up 30 to 40 minutes before your work day begins and training for 20 minutes will get your day off to a great start,” says Manning.

“Get in your workout as early as possible,” agrees Mathew Benvie, owner of Evolve Fitness, a private fitness studio in Halifax. Be efficient about it and you don’t need hours – not even an hour. “Focus on ‘big’ movements that involve multiple muscle groups . . . Focus on pushing and pulling movements like squats, dead lifts, push-ups and pull-ups.”

If you can’t get to a gym, or the one in your hotel is unbearable, get to work right in your room. Benvie suggests doing body weight exercises (no need to pack anything!); Manning recommends packing a resistance band for strength training and a skipping rope for cardio. Not sure what resistance band or bodyweight exercises are all about? Head to YouTube. You’ll find great ideas there.

Heading out for a run is a fun way to see a new place (do take your phone and ask the hotel staff for route suggestions). Most hotels also have long stairwells that are perfect for intense, effective cardio.

Honour Roll I asked around for recommendations of good hotel fitness facilities in Atlantic Canada. The Delta chain and the Westin in Halifax get high marks. Not only does the Westin have an up-to-date fitness centre (with a hot tub) but it also has a program called Ready, Set, Run Westin. “It’s a running tour of the city led by one of the concierges,” describes Manning. Perfect for those of us who tend to get lost.

YMCAs are another great resource, especially if you’re looking for lap pools, child minding and drop-in classes. If you’re not a member of a chain gym, avoid them – their rates tend to be high.

“If you are in a town that has a university or college, they usually have reasonable day pass rates,” adds Benvie. “You can also look online for gyms in the area that might have a free week trial or some other promotion.”

I’ve come to think it can be a bit of an adventure: a chance to try a new yoga studio, fitness class, trainer, or running route. There’s no cooking or cleaning or chores required on a business trip – why not take the time to treat yourself?

In 1862, word came from Queen Victoria herself: there was no Gentleman’s Club in Halifax, and it was high time one was put in place.

When the queen speaks, people listen. A dozen high-profile Halifax businessmen promptly got together and purchased land on Hollis Street, in the heart of the city. In less than two years the Halifax Club opened.

“It was a refuge from all that was going on in a man’s business and in the business world,” says Jodi Bartlett, general manager of the club today. “It was very exclusive, very prestigious, and very limited.”

Napoleon Room, Halifax Club

The club prospered. Over the decades, it remained a place where men met for billiards, cigars, business meetings and high-powered lunches. Connections were made, plans laid and deals brokered.

It didn’t change in a major way until 1985, when the first woman was allowed to join. (It was a 10-year lobbying effort by a female lawyer, Noella Fisher, that resulted in this “momentous” change.) Today’s Halifax Club, like private business clubs across the country, is nothing like the 12 old boys from 1862 had in mind.

THE CLUB SCENE
It’s not just that women now make up about 40 per cent of the Halifax Club’s 1,000-plus membership. Daily business tasks can’t stop at the door; cell phones and laptops are allowed everywhere in the building except the dining room.

“The club has to change,” says Bartlett. “(Today’s members) want to build business relationships, they want to learn… they also want to have fun.” And they want to do it efficiently. The Halifax Club hosts more than a dozen events a month, including lunch speakers, happy hours and dances. The dining is modern and high-end.

While members are still greeted by name, the doors have opened a little wider and the services have gotten a little more extensive. Because of it, the Halifax Club is thriving in a way many of its brethren are not.

FINDING ITS FOOTING
Douglas Reevey, president of the Union Club in Saint John, has been leading a major effort to rejuvenate his club. For decades, the business model was little more than “we are the Union Club.” The right people just joined — no recruiting necessary. That doesn’t happen any more.

The Union Club has been open since 1884, and in its current location for over 120 years.

“Back in the day, this was a place men could go for some privacy; men who had some wealth and were in business in the area,” Reevey says. He imagines the heyday of the 1930s and 1940s, when Saint John was bustling as the main port in Atlantic Canada. The Union Club was the place to be.

(Aside: women were allowed to join the Union Club as of 1936. They even had their own room, the Ladies Lounge, and linen towels and Pears soap in the powder room.)

“The private business club industry has been in a downturn,” he admits. “People don’t drink at lunch time anymore. Society doesn’t approve of three-hour lunches.”

To locals, though, the club is still perceived as a closed, elite group. “I invite friends here for lunch and they say things like ‘we can really go there?” The Union Club still has some prestige — but that doesn’t pay the bills.

Reevey reports the Union Club is evolving with the times, a move which put it on stable financial footing for the first time in years. They’ve started a regular lunchtime series with high-profile guests. There’s a new “younger, hipper lounge” upstairs that’s fully wired, and where cell-phone use is welcomed — unlike in the rest of the club.

This time last year, I shared the story of a Christmas Pageant – Target Margeting’s tale of cross-dressing, beer-swilling, mad-dancing mummers taking on the town for their unconventional seasonal office bash. For this year’s Christmas story, I bring you the 6 DaEYs of Holiday Spirit (the EY stands for Ernst & Young) – one organization’s way to get out of the office and into the community, giving something extra. And getting a lot back in return.

Something bigger
“We were brainstorming last fall about how we could bring some of the things we do together on a bigger scale for the people that we’re committed to,” says Lynn Healey, a partner in the firm’s St. John’s office, of the genesis of their spirit week.

They came up with the idea of a multi-day event – enough time to try out a few different activities, and really get into the spirit of the season.

Ernst & Young held its usual cake auction in their office building, and a lively in-house online auction – employees donate gifts like a weekend at their cottage, a home-cooked dinner, photographs they’ve taken, or home-made wine. All proceeds went to the YM-YWCA.

Santa's brew: Paul McCarthy, Leslie Collins, Matthew Dwyer, Scott Howell, Matthew Lewis, Colin Ryan, Corey Button, and Mark Seaborn (left-right) of Ernst & Young serve up free early morning coffee and hot chocolate on the steps of the Fortis Building in downtown St. John's. Donations were accepted for the local YMCA.

There was also a coat drive, a toy drive, a food drive. Wrapping gifts and waiting tables. Peddling coffee and hot chocolate on the street for donations. And more.

None of these activities, in themselves, is screamingly original. But put them all together in a week-long spree of goodwill, and nice things happen. Including $12,000 raised for local charities, and enough enjoyment and enthusiastic word of mouth that 2011 will bring 12 DaEYs – not just in St. John’s, but in the company’s offices across Atlantic Canada.

A dose of reality
Christmas is a notoriously busy time of year – especially for companies who are dealing with year-end responsibilities (for those whose “year-end” actually comes at the year’s end). And, let’s face it, the corporate environment is jam-packed with busy people throughout the year. It even took some days of co-ordination to catch Healey for a chat.

So, about this plan to run activities for six days straight … did the partners have any second thoughts?

“We definitely did!” Healey says, not missing a beat. “And we do again this year.

“Last year we pulled it all together really quickly, and worried we were taking on too much. But we got the right team to chip in.”

Therein lies a huge benefit of a week of cultivating the holiday spirit. Whether the Ernst & Young team were out on the streets of downtown St. John’s selling Santa’s Brew, being blown away when they saw the overflowing bins of donated food, or serving tables and decorating at the Hungry Heart Café, Healey says everyone brought the buzz back to the office.

“From a partner perspective, it was incredible to see,” Healey says. “It made us very proud.”

Some advice
Facing the 12 DaEYs of Spirit just around the corner, Healey has some words of wisdom for both her own colleagues, and any other business looking to do something a little bigger this year.

First: engage staff at all levels. Don’t leave it to the upper management, and don’t download all the tasks on the newest or most junior employees. Get in it together. “Actually, I was worried that some of the new, not-so-experienced staff would be wary of getting involved. But some of the younger ones really came on board with their knowledge of social media, new ideas, things us older accountants might not think about.”

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Instead of hitting up the same restaurants, why not invite visiting colleagues or guest (even the boss!) over for dinner?

There are those who look at food as little more than fuel. For the rest of us, food can be a great source of joy, discussion, debate, even collaboration. What’s better than breaking bread with friends? Trying new flavours while ravelling? Nabbing a piece of the cake that showed up unexpectedly at the office? Exactly.

Whether you’re looking for gas (meaning fuel, not, uh, gas) or a gastronomic adventure, we all have to eat. Sometimes we have to eat with those we work with.

This month, I propose you try something new. Don’t take the visiting colleague to the same restaurant you always go to. Don’t hold a dinner meeting in a crowded steak house. Don’t try to network over menus and wine lists. Don’t think I’m out of my mind for suggesting this: I say, invite the boss (or your team, or your guest lecturer) to your place.

“People can relax in their own homes,” says Kurtis Ellis, founder and chef of P.E.I.’s Simple Pleasures Intimate Catering. “They don’t have to worry about taking their children to the sitters; the home offers privacy if people want to talk about business.”

And if you don’t feel like doing the cooking, hire the pros.

Ordering in — in style When Ellis started Simple Pleasures in 2002, the concept of having someone enter a home to cook dinner was not an easy sell. “But it’s catching on,” he says. “People are getting really comfortable with it.”

Ellis’ goal was to offer a restaurant-quality experience in a private home. Menus are discussed and decided on ahead of time. The preparation of the dinner can be as interactive as you’d like: watch the chef at work, or sit in the living room and enjoy not having to chop and sear. It works because Ellis keeps the quality high, and the prices reasonable (a high-end multi-course meal, food and service included, starts at $50 a person, for a group of six).

Bob Arniel offers a similar gourmet service through Chef to Go in St. John’s. Chef to Go started catering small events in private homes back in 1995. “There are a lot of great homes in and around St. John’s,” Arniel says, “and it’s been fun to work in so many of them.”

These chefs do the prep work back in their own kitchens, and finish up in yours. They will craft menus, cater to special requests, and make sure that dishes are done at the right time.

And what does a host or hostess have to do to get ready for the chef? “Just make sure the counter space is clear,” says Arniel.

More than a meal Here’s something else to think about. Arniel offers day-long corporate seminars from his kitchen. He develops sessions around the planning and preparation of a five-course meal, ending with a fine dining experience of the group’s creation.

“It’s team-building through food,” says Arniel. “We get people a little out of their comfort zone, and inspire friendly competition.”

Craving more? Arniel periodically offers week-long foodie trips. There’s one planned for the south of France in fall 2011. I would never suggest you take the boss away for a week of foie gras and Coquilles St. Jacques, but it does sound like a great getaway. Just in case you need one after all that party planning.

Advice from the pros Whether you do the cooking or not, expert hints never go astray:

Go local “My clients love beef tenderloin from P.E.I., lobster, scallops… whatever’s in season,” says Kurtis Ellis of Simple Pleasures Intimate Catering. Not only is local food likely fresher and thus tastier, but you’re also supporting other businesses.

Think theme A theme can make it easier to plan a well-balanced menu, and spark discussion. Arniel says Italian multi-course meals — perhaps region-specific, from Tuscany or Venice — or Caribbean or French food are popular right now. Ellis suggests serving tapas (many small plates of appetizer-sized servings to share) for a more informal evening.

Wine and dine “People are really in tune to the wine and food matching,” says Arniel. If you are hiring a chef or ordering a catered service, ask for advice on what to purchase (some businesses will even do the buying for you). Breaking out a new bottle of well-chosen wine with each course can be fun (careful, though, that it’s not too fun).

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Does the idea of being trapped on a golf course for hours with someone you’re trying to impress terrify you?

Maybe it’s not so bad if you love the sport. But for me, someone who’s barely stepped beyond the driving range, lighting up the links and “relationship building” at the same time is mighty intimidating. Not that invitations come by very often for a freelance writer. But one did recently, and I had no idea what to do about it.

I asked for some advice from a friend. St. John’s-born Cory St. Croix now lives and works in Calgary as a senior originator for TransAlta Corp. He golfs with customers. He’s also taken them skiing, fly-fishing and, soon, bobsledding.

“I think that at least being able to negotiate your way around a golf course with a minimum of embarrassment is useful,” he says. “At least if you are in any sort of position where you are likely to get asked to golf.

“If you have time to get some lessons and are interested in learning to golf, I would suggest that.”

Fine Fairways There are over 190 golf courses in Atlantic Canada, many of which are ranked near the top in the country. Top courses often compliment the jaw-dropping scenery with fine seafood and facilities.

Though this sounds intimidating to a novice like me, research shows the majority of resorts do cater to beginners by way of private, semi-private or small-group golf lessons. For $100 to $200 you can usually snag three private lessons. “That’s a good place to start,” says Kirby Carruthers of Lake Loon Golf Academy in Dartmouth, N.S. Carruthers has been teaching golf in the area for 20-plus years.

“Most people come to me with corporate golfing in mind,” he says. And more than ever, women are coming out. “More than a few … are sick of being stuck in the office and working overtime while the boys are out playing.”

His advice for the beginner? Pick public golf courses that are friendly to beginners to start. Practice (this game requires time and patience). Hang out with someone who knows the game. Most importantly, get to know the etiquette and the pace of play.

“Ignore the score. It’s more important to know how to carry yourself: where to put your bag, how to set up, how the game works. That is what people who play with you will remember,” Carruthers says.

The drive to drive A random (read: Facebook) survey reveals that yes, business does get done on the links. “Relationships are built and maintained, which opens the door for business conversations later,” was one response. Another related the story of a fellow who did ALL his business on the golf course. As a result he hated golf but found it useful if not entirely necessary to operate his computer business.

The downside to golfing on the job: explaining that yes, you are working and no, you’re not out for an afternoon of beer and balls with your buddies. “You’re constantly forced to ‘be on’ and you are trying to not only make a mental note of what the customer is saying, but you are also thinking about making a good impression and figuring out the right way to bring up work talk without being a bore,” Cory St. Croix says. “So it’s not all fun and games.”

That said, he appreciates those sunny afternoons away from the office — who wouldn’t? “Yes,” St. Croix agrees. “Being in marketing does have its perks.”

Where to go? There are as many top-10 lists as there are golf resorts. But here are a just a few courses in Atlantic Canada that seem to be mentioned most often:

THE LINKS AT CROWBUSH COVE, P.E.I. Golf Digest’s best new Canadian course in 1994; arguably this stunning seaside course kick-started the now impressive golf industry in P.E.I. (at least 22 courses within a 90-minute drive on the island).

HIGHLANDS LINKS CAPE BRETON, N.S. Ranked one of the world’s top 100 Courses (No. 79, Golf Magazine, 2007) and Canada’s No.1 public course (Golf Magazine, 2007). Stunning “mountains and ocean” course designed by Stanley Thompson in 1939.

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What is the thing to do when you’re entertaining visitors from out of province, or better, from outside of Atlantic Canada? I’ve been asked this a few times lately and I say the answer is this: take them to see the sea. Weather permitting of course.

Sure, this end of the country can now hold its own when it comes to fine places to dine, wine, spa and sleep. And that’s all great, but if you want visitors to really understand why we live and work here, you’ve got to get outside. There’s whale watching, seal watching, tide watching, iceberg spotting, deep-sea fishing, sea kayaking, coastal Highland drives — or you can head out and haul in a lobster trap with Captain Mark Jenkins.

Jenkins is a lobster fisherman by trade and by birth. While many of his colleagues in the fishery went west to work for at least part of the year, Jenkins found a different way to make ends meet. The good captain has a special permit to keep three lobster traps in the water throughout the summer, and these traps are key to the success of Charlottetown, P.E.I.’s Top Notch Charters.

Jenkins can take 12 people on his boat at a time — this is definitely a small-group activity — for a tour, a chance to haul a lobster trap, a meal of fresh lobster (yes, the boat is licensed, if you’re wondering), and education by way of entertainment.

“I do explain how I make a living,” Jenkins says. “My grandfather, great-grandfather were fishermen. We talk history, technique, a little science, how lobsters live, how to tell a male from a female. We pull the traps… they can help if they want… I tell them how to cook, shell and eat the lobster.”

Jenkins leads the excursions with his brother, and the two make it fun for themselves and their guests (recently including Regis Philbin), telling stories and carrying on “just like you’d expect from two fishermen.”

Jenkins is pragmatic about his small business. The charters provide not only supplementary income, but also an opportunity to familiarize people with lobsters. Any promotion of the product, he figures, will only boost the value of his day job.

For more than a dozen people, though, the best options for a seaside event likely lay elsewhere. Just down the coast from Captain Mark’s charters lies the ideal location for Over the Coals & Under the Moon— one of many superb-sounding seaside meals on offer during Atlantic Canada’s finer months. This particular one caught my eye because it involves a fire on the beach.

Organized by Rodd Hotels and Resorts (they own a handful of properties in P.E.I., N.B. and N.S.), Over the Coals begins in the hotel lobby. Yawn, right? Then the piper arrives.

Guests follow the wailing bagpipes down to the beach. Then it’s all about sand underfoot, an oyster shucker and seafood steamed in seaweed on the beach. There’s music and refreshments and plenty of time to network. After the lobster bake, it’s time to recline by the bonfire.

“Picture it: the sun is setting over the beach, the waves lapping in,” begins Janet Higgins, national sales manager for the resorts. “People come here and they’ve never really spent time on the ocean and they can’t get over it.”

Some groups indulge in fireside Bailey’s and marshmallows; others go with brandy and cigars. There could be storytelling, guitar and songs – depends on the crowd. Unlike some of the resort’s other events (kitchen parties, barbecues and so on), Higgins says she always recommends this particular one be scheduled for the last night of a conference or retreat. “No one is going to shoo them off the beach at 10:30; these events can go deep into the night,” she says.

“Look, I’m from here and it still gives me the chills,” says Higgins of the view from the beach. But she’s pragmatic too, as she reminds all that the great outdoors can inspire more than awe.

“People tell me there have been more deals made here on the beach … million dollar deals have been made on that beach.”

It may not be politically correct to start a business meeting with the proffering of an open cigar box, but the cigar culture is still here. You just have to know where to find it.

How times have changed. At the turn of the century, Sieverts Tobacco had a factory by Halifax harbour where employees would hand-roll cigars to be sold in their store on Barrington Street. Over a hundred years later, that store is still on Barrington Street and still boasts cigars and pipes as the cornerstone of business. The factory, however, is long gone – and so are the days of cigar bars and smoking in public. Even the cigar renaissance of the mid-1990s has cooled, when the glossy and celebrity-studded Cigar Aficionado seemed to bring back some of the shine on the stogie.

This isn’t a bad thing – smoking anything at all is unhealthy, no question. Still, there’s something about the cigar as a mark of success, of celebration, of something going right. Of boardroom conspiracy and collaboration. Of dark wood and leather. And though you may no longer be able to walk in and casually browse Sievert’s humidors (Nova Scotia law states tobacco products be shielded from consumers), there is still a cigar culture in Atlantic Canada.

“It’s not as busy as it once was,” fourth-generation Sievert owner Craig Sievert says, “but we’re still in business: the cigar will always have a place at a celebration, as a gift, as something to be enjoyed.”

On Moncton’s Main Street, Keating’s Tobacco Shop is equally a landmark institution. Open since 1926, Keating’s boasts one of the biggest cigar selections east of Montreal, displayed lovingly in six double-door humidors.

“Our business is still strong,” says Joe Vasseur, taking a quick break on another busy day in Keating’s. “We see many professionals, business people, tourists. We serve the people looking for a three-dollar throwaway cigar for around the campfire as well as the aficionado looking for a fine cigar to enjoy with a glass of Scotch.”

Vasseur prickles at talk of tobacco laws, drawing a distinction between mass-market cigarettes and small, cheap cigars and the higher end products that are available. “The laws are definitely not friendly to a business like ours,” he says. “But we’re a speciality shop, catering to a clientele looking for a premium product.”

Whether you enjoy a cigar or not, you can still – perhaps – appreciate the nostalgia it evokes. “People today are in a big hurry,” explains Sievert. “They rush their lunches so they can get off early and go home. They don’t hang around…When they killed public smoking, they took away some of the time people spend together.”

Vasseur shares this lament, which is not so much for a cigar smoke-filled room but for a time when busy working folks took time out to relax, reflect and breathe deeply. “It’s much the same as enjoying a nice bottle of wine or a nice cut of meat,” Vasseur says. “A good cigar is meant to be consumed slowly, at a leisurely pace – not ripped into. It’s not a stress-reliever or something you chain smoke. It’s a leisure activity.”

“Look, cigars are not for everyone. But those who like one are not criminals … everyone should find what works for them. It’s about good living.”

Cuba vs. everyone else: “You can’t really go wrong with a Cuban cigar,” says Sievert. Vasseur agrees, adding that Dominican and some Central American cigars are now about equal, though without the marketing dollars behind them. “Quality is increasing across the board,” he says.

Size does matter: If you’re buying for someone else, try to find out what size of cigar they like. A big fat stogie is not for everyone.

The last word: “Do not light a cigar with a Zippo or oil-based lighter,” says Vasseur, “unless you like the taste of petrol.” Use a tasteless butane lighter, a wooden match or – if you’re really looking to go all out – light a small piece of cedar (available at finer smoke shops) with your match, then use that to light the cigar. “Hold the flame at least half an inch from the cigar, and turn it slowly, four or five times.”