Local business matters to VantageOne, and it always has. We have been committed to helping grow our members, local businesses and communities since 1944.

As part of our commitment to supporting local businesses, our commercial services team is highlighting some of our outstanding local business members. This month we are shining the spotlight on Habitat Health to share more about their business and how VantageOne Credit Union has helped them grow.

Tell us a bit about your business and history.
We took on a new business in July 2021, Habitat Health, a multi-disciplinary, active-focused health care clinic serving the North Okanagan community. This was a fast-acting transaction that required us to think and act decisively while transitioning from self-employment to business operations. Allison and Erin shared the same passion for inspiring, educating, and empowering others to live an active lifestyle while reconnecting with physical and mental well-being. We were lucky enough to find a cute piece of real estate to house our “habitat”.

What do you love most about being in Vernon?
We love the lifestyle and community at our fingertips here in the North Okanagan. We love meeting like-minded people in our community who strive for adventure, fun, and exploration of movement. We love powder days and exploring the endless trails, with healthy bodies and minds. We are motivated daily within our habitat by individuals striving to live the same explorative life, in continuous pursuit of genuine well-being. We enjoy connecting with new and old locals who share in appreciation for the North Okanagan lifestyle. Vernon is the perfect mixture of outdoors and small-town charm.

If you could give one piece of advice to new business owners or those thinking of starting a business what would it be?
Check-in with your support team and remember, you cannot do it alone. We wouldn’t have 1/10th of the success without a team of individuals and community members who believed in us and were willing to help mentor us through the process of opening a new business. Find the right people to help you with their areas of expertise, and be open to learning. Stay the course and follow your vision. Find joy in your work and be courageous enough to chase your dreams.

How has VantageOne helped you start, succeed or grow your business?
VantageOne was integral in the timely closing of our commercial real estate deal, offering us the opportunity to open the doors of Habitat Health. The team at VantageOne were committed to ensuring we checked all the boxes, and were able to assist us from our commercial purchase to our operating business accounts. The service is timely and friendly. They offered us competitive rates and educated us on steps required within our community, outside of our banking needs.

www.habitathealth.ca

Learn more about our Commercial Services.

 

Local business matters to VantageOne, and it always has. We have been committed to helping grow our members, local businesses and communities since 1944. As part of our commitment to supporting local businesses, our commercial services team is highlighting some of our outstanding local business members. The featured business we are shining the spotlight on right now is Rusty Spur Tack, Feed & Pet.

Tell us a bit about your business and history.
The Rusty Spur Tack, Feed & Pet has been a fixture in the Lumby area for years and we just opened a new location in Enderby last week! Since 2004, our family run shops have been bringing ranchers, hobby farmers, pet owners and horse owners the highest quality products, unbeatable prices, and outstanding customer service.

We provide nutritional, health and safety products to farm and household animals, non-prescription veterinary products, new and consignment horse tack and supplies, and farm supplies to farmers, hobby farmers, horse owners, enthusiasts and pet owners.

We pride ourselves on our nutritional knowledge and providing exceptional service to customers from Kamloops to Edgewood and beyond.

What do you love most about being in Lumby & Enderby?
Lumby and Enderby are central locations for our business. We are surrounded by farmers, hobby farmers and pet owners.  Our customers visit us from Kamloops, Kelowna, Vernon, Salmon Arm, Cherryville, Nakusp, Edgewood and beyond. And, our online store reaches customers nationwide!

We pride ourselves on being part of the community both personally as we live in Lumby and with our business supporting many local and regional events and charities such as the Vernon District Riding Club, the Lumby Stars Hockey Teams, Feed the Valley, the Whitevale Community Centre, local School PAC fundraising and many, many others.We’re looking forward to serving the tight-knit community of Enderby with our new location!

If you could give one piece of advice to new business owners or those thinking of starting a business what would it be?
Either buying or starting a business, it is paramount to have a thorough understanding of the value you provide to your customers and whom those customers are and then tailor everything you do to those customers. Also, know your costs inside and out and track, monitor and manage them on an ongoing basis.
As a small business, it is important to manage your sales, margins and expenses closely and adjust accordingly. Have a plan, write it down, follow it and measure your business against it. Don’t be afraid to adjust the plan when necessary with forethought and planning. And, listen to your gut. It’s usually right.  If you know your market, including your customers, products and competition, you should be able to make informed decisions on moving your business forward.

How has VantageOne helped you start, succeed in or grow your business?
Buying our business, part of our plan was to expand our product lines, add new products and build our online presence. VantageOne gave us the ability to manage our liquidity as we built our inventory, our online platform and expanded our physical and online presence. This has allowed us to add new customers, grow our individual receipts/sales and hence grow our business.

Visit Rusty Spur online here to learn more!

 

Local business matters to VantageOne, and it always has. We have been committed to helping grow our members, local businesses and communities since 1944. As part of our commitment to supporting local businesses, our commercial services team is highlighting some of our outstanding local business members. The featured business we are shining the spotlight on is Enderby Jewellers.

Tell us a bit about your business, and history.
Enderby Jewellers has become known as one of the North Okanagan’s favourite destination stops, specializing in personalized service for anyone looking for specific items. This year marks 72 years since they opened their doors for business. Judy became the third owner in 1991.        Judy says – “We are like three stores under one roof. We feature a full Jewellery Store with Canadian Diamonds being our specialty, a large giftware and collectible selection and a full engraving department – producing tophies, awards, signage, name badges, personalized gifts and more! This is why some customers began calling us the “Secret Store”. I love Enderby and feel so blessed to have been able to stay in the place where I grew up and went to school and now to have a successful business, it is great. The people are wonderful. It is a great community.

If you could give one piece of advice to new business owners or those thinking of starting a business what would it be?
My advice to anyone thinking of starting a new business here would be:  You need to be very knowledgeable of the product or service that you are wanting to provide.   Be prepared to treat your customers with respect and offer great customer service.  Get to know the community you are wanting to do business in. Get involved in the community activities.

How has VantageOne helped you start, succeed in or grow your business?
VantageOne has enabled me to renovate while carrying on my business and been there for me when I needed them. They know my business and offer great customer service, knowledge and respect the services I need, as a small business.

 

 

 

Local business matters to VantageOne, and it always has. We have been committed to helping grow our members, local businesses and communities since 1944.

As part of our commitment to supporting local businesses, our commercial services team is highlighting some of our outstanding local business members. This month we are shining the spotlight on Nicholas Alexander’s Home & Garden to share more about their business and how VantageOne Credit Union has helped them grow.

Tell us a bit about your business, and history.
Nicholas Alexander is a full service landscape design/build, landscape maintenance and Garden Centre firm! We offer a wide array of services which sets us apart from other companies! Nicholas Alexander Landscaping was started in the Fall of 2014 and has continued to grow from a three person operation to over 25 employees today. Since 2014 we added the addition of the Garden Centre, which opened the Spring of 2017. With years of experience between the staff member’s and the owner Nick, it also is run out of the same facility where Nicholas grew up in and his parents Scott & Juanita operated Art Knapp Plantland for nearly 30 years!

What do you love most about being in Vernon?
The ability to have the four seasons at our fingertips, Vernon has so much to offer and we are so close to everything! It is a growing community and people want to call Vernon their home, I think this is great for all business moving forward as it is such a desirable place to live! The small town community vibe continues to play a huge part for small business across Vernon!

If you could give one piece of advice to new business owners or those thinking of starting a business what would it be?
Be sure to really dig in, immerse yourself into the city and do your market research, know what your niche will be and go for it! Join the Chamber of Commerce, network and meet like minded people. Have a good bank that will stand behind you, work with you and grow with you!

How has VantageOne helped you start, succeed in or grow your business?
VantageOne has been a monumental step for us to grow our business. With the down to earth, small town personal touch they have been able to help us with our financial banking needs. By offering a one stop shop we were able to move our banking over successfully from a larger bank and were able to offer us so much more to help us grow our business! With our business growing so fast, they stepped in and made it happen!

To learn more about Nicholas Alexander’s Home & Garden, visit their website here: https://nicholasalexanderhomegarden.com/.

 

In 2018 after some hard work and training I opened up my very own franchise in Penticton, Smooth Effects Laser Hair Removal. Working with the top in the industry is always something I work for and believe in to give the absolute best service we can offer. I found my true passion!! And this job is the most gratifying and satisfying seeing all the results and life changes it has made.

We offer a full range of services from laser hair removal to teeth whitening! The Okanagan Valley will always be my home; I’m so in love with it. Penticton has welcomed me with open arms and I’m excited to share my new found love and expertise with all my present and future clients.

Feel free to contact me, Bethany Armstrong anytime at:
penticton@smootheffects.ca or 236-422-3230

www.smootheffects.ca

Facebook – @smootheffectspenticton

 

Vero Health Naturopathic Care has recently moved into their new downtown location in Vernon, B.C.  Dr. Shelby Entner has been a practicing naturopathic physician for over 16 years and her clinic in Vernon has undergone some changes over the years.  Originally a  bustling 4000sq ft space with multiple practitioners to now a more individualized practice offering naturopathic medicine, IV medicine and acupuncture, Vero Health’s evolution has followed the path of a less “crazy busy stress” model of practice.

Address: 2920 29th Street  Vernon, BC V1T 5A6

P: 778-475-4265

www.verocare.ca

https://www.facebook.com/VeroHealth/

 

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BDM Motorsports purchased Four Seasons Motorsports in January 2015. We are the premier Polaris and Suzuki dealer in the North Okanagan, carrying a full line of Polaris ATV’s, Side by Sides and Snowmobiles as well as the full Suzuki Motorcycle and ATV lines. This last summer we expanded our line up to include Suzuki Marine, carrying outboards from 2.5 hp to 300 hp.

We carry a complete line of parts for all makes/models as well as full stock of clothing, gear and accessories. Our state of the art service department with factory trained technicians can handle all your service requirements in a professional and timely manner.

Stop in and see us at our new location at 2707 43rd Ave next to Dollar Tree and let our expert staff help you with all your motorsports needs today!

www.bdmmotorsports.ca
www.facebook.com/bdmmotorsports/
www.instagram.com/bdmmotorsports/

Cap-it Vernon has arrived!
Cap-it is a retail chain focused on the sale and installation of aftermarket truck accessories and adventure gear. Our main product areas include canopies, tonneau covers, tires & wheels, lift kits, performance, towing, lighting and trim products for your personal or work vehicle. In addition to truck accessories, Cap-it sells and installs the full range of Thule rack and cargo systems, and has recently expanded into outdoor accessories including cook stoves, kayaks & paddle boards, coolers and generators. Come visit us today to start your adventure!

Cap-it Vernon
220 – 2801 35 Avenue
Vernon, BC V1T 4E8
778-475-8148

The iconic BOA THONG THAI FOOD RESTAURANT has been a local favourite for many years and has continued to attract travellers from all over the country due to its reputation for authentic Thai food, fresh ingredients, impeccable service, and truly opulent and festive ambiance.

BOA THONG THAI FOOD RESTAURANT located right in downtown Vernon, we are the original Thai restaurant and still the best Thai restaurant in the North Okanagan. Reasonable priced, delicious food, friendly atmosphere and great service are what they are known for.

At BOA THONG, they guarantee you will experience the essence of the culture, their attentive and friendly service-and a truly unique and exciting dining experience.

Business Hours:

Dinner:
Everyday : 5:00 pm. – close

Lunch:
Monday – Friday : 11:30 am. – 2:00 pm.

They offer dine-in, take out and delivery and their menu features large variety of authentic Thai dishes prepared by Thai chefs. They have both mild and spicy dishes and most dishes can be ordered as vegetarian. You can browse their menu online or feel free to call for reservations or recommendations.

https://www.boathong.ca/

Amidst the rolling landscape of rural Armstrong where you’ll find fields of ancient grains like Spelt, Emmer or Einkorn sits Fieldstone Organics, a Certified Organic grain handling facility for whole grains, legumes and seeds.

Fieldstone Organics is locally owned by two farmers who are also growers. With ongoing demand for local, Certified Organic food we are fortunate to have many other local producers who have also committed to growing these crops.

Our customers range from bakeries, flour mills, distilleries and breweries to wholesale and retail customers of our packaged products. All of our products are distributed in their whole form for optimum shelf life and nutritional benefit.

Find our packaged product in various retail locations throughout BC, come for a drive to our quaint little General Store on site or visit us online at fieldstoneorganics.ca