Art Plus Advertising
Sylvia Ho designs and produces promotional material for new and existing businesses. Her business, Art Plus Advertising, opened in March of 1987 and sales after nine months of operation exceeded $65,000. Opening this business allowed Sylvia to fulfill a childhood dream. "What I am doing now is what I always wanted to do when I was young." Born in Malaysia, Sylvia studied commercial art in Singapore and later in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She made her decision to open her own business after she became frustrated with her job as a graphic artist for a local firm, which she took after coming to Cape Breton in 1981. Her inability to secure employment elsewhere on the island and her desire to remain close to family and friends left entrepreneurship as her only alternative.
    The majority of financing came from government agencies such as Enterprise Cape Breton, the Nova Scotia Department of Small Business Development and a commercial bank loan. Securing money from the bank was the biggest problem she encountered during start-up but she indicates that support from government agencies gave credibility to her business plan and helped her convince the bank manager her proposal was viable. Presently, Sylvia operates her business in her home and while this has been advantageous financially, it leaves her personal life too interconnected with her business.
    Sylvia attributes her success to competency, dedication and a strong financial base. She feels that gender is not an issue to consider when judging business success. Her biggest challenge in the future is to gain credibility with the business community. The local people have the attitude that they are getting a better product if they go outside the island. Cape Bretoners must help Cape Bretoners, they have to buy Cape Breton products and services."

Pages Downtown Bookstore
Mary Kay Mcleod holds a Ph.D. in economic history and works full time as assistant director of the Beaton Institute at the university in Sydney, Cape Breton. As an avid reader who was frustrated that she and others like her had to travel to other parts of the country to obtain quality books, she decided to open a bookstore herself. "Why not? I had organized many community historical and heritage societies, and I have been involved with books all my life." Although there was nothing in her formal training to prepare her for the experience of small business ownership, Mary Kay felt she could make her idea a reality. Throughout her career she had developed an ability to work well with others and she was confident she could apply that skill to another occupation. On March 24, 1987, Pages Downtown Bookstore opened its doors. Mary Kay distinguishes her business from chain stores presently operating in the area by carrying a unique line of books beyond the standard best sellers, and by offering a special order service that is well-used. Pages also sponsors guest appearances by well known authors.
     Access to financing was the biggest obstacle Mary Kay faced during start-up; she had difficulty getting funding from the bank and at one point a major source withdrew funding. Looking back she offers these words of wisdom, "You need a good lawyer and a sound friend with a sharp mind. If your banker is your friend it helps in maintaining your relationship." The business experienced operational difficulties in the first year when a flood destroyed much of the inventory, but despite the unwelcome water Pages Downtown Book- store managed to stay afloat. Sales that year were approximately $120,000, $20,000 above projected figures.
     Being a woman in business has not presented any insurmountable difficulty to Mary Kay. She feels she was already well known in the community and that being a woman in business has provided her with additional prestige. Her ambition is to see every inch of her store filled with books, and the sense of accomplishment is likely to keep her going. "I'm not ashamed to say it get a great feeling of pride some days about what I do."
     While the case studies reported above would suggest that these women are well on their way to becoming successful business owners, this success is contingent on a continued positive attitude toward developing the island's economy. Clearly, however, the stories illustrate that these women and many others like them can collectively make a positive impact on the community's economic growth and are in the limelight of a new emerging optimism.

Jody Ann Manley has been with the department of Business Administration at the University of Cape Breton for five years. She has a Masters in industrial Relations from Queen University and a Masters in Business Administration from Dalhousie

Cheryl Carver worked as a research assistant with Jody Ann for the summer of 1988 studying women business owners in Cape Breton, and is a recent graduate of the Business Administration program.

1. Lavoie, Dina. Women Entrepreneurs: Building a Stronger Canadian Economy. The Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women, February 1988.