Small Biz Profiles

Entrepreneurship drives the world forward and a lot of the masterminds behind it are nurtured here in our very own backyard. Vancouver has had some great companies sprout out of it and many are yet to be recognized by the masses. At Vancity Buzz we’re excited to feature a weekly interview with great emerging startups of Vancouver roots to help connect the city with its innovators.

GrowLab is a local organization that many technology entrepreneurs in Vancouver have become quite fond of. It was founded in 2011 and it describes itself as an “accelerator for companies looking to quickly grow their consumer internet, social gaming, mobile or cloud based business by leveraging extensive networks rooted in Vancouver, BC and San Francisco.” To paraphrase that, if you have a tech startup you want to get off the ground, these will be the guys who help you do exactly that.

There are a few things I love more then a good bike ride around Vancouver’s scenic seawall. Brodie Bikes is a locally owned bike company that make those rides happen as they offer an array of original, quality bikes to Vancouverites. Named after the artist and motorcycle fanatic Paul Brodie, Brodie Bikes really captures the essence of a local small business. Paul Brodie began by painting and brass-welding frames for mountain bikes in 1985, and the rest is history. He soon invited and trademarked the Vancouver sloping top tube, earning him induction into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame at Interbike in Las Vegas.

Ever had a bad customer service experience and wanted to let whoever was running the place know how you felt?  Now you can in REAL TIME!  You can keep your anonymity and you don’t have to let your frustrations fester until you can get online to write a review.  Welcome to Chattback - mobile feedback.  Chattback allows service providers to connect with their customers in real time via text – it doesn’t get any easier than this!  We got a chance to sit down with Elizabeth George, CMO of Chattback, and ask her a few questions about life as an entrepreneur.

Under the grooving floors of the Commodore at Smithe and Granville lies the beauty that is Lavan. This store attracts many senses of the passer by as exotic world music drifts out the door and a delicious bouquet of scents fill the air. If it isn’t the smell and sounds of Lavan that attracts you, it will certainly be the eye catching exterior and a hint of the elegance that lies inside.