Growth Stories

Chris Smith didn’t intend to start a company. But the creative entrepreneur has excelled in various mediums and industries throughout his varying career, with his continually growing skillset. “I’ve never gone to school for anything I’ve made money from,” he said. Before Jampy, Smith was working full-time in the music industry as a photographer/designer. He taught himself his graphic design skills in the evenings, and when he grew tired of using stock photos, he added photography to his repertoire. In 2003, his self-taught skills brought him to Dartmouth from his hometown, St. John’s. “When...

Discover What Fills Your Cup If you’ve ever felt anxious about booking or attending medical appointments, you’re not alone. For some, anxiety surrounding healthcare is the result of a fear of pain. For others, the fear can be rooted in potential embarrassment experienced during the visit due to social or economic barriers to healthcare. Cheryl Lyons (BScN, MN, NP) runs her clinic with patient mental health and comfortability as the top priority. At Radiant Health Solutions, all patients are met with kindness, Lyons making you feel truly cared for. “I want my patients to feel seen, and...

Maybe the key to keeping a business running throughout three generations lies with who you go along the journey with. Many would shut down the idea of working with, let alone going into business with, their significant other. But when your life partner is also your best friend, there is nothing you’d rather be doing. Maybe the key is learning the ins and outs of the family business from the previous generation. There are always different paths to success, and different keys to unlock them. McKean’s Flowers is a 3rd generation family-owned business that has found their own keys to success....

Along New Glasgow’s downtown core, you’ll find a culinary experience like no other in Pictou County and neighbouring communities. Willow Harrison and Tom Emmott opened Little Gull Bistro, located in the spot where The Bistro used to be, in Spring 2023. Now, they’re approaching the 1-year mark of making the spot their own. “It was a torch being passed,” said Emmott. “They have been so supportive of us,” said Harrison. The pair of red seal chefs originally met through a mutual friend, while Emmott was working at The Bistro. Their paths would eventually cross again awhile later. After that, the...

Within less than six months, Darrah DeYoung went from making her first cheesecake to selling out at the New Glasgow Farmers Market. Darrah’s delectable cheesecakes taste like the product of a seasoned baker, proving you can be great at something even if you haven’t been working towards it your entire life. “I wanted to make cupcakes. When I was talking to my mom, she said ‘what about cheesecake?’ And it just turned out I was good at it,” said Darrah, owner of Baked and Boujee Cheesecakes. Though her mom has owned several businesses over the years, Darrah never thought she would follow in her...

Marcus English understands what it means to feel a need to be creative. Since he was a young boy growing up in Pictou County, he’s taken on nearly every medium you can think of.  Over the past few years, his medium of choice has been stone. “It’s the permanence of it,” said English. “There are things I could make that could be an artifact someday.” For a part of his life, his need to create was consumed by addiction. It’s a part of his story he doesn’t shy away from talking about. His addiction led to multiple near-death experiences and created adversity in his life, which is a significant...

Moving away to expand your knowledge and skills is brave, but moving home to seek new opportunities might just be braver. That’s what Lydia and Brad Sayeau did. They incorporated their video production company, New Brooklyn Media, in 2019. They operated that business in the Halifax area before deciding to leave the city and bring their business home to Pictou County.  They had no way of knowing if their business would continue the upward trajectory it was on, but they felt confident in the work they were doing and took the chance. Lydia grew up in the County, so proximity to family was a big...