We are in lockdown here in Ontario again. As of now, there is an end date of May 20^th. We grumble and bitch and rail about being kept in our homes… but in the end, we suck it up and do what we must to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our fellow community members. And of course, because we’re Canadian, we look to the bright side to help ourselves get through it all.

My bright side comes courtesy of trolling Google for articles on marketing and freelance writing that I could both learn from and share with other freelancers on social media. My interest was piqued by an article entitled How to Reinvent Yourself and Your Business in This Moment of Opportunity. In it, Entrepreneur Leadership Network VIP Glenn Llopis says, “We are living in a moment of abundant opportunities. Perhaps this sounds unrealistic and/or untimely given the tragic loss of so many lives and livelihoods during this pandemic. But the pandemic taught us all a lot; primarily about ourselves and others. We have all felt the magnitude of the moment and the varying degrees of adversity we have all been dealt. But one thing is clear: the pandemic revealed new growth opportunities in the ways we learn, work, lead and live.” 

It’s a true and uplifting statement. But what’s even more uplifting is taking that statement and applying it to the real, actual businesses I know who have done exactly this. These are dedicated men and women, small business owners who don’t know the meaning of “give up” and “shut down.” Their doors may have been closed due to provincial mandate (understandable though regrettable), but despite this, they’ve stayed active and vibrant. As Glenn Llopis suggests, they’ve sought out and developed growth opportunities, and opportunities to remain relevant to their customers in the face of overwhelming obstacles and tragedy.

We love them all the more for it.

Here are just a few examples of the local businesses and organizations I know that have diversified, branched out, thought outside the box and gotten creative so they could continue to thrive in their communities.

McMichael Canadian Art Collection

Image Courtesy York Durham Headwaters

Because an art gallery is definitely not a front-line business, the McMichael in Kleinburg has been closed at intervals coinciding with Ontario’s stay-at-home orders. And like all other businesses, organizations and destinations, when they are allowed to open their doors to the public, they’ve had to restrict their numbers substantially. During this time, art lovers and families have had no outlet for their creativity and interests… or have they?

McMichael, famous for their connection with The Group of Seven, has gone virtual. To continue to offer people programming and other opportunities (creative, educational, etc.,), staff have developed online versions instead. The annual En Plein Air competition, for example, was held in virtual format this year. This not only kept the tradition alive, it provided the gallery the opportunity to expand the event and reach competitors from around the country (check out my article with York Durham Headwaters about this here). In another article I contributed to @VisitYDH, I had the opportunity to speak with Anna Stanisz, Director of Creative Learning and Programs, about all of the online interactive programming they had for kids, families and adults this past holiday season.

If we can’t go to the gallery, McMichael has brought the gallery to us. And they’ve put a lot of effort into doing it.

Landman Gardens and Bakery

Image Courtesy York Durham Headwaters

When you’re a family-run farm store competing against the large grocery chains, you have to get a little creative. Located just north of Grand Valley, Ontario, owner Rebecca Landman and her staff bring the comforts of homemade to a community desperate for that personal touch you can’t find in the superstores. But how do you reach the volume of customers you need to remain sustainable? Why, you create an online store, of course.

In non-COVID times, Landman Gardens and Bakery offers tours, activities and events. Understandably, they’ve had to suspend this portion of their business. To fill the gap and engage their customers, they have turned their attentions to developing a full online ordering system on their website—no easy thing for a small business without the scope of resources available to the national and international chains. Customers can order for curbside pickup and delivery, with those tried-and-true selections like farm-raised meat, grill boxes, and handmade preserves. And because they’ve upped their digital presence, Landman Gardens and Bakery are now making themselves available to a wider demographic who are not local, but who are just as eager for that longed-for homemade goodness that a local business like LG&B brings.

(Read about Landman Gardens and Bakery here in my YDH article: Holiday Memories from Landman Gardens and Bakery)

Bistro 238 and Tre Amici Imports

With in-person dining closed for the foreseeable future, and with drastically restricted numbers when we can go out to eat limiting our opportunities, the independent restaurant owner needs to look for new ways to engage customers. Many have moved to pickup and delivery options, as well as grab-and-go family meals. But Bistro 238 in Courtice and Bowmanville wine importing company Tre Amici Imports have teamed up to offer something extra special this past winter—a virtual wine tasting and dinner.

My partner Peter and I recently experienced this event, in which Tre Amici selected three bottles of wine (not available in the LCBO and imported directly from the winery in Chile) and Bistro 238 created the specially paired, three-course take-home meal. Ahead of the event, we picked up our meal and our wines from the bistro. Then, at the appointed hour, we logged onto a zoom dinner with other participants hosted by Rob St. Pierre of Tre Amici and a representative from the winery direct from Chile (sitting in his backyard in the Chilean summer evening sun… we were all a little bit jealous here in Ontario with our -10C winter weather, just saying).

It was a much-needed salve on the soul to experience interaction and a “night out” … even if it was technically a night in. And it’s an example of businesses working together to find new and unique ways to reach customers who yearn for a taste of “the old days.”

With a portfolio of clients that spread across municipal, provincial and independent interests, I am heavily involved in the tourism and attraction industry. I admit that at the beginning of the pandemic, I was genuinely concerned for our small and family-run businesses on a personal level. Yes, personal. I identify with these businesses and these people because they are a part of my community, my identity—a Canadian girl with big city experience but a small-town heart. I can honestly say that I’m not only happy to be proved wrong… I’m damn proud. I’m so proud of the way our small and local businesses didn’t simply roll over and wait for the end. They fought tooth and nail to continue to serve their community, to keep their customers and visitors engaged, and to stay open.

I’m impressed. More than that, actually. I’m inspired!