Lifestyle change equals business success
The co-owner of Kootenay Valley Water & Spas counts her blessings
Margeaux Bauman balances her work at Kootenay Valley Water & Spas with raising four "amazing" daughters. —photo courtesy Margeaux Bauman
h3. Name Margeaux Bauman h3. Position/Company Co-owner of Kootenay Valley Water & Spas in Castlegar h3. Products and services We offer home and office delivery for premium bottled water and water dispensers sales and service. We also offer hot tub and swimming pool sales and service. Other products include billiards and games, acrylic glasses for hot tubs and outdoor recreation, The Big Green Egg barbeque, smoker and grill, bathrobes, spa umbrellas and all kinds of accessories. h3. Past lives I grew up in Fernie, and my partner grew up in Cranbrook. I worked in the health care field previously, in Victoria and Kelowna. h3. Why did you get into the current business? I’m a small-town girl and wanted my children to have the same experience. It was also time for a lifestyle change. Skiing, fishing, hiking, and everything that the outdoors has to offer—we found it right here in the West Kootenays! There just weren’t many employment opportunities available. At the time (15 years ago), when spring arrived, the Kootenay residents were battling beaver fever, yet there were no places in this area to get bottled water. I guess you could say we found our niche. We started as a home-based business—with two toddlers it was ideal. My husband was our water boy and delivered water after his normal work shift (i.e. late afternoon), and I delivered the commercial accounts, did the books, sanitized coolers and anything else that needed to be done. We initially thought this would be a great part-time position, and were pleased when it turned out to be self-sustaining. h3. Describe an average day for you I start my day with a cup of tea and a soak in the hot tub, and count my blessings—this helps me plan my day! Most days are pretty much consistent—I go where I am needed. Most days I am in the store, but occasionally I still help with water delivery. I need to be prepared for anything! I enjoy that aspect of my day. h3. Describe your business philosophy Our aim is to give customer service and the utmost respect to everyone we meet on a daily basis. Even if they don’t buy today, we’re grateful for everyone who walks through our door, and I believe we convey that message to our customers. h3. How would you describe the atmosphere at the business? In general, very friendly. It’s a leisurely type of business. It’s fun! I love all my customers. We try to remember everybody’s name. h3. What sets your business apart or makes it special? We continually think of creative ways to provide better service, and we listen to our customers. And we have been known to give them a hug here and there. h3. What do you like most about your job? I definitely love the people! People from all over the world drop in! I believe my mission in life is to serve people. In health care, I was helping people. Now I help them choose the best hot tub or whatever it is they are purchasing. I look forward to going to work, and the flexibility of my day is an added bonus! What is your biggest achievement? Raising four amazing, beautiful and compassionate daughters! Also the fact that we are consistently growing and diversifying in our business. h3. Where do you hope to be five or 10 years from now? Retired! But still serving people somehow.
Key Castlegar contacts
Castlegar, BC
Save power, reap rewards
FortisBC is committed to providing safe, reliable electrical service at the lowest reasonable cost. The company serves approximately 110,000 customers directly in communities throughout south central British Columbia, including Kelowna, Osoyoos, Trail, Castlegar, Princeton and Rossland—and approximately 47,500 customers through the wholesale supply of power to municipal distributors in the communities of Summerland, Penticton, Kelowna, Grand Forks and Nelson.
FortisBC provides services such as:
• Generating and distributing electricity to homes and businesses in the southern interior of British Columbia
• 24-hour outage repair and emergency response
• Building, maintaining and upgrading power lines and facilities
• Installing and reading meters
• Providing electrical safety education in the community
Castlegar, BC
A legacy for the people
Created by the people, for the people, Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) serves the residents of the Canadian portion of the Columbia River Basin. Working closely with people who live in the Basin, CBT assists communities in addressing their needs by: providing resources and funding; focusing on local priorities and issues; bringing people together around key issues; providing useful, credible, accessible information; encouraging collaboration and partnerships; and seeking ongoing input from Basin residents. CBT provides funding and grants through a variety of programs including Arts, Culture and Heritage, Business Advocacy, Environment, Scholarships and Community Development. In addition, CBT supports regional initiatives such as Climate Change Adaptation, Water Stewardship, Literacy, Youth Engagement, and Land Conservation.
Castlegar, BC
ConCreate USL Ltd.: Doing it better
At ConCreate USL Ltd., we complete projects in a timely fashion, and we always deliver high quality results. ConCreate’s project managers and supervisors are trained to adjust to all types of working conditions. They adapt to these situations so that you don’t have to. When we take on a project, we make every effort to ensure that it’s an ongoing positive experience for our clients. Our fine work and reputation speak for themselves, whether the project includes the repair or new construction of a bridge in Alberta, rehabilitation of a parking structure in Ontario, or one of our most recent successes: the construction of a luge track in BC for use in the 2010 Olympics.
Castlegar, BC
Fernie, BC
Castlegar, BC
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Castlegar, BC
Castlegar, BC
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Castlegar, BC
Vital Statistics
- Population :: 7,259
- Number of businesses :: 679
- Supporting industries :: Mining, manufacturing (wood products), education
Vital Contacts
- City of Castlegar :: www.castlegar.ca
- Mayor :: Lawrence Chernoff
- Castlegar Chamber of Commerce :: www.castlegar.com
- Manager :: Matthew King
- Phone :: 250-365-6513
Biz Blog :: Keith Powell
A regular report on newsworthy business developments in the Kootenays.
Kootenay Insights :: Tanya Laing Gahr
An inside look at the initiatives and developments that help shape Kootenay communities.
At Work :: Sandra Albers
One-on-one with some of the Kootenay’s business leaders.
Biz Edge :: Danielle Cameron
The faces behind Kootenay businesses.
