With a mission to inform, empower, celebrate and advocate for British Columbia's current and aspiring business leaders, BCBusiness go behind the headlines and bring readers face to face with the key issues and people driving business in B.C.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1494678
Mr. Brightside I n the last few editions, it's been a bit tricky to look on the positive side of things. Infla- tion, rising mortgage rates, downsizing, meaningless Twitter feuds—these are problems many of us are grappling with (well, maybe the last one is just me). This magazine hasn't turned a blind eye to those factors. Our last issue included an Economic Outlook feature that was about as grim as it gets. But even though I think that was an important package, we don't always want to be dooming and glooming our way through these pages. That was one of the reasons assistant edi- tor Rushmila Rahman and I came up with "Unsung Heroes" (p.23). We wanted to recog- nize and shine a light on the people who are helping important organizations navigate their way through the difficult times. The purpose of this isn't just to provide a platform for these people to say nice things about the places they work for. Rather, I'd hope that it gives you the reader some background on what makes these people effec- tive employees. I also happen to think that the stories the individuals have to tell are both impressive and interesting. We feature a lot of founders and CEOs and entrepreneurs in these pages and on our website, and that's by design. But there also should be space for the people behind the scenes. As part of the package, I interviewed our cover subject, WorkSafe BC's Tanya Hough- ton, at an East Vancouver cof- fee shop. As I note in the story, Houghton seemed like one of the cheerier people I'd met in recent days. You'd never know that she carries with her the weight of one of the most demanding jobs in the prov- ince. She's living proof that it doesn't always have to be doom and gloom. And hey, if you're not super satisfied with your own lot in life, there's always time to turn it around. For this year's Education Guide (p.41), contributor Dee Hon put together an extensive list of the MBA programs in the province. As the many students and administrators Hon profiles in the piece show, B.C.'s schools seem to have embraced the notion that education should be flexible around one's career. If you'd like to head back into those muddied financial waters, we're launching Money March this month on the BCBusiness website. You can expect stories on how BCers are managing their personal financial situations, advice from expert planners and tips on how to stretch a dollar. Thanks as always for reading, and please don't ever hesitate to get in touch. Even if you just want a Twitter feud. Nathan Caddell, Editor-in-Chief bcb@canadawide.com / @BCBusiness ( editor's desk ) I N M AY/J U N E The fourth annual Women of the Year Awards again showcases some of B.C.'s rising and established stars C ON T R I B U T OR S Freelance journalist Ryan Stuart is a lifelong fisherman. His grandfather hooked him young, and he still loves getting out on the water whenever he can. But his passion is minnow- sized compared to fishing nuts like Jeff Leung, the founder of Westcoast Fishing Tackle and the focus of "Hooked on Passion" (p.15). "The money and time people like Jeff invest into fishing blows my mind," Stuart says. "They have $10,000 just invested in lures. He spends a month of his summer fishing." Longtime BCBusiness contribu- tor Dee Hon explores how B.C.'s MBA schools and their students are becoming more idealistic and purpose-driven in "Learning on the Job" (p.41). He's been writing the annual Education Guide since 2017, and finds each experience invigorating: "Every year, I talk to brilliant, ambitious young people learning to make their marks on the world. They're relentlessly hopeful and they inspire me." PORTRAIT: ALAINA MICHELLE 12 BCBUSINESS.CA MARCH/APRIL 2023