e r i c s L o a n
President, urBan
cultiVator inc.
age: 29
the story: As Eric Sloan tells it, the road
to success started at age 18, when he found
himself managing people "significantly older
than me" during a two-year stint at a Chilli-
wack Boston Pizza. Today, he's president of
Surrey-based Urban Cultivator, a manufacturer
of indoor automated growing appliances for
herbs, microgreens, vegetables and flowers.
The appliances, which come in both residential
(dishwasher size) and commercial size, are
pre-programmed with optimal growing cycles.
Light, air and watering are all automated.
They're sold online and in stores across Canada
and around the world, counting Martha Stew-
art among its happy customers (she has two of
Sloan's products). Urban Cultivator, says Sloan,
is targeting the consumer with limited space
but a desire for healthy food: "We found that
with our product, if people weren't able to go
locally to a store, then it was difficult for them
to make a connection."
Markers oF success: Urban Cultiva-
tor's revenues grew 410 per cent over the past
two years, according to Sloan. The company
now has 33 employees based in Vancouver and
Surrey and plans to hire 12 more in 2015.
—A.D.
3
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u
3
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34 BCBusiness april 2015
"It was from my stepdad:
'No matter what you do—
whether you're a janitor or
a CEO—you do the best you
can, be prepared, dress well
and do it 100 per cent'"
Best aDvice i've ever receiveD
