Customized products top best idea competition
Snowboards, gift cards and an Asian-themed meal put a personal touch into business plans

NB Telegraph-Journal | Local Economy
As published on page C1 on November 7, 2005

Telegraph-Journal graphic designer Chis Day has won Enterprise Saint John's Best Idea Challenge with a plan to build customized snowboards.
Mr. Day spend two years making snowboards in Ontario before returning to Saint John a few years ago.

"It was my favourite job of all," he said in his entry.
He believes it's the perfect way to combine all of his skills into one. He knows snowboarders well, and says they're all very different and look for unique designs.

His business would enable snowboarders to select their own design, shape, and graphics to suit their personality and style.

There's lots of competition in the region for snowboard sales, but Mr. Day says he is unaware of any company in New Brunswick making hand-crafted snowboards.

Across Canada, he knows of five companies offering this product.
"I have built snowboards before," he said, "and I will put the passion I feel for the sport into each board I make."

Second place went to Holly McKay, a local artist best known for her whimsical paintings "Kitty in the City", a popular series sold at local and regional galleries.
Her idea is to create customized gift packages that would include a personalized pet portrait & a set of greeting cards of the painting.

They could be sold through her directly or online through her web site www.workinfolkart.com.

As a recognized artist, Ms. Mckay is going after the sophisticated gift giver, as these one-of-a-kind paintings would be a high-end gift.

Still, she believes there's a growing market for this type of product - people love their pets, and will spend money to offer unique gifts to other pet lovers.
"Pets are my connection to a large number of consumers in Canada, and the US market," says Ms. McKay.

"In the custom creative market, I am able to focus on personal service. Most of these sales usually lead to repeat business for additional paintings, greeting cards, prints, handbags, or additional pieces my art line has to offer."

The third place winner was UNBSJ student Shuo Wang, who wants to bring famous meals from Asia to people's dinner tables.
"My idea is to develop a line of semi-cooked foods to satisfy people's need to save time and money, while meeting their requirements for taste and nutrition," he said.

This line of foods would be a mixture of vegetable cuts, meat cuts and seasoning, all packaged together for the consumer to quickly put together at home. Unlike most prepared foods that require baking, or a few minutes in the microwave, he says his products would use the cooking methods of frying, steaming and stewing. The food would all be fresh, and allow the consumer to make elaborate dishes in only a few minutes.

The winners of the competition will all receive cash prizes and be encouraged to take the next step with their idea - fully developing a business plan en route to implementation.

The Best Idea Challenge is part of the Aliant Venture Business Competitions organized by Enterprise Saint John's Emerging Entrepreneurs program.