Prince Edward Island Employment Journey

PEI Job News You Can Use

  • Newspapers
    • Current issue
    • Past issues
    • Activity sheets
    • La Voie de l’emploi
  • Jobs
    • Current Job Openings
    • PEI resources and services for job seekers & employers
    • Job Search Tips, Videos & Job Fair Info
    • Job search success stories
  • Industries
  • PEI Education/Training Options
    • Education & Training
      • West Prince
      • Summerside
      • Charlottetown
      • Southern Kings
      • Eastern Kings
    • Possible jobs with a degree
    • Bursaries / Awards / Scholarships 2018
    • K-12 / Adult Education / Literacy / Youth / Workplace Essential Skills
    • Articulation agreements
  • Self-Employment
    • Post-secondary education on PEI
    • Human Resources
    • Self Employed Business Profiles
    • Working from home
    • Resources to start & maintain small businesses
    • Business Expo/Awards/Forums
  • Newcomers
  • Daily News

Transitioning from employee to employer

January 30, 2019

Louise MacKinnon, Daisy a Day
Louise MacKinnon is the new owner of Daisy a Day Flowers & Gifts, located at 147 Main Street, Souris.

Daisy a Day Flowers & Gifts has been a landmark in Souris since 1978. It’s changed ownership over the years but it has stood the test of time, and the business is still going strong.

Louise MacKinnon is a former employee and the current owner. She is still providing the same level of professional services 40 years later.

“People know the name and the shop, especially people who grew up in Souris and have remained loyal customers,” says Louise. “I grew up in Souris and the community knows me, which made it easier transferring to ownership.”

Over a span of eight years, Louise worked under four different owners as a floral designer and clerk. In May 2018, she was approached by the owner with an offer to buy the business.

“It was an offer I couldn’t refuse, and I took the risk of taking ownership of the business. The owner was relocating to another province and left sooner than expected. I went from employee to employer almost overnight. It’s worth the financial investment because I love what I do and the service I provide.”

Transferable skills

Louise had taken a two-year business program years ago, but she has been learning on the job since she started working with this business. “I learned from a professional florist, and that led to attending floral design courses off-Island,” says Louise.

“The transferable skills I obtained over the years as a manager, marketer and florist helped with the transition to ownership.”

Steps to self-employment

  1. Louise developed a business plan. “The business plan was time consuming but well worth it,” says Louise. “It is an important step in becoming self-employed because it determines if your business will be viable. The business plan allows you to take a calculated risk and gives you confidence.”
  2. She contacted Innovation PEI based in Souris.
  3. Innovation PEI connected Louise to SkillsPEI in Montague.
  4. Louise applied for the Self-Employ PEI program offered through SkillsPEI. This program provides financial support and business counselling to new entrepreneurs during their first year of operation.

Staffing needs

“I hire part-time help during the busier times of the year,” says Louise.

“I am planning this to be a long-term business to pass down to another generation. My youngest daughter, Renee, has a love for flowers. She enjoys helping in the shop after school and is learning the names of the flowers and plants. I am hoping to pass the business down to our children if any of them have interest in becoming a florist.”

Business advice

“Hire a bookkeeper, which is a life saver because they will keep your paperwork on track. Allowing a professional to do the book work could be vital to the success of your business and it’s definitely worth the investment.”

Entrepreneurial advice

“Age does not matter when it comes to starting a business,” says Louise. “If you have a good idea, research it. Check out the competition in your area. If your product is unique in the area, it will be a bonus. And seek a visible location if it’s a store front.”

For more information, contact Louise MacKinnon at 902-687-3328 or visit www.facebook.com/daisyadayflorist.

For more information about the Self Employ PEI program, visit www.skillspei.ca.

“FebruaryFebruary 2019 Issue
Page 10
by Stella Shepard

Filed Under: Past Issues, February 2019, Self Employed Business Profiles

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Twitter

Upcoming Events

Dec
10
Tue
all-day Career Counselling – Career & Ad... @ Career & Advanced Learning Centre
Career Counselling – Career & Ad... @ Career & Advanced Learning Centre
Dec 10 all-day
Career & Advanced Learning Centre offers career counselling for those looking for employment or thinking of going back to school. Appointments can be made any time Monday through Friday between 9am – 4pm. Locations in... [Read More...]
all-day Computer & Business Skills Train...
Computer & Business Skills Train...
Dec 10 all-day
Academy of Learning College offer short courses in Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, Keyboarding, Sage, Adobe Photoshop, Web Design, Bookkeeping, A+ CompTIA, Network+, Security+, Management Fundamentals, Human Resource Management, Business Writing Skills, plus many more.... [Read More...]
all-day GED training ONGOING @ Institute of Advanced Learning
GED training ONGOING @ Institute of Advanced Learning
Dec 10 all-day
Institute of Advanced Learning offers GED training for grade 12 equivalency and high school credits in Math, English, Biology, Chemistry and Physics in Charlottetown and Summerside. Classes begin each week so you can get started... [Read More...]
Dec
12
Thu
8:30 am ‘suicide to Hope’: A Recovery an... @ Murchison Centre
‘suicide to Hope’: A Recovery an... @ Murchison Centre
Dec 12 @ 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
‘suicide to Hope: A Recovery and Growth Workshop’ is a one-day workshop designed for clinicians and other professional caregivers who work with persons recently at risk and currently safe from suicide. This work is done... [Read More...]
View Calendar

Contact Us

Copyright © 2019 · Website by TechnoMedia · Log in