Monthly Archives: January 2011

We were visited by Steve Hipson this week. Steve is the owner & guide with Fox Harbour Outfitters, Atlantic Canada’s one stop hunting experience offering all four Atlantic Canadian big game species (Moose, Black Bear Woodland Caribou & Whitetail Deer) and also upland & migratory birds, salmon & trout fishing. As the owner, guide and more importantly an avid hunter, Steve has been on numerous big game hunts. He understands what is required to have a successful hunting and fishing adventure. Their primary goal is to ensure you have the most enjoyable hunting and fishing experience possible (the right tools help - like Trail Blazer products). The purpose of his visit was to let us know about his new TV show ”Hard Core Hunter” coming to the Outdoor Channel & Wild

I participated in Entrepreneurs’ Forum’s advisory session as a volunteer advisor. The entrepreneur … sorry confidential Entrepreneurs’ Forum was developed in 1992 by business people & professionals in Nova Scotia to foster the growth and development of innovative and knowledge based companies. The original volunteer group realized that while technology problems might be challenging, the business problems involved in bringing innovative new companies to maturity were the most difficult. The Entrepreneurs’ Forum concept was developed around the principle that confidential advice from a group of people who have appropriate expertise or experience can be extremely valuable to new & growing companies. I also participated in a family business panel during a half-day finance seminar hosted by The Canadian Association of Family Enterprise and The Dalhousie

I spent last week visiting shows in Toronto, Ontario. Including our first national distributor show for industrial products. Before I talk about the shows I would like to tell you about Saturday night, a night I will not soon forget. The wonderful people at DHL invited me to their sky-box where we watched the Maple Leafs versus Calgary Flames. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Andrew Williams for the hospitality. The first trade show was the Landscape Ontario Congress “Canada’s 38th International Horticultural Lawn and Garden Trade Show and Conference”. Trail Blazer Products are very well represented by Richard Lepine in Quebec, Gary Menne, Mark Timberley & Dave Browne in Ontario (LM2 Marketing). I would like to take this opportunity to thank Richard and Gary for the great conversation on

Photo from garrettwade.com We are now 1 week into January & heading into the heart of winter with spring on our minds as we produce our telescoping loppers for deliveries that will begin as early as next week. To reach dealers in United States “Alaska down south to California” stretching south east as far as the Caribbean islands and then a sharp turn north across the Atlantic Ocean to Scandinavian peninsula of Northern Europe. Lets not forget the final coverage right across Canada from Newfoundland, pass my home in Nova Scotia to British Columbia and our territories (right next door to Alaska). This is Trail Blazer’s 6th year in the Lawn & Garden & we had many mile stones, such as Home Hardware added our products to their prestige Mark’s Choice

Happy New Year!!! Traditionally between Christmas & New Years, you will find many take vacation time and create a void in the day to day team. Which has been described as a “Skeleton staff”. I’ve been told, employees don’t have the same dedication as owners. I am very pleased that Trail Blazer employees focus on their jobs and do them very well. However the last week of 2010 I learned that there are employees who can & do have the same dedication as owners. Robert Woodman, with a “skeleton staff”, kept orders processing, shipping & production levels up. He took the initiative and made sure the shipping department & the order desk was operational while keeping his production numbers at required levels. It will be managers like Robert that allow Trail Blazer to continue growth & success . I decided to take