Saskatchewan print ace Joel Pinel wows Canada and wins BDC online contest
MONTREAL, June 17, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) today announced that the turning point project, Equipment Edge - submitted by finalist Joel Pinel, owner of WOW Factor Media in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan - has won the 2013 BDC Young Entrepreneur Award contest and the $100,000 grand prize. The general public selected the winning project from among nine finalists through online voting.
Joel plans to capture a piece of the booming building market by equipping WOW Factor Media with the technology needed to manufacture directional and custom-built signage for high-rise buildings. In-house production of signs for units currently under construction will give the print and marketing company an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of this burgeoning market and gain a competitive edge.
"Winning this prize is massive for our business," says Joel. "I'm overwhelmed and so grateful for the support we received from Saskatchewan and all our loyal fans. The exposure we gained was just incredible and has already accelerated our business. I recommend participation in the contest to entrepreneurs across the country!"
"I congratulate Joel on being the 2013 BDC Young Entrepreneur Award winner," says Michel Bergeron, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Public Affairs at BDC. "I'm sure he will infuse his project with the same energy and creativity he has brought to building WOW Factor. Participation in the contest has helped him gain exposure for his business and polish its reputation. The grand prize provides the opportunity to build on that success and propel the business into the big leagues."
"We will use the $100,000 grand prize to increase our scope by purchasing new equipment," says Joel. "This means we will be able to increase revenues and reduce costs while maintaining full control of the production process and keeping our customers happy. The new equipment will give us the opportunity to fast forward our business, grow more quickly and employ more people."
The contest runner-up, recipient of $25,000 in BDC consulting services, is the project Brand Endeavor, submitted by finalist Max Jenke of Endeavor Design in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Nine projects competed for Canada's votes in the 2013 BDC Young Entrepreneur Award online voting contest, which ran from May 22 to June 11. The following finalists described, via video, a turning point their company has reached and their solution to achieve future growth and success:
- Brand Endeavor, Max Jenke, 34, Endeavor Design Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia
- A Space With Taste, Marc LeBlanc, 33, Liquor Lodge, Jasper, Alberta
- Equipment Edge, Joel Pinel, 28, WOW Factor Media, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
- Kid City, Deena Caplette, 28, Kid City Inc., Winnipeg, Manitoba
- DealTap, Milan Baic, 26, Cordon Media Inc., Toronto, Ontario
- Power Up Eco-Change, Jocelyn Doucet, 31, Services Kengtek Inc., Montreal, Quebec
- Cool Expansion, Matt Cormier, 28, Arcticold Refrigeration, Saint-Antoine, New Brunswick
- Vine Into Gourmet Line, Timothy Stokdijk, 35, and Kimberly Stokdijk, 35, Stokdijk Greenhouses Ltd., Beaver Brook, Nova Scotia
- Ready to Reboot, Sarah Lynn Russell, 29, Distinctive Interiors Ltd., Blaketown, Newfoundland
About the BDC Young Entrepreneur Award contest
Created by the Business Development Bank of Canada in 1988, the BDC Young Entrepreneur Award contest pays tribute to remarkable Canadian entrepreneurs between 18 and 35 years of age. In this year's edition, nine finalists were shortlisted to compete for a $100,000 grand prize. The winner was selected by public vote and the contest runner-up received a prize of $25,000 in consulting services. The Financial Post and La Presse were the media partners of the 2013 BDC Young Entrepreneur Award. www.bdc.ca/yea
About BDC
Canada's business development bank, BDC puts entrepreneurs first. With almost 2,000 employees and more than 100 business centres across the country, BDC offers financing, subordinate financing, venture capital, securitization and consulting services to more than 28,000 small and medium-sized companies. Their success is vital to Canada's economic prosperity.
SOURCE: Business Development Bank of Canada
Maria Constantinescu
Senior Advisor, Public Relations
Business Development Bank of Canada
(514) 496-7146
[email protected]
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