BUSINESS SUCCESS STORIES
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JOY FARMSBalancing business and family is challenging for any entrepreneur, and for Joy Hall, her family is all business. Joy is from the Hall family from Sq’ewqéyl (Skowkale) First Nation and the Felix family from Sts'ailes First Nation. Her latest business pursuit, Joy Farms, located on her family land in Sq’ewqéyl, uses organic farming techniques. Joy learned about making traditional medicine, how to grow her own plants and foods, which then led to attending the Tsawwassen Farm School, a collaboration between Tsawwassen First Nation and the Institute for Sustainable Food Systems (ISFS) at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
Joy Farms provides healthy organic food for community members, and educates and demonstrates healthy food and nutrition, and issues related to unhealthy practices (e.g. Cancer, diabetes, obesity), while connecting back to the Land. Joy Farms currently offers Community Supported Agriculture veggie boxes, various traditional medicines, and is currently working along with ISFS on the Stō:ló Nation Farm to Healthy Communities Project. Joy has had many successful entrepreneurial ventures, including her own jewelry line, Joy Shxweli Jewelry, and Stó:lō Bannock, the very successful (and delicious) food truck business, with her twin sister Brandee and her mom, Marnetta. The bounty of Joy Farms also provides healthy, organic foods for Stó:lō Bannock’s catering business. Joy successfully balances all of her businesses, plus chasing after her adorable son, all with a smile of her face, great attitude, and a distinctive, boisterous laugh. Stó:lō Community Futures is proud to feature Joy as a diverse entrepreneur, and looks forward to supporting her business initiatives in the future. 
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johnny 5's tree serviceJohnny 5’s Tree Service has only been in operation for two years, and has already enjoyed great success because of strategic marketing and unique business decision-making.
Johnathon Prest, a Skwah First Nation Member operating his business on Cheam Reserve, is a Certified Utility Arborist, as well as a Certified Electrical Linesman. He started his business as a hobby doing small jobs. Over the course of eight months, the business grew as Johnathon and his team were hired for their services, which include residential, commercial and First Nations full tree removal; tree topping and reduction, as well as pruning, stump grinding, hedge trimming and chipping services. Johnny 5’s also specializes in addressing and removing dangerous trees. The quality of work, attention to detail, clean-up after projects and Johnathon’s winning smile quickly built strong relationships with his customers. Johnny 5’s signs can be seen strategically throughout S’ólh Téméxw , and the amazing videos he shares on Facebook, showing the dangerous work the business performs. With only one owner, Johnathon, it can be challenging when it comes to making important decisions for the business. One of the key’s to Johnny 5’s success, is having family and community supports, and building a great team of employees that participate in decision-making. Although the final decisions is Johnathon’s, the entire crew can share their input and contribute to the direction of the business. Johnathon’s advice to entrepreneurs? “Never jump into things. Make sure you know what the budget looks like, and act when the time is right. Ensure that revenues are generated that will justify large expenditures, like equipment”. For young people, Johnathon offers this entrepreneurial advice – “be yourself and do what you do”. Stó:lō Community Futures is pleased to support Johnny 5’s Tree Service, and is excited to see the business expand! 
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inner vision yogaInner Vision Yoga is an Indigenous-owned yoga studio, with a dedicated passionate group of yoga instructors who seek to maintain high-quality service. We bring professional instruction and other yoga-related opportunities to the community of Chilliwack and the Fraser Valley. During COVID-19, we are adhering to social distancing and our yoga studio is temporary closed. Keeping our clients healthy during this stressful time is our priority. Since we can’t connect with each of them in person, we have modified our business beyond the brick-and-mortar and we are currently offering online classes. Please visit our website to sign-up for our next online classes at https://www.innervisionyoga.ca/.
Also, we will soon be offering virtual gift certificates that you can purchased now, to redeem later, and once we are all back and recovered from this crisis. We will be posting information on this very soon! We look forward to reconnecting with our cherished community – as we miss every single one of you. You are what makes our day complete and you all fill our souls with abundance and joy. 
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