Georgian College

kent Smith hotel and resort Operation, 1987 and hotel and resort Administration, 1988 Owner/Chef, Michael and Marion's restaurant michaelandmarions.com krista Smith Advertising, 1991 Owner, the red tulip clothing store redtulip.ca Customer service is at the heart of Kent and Krista Smith's entrepreneurial philosophy. It has proven successful as Kent's restaurant, Michael and Marion's, has been serving diners for 23 years and Krista's store, The Red Tulip, has been dressing clients for 13. "It's not all about the sale," says Krista. "It's about the relationship." Kent echoes that, believing that he and his staff must be dialed in from the time a guest enters the restaurant. "We respect and enjoy every person who walks through the door." Each was motivated to start their own business primarily because they didn't like working for others, but also because Kent wanted to become a role model for others in the hospitality industry and Krista wanted to fill a void in the local market for fashion and personal shopping. For Kent, one of the biggest challenges of being an entrepreneur is staying current. "You want to set the trend, not fall behind it and lose touch with your clients." Being married to a fellow entrepreneur helps though. "We rely on each other to make good decisions," he says. Krista draws on her marketing experience from her Georgian studies for sales, ad design and more, but says being active in the community is just as important. "Our public relations eclipse our marketing." This entrepreneurial couple, who has achieved longevity in competitive and transient industries, continues to seek new opportunities. Krista opened a second store in Port Carling and has plans for a third in Kleinburg. Kent also opened a gourmet food truck in Muskoka that has resulted in new catering gigs. What's their advice to other entrepreneurs? "Celebrate your victories and learn from your mistakes," says Kent. Krista adds, "Don't be afraid to fail. No one can take it away from you that you tried." Commercial kitchens are hot, busy places to work in. Culinary Management students Edena Pettit, Amanda Adams and Nick DeWor came up with a solution to make kitchen staff more comfortable for the 2013 Georgian Den competition, the college's version of Dragons' Den. As part of their Entrepreneurship and Small Business course they created a premium-quality line of breathable chef's clothing. It features industry-standard twill on the exterior with a Lycra-style interior fabric that wicks away moisture, keeping the wearer cool. There's even a fireproof panel on the front for those working close to stoves. The students are not the only ones who thought it was a viable business. A panel of business experts – "the Bears" – agreed when they awarded them first place in the business challenge. And the Georgian Den judges provided valuable real-life experience. "The chef on the panel said there's nothing like this on the market and he thought it was a great idea. It was wonderful to get professional advice and gain some actual contacts in the industry," Adams said. Since graduating in the spring, Pettit and Adams have constructed prototypes and are seeking a patent. Chef clothing line crowned winner of student Georgian Den Students Edena Pettit, left, Amanda Adams and Nick DeWor won the 2013 Georgian Den business competition with their idea for a high-tech chef's uniform. ENTREPRENEuRIAl STuDENTS "Our public relations eclipse our marketing." GeorgianView 2013/14 | 19

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