Rags To Riches Literally
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Rags To Riches Literally

Rags To Riches Literally

 

by Scott A. Sumner
Thunder Bay Business
     Cathrine Ann of Sechelt, BC has had an interesting life. The now entrepreneur ran away from her home in Toronto at a young age ending up in Vancouver. Along the way she ate food from garbage cans, spent time in jail and was homeless living in a car. Today some 11 years later she lives in a $1.4 million dollar home that is paid for and owns a multimillion dollar firm with 50,000 associates who perform mystery shopping services to companies both large and small across North America.

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    Catherine Ann was here ot give a motivational talk at the PARO sponsored Women’s Economic Development Conference held recently at the Valhalla Inn in Thunder Bay. “ It is often people will come to me crying because many times we sweep these negative things under the rug and hold ourselves hostage over things we can’t control. When life deals you lemons you have to make some lemonade and that is truly what you have to do. Keep on keeping on,” smiled Catherine Ann. Ours is truly a rags to riches story. We were homeless, unemployed and penniless which is the name of the session I gave here today. I grew up in Toronto and ran away to Saskatchewan, to Calgary and then BC. I say thank God there was water there or I would have gone farther. I couldn’t run anymore and met Mark, my husband who was  a cook in a restaurant. Just before I became homeless I told him to quit his job and come and help me make millions of dollars helping people. I had a few weeks left on UIC and they had a phamplet on the Seed program, an entrepreneurial program and I got into that and they sponsored me.” said Catherine
     “ I was homeless still going to this course for a year and started my company, Consumer Connections which is an international mystery shopping company. We monitor service levels of companies and tell them how to improve service and to increase revenue. I saw Stats Canada talking about business closures and so went into businesses and found shoddy service. We  found out they spend  less money on staff training than light bulbs so felt we could help,” noted Catherine. “We used to live in Mark’s car and growing up I would eat out of garbage cans with alchoholic parents. You are not  a priority then.I think the only reason I came out was I didn't get heavily into drugs. That might have taken me down a road I might never have been able to get out of. You take drugs to forget your pain as a bandaid.”
     Today Catherine and Mark’s company, Consumer Connections, has 50,000 mystery shoppers across North America. They have clients like  the Retail Council of Canada, London Drugs, Cadillac Fairway, FIDO -all obtained word of mouth. “ The little companies is were we want our niche. We want them to have a mystery shop done for a fair rate so they can keep their businesses doing well and growing. We do restaurants and hospitality as well, anywhere you have customers,” stated Catherine. “ We will design a survey based on a clients objectives as well as our expertise and what customers say they want today. Our shoppers will go
in, complete the shop and do the survey on line.Then the clients will get the reports and know exactly how to improve things at specific locations. A  location  may have problems with greetings, or upselling
or closing. Each is specific.”
     “ The first year we started in 1998 we  made $85,000 and every year since we have doubled. The most important thing for me was the roof over my head that was paid for and no one could take away. We can get groceries and give what  we want. We hope to become involved with
Opportunity International where small amounts of money can help a person start a business. Children, Animals and Entrepreneurs are where my heart is,” smiles Catherine. “ Mark turned it around for me, forced me to stay, focus on my idea and not give up. He stayed at my side and
doesn’t look at other women when they walk by either.  I have a spiritual aspect and thank whatever power there is for what has happened. Some days I say I  have had enough but then I start growing the company. I may be afraid I will have to eat out of those garbage cans again. I love to work. Holidays are a thing of the past. You have to work hard to start a business.  It is so impowering to have huge companies asking me how can they make more money.”
  Kirsti Tasala  is the Regional Development Coordinator for PARO. She was originally from Thunder Bay but left for ten years and just came back in the fall after working in community development in Africa, England and Japan. “ This conference is something that PARO, the North Superior Training Board and Algoma College in Sault Ste Marie have sponsored. We found there hasn’t been a economic development conference in the North for women to come together for many years so we provided  this venue to share experiences and learn,” noted Kirsti Tasala.  “ We have about 250 women with a  few men attending. They are from Thunder
Bay  as well as Sault Ste Marie, Kenora, Dryden and  Rainy River. It is also video conferenced as well. Each day we have an Am and lunch time keynote speaker. We also have two workshops a day and some panels that highlight local women involved in business.”
    “ Ordinary women doing extraordinary things that contribute to the economy of their communities. It has been an amazing success.  We are very happy with the way everything is working out. There has been lots of time to network. I hope it will help women in their lives,” smiled Tasala.  The 2 day registration fee was $149 but there were subsidies for women if they needed it.



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