IN THE KNOW:
Young Entrepreneurs Shine at 2024 Kidovate Market
On Saturday, the Bay Centre was buzzing with excitement as some 200 young entrepreneurs sold goods that they have been working on for months, including felted hats, homemade snacks, dog treats, earrings, tote bags and t-shirts.
This fourth annual market was part of Kidovate, an initiative created by UVic’s Gustavson School of Business to help middle- and highschool-age entrepreneurs develop business acumen.
Leading up to the market, there was a lot of excitement. “It’s something I’ve been looking forward to all year,” said 11-year-old Isla Solbakken, who sold succulents and other botanicals. “I look forward to learning from, and potentially collaborating with, other young entrepreneurs like me.”
It’s that attitude that Kidovate was created to foster. Said Kidovate’s co-founder Brock Smith, “Our Kidovate Market Day facilitates learning-by-doing to inspire our young people to hone an entrepreneurship mindset.”
Learn more about Kidovate here.
FROM THE CURRENT ISSUE OF DOUGLAS:
HAVN: 2024 10 to Watch Winner
It’s hard to miss the hulking, 80-year-old barge tied up at Ship Point in the Inner Harbour. The Nordic-style HAVN (pronounced “hah-vin”) Sauna is built aboard a refurbished 1943 U.S. Navy barge, featuring cedar woodwork made completely out of salvaged driftwood.
“We didn’t want to cut down any old-growth cedar, so we collected logs out of the ocean and milled them all.” says partner and CEO Nicholas Van Buren.
HAVN is a floating, park-like environment with lush green spaces, cold pools, hot tubs and hand-built saunas that aims to bring people together for a vibrant self-care experience.
In its pitch to the city, HAVN said it wanted to bring a year-round economic boost to an underutilized part of the waterfront. The city supported the idea, saying the ambitious project would meet the goals of bringing vitality and tourism to Ship Point. It also aligned with the official community plan of diversifying the Inner Harbour.
HAVN features a hydrotherapy “circuit” where guests spend up to three hours roaming from feature to feature, or just relaxing on the leafy patio. One of the experiences that brings restoration and renewal is hot and cold therapy. Known as the “Nordic Cycle,” it’s an almost euphoric feeling that can occur when transitioning from one extreme temperature to another.
Next, if they’re brave enough, visitors can jump into a plunge pool or cold shower to immerse in icy cold temperatures. After the extreme hot and cold experiences they can relax in a calm space to allow the body to return to normal temperature. The process can be repeated several times over the course of two to three hours to make the most of the benefits.
In short, says Van Buren, “HAVN is an antidote to our hustle culture.”
Read about the other 10 to Watch winners here or in the latest issues of Douglas.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
Coming up:
APRIL
April 16: Victoria Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting
April 16: Thriving Non-Profits Revenue Diversification Workshop
April 17: Small Business Information Session
April 17: Business Transformation Roadshow
April 18: Saanich Peninsula Chamber April Mixer
April 22: Earth Day Discussion Panel
April 22: The Building Blocks of Black Inclusion at Work Workshop
April 23: Advanced AI: Friend of Foe — UVic Lecture
April 25: John Vaillant Changemakers Speakers Series
April 30: Breakfast with Premier David Eby Presentation
MAY
May 7: Greater Victoria Business Awards Ceremony
May 8: Workplace Mental Health Roundtable
May 15: TEDxVictoria
May 23: Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce May Business Mixer
May 27-28: Agile Open Canada Technology Un-conference
JUNE
June 1: Principles for Responsible Management Education Chapter North America Biennial Meeting
June 11-13: Local Government Management Association Conference
