On Thursday, Oct.17, the Sackville Business Association hosted their annual Business Breakfast & Business Awards. Almost 200 business owners gathered together to enjoy breakfast and listen to guest speaker Tareq Hadhad, owner of Peace by Chocolate.
Hadhad’s family moved to Canada in 2015 after the chocolate factory operated by his father in Syria was destroyed in a bombing and the family was forced to flee the country. Shortly after arriving at their new home in Antigonish, the Hadhad family was invited to a potluck. The chocolate treats they brought with them were so well received, they were gone in minutes. It was this experience that made the family decide to open their first chocolate factory in Nova Scotia.
In August 2016, Peace by Chocolate was opened in a shed built by volunteers in Antigonish. Today, Peace by Chocolate has become one of the largest employers in the Antigonish area and attracts up to 20,000 visitors a year.
We asked Hadhad what words of wisdom he would give to someone who is trying to grow their business.
“Grow it with much care about society, environment, contribution and purpose. Always think out of the box, be remarkable and unique and remember to take advantage of the phenomenal connectivity across the globe. Look for existing opportunities and resources that are available around you,” says Hadhad.
“It’s so also important to focus on listening to constructive feedback throughout the whole journey of the business to learn from previous mistakes and make sure that the business grows selflessly and sticks to the core values which it was built on.”
Hadhad also explained why he loves the business world in Canada.
“The accessibility, openness, abundant seed capital and shared market, as well as the big opportunity for small businesses to scale up and get their ideation to a startup, to growth and then finally to a mature business,” says Hadhad. “There are so many talented entrepreneurs who are trying to build their own path in the Canadian market because they believe that the Canadian economy is stable and they have a fair chance to succeed.”
Each year, the Sackville Business Association presents three business awards in recognition of businesses that go above and beyond. This year, the trophies were presented at the Business Breakfast by Halifax Mayor Mike Savage. The winners of the Sackville Business Association’s Business Awards were: Brian’s Barber Shop, Best Customer Service; EurekaTec, Best New Business; and Hellas Diner for Business of the Year. They had received 366 nominations and votes. Thank you to the community of Sackville for their support in recognizing local businesses.
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