Four local businesses and organizations reflect on monumental anniversary milestones
Small Business Month tends to spotlight beginnings: the launch, the first sale, the ribbon across a new door. The four businesses and organizations on these pages are marking all of the hard work that comes next. Three of them are turning 30 this year. The fourth is celebrating ten. Each was built by a small team that stayed the course through complex lease commitments, economic barriers, and goals that looked impossibly ambitious on day one. Here are their stories, in their own words.
——————————————-
One Day Affair Inc.
Celebrating ten years
Shannon Boland-Musseau, Owner
——————————————-
Shannon Boland-Musseau opened One Day Affair with a plan she abandoned almost immediately. Ten years later, the award-winning, Indigenous woman-owned and Rainbow Certified event design company runs out of a 3,000-square-foot space with a team of 11.
“To quote Charles Dickens: ‘It was the best of times and the worst of times,’” says Boland-Musseau of year one. “The initial concept of the business was to take used wedding decor and florals that were no longer needed, customize them, and resell them. However, I was not the best at bargaining, and everyone had an opinion.”
The learning curve was steep. “Did I mention I also jumped straight into a lease without fully understanding the commitment or my business model? Can you say entrepreneur?”
However, Boland-Musseau didn’t walk away from the dream; she kept adjusting. “After a lot of mason jars and wine bottles—some of which I drank—I started curating my own collection of customized florals and decor. Very quickly I realized that I was unique in the market and eventually started building the business into what One Day Affair is today.
Currently, One Day Affair specializes in weddings, corporate events, event design, decor and customizable faux-floral collections. When the team isn’t transforming venues across the Maritimes, its intimate venue, One Day Social Affair, hosts weddings, corporate gatherings and celebrations.
“The growth has been substantial since our first 450-square-foot shop,” says Boland-Musseau. “But while so much has changed over the past ten years, the things that matter most remain the same. Our commitment to exceptional service and the culture we have built.”
While she is happy to celebrate ten years in business, she is already thinking past this milestone. “Our long-term goal is to continue building One Day Affair Inc. into a strong, sustainable company with diverse revenue streams, meaningful employment opportunities, and room for our team to grow,” says Boland-Musseau. “Ultimately, we want to build a company that is bigger than any one person, continues to evolve, and is positioned for a strong future for years to come.”
Asked what she would tell her year-one self, Boland-Musseau lands on process and self-belief.
“Create a viable business plan along with great operational processes and procedures—manila folders and paper invoices only take you so far—but most importantly continue to believe in yourself,” she says. “What may start as an idea can evolve quickly, and don’t be afraid to change that idea to better suit the demands of your industry.”
——————————————-
Black Business Initiative
Celebrating 30 years
Matthew Martel, Chief Executive Officer
——————————————-
The Black Business Initiative (BBI) turns 30 this year, three decades after a community task force set out to build something that didn’t exist. CEO Matthew Martel is clear about why it was created.
“BBI began in 1996 because Black leaders in Nova Scotia recognized that talented entrepreneurs were being held back by barriers that traditional business systems were not adequately addressing,” says Martel. “Year one was really about building something that had not existed before—a trusted organization focused specifically on Black entrepreneurship, providing business knowledge, advice, access to financing, and connections to the broader business community.”
One founding principle shaped everything after. “What stands out to me is that BBI was never built around the idea of charity,” says Martel. “One of its founding principles was that the Black community needed access to fulfill their potential through access to business knowledge, skills, and opportunity. That belief remains fundamental to who we are today.”
The organization’s reach now extends across Atlantic Canada, but Martel says the core conviction remains. “What hasn’t changed is probably more important: our belief in the potential of Black entrepreneurs,” he says.
He wants the next milestone measured in concrete results. “At our next milestone, I want us to be able to point not only to how many entrepreneurs we supported, but to the businesses, jobs, wealth, and institutions that were built as a result,” says Martel. “I want Atlantic Canada to be recognized as one of the best places in the country for Black entrepreneurs to build businesses.”
Looking back at BBI’s earliest days, Martel would offer one piece of advice: think bigger. “You’re not just building a program. You’re building a legacy institution that will be the gold standard that other organizations will model their support from,” he says. “There will be moments when progress feels slow and when the barriers seem bigger than the organization trying to address them. Keep going.”
Thirty years in, Martel knows the impact is undeniable. “When people are given genuine access to opportunity, they do extraordinary things.”
——————————————-
Clearview Promotions
Celebrating 30 years
Robert Gaede, Owner
——————————————-
Robert Gaede also marks 30 years this year, with Clearview Promotions, a distributor of customized branded merchandise.
His first year reads like a lot of first years. “Our first year was a whirlwind of learning and growth,” says Gaede. “Starting from scratch, I navigated the challenges of setting up an office, building operational systems, and making Clearview Promotions known in the community.”
One early decision proved formative. “One of my earliest and most impactful decisions was joining the Chamber of Commerce, which opened doors to networking and collaboration,” says Robert. “Getting involved in Chamber committees and later chairing the Transportation Committee for four years helped establish our reputation and build lasting relationships.”
Three decades on, the business is steady, and Gaede credits a consistent set of priorities. “What remains unchanged is our commitment to customer satisfaction. We continue to prioritize delivering quality, accurately customized products on time,” he says. “Our core values—reliability, attention to detail, and a customer-first mindset—have been the foundation of our success from day one.”
Gaede’s plan for what comes next is just as steady. “I want Clearview Promotions to continue our focus on meeting our clients’ promotional needs, remaining a trusted partner,” he says.
His advice to his year-one self is clear. “Be persistent and never stop learning,” says Robert. “The journey of building a business is filled with challenges and opportunities, and perseverance is key. Embrace every lesson, seek out new knowledge, and trust that dedication and continuous improvement will lead to long-term success.”
——————————————-
Divert NS
Celebrating 30 years
Stacy Breau, Chief Executive Officer
——————————————-
Known first as the Resource Recovery Fund Board, Divert NS was established in 1996 to deliver Nova Scotia’s new waste-resource strategy, and CEO Stacy Breau says the early target was daunting.
“The province had set an ambitious goal of diverting 50% of waste from landfill by the year 2000, requiring more than 319,000 tonnes of waste to be diverted annually,” says Breau. “Nova Scotia did in fact achieve their 50% diversion goal by 2000, becoming the first province or state in North America to do so.”
Much has changed, but Breau points to a model that has held since the beginning. “What hasn’t changed is our purpose. We remain committed to helping Nova Scotia reduce waste, protect the environment, and strengthen the province’s waste management systems,” she says. “The partnership model established in our first year—returning revenues to municipalities and investing in waste diversion solutions—continues to be at the heart of everything we do.”
She sees room to lead further. “As the only province in Canada to undertake regular landfill audits, we are able to provide a clear picture of what is still ending up in landfill, allowing us to identify problematic materials, develop new diversion opportunities, and inform policy decisions based on real data,” says Breau.
Her message to her year-one self doubles as a summary of the decades since. “Trust the vision,” says Breau. “What starts as an ambitious goal to cut waste in half will transform the way Nova Scotians think about end-of-life resources. The partnerships you build, the programs you launch, and the culture of recycling you create will make Nova Scotia a recognized leader in waste diversion and show that meaningful environmental change is possible.”
