What motivated you to start your business and what is your vision for the future of the company?

Having been born in Japan to British parents and then moving between the UK, Germany, Tanzania, and finally settling in our own Beautiful BC, I grew up a very adaptive person, holding a deep belief that the big, beautiful world could be my oyster. I always loved novelty, a challenge, and I really, really loved animals. I believe in creating family-style communities through intentionality, integrity, communication, and humility. I believe in empowering and encouraging those around me to live up to their true potential. I believe that behaviour modification and growth are constant processes, and that the ceiling of what we can achieve through educating ourselves on how brains and bodies work is incredibly high. Having worked within the dog industry for multiple years here in Vancouver, I decided in 2020 (yes, during a pandemic) that I would take the plunge and make the job that I adored my own. I wanted to build a dog training company made up of force-free, evidence-based trainers who had a strong foundation of education in dog training, and who loved the humans behind the dogs with equal fervour. I opened Raintown Dog Training as a sole proprietorship, scrambling to gather all of the information I could find on small business ownership (yes, Small Business BC was a HUGE help; particularly the webinars and the facilitation of mentorship phone calls with local business-owners). So much of it has been learning to trouble-shoot along the way; I didn't have it all figured out immediately (I still don’t!). Both stepping out and learning from both my mistakes and successes has been terrifying and exhilarating. In terms of 10-year future vision (outlined in more detail in the attached Business Plan), I plan to grow Raintown into a bigger company that has multiple training locations across Vancouver (and perhaps the province) where we run daily group classes and private sessions. To expand our established business, we have a variety of growth tactics at our disposal. Our primary location in Vancouver has already established a strong foothold, and I plan on setting up new spaces across Greater Vancouver and its surrounding areas that have high demand but low competition. Additionally, there's significant potential for expansion beyond this city. We could explore other urban markets where our services are in demand but currently underserved, such as expanding to cities like Kelowna, or by partnering with local trainers in different cities who align with our branding. I’d like our logo to be very recognizable across Vancouver and its surrounding areas, as we continue to be known as ‘the group classes’ dog training company in and around the city. I plan for us to have force-free grooming salons, boarding services, and to sell more quality dog merchandise at our locations. I plan for us to offer non-profit work for those in need (e.g. working with the dogs of the homeless and rescue shelters). (Something we have begun to do in 2024). I’d like us to increase our social events as a company and amongst our clients, in order to maintain the family-feeling that we find so important when curating authentic community. I truly want my staff to be fulfilled and increasingly well-compensated, and to feel that RTDT is their own company that they each offer significant value to. Financially, our ten-year goal is an annual gross income of 7-digit figures annually to give us the financial freedom to expand our services, increase staff wages, and spread the Raintown word! These goals seem reasonable given our company’s growth since it was founded, having moved from one assistant to four employees in four years, and having grossed 60% more in annual income as a business in 2023 compared to 2021, with a continued upward trend. Raintown boasts over one hundred 5-star reviews on google and continues to be voted amongst the city's best dog trainers by our loyal client-base. I will achieve these goals by continuing to pour more time and resources into our advertising and promotion channels (both paid and organic), developing my business and leadership skills (through mentorships such as the Forum and SBBC as well as courses and literature), and pouring into more dog-training education for my team members and me. We plan to deepen and build our community ties through increased community events and referral programs, and by using our existing email and social media platforms. Through these strategies, we will continue growing our classes curriculum and new offerings, our team itself, and expanding our beloved Raintown community.

Why do you deserve to win the Best Youth Entrepreneur Award?

I have always had a lot of determination, coupled with a deep desire to bring people together across cities and cultures. After receiving the highest IB grade in my graduating class in high school, I was awarded the European Council of International Schools' Award for International Understanding, awarded to a student 'who has a positive attitude toward the life and culture of others, is able to converse in at least two languages, is a contributing force in the life of the school, with the ability to bring differing people together into a sense of community, thus furthering the cause of international understanding.' This love of discovering and connecting the world brought me to Canada on an exchange year from Warwick University ten years ago, where I fell in love with the country and decided I would do what it took to make it my permanent home. In my late twenties, I opened this, my first business, as a sole proprietorship amidst a global pandemic. As an immigrant to Canada with an international background, a university arts degree, and severe ADHD, I had a strong desire to see what I was made of and to make a difference in this city that I love. One of the biggest challenges was (and is) the feeling of really being out on my own. There was no superior in my company to guide me, no colleagues to bond with and complain to, and sadly, very few other female-led small business owners to easily connect with. Despite this, I made use of all the mentorship I could find (The Forum and Small Business BC have been invaluable), I connected with other female-owned dog-training businesses and began to create my own community. As a bi-lingual Third Culture Kid (TCK) who grew up in various countries, I've learned how to communicate in a way that the person in front of me will understand. This not only helps me run my business, but to connect with local business owners. Unfortunately, the dog training industry can get divisive, with multiple opinions on training techniques and competition to monopolize clients. I have made every effort to combat this by organizing collaborations and giveaways with local women in business on our Instagram, by referring clients to trainers I feel are better suited to their needs, and by planning regular walks with other local dog trainers to learn from and commiserate with. I try to empower other women in business and to be honest about my own fears and insecurities. I never knew how many of us had imposter syndrome until I began to be vulnerable about my own struggles. Raintown Dog Training has truly boomed very rapidly, going from a sole proprietorship of two team members to an incorporated company with five dog-loving trainers on board within four years, boasting over a 50% increase in annual income since our first full year of operations. My company only hires force-free, evidence-based trainers who have a strong foundation of education in dog training. Each of us holds a certification from at least one of the top dog training certifying bodies globally or is working towards one. Raintown has consistently been voted amongst Vancouver’s Best Dog Trainers, and runs more group training classes than any other company in the city. I love the creativity, ingenuity, and challenges that business-operating brings me. I love the team that believes in our shared vision and works towards it every day. I love dogs and people, and I love, love, love Vancouver. At 31 years old, I’m just getting started!

Why do you think you should win the Premier’s People’s Choice Award?

We do what we do because we love people, and we love dogs. We adore Vancouver and have a deep desire to bring more community to it by enriching the lives of our clients, dog parents in greater Vancouver, and our own Raintown team. We love to bring fun to life and aim to do so through and within our company. At Raintown, we hope to improve the welfare of dogs’ lives and their relationships with their owners. We’re also trying to create a sense of community in a city that has a reputation for being lonely. ‘Community’ is not just a word we use to market ourselves within Vancouver, it is a word that we embody in the way we interact with each other within the company, in the way we structure our classes and coaching, and in the way we support our local dog parents throughout the city. It is so important to us to not only encourage and educate our clients in their dog training journeys, but to build community through connecting dog parents with each other through our classes and our social events, long after they initially come through our doors.