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Louise Manseau, Star Five Classic Country Catering.

Entrepreneur Overcomes Biggest Business Challenge

Starting a business is never easy. But for a Maple Ridge entrepreneur the real challenge came when she decided to take the next step and grow.

Louise Manseau started Star Five Classic Country Catering in 1998 with a loan from Women's Enterprise Centre. Customers quickly snapped up her quality comfort food and by 2001 she received a second loan from Women's Enterprise Centre to help her open a storefront. But what started out as a dream business turned into a grind.

"I was working more than 60 hours a week," she said. "After six months I realized I didn't want to be here all the time. I had lapsed into the hard worker that did the floor, polished the brass and turned on and off the lights. I didn't feel like an entrepreneur any more."

That's when the light went on, and stayed on. Manseau realized she had a choice to make -- continue this way, or hire someone to help. She chose the latter.

"I started to see I could walk away a little bit," she said. "Now I have two women working Saturday and Sunday afternoons. I still work 60 hours a week, but now those 60 hours are focused on building the business, not maintaining it."

Sharon Hughes-Geekie, executive director of the Women's Enterprise Centre, says more and more women entrepreneurs are exploring business expansion.

"Making the move from being self-employed to being the entrepreneur and CEO of your own business is a huge paradigm shift," she said. "Suddenly you are responsible for more that just yourself. Others are relying on you for a paycheque"

Women's Enterprise Centre has developed a presentation available to communities throughout the province that deals specifically with overcoming the challenges of growing the business.

Manseau said knowing what to expect and how to plan for it can make a real difference to the outcome of your business. This winter her local chamber nominated her as one of the top businesses in the community. Through Women's Enterprise Centre she has been able to refine her business plan and obtain valuable business advice that enables her to make the tough decisions.

"It's been a good experience," she said. "You guys are tough - you're really tough. But I don't think I would have been able to get off the ground without Women's Enterprise Centre."

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