Since I run a virtual business, I purchase from suppliers scattered throughout North America, and even beyond. I’ve mentioned many of them here on my blog, including HostGator (affiliate link), iThemes, and WebDesign.com, to name just a few.
This week, I’ve decided to shine a light on a few of the local businesses that I’ve dealt with and am happy to recommend.
I’ve known Jenn Kubilis (the “JK” in “JK Business Services”) nearly as long as I’ve been in business. We first met in an online forum for Canadian businesswomen, when she was kind enough to invite me to attend a networking event at the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. We met again many times at other local networking events and got to know each other fairly well. When my business coach recommended that I outsource my bookkeeping (an excellent move, by the way), Jenn was the first person to come to mind. I was not surprised to find that she is thorough, accurate, and reliable, and a pleasure to deal with.
Jenn is a valued member of the Golden Horseshoe Virtual Assistants Group, an amazing bunch of entrepreneurs from Hamilton and the surrounding area. I often call upon one of the members when I need someone to cover for me or have a client request I can’t fill.
Some people, when moving, will rent or borrow a truck and solicit friends to help them out. Scott and I are not those people. We’ve moved three times since we’ve been together, and each time we’ve used Mountaineer Movers. They do such a good job that we don’t even think about calling anyone else.
I became acquainted with Jon several years ago, when he engaged Organized Assistant® for a couple of small projects. Having seen his portfolio, when I finally decided to get some professional photos done, I was sure he was the right photographer for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the photo session in his beautiful studio, and had a hard time choosing from the many photos he took. I ultimately decided upon the one on my About page and the one on my Twitter page and other social media profiles.
I was originally introduced to Jon by Don Giberson of Dreamcrafters Inc., another local business I’ve had the pleasure to work with, both as a client and as a supplier.
I couldn’t possibly write a tribute to local businesses without mentioning Marie Mushing, who invited me to one of her breakfast events many years ago, when her group was called the Go-Steeltown Network. Since then I’ve watched the network grow to four chapters who meet monthly in Hamilton, Burlington, St. Catharines, and Niagara Falls. As a member of People in Connection, I’ve met many interesting people, had the opportunity to speak at a few events, and been featured on the live Internet TV show. And, as Marie’s friend and colleague, I’ve learned a lot about networking, about web design and search engine optimization, and about business in general.
Is there a business you’d like to recommend (from Hamilton or elsewhere)? Please feel free to do so in the Comments section below.