Fort-McMurray-Alberta-Marketing-Agency

I'm just going to come right out and say it; I have anxiety. I've had anxiety for as long as I can remember. As a child, I would obsess why my mom was five minutes late coming home from work. I would imagine all the horrible things that could have happened to her and every single time she would come home and have a much more sensible reason, she stopped at the grocery store, her meeting ran late etc.  

Now as a married mother of four, I do the same thing to my husband and children. I struggle to rationalize my thoughts when it comes to their safety. I obsess about all the bad things that could possibly happen to the point of making my self sick with worry. I find it incredibly hard to relax and the idea of being alone with my thoughts is actually pretty stressful. 

Two years ago I took a mindfulness course in an attempt to learn how to quite my mind. I learned a lot in this course but one of the things that really stuck out to me was meditation and quieting my mind. As I previously stated this is a scary idea for me but I figured you need to get to the root of an injury to fix it and anxiety is my injury. 

I tried everything they suggested; a quiet walk alone in the woods, meditation classes, nothing seemed to work because I couldn't stop thinking. In the woods, I would imagine a bear sneaking up on me, in a classroom setting I thought about all the people around me and how there was only one exit.  So I gave up the idea that I could learn to turn my anxiety off or even just get a break from it.

Then I met Steve & Jessica Dubeck owners of Mindful Elevation Float Space. I heard about float tanks a couple of times before, but it was always in reference to working out and recovery. Until I spoke with Steve and Jessica I wouldn't have connected the dots to use a float tank for meditation and stress relief. I was blown away with the knowledge they provided me during our conversation. But I was still a little cautious about taking the leap and actually getting into a tank.

​I had many fears - hello anxiety. My biggest fear though was an hour alone in a dark room with my thoughts and no distractions. So I put off going. 

Then a couple of weeks after our initial meeting Jessica reached out to me and presented me the opportunity to go for a float. I was actually in the truck with my husband coming home from a morning of fishing and bird watching and feeling pretty good about things. So I said yes, actually I said heck yes!

I got home and full on panic set in, I wanted to bail, I was making up excuses to tell her I had to pass up this opportunity. Then a little voice inside my head said: "Get over it and just do it!"

​My appointment time was 8:30 am but they request you show up about half an hour early. I know this because I read and re-read the instruction email you get after booking thirteen times. Not because it was hard to understand but because I thought I would miss something and look like an idiot. 

When I showed up for my appointment I was greeted, checked in and guided into their lounge area where I waited for the other people booked for 8:30 to show up. We all had orientation together and then were brought to our individual rooms.

They provide everything you need, towels, shampoo, soap, a bathrobe and a few things I didn't know I would need; like vaseline for any cuts (theirs a lot of Epson salts in the water which can sting) they also provide earplugs which helped block out some noise but also keep some of the salt out of your ear canal. Not to worry about that either because they provide a vinegar solution to rinse out any salt that may have got in your ear after your float. 

You can control the music and lights once you're in the tank, I decided to turn off the music and float in complete quiet. This was definitely the wrong decision for me, I quickly started to get panicky and had to open the tank door to let some cool air in and regroup. I turned the music back on and closed the door then something pretty amazing happened; I had no thoughts. I didn't notice at first, that tends to happen when you're not thinking. But near the end of my float, I realized I didn't think or worry about anything for at least half an hour it's hard to tell the time in there so I'm not entirely sure about the accuracy. This is a huge deal for me, I meditated, I shut the world out and my brain had a second to recharge. 

When I sensed my time was almost up I panicked a little bit because I completely forgot what I was told during orientation and couldn't remember what they said would happen when my time was up. I was pretty fearful that I would miss the "Q" and they'd have to come in and get me naked starfishing in the middle of the tank. Turns out its pretty obvious when your time is up a voice comes on the speakers and instructs you on the next step. 

I was pretty thirsty after my float and was offered bottled water, tea or kombucha, I drank my water in a couple of gulps and floated out to book my husband in, so he could have the same experience.

After I got in my car I called my husband and he asked how it was and the only thing I could think to say was "I feel like a baby!"  I didn't at the time know how to verbalize what I felt after some reflection I felt weightless and carefree that little bit of quiet meditation stripped my stress and worry away.  I can't wait to go back for my next float; floating is definitely becoming a regular part of my self-care routine. 
​

McMurrian Media had the opportunity to sit down and speak with Co-owners Scott Campbell and Tristan Parker about their new business The Fort Martial Arts.
 
MM: How did you guys decide that you wanted to open your business?
 
Tristan: Well, we've been doing this for a long time, I've been training in martial arts for almost ten years.
 
Scott: I've also been training for about ten years.
 
Tristan: We always trained at the other martial arts academies in town and a lot of our additional training came from our good friends Zach and Sarah's garage. They moved away; which cut our training class times in half, so we decided if we had the opportunity to expand the training times and bring something that has a structured schedule and more availability and flexibility for people that want to try or train in martial arts; we were going to do it!

Scott: It's been a long time coming here in the community, we spent a lot of time training and getting to know people in the area and across the province, we just felt like it was time to expand and grow. To reach that next level we needed to open this studio up.
 
MM: This particular spot in town seems to be the new hub for fitness and general health and wellness, did you know you wanted to be located here or was it a happy accident?
 
Tristan: From a startup perspective, you always have to be conscious of your budget. North of the bridge can be a little difficult so if you have to be downtown this is where you want to be. You've got Dr. Offices, the float tanks and fitness centres. 
 
Scott: I found out about this location from a guy I work with who is actually a trainer over at Cross Fit Crude; the opportunity came up where we could come to check out this location. These bay style facilities are perfect for martial arts.  Right away both Tristan and I saw the vision of what this place could become.

MM: How did you guys come up with your name; did you know right away that this is what you're calling it?
 
Scott: We absolutely did not know what the name was going to be!

Tristan: The name was so difficult, the planning of this took about six months and the name didn't come until the last day of planning. We decided tonights the night we have to come up with a name. Out of the blue Scott said how about "the fort" I actually wasn't sold. But Scott stumbled across the logo and everything fell into place. 
 
Scott: We wanted something simple, yet bold that represented the community. Martial arts in a general sense there is a lot of unity and family.  Being born and raised here; there's not many of us around here so I felt really strongly I wanted the name to represent the community.
 
MM: What are some of the classes you'll be offering?
 
Scott: Kids Jujitsu, Adult Jujitsu, MMA, Kids Kickboxing. We will also be branching into adult kickboxing. Because of mat space and time slots, we are going to be doubling down on classes people are interested in and want. 
 
Tristan: At 16 years old your eligible to join adult classes.
 
MM: What are some struggles you've run into opening a business in Fort McMurray.
 
Tristan: Obviously there are learning curves being a startup. But the help that we have had in the community; we’ve always been able to solve every problem.  From community futures to Susan Lore from the Lore Group and the friends in the community who have helped us build this out as quickly as we have.
 
Scott: It's just the way we are, yes there are difficulties but we have always treated them more as a problem to solve. Once we found our location, we were able to take care of every other problem that has come up. 
 
MM: Is there anything you would like the public to know about your classes?
 
Tristan: A lot of parents have questions about our children's programs. We have programs suited for ages four and up. What martial arts does is teach your kids coordination, balance, discipline and as they get older their self-esteem. I encourage all parents to come in and check out the academy and our classes

Self-care can mean different things to different people but the one thing I think we can all agree on is that self-care means we deliberately do an activity in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health.

Where better to take care of all three of these needs than at Achieve Wellness Spa. They offer services ranging from massage & physical therapy to microdermabrasion & nail treatments. To see their full list of available services visit their website.

MM: You've won a fair amount of awards over the last couple years but you've just won one recently?

Alethea: We won the top 25 spas of Canada in early 2018 which we're very proud of and we've won the Gold Star Award for customer service. 

MM: Are you the sole owner or is it group ownership and can you tell me a-little bit about your background?

Alethea: I am a co-founder with my husband, I moved here 15 years ago for our three-year plan and I fell in love with the community; I couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

I'm a physical therapist by trade; I've worked in hospitals, schools, private clinics & rehab facilities. I just didn't like any of the models out there for wellness; I wanted to create something better. 

In 2009 my husband and I came up with the idea while we were on our honeymoon. We looked into different franchise models that were out there but nothing fit what we were looking for, so we did it ourselves. 

I wouldn't recommend going this route; its a lot of work but it's paying off.

We opened our first location uptown five years ago and we opened our second location downtown a year ago. We are actually planning on franchising this year and we will have locations opening in Edmonton, Red Deer & Calgary shortly.

​MM: You said you were on your honeymoon when you decided to open your business, how did you come up with the concept and decided what services you would offer?

Alethea: The services came about somewhat gradually, we knew right of the bat we wanted to open a wellness centre we just didn't know exactly what that would look like. We even trialled yoga when we first opened up but it didn't fit with our model; having yoga classes going on at the same time as a relaxing spa atmosphere. We tried counselling services, holistic nutritionist, hypnotherapist, those more holistic services didn't really fit the city wasn't really ready for them so we stuck with more "mainstream" services. 

MM: Is there a particular struggle you've had to overcome having a business in Fort McMurray?

Alethea: Yes many; we signed our lease deal in 2013 when times were still booming. We signed in for a 10-year lease at a very high cost. 

It's a very high cost for personnel here; it's much higher than anywhere else. When the minimum wage increased to $15 an hour we all kind of joked because it wouldn't affect anyone here. 

We also had the economic downturn and a lot of people weren't spending money on luxuries like spa treatments. 

Then, of course, we had the 2016 wildfire which shut us down for two months and as we were about to open our doors there was a flood when the city flushed all their water lines that shut us down for another two months.

Its also not easy to find good quality staff members, so we offer retention bonuses and signing bonuses to bring people from across Canada to work here because we don't have a big pool of qualified professionals here.

Theirs no aesthetics school here in Fort McMurray so not a lot of aestheticians are wanting to make the move up here to Fort McMurray.

MM: Is there anything particular that you're proud of with your business?

Alethea: I think the reasons we have survived five difficult years are we really did a lot of strategic planning and business planning. We stuck to our core values we never skimped on anything; if it didn't fit in with what our core values were and our ethics were and the character of our company then we didn't do it. There were times when we didn't think we could stay open, financially it was tough for a lot of years. It's still tough because we keep reinvesting into the business, but we know it can be something fantastic.

I'm really proud of our quality, we are one of only twenty-one spas in Canada that is quality assured. so that means we bring people in that pick through our HR, charting, sanitation & training process.

MM: What is your most popular service here.

Alethea: Definitely massage, part of that is most people have benefits and they realize the importance of getting a regular massage. If you're going to get a massage that's paid for in part or full from your insurance would you rather go to a stale boring clinic or get the robe and slipper experience somewhere you can enjoy a glass of champagne and still get a therapeutic massage paid for by insurance. 

We have some very exciting news we have made a deal with Arlene Dickinson from dragons den, she has invested in our company. She believes in our model so much that she is now going to help us spread our wellness across Canada. 

Whether you're looking to take the family out for dinner or just want to hang out with friends for appy’s and a drink - Mr. Mike’s has something for everyone. Their late night menu makes the patio a very appealing spot for post-game drinks and $5 appy's with your team.  

Mike Durocher one of the owners and general manager of Mr. Mike’s SteakhouseCasual in Fort McMurray, answered some questions for McMurrian Media and let us know about their history and their involvement in the community. 

MM: Mr. Mike’s SteakhouseCasual is a Canadian franchise, how did your group decide Mr. Mike’s was the right business for you?

Mike: We’re a group of five, we are majority indigenous-owned. We chose Mr. Mike’s SteakhouseCasual because it has a great reputation across Canada, they began with a single restaurant that opened in 1960 in Vancouver, British Columbia, the restaurant aimed at providing a low-cost dining experience for families and it became a hit.
 
We researched several different investment opportunities before choosing Mr. Mike’s SteakhouseCasual.   Then while attending a franchise show, we noticed Mr. Mike’s SteakhouseCasual they really stood out from the others.

We didn’t want to compete with the many fine dining restaurants in Fort McMurray, our primary goal was to create an atmosphere where families can come in and talk, turn off their phones and have quality time with their families. 

​MM: As a new business, what is your biggest struggle being a business owner in Fort McMurray?

Mike: Staffing is always an issue; in the service industry- You can have a great product and tons of customers, but if you don’t have experienced staff, it’s difficult to run a business. Finding experienced staff is tough! 

Getting the word out that we’re open for business has been a bit of a struggle, as well. 

We're not fast food-so plan to stay for about an hour, everything is cooked fresh for you, so it’s worth the wait. Our happy hour and our late-night menu rum from 2- 5 & at 9 to close, we have $5 off all our entrees and appetizers for $5.
​
 MM: When will the patio open for the season?

Mike: The patio is open now- when the weather cooperates. Once the weather stays nice for a longer period, we’ll do a big advertising launch for its opening.

MM: What are you most proud of about your business?

Mike: We’re most proud of our social aspect, we’ve provided equal opportunity jobs for all members of the community without discrimination, and all we ask for is job experience.
 
We've brought families together got then off social media so they can enjoy family time together. 

MM: Is there anything going on that you would like to share with the community? 

Mike: We are attending two golf tournaments this summer, first is the REMAX Charity Golf Tournament in support of Northern Lights Health Foundation and the Stollery Children's Hospital, we feel that is a very good cause. We've donated a dinner for 8 and a gift basket. We did that last year before we even opened and we're doing it again this year. 

Next, we will be attending the first responder's golf tournament June 29th and we'll be running the BBQ giving out free Mr. Mike’s burgers. Once again that's a cause we feel we can get behind, first responders have done so much for our community so to help recognize them is awesome.

Welcome to the gentleman's club, or more commonly known as the Thickwood Barber Shop by the Black Horse Pub. Everyone is welcomed into the shop and greeted - usually by name.  

Shop owner Ali Kdouh prides himself in learning all his client's names and memorizing their particular hairstyle, and it shows.  Many of his clients will wait until he's free to cut their hair; instead of getting in one of the other barbers chairs. 

MM: How long have you been living in Fort McMurray?

Ali: I've been living in Fort McMurray since 2009, I moved from Windsor Ontario; I lived there for three days before moving here?

MM: How long have you been in business?

Ali: I started my business in 2011.

MM: How did you decide to open your business?

Ali: I didn't' decide, I came to Fort McMurray not knowing what to do. I was always a computer science guy. I came here and started working with my degree and it didn't work for me. I wanted to work a job that I could sleep next to my wife every night and see my children every day.

So I started looking for a new opportunity, I started looking for a new job.

​I got an offer from my old boss, he told me to come work for him and he'd teach me how to cut hair. 
​
MM: What's the largest struggle you find having a business here in Fort McMurray?

Ali: The biggest struggle I face and I'll be facing forever is finding the right barber; I've been looking for barbers for the last few months. We have high standards for the barbers that work here; we are all highly skilled. 

This business is different because you can't just hire anyone. A barber is "the full package"; he's a character, he's a good barber who can cut hair, he's a listener and he's a friend. 

MM: What are you really proud of with your business?

Ali: The friendships and relationships I've made. This is the biggest thing I've achieved in my life. It's not just a job this is a lifestyle. Getting to know customers, their names & their hair cuts because you get to know them.

Whether you're looking to get a hot shave, a quick trim or a completely new hairstyle Ali and the team at The Thickwood Barber Shop have got you covered. 

​No appointment necessary, just walk in and have a seat!