Una Gabie - Top Forty Under 40

gabie Top FortyTopFortyUnder40

Flexible work and life

Una Gabie

Una Gabie, 32, is co-owner and partner at Touchstone Law Group in Kelowna. She is the 15th nominee for the Kelowna Top Forty Under 40 program to be profiled in this newspaper. Nominations are being accepted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. until March 31. A special event honouring all 40 nominees will be held this spring.

Kelowna lawyer Una Gabie likes to work from Mexico for two or three weeks in November and again for three or four weeks in January. “Remote technology has made this possible,” said Gabie, 32, a co-owner and partner at Touchstone Law Group. “My husband and I have a condo in Mexico and we want to enjoy it. Owning my own firm with a partner gives me this flexibility.” For the most part, Gabie can keep up with her work-holiday via email. And when face-to-face client meetings are necessary, her business partner and fellow lawyer, Jennette Vopicka, steps in. “Jennette and I spell each other off and most clients are comfortable with that because they have met and trust both of us,” said Gabie. However, Vopicka has required all these plans to take on more flexibility this year. She just had a baby and is on maternity leave, meaning Gabie will forgo the jaunts to Mexico this winter. “It’s about teamwork and working together,” said Gabie. “I will get to Mexico for shorter times and after Jennette returns to work.” The same sort of flexibility is afforded to staff.

“We all have flexible work arrangements,” said Gabie. “And each month we sit down and ask for input from everyone. Everyone has job descriptions, but we all jump in to help out if one person or one project needs it.” Both Gabie and Vopicka have worked for law firms, large and small, in the past. “Us starting our own law firm really just happened naturally,” said Gabie. “We met through a mutual friend, who also just happens to be a lawyer, and we found we think and work similarly. We both wanted flexibility and to work in a modern and innovative way with our clients and staff.”

Two women starting and heading up a law firm is not the norm in a profession where men still dominate at the top. Touchstone practices mostly business and real estate law and helps people with wills and estates. “Having my own firm also allows me to be involved in the business side of the practice, which I really enjoy,” said Gabie. “I like business development, marketing and strategic planning.”

While proud of Touchstone’s female roots, the firm is not women-exclusive. The articling student is a man as is the firm’s general manager.

Editor’s note: This is the 15th of 40 profiles for the Kelowna Top Forty Under 40 program presented by BDO Accountants and Consultants, Junior Chamber International (Okanagan branch), Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and The Daily Courier. Every week we’ll feature someone under the age of 40 who is making a difference through business, innovation and community service.

Source: Tuesday, December 9, 2014 12:38 pm by Steve MacNaull, The Daily Courier

  • Created on .

Cookbook features local cafe

Photo: Contributed - Facebook

Article by | Story: 128626 - Dec 11, 2014 / 5:00 am www.Castanet.net

More love for a westside restaurant from the Food Network.

The Kekuli Cafe, featured on the network's 'You Gotta Eat Here' two years ago has now been featured in the program's latest cookbook.

Sharon Bond, owner of Kekuli Cafe, says after the program shot the episode at her restaurant, she was asked to provide pictures and the recipe for dishes featured on the show.

She was told they may be featured in an upcoming cookbook.

"I've kind of had that in the back of my mind over the last couple of years," says Bond.

"I went to Chapters the other day and thought 'the cookbook is out, I wonder if we are in it.' So, I'm going through it and I did find it and thought Oh my God...so I bought it."

Bond says she was so excited.

"I had to show the girl at the till."

The program filmed the episode at the restaurant in Sept, 2012

She says the exposure has been great for the Kekuli Cafe.

"I think it just brings us more to the forefront being a local restaurant/Cafe. We just try and stay in people's minds.

We do get a lot of people coming in saying they saw us on the Food Network. I guess there was a repeat of the episode a few weeks ago. You can always tell because there is an influx of people coming in and you're not quite ready for the slam."

Bond has now opened up a second location in Merritt.

The recipes in the cookbook are the same as were featured on the Food Network episode.

If you haven't seen the episode, we are not going to spoil the surprise as to which recipes are being featured.

 
 
  • Created on .

Okanagan Aspiring Entrepreneurs Monthly Social

AspiringEntrepreneur

Calling all aspiring Entrepreneurs! Do you have an idea for a business, but aren't sure how to make it a reality? Do you want to meet like-minded individuals who share your passion for great new ideas and Entrepreneurship? Do you like free pizza and drinks? If so, this is the event for you!

The Okanagan Aspiring Entrepreneurs Meet & Greet will be an opportunity for young people in the Okanagan who wish to become entrepreneurs a chance to come together to discuss ideas, seek out advice from their peers and establish a network of like-minded individuals. It will be a casual, relaxed networking event where sharing ideas and making new friends is strongly encouraged!  Enjoy the free pizza and drinks while networking with some of Kelowna's most innovative and enthusiastic entrepreneurs and investors at this monthly event. As well, you get a chance to listen to and interact with each months featured guest speaker, as they share their story about being an entrepreneur in the Okanagan, giving you a chance to learn from their experience! Register today to make sure you don't miss out on this great opportunity!

For more information or to register for the event, Click Here!

  • Created on .

Networking Opportunity for Aspiring Kelowna Entrepreneurs

A monthly community based event called “Okanagan Aspiring Entrepreneurs Social” has been bringing together up and coming entrepreneurs with successful local business people.

The unique event is put on by Evan Dizak and the non-profit corporation Community Futures. Dizak works to connect people who are unemployed and looking to start their own business with those who have found success in the community.



The most recent event featured Donnie Ungaro from Culinary Ink and was well attended by likeminded people.

“Donnie Ungaro gave an extraordinarily raw talk on entrepreneurship that seemed to shake everyone to their core- myself included,” said attendee Lisa Bissonnette. “He was very blunt in saying ‘being an entrepreneur is extremely hard and you will fail- what makes an entrepreneur successful is getting back up after you fail.’ It was by far one of the best seminars I have been to because of his honesty and integrity in creating a sustainable future. His socially conscious business model was very impressive especially with all of the battles he had faced along the way.”

With a growing population in Kelowna it’s no surprise that the younger population is looking towards small business and entrepreneurship as a future.


“There are so many different organizations that support youth entrepreneurship such as Community Futures, Accelerate Okanagan, Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, Futurepreneur and the Co+Lab, but many young people have never heard of these organizations or know that these resources are available to them,” said Dizak. “As well, most of these organizations have been competing with each other, while I am trying to get them to collaborate more as we all share a common goal of supporting youth in business.”

Dizak says he created the events to bring people together, make them aware of the resources available and give them the opportunity to interact one on one with change makers in the community. There is no cost to attend and the events are open to any community members.


The November event will take place on the 20th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. with guest speaker Shane Austin. Austin is one for the founders of the Okanagan Co+Lab and will discuss the challenges he faced in creating his organization. The event will take place at the Okanagan Co+Lab at the corner of St. Paul and Doyle Avenue.

  • Created on .

UBC receives $3.8M for Survive and Thrive Applied Research facility

STAR announcement 770UBC received $3.8M for a research facility that will develop technologies for human protection, survivability and performance in extreme or remote conditions.

UBC has launched a new research innovation facility where industry and university researchers can pool their knowledge to rapidly develop novel technologies for human protection, survivability and performance in extreme or remote conditions.

On Tuesday, the Honourable Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, announced funding of $3.801 million to establish the Survive and Thrive Applied Research (STAR) facility at UBC’s Okanagan campus in Kelowna, BC.

STAR combines world-class research expertise and global partner networks to help commercialize innovative products and develop ideas that can be applied in a wide range of sectors, including manufacturing, natural resources, healthcare, and defense.

Paul van Donkelaar (middle) is working on a concussion-reducing sports helmet made out of impact-absorbing material

Paul van Donkelaar (middle) is working on a concussion-reducing sports helmet made out of impact-absorbing material

One of the first STAR projects is a collaboration between UBC, Kelowna-based Helios Global Technologies, and Imperial College London (UK) to develop a high-tech helmet that can reduce the risk of concussion in contact sports such as hockey and football.

“Collaboration with STAR greatly enhances our capacity to develop innovative products,” says Helios CEO Martin Cronin. “It gives us access to world-class research that helps us to quickly prove out concepts and explore multi-sectoral applications, and also access to funding through our research partnerships.”

STAR partnerships create important opportunities for university researchers and their students, says Prof. Paul van Donkelaar, Director of UBC’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences and Principal Investigator with the UBC Sports Concussion Research Lab.

“We’re working on compelling projects directly related to our primary research, and which also create new ideas for future research and real-world learning opportunities for students,” says van Donkelaar. The STAR partnership with Imperial College London has led to a new collaboration accord which will include student and faculty exchanges between institutions.

“British Columbia, Canada and the UK have remarkable strengths in advanced engineering and innovative technologies, so it is even more remarkable when they bring these shared strengths together,” says Howard Drake, British High Commissioner to Canada. “This facility, along with a broader collaboration between the partners on student and academic exchanges, will advance a range of exciting real-world solutions to help the security industry. I wish everyone involved all the best for what promises to be an exciting future.”

Other STAR initiatives include development of sensors for autonomous aerial vehicles (UAVs) for use in forestry and agriculture, and personal wireless stop-button technology for workers using large industrial machinery.

Learn more about the STAR facility at star.ubc.ca.

For Western Economic Diversification’s October 14 announcement, click here.

BACKGROUND

The Survive and Thrive Applied Research facility creates collaboration connections between industry and university researchers with expertise and equipment to meet the needs of industry and society. The collaborative network provides unique access to diverse interdisciplinary research, from human physiology, mental health and social work to manufacturing processes, product prototyping and marketing.

STAR’s research expertise and facilities focus on:

  • New product design and rapid prototyping
  • Advanced materials and fabrication
  • Device and materials testing and impact assessment
  • Mental health and human performance
  • Small- and medium-sized enterprises, cooperation, and regional economic development

A better sports helmet is just one of the projects already underway through STAR. Other current initiatives include:

Higher tech: Seeing more from the air

The science of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is taking off at UBC. Intelligent and increasingly autonomous, these flying devices are typically used today for visual identification — carrying sensors such as optical daylight cameras or forward-looking infrared (FLIR) systems. It’s an emerging high-tech field with tremendous potential.

That’s where STAR comes in.

Among the development projects currently underway, Assoc. Prof. Homayoun Najjaran and his team at UBC’s Advanced Control and Intelligent Systems Lab are working with partners in forestry and agriculture to develop micro-UAVs, software, and sensors for remote sensing techniques that can revolutionize precision viticulture and crop management.

This research will lead to new products and services improving crop quality and yields in British Columbia’s thriving wine industry. Specialized sensors and micro-UAVs also have application in search and rescue, mining, and the oil and gas sector.

Stop the presses: A safer industrial workplace

Industrial equipment can be big, powerful and dangerous. Often, the safety controls are in the form of mechanical buttons that can shut things down immediately.

But what if you can’t reach the button when you need to?

That’s a safety challenge taken up by Asst. Prof. Jahangir Hossain and  Asst. Prof. Thomas Johnson of UBC’s Okanagan School of Engineering and STAR industrial affiliate Helios Global Technologies. They are developing a wireless-based emergency stop system for industrial machinery.

The basic concept is to enable an individual to carry a wireless handset that communicates directly with a wireless receiver, which is in turn integrated with a standard emergency stop button.

The system will react in the same manner as a manual emergency stop system and immediately shut down any machine that currently uses an emergency stop system.

Public Affairs
310 - 6251 Cecil Green Park Road
Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z1
Tel 604 822 6397
Fax 604 822 2684
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Created on .

Empire Sonic Recording Studio Open For Business

sonic1 1258

A new recording studio hand-built by a father-son team is open for business in West Kelowna.

Empire Sonic Recording Studio opened its doors last month after a year of construction. They have already worked with more than 15 bands and artists. 

Evan Ferguson graduated from the audio engineering program at Okanagan College in April of 2013. He was in the process of sending out resumes when his father asked what it would take to get a studio of their own set up. 

"I asked what he was going to get paid and he said $10 or $10.50 to start," Bill Ferguson said. "I said, 'what's it cost to get into it?'"

About $100,000 and a year later, they had converted the garage of their West Kelowna home into a "floating" studio, capable of analog and digital recording. And from the outside the public would never know a professional studio is housed inside.

The studio is floating because it is completely insulated with polyurethane strips and the interior walls are all separate from the exterior walls of the house. There are no parallel walls in any of the recording rooms to increase sound quality. 

Most of the materials are secondhand, sourced from ReStore in West Kelowna. The soundboard they are leasing from Ferguson's former instructor at Okanagan College. The electrical work was all hand-soldered by Evan. 

To raise the money Evan applied for a youth entrepreneurial loan from Community Futures Development Corporation. After a lengthy approval process, he got $40,000 plus the cost of insurance for the loan. 

"We want to be the mecca of places to make good music and get good sound," Bill said. "Over the past four or five years several studios have closed down on the coast. Kelowna is starting to fill that gap."

sonic4 1258
Bill Ferguson said he was hearing from artists that they would love to come to the Okanagan, but hotels are too expensive to make it worth their while. 

The Fergusons envision a "stay and play" concept for the studio, where travelling bands or artists could spend a night or two at the house while doing their recording. 

Empire Sonic is currently working on a three-song EP for local band Twin Towns who are going on tour to Ontario and back starting Oct. 13.

Lead engineer Zach Pentyliuk said right now they're trying to build a reputation. 

"People that come in are really impressed," he said. "We don't have to sell this."

While the studio is bringing in revenue, Evan Ferguson maintains his job delivering pizza for Canadian 2-for-1 when he needs extra cash. 

The studio is located at 3615 Empire Place in West Kelowna below Misson Hill winery.
sonic5 1258

  • Created on .

Kelowna Wins Consecutive Open For Business Award

biz p3015247

For an unprecedented second year in a row, Kelowna has received the province’s Open For Business Award.

The B.C. Small Business Roundtable’s Open for Business Awards were presented Wednesday evening during the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) annual convention in Whistler.

“Open for Business is an attitude that permeates our entire organization,” said Kelowna Mayor Walter Gray. “Winning this Award for a second year in a row demonstrates the Kelowna Advantage and is a testament to the positive attitude and high standard of service by valued team players at the City of Kelowna. Management and staff truly deserve this recognition.” said Kelowna Mayor Walter Gray in accepting the Award.

As a community where 94 per cent of businesses have fewer than 20 employees, the City of Kelowna has adapted and streamlined services to ensure entrepreneurs receive prompt service and advice on technical and licensing matters.

For example, the City partnered with the Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services earlier this year to make the process of setting up a new business easier than ever. Under the ministry’s OneStop Business Registry service for entrepreneurs registering a new business, they can now also complete a City of Kelowna Business Licence at the same time.

“The City of Kelowna is truly blessed with such great partners including the Economic Development Commission, Tourism Kelowna, the Kelowna Chamber, our Business Improvement Areas, Accelerate Okanagan, as well as our business service providers such as the Women’s Enterprise Centre and Community Futures,” said Jim Paterson, Kelowna’s Executive Director of Business Development. “It is the Team Kelowna partnership and our collective action that demonstrates the Kelowna Advantage.”

This year’s other recipients are Grand Forks, City of Langley, Parksville, Port Coquitlam, Salmon Arm, Smithers, Surrey and Vernon. The award also comes with $10,000 as an incentive to further promote an open-for-business culture.

“Communities across our province can look to the winners for best practices and help make B.C. the most small-business friendly jurisdiction in Canada,” Minister of State for Tourism and Small Business, Naomi Yamamoto said in a statement at the presentation ceremony.

  • Created on .

Copyright © 2023 Community Futures Development Corporation of Central Okanagan. All Rights Reserved.

site by: thejrp