Small business, big dreams

By Alyssa Horrobin

Do you have a lot of passion? Are you unhappy at the job you have right now? Have you ever wanted to be your own boss? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it might be time for you to take the leap and follow your dreams.

Starting your own small business and doing what you love for a living might not be difficult or out of reach.

“You have to be kind of crazy to start your own business,” said Kyle Bondy.
For Bondy, owner and starter of Anchor Coffee House, dreams became reality quicker than he ever could have hoped for.

Both he and his wife Rachel have wanted to own a coffee shop since they were in their teens, even before they started dating.

“Coming out of high school, we were thinking about opening up a coffee shop… we were just a couple of young kids – no money, just a dream,” said Bondy.

That was over 15 years ago, and now they have been running Anchor for almost three years. Business partner Ryan Larocque joined them this year.

Bondy said he feels lucky to have the same passion as his wife and that it makes them good business partners.

“I think we’re supposed to be financially smart with what we’re given and that’s part of the goal, but I also think way more merit needs to be given to the quality of life lived and why we’re doing what we’re doing,” said Bondy.

Sabrina DeMarco, executive director at the Small Business Centre Windsor-Essex, said even if a business is popular and growing, if it does not fit with that person’s lifestyle and dreams they will usually end up wanting to sell it.

“In order to enjoy the business you do have to be passionate about what you’re doing,” said DeMarco. “You should establish your business on a solid foundation. You need to have a vision, set goals and know where you want to take your business.”

The Small Business Centre exists to help people move forward with their business ideas and achieve success. DeMarco encourages entrepreneurs to do their homework and become an expert in the field they want to go into.

Bondy agrees research is an important aspect of success, but that true education is also found in learning how things work in the real world.
Rachel got her experience by working in and managing other small coffee shops and learning the ropes.

In the famous words of Malcom Forbes, “When you cease to dream, you cease to live.”

“I don’t think that Mondays need to be the end of the world,” said Bondy. “If you’re doing what you love, you shouldn’t dread going to work ever.”