The partnership between the two represents over 125 years of collective local experience and is deeply rooted in the community. 

This unlikely but unique collaboration highlights their shared commitment to local growth and development because Valley First is an exclusive partner for financing Norelco clients.

“We were introduced through a mutual friend, actually,” explains Mills.

“What we’re trying to do as a Credit Union and as a member-owned organization to support local, grow our local communities, and help our local communities to thrive was very similar to what Norelco was up to,” he continues.

Norelco Cabinets takes pride in sourcing their supplies wherever possible, reflecting a commitment to supporting regional industry.

“We make sure that even the materials that we buy for our cabinetry are bought somewhere in North America, preferably British Columbia,” adds Raja.

From production to financing, purchasing from Norelco Cabinets means supporting the community in more than one way. The partnership exemplifies how businesses can work together to bolster local communities and economies.

To hear more about current home trends, how Okanaganites are reacting to inflation and why we should work to keep money local, listen to the full episode.

Mete works as a brand manager at Mark Anthony Group and oversees three of their core brands, Red Bar Winery, Road 13 Vineyards and Artisan Wine Shops. 

If you’ve seen one of their campaigns over the last couple of years on social media, KelownaNow articles or even a stand in the BC Liquor Store, it’s likely Mete had a hand in it. 

What makes her such a perfect fit for this position is her ability to be sharp on details, a skill she says comes from her piano-playing days.

If you've seen one of the Mark Anthony Group's campaigns over the last couple of years—whether on social media, in KelownaNow articles, or as a stand in the BC Liquor Store—there's a high likelihood that Mete was involved.

“Piano is a really huge thing in my life that I really do owe for having discipline and being extremely detail oriented.” 

Outside her brand management work with Mark Anthony Group, Mete runs her own freelance brand consultancy and teaches piano.

To learn more about her journey from a small town in Ontario to the marketing team at Mark Anthony Group in Kelowna, listen to the full episode. 

Whether you remember the heartwarming Timmy's Christmas Telethon or you've purchased a page of the iconic Easter Seals stamps, an initiative that inspired the organization's name, over the years the Easter Seals have woven themselves into the fabric of BC's culture.

The Easter Seals have built a foundation of service on three pillars. The first is the Easter Seals House in downtown Vancouver which offers affordable accommodation for those travelling to the city for medical treatment, the second is their three summer camps, catering to children through to adults with disabilities across BC and the third is the resources they offer to people with disabilities, which is the newest expansion of their efforts to meet the growing needs of this community.

Their most profitable fundraiser to make these initiatives possible is by far the exciting Drop Zone event, held every year.

“Drop Zone is just like a heart-stopping, adrenaline-pumping event where we take individuals and drop them down the side of a building,” explains Fines.

Locals eagerly register each year for the opportunity to support the Easter Seals by fundraising and earning the chance to rappel down a building. 

This year, some brave and big-hearted Kelowna residents will get the opportunity to rappel down the side of the brand-new Landmark 7 building, which stands at 23 stories. 

To hear more about how the Easter Seals help out the community, what you can expect from the drop zone event and a little more history about the beloved BC organization, listen to the full episode.

If you are ready to sign up to participate in the Drop Zone event, click here to sign up and claim your spot!

Andersen wants to clear up some common mistakes and misconceptions when it comes to gifting an inheritance to your child because while it’s important to think about how you’re going to handle your inheritances, some decisions can negatively impact your financial stability, especially during retirement. 

One mistake parents often make is indiscriminately giving away their money without a well-thought-out retirement plan. 

“We’re seeing parents having to refinance homes or get a secured line of credit, and it’s not so easy to qualify for those things when you are on retirement income,” says Andersen.

Another common assumption is that their home equity will serve as their primary retirement income source. Many people mistakenly believe they can downsize their house or tap into the home's equity when needed. 

“We’ll see people assume they can give away their liquid cash to their kids and they assume that their home is going to be the source of their retirement income,” explains

“But there’s so many rules in place now when it comes to borrowing money that just having equity in your home is in a lot of cases just not enough.”

To hear more about other common mistakes you should avoid and how you can build the best retirement plan with your financial advisor listen to the full episode.

JP Customs has become its own exceptional success story in the Okanagan region for its incredible wines, ciders and beers.

With five conveniently situated locations in West Kelowna, they have also creatively created a self-guided tour, providing visitors with an authentic and immersive experience of what they have to offer.

“We thought it’d be interesting to offer something a little bit different,” says Barker.

The popularity of their locations has also lead to the somewhat inevitable creation of a fan club with a variety of membership options to fit their fan's wants, needs and budgets.

"No matter which of the 10 options you choose, the benefits remain the same. They apply across all our locations," Barker explains. 

Fan club members will be excited to know that these options apply to new locations too, and they currently have a new location in the works. 

The upcoming spot is situated below Black Smith Vineyards, and will be offering a brand-new product for Okanagan wine lovers to get excited about.

To find out what exciting new offerings will be available, the backstory of JP Customs, and how they managed to thrive during the pandemic, listen to the full episode.

Treehouse Interiors is one of the Okanagan's best-kept secrets, offering distinctive and customizable furniture that has been adding an urban vibe to Kelowna's local market for over 30 years.

Treehouse Interiors stands out for its distinctive approach to furniture because you have the freedom to not only purchase anything that catches your eye in the showroom but to customize it to your personal taste and home decor.

"We try to bring unique pieces into the Okanagan market and give people the opportunity to customize whatever they want" explains Benoit.

Quality assurance is also a critical aspect of the operations at Treehouse Interiors. The team puts significant time and effort into vetting their suppliers, spending six to eight months testing products before signing any deals. 

“We do all our homework, we’re not just trying to have a quick sale and that’s it,” he says.

“We want people to be happy, and to come back.”

Despite the emphasis on unique designs and top-notch quality, Treehouse Interiors also strives to offer undeniably stunning products that are available at affordable price points to cater to a range of budgets.

To hear more about their exceptional pieces, their vetting process and how they managed to have 18 containers of stock during the pandemic, listen to the full episode. 

Sebastianis's extraordinary journey to becoming the proud owner of one of Kelowna’s most beloved hair salons is an inspiring tale of passion and perseverance.

Her love for hair began in her early years. After returning from her time at a professional dance school in Toronto, she made Kelowna her home and graduated from MC College continuing her path of following her dreams.

Right after graduating, Sebastianis welcomed the opportunity to work at a local salon alongside some of her fellow graduates.

However, life took an unexpected turn when the salon suddenly closed its doors with no warning. Determined to find answers, Sebastianis asked the accountant what was going on when she went to collect her last paycheck and they told her the salon was up for sale.

“So next thing I know, I’m at the bank with my mom taking out a loan and buying the hair salon,” proclaims Sebastianis.

Now, as Crimson Hair Salon celebrates its remarkable 8th anniversary, it is clear that Sebastianis's commitment to mastering a range of hair styling techniques ensures that the salon will continue to thrive in this vibrant community.

Beyond her role as a salon owner, Sebastianis generously shares her expertise in hair care through her engaging column, The Style File.

Listen to the full episode to hear the captivating story behind Crimson Hair Salon's uniqueness and Sebastianis's unorthodox path to entrepreneurship.

To hear more about what makes Crimson Hair Salon so unique, and to learn more about Sebastianis’s unconventional approach to opening her own salon on a whim, listen to the full episode. 

Pangalos joins us today to shed some light on the highly anticipated Best Of competition, held annually in Kelowna, Kamloops, Penticton and Victoria.

“Best of is really a chance for the community to be able to interact and engage with their favourite businesses by voting for them and giving them acknowledgement that they are providing great services, great products and that they’re really an important part of the community,” explains Pangalos.

“In BC, small businesses are our economic backbone, and we have more of them per capita than any other province in Canada, so it’s really important to highlight them.”

The Best Of competition is in full swing, with the registration phase complete and the nomination period now underway. If you're a local who believes that your favourite businesses deserve a shot at the gold medal, head over to the nomination page and cast your vote. 

Alternatively, if you're a business owner looking to be nominated, you can find a range of assets to share on your social media platforms here.

Nominations for the Best Of competition close on April 14, so make sure you get your nominations in before the deadline. After that, the voting period will run from May 1 to May 12, giving you the chance to support your favourite local businesses and help them earn a coveted gold medal.

To hear more about the Best of competition, some Best of trivia and some fun facts about previous Best of winners, listen to the full episode. 

The service connects local chefs with customers directly, so the chef can prepare food in your home for your next dinner party or prepare and cook a weekly meal plan for your household.

While the concept isn’t new, this direct way of connecting the two parties is unique in the Okanagan, and chefs are loving it.

“When they make this food in restaurants, they usually only hear about the negative things,” explains Cummins.

“Now they get to see the customer very excited, they get to make it in front of them, create menus every day and get to see the customer’s reaction to their craft.”

It gives chefs a break from cooking the same restaurant menu every day, and it gives locals a way to experience fine dining for a price comparable to dining out in their own homes – a win-win all around! 

To hear the inspiration behind Chez You and what you can expect from your at-home dining experience, listen to the full episode.

The first area is open-ended debt. This type of debt includes areas like credit cards and lines of credit – things that don’t have structured repayments. 

“It can cause a relatively small purchase to turn into a big expense over time, and without a plan to pay it off, it’s a huge impact on your budget,” explains Bos.

“Especially if you start layering additional purchases onto it,” she continues.

To hear the other two tips in-depth, along with other much-needed financial advice heading into the holiday season, listen to the full episode.

After a difficult couple of years, the Chamber is excited to announce a record number of local businesses were nominated for 2022, with over 300 nominations across  16 categories, and that’s where the inspiration for this year's gala theme came from.

“The theme is ‘Soaring to New Heights’, and it’s about recovering from everything that the pandemic took from us and having that number of nominations,” explains Pearson. 

The awards recognize the excellence and strength of local businesses and showcase the communities and leaders that are the backbone of our city’s remarkable business community.

“It’s a great way to give back to the businesses that you patronize every day or that you work with with your business, it’s a great way to make someone’s day.”

The 2022 Kelowna Chamber Business Excellence Awards are coming up Wednesday, Nov. 23 at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort. Tickets are still available here until Friday, Nov. 18 at noon. 

To learn more about the Chamber, what to expect at the Business Excellence Awards and Pearson’s journey from salesperson to Chamber President, listen to the full episode. 

“You get to put your item on the auction and whatever the item sells for, you get those dollars back to do marketing with us in any of the verticals that we offer at NowCities or NowMedia Group,” explains Tonks.

It’s a great opportunity for local businesses to advertise their products, build their customer base and get credits to use toward their 2023 marketing campaign, too.

“At NowMedia Group we offer a lot of different services. We are a full-service agency, so we can do agency work if you’re looking at any kind of website or brand logo, things like that,” says Tonks.

“We can do things like contesting, we can do video work... It works really well if you want to build your social media following.”

To learn more about the auction, add your own products or bid on auction items, click here.

Listen to the full episode to hear more about the NowCities auctions, NowMedia Group marketing services and what it’s like to do sales for an agency in Kelowna.

“We sold 6,000 calendars last year and we raised $120,000, so we actually sold out in our first year,” says McEwan. 

This year, they want to raise even more.

“We’ve doubled our goal, which is a bit scary,” she says. ”We’re trying to raise $250,000 this year.” 

The two main projects the money is going towards this year are the Kelowna General Hospital Neonatal ICU and the Child Advocacy Centre.

For $20, you get the opportunity to win one of the 202 prizes, valued at over $63,000 total. The calendars are only available for sale until Nov. 27 (or until they sell out) and are available as a physical calendar or a digital version.

We will be posting the winners daily at 8 am on KelownaNow here. 

Watch the full episode to learn more about the Season of Giving Calendar, the Kelowna Sunrise Rotary Club and more about the prizes that you could win.

The store offers refills on typical household products like soap, cleaning agents, toothpaste and even candles, with 90% being sourced from Canada, a large portion coming from within BC.

“It’s almost 50% BC products, so we’re really trying to push as local as we can,” says Gooseen.

The store doesn’t just stop at getting customers to reuse containers, they do the same thing at their operation.

“Something else we pride ourselves in is creating a circular economy with some of our suppliers,” says Goossen

They do this by washing and cleaning the used containers the product arrived in and sending them back to the supplier to be reused. 

Listen to the full episode below to learn more about the story behind FILL, the variety of products they refill and what else they’re doing to help Kelowna reduce plastic waste. 

“Many are feeling really nervous, scared and kind of at odds with themselves,” says Johnstone.

“They don’t know what to do or how long it’s going to last.”

Luckily, there are some low-risk options for members to save money.

These include things such as Term Deposits, Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs), and Market-Linked GICs for money that you want to save in the short term. With these options, you’re guaranteed to not lose any money.

The least risky option is opening a high-interest savings account to help with your short-term goals while still being able to access your money. 

To hear more about how you can save more effectively, which low-risk options you have to save interest and a more in-depth explanation of the standard savings account available at your bank or credit union, watch the full episode below. 

Grieve is a lifelong learner and loves to provide value to his clients. 

He’s also always had a passion for customer service, and the combination of his love of learning and desire to help businesses deliver a great experience to their clients is where the idea for Catalyst Strategies Consulting was born. 

His newest venture within the company is helping businesses apply and make the most out of the Canada Digital Adoption Program, also known as CDAP. 

During the pandemic when people couldn’t go to stores, the government realized that Canada was lagging behind other nations when it comes to digital transformation, marketing and process, so they developed CDAP to help businesses adopt digital technologies and increase their competitiveness. 

Grieve and Catalyst Strategies Consulting are helping businesses fill out applications for this program and directing them on how to make the most out of the grants and loans.

To hear more about Catalyst Strategies Consulting and how they can build the perfect roadmap to your business’s success, and how you can make the most out of the CDAP program, listen to the full episode. 

The idea started over a cup of coffee with friends. A friend of Fasoli’s who was a dental assistant mentioned that she was whitening people’s teeth all the time.

“I went back and did a little research on it, and found that this is a new and up-and-coming beauty procedure”, says Fasoli.

Before Brite Lounge, the only place to have a whitening procedure was at the dentist. 

“As a standalone business, it doesn’t exist.”

So he brought Hayden on board and that complimentary partnership has turned an idea into a successful business.

The two have become a dynamic duo over the few months they’ve been open with Sterling running their social media and doing the procedures and Chris working on the financials, accounting and administrative side of things.

If you want to hear more about the technology they use to prevent sensitivity during the procedures, details about the whitening process and how you can get a discount on your whitening, watch the full episode below. 

Koutsantonis grew up in the restaurant business. His parents opened up the beloved Olympia Greek Taverna over 50 years ago, so the industry is in his blood.

The family-owned and operated eatery has been an adorned local favourite for decades, so what’s the secret to its success?

“Hard work, consistency, providing people with value, using quality ingredients and focusing on services. I think if you do those things in any business you’ll do well.”

Loyal diners will be happy to know that the restaurant is planning on opening a small little deli component where people can buy their delicious frozen lasagne, pizza dough, house sauces, spice mixtures and more.

To hear more about Koutsantonis and his family’s journey to Canada, exclusive details about the Olympia Greek Taverna reopening and the ins and outs of the restaurant industry, listen to the full episode.

The inception of Kelowna’s Actor Studio was unconventional.

“We started Actors Studio on a credit card, it was the craziest thing!” Flavel reminisces on the creation of the organization.

“It was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done, but it was the smartest thing I’ve ever done.” 

The studio has been through quite a journey since it was started up.

From a meteoric rise to the challenges they faced because of the pandemic, the support of the community is the thing that has kept Flavel and his crew working hard and determined to keep succeeding.

To hear more about how the Kelowna Actors Studio came to be, Flavel’s stories of shining on stage and of course the long list of awards the actor/ broker has received, listen to the full episode below. 

Fun is the name of the game at Tiki Time Tours, whose bold tagline is “Every hour is happy hour”. 

“We did a few different wine tours and I was like: why is it so boring?” says Carolina. “It’s kind of boring from the moment they pick us up until the winery.”

People come to Kelowna to have fun and after their experiences, the couple decided to create what they weren’t finding here.

Opening a chartered boat service at the beginning of the pandemic may seem like a risky decision, but they found that because people wanted to stay in their own bubbles, it was actually an excellent time to start their business.

To hear more about Tiki Time Tours, their activity guides and how the couple plans to help other people open their own businesses and retire early, listen to the full episode below. 

The topics at hand today are high-interest savings accounts, GICs and interest rates.

With a high-interest savings account, you get a better interest rate compared to other savings accounts. 

“That higher interest rate may come with some restrictions around the number of withdrawals you can do in a month without paying any service fees,” explains Reddick.

“But it’s going to be a better interest rate than a traditional savings account would be and you still have the complete flexibility to access the money.”

GICs (guaranteed investments certificates) offer a higher interest rate as well.

“GICs are investments where you’re parking it and giving up your access to it for a higher interest rate than a savings account would offer,” says Reddick.

The company is the mastermind behind the popular local events AltiTunes, the Island Time Music Festival Series and the upcoming Denim on the Diamond music festival.

About a decade ago, Carefoot and his business partner Kurt Jory, who both grew up in Manitoba, wanted to recreate the “socials” they had become accustomed to back home for Jory’s wedding. 

Through all their hard work over the last 8 years, that idea has grown into the iconic events and festivals the duo are known for putting on today.

“It was a backyard barbeque with an artist, and then next thing you know we have a stage,” Carefoot explains about the origins of Denim on the Diamond.

That was their first big event, and the success of Thick as Thieves has only grown from there.

Watch the episode below to hear about the adversaries the pair faced when starting up, including forest fires and Covid, the origin story and, of course, some hilarious stories about the celebrities and promoters they’ve dealt with over the years. 

Kolburan and his wife met in Turkey while they were classmates in the culinary arts.

Both had a 45-minute car ride to school so they started carpooling together and eventually fell in love.

After finishing school, the couple opened up a tiny baking shop, making thousands of french macaroons for hotels and restaurants. But they had higher aspirations for their future.

Soon, they got married, moved to Canada and worked at a couple of restaurants while they figured out how to become permanent citizens, and used these experiences to ultimately begin their own artisan pasta production – a first in the Okanagan.

To hear more about the journey to Okanagan Pasta Company Inc., Kolburan’s life adventures and of course, a beautiful love story, watch the full episode below!

Purppl is helping organizations and people build sustainable business models that support long-term social impact models to solve community challenges including climate change, racial justice, poverty, economic inequality and Indigenous relationships.

“Writing a little sponsorship cheque here and there as a business owner is cool, but it’s not really changing the system problem or the reason why you need to write cheques and give back,” says Greer. 

The service hopes to help both non-profit and for-profit organizations who want to go beyond traditional corporate social responsibility to make sure social impact is central to their company. 

Rampone’s family has had connections to agriculture since they immigrated to Kelowna in 1893. Needless to say, he’s a bit of an agricultural expert – particularly when it comes to cherries.

Did you know the Summerland Research and Development Center is the leading research station in the world for sweet cherries? In fact, every cherry that starts with an “S” was developed there. That includes Staccato, Sovereign and Sweetheart.

To hear more from Rampone about the importance of the agricultural industry and how it’s become such an integral part of Kelowna’s culture and success, watch the full video below.

Our guest is passionate about helping people understand the recent changes in interest rates across Canada.

Peters is the Director of Wealth Management at all 14 Valley First locations and has a passion for supporting their members in their financial lives.

“There’s been a lot of support and help economically for us during these really challenging years in terms of low-interest rates and programs to help those that were really challenged,” says Peters.

“As we come out of that, there’s been a lot of stimuli that’s been applied. That, I think, has a little bit of a day of reckoning,” explains Peters, referring to the quickly rising interest rates and inflation we’re experiencing recently. 

Listen to the full episode below to hear an in-depth explanation of interest rates, the rapidly increasing cost of living, inflation and supply chain issues in the current global climate. 

McElroy and Hope Air, which provides families from coast to coast with free flights and accommodations, came together in an interesting way. 

McElroy was passionate about flying and wanted to raise money for charity on his expeditions. While living off-shore, someone suggested he get in contact with Hope Air. He did, and that was the beginning of Give Hope Wings. 

On that first adventure, they raised half a million dollars.

Watch the full episode below to learn about the project that raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for Canadian families in need with each expedition and to hear more about McElroy and his dedication to making a difference. 

Maddison’s voice has previously appeared on KelownaNow on his podcast Homelessness in Kelowna, which aims to create awareness, educate and move our city forward – and now he’s got his very own show on KelownaNow Streaming.

Maddison’s show is called Rick & Friends, and it airs from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm every weekday. 

“I don’t have a million-dollar budget like Pepsi has to produce a commercial. But what I do have is an instinctive feel for surprising and delighting the brain, and not falling back onto cliches but saying something a new, interesting way,” explains Maddison.

Partington is quite the entrepreneur. Not only is she the owner of Sip & Anchor, a luxury wine tour and boat charter company, but she also recently created her own business, Lake Life Property Management, which specializes in short-term rental condo management in Kelowna.

She and her high school friend Danny decided to buy Sip & Anchor at the end of 2019, a risky time to buy a business, but it paid off. 

“I’ve always had the personality of just do it and figure it out later,” says Partington.

Watch the full episode to learn more about how this Manitoba-born entrepreneur used her business skills to become the owner of one of the most well-known Okanagan summertime experience providers - Sip & Anchor.

Goodwin has been with Valley First for over 21 years, so she knows the ins and outs of the industry better than anyone. 

The Bank of Canada has raised benchmark interest rates multiple times over the last few months, including last week. When this happens Goodwin urges anyone with questions about their mortgage rate or payments to talk to their financial advisor.

Watch the full episode for an in-depth discussion of fixed and variable rate mortgages, prime benchmark interest rates and lines of credit.