Shell LiveWIRE Canada

Kara Potts – Potts Painting

Kara Potts, founder of Potts Painting and mother of six, is an Indigenous entrepreneur that began her commercial painting business with her husband in 2018 after recognizing the lack of trade services within her Piikani community, located south of Calgary, Alberta. Starting with a small contract to paint 10 houses from the Piikani First Nation, Kara’s business grew to service larger commercial contracts soon after.

As Potts Painting expanded, Kara created and designed a product called “Handy Hinge”, a reusable and environmentally sustainable replacement to painters’ tape which allows her to quickly paint around doors, frames, and trim.

She participated in Shell LiveWIRE in 2021 to receive help taking her Handy Hinge idea to market including legal patent support, accounting, marketing, and promotion. The program provided her with legal, communication, marketing and, financial advice to help promote and sell her invention. Recently, she’s been in discussions with Sherwin Williams, a major painting company, about product sales.

Kara remains a strong supporter for the trades industry within her community and only employs members from Piikani First Nation. She currently has two full-time employees and six part-time workers. As a woman in a male-dominated industry, she continues to challenge stereotypes and advocate against discrimination of women in the industry.

“Founding a company in this market meant I needed to gain respect in my trade and be fearless doing business with other contractors,” says Kara. “The first large project that I worked on I was the only female on the job site. I was treated poorly as if I was only a labourer, but I persevered in building relationships with business owners, contractors, and other tradespeople as an equal partner in business. Each project is different, but I always go in knowing that I will be the only female on-site and that most of the men will treat me differently.”

Kara is passionate about her company and proud of her accomplishments. “I love the freedom of being a small business owner. The responsibility of my success is determined by the energy I decide to invest. Success is limitless if I choose to be successful every day no matter what challenges I face. At the end of the day, it is my company that revels in my accomplishments and that is something that makes me proud to be a business owner.”

Allan Patterson, Tradesman's Hand Grenade & Paint It Black Studios

Allan Patterson feels blessed to be doing what he loves – fulfilling his creative passions through art and innovations. “When you love what you do, it never really feels like work,” says Allan, a pitch winner in the third LiveWIRE cohort for the Tradesman's Hand Grenade (THG). Even before reaching the end of the program, he felt he had already won with everything he gained from meeting new people to the resources he acquired. Allan feels his toolbox is now full.

As a kid, Allan loved making art and creating inventions though he pursued other career ambitions as he grew up and didn’t spend time enjoying things that filled his cup. Amidst the COVID pandemic, and while being off work to nurse an injury, Allan found the opportunity to refocus on activities that brought him joy.

Allan’s wood, steel, and concrete art hobby, transformed into a small business named Paint It Black Studios as people began to purchase his creations. He found this work nurturing for his mental health and he was able to fund hospital trips to Edmonton for injury treatments with the income he generated. After a surgery, Allan found himself in search of new employment and turned to roofing which was a family trade - it was here that his idea for the THG was born.

This innovative and versatile tool holder uses powerful magnets to hold small tools like utility knives, which are commonly housed in aluminum or plastics. No pockets? No problem. The THG is designed to be used anywhere you need it.

The idea was inspired from making four leaf clover buttons for his daughters on St. Patrick’s Day and from his childhood making buttons from bottle caps and quarters. “It is rewarding to see my idea through to the end regardless of the outcome because I know my daughters are watching,” Allan says.

Allan obtained a patent for the THG prior to joining LiveWIRE and used the program to gain further resources and connections to launch his idea. He is hoping the THG will be available for purchase on the market soon. In the meantime, you can follow him @tradesmanshandgrenade on Instagram for updates.

Derek Douglas – True Dispensers

True Dispensers founder Derek Douglas said COVID-19 inspired him to start his responsible consumption business. “When the pandemic started a couple of years ago, I remember seeing a plastic sanitizer bottle in every store,” says Derek. “Businesses didn’t have alternative solutions. COVID-19 happened so rapidly; companies couldn’t adapt to new requirements sustainably.”

That was the start of Derek’s idea for a refillable stainless-steel container that shops could use to hold sanitizer. “We started walking around downtown to show business owners our prototype and get product feedback, but people loved the product; they wanted to buy it from us immediately,” he says.

In addition to selling and delivering stainless steel liquid dispensers, Derek and his team developed relationships with manufacturers so that sanitizer suppliers could directly refill the dispensers, reducing waste. He says his product helps business owners cut cleaning and sanitation related waste by 75 per cent.

Derek credits Shell LiveWIRE for helping grow and pivoting the business, which now employs six people. “Everyone during the course was very welcoming and inviting. They helped me develop a business model canvas and supported me with accounting and marketing support. I also won a pitch at the end of the course and received approximately $4000 to invest back into my business,” Says Derek.

Since its inception, and with the help of LiveWIRE, Derek’s business now includes True Dispensers at electric vehicle charging stations. He has won several government contracts in addition to selling his dispensers to hospitality venues like hotels and restaurants. “It feels great to help people get work and give them work they enjoy,” he says.