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Rocky Rents is the sort of business where Swift Current homeowners, contractors and anyone else planning an outdoor project cross paths. A local DIY-er might stop by the shop at 2090 North Railway St West to rent a pressure washer or circular saw.

From investments to taxes and income tax to strategic planning for your future to mortgages, Rob Carnie from CHAB has touched on all of those things over the years with Aaron Ruston from Purposed Financial.

Now it’s time to discover the backstory.

“I grew up in the ‘metropolis’ of Eston, Saskatchewan,” reveals Ruston. “My parents were farmers; my dad also worked on the railroad. I didn’t want to go into farming, so they sold the family farm in 1980. Prices were good, and they got a tranche of cash out of that.”

You could spend hours, days, weeks researching the best food and toys for your pet. OR you could simply walk into Red Dog Black Cat.  

Sean and Sheri Laidley own the popular pet product store in High River, which is named after their very own pets – the “Red Dog” is their Golden Retriever, and the “Black Cat” is their rescue. 

“One of the most rewarding things for me is when someone asks me how I feed my animals, because they’re right here in the store – they can see how healthy they are,” says Sean.  

It’s no secret that money is tight for many people, as the cost of living is on the rise. Swooping in to save the day, Swift Deals has arrived in Moose Jaw!

As you might have guessed, Swift Deals started in Swift Current, and swiftly outgrew their space.

“Swift Current was getting a little too small for us. Our store was only 2700 square feet. Now we look around our store in Moose Jaw and wonder how we fit it all in the Swift location,” says Manager Gaby Pleau. “We needed more room. We found out Moose Jaw was losing a liquidation store, so we took the leap.”

Nikki Meschishnick knows first-hand what it’s like to be a businesswoman in a position of leadership.

A few years after initially joining Kelly Insurance Brokers Ltd. in Kindersley, she became pregnant with her second daughter. She went on mat leave, looked after her family and also developed a successful side business doing accounting in the oil and gas industry.

“We focus on relationships and quality construction,” Popick says. “I want to get to know these people. We’re building them their home- we want to make it a good experience.”

On a sunny Saturday morning, Jesse Wirachowsky, a proud Airdronian, business owner, mother of three, and partner sits at her kitchen table, sipping coffee while listening to the laughter of her children. With a successful career as a Controller for a large company, she always knew she had a passion for business, but she also wanted to build something of her own, something that would not only support her family but also uplift the community she loves.

“We really, really appreciate every single one of our customers who have come in over the last 73 years. We’re very grateful.”

After over seven decades in business, a Moose Jaw fixture is selling shop. Nigel Gemmell, owner of Gemmell’s Shoes, invites one and all to come down to their store to shop the official Inventory Closing Out Sale.

“It’s the biggest sale we’ve ever had, and it’s going to last either until our inventory’s gone, or until we find a buyer for the business.”

The Crafted Hand in Kindersley is celebrating three years in business, and they’re celebrating by looking back on three years of growth, success, and changes.

A hairstylist from the start, owner Jen Ginther has been in the field for over 25 years, and wanted to start her own business for a long time. When the building at 100 Main Street in Kindersley went up for sale, she knew it would be the perfect fit.

“If a student comes out of that program, I am very confident that they're ready for our industry here.”

For years, Great Plains College has been working in partnership with local industries to train skilled graduates for in-demand careers. The college boasts small class sizes, high-quality instructors, lots of hands-on experience, and strong connections to employment throughout the industries they prepare students for.