This is the first in a series of stories from the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce highlighting the success and innovation of its members. The Atlantic Chamber of Commerce represents more than 16,000 businesses, of all sizes and in all sectors, through its network of 90 chambers of commerce across the four Atlantic provinces.
It’s been a busy few years for Tiffani Young.
The founder of Natural Butter Bar has been in business for barely two years but has already made a huge splash in the Halifax business world with her line of beauty products designed for skin and hair of all types.
She was named entrepreneur of the year by the Black Business Institute, won a Black Women in Excellence pitch competition, and took home a hefty community impact grant from the Credit Union.
On top of all that was the unexpected honour of being named the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s New Business of the Year in 2022.
Young says it was surreal to win such a prestigious award, especially since her success happened so fast. She started Natural Butter Bar in December of 2020 and admits that, before she won the Chamber award, she didn’t even know it existed.
“When I started the business, I had no idea what the chamber of commerce was. If someone had mentioned it to me, I would have no clue what that meant,” she explains with a laugh.
She says that, shortly after starting the business she got an email telling her she’d been nominated for the award.
“And I was like ‘delete: that’s spam.’ I didn’t think it was real,” she says. She ignored more emails until someone from the chamber had to call and explain who they were.
Now that Young knows exactly what the chamber is, she says her involvement has played a huge part in her business’ meteoric rise.
Young started Natural Butter Bar in her basement because she and other black women had such a hard time finding products that worked for their hair and skin. Her small operation was spreading mostly through personal contacts and word-of-mouth. But getting involved with the chamber opened her up to a broad network of like-minded entrepreneurs who were eager to help.
“With the amount of networking events they’ve had, just being able to talk to other business owners, not necessarily in the same industry, but just being able to talk to other people that understand the journey and the challenges has been so helpful,” she says.
She met someone with a shipping company, for example, who helped her import some of her ingredients at a much cheaper rate.
“One thing that I’ve learned on my entrepreneurial journey is that other business owners want to help,” she adds. “I have yet to have anybody tell me no when I’ve asked for advice or help. I’ve even gotten help from people who are technically direct competitors.”
Patrick Sullivan is the president and CEO of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce. He says many small business owners don’t realize how useful a chamber membership can be early in their growth.
The CEO of the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce, Sheri Somerville, shared a similar sentiment, “As a member of a Chamber of Commerce in Atlantic Canada, you’re connected to a vast network of like-minded business owners that extends far beyond your city or town.” she said. “Our organization connects local chambers and their members in more than 90 different communities throughout Atlantic Canada.”
Chambers of commerce also help with things like announcements about their members, social media support, and exposure through chamber magazines and websites. “As a member, you gain access to resources and valuable connections that will help you achieve your goals and succeed in today’s competitive market,” said Somerville.
“Coming into the Chamber of Commerce network in Atlantic Canada will help you get to a more profitable place at a pretty affordable cost,” Sullivan says. “It is appropriate for all kinds of businesses. Eighty-six per cent of our members are 50 employees or less. So, the great majority of our businesses aren’t big businesses.”
Sullivan says The Halifax Chamber hosts more than 100 events a year and 95 per cent of them are no- or low-cost affairs perfect for entrepreneurs looking to grow.
Young says that, even though a chamber membership did wonders for her small business, she plans to one day grow Natural Butter Bar into a big one.
She recently put out a new hair wash line, complete with a selection of shampoos, conditioners, and soap. She’s also on the cusp of rolling out a complete baby wash line.
On top of that, she’s got her eyes set on expanding her U.S. market share and is in the process of hiring for several positions that will help her with that and other goals. And she says she’s doubling down on the charity and community impact initiatives that have always been a key part of her business.
She’s continuing to sell “Trailblazer Boxes” that raise money for Prep Academy, a non-profit that supports access to and success in post-secondary education for African Nova Scotian students.
And she’s working on some even bigger, more ambitious plans as well. Her dream is an “Uncover Your Essence” conference that will bring people together to talk about beauty, wellness, and mental health.
“It’s great to care for our outside. We need to take care of our skin and our hair, and you can get a lot of confidence from that, but it’s also very important to take care of ourselves on the inside. The main goal of the conference will be to help build self-esteem and confidence from the inside out,” she explains.
However, Young says very little of what she’s done – or plans to do – would be possible without the support of her customers and the local business community.
“I’m very thankful and appreciative to our customers and to the Atlantic Canadian business community. They’ve been fantastic and have really embraced us,” she says. “I just hope I can give back as much as I’ve got.”
This story is sponsored by the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce.
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