Wasabi operation takes root north of Nanaimo: 60 greenhouses planned for 35-acre site

Published in Victoria Times Colonist, 11-20-12, click here to read.

The 7 Leadership Traits Small Business Owners Must Possess

Running a successful business requires more than just having a great idea. It requires a skill that not all of us are born with—leadership. The good news is that leadership skills are something you can learn. They’re something you have to learn if you want to build a successful company.

 What does it take to be an effective small business leader? You need to possess these 7 important traits:

1. Be a good listener - Listen to your employees and customers, and you’re guaranteed to find some great ideas that will help you improve your business. When you use ideas from someone else, show them a little love by thanking them and giving them credit.
2. Communicate with your team - One of the best ways to avoid disgruntled employees and a dysfunctional team is to communicate clearly with everyone. Always let your workers know what’s going on and what you expect out of them. Also, give them insight into the bigger picture so they know your company’s overall goals and vision.
3. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – Nobody is perfect, neither are you. It’s impossible to run a business without making mistakes, but great leaders understand that mistakes will be made. That’s just part of being an entrepreneur. It’s how you rebound from those mistakes that really count.
4. Surround yourself with smart, talented people - As a business leader, it’s important that you build a well-rounded team. You should understand your own abilities—your strengths, your weaknesses—and surround yourself with talented individuals who possess the skills you lack.
5. Be willing to delegate - If you’re never willing to give up any control, your company will never grow to its full potential. There’s only so much you can do on your own. You have to let your team do the things they do best.  
6. Always be looking forward - A good leader is always visualizing the future. You need to think about what you want for your company and create a plan that helps you achieve that. If you’re not looking forward, you’ll get stuck exactly where you are today.
7. Hold yourself and others accountable - Accountability is important in all companies. You need to set clear expectations for what you want out of your employees and yourself, and you have to hold everyone (yourself included) for the results they produce. That also means admitting when you make a mistake.

So, do you think you have what it takes to be a successful small business leader? What are some other important leadership traits you think should have made this list?

Source: http://www.smallbusinessbc.ca/post/7-leadership-traits-small-business-owners-must-possess

Are You Eating Real Wasabi or Just Coloured Horseradish?

Vancouver Island, BC (November, 2012) - Most North American sushi lovers have never tasted real wasabi (wasabia japonica). The spicy green paste that you have with your sushi is most likely a mixture of horseradish, starch, mustard, and food colouring. The fact is, real wasabi is rare, expensive and has remarkable healing qualities you may not be aware of.

Pharmaceutical research has identified naturally occurring compounds in wasabi that show promise in treating a wide variety of ailments such as allergies, eczema, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease – a $200 billion dollar Biomedical market (Journal of Neurochemistry, 2008, 107, 1248-1260).

However, the demand for authentic wasabi in the biomedical and culinary industries exceeds supply. Aside from the challenge of producing enough wasabi within its limited Japanese ecosystem, elevated radiation levels in the wake of Japan’s 2011 nuclear accident continue to impact the quality of harvest, reducing the number of plants for sale (http://www.good.is/posts/feast-your-eyes-radioactive-wasabi). The ability to grow wasabi in a greenhouse is the solution to providing contaminant free, commercial quantities to fulfill market demand.

Dr. Brian Oates, PhD Botanist, Scientist/Wasabi Expert

But can it be done? Historically grown in shade-covered streams, wasabi has been notoriously difficult to grow outside of its natural environment – until now. Backed by decades of research and development, government relations with the USDA, EPA, Health Canada and AAFC, wasabi is no longer limited to the streams of Japan. Successfully growing for six years on multiple sites, PhD Botanist Dr. Brian Oates of Pacific Coast Wasabi Ltd. has replicated a natural environment where conditions are carefully controlled - a proven “recipe” for producing high-grade wasabi in a greenhouse.

This proprietary technology has placed the industry at the precipice of an innovative transition from small-scale farms to successful mid-scale commercial production. Savvy investors are recognizing this commercial growing system as an environmentally sustainable breakthrough for the wasabi production industry.

For information about participating in the Vancouver Island commercial production site, contact:

c/o Pacific Coast Wasabi Ltd
Michael Naprawa
250-751-7917
michael@viwasabi.com
www.wasabia.com