Sign Depot Business Client Spotlight – Zenia Horton Of XTEA CO And Zen Design

 

Get To Know Zenia Horton

1.       Zenia can you tell us a bit about businesses?

My name is Zenia Horton and I am the owner /operator a kitchen design business by the name of Zen Design. Out of my love of design and relationships I founded a loose leaf tea company by the name of XTEA CO.

2.       What makes your company unique from others in your industry?

What makes XTEA CO unique is that we only sell premium, artisan and trade tea.  Premium means that we are committed to offering you the highest quality, outrageously flavourful tea that the world has to offer- a commitment to sourcing sustainable product first.  Artisan means we are committed to our partners around the globe, their communities and the individual artisans who help us create unforgettable taste experiences- a commitment to giving you the freedom to create along side us.  Trade means that we are committed to “better than fair trade” and sourcing with integrity, a commitment to fairness, equality, and looking out for the little guy.  After all, we are a little guy too!

3.       How do people find out about your businesses?

People find out about XTEA CO mainly through referrals but we have an online store, www.xteaco.com a facebook page, and an YouTube video as well.

4.       Can you tell us a bit about being located in Downtown Kitchener?

XTEA CO is located downtown Kitchener in a space called THE UNDERGROUND.  It is awesome location as you are part of a community that is constantly creating events and opportunities to be involved in. I also let others share the space with us as well.

5.       Do you have one expert tip that you can share?

The one expert tip I would share is that tea does not need artificial seasonings or flavourings to taste amazing if it is good quality tea.  Tea can fix anything from digestive problems, low energy, lack of focus, anxiety etc to name a few. My industry is growing very quickly.  After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world.  People, especially young people are starting to pay a lot more attention to what they are putting in their bodies.  They are starting to understand the health benefits assocociated with tea.  Last year, Starbucks dropped more than $600 million dollars to acquire 300 of the Teavana chain stores, 59 of them in Canada.

Sign Depot Business Client Spolight – Stephanie Tanner Of Little Mushroom Catering

Get To Know Stephanie Tanner

1.       Steph can you tell us what made you decide to get into the catering business?

Since I was a young teen I was often in the kitchen cooking for my family. My first job outside of babysitting was at a local restaurant called La Costa. I started out as the hostess, then learned other positions in the restaurant including some fun shifts in the kitchen prepping meat, making salads, and plating desserts. I worked in restaurants all through highschool and both of my University degrees, on my road to becoming a high school teacher. When I moved back to town with my first child only a year old I wasn’t so sure that teaching was the right field for me. I started working in the restaurant in the Centre in the Square and quickly moved up to having more responsibilities there, including managing our off-site catering functions. I had worked in catering businesses before and loved going into people’s homes for cocktail parties, or setting up party stations at larger events. When the restaurant eventually closed, I was left with a decision to make. Did I go back to teaching? Did I start on the bottom rung at another local restaurant? Or did I create my own job? It was time for me to venture into business ownership doing what I love to do – making people happy with great food & friendly service.  

2.       The catering industry has a lot of competition.  What makes your company unique?

I have several food sensitivities including nuts and shellfish. Many people have called me out as the pickiest cook they know because I can’t stand mushrooms (Ironic, I know!) and would never order a steak.  At Little Mushroom we take allergies, food sensitivities and even “particularness” into consideration when planning menus to make sure that there is something for everyone at the event. We also offer full-service catering for everything from breakfast meetings to business lunches, cocktail events to wedding receptions and even funerals. A lot of places in town just offer drop offs of sandwich platters but go beyond with our friendly knowledgeable staff and delicious local fare.

3.       How do new clients find Little Mushroom Catering?

We are active on social media @CateringFungi on Twitter, you can connect with me on LinkedIn and you can Like us on Facebook. You can find all our menus on-line at www.littlemushroomcatering.ca or call us at 226-929-7927.  We also have a consultation & tasting room at 32 Ontario Street if you’d like to pop in to say hello.  

4.       Can you tell us a bit about your new location?

I recently purchased Nom Nom Treats, a cookie company that puts your logo on edible swag for tradeshows, client appreciation events, or just to have out for people at the office.  The bakery for Nom Nom is located in the back half of the storefront at 32 Ontario Street.  I’m happy to now have office space and a place to meet with clients in the front half that isn’t surrounded by our fridges and stoves at our prep kitchen on Whitney Place.

5.       Do you have one kitchen tip that you can share?

Here’s a tip for life that definitely translates to the kitchen: be aware of your surroundings – for safety actually in the kitchen, but also in regards to what is available locally.

6.       How do you see your role changing in the coming years?

I’ve recently been stepping away from the kitchen and leaving things in the capable hands of my full-time chefs & baker. Instead my focus is on client relations and experience. I have a wonderful new business development coordinator and an event coordinator who also help keep the train on the track for me so I can focus on the tasks of a business owner & ensuring my clients have the best experience possible.

Custom Vehicle Graphics Are Not Just For Cars

Promotional Graphics For A Custom Food Festival Vehicle

Is your promotional vehicle giving your brand all the credit it deserves?  David from Bread Heads decided very quickly that his Wood Fired Pizza Trailer needed to be branded better.  He was already creating a lot of buzz at outdoor festivals with his unique trailer but quickly realized that highway travelers were taking a second look as he was towing it to or from the festival site.

Big Branding Design Decisions

David came to The Sign Depot for assistance in branding his promotional vehicle as well as his company Bread Heads.  Without having a true logo for his business, Adam (Sign Depot Designer) was able to come up with a concept that would work as vehicle graphics and transfer well into custom business signage for David.

A Fully Customized Festival Vehicle

When we say fully customized we mean it featured custom designed vinyl vehicle decals and a custom paint finish achieved by Ben otherwise know as our Vinyl Master.

With the large white decal text on the red vehicle the info stands out very well.

For the upper part of the vehicle a vinyl stencil was layed down and painted over to use the negative space as a way to highlight the designed logo.

Following?

Are you following them on the road or following them on twitter? Either way the info relayed on this promotional vehicle will help you find out where Bread Heads is heading to next.

Having a clear message that can be relayed through signs gives passers-by a way to contact or connect with your business.  If you wish to connect with us, leave a comment below, follow us on twitter or post on our facebook page.

Thanks to The Sign Depot for doing a great job on the trailer! Look for us on the road to Simcoe tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/evAO6iYf9d

— Bread Heads (@heybreadheads) August 22, 2013

 We would love to help you with your vehicle graphics whether it be for one car, or a fleet of busineess vehicles.  We think you’ll be happy with the results too!

Five Ways Custom Vinyl Signs And Graphics Can Help Grow Your Business

Man of Mystery

Over the last few posts you have been introduced to Dave, Peter & myself , but have you met our Vinyl Master?  He takes care of tons of departments here.  Vinyl Vehicle graphics, Banners and A-Frame  signs are his specialty but the list doesn’t end there.  He creates window graphics, simulates etchmarked glass, prepares trade show signs and so much more. 

Five Ways Vinyl Signs Can Help Grow Your Business

1. Vehicle graphics work well as mobile advertising for your fleet and as promotional vehicles
2. Banners work well as temporary signage especially for “Opening Soon” messages
3. A-Frames capture walk by traffic and can be customized to add chalkboard, white boards and quick sale messages
4. Vinyl window graphics are great way to stand out and be noticed in busy urban areas where there is a lot of vehicle as well as pedestrian traffic.
5. Trade show signs can be a combination of the sign types listed above but there are a lot of other options as well.  The key is to stand out from everything else around you, but still look tasteful.

Time Is On Your Side

Any of the above signs can easily be created within a week’s time, so if you have a slower period in sales and want to run a quick promotion vinyl signs are a great way to go.  We have lots of colour choices when it comes to vinyl graphics and decal which makes it easy to match the pantones in your logo.  If you have any additional questions about how custom vinyl signs can help your business make sure to contact Ben and he can go over what would work best for your company’s signage needs.

 

The hardest part is getting him to pose for a picture. 

So have you met this Mystery Man?  What did he make for you?