07/03/2026
July 1st 2026 Westco turned 10.
10 years ago, filled with the necessary combination of fear , excitement , and naivety about what I was about to endeavour into, Westco was born .
It was humble beginnings , but in the beginning I was less than humble . I was fuelled by some of the right things - the want to serve, the desire to build upon new and existing relationships and to share the ability to provide clients with advertising materials.
However, I was also fuelled by wanting to prove myself . And although slightly indulgent to my ego , it was the push that lead me from being employed in a business partnership , to being unemployed , and to starting Westco within the expanse of 21 days.
A massive leap . A massive gamble. I am proud of that version of myself who even though terrified , was brave enough to roll the dice.
To say I’ve grown and learned much since then is an incredible understatement. Being a business owner has broke me in ways I don’t think a typical job could have . Working for others had always felt easy, although frustrating. Working for myself has been anything but easy. It has revealed and highlighted my shortcomings in a high-definition colour. It has humbled me to my flaws, my failings , the hang-ups I had about myself and others. All of those things and so much more manifested in how I ran the business . For better or worse.
All Humbling . All Hard . And all necessary.
If you ask my dad , I’ve always leaned towards learning things the hard way. Lucky (or not lucky) for me, business is the perfect arena to learn the hard way .
In the words of Thomas Edison :
“I have not failed , I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. “
Best believe I have found all the ways things don’t work, made all the mistakes that both rookies and veterans in the industry can make, and likely will continue to find new ways things will not work. Being humbled this way has given me perspective, humility and helped Westco grow with both integrity and accountability.
Business can and will refine you if you let it. I have wanted to quit more times than I can count . I have wanted to move to Alaska after being crushed at tax time . All of these things entertained at 2 am after asking myself for the 1001th time why I am doing this .
But then , as always , light enters brightest after the darkness and I’m struck with that moment of enlightenment and remember why I do it .
For the person who is just starting out who needs sound advice and marketing on a shoestring budget.
For the friend who lost their mom and needs 400 memorial cards before Friday.
For the site foreman that needs safety signs to break ground and be compliant by the morning .
For the contractor who needs the 4th revised copy of their blueprints , printed on waterproof material and delivered this afternoon.
For the neighbour who got a new truck and wants their business logo proudly displayed on the doors.
For the daughter who wants to give their mother an extra special Mother’s Day gift and orders a canvas .
For all of them , and all of you because …
These are all real people . Real people that over the past decade have trusted me and trusted Westco with advertising , printing and much more. Who we have built relationships with that go beyond a just building a sign , but rather building our community .
Thank you to each and everyone of you who have supported us over the years . Your support has allowed Westco to grow into what it is today .
It’s been a decade of doing it . 2026 is shaping up to be our best year yet, but not in the way you might think. Although we are busy, sales are good and things are steady, that isn’t how we are measuring success this year .
If I have learned anything in the approximately 3650 days of being in business is success is slow and steady. I have also learned to redefine what success looked to me, no longer striving towards just the numbers on a page. It’s being able to show up fully for my family, my friends, my community and myself . Showing up in a way that is steady, not frantic. It’s being wholly in whatever it is I am working on , whether for the business or not, not being fragmented in my attention. Not being stretched way beyond what any human should shoulder, but being realistic , focused and committed to doing things to a high standard. Although it seems contrary to what hustle culture preaches to us, slowing down has accelerated our success is a way nothing else could.
Thank you to every single client, big or small, who has supported us, told a friend about us, proudly displayed something we created together, and continues to support local businesses in our community.
You are why we do it, and why we will continue to do it.
Happy double digits Westco. We did it !
