Business Matters: Recent Episodes
NowMedia / NowCast
NowMedia Group, among other businesses, were forced to determine how we can be resilient during an economic downturn and if it was possible to come out of the crisis stronger than before.
We are excited to present our first episode of Business Matters, presented by Island Savings, a First Division of West Credit Union. In this episode, host Rob Cupello welcomes guests Kendall Gross, president at Island Savings and Avery Broham , executive director of Victoria Hospitals Foundation
Over the last two years, FILL has been working to bring consumers quality products they love while reducing the amount of plastic going to landfills.
The store offers refills on typical household products like soap, cleaning agents, toothpaste and even candles, with 90% being sourced from Canada, a large portion coming from within BC.
“It’s almost 50% BC products, so we’re really trying to push as local as we can,” says Gooseen.
The store doesn’t just stop at getting customers to reuse containers, they do the same thing at their operation.
“Something else we pride ourselves in is creating a circular economy with some of our suppliers,” says Goossen
They do this by washing and cleaning the used containers the product arrived in and sending them back to the supplier to be reused.
Listen to the full episode below to learn more about the story behind FILL, the variety of products they refill and what else they’re doing to help Kelowna reduce plastic waste.
In this episode of Business Matters, presented by Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union, host Rob Cupello is joined by Domenic Rampone, a sales representative at West Manufacturing Ltd.
Rampone’s family has had connections to agriculture since they immigrated to Kelowna in 1893. Needless to say, he’s a bit of an agricultural expert – particularly when it comes to cherries.
Did you know the Summerland Research and Development Center is the leading research station in the world for sweet cherries? In fact, every cherry that starts with an “S” was developed there. That includes Staccato, Sovereign and Sweetheart.
To hear more from Rampone about the importance of the agricultural industry and how it’s become such an integral part of Kelowna’s culture and success, watch the full video below.
In this episode of Business Matters, presented by Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union, host Rob Cupello is joined by Jason Peters from Valley First.
Our guest is passionate about helping people understand the recent changes in interest rates across Canada.
Peters is the Director of Wealth Management at all 14 Valley First locations and has a passion for supporting their members in their financial lives.
“There’s been a lot of support and help economically for us during these really challenging years in terms of low-interest rates and programs to help those that were really challenged,” says Peters.
“As we come out of that, there’s been a lot of stimuli that’s been applied. That, I think, has a little bit of a day of reckoning,” explains Peters, referring to the quickly rising interest rates and inflation we’re experiencing recently.
Listen to the full episode below to hear an in-depth explanation of interest rates, the rapidly increasing cost of living, inflation and supply chain issues in the current global climate.
In this episode of Business Matters, presented by Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union, host Rob Cupello is joined by Dave McElroy from Give Hope Wings.
McElroy and Hope Air, which provides families from coast to coast with free flights and accommodations, came together in an interesting way.
McElroy was passionate about flying and wanted to raise money for charity on his expeditions. While living off-shore, someone suggested he get in contact with Hope Air. He did, and that was the beginning of Give Hope Wings.
On that first adventure, they raised half a million dollars.
Watch the full episode below to learn about the project that raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for Canadian families in need with each expedition and to hear more about McElroy and his dedication to making a difference.
In this episode of Business Matters, presented by Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union, host Rob Cupello is joined by Rick Maddison of KelownaNow Streaming!
Maddison’s voice has previously appeared on KelownaNow on his podcast Homelessness in Kelowna, which aims to create awareness, educate and move our city forward – and now he’s got his very own show on KelownaNow Streaming.
Maddison’s show is called Rick & Friends, and it airs from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm every weekday.
“I don’t have a million-dollar budget like Pepsi has to produce a commercial. But what I do have is an instinctive feel for surprising and delighting the brain, and not falling back onto cliches but saying something a new, interesting way,” explains Maddison.