- Words by Tess Van Straaten Photography by Lia Crowe

Buying not just one, but two businesses, and moving countries during a pandemic might seem like a lot to take on, but for Peter and Lori Stofko, it香蕉视频直播檚 a dream come true.

香蕉视频直播淭he whole thing just feels like it was meant to be,香蕉视频直播� says Peter of their January purchase of and the July 2020 acquisition of .

The couple, who lived in Denver with their two young children and ran a successful real estate business, fell in love with Victoria on a visit several years ago.

香蕉视频直播淲e came back from that first trip and we booked our flights to come back, and we were coming here on basically every break that we got,香蕉视频直播� laughs Peter, who香蕉视频直播檚 originally from Slovakia. 香蕉视频直播淲e couldn香蕉视频直播檛 get enough!香蕉视频直播�

After deciding to move to Victoria so they could have a better life for their family, Peter and Lori started looking for a business to buy. Pacific Rollshutters was for sale and when they came to see it for the first time, they didn香蕉视频直播檛 realize it shared a showroom with Ruffell & Brown香蕉视频直播攂ut that turned out to be a selling feature.

香蕉视频直播淚 walked in and saw Ruffell & Brown and Hunter Douglas blinds everywhere and Lori had been working for Hunter Douglas for six years at that point,香蕉视频直播� Peter explains. 香蕉视频直播淚t just seemed like a sign.香蕉视频直播�

They香蕉视频直播檇 done their due diligence, agreed on a price, and were about to move ahead with the purchase when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

香蕉视频直播淓arly on, it was scary because people didn香蕉视频直播檛 know if a business was still going to exist, so we kind of put everything on hold and everyone was locked at home,香蕉视频直播� Peter says. 香蕉视频直播淏ut they were busy and they were able to work through it. Customers kept calling and basically, the business grew because of the pandemic and that香蕉视频直播檚 really been the trend the last two years. It香蕉视频直播檚 just been continuous.香蕉视频直播�

In addition to the pandemic bump, they香蕉视频直播檝e successfully grown the business by expanding product lines and set down roots, so when Debra Ruffell and Nigel Brown recently approached them to see if they香蕉视频直播檇 be interested in buying their well-known Victoria business so that they could retire, it was a no-brainer.

香蕉视频直播淚t was one of those 香蕉视频直播榓ha moments,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� says Lori, who was an IT director for Hunter Douglas until this year and consulted for Ruffell & Brown after moving to Victoria. 香蕉视频直播淣ot only was it Hunter Douglas, and I have a lot of familiarity with the products and customers, but the whole process flow is very similar and complementary in many ways.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淟ori香蕉视频直播檚 background really drove part of the interest from Debra and Nigel,香蕉视频直播� adds Peter. 香蕉视频直播淪he香蕉视频直播檚 very experienced in process improvements and technology implementation, and that香蕉视频直播檚 one of the aspects where Ruffell & Brown has been really struggling in, so it was meant to be and a perfect fit.香蕉视频直播�

But taking over two businesses during a pandemic hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been easy. In addition to the supply chain issues plaguing companies everywhere, COVID restrictions have made it harder to bond with staff.

香蕉视频直播淲hen we bought Pacific, we couldn香蕉视频直播檛 even get the employees together for a lunch,香蕉视频直播� Lori points out.

香蕉视频直播淭he human connection and building relationships is really important and it helps make it more enjoyable for people to come to work,香蕉视频直播� Peter adds. 香蕉视频直播淲hen it香蕉视频直播檚 always work, I think it strains the relationship.香蕉视频直播�

Recognizing employees are their biggest asset, Peter and Lori say they香蕉视频直播檙e always open to hearing about opportunities for improvement.

香蕉视频直播淲e very much encourage that,香蕉视频直播� says Lori. 香蕉视频直播淲e can香蕉视频直播檛 fix things we don香蕉视频直播檛 know about and it might take us time to even realize what香蕉视频直播檚 going on, so someone coming and telling us is so important. We香蕉视频直播檝e spent a lot of time just learning a great deal from everybody.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚f you treat people right, they will do a good job for you,香蕉视频直播� adds Peter. 香蕉视频直播淲e also believe in paying people [well]. If you offer a higher wage, people will show up. It香蕉视频直播檚 what you have to do (in this tight labour market), but I also feel like it香蕉视频直播檚 the right thing to do. We believe in sharing the success.香蕉视频直播�

The couple isn香蕉视频直播檛 afraid of hard work but when you work with your spouse, Lori and Peter agree, finding the right work-life balance can be the biggest challenge.

香蕉视频直播淲e basically talk about the business 24 hours a day,香蕉视频直播� Peter says, only half-jokingly. 香蕉视频直播淵ou could be having breakfast on Sunday morning and you think of something and you can basically have a senior management meeting and make a decision. But at the same time, the kids look at us and ask, 香蕉视频直播楧o you ever not talk about work?香蕉视频直播� so we香蕉视频直播檙e very conscious of that and it香蕉视频直播檚 something we香蕉视频直播檙e going to work on. We want to have our business, we want to do well, but we don香蕉视频直播檛 want to work around the clock. Work-life balance is what it香蕉视频直播檚 all about.香蕉视频直播�

For Lori, the best advice she香蕉视频直播檚 received is to not sweat the small things.

香蕉视频直播淭here will always be problems and you have to kind of put things in perspective and prioritize,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淵ou香蕉视频直播檙e not going to solve all the problems in a day or in a week or even in a year. You just have to keep working towards a goal and chipping away at what you need to do to get to that place. It香蕉视频直播檚 never perfect香蕉视频直播攖hat香蕉视频直播檚 just not the way it is.香蕉视频直播�

As long-time entrepreneurs, they also see mistakes as learning experiences and try to break down what went wrong so they can fix it going forward.

香蕉视频直播淥ur first real estate property was a giant failure, but instead of scaring us, and making us decide not to do it anymore, we learned from it, moved forward and we were very successful. Looking back, if we香蕉视频直播檇 given up at step one, we wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 have seen the success that came afterwards.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚 think that香蕉视频直播檚 something that香蕉视频直播檚 really important in entrepreneurship香蕉视频直播攜ou don香蕉视频直播檛 just give up,香蕉视频直播� adds Lori. 香蕉视频直播淵ou try different things to make it work. There香蕉视频直播檚 always a different way to do it.香蕉视频直播�

It香蕉视频直播檚 clear what they香蕉视频直播檙e doing is working and even taking on a home reno at the same time hasn香蕉视频直播檛 fazed this busy couple.

香蕉视频直播淚 think people look at us and think we香蕉视频直播檙e crazy!香蕉视频直播� Lori laughs. 香蕉视频直播淏ut this has been our goal for so long. This is where we want to be and everything just fell into place.香蕉视频直播�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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