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"At that point, I was willing to help build a house, but not sure if I wanted to start slugging at a new project of this size," says Donovan. "I knew I'd be broke for awhile if I got into this, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to go there or not." But she conceded to do the business plan, and when it was done, she realized she wanted to be more than a consultant to the business.
"Once the decision to get onboard was made, we didn't look back. I set the strategy, and incorporated the company; we purchased the lands outright and started digging and selling." Today, Scotia Slate is a successful supplier of slate to markets in the Atlantic provinces, Ontario and the U.S.
Financing was a challenge, but a big boost came when they were able to secure a loan for more than $150,000 from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). "Banks are never a good experience for a small business like ours," says Donovan. "We started undercapitalized and needed government support to have the banks accept our business. ACOA's offer of a loan allowed the bank to feel more secure with the loan they would give us."
It was a pivotal moment. "I thought if the bank and ACOA are willing to lend me that kind of money based on an idea, lots of paper, and my resume, then this can be done."
It was tough, hands-on work at first. The crew initially consisted of two: Donovan and MacPhee. They pried the slate from the ground using a backhoe and explosives, then shaped it into useable pieces.. As Donovan notes, "You can't get away from using a chisel and hammer when you're working with slate. That's a given."
The slate, which they'd had tested early on, is very high quality – with a unique greenish brown or blue-grey hue. "The quality of our geology allowed us to do what poorer quality slates from outside North America can't do. Foreign slate can't be used outside, and when it's used inside, it needs to be sealed on a regular basis." Near the surface, Scotia Slate's thick material is ideal for flagstones, or it can be cut for use as patio blocks, pool coping, walkways, indoor flooring, roof tiles, fireplaces and mantles.
Marketing in the early days consisted of sending out letters, making appointments and simply showing up at the doors of area businesses. "Kind of like an encyclopedia salesperson," says Donovan. When they made a sale, they'd load as much as they could into their van and unload it by hand.
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