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2009

BEST HEALTH-March April 2009 Green Winner - Herbal Pine Eucalyptus Soap

2008 – Mountain Sky Business owners, Nina George and Raynald Losier, have been recognized as one of the Top Ten Business owners by Kootenay Business Magazine.

Please read in the following article:

In 1993, Raynald Losier and Nina George started making soaps in the 400-square-foot basement of an old farmhouse in Winlaw. Almost 15 years later, Mountain Sky—named for their daughters Malaya Mountain and Rahel Sky—is housed in a 7,000-square-foot complex in Crescent Valley with six employees helping them produce their popular soaps and gift items.

“It’s the same recipe that we’ve always used,” said Losier, speaking of the soaps that Mountain Sky produces. “I trained with a soapmaker and then I used some old recipes from the 1800s. What’s changed is our marketing plans and our rebranding.”

The plans have proved to be successful. In the last year, Mountain Sky has seen a remarkable 25 per cent increase in sales.

“When we first started, we weren’t planning,” said George. “We never thought it would get that big. But we’re a good team—Raynald and I have complimentary skill sets. We have good synergy—plus being married as part of the whole mix made it work . . . I do the accounting, bookkeeping, artwork (and) all the websites. And Raynald—he’s the guy with the hammer.”

Both George and Losier were originally anthropology students and they met in Guatemala. Neither of them had a business background when they started making soaps, but as their company grew, they took business and accounting courses through Community Futures, and educated themselves in other ways too.

George and Losier have come to appreciate the value of goal-setting and creating a mission statement during their time in business.

“We looked at our business and had to decide what (it was) about,” said George. “What is our goal? Part of our reason for starting the business was because we wanted to stay together as a family. We’re very family friendly.”

“Including our employees’ families,” added Losier.

Losier and George are also committed to protecting the environment and giving back to their community. They are supporters of Community Futures—who helped get them started—as well as local and national charities.

“You could say that our soaps come in all colours, but they’re all green,” said Losier.

NAMES: Nina George and
Raynald Losier
BUSINESS: Mountain Sky • www.mountainskysoap.com
GREW UP IN: George: Chicago, Illinois; Losier: New Brunswick
DOWNTIME ACTIVITIES: Cross-country and skate skiing, gardening, biking

—by Tanya Laing Moore

Mountain Sky was featured in SharedVision Magazine - November- 2008

2007– Mountain Sky wins Best Continuing Business Award from Community Futures. Mountain Sky wins for its long term business goals, community involvement and success in the Kootenays.