Lisa Peterson of Peterson Stone Works has been named Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2017 BC Aboriginal Business Awards.
The recently founded North Vancouver-based business specializes in custom, hand-crafted marble and granite products and finishes.
Peterson told the North Shore News that she was thrilled to win the award – even if she didn’t know it was coming.
“I didn’t actually enter,” she said with a laugh. “I was nominated and I didn’t even know, and then they called me to let me know that I’d won.”
The Aboriginal Business Awards is an annual awards program that recognizes outstanding Aboriginal business accomplishments.
The awards are generally separated into four categories, which include Community-Owned Business of the Year, Joint Venture of the Year, Business of the Year, and Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
“It’s not very common for women, Aboriginal women especially, to work in manufacturing. It’s sort of a male-dominated industry,” Peterson said regarding her reaction to winning.
Young Entrepreneur of the Year is given out to an entrant that is 35 years old or younger. Peterson, 29, said she always knew that one day she’d own her own business.
“I think for a lot of people the risk and adversity is scary, but I find it kind of exhilarating,” she said.
After completing entrepreneurship and business skills training through the Aboriginal Best program, as well as marketing courses at Capilano University, she was ready to get to work.
She said the company prides itself in taking up stonework jobs that a lot of places might turn down because they’re too complicated and, perhaps most importantly, favouring handcrafted work over using machines.
Visit petersonstone.com to learn more.
A gala dinner where Peterson and other Aboriginal Business Award winners will be officially honoured is scheduled for Oct. 26.
