Cowichan Bay woman gets role in new business advice TV show
A local Cowichan Valley business has nabbed a spot on CHEK TV’s version of Dragons’ Den, to be aired in September.
Kim Saunders Robertson, owner of Cowichan Bay shop Out of the Blue, is taking part in The Hard Way — a show in which a panel of experts help mentor and bring success to Vancouver Island businesses.
“I’d gone to a Canadian re-design meeting and a lady who was speaking came up to me and said I should apply (to be on the show),” said Robertson. “So I did, and two months later I heard back and I was so excited. It was like winning the lottery.”
Out of the Blue is the only Cowichan business on the show out of 12 businesses in total, alongside one from Nanaimo and the rest in Victoria.
The shop features a range of items from home decor, furniture, jewellery and clothing with a common beach theme that Robertson specializes in.
“Around 70% of the store is locally hand-crafted. This Friday (tonight) I’m hosting an event that is part of a challenge The Hard Way has asked me to come up with.”
The event will feature an evening of jazz music from John Wade and Phil Dwyer, and refreshments, to be held at the shop’s location on Cowichan Bay Road.
“I’ll also be doing a coloured console where people can bring photos from their home if they are having a design dilemma. I’ll shoot with them for 45 minutes and give them some free advice.”
Robertson is hoping the show will be a catalyst for promotion and an opportunity to break into the limelight.
“I’m hoping this gets me out there. I want to style vacation properties and beach-front homes. I want to mentor women in business that might be struggling and need some advice.
“I’m going to be given that advice and you can’t buy that. I’d love to have a column one day and my own TV show.”
The series is scheduled to debut in September. It is described as “ an emotional roller coaster of hopefullness and hard advice.” There are no prizes promised, but Robertson hopes to take away whatever she can.
“I’m in it to win it no matter what and I’m throwing myself at it 110% because I want to be the best I can be. And if there’s something that I can get, that I don’t have the money for, that’d be huge.”
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