Entrepreneurship is a dream come true for Daiya Anderson. Her success story did not happen overnight. She worked hard for about 7 years before she launched her business. Origin Wines Ltd. is a vineyard and winery in Penticton producing small batches of handcrafted wine highlighting the unique flavors of every season.
Q. What services has Women’s Enterprise Centre provided you and how have these services helped you?
A. WEC provided me with additional financing to open our business this year. They were very diligent and thorough in helping us understand the business processes. Their business advising and mentoring has helped us overcome the challenges that new entrepreneurs typically face.
Q. What inspired you to take the leap and start your own business?
A. I have wanted to own my own business since my early 20’s. When I realized how passionate I was about wine I knew we had an opportunity to build our lifestyle around a business we love. We have worked hard and we are excited to be running the winery this summer and winemaking in the fall.
Q. What’s the biggest lesson you learned when starting your business?
A. Very few things happen as per plan. So, patience and determination are keys to achieving business goals. I have also learned that a business will always cost more money and take more time than usually planned but that’s okay. I enjoy being my own boss.
Q. What are your goals for the business?
A. We want to grow our sales to 2000 cases within the first five years, as well as becoming highly sought after location for weddings on the Naramata Bench.
Q. What is your greatest strength as an entrepreneur?
A. Two strengths have really helped me as an entrepreneur.
1. Perseverance! When times get tough and stressful I keep going, putting one foot in front of the other and tackling each hurdle as it comes.
2. Motivation! The thought of achieving my business goals motivates me to take action. Whenever I think about the future, I find the possibilities so exciting!
Q. What personal lessons have you learned as an entrepreneur?
A. I have realized that in order to succeed I need to do what I love doing. I am passionate about my business and this keeps me 100% engaged in this venture. I have also learned to make decisions a lot faster. Mistakes do happen sometimes but it helps me take the right action and move forward,