Celebrating success by giving back
We all love a success story!
Pam Murray has created a great one with her business, Invisible Fence Brand Nova Scotia.
Her story starts with a dilemma, shifts into a bold solution and overcomes struggles that test endurance. Being the person she is, Pam has shared her success with those who have supported her on her journey.
She will be telling that story at the next Valley Women’s Business Network meeting on May 8, starting at 7 p.m., at the Barking Bean Café in Hantsport.
Pam’s success story began in 2004, when she was commuting to Halifax for work and wondering what she could do from her home in the Valley to make life better for herself and her family.
While no fairy godmother appeared to wave a magic wand, an ad appeared at just the right time offering the Invisible Fence Brand Annapolis Valley dealership for purchase. Being a satisfied Invisible Fence Brand customer already for her own dogs, Pam took the plunge and bought her first dealership.
The first few years were difficult. Pam built her brand and client base on her own. Like many small business owners starting out, she filled many roles: sales calls, installations, training customers’ pets, advertising and bookkeeping.
As the local dealership grew, Pam took opportunities to expand the business. Her husband, Peter Andresen, joined her full-time several years after she’d started. Initially, the plan had been to run a small owner-operated business to carry through to retirement. Although Peter is now retired, Pam has continued to build the business, which currently employs nine people.
Pam’s territory now covers the province of Nova Scotia and extends into New Brunswick as far as Moncton. The expansion has brought inevitable challenges, but she and her team have met them successfully.
The community has also benefitted from Pam’s success. Over 150 pet oxygen mask kits have been donated to fire departments across Nova Scotia for pets suffering from smoke inhalation. And, as the 20th anniversary of the company approached, she looked for something special to mark the milestone.
“We have spent 20 years keeping pets safe in their homes, but sometimes home isn’t safe,” she says.
The first annual Pet Supply Drive was held on April 27 in Halifax to raise awareness and support for the Transition House Association of Nova Scotia (THANS) Foster Program, plus other local animal shelters and programs that provide emergency foster care for pets. This care supports individuals, primarily women and children, who are leaving unsafe domestic situations and don’t have a safe place to go that’s pet friendly. Keeping pets safe and supporting women are among Pam’s core values.
Pam has been a member of Valley Women’s Business Network since 2005 and served two terms as president, giving her time and experience to members to help them on their own journey in business. She has found a team of younger women to support her and they, in turn, have been inspired by her success.
“When they see it, they can be it,” she says.
Join us for Pam’s presentation and be inspired. Register for this free event by emailing programs@vwbn.ca with the subject line VWBN May meeting.
For more than 20 years, the Valley Women's Business Network has worked together to support, educate and promote women in business in the Annapolis Valley. In this monthly column, we share news, interviews, business tips and more. For information about VWBN, visit https://vwbn.ca/.