Paven Nijjar

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[00:00] SPEAKER_00: It's Calgary's Podcast on the Canada's Podcast Network.
[00:16] SPEAKER_01: Hello, this is Mario Toneguzi coming to you today with Calgary's Podcast, a member
[00:22] SPEAKER_01: of Canada's Podcast Network where we talk to the entrepreneurs who are making it happen
[00:26] SPEAKER_01: in Calgary, Alberta. So you can listen, discover and engage.
[00:31] SPEAKER_01: Today's guest is Paven Niger, who is owner of Diamond Glass and of Somosafactory. Welcome
[00:38] SPEAKER_01: to the show. Paven, and thanks for taking the time today to be here for our listeners.
[00:42] SPEAKER_02: Thank you, Mario, for having me.
[00:44] SPEAKER_01: Tell us a little bit first of all about Somosafactory and a little bit of his history and how it started.
[00:50] SPEAKER_02: So we started the Somosafactory back in 2007. It started off just being a small idea while we were working
[00:58] SPEAKER_02: corporate jobs and suddenly it became a viable business where we were buying a commercial condo.
[01:06] SPEAKER_02: We started making Somosafs by hand. In 11 years now down the road we have a full production
[01:12] SPEAKER_02: facility where we supply Somosafs in Calgary. In in our Andalburg I guess I can say out towards
[01:18] SPEAKER_02: even Vancouver and other places in the British Columbia.
[01:22] SPEAKER_01: Okay, and a little bit about Diamond Glass. Tell us a bit about the story of Diamond Glass
[01:26] SPEAKER_02: and your involvement in that company. So Diamond Glass, my husband and I purchased a little
[01:32] SPEAKER_02: bit over three years ago. It is a full service auto glass company where we take care of
[01:37] SPEAKER_02: auto commercial and residential glass. Currently we've got one location in the northeast
[01:41] SPEAKER_02: end of the city and we're looking to expand into our second one in the south.
[01:46] SPEAKER_01: What are the benefits of doing business in Calgary?
[01:49] SPEAKER_02: I think I'd have to say that doing business in Calgary despite the economy that we've
[01:53] SPEAKER_02: had over the last few years is that we're able to provide affordable products for both of our
[01:58] SPEAKER_01: business to the Calgaryans here. Okay, and what about challenges in business?
[02:03] SPEAKER_02: Challenges definitely have been the economy, especially with Diamond Glass because it's
[02:07] SPEAKER_02: more of a service industry. Nobody is putting windshield repair on their top list.
[02:12] SPEAKER_02: It's not the priority. This most of the factor hasn't taken a hit yet.
[02:16] SPEAKER_02: Thank God, let's knock on wood on that one. It's a product that people just come in and
[02:20] SPEAKER_02: buy. So we're fortunate that way.
[02:23] SPEAKER_01: Why would you recommend Calgary to entrepreneurs who are looking to start a business?
[02:28] SPEAKER_02: I think with the support in Calgary, there's so many different organizations that are
[02:33] SPEAKER_02: helping AWE, the banks here are great. Real estate is affordable, leasing is affordable
[02:39] SPEAKER_02: at the moment, depending on where you're going. And being a smaller city, I feel like
[02:44] SPEAKER_02: the challengers are less versus Toronto or Vancouver.
[02:50] SPEAKER_01: You know, a lot of times we get ideas in different places and different ways.
[02:56] SPEAKER_01: Is there something that you do to sort of get away from the business, but yet, you know,
[03:01] SPEAKER_01: ideas spring to mind about the business for you? Places you might go or do that, you get inspired.
[03:09] SPEAKER_02: Well, my daily routine is I go to the gym in the mornings. That's where I do a lot of my thinking.
[03:14] SPEAKER_02: So I do come up with some crazy ideas somewhere when I get out of there.
[03:17] SPEAKER_02: I'm like, oh, I should open up another business that's going to solve this problem.
[03:20] SPEAKER_02: But then I've got to wean myself back into it and say, you know, that's not doable.
[03:24] SPEAKER_02: I have to say the gym.
[03:26] SPEAKER_01: What are you most excited about your two businesses right now?
[03:30] SPEAKER_02: I'm excited that I get to go in every day and open the door.
[03:34] SPEAKER_02: I think with the economy, like I've said before, I that's exciting that every morning I can get up.
[03:38] SPEAKER_02: I'm at least open the business and we close on time, right?
[03:41] SPEAKER_02: We're able to employ over between both businesses about 50 people.
[03:46] SPEAKER_02: And I think that's we're fortunate to say that.
[03:48] SPEAKER_01: What's been the biggest challenge of being an entrepreneur?
[03:52] SPEAKER_01: What's been the biggest challenge you've had to face and deal with?
[03:56] SPEAKER_02: I'd have to say making mistakes.
[03:58] SPEAKER_02: I make lots of them and then I have to learn from them.
[04:01] SPEAKER_02: And sometimes I make them twice.
[04:03] SPEAKER_02: And sometimes even taking feedback.
[04:05] SPEAKER_02: Sometimes even the criticism that you get, I think that's been biggest challenge.
[04:09] SPEAKER_02: Because as much as you say, you know, I'm open minded and I like to get the feedback.
[04:14] SPEAKER_02: Sometimes I still feel like I put my backup against the wall on that when I am getting negative feedback on things.
[04:19] SPEAKER_01: You know, obviously you've talked a lot of people in your lifetime as an entrepreneur.
[04:25] SPEAKER_01: Is there something that you recall as the sort of the best piece of advice you've ever received?
[04:30] SPEAKER_02: I would say we've got a lot of friends that do business as well.
[04:34] SPEAKER_02: And I think talking to most of them, the feedback I get is that just keep wondering what you're doing.
[04:38] SPEAKER_02: You're going to fail. You got to get up and do it again.
[04:41] SPEAKER_02: So I think just being persistent and keep going at it.
[04:45] SPEAKER_01: I've been at Switch of Gears here and talk a little bit about yourself and your personal life.
[04:50] SPEAKER_01: You know, everybody's got a bucket list these days of things they want to do where you accomplish.
[04:56] SPEAKER_01: What is on top of your bucket list?
[04:59] SPEAKER_02: So I'd have to say that my bucket list changes your over your this year.
[05:03] SPEAKER_02: The goal for me is to take more vacations and take time for myself.
[05:06] SPEAKER_02: I'm turning 40 in January. So I'm trying to make the most of it.
[05:10] SPEAKER_01: Now, if you weren't doing what you're doing now, any thoughts of what you would do?
[05:15] SPEAKER_01: I think I'd be working some sales job somewhere and some cubicle, but I'm glad I'm not there.
[05:21] SPEAKER_00: Okay. What are you reading these days?
[05:24] SPEAKER_02: Currently, I'm reading How to Raise an Adult.
[05:27] SPEAKER_02: I'm doing this because I've got a 10 year old son and I'm trying to figure out how I can groom him into being an adult and not always having to baby him.
[05:35] SPEAKER_02: That's what I'm reading right now.
[05:37] SPEAKER_01: If you had one word to describe yourself, what would it be and why?
[05:43] SPEAKER_02: I'm a go getter. And the reason I would say that is I don't give up easily.
[05:48] SPEAKER_02: Like I said, I make mistakes, but I'm always trying over and over again. I never cut my losses.
[05:54] SPEAKER_01: You know, obviously being a business owner is a lot of stress and stuff like that.
[05:59] SPEAKER_01: But just wondering if there's anything that's keeping you up these days at night.
[06:05] SPEAKER_02: As a business owner, yes, every day is a challenge and keeping me at that night.
[06:10] SPEAKER_02: I think the biggest thing that keeps me at that night is the fact how do I grow? How do I do more?
[06:16] SPEAKER_02: Those are the things that come to mind.
[06:18] SPEAKER_01: What's your favorite place in the world outside of Calgary and why?
[06:22] SPEAKER_02: I'd have to say I'd go back to Scottsdale, Arizona.
[06:26] SPEAKER_02: And the reason why would be I love the warmth.
[06:30] SPEAKER_02: I love the fact that there's so many outdoor things to do and I can just disconnect and enjoy like a carefree life.
[06:37] SPEAKER_01: Now you mentioned a little bit about the gym earlier.
[06:42] SPEAKER_01: Maybe if you could explain to you have a daily routine, what does it look like?
[06:46] SPEAKER_02: Yes, generally the day starts early. I try to hit the gym in the morning.
[06:51] SPEAKER_02: So it's out of the way. And once I get home, it's just a routine of being a mom.
[06:55] SPEAKER_02: Getting my son out the door and then I tend to get to work for about eight or nine.
[06:59] SPEAKER_02: And the day just goes by and then I'm not done till five or six.
[07:02] SPEAKER_02: But as an entrepreneur, I actually never done. That's just the time I actually leave work.
[07:06] SPEAKER_02: But I mean that drop never ends.
[07:09] SPEAKER_01: I could ask you kind of a different kind of question if you can imagine being on a small tropical island in the middle of the ocean.
[07:19] SPEAKER_01: And there's only one phone booth there and no internet. Now we're going to drop you off there at the island.
[07:26] SPEAKER_01: You can use the phone at any time to call us and we'll bring you back civilization. So to speak I guess.
[07:34] SPEAKER_01: Now how long do you think you would last on the island and before making the phone call to come back?
[07:39] SPEAKER_01: What do you think you would do while you were there?
[07:42] SPEAKER_02: I don't think I'd last a day. And the only reason is because on a day to day I feel like I manage a lot in my life.
[07:48] SPEAKER_02: And so the worry of thinking that everything is falling apart on the other side would worry me so I'd be the first one to pick up that phone.
[07:57] SPEAKER_02: In the event that I did decide to stay I would actually take the time to really reconnect with myself.
[08:03] SPEAKER_01: I'm super. Is there anything you'd like to add Paven before you leave us today?
[08:08] SPEAKER_02: I'd like to say thank you for having me on this podcast and I encourage other entrepreneurs and you know people that want to start this journey to do it.
[08:17] SPEAKER_01: Thanks for being our guest today in Calvuse Podcast.
[08:22] SPEAKER_00: Hey there. Thanks for taking the time today to listen to Calvuse Podcast on Canada's Podcast Network.
[08:30] SPEAKER_00: We hope you enjoyed the show today. Make sure you sign up for our newsletters and write a review for us on iTunes and then connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn at Canada's Podcast.
[08:43] SPEAKER_00: You can also check out what other entrepreneurs are doing across the country. See you next time.