Craig Hermanson has had a long career in the grocery business: for 20 years, he worked in management at Save-On-Foods.
“It was fine and I liked the company. … I hadn’t really considered doing anything differently,” he said.
But a difficult experience pushed his career in a different direction.
“My wife and I had a very difficult time having kids,” he said. “Finally when we did get pregnant and had a little boy, it was very life-changing. It made me realize that if you wanted to do something differently, you really had to try at it.”
He took time off to care for his son, then returned to work at a different company, Planet Organic, which has several locations throughout Western Canada and Ontario.
“Then I realized I was in the same rut that I was in at Save-On,” he said. “I thought, ‘We had this huge challenge to have kids; I can do something different.’”
He then decided to “take the leap” and start his own organic grocery business, Mother Nature’s Market, in Victoria. After a falling-out with a financial partner, he found new partners and opened Pomme Natural Market, which now has three locations and over 100 employees.
While starting a new business from scratch is daunting, Hermanson said he realized he had the experience necessary to make it work: he had managed conventional as well as organic grocery stores and had a passion for interior design.
Not everything worked out as planned – it took a little longer to build up to the sales numbers Hermanson planned for in the beginning – but he said he has never looked back.
“I designed my job – that’s the payoff,” he said.
“I hear people complain about their jobs and it’s just so sad because they spend years and years and years doing something that they don’t enjoy, and life is just too short for that.”
On building a distinctive brand | “The grocery business is extremely competitive but our niche isn’t all that well populated. … The one that’s closest to us is Whole Foods [Market], but Whole Foods is not a pure concept like we are. … They have some conventional items and use some conventional ingredients in their deli. We only have natural and organic [items].”
Has a work or life challenge taught you a key career lesson? Contact Jen St. Denis at [email protected].
