This is part of a year-long ‘Love for Local’ series called NB365: portraits of New Brunswick entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations. Huddle is a media partner with Love for Local. Today, we hear from John McNair of Outdoor Elements in Sussex.

THROUGHOUT MY CHILDHOOD AND AS A YOUNG ADULT, THERE ARE MANY, MANY MEMORIES OF FAMILY ADVENTURES, INCLUDING A TWO-MONTH FAMILY ROAD TRIP ACROSS CANADA AND BACK THROUGH THE U.S. IN A WOOD-PANELLED STATION WAGON HAULING A TRAVEL TRAILER WITH 5 KIDS AGED 5 TO 16.

At the age of 7, I fondly remember hiking down into the Grand Canyon with my older brothers, and so on. You could say I have lived a life inspired by adventure and I didn’t want that to end by getting a “real job.”

After working in the outdoor industry at various shops across the country, including a shop in Sussex, there was a void in the local market here in Sussex, so I took the plunge into something I knew I love to do!

Here we are 16 years later, still finding new adventures and inspiring others to get outside to discover, explore and experience the many amazing places there are right here in our own province, Atlantic Canada and beyond!

Supporting local has always been important to me, both personally and professionally, but it has been even more important throughout this past year as many businesses have faced serious challenges and have had to pivot and even completely change the way they do business.

Supporting local to me means much more than simply shopping at local businesses, it means supporting each other, collaborating, partnering and promoting one another whenever possible. It also means helping grow the community by volunteering, organizing events, and showcasing all that the community has to offer.

It’s been an incredible year of challenges; we’ve been very fortunate to have the support of our community and loyal customers from across the region and we’ve seen many businesses step up their game and thrive through it all.

It’s inspiring and motivating as an entrepreneur when you know you’re not alone, that there are many other people just like you out there, overcoming the struggles just like we are and of course I’d be remiss not to mention the fact that none of this happens on our own, we are so fortunate to have an amazing team of staff making it all happen every day!

Supporting local businesses has a real impact because it supports the people who actually live in your community, the people that make your community an amazing place to live and give the community a personality that attracts more people to visit and truly experience that place and who knows – maybe more awesome people will want to move in and become part of this community too!