Funk It!

Andrea Barker has owned Funk It! since 2012, but she's no stranger to entrepreneurship or to the retail industry. She founded Laughing Moon Nursery in Tlell in 2006 partly out of a desire to control her own destiny in her career and lifestyle, and partly as a means of challenging herself and satisfying her desire to challenge herself in her career. Making people happy gives her a sense of fulfillment that keeps her motivated in her job, and being her own boss lets her exercise her own creativity when it comes to selecting products, creating displays and setting goals for her business. She also notes that she couldn't do what she does without her amazing staff, whose complementary skills and own passion for serving people have helped to make Funk It! a successful store.

Haida Gwaii is home to Andrea and the place she has chosen to invest both her time and her business efforts in. She has long been drawn to the sea and to the unique natural setting on the islands. She also values the diversity of the region and the people who live here and the fact that people are so accepting of one another's differences. She is especially grateful to the residents who shop on Haida Gwaii. "Small business is a way of life here," she says, "and islanders are wonderfully supportive of shopping locally."

Another benefit to island living is its quality of life, particularly when it comes to raising a family. "It's a wild, healthy place for children to grow," says Andrea, who has a young daughter. When she isn't busy working she is usually hanging out with her daughter and spending time outside playing in the ocean, going for walks or working in her garden.