The spirit of co-operation

Putting aside any competitive nature, a number of local business owner joined forces recently in an effort they hope will better show off Sudbury's artistic side.

And, because a picture is worth 1,000 words, they captured it on film ... or in digital format, anyway.

Amanda White Photography, Tutu Couture, Lavish Events by Christina, Jacaranda Events, Chemiles Hairstyling, The Lighthouse, Stella and Dot : Courtney Tessier, Independent Stylist and Boo-Bah-Lah 2 The Candy Store created a fantasy-type photograph incorporating elements from each business into a photograph. All props and services were provided free of charge.

Each business owner is taking those photos to hang in their respective shops, in an effort to stir up conversation about the spirit of c-operation with anyone curious enought to ask about them.

The outcome was more than any of the involved business owners could have hoped for, they said.

“As a small business, it is difficult to make a lasting impression without help from the community,” said Elizabeth Kennedy, of Tutu Couture, whose two daughters, Mischa, 6, and Elizabeth, 9, are both featured in the photo shoot. “It was awe inspiring how willing (everyone was) to whole-heartedly throw themselves into this, and how forthcoming they were with sharing their hard-earned experience.”

It took weeks to put everything together, said Amanda White, of Amanda White Photography.
“I am so proud of Sudbury for being so much more involved in the arts. I want to see Sudbury put on the map ... for excelling in the arts, for having such amazing young local talent and for great small business owners.”

Not only was the photo shoot a boon for the business owners, it helped boost self esteem for the children involved.

Though Mischa, 6, and Elizabeth, 9, gained a great deal of confidence from attending the Sudbury School of Dance, often times it’s difficult for them, especially Elizabeth, who is in the Autism Spectrum, to translate her confidence from the dance room to her world outside of it, said Elizabeth Kennedy.

“It really taught her that confidence comes in many forms,” she said. “My youngest child is timid most of the time, except when she’s dancing. Again, it was a matter of helping her translate her confidence into the real world that inspired me to include her in this shoot.”

When it comes to the business world, entrepreneurs willing to put aside their differences and come together to create something truly unique are far and few between, said Cynthia Seguin, owner of Jacaranda Events.

"We are so lucky in Sudbury to have such diverse and talented local businesses who are open to collaborating on projects such as this,” she said. “I have had the opportunity to mentor some newer vendors who allow me to share some of the knowledge I have amassed in the industry through Jacaranda Events, and, together, we are breathing new life into the market with younger, creative ideas and concepts."

Likewise for Camille Tremblay, who provided hairstyling for the young models in the photo shoot. She works independently at Chemiles Hairstyling, and at Hair To Live for Inc.

"I personally feel that you get a certain familiar feeling when you work with smaller business,” she said. “It was like being part of a family. Being capable to be a little more personal and having lots of respect for the amount of work we put in. It was a fantastic opportunity to know how many people in Sudbury have these amazing businesses and really care for what they bring to the table."

While a lot of work went into co-ordinating the photo shoot, for some, it was more like play when the big day finally arrived.

"Working with such great professionals on this photo shoot was not like working at all,” said Christina Case, of Lavish Events by Christina. “We all absolutely love what we do, and I really look forward to getting together to brainstorm our ideas and to share our passion for each of our businesses.”

Work now is being done to organize a second photo shoot, planned for the first weekend in October, which promises to be on “an even grander scale,” said White.