Aurora Decorating enters new era
Company brings on new partner, celebrates 10 years
Karen K. Ho
Northern News Services
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
There's a new person managing the Aurora Decorating Centre and he's already working 14 hours a day.
John Henderson, the former telecom sales manager and current Yellowknifer / NWT News North cartoonist, is also now a partner in the Yellowknife location of the Aurora Decorating Centre.
He told Yellowknifer it was almost a happy accident how he and his family got involved with the dealer of Benjamin Moore paints and flooring products.
"We've shopped here for 10 years," he said with a laugh. "When Brad (Mapes) and I met there was no thought of becoming partners. He had just mentioned to me he was looking at selling part of the business."
After asking for more details, Henderson, Brad and his wife Colette entered into an agreement that would base him here and reduce the amount of travel the couple would need to do.
For Henderson, the career change easily matched up with his family's existing personal interests.
"My wife and I really like home decor, renovations and so it fit well with what we do as a family anyway," he said.
Henderson's family also used to run an office supply company in Newfoundland, so the prospect of working in a small business again didn't faze him at all.
"It helps here, from organizing, systems, to marketing," he said. "In a small business you touch everything. That's what I had to do growing up. So it kind of throws me back to when I was 22."
Even with his enthusiasm, Henderson estimated he currently works 11 hours a day, seven days a week trying to learn as much as he can about the new role.
In fact, on Monday he was going to observe an installation of blinds as part of his desire to be able to step in whenever the store is short-staffed.
"What I'm trying to do is learn every single aspect of the business," he said. "Because I'm new, I want to be able to essentially do everything we do."
But so far, he enjoys not knowing what the day will be like, including helping and observing someone install floors.
"It keeps you busy with a variety of things," he said. "You don't have as much free time for your hobbies, but some of them get incorporated if you pick the right business."
