Starting as mobile DJs, Nigel Rimmer and Darren Hanson ran separate businesses but frequently collaborated during events.
Working together, they quickly realized that they share the same passion, drive and talent for their work.
Fortunately for them, an opportunity to collaborate came in the form of the region's leading audio-visual company closing its doors, leaving a crucial gap in event services.
“We had done a Halloween show together a couple of years back,” explains Hanson. “We were having this meeting where we were talking about how we should go into business together. I leave that meeting with the rentals in my truck to go to Blake Productions. I pull in and I drop off the stuff and Brent Blake says to me ' We are going to close the doors to Blake Productions, if you want to take a stab at this end of the industry, we'd be happy to work out a deal and sell you equipment.' I was like, no way, like 20 minutes ago, we were just having this conversation. So I called Nigel and I said, 'Hey, man, I think I found our thing.'”
The duo soon took their idea to Community Futures, an organization dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs across the Fraser-Fort George region. They quickly picked up essential planning and funding to help them grow their unique business.
In May of 2023, Inspire was already well on its way. Their first job, doing production for the area's largest fan conventgion at the CN Centre, came much sooner than expected.
“Our year three plan in our business plan was to service the CN Centre. Our first job was FanCon in the CN Centre. We got thrown into the fire. We went from not even knowing what we're going to do and within like five months, we were already servicing the largest venue in the city.”
Since this milestone, Inspire has only grown. They now offer full audio-visual and event services and their company specializes in concerts, special events, corporate conferencing and equipment rentals. So far they have hosted several large events, including BMO Community Art Days, a Northern Health Indigenous health conference, the City of Prince George volunteer appreciation day and many others.
“There's a lot of really cool relationships that we built in business. Like Crystal and with the House of Ancestors. They throw us a lot of work and they recommend us highly all the time. So we have to thank her," said Hanson. "We have to thank the Chamber of Commerce, they've been huge in really pushing our business and they've been getting us these interviews that's really helped us have a little extra marketing. One of the biggest people is Blake productions, Brant and Melanie. We wouldn't be where we are without them.”
Rimmer and Hanson credit Community Futures with being approachable and supportive from the start. “You don’t have to have everything figured out,” said Rimmer. “Even if you just have an idea, reach out — they’ll help. When we signed our loan agreement with Community Futures, we had a five-year term. They said a business goal for us should be to become bankable."
As of December, the duo and Inspire have become “bankable," a feat which the partners said Community Futures thought would take five years. Their rapid success shows how effective both their business and Community Futures are at building success, they add.
