Hip, Hip, Hooray!
COVER STORY By Rebecca Wright
Starting a business is a daunting experience. It takes great courage, ambition and insight. In today’s tough economy, it’s even harder to be successful as an entrepreneur, so surviving the first year is a major accomplishment!
But, there are many in the community who have made it to major milestones with their local businesses. Biz X now takes a closer look at some of those local businesses celebrating commemorative anniversaries in operation in 2015.
Read on to learn about how these local businesses started up, what they offer the community, the challenges they’ve faced along the way, how they’ve grown, and some advice the business owners have for others starting out!
10 Years: The A1 Courier Service These days, people are pressed for time and want things done quickly – so local businesses have to keep up and provide fast and efficient services.
At The A1 Courier Service (740 Campbell Avenue, Windsor; A1-Courier.com), Owner Rose McAuliffe and her team are proud to offer the community same-day courier services.
“This means all packages that get picked up will get delivered on the same day,” explains McAuliffe.
She started the business 10 years ago in November 2005. She feels the specialized service — providing same-day express delivery — is what has sustained her business. Their coverage area includes all of Essex County, including Windsor, Tecumseh, LaSalle, as well as Chatham.
“My clients have greatly helped me achieve this goal,” says McAuliffe about her business reaching a decade milestone. “Without their continued support, I could not have succeeded.”
The A1 Courier Service also handles rush or direct deliveries to anywhere in Ontario, and McAuliffe has partnered with other companies that handle the U.S. and long distance or larger shipments.
The business also offers warehousing and pick and pack operations for companies that require this service. McAuliffe says she feels very fortunate to have grown over the years – going from one car, one van and one extra driver to now having six full-time drivers and two spare drivers.
And she adds that she couldn’t have done it without her “rock,” her husband of 42 years, Earl.
