Kier, Gwen, and Stephen Knudsen

WHAT GOT YOU STARTED?

by Burke Campbell 

Published in the Financial Post

 Dec 8, 2008

Stephen Knudsen, wife Gwendolyn, and son Kier run The Dark Tickle Company (www.darktickle.com). Located in Griquet , Newfoundland , the firm makes and sells jams, syrups, and a wide selection of food items. Stephen Knudsen tells the Financial Post what motivated him to become an entrepreneur.

The visit: “I grew up in the Beaches, in Toronto . Employed as an industrial engineer, I found corporate life unfulfilling. Then, in 1973, while visiting my wife’s family in Newfoundland , we decided to stay. That visit became a lifetime.”

A new start: “My father-in-law ran a store, selling and working deals with fishermen. I worked with him, but when the industry collapsed, my wife and I took over, creating a line of foods for sale.”

Steady growth: “We use local, vitamin-rich berries such as bakeapple, partridgeberry, and blueberry—creating jams, spreads, sauces, and syrups. We also make and mix exceptional wine vinegars, teas, and chocolates.”

Instructional tourism: “Recently, we joined Économusée, a network of artisans in Quebec and Atlantic Canada, where each business member practices a traditional trade or craft. The network promotes educational tourism, our store showcasing not just what we make, but how we make it.”

Homeward bound: “My son worked successfully as an aerospace engineer, but like me, he found corporate life stressful. The homing instinct is strong among Newfoundlanders, and Kier returned to join the family business.”

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