Finding Headspace

Nova Scotia means different things to different people.  It has always been my home.

I’ve been a visitor to other places, but my love for this province and its people, beauty and vibrancy keep me here. 

I'm not alone in this sentiment.  Many people choose to call Nova Scotia home and haven't regretted that decision.  Kyle Racki is but one example.

Kyle went to NSCC to take their Graphic Design program.  After graduation, he quickly found publishing work, but while on a trip to visit his sister in Calgary, considered the move.  He decided to stay in Nova Scotia.

 “I enjoyed the ocean more than the mountains,” says Kyle. “The people are friendlier in Nova Scotia, and the culture is more laid back, and not as aggressive or materially-driven as a large city like Calgary.” 

It helped that Kyle had a friend back home that he didn’t want to say goodbye to – that friend is now his wife.

Today, Kyle lives in Lawrencetown, just outside of Dartmouth, with his wife Paula, his 12 year old step-daughter Alex, and 2-year old son, Micah.

Kyle is also the Principal and design director of Headspace Design, a company he founded.  Kyle says he loves the vibrancy of the entrepreneur community in Nova Scotia.

“In my company, we have the privilege of learning about all different kinds of companies, their industries, their competitors and their customers, and learning how to market them effectively online”, says Kyle. “The fact that there are so many entrepreneurs here, from small shops to large enterprises, is a testament to the scale of opportunity here.”

And Kyle is right. There are more than 29,000 small businesses in Nova Scotia employing more than 131,000 people.

Kyle encourages budding entrepreneurs to take a chance – success is happening in Nova Scotia and he’s living, breathing proof!

“Don't think it can't happen, says Kyle. “It's so easy to be pessimistic and think about the economy, think about general start-up business statistics, and especially to think about how relatively small a place like Nova Scotia is and conclude that success is impossible, and it's better to work for someone else. The fact is, there's opportunity around every corner here, a lot of strong business connections, and in some ways it might be easier to start a business here than in a large city where no one remembers your name and competition is vast.”

And for Kyle and I and for many of you – Nova Scotia is like none other.  There’s just something in the air here…

 “Any time I've traveled to another place, be it Calgary, Florida, or the Bahamas, whenever I get off the plane back in Nova Scotia, there's always something in the air that feels like home”, says Kyle.

If you haven’t already – come to Nova Scotia – and take a big cleansing breath in.  And for those of us who call Nova Scotia home - it never hurts to remind ourselves why we love this place.