In November of 2000, Doug Hall, best known for his work in marketing and brand management for a number of high profile US companies, piloted his Eureka! Ranch project with selected craft businesses across Prince Edward Island. The CBC program Venture taped the session and will air the episode tonight on CBC at 8:30 pm.
The PEI companies highlighted in tonight's episode include: Cavendish Figurines Ltd., Island Pewter, Island Windcrafts Ltd., Wooly Wares and Micmac Productions. Doug Hall visited each of these Island craft businesses to teach participants how to win customers and grow profits by using innovative marketing and sales techniques.
The Eureka! Small Business Coaching Program is an education initiative designed to help small business owners think smarter and more creatively about how to increase business revenues. The program also includes access to specialized computer software that enables users to forecast consumer behaviour.
Doug Hall is the founder and CEO of the Richard Saunders International Eureka! Ranch. Educated at the University of Maine as a Chemical Engineering Graduate, he joined Procter & Gamble in brand management where he rose to the rank of Master Marketing Inventor.
"I was very excited to be in Prince Edward Island to pilot this project with Island craft businesses," said Doug Hall. "This was a great opportunity to test my coaching program with small businesses that have great potential growth."
Hall has spent the last 10 years helping companies such as Disney, Nike, American Express and Ford Motor Company create ideas for products and services. Research indicates that the average American home uses 18 products or services in which the Eureka! Ranch has had a hand. His latest venture is to test concepts that worked successfully in large corporations on small businesses.
"I am very pleased that Doug Hall chose PEI as his pilot location, in turn, helping the Island craft industry," said Minister of Development and Technology, Mike Currie. "Through Hall's knowledge of consumer behaviour and innovative product development, he was able to provide valuable advice to our Island craft businesses."