EPIC Newsgroup Inc. charts new territory

Sabrina Heinekey and Tiffany Steeves win
BDC’s Young Entrepreneur Award for British Columbia

(Vancouver, British Columbia  – October 16, 2007) – From its base in Vancouver, EPIC Newsgroup Inc. is bringing content with an international flavour  to television screens across the globe. For this unique success story, co-founders Sabrina Heinekey, 30, and Tiffany Steeves, 34, have earned BDC’s Young Entrepreneur Award for British Columbia and will be honoured tonight at a ceremony in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

EPIC, created by Tiffany and Sabrina in 2004, is a production and media placement company that produces international segments for broadcast on outlets such as the Discovery Channel, CNBC and the Travel Channel in North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. EPIC’s clients consist of tourism boards, ministries, embassies and corporations in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Trinidad and Tobago, Jordan and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Sabrina and Tiffany, who both have international print media experience, had noticed while on foreign assignment that many countries were not using television as a promotional medium. They saw an opportunity to bring TV production to these parts of the world and decided they were the people to do it.

Zooming in on market opportunities
Tiffany and Sabrina faced a number of challenges as they got started. “For many countries, TV production is an intimidating prospect. And in some cases, people are not used to dealing with young women,” explains Sabrina. Sensitivity to cultural differences, excellent preparation and a consistent focus on professionalism helped to open doors with top government officials and business leaders.

Each year EPIC selects five or six countries which they believe possess a combination of untapped opportunities, a developing national brand and international intrigue, and offer them a variety of production and media packages. After conducting extensive research, and developing concepts and scripts, they hire professional crews to film on location. This past summer, the company launched projects in Kazakhstan, Congo, Tanzania and Greece.  

For staff who sign on with EPIC Newsgroup, the job can mean travelling to countries around the globe for up to 11 months of the year. “Most of the people on our sales team are under 30,” explains Tiffany. “We recruit people who are adventure-seeking and provide them with the opportunity to work for a company that is unique and dynamic.”  

“I congratulate Tiffany and Sabrina for their innovation and excellence. They took an interesting concept, developed a novel product and turned it into a thriving global enterprise. EPIC Newsgroup Inc. is a shining example of how Canadians can capture the attention of worldwide markets,” says BDC President and CEO Jean-René Halde. 

“You have to take it one step at a time and not get discouraged. Many people who start their own businesses give up too early,” says Sabrina of being an entrepreneur. “You just have to be positive and believe that it is going to work,” adds Tiffany.
 
Young entrepreneurs in the spotlight
BDC’s Young Entrepreneur Awards are a highlight of Small Business Week, providing the opportunity to honour the entrepreneurial spirit and business success of Canadians between the ages of 19 and 35.  Winners from each province and territory are selected by a panel based on the originality of their business concept, its success, growth potential and their community involvement.  The panel also considers the entrepreneur’s age when the business was started and any special challenges that had to be faced.

Small Business Week partners
Contributing to the success of this year’s Small Business Week and Young Entrepreneur Awards are the following national sponsors:  Western Economic Diversification Canada, Export Development Canada and Rogers. Privileged partners are the Pan Canadian Community Futures Group and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, which has been a privileged partner of the event since 1981.

About BDC
BDC is a financial institution wholly owned by the Government of Canada. BDC actively supports the development and growth of Canadian small and medium-sized businesses through its complementary financial, investment and consulting solutions. BDC is one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2008.

Small Business Week is a registered trademark of BDC.

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