The Business Beat submitted by Stuart Harrison

About 22 years ago I started compiling local business news for a weekly feature called the Business Beat.
It came from a deep appreciation for small business people and what they go through to start a
business, and what they contribute to our community, and it gave me the chance to stay connected to
the media, a life-long love of mine.
But one morning, just a few Wednesdays ago, I woke up with a feeling that it was time to pass it on. I say
Wednesdays because every Wednesday for 22 years I’ve spent about 4 hours researching, compiling,
writing, recording, and posting The Business Beat. I usually cover 4 stories a week, about 48 columns a
year, and 22 years of that adds up to just over 1000 Business Beats, 4000 businesses, and about 500 8-
hour days of volunteer time. And yes, this is a volunteer thing I do, I don’t get paid, and no, you don’t
have to pay to appear in the Business Beat – I just wanted to clear up a few misconceptions…
I want to say thanks, to my wife Signe for putting up with all those Wednesday evenings with me at my
computer, and to those thousands of businesses who took a run at their dream. Many reached out after
they appeared in this column to tell me what a difference it made, proving the power of the medium.
I’m very glad to tell you that Joel Wiebe, Vice President Government Relations at Peterborough and the
Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce has agreed to take over The Business Beat, so this little kick-start for
local businesses will continue. Joel is a journalist and I know he’ll continue to snoop out good stories
every week. The next couple of Mondays are Christmas Day and New Years Day, so Joel will fire up his
version of The Business Beat the second week of January.
And That… is the Business Beat for this week… From my family to yours, Happy Holidays.