Sometimes the Smallest Steps Remind Us How Far We've Come
Thomas J. Sandrin, founder of Northern Watch Services Inc. and WatchDNA, at the inaugural Canada Small Business 100 celebration.There is something about entrepreneurship that is incredibly difficult to explain to someone who has never experienced it.
From the outside, people often see the exciting parts: launching a company, announcing a partnership, celebrating a milestone, receiving an award, or watching an idea slowly become a reality.
But behind every one of those moments, there is another story.
A story of uncertainty, sacrifice, sleepless nights, financial pressure, difficult decisions, and countless moments when you ask yourself one simple question: "Am I really doing the right thing?"
I have asked myself that question more times than I can count.
After 12 incredible years with Hamilton Watch, part of the Swatch Group Canada, I made one of the biggest decisions of my professional life: leaving behind the security of a successful career to follow my entrepreneurial dream and create Northern Watch Services Inc.,
Those 12 years were more than just a job. They were an extraordinary journey filled with experiences, opportunities, challenges, and relationships that helped shape the professional and person I am today. I will always be grateful for everything I learned and the people I had the privilege of working with.
But stepping away from something I knew so well, and from a company that had been such an important part of my life, to build something entirely on my own was both exciting and terrifying.
I had the experience. I had the relationships. I had the passion. But for the first time in a long time, I no longer had the security.
And that's something you quickly discover about entrepreneurship: passion gives you the courage to start, but perseverance is what keeps you going.The Journey Nobody Really Sees
Some days, you feel unstoppable.
Other days, you wonder whether all the effort, time, and sacrifices will ever lead to what you envisioned.
Sometimes the hardest part isn't the work itself.
It's continuing to believe in your vision when the results haven't caught up with your ambition.
Over the past few years, I've learned something that has completely changed the way I look at success.
Not every achievement comes with a big announcement.
- Sometimes, it's a client trusting you for the first time.
- Sometimes, it's a meeting with someone you admire.
- Sometimes, it's an unexpected message from someone telling you that something you created inspired them.
- Sometimes, it's watching your team bring an idea to life that once existed only as a conversation.
- And sometimes, it's simply realizing that something that seemed impossible a year ago has become part of your everyday reality.
These moments might look small to others.
But to an entrepreneur, they can mean absolutely everything.
They remind us that we're moving forward. That the sacrifices have meaning. That the vision we carry in our heads is slowly becoming something real.
Entrepreneurship isn't necessarily about giant leaps.
It's about thousands of small steps, often without knowing exactly where the next one will lead.
A Recognition That Means More Than an Award
Recently, I experienced one of those moments.
Northern Watch Services Inc. , the company I founded in 2021, was recognized among the inaugural Canada Small Business 100 , an initiative by GLORY Media presented by Mastercard .
When I first learned about this recognition, I felt something difficult to describe.
Of course, I was proud. Of course, I was excited.
But more than anything, I felt grateful.
Grateful that someone had taken the time to look at what we were building.
Grateful that our efforts, our vision, and our commitment had been noticed.
And grateful to be included alongside 99 other Canadian small businesses, each with its own extraordinary story.
Recognition from respected organizations and leaders means more than you might imagine.
Not because it means we've reached the finish line.
Quite the opposite.
It reminds me that we're heading in the right direction.
And sometimes, that is exactly what an entrepreneur needs to hear.
Why This Moment Matters
At Toronto's Broadview Hotel, entrepreneurs and business leaders from different industries gathered to celebrate more than business results.
Technology. Retail. Hospitality. Beauty. Finance. Innovation.
Different backgrounds. Different ambitions.
But one thing connected everyone in that room.
We all understood what it means to believe in something enough to take a chance on ourselves.
We all face uncertainty, make mistakes, and experience moments of doubt.
Initiatives like this do more than celebrate business achievements.
They celebrate the people behind the businesses.
A Conversation About the Future of Small Business
One highlight of the summit was a conversation moderated by Lance Chung , Editor-in-Chief of GLORY Media.
The discussion brought together financial-sector leaders and an entrepreneur who understands firsthand the challenges of building a business.
The conversation explored the realities of growing a small business in Canada.
From accessing the right resources and expertise to navigating growth, the discussion highlighted the importance of building a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
For me, listening to these perspectives reinforced something I've learned firsthand:
Ambition matters, but so do knowledge, relationships, and a community willing to help small businesses grow.
Mark Barnett
Global Small and Medium Enterprise Lead, Mastercard.
Gad Elharrar
Vice President, Product for Small to Medium-Sized Business, Moneris.
Jodi Kovitz
Managing Director, Business, Tangerine Bank.
Sheba Zaidi
Co-founder, Mahara Mindfulness.
Moderated by:
Lance Chung , Editor-in-Chief, GLORY Media.
Having leaders from organizations such as Mastercard, Moneris, and Tangerine participating in these conversations sends an encouraging message to Canada's entrepreneurs.
Small businesses may start with one person's vision, but their potential grows when an entire ecosystem believes in them.
Celebrating MINI TIPI: Entrepreneurship With Purpose
Among the many inspiring stories of the evening, one deserves special attention.
MINI TIPI , co-founded by Trisha Pitura and Mélanie Bernard, received the inaugural Canada Small Business 100 Small Business of the Year honour.
Based in Gatineau, Quebec, MINI TIPI creates textiles, blankets, and accessories featuring Indigenous artwork.
Through collaborations with Indigenous artists, the company celebrates cultural heritage while creating opportunities for artists to share their stories.
What makes MINI TIPI's journey particularly inspiring is that its success extends beyond commercial growth.
Its story reminds me that a business can pursue success while making a meaningful difference.
During the summit, co-founder Trisha Pitura also joined Lance Chung for a live recording of GLORY Media's Mission Critical podcast.
Their conversation explored MINI TIPI's entrepreneurial journey, its purpose, and its ambitions for the future.
As an entrepreneur myself, I find this particularly meaningful.
Building a successful business is one thing.
Building something that also creates opportunities for others is something truly special.
Congratulations to Trisha, Mélanie, and the entire MINI TIPI team.
Your recognition is a reminder that entrepreneurship can be a powerful force for meaningful change.
Thank You for Seeing the People Behind the Businesses
I want to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation to Lance Chung and the entire GLORY Media team .
Lance has spent years helping bring forward the stories of entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders through editorial storytelling and meaningful conversations.
Through initiatives like the Canada Small Business 100 and the Mission Critical podcast, he is helping create something incredibly valuable.
A platform where entrepreneurs can share not only their successes, but also the journeys that made those successes possible.
I strongly believe that storytelling has the power to inspire.
It's also one of the reasons I created WatchDNA.
Behind every brand, every watchmaker, every entrepreneur, and every successful company, there is a human story worth sharing.
A story that might inspire someone else to take a chance, pursue an idea, or simply keep going.
So, to Lance and the GLORY Media team: thank you.
Thank you for creating this initiative.
Thank you for recognizing the importance of small businesses in Canada.
And thank you for reminding entrepreneurs that their journeys deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated.
I also want to sincerely thank Mastercard for supporting this initiative and helping bring visibility to Canadian entrepreneurs.
Behind every business name on that list is someone who has worked incredibly hard, sacrificed something, and probably questioned themselves more than once.
Being recognized tells us that our efforts matter.
Success Is Not Always What We Imagine
When I began my entrepreneurial journey, like many founders, I imagined what success might look like.
Building a strong company. Working with respected brands. Creating something innovative. Making a positive impact.
Those ambitions haven't changed.
In fact, they've grown.
Today, Northern Watch Services Inc. and WatchDNA are part of a vision much bigger than the business I first imagined.
WatchDNA started with a simple idea: create a place where the watch community could discover, learn, share, and connect.
A platform bringing enthusiasts, brands, retailers, journalists, and industry professionals closer together.
What began as an idea has grown into an international community, with hundreds of brands, an expanding retail network, contributors from around the world, and new technologies that continue to push our vision forward.
Yet despite everything we've accomplished, there are still days when I feel like we're only at the beginning.
Grateful for the Journey. Excited for What's Next.
Nobody builds something meaningful entirely alone. Behind every entrepreneurial journey are family members who support us, clients who trust us, partners who believe in our ideas, and people who encourage us to keep moving forward.
For me, this recognition belongs to them too. To my wife and children, everyone who has supported Northern Watch Services, and the brands, retailers, contributors, and partners helping WatchDNA grow: thank you for being part of this journey.
I also want to congratulate the other 99 businesses recognized in the inaugural Canada Small Business 100. While our journeys may be different, we share the courage to take risks, overcome challenges, and continue building something we believe in. I hope this recognition creates opportunities for us to connect, support one another, and perhaps even collaborate.
Our businesses may be small, but our ambitions don't have to be.
To every entrepreneur reading this, remember that success rarely happens overnight. There will be setbacks, doubts, and moments when you question your decisions. I experience them too. But every conversation, every connection, and every small step forward matters.
Being recognized among Canada's Small Business 100 doesn't mean I've made it. I still have enormous ambitions, challenges to overcome, and plenty to learn. But today, I'm choosing to celebrate this milestone and appreciate the people who helped make it possible.
To GLORY Media, Lance Chung, Mastercard, and everyone involved in this recognition: thank you for giving small businesses like ours a moment to shine.
And to anyone building something they believe in: keep going. Celebrate the small victories, trust the journey, and never underestimate the power of taking one more step.
Because sometimes, the smallest recognition can provide the biggest motivation to keep dreaming.
