Business Just A Game For Entrepreneur

The Cape Breton Post:

Matt Swan was looking for a way to build a local business that would enable him to stay home in Cape Breton, earn a living and spend more time with his young family.

One day, he was looking at a common local image made up of lines and squares, and it hit him: business is just a game. Well, at least that’s true in Swan’s case.

“I was looking at the Cape Breton tartan and thought that would make an interesting checker board,” he said.

He finally settled on a cotton cloth game board, wood doweling rack for the wooden checkers and a clear plastic waterproof carrying case. A printed sheet of instructions, with a description of the Cape Breton tartan, is included.

Swan prints the game boards and he and his wife, Shannon, assemble the game parts at their home on Rudderham Road in Point Edward.

The printing process is a trade secret. But Swan said the best part about his product is that he can customize the game board for any use, including tourist operations, corporate promotions or conventions.

Now, Swan sells the Cape Breton checkers game from his home and it is available in more than 20 retail outlets in and around the island.

Photo by Tom Ayers – Cape Breton Post.