Excellence NB helping small businesses navigate tariff uncertainty

Many local Maritime shops are anxious amid the ongoing global tariff dispute.

Erica and Nick Dunn recently had a big opportunity to export their small batch BBQ sauce from Moncton to the U.S. However, even before tariff talk came up, they decided against it.

“We were humming and hawing about it and we just decided to go national in Canada first and it was almost like the universe was warning us to just stay in Canada,” said Dunn.

The owners of Dunn Right Sauce feel like they dodged a bullet, even though they decided against expansion, because they can just focus on the Canadian market for now.

“We would hate to not be able to get our sauce over to the States because of restrictions,” said Dunn.

With expansion to America on hold, the Dunns are receiving support from Excellence New Brunswick to hopefully find new domestic markets.

The not-for-profit organization helps small to medium sized businesses through a branding program, marketing activities and other initiatives like their annual People’s Choice Awards.

Executive director Nisha Viswanathan said there’s been a drastic increase in the number of small businesses contacting them for guidance since U.S. President Donald Trump threatened tariffs against Canada.

“Many of them are telling us that they were heavily reliant on the U.S. market for their goods and services,” said Viswanathan.

Viswanathan said they’re working with around 50 businesses right now to help them take advantage of the branding program so they can target new customers.

“We’re helping them build new markets within Canada. A new customer base here in Canada,” said Viswanathan. “We do not go into the U.S. at all. We’re building new markets for them within New Brunswick. New customers for them within New Brunswick.”

Excellence New Brunswick’s branding program was a big help to Alison Cornford-Matheson who is feeling a lot of uncertainty over Trump’s tariffs right now.

The owner of Fierce Lynx Designs in Public Landing, N.B., said about 92 per cent of her customers are currently in the U.S.

“So, if we’re doing counter tariffs here my clients could also potentially be hit with tariffs whenever they make an order from me,” said Cornford-Matheson.

What worries her the most is she imports gemstones for her jewelry from an American company.

“There’s no one here in Canada that does the kind of work that they do,” said Cornford-Matheson.

Excellence New Brunswick is helping her open things up for the local market and be less dependent on the American one.

“I’m entirely online so I rely on things like Excellence NB to help me get the word out there so people know that I’m here, I’m in New Brunswick,” said Cornford-Matheson.

Viswanathan said a lot of the business owners being helped by Excellence New Brunswick follow their passion and don’t necessarily have a large team or budget.

“We kind of act like a consultant for them and we help them curate their marketing and communication and target new customers,” said Viswanathan. “We help give them new direction and some guidance.”

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