Career Connections helps local businessman Timmy’s Only

April 18, 2012

Once addicted to crack cocaine and living on the streets of Calgary, Tim Barber is now owner of a growing business. He attributes some of his success to Bow Valley College's Career Connection.

Recommended by a friend, Tim came to Career Connection a year and a half ago to help turn his life around and start work on his resume. As he became more acquainted with the career coaches, he shared his idea to start a food and coffee delivery service, called Timmy's Only Delivery, in the downtown core.

"They started giving me information and helping me create flyers to promote my business," says Tim. "I was just so motivated through the whole process."

Tim Barber (left) and his business partner Chris Morris. (Screenshot of the Timmy's Only website.)

Tim accessed computers at the Calgary Public Library and Career Connection to perfect his promotional material and launched his business in January 2012.

"My business is just over a month old, and I've been told I'm at where I should be at six months," says Tim.

With the slogan, "feel the warmth without the wait," Tim and his business partner Chris Morris, wait in line to purchase coffee or food for their customers for a small fee.

His Career Coach Jill Nikiforuk thinks Tim has a lot of great qualities that make him a good businessman and entrepreneur.

"Tim is very good at networking — he's resourceful and extremely appreciative of any help he receives," says Jill. "Tim is always coming up with good ideas and always trying to improve his marketing efforts and customer service."

"His is a very personalized service and that's awesome."

Tim is looking into post-secondary or training programs at BVC to help him grow as an entrepreneur and gain some computer-based skills on programs such as Microsoft Excel.