How winning Tales of Triumph helped Ocean Sports thrive and grow

Every small business has a story to share. Whether your story is new and growing or has been developing over time, small businesses like yours provide inspiration for your peers and community. Ocean Sports, an Edmonton-based business, owned and operated by Megan Plemel and her husband is a shining example of this. Not only do they deliver the best brands in scuba, snorkel, water-skis, wake boards and kayaks to their customers, but they were named a Canada Post Tales of Triumph small business contest winner in 2020.

Let’s catch up with Ocean Sports since their triumphant win!

Did you see a spike in business following winning?

Our online business has grown significantly since winning and we’re excited to see not only the volume increase, but the quality/lifetime value of the customers increase too.

What did winning Tales of Triumph mean to you, your team and your community?

Winning Tales of Triumph was a game-changer for us. It has allowed us to connect with people across Canada and deliver our white glove service to everyone, regardless of their geographic location.

Did the prize help your business grow?

The prizing was wonderful.  It gave us the freedom in a very difficult financial year/time to work hard at growing our online business and feel more confident with shipping.  Our volume with Canada Post has increased significantly since that time, in large part due to the prizing.  Canada Post continues to be our primary and most trusted shipping partner.

Reflecting back, would you recommend the contest to other small businesses?

Yes, I would definitely recommend this contest to any small business. The process was fantastic. At each step we had the chance to reflect on both the positives and the challenges we had experienced, so there was lots of growth just from entering. It also exposed us to many other small businesses across Canada and learn about their ingenuity and diversity. Regardless of whether we won the actual prizing or not, the takeaways were invaluable to us and our team.