Josie Niwranski Co-owner and general manager of Aerojet Turbine Reworks Inc. Richmond, British Columbia Propelling business growth Josie Niwranski is living proof that your career can take you in unexpected directions.

A registered nurse for eleven years, today she's co-owner and general manager of Aerojet Turbine Reworks Inc, a Richmond, B.C.-based company that specializes in the repair of jet engine turbine components for Allison 250 and Lycoming T53 Series engines.

"Sometimes life just leads you that way. I was good with people, and I knew I really wanted to get into business," says the entrepreneur who runs the growing firm with her partner and director of maintenance, Julio Epondulan. In 6 years, Aerojet Turbine Reworks has grown from a two-person shop to 11 employees, and offers capabilities such as welding, heat treating, non-destructive testing, plasma spraying and other repair processes to the demanding aircraft industry.

Building customer trust
Ask this entrepreneur what she feels is one of the key ingredients of the company's success today and inevitably the word "trust" will come up in the conversation.

"If people don't know you in the business, it takes a lot of convincing to get them to send you parts for repair. They'll start by sending you one or two parts. You do a good job and then slowly you build that trust," says Niwranski, who seems to take pride in her no-nonsense approach to business. It's not surprising that the company has had to focus on providing excellent customer service in an industry where the stakes are so high. "Equipment failure of course can be a disaster, so you really have to make sure you deliver," she explains.

Like many small business owners, the business duo did face some tough obstacles as a start-up. One of the first steps to getting the company off the ground was obtaining mandatory approval from Transport Canada, which sets rigorous standards for aircraft maintenance. "That meant lots of hours over a kitchen table writing manuals and quality procedures. It was new for us, and we had to learn along the way," says Niwranski. To get the company's approval in 1996, she says she and her partner also had to find the right building to house their shop and work out the complex logistics. "We have to consume a lot of power to operate, so we had to find a space that met those needs. When you're starting out, you have to be prepared to sweat a little," she adds.

Obtaining assistance
Financing their costly equipment was also a challenge in the beginning. "It didn't all come together easily at first. Once we had put together a five-year plan then the banks started paying attention to us," she says.

Today, the entrepreneurs' hard work is certainly beginning to pay off. The company has purchased an airflow testing rig and vacuum brazing furnace, which will make them one of the few businesses in Canada to own such equipment. "I can say that BDC is very helpful and understands us as a company. The equipment is costly but it's what we need to give even better customer service," she says. Niwranski and her team are also currently working with the BDC Consulting Group to implement ISO 9001. "It's a long, hard process but an important one for us. It means that internally, we will have more consistency and maintain quality in our work," she says.

Staying on top
So what does this entrepreneur do to keep the business growing? At the top of her agenda is focusing on quality repairs and customer service. "You have to put yourself in the shoes of your customers and make sure that they're getting exactly what they want. You have to be fair as well," she says, particularly in a company where one-on-one relationships are important. "We have a good reputation out there for quality workmanship," she says. "They know who they're dealing with and people know that they can trust us."

Niwranski and Epondulan also make efforts to stay on top of their industry and generate leads. "This is definitely a word-of-mouth business. But we also travel to trade shows to meet people and see what's happening," she says.

Since the beginnings of their company, the business duo has also built a strong business partnership. "We both have our strengths," she emphasizes. Epondulan, who has been in the industry since 1975, is focused on managing production, while she runs what she calls the "front office." "I'm the one that handles the figures and he's out in the shop. He couldn't do my job and I couldn't do his, but we understand each other," she says. Over the years, one of the things that has helped both of them maintain a good business relationship, she says, is open dialogue. "We talk a lot together and share the good with the bad," she says. Niwranski and her partner also share the same business values, such as integrity. "You have to agree on how you're going to run your business and stick with it."

"Partnerships have to be about give and take. It's kind of like marriage," adds Epondulan who values the fact that both he and Niwranski have a good chemistry. And today that chemistry is definitely yielding impressive results.