Small Business of the Year Awarded to The Answer Company
The Answer Company is officially the 2020 Small Business of the Year for the 50+ Employees category with the CanadianSME National Business Awards. Our team across Canada and the US are extremely humbled to receive this recognition, as it is a representation of our dedication to our clients, our community, and our mission.
This Small Business Award was based on our consistent Corporate Social Responsibility efforts and agile responses through the pandemic to meet the needs of our clients and communities.
Our Fuel Through the Pandemic
Across various industries, many of our clients had to adjust their existing ERP or make additions to their tech stack to make a lot of their operations digital during the COVID-19 pandemic. In construction, firms needed a cloud solution with real-time synced data entry and access from virtual spaces. Whereas in professional services, making all services and documentation virtual called for an ERP with advanced accounting functionality and open API connectivity to other systems. And among all industries, shifting to a WFH model required systems with top cybersecurity measures in place. Overcoming each pandemic-triggered challenge with a client kept us encouraged and growing through COVID-19.
Through these unprecedented times, company growth was defined by a lot more than just revenue. Over 2020 and 2021, The Answer Company expanded into the US by opening an office in Portland, acquired Constructive Solutions for Business Inc., grew the company to over 120 employees, and received multiple Great Place to Work Canada awards. These new successes were nurtured by the collective efforts of The Answer Company team.
In a special feature in CanadianSME Magazine’s May 2021 edition, company Founder and President, Shawn Ostheimer, commented on winning Small Business of the Year, and shared a special message to other small business owners:
“At a time like this, we need to stand together so that we all can emerge from this pandemic more agile, resilient, and stronger than ever. We’ve always taken pride in our ‘People First’ approach and giving back to the communities we do business in. This has kept us going during challenging times and we encourage the small business community to continue to grow and support each other as we navigate through these foreign waters.”
Read Shawn Ostheimer’s full feature here.
About CanadianSME Small Business Awards
The CanadianSME National Business Awards recognizes the unique accomplishments and contributions of Canadian small businesses. This annual event is organized by the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, the number one source broadcasting stories and resources for Canada’s small business community. Recognized by the Minister of Small Business Export, Promotion and International Trade, the organization continues to be an inspiration for small and medium enterprises to continue pushing the Canadian economy forward. Stay updated with other SME leaders and stories by subscribing to the CanadianSME monthly magazine here.