By Kenzie Love
All In Skier Services is a shop that pays attention to details. Located at BC’s Fernie Alpine Resort, the shop’s members work with customers to upgrade their boots or fit them with the right demo gear to ensure the best possible experience on the slopes.
All In’s Members also wanted the best possible experience as workers. That’s why they set up as a co-op after the shop’s founder sold the business in 2019, believing that the people doing the work should be the ones reaping the rewards. And as a result, they’re happy to sweat over the little things, details that might go neglected in a conventional business.
“When people feel that they’re invested and they have a part of it, they care about it,” says cofounder Ross Janzen.
The worker co-op model, Janzen believes, isn’t just about maximizing profits. While the Co-op did recently finish its best winter season ever, its members’ focus has been on building something they can be proud of rather than chasing after money.
“When you feel like you’re working on something you have a part of, you care about the little things,” he says. “And that’s what I found has worked out really well for us.”
Janzen acknowledges the model comes with the challenges associated with shared ownership and governance. He has no doubt, though, that it’s the right one for the business.
“It might be a little bit more work,” he says. “But the payoff of us feeling like we’re invested in the business has more than made up for that.”
Janzen would also recommend the worker co-op model to others looking to convert from a traditional business model.
“I would reach out,” he says. “There’s a lot of people out there that are willing to help you make this happen. “And if you have employees that are interested in it, I think it’s only positive for your business.”
Of course All In still faces many of the same challenges that would confront any business of its kind, such as high rental costs for its storefront and a lack of business from April through September. While its members have considered options such as opening a second location in the nearby resort town of Kimberley or getting into the mountain bike business in the warmer months, they’ve ultimately decided neither of those ideas is worth pursuing at this point. Instead, they want to do what they can, with what they have, where they are.
“We really like the way the business is running,” says Janzen. “We really like the people we have involved, we really like our customer base, we like the lifestyle, we like everything about it.”