It didn't take long for Joanne Morrison to figure out what she wanted to do with her life.
"When I was kid one of the first things I would do is go to antique stores," she said. "So when I was allowed to take the bus, besides going skating, that's what I would do. And I thought I'd love to have a furniture store - like this one. I had no idea back then how you got new furniture because I was about 14. I read decorating magazines, put wallpaper on my boxes in the closet so they looked prettier. It's always been an interest."
Joanne has turned that early interest into a career, selling furniture for major stores and representing manufacturers. She even ended up marrying someone in the furniture industry.
In 2009, they purchased Couch Potato, at 14th and Pemberton. These days, Joanne shares the sales floor with Judy and Rita. Her son also helps with the store, making this even more like a family-run business.
The store's light, open space helps her customers get the right pieces in the right colours for the right rooms.
"We try to make it easy for customers," Joanne said. "We have all our fabrics in fairly large sizes and they are hung up so you can see them. It just makes them so easy to work with. We show a lot of styles on the floor and the sizes things can come in. Obviously we can't show them all, but we'll show a sofa and chair, but it also comes in a chair and a half, or an apartment sofa and a love seat. You choose a style for comfort and size in the room and then they get to pick a fabric. Some customers take the fabric home so they can see it in their own lighting."
As a small businessperson, besides connecting people with the right furniture, Joanne enjoys the variety of selecting styles and fabrics for the store, moving furniture and even keeping things clean.
"You really get to do it all," she laughed.
But the core of her work is still connecting people with the right furniture.
"It's really nice when we're doing well and I feel I've had an influence on that," she said. "We had this nice guy from Richmond call and ask if there is a Couch Potato closer to him and I said 'Sorry, no.' He had a bad back and was looking for a chair and ottoman. He made the trip here from Richmond and we looked at what would fit him best for size. Now he sends his friends here. When someone insists their friend has to drive all the way here from Richmond, that's really rewarding to know it meant that much to him."
Although some clients do hail from south of the bridges, the bulk of Couch Potato's business comes from the North Shore.
"People here are very loyal to North Shore businesses. We really see a range of people though - people just starting out, singles, young marrieds, couples who are downsizing. Lots of people are doing renovations right now."
GET TO KNOW JOANNE
What are your hobbies?
I love reading. I've always been interested in psychology and studying what makes people tick. I've been a Toastmaster for 25 years. I'm a past district governor. And I'm not a golfer, but I like putting.
What technology makes your life easier?
Our accounting software is attached to our accountant. It's more valuable for me to spend my time looking after our customers and making sure the store looks good.
Are you involved in any community groups?
The North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce.
What's the biggest advance in your industry?
Microfibre. People like it because cats don't claw it and it cleans well.
key to success For me it's about our customers' comfort and helping them to enjoy their home. When they tell their friends about us, that's my best reward!
