Upcoming production spotlights Winnipeg artisans

Think Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, but for Winnipeg artisans instead of U.S. eateries.

That was Amanda Buhse’s pitch to Rogers. Television executives approved.

Now Buhse, whose Coal and Canary candles have landed in Hollywood swag bags and Manitoba markets, is hitting the road with a camera.

She aims to produce an eight-episode series called Made in Winnipeg. It will air on Rogers TV this fall, by current timelines.

“There’s this world of mass production and one-click ordering,” Buhse said. “I think there is something really special about meeting people who still create things with their own hands.”

Buhse said she’s been thinking about launching a show for years.

The idea percolated as she sold candles at markets such as Third + Bird and Scattered Seeds. She’s met scores of fellow entrepreneurs. Coal and Canary began in 2014.

And over the years, Buhse’s platform has grown: Coal and Canary has a storefront at The Forks; she co-hosts a business podcast called The Exec Hotseat; she’s the current Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce chair.

She was a guest on another Rogers TV series, called The Empower Women Show, earlier this year. The host connected Buhse with network producers.

“I love to know people’s stories,” Buhse said. “For me it’s, I think, a natural progression.”

Buhse asked for her own show and got the green-light — provided she films and edits. She’s not getting paid.

“It’s just something I think is important,” she said. “Some of the most inspiring stories in our city do happen kind of quietly behind the scenes. I really want this show to give those voices a platform.”

She’s planning to spotlight two entrepreneurs in each 30-minute episode. Sit-down interviews will be intertwined with reels of makers at work.

However, narrowing the list to 16 businesses is tough, Buhse said.

She put a call on social media for people to recommend Winnipeg companies. Within a week, she’d received around 600 comments to her posts.

Buhse wrote each business down and spent time dissecting. She wants a diversity of backgrounds and types of products, she said.

“It’s a good challenge,” Buhse added. “If it goes well, maybe I’ll do a second season and then be able to include a lot more of those people.”

She’ll finalize entrepreneurs for the show this week. Booking filming dates comes after, Buhse said.

Chandra Kremski, founder of Third + Bird, figured Buhse could spend years filling her slots.

Third + Bird holds more than 180 vendors at its biggest markets; it can’t fit all its applicants. There’s been a steady uptick in makers over the market’s last 18 years, Kremski said.

“I think this is only going to continue to amplify and bring more attention to incredible businesses that exist in our neighbourhood,” Kremski said of Made in Winnipeg.

“There’s so many amazing people, not only across Winnipeg but across Manitoba that (Buhse) could showcase. I’m really excited to see who makes her debut.”

Jhocelin Gilbert shares Manitoba business stories through her social media account, La Paila Canada. She met Buhse at a networking event two years ago.

Buhse has become a “reference point” for growth and impact, said Gilbert, who runs a seasonings company called Dominican Flavours.

“At the end of the day, people connect more with people than with logos or companies,” Gilbert wrote in an email. “As business owners, we become part of our brand story.”

Small retailers compete with online shopping. Many try to find creative ways to draw customers, including via in-store events, workshops and cross promoting with other local companies, said Brianna Solberg, a legislative affairs director for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

“Customers increasingly want to know who they’re buying from,” Solberg said. “Business owners themselves being more the face of the brand has become a major advantage for small, independent businesses.”

Buhse expects to share more details about her show, including an air date, through her social media accounts.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com