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Changing career paths ‘just lelt right' for local interior design business owner or Kathryn Blain. Fchanging career paths from financial plan- ning l0 interior design just felt right. The decision was the right one. as she was recent- ly awarded the decorative accessories and home decor retailer of the year award for 2004. Blain. who lives in Water, loo. is the owner of Signa- ture Interior Furnishings, a retail furniture and renova- tions store. "We certainly feel it's a privilege." Blain said. sitting on one of the designer couches in the Victoria Street showroom. She opened the doors to the store with her husband. Dan, in April 2001, and have been busy since. "You're not really focused on winning awards. but it's nice when it does happen." she said of the award she received on Feb, 24. Boasting a 15 per cent growth in sales each year since opening. Blain said more than 100 other busi- ness" qualificd for the same award. She first entered the Talenled students, along with two of Canada's heading profes- sional schools at the Uni, versity ofWaterloo, will hencfil from a $13 mil- lion donation annoum‘ml rcrcn1ly by "MOI inarwial ( 'ymup. “MOM gm includes, SHE-1.50010 launch the HMO rinanrial Group hcl1olarship Pmgram that will fund univrrsilyrwidt' murmur sl'huldlshnpx. " he}, priority for [hr um vvnm In .ulrzu Imp, mp Two uw programs will Iittmttflt tram BM!) donation In TIM Mummy For lhe ( 'hmnu'le _ igi) world of interior design in 1993. working for another retail outlet and studying a few ruumes in the trade to hone her skills. Blain said she has loved interior design since she was a child. "You get to a certain age-where you are reflect- ing in terms of what you've done, and where you want to go." Blain said. She made the decision to leave ftnancial planning and plan peoples homes. - Hi's aways interesting, and always challenging." she said. In 1999 she began draw- ing up the plans for her business. and opened the doors lwn years later. Recognizing a niche in the market for an upscale furniture company. she chose the location at 70 Vic- “W's School of Accountancy will receive 5300.000 and thc School of Architecture will rcct.ive Si75,500. The funding will benefit the upvralinns of llww width ly rcsprwtcd pmfvssional whrrrl,. students from across the country, ' lhr grin-mm 'rt il mshlps will makv " sig- nificant dim-mm 1' for Wan-dun and "s, stuthstt1s - " is, a solid inn-M mvnl In lhl' (Illurr. "Ou r. greatest reward is the customers..." - Kathryn Blain owner BUSINESS said UW president David Johnston. "The BMO Financial Group scholar- ships are a major contri- bution In Campaign Waterloo':, endowment goal of over $23 million for "r1dvrgraduaw srhol, sushipx." rhi- scholarship pro- gram will award $5.000 to mp sttulents min-ring university for llu- first tinw whn drmunslmlv a linzmi ml nvml Whvn loria ht. to house her busi ness. Only a matter of months before opening the store. she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. "That definitely was a challenge." she said. "It has been a good thing for me to have this (the store) happen." she said. "It gave me a lot of positive things to focus om" "We have all these peer ple we can call for creative aspects, nut just the staff at the front line." she said. For all renovation pro- jects, Kathryn said she supervises the contractors to the very end to ensure the quality customers are looking for. "For the last four years I've been fine. so it's a good thing." main employs a staff of five at Signature, as well as a number ofoutsiders. "Our greatest reward is the customers, the relation- ships we have forged." she said. Blain loves helping peo- ple create their own special space. For more information on Signature Interior Designs. visit the store's Web site at wwwsignature-interiors.ca . Continued on page 19 Forthe month ofA rit c, EverythJry,t/,,,,Ntlof.?,t,l1, Stores 2E%off fwcgggéezy . wrlkrw Tree . Chenshed Tubes 2s"NscNltutrmrst-otrr-ttero-orm-smsrtrrvt I ill// lll()()CHR0)Nlt'lF. I CARD & GIFT SHOP Slovo: Introduction to income trusts hanks to historically I low interest rates, income trusts have performed reasonably well over the last few years. pro- viding good results where other investment products have peered out As a result. many investors A dcpvnding on their risk 1oleranccs i are inrluding this type of inwslnwm in their pnrlfw Iinx I-ssvnlizllI}, llw uzly in whirl, a rmnpan} is slrmv tun-d wsults in [he rn‘aliun orm, incnmr trttsl. fiathcr than ixsmng shun's. a ( mnpdny can!» [Mu-s " pllhlil "th “hirh distriiuncs the lil\h “nu. gvm'nnml by tlu, iuv,iruss, In ikml's iltars tteids Chomhm The 3tuffedAnirrtat5tore I t K I a I I i o I GET 5TUFFED . virhihepuruc . and many more llu- 1mithrrlders l-nr tlw mus! purl. lnngr slnnding l'mnpnnil's with an ump|v and rcgular rush Mw ht't up Illt'tll'nl' [rush lhl-w fm‘lnn Pt'rrtut (hr .mwtessa cash Mw to be distributed as opposed to reinvested. Because of the frequent cash distributions, income trusts have become quite appealing to both conserva- The yields or yearly [mums nn incomc [rush have boon much higher than on hands and various other G.xed income invest- mulls. tive a investors, "(If thc 1ax-,ciiuts, invcstor, incunu' Innis offer another advantage. lhvy'n- mum lax cfficivnt. Hem-rally. returns on itwcstmvnts arr ciuegorircd as inrumt'. dividends. or Continued on page 21 ind aggressiye