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TRANSCRIPTION WITH SPEAKERS
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[00:00] SPEAKER_01: Welcome to Canada's Podcast.
[00:05] SPEAKER_00: Hello, this is Cynthia Lockery from Canada's Podcast,
[00:10] SPEAKER_00: where we talk to entrepreneurs who are making it happen right here in BC.
[00:16] SPEAKER_00: Today, our guest is Andreas Holnerk.
[00:20] SPEAKER_00: Observing patterns in nature, people, and stone has greatly influenced Andreas' life and work.
[00:26] SPEAKER_00: In 2009, Andreas and his wife Naomi founded Ancient Art of Stone.
[00:33] SPEAKER_00: They helped people find balance, fullness, and connection by creating
[00:39] SPEAKER_00: soulful stonework on their Vancouver Island studio.
[00:43] SPEAKER_00: Welcome, Andreas, to Canada's Podcast.
[00:46] SPEAKER_00: I greatly appreciate you taking the time to share your entrepreneur journey with our listeners.
[00:53] SPEAKER_00: So why don't we start by you telling me a bit about yourself and Ancient Art of Stone?
[01:01] SPEAKER_01: Well, we design artworks for our clients from small to very large.
[01:08] SPEAKER_01: We lean more towards the larger installations.
[01:12] SPEAKER_01: They're all natural stone.
[01:14] SPEAKER_01: As little as possible, we shape the stone.
[01:17] SPEAKER_01: We do sculpting and shaping, but generally using the actual natural stones to create fireplaces, walls, mosaics,
[01:27] SPEAKER_01: all kinds of functional artwork out of natural stone.
[01:31] SPEAKER_00: And what's this behind you here? Is this one of your pieces?
[01:37] SPEAKER_01: This is one of our fireplaces, yes.
[01:39] SPEAKER_01: So you can see the signature sacred geometry that we apply in the work.
[01:44] SPEAKER_01: And all natural stone, except for the, we're all natural stone and not cut, except for the lentil and the mantle.
[01:51] SPEAKER_00: Oh, it's absolutely beautiful.
[01:53] SPEAKER_00: So what inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
[01:59] SPEAKER_01: My father was a businessman entrepreneur, and I never really fit in in the world with others.
[02:07] SPEAKER_01: So I always was thinking differently and I've always been drawn to being an entrepreneur.
[02:14] SPEAKER_00: So I'm curious. How did you get into stone work?
[02:22] SPEAKER_01: Funny story. I was living in Switzerland as a mountain guide and I went doing that because of a big accident where several people were killed.
[02:30] SPEAKER_01: And I thought, I'm not going to keep surviving this profession.
[02:34] SPEAKER_01: And I was on my way to Argentina from Switzerland and I stopped on Vancouver Island to see a friend and in that evening when I arrived outside in an animal out in the country.
[02:44] SPEAKER_01: It was in the dark and I was walking up to his house and I heard footsteps coming towards me.
[02:50] SPEAKER_01: And I responded or I said hello to the footsteps and the voice that I heard.
[02:54] SPEAKER_01: I heard an accident and I guessed Germans.
[02:56] SPEAKER_01: So I responded in German to have a good evening and the voice said back, always be German.
[03:02] SPEAKER_01: Would you help me in the morning if you're a traveler? Would you have time when I said sure I had no idea what he did?
[03:06] SPEAKER_01: And so he ended up being a master stone Mason and we went out in the country and we got some stones with him.
[03:12] SPEAKER_01: And I split them with him with a sledgehammer and that day led to another day.
[03:17] SPEAKER_01: And I missed my flight to Argentina. So I just stayed with him and apprentice to him for about six months to the master Mason.
[03:24] SPEAKER_01: And then I really became stifled by the rules and the traditions. I had different visions myself. And so I left him and carried on on my own.
[03:36] SPEAKER_00: And I read in your bio that you were the youngest quarry owner in Canada. How did you become a quarry owner and then how did you transition to ancient art of stone?
[03:51] SPEAKER_01: The quarry ownership began by going out into the mountains looking for stone for the projects with that master Mason first of all, which showed me that there's different kinds of stone that just stone out there.
[04:04] SPEAKER_01: And I still wonder what happened. I had a bit of an arrogant thought of I really need some big flat stone for this idea I have for an installation.
[04:13] SPEAKER_01: And I started going through the woods walking for 10, 15, 20 kilometers through the woods looking for what I might find, which now I tell you if you went and did that, you're crazy because the the the possibilities of finding flat stone, big ones on the middle of nowhere is very limited.
[04:30] SPEAKER_01: So anyways, I found flat stone. I walked for 30 kilometers over all this flat stone. I went and found up from the government that it was crowned land that I could claim the land because nobody had it and ended up claiming 20,000 acres of land.
[04:44] SPEAKER_01: And I controlled that land for many years. And so I began with a sledgehammer and a pick and I brought pieces out for my project and people in California heard about it saw it were interested. So I got an excavator and I got bigger pieces out and I got the permit to take that out.
[05:01] SPEAKER_01: It was a yearly permit, which led to 10,000 tons a year was the maximum you could take. But when you did more than that. So then I brought that to lease and the picking the first mining lease in British Columbia.
[05:15] Speaker UNKNOWN:
[05:16] SPEAKER_00: Wow.
[05:17] SPEAKER_00: So how did you go from the quarry to what you're doing now, which we see behind you for the listeners. It is a beautiful stone fireplace.
[05:29] SPEAKER_01: Working in the quarry is dealing with trucking excavators, blasting dynamite. It's kind of a macho thing and I love the stone. I didn't like all the roughness that came with extracting stone, but I loved what we could do with the stone.
[05:47] SPEAKER_01: And whenever I sold these truck loads of stone to say California would go and I'd share with them ideas of how they could use this don't so you could sell more.
[05:54] SPEAKER_01: And I found myself far more drawn to the process of what we could do with it than extracting it. So once we had around 50 employees, I sold the quarry and and stayed just with the installation design work.
[06:07] SPEAKER_00: Wow. I really, that's impressive. So is there one piece of knowledge or information about your industry that you think would be of interest to our listeners.
[06:20] SPEAKER_01: Well, I find that natural use of natural stone is diminishing at least the traditional use of it is definitely diminishing the using stone thin stone that we can just glue on.
[06:31] SPEAKER_01: And so it's hard to find people now that still work with the natural materials and its full, full form full size.
[06:41] SPEAKER_01: And I hope that some young people will still find that interesting and come and learn about that again. Still very common in Europe, but not so much here.
[06:49] SPEAKER_00: Interesting. So what are you most proud of in terms of the work that you do?
[06:56] SPEAKER_01: I'm not sure about proud. I just enjoy always looking for a new way of using it to always stay on the cutting edge of what can we do next and how can we push the envelope of what we're doing with this material.
[07:11] SPEAKER_00: Fascinating. What advice if you were to meet somebody who was just starting out on the wrong to per new journey and you're very far along that journey. Is there any advice that you'd share with them?
[07:23] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, a few things come to mind.
[07:27] SPEAKER_01: One would be be mindful who your friends are because I once heard someone say if you want to know who you are in 20 years, introduce me to your friends.
[07:37] SPEAKER_01: So be amongst people that have a mindset that you appreciate and also be open to mentors, people that are older than you that you admire, ask them, you'll be amazed how many older people will be willing to share their knowledge or their point of view with you.
[07:56] SPEAKER_00: I think that's so great being open to mentors instead of feeling like you have all the answers.
[08:03] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, you don't. You will have inspirations, but others can help you. But believe in your vision, like there won't be many, many people I had along the way that said, you're crazy, you can't do this, it'll never work.
[08:15] SPEAKER_01: Just ignore them. If you have it in your heart, just keep going eventually, you'll find yourself at the head of the pack because you've lost so many people that competed with you are trying to copy you, they'll drop away eventually as long as you have it in your heart, you will get there.
[08:29] SPEAKER_00: Oh, that's so inspiring. Now let's talk about what it's like to work in BC, we're both entrepreneurs in BC. What are some of the benefits of having your business based here?
[08:42] SPEAKER_01: I find the main benefit is the environment, the beautiful place that we live, it's very inspiring, the nature of the birds, the animals, the whales and the ocean.
[08:55] SPEAKER_01: Living here is absolutely stunning. But we rarely actually have clients here, our clients are mainly American.
[09:02] SPEAKER_01: And so the best of both worlds being near the border, we go and we work with the Americas, they have these big visions, they love the work that we do in the big projects.
[09:12] SPEAKER_01: We propose big things and they're like, oh, that's fantastic. But around here that generally doesn't happen. So we get to live amongst these nice people in this beautiful environment and then head south and do our work, our actual installations in the United States.
[09:26] SPEAKER_00: And what I find so interesting about the work that you do is you're creating most of the pieces like the fireplace behind you, like your other work in your studio here in Vancouver Island and how long to take to install once you're in someone's home.
[09:45] SPEAKER_01: Our generally one day to install our pieces and I doubt it takes more than that usually one or two days at most, depending on how prepared they are at their end.
[09:55] SPEAKER_01: But part of working in our studio and creating everything it also adds to the business mystique because the people feel like not only they get a piece of us, they also get a piece of Vancouver Island that whole the entire piece shows up from here.
[10:10] SPEAKER_01: So it's really helped our business to work that way in that model.
[10:13] SPEAKER_00: I think that's fascinating. Now let's talk about the drawbacks of being based in DC. Is there any challenges that you have?
[10:25] SPEAKER_01: I suppose there could be, but we've found our way through everything. We're surrounded by nature. We a lot of materials we get from here others we bring in, but maybe there's a there's a lack of skills professionals in what we do.
[10:38] SPEAKER_01: But that could be anywhere depending where you land because we're very specialized in in our work.
[10:44] SPEAKER_00: Yes, you definitely are.
[10:47] SPEAKER_00: Now, if you were moving to a new community and starting over what advice were you give to how would you find a foothold in that community?
[10:59] SPEAKER_01: That's a good question. I don't know. I just sort of personally have peeled my way in the community to who I would relate to and start creating a network around me of people that will be supportive of what we do personally and professionally.
[11:17] SPEAKER_00: Now, let's talk about your successes and challenges. How do you define success and more importantly, how do you celebrate it?
[11:27] SPEAKER_01: I suppose we'd define success in the reaction from the client when we're finished the technical engineering, all those things we've done it so many times we we know our challenges lie usually and we figure them out.
[11:42] SPEAKER_01: But often say if the, if it's a husband and wife, the wife is very connected to the spiritual ethereal.
[11:52] SPEAKER_01: The beauty of it and the husband will often be more into the largeness of the engineering, the strength.
[12:01] SPEAKER_01: But a funny thing for me is if that husband cries at the end, that would be one of the strongest reactions that I could get and it does happen sometimes and even I get an apology but I don't cry and it's okay.
[12:12] SPEAKER_01: It really feels successful. I don't have to.
[12:14] SPEAKER_01: But it when they give such a strong reaction, I think we've succeeded down.
[12:19] SPEAKER_00: And I heard a rumor that you recently won an international award for your work.
[12:24] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we won the best in the world award for interior installation of natural stone two years in the road now.
[12:32] SPEAKER_01: So we were in Las Vegas receiving our award last month.
[12:35] SPEAKER_00: Congratulations. That's that's amazing and that here you are on Vancouver Island winning, you know, global award.
[12:45] SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
[12:47] SPEAKER_00: Now as an entrepreneur, sometimes we experience fear and doubt. How do you deal with fear and doubt?
[12:54] Speaker UNKNOWN: I think it's okay.
[12:56] SPEAKER_01: It comes, but I am mindful that it's that it's there and I push it aside and focus on the task at hand.
[13:06] SPEAKER_01: I find I'm most successful when I'm dealing with literally the task at hand, the physical challenge or if it's psychological if there's something a communication or something, then deal with it and get it, get past it, but don't sit and dwell thinking about it.
[13:20] SPEAKER_01: And if you can't deal with it in that moment, then don't think about it deal with something else.
[13:24] SPEAKER_00: Well, that is good advice.
[13:27] SPEAKER_00: Where do you see your business in five years?
[13:31] SPEAKER_01: Well, we've envisioned a very huge project in the 100 to 200 million dollar range and we're in discussions with clients for that right now.
[13:40] SPEAKER_01: And if we get on that project, it will take about five years to build it. So that's where we see ourselves.
[13:45] SPEAKER_00: Oh, I will definitely be following you to see how that progresses.
[13:50] SPEAKER_00: In terms of routines, entrepreneurs, we know a lot of entrepreneurs have certain routines that they have in place. Is there any routines that you have that help you stay focused or help you start your day?
[14:04] SPEAKER_01: I think I'm maybe a little bit different that way. I don't know that I have a routine. I like to be positive when I wake up and get outside into nature as quickly as I can.
[14:14] SPEAKER_01: Our studio is set in nature and once I'm out there, it just it flows from there.
[14:19] SPEAKER_01: So the one thing I insist on is enough sleep so that when I wake, I'm aware awake and ready to go.
[14:26] SPEAKER_01: And I'm very, very inspired, but what we do, like every single day, I'm a very happy driven, motivated person. I just love what we're up to.
[14:38] SPEAKER_00: And if you weren't doing what you were doing now, what would you do?
[14:43] SPEAKER_01: I couldn't imagine doing anything other than what we're doing right now. So it covers all the basis for me being in the outdoors and creating, being artistic and meeting very unique people. I literally can't imagine doing anything else.
[14:57] SPEAKER_00: And that's, you know, that's the best part of being an entrepreneur. You get to choose your journey.
[15:02] SPEAKER_00: And so in terms of work life balance, I mean, it sounds like you've got good work life balance. What do you do to keep that in line?
[15:15] SPEAKER_01: I don't have a routine for that, but I do try to keep in mind the children and Naomi my wife now work with Naomi. So we get to be together.
[15:24] SPEAKER_01: But sometimes the projects are very intense and they're seven days a week because there's a deadline to be installing and other times we get to break that apart with a nice three, four week holiday.
[15:37] SPEAKER_01: So it's more of an internal gut feeling of knowing when you need to back off of it or when we need to lean into it.
[15:43] SPEAKER_00: And the fact that your studio is based in nature, does that give you that gives you so much inspiration? I imagine.
[15:54] SPEAKER_01: It's vital. Yeah. I mean, I realize I'm spoiled by our studio, but that's from a lifetime of building up and working towards having that, but now the studio is set in 15 acres and bald eagles that live in the trees outside and bears walk by sometimes swan spend the whole winter in the field.
[16:11] SPEAKER_01: It's very inspiring there.
[16:15] SPEAKER_00: Is there any advice that you've received that this helped you that you'd want to share with other entrepreneurs?
[16:27] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, just as many, but one would be really to be to believe in yourself.
[16:32] SPEAKER_01: If you have this spark, this vision about something believe me, it is unique to you. You might think others have it, but if you have it, it's very unique to you, even if somebody has something similar stick with it.
[16:45] SPEAKER_01: And there'll be times where it seems impossible and other times where it seems easy. It's all part of it. It all comes out in the wash.
[16:51] SPEAKER_01: Just stick with it and be flexible as you go. You might have a vision that you're headed here, but ultimately you might end up just to the left of the right. That's okay, but just stick with it.
[17:01] SPEAKER_01: You'll just become better and better at whatever you're doing.
[17:07] SPEAKER_00: And is there anything that keeps you up at night?
[17:13] SPEAKER_00: Both positive or negative?
[17:15] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that sometimes I will stay up all night and that is because I can get so excited about what we're doing, but I just can't leave it alone.
[17:24] SPEAKER_01: I just got to either keep working at it physically or work on some drawings.
[17:29] SPEAKER_01: And I can sometimes worry about a challenge, but I become quite comfortable with knowing that if I actually sleep, often those answers come in my sleep and I wake up and off.
[17:40] SPEAKER_01: There it is. It was there's always right in front of me. So I think the main thing that keeps me up is being just so excited that I just can't stop.
[17:47] SPEAKER_00: I love how you're so passionate about the work that you do and that it just flows.
[17:55] SPEAKER_00: So in wrapping up is is there anything else you want to add before we leave today?
[18:03] SPEAKER_01: I hadn't mentioned my wife Naomi.
[18:06] SPEAKER_01: A very big part of the success is Naomi and the synergy between us.
[18:11] SPEAKER_01: If I were to give advice to someone, I would encourage the Unified a partner that that encourages you in that that there's a synergy there.
[18:19] SPEAKER_01: We're not always all that lucky, but I am and that's a very big part of my success.
[18:25] SPEAKER_00: Great. And people can find you at ancient art of stone com.
[18:29] SPEAKER_00: Yes.
[18:31] SPEAKER_00: Well, thank you for taking the time to share your insights with us today. I know I've learned a lot.
[18:39] SPEAKER_01: Thank you for speaking with me.
