Blair Hyslop

JA Alumni

Blair & Rosalyn Hyslop are being inducted into the New Brunswick Business Hall of Fame this year (2024). As a JA Nova Scotia Alum Blair agreed to share some of what led up to this honour.

What years were you in Company  Program?

On my gosh, I would say 1983 through 1987.

What did you do right after high school? 

I went to the university of Moncton to work on my French then transferred to SMU.

When did you decide to start your own business? 

My first business was a student venture I ran with another achiever my best friend at the time Nick Grady, we opened a Christmas tree lot in Dartmouth to pay for our tuition. In terms if Mrs Dunster’s we purchased it ten years ago. See story below.

How would you start a business when you have little knowledge on the industry? 

I worked in the corporate word for many years before buying Mrs Dunster’s with My wife Rosalyn, I would say that that experience gave us the foundation we needed to purchase and operate Mrs. Dunster’s.

What advice would you give young entrepreneurs to find success in their business?  

Despite what you see and hear on Social Media, it’s hard work running a successful business, be the hardest working person in the room. Be aware of your weaknesses and hire people that are smarter than you.

How do you stay motivated with everything you do? 

We have an awesome team that motivates us, I also belong to a number of peer groups of successful entrepreneurs and CEO’s that motivating. 

Additional news:

Blair has fond memories of growing up in Moncton, attending Aberdeen school and spending time at the family cottage in Caissie Cape. The youngest of three kids Blair saw my mother return to school,The Universite de Moncton, and start her degree while working the night shift on the switchboard at the Moncton Hospital. When she graduated from U de M, my family moved to Halifax in search of opportunities; although Blair had no idea at the time, in hindsight, it seemed obvious that his parents were in the process of slowly climbing out of poverty and in search of a better life for them and their three kids. 

In grade ten Blair’s life changed forever. While attending Mrs. Hunt’s grade 10 English Class at Cole Harbour High, a representative from Junior Achievement made a presentation to the students about the Company Program. At the end of the presentation, they handed out postcard-sized application forms for those interested in getting involved. Blair was going to learn about entrepreneurship, public speaking, leadership, and governance and embraced the program, winning awards along the way, including President of the Year and Achiever of the Year for Mainland Nova Scotia in 1987.

Meanwhile, in New Brunswick, Rosalyn McFate, the youngest of six, had a similar story of a child growing up in Golden Grove just outside of Saint John.

During High School, Rosalyn often felt directionless when it came to the future, which resulted in a lack of initiative or enthusiasm until a friend took her to a Junior Achievement meeting. Everything seemed to fall into place, and Rosalyn finally understood she was meant to be an entrepreneur, and she was finally with her people.

Rosalyn’s entrepreneurial talents were recognized by Junior Achievement in many ways.  She was chosen to attend several regional conferences for JA as she was one of a select few achievers to be chosen to attend the National Junior Achievement conference at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON, in 1987 and again at Western University in London, ON, in 1988. Rosalyn was also recognized by JA as the Achiever of the Year for the Province of New Brunswick in 1988.

Rosalyn, having graduated from KV High, moved to Halifax, NS and soon reached out to JA in Nova Scotia, offering her services as a volunteer. That same year, Blair moved back to Nova Scotia and, wanting to give back to JA, offered to volunteer for the organization. JA staff asked Blair to meet an achiever from New Brunswick who just moved to Nova Scotia (Rosalyn) at a local high school to go into classes to speak to the students about the company program.  

Blair and Rosalyn became program advisors that same year and soon started dating. On their first date, they talked about one day owning their own business. 26 years later, they purchased Mrs. Dunster’s, and over the past 10 years, the company has grown an average of 20% per year, together they have built Mrs. Dunster’s into the largest commercial bakery in Atlantic Canada with more than 275 employees.

One of the many things that Blair and Rosalyn have in common is that the first company they ever ran was a Junior Achievement Company. In 2018 they were proud to use their superpowers for good in bringing the JA Company Program to Sussex High School and were recognized as Volunteers of the year for JA that year, bringing their JA experience full circle.

Published on October 23, 2024
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