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In Focus | Colleen Becker of FRAKAS Shop For Women

Colleen Becker moved here to open a new location of her business, FRAKAS, Shops For Women, in 2007. FRAKAS opened its first location in Saskatoon 11 years ago, and the second location in downtown Saskatoon 8 years ago. Colleen's sister, Randeen and her husband , Leon are now the managing partners in Saskatoon. FRAKAS seeks to provide women with a way to express themselves through affordable and fun fashion, clothing, accessories, jewelry and girly gifts. Colleen loves to travel and is looking forward to visiting her son in Thailand where he will meet her when he takes a break from typhoon relief work in the Philippines. Today Colleen and FRAKAS Shops For Women are In Focus.

What do you always find yourself saying?
No worries :)

If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select?
My 19 yr old son , Dane (He is in The Philippines volunteering after the typhoon hit. I miss him)

If you were to receive any existing public award, what award would you like to win?
A Humanitarian Award

If you could spend a day with any historical figure, who would you choose?
Nelson Mandela. I'd like to ask him why he would give up his family for an entire country?

Who inspires you?
All the people in 3rd World Countries with huge smiles.

What are 3 things on your bucket list?
1. Run a Marathon- check
2. Become a Scuba Diver - check
3. Travel the world - in progress

Please tell us about a defining moment in your life.
1. The death of my father. 2. My 1st trip to Rural Africa

If you had an enormous yacht, what would you name it?
"Huge Waste of Money" . I would never own a big yacht. People starving in Africa....Really?!?

If you could foresee a single day of your future in its entirety, what date would you select?
None. Life should be a mystery.

What are you passionate about?
My son. During the time of building my business, I always put raising my son first. He has always been my pride and joy, and right now he is a major source of pride for my husband and I , as we see the man he has become, and witness his actions. He is making a difference in the world. What more could we ask for?!

What has been your favourite day of your life, up to this point?
The birth of my son!

What has been your proudest accomplishment?
Raising such a compassionate and wise-beyond-his-years human being.
With a big thanks to his father, our extended families, great schools and communities.

Where is your favourite place to dine in Kelowna?
BonFire Grill at The Cove in West Kelowna. We boat over in the Summer and enjoy lunch on the patio while basking in the sun.

What is your favourite activity or event in Kelowna?
Time on the lake, cycling, and all things outdoors.

What is the name of your business/organization?
FRAKAS, Shops For Women.

What does your business/organization do?
FRAKAS opened its 1st location in Saskatoon 11 years ago, and the 2nd location in downtown Saskatoon 8 years ago. I expanded to Kelowna in 2007. My sister, Randeen and her husband , Leon became our managing partners in Saskatoon in 2011.

Where can people find you or your business online?
http://www.frakas.ca

How do people connect with you on Linkedin?
Colleen Becker (but I use Instagram and Pinterest more for the business, found at "frakas" )

Where can people find your business on Facebook?
http://facebook.com/frakasboutique

What is your Twitter account?
@frakasboutique

What is your mission?
To provide women with a way to express themselves through affordable and fun fashion, clothing, accessories, jewelry and girly gifts.

If you could achieve one thing within your field, what would it be?
To be a role model and mentor to other women entrepreneurs

Where do you want your business/organization to be in 5 years?
A thriving happy place for women to shop.

Who do you consider to be a forerunner within your field?
TopShop

What 3 qualities do you feel that your business/organization exemplifies?
Uniqueness- We want women to feel they can come here to find their unique style and to see something different. (Example: MInkPink- a line of clothing from Australia, can only be found at Frakas in both Kelowna and Saskatoon)We offer many one-of-a-kind pieces. Customers can come to us with that unusual item on their wish list and we will do our very best to find it on one of our many buying trips around the world.
Creativity - Our stylists can come up with many ways to rock a new outfit, and accessorize creatively. We support the customer in being creative.
Integrity- We run an honest and trustworthy business, on both sides. Suppliers are paid on time and treated with respect. Customers will be delivered honest, sincere, and above-and-beyond customer service. We strive to see a smile on our customers face, and hope they come back not only for the product we offer, but for the people who serve them.

What would you like to say to your employees/volunteers?
Thanks! An especially huge thanks to my Saskatoon Partners, Randeen&Leon, my husband, Allan for all his behind-the-scenes help, and to Carleigh & Rachel for working so hard to help us make this a success!

How does your business/organization impact the community?
Frakas is a sponsor of community events such as The Heart&Stroke Red Dress Event, The Festival of Trees, and various small organizations. We have donated money to a girls school in Africa, and sponsor a young girl in Africa.

What makes you successful? Tell us about it.
My indomitable spirit! I believe there is success in all of us. If you set your mind to something, you can achieve it.

If you were trapped in an elevator with several wealthy investors from any field, which field would you want them to be experts in? What would say to them/talk about?
I would choose a diverse group of investors like the ones on Dragon's Den or Shark Tank. They all come from different backgrounds and now invest in such a diverse mix of businesses. I would like to ask them which investments worked and which ones didn't, and why.

If I could change 1 thing about Kelowna, it would be:
I would like to see Kelowna become a more welcoming place for newcomers. We could take a few lessons from those Prairie folk:)

What do you think makes Kelowna great?
Kelowna is a beautiful city surrounded by beautiful orchards, a gorgeous lake, stunning views, great weather. Kelowna is an active, out-doorsy and fit city.

My choice for the Kelowna In Focus spotlight is:
Val LaRue of Hyde Park Hair Salon

Some general comments I would like to share are:
The past 11 years of running Frakas, has been quite a journey and test to my strength. Deaths in the family, a husband having a Kidney transplant, a partner who donated that kidney, a knee replacement, and the list goes on. So many of life's challenges that take you away from the business. Then there is the balance of personal & business. A business can consume you. You are never done work when you own a business. When people ask me what is the hardest part about running a business, I always say "having a family" . It would be easy to be a work-a-holic, but when you are a mom, you must prioritize every step of the way.
My son is now grown up and my husband spends time working away from home. Life has changed, and now its time to re-prioritize, and be careful to not spend every waking moment (and many sleepless nights) working on the business.
I am thankful that I live in the modern world, as I would otherwise not be able to run 3 locations and a web store from my beautiful city of Kelowna. Thanks to technology this is all possible.
Now its time to work on my final bucket list item and travel the world. I have many plans and will squeeze in travel where ever I can. Starting next month with a trip to Thailand to meet up with my son who will take a break from his volunteer work in The Philippines.

In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition for the people, businesses and organizations that help make our city great. The team at KelownaNow.com is passionate about this community and the people that make it amazing. We want to show our friends, neighbours, family and colleagues that we notice them and the fabulous things that they do. We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below, and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE. Thank you, Kelowna!



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