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`Dragon' Treliving says never give up in business by Nathan Howes Special to the Beaver 5 | Friday, October 24, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com If your business does not succeed in the first few years, it doesn't mean you should give up -- Boston Pizza didn't and owner and chair Jim Treliving has achieved much success since then. One of the five Dragons on CBC's reality TV show, Dragons' Den, Treliving was at the Oakville Conference Centre Monday to talk about the struggles he encountered when he first entered the industry and what entrepreneurs can do to make their businesses successful. The kickoff breakfast for Small Business Week (Oct. 19-25) hosted by the Oakville Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Business Development Bank of Canada, drew a sold-out crowd of more than 300 people. During it, Treliving sat down for a candid interview with former Chamber chair and Oakville businesswoman Wendy Rinella. Treliving admitted when he launched his first Boston Pizza restaurant in Penticton, B.C., in 1968, the first five years were a struggle. "A lot of that had to do with the fact that I didn't know anything about business. The other thing that was very different was that we had very little or no training at all," said Treliving. "We had to try it out and it was sort of a trial-and-error situation." weren't going to give up." "That's what you have to look at in business. We were trying to sell pizza at that time and we didn't have a lot of people over (the age of) 25 who wanted to eat it," said Treliving. George Melville, an accountant, joined him as his business partner in 1973 and the duo began opening Boston Pizza franchises across B.C. -- owning 16 restaurants by 1983. When the business was struggling, Treliving said Melville was a "very straight-forward person" who brought stability in the "sense of financial peace." "There was nothing wrong with the business, the customers were there, but we weren't able to take on more financiers. That's what he brought to the table," said Treliving. "I didn't want another me or another somebody who is similar to me. I wanted somebody that was the opposite." Since their partnership began, Treliving and Melville have grown their operation to more than 400 restaurants across North America and have invested in numerous other businesses across Canada and the U.S. see Passion on p.15 `Dragon' Jim Treliving kicked off Small Business Week for the Oakville Chamber of Commerce Monday during a breakfast at the Oakville Conference Centre. | photo by Justin Greaves ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/ HaltonPhotog) A STEP BEYOND IN CARE Do you have: Salima Kassam Reg. Chiropodist · Foot/Arch Pain? · Ingrown Toenails? · Diabetes? · Swollen Ankles? · Corns, Calluses? Looking back, Treliving said he was very focused on staying in the business, noting the biggest thing was determination -- "we just Call for an appointment 905-632-1414 728 Burloak Drive www.footandhealthclinic.com Voted Number 1 Financial Planner 11 Years LUNCH $ 18 · DINNER $ 28 T WO COURSES Peter Watson MBA, CFP, R.F.P., CIM, FCSI Certified Financial Planner Since 1991 DIAMOND 220 Randall Street · Downtown Oakville Phone: 905.842.2100 www.peterwatsoninvestments.com