Account Login
Don't have an account? Create One
From polos and lip balm to yoga mats and gardening gear, D’Costa Marketing has been customizing a wide range of promotional products for nearly four decades. What started as a one-man operation slowly became a small team to fulfil orders for their growing list of clients. Still a family-owned business, the promotional products company now serves customers across Atlantic Canada and beyond.
Getting started
D’Costa Marketing was first established by Michael D’Costa in 1986 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. After years of working for the military, D’Costa felt it was time for a new adventure and decided to start his own company. Having dealt with promotional product companies throughout his military career, he was never impressed with their customer service. So, he saw an opportunity.
From a small office on Isleville Street, D’Costa built a promotional products company from the ground up. To find clients, he initially tapped into his military contacts and then started cold calling—the old-fashioned way without the internet. As he grew his business in the early days, D’Costa worked 16 to 18-hour days and lived off his military retirement. Eventually, he became known for his honesty and dependability, and D’Costa built a small team and a roster of regular clients.
Changing times
About 10 years into the business, Kim Benoit joined D’Costa Marketing, becoming Michael’s partner in business and life. Reflecting on how the industry has evolved, Benoit-D’Costa says while product trends often follow retail fads, the most dramatic shift has been in turnaround time. When she started in the industry, email was in its infancy. Instead of sending logos or artwork electronically, physical copies were printed and shipped to factories. Proofs of branded products were then sent and approved by fax. The process would take four to five weeks, but now takes about two.
Another big change occurred in 2003 when D’Costa invested in a new digital order entry system. The comprehensive system allows their team to enter and process orders, add notes about clients, review past orders, and more. Instead of filing cabinets full of paper, everything is stored digitally, and the system has allowed D’Costa to maintain a lean team.
In 2016, Michael decided to retire, and Kim took over the business. Having worked together for decades, it was a natural transition as Benoit-D’Costa continued to grow operations.
Still branding
Today, D’Costa Marketing continues to operate in Bedford, Nova Scotia. While the company still has a small office, Kim and long-time employee Nicole Spierenburg primarily work remotely. While they’re currently working well as a team of two, looking towards the future, Benoit-D’Costa says they may eventually hire additional sales and customer support staff to grow. And when Kim is ready to retire, plans are already in place for Spierenburg to take over.
Looking back on nearly four decades in business, Benoit-D’Costa says it’s all thanks to their loyal customers. “We still have clients I started working with almost 30 years ago”, she commented. “It’s one of our strengths—our client retention is 96 per cent.”
More Flashback Fridays:
• For more Web Exclusives, click here.
Comment policy
Comments are moderated to ensure thoughtful and respectful conversations. First and last names will appear with each submission; anonymous comments and pseudonyms will not be permitted.
By submitting a comment, you accept that Atlantic Business Magazine has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner it chooses. Publication of a comment does not constitute endorsement of that comment. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.