ROB MURRAY: I’m speaking with Brenda Bonnet from Above & Beyond Esthetics and Advanced Foot Care in Canmore. Twenty years ago you started this organization. Congratulations on the big anniversary! What originally got you into this line of work and wanting to start up this business?

BRENDA BONNET: The first esthetician in Canmore, who left, she had a big clientele working out of Elli’s and asked me to take it on. I really liked it, and foot care caught my eye when I tried to do it and didn’t have enough experience. Thank God she was an aunt who said she wouldn’t sue me for the damages! I just kept learning, and whatever came out I traveled and took the courses.

RM: What about foot care really compelled you to continue learning about it?

BB: It’s something that I like because of the satisfaction people have after they have the experience of this advanced foot care. It’s something not like any pedicure. I also teach them what to do and pass it on. Once they do have a treatment, they book. Especially the men, the men are really my most faithful.

RM: Maybe I should book a treatment. I have bunions, I have really bad arches, and I’ve never really had a foot care kind of treatment before. What’s involved in this?

BB: I do an analysis of the foot. I’ve learned about the biomechanics and how to properly take care of those feet. They are the foundation of our body and we take for granted those feet that get up and carry us every day. When they start to misbehave, even at a young age, they cause calluses, corns, and ingrown toenails that are very painful. When you have happy feet, you’re happy yourself.

RM: You’ve had other providers come through there as well, haven’t you?

BB: I did. When I first started I worked above the Bank of Montreal. I opened up three treatment rooms, which was one of the first spas like that, and I attracted three doctors of Chinese medicine and energy healers that did all kinds of modalities. Back then, people were a little bit leery of these sorts of treatments. They were skeptical. Now I am in the Canmore Health and Wellness Centre where the first doctor of Chinese medicine rented from me. He’s since retired, I am now in his space, and it is just the best place to be.

RM: I’d imagine you’ve seen the business community evolve and change quite a bit overall in the last 20 years.

BB: It sure has. Having this 20 years and seeing what’s happened in this community, that it’s attracted a lot of wellness people here, I am just grateful and proud to be part of it.

RM: I’d imagine the last year or so has been one of the more challenging years to be a business operator. Have you been able to adapt to COVID? Are you able to currently operate under the current restrictions?

BB: When the shutdown happened the office was closed, and the Town phoned and said that because of what I did I was an essential provider and I could continue working, which was a blessing because there were people coming through the door with some pretty painful ingrowns and bad feet.

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