Small Nova Scotia town offers Torontonian quality of life and a home for his business
Meet the health practitioner who brought Anchor Health Centre to Digby with help from CBDC
What’s meant to be will always find its way.
That’s the story of Digby based Edward Moore, an osteopath and kinesiologist. With his practice space, apartment, and a vacation rental in the same building in downtown Digby, Moore could not have imagined this nineteen years ago when he moved to Nova Scotia from Toronto to start his education.
He has been a sports enthusiast since he was a child and was curious about how the body functions. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology (the study of human movement) from Dalhousie University in Halifax. During the program, his physical condition saw a decline and that’s when he developed an interest in learning more about the human body.
After graduating, he stayed in Nova Scotia and worked with people with a variety of conditions. He used his kinesiology training to help his patients, aiming to balance muscle groups and improve lives. When Moore discovered osteopathy, he decided it was the perfect fit for him and pursued additional education and training to become an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner.
Discovering Digby
“I’m not originally from Digby. I came down here to visit a couple times in 2013 and that’s when I saw this building was for sale. There was a commercial office space on the main floor, and the second floor had an apartment and a vacation rental. It planted a seed as I saw a way to get started with my own practice in an affordable manner where I could live upstairs, work downstairs, and have the vacation rental to supplement the income,” says Moore.
After completing his Osteopathic training, Edward returned to Digby and saw that the building was still on the market.
He formulated a business plan and met with Wanda Pulley, a development officer at CBDC Digby Clare. “I presented the plan to her and she believed in me. She pitched it internally to the board of directors and it was approved,” adds Moore. Wanda has since retired, but the relationship with CBDC continues.
Community Business Development Corporations (CBDCs) are not-for-profit organizations that support the success of small businesses in rural areas by providing financing, training and advice to entrepreneurs.
CBDC helped Moore with financing to purchase the property. With their help, he bought the building in June 2015.
“Edward had issues finding financing from traditional banks because the property was residential and commercial. With our support he was able to purchase the building and then start Anchor Health Centre within that building. says Ryan Robicheau, a bilingual economic development officer at CBDC Digby Clare. Typically, banks don’t lend to a company unless they can provide two years of financial statements.”
“He’s from Toronto and we’re always welcoming people to help our community, especially in healthcare sector. So, it was good to have somebody from outside the province move into our little Town of Digby to start a business” adds Robicheau.
Building up the business
Moore renovated the office space with the help of local tradespeople to create a bright, welcoming clinic space with lots of room to work with clients. As a lifelong sports enthusiast, Edward sees himself as part of his client’s healthcare team. Anchor Health Centre specializes in decreasing pain while mobilizing, stabilizing, and strengthening the body.
Initially, Moore was concerned about how he would be received in a place where he was a newcomer. “I think that the biggest challenge for me was how I would be received, how many people would make appointments and whether I was going to be able to work enough to pay the bills and the overhead,” says Moore. However, the people in the area were very welcoming and gave him a chance to prove himself.
“People in this area are very hard working. So, when they’re injured or laid up, they’re searching for ways to get back to health. They value their independence and want to be out, moving, and free. They don’t want to be encumbered by injuries,” adds Moore.
Initially, it took him about six months to become fully booked and he hasn’t looked back. For Moore, helping his patients and keeping them happy was the best marketing strategy.
Early on he adopted strategies like visiting trade shows to acquire clients. “I was able to connect with people who were interested in my services. So, when I had my office ready, I contacted them and started out with 10 to 15 patients and kept on growing,” adds Moore.
“The clients that I’m able to help are happy to be moving again without pain. Word-of-mouth spreads if your patients are happy, which helps with marketing,” says Moore.
He also worked with a financial consultant from CBDC to grow his business.
A typical appointment is 45 minutes, involving an assessment of the tissues and range of motion. He checks what might be aggravating their symptoms and uses a variety of modalities to try and alleviate their pain "My goal is to get their bodies moving freely again" adds Moore.
Typically, he has patients who struggle with issues including disc herniations, lower back or neck muscle spasms, swelling, injuries from sprains and strains, lower back injuries, neck, and shoulder injuries. Many patients have fully recovered in four to six appointments with Moore’s assistance.
As for advice for other entrepreneurs, Moore says "If you're a dreamer, work on your plan and try to find people who believe in you and will help you achieve those goals. And for me it was Wanda at the CBDC.”
According to Rebecca LeBlanc, Executive Director of CBDC Digby-Clare, Moore is a well-known member of the community now.
“He married a woman from Nova Scotia and they are raising their family here in Digby. He runs a very successful and much needed business in the area. It’s good to have someone young move to a rural community and start his business in healthcare,” says LeBlanc.
~ Bhanvi Arora for Saltwire
Photo caption:
CBDC helped Edward Moore, an osteopath and kinesiologist, set up and maintain a healthy business in Digby.