Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:00 Good morning for McMurry wood, Buffalo, and the rest of the world. You've tuned into the Mac city morning show. I am your host, Elliot Pierre, and we're going to start the show off the way we always do with a little bit of gratitude. Thank you so much for tuning in. I know you could be doing a million other things with your time. So the fact that you're spending a portion of your day with us truly does mean the world to me on that note, Tanner hit him with the intro.
Speaker 1 00:00:23 Oh, she caught me, loves near listen to the next <inaudible>
Speaker 0 00:00:33 All right. And we're back. Okay. I'm excited to talk to this lady. She's just a lot of fun. I know it's going to be a good episode. Lots of laughs. Lots of stories. She's done a whole bunch of things in her life. So get ready to go on a bit of a ride with us today. As per usual, I do not introduce our guests. I let them do that themselves. So on that note, can you please introduce yourself to the people at home? Sure.
Speaker 2 00:00:53 Well, first I'd like to thank you Elliott for inviting me on the show. Welcome. I'm Tanya thistle and I'm the owner of the Fort McMurray laser lounge. Uh, I've been in Fort McMurray for 21 years now. I, uh, am a single parent of a 13 year old girl and I super love my job.
Speaker 0 00:01:16 There you go. Love it. Okay, so let's just get into it. Tell me about the laser lounge, please. What happens there? What do you do? What are the services that you offer?
Speaker 2 00:01:25 So we have many services. Uh, it's just kind of like if there's something out there that's new and trendy and if I feel like I need it myself, I will buy
Speaker 0 00:01:36 It. Right. It's kind of like, if I want
Speaker 2 00:01:38 It, then I was like, okay, I'm going to bring this into the spa. That's awesome. So our main service is laser hair removal and, uh, I that's really popular right now. Uh, especially for guys. They don't want any chest hair or any back here. Um, Mia, the Brazilians are really Poplar. Um, yeah, so I'm quite busy with that and that's, uh, overtime, it's, you know, you do so many sessions and over time it's permanent hair removal, interests, great women don't have to shave their armpits or her legs, so. Okay. Yeah. So that's one service. Yeah. And then, uh, we do photo facials. And with that, it's I say to people, anything red, anything Brown, so we can help with, uh, rosacea. We can help with, um, those, um, what we call them is, um, age spots, sunspots, dark spots, spots around the fees. We can remove those with a photo facial and just helps with overall pigmentation issues.
Speaker 0 00:02:47 Okay. And then you were telling me about this machine, that tightens things up. Tell me like that. That is very interesting to me. I didn't even know this was a thing
Speaker 2 00:02:55 And the Venus freeze, um, the Venus has been around for a while, has been quite Poplar. The Kardashians have done it on their show. It's been on the doctors show, that sort of thing. And what it does is it uses a radio frequency to tighten the skin on the body and also on the face on the face and the neck.
Speaker 0 00:03:19 Okay. Yeah. So that was pretty cool. I didn't know. You could tighten up, uh, by basically just using a tool
Speaker 2 00:03:24 And it's super comfortable. It's like a hot rock massage for the body. Yeah. Yeah. It gets quite hot. And uh, once it gets to a point that it's uncomfortable, they just say hot and I make adjustments and yeah.
Speaker 0 00:03:37 Nice. Nice. Now this business that you have, how long have you owned this here in town? We're coming up on three years.
Speaker 2 00:03:44 That's where they, uh, Fort McMurray laser lounge. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:03:47 So now I know a little bit that the people at home don't know, but you have not always done this, so let's go all the way back. Oh my goodness. What brought you to Fort McMurray as far as a job to begin with? Like what were you doing when you first got here?
Speaker 2 00:04:01 So initially out of high school, I became a licensed practical nurse and I worked a couple of years at our hospital. I went back to school, I got a diploma in it. Information technology came to Fort Mac. Uh, once I got in Fort Mac, I got a job, uh, on new millennium project, 2000. Yeah. As a data entry clerk, I think. And from there I got to say they were really good to me. Suncor, uh, hired me as a project controls, cost analyst. And I worked at that. I was doing studies in the university of Iowa to be a certified cost control engineer, uh, which Suncor was paying the whole thing for that. And then in 2007, I got pregnant. So I stayed home with my daughter and her father. And I, we ran a, uh, company together. It was, um, we have water trucks, back trucks and that sort of thing. It was a nice lucrative business. And then after we separated, I, um, ended up becoming a mortgage broker.
Speaker 0 00:05:15 Yes.
Speaker 2 00:05:17 Well, and the thing was, is I was a single parent, so I wanted to stay at home and um, you know, if I needed to be at home with my daughter and that, so I figured it was something that I could make my own hours and then the fire happened. And then I came back from that and I'm like, okay, banks don't want to lend here anymore. Uh, it was like pulling teeth to get any mortgages through you couldn't switch because a lot of people were going to negative equities. So it was just a whole different way of doing mortgages. And, um, I, uh, I just got overwhelmed with it all. And I said, you know what, I'm going to have a change. And at that time I had a severe acne breakout, which I battled with most of my life. So I ended up, uh, just researching a lot of it lasers and I had done so many things myself. And then I was thinking of costs and I'm like, you know what? I'm just as well to do this stuff myself and buy the equipment because we're the stuff I spent 30 years I'm on my skin and my face and anything to do with beauty. I just as well to be doing it. So because I had such an interest and that's what I do. I research things in the nighttime and yeah. So never looked back and I'm really glad with, uh, with the move I made.
Speaker 0 00:06:42 That's awesome. Yeah. You've done a bunch of different things. That's like, it's crazy. When we were chatting before about all the different careers and positions, you've held unreal. So I actually used to work in, uh, for a company called Eveready. Now they're called clean harbors. So I know a little bit to say the least about vac trucks and water trucks. Uh, what were your trucks doing? Were they de-watering? Were you transporting potable water?
Speaker 2 00:07:08 It's just taking the, uh, with the in-situ. Yep. So it was just taking a slurry away. Huh?
Speaker 0 00:07:14 Okay. Yeah. That's a nice little business to be in back in the day though. Nice. Did you ever get on the trucks? No, no, no, no, no. I was behind the scenes. Okay.
Speaker 2 00:07:24 The kind of the one taking care of the money and managing that in.
Speaker 0 00:07:29 Yeah. So now there's something else that, uh, you do, you are
Speaker 2 00:07:34 Inventor. Yeah. You're an inventor. Which like, if you
Speaker 0 00:07:39 Weren't doing enough things, uh, you found some spare time to invent something. Yeah. So let's chat about that.
Speaker 2 00:07:47 So during COVID I got really bored and um, it's always been an issue and I think most homes have the same issue where the garbage bag falls inside the can. So I was playing around and ordering different things and initially like putting a hook on the outside of the can and trying different things. And then after a while I figured I perfected it. So what I've come up with is an, a gadget. I call it a gadget and it's called a trash lock. And with the trash lock, it's like a hook that can go over any garbage can so the can, can be round or square. Uh, it does, it doesn't matter about the size. So it's extremely universal. And then it kind of clips in to the outside of the can. And then there's a part on the, um, on the, on hook. It's a spring lock that you just push and then you can slide the bag in between the spring lock and it just locks it really tight and secure in place. Nice. And it will not budge. Like you can throw 20 wine bottles down there and it's
Speaker 0 00:09:05 Sturdy. I tested it. Well, we don't test wine bottles, but we test other, uh, liquor bottles in the trash cans. So we'll have to try that one. I'll put it to the test. Yeah. That's cool. So no more bags in the garbage, uh, there's no more bags falling into the garbage.
Speaker 2 00:09:24 Yeah. It also helps, uh, with plastic because people are using oversized bags to tie off. Uh, so you don't need that oversize bag. You just need enough just clip it in place, tight on the, on the rim of the garbage can. And then in addition, when you remove the bag, you have your little piece there, so you can lift it up. So you don't have to contaminate your hands or anything inside the garbage.
Speaker 0 00:09:49 Awesome. Yeah. So I know you said you got a patent for this. When do you think, uh, we'll be able to purchase something like, well,
Speaker 2 00:09:56 Well the pattern, uh, in the U S and Canada, it's a provision provisionary patent. Okay. Um, right now I am working on a video and that should be out what's today. Today's the ninth, the ninth. It's a Tuesday, right? That's correct. Yeah. So I'm thinking early next week. Very good audio. That's going to be presented to manufacturers. Um, what the lawyers telling me is usually someone will buy my patent opposed to me, uh, developing myself. But, uh, I'm kinda interested in doing it myself. Yeah. So I have, uh, contacted at a place in Edmonton to do like a 3d printing code for the prototype. Very cool. So, and I have been in contact with companies to mass produce in China. So in, I'm hoping in the next few months, there will be a push to start selling these very cool. But I mean, it is a process. It does take awhile and uh, but yeah,
Speaker 0 00:11:04 Yeah, yeah, no doubt. It's a cool thing. I know since, uh, Tanner is on the photo, it's all he talks about and he's sick of using trash bags the way he's using them. And he just wants it. That's what he's talking about constantly. So now you go,
Speaker 2 00:11:20 I made sure to get you one Tanner, you'll be first on the list.
Speaker 0 00:11:24 I will rip them hard. There we go. So now you got a bit of an accent you're from the East coast. So we were chatting about that a little bit. What part of the East coast are you from and where did you go to school? I am from the Beaver peninsula
Speaker 2 00:11:37 And I went to school. Well, the high school was biotic Collegiant.
Speaker 0 00:11:43 Okay. Yeah. And then you took your nursing where at the college of North Atlantic? Yeah, we were talking about that. So that's a cool province to come from. Uh, people don't know this. I don't think I've ever brought it up the show before, but I've spent a ridiculous amount of time in the East coast. I've been to Newfoundland. Well, over 25, 27 times in my life. It's a good spot to party. Oh yeah. Yeah. You guys know how to get it done over there. And it doesn't matter what age you are either. Like people are lowering their grandmothers into the bars. Like, yeah. Well, that's it. It's a beautiful thing to see when you go to the bars and you see the generations partying and like you said, yeah, the grandpas and the grandma and fathers, grand moms are there with like their newly turned 18 year old grandson. And they're just all they're having the time. Yeah. So yeah, the East coast is sweet.
Speaker 3 00:12:32 Isn't it? 19, 19. Yeah. Is this the age limit? Yeah. Their 19 year old grandson.
Speaker 0 00:12:38 That's all right. People hit the mic. I do it all the time. 19 of these coasts. What a bummer. Yeah. It takes us a year. Like I remember,
Speaker 3 00:12:47 I think, I think Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are the only places in Canada with an 18. And I think the territory's maybe.
Speaker 0 00:12:56 Okay. I remember when I turned 18 here in Alberta, like obviously you turn 18, you go to the bars. It's all good. Fast forward to that summer. I go to Toronto to watch a tennis match. Um, Demaurie open. I go to the beer gardens. I'm like, Hey man, can I get some beers for me and my family? And he's like, yeah, no, no problem. So he pours the beers and then like, I go to pay for him and he's like, I'm going to need to see an ID. And I was like, yeah, no, no worries. Give him my ID. He was like, dude, I can't sell you beer. I was like, why not? You're 18. I'm like, yeah. And he's like, listen, Alberta is different from Ontario. Like I've been putting in work in Ontario or in Alberta for months. Now you telling me you're not going to give this to me. I thought like we were cool. And he's just like, no, it's not to go and find my mom and be like, mom, can you please buy me beer? So it was pretty embarrassing, but yeah, 19 a Newfoundland. I did not know that I was going to Newfoundland when I was in my twenties. So it was all good. So, all right. Now we're part of the show where Tanner hits you up with some questions. It's called the Mac CD minute. Hopefully you're ready. Tana hit her up with the CD minute.
Speaker 3 00:14:00 All right. Question number one. What is one thing you can do for your skin health that people might not know to do?
Speaker 0 00:14:09 Well, this is an obvious one. I'll tell you a trick seal oil caplets are great for your skin seal oil caplets. Yeah. And make sure they're made in Newfoundland. Okay. Yeah. It's really good for your skin.
Speaker 3 00:14:28 Question. Number two. What is one thing you offer at your clinic? People might not know about
Speaker 0 00:14:39 Maybe the microneedling. Oh, nice. So that's, that's a really good anti-aging, uh, treatment and it's
Speaker 2 00:14:52 A one to three days time. So yeah, but it's, it's a really good treatment for sure.
Speaker 3 00:15:01 Question number three. What is your most interesting story from your time nursing?
Speaker 2 00:15:08 Oh my goodness. Oh my God. Well, I did a lot of chronic care. So, um, dealt with people at third level care and dementia. Oh geez. Yeah. Anyhow. Um, I had a man, um, who was in a Geri chair. Who's quite aggressive. And they had a belt around him and back then I was super, super Tawny. So my arms were like super skinny. And um, he, and anyhow, he got ahold of me holding my hand and uh, he wouldn't let go. And it was getting to the point, like he thought he was probably gonna break my arm. Right. So we had to get a doctor down and she gave him a needle to relax his hand to my arm. Right. And, uh, so I was on shift and I went home that day. I came back, he was still asleep. He was asleep. That whole shift. I went home. I came back in the morning. He was so, so whatever she gave him, the, the doctor. Yeah. She put him out for two, almost three days after that. So yeah. That's an experience right there. Yeah. I was scared he was going to break my arm right here. So yeah. But I said, you don't need to worry about that in your new line of work. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:16:45 Question number four. What do you think is the most important thing you've learned from your past careers that you use in your current one?
Speaker 2 00:16:59 Probably just being focused. Like I always say, if people think they can multitask and the human brain is not capable of that, right. Even Einstein could not focus on two things at one time. So this whole new technology and stuff, when it comes through the phone, I find it it's, it's tough in business. When, when you go places and people are constantly on your phone and you can't build relationships with your customers and stuff like that. So always be present and just focus like that person in front of you make them number one. And don't be thinking about other things, just focus on what you're doing at that time. And you'll be, you'll ensure yourself that you'll do the best job. If you just focus on the one thing you're doing. There you go. Yeah. Good advice. Your final question.
Speaker 4 00:18:00 What is your favorite part of having a business?
Speaker 2 00:18:04 My, uh, well, my favorite part about having a business is the social aspect and McMurry. I got to say like, the people are great. I've been here 21 years. Uh, I know a lot of my customers and people are just really easygoing. I find very generous and, um, and they're fun. And there you go. I like it. Those have been your five questions. I like to think for McMurray. People are fun. Right? Tanner. I would say we're from here. And me and Dan are a ball. There you go. All right. Now you do so many things. So before we cut you loose, I want you to give your businesses one more plug again. Please tell people who you are, where they can find you, how they can get in contact with you. All right. So I'm Tanya and I own the Fort Macquarie laser lounge.
Speaker 2 00:18:51 I do have a Facebook page, Fort McMurray, laser lounge. It's called I'm on Instagram or Macquarie, laser lounge. And I have a website with all my services at www Fort McMurray, laser lounge.com. There we go. And let's not forget about that invention. What's that invention called one more time. The trash lock trash lock. I seriously, can't wait to get one of these things. And I just want to add to that. We do do a free consultations and my partner is Sabrina Watson. And she's amazing. You're going to book for a facial, definitely booked with her. She's way better than me. And um, yeah, there we go. Got it. Sabrina. We might be seeing you soon. Yeah, here we go. All right. Well, thanks for having me and you'll come back again. I have no doubt. I'll come back and we'll talk about what's happening with the trash lock for sure. Okay. There we go. Well for memory wood, Buffalo, and the rest of the world. Thank you very much for tuning in today. Once again, this is the Mac city morning show. My name's Elliot, Pierre Tanner is the man behind the camera and we appreciate you spending the day with us. Hopefully you're having a good one and we'll see you tomorrow.
Speaker 4 00:20:04 <inaudible> talk about quenching your ugly thirst.
