Kathy Thomas

Running a successful family business for 33 years, speaks to someone with determination, tenacity and vision. It speaks to the strength of character deep inside Kathy Thomas, owner of Green Thumb Landscaping and the Bronze Frog Gallery. She has overcome setbacks, family challenges - to not only maintain one business - but to start a second one. It speaks to her success.

The early days of Green Thumb Landscaping were tough. Kathy was running a boarding house to try and bring in some extra income, while husband John tried to launch the landscaping business. When he landed a townhouse contract with 33 units, she had to help out. One of her boarders looked after their three young children, while she went to work with John.

Very much a hands-on learner, she took courses and read books on accounting and bookkeeping, so she could manage the business’s finances. By 1979, the business was booming and they had 40 employees. Then the recession hit and they were back down to eight.

By 1984, Kathy wanted to sell the business. She’d had enough and wanted to grab back a life for herself. John didn’t sell the business, but Kathy embarked on a new career, one that she enjoyed and to which she found she had a talent. It was her first real job and for several years she spearheaded several programs to help youth find employment and to assist welfare recipients start a business.

“I finished my grade 12 by correspondence, so it was a surprise to find myself in the role of educator. It made me realize I had learned a lot over the years – about hiring staff, and running a business.” shared Kathy. “I really felt I was making a difference and that was important to me.” she added.

In 1992, Kathy was asked to start up the Business Advisory Centre in Hamilton, a new pilot program being launched by the province and she welcomed the challenge. For the first nine months, all was going well and she saw record results from her efforts.

Then her world changed. John, at 48, died of a heart attack. Kathy found herself a widow at 44, with three daughters, a business, and a career to juggle. Suddenly she was the sole owner of the business she had never wanted to run.

For a while she tried to manage both her career and the business but it was clear that it was too much, and so she devoted her energies to rebuilding Green Thumb Landscaping.

Today, Green Thumb has 30 employees and is a vibrant, well-respected landscaping company. Kathy has remarried and eighteen months ago, opened the Bronze Frog Gallery, a retail store in downtown Oakville. “I’ve always thought of Green Thumb as belonging to my husband. Opening the gallery to enhance the landscaping division gave me an opportunity to expand my creative side.” she explains.

She researched the concept of art and gardens and feels she has identified a niche market, and as you walk around the store, it’s easy to admire the beautiful statues and artifacts she has found.

There’s an online store so people can purchase items through the Internet and she continues her travels to find unique and attractive curios from other parts of the world.

Kathy Thomas has come a long way from the farm girl growing up in Rockwood. “As farmers, my parents never had a regular income. Maybe that’s why being an entrepreneur is not foreign to me, I’ve lived with insecurity all my life.” confesses Kathy. “It’s my fear of failure that has led to success.”

Kathy Thomas can be reached at kathy@bronzefroggallery.com. Check the website at www.bronzefroggallery.com

Kathy’s profile also appears in the Company of Women’s new book, The Courage to Succeed: Inspiring Stories from Enterprising Women.