Josh Biggar is a third year Bachelor of Commerce student and a native of Burlington, Ontario. For his first co-op placement, Josh worked for NexGen Financial (now an affiliate of Natixis Global Asset Management) which specializes in tax-efficient mutual funds. Josh is recently completed his second co-op at his family’s business, Frost Products Ltd, a manufacturer and distributor of commercial washroom accessories and site furnishings. Josh offers some insight into what it’s like to work for a family business.

“The prospect of diversifying my skill set is what initially attracted me to Frost. Working for a family business typically offers a very dynamic working environment where students are able to develop a wide array of skills. Family businesses, in nature, require a great amount of cross-functional dealings; which give students unique insights into many aspects of commerce. The high degree of interdependence found in these types of companies encourages students to expand their knowledge base and teaches them meaningful skills that can be translated to many forms of business. The opportunity to make significant contributions that impact company operations and decisions is one of my favourite parts of working for this small/medium sized business, and I believe will be invaluable to my personal development.

When pursuing employment opportunities I encourage my peers to take advantage of the abundant services offered by Dalhousie. I recommend attending any of the networking events or workshops put on by the Management Career Services. These can help you generate employment leads, develop networking skills, and provide you with the knowledge to help your applications stand out.”

Interested in professional development tailored specifically to the needs of family businesses? Visit Dalhousie’s Centre for Family Business & Regional Prosperity!