In this exclusive CanadianSME Small Business Magazine interview, Christopher Power, Canadian actor, writer, and host, shares how a blend of creativity, resilience, and entrepreneurial grit has shaped his multi-faceted career. From improv stages and voice work to founding the award-winning Ha-Ha Halton troupe and launching TV projects, Christopher’s path reveals that storytelling is both an art and a business—and that every setback is a building block for lasting success in creative industries and beyond.
Christopher Power is a Canadian actor, writer, and host whose career reflects a rare mix of creativity, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit. His journey began in Oakville’s Improv program under Amy Mackenzie, where he learned that being silly is serious business. That spark led him to Second City, where he performed and crossed paths with Phatt Al — a mentor whose guidance helped Christopher discover the power of comedy as both art and enterprise.
Your career moves seamlessly between acting, writing, and hosting — but you approach each not only as an art form, but as a business. Can you share how you’ve built a sustainable business model around storytelling, and what lessons small business owners can take from that approach?
For me, acting, writing, and hosting are all about storytelling — and storytelling is also business. A line I often use is: “You can’t connect with a customer until you understand how they see the world. Once you do, you can invite them into a story that feels like theirs.”
That’s the heart of it. We’re not just selling a product or service — we’re selling trust, integrity, and a sense of belonging. In entertainment, there are countless actors and writers, but the difference is always you — your perspective, your voice, and the way you make someone feel seen. The same holds true for small businesses.
Customers aren’t just buying a service; they’re buying the reassurance that you’ll be there when they need you. They’re buying confidence in your story. When you tell that story in a way that makes them feel special — as if they are part of it — you create loyalty that goes beyond price or competition.
My model has always been to treat every project like a relationship. That mindset has sustained my creative career, and I believe it’s the same mindset that builds lasting small businesses.
Creativity often fuels entrepreneurship, but in your experience, creativity is the business. What have you learned about translating imaginative ideas into market-ready products, and how can small businesses apply this mindset to their own industries?
Creativity is only powerful when it’s shared with passion. When I get the call or email to pitch a new project, I approach it with the same energy whether it’s the first time or the hundredth. Why? Because for the person hearing it, it might be the first time — and my enthusiasm has to make it feel fresh.
Most businesses fall into a rhythm of telling their story so often they assume everyone already knows it. But in reality, your audience needs to feel that passion every time. Think of the sales rep who always walks in with a spring in their step — you might not love their style, but you remember them. You don’t remember the person without passion.
For small businesses, the lesson is simple: lead with ideas, not just dollars. When your mindset is focused on sharing a story or sparking a feeling, people lean in. When it’s only about the transaction, they pull back. Passion is the difference between being forgettable and being unforgettable — and that’s how creativity becomes a business.
Building a career where you are both the brand and the business comes with unique challenges. What has been your biggest professional obstacle, and how did you navigate it while staying true to your creative vision?
One of my biggest obstacles has been hearing, “You’re not union, you’re not represented, you’re not a household name — you’re too much of a risk.” At first, those words sting. But over time, I learned to hear them differently. What they really mean is: “Not yet.”
That shift in mindset has been everything. “Not yet” pushes me to keep working, to refine my craft, and to find the person willing to take a chance. Every “no” is just feedback — a clue about what someone values, what they fear, or what they think the market wants. Sometimes it’s not about me at all; maybe they don’t like scary movies or noir dramas. But someone else might be waiting for the exact story I’m telling.
Obstacles aren’t walls, they’re checkpoints. They force me to ask: What do I need to be now, to be a yes later? That mindset helped me go from rejection to winning a major festival, and even being invited back by one that once turned me away.
For me, overcoming isn’t about avoiding obstacles — it’s about treating every “no” as the start of a better story.
Many of your projects began as passion pursuits before evolving into professional successes, such as Coffee with Chris Power and your upcoming stage productions. How do you know when a creative idea is worth pursuing as a business venture?
For me, an idea becomes a business venture when I can’t sleep at night because I’m too excited to see it through. Not every creative spark turns into something viable — my dad used to joke, “another million-dollar idea,” and my wife would laugh, “more like ten bucks.” Those reminders keep me grounded: passion is essential, but momentum matters too.
I ask myself two questions: Is there a gap in the market? and Am I willing to put in the work to fill it? That’s how Coffee with Chris Power was born. Canada didn’t have a show highlighting everyday creatives and non-household names — so I created it. And audiences responded, because they saw themselves in those stories.
And sometimes, you know an idea is worth pursuing because it sparks others. During an interview, Shalaine Stebner and I joked about the phrase “Somebody cares.” The next day, she told me she couldn’t stop thinking about it — and she turned it into a song, now featured on her new album.
That’s the proof point: the right idea has momentum, inspires others, and creates impact well beyond yourself.
With your diverse journey — from local improv shows to Cannes recognition and upcoming theatrical productions — what final advice would you share with small and medium-sized business owners trying to balance passion, resilience, and profitability in their own careers?
Rejection builds resilience, “no” builds momentum, and “yes” is validation. That cycle has shaped my career, and it’s one I think every small business owner understands.
We often say small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. Yet when a big-box store messes up an order, we forgive them — but when a small business stumbles, people hesitate to return. My advice? Be the change. Be different. Be yourself. Sometimes the safest path isn’t the one worth taking.
Early in my journey, I wrote spec scripts for major companies in both Los Angeles and Canada. Both went badly. At the time, I thought those doors had slammed shut forever. But years later, after more work and persistence, those same doors opened again — and this time, I walked through with confidence.
So my advice is simple: don’t see “no” as the end. See it as momentum, as feedback, as preparation for the next “yes.” Passion keeps you going, resilience keeps you grounded, and profitability comes when you’re ready to knock again — even on doors that once closed.
