28 — Sunday, May 24, 1998 — North Shore News North Van teen wins YTV business award Judy Smith Contributing Writer As a child, Alim Jiwa never dreamed of being. an astronaut or a fire- man. No, he always knew he'd be an entrepreneur. So it’s not a complete surprise the North Vancouver 19-year-old has won a YTV. Achievement Award in the business category. To recognize “ordinary kids doing extraordinary things,” the award is sponsored by YTV and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Cut of 1,300 nominations 16 grand Prize wiziners were chosen — with Jiwa onc of the only two from B.C, The intense teenage: with the wry sense of humor won the award for a matchmaker, or “computer compatibility, service marketed to high school stu- dents.. The business was so profitable the former Handsworth secondary student _and ‘his co-owner, Shafin Tejani, formerly of West Vancouver secondary, now 2], were able to pay. for all their Western University expenses ” for the last two years. “Shafin and I developed the business plan for about wo years for the matchmaking ser- vice. I'd seen it run in schools, it’s not an original idea, so when IT was on the student’s council I had a nand in hiring the competitive companies.” Jiwa said he evaluated their program and then improved on it. “I found it wasn’t very appealing to young people because it had obviously been designed by people in their late 40s or 50s. Not chat there's anything wrong with thar.” he laughs. “They're just out of touch with what teenagers found appealing.” So his plan of a program designed and run by students has been a “runaway success.” ft works like this. Brochures on the service are sent to 3,500 high schools across Canada. And not just any school. Jiwa said that after market- ing research they targeted scnools of a certain size, out of the major urban centres. Student councils decide whether to offer the service for its students. If the system is adopted by | Separation “and Divorce _ Results Oriented " * Lengthy Trial Experience oO “Comes with complete pool package! even includes an auto pool cleaner) 28 Yea Warranty « other sizes available KREEPY KRAULY® Automatic | POOL CLEA ; Tejani’s SEARLY BIRD & SPECIAL | - $1995 | /S.RS3299 * Early Bird Extension: must order by May 31, 1998! . “NORTHSHORE SPAS Lynn Valley Centre Cesice Ricky's Restaurant) 1199 Lynn Valley Road N. Van. : <7 , » 987-5234 _ foFree water iestiag *Foc! & spa chemicals tacts, er friends, for the ambi- the council, students fill out the questionnaire and the complet- ed forms are shipped to the company to be analyzed. Then they're all sent back. If the stu- dent wants their personalized list of the top 10 mast and least compatible mates in their school, they buy it from their student council. Jiwa charges 88 cents per form while the council charges students about $2. And being the good business person he is, the council is only charged for the forms it sells. At nine, Jiwa was. selling lemonade outside his family’s Robson Street drycleaning business. When he was 11, he saw people selling giow-in-the- dark strands during the annual fireworks display at English Bay. The next year he contract- ed to sell them buc hired © young people to peddle them for hi “} come trom an entrepre- neuricl family. So | was always brought up in a business envi- ronment.” After Jiwa’s father died when he was 10, he was raised by his mom and (six years) cider brother. ee All his deals have either bro- ken even or made mojrey. Right now the international studies and commerce student at Western University in - Ontario is working on a match- making service of a different kind, For a $10 fee he matches students with available scitolar- ships or bursaries. A lot of the money goes unclaimed, he said, because: students cither don’t bother or don’t know where to look for information, Jiwa’ has been ‘nominated for the YTV award for the past theee years. In 1996 he was also nominated for and won the Kinsmen Rehabilitation Foundation sponsored Know No Limits award. He won that one for his and co-owner Twilight Entertainment, a company that organized and promoted teen dance parties and concerts. The YTV award gives Jiwa $3,000 plus an expense-paid trips to Ortawa and Toronto. All the better to make new con- 1) Intelligence (No, really) make me laugh) inal record) tious Jiwa. 6) A heartbeat The 31st Capilano scours canap’ Boy Scouts Wish to Thank Gerry Graca Delbrook & Evergreen Esso | and Their Staff and Don Hunter at Queens & Lonsdale Esso for their generous support of our annual manure sale. Another great success! Pe bee eee eR ry Te S 3) Looks (i have a reputation) 4) Outgoing (Because if I don’r like them, they’re going out the door) 5) Honesty (They will inform you of their crim- The cover art theme of the Alim Jiwa’s matchmaking brochure is Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery — which would be the tip-off the service is slightly tongue-in-cheek. A sample of the questions: @ Whar attribute do you want most in a date? 2) Sense of Humour (If they’re ugly they betrer Shatin Tejani, 21, left, and Alim Jiwa, 19, designed a successful matchmaking, or computer compatibility, service. The geared-for-Valentine’s Day service matches: high school students with 10 of their school’s most and least compatibie.mates. Matchmaker, make me a match - @ To you , a long term relationship is: ©. 1) One year or more (May God help you) 2) Six mondis (Just waiting for. their B-Day, + then you split) . ee 3) One to three months (Getting out-in. time) a, 4) Two dates 8 If you would compare yourself to a car, which =~ would it be: ; “ae Ey 1) Dodge Viper — Are you ready for the ride of ;: your life . ; ; 2) Rolls Royce — Upright, conservative, preppy ” 3) Jeep — Adventurous, there’s no place you’: won't go _ 4) Hyundai Pony — I'm going nowhere. Your Money: It’s a Family Affair How To talk to Your Family About Money and Legal Matters Discover simple, effective ways to open communication channels about some of the hardest. topics for parents and adult children to discuss; money. wills, living wills, power of attorney and more. Wednesday, Morg: N a May 20, 1698 © 7-00 pm organ Creek Golf Course 3500 Morgan Creek Way, Surrey Thursday Italian Cultura May 21, 1998 ° 7:00 pm alian Cultural Centre 3075 Slocan Street, Vancouver Wednesday “ Hollyburn Golf & Country Club June 3, 1998 ¢ 7:00 pm 950 Cross Creek, West Vancouver Reservations: tel. 270-7700 ext. 259 Cost: $5 All Proceeds to the Alzheimer's Association of British Columbia presented by: AGE MATTERS COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC. sponsored by: BGR 80 Group Financial Services Inc.