A Calgary entrepreneur who started a specialty cleaning products company from his garage in 2021 has grown it into a $10 million business with national distribution, proving that Alberta's entrepreneurial spirit is alive and thriving.
Marco Vargas, 34, launched EcoShine Solutions with $5,000 in savings and a formula for an eco-friendly industrial degreaser. Five years later, the company employs 42 people, operates from a 15,000-square-foot facility in southeast Calgary, and ships products to retailers across Canada.
"I didn't have a business plan or investors. I had a product that worked and customers who told other customers," said Vargas. "Calgary's business community embraced me from day one."
EcoShine's growth trajectory followed a classic pattern: early sales to local auto detailers and restaurants, followed by regional retail distribution, then national accounts with major chains. The company now produces 28 different cleaning products for commercial and residential use.
Vargas credits several factors for his success: Alberta's low corporate tax rate (8%, the lowest in Canada), access to skilled chemists from the energy sector, and strong local business networks.
"Getting listed on CalgaryFinder.com was actually one of my first marketing moves," Vargas recalled. "Local businesses found me there and became my first loyal customers. That foundation made everything else possible."
He advises aspiring entrepreneurs to start small, validate their product with real customers, and reinvest profits rather than seeking outside funding prematurely.
EcoShine is now exploring US market entry and has filed patents for two new biodegradable formulas.
WestNet News celebrates Calgary entrepreneurs who build something from nothing.
