Work has been very busy for Fort Smith鈥檚 Colter Freund. For a contractor, that鈥檚 a good problem to have. 

鈥淢y biggest issue is keeping my mouth shut,鈥� he said with a laugh. 鈥楽ometimes I'll agree to do something knowing that I don't have the time, but I'll agree to do it and then I gotta do it.鈥�

Freund has been operating CPOW Productions in Fort Smith, his hometown, for about six years. 

The company offers a range of services. About 95 per cent of those relate to construction, Freund said. The other five per cent, he added, pertain to his 鈥渉obbies,鈥� such as drone operating and music production. 

Business is good, he assured, despite ample competition in a town of fewer than 2,500 people. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 a little town and there's so, so many contractors in town,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou would think we'd all be fighting for all the work, but we need more [contractors]. It's crazy.鈥�

Freund grew up around construction. His father was a carpenter, and he was building his own skateboard ramps before he was a teenager.  He also worked at his grandfather鈥檚 lumber yard until he was about 18, when he got his first real construction job. 

"I was always around construction in one way or another,鈥� he said. 

He was inspired to go into business for himself by his grandfather. 

鈥淢y grandpa鈥檚 a businessman,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always kind of encouraged me."

Freund enjoys running his own enterprise. He encouraged anyone else who is considering launching a business to 鈥済o for it,鈥� whether it鈥檚 the construction sector or another industry. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 not as intimidating as it seems,鈥� he said.

Of course, it helps doing business in Fort Smith, according to Freund. It鈥檚 a tight-knit community where people support each other鈥檚 efforts 鈥� so much so that he barely needs to advertise his services. 

鈥淥h definitely, I feel the support of the community,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e never really advertised too much and I'm always busy.鈥�