In Cowichan, where small businesses shape the rhythm of community life, Matt Huotari has quietly become one of the region’s most imaginative entrepreneurs. But his path here wasn’t paved with tidy five-year plans or startup incubators—it began in the fast-paced, tightly controlled world of franchise pizza. After nearly a decade running two Panago Pizza locations in Mill Bay and Duncan, he found himself brushing up against a familiar boundary. “In the franchise world,” he says, “you’re basically living inside a four-corner box. You’re running fast—but you can only go as far as the box lets you.” Matt built a successful operation, but the glass ceiling came not from a lack of drive, but from the structure itself.
So he stepped out of the box—and into “The Garage”.
Part café, part creative hub, part behind-the-scenes content machine, The Duncan Garage Café & Bakery has become more than a business. It’s a staging ground for community experiments, slow food, long-table conversations, and increasingly, climate-conscious entrepreneurship. And it’s given Matt space to grow into the kind of business leader he always suspected he could be: one who measures return on investment in community impact, trust, and time—not just profit margins.
“My goal used to be money,” he says. “Now it’s time. How I spend it. Who I spend it with. And whether it’s actually building something that lasts.”
Circular Thinking Close to Home
That shift in mindset is what made The Garage a perfect fit for Project Zero, a circular economy accelerator program run by Synergy Foundation that supports businesses in reducing waste and operating more sustainably. Through the program, Matt and his team underwent an environmental audit of their historic building (112 years old and not known for its insulation) and identified areas for improvement—from supplier packaging to the ongoing challenge of finding the “perfect cup” that is actually compostable and works with Cowichan’s local waste infrastructure.
“People talk about the circular economy, but the moment you get into it, you realize how place-based it really is,” he says. “What works in Vancouver might not make sense in Duncan. You have to know what your region can actually handle.”
Rather than pile everything onto his own already-overflowing to-do list, Matt empowered two staff members to form an internal green team. Their job? Implement low-hanging fruit, identify longer-term priorities, and build a culture of sustainability from the inside out. From sourcing better packaging to asking suppliers to reduce unnecessary waste, the team has turned Project Zero’s findings into action—without losing momentum or burning out.
Flushing Out New Opportunity
That systems-level mindset has also shaped Matt’s latest venture: a luxury washroom rental and septic services business, First Class Facilities. When changes to WorkSafeBC regulations prohibited standard porta-potties on larger construction sites, Matt and his longtime business partner saw an underserved market—and jumped.
What started as a niche service now includes stylish trailers for weddings (complete with underfloor lighting, stainless fixtures, and A/C), rugged two- and three-stall units for job sites, and a full-service pump truck for maintenance.
As always, branding and storytelling are key. They’ve been steadily building an Instagram presence with cheeky reels and behind-the-scenes clips—bringing their social-first approach to a sector most people wouldn’t associate with, well, content creation. “There’s no fun content coming out of the septic world,” he grins. “So why not us?”
Storytelling as Strategy
If there’s one through line in Matt’s work, it’s a belief that business isn’t just about pushing product—it’s about telling stories. His marketing strategy is deeply personal and community-rooted. Scroll through The Garage’s social media and you’ll find a blend of everyday moments, collaborations with local organizations, and the occasional chaotic, joy-filled behind-the-scenes-clip. His social feeds don’t look like ads—they look like life.
“I think the future of business is about showing who you are,” he says. It’s also about showing young people that business ownership is messy, nonlinear—and possible. It’s a way to normalize the less glamorous side of entrepreneurship. “I think the idea of business ownership still feels out of reach for a lot of people—especially young people,” he says. “But what if they could see how messy and human it really is? What if we showed not just the highlight reel, but the problem-solving, the awkward moments, the trial-and-error?”
Scaling Good, Not Just Growth
Matt’s impact doesn’t stop with his own ventures. As Board Chair at Community Futures Cowichan, he plays a central role in the region’s economic development ecosystem. He’s become a vocal advocate for entrepreneurship as a tool for regional resilience. He regularly sits down with other business owners, nonprofit leaders, and youth organizations to brainstorm actionable solutions to issues like workforce shortages, youth retention, and funding cuts.
He’s a long-time volunteer with Nourish Cowichan, where he still delivers meals to schools, and an active supporter of Cowichan Valley Youth Services. Whether he’s organizing community roundtables, matchmaking youth with business mentors, or cooking up comfort food for a crowd of 40 problem-solvers, Matt is always looking for ways to build stronger bridges between people, ideas, and action.
“There’s a lot of talk about systems change,” he says. “But sometimes it’s just about making space—literally and figuratively—for the right people to sit down together.”
Rooted by Choice
Despite once dreaming of life in Los Angeles, where he and his partner spent a sun-soaked few months before buying The Garage, Matt keeps circling back to Cowichan. “Every time I travel, I miss home more,” he says. “I’ve lived in the city, I’ve tasted the lifestyle, and it just confirms for me that Cowichan is it. I want to build here. I want to stay.”
He still travels—Japan is a recent favourite—but the pull of Cowichan remains strong. It’s where he’s building businesses that are both rooted and regenerative. Where entrepreneurship means showing up, being generous, and not waiting around for someone else to fix things.
That groundedness—paired with a global curiosity and a hunger for experimentation—may be Matt’s most defining trait as a changemaker. He’s consistently ahead of the curve, reminding us that changemaking doesn’t have to be loud. It just has to be real.
One long table. One reel. One cup at a time.
You can follow Matt’s adventures on Instagram @duncangaragecafe and @firstclassfacilities
