Catching Up with the Finalists — Five Questions with Bronwyn Bridges of PragmaClin, Chloe Beaudoin & Jessica Miao of Apricotton, and Sara Jónsdóttir of Revol Cares
Image Credit: Fuoco Photography
Ahead of The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch Finale on April 25, we caught up with the 2023/24 Finalists to learn how they’ve been impacted by the program so far, learn what advice they’ve gained from their mentors and peers, find out what they hope a cross-Canada audience of thousands takes away from their pitches, and more.
Psst! You can still get free virtual tickets to join us and hear the Finalists’ pitches!
Bronwyn Bridges, PragmaClin Inc.
Bronwyn Bridges, CEO and Co-Founder of PragmaClin Inc., is dedicated to improving the lives of the 10 million people worldwide who are affected by Parkinson’s Disease through the development of PRIMS, a digital tool that accurately assesses and scores the progression of the neurological disease.
How has The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch impacted you and your business?
This program has been a game-changer. It's not just about the pitch; it's the workshops, the mentorship, and the community. I've been equipped with tools and knowledge that have fundamentally shifted how I approach my business.
And the confidence boost? Unreal.
It's one thing to believe in your product, but having seasoned professionals validate your vision and offer constructive feedback is empowering on another level.
What learnings or advice have you gained from your mentors or peers that will stick with you?
A fellow participant once told me, "Your unique perspective is your superpower in this industry." In moments of doubt, when I wonder if I belong in this space, I remind myself that my viewpoint can address needs and solve problems in ways that others might not see. This insight has encouraged me to lean into my uniqueness rather than conforming to traditional expectations.
What do you hope the audience takes away from your pitch on April 25?
I want the audience to see the passion, the innovation, and the potential impact of my business. Beyond that, I hope they recognize the power of supporting diverse entrepreneurs. We bring fresh perspectives and solutions to problems that others might overlook.
My presence on that stage is a statement: innovation knows no gender, age, or stereotype. I want to inspire other young women to believe in their dreams and turn them into reality.
After The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch Finale, what’s next for PragmaClin?
PragmaClin is poised for growth by expanding our digital health platform to underserved communities and leveraging AI for assessment accuracy, alongside exploring strategic partnerships and global market expansion to solidify our impact in making healthcare accessible worldwide.
How can The Forum community continue to support you and your business?
Continued mentorship and networking opportunities would be invaluable. Access to resources and introductions to potential partners or investors who align with our mission could significantly accelerate our growth.
Chloe Beaudoin & Jessica Miao, Apricotton
Apricotton Co-Founders Chloe Beaudoin, COO, and Jessica Miao, CEO, are bringing teens bras that are designed to grow with them—helping girls feel more confident through the many challenges that puberty presents.
How has The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch impacted you and your business?
It gave us the opportunity to refine our pitch and get in front of important people in the industry. It’s helped us a lot with our credibility as a Canadian D2C company. Becoming Finalists has also validated that we’re on the right track.
What learnings or advice have you gained from your mentors or peers that will stick with you?
Don’t get discouraged by others' success, focus on your own business.
Sitting in the dressing room with the other semi-finalists, a lot of the founders shared their own challenges—professional and personal. It always looks like the grass is greener on the other side, but every founder has a different perspective on their own situation.
What do you hope the audience takes away from your pitch on April 25?
We want you to understand the impact of the problem we’re addressing. Girls feeling self-conscious about wearing a bra leads to 80% of them suffering from decreased self-esteem.
Apricotton is solving a real, important, global problem. We’ve gotten hundreds of comments and reviews from girls saying “I finally feel comfortable in my body.” The experiences of this community matters and Apricotton is helping them find their confidence.
After The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch Finale, what’s next for Apricotton?
Our goal is to become the go-to teen apparel brand worldwide. Our next step is to expand operations and increase capacity so we can meet this goal.
We now ship to the U.S. and Europe and want to continue growing internationally. To achieve this, we’re working on better understanding our customers in different geographies and targeting them through an omnichannel approach.
How can The Forum community continue to support you and your business?
We’d love to stay connected with the Forum community! You can support us by connecting us to potential retail partners and e-commerce apparel founders with a strong digital marketing presence.
Sara Jónsdóttir, Revol Cares
Sara Jónsdóttir, Founder and CEO of Revol Cares, is perfecting leak-proof underwear to reduce the stress around periods by providing a “one product” solution that doesn’t require backups.
How has The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch impacted you and your business?
The program has created access to incredible founders, community members, and mentors that have all had a lasting imprint on myself and my business. There is nothing like getting together with people who align with your values and help you see how you can grow. It has truly been an incredible journey of growth.
What learnings or advice have you gained from your mentors or peers that will stick with you?
The best advice I have received is to just be myself and be honest.
There is nothing more vulnerable than being your authentic self, and people love to reflect that vulnerability. When you are yourself, you give them space to be themselves and that is where incredible things happen.
What do you hope the audience takes away from your pitch on April 25?
That women like me, a maker at heart, can be incredible CEOs of multi-million-dollar businesses without the need of an Ivy League education when they have the right vision and execution.
Community and shared resources, along with a passion to learn, grow and evolve, are the perfect foundation for a vision to succeed.
After The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch Finale, what’s next for Revol Cares?
With our rapid growth into retail, we are completely disrupting the period aisles of grocery stores across North America. We are working with retail partners that have never had reusables in the past and setting the standard for efficacy on store shelves. This has led us to some incredible partnerships with government agencies and military organizations, where the institutional growth is exponential.
How can The Forum community continue to support you and your business?
Connections and introductions! As we grow, we need access to leaders in CPG, founders that have experience in sustainably growing and scaling, large product-based businesses, especially those with experience with fundraising for CPG.
Interested in joining amazing founders like the Finalists through The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch program? Sign up for our waitlist to be the first to hear when applications open!
“The feedback, the network, the skills you'll gain are irreplaceable. Yes, it's daunting. Yes, you'll question if you're ready or good enough. But this program is about so much more than winning. It's about learning, growing, and connecting. Take the leap and let The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch program help you soar.” - Bronwyn Bridges, PragmaClin
“THIS IS YOUR SIGN TO APPLY!!! Just the application process is a great opportunity to concretely write about your business, update your deck, and practice your pitch. If you make it to the Semi-Finals and Finale, even better! You never know what can happen, but take every opportunity as potential to bring your business forward.” - Chloe Beaudoin & Jessica Miao, Apricotton
“It may feel scary to put yourself out there for the world to assess your ideas, success and story, but there truly is no better way to dig deeper and cement your vision than when presenting to a room full of people. You will stretch yourself; you will grow, and you will connect with incredible people just like yourself.” - Sara Jónsdóttir, Revol Cares