We Raised Over $1 Million For Canadian Entrepreneurs — Here’s How You Made it Possible
Photo Credit: Jamie-Lee Fuoco
On April 25, 2024, more than 800 in-person and virtual attendees joined forces to celebrate the journeys of three inspiring entrepreneurs and show their support for a community of 15,000+ business leaders that rely on The Forum to access the resources and community that they need to thrive.
Heading into The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch Finale, our largest annual fundraiser and celebration, we set an ambitious fundraising goal of $900,000. Not only did we reach that goal—but we surpassed it—raising over $1,000,000 for the first time in The Forum’s history!
That’s right, that’s more than ONE MILLION in funding that will play a critical role in expanding The Forum’s reach, deploying programming and support that helps entrepreneurs overcome systemic barriers, and enabling them to contribute to the Canadian economy so that our country can realize its full potential.
To every attendee, volunteer, donor, and sponsor who made April 25 a celebration we’ll always remember, thank you!
How It Started
Celebrations kicked off with the Opening Reception and Entrepreneur Showcase.
As hundreds of attendees made their way into the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, they had the opportunity to connect with entrepreneurs who are driving innovation and bringing much-needed solutions to Canadians.
The Entrepreneur Showcase featured:
Aeryon Ashlie of Aeryon Wellness
Aileen Agada of BeBlended
Amberly Donnelly of Plain Jane Skin Bar
Carla D’Angelo of Claudia Alan Inc.
Courtney Watkins of Mine & Yours
Dolma Tsundu of Flutter Care
Jessica Bosman of DOUBL
Jessica Scattolon of AlterEgo Health
Karen Danudjaja of Blume
Karolina Wudniak of Karolina Wudniak Book Design
Katie Gamble of Nature Bee
Linda Biggs of joni
Lucy Croysdill of Rolla Skate Club
Nancy Wingham of Nuez Acres
Stefanie Henderlin of Mangata Apothecary
Tania Yan of Olive & Piper
and
Tasha Nathanson of 7 Leagues Leather
During the Opening Reception, the wonderful Kyrani Kanavaros kindly donated her time and talent to provide photo booth services. (New headshot, anyone?)
Three Finalists, Three Inspiring Pitches
Next, we took our seats for the start of the show, led by Host Sophie Lui of Global News, and watched as the three Finalists, Bronwyn Bridges of PragmaClin, Chloe Beaudoin of Apricotton, and Sara Jónsdóttir of Revol Cares, shared their pitches they developed with the help of dedicated Mentors.
The Mentors who provided their expertise and guidance to the Finalists are Sarah Willson of Panache Ventures, Crystal Lo of InBC Investment Corp., and Nagar Rahmani.
To further enhance their stage presence, the Finalists also benefited from advice and training provided by Valerie Galvin of Stand & Deliver Performance Coaching.
We were blown away by the Finalists’ pitches, and got to learn more about their business visions through insightful conversations led by Champions Christina Anthony of Odlum Brown and The Forum and Pocket Sun of SoGal Ventures.
Both the live and virtual shows were expertly designed and produced by CountDown Events, Proshow Audio Visual, and Rich&Jay. Amazing volunteers gave their time to help ensure every moment was magical.
If you weren’t in the room or just want to revisit their incredible pitches, we’ve got you covered! Watch the Virtual Show and see the Finalists’ pitches here:
Each of Finalists received prize packages valued at $46,500 that will help them reach their next steps, and a nationwide audience voted to select the recipient of an additional $15,000 cash prize made possible by Wheaton Precious Metals.
When the votes were tallied…
Bronwyn Bridges of PragmaClin was selected!
Making an Impact
Raising over $1,000,000 is no small feat, and we truly needed the power of community to reach this incredible milestone on behalf of self-identifying women, non-binary, and trans-femme entrepreneurs.
The Silent and Live Auctions were critical in helping us surpass our goal, which were made possible by generous community donors. Thank you Ed McLaughlin, CICA Vancouver, Vancouver Whitecaps, Flytographer, Amar and Natallie Doman, Christina Anthony, Katherine Dunstan, Zoë Pawlak, Heather Lynn, JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, and Scotiabank for providing our spotlight auction items!
Auctioneer Fred Lee led the Live Auction, with dozens of paddles being raised around the room in support.
But the generosity didn’t stop there…
Once the Live Auction concluded, The Forum community pledged what they could to help more entrepreneurs access the social, wisdom, and financial capital that’s pivotal to their growth.
We deeply appreciate every donor who participated, and would like to recognize the Legacy Leaders and donors whose immense contributions have opened opportunities for The Forum and all of the entrepreneurs who rely on us.
Thank you to Legacy Leaders Christina Anthony, Catherine Dahl, and Karen Flavelle, and to donors Charles Chang, Carol Lee, Tracey McVicar, Bev Briscoe, Amar Doman, and Andrew Latchford.
Over the course of 22 years, so many people have given selflessly to The Forum. As we grow, we want to make sure that we never lose sight of that history and the catalysts who have helped build it. This year, we’ve introduced The Forum’s Hall of Honours to celebrate the unique and exceptional contributions these folks have made to The Forum community.
Thank you Christina Anthony, Jill Earthy, Judy Brooks, Larkin Mackenzie-Ast, Lisa Niemetscheck, and Paulina Cameron.
We would also like to recognize The Forum Activation Committee, which plays a critical role in supporting our events and fundraising.
Thank you Co-Chairs Christina Brown and Jessica Green, as well as Dave Bustos, Amy Carruthers, Rhogene Dadashzadeh, Jenny De Jong, Kate Dunstan, Soha Lavin, Orla O'Malley, Nicole Parmar, Katie Peardon, Jenn Podmore Russell, Courtney Steeksma, and Candy Wang.
More Memorable Moments
If you were in the room with us on April 25, you might have had the opportunity to meet Left On Friday Founder, Laura Low Ah Kee. Together, she and Co-Founder, Shannon Savage, have built a thriving business and The Forum team are big fans. We are so grateful to them for outfitting The Forum team in the coziest branded sweaters we’ve ever laid our hands on!
See How Left On Friday Is Redefining The Swim And Activewear Industry in Forbes.
When your goal is to host the event of the year, you need a champagne wall, right? Right. Thank you to Blue Ruby for making the night even more special.
After the show, Lisa Ridgedale, otherwise known as DJSpinCounsel, kept the celebrations going in the Twilight Lounge with live music that matched the energy of attendees.
See more highlights on social, and make sure to follow @theforumca to keep us in your feeds.
Let’s Build the Future We All Want to See
When you donate to The Forum, you’re opening doors for entrepreneurs. You’re enabling The Forum to expand its reach, grow its programming, and bring impactful community events to entrepreneurs who are ready to thrive—and help our country do the same.
If you would like to provide a gift that will directly benefit The Forum’s ever-growing community, we invite you to make a one-time donation, or lend your support on an ongoing basis by becoming a Future Funder.