Community Impact
See what The Forum community is saying and get to know some of the amazing women entrepreneurs we’re proud to stand by, who are breaking barriers at all stages of growth.
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Testimonials
Testimonials
“The network of incredibly smart and well-connected supporters, collaborators, and impact advisors we’ve met and learned from through The Forum has allowed us to create a successful, first-of-its-kind business and business model. Without the Forum's support, we would not have such a great network to draw from, and we would have likely paid many thousands for advising and consulting that we've been able to get for free or very approachable course costs. It’s made us feel like someone's got our back.”
- Carla Smith, Rolla Skate Club
“I've grown a lot both personally and professionally from my experience with The Forum. It's allowed me to expand my network to make connections that have fostered into amazing collaborations, and given me a new sense of confidence and identity as a woman entrepreneur. The Forum has guided my journey in a positive direction.“
- Melody Lim, Mala the Brand
“I’ve been involved in The Forum community since 2014! I have done E-Series twice and have had three WONDERFUL mentors. I am excited to return the many, many favours as a mentor one day soon.”
- Catherine Roscoe Barr, The Life Delicious
“I participated in The Forum’s mentorship programming before my last maternity leave. I have often found the entrepreneurial journey to be lonely, but chatting through my business challenges and growth with my mentor Anisa has been invaluable. I also participated in E-Series and I found it very inspiring to learn from the presenters and meet the women I did in our virtual breakout rooms.”
- Mandy King, HEAL Wellness Inc.
“I was so impressed and instantly knew I needed to get more involved [with the community] when I attended The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch Finale. Since then, I’ve applied to the program and joined The Forum Founder’s Circle.”
- Amberly Donnelly, Plain Jane Skinbar
“I’ve been involved [with The Forum] in various ways since 2011—as a community member, mentee, mentor, E-Series alumna, and sponsor. I have built relationships and connections that have lasted to this day and have learned so much through the mentorship opportunities and women I met through networking. I'm still in touch with my E-Series cohort and learned so much from my time in that program. I still reference nuggets of information today!“
- Christine Pilkington, Crisp Media Inc.
Meet the Entrepreneurs
Browse community stories from entrepreneurs across Canada, or choose the province or territory you’d like to explore.
Alberta
Featured
Bobbie Racette is the Founder and CEO of Virtual Gurus, a talent marketplace that supports businesses by connecting them with skilled virtual assistants from Canada and the U.S. Offering a wide range of services including specialized virtual assistant roles, workflow optimization, and on-demand customer support to meet the diverse needs of businesses, Virtual Gurus is powered by advanced algorithms, machine learning, AI, and expert human insights to efficiently and effectively match assistants with clients. At the same time, the company maintains its commitment to social responsibility by creating meaningful employment opportunities for marginalized groups such as single mothers, Indigenous peoples, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and those with alternate abilities.
Bobbie was motivated to start Virtual Gurus after going through her own experience with job loss and facing the many challenges marginalized communities are confronted with in the workplace. As Bobbie puts it, “I saw an opportunity to reinvent myself and help others who face similar employment barriers. I recognized a gap in the marketplace for virtual assistants and set out to create a platform that not only provides jobs, but also empowers individuals from underrepresented communities. This drive to support others and create equitable employment opportunities led to the founding of Virtual Gurus in 2016.”
While Virtual Gurus fills a key gap in the market, starting and growing the company has come with a series of challenges.
“One of the most significant barriers was securing funding. I faced 170 rejections before finally securing the necessary investment. This experience taught me resilience and strengthened my determination to support others facing similar obstacles. Additionally, breaking into the technology sector as an Indigenous, Métis-Cree, 2SLGBTQIA+ woman presented its own set of challenges, including overcoming systemic barriers and biases.
However, these experiences fueled my commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable future, both through the services offered by Virtual Gurus and my broader advocacy efforts, including sitting on the board for the TELUS Pollinator Fund and serving as Chair of the Indigenous Prosperity Foundation.”
Kathryn Chong, Tracey Monette and Gloria Chong are sisters and Co-Founders of The Willows Box & Co. They became aware of The Scotiabank Women Initiative Mentor Program, Powered by The Forum just six months into starting their business, and immediately knew it would be a valuable opportunity for them.
Ready to create efficiencies for their business, develop effective marketing plans, and zero in on their target audience, they were ready to seek out different perspectives that would help them gain clarity and take the next step.
They say “It’s reassuring to have the support of this program and our mentor, who’s been encouraging, helpful, and a great coach. The exercises, best practices, and templates are clearly and thoughtfully designed to empower businesses for success. The material and guidance will help us navigate challenges and make strategic, informed decisions.”
With the confidence to grow their business from a place of strength, the sisters say that after just one year, they’ve “Created a foundation, entered into a collaboration with one of Alberta’s largest employers, and have moved into our first warehouse. The future is exciting!”
Jennie Ding grew up in Canada as a first-generation Chinese immigrant, and was determined to always “do better.” She found herself constantly striving to reach an even more impressive goal than her last. After finishing her Master’s degree, she went to medical school, where she found herself working 30+ hour overnight hospital shifts during her residency.
She was working exceptionally hard, but realized she didn’t really know who she was or what she truly wanted to accomplish. Eventually, she found the inspirational books of author Brene Brown, and says that she “Discovered that I had so much to learn about myself, and it started with letting go of who I think I'm supposed to be and truly embracing who I really am: a person who values family, creativity, and community.”
She started Kale Health as a way to combine her interests in preventative medicine, nutrition, holistic wellness, and her desire to empower individuals in achieving their health goals.
A physician-led, data-driven health and wellness coaching company that focuses on blood sugar control to guide behavior change, Kale Health’s programming helps treat chronic conditions like obesity, digestive issues, sleep disorders, high blood pressure, hormone imbalances, and chronic fatigue. To do this, all of its programming is backed by the latest medical research–using state-of-the-art continuous blood sugar sensors and microbiome gut health testing to create personalized health plans for each client.
Ironically, Jennie became one of her own clients after launching Kale Health:
“I did some blood tests and was shocked to find out that I have pre-diabetes, even though there's no one else in my family with diabetes. I thought I was doing all the right things but it seemed the stress from working in medicine finally caught up to me. My body was telling me I was burnt out. I slowed down my work schedule, took some time off to visit my grandparents in China, and focused on healing my body. I dug into the research on blood sugar control and created a program for myself to successfully reverse my pre-diabetes in under 60 days. Not only are the numbers on my lab tests much better, but I feel the best I have in years. Having taken the time to look after myself first, I’m in a much better position to care for others.”
Ameet Khabra’s Hop Skip Media is an online marketing agency that specializes in pay per click advertising and works alongside small and medium-sized businesses to grow their revenue through lead generation and direct sales through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google.
Though she now receives messages almost daily from other women who say she’s the reason they decided to continue to pursue their passion in the industry, it wasn’t easy for Ameet to break into it. As she explains, “I am a woman of colour in an extremely white and male-dominated industry. When I first began freelancing, I was laughed out of rooms and told that there was no way that I could do this. Oftentimes, I would go up against other agencies for contracts and lose them, only to end up white labelling for that agency and working on the account that should have been mine.”
The small but mighty team at Hop Skip Media combines over 55 years of marketing experience, 23 of which are specifically dedicated to paid advertising.
Faaiza Ramji founded Field Notes to connect the hidden gems of Alberta’s agriculture to the world. Calling upon her South Asian heritage and her love of Canadian culture, Faaiza shares her appreciation for all the good that can come from our own backyards.
Field Notes’ first product, Don’t Call Me Sweet Pea, is an amaro that’s made with distilled field peas and flavoured by botanicals grown in Edmonton–making it the first company in North America to use peas as a primary distillate in a flavoured liqueur.
Like so many entrepreneurs, one of the greatest obstacles Faaiza faced was overcoming her own self-doubt and vulnerability. And though she’s also had difficulty finding funding and partnerships as a young woman of colour in the Canadian prairies, she’s set on achieving her vision–even when that means redirecting her strategies and accepting that growth takes time.
Pick up a bottle at your neighbourhood shop if you’re in Alberta or show support by snagging some Field Notes merch!
Rabia Dhanani founded Siempre Eco to bridge the gap between affordability and sustainability in home goods and wellness.
With just $500 in her savings account when she immigrated to Canada, she created her first beeswax wraps to provide an eco-friendly solution to the plastic wraps that continuously fill our landfills. After months of experimenting, she perfected the product, captured some shots to showcase it, and set up a website with the help of YouTube tutorials. If that wasn't challenging enough, she also launched her bootstrapped business at the peak of the pandemic—which required her to pivot her strategy multiple times as she learned to navigate these challenges.
All that work paid off, and Siempre Eco now offers dozens of sustainable products that help its customers lead sustainable lifestyles. You can find them online and in over 50 stores across North America.
British Columbia
Featured
Courtney McQueen, Co-Founder and Director of Run Like a Girl Adventures Inc., knows that the most important steps forward are sometimes made possible through collaborative efforts.
Despite running a successful adventure company since 2012, Courtney found herself at a crossroads after the pandemic forced a business restart. Like so many entrepreneurs, she grappled with questions about her path forward.
"Going into a women in business seminar through The Scotiabank Women Initiative in November 2023 was a big deal for me as a business owner and mom with two young kids," she shares. That seminar turned out to be a transformative step in her journey, as it connected her with a speaker from The Forum, whose supportive presence helped her realize she wasn't alone.
This experience eventually led Courtney to join The Scotiabank Women Initiative® Mentor Program, powered by The Forum, where she was paired with Mentor Vered Lerner. Their partnership provided more than business guidance, and gave Courtney a fresh perspective on progress itself.
"It's awesome to have someone to bounce ideas off of who can provide unbiased feedback and ideas," she explains. “When I would mention a possible hurdle, she would help me think outside the box [and find] different solutions."
While reviewing her accomplishments with her Mentor in a recent session, she had a revelation. "As I was telling her what I had been up to since our last meeting, it clicked to me: I am making progress, and I am accomplishing things. Sometimes it feels like we are going nowhere when really, we are!"
One of the most valuable lessons she’s gained from her Mentor is the importance of confidence. "I’m really good at working hard and getting things done, but sometimes, [I’m doing it] without confidence. [I’ve learned to] stand tall, and that what I have to offer and say matters."
Courtney’s mentorship experience has been especially valuable as she navigates her business's post-pandemic chapter. "Although I’ve been going for a long time, it feels new sometimes. This was just the right piece to my journey in helping me feel confident in my pursuit," she says.
"This is an incredibly helpful program. I almost can’t put words to it. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity. Entrepreneurs can often be tempted with [thoughts of self-doubt like] 'Do I keep going? Is this going to work?' A Mentor can really help."
Through Run Like a Girl Adventures Inc., Courtney’s creating opportunities for others to challenge themselves and find their paths forward—now with renewed confidence and clarity in her own entrepreneurial journey.
Nita Agustin is an Indonesian Chinese licensed clinical counsellor based in Burnaby, B.C., who proudly provides guidance and support to gender- and neurodiverse teens and young adults who are curious about living as their most confident selves.
The path that led Nita to start her own business wasn’t a linear one. As she explains, “Having my own business was a culmination of years spent wondering why I can’t fit into a box. I felt like I spent enough time in the first 30 somewhat years of my life finding places and pockets of community where I fit in. Later on, I learnt that there’s a vast difference between fitting in and belonging. I needed to do certain things in those workplaces in order to fit in. Nowadays, I’m able to show up as myself. It’s been tremendously liberating.
It's been transformative for me to be able to work with folks who are internally motivated to make shifts in their lives. It means a lot to partake in and witness the many shifts that happen as we work together. I want to make an impact in people's lives and it's been very rewarding to have the opportunity to do so through my work.”
Giving back and helping others shine has enabled Nita to build a business that’s truly rewarding, but getting to the place she is now hasn’t come without its challenges.
“Comparing myself to others, accessing funding, and developing a sense of direction are the greatest challenges I’ve had to overcome. One of the hardest, invisible hurdles is trusting the process, which means not comparing myself to other practitioners in the field. In the beginning, I started off by [trying to reflect] what other counsellors were doing. I felt like this was a reasonable starting point. But soon enough, I realized that I was doomed to fail if I were to copy and paste their decisions and mindset. After I [started making] decisions based on my gut, purpose, and my own end game, I’ve seen my practice flourish in ways I never thought possible.”
Nita realized there’s no blueprint or step-by-step manual for building a business, and believes that knowing your values is critical to making decisions and maintaining your sense of direction. She’s also found it extremely helpful to have a small and supportive network who she can reach out to when she needs to soundboard ideas.
Like so many entrepreneurs, securing funding and building her business with a limited budget has been particularly challenging.
“I see resource allocation and budgeting as [the factors that] would help move the needle in my business the most. But each decision is not black and white. There might be a time when it makes more sense to bleed money in the short term in order to propel longer term growth. Sometimes I may need to make lifestyle adjustments in order to support my overarching goal. At the same time, I also don’t want to be a starving entrepreneur. I’ve needed to be very intentional about my decisions and plan strategically.”
Ky Sargeant is an EDI Consultant & Facilitator who created Ky Sargeant Consulting to combine her love for language and performing arts with her understanding of empirical research for effective inclusion efforts.
As she explains, “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are often viewed either as superficial ‘feel good' exercises, or as cold, calculative systems. I believe the truth lives somewhere in the middle. Engaging in any kind of work for social good requires you to build genuine connections with people, while also recognizing the larger structures that shape our behaviour. I strive to inspire my clients to find the joy in making progress on EDI, and then provide the research-backed tools needed to make it happen.”
Ky started doing grassroots student activism in 2018, which eventually led to the UBC Business School's Senior Dean of EDI offering her a job as her research assistant.
“In my three years supporting the school and doing research, I learned that over the last 40 years, the way we've done EDI work may have caused more harm than good. There's a lot of challenges people don't think about, but one that really stuck with me is the fear that many feel towards the term ‘EDI.’ People often see ‘EDI’ and worry about being a bad person or saying the wrong thing, which is a huge barrier to learning. As someone with years of performing arts experience in poetry and comedy, I found myself uniquely positioned to turn a typically fearful learning experience into something enjoyable and inspiring. The amazing response I had to my work while I was still a student made me realize that there was a big need for this in the business world, which led me to starting the practice I have now.”
For Ky, marketing her business has been one of the greatest challenges she’s faced as an entrepreneur.
“I spend a lot more time focusing on improving my work than I do talking about it. While I love the fact that virtually all my clients come from organic referrals, I often wonder if it will be enough if I don't start marketing myself more conventionally. I think a large part of this comes from my fear of taking space as a transgender woman. There is so much hostility and danger involved with being a publically known trans woman, that I feel held back from doing more in order to protect myself. I also worry a lot about not representing my community well enough. There are so few trans women in the business world that I'm always wary of how people will see my actions as a reflection of others, so I strive to show up in space with a lot of intentionality, which means I need to be more careful of how I manage my energy.”
Erin Laye is the entrepreneur behind Erin Laye Photography, a portrait photography business that’s based in Campbell River, B.C. With the goal of helping women look and feel their best in their photoshoots, she also started her own podcast called Beyond The Pose: By Erin Laye Photography, which offers helpful tips and tricks to those who want to go into any photoshoot feeling confident and prepared.
From a young age, Erin was eager to contribute to her community, connect with people, and make a difference. Once she received her diploma in professional photography and had the chance to work alongside amazing photographers, she realized she could give back while pursuing her passion by helping people appreciate the unique beauty they possess.
As she explains, “[Finding] the opportunity to use my skills to help and create opportunities for others keeps me going.”
Erin’s giving nature has continued to lead her down the entrepreneurial path. She recently launched her second venture, Smart Landlord Solutions. “This business was inspired by the crash course I went on as a new landlord who is a young woman. I want to help other new and existing landlords learn from my mistakes and provide systems and coaching so that they don’t have to do it all alone.”
For Erin, finding a supportive community has been one of the greatest challenges she’s encountered while starting and growing her businesses. “I have often found it isolating to be a business owner, especially with multi-passions, as a lot of people can’t relate. I was recently paired with a Mentor through The Forum Mentor Program Presented by The Scotiabank Women Initiative® with the goal of starting a new online business. I’m very excited to see how this can help me in my journey!”
Brittney Ashley is the proud Founder of Creative Dynamics Virtual Services, a company that is redefining the scope of virtual assistance by providing hands-on "done-for-you" support and business coaching that helps entrepreneurs build and scale.
Brittney, a certified business coach and imposter syndrome coach, wants to help entrepreneurs overcome limiting beliefs and strive towards their goals with confidence. She and the Creative Dynamics team are there to provide practical virtual assistance and guidance.
While Brittney specializes in overcoming imposter syndrome, it’s something she used to struggle with herself—and is what led her down the path she’s on now. As she explains, “Despite my extensive experience and qualifications, I grappled with self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy. Through mentorship, self-compassion and continuous learning, I conquered these doubts and emerged stronger. I became an imposter syndrome coach to help others navigate similar challenges.”
Like many entrepreneurs, Brittney has also found it especially challenging to overcome pricing structure resistance. “Despite the undeniable value and quality of our services, persuading potential clients of their worth has proven to be a formidable task. I know this challenge resonates with many women in business, and I'm dedicated to confronting it directly.”
Having experienced toxic work environments first-hand before starting her business, Brittney was driven to create a truly supportive, nurturing, and creative space where fellow entrepreneurs can thrive without having to side-step negative pressure—helping people find success and happiness both inside and outside of the business world.
Brittney is also the host of “Breaking Norms, Building Dreams”, a radio show with a listenership of 200,000 that reminds individuals of their worth and dismantles societal norms that hold them back.
Ami McKay, Founder of PURE Design Inc., first got involved with The Forum in 2008 as a mentee: “I appreciated it so much and wished that it was something I could have had when I was younger. So after about five years when I felt like I had enough life experience, I decided to give back as a mentor the way that other women had supported me.”
Looking back on her time as a mentee, she says “It was great to have an ear to talk about my struggles as an entrepreneur. This supportive environment impacted me in a positive way through my highs and lows as a business owner.” Now as a mentor, she finds she continues to benefit from the experience while giving back. Not only does it remind her of her own accomplishments and the wisdom she has to share, but she’s found it’s strengthened her ability to lead in her own company.
“I encourage any woman to join as there is so much to gain as both a mentee and as a mentor. In the olden days, we mentored the younger generations, passed down knowledge and support, and it is missing in our culture today. It’s very fundamental for us women to connect with other women, to be guided and to guide. Don’t forget to ask for help! Even I still need a mentor today as my business grows and changes,” she says.
After taking a two-year pause from her business to grow her family, Adobea Foli, Founder and CEO of StartGrowPivot Advisory Inc., which is now Adobea Foli Consulting, was ready to relaunch. She pushed forward and was starting to see momentum, but between running her business, raising a family, and working a full-time job, she felt she was starting to burn out. Armed with plenty of ideas but minimal time and resources to follow through with them, she decided to seek out a mentor who could share some advice.
She found that support through The Forum Mentor Program Presented by The Scotiabank Women Initiative® to be invaluable, as she was able to share ideas, gain fresh perspectives, and then prioritize tasks that would lead to revenue generation while balancing time constraints.
As Adobea explains, “The most impactful lesson from my mentor has been the art of letting go and focusing on a few crucial goals. I wrestled with many ideas and passions, aiming to pursue them all to grow my business. I was offering various services, from workshops to coaching content creation to courses. With the help of my mentor, I realized that my message needed to be more precise to make a more significant impact. They helped me shift my perspective, take a step back, and assess what wasn’t working for me.”
Veronica Li, Registered Clinical Counsellor, and Stephanie Dang, Registered Dietician, are the founders behind CAYA (Come As You Are) Health Centre. They created the multidisciplinary medical and allied health clinic to support all women, trans, and non-binary individuals–who’ve received an overall lower quality of healthcare, less access to services, and as a result, worse health outcomes.
They started the clinic when they were just 30 years old–but took the risk in building a business that they knew would bridge an important gap and provide quality care that is trauma-informed, sex-positive, weight neutral, and gender-affirming.
When launching CAYA Health Centre, Veronica and Stephanie encountered several barriers. As they explain, “We were continuously told that this had not been done before and that there was no manual to start this type of clinic. It was challenging to get answers and we had to take a trial-and-error approach. We learned a lot from these experiences and hope to one day share these experiences with others so that this type of healthcare will be more accessible to all across the province. Another barrier we encountered was the public's lack of trust in the system. There is a feeling of desperation and urgency for healthcare amongst British Columbians and as we were setting up this clinic, we wanted to ensure that we had thought about each individual patient and client experience. We wanted to rebuild their trust in healthcare–but knew that we couldn’t do it alone. We relied heavily on our community for wisdom and support as we navigated through our opening and continued growth.”
While dedicating themselves to the wellbeing of their own patients, Veronica and Stephanie worked hard to overcome the challenge of starting a business while balancing all of the work involved in setting up a clinic–from seeking funding to managing business regulations and administration. Though it hasn’t been easy, they have no regrets: They say “it's definitely been worth it to bring these services to a much-needed population and work towards a more equitable healthcare system.”
When Deborah Bastow, Founder of TANcouver, first moved from Ireland to Vancouver, B.C., she was shocked to see that it was nearly impossible to find sunless tan lotions in stores. Knowing that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, and also the most preventable, she decided to take matters into her own hands and opened her own spray tan salon.
As Deborah explains, “My mission is to promote the use of sunless products to combat skin cancer, prevent premature aging, and help people feel great about themselves. After only two years, Tancouver won the Consumer Choice Awards’ top spray tan salon in Vancouver and has gained over 500 five-star reviews. I’ve also created my own line of self tanner, became qualified in mole detection, and now educate other estheticians on how to become spray tan artists and voice the dangers of UV tanning.”
Deborah’s unwavering drive to increase the availability of sunless tanning options comes from a place of great loss. She says, “I lost my family but I found myself. My brother and father passed away from cancer, and my sister has had breast cancer twice. Due to this, many years ago we had to get genetic testing to see why all of my family were becoming ill. It turns out we have a rare gene that is affected through UV. All of this has shaped my passion in becoming THE CHANGE in a city where really no one was a spray tan artist, or ever knew quite how natural spray tans (done right) can be. There is nothing more harmful or dangerous to our skin than UV. Every person who comes to me and tells me because of me they are now using SPF, are more mindful of their sun exposure, and are embracing sunless tanning makes me feel like this is truly what I was supposed to do in my life.”
To build upon her success, Deborah has enrolled in The Forum E-Series Presented by RBC, and aims to activate and access wisdom, community, and financial capital to achieve continued growth and success.
Sue-Rose Read started OneBerrie while postpartum with her first daughter out of a desire to improve the bathing experience for little ones and new parents.
Having tried everything from hooded baby towels to large apron towels, she found the then-available options just weren’t cutting it, so she set out to create something better. This led to OneBerrie’s hands-free towels, which enable parents and caregivers to transfer newborns efficiently and comfortably from the bath into a warm embrace. This is done with an innovative loop and button design, and high-quality fabrics that are made for a baby’s sensitive skin.
Based in Invermere, a small mountain town in B.C., Sue-Rose hires within the community and now provides flexible work opportunities to seven other women and men. You can find towels, baby lotion, ponchos, and more through the OneBerrie website, which are all made, sewn, formulated, and packaged in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
Dr. Julie Durnan, Founder and Operator of Ginger Desk, created the virtual assistant service to help health and wellness practitioners build and scale their practices.
Having owned clinics, trained administrative staff, and managed office leadership teams for 20 years, Julie is able to provide practitioners with flexible monthly and daily packages for virtual support that suit their unique needs. Not only does this enable practitioners to better accommodate patients, but also helps to reduce costs.
The pandemic increased the demand for telehealth and virtual appointments, and in a post-COVID world, the convenience and accessibility of these alternatives has solidified their importance. As Julie explains, “Ginger Desk is poised to satisfy the growing demand from medical professionals to outsource administrative, communications and billing tasks to virtual assistants. This has already fueled much of the company's growth in the past year and continues to fuel our evolution.”
Julie Angeletti started Pom & Chi Pet Boutique with no experience in product development—but she didn’t let that stop her from persevering and learning all about the industry.
As she explains, “I hit roadblock after roadblock. I couldn't find a manufacturer that would be willing to work with me. When I did, communication was a big issue and the production was not up to my standards.” After over a year of searching and three failed attempts, she finally found the studio that she’s proud to work with today. Though Julie often hears she was lucky to have found a studio with such a high standard of quality, she never would have found them if she had given up when things got tough.
You can find beautiful, minimally designed pet goods on the Pom & Chi Pet Boutique website, including zero-waste beds, bandanas, and toys for small dogs.
Leigh Joseph, an ethnobotanist, researcher and community activist from the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) First Nation, has prioritized the cultural knowledge renewal of Indigenous plant foods and medicines through her business, Sḵwálwen Botanicals.
Leigh draws inspiration from the teachings of her family and community members, and each of her luxury botanical skincare products has a Squamish name to honour the land that traditional Squamish plant knowledge comes from.
Her interest in the relationship between food and culture was fed by her paternal grandmother’s family from the Snuneymuxw (Nanaimo) First Nation, who she visited and learned from while growing up. She has memories of her family preparing the salmon they caught, making fresh blackberry juice, and joining them to pick vegetables from their garden.
Leigh’s paternal grandparents were part of the estimated 150,000 Indigenous children who were forced to attend residential schools. As she explains, “Much of my adult life has been spent thinking about the intergenerational effects of residential school on my family. I have early memories of visiting my grandparents at their home on the Stawamus Reserve in Squamish where I spent time with the elders who told stories of our territory and how we are connected to the land. These same elders had survived traumas that I did not yet know of. I was fortunate to have had the chance to experience a good childhood, to spend my early years learning from my parents and my extended family.”
Through Sḵwálwen Botanicals, Leigh offers ethically sourced products that are made with the utmost care, and are free of harsh chemicals, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances and colors. As a mother of two, she’s proud to share her family’s teachings and provide her children with a connection to their family’s traditional Squamish knowledge.
Kate Bouchard is the entrepreneur behind Loba Wellness, the first wifi-connected pill and supplement organizer that helps you stay on track and looks great in your space. Tapping into the power of visual cues, the organizer lights up when it’s time to take your pills or supplements. The Loba app also allows you to receive notifications, set reminders, customize your organizer’s lights, and more. When you’re on the go, you can even remove daily compartments so you can take them with you.
Kate invented, designed, manufactured, and delivered Loba Wellness within just two years–learning as she went many of the skills she needed to succeed. When the company launched its app and delivered pre-orders for its organizers, it received more than 250 downloads and garnered many positive reviews in just 30 days.
Kate also set her sights on financing, which would enable the company’s continued growth. She was able to raise over $300,000 through investors and debt financing. Loba Wellness is now finalizing partnership agreements with multinational retailers and ecommerce wellness giants.
You can order your Loba Wellness organizer today from shoploba.com.
Dicky's Dumps is a Vancouver-based small-batch dumpling business that's co-owned by Pearl Lam and Dickson Li.
As a Chinese-Canadian woman entrepreneur and the daughter of immigrant parents, the path to launching Dicky’s Dumps came with its challenges. It's a bootstrapped business and is run out of Pearl’s apartment, which is the HQ for packaging, labelling, organizing orders, content creation, podcasts, and even Zoom workshops.
As Pearl’s team explains, “Pearl built a business around a comfort food item that's so iconic in Chinese culture. She's managed to attract a lot of first-time tasters who are now big-time dumpling fans. Pearl also participates in a lot of local community events and is a longtime supporter of the Chinatown community.”
The delicious Chinese-style dumplings come in four flavours and are sold at local grocers and restaurants, including Juice Truck, Gourmet Warehouse, The Drive Canteen, South China Seas Trading, Sing Sing, as well as through Legend's Haul. If you’re in the area, try them for yourself!
When Paula Vera registered for E-Series Spring 2022, she was ready to establish Polar Peak Popcorn as the go-to snack for adventurers.
Not only did the branding and marketing seminars help her build Polar Peak Popcorn's personality, but she was able to connect with another program participant from the Elk Valley, BC, Charné Baird Photography. Together, they worked to further develop the brand's presence. Just take a look at the mouth-watering website to see the outcome!
As Paula explains, "[E-Series] enabled me to connect with other entrepreneurs in British Columbia [and] was a great way to get new ideas from established professionals."
Make sure you try out the locally made gourmet popcorn if you’re in the Fernie BC area!
Paula took part in The Forum E-Series Presented by RBC with the support of a bursary generously provided by Teck.
While Sang Le and Arielle Lok were full-time students juggling jobs and internships, they were also bootstrapping Peko, Western Canada’s first delivery service for “peculiar” and surplus food.
Wanting to make healthy, affordable food accessible to everyone, Sang and Arielle took a chance on launching the impactful company during the pandemic with no industry connections. They went to all the farmers markets they could and knocked on the doors of produce warehouses until they were able to establish the connections they needed. Meanwhile, they also took part in over 20 pitch and start-up competitions. This enabled them to raise funds and spread the word about their company, which is helping to reduce the $3.1 billion in food that’s rejected every year for cosmetic reasons.
If you want to play a part in saving quality food from landfills while cutting down on grocery costs, order your Peko Box now.
Kathleen Reid, Founder & Chief Communications Officer of Switchboard Public Relations, supplies communication strategies that drive impressive results in the community development, technology, and impact sectors.
Though Kathleen's vision has been significantly impacted by three genetic eye diseases, she's continued to grow the leading PR firm since she launched it in 2013. At the same time, she’s also balanced the many hats that come with starting a family and raising two young kids.
While Kathleen’s vision loss has undoubtedly made her journey a more difficult one, she hasn't let it stand in the way of her success. Instead, she’s used her experiences to bring attention to the importance of accessibility. As her team points out, “This makes her an exceptional communicator and is one of the reasons she is great at what she does.”
Learn more about the impact of Switchboard’s services online and connect with their team if you’re ready to collaborate!
Nikki Riddler created Citrus + Sage Co. to bring luxurious, hand-crafted and sustainable products to her customers.
Having always dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur, Nikki got started on building her business from the ground up when she was in her mid-twenties. With limited access to capital, it hasn't been easy navigating a product-based handmade business in today's competitive climate. Though each day comes with new challenges, it also comes with new rewards. Today, Nikki continues to craft beautiful natural coconut soy candles with wooden wicks, vegan bar soap made with all-natural scents and colourants, and more.
You can shop all products from the Métis-owned company online.
Ontario
Featured
When Vian Nguyen, Founder and CEO of Rude Mama Hot Sauce, first discovered The Forum through Startup Canada, she was immediately drawn to the stories of inspiring women entrepreneurs in its network.
"Seeing all these strong independent women founders share their stories through The Forum platform, I badly wanted to join. [I wanted] to be a part of this amazing collective and hoped that one day, I would be one of those amazing women entrepreneurs as well.”
That aspiration led Vian to join The Forum Growth Peer Mentorship Program, where she found herself in exactly the right place at the right time. "In the past, I often found myself in groups that were either too advanced or a few stages behind, which, while insightful, sometimes made it challenging to align my learning with my business's immediate needs," she explains.
For Vian, connecting with entrepreneurs at similar stages of growth created an ideal environment for learning and development. "This alignment has accelerated my growth as a business owner, offering tailored insights and fostering a sense of camaraderie that is truly invaluable.”
But what sets this program apart, according to Vian, is the depth of support she's received in tackling business challenges. "They don't just address the surface-level issues; they dig deep into the root of the challenge, offering fresh perspectives that I might not have considered on my own," she says.
This holistic approach has helped her expand her vision and strengthen her strategic thinking, providing a significant practical impact. "I was able to finally address some critical tasks that had been lingering on my to-do list, such as finishing email marketing flows, refining my hiring process, and optimizing daily operations.”
Beyond day-to-day operations, the mentorship group has also helped Vian think bigger about her business's future. "They helped me see the bigger picture, especially in navigating complex areas like venture capital and funding opportunities, which are essential to the future growth of my business.”
Today, she’s leading Rude Mama Hot Sauce with confidence and clarity to bring authentic Vietnamese hot sauces to spice lovers across Canada.
Kristin Hartigan, Owner of Square Key Digital, decided to become a Mentor after an unexpected discovery.
While completing their Mentee profile for The Forum Mentor Program Presented by The Scotiabank Women Initiative®, they noticed an opportunity to serve as both a Mentee and Mentor. "I saw this as an exciting opportunity to dip my toes and give back while also receiving support," Kristin shares.
This dual role gave them a unique perspective and helped them tap into a rich ecosystem of support. As Kristin explains, "I’m at a much different part of my entrepreneurship journey than my Mentees are. I'm able to talk to my Mentor about what’s going on with my Mentees and receive guidance and feedback.
It's really solidified my sense of community and opened doors to new connections and an even deeper community than I ever imagined. It's kept me accountable for some less desirable items on my to-do list and has really broken down some walls that I've had for a long time as an entrepreneur."
The program and the community they found through it has also helped them combat the isolation that often comes with entrepreneurship. "For me, it's really become about not being alone. I'm not an island and I'm not the only one who is experiencing these common challenges of running a business.”
As someone with ADHD, Kristin found that mentoring has also helped them develop crucial skills. "[It enabled me to improve my] listening. As someone with ADHD, I'm always wanting to jump in, give advice, and tell everyone what to do to just fix all their problems. Being a Mentor has really allowed me to practice some skill sets that don't come as naturally to me."
Through this journey, Kristin’s also acquired a deeper understanding of what makes mentorship truly effective. "Learning to guide rather than lead has been the absolute best part of being a Mentor so far. It's been beyond rewarding [to not only watch] my Mentees grow, but grow because they’ve figured out solutions on their own."
As someone who's loved their experiences through The Forum’s mentorship programming, Kristin’s been quick to recommend it to those in their network. "I just love The Forum so very much and I tell every woman-identifying entrepreneur about it (even if they're not Canadian) because it's been such a game changer for me.”
Through Square Key Digital, an “un-agency” that helps its clients streamline their marketing and sales efforts, and their role as both Mentor and Mentee, Kristin shows the power that comes from embracing a comprehensive vantage point.
Josephine Yam is the CEO & Co-Founder of Skills4Good AI, an award-winning edtech company advancing responsible AI literacy with a mission to democratize AI education. To do this, Skills4Good AI offers memberships to its AI Academy. Members have access to a comprehensive curriculum with over 150 on-demand video lessons, as well as a collaborative community where they can connect, share insights and learn from each other, and cutting-edge experiences like monthly webinars, expert interviews and networking events.
As Josephine explains, “As the first edtech company to provide responsible AI education in Canada, Skills4Good AI achieved a ‘first mover advantage.’ This has positioned us as thought leaders in the AI education field. The emergence of ChatGPT has further spurred exponential growth in our Academy membership. We have customers across Canada and the U.S. who are passionate about using ‘AI For Good’ and understand that continuous AI upskilling is critical to achieving this.”
With the mind of a lawyer and the heart of an entrepreneur, Josephine was driven to develop Skills4Good AI to combine her passions while helping to make the world a better place as it adopts and evolves with AI.
“When I immigrated to Canada from the Philippines, I started my career in Canada as a lawyer with an international law firm on Bay Street in downtown Toronto. My journey took a transformative turn when I attended Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. In one of my classes, a well-renowned professor remarked, ‘If you aren’t changing the world, don’t bother.’ This inspired me to co-found Skills4Good AI to address the lack of diversity and inclusion in our rapidly changing digital world. This drive was fueled by my firsthand experiences of being an outsider in three intersectional ways: I am a woman, a person of color, and a Canadian immigrant.”
Josephine also found the education and support she received through The Forum to be invaluable in her entrepreneurial journey: “I am immensely grateful for the education I received from The Forum E-Series Program and my incredible Mentor from The Forum Mentor Program, who’s continued to advise me over the years.”
While few would attempt to argue against the importance of responsible AI adoption today, that wasn’t always the case—and proved to be one of the greatest challenges Josephine faced when launching her business.
“In 2019, when we began offering responsible AI education, many dismissed AI as science fiction. Convincing people of AI’s potential dangers without proper guardrails was an uphill battle. Despite skepticism, we persevered because we believed AI was a transformational revolution and it was crucial to help people build the skills to thrive in the Age of AI. We continued to develop our AI Academy with intellectual property assets, providing training to those who saw what we saw: AI was coming, and we needed to be ready.
Today, Skills4Good AI is a pioneering force in Responsible AI education. We’re proud to be Canada’s leading edtech provider in Responsible AI, with the Government of Canada as one of our customers.”
By democratizing access to AI education and focusing on ethical applications, Skills4Good AI empowers professionals to navigate the ethical complexities of AI and leverage it for the greater good.
Watch Josephine’s TEDx talk, “How To Right Algorithmic Wrongs” on how we can use AI For Good.
Gail Lynch is the CEO and Experience Designer of ZERO Cocktail Bar, Canada’s first non-alcoholic cocktail bar, tasting room and bottle shop experience, located within in Toronto’s historic Cabbagetown district.
As Gail explains, “We provide access to beautiful, flavourful cocktails for those of us wanting the creativity and delectableness of a traditional cocktail without the alcohol. Our tagline, ‘Come for the Cocktail, Stay for the Chat,’ brings communities together. Our cocktails are crafted using premium non-alcohol spirits and bar mixes created in-house using delectable fruits, herbs and spices. Our customer base is as varied as our drinks: young and young at heart, the sober community, the sober curious, and those looking for something fresh and new.”
To offer its diverse clientele the varied experiences they’re seeking, ZERO Cocktail Bar offers full zero-proof cocktail bar service, team-building mixology workshops and events, cocktail crafting menus for events, restaurants and bars, and a tasting room and bottle shop.
Gail believes that non-alcoholic cocktails should be an expected and thought-out option at every celebration and event, and says that as a “Black 2SLGBTQIA+ woman, equity, inclusion and community are hallmarks of everything I do.”
Sober living for the past decade, Gail’s journey in building ZERO Cocktail Bar began “To protect my mental health during the pandemic. I built a 2x4 bar with a cement countertop and began experimenting and crafting zero-proof cocktails. I was bored with the same old standard drink options usually available during social events, so I made it my mission to craft cocktails using premium non-alcohol spirits, botanicals and bar mixes. I had no idea that creating this bar would give me the creative outlet to experiment with delicious, in-house recipes using delectable, organic fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices.”
For Gail, accessing financial support has been one of the greatest challenges in starting and growing her business. She’s found it extremely difficult to receive support and education from her financial institution, and funded ZERO Cocktail Bar using her personal finances.
She’s also noticed that “The support provided by lending institutions, non-profit organizations, and governments often fails to reach the entrepreneurs who need it. Many organizations and governments create a false narrative of support for Black and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities through commercials and announcements. These entities fly the Pride flag high in June and provide support to large organizations as it benefits their own PR. Unfortunately, these supports don’t get to those who are in need.”
Meggan Van Harten, RGD, and Jennifer Taback, RGD, are Co-CEOs of Design de Plume (DDP), an Indigenous and women-owned creative agency that creates accessible and inclusive design solutions. Working across Turtle Island (Canada and the U.S.), Design de Plume harnesses the transformative power of design to empower communities and weaves Indigenous wisdom and women-led innovation into every project.
As they explain, “When we originally started the business together in 2009, we wanted to use our gifts of design and have good jobs within a structure that offered more autonomy. DDP has really evolved since then and we’ve moved from simply solving problems to trying to anticipate how changes will affect our work more proactively. We’re trying to look ahead and see how we can incorporate Indigenous perspectives in innovative ways.”
However, growing DDP into the impressive creative agency it is today hasn’t been easy. “As we grew, we became very aware of the challenges that come with being diverse young women in business. Opportunities for us weren’t the same as other businesses who had similar training and experience. We had great services to offer but our local pool of potential clients didn’t see the value we were bringing to the table. They only saw young women and thought we were inexperienced.”
To overcome this, Meggan and Jennifer talked about rebranding their business to sound more like the businesses around them. As a part of this process, they removed their pictures from requests for proposal and their website and changed their logo to one that looked less “soft.”
“It looked great but it didn’t sound or feel like us. So we had a choice, either continue to play the same game by doing things just like everyone else, or stay true to ourselves, take a big risk, and think bigger than we were at the time. We immediately threw out all the branding work that didn’t feel like us, embraced our core values, carried them into every project, and said no to projects that didn’t fit that vision.”
That decision turned out to be one of the most pivotal moments of growth for DDP, and is what enabled Meggan and Jennifer to find a circle of clients whose values align with theirs. “We’ve grown into a creative agency that has a reputation for creating big impact. We’re proud of the good we’ve done in the world by challenging harmful biases in design and creating inclusive and accessible design solutions that reach people where they are at.”
Africa Trade Desk (ATD) is a one-stop consulting firm for Canadian and international companies, investors, and entrepreneurs who are looking to do business in Africa. Founded by Susan Namulindwa, ATD is dedicated to increasing trade between Canada and Africa, while also boosting intra-African trade. From helping clients find the perfect international business partner to creating international export strategies, Africa Trade Desk is there to support them in realizing their goals.
As Susan’s team explains, “The majority of ATD's clients are Black, women-owned and operated businesses. We especially work with companies that work in the supply of clean water, clean energy, ethical supply chain management, and climate change adaptation so as to ensure the longevity of not only these companies, but the communities in which they operate.”
Having grown up as a Ugandan refugee in Kenya before coming to Canada, Susan has also founded two charities, GirlsRunPeriod, which is fighting period poverty in Kenya (and has received the support of the country’s First Lady), and Maama Watali, which supports Canadian Black women with the aim to eradicate gender-based violence.
A powerful changemaker, Susan is continuously looking for ways to make the world a better place, despite the systemic and personal barriers that have stood in her path. She’s grown her impactful business and non-profits while acting as an advisor to the federal government on their engagement with the African diaspora, and to Black Canadians where she’s provided guidance on the Africa Strategy that is currently being designed by the federal government to help increase access to affordable housing in Ottawa.
Suzanne Barr Food is “a global village committed to building connections, advocating food justice, and creating global culinary experiences.”
A former photographer, stylist, filmmaker, producer, and personal chef, Founder Suzanne Barr lasered her focus on her love for cooking when she turned 30–and later went on to become a two-time restaurateur, chef-in-residence at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto, and a judge on Food Network Canada’s Wall of Chefs.
Her love for cooking started when she was a child–but when her mother sadly passed from pancreatic cancer, she found herself again in the connection between her family’s rich cultural history, the memories she shared with her mother, and the healing power of food.
As Suzanne explains, “From our kitchen, we are joined in celebrating the worldly flavors by defining their origins, cooking with love and intention, expanding our diasporic appreciation, and advocating for cultural legacy. Together, we reshape our community by sharing traditions, discovering new customs, understanding the importance of sourcing ethical ingredients and recipe preservation techniques that disband culinary biases and realign connections to our cultural foodways. From enriching online classes to handpicked recipes, how-to videos, and inclusive events, our vibrant community invites you to embrace the power of food, love, and connection.”
Carly Nemtean leaped into entrepreneurship at just 26 years old alongside a business partner. Eleven years later, she’s still building upon her vision and has opened a second business alongside the same partner.
After working around the clock to help residential clients build and renovate their dream homes, they were able to double their sales after just two years. Seeing an opportunity to support the design of offices, boardrooms, libraries, and more, they opened The Collective Workspace, which recently unveiled a second location in Mississauga, O.N., that will support its growth.
Though Carly and The Collective Workspace team have seen incredible growth since launching, their progression wasn’t always linear. After seeing 300% growth after their first year, they had to cope with years of instability as pandemic regulations ran their course.
Since then, the company has seen steady growth and continues to offer versatile spaces that streamline business and community for other entrepreneurs and professionals.
Jacqueline Johal started Sarisha Beauty as a passion project on the side—making products for herself, her family, and friends while she worked full-time as a teacher.
The company now provides consumers with modern botanical beauty that draws inspiration from ancient apothecary and shares Jacqueline’s love for the raw and natural ingredients she grew up around in Punjab. Sarisha Beauty’s products highlight traditional Ayurvedic ingredients and reflect Jacqueline’s advocation for the connection between skin health, lifestyle, and nutrition.
Sarisha Beauty has collaborated with Detox Market to launch its products and has even been featured in Vogue India. You can order glow-boosting oils and more by shopping online or visiting a participating Detox Market location.
Nadia Ladak, Co-Founder and CEO of Marlow, works alongside the Marlow crew to create tampons for people who hate using them—helping them to have more comfortable periods.
They’re the creators of the very first lubricated tampon for smoother insertion, which their target audience of pre-teens find especially helpful when they begin menstruating. Marlow has even gone viral on TikTok, where it’s accumulated over 40 million views and 4 million likes. The company knows the importance of a good content strategy and has also been able to build a community of over 45,000 menstruators by educating readers and toppling the stigma around menstrual health. As a result, Marlow has been recognized as one of the top 29 women leading the modern menstrual movement.
On the path to achieving these successes, Nadia and the Marlow team have faced their share of barriers. As most investors are men who don’t resonate with the problems Marlow’s products solve, receiving the funding they need to scale has been a challenge. The company has also had to navigate the time-consuming world of Health Canada and FDA processes during the pandemic, which significantly delayed its next steps.
Find Marlow’s lubricant and tampons online and bundle your order to save.
Rhowena Adolfo Patel started Healing Mama Co. to revolutionize the childbirth industry by raising the standard of care that birthing people and their partners receive.
The company was born from Rhowena’s frustrating and eye-opening experience as a first-time mother, which inspired her to solve the problems she saw when it came to fourth trimester and postpartum care.
Driven by the motivation to provide new and expecting moms with the care they’ve so often lacked, Rhowena has pushed her way past several barriers that stood in her path. In addition to filling the full-time role as a mother, she’s overcome cancer and nearly went bankrupt twice. As a woman founder of colour, she’s also experienced limited access to financial funding, which she describes as one of the most challenging aspects of bringing her revolution to life.
Visit the Healing Mama Co. website to build labour and postpartum bags for you or your loved ones.
Melissa Davis is the brand architect behind Ugly Dukling, a company that collaborates with iconic brands, blockbuster films, and celebrities to create capsule collections that are launched through memorable immersive experiences.
Since launching the company, Melissa has driven growth and profit across retail and ecommerce channels. Notable collaborations include Dwyane Wade x Godfather's 45th anniversary, Kyrie Irving x Uncle Drew, LeBron James x Space Jam, Barbie’s 60th anniversary, and Tweety Bird's 80th anniversary.
The Globe and Mail has recognized Ugly Dukling Beauty as a top 10 business in Canada. Melissa was even selected by Barbie as one of 60 role models who achieved success in their field and inspires independence, self-acceptance, and reinvention. She was also honoured with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee award in 2022.
Check out the Ugly Dukling Beauty website to see its latest collaborative launches.
Darcy Boucher, Founder and President of Bowda Creative Communications, started her business while she was covering from a severe injury, which left her unable to walk for over six months.
She was keen to work and decided to try her hand at entrepreneurship for the first time, which enabled her to adapt her work to her physical limitations as she recovered. Well before remote work was the norm, Darcy created a digital marketing agency where work could be done from anywhere.
Darcy continues to deal with chronic pain and arthritis since her injury and is also a mother of young children—making balancing the responsibilities of a solopreneur even more difficult. As she explains, “Digital marketing is a fast-paced industry and if you get off the hamster wheel, even for a valid reason, it's hard to get back on and be top of mind again.”
However, Darcy has made incredible progress since she first set out as a solopreneur back in 2013, with Bowda Creative Communications boasting over 46 happy clients that it has provided creative marketing and communications solutions to.
Noticing a need for more mental health support during the COVID-19 pandemic, Milly Feliz was driven to launch a virtual psychotherapy clinic that would help those looking to heal.
The Wise Self Psychotherapy Clinic is committed to delivering high-quality care to clients who are looking to learn effective coping strategies, enhance their recovery, and ensure the maintenance of their well-being. All clinicians are carefully selected based on their level of experience, knowledge, and their capacity to provide cultural competence in their therapeutic approach.
Registered psychotherapists are also able to offer free counselling and psychotherapy services to those covered under Mevadie Blue Cross and have refugee status. Thanks to a collaborative partnership with virtual platform Psychotherapy Matters, The Wise Self Psychotherapy Clinic is able to significantly reduce the wait times clients typically experience when seeking support, making it more accessible and less stressful.
Milly takes great pride in providing comprehensive virtual mental health support, but especially the type of support that breaks so many of the barriers that often prevent patients from getting started. Learn more about The Wise Self Psychotherapy Clinic through its website and consider booking a consultation if you’re ready to enhance your well-being.
Katie Cyr started Monarch Tea Co. as a side passion and ran it while working a full-time job for seven years. In 2021, she decided to register the business as a corporation and took the then-daunting leap into full-time entrepreneurship–and it paid off!
In the same year, Monarch Tea Co. grossed over $180,000 in sales and started to expand its partnerships with retailers. You can now find Monarch Tea Co. in more than 20 retailers across Ontario and in over 15 cafes and restaurants.
Katie has also made it a part of the Monarch Tea Co. brand mission to share her love of tea with the world through interactive workshops. The company’s tea sommeliers have led educational sessions like Tea & Chocolate, Tea 101, and Tea Blending for clients that include Google, Spotify, Facebook, and Loblaws.
You can order premium loose-leaf teas and more online, sign up for a workshop with friends, or plan a corporate event.
Lauralee Sheehan runs Digital 55, an award-winning company that’s made up of designers, developers, content producers, and media experts who take pride in producing content and learning experiences that focus on critical thinking and complex storytelling.
With a diverse background that includes working on film sets, being a musician, and an indie label entrepreneur over the past two decades, Lauralee was excited to take the next step in her growth with the launch of Digital 55. The company’s commitment to purposeful digital and media-based content has enabled it to take on an impressive roster of partners, such as PowerEDTM by Athabasca University, Digital Wellness Institute (DWI), Ontario Arts Council (OAC), and Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC).
More recently, the company even started a division for original and unscripted content, along with a distribution division that will provide even more potential for scalability.
Visit the Digital 55 website to learn more about the compelling content and learning experiences Lauralee and her company are working on.
As managing director and partner of a Toronto-based digital marketing agency, Amanda Nguyen is widely known as a leader who’s quick to accomplish her goals.
So when she and her friends were looking to play volleyball but didn’t have access to the space or equipment that’s required, she invented Boardball, a new sport that eliminates these barriers. But she didn’t stop innovating there. Once videos of Amanda and her friends playing Boardball outside Toronto’s Harbourfront went viral, she established Boardball Inc. in response to those wondering how they could join in.
Though the company was only launched in 2021, it already provides equipment to customers in over 40 U.S. states and 10 Canadian provinces. As Amanda’s team explains, “Boardball is not only a new sport, it's a lifestyle brand and community people want to be a part of. This wouldn’t have been possible without Amanda's vision. She’s done it all, including brand and product development, go-to-market strategy, marketing, overseeing logistics and supply chain, managing sales and vendor deals, and community development.”
Head to Boardball’s site to get everything you need to play, and see why the accessible sport has caught on so quickly.
When Bilan Hassan founded Unparalleled Beauty, she was guided by a dedication to make the beauty industry more inclusive and diverse.
As she explains, “[The world] is more cognizant than ever of how proper representation and diversity is critical in all fields. The beauty industry is no different. With Black women spending nearly nine times more than our non-Black counterparts on beauty products, Unparalleled Beauty's mission is to bridge the gaps and ensure that we are represented in every single capacity.”
Though Bilan knew the industry needed to evolve, she took a huge risk in bringing her vision to fruition. Like in the beauty industry, she also noticed a clear lack of representation in the business world as a Black, Muslim woman. But despite a lack of available funding and the pressure of those who doubted her, she pushed through.
Unparalleled Beauty offers a growing range of products that help all women feel like their best selves–and all at accessible prices. Shop them online, and make sure you sign up for their rewards program to start collecting points!
Avery Francis, Founder and CEO of Bloom, created the full-service workplace design consultancy to help companies implement impactful and equitable hiring practices. As Avery's team explains, "Bloom is entirely bootstrapped with no outside investors or owners. [It] was created [to solve] Avery's negative experiences at work".
Driven by Avery's commitment to change, Bloom's revenue and operations have doubled year over year—which even captured the attention of GirlBoss, who invited Avery to host the latest season of its popular podcast, GirlBoss Radio. Avery's also been featured in Forbes and was named one of Betakit's Top 40 Women in Tech.
Guided by the idea that "work should work for all of us," she leads Bloom and its clients with a human-centered approach—reinvesting in her team and their growth, and putting their well-being above the company's bottom line. For Bloom's internal structure, this includes a four-day work week, "right to rest" leave, as well as a menstrual budget that team members are welcome to utilize.
Connect with Bloom to build a workplace that puts its people first and tune in to GirlBoss Radio's latest episodes.
Before launching Zuleeats, Zule Ankamah arrived in Canada from Ghana and was working midnights as a table games manager at a casino to support her four children and ensure she could be available for her daughter with a disability.
When pandemic lockdowns put her job on hold, Zule’s kids encouraged her to start an “Instagram business” to share her Ghanaian meat pies, which were a family favourite. At first, she planned to sell the pies to family and friends while awaiting the casino to reopen, but as time went on and lockdowns continued, the word spread and Zule was asked to be a vendor at a local farmers market. As her business continued to grow, she decided to register it, began renting space in a commercial kitchen, and started marketing.
Zule has since been the recipient of the She Inspires award by the University of Windsor Epicentre, has won Best African Food in Windsor through multiple media outlets, and was recognized as one of the Top 100 Black Women in Canada to Watch.
New Brunswick
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When Liz Fillmore, Co-Founder, Creative Writer, Content Creator and Social Media Specialist of Hey Rebel Creative joined the Growth Peer Mentorship Program, her business was going through a transition. Looking to secure more clients to maintain a steady cash flow, she knew that fresh perspectives would be pivotal in helping her solve an ongoing challenge.
When she connected with other entrepreneurs through the program, she says “Learning they faced similar struggles was a relief. We always think someone is lightyears ahead of where we are because of the confidence they exude when in reality, most of us are facing the same things–just in different ways. This group taught me to appreciate my own growth, embrace the value of my unique perspective and skills, and acknowledge that not every task has to be completed in a single day. That sort of encouragement and permission to be kind to yourself from your peers is empowering, inspiring, and comforting.”
Like many, Liz had become accustomed to the idea that entrepreneurs need to be “ultra-confident, competitive, and sometimes ruthless” in order to succeed, but her mentorship group provided a space that welcomed vulnerability, opened the door for questions, and enabled her to think more deeply. This allowed her to experiment with new ideas that might have previously been outside of her comfort zone, helping her to overcome her barriers.
With a deep understanding of just how valuable the support of fellow entrepreneurs is, Liz has continued to uplift others in the community by becoming a mentor for The Forum Mentor Program Presented by The Scotiabank Women Initiative®, sharing her knowledge as a speaker through The Forum E-Series Presented by RBC, and volunteering her time to answer questions and join coffee chats.
When Stefanie Loukes was asked to share the story of Rabbittown Beverage Co. on Dragon’s Den, she panicked. She wasn’t sure where to start, so she told the “easy story,” not the difficult one.
In reality, Stefanie was navigating a whole new world with her partner, who was battling stage III colon cancer. While balancing medical appointments, raising two twin girls, maintaining a home, and going to work exhausted, she was starting a company from the ground up during the pandemic.
Despite the rollercoaster she’s been on, Stefanie continues to expand the alcohol- and sugar-free functional beverage brand while ensuring her business always reflects her values – even donating proceeds to The Canadian Cancer Society. Rabbittown Beverage Co.’s beverages are available online and in select stores in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
The vision for 7th Laurel Immigration Consulting Inc. was conceived not long after Olaitan arrived in Canada as a student with two toddlers in tow.
She saw firsthand that support systems were not readily available to her, so she decided to create a solution. Since launching her business in 2021, she has helped 100 people make Canada their home. From assisting students with their Visa applications and admission into school, to helping newcomers find accommodation, Olaitan provides her clients with the affordable support she needed when she was in their shoes.
She's self-funded her business to get here and continues to identify more opportunities where she can lend the compassionate, reliable, and effective support her clients so deeply appreciate.