Episode 5: Social Enterprise - Leading with Values with Sonia Strobel and Natalie Voland

ABOUT THE EPISODE

“There is no downside to incorporating your values really in the very articles of your company or in the fabric of what you do.” – Sonia Strobel, Skipper Otto

People, planet, and profit – the foundations of a social enterprise. In this episode, we sit down with two empowered women who are changing the way they define success and business. Sonia Strobel, Co-Founder of Skipper Otto and Natalie Voland, CEO of GI Quo Vadis, explain how they have ingrained their social values into everything they do and are trail blazing their industries, for the better. Coming from two unique backgrounds, Sonia and Natalie have shown how they have overcome tough challenges by following what they believe in from the very start.

In this episode:

Sonia shares the story of how Skipper Otto came to fruition
Learn what resources and programs impacted the growth trajectory of Skipper Otto
Natalie discusses how she brought her values from her previous role as a social worker to the real estate industry
Discover how Natalie built her credibility in a male-dominated industry

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“Umm... I Missed That”

Entrepreneurship is a world of its own, which means the some of the lingo used might get lost in translation. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Here are a few of the key terms you’ll hear on this episode of The Go-To and what they actually mean.

Certified B Corporations: are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. Learn more about B Corps here.

Social Enterprise: a business that has specific social objectives that serve its primary purpose. Social enterprises seek to maximize profits while maximizing benefits to society and the environment.

Trail Blazer: someone who blazes their own trail, often through obstacles, in order to support and guide others.

Venture Accelerator: business program that supports early-stage, growth-driven companies through education, mentorship and financing.

Meet Our Guests

Sonia Strobel, Co-Founder & CEO, Skipper Otto

Sonia Strobel co-founded Skipper Otto Community Supported Fishery in 2008 with her husband and fisherman, Shaun Strobel, to connect fishing families like theirs directly to conscientious consumers. Their innovative sustainable seafood subscription service lets members pre-purchase a share in the catch before the fishing season. Members receive premium quality, totally transparent, sustainable BC seafood along with the complete story of who caught each fish where, when, and how. This unique partnership between fishing families and end consumers guarantees fishing families a fair price for their catch, protects a traditional way of life in BC’s coastal communities, and disrupts a seafood system fraught with social and environmental injustice. Sonia married into the multi-generational gillnetting Strobel family in 2001.

For 12 years, Sonia was a high school teacher, who spent 5 years teaching at a maritime-themed inner-city public school in Brooklyn, New York. An activist for social and environmental justice, Sonia has been a life-long supporter of the local agricultural food movement. Applying her knowledge of Community Supported Agriculture programs to fishing, Sonia conceived the idea for a Community Supported Fishery in 2008 and Skipper Otto’s became one of the first CSFs in the world. Skipper Otto's now supports 30 independent fishing families and delivers sustainable local seafood to over 2,800 families across Canada as well as a small, select group of restaurants and retailers. Sonia has been the recipient of many awards acknowledging her vision and leadership including: winner of the SheEO Radical Generosity Award in 2015; 2018 Canadian finalist in the Veuve Cliquot Business Woman Award; and winner of the 2019 Forum for Women Entrepreneurs’ Pitch for the Purse.

Sonia’s Go-To Resources:

Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman
UBC venture accelerator - now called HATCH Accelerator
Spring Activator
sheEO

Find Skipper Otto on Instagram at @skipperotto

Learn more about Skipper Otto and sign up to be a member at skipperotto.com

Natalie Voland, Founder, GI Quo Vadis

Natalie Voland has been reinventing the process of real estate development over 20 years. Her roots as a social worker allows her to have a unique and purpose driven design centered outlook on development that priorities historical protection of civic assets while being forward thinking to help buildings unite communities.

She is a leader of the Quebec B Corp. Movement where her companies contribute to the protection of the environment, foster social inclusion, while making market driven profit to help the economic development of Montreal. Natalie manages 1.5 million square feet, supports over 500 entrepreneurs, and is an active public speaker. She partners with several universities to use her assets as teaching and prototype tools for pushing the concept on what kind of city we want to build as citizens.

Natalie has also taught as a professor of the Harvard School of Public Health in Sustainable Leadership for CEOs.

Natalie is a mentor of the Women 4 Climate C40 Initiative under the leadership of the City of Montreal. She serves as an expert in environmental development as well as a member of the Climate Advisory Committee of Montreal; an initiative aiming to fight climate change and to implement solutions to reduce our ecological footprint. She has won extensive awards for her work and lectured on the global stage; while remaining true to her values of social and economic inclusion.

Natalie’s Go-To Resources:

People + relationships - surround yourself with people that you trust and who are mission-aligned
Build credibility - win awards, develop relationships with investors and bankers who so they can trust you

Discover more about GI Quo Vadis at giquovadis.com and learn about Natalie Voland on Linkedin.

“The Go-To: For Entrepreneurs in the Know” is produced in collaboration with The Scotiabank Women Initiative™. Thank you for your support!