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
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
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
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.
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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.