Canada’s Entrepreneur

If you had told Mellisa Mills a decade ago she’d be at the helm of a growing plant-based cheese empire, she’d have laughed in your face. After all, she’d been fired from just about every job she ever held for insubordination. But it turns out, she just needed to do things her own way. She started cooking for herself at a young age. Later, in between the many jobs that never seemed to stick, her DIY spirit and curiosity about nutrition and plant medicine combined with her love of quality ingredients to create Spread’Em Kitchen. Mellisa turned a blender, a bicycle, and $500 into a thriving farmers market stand in Vancouver. A few years later, Spread’Em Kitchen moved into its own industrial facility, where it gradually grew into a celebrated manufacturer of plant-based dips, spreads and cheeses Mellisa makes sure all ingredients are ethically sourced and background checked. Her employees earn a living wage. Spread’Em is striving to become a zero-waste facility. The company also donates to several children's programs, including breakfast clubs at local schools. The business has since exploded across Canada, growing from $500 in sales to almost $4 million. Mellisa remains on a mission to disrupt the packaged food space. She believes that food should be nourishing, that it should be made with integrity, that it should make you feel good, and that it should be shared. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Born in Picture Butte, Alberta – Canadian Energy CEO, Shawn Sauer opened up a battery shop in Lethbridge with his brother in 1987. With a fiery entrepreneurial spirit and passion for providing unmatched customer service, he has grown Canadian Energy to 20 branches across Canada with a network of over 10,000 distributors nationwide, supplying and supporting batteries, mobile power, and backup power along with renewable and stored energy products and services. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Dragons’ Den and Canada’s Podcast have partnered to give away 3 golden tickets to pitch to the dragons! Get your golden ticket to Dragons’ Den today by uploading your 60-second video pitch to our entry page at https://canadaspodcast.com/dragonsden. The best 3 elevator pitches will get a golden ticket to audition to the Dragons’ Den producers. Wes Hall is Executive Chairman and Founder of Kingsdale Advisors. He is the newest Dragon to the Den - Canada’s first Black Dragon. He has been married for 30 years and is father of five kids. Wes was originally from St. Thomas, Jamaica and he immigrated to Canada at 16 years old. Raised by his grandmother in a tin shack with 13 siblings and no running water, Wes is truly a self-made Canadian dream success story. His favourite sports team: the Toronto Raptors. Wes is very into fitness (yoga, pilates, peloton, treadmill, weights, all sports). Wes is known for his generosity, leveraging his business success to benefit others with a number of impactful charitable initiatives, and serves as a Board Member of the SickKids Foundation, Pathways to Education, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and The Black Academy. He is also a Member of the Board of Governors at Huron University College. Wes is Founder and Chairman of The Canadian Council of Business Leaders Against Anti-Black Systemic Racism and the BlackNorth Initiative, committed to the removal of anti-Black systemic barriers negatively affecting the lives of Black Canadians. He has also changed the lives of thousands of children in the Caribbean and Canada, donating both his money and time. In 2015, Wes was the recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s Award and in 2017 received an Honorary Doctorate, both from the University of the West Indies. Maybe you can join him and begin your success journey. Take a listen to the podcast. Give us your 60-second video pitch and who knows, you might get to meet the Dragons. The best 3 elevator pitches will get a golden ticket to audition to the Dragons’ Den producers. Go to https://canadaspodcast.com/dragonsden and make your pitch.

This episode with Dr. Jamie Stephen will provide information on the decarbonization solutions that entrepreneurs can consider as they build and grow their businesses. Now more than ever, there are expectations for companies to integrate carbon-conscious decisions into operations. Dr. Stephen will specifically discuss how the forest sector can support the most effective decarbonization efforts that business can adopt. The efforts that will be focused on include: Building with wood – carbon capture through wood infrastructure Thermal energy – heating buildings sustainably which is the largest climate liability for businesses Bioenergy carbon capture and storage – options for permanent CO2 removal from the atmosphere Dr. Jamie Stephen is Managing Director of TorchLight Bioresources, an energy and resources consulting and project development firm based in Nova Scotia, Canada. He has managed bioenergy and cleantech projects for a broad variety of clients including national and provincial governments, utilities, airlines, manufacturers, investment funds, First Nations, and technology developers. Projects have focused on industrial growth strategies, facility feasibility, technology deployment hurdles, policy options, and investment prioritization. Originally from Saskatchewan and the UK, he holds a PhD in Forestry (bioenergy techno-economics/strategy) and a Masters in chemical engineering from the University of British Columbia and a BSc(H) in Life Science from Queen's University. Learn how you can become net-zero at https://www.forestryforthefuture.ca/ Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Lewis Vandervalk (www.lewisvandervalk.com) is a serial entrepreneur located in New Brunswick, Canada. With a background in construction and trades and a degree in mechanical engineering, Lewis started a business doing digital marketing for contractors in 2019. With no formal business or sales experience, he has ridden the roller coaster of business and personal development and surrounded himself with coaches and mentors who have helped him grow and develop. Currently, Lewis is the owner of Blue Crocus Solutions, a digital marketing company providing web design, SEO, and Google ads to contractors. As well, in May of 2021, he partnered with and helped grow a local junk removal company using these results-driven marketing tactics. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Desirée Amanda Bombenon has over 30 years of business operational experience, and strategic leadership. Awarded Ernst & Young 2019 Entrepreneur of the year for the Prairies in Communication Technology, she is a bold innovator, futurist, and purpose driven leader. Her portfolio includes business strategy, social enterprise, and culture building. Desirée is an active member of a number of organizations including YPO (formally Young President’s Organization) and International Women’s Forum, and has chaired several industry boards and focus groups. She is a past director of the National Music Centre, is a past Chair of YPO Alberta Chapter, and a past Chair of YPO Canada Region. Desirée currently serves as Chair of the Governance & HR committee for the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, Chair of Governance, HR & Nominating committee for Children First Canada, and Vice Chair with CAMX, the Canadian Call Management Association. She also currently Chairs the YPO International Wine Network and is an Executive Committee member of the YPO Sustainable Business Network. She is a cohort for Singularity University and a Harvard Alumni for the Advanced Leadership Initiative 2017 Cohort. She is involved in mentorship programs in her community and through Women’s Executive Network. Desirée has earned her B Admin, CIAC Certification as a Strategic Leader, and is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and is currently enrolled in Queen’s University EMBA program through Smith School of Business. Under Desirée's leadership SureCall has been recognized for numerous industry awards for service excellence, ethics, and integrity. The Centre for Economic and Leadership Development, in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, recognized Desirée as a transformational leader naming her "Champion of Sustainable Development" and honouring her with the ‘Enabler of Vision’ award at the 2017 UN Summit in New York. Desirée has pivoted her company into a social enterprise and through the "GoodCall" program has established SureCall as a "purpose driven" organization. SureCall became a Certified Benefits corporation (B Corp) in April of 2019 and was named a ‘Best For the World’ Honouree in 2019, rounding out Desirée's vision of utilizing business as a Force for Good. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Matthew Boswell was appointed Commissioner of Competition on March 5, 2019, for a five-year term. He first joined the Competition Bureau in January 2011 and served in various senior management positions throughout the organization, leading merger reviews and directing major investigations targeting criminal cartels, abuse of dominance and deceptive marketing practices. Before joining the Bureau, Mr. Boswell worked in a private practice in Toronto, served as Assistant Crown Attorney with the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario, and was a Senior Litigation Counsel at the Ontario Securities Commission, where he primarily prosecuted securities fraud and related matters. Hear about competition and marketing rules every business should know. To learn more about creating an effective compliance program, visit http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/h_04456.html Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

James Rockwood is the Co-Founder and CEO of CapIntel, a financial technology company that supports financial advisors in their day-to-day workflow to deliver top-tier client service. In building CapIntel, James has been a part of two leading Canadian accelerator programs: Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) and Next Founder. The CapIntel platform now serves over 10,000 financial advisors across the country through partnerships with established financial service firms such as IG Wealth Management, Canada Life, and Equitable Life. Stay subscribed and hit the bell icon to be notified of our upcoming podcast with Commissioner Matthew Boswell of the Competition Bureau. Hear about competition and marketing rules every business should know. Click here to learn more about creating an effective compliance program. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Justin Hartzman is returning to Canada's Podcast to give us an interesting update on his entrepreneurial journey. And seeing as he snow now running CoinSmart a public company in the cryptocurrency sector -- he is going to give us insights on the crypto market as well. Justin Hartzman is the CEO and Co-founder of CoinSmart, a crypto asset trading platform exchange based in Toronto that simplifies cryptocurrency investing for participants of all experience levels through a simple interface, education and customer support. Justin founded CoinSmart on the basis of making cryptocurrency accessible to all. Justin strongly believes in the promising future cryptocurrency has to offer and the importance of it being a part of any well balanced portfolio of investments. As a seasoned business leader and entrepreneur, Justin has led numerous companies from start-up to successful exit. His proven track record of entrepreneurial success includes founding the first website brokerage exclusively serving online businesses, pioneering the industry and achieving over $100M in transactions to Fortune 1000 companies, PE firms, family offices, and venture funds. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

L’histoire de Marc-André Campagna (alias Marc), est plutôt normale, enfin, jusqu’à ce qu’on arrive à la partie oxio. D’abord, les bases. Marc est né à Baie-Comeau (si vous ne savez pas où c’est, c’est au nord-est de la ville de Québec —environ 420 km au nord-est), un petit village de 21 000 habitants, et a grandi à Québec. Il a étudié le droit à l’Université Laval, a abandonné ses études et a fondé Accès Télécom avec Francis Careau. Ensemble, ils ont transformé Accès Télécom en oxio. Aujourd’hui, Marc passe son temps entre Québec, Montréal et San Francisco. Lorsqu’il ne travaille pas, il est probablement en train de courir (au sens propre et figuré) dans un endroit aussi éloigné que possible de la ville. Marc mange régulièrement du houmous et donne l’exemple lorsqu’il s’agit de rester fidèle à soi-même. Pour Marc, il n’y a pas de « moi au travail » et de « moi à la maison », il en a d’ailleurs assez de cette façon de penser. Le travail est juste une autre partie de la vie. C’est pourquoi la culture d’oxio est axée sur l’intégration de la vie professionnelle et de la vie privée : il s’agit de faire preuve d’empathie envers les autres parties de notre être et de créer des moyens de les soutenir. L’ambiance décontractée de Marc vous met à l’aise. Il veut apprendre à connaître les gens qui l’entourent et fait de son mieux pour que vous puissiez facilement entrer en contact avec lui. Résolveur de problèmes, Marc lit beaucoup et vit pour le débat honnête et intelligent — tout ce qui permet d’améliorer les choses. En d’autres termes, ne soyez pas timide avec ce type, soyez simplement ouvert, franc et réceptif à des commentaires honnêtes. Restez abonné et cliquez sur l'icône de la cloche pour être avisé de notre prochain podcast avec le sous-commissaire Anthony Durocher du Bureau de la concurrence Canada. Découvrez les règles de la concurrence et du marketing que toutes les entreprises devraient connaître. Apprenez-en plus à http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/fra/h_04456.html Les entrepreneurs sont l’épine dorsale de l’économie canadienne. Pour soutenir les entreprises canadiennes, abonnez-vous à notre chaîne YouTube et suivez-nous sur Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn et Twitter. Vous voulez rester au courant des derniers podcasts et actualités #entrepreneur? Abonnez-vous à notre newsletter bimensuelle.

After years working in cultures where stress and burnout were seemingly the only way to success, Trish Tutton suffered a shocking loss and things became clear: stress is unavoidable, but it doesn’t have to dictate our lives. As a speaker and mindfulness teacher, Trish has taught the skills to live and work happier to thousands of professionals and has created positive change for her clients to become happier, more productive, effective and successful without the busy badge of honour. You can find her as a teacher on the #1 free meditation app in the world, Insight Timer, and she is the author of the Mindful Mornings Journal. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Yuri Elkaim is the founder and CEO of Healthpreneur®️️️. He is a husband, father of 4 boys, a New York Times bestselling nutrition author, former professional soccer player, and a trusted health expert. I’m a proud Canadian with a passion for travel and experiencing life to the fullest. Over the past 15 years, he's built 2 multiple 7-figure health businesses that have helped more than 500,000 men and women reach their goals. Stay subscribed and hit the bell icon to be notified of our upcoming podcast with Commissioner Matthew Boswell of the Competition Bureau. Hear about competition and marketing rules every business should know. Click here to learn more about creating an effective compliance program. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Born on the Ides of March 1966 in Wolfville Nova Scotia, Ross Parks attended High School in the Valley then Loyalist College in Belleville Ontario where he completed his Broadcasting Diploma in 1987. Ross spent 28 years in the broadcast/media field in various positions with Radio, TV, Billboard, Jingle Production, Publications and Transit advertising. His passion since his parents bought his first small diecast ‘Datsun’ in 1969 was always automotive. Ross collected ‘diecast miniatures’ all along, but it wasn’t until he picked up a 1990 Brochure for the all-new Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo, that he thought "I want to purchase a real one next time." Next up Ross met an individual in Harrisburg Pennsylvania in 1993 that he worked with thru his Radio Station Jingle Venture, Todd Matthews, who was a real AMC collector. He had restored and kept 5 real cars! Five years later on his birthday (1998) and 8 years of saving, Ross bought his first Z from a car dealer in Vancouver. That black 1992 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo! On September 14th, 2003 he decided to have a party at his home in Halifax for anyone that had a Z car. 22 cars showed up. In April 2004 Ross and two other members incorporated the Atlantic Z Car club Society, a nonprofit which is now comprised of over 600 owners in Atlantic Canada. One of those original house party individuals came to him in the fall of 2006 and said ‘I just got laid off, and we know of many folks in Atlantic Canada with jack stand cars(cars that are in the midst of restoration but likely will never make it to the end) we should start an import company". On January 1st, 2007 ZSportCanada was formed. As per the website, their main goal was to bring in rust-free cars that were complete, assist with shipping, organizing and negotiating with US sellers to make it a very pleasant experience for customers. Since then they have become Canada’s largest importer of Datsun vehicles to Canada, with over 439 completed transactions. In the summer of 2020 Ross became sole owner of the Datsun North properties. Almost immediately Ross formed partnerships with a variety of individuals with different skill sets. A fabricator. A mechanic. A body man. A painter. A machinist. An engineer. With these folks, Ross and his team started a restoration of Datsun business across Canada as well. This business is now in full motion with work available for 20 years or more. In 2006 Parks connected with another Z enthusiast who was interested in partnering up on buying a set of buildings near Kentville NS. They purchased an old ‘chicken farm’ in North Alton in March of 2012 to store their own vehicles, of which they had 50 between the two of them. However, they had 190 empty spaces, so they completely renovated and turned it into Canada’s first ‘Car Farm’ called ‘Datsun North’. Since then they have been sold out every year for winter storage space. Ross’ plans for 2022 are to work on his own cars and get out of the importing and restoration business and continue to expand and improve the winter storage business. It's quite a journey in a niche market driving great business lessons. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s econohis. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Steven Salz is the co-founder of Rivalry Corp, an internationally-regulated sports betting and media company that was recently listed on the Toronto Venture Stock Exchange. Prior to starting Rivalry, Steven worked in the finance industry; both as an analyst at a boutique investment firm, and in asset management at Scotiabank. Steven also had a brief stint in the defence industry and graduated from the University of Waterloo. A passionate gamer, he competed in his first esports tournament over a decade ago and is excited to bring his visions to life at Rivalry. Stay subscribed and hit the bell icon to be notified of our upcoming podcast with Commissioner Matthew Boswell of the Competition Bureau. Hear about competition and marketing rules every business should know. Click here to learn more about creating an effective compliance program. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Marie-Pier Béland travaille depuis 14 ans en milieu scolaire avec des jeunes du primaire. Ayant œuvré longtemps auprès d’élèves du régulier, elle travaille depuis 5 ans auprès de jeunes ayant un trouble du spectre de l’autisme. Marie-Pier a une bonne capacité d’adaptation aux changements ainsi qu’une approche humaine et empathique. Elle est capable de créer un lien de confiance et d’écoute avec les enfants et leurs parents. Ceci constitue une grande force chez elle. Son côté créatif, sa pro activité et sa vision globale sont de bonnes aptitudes pour l’entreprise. Marie-Pier est maman de 3 jeunes enfants. Par souci de bien alimenter sa famille, elle a développé une curiosité à s’informer sur l’alimentation saine, sur le zéro déchet et sur la création de produits ménagers utilisés au quotidien. Elle souhaite donc trouver des façons de faire pour réduire son impact négatif sur la planète afin de transmettre ces valeurs à ses enfants. De là est venu l’idée d’ouvrir une épicerie écologique en vrac pour faciliter l’accessibilité à d’autres familles de faire le pas vers une consommation consciente ainsi que de réduire les déchets, le suremballage et le gaspillage. Restez abonné et cliquez sur l'icône de la cloche pour être avisé de notre prochain podcast avec le sous-commissaire Anthony Durocher du Bureau de la concurrence Canada. Découvrez les règles de la concurrence et du marketing que toutes les entreprises devraient connaître. Apprenez-en plus à http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/fra/h_04456.html Les entrepreneurs sont l’épine dorsale de l’économie canadienne. Pour soutenir les entreprises canadiennes, abonnez-vous à notre chaîne YouTube et suivez-nous sur Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn et Twitter. Vous voulez rester au courant des derniers podcasts et actualités #entrepreneur? Abonnez-vous à notre newsletter bimensuelle.

Elle AyoubZadeh is Zvelle Founder and Creative Director. Elle is a bold, ambitious Canadian entrepreneur, and a woman of colour who has founded a local business with a global mission and vision. She has had the grit to persevere in the finance industry as a woman and visible minority, and later dive into the world of entrepreneurship challenging us to rethink how fashion should portray female beauty and achievement. Zvelle has enjoyed commercial success and Zvelle's shoes have been spotted on public figures from Sophie Trudeau to Bella Hadid. This year Minister Chrystia Freeland purchased Zvelle shoes to wear to budget day. Read more at Toronto Star. Stay subscribed and hit the bell icon to be notified of our upcoming podcast with Commissioner Matthew Boswell of the Competition Bureau. Hear about competition and marketing rules every business should know. Click here to learn more about creating an effective compliance program. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Gabriella Gerbasi est Directrice Marketing et Vente USA chez WATERAX depuis presque 8 ans. Gabriella vient tout juste d'être transféré aux Etats-Unis afin de développer le réseau de distribution de l'entreprise dans le marché Américain en préparation au lancement de la MARK-3 Édition Watson, une nouvelle pompe à incendie portative qui va changer la façon de combattre les feux de forêt pour des décennies à venir. Gabriella a toujours été motivée par la mission de WATERAX dû à sa passion pour les océans et la plongée sous-marine, car lorsqu'un arbre brûle le CO2 retenu depuis des centaines d'années et libéré dans l'atmosphère ce qui a un impact direct sur les océans en changeant le pH de l'eau et en causant la perte de coraux et la perturbation de l'écosystème marin. WATERAX est une PME montréalaise de plus de 120 ans et d’environ 50 employés, spécialisée dans la fabrication de pompes à incendies portatives pour les pompiers forestiers. Le but premier est de lutter contre les feux qui ravagent les forêts à travers le monde, et ainsi protéger les communautés, ressources naturelles et de sauver des vies. Restez abonné et cliquez sur l'icône de la cloche pour être avisé de notre prochain podcast avec le sous-commissaire Anthony Durocher du Bureau de la concurrence Canada. Découvrez les règles de la concurrence et du marketing que toutes les entreprises devraient connaître. Apprenez-en plus à http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/fra/h_04456.html Les entrepreneurs sont l’épine dorsale de l’économie canadienne. Pour soutenir les entreprises canadiennes, abonnez-vous à notre chaîne YouTube et suivez-nous sur Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn et Twitter. Vous voulez rester au courant des derniers podcasts et actualités #entrepreneur? Abonnez-vous à notre newsletter bimensuelle.

Jolene Brewster’s ties to the Rockies really start at her family’s roots in the area. They are among the pioneers of Banff’s hospitality industry hosting tours and hikes throughout the Rockies since the early 1900’s. The lifelong Banff resident seeks the harmony of nature, activity, & community on a daily basis. With an degree in Land Resource Management, the equestrian and former Stampede Queen (current ambassador for the Calgary Stampede) founded Natur’el Tea in 2005 which rebranded Jolene’s Tea House upon opening a retail spot on Bear Street this year. Jolene’s entrepreneurial spirit is dedicated to a deep rooted passion for people, health, and happiness. Jess McNally was born and raised in Alberta, and grew up ski racing at Lake Louise. She is passionate about the environment and ecology, and received her undergraduate and master’s degrees in Earth Systems from Stanford University. After university she worked as a science journalist and a vegetable farmer before deciding to become a Buddhist monastic. She spent three years living at Zen Mountain Monastery in New York. She travelled to Asia where she was ordained in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. She lived in the Indian Himalayas for two years, with most of that time spent in solitary meditation retreat. Afterwards, she spent a year in Madison, Wisconsin, where she was a fellow at The Center for Healthy Minds, which is a global leader in studying mind, happiness and well-being. About four years ago Jess decided to take off her monastic robes and move back to Canada. Her family had moved to Banff and she’d always loved these mountains, so it was an easy decision to live here. Jess has always loved tea, and was delighted when Jolene approached her in 2020 to become a partner in the business. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Terri-Ann Richards (www.terriannrichards.com) helps entrepreneurs and leaders realize their full potential by developing the person behind the title. Leadership transformation and true life success begins on the inside first. She is a 16+ year serial entrepreneur, starting in business at just 18 years old. Terri-Ann has built six-figure businesses, bought, sold, and partnered in over 8 companies, all while raising two beautiful children. She is a Graduate of the Wallace McCain Institute’s, Entrepreneurial Leaders Program, Certified by MHS as a EQi-2.0 Emotional Intelligence Assessor and Facilitator, Certified by the William Glasser Institute in both Choice Theory and Reality Therapy, a Certified Personality Dimensions Trainer and Facilitator, and a Certified Coach. TA's superpower is cutting through fluff, finding tactics and hacks in developing the full human, maximizing potential, and showing leaders how to leverage their unique superpowers. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

With a lifelong interest in building things and solving problems, Dhruv Sood tried a lot of different work after completing his studies in Finance and Logistics at the University of British Columbia. He worked a variety of jobs, from part-time security guard to equity research associate, but has now found his home as Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Fresh Prep, a meal kit and prepared food delivery service. Starting off as a small retail location in Vancouver, Fresh Prep now delivers straight to homes across BC and Alberta. Fresh Prep sources local ingredients wherever possible to help busy people create world-class dinners in under 30 minutes. Since its inception in 2015, Fresh Prep’s goal has been to become the most sustainable meal kit in Canada. To accomplish this, all Fresh Prep orders come to your door in reusable cooler bags. Meals are packed in compostable paper bags or in reusable Zero Waste Kits (an industry first), and kept cool with reusable and recyclable ice packs. Anysoft plastics are returned by customers in the reusable cooler bags for responsible recycling through a partnership with Urban Impact Recycling. Fresh Prep is also the only meal kit company in Canada to be a Certified B Corporation, prioritizing people and planet over profits. Dhruv is a recipient of BC Business’ 2018 30 Under 30 awards. When Dhruv isn’t working on Fresh Prep, he enjoys playing tennis and making up diets for himself that don’t make it past day one. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Born and raised in New Brunswick, Canada, Matthew Carpenter-Arevalo graduated with a BA in Spanish and English Literatures from St. Thomas University in 2003. In 2004 he was elected a Rhodes Scholar for the Maritime Provinces in order to obtain a Masters in Philosophy from The University of Oxford. In 2008 he joined Google as a Manager and in 2011 he worked at The World Economic Forum in Geneva, before joining Twitter in 2013 as Latin America Partnership Manager. In 2014 he founded Centrico Digital, a managed marketing services company based in Ecuador and focused on delivering marketing automation services to companies based in Canada and the United States. In 2022, Centrico Digital was acquired by Uhuru Network, a leading US-based inbound marketing company. Matthew is married to the Ecuadorian Entrepreneur and investor Michelle Arévalo-Carpenter. They have twin boys and are based in Quito. Check out Matthew's TechCrunch article at https://techcrunch.com/2021/03/13/does-atlantic-canada-have-a-blueprint-for-rural-revival-in-the-post-pandemic-era/ Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Based in Calgary, Alberta – Annabelle Mastalic officially launched ADM Interiors in May of 2019. With 17 years of experience as a trained nurse, Annabelle transitioned to interior design, leaning into two of her passions, a love for minimalism and a life-long fascination for design. Because of her background, she brings a unique lens in her approach to designing spaces that are both beautiful, but also take her client's health and wellness needs into consideration. Through her medical training, she is able to identify solutions and prompt conversations with clients to consider how they can bring wellness to the forefront of their homes and designs. She is the first designer in Alberta to become a Certified Living In Place Professional (CLIPP) from the Living in Place Institute (Living In Place focuses on making all homes accessible to people of every age and ability, including helping seniors to age in place) and a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) from the National Association of Home Builders. Both designations enable her to identify and offer solutions for home accessibility, comfort, and safety in every home. Annabelle's timeless aesthetic and 'less is more' design approach/philosophy, focuses on removing daily burdens to create functional spaces that allow people to live with ease, comfort and beauty. Her designs are inspired by three core values - wellbeing, minimalism, and bringing the homeowner's story to the forefront of the designs. Especially as we have spent more time at home over the past year, she is passionate about designing homes that are beautiful, meaningful, and are spaces where we can live well and thrive. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Gregory Rozdeba is advisor and co-founder of a Canadian fintech/insurtech startup, Dundas Life. Previously, he served as Director of Sales at another fintech firm where he took the company from no product to raising over $7M+ in funding and building out their sales team. He started budgeting at age 15 and has coached dozens of clients on saving, investing, & smart money tips. In his spare time, Gregory enjoys traveling (30+ countries), cycling, & has taken up an in-depth study of Ancient Rome. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

A respected entrepreneur and communicator, Paula Worthington is the founder and principal of Worthington PR & Story, a Calgary-based communications agency specializing in public relations, social media and brand strategy. She launched Worthington PR & Story in early 2018. The agency’s current client roster includes a who’s who of Alberta businesses, including Calgary Co-op, ATCO, University of Calgary Properties Group and Parks Foundation Calgary. Worthington PR & Story services include public relations, strategic communications, media relations, media training, issues management, social media strategy, project management, content writing, influencer campaigns, event management and marketing. The agency also supports changemakers, social enterprises and charities in the community through an agency division called Noble Arrow Projects. Current clients include the Women In Need Society, Paul Brandt’s #NotInMyCity anti-human trafficking movement and the Quinterra Legacy Garden. Paula is a storyteller at heart. Occasionally, you can find Paula travelling the globe as a notable freelance writer and photographer, with her work appearing in national newspapers and magazines. The yellow arrow in her logo was inspired by her travels (on foot), following a little yellow arrow several hundred kilometres across Spain. She never forgot the power and importance of having wayfinders in order to accomplish our goals. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Alexandre Turbide, B.Eng, MBA, is the co-founder and CEO of BeatConnect where he coordinates and leads the marketing efforts, strategic planning, resource management, and other administrative tasks pertaining to the business, including orchestrating financing, building networks around the business, and working with the company’s legal counsels. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Alexandre worked as a product and program manager for both Aeroplan and Air Canada, and as a personalization strategist for CBC/Radio-Canada. After successfully completing one of the most ambitious single-sign-on consolidation projects in the airline industry at Air Canada and future-proofing the data acquisition model at CBC with initiatives across 15 digital products, Alexandre now focuses on leading BeatConnect through the startup phase and bringing the business to profitability. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Jenelle Sobey is motivated to build a sustainable, competitive and resilient world and believes the tech sector enables and scales those solution to achieve that. Jenelle is a co-founder and CEO at RIDDL, a tool that tracks, manages and measures ESGs, impact investments and quantifies returns. Partner and former Managing Partner of Code + Mortar (norex.ca), an interactive web and invention firm, globally recognized by the Webby’s (the Oscars of the web). Code + Mortar was acquired by Revolve Marketing in 2020. In 2017, Jenelle was recognized as the National Emerging Leader in ICT, and was awarded St Francis Xavier University’s Young Alumna of the Year (2017). Jenelle received Digital Nova Scotia’s Power IT Up Next generation Award (2016), was recognized as one of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s Change Agents of the Year (2015). She has been recognized as one of 21 emerging leaders in New Brunswick by 21inc (2013) and one of 20 in Atlantic Canada by 4Front (2014). Jenelle holds a Graduate Diploma in Social Innovation, University of Waterloo (2014), Masters of Arts in Political Science, University of New Brunswick (2011), Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, St Francis Xavier University (2008). Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Two decades ago, MarbleMedia forged into the scripted television space, when there was a plethora of Canadian content being produced and acquired, with grants accessible to help further produce and sell Canadian content. "What we learned early on, and it's a simple business practice, but is really to surround ourselves with people that are smarter than us in certain areas." Mark Bishop. "There's such a rich a personal fulfillment and richness and being able to do what you want to do for a living." Matt Hornburg. Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg, Co-CEO's of MarbleMedia started up twenty years ago. Now, with Canadian TV deals being a fraction of what they used to be. Marblemedia has had to pivot and had been onboarding international partners in order to get their content made. In this shift, they have also expanded their repertoire of productions and have quickly become masters of unscripted television content, with global smash hits like Netflix’s glass blowing competition Blown Away, and restaurant makeover TV series, Restaurants on the Edge. Matt Hornburg is Co-CEO/ Partner and Executive Producer at MarbleMedia. In addition to the strategic direction across the company, Matt leads creative development and production for the company’s original TV and Interactive divisions, including its most recent push into primetime with the launch of new scripted and unscripted division, Mark Bishop is Co-CEO and Partner at MarbleMedia. An accomplished entrepreneur, brand-builder and trusted media industry advocate, Mark, alongside co-founder Matt Hornburg, has grown MarbleMedia into one of Canada’s leading independent production, distribution and digital media companies. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Zarina Chopra is a Tao Soul Healer and Transformational Coach for rising female leaders who are ready to clear their karma, connect to the power of their Soul, and manifest like a Queen. As a certified Tao practitioner with the Tao Academy, and certified Theta Healer, Reiki Practitioner & Kambo Practitioner. Zarina combines her intuitive spiritual mentoring with her years of energy work and esoteric studies to provide a full spectrum of healing, transformation and manifesting mastery to her clients. Zarina is the founder and curator of the 6-month immersion program "Quantum Queen Rising". She spends her time mostly enjoying nature, playing games with her family and beloved partner, and is the lover of all things sparkly! Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Nabeil Alazzam, is CEO and founder of Forma.ai, a Toronto-based company striving to solve the massively under-appreciated pain point of sales-based compensation. Currently the systems for calculating and awarding sales-based compensation are clunky, unwieldy and often manual, creating a lot of work for operations teams and sales professionals. Nabeil identified that automation could solve this problem, and built a system (aka Forma.ai) that is able to take the many unique compensation problems that sales organizations face and create unified solutions that save time, money, and mental health for their customers. Nabeil can speak to the above and more on the podcast Building a solution that works: How Forma.ai has experienced over 2000% revenue growth since 2016. The overlooked market of sales compensation and how Forma.ai is streamlining the process for over $1.5 billion commissions per year. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Shone Anstey brings 20 years of experience in building complex technologies and software within search, analytics, and data centre operations. Engaged with cryptocurrency since 2012, Shone has acted as technology lead for an industrial Bitcoin mine and Bitcoin mining pool, and is a Certified Cryptocurrency Investigator. Shone is the CEO and Co-founder of LQwD, the first publicly traded, pure play, purpose-built bitcoin company that’s focused on solutions that power the growth of the Bitcoin Lightning Network. In this podcast, we highlight three key ideas: Why Bitcoin is like the ‘reserve currency’ of cryptocurrencies The Lightning Network – what is it and why it is important to scaling cryptocurrency trading Like E-mail was the first use case of the internet, transaction exchanges are the first use case of cryptocurrency...and there is so much more to come! Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Melanie Chin is the Brand & Community Manager for CIBC SQUARE, Toronto’s new international standard of community, providing an elevated environment for all to thrive through work, wellness and sustainability. Chin leads the marketing, communications, branding and programming direction for the development. Prior to joining Hines and the CIBC SQUARE team, Chin worked at Midway in Houston, TX, a real estate investment, development and management firm, as a Senior Marketing Coordinator managing the marketing programs for multiple developments. Throughout the years, Chin has worked with a number of global brands such as Kia, Nike, the NFL, and the Houston Rockets to create unique experiences. Melanie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Wilfrid Laurier University. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Serese Selanders’ journey as a tech entrepreneur has been anything but typical. Serese spent 20 years in the financial services industry, the majority of those years as a senior executive. However, life threw her a curveball when her parents went through major health challenges. Despite having no technical background, she invented ORA, an innovative, wearable personal safety alert device. Two years ago, Serese launched her second company, SolusGuard. SolusGuard helps employers protect employees who work alone or in dangerous situations with a suite of hardware and software safety solutions. Listen in to find out how SolusGuard helps organizations keep their employees safe and the unconventional path Serese took to get here. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

David Alston is a repeat tech and marketing startup entrepreneur, founder and coach at Marketswell Solutions’ CMO Accelerator program, a former volunteer Entrepreneur in Residence for the New Brunswick Government, cofounder of Brilliant Labs, an advisor to many startups in the Atlantic region, Radian6's former CMO and Salesforce.com's former Marketing Cloud Chief Adoption Officer. David received KIRA Award's Industry Champion for 2015, a Forbes top 50 CMO in social media, co-winner of a 2014 EY Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Atlantic Canada, 2015 winner of Entrepreneur of the Year and co-winner of Enterprise Promotion for the Atlantic Region from Startup Canada and the winner of the Greater Saint John Community Foundation’s 2018 Community Service Award. David is the past co-chair of LivingSJ, a movement to support and create a path for all those living in poverty in his home city, a member of BCAPI and a former board member with his regional United Way. David currently sits as an independent director on the board of Envision Saint John: The Regional Development Agency, as a commissioner on the board of Saint John Energy, and as an advisor on Venture for Canada's national advisory board. David has been involved with two social impact documentaries, Code Kids, which followed the journey to get coding back in the classroom, and The Millennial Dream, a documentary questioning whether the values of "The American Dream" have now been replaced by those more aligned with the passions of the Millennial generation. David has been a mentor at NomadicMentors.com where he has keynoted and advised close to 50 startups in countries such as Spain, Portugal and Greece. David, his wife, Mary-Gwen, and team also own and run a treetop aerial adventure park in Dominion Park called TimberTop Adventures, one of the largest of its kind in Canada and which is currently the number one ranked aerial adventure park in Canada on TripAdvisor. Their latest adventure is the creation of Climb 1884, soon to be NB’s newest and largest indoor rock climbing gym built inside an historic church erected in 1884 with heights up to 42 feet. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Faye Pang is the Canada Country Manager for Xero, the global small business platform with more than 2.7 million subscribers worldwide that's dedicated to making business beautiful. Faye brings nearly 15 years of experience building businesses from the ground up. Prior to joining Xero, Faye helped launch Uber Freight into the Canadian market. She also helped launch the Uber Eats app in Toronto in December 2015, scaling the business from 80 restaurants on launch day to 20,000 partners by the end of her tenure. As a leader, Faye prioritizes growth above all else, and practices authenticity, transparency, and empathy in the way she manages her team. She strongly believes that we all have a set of values that we have to live by at all times (rather than keeping our work and personal lives separate), and keeps this consideration top-of-mind when championing her team’s growth, both personally and professionally. She is passionate about creating systems that lift women up, while tackling the hierarchical barriers that have disproportionately affected women in the workplace. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Greg Hemmings is an entrepreneur/filmmaker out of Saint John New Brunswick. His film companies, Hemmings House and Hemmings Films are certified B Corps and have focused their attention on making positive social and environmental change through film storytelling. Their latest TV series is called Race Against The Tide and is currently airing on CBC Thursday nights at 8pm. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Led out of McGill University, The PIVOT Project is an action research project that uses social media to bring small business owners across Canada together to share their climate action goals, struggles and achievements and shift Canadian perspectives on our country’s green future. We will be interviewing PIVOT participants over the next few months. We love this kind of initiative. In this interview we talk with Drior Etcion an Associate Professor at McGill and one of the drivers of the initiative. PIVOT is an action-research project that amplifies the action of small business owners across Canada as they transition to the low-carbon economy. PIVOT harnesses the power of stories to document the growing movement of SMEs that are future-proofing their businesses and setting themselves up for success in a changing world. PIVOT is spearheaded by the Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill but is collaborating with many other departments including biology, informational science as well as external stakeholders like the National Film Board of Canada The project is funded by the McGill Sustainability Systems Initiative. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

In over 20 years running a Canadian software company, Alykhan Jetha (AJ) has weathered a lot of storms – from the dot-com bust, to 9-11’s blow to business confidence, right up to the sales hit of the Covid-19 pandemic. But the biggest threat he’s ever seen to his business, is how his pipeline for software engineers has utterly dried up. See this recent Financial Post story that quoted AJ at https://bit.ly/3m36bV0 and https://bit.ly/3s1kLjn AJ is CEO of Marketcircle Inc., the Markham, ON-based developer of award-winning Daylite CRM for Mac-based small business of 1-100 people. Daylite powers small business teams to handle more clients, close more deals, and execute more projects. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Caterina Papadakos leads the Technology Banking efforts in Western Canada, building new relationships and managing the bank’s portfolio in the region. She thrives on serving energetic entrepreneurs who are challenging the status quo and disrupting traditional industries, and she’s dedicated to providing them with the strategic capital, advice and connections they need to scale and compete globally. Caterina has been an active member of the local tech scene for more than a decade; before joining SVB in 2020, she served as a Director at Espresso Capital, where she led venture debt financing for tech companies in Western Canada. In this role, she also managed existing client and partner relationships and opened new US markets for the firm. Earlier in her career, Caterina served as a Director for the Technology and Innovation group at BMO, where she launched the bank’s technology lending program in British Columbia. She has also held roles at Trade and Invest BC, where she helped businesses in the province develop their export and foreign investment strategies. Caterina holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Victoria and an MBA from the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business. In her free time, Caterina volunteers as a member of the CARE Canada Vancouver Council, which supports projects in developing countries that help lift women and girls and their families out of poverty and crisis. Caterina lives in Vancouver with her husband and son. Together, they enjoy taking advantage of everything the area has to offer — whether snowboarding in the mountains, stand-up paddle boarding on local waters or simply trekking on foot through the great outdoors. Further afield, Caterina and her family love experiencing the culture, food and landscape of global destinations; their most recent adventures include trips to Japan and South Africa’s Kalahari Desert. The Silicon Valley Bank team in Canada can help you take your next step. Find out more about the bank that has nearly 40 years of global experience supporting venture-backed tech and life science companies and their investors. We’re in Canada to help leading innovators reach the next stage, faster. Visit www.svb.com/canada/connect. Silicon Valley bank, helping you move your bold ideas forward, fast. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Chanelle Belliveau's Farm-to-Table NB was a beautiful project built out of her work experience and a growing passion for gathering around the table. With a background in holistic nutrition and culinary nutrition, Chanelle was deeply passionate about making the connection between where our food comes from, and how it got to our plate. This lead her to work on an organic farm, to make that connection, learn, and finalize the cycle of farm-to-table. Chanelle has been teaching cooking classes locally in Moncton and Cap-Pele, NB, since 2016. Cooking classes themes and recipes varies from month to month, all with the purpose of highlighting local ingredients, farmers and producers. Her team's farm-to-table outdoor dining experiences only started last year, but with a bang! They hosted our first dinner in beautiful Cocagne, NB, with a small intimate group of 25 people. The goal with the outdoor dining experiences is really to show guests directly where their food comes from, and then experience the ultimate farm-to-table meal, enjoying the ingredients collected from the farm during dinner. Farm-to-Table NB is focused on serving New-Brunswickers – currently in the Greater Moncton area and surroundings – but looking to expand to various locations all across New Brunswick in the new year! Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Ken LeBlanc has successfully challenged an established industry and selflessly shares his passion for helping others build a business through his activities with organizations such as the Canadian Youth Business Foundation. Ken has been in the business of building his own business since his student days. Now, 20 years later, he has leveraged his drive and vision into the largest real estate marketing franchising network in Canada, Property Guys. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Virginie Fisette, pour Tamélo boutique. Nous sommes établis à Montréal. Après mes études en art dramatique au Cégep Marie-Victorin, j'ai complété un certificat en Histoire de l'art à l'UQAM, puis on BAC en communication également à l'UQAM. Je me suis ensuite investi dans la mise en place du projet de centre d'art Le Livart à Montréal, j'y suis restée environ 3 ans à titre de directrice des opérations. À cette époque, ma soeur Mélodie et mon amie Tamara avaient lancé Tamélo Boutique et m'ont demandé de me joindre à l'aventure. Depuis maintenant 4 ans, je m'occupe notamment des communications (internes et externes), du marketing, de la publicité, des partenariats, collaborations et de toutes autres tâches connexes ! L’équipe de la Banque Silicon Valley au Canada peut vous aider à faire avancer vos idées audacieuses – rapidement. En apportant une expertise mondiale aux fondateurs, investisseurs et innovateurs. Visitez svb.com/fr/canada pour en savoir plus. Les entrepreneurs sont l’épine dorsale de l’économie canadienne. Pour soutenir les entreprises canadiennes, abonnez-vous à notre chaîne YouTube et suivez-nous sur Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn et Twitter. Vous voulez rester au courant des derniers podcasts et actualités #entrepreneur? Abonnez-vous à notre newsletter bimensuelle.

Nicole McLaren is a multi-award-winning Métis entrepreneur from British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Her extensive knowledge of industry supply chains and economic development coupled with a passion for supporting fellow Indigenous entrepreneurs allowed her to transform a small book club into Raven Reads, the world’s first Indigenous subscription box. Through her hard work and ambition, Raven Reads has grown exponentially, with thousands of subscribers across Canada, the US, and Europe. Once a sole proprietor, curating and packaging boxes in her garage, Nicole now manages an elite team and operations out of their Kamloops warehouse and distribution centre. Nicole is the recipient of Startup Canada’s National Indigenous Business of the Year (2018) and the BC Achievement Foundation’s Indigenous Business of the Year (2020). She was also a finalist in the Small Business BC’s Premier’s People’s Award (2021) and the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s Business Resilience Regional Export Plan of the Year (2020). Through the incredible success of Raven Reads, Nicole has invested over $250,000 back into the Indigenous economy, and donated over $2,000 to literacy programs for Indigenous children and youth. She is the Founder and Chair of the Indigenous Women’s Business Network, an organization that she created to provide coaching and mentoring to other Indigenous women business owners. Nicole holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Saskatchewan, and will complete her Masters of Business Administration in 2023 from the University of Illinois’ Gies School of Business. She currently resides in Logan Lake, BC with her husband and two young children. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Sparked by a paralyzing bike crash in Phuket, Kieran Macleod has joined forces with friends in the blockchain ecosystem to source funds for a Robotic ExoSkeleton. This will allow Kieran to regain a level of functionality you can only imagine: from being stuck in a wheelchair every day and walking 2-3 hours per year, to near-full personal autonomy again! Together, Kieran and his friends' massively transformative purpose is to Enable Augmented Human Purpose. And, their moonshot is to support 1 million people with mobility issues transform their lives to a better future. Introducing ExOSkeletons to people experiencing paralysis in communities in Canada and around the world would: Help people with paralysis experience first-hand the next-generation technology that can transform their lives to a better future; Save billions of dollars in public healthcare spending; Fast-track the adoption of ExOSkeleton and related technologies so ‘access’ takes on a whole new meaning Kieran invites you to make an impact – start by sharing your ‘ideas’ for ambassadors, manufacturers, health professionals, health product distributors and community leaders that would love to see the adoption of ExOSkeletons happen! The Silicon Valley Bank team in Canada can help you take your next step. Find out more about the bank that has nearly 40 years of global experience supporting venture-backed tech and life science companies and their investors. We’re in Canada to help leading innovators reach the next stage, faster. Visit www.svb.com/canada/connect. Silicon Valley bank, helping you move your bold ideas forward, fast. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Joel Taylor, Co-founder of Patient Choice, has been at the forefront of the ever-changing cannabis industry for many years. He helped transition black market cannabis cultivators to the legal market, connecting them to the regulators of Health Canada and British Columbia. Patient Choice is a licensed online medical platform that connects medical cannabis patients, licensed producers and processors. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Alison Taylor is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Jane, an online platform for healthcare practitioners that delivers a unified approach to online booking, charting, scheduling, video services and payments. Alison, who is based in Vancouver, built Jane with her Co-Founder and Co-CEO Trevor Johnston after running her own practice and finding that she needed an all-in-one solution for her practice's needs. Now, Jane helps thousands of practitioners across the world with the business side of their practice, so they can focus on what they do best — helping their clients. Alison’s company has gotten here by pushing the envelope and challenging tech industry norms. Jane doesn’t have a sales team, in fact, Alison calls herself the antithesis of sales, and lets the product speak for itself. The Silicon Valley Bank team in Canada can help you take your next step. Find out more about the bank that has nearly 40 years of global experience supporting venture-backed tech and life science companies and their investors. We’re in Canada to help leading innovators reach the next stage, faster. Visit www.svb.com/canada/connect. Silicon Valley bank, helping you move your bold ideas forward, fast. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Adam Temple launched the wildly successful Inline Group at just 22 years old, after learning some tough lessons, like losing $300,000 in another venture. Inline Group is a Geotechnical Engineering, Materials Testing, and Surveying company pursuing logistically challenged and remote projects throughout Canada. Adam Temple has lead his company to amazing successes, including doubling its growth initiatives, investing in people, and charging forward with incredible corporate social responsibility initiatives. Hear his take on this in this week’s episode. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Dr. Brown, PhD. has been a business educator for over 40 years, specializing in entrepreneurship. He was the executive director of the International Business & Entrepreneurship Centre at UNB for 4 years and he has served as professor and administrator in higher education, at Cape Breton, University and Crandall University. His time as a professor in the international student space gives our listeners an interesting perspective on entrepreneurship. Dannie has been married for 45 years, has three children and 5 grandchildren. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Tessa May Marr is an entrepreneur at heart and proud to lead a 100 percent virtual social media marketing agency of exceptionally talented and relentless Social Media Managers! Her company, Marr Media Group works with B2B and B2C brands to build custom social strategies, paid social advertising, influencer marketing and fully outsourced social media management. They plug right into each client’s marketing team to augment and amplify all marketing efforts, making them even more effective, creating more connections and achieving desired results and outcomes. Tessa is a pioneer in her leadership style, with a strong focus on work/life balance, empathy, and a whole-human approach. She has developed unique practices throughout the years of building and leading a remote, creative team and breathes new life into the agency format. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Gabriel Basque believes in everyone’s potential. He quickly understood his mission in life at an early age. Simply put, he is helping others achieve their God-given potential and to share the message of Faith, Hope, and love. Gabriel's greatest passion as an entrepreneur is helping people surpass their limiting belief of what’s possible. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Ritou Maloni is the Co-Founder, President and COO of Pür & Simple, a proudly Canadian-owned breakfast and lunch franchise. Originally founded in Quebec in 2016, Pür & Simple has become one of Canada’s fastest growing breakfast chains with more than 20 locations from the Maritimes to British Columbia. Ritou is driven by a passion for hospitality that has allowed her and her team to successfully reinvent breakfast, bringing affordable luxury to diners from coast to coast. Growing up in a very entrepreneurial family herself, Ritou has always been eager to run her own business. A dynamic leader, Ritou's charismatic nature and genuine interest in the success of everyone around her have allowed her to excel in business development and in providing an intuitive support system for her franchise partners. Ritou has maintained hands-on involvement in opening every Pür & Simple location over the years. She has trained both franchise partners and front/back of house staff firsthand, while finding balance as a parent to also be hands-on in her family life. For Ritou, finding balance and setting an example as a strong female entrepreneur has been about understanding the ebbs and flows of both her personal and professional life. Equally important to her success has been having a support system in place that has allowed her to prioritize each aspect based on where her focus was most needed at any given point in time. Ritou credits her business partner, her family and the Pür & Simple team with the success of the business and encourages her franchise partners to find their own definition of success. Ritou holds a BAC in marketing from Concordia University and has more than a decade of entrepreneurial experience from a variety of business ventures. She currently resides in Montreal, QC. The Silicon Valley Bank team in Canada can help you take your next step. Find out more about the bank that has nearly 40 years of global experience supporting venture-backed tech and life science companies and their investors. We’re in Canada to help leading innovators reach the next stage, faster. Visit www.svb.com/canada/connect. Silicon Valley bank, helping you move your bold ideas forward, fast. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter