Guests: Jaclyn Patterson is the Founder of Shopwise, an online sustainable fashion marketplace, making it easier for people to discover and shop smarter from more than 30 purpose driven brands that prioritize both people and the planet. Christal Duncan Earle founded Brave Soles in 2017. Brave Soles creates handcrafted shoes with upcycled tire soles…

Guests: Tia Upshaw is a dynamic, serial entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of Blk Women in Excellence. Tashauna Reid is the owner of College Creative Curations, an online stationery store which addresses common student challenges by creating purposeful stationery items. Resources: Learn more about BWIE Connect with BWIE’s workshops and events Che…

Freelancing is a very unique style of entrepreneurship. For freelancers, they are able to achieve flexibility and do work they are great at. For founders, freelancers are key contributors to their projects and business. In this episode, we talk about the tangible tools that allow freelancers to be successful and how to develop strong, empathetic an…

Conor Phillips is an innovator, creative problem solver and serial-entrepreneur, based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. After working in the tourism industry for several years, Conor recognized that something was missing from how small businesses promote their products and services, and how travellers discover the activities, events, festivals and accom…

Have you ever googled the word entrepreneur? What kind of images show up? Who kind of folks do you see represented and associated with the word ‘entrepreneur’. More often than not, it isn’t women and we believe that needs to change because women are disrupting industries, they are making deep social impact and they are incredibly successful. Guests…

The world is your oyster, its full of opportunities. But what about trade agreements, laws, market research, and shipping costs? For entrepreneurs who want to go global, opportunities for growth can quickly feel risky, unclear and even out of reach. For Black and racialized entrepreneurs, these feelings are often amplified. Evelyne Nyairo is the Fo…

In this episode, we will explore Brood’s story, one that came to be through a passion for babies, friendship, and families. Emma Devin and Lizzy Karp have developed a language of care and through this conversation we are able to learn how the words we use affect the experience people can have. This conversation reminds us to look at parents and car…

Ivy Wong is the Founder of Ripple Foundation, a non-profit created to inspire imaginations, and foster creativity and literacy for children in Canada. Today, Ripple Foundation serves communities across the country and children and youth at various stages of their writing journeys. Megan Poole is the Manager of Community and Community Relations at T…

Money matters for entrepreneurs and for business owners. It can also be a source of stress, shame and overwhelm. Chris and Melissa have advice for you to feel more comfortable with making and managing money as a women entrepreneur. Guests: Chris McMartin is our Topic Expert. Chris leads The Scotiabank Women Initiative Small Business Strategy across…

Chelsea Howard is the Founder of Drift Employer Brand Consulting. Chelsea is a workforce strategist, partnering with companies from a range of industries to build human-centric culture and employee experience strategies. Mary Wildman is a First Nations Indigenous woman from Curve Lake First Nation. Mary is a vibrant warrior who works to build relat…

Your venture needs funding, how you get there can be up to you. In this episode, Kailey shares NONA Vegan’s fundraising journey while Shelley chimes in with insight and advice for funding your business so you can grow. “Founders should put themselves first. I want to understand their judgment, I need to see that they are coachable. I love companies…

Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster, with high highs and low lows. Add in navigating a new country and all of the emotions and learnings that come along with it, that is a whole new rollercoaster. In this episode, we hear from two women entrepreneurs who left home and came to Canada for a new life. Through their journeys, we quickly learn that newc…

When entrepreneurs hear Make Lemonade, they likely think of Rachel Kelly – but what is the secret to achieving this and how do you do it? Reagan Bradley, is a personal brand strategist, or in her words ‘a part time investigator, and part time storyteller’, guiding entrepreneurs to find their authenticity, and curate the right story so they can clea…

Expressing our emotions at work is not always easy, but what if paying more attention to our behaviours and emotional needs made us better leaders? Leaders who could hire according to their emotional inventory, operate in a more self aware state and create emotionally in tuned and strong teams that support business growth. Daisy Wright, who support…

Monique Hutson is the Founder and Lead Content Producer of Dom Productions. After running the business for 6 years, her mindset and missions have changed and evolved, they have had to. Cheryl Sutherland is the Founder of PleaseNotes, a business she has built to help women step into their power by building confidence, clarity, and creativity. Togeth…

Is diversity, equity and inclusion a destination or a journey? Jess Dassanayake is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of BinoBooks. BinoBooks exists to help children understand important topics like the COVID-19 pandemic, gender, body image, and more, through personalized e-books. With representation at its center, BinoBooks is reinventing…

Impact isn’t always a number or a dollar amount. Often it is a story. Jacqueline Sofia and Noora Sharrab are the founders of SITTI Social Enterprise, a venture that exists to improve the lives of refugees and displaced communities. Sagal Dualeh is the Senior Director of the Investment Readiness Program at Canada’s Women Foundation, supporting women…

Entrepreneurship is a world of opportunity, of brilliance, of hard work. It’s also a world of loneliness, of sacrifice and of deep challenge and we must include these experiences in our conversations about entrepreneurship. Komal Minhas is the Founder of Karseva, a company focused on building individual and societal resilience through training prog…

Demand for your product or service in a new market is exciting but it doesn’t make the ins and outs of exporting and operating globally any easier. BE Alink is the Founder and Inventor of the Alinker, a bright yellow, radically different walking bike and vehicle for change. With support from Tamaïka Jumelle, Regional Director of Quebec for Invest i…

It is through growth and scaling that founders continue to give their businesses life and it is how they reach the milestones they have always dreamed of. But these things can’t happen without asking yourself what you truly want and finding a sustainable pace to get there. Jenn Harper is the Founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics Inc, a digi…

When founders think about marketing, they often begin to visualize their websites, and social media pages but it is equally important to think about who you are, who you want to be and how you will show up for customers once they find you. Meaghan and Marie Wright are twin sisters and co-founders of Mirror Image Media, a full-service video producti…

When we sell a product or service, what we are really selling is an experience, feeling, or the desired outcome. Selling is a skill built on listening, emotional intelligence, and being of service to your clients and connections. Sheen Brady is the Founder and Tea Sommelier of Tease, a well-loved line of natural and botanical wellness teas that ben…

The topic of funding is one commonly associated with stress and anxiety for founders – but it doesn’t need to be. Financing your business is an exercise rooted in patience, planning, and purpose. It’s a unique opportunity to imagine, and reimagine, what our ventures can and should look like in the future. Richa Gupta is the Founder of Good Food For…

Hiring is so important for a venture’s success, yet the search for talent is a gargantuan challenge for most founders. Business owners need strong processes and a map to make sure their teams survive and thrive. Entrepreneurs must think of culture as a code, one that is built with intention while leaving room for behaviours and methods to reveal th…

Mentorship is a relationship built on trust, active listening and respect. It allows founders to navigate their unique situations with guidance, allowing them to notice their inner wisdom, trust their own intuition and arrive at solutions that lead them to new growth. Karen Danudjaja, who owns and operates a line of plant based, ethically sourced a…

Vivian Kaye is the Founder & CEO of KinkyCurlyYaki, a premium textured hair extension brand for Black women that she bootstrapped to over $6 million in revenue as an immigrant, college dropout and single mom. As a self proclaimed Gary Vee meets Oprah remix, Vivian is also a business and empowerment expert, as well as a TV, radio and podcast persona…

Chelsea is a Regional Manager for the Client Diversity Team at BDC. Her mandate is to ensure that BDC’s portfolio is reflective of Canada’s population. Her goal is to provide all diverse entrepreneurs across the country particularly black entrepreneurs with the tools they need to access the right financing, people and programs to successfully grow …

Mystery Furtado is the mother of two energetic and vibrant African Kings by the names of Kade and Kylem. She is an internationally trained Nurse, currently preparing to sit the RN Nclex exam. Mystery is passionate about Diabetes management and prevention which is why she formed a not for profit called Type Diabeat It; which is the first BIPOC led D…

Patricia Bebia Mawa is the Executive Vice President of Silvertrust Media and Afroglobal Television. Patricia is also the host of Planet Africa, a weekly series on OMNI TV that covers topics that interest, affect and challenge African Canadian communities. She has directed and produced over fifteen television programs including The Visionaries, The …

Nadia is the Co-Founder and COO of Marlow, a new FemTech start-up that has developed the first-ever lubricated tampon kit. Previously, Nadia worked as a management consultant at KPMG where she worked across a number of Fortune 500 retail clients. Nadia is committed to giving back to her community through her role as a catalyst board member at Holla…

Nisha is a Vancouver based entrepreneur and is the founder of Ambari Beauty. Ambari Beauty is committed to sourcing and formulating with pure and powerful ingredients and is on a mission to provide medi spa experience and results from your own home. Growing up in a proud Indo-Canadian home, Nisha was accustomed to a life of natural remedies and cul…

Born in South Africa, Lotte Davis moved to Canada at ten years old with her family to escape the hostility of apartheid. Her heart, though, stayed behind. In 1989, Lotte and her husband founded AG Hair in the basement of their Vancouver home. AG Hair is built on a strong ethos to develop professional products using naturally sourced, plant-based in…

Nikki Wiart is a florist, farmer and writer. Her farming journey began in the winter of 2017 when she moved back to her hometown of Castor, Alberta to work under open prairie skies, grow food and raise animals – and do so in a sustainable and ecological way. Since then, she’s dabbled in a bit of everything, from bees to pigs, chickens, lambs, veget…

Tune in for a bonus episode to look back at all that we covered on the Startup Women Podcast in 2021 with the producers who bring this show to life, Lauren Hicks and Maddie Stiles. Lauren Hicks is our Digital Production and Content Manager at Startup Canada. Lauren spends her time and energy elevating and executing Startup Canada’s digital programs…

Corinne is the daughter of a teacher and a lawyer – which probably explains a lot about her desire to share and explain the legal stuff. After escaping many years of the big law firm life (aka the “soul-sucking situation”), Corinne started her entrepreneurial legal journey in 2012. What started as a 40-hour in-person legal course developed for smal…

*Before listening to this episode, please know that this conversations references end of life for animals and pets and talks about the experiences of pet owners during these difficult times. We know this can be difficult to listen to. Please keep this in mind before listening to this episode if these topics are challenging for you. Celine was frust…

Afton Brazzoni is the Founder of Scribe National, a content marketing company that she started to help B2B companies connect with their audiences online. Scribe National is built on excellence, dedication, curiosity and authenticity to illuminate the brands they work with. Afton brings twelve years of experience in storytelling through marketing, c…

Angie Tran and Bernard Law come from a background of five years in digital marketing, a skill that has lended well to their success with Kind Laundry. Kind Laundry is on a mission to have an impact, and that starts with our decision as consumers to choose a new way of doing laundry, a way that is plastic-free. Angie and Bernard know that when one p…

Financing – it’s one of the top items on every founder’s mind. Alida Pellegrino, Vice President of Credit Adjudication Canada for Scotiabank, may be able to help you demystify bank loans and lines of credit. Alida Pellegrino joined the Scotiabank team in June 2017 and is responsible for leading the Credit Adjudication team in credit decisions for C…

Anne De Aragon is the Vice President and Country Manager for GoDaddy Canada, the company that empowers everyday entrepreneurs. In this role, she is responsible for all GoDaddy operations in Canada, leading the charge on business strategy and growth. Throughout her tenure at GoDaddy, she has worked closely with Canadian small businesses to understan…

It’s no secret that Canada is home to many incredible women entrepreneurs. As BDC’s new leader, Isabelle Hudon is on a mission to foster ambition and generate growth for these disruptive founders. Isabelle Hudon is President and CEO of BDC, the bank for Canadian entrepreneurs. As BDC’s first woman CEO, Ms. Hudon brings a deep business background an…

Years ago, Evelyne found herself doing fieldwork among beautiful wild mango trees in Chad. She was introduced to a family where the mother and kids proceeded to expertly climb the trees in the hot sun to harvest mangoes for her to eat. Towards the end, Evelyne was told to pay the husband when it was the wife that had picked the mangoes. She felt a …

Shelby is the Founder and CEO of Chickapea, a chickpea pasta made from organic ingredients. As a mom of two, Shelby quickly learned the challenge of getting a quick and nutritious meal on the table. Shelby refuses to compromise on ingredients and impact. Chickapea operates under clear guiding principles such as protecting the planet, making nutriti…

Candace Lauren serves humanity as a multi-faceted creative. She is an accomplished brand strategist, award winning speaker, and best selling author. She currently serves as the Director of Communications and Mentorship for the Black Entrepreneurs and Businesses of Canada Society. With over 10 years of experience as a marketing professional, Candace…

Around the world, the collective entrepreneurial experience is surprisingly similar – hurdles and opportunities for women founders are no exception. Adi Paz and Natasha Morano agree that in order for women around the globe to succeed in the startup space, impactful and tailored programs are a must. Adi Paz is the co-founder CEO of OnTime, a social …

Tracy Bell is a career-long television reporter, turned corporate exec, turned startup CEO of Millennia Tea. She believes the story we tell ourselves and others is a potent tool for success in business, and satisfaction in life. As a career communicator, including being a journalist for one of Canada’s most-watched newscasts, Tracy knows first-hand…

Sarah Barnes-Humphrey is a logistician turned supply chain mogul; passionate about collaboration, transparency, diversity – and doing better business. As the host of the popular podcast, Let’s Talk Supply Chain, Sarah puts people right at the forefront of an industry that’s traditionally been about stats and numbers. From thought-provoking question…

Since 2003, Monica James has focused her commercial banking career on helping Indigenous entrepreneurs realize their dreams and being a voice of reconciliation. During this time she has held a variety of progressive positions in Indigenous Banking, including Senior Manager and Business Centre Manager. In her current role as Regional Manager, Client…

Chau Lui is the co-owner, along with her sister Trang, of Paris Jewellers, a proudly Canadian -Vietnamese women-owned and operated jewellery company focused on community partnerships, customer experience and supporting women. The company has a 90% women workforce. Paris Jewellers started in a 400 sq. ft. space in St. Albert, Alberta and with Chau’s…

Ruvimbo Chimutsa is the founder of The Grace & Nelly Project and G&N, Healthier Happier Periods. Born and raised in Zimbabwe, she moved to Canada at the age of 19 to continue her tertiary education and discovered she could still make an impact on the lives of those in her home country thousands of miles away. She obtained her Juris Doctor in 2012 a…