Meet Tiffany Petite and Melissa Petite, RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards Momentum Finalists

Tiffany and Melissa Petite, Co-Founders of Virtuous Circle Counselling, are 2025 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards finalists and the visionaries behind one of Canada’s fastest-growing mental health organizations.

As spouses and co-dreamers, they’ve built a company that blends clinical excellence with compassion, proving mental health care can be deeply human and nationally scalable. Tiffany, as CEO, guides VCC’s strategy and operations while nurturing a culture where clinicians and staff feel supported and inspired. Melissa, as Chief Growth Officer, drives expansion, partnerships, and sustainability, ensuring VCC reaches more communities while maintaining its values.

Meet Tiffany and Melissa and discover how they’re redefining mental health care across Canada.

I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur when…

Melissa: I watched Kate Roberts on Days of Our Lives, intelligent, fearless, and always in control. Even as a teenager, I admired that independence and leadership. It showed me that one day I wanted to create something of my own, where I could take risks, make decisions, and stand on my own two feet.

Tiffany: I realized I could merge my passion for social work with building a business that creates meaningful change in people’s lives.

Entrepreneurship is made for me because…

Melissa: I’ve always had a curious mind. I’m driven to build something bigger than myself, rooted in both impact and legacy. If I’m not learning and growing, I start to feel restless, and entrepreneurship gives me the freedom to keep pushing boundaries.

Tiffany: It allows me to scale social impact while leading a business rooted in ethics, compassion, and resilience.

The impact I hope to make through my work is…

Melissa: To prove that a business can scale nationally while still staying client-focused.

Tiffany: For every client to feel safe sharing their most personal experiences with a trusted ally. I want them to cultivate their own virtuous circle, championing resilience, healing, and growth in the face of life’s challenges.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned on my entrepreneurial journey is…

Melissa: That growth starts where comfort ends.

Tiffany: Never take advice from people unwilling to risk what you’re willing to risk for your dreams. Courage recognizes courage.

My proudest accomplishment is…

Melissa: Building something meaningful with my spouse and showing our kids that big dreams, hard work, and good hearts can create something amazing together.

Tiffany: Building something meaningful with my life partner and showing our kids that big dreams, good hearts, and hard work can succeed together.

The biggest risk I took that paid off was…

Melissa: Walking away from a 16-year career in oil and gas into the unknown of entrepreneurship. It felt like the biggest gamble of my life. But that risk became the turning point, the move that allowed me to build something meaningful, with purpose, and on my own terms.

Tiffany: Having children. Motherhood is the hardest, most rewarding role I’ve ever taken on. It has made me more resilient, adaptable, and empathetic—all qualities that make me a stronger leader.

My biggest setback has been…

Melissa: Learning how to fail forward. Early failures once felt like roadblocks, but they became the very experiences that propelled me ahead. Each misstep forced me to adapt quickly, trust myself, and lead with clarity. I’ve come to see failure not as the end, but as a powerful beginning, the spark that lights the fire.

Tiffany: Not seeking mentorship sooner. I limited myself by staying isolated and missing the chance to learn from those who understood the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.

I overcame it by…

Melissa: Refusing to let failure define me and instead choosing to see every challenge as a lesson that would make me stronger for the next step.

Tiffany: Seeking out bold leaders who inspire me and building meaningful connections with entrepreneurs willing to share their real experiences. Today, I am both a mentee and mentor, so others don’t wait as long as I did.

The best advice I’ve received as an entrepreneur was…

Melissa: To hire with urgency, but act quickly when it is not the right fit, for their sake and the team’s. I’ve also learned the importance of letting go of anything that doesn’t serve our mission, our clients, or our family, because holding on costs more than moving on.

Tiffany: If you focus on creating the best possible experience for your clients, success will follow. When people feel truly cared for, growth takes care of itself.

I surprise people when I tell them…

Melissa: That, outside of building a counselling company, I geek out on stock trading and technical chart analysis.

Tiffany: I have a motorcycle license, even though I’ve never actually ridden one on my own.

If I had an extra hour in the day, I would use it to…

Melissa: Research travel destinations and plan family adventures. Half the fun for me is in the details and excitement before we even go.

Tiffany: Catch up on one of my favourite reality shows.

If you googled me, you still wouldn’t know…

Melissa: That I love adrenaline and new experiences, whether it’s exploring a new country or finding a challenge that pushes me outside my comfort zone.

Tiffany: That I am a die-hard Calgary Flames hockey fan.

The future excites me because…

Melissa: It is an opportunity to keep building, scaling, and proving that meaningful, people-focused businesses can grow on a national level.Tiffany: I get to continue building a movement in private counselling, helping people heal, grow, and connect in ways that transform lives.

Connect with Tiffany Petite on LinkedIn and connect with Melissa Petite on LinkedIn.