Victoria Sopik and Jennifer Nashmi Co-founders, Kids and Company Finalists, Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship, CENTRAL When Victoria Sopik and Jennifer Nashmi cofounded Kids & Company in 2002, their aim was to disrupt the traditional way child care had been offered by launching as an emergency back-up centre. Their success came after a […]
Melanie Normandin Vice President, Arctic Consultants Inc. Finalist, Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship, EAST Arctic Consultants has been meeting the procurement needs of remote communities in Nunavik and Nunavut since 1984. Melanie Normandin took over the family business with her husband in 2009, and now works not only to ensure the day-to-day runs […]
Mandy Farmer President and CEO, Accent Inns Inc. Finalist, Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship, WEST When Mandy Farmer’s father started Accent Inns Inc. in 1987, he didn’t plan on having any of his children go into the business. But Mandy took over as president and CEO in 2008, bringing with her an innovative, […]
Elen Steinberg President and CEO, SPP Marketing Services Inc. Finalist, TELUS Trailblazer Award, CENTRAL SPP Marketing Services Inc. (SPP) had already been in operation as a promotions and experiential marketing agency for ten years when founder Elen Steinberg saw her winning opportunity: creating an innovative program using Canadian airports for marketing credit cards […]
Caroline Roberts President and CEO, Thoth Technology Inc. Finalist, TELUS Trailblazer Award, CENTRAL When Caroline Roberts co-founded Thoth Technology in 2001, she saw a market opportunity in Canada’s vibrant space sector, providing services to validate equipment for spaceflight. The space and defense company now has three divisions — Space Tracking and Navigation, Space […]
Toni Desrosiers Founder and CEO, Abeego Finalist, TELUS Trailblazer Award, CENTRAL In 2008, Toni Desrosiers was looking for a natural way to store her food — and ended up discovering a way to disrupt the fully mature, billion-dollar industry of plastic wrap. Through extensive experimentation (and looking to lemon peels, cheese rinds and […]
Heather Modlin Provincial Director, Key Assets Newfoundland and Labrador Finalist, Social Change Award, EAST Heather Modlin established Key Assets Newfoundland and Labrador (KANL) in 2009 to provide therapeutic family-based care (foster care). Their mandate has since expanded; in partnership with government, KANL offers residential care and support services to young people and families […]
Latha Sukumar Executive Director, MCIS Language Solutions Finalist, Social Change Award, CENTRAL When MCIS Language Solutions was incorporated as a non-profit in 1995, its mandate was to provide interpretation services for victims of domestic violence in Scarborough. Latha Sukumar was hired as Executive Director in 1996, expanding the mission to improving access to […]
Ching Tien Founder and President, Educating Rural Girls in China Finalist, Social Change Award, WEST As the founder of Educating Girls of Rural China (EGRC), Ching Tien’s deepest belief is that educated women have educated children — so providing education opportunities to women has a long lasting ripple effect and is a fundamental […]
Jennifer Hamilton CEO, Oxygen Yoga & Fitness Finalist, RBC Momentum Award, CENTRAL When Jen Hamilton opened her first Oxygen Yoga and Fitness location, her goal was to create an environment where any person could come, regardless of age, gender or level of fitness, to channel their energy and focus back on themselves. Their […]
Francine Brûlé Founder, Les enfants terribles brasserie Finalist, RBC Momentum Award, EAST Brasserie Les Enfants Terribles is a family-run restaurant group guided by a “just like home’’ concept, with a welcoming atmosphere and a menu featuring local products and unique spins on more traditional dishes. Francine Brûlé opened her first location at 53 […]
Marjorie Dixon Founder, Anova Fertility Finalist, RBC Momentum Award, CENTRAL Founded in 2016, Anova Fertility and Reproductive Health is committed to making the right to family accessible to everyone. As a doctor in reproductive medicine who had been through the system for assisted fertility personally, Marjorie Dixon saw inequality for different segments of […]
Joanna Griffiths Founder and CEO, Knix Finalist, Staples Start-Up Award, CENTRAL Knix is a direct-to-consumer women’s intimate apparel company that is reinventing intimates for real life. Having launched in 2013 with leak proof and absorbent underwear, their assortment now includes comfortable wire-free bras and tanks, t-shirts that block sweat, loungewear, a line for […]
Jennifer Denouden President and CEO, Avana Homes Finalist, Staples Start-Up Award, WEST When Jennifer Denouden first started in real estate investing, she was looking to replace her income as a Private Banker so that she could spend more time with her children. Just over four years later, the Avana Group has built or […]
Ella Choi Founder, Playtime Pediatric Dentistry Finalist, Staples Start-Up Award, WEST Before starting her own clinic, pediatric dentist Ella Choi had worked at three different dental offices, learning a lot about how the business should be run. In 2015, she founded Playtime Pediatric Dentistry to bring her own vision to life: a nurturing […]
Glain Roberts-McCabe Founder, The Roundtable Finalist, Micro Business Award presented by Diversity Institute & Magnet Export Business Portal, WEST Launched in 2007, The Roundtable is reimagining the traditional consulting firm model through an approach where participants share knowledge through group and team coaching programs. Founder Glain Roberts-McCabe designed the program to increase individual […]
Luann Baker-Johnson Founder, Lumel Studios Finalist, Micro Business Award presented by Diversity Institute & Magnet Export Business Portal, CENTRAL It took four years of struggle, perseverance, and long conversations with safety authorities for Luann Baker- Johnson to build Lumel Studios, a Yukon glass blowing and hot glass facility that offers lessons as well […]
Kathleen Quinlan Founder, Fiore Botanica Finalist, Micro Business Award presented by Diversity Institute & Magnet Export Business Portal, EAST After a life-threatening illness, over 20 years ago Kathleen Quinlan made the decision to limit her exposure to the dangerous chemicals that can be found in personal care products. This eventually led to the […]
On CBC’s Dragons’ Den, Michele Romanow fields pitches from some of Canada’s most hopeful entrepreneurs. As a serial entrepreneur herself, it’s a job she truly embodies: recognizing opportunity, and knowing how to create something magical. By Teresa Harris Michele Romanow isn’t in the business of ‘making it’ — at least not in […]
It’s our 26th year of recognizing the top women entrepreneurs in Canada — and we’re excited to be celebrating another dynamic group of business owners. Representing diverse industries and business sizes, and hailing from across the country — from the Yukon to Newfoundland — here are the 2018 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Award Finalists. […]
The first year for any business owner is bound to be full of ups and downs. Co-founders of Eivey, an online marketplace for luxury, pre-worn fashion, share their best tips for surviving year one without losing it all – including your mind. Entrepreneurs and friends Maryna deLannoy and Laura Sim decided to enter […]
Jennifer Stewart’s entrepreneurial drive and self-proclaimed “overconfidence” led to her opening her own PR and government relations firm at just 25 years old. Through vision, leadership, and a whole lot of hustle, she’s built Syntax Strategic into an internationally recognized communications and business strategy firm and stands tall as one of Canada’s top communication-leaders. […]
Paige Viggiani is the Co-Founder, and lead Lash Extension Artist at Studio Eighty Seven. Before entering the beauty industry, Paige received an honours degree from York University in Communication Studies and a Diploma from Humber College in Fashion Business, and served Women of Influence as our Events and Marketing Manager. With a passion for beauty, […]
Melissa Sariffodeen is the co-founder and CEO of Ladies Learning Code, which has taught over 100,000 individuals skills in HTML, CSS, WordPress, Python, Ruby, artificial intelligence, web design, and more. Her impact was recognized with the 2017 Social Change Award at the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards — an accomplishment she humbly credits to the […]
Whether you know it as income sprinkling or income splitting, as of January 1, 2018, the rules have changed. There is still lots of uncertainty that exists surrounding the interpretation of the proposed federal legislation but here is what you need to know as a business owner. By Shauna Forret, Tax Partner, […]
by Viviana Kohon, Namita Tandon-Walsh, and Caitie Yue All entrepreneurs enjoy the independence and thrill of working for themselves and creating something new. Having partners or co-founders is an added bonus, giving you the option to consult with each other, and to ensure multiple areas of the business are covered through different […]
As the Director of the Queen’s Master of Management Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Smith School of Business, Shari Hughson interviews hundreds of entrepreneurial-minded candidates each year. About half intend to pursue careers in corporate innovation. by Shari Hughson CEOs seem to lack the confidence in their organizations’ ability to innovate. In […]
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