Although Ravina Bains’ interest in finance started at a young age, she still took a circuitous route to her present role of Vice-President of Commercial Banking/Canadian Wealth Management Sales Integration at Scotiabank. Recently awarded the 2018 Investment Industry Association of Canada Top Under 40 Award, she’s proof that following your passion pays off. By […]
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 […]
Prior to 2014, Eva Wong had never started a business. Today, she is the leading lady of one of Canada’s largest fintech companies. By Kristen Sears Eva Wong doesn’t have the technical background or entrepreneurial experience that one might expect of a fintech startup founder. Before she launched the Toronto-based credit education […]
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 […]
When Heather Stewart took over at BBE Expediting — a supply chain service provider and logistics company serving the Canadian North — she knew she needed to diversify the “feast or famine” business. So they developed the GoBox app to enable carriers to bid live on shipping jobs, with the expectation it would be used […]
As the Chair of the Scotiabank Alliance for Mental Health (SAMH), Karen Jordan is helping to deliver the message that mental health issues can impact us all — either directly or through a family member, friend or colleague. She’s also working to reduce the stigma around getting help, and making sure everyone at Scotiabank (and […]
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 […]
Awarded 2017’s Most Innovative Woman of the Year by the Stevie Awards, Jess Tomlin is the President and CEO of The MATCH International Women’s Fund, Canada’s only global fund for women, providing resources to organizations around the world working to dismantle the status quo through innovation and disruption. Jess herself has worked in Sub-Saharan Africa, […]
As the co-owners of Earth Inc., a successful landscape design firm in Toronto, Kennedy McRae and James Dale have the opportunity to meet (and create beautiful backyards for) some powerhouse women of influence. In this Q&A, they’re introducing the WOI community to their client, Eva Sachs, a certified financial planner who specializes in separation […]
As a trans woman with a successful career in tech, Rachel Clark knows she’s the exception rather than the rule — as many in the trans community face discrimination that keeps them from even getting hired. She’s speaking out to change that. By Shelley White When Rachel Clark speaks […]
Christal Agostino knew that marketing for the luxury segment was a highly competitive field — so she gave herself an edge by including international luxury brand management studies in her MBA. She’s been climbing in her career ever since. By Hailey Eisen Bisha Hotel & Residences, a luxury and lifestyle […]
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