Design

Carmen Darley

Carmen Darley is an artist, mother, motivator, and an advocate for mental health and positive thinking. After years of having a sought-after corporate role at American Express, Carmen realized that her life needed to shift in a different direction. She had been painting and exploring art since she was a child, but never pursued it. Through life experiences and learning, in 2016, Carmen decided to take the leap and pursue a career as an artist, and founded Carli’s Paintings. She found solace in her art, and found her calling as an entrepreneur.

Carmen creates “shatter-proof”, original, and unique, resin décor that has become very popular in Toronto and is sold in over a dozen stores across the province, as well as online on Etsy. Carmen has an entrepreneurial mindset and is constantly on the lookout for new opportunities and where to grow her business next. She is a popular motivator and influencer in Toronto, with a passion for empowering other female entrepreneurs. Carmen was recently a keynote speaker at the Toronto Business Babes Conference 2019, telling her story about her struggles, at times difficult, and how they shaped the person and entrepreneur she is today.

Her mission is to continue to create beautiful pieces that transform into functional and versatile home décor, as well as to empower other dreamers to pursue their life-long aspirations.

Connor Curran

Connor Curran is one of the co-owners of Local Laundry, a Canadian made garments company that uses clothing as a vehicle to build community. Connor started Local Laundry four years ago after Googling: ‘How To Start A T-Shirt Company’ and watching a YouTube video. Now Connor works on Local Laundry full time with a commitment to donate over $1 Million to local charities across Canada. Local Laundry can be found in over 20 stores across Canada and is heralding the importance of supporting Canadian manufacturing.

Eric Fournier

Eric Fournier is a dynamic, strategic visionary with a long history of creating value for businesses. In his role as Partner and Executive Producer at Moment Factory, he has strategically overseen the growth of the studio while also providing proactive leadership and direction on major projects. Under his guidance, Moment Factory now operates in Tokyo, New York City, Los Angeles and London and soon Toronto. Creative and curious, Eric excels at identifying opportunities that will fully activate Moment Factory’s unique and diverse collection of expertise. Eric holds an MBA from McGill University and a BBA from the Université du Québec à Montréal.

Lauryn Vaughn

Lauryn Vaughn is CEO and Founder of the upside, Canada’s largest online luxury resale retailer. Born and raised in a small town in Western Canada, Lauryn developed her passion for the resale market when she moved to Paris, learning how to look chic on a budget overseas. She recognized early there was a gap in the North American market for luxury resale, and created the upside in 2015.

Josephine Kwan

Josephine Kwan, Founder of Flow 2 Freedom Apparel, is a visionary and self-motivated entrepreneur with over a decade of diverse business experience in commercial real estate, sales and marketing, negotiations, acquisitions and dispositions, operations, finance and management.

Josephine has a Bachelor of Human Kinetics from UBC, has volunteered with the Breakfast Club of Canada, Habitat for Humanity and the Make-a-Wish Foundation, has been a performance coach for CEO’s and Executives, and in her own consulting business reconnects visionary business leaders to their purpose, including operations, business development, marketing, team building and performance coaching then build their future business strategies and ensure effective and timely execution.

Today, this Vancouver based entrepreneur is applying those techniques to her latest entrepreneurial pursuit, and is leveraging the power of a childhood trauma to transform the lives of niche elite athletes and active women with an innovative line of sustainable activewear.

Justine Barber

Justine Barber is the co-founder of Poppy Barley, a BCorps certified footwear and accessory company that prioritizes foundational style and ethical manufacturing. Justine has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta (U of A) and a Master of Arts in Conflict Analysis from the University of Kent. Prior to starting Poppy Barley she worked in conflict prevention, and on Alberta’s 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness. Justine is married with two young kids; in her (limited) spare time she enjoys running, reading and playing outside.

Lauren Dary

Lauren Dary is founder of Gus Sloan in Edmonton.

Jigme Love

Jigme Love (jigmelove.com) is the Founder of the luxury resale store Mine & Yours. She has operated retails stores and pop-up shops on Hornby Street, on South Granville, Robson Street, 4th Avenue in Kitsilano, and in Yorkville in Toronto, and Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. She specializes in creating sophisticated retail shopping experiences and building long-standing community relationships. She is a passionate entrepreneur. As the Founder of the Dream Factory Mastermind, she creates community, inspirational experiences, and leads and facilitates business growth and strategic collaborations among entrepreneurs. She holds an MBA from the International University of Monaco.

Pete Nguyen

Pete Nguyen is an Art Director at Berlin Communications, partner of Sea Change Brewing Co., and an active illustrator, muralist, designer and musician

Laura Beauparlant

Laura Beauparlant is an award-winning international keynote speaker, an expert on branding and design and the author of Brand Chemistry. As the founder and creative director of Lab Creative, her mission is to help ambitious entrepreneurs create strong, memorable brands that consistently attract their ideal clients.

For over 15 years, Laura has helped countless small business owners and entrepreneurs gain confidence and grow their businesses through unforgettable branding.