Food & Drink

Unconventional Lessons for Becoming an Unstoppable Entrepreneur

Mike Fata co-founded Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods in 1998. From 1998 to 2016, he ran all aspects of the company as Chairman of the Board and CEO. In February 2019 Mike helped guide the strategic sale of Manitoba Harvest to Tilray for $419 million dollars.

Mike has dedicated over 25 years studying and practicing natural health, starting in 1995 when he made the life changing decision to lose over 100lbs, and go from 300lbs to his current 180Lbs. He has gained an excellent knowledge of human anatomy, diet, nutrition and natural health lifestyle. Mike is a best-selling author, a keynote speaker, and has been featured on various media countless times regarding natural health, nutrition, hemp foods, organic agriculture, sustainable business, entrepreneurship and mentorship.

Mike has won numerous awards;

  • Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2004)
  • Socially Responsible Business Award (2006)
  • The Lorax Award (2006)
  • Top 40 under 40 (2008)
  • Company of the Year (2010)
  • CHFA Organic Achievement Award (2010)
  • Spirit of Winnipeg Award (2014)
  • Nutrition Business Journal Education Award (2014)
  • CME Emerging Business Award (2014)
  • EY Entrepreneur of the Year (2014)
  • MFPA Presidents Award (2016)
  • OTA Organic Rising Star Award (2016)
  • Top 100 Health Influencers (2017)
  • John Holtmann Leadership Award (2021)

In February of 2022, as Chairman of the Board Mike completed his third nine figure exit deal with the acquisition of Sol Cuisine by Plant Plus Foods for $125mm cash.

Mike is currently Chief Executive Officer of Fata & Associates, Chairman of the Board of Nuts For Cheese, Global Growth Advisor for Mid-Day Squares, Lifetime Member (Past Chairman) of the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA), Lifetime Member (Past Chairman) of Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and investor/advisor to a portfolio of companies.

Mike is a homeschooling father, certified holistic health coach and avid backyard organic farmer. In his free time he enjoys coaching and mentoring natural products industry entrepreneurs. In 2021 Mike launched www.fatafleishman.org a free mass mentorship toolbox for CPG entrepreneurs.

Mike hosts the Founder to Mentor podcast (a top 5% global podcast), connecting you with world class founders to inspire your personal and professional growth. https://www.mikefata.ca/podcast.

Mike’s best-selling book Grow: 12 Unconventional Lessons for Becoming an Unstoppable Entrepreneur released in March 2023.


Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on FacebookInstagramLinkedIn and Twitter.

Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Turning a passion for cooking into fine dining in Calgary

Celebrated for her butchery skills and simple approach to food you will recognize Connie DeSousa from her appearances on Top Chef Canada, Top Chef All Stars and most recently a judge for Food Networks Fire Masters. She is one of Canada’s most celebrated female chefs with both an empathetic, yet fierce, approach to her work, life and fitness. Connie is driven to succeed. Once she sets her sights on a goal, she accomplishes it. An avid runner, Connie recently completed the NYC marathon and achieved her personal best as she sprinted across the finish line. Connie’s ambition stemmed from her humble roots, growing up in Erin Woods community in SE Calgary with her Irish mother and Portuguese father who worked hard to achieve success.

Cooking was infused into a young Connie as was her love for sausage making and large family get-togethers where food was what brought them around the table. Graduating from the top of her culinary class, she met her mentor, John Jackson, and instantly she knew they had a partnership for life. Connie has challenged herself to compete in many culinary competitions around the world, including the prestigious Chaîne De Rotîsseurs in South Africa, placing 4th in the world, and participated in the World Culinary Olympics in Germany.

Working internationally, staging at well-known restaurants around the world, mastering nose-to-tail butchery, cultivating relationships with farmers and artisan producers, and challenging the social norms of women in the professional kitchen Connie has dedicated countless hours to her craft. Now, a mother, co-owner of several successful restaurants and businesses, mentor to young chefs and women in the industry, as well as a fitness advocate, and community ambassador, Connie’s success relies on finding absolute balance. In every challenge Connie approaches she desires to fit more minutes in every day, but still manages to defy time and space.

An accomplished chef and co-owner of several award-winning restaurants and businesses, John Jackson has been a leader and a mentor to so many young chefs and entrepreneurs dedicating his time to changing lives and nourishing those around him. Growing up in Saskatchewan, he started cooking at the young age of 15, out of necessity, where he realized that, in a kitchen, social status did not matter and the way to get ahead was to focus, and work hard. He set out on a steady, ambitious career path, travelling and working in some of the world’s most well-known restaurants, attaining success with his many awards, nominations and notable achievements. John studied sausage-making in Italy’s Marche and later landed at the St. Regis in New York. At 29 years of age John was given the opportunity to open the prestigious Mobil 5-star St. Regis Hotel in San Fransisco, California. After the successful opening of the St. Regis, John continued to open multiple restaurants under the Starwood name including the Lagoon by Jean George in Bora Bora.

In 2009, it became clear that it was time to return to home to Calgary. Along with his wife, Carrie, and co-chef, co-owner Connie Desousa, they opened CHARCUT Roast House where they pride themselves in bringing an evolved, but simple approach to dining in the truest Canadian farm-to-table fashion. The restaurant was quickly named Canada’s Best Restaurant and continues to top the list. After CHARCUT, came the opening of charbar in 2015, an Argentine-inspired restaurant with Italian and Spanish influences where the parilla wood-fired grill warms in the heart of the restaurant. Located in the Historical building along the Bow River in the re-established East Village of Calgary, the Simmons quickly became the focal point for cyclists, runners and families exploring the Riverwalk community, and was named Calgary’s best new restaurant for 2015. The most resent adventure is just hatched CHIX Eggshop a “Fast-Fine Diner” which is a quirky, nostalgic, counter service–only breakfast and lunch spot with skillfully crafted and quickly served dishes alongside super hip craft beverages and cocktails.

John’s passion for food and business is strong, but his love for cycling is what drives him in the search for balance, with over 14,000km each year (never had a driver’s licence) John finds a way to ride everyday even in the -40c temperatures throughout the winter months. John is active not only cycling races and commuting but also riding for a cause. He formed a team of riders “The Canadians” that participate each year in the No Kid Hungry “Chefs Cycle” a 480km ride over three days crushing childhood hunger. His magnetic energy is contagious, sharing encouraging and passionate stories to fuel those around him shifting our culinary landscape into a positive and empowering one of balance.


Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on FacebookInstagramLinkedIn and Twitter.

Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Découvrez les produits santé, vegan et bio de Smile Organic Co ainsi que le parcours de la présidente de cette entreprise

Smile Organic Co. est le fruit d’une idée originale de la naturopathe Delphine Boillot, avocate corporative et mère de trois enfants qui a créé cette entreprise il y a 6 ans lorsqu’elle ne trouvait pas d’alternative saine et nutritive au lait pour ses enfants. Si « la nécessité est mère de l’invention », alors Delphine est une mère dont la mission consiste à mettre sur le marché une gamme variée de produits alimentaires, de suppléments et de collations à base de plantes pour les enfants. Chemin faisant, deux femmes sensibles aux questions de santé ont rejoint Boillot, en l’occurrence, la dentiste et chirurgienne Sophie Godbout, mère d’un fils et d’une fille et Katia Pacioretty, mère de cinq enfants (ensemble, elles ont 10 enfants!).


Les entrepreneurs sont l’épine dorsale de l’économie canadienne.

Pour soutenir les entreprises canadiennes, abonnez-vous à notre chaîne YouTube et suivez-nous sur Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn et Twitter.

Vous voulez rester au courant des derniers podcasts et actualités #entrepreneur? Abonnez-vous à notre newsletter bimensuelle.

From engineer to some Monki business

Aditya Dutta, Co-Owner of Monki Breakfast Club & Bistro in Calgary, is a seasoned entrepreneur who has led and helped startups in the hospitality, fashion and real estate industries. An engineering graduate of McGill University, Aditya loves innovation and is now following his childhood passion of revolutionizing the hospitality industry in Calgary, Alberta. A Management Consultant by trade, he worked for more than three years in the Business Strategy and Transformation teams encompassing many industries.


Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on FacebookInstagramLinkedIn and Twitter.

Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Taking the lessons from the farm to run a successful business

Nathasha Vandenhurk is CEO and co-founder of Three Farmers Foods Inc., a privately held corporation based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, which is a trusted brand known for providing foods with natural goodness. Functioning as an integrated organization, Three Farmers delivers nourishing food in a sustainable manner, adhering to the principles of Canadian farming. Their products are minimally processed to showcase their inherent nutritional value and taste, ensuring that consumers can enjoy delicious food that is genuinely wholesome. Dedicated to promoting healthier lifestyles and encouraging better food choices, Three Farmers Foods is a forward-thinking food manufacturer with a strong focus on utilizing locally sourced ingredients to enhance food security within Canada. Driven by a vision of a more nutritious future, the company remains committed to crafting minimally processed snacks that empower consumers to prioritize their well-being.


Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on FacebookInstagramLinkedIn and Twitter.

Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Mix in some research. Bake in your craft

The Tattons are the co-founders of BReD, a B Corp-certified vegan sourdough bakery located in the premier ski and mountain bike resort of Whistler, BC, Canada. The bakery specializes in sourdough and vegan baked goods. Their new debut cookbook, also called BReD, is an homage to the Tattons’ bakery and mission to inform and provide their community with cruelty-free food.

ED TATTON (he/him) is a professional chef who has been to culinary college and worked in high-end kitchens in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, but now specializes in making organic naturally leavened sourdough. As co-owner of BReD–Organic Sourdough with his wife Natasha, Ed leads a small bakery team, making and baking bread, pizza dough, and other small baked goods. These days, Ed’s food is compassionately vegan, a movement he is passionately excited to be part of and help grow for the benefit of people, animals, and the planet.

NATASHA TATTON (she/her) is an English teacher turned bakery manager, animal rights advocate and co-founder of BReD–Organic Sourdough, a B Corp-certified 100% plant-based café/bakery in Whistler, BC. Natasha has taught English all over the world but now leads a small front-of-house team of cashiers and baristas. She has ventured into various food and beverage roles, nurturing her desire to establish a vegan eatery to provide more compassionate food choices for people.

The bakery specializes in sourdough loaves and sourdough cinnamon buns complete with house-made vegan cream cheeze frosting, and has many other sweet and savory vegan treats which are made using locally sourced, seasonal and organic ingredients. Everything is made in-house and baked fresh daily and served alongside their specialty beverage programme.


Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on FacebookInstagramLinkedIn and Twitter.

Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

La Femme Derrière Le Prêt-à-Boire Bubble Tea!

C’est en 2015, suite à ma diplomation de l’Université Laval à Québec, que je débuta ma carrière professionnelle en tant que responsable ressources humaines pour un groupe de résidences pour aînés pour lequel je travaillais depuis 3 ans. Ayant démontré un fort engagement et une persévérance à gravir les échelons, en moins d’une année, je devins responsable régionale du recrutement pour l’Est du Québec. Lors de cette expérience, j’acquiers plusieurs aptitudes dont la gestion de groupe, et ce, dans le cadre de journées de formation pour intégration en milieu de travail. Ayant comme objectif ultime de carrière de devenir directrice de résidence pour aînée, j’obtiens en 2018 une offre pour devenir directrice d’une résidence de 140 résidents.

Au même moment, mon conjoint débuta son aventure entrepreneuriale au sein de COOKIE BLUFF dont j’eu la chance de participer indirectement par mon soutien au niveau administratif.

C’est au début 2020, suite à un changement d’emploi, et constatant les besoins grandissant de mon conjoint, que nous décidons d’unir nos forces et que je fis le saut en tant qu’adjointe à temps complet au sein de Cookie Bluff.

Depuis 2021, nous avons lancés plusieurs sous-produits ainsi que fondé une toute nouvelle entreprise Bobba spécialisé dans la vente de bubble tea prêt-à-boire ainsi que la vente de bulles fusion de première qualité. À peine 2 ans suivant le début des ventes, nous sommes présentement distribués dans plus de 2000 points de vente au Canada ainsi que dans 3 pays dont la France et la côte est des états-unis.


Les entrepreneurs sont l’épine dorsale de l’économie canadienne.

Pour soutenir les entreprises canadiennes, abonnez-vous à notre chaîne YouTube et suivez-nous sur Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn et Twitter.

Vous voulez rester au courant des derniers podcasts et actualités #entrepreneur? Abonnez-vous à notre newsletter bimensuelle.

The road from incarceration to entrepreneurship is lined with popcorn

Emily O’Brien is the founder of Comeback Snacks popcorn company. It all started when she went to prison. Before, Emily was an entrepreneur and social media professional, having created her own firm at a young age and enjoyed great success. Regrettably, addiction caused her to make some poor choices that culminated in a four-year jail term.

As her sentence began, Emily made it her mission to transform herself, get clean, and make a positive difference during her term. “I didn’t know how I’d make a difference at the time,” says Emily, “but I knew I would find something I cared about that would benefit from a purpose-driven facelift.”

Thus, Comeback Snacks (formerly known as Cons and Kernels) was born.

Upon her release, Emily made a decision to start a popcorn company that used high quality, health-conscious ingredients to create unique flavours inspired by the ones she found in prison. A fun, self-deprecating brand that would also help remove the stigma around people who had prior convictions and provide newly-released offenders with the chance at a fresh start through training, empowerment, and education.


Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on FacebookInstagramLinkedIn and Twitter.

Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Comment contribuer à la pérennité de la fromagerie artisanale du Québec

Quelques années après avoir travaillé dans le secteur de l’aviation, en 1999, Nancy et son mari ont eu l’étincelle pour démarrer un réseau de distribution pour les fromagers artisanaux québécois : Plaisirs Gourmets.

L’entreprise a d’abord démarré avec le fromage Pied-de-Vent des Iles-de-la-Madeleine et rapidement l’intérêt des artisans fromagers et négociants a conduit à la création d’un réseau représentant aujourd’hui une quinzaine de fromageries artisanales, 1 fabricant de fondue et un charcutier.


Les entrepreneurs sont l’épine dorsale de l’économie canadienne.

Pour soutenir les entreprises canadiennes, abonnez-vous à notre chaîne YouTube et suivez-nous sur Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn et Twitter.

Vous voulez rester au courant des derniers podcasts et actualités #entrepreneur? Abonnez-vous à notre newsletter bimensuelle.