General

An obsession with being the best lawn care company in Canada

James Szojka started Yard Dawgs Lawn Care in 2014 as a tuition pay-off plan. Being allergic to grass, it was supposed to be a couple of years and summer only job.

But after graduating from university, he decided to give the business a full year of his attention to see what would happen as he did love the industry and building a team. He went all in on the company’s niche: making lawns green, weed free and healthy. Fast forward to 2024, the company is operating with 17 trucks, and it is planning to take care of over 6,000 clients this upcoming season. He’s become obsessed with being the best lawn care company in the city, and now has the goal of being Canada’s largest lawn care company. During the winter months and now throughout the year he also runs “The Dirt Life” channel on YouTube, which focuses on coaching others to in starting their own lawn care companies.


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Turning your passion into your path with Andrea McKay

As the Founder of b, halfmoon —— Andrea McKay’s mission is simple: to inspire and support people everywhere in living their truths and supporting their wellness journeys.

Andrea’s passion for yoga began in Sydney, Australia, while she was completing a Master’s Degree in International Business. She knew she would someday make yoga her career, but she wasn’t sure what that would look like. Fast-forward 13 years and Morris found herself employed at The Stewart Group, her family’s fifth-generation manufacturing and technology company. She was working with an innovative type of rubber and quickly realized that the material’s distinctive qualities—durability, sustainability, and a grippy surface— could make the perfect yoga mat.

After endlessly prototyping and fine-tuning The B MAT, B Yoga was born in 2014. Sparked by The B MAT’s success, B Yoga continued to grow beyond just mats, creating elevated, performance-driven essentials for all kinds of movement and meditation.

In spring 2018, Andrea and B Yoga acquired Halfmoon Yoga Products, another female-founded, Canadian yoga and meditation brand. Where B Yoga speaks to the contemporary wellness enthusiast, Halfmoon is rooted in tradition, making each brand a perfect complement to the other.

In fall of 2023, B Yoga and Halfmoon came together as one, under the refreshed b, halfmoon brand. This beautiful union marks a new chapter in the brand and company’s story, which she is thrilled to share with their global community.

Andrea currently resides in her hometown of Toronto, ON, with her husband, Fraser, and two daughters, Madison and Everly. As she helps B Yoga and Halfmoon grow internationally, she knows she’s fulfilling her vision of inspiring all people to live their truth.

“I live my yoga in moments with movement, nature, loved ones, and creative ideation and expression. These moments come and go—they’re rarely scheduled, but always fulfilling.” —Andrea Morris, Founder & CEO of Mindful Collective Co.


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The hug that changed the world with Denise Bebenek

Denise Bebenek is the Founder, President and driving force behind Meagan Bebenek Foundation: Creating a Circle of Hope.

A Toronto resident and graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Honours in Psychology and the University of Toronto Faculty of Education, Denise, a former schoolteacher, is a tireless advocate for families who are touched by brain tumours, and for the empowerment of all children to help one another. Meagan Bebenek Foundation promotes ground-breaking research, providing much-needed funds to Toronto’s Brain Tumour Research Centre (BTRC), fostering a culture of discovery and care that is improving the care, quality of life, and survival rates for young brain tumour patients.

The spirit of Meagan Bebenek Foundation is a combination of Denise’s personal experiences and mission, as well as her professional background.

In late 2000, Denise’s youngest child, Meagan, was diagnosed with an inoperable and malignant brain tumour. She died six months later, in June 2001, two weeks past her fifth birthday. As Denise left the hospital, she envisioned a hug encompassing the building, which inspired her to organize a five-kilometre walk and “hug” event.

Asking friends and family to help, Denise started planning for the first Meagan’s Walk event which took place on Mother’s Day 2002. The annual event, now known as Meagan’s HUG, culminates with participants joining hands and forming a human hug, a “circle of hope” around the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, sending a clear and simple message to all within – you are not alone.

Denise turned the tragic loss of her youngest daughter into a journey of hope and inspiration. With a deep-rooted belief that when we come together as a community we can make a collective difference, Denise has successfully harnessed that power for over two decades with a team of over 60 volunteers who work year-round to further the organization’s mission.

Today, Meagan Bebenek Foundation has grown into a thriving organization with multiple events, corporate sponsors, a robust school program, ‘Kids Helping Kids’ and an annual Crane Ceremony in which students present hand-made origami cranes to MBF Heroes. The foundation has raised more than $6 million dollars in support of paediatric brain tumour research, which includes funding for seed grants, purchasing cutting-edge equipment, funding for the Toronto Brain Tumour Network tissue bank and a Neuro-oncology fellowship program. This Fellowship is available to eligible candidates around the world and offers them the opportunity to further their clinical and research training in sub-specialties of paediatric oncology.


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Major oil & gas industry innovation – securing a North American supply of lithium

Alex Wylie has a proven track record of building high-growth businesses and is now President and CEO of Volt Lithium Corp. Alex is leading a game-changing technological shift in the oil and gas industry aiming to be North America’s first commercial producer of lithium from oilfield brine.

The vision is to secure a supply of lithium for Canada and other markets including the USA and global destinations currently involved in oil and gas extraction. Leveraging existing infrastructure, building a permanent testing facility, and collaborative partners in R&D and implementation Volt Lithium is undertaking what others thought was impossible.

On today’s podcast we’ll hear about:

  • How to find solutions ‘right under your nose’ that might not yet seem obvious
  • Oil & gas industry partnerships on lithium production
  • Strategic advantages to scale in Canada and Alberta
  • Why lithium is important for a better future

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Let passion lead the way – Vancouver, Canada’s Podcast

Just two years after settling in Vancouver from the east coast of Australia, Danielle Riddle identified a lack of customer service in the corporate travel industry leading her to create a customer first, corporate travel company based in Western Canada, Inspired Travel Group. She is passionate about simplifying work travel by providing personalized customer support.

Beyond her company, Danielle lives out her dream of travelling to top destinations and accommodations, ultimately allowing her to help others travel seamlessly.
#DanielleRiddle – CEO Inspired Travel Group

#worktravel #entrepreneur #womeninbusiness #womenentrepreneur #corporatetravel

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Diriger par contexte et non par contrôle — l’approche de Marc-André Campagna

L’histoire de Marc-André Campagna (alias Marc), est plutôt normale, enfin, jusqu’à ce qu’on arrive à la partie oxio.

D’abord, les bases. Marc est né à Baie-Comeau (si vous ne savez pas où c’est, c’est au nord-est de la ville de Québec —environ 420 km au nord-est), un petit village de 21 000 habitants, et a grandi à Québec. Il a étudié le droit à l’Université Laval, a abandonné ses études et a fondé Accès Télécom avec Francis Careau. Ensemble, ils ont transformé Accès Télécom en oxio.

Aujourd’hui, Marc passe son temps entre Québec, Montréal et San Francisco. Lorsqu’il ne travaille pas, il est probablement en train de courir (au sens propre et figuré) dans un endroit aussi éloigné que possible de la ville.

Marc mange régulièrement du houmous et donne l’exemple lorsqu’il s’agit de rester fidèle à soi-même. Pour Marc, il n’y a pas de « moi au travail » et de « moi à la maison », il en a d’ailleurs assez de cette façon de penser. Le travail est juste une autre partie de la vie. C’est pourquoi la culture d’oxio est axée sur l’intégration de la vie professionnelle et de la vie privée : il s’agit de faire preuve d’empathie envers les autres parties de notre être et de créer des moyens de les soutenir.

L’ambiance décontractée de Marc vous met à l’aise. Il veut apprendre à connaître les gens qui l’entourent et fait de son mieux pour que vous puissiez facilement entrer en contact avec lui. Résolveur de problèmes, Marc lit beaucoup et vit pour le débat honnête et intelligent — tout ce qui permet d’améliorer les choses.

En d’autres termes, ne soyez pas timide avec ce type, soyez simplement ouvert, franc et réceptif à des commentaires honnêtes.


Restez abonné et cliquez sur l’icône de la cloche pour être avisé de notre prochain podcast avec le sous-commissaire Anthony Durocher du Bureau de la concurrence Canada.

Découvrez les règles de la concurrence et du marketing que toutes les entreprises devraient connaître.

Apprenez-en plus à http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/fra/h_04456.html


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Sustainability and the workplace with Melanie Chin

Melanie Chin is the Brand & Community Manager for CIBC SQUARE, Toronto’s new international standard of community, providing an elevated environment for all to thrive through work, wellness and sustainability. Chin leads the marketing, communications, branding and programming direction for the development. Prior to joining Hines and the CIBC SQUARE team, Chin worked at Midway in Houston, TX, a real estate investment, development and management firm, as a Senior Marketing Coordinator managing the marketing programs for multiple developments. Throughout the years, Chin has worked with a number of global brands such as Kia, Nike, the NFL, and the Houston Rockets to create unique experiences. Melanie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Wilfrid Laurier University.


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Canada‘s rich and diverse Indigenous economy is on the rise

Nicole McLaren is a multi-award-winning Métis entrepreneur from British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Her extensive knowledge of industry supply chains and economic development coupled with a passion for supporting fellow Indigenous entrepreneurs allowed her to transform a small book club into Raven Reads, the world’s first Indigenous subscription box.

Through her hard work and ambition, Raven Reads has grown exponentially, with thousands of subscribers across Canada, the US, and Europe. Once a sole proprietor, curating and packaging boxes in her garage, Nicole now manages an elite team and operations out of their Kamloops warehouse and distribution centre.

Nicole is the recipient of Startup Canada’s National Indigenous Business of the Year (2018) and the BC Achievement Foundation’s Indigenous Business of the Year (2020). She was also a finalist in the Small Business BC’s Premier’s People’s Award (2021) and the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s Business Resilience Regional Export Plan of the Year (2020).

Through the incredible success of Raven Reads, Nicole has invested over $250,000 back into the Indigenous economy, and donated over $2,000 to literacy programs for Indigenous children and youth. She is the Founder and Chair of the Indigenous Women’s Business Network, an organization that she created to provide coaching and mentoring to other Indigenous women business owners.

Nicole holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Saskatchewan, and will complete her Masters of Business Administration in 2023 from the University of Illinois’ Gies School of Business. She currently resides in Logan Lake, BC with her husband and two young children.


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Doing business responsibly: when it‘s time to shut up your ego!

Founded in Montreal, Canada in 2020, Sarah Laroche was eager to get SELV Rituel up and running after traveling around the world and discovering the “slow life” philosophy which encourages self-care, a focus on one’s self and promotes listening to your body. This is where the idea of SELV comes from: to offer time to people, the opportunity to take care of oneself or others. She expanded on this philosophy by developing products that would incorporate the ritual of bath; where you truly have to sit down with yourself and take the time to unwind. Through SELV, Sarah has felt incredible joy – one that has motivated her to create over 140 products, with many more to come!


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Creating Smart Money and Reinventing Customer Experiences in the Wealth Management Industry

After graduating with his honors degree in finance and marketing Grant White of Endeavour Wealth Management entered the financial services industry in 2005. Since then he has been recognized as a top performing Financial Planner and Portfolio Manager by not only his own firm but other independent organizations including “The Carson Group” an international Wealth Management Organization based out of Omaha Nebraska and “Wealth Professional” where he was voted the top advisor in Canada under the age of 40. Grant is a proud member of the community and when he is not at the office, he and his wife Sam lend a great deal of time to local organizations which are close to their heart.


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