Health and Wellness

Calgary-Based Entrepreneur is Changing the Way We Sleep

If you ask Lara Smith what led her to create Lusomé, she would tell you it was partly circumstantial, partly destiny.

She kicked off her 20-year career at two of the biggest fashion houses in the world – Ralph Lauren and Gucci – and quickly worked her way up as a senior executive at some of Canada’s largest retailers. There, she traveled the globe to discover and create innovative apparel solutions that would make a difference in the lives of consumers.

But it wasn’t until Lara watched her sister battle with breast cancer and the uncomfortable, long-term side effects that resulted from her treatments that she set out to find the most important solution of all – a solution to preventing overheating and night sweats in the clothing that is meant to make us feel beautiful. Lara looked throughout North America and Europe for a sleep brand with beautiful style and fabrics, but they were using 100% polyester and chemicals in the finishing process. Not to mention, their cooling technology never truly worked.

That’s when Lara decided to create her own solution, one that fuses beauty, comfort and science. Her vision came to life through Lusomé, a new pajama brand that promotes the health and sleep of its wearers through first-of-its-kind technology that stops night sweats before it starts.


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Choisis-toi maintenant, le dicton de Mylène Massé

Entraîneuse, naturopathe et coach en relation d’aide, Mylène Massé est une passionnée de la santé. Sa mission : aider les femmes et les hommes à devenir la meilleure version d’eux-même par l’activité physique, une alimentation équilibrée et un grand amour de soi. Elle a débuté son parcours professionnel comme hôtelière pour enfin retrouver sa passion de toujours depuis 2013. Passant de prof de cours de Bootcamp, spinning et CrossFit, à femme d’affaire pour La Fille en forme, œuvrant surtout sur le web pour toucher toute la francophonie, Mylene se caractérise comme CELLE qui vous fera atteindre vos objectifs de poids dans le plaisir et la compréhension. Choisis-toi maintenant, et pour toujours est son dicton.


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Doing business with the 2nd most consumed beverage on the planet

Tracy Bell is a corporate exec turned start-up CEO.

In 2016, a health scare in the family prompted Tracy and her husband to reimagine the way tea is processed in an effort to extract more antioxidants. That concept led to the creation of a new category of tea – called Fresh-Leaf TEA – and a product that is being called “the future of tea” by industry leaders.

In 2017 their innovation was named Best New Product (Innovation category) at World Tea Expo. And in 2019 Millennia TEA was one of eight companies globally selected for participation in the #1 food innovation accelerator in the world, Food-X, in New York City.

Before Millennia TEA, Tracy worked as PR strategist and television reporter, receiving national and international accolades for her work.

Originally from Southern Ontario, Tracy has lived in Atlantic Canada for 15+ years and considers herself a full-fledged Maritimer. Tracy and her husband Rory live in New Brunswick with their two (awesome!) kids.


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Massage expert does it differently than the average bear!

Kimberly White-Vincent began her career as a Registered Massage Therapist and solo-preneur in 2002 after graduating from the Kine Concept Institute of Massage Therapy. Having grown up in the beautiful countryside of Southern New Brunswick, she pursued her career in Saint John, N.B. where she grew her practice. As the first entrepreneur of her family, she navigated entrepreneurship on her own while growing her practice and her business into the current multi-disciplinary wellness clinic Serene Physique Inc. She is an active member of the CMTNB (College of Massage Therapists of New Brunswick), ANBMT (Association of New Brunswick Massage Therapists), The Chamber of Commerce,. She also holds certifications in several complementary modalities such as Virtual Massage Therapy Care, TDR-WM Cupping and Aromatherapy and volunteers as Chair Mentor with the ANBMT, and works as an examiner with the CMTNB.

Upon receiving mentorship and coaching for her business, she has researched and established the need to pursue workplace care. It is her passion to improve soft tissue health and mental health in the workplace (including the work from home setting), a need she has grown increasingly aware of over the course of her 20 year career. Having served as a corporate Massage Therapist for many corporations during her career, she has proven the concept and witnessed the many benefits that massage therapy brings to employees and corporations. Kimberley and her team at Serene Workforce believe that healthy and happy employees make healthy and happy corporations. As a thought leader and expert in the field of corporate massage therapy, Kimberley brings years of trust and enthusiasm to employees and companies she works with.


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The artful mending of pain and mental health through psychedelic-assisted therapies

Heesoo Cho, Co-Founder and Managing Director of SABI Mind, is an operational leader who previously worked in operations & strategy at large Canadian companies. He has extensive experience in strategic planning and the execution of high-complexity and multi-disciplinary programs. With over 10 years of leadership experience and a track record in successfully managing and operating over $30 million in assets, he is known for developing and delivering service-driven solutions, providing outstanding client service, and driving profitable revenue growth. As the Co-founder of SABI Mind, Heesoo is responsible for the company’s growth and operations strategy, ensuring that SABI Mind provides industry-leading processes and management techniques that enable best-in-class patient care.


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Championing an elevated plant-based cuisine

Conceptualized by Canadian chef, Adam Ryan, Fire & Flora offers an immersive dining experience, underscored by elevated plant-based cuisine and Canadian-grown ingredients. This fine dining establishment is both a destination for discerning foodies and a celebrated local hot spot for residents of the Beltline neighbourhood. As interest in plant-based dining continues to grow, chef Ryan’s innovative menu aims to reassure diners that this culinary trend is here to stay.

Located in Calgary’s newest entertainment hub, The District at Beltline, Fire & Flora focuses on Canadian grown ingredients first and foremost, starting with local Alberta farmers, artisans and producers. The restaurant combines chef Ryan’s passion for sustainability with elegant, ingredient-driven dining. Dishes highlight certain fruits, vegetables or other ingredients as they are at their seasonal peak and chef Ryan’s team will work closely with producers and farmers to create in-season menus that incorporate more whole ingredients and refrain from using meat substitutes or processed foods.


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Blending traditional methods of soapmaking with modern-day science

Tanya Zurock, founder of Wild Prairie Soap Company, first began making natural soap in her quest to find better solutions to help resolve her young children’s dry and sensitive skin. Thanks to her upbringing on a Canadian farm, she used her knowledge of natural and organic ingredients to create soap that was not only effective but provided a better, natural alternative to commercially manufactured soap.

Over 20 years later, Tanya and her team continue to change the landscape of the natural personal care industry by redefining what consumers should expect from the experience of using exceptional soap and other nurturing body care products. Her now-grown children continue to be her best test subjects!

Today Wild Prairie Soap Company products can be found in retail locations across Canada, as well as in major department stores and on e-commerce sites in Japan. It is also now in South Korea.


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How an innovative tampon brand leveraged TikTok

Nadia Ladak (she/her) is passionate about the startup ecosystem and inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders. She is the founder of Marlow, a menstrual health brand that has created the first-ever lubricated tampon for smoother and more comfortable insertion. Based in Toronto, she is also the Ontario representative on the Startup Canada Women Advocacy Network where she participates in government roundtables to advocate for female founders. Nadia is committed to giving back to her community through her role as a catalyst board member at Holland Bloorview Children’s Hospital and as a mentor for the Junior Achievement Company Program where she provides weekly coaching to high school students as they operate their own small businesses. In her free time, you can find her reading, playing her guitar, or spending time outside biking & camping.


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It’s Happy Mamas and Babies Guaranteed

Leanne Rzepa, owner and founder of Nourish Lactation Consulting, became a Registered Nurse in 2000 after graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from the University of Calgary. Rzepa quickly developed a passion for breastfeeding support when she began her career as a postpartum nurse at the Rockyview General Hospital.

In 2006 Rzepa began to focus her nursing practice on breastfeeding support and started studying to become a certified lactation consultant. Rzepa successfully passed her exam in 2007 and became an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant).

In 2008 Nourish Lactation Consulting opened for business to provide in-home breastfeeding support and education to families in Calgary and surrounding communities. Rzepa, always an entrepreneur at heart, saw a need for in-home support after years of working in the hospital setting. “Women spend such a short time in the hospital after giving birth. Most new mothers are exhausted and aren’t able to retain the information shared by hospital staff. Breastfeeding is a learned art. It often takes days or even weeks for a new mother to feel confident feeding her baby. Nourish provides support in the home setting which is more conducive for learning and confidence building.”

Nourish has helped countless mothers meet their breastfeeding goals by providing quality, caring, evidence-based support. Most women Rzepa supports struggle with latch, pain, tongue tie, milk supply issues, poor weight gain, or feeding multiples. In addition to providing in-home support, Rzepa has an online store that sells a variety of breastfeeding related products, apparel, and supplements. Nourish also offers a breast pump rental service, monthly workshops, virtual consults, a drop-in clinic and a multitude of services provided by other healthcare professionals such as a sleep consultant, registered dietitian, pelvic floor physio, and postpartum support provided by a Doula.

Rzepa is passionate about her job and receives much joy from supporting mothers to achieve their breastfeeding goals.


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We had no idea eating salad could be so dangerous

In October 2018, their two-year-old son was infected with E. coli during the romaine lettuce outbreak. It was one week from the first sign that something was wrong until the day he died.

Brad and Kristin Bell had no idea that eating a salad could be so dangerous. And they were shocked to find out how widespread this problem is. Leafy green vegetables now cause more E. coli outbreaks than any other food, including beef.

With the spirit of Cooper in their hearts, they put everything they had into a new solution – they partnered with Freight Farms to create 4 Acres Hydroponics – their startup that creates a carefully controlled indoor environment to grow greens year-round with no pesticides or herbicides – for their family, community, and as advocates for food systems reinvention.

In this podcast, they touch on three key ideas:

  1. Is mass-produced food killing us?
  2. Three things you can do today to get access to safe, healthy food.
  3. Basic information for starting your own micro-impact hydroponic foods innovation project.

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