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Dino Falvo headshot
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Offering an authentic gelato experience with family roots from Calabria, Italy

Distribution, Food & Drink, Retail 00:27:01

Dino Falvo is VP Business Development, Alberta-East for Mario’s Gelati and Director, Brand & Strategic Development and Owner/Operator of Amato Gelato Cafe. The two businesses operate together in providing authentic gelato to stores and restaurants across Canada as well as offering an authentic Italian experience in its cafes. The cafe brand is now ready for franchise opportunities across Canada.

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Vivian Liu headshot
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Making your life easy when you buy a car

Automotive, Business, Retail 00:21:40

Vivian Liu stumbled into the auto industry via a marketing competition back in 2015, from there she suddenly found herself in rural BC managing and consulting dealerships in sales and marketing as a District Manager. 7 years later, she has managed over 80 dealerships from BC to all the way to Saskatchewan on behalf of General Motors. In her tenure at GM, she was responsible for growing the Cadillac brand in the province of BC as well as managing partnerships in Vancouver, such as the PNE, Vancouver Giants, and luxury car shows. Today, Vivian has found herself deeper into the auto industry, more than she has expected, an executive at an auto tech startup as well as founding her own, Mae or Making Auto Easy.

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Gennaro Silvestri headshot
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Bringing La Dolce Vita to Canadians with Cool Italian Products

Importing, Retail 00:18:16

Gennaro Silvestri, President/CEO, Apé Canada and Tag Intercontinental, discusses some of the cool things his companies are bringing to Canada so people can enjoy la dolce vita. The Apé is the original Italian three-wheeler, an icon that continues to evolve while remaining true to itself. Presented to the general public as a concept on November 23, 1946 at the Milan International Cycle and Motorcycle Show, the Apé made its debut as a pre-production special in late 1947 and went officially into full-scale production in 1948. Known all over the world and with a unique cheeky appeal and unrivalled versatility, this vehicle is now approaching its 70th birthday. But the Apé is also an unexpectedly contemporary product that has sparked curiosity and won the affection of countless persons who express their involvement through events, projects, blogs, websites and many other initiatives. No other commercial vehicle in the world has as much history as the Apé. Through Tag Intercontinental, Silvestri sources quality products to reduce carbon footprints while inspiring entrepreneurs to pursue innovative business opportunities.

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Laura McNutt headshot
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From farm to fashion – this Halifax entrepreneur talks SLOW FASHION

Art & Culture, Environment, Fashion & Garments, Retail 00:27:09

Laura McNutt’s post secondary education prepared her for a lifetime of creative pursuits: Laura studied Fine Arts, Environmental Design, then earned a Masters of Architecture at Technical University of Nova Scotia. Following 15 years in the architecture industry, she taught I.B. Fine Art, and engaged in the film industry.

Laura’s professional design career crossed film, architecture, fine art, and design fields, throughout Canada, Bermuda, Switzerland, USA, and Finland. She currently operates a design/build business, designed in the film industry, and taught prep school Fine Art.

Laura was an inaugural member of the Nova Scotia Arts and Culture Partnership, awarded a number of RFP artwork installations in Halifax Regional Municipality, and recently chaired the Awards Committee of the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia. As Laura the entrepreneur, also operates a boutique vintage shop, KingsPIER Curated Collections, which is the entrepreneurial culmination of decades of passion for heritage, craftsmanship, fashion, and sustainability.

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Lisa Lawrence headshot
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The future of fashion with Lisa Lawrence

Business, Fashion & Garments, Retail 00:30:32

Lisa J Lawrence – Co-founder, President and designer. Lisa has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in art and design from the University of Alberta. She has managed a variety of rapid growth retail and entertainment businesses in both the fashion and art industries. She has in depth experience in design and is the creator of all the collections for Lawrence Scott Atelier. She oversees all operations and is the heart and soul of LAWRENCE SCOTT INC. Lisa is currently located in Ottawa where she runs a remote team of predominantly of women who have complete autonomy over when and where they work.

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Tanya Zurock headshot
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Blending traditional methods of soapmaking with modern-day science

Business, Health and Wellness, Retail 00:21:36

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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Robin Kovitz headshot
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Pivoting from a career in the financial industry to being an entrepreneur

Design, Retail 00:18:29

Robin Kovitz is the President & CEO of Baskits Inc., one of Canada’s fastest growing companies. Baskits designs, manufactures and delivers unique and luxurious gifts across Canada and the US. With over 50,000 customers from around the world, Baskits makes the art of gifting quick and easy through its online stores, catalog/call center, warehouse, and retail locations. In 2020, and again in 2021, Baskits was recognized as one of the Top Growing Companies in Canada by the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business Magazine.

Prior to acquiring Baskits in 2014, Robin worked in private equity on the buyouts of mid-sized companies and as a Summer Consultant at the Boston Consulting Group where she led a part of a large-scale cost reduction project at a Canadian bank. She also played an active role in the sale of her family’s western Canadian food manufacturing and distribution businesses. She began her career in Mergers and Acquisitions investment banking at CIBC World Markets and was recognized with the Chairman’s Award in 2005.

As a sought-after speaker and commentator on “Entrepreneurship through Acquisition”, digital retail and the topic of “Mompreneurship” Robin frequently serves as a guest lecturer at both the Yale School of Management and the Harvard Business School. She and/or Baskits have been featured in a number of leading publications, including: Forbes, House & Home, Elle Canada, Canadian Business, Huffington Post, Style at Home and on Global News, Your Morning Show.

Robin currently serves as a consultant to the Admissions Marketing team at the Harvard Business School and as a member of Young Presidents’ Organization. She holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University where she was a Rutherford Scholar. In 2017, and again in 2021, she was recognized as a Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 award winner. In 2021, Robin received the Women of Inspiration Award from the Universal Womens Network. She lives in Toronto with her husband and two children.

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Emma May headshot
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A woman of many hats as a lawyer, realtor and fashion retailer

Design, Legal, Real Estate, Retail 00:16:05

Emma May is the Founder of the digitally native fashion brand SophieGrace and the boutique real estate brokerage Charles Real Estate. A former corporate lawyer, Emma has worked in film and television and was a senior staffer to former Alberta Premier Jim Prentice.

Emma has consistently demonstrated commitment to her community. Following the floods of 2013 she Co-Founded the Calgary River Communities Action Group and advocated on behalf of her fellow Calgarians for policy and mitigation that would protect the City of Calgary in years to come.

In 2014, because of her activism, Premier Jim Prentice appointed Emma Executive Director, Office of the Premier, Southern Alberta. Her responsibilities included stakeholder relations, strategic policy development, issues management, and public affairs. She was responsible for the management and public programming of McDougall Centre and directed and collaborated with Provincial Administration on Flood Recovery Policy and Process. Emma also assisted in the consultation and re-write of Bill 10 (Gay Straight Alliances In Schools) in order for it to achieve unanimous all-party support.

Emma was called to the British Columbia Bar in 2000 and to the Alberta Bar in 2002.

As a lawyer, Emma explored best practices regarding corporate structure, intellectual property matters, strategic planning, and contractual concerns. She was also responsible for the negotiation and drafting contracts relating to financing, insurance, cast, union and guild related matters.

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

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Marie-Pier Béland headshot
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D’éducatrice spécialisée à entrepreneure éco-responsable

Education, Food & Drink, Health and Wellness, Retail 00:17:01

Marie-Pier Béland travaille depuis 14 ans en milieu scolaire avec des jeunes du primaire. Ayant œuvré longtemps auprès d’élèves du régulier, elle travaille depuis 5 ans auprès de jeunes ayant un trouble du spectre de l’autisme.

Marie-Pier a une bonne capacité d’adaptation aux changements ainsi qu’une approche humaine et empathique. Elle est capable de créer un lien de confiance et d’écoute avec les enfants et leurs parents. Ceci constitue une grande force chez elle. Son côté créatif, sa pro activité et sa vision globale sont de bonnes aptitudes pour l’entreprise. Marie-Pier est maman de 3 jeunes enfants. Par souci de bien alimenter sa famille, elle a développé une curiosité à s’informer sur l’alimentation saine, sur le zéro déchet et sur la création de produits ménagers utilisés au quotidien. Elle souhaite donc trouver des façons de faire pour réduire son impact négatif sur la planète afin de transmettre ces valeurs à ses enfants. De là est venu l’idée d’ouvrir une épicerie écologique en vrac pour faciliter l’accessibilité à d’autres familles de faire le pas vers une consommation consciente ainsi que de réduire les déchets, le suremballage et le gaspillage

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Jess McNally and Jolene Brewster posing together
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The challenges of opening a tea shop in the busy tourist town of Banff

Food & Drink, Retail, Travel & Leisure 00:22:47

Jolene Brewster’s ties to the Rockies really start at her family’s roots in the area. They are among the pioneers of Banff’s hospitality industry hosting tours and hikes throughout the Rockies since the early 1900’s. The lifelong Banff resident seeks the harmony of nature, activity, & community on a daily basis. With an degree in Land Resource Management, the equestrian and former Stampede Queen (current ambassador for the Calgary Stampede) founded Natur’el Tea in 2005 which rebranded Jolene’s Tea House upon opening a retail spot on Bear Street this year. Jolene’s entrepreneurial spirit is dedicated to a deep rooted passion for people, health, and happiness.

Jess McNally was born and raised in Alberta, and grew up ski racing at Lake Louise. She is passionate about the environment and ecology, and received her undergraduate and master’s degrees in Earth Systems from Stanford University. After university she worked as a science journalist and a vegetable farmer before deciding to become a Buddhist monastic. She spent three years living at Zen Mountain Monastery in New York. She travelled to Asia where she was ordained in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. She lived in the Indian Himalayas for two years, with most of that time spent in solitary meditation retreat. Afterwards, she spent a year in Madison, Wisconsin, where she was a fellow at The Center for Healthy Minds, which is a global leader in studying mind, happiness and well-being.

About four years ago Jess decided to take off her monastic robes and move back to Canada. Her family had moved to Banff and she’d always loved these mountains, so it was an easy decision to live here.

Jess has always loved tea, and was delighted when Jolene approached her in 2020 to become a partner in the business.

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

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

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