Vancouver

Isabelle Mercier-Turcotte

Introducing Isabelle Mercier-Turcotte, brand performance catalyst (a.k.a jet fuel) at LeapZone Strategies. As a brand builder, business performance catalyst, TEDx speaker with more than 2 Million views, and one of the best selling authors of the business and marketing book titled, The Next Big Thing: Top Trends From Today’s Leading Experts to Help You Dominate the New Economy; Isabelle’s sole purpose is to empower change and growth. “Momentum Generator” is her middle name and she has a relentless passion for helping entrepreneurs and small business owners raise the bar and expand their comfort zone to create outstanding brand experiences.

Isabelle’s biggest strength is her no BS approach and ability to tell it like it is. She has the “Simon Cowell” edge and is not afraid to tell people what to do and how to do it. She is an inspirational speaker, a captivating storyteller, and has an unquenchable enthusiasm for life. She is consistently leading-edge in facilitating change, and her undeniable track record and authentic connection with people, has gained her worldwide influence and recognition.

Sandra Nomoto

Sandra Nomoto is a writer and aspiring world traveller. After earning her University degree and working in public relations, at the age of 25 she launched Conscious Public Relations Inc., a virtual communications firm. Over the 10 years in business, Nomoto was awarded the 2009 Volunteer of the Year by Women In Film & Television Vancouver, earned B Corporation® certification, and contributed to eWomenNetwork Vancouver earning the Best Social Media and Community Engagement Award in 2016. She also founded and grew the Vancouver Short Film Festival from 2005 to 2015. Nomoto is also the author of newly-published book, The Only Public Relations Guide You’ll Ever Need, blogs at SandraNomoto.com and for Cold Tea Collective, and serves on the board of the Vancouver Mural Festival. She practices Transcendental Meditation daily, sells a line of bold journals, and has been eating vegan since 2018.

Clive Goodinson

Clive Goodinson, aka The Jokester, is the mastermind behind Pixton. It all started when he imagined a website where people could share and collaborate on ideas and stories. Combining his love of comics like Tintin, The Far Side, and Calvin & Hobbes, with his skills in computer programming, Clive struck upon the idea of a new kind of comic, where anyone could be its author.

An expert in the full spectrum of interactive technologies, Clive has a M.Sc. degree from the University of British Columbia and over a decade’s experience building interactive content for some of Canada’s leading brands and design agencies. Originally from England, Clive loves listening to and playing music, word games, and the right brand of chocolate-mint ice cream.

Clive’s family moved to Canada from England when he was small and moved to Ontario. From Ontario, Clive moved to Vancouver for 14 years, and ultimately moved from an interurban 600 square foot apartment downtown Vancouver to Vancouver Island nine years ago, and fell in love with the space of Vancouver Island – being close to nature and out of the noisy city. Above all, Clive believes in nurturing the creative spirit, that we have the unique ability to imagine something and then make it a physical reality.

Justus Parmar

Justus Parmar is the Founder and Managing Director of Fortuna Investments, a Vancouver-based private capital firm specializing in venture capital investments. It has raised more than $300 million for 125 early stage companies and facilitated the IPO of 24 companies in areas including: Blockchain, Renewable energy, and Lithium exploration. A strong believer in giving back, Justus is an active board member and fundraiser for Face of Today, and Youth Education Farms and The Justus Parmar Group Scholarship Foundation.

John Cooper

Since fleeing the traffic & expense of Vancouver in 2007, John Cooper has worked to build one of the Island’s best-known real estate brands, the John Cooper Group. Centered around technological innovation and providing help not hype, John’s core purpose is to celebrate & share the rare kind of lifestyle he found on the Island, one that is affordable, community-minded and close to spectacular natural beauty.

Braden Parker

Braden Parker is co-founder of Casca Footwear, an innovative startup, developing all-day performance shoes for future builders. In the past year, Braden has moved from real-estate asset manager to co-founder of a bootstrapped venture looking to challenge the global footwear giants.

Gifty Serbeh-Dunn

Gifty Serbeh-Dunn founded Shea Butter Market in 2003 to create an all-natural beauty product while supporting widows and their families in Ghana to climb out of poverty. Gifty believes that her business is a force for “good” and by doing business right means that everyone benefits; from the widows in Ghana who make the Shea Butter for a premium price, to the consumers who buy her high-quality products.

Matias Marquez

Matias Marquez founded Buyatab in 2008. He has since received numerous awards and recognition for his entrepreneurial success, including: being named a BC Business Top 30 Under 30 recipient in 2016; winner of the 2016 EY Entrepreneur of The Year award; and being named to Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 for 2017. A digital gift card industry pioneer, Matias has been instrumental in driving Buyatab’s growth and customer-focused success. He is also an active advisor to early-stage technology companies. Matias holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Simon Fraser University and the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Phil Hemmings

Phil Hemmings is the Sales Manager at Ross Chocolates in Port Coquitlam. His experience stems from starting and running two food related companies as well overseeing sales for other natural food companies. Phil will be in charge of spear heading the product launch in the US and to work closely with his team at Ross Chocolates to ensure all areas of the company are ready for launch in late May. Ross Chocolates have been making Canadians No Sugar Added Chocolates for over 20 years.

Pavel Bains

Pavel Bains is the CEO of Bluzelle – the decentralized database for the new internet. An expert in digital media having worked with Disney, Microsoft, Warners Bros, and DreamWorks. Pavel is also a frequent contributor to Forbes, Huffington Post and Fast Company, writing articles in the areas of finance and digital media. In less than one year he led Bluzelle to projects with the world’s biggest banks, to being named Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, to becoming one of the most influential blockchain projects in the world.