Vancouver

Believe in Your Vision

Having been raised from a bloodline of great artists and musicians from Germany, Andreas Kunert’s unique artistic talents and ability to perceive the Fibonacci Sequence, informed his perception of the world. Observing this pattern in nature, people and stone has greatly influenced his life and work.

When Andreas started K2 Stone Quarries on Vancouver Island in 1992, he was the youngest-ever Canadian commercial quarry owner. When the simplicity of quarrying became unfulfilling, he embraced his deep desire to create beauty with stone, shifting to a career creating stone artworks.

In 2009, Andreas and his wife Naomi founded Ancient Art of Stone. Together, they help people find balance, wholeness and connection through creating soulful stonework in their Vancouver Island studio.


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Supporting Staff for Success

Tammie Hunter was raised on Vancouver Island and as an adult lived in several communities around BC before settling in Nanaimo near her family. After exploring a few careers, she discovered later in life that being an entrepreneur is the most rewarding and engaging. She often says she wishes she had known what being a business owner was like earlier on in life.

As an artist she has had a very successful career selling her art in several galleries and art shows over the past 20 years. Since she started LegArt Apparel her art has taken a backseat. But she’s itching to get back into her studio to continue her lifelong dream of being a serious artist.

Tammie started LegArt Apparel in 2014. Since then, it has grown to be one of the top apparel companies in Canada in its particular style of clothing, mainly leggings. The company has grown from the original box of 100 pairs of leggings in the basement to over 4,000 pieces of inventory in a large warehouse and storefront in Nanaimo.

After almost 10 years in the industry, Tammie has gained much experience, having learned mostly through trial and error what it takes to be successful in the apparel industry. Through many ups and downs, hard work both mentally and physically, and learning with a team of dedicated employees and mentors she feels it’s time to implement an exit plan that will set her successor up for further success. The next three years will bring new challenges but she is up for it!


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When vision and finance unite: great things can happen

Born and raised in Vancouver, B.C., Serge Biln entered the workforce with a job in the mail department at a banking institution. From here, he swiftly rose to the executive level, eventually culminating in the position of vice president at Canadian Western Bank.

After a rewarding career in finance, Serge ventured into the community pharmacy retail space. He built and opened his first Pharmasave in 2005, followed by six new locations, and two years on the board.

Serge’s serial entrepreneurial spirit kicked in once again when cannabis became legal in Canada. In 2019 he co-founded Inspired Cannabis with his cousin, Jesse, creating a family-run, independent cannabis retail business. Since launching its first location in Courtenay, Inspired Cannabis has grown to 16 stores nationwide, with its most recent flagship location on Robson Street in Vancouver.

Adopting a unique approach to traditional cannabis retailing, Inspired Cannabis recently introduced the House of Brands, an interactive gallery experience in its flagship store. Here, customers can experience Canada’s top brands like never before with pop-up greenhouses, product showcases and other interactive elements that promote much-needed education in this emerging industry.

With further growth expected in 2023, Inspired Cannabis launched an online store and delivery service, connecting customers across the Lower Mainland with a range of products that can be delivered to their doorstep between 9am-11pm daily. Inspired Cannabis’s 16 stores include seven locations in BC, two in Saskatchewan and seven in Ontario. Additional store openings will be announced in the coming months.


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Treat yourself like a million dollar client

Cynthia Lockrey is a changemaker + communications expert. She shifts people, teams, organizations and cultures to go from overwhelmed to clear and activated. Having worked in public relations for 25+ years, Cynthia is skilled at breaking down communications fundamentals into bite size and easy to implement pieces. She does this in her writing, communications consulting, speaking, training and coaching. While based on Vancouver Island, Cynthia works with individuals, non-profits, businesses and organizations from across North America. She is passionate about helping people share their stories and be heard.


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How entrepreneurs can stay healthy

Nicolette Richer is a Regenerative Medicine Educator, entrepreneur, author, doctoral student and speaker living in Pemberton, British Columbia, Canada. She is a savvy wellness facilitator and a renowned environmental and sustainability expert, with an insatiable desire to learn and educate. Nicolette transforms people with chronic disease or cancer into conquerors of their condition through plant-based, whole foods nutrition. Nicolette regularly speaks to captivated audiences about healing cancer and chronic disease through nutrition and detoxification.


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How brands can build safe connections with their target consumers

Jason Williams is the CEO of Kidoz (TSXV:KIDZ), the largest COPPA and GDPR-compliant mobile advertising network that safely reaches hundreds of millions of kids, teens, and families every month.

Through his deep understanding of tech strategy, marketing, enterprise sales, and business development, Jason has grown the Kidoz team by 300 percent since 2018, expanded the business from 10 to over 60 different countries, and brought more than 3,000 apps into the Kidoz ad network. Since becoming CEO in 2019, Jason has built a unique global culture, managing staff in 11 different countries across 14 time zones.

Growing up in Vancouver, Jason’s passion for technology began in the early days of the Pacific Northwest startup scene. Through his many years of dedication, he’s built Kidoz into its successful business today, working with leading companies like Lego, Mattel, and Disney that insist on absolute data privacy when advertising to minors. Jason helped shape the Kidoz strategy ensuring the Company is a critical part of the global AdTech marketplace.

In addition to his role as CEO, Jason lends his expertise as a guest lecturer at Cass Business School and University College London. Jason has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Victoria and a Masters of Business Administration specializing in strategic marketing from the University of Warwick.


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How to grow your business with software

Scott Lionello is the Co-Founder and President of Omnae Technologies a Vancouver-based Supply Ops Automation startup. Born and raised in the lower mainland, Scott has a passion for music, invention, lateral thinking, and entrepreneurship. Through the journey of building Omnae, Scott has learned how destructive innovation within a legacy business can be a path to achieving success with ideas too big for the conventional lean startup model.


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How to make payment processing easy!

Hamed Arbabi is the CEO and Founder of the Vancouver-based payments company, VoPay, and is recognized as an innovative thought leader in the fintech industry. Known for his drive to innovate and change how firms conduct business, Hamed has used his expertise to turn VoPay into a dominant force in the world of financial technology.

A serial entrepreneur, Hamed has successfully built and grown multiple startups and leveraged his knowledge of business expansion to develop them into successful, disruptive ventures. With over fifteen years of executive-level experience in spearheading comprehensive strategies and business developments, Hamed has a proven track record and an in-depth knowledge of the global financial industry.

Hamed’s overall vision for VoPay revolves around innovation and digital transformation. What began as a simple idea ultimately founded the pillars of his venture: that financial services should be easy, affordable and accessible to all.

Committed to his community, and dedicated to giving back, Hamed has founded and supported multiple non-profit organizations that focus on helping children access technology. He firmly believes that given the right educational tools, young people can expand their skills and take control of their futures by opening doors to new opportunities.


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1st Step in Your Business Acceleration Journey: Uncover & Define Your Purpose

Karin Forrest gets vulnerable on this podcast working ‘live’ with Host Angela Faye on the first steps to Uncover and Define her Massively Transformative Purpose and Market Dominating Position.

Karin is venturing from traditional construction/landscaping business ownership to start a new purpose-driven venture.

Through The Kayaking Connection, Karin is helping women business owners tap their inner wisdom through connections in nature. Karin’s mission is to ‘Empower Connections for Transformational Change’, bringing healing, health, and vitality to the community through connection to nature, self, and others.

Karin knows we all have access to the transformative power that lies within our connection with ourselves and others. She is uniquely positioned to empower emotional healing and transformational with her skills as an outdoor adventurer, kayak enthusiast, and previous business owner; plus first-hand experience integrating past experiences of abuse, drug use, and abandonment. Karin accepts her past experiences, has integrated them as part of who she is today, and NOW leverages them to provide help others function with greater mental clarity within their roles in their homes, places of business, and the greater community.

“Through this experience I hope to provide people with a true mindset shift that will allow them freedom from repetitive mental storylines and allow greater ease for flexible, inspired solutions to be brought forward into life’s daily challenges.”

Connect with Karin on Canada’s Podcast to hear part of her journey. To experience ‘The Kayak Connection’ for full or half-day kayaking excursions or custom trips, on Vancouver Island, connect with Karin post podcast at karinforrest@gmail.com


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The challenges of running an open-world fantasy adventure for adults

Josh Green was born and raised in Vancouver (Coquitlam until he was 18). Raised by a single mother. Josh received a degree in theatre and worked in the film industry, traveled a lot while he was growing up, then went back to school and got his BBA from BCIT. Now he runs an open-world fantasy adventure The Empty Chest – think Westworld, but with fantasy creatures. Still small, but growing is now in its fourth year.


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.

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