Nick Hepner and Annise Lorel didn’t plan it. And they never would have wished for a pandemic to be the reason their sustainable flower delivery company, Bespoke Blossoms, experienced dramatic growth. But in the spring, floral arrangements began “going through the roof,” says Nick, “because people who were separated by COVID-19 wanted to show each … Continued
As a general rule, chocolate makes us feel good. But what if there was chocolate that made everybody who had anything to do with it—from cacao farmers to consumers—truly happy? That’s the idea behind ChocXO (pronounced Choc-SOO), a company that we’ve partnered with since their founding in 2015. From day one, their delectable treats have … Continued
Years ago, when Saul Good Gift Co. founder Saul Brown used to sell conventional gift baskets for another company, he learned something important about himself. “I couldn’t sell something I wasn’t passionate about,” he says. “And I saw these baskets as a wasteful product – using little products made to look big and fancy by … Continued
Bruno Kelle and Stella Schmidt, co-owners of the Okanagan winery Castoro de Oro, were at a winemaking conference when they discovered an unlikely solution to their problem. For six to seven years, they had been releasing their small-batch, handcrafted, 100% BC wines to hotels in half size bottles perfect for in-room dining. But the 375-millilitre … Continued
The concept is simple, fun—and lucrative, for the e-commerce company who came up with it. Hangry Kits are just what they sound like: kits packed with snacks that you can send to friends. They’re care packages for whoever is feeling “hangry” in your life. The business started out as an even simpler enterprise in 2011 … Continued
What’s it like to be at the helm of a breakaway e-commerce success story like Rampage Coffee Co.? According to Dustin Blanchard, who founded the company with his wife Lauren in 2018, “We’re growing in so many different directions and it’s chaos!” But if it’s chaos, it’s at least a fun kind of chaos. Especially … Continued
Dan House learned the importance of first impressions in 1988, when he was selling sausages and snacks door to door in Seattle. Upon entering an office, he’d say, “I am Dan the Sausageman”, get a few laughs, and make a few sales. With that, a company was born—one that would ultimately become an early e-commerce … Continued
As many e-commerce business owners will tell you, finding your ideal customer can be a tricky process. For Paige Doherty, David Turk, and Craig Williams, co-founders of the men’s skincare brand Honr, overcoming this particular challenge was a game-changer. “We actually started our skincare line as gender-agnostic, but we noticed something interesting as we started … Continued
Common Crown Brewing Co. Co-Founder Andrew Moreau is reflecting on the wild ride the last few months have been for the Calgary-based brewery. And he sounds like his sense of positivity is well-intact. “It’s been magical to observe how entrepreneurs have responded to the pandemic,” he says. “They had to overcome the same anxieties as … Continued
When the news of COVID-19’s full impacts started spreading, the family-run Black Widow Winery was in the midst of their springtime bottling. “Fortunately, we have a big wine club,” says founder and winemaker Dick Lancaster. His son and fellow wearer-of-all-hats James Lancaster concurs. “During the month of April, we are only open Saturdays and Sundays. … Continued