In a fast fashion world, high-end women’s loungewear company Smash + Tess chooses to go at a slower pace. Ever heard of community-led design? It’s the exceptionally bright idea that guides this BC-based company’s process, and it just might shape the new future of fashion. “The way the fashion industry works didn’t work for us: … Continued
Francesca Raleigh, Herbaland Naturals’ Marketing Lead, is very clear on what distinguishes her company: community, sustainability, and inclusivity. Founded by an immigrant couple in 2009, the natural product company is best known for its vitamin gummies. But Herbaland doesn’t just make and sell products; they make a positive social impact at every possible turn. “Sustainability … Continued
When Hugo Ciro first conceptualized Galloping Goose Coffee Roasters, his Victoria-based fair trade micro-roastery, he had more than his imagination to rely on. After all, Hugo happens to be the founder of Level Ground Trading, an iconic company in the world of fair trade coffee. “I started watching the rise of a Seattle coffeehouse in … Continued
There’s a reason why Granville Island Delivery Co.’s founder Michelle Ng was on the cover of Entrepreneur’s issue celebrating “entrepreneurial ingenuity during the pandemic”. Michelle’s story is special, a pivot to end all pivots. Her first company, Vancouver Foodie Tours, had been taking tourists out to explore the best of the city’s culinary offerings for … Continued
Gift basket businesses have been around since the 1970s. But now, with e-commerce and COVID-19 driving the popularity of gift delivery to new heights, the “gift basket” has a whole new identity. Fortunately, Vancouver Island Gift Basket is one company that capitalized on the opportunities inherent to this rapidly changing world. In 2018, Gigi’s Gift … Continued
People in Metro Vancouver know exactly how incredible a coffee and a donut at 49th Parallel Roasters is. Soon, Montreal will know it too. The last ten years have been a steady climb towards iconic status for this specialty-roaster-café. Starting out as a roasting facility that sold to other cafes, they gradually started opening their … Continued
When we picture the type of entrepreneur who is steering our world towards a more sustainable future, we picture Nature Bee Beeswax Wraps ’ Katie Gamble. Katie’s company provides a “simple, natural, and beautiful alternative to plastic wrap” in the form of beeswax-embedded food wraps. Without a doubt, it’s a product whose time has come. … Continued
Beth Herrild, founder of the art project subscription box company Outside the Box Creation, says creativity is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. If that’s true, then Beth’s creative muscles have got to be super-sized by now. Every month, she creates an art project for the parents and children … Continued
For plenty of kids, a bowl of their favourite cereal in the morning is exciting enough. But what happens when they get a boldly printed box—and a box of chocolate and strawberry flavoured cereal as only one of its treasures? What if this Envirokidz Turtle Splash ™ starter kit was also packed with a handmade … Continued
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