“ The core idea behind PROCARE was a centre that's inclusive, educational, FUN, safe, vibrant and supportive for children to blossom into their individual beings all while learning through a play base program. “
All in Education
HEXO Corp - Adam Miron
“Dig in. Starting a business is awesome. It's exciting and fun. But it isn't fun when you are a year or two in, broke, stressed, and having a hard time seeing the other side. If you start a business thinking it's going to be super fun the whole time, you are probably setting yourself for a major let down.”
GEM Conference - Amanda
"By building community, we all rise up together. Gem Conference was built out of the desire to offer inspired experiences that delivers deep, meaningful content"
Venus Envy - Sam
“I feel really lucky to be part of a network of thoughtful, conscientious, community-oriented business owners in Ottawa. There is something so special to me about businesses who see it as their mission to give back to the communities they’re a part of. I think that also resonates with people living in Ottawa, and has helped to build the strong ‘Shop Local’ ethic here.”
This Is Healthful - Cheryl
“ …something always pulled me towards health and fitness from high school into post secondary and into my career. But if you would have asked me when I was 10 yrs old I wanted to own/operate a zoo. Things have changed. “
Epic Fitness - Stephanie
“Business to me feels like home just like a gym does. I love the mindset of entrepreneurs and it's nice to know I'm not the only outlier. Ottawa is a bigger hub for business than people give it credit for. I am proud to be apart of the business community here. It's inspirational.”
Mayor of Ottawa - Jim Watson
“Ottawa has become a much more metropolitan city with a vibrant restaurant scene, hundreds of festivals and a growing business community. “
Ottawa Tool Library - Bettina
“We set out to build a library for people to come, meet, get advice, and borrow tools. Often, those with the knowledge have built themselves a full workshop. We want to appeal to a broader demographic, especially those without the money and space for a massive collection of tools. And not just tools, but also the necessary ideas and expertise to use them safely. We wanted to make a community hub that empowered people, promoted sustainability, and collaborates with other community groups in the city. “
The Dailey Method - Sarah & Jamie
“We both have a strong athletic background (both of us were college tennis players in the US) and a passion for health and fitness. What really drew us to it was that we saw an opportunity to create a community, a happy place for our clients, where everyBODY can achieve their health and fitness goals. We also loved the idea that we’d get to be active on the job.”
World-Changing Kids - Lindsey
“I just wanted to be a part of everything good – so joining an organization that was already in existence felt too narrow. I wanted to work with our elders, the Food Banks, the Humane Society, refugees, the homeless, the Indigenous Peoples of Canada, peace activists, environmental activists, feminists, educational disruptors, musicians, artists …”
Hybrid Pharm - Dr. Rahim Dhalla
“Dispensaries typically dispense cannabis only. This is where we differ. We are a pharmacy. We know medicine. All medicine. We know drug interactions, dosing and safety. At Hybrid Pharm, there is professional medical oversight. Cannabis is a medication and should be treated as such. Dispensaries offer cannabis and cannabis related products. Hybrid Pharm offers a 360 degree approach to a healthier lifestyle. Our cannabis certified healthcare team is always available to help patients from strain selection to dosing to route of administration.”
Free Form Fitness Inc. - Ashley
“Anything worthwhile takes work. Trusting and leaning on your people, especially those that want to be part of the growth, is crucial because you can't do it all. Being able to adapt to change was always very important for me personally and professionally.”
Ottawa Free Tours - André LaFlamme
“Ottawa has a surprisingly seedy and colourful history. Many people look at it today as a clean, safe city to raise a family, but back in the day Ottawa (or Bytown as it was known) was considered one of the more drunken, violent and seedy cities in North America. It was mostly settled by hard-nosed lumberjacks and heavy drinking canal workers, none of whom ever really got along.“
PushPULL Dance Inc. - Titania & Natalie
“ PushPULL welcomes adult dancers of any age, gender, culture or body type. Through the diversity of our members, we are able to create shows that embody a variety of dance styles.”
Gees Bees Honey Co. - Marianne & Matt Gee
“After we discovered and rehomed the colony of honeybees that was living in our wall in 2009, we quickly fell in love with the hobby. Over the course of a few years, we kept meeting people who were interested in keeping bees and learning about beekeeping, which sparked the idea for Host a Hive, our beehive rental program.”
David Gourlay
“I am a born and raised Kanata North kid and chose to stay here as I love the community we have become to raise a family. My Father was a career Diplomat and taught me the value of public service, giving back and the importance of self-respect and being a champion to educate others about our community….”
123 Petits Pas - Amy
“First and foremost I am the proud maman of my beautiful boy Jude. I am a French teacher, new business owner of 123 Petits Pas, and am soon to be married to Jude’s Dada (this summer). I have lived in Ottawa for 8+ years and absolutely adore this city.”
NU Grocery - Valerie & Sia
“ We both have been working towards living zero waste. It's been a 6 year journey for me and 2 years for Valerie, of course, with its ups and downs! We opened the store with an idea of having a one-stop shop for zero waste shoppers like us to make this lifestyle more accessible and convenient.”
Interlangues Language School - Christiane & Barbara
“In 1976 I decided to start my own language school with small groups. I loved Carleton University but I had 25 students per group and would see them only 3 times a week for 55 minutes. Not enough to do a meaningful job as a language teacher.”