Tara Murphy has always been passionate about personal finance. Ever since she was small she was curious about how the finance world works. Today, Tara is a Senior Associate at Liberty North Capital, a Bay Street Investment Bank in Toronto, and she’s also a Money Coach and an Educator with her own money coaching business, TMM.

At the investment bank, Tara works directly with the Managing Partner in all facets, and she is very proud to be both the youngest member, and only female on her team. Tara holds a Bachelors of Commerce from Ryerson University, has completed both her Level I & II CSC, and was a Dealing Representative with the Ontario Securities Commission.

For the past 4 years, Tara has turned her passion for Personal Finance into helping more individuals learn to invest, by hosting several FREE Investing Masterclasses, and creating a 10 Module Online Investing Course, reaching 500+ students.

Tara is a strong believer that our money should be working as hard for us as we work for ourselves, so she has made it her mission to show people that the world of investing is a very passive way for them to truly be wealthy. We’re excited to have Tara on the show to discuss and learn about wealth building and investing for women.

Today's interview is with Janice Bartley, the founder and executive director of the nonprofit Foodpreneur Lab. Her personal mission is to level the playing field and open doors in underserved communities for ‘would be’ and established food entrepreneurs. 

Founded January 2019, Foodpreneur Lab was created to tackle systemic barriers head on and pioneer new approaches to creating access for those historically prevented from fully participating in the food sector. Foodpreneur Lab is the only Canadian Black-woman founded and led non-profit organization with a fierce national mandate to support underserved communities and address systemic barriers in the food ecosystem.

Foodpreneur Lab is a team made up of diverse entrepreneurs and experts in the food sector. We are led by Janice Bartley who draws on her 30 years of lived experience in food and entrepreneurship to create access, and open doors that have historically been closed to underserved communities.

Janice brings a wealth of experience into the food sector as a former Operations Manager in Culinary & Hospitality management. Her 30+ years as an entrepreneur brought her to Food Starter as part of the Management team. She has mentored many young and experienced Chefs in the food industry and has been able to transition those mentoring skills to food entrepreneurs. Janice has worked with community based Organizations, such as JumpStart Refugee Talent and Ryerson Diversity Institute both support women entrepreneurs and newcomers.

Listen to the interview with this inspiring Social Entrepreneur today!

Timestamps:

Start of interview (3:37)
The origins of The Foodpreneur (4:12)
Challenges that women of color face when entering the food industry (8:46)
About "food accountability" (11:32)
Foodprenuer and underrepresented communites (16:28)
Supporting local food sources (22:40)
What can a new participant to Foodpreneur expect? (31;55)
How the pandemic has effected business (34:19)
Tips for women entrepreneurs (37:47)
How do you define an Alpha Woman? (43:17)

Show Notes:

Foodpreneur social media:
INSTAGRAM: @foodpreneurlab
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/foodpreneurlab

Pam Martin McDonald is a “Naturotherapist” with the ANN, and a Holistic Health Practitioner in St. John’s, Newfoundland. She is the Founder of Meridian Health & Wellness, a virtual holistic health platform that serves a community across North America.

Pam is a passionate mental health advocate who believes in whole body health, achieved and maintained by addressing the mental, physical and spiritual elements of the self. Her entry into better health was sparked by motherhood. She started with physical health with a mommy and baby workout class and 6 months later dove into the highly competitive world of fitness competitions. She is now a retired, professionally trained and award-winning bodybuilder, having competed and placed in 5 of the bodybuilding competitions entered, in two federations both locally and nationally.

She is a certified personal trainer (Canfit Pro), she developed and taught live online circuit training programs, fitness classes, group transformation programs, nutritional coaching, private and group sessions in Yin Yoga (Satori Yoga, NB), Yoga Nidra (Shakti Yoga NL), Healthy Weight Loss Coach (CanFit Pro), Kids and Family Yoga (Karma Kids NY), Essential Oils and Natural Health Coaching (doTerra Int.), Meditation Teacher (The Lotus Center, NL), and Restorative Yoga (Andrea Peloso), Reiki Practioner (Reiki On the Rock). 

Pam has a passion for helping others overcome doubt, unhealthy patterns and improving mental health. She is a public speaker, wellness presenter, personal development coach, self-care program facilitator, and has offered wellness retreats both privately and corporately. 

Show Notes:
Start of interview (1:48)
The inspiration behind the many paths Pam has taken (8:40)
Pam's holistic health journey (20:37)
When Pam discovered yoga (29:57)
About shifting to online classes during the pandemic (33:30)
Children participation in yoga and holistic health (42:02)
New products and/or services at Meridian Health & Wellness (46:37)
How do you define an Alpha Woman? (50:09)

Meridian website

Sign up for the upcoming Meridian Vision Board Workshop

Support Alpha Woman by becoming a member.

Follow us on social media @alphawomanco

On today’s Alpha Woman podcast we chat with Cynthia Labelle, Co-Founder and Managing Director of JMF Growers,  a medical cannabis cultivator based in Drummondville Quebec. 

Manager in the retail trade for 12 years and self-employed for 4 years, Cynthia acquired the skills of communication and leadership that are now serving her in the development a team of employees that drive effectively towards a common goal. 

Cynthia is a force of nature in a sector of the industry where you generally find very few female founders or executives. She is an entrepreneur that brings the full scope of her experience and creative force to the table.

With an integrated brand platform centred around the concept of family, she has created a brand experience that is so meaningful and well-executed, her employees have become passionate brand evangelists, and call her "mama". Hear about how this plays out in the interview, along with her ideas about building a cannabis cultivators co-op and more.

Show Notes:

Start of Interview (1:33) 
About JMF Growers (3:12)
Biggest business hurdles (8:44)
The first brands that Cynthia and JMF launched (13:25)
About recreational cannabis availability (25:48)
Likes and dislikes about entrepreneurship (43:11)
Advice for other women in the cannabis industry (47:18)
Cynthia's self-care routine (52:22)
How do you define an Alpha Woman? (57:19)

LindaJoy Rose, PhD is a therapist, author, professional speaker, international trainer, and healthy living expert with over 25 years of experience. As the former Director of International Development for the American Board of Hypnotherapy, she is a pioneer in the field of subconscious dynamics and clinical hypnotherapy, implementing training and certification in many countries across Europe, Latin America and Asia.

She is the author of eight books, including Your Mind: The Owner’s Manual and Raw Fusion Living: Recipes for Healthy Eating, Natural Weight Loss and Anti-Aging. 

With a grant from the Astra-Zeneca Foundation, Rose successfully launched a healthy lifestyle retraining program at one of the nation’s largest and most respected clinics. Having overcome a debilitating auto-immune disorder through lifestyle changes and self-care, she subsequently developed a practical and delicious eating philosophy and teaches popular classes with food demonstrations, world-wide.

In 2013 she launched the Natural Wellness Academy with certifications in Holistic Health and Life Coaching and Clinical Hypnotherapy and has students in 27 countries and over a dozen cutting edge coaching specializations all with a holistic (mind/body/spirit) approach

The daughter of two Holocaust survivors, Dr. Rose is also a volunteer docent at the Florida Holocaust Museum and resides in Tampa, Florida with her husband and 4 furry companions.

Show Lineup:

Start of interview (3:18)
About hypnotherapy (6:17)
The Hypno-Potential system L.J. developed (12:58)
Addressing childhood trauma with hypnotherapy (14:26)
Food as medicine (17:12)
What is raw fusion? (24:39)
Thoughts on reincarnation (31:00)
The Natural Wellness Academy (37:14)
Florida Holocaust Museum (47:18)
L.J.'s self-care routine (58:53)

Show Notes:

Visit the Natural Wellness Academy website.

Support Alpha Woman by becoming a member.

Follow us on social media @alphawomanco for updates.

On today's show, Leslie Andrachuk has the tremendous honour to interview the Hon. Dr. Jean Augustine and Emma Asiedu-Akrof, Executive Director of the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women's Empowerment. 

The Hon. Dr. Augustine was born in Grenada and immigrated to Canada in 1960 where studied at the University of Toronto and obtained a BA and a Masters of Education. After university she worked as an elementary school principal with the Toronto Separate School Board and was also actively involved in Toronto's Caribbean community, sitting on the first committee to organize the legendary Caribana Festival in 1967.

This incredible trailblazer has engaged in numerous organizations for education and social justice, serving with the National Black Coalition of Canada, the Urban Alliance on Race Relations, the Board of Governors of York University, the Board of Trustees for The Hospital for Sick Children, the Board of Directors of the Donwood Institute, the Board of Harbourfront, and Chair of the Metro Toronto Housing Authority. She was also named National President of the Congress of Black Women of Canada in 1987.

Additionally, the Hon. Dr. Augustine is the first African-Canadian woman to be elected to the House of Commons. She was elected in the riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore in 1993 and sat in Parliament until 2006 after which she served as Fairness Commissioner for the Government of Ontario.

Among Dr. Augustine’s many achievements and honours includes leading the motion that allowed for the placement of the Famous Five statue on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, and the motion that created Black History Month in Canada. Dr. Augustine has received honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from seven universities. 

And the reason for our interview today; she is the Founder of the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women's Empowerment. The Jean Augustine Centre is committed to empowering young women and girls between the ages of 7-17 years from across Canada.  The centre takes a holistic approach to empowerment by providing programs that support the mental, physical, and social wellbeing of young women and girls. 

We’re also joined by The Executive director of JAC since 2016, Emma Asiedu-Akrof who is dedicated to supporting the young women and girls of South Etobicoke and across Canada. Emma’s career path reflects a deep commitment to celebrating gender equality, empowerment of self-identified females, and youth-based programming. 

Show Notes:

The Jean Augustine Centre is seeking  volunteers committed to the empowerment of young women and girls. Please reach out if you would like to contact the Centre about volunteering.

Follow The Jean Augustine Centre on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter

Start of interview (3:40)
Programming at the Jean Augustine Centre (8:01)
The importance of expanding the centre and reaching out to other communities (12:10)
Imposter Syndrome in women and confidence-building curriculum (17:43)
Partnership with License To Learn (24:25)
The importance of mental health in our youth (26:25)
What's coming in 2022 for the Jean Augustine Centre? (38:53)
How do you define an Alpha Woman (45:12)

On today’s show we interview Julie Cole, recovered lawyer, mom of six and co-founder of Mabel’s Labels. Mabel’s Labels is the best-known brand of durable labels for families, featuring products such as baby bottle labels, allergy and medical alert products, sports labels, household labels and seasonal items. 

Frustrated by their children’s things getting lost, mixed up and leaving home never to return, Julie Cole, Julie Ellis, Cynthia Esp and Tricia Mumby knew they could do better than the scribbles on masking tape that were being passed off as labels. From there, the idea for the product was born: the very best personalized waterproof name labels and tags that were equally cute and durable. Mabel’s Labels started humbly out of a basement and has grown to be an award-winning, market-leading company loved by Moms and kids alike.

Today, Mabel’s Labels is the best-known brand of durable labels for families, and our growing line of products features baby bottle labels, allergy and medical alert products, sports labels, household labels and seasonal items. They’re extremely durable, they’re laundry, dishwasher and microwave safe – and they’re 100% guaranteed.

Julie has helped her company bring their product to a worldwide market, gain media recognition and she has won countless awards. Cole is a passionate entrepreneur, writer, and sought after speaker. 

When she’s not juggling her busy family and professional life, Julie is an engaged community member serving on boards and volunteering. She is passionate about women’s issues, mentoring young entrepreneurs, and social justice.

Thank you to today’s sponsor Manscaped. Don’t forget to go to Manscaped.com to get your 20% off by using the code Alpha Woman. 

Review and rate our podcast and follow us on social media @alphawomanco wherever you are. Thanks for tuning in, stay safe out there dear Alpha Women!

Notes:

Start of interview (3:23)
Julie on being a mother of 6 (6:40)
What have some of the highlights been during the building of Mabel's Labels? (12:50)
What were your biggest challenges in starting Mabel's Labels? (20:34)
Actionable insights for Alpha Woman entrepreneurs (26:31)
What's next for Julie? (30:25)
How do you define an Alpha Woman? (31:43)

Mabel’s Labels: https://mabelslabels.ca

https://www.instagram.com/mabelslabels/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/Mabelhood/

https://twitter.com/mabelhood

https://www.pinterest.ca/mabelslabels/_created/

On today’s Alpha Woman Show we welcome Honor McLachlin, Chief Operating Officer of Beacon Hill Brands, a company dedicated to enhancing the lives of consumers by building brands using innovative technology that benefit the environment and communities where they operate.

Beacon Hill Brands is an expert in developing and utilizing award-winning, breakthrough and eco-friendly technologies. They are expanding their vision into an all-natural lifestyle-oriented house-of-brands, alongside turn-key white label solutions. Their consumer brands include Tea of a Kind, Beastmode by Marshawn Lynch, Dosable and the recently launched Kalvara, which is a cannabis-infused beverage.

Honor is a seasoned marketing professional, from running the daily operations of Dream Water Canada and now, Beacon Hill Brands. With 20+ years of agency/client experience, Honor is a strong communicator and relationship builder with extensive project and account management experience, who drives results through leadership, maturity, and a consultative approach. Honor’s expertise includes managing operational costs, ensuring excellent customer service, improving administration processes, engaging with vendors, hiring and training employees, while monitoring financial activities of the business. 

We're eager to interview Honor, a skilled and deeply experience CPG marketer who is taking her significant skills and experience from the CPG world into a company that is focusing on sustainability and innovation.

Follow Kalvara Instagram

Show Notes:

Start of interview (1:47)
About Beacon Hill Brands' products (3:41)
What is Vessl technology? (6:38)
How does the body process Kalvara Cannabis Beverage? (11:51)
Advice for those consuming a cannabis beverage for the first time (14:08)
The difference in marketing and labelling a cannabis beverage in Canada vs, the United States (19:38)
Honor's biggest challenges at Beacon Hill Brands' (25:23)
What's next from Beacon Hill Brands and Kalvara? (27:30)
How does Honor define being an Alpha Woman (31:13)

On today’s Alpha Woman Show we welcome Samantha Marchione. Sam is the co-founder and product development manager at Nuveev,  a brand new CBD-infused Health and Wellness brand that includes a skincare and a beverage line.

She has brought a wealth of experience in skincare and beauty from previous roles in Nordstrom and Sephora where she ran the beauty department and trained staff on sales, artistry and customer service for brands like Tom Ford, Jo Malone, Chanel and Dior as well as Clinique, Nars, Estee Lauder and Bobbi Brown. Alongside her responsibilities for Nuveev she is still acting as a freelance makeup artist, skin specialist, and educator at colleges across Ontario. 

Nuveev is the health and wellness brand that empowers consumers to discover the best of natural beauty and the everyday benefits of proactive cannabis use. Representing a new era of skincare innovation, Nuveev’s thoughtfully formulated products pair antioxidant rich plant derivatives with the restorative properties of cannabidiol (CBD) to help Canadians achieve all of their beauty and wellness goals. 

Samantha is a dynamic Young Alpha who come to us with all sorts of knowledge on all the things related to cannabinoids, CBD beauty and skincare, so buckle up and get your notepads out, because we’re super eager to learn more!

Show Notes:

Start of interview (2:13)
About CBD skincare products (4:19)
Nuveev's solution to dry skin in the Winter (10:41)
Advice for consumers looking for CBD skincare products (14:29)
Hempseed oil vs. CBD (15:48)
Nuveev's safety and efficacy (18:07)
New products coming soon (23:38)
Samantha's self-care routine (25:03)
How does Samantha define being an Alpha Woman? (26:13)

Find out more about Nuveev and where to purchase it here

Follow Nuveev on Instagram and Twitter

Samantha’s LinkedIn

Follow Alpha Woman on social media @alphawomanco

Today on the Alpha Woman show we welcome Kristy Skwaruk, the VP, Operations, Regulatory Affairs and People at Dynaleo. 

Dynaleo is an Edmonton, Alberta-based licensed processor that is focused on manufacturing cannabis-infused adult soft-chews. Dynaleo's purpose-built manufacturing plant contains specialized production equipment to produce precisely dosed cannabinoid infused edibles for the Canadian market. Dynaleo’s mission is to create the finest infused soft chews that enable consumers to enjoy cannabinoids, without the negative health effects of inhalation.

Respected as a credible voice in decision making and as a change champion, Kristy utilizes her passion for coaching and development to grow leaders and assist others in extending their thinking -inspiring action and driving results in all areas of the business.  Her proven capability of improving capacity, growth and transformation as a seasoned People and Culture professional has made it easy for her to expand her role at Dynaleo to include Operations, Regulatory Affairs and People.  

In this role, Kristy – along with the senior leadership team – has built a high potential team and led them to become the largest Canadian producer of cannabis soft chews in Canada. Kristy is a forward-thinking operations executive, with a passion for driving efficiency and accountability while ensuring the wellbeing and growth of employees.  

This has enabled her to streamline processes to ensure the on-time delivery of quality product to our customers while applying analytics that drive the business forward. Committed to innovation in business operations, she challenges the product development team to continuously find new ways to stretch the limits of making soft chews using creative flavours and formulations.  

Previously, Kristy held People and Culture roles in large global companies and small privately held businesses in the manufacturing, construction, utility, and hospitality industries for the past 18 years. Her passion for wellness and drive for change ultimately led her to the Cannabis industry.  Her breadth of experience has enabled her to adapt quickly to the fast paced and ever-changing landscape of the world of cannabis in Canada.

Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Kristy and her husband Peter give back to the community through the Benny Brave Kids with Cancer Foundation.  When they are not busy serving on community program boards or volunteering for their children’s activities, they enjoy travelling the world as a family.

Timestamps:

Introduction to Kristy 

Start of interview (3:28)

The difference between gummies and soft chews (8:24)

Dynaleo's status as Canada's largest producer of cannabis edibles (13:45)

The importance of diversity at Dynaleo and within the cannabis industry as a whole (18:34)

What Kristy is most excited about moving forward in her role (22:57)

About Benny Brave Childhood Cancer Foundation (28:46)

What does being an Alpha Woman mean to you? (32:35)

Dynaleo: https://dynaleo.com

Benny Brave Foundation: https://bennybravefoundation.ca