In this episode of The Business Vancouver Island Podcast, Kael Campbell sits down with Ian Ibbotson, founder of Il Sauvage Brewing Company in Victoria, BC — a brewery known for its innovative sour beers and strong community roots.Ian shares how a single $47 bottle of Belgian sour beer sent him down a rabbit hole that led to opening one of Vancouver Island’s most creative breweries. From his early days in construction and hospitality to building Il Sauvage from the ground up, Ian reflects on the challenges of entrepreneurship, collaboration with local businesses, and the art of brewing wild, unforgettable beers.Discover how Il Sauvage connects local flavors, family life, and community — and why their approach to brewing is as bold and refreshing as their beer.👉 Subscribe for more conversations exploring the people and businesses shaping Vancouver Island.#VancouverIsland #CraftBeer #Entrepreneurship #IlSauvage #VictoriaBC #BusinessPodcast #LocalBusiness #SourBeer

In this inspiring episode of The Business Vancouver Island Podcast, we sit down with Paul Kleinschmidt, founder of Yeshi Foods, to unpack his deeply personal and entrepreneurial journey—from discovering a gluten intolerance that transformed his health and mindset, to building a food brand that’s now stocked in over 1,000 stores across North America.We talk about the origins of Yeshi Dressing at Brentwood College's salad bar, how Paul and his wife scaled from a Mill Bay garage to national distribution, and the values behind their gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and clean-label products.Paul opens up about parenting through personal change, how health shaped his business vision, and what it's really like to grow a food brand from local farmers markets to LA grocery shelves and Expo West.Whether you're a food entrepreneur, a wellness enthusiast, or someone curious about how a homemade dressing can become a movement—this episode is packed with heart, health, and hustle.

In this episode of The Business Vancouver Island Podcast, Kael Campbell interviews Scott Phillips, CEO and founder of StarFish Medical—one of North America's most respected medical device design firms. From starting his journey as an engineer to leading a team of 250 professionals across Victoria, Toronto, and California, Scott shares his insights on how to scale innovation, lead purpose-driven acquisitions, and build a global company from Vancouver Island.We explore the breakthroughs StarFish is helping bring to life—from brain drug delivery systems to AI-integrated diagnostics—and what it takes to navigate the future of medical tech. Scott also opens up about the challenges of remote business growth, attracting top talent to the Island, and the heart behind every great company.

In this episode of The Business Vancouver Island Podcast, we chat with Sean Bourquin, founder of Fullon Lighting and former CEO of First Light Technologies. Born and raised on Vancouver Island, Sean’s journey from electronics technologist to launching a high-performance lighting company is powered by a deep passion for mountain biking and innovation.Sean breaks down how his team turned a simple idea—riding safer and faster at night—into the MB6, a game-changing personal light tested on the trails and trusted by world-class riders. We dive into Kickstarter strategies, local manufacturing wins, and how Fullon is pushing beyond mountain biking into outdoor sports, industrial work, and even night skiing.Whether you're a gear nerd, night rider, or just love seeing Vancouver Island talent shine on a global stage—this one’s for you.

Welcome to the Business Vancouver Island Podcast! Damon Gray founded NZ Builders in 2004. Originally from Orewa, New Zealand, Damon's tenacity for building science and pushing boundaries steered him to leave school at only 15 years old to focus on his craft. He moved to California and built houses for 10 years before making his way to Vancouver Island. After years of performing costly renovations on code-built homes that were rotten, pest-ridden, and improperly constructed, Damon recognized a need for more resilient construction practices.

Welcome to the first episode of the Business Vancouver Island Podcast! We had the pleasure of interviewing Barnacle's CEO, Brandon Wright! Grab yourself a cup of coffee, sit down and enjoy some golden nuggets of wisdom about his entrepreneurial journey.

Kael and Toni talk about how a business thrived even through the pandemic.

Kael and John talks about how the Internet really affected business and it's market.

Kael and John Talks about how big Pet market is!