Made it Happen

Natalie Barbu is an influencer turned entrepreneur. She began her social media career in 2011 on YouTube in the beauty guru phase. She has grown her following to over 360,000 followers throughout her platforms, made it her full-time job, and pivoted multiple times in her journey. She is the host of The Real Reel Podcast, a show where she speaks to entrepreneurs, business leaders, creators, and everyone in between talking about the real reel - not the highlight reel - the CEO and founder of Rella, a management tool made for influencers to run their business.

We discuss how she got into the influencer space before it was really established, when she knew it was time to leave her corporate job and become a full-time influencer, what made her decide to start her business Rella, what she's learned along the way, the power of networking and much more.

Tune in to learn:

- How to build not only an audience but a true community

- The biggest lesson she's learned while starting a business

- Key advice for businesses & brands looking to get into influencer marketing

- What you should be doing if you're wanting to become a full-time influencer

- Social media trends & how the online space is changing 

- Finding the right co-founders for your business & how she went about this

Resources

Website: rellasocial.com

Natalie Barbu Instagram: instagram.com/NATALIEBARBU/ 

Rella Instagram: instagram.com/rellasocial/

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An award-winning social entrepreneur, Jenn Harper is the founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics INC.  Cheekbone Beauty is a digitally native direct to consumer brand that is helping Indigenous youth see themselves in a beauty brand while using the concept of Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) in the brands ethos and in developing products.  Creating a new segment in the beauty industry - Sustainable Socially Conscious Beauty.

Jennifer Harper has been making a name for herself in the beauty industry for a number of years but has been gaining popularity quickly after being on the hit CBC show, Dragons Den in 2019. Cheekbone Beauty’s mission is to help every Indigenous youth see and feel their enormous value in the world while creating sustainable cosmetics.

Cheekbone Beauty is committed to donating 2% of revenues to organizations that support Indigenous youth. During Cheekbone Beauty’s infancy, Jenn endured a heavy personal loss with the suicide of her brother B.J. This loss, though difficult, has remained a driving force behind the desire to see Cheekbone Beauty succeed with its mission, to empower Indigenous youth.

In addition to Cheekbone’s mission, she strives to educate as many people as possible about the Residential School System and the effects it has had on my family and friends through decades of generational trauma. She speaks regularly to university, college and high school students about social entrepreneurship, empathy and the history of her First Nations family. She has also been invited to speak to various entrepreneur groups, women in business associations, Apple Canada and First Nations organizations.

In 2019, Jenn was named ‘Women of the Year’ by Chatelaine Magazine.

We discuss Jenn's journey to entrepreneurship and where the idea for Cheekbone Beauty first came from, what building a sustainable socially conscious beauty brand really means, incorporating Indigenous Knowledge into the processes of the business and thinking about the next seven generations, and much more.

Tune in to hear about:

Resources:

Website: www.cheekbonebeauty.com Use code MADEITHAPPEN15 for 15% off your order!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheekbonebeauty/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheekbonebeauty/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cheekbonebeauty

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/cheekbone-beauty

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS-JpqTI-QdLv1vtCotPArQ 

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This week's episode is featuring Katie Zeppieri, founder of The MicDrop Agency and one of today’s leading voices & thought leaders on empowerment. Through her work as a social entrepreneur, author, TEDx speaker, podcast host and social influencer, Katie is at the forefront of conversations surrounding leadership, self-development, women, youth, mental health, and business for social good.

Katie is the Founder of The MicDrop Agency, an innovative PR and talent agency with a 360-degree approach to building the reach and impact of their clients. They combine a traditional PR approach with a "scrappy" hustle that includes active pitching for media, speaking, social influencer and partnership opportunities. From personal brands to corporate brands, they amplify the work and voices of their clients and help propel their growth.

Katie Zeppieri is a thought provoking and motivational speaker leading talks on Personal Branding, Mentorship, Mental Health, Career Development, Building Confidence and Leading with Impact. She has spoken across North America, including on the TED Talk international stage in Vancouver, Boy & Girls Club of Metro Denver and Google and Microsoft Headquarters. She is a frequent on-air radio contributor on Toronto’s NEWSTALK 1010 AM station and the host of the “Together We Rise” Podcast. Whether she is delivering a keynote, leading an interactive workshop, speaking on a panel of experts or hosting an event, Katie engages audiences and inspires them to take action.

We talk about: 

Resources:

Website: https://katiezeppieri.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiezeppieri/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-zeppieri-1b58983b/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KatieZeppieri

The MicDrop Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themicdropagency/ 

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Website: www.madeithappenpod.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/madeithappenpodcast/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/made-it-happen-podcast

This special edition episode of Made it Happen is in partnership with Timber + Plumb to announce the official winners of the Stay Golden Grant! The Stay Golden Grant is an initiative created by the Timber + Plumb team, to give back to local businesses. Last year Timber + Plumb gave $1,000 to one amazing local business but this year they are giving $1,000 to one business AND $500 to another equally deserving business that needs a little pick-me up to push them another step forward! They will also be offering a 6 month mentorship from Markie at Timber + Plumb for both businesses. 

Markie and I discuss the creation of the Stay Golden Grant and why giving back to our community is so important. She also shares details on the first year of running the grant in 2021, and now this year's grant process & round of applicants! We then welcome last year's winner of the grant; Zule from Zule Eats, to tell us about her experience winning the grant, and her mentorship experience with Markie. 

We then announce the TWO official winners of the Stay Golden Grant (including their LIVE reactions!) We will then welcome the first-place winner to join us and tell us about her amazing business, along with sharing her plans for the winnings!  

Huge thank you to Timber + Plumb for creating this amazing initiative to help local businesses during this time. It is truly inspiring and I am honored to be partnering with them for the official grant announcement!

Tune in to the full special edition episode to find out who the winners are!

Resources:

Markie Tuckett's Made it Happen Episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4WDMAVub1UHNsxI9K0oHZZ?si=258e148daf2a4263 

Timber + Plumb: https://www.timberplumb.com/

Timber + Plumb Blog: https://www.timberplumb.com/blog-feature

Zule Eats: https://www.zuleeats.ca/

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Website: www.madeithappenpod.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/madeithappenpodcast/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/made-it-happen-podcast

This week's WE RISE episode is featuring Andrea Descargar, CEO and founder of ECOVANA, a Canadian based environmentally conscious company, committed to quality, ethical practices, animal cruelty-free, and eco-friendly products to eliminate single-use plastic.

Andrea Descargar, has over 6 years of plastics recycling and waste management experience. She has successfully developed and executed several projects such as "Zero Waste in Industrial Manufacturing", "Plastics Scrap Recycling Programs" in North America, and is an active member of the first ECAT 2020 (Essex Climate Change Team). She is determined to shake up the recycling industry in North America, steering the way to a zero waste utopia.

The spark of Ecovana ignited after years of frustration with Canada's outdated, flawed recycling system. It all began while working in a Sales position at a Plastic reprocessing company in Windsor, Ontario. After conducting various waste audits in industrial manufacturers factories, and recycling centers; witnessing millions of pounds of plastics making it's way to the landfill took it's toll. Living with the guilt weighed heavily to push for a solution.

We talk about:
- The good growing pains of being a business owner
- The challenges of growing a team and hiring
- Focusing on the outcomes as opposed to the challenges or setbacks
- Going from ecommerce to opening a storefront & signing a commercial lease
- Building her community and having an open-door policy
And much more!

Resources:

Website: www.ecovana.ca/ 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ecovana.ca


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Website: www.madeithappenpod.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/madeithappenpodcast/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/made-it-happen-podcast

This week's episode is featuring Linsay Moran, the co-founder of Unwrapit!

Linsay Moran is the co-founder of Unwrapit, a tech startup that wants to decarbonize corporate gifting and make it more green -- this is especially relevant with climate change and the severe impact that supply chain issues are having on businesses. Unwrapit is a solution to that. Corporate gifting is a $242B industry and climbing, projected to reach $306 Billion by 2024. Many corporate gifting solutions consist of physical gifts and merchandise that is ultimately destined for a landfill. Unwrapit is creating a new paradigm for corporate gifting experiences by offering relationship-building options for forward thinking people in the form of unique gift cards, subscriptions and other virtual offerings that will help reduce waste caused by corporate gifting.

Prior to becoming a co-founder of Unwrapit, Linsay Moran helped bring a spotlight to women as an executive at Women of Influence.

The corporate gifting market has typically been viewed as an industry with only a limited amount of corporate swag options to gift -- branded totes, notepads pens, and gift cards. Now, companies are seeing the benefit in partnering with retailers and merchants that their employees want and valueso gifts are  actually enjoyed and used versus thrown away.  

Unwrapit is committed to taking the waste out of corporate gifting. Do we need another tote, especially with ‘the cotton tote’ crisis? (An organic cotton tote needs to be used 20,000 times to offset its overall impact of production, according to a 2018 study ). Unwrapit gifts are rarely physical products, and are transferred virtually, eliminating any environmental implications associated with physical shipping.

We talk about:
- Being a woman in tech, but not technical and feeling that imposter syndrome in the industry
- Creating an authentically curated network
- Her role as a female founder and mentor having worked with incredible leaders in the space
- A unique method to finding the perfect co-founders
- Sustainability as a business and how make these important changes
And much more!

Resources:

Unwrapit website:  https://www.unwrapit.com/
Linsay Moran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linsaymoran/



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This week's WE RISE episode is featuring Colleen Stark, founder of Canoe Point Design Co.!

Collen is a brand and web designer, brand strategist, and serial entrepreneur.  Her goal in life is to create the business of her dreams to support the lifestyle she wants and to help others do the same by creating strategic, beautiful visuals that support and encourage business success.

She's worked with clients who have been featured in Entrepreneur, Bustle, Martha Stewart Weddings, and more. These women are at the top of their game and being a part of their journey is what lights her up and fuels her fire.

We talk about:
- Being a serial entrepreneur and how to know when to actually act on a new business idea
- Hiring a business coach and how to find the right fit for YOU
- Being a mother while running a business & time management
- Being authentic on social media as a business owner
- Branding advice for a new business owner & attracting your ideal audience
And so much more!

Resources:

Website: https://canoepointdesignco.ca/


Sponsored by:

The Girl Gang  https://thegirlgang.ca/r?id=m1u36b 

Three Ships Beauty Code MADEITHAPPEN20

Shop SheKind Code MADEIT20

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Connect With Us:

Website: www.madeithappenpod.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/madeithappenpodcast/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/made-it-happen-podcast

This special edition episode is brought to you by EPICentre's Venture Women Program, featuring Penny Cardelli founder of Snow Peak Cold Brew and Lauren McReynolds & Tanis Jaques founders of Charming Sally!

Lauren and Tanis, two social golfers and fashion enthusiasts, met in the summer of 2019 at a Ladies’ s golf event.  Since then, they’ve golfed together every week and continuously discussed the lack of availability of feminine, flattering and functional golf clothing. As another golf season approached, they decided it was time to do something about it and, Charming Sally was born.

While designing their initial collection they also discovered how over consumerism and an increased use of synthetic fabrics has had a huge negative impact on the environment. Their mission is to offer the modern female golfer a more sustainable and ethical option in women’s golf apparel without the compromise of high style. Charming Sally is a fashion forward lifestyle brand supporting women on a path of discovery and connection with herself, people and the planet.

Snow Peak Cold Brew is a local beverage company that delivers fresh cold brew coffees and teas right to your door! We use local ingredients while remaining environmentally conscious to bring you the best product possible! We brew our coffee/tea for 24 hours to let the flavours shine through. In each bottle you can find local honey, simple ingredients, and a bold flavour to keep you energized for the whole day! We hope to be your favourite cold brew supplier!

We talk about:
- Starting up their product-based businesses
- The importance of listening to your audience & gaining feedback
- Building a community around your business 
- Marketing your product and building brand awareness
And much more!

EPICentre strives to build a more inclusive and innovative ecosystem to support women changemakers through the EPIC VentureWomen Program. This program provides female founders and co-founders the opportunity to explore their ideas, increase their entrepreneurial skills, and build a business that is future-proof.

Since late August, seven women-led ventures have been engaging in several workshops, networking events, team-building exercises, group discussions, mentor and advisory meetings, and more.

Join us on Thursday, December 9th for the VentureWomen Final Pitch Competition where each of the seven ventures will pitch their business idea to a panel of judges and LIVE audience. Three awards, sponsored by the Shibley Righton LLP, Lucas Imagine Fund, and Logic Executive Search & Workplace Solutions, will be available to the presenting teams:

Top Pitch Award: $3,000She Inspires Award: $1,000People’s Choice Award: $1,000The People’s Choice Award will be determined by the LIVE audience. A voting poll will be available after each team has presented for the audience to vote on their favourite pitch.

Register Now at:  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NzmYFOubSq-OPDltLaVPnQ 

Resources:

Charming Sally
Website: charmingsally.ca
Instagram: @charmingsally_

Snow Peak Cold Brew
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snowpeakcoldbrew/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/snowpeakcoldbrew/
Website: https://www.snowpeakcoldbrew.ca/

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This special edition episode is brought to you by EPICentre's Venture Women Program, featuring Alex Wilder, founder of Future of Science Network  & Jacqui Verellen, founder of Verellen Music Academy!

The FoS Shoppe is a STEM themed apparel shop with the purpose of funding an up and coming nonprofit, the Future of Science (FoS) Network. FoS strives to bring diverse industry professionals into secondary school classrooms and bridge the gap between groups in STEM fields.

Miss. Jacqui started her musical journey at the age of 4. Having a very musical family, Jacqueline began playing the piano and singing for fun. Soon after, she started lessons with her very first music teacher. Thanks to the fantastic instruction of her music teachers, Jacqueline went on to study at the University of Western Ontario where she graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Music. Additionally, Jacqueline completed the Music Business program at Humber College. After graduating she decided to move to Toronto to continue teaching and to immerse herself in the creative arts. Jacqui taught over 300 young students in Early Childhood Music Programs, and designed curriculum for two academies in the Toronto area. Whilst doing so, Jacqui studied Developmental Psychology to design her very own Music Munchkin's classes around the developmental stages of learning.

We talk about:
- Fears of starting a business & how to overcome this
- Organization & time management tips for business and school 
- How they took their idea & actually turned it into a business
- Valuable resources for starting a business & what they've learned so far

EPICentre strives to build a more inclusive and innovative ecosystem to support women changemakers through the EPIC VentureWomen Program. This program provides female founders and co-founders the opportunity to explore their ideas, increase their entrepreneurial skills, and build a business that is future-proof.

Since late August, seven women-led ventures have been engaging in several workshops, networking events, team-building exercises, group discussions, mentor and advisory meetings, and more.

Join us on Thursday, December 9th for the VentureWomen Final Pitch Competition where each of the seven ventures will pitch their business idea to a panel of judges and LIVE audience. Three awards, sponsored by the Shibley Righton LLP, Lucas Imagine Fund, and Logic Executive Search & Workplace Solutions, will be available to the presenting teams:

• Top Pitch Award: $3,000
• She Inspires Award: $1,000
• People’s Choice Award: $1,000

The People’s Choice Award will be determined by the LIVE audience. A voting poll will be available after each team has presented for the audience to vote on their favourite pitch.

Register Now:  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NzmYFOubSq-OPDltLaVPnQ

Resources:
Verellen Music Academy:  www.verellenmusicacademy.com
FoS: www.facebook.com/FoSNetwork


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Connect With Us:

Website: www.madeithappenpod.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/madeithappenpodcast/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/made-it-happen-podcast

This week's episode is featuring Jess Hunichen and Emily Ward, co-founders of the multi-faceted influencer and PR agency, Shine & founders of The BodCon. 

Jess Hunichen and Emily Ward are the co-founders of the multi-faceted influencer and PR agency, Shine. After launching Shine PR January 2015, the team quickly saw the opportunity to fill a void in the influencer landscape. In November 2015, Shine Influencers was born, built to serve as a resource for brands and marketing/PR agencies with one-on-one talent management and campaign strategy consulting.

Building on the rapid success, the team has expanded to represent celebrities, athletes, and social talent with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, and Montreal.

After witnessing the incredible conversations taking place in the social space around body confidence, Founders of Shine Talent Group, Jess Hunichen and Emily Ward wanted to build a platform that would help amplify these voices and allow this community to share in an experience that would bring people together and help further the impact of this movement.

The BodCon now includes a weekly podcast and mini events throughout the year leading up to our annual conference. Through these initiatives we bring our network together and delve deeper into topics that surround the body confidence journey.

We talk about:
- Transitioning from Public Relations focus to the influencer space
- Changes in the influencer industry over the past 6 years
- Key elements to making it in the influencer space as a creator & an agency
- The two sides of social media & finding your positive community
- How the BodCon got started and the impact it has
- Breaking into the influencer space & their unique tactic of finding key partners

Resources:

Shine: shinetalentgroup.com/
BodCon: thebodcon.com/



Sponsored by:

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Podcast Brought to you by:

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Connect With Us:

Website: www.madeithappenpod.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/madeithappenpodcast/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/made-it-happen-podcast