Made it Happen

This week's WE RISE episode is featuring Markie Tuckett, founder of Timber + Plumb!

Markie was recently named one of the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s (NKBA) Top Thirty Under 30 as well as the DesignHounds Kitchen Design Influencer of the Year! As accomplished as she is thus far, Markie has always had a love for anything design related. From a young age, her passion for design developed into more than just a hobby and she started applying her personal design style to participate and even win awards. It was there, that she realized her true passion in design was working with interiors and she started her post-secondary education focusing on that. 

Once starting her college education, Markie had another realization, she didn’t love all things interiors but cabinetry and kitchens were her forte. She then aimed to use her coop experience to learn more about kitchen design and cabinetry and from there was hired full-time right out of completing her education. She worked very closely with a well-known, published kitchen designer who took her under her wing to learn and grow as an individual for several years. From working in her small home-town of Midland, Ontario - Markie craved more, so she moved to the GTA and started designing and project managing for her own set of builders. Growing more and more as a leader, she was recruited to manage a team of designers and projects for a growing kitchen design firm and even designed two of their showrooms in the GTA. Entrepreneurship was always craved by Markie, so she moved to Windsor in 2018 and started her business and from there Timber + Plumb was born.

We talk about:
- Moving to a new location and starting a business
- Finding her clients
- The local business community
- Being named NKBA Top 30 under 30 and Designhounds kitchen design influencer of the year
- Who inspires her in the industry
- Creating an inclusive brand
- How she finds inspiration
- The hustle culture of entrepreneurship
- Advice for an aspiring designer
- Her new local business grant
- And more!

Resources:
www.timberplumb.com

Sponsored by:
www.paglioneestatewinery.com

This month's special edition episode in partnership with the Libro-EPIC Social Initiative is featuring GreenerBins & Grown Lady Garments!

More than ever before, we face several social and environmental challenges across the globe. These challenges are often complex, multilayered and have great impact on local and global communities and regions. Social entrepreneurship welcomes changemakers to be strategic and creative in tackling some of these challenges and are usually known for implementing widespread improvements in society. Every month on the 15th we will be highlighting a local social enterprise! This months episode is featuring Dane & Alley, founders of GreenerBins & Grown Lady Garments:

GreenerBins compost launched in June of 2018, Dane Fader (Owner and Founder) joined EPICentre's RBC EPIC Founders Program, an intensive 12-week accelerator to help budding startups gain the tools and resources needed to launch a successful business. He saw a need for composting services within the Windsor-Essex community that wasn't being met so he decided to take matters into his own hands. When first joining the program, he intended to attract approximately 30 clients by the end of the 12-week pilot project. Before he knew it, Dane had over 300 clients and counting and that number has since grown exponentially Starting out as a residential waste pickup company, GreenerBins has expanded into the business sector with clients ranging from The Greater Essex County District School Board, Devonshire Mall, and more. Dane is extremely passionate about his cause for creating a greener world, starting in the city he calls home. 

Grown Lady Garments was founded by Alley Biniarz, who saw a need for a place to buy sustainable clothing in the Windsor area. Grown Lady Garments is an online hub where womxn can shop, create, & connect about sustainability, creativity, and feminism. It's a place with a little bit of writing, a dash of connection, and a sprinkle of beautiful, sustainable clothing.

We talk about:
- Where the idea came from for both social enterprises
- Environmental impacts of both food & clothing including fast fashion and food waste
- The impact they hope for the businesses to have on the community
- The resources and tools they used when starting their businesses
- Their experience in the Libro-EPIC Social Innovation Program
- How they both support each other with their businesses
- Advice for someone starting a social enterprise 
- Creating a sustainable lifestyle
- And much more!

Resources:
www.grownladygarments.com
www.greenerbinscompost.com

Social enterprises primarily focus on a social purpose; it is a new lens through which we can view traditional businesses making a positive impact in the world. EPICentre's Social Enterprise 101 Coaching service, sponsored by Libro Credit Union, is aimed to support local community members who are working to start a social enterprise. Through this initiative, you will receive coaching, resources, tools and networks to help you build a thriving social enterprise. Learn more at www.epicentreuwindsor.ca/social-enterprise-101-coaching

This week's WE RISE episode is featuring Lora Colautti,  a yoga teacher & studio owner, wellbeing mentor, coach and influencer.  She opened Yoga with Lora 6 years ago and has recently evolved her wellbeing business by branding under her name and offering new wellbeing products and services online, including the Wellbeing Love Notes ebook and Workbook.

During life’s defining moments, from her younger sister’s passing to her own rectal cancer diagnoses and treatment, Lora has been able to maintain a connection to what feels right for her, including how she runs her business. She believes everyone has life experiences that stand out as defining moments. It’s these moments that make up who we are. The moments themselves don’t define us. We define ourselves by how we choose to move through them and who we decide to be because of them. Lora shares her years of wellbeing expertise with others so that they too can have the tools, knowledge and experience to feel emotionally empowered, have a positive perspective on life, and honour their inner voice.

Lora has been running her business solo until recently and is very aware of self-care as a woman and an entrepreneur, not just because it's the field she is in but because without it there's no way she would still be doing what she's doing. Having a supportive community of friends, family and even clients/customers/audience/etc is very important even if an entrepreneur is working solo. Lora is a big advocate of reaching out to or leaning on your support circle when you need it.

The new normal of pivoting due to COVID has also become a part of her entrepreneurial experience. For years she had been envisioning taking what she does to a more global scale. Both her Adventures with Marty (rectal cancer) and then the pandemic inspired her to take action. While the yoga studio was closed until phase 3, she spent her time creating her online presence and working on her first offering. 

We talk about:

- How she got into the industry
- Realizing it was time to expand and grow her business
- Self-care as a woman and an entrepreneur
- Leaning on your support circle
- Running her business while going through cancer treatments
- Transferring her business online
- Having a shift in mindset with the pandemic
- And much more!

Resources:
www.loracolautti.com
Wellbeing with Lora Facebook Page

Sponsors:
www.paglioneestatewinery.com
www.shekind.ca 20% off using code MADEIT20
www.threeshipsbeauty.com 20% using code MADEITHAPPEN20

This episode is featuring Courtney Todd, a Hotel and Restaurant Influencer. 

Courtney is on a constant journey to explore unique experiences and share them with her followers to help promote and create enjoyable memories.
"You work hard. You save your money. You don’t have the opportunity to go out often. I am here for you to take the chance of trying out new opportunities, so you don’t have to waste your time or money on restaurants or hotels that aren’t worth it." Courtney Todd.
She wants you to enjoy your nights out, indulge in great food and hospitality with your loved ones, and enjoy life. Because life is too short to be mediocre.

We talk about:
- How she became an influencer
- What made her decide to focus on Hotels and Restaurants
- Insights into building her community on social media
- What to consider before working with a brand
- Advice for reaching out to brands you want to work with & for someone looking to get into influencing
- How COVID has affected influencer marketing especially in the restaurant and hotel industry
- Best practices for someone just starting out as an influencer
- Her favourite thing about being a hotel and restaurant influencer
- One restaurant everyone has to try & favourite travel destinations
- And more!

Website: www.bycourtneytodd.com

Sponsors:
www.paglioneestatewinery.com
www.shekind.ca 20% off using code MADEIT20
www.threeshipsbeauty.com 20% using code MADEITHAPPEN20

This week's Special Edition episode brought to you by WEtech Alliance is featuring Myra Tawfik, Professor of Law and EPICentre Professor of IP Commercialization and Strategy. 

Professor Tawfik is an expert in intellectual property law. Her research and teaching interests lie in the areas of copyright law, trademark law, international IP law, IP strategy and IP legal history.

We talk about:

- Her career and how she ended up in law
- What IP is and the different types of Intellectual Property
- What every startup/founder should know about IP
- Why IP is worth the investment and how it can impact your business longterm 
- How to protect your brand and business
- How women are underrepresented in IP and ways at which this is continuing to change
- An inspirational story of a women and IP
- And more!

Resources:
wetech-alliance.com
Myra Tawfik
CIGI Report - Myra Tawfik

This week's episode is featuring Penny Light, founder of a Marketing Agency, Travel Company, Clothing Boutique Store, and much more! Penny Light, a native of Canada where she thrived for 19 years in various different roles for some Fortune 500 companies on major brands such as Coke, Danone, Kellogg and Pepsi/Frito Lay. Other than an appreciation for the things she learnt along the way she really doesn’t care much about any of that corporate stuff. She traded her suit, heels and condo in the concrete jungle for bare feet in the sand and falling asleep under a blanket of stars and the orchestra of the Costa Rican jungle. She hasn’t looked back.

 Her mixed education in Business, Travel & Tourism, and Psychology has led her to wear many hats along the way from working with a wildlife film crew in the middle of the African bush to Vice President of marketing and sponsorship with the Women of Influence speaker series, to founding her own marketing and workplace well-being consulting company – Light it UP Marketing and a coaching, yoga, travel adventure company aptly named, Live Life Light. She hosts yoga/personal growth retreats — both private and group — all around the world and does elite 1 on 1 coaching/mentoring.

 Penny, now a self-proclaimed Life Adventure Expert, has traveled most of the world, including living in a dome tent in the middle of the African bush for a year with no electricity, no running water, 5 hours from the closest village, nowhere near the top of the food chain with the only thing between herself and the dangers of the African outback, her own sensory system. Here, she spent the year feeling the heartbeat of the land, witnessing and syncing in with the natural rhythms of the planet and its most primitive occupants and, more specifically, documenting a pride of lions.

 From sailing tall-ships up the coast of Brazil during carnival, trekking through the Himalayans to stand above Everest Base Camp at 5, 545 meters and breath in magic, walking the shores of Eleuthera, exploring the raw beauty of Cuba, dancing in the streets of Europe or wondering where the lions are, you can always be sure Penny will have a story or two to share, better yet she loves to hear the stories of others and as such loves to connect with characters, with other purists that have a unique zest for life.

 Penny believes that life is one great big adventure, even more so when we say Yes and show up to it honestly and courageously.

 Penny’s aspiration is to bring to others what travel has brought to her — a new way of seeing not just the world, but ourselves as we exist on this planet, to learn the always-inevitable lessons, connect with our roots and all the beautiful connections made in human kindness along the way.

We talk about:

- How she has founded multiple businesses including a Marketing Agency, Travel Company, and Clothing Boutique Store 

- What made her decide to quit her corporate job and travel to Africa

- How travelling to Africa led her to starting her own business 

- Valuing community over competition and how empowered women empower women

- How has COVID 19 has affected her businesses  

- Creating a community of females and overcoming the loneliness of entrepreneurship 

- Finding that 'Ah-Ha' moment with a business 

- Advice she wishes she had heard when starting her business

Websites:
https://www.lightitupmarketing.com
https://www.livelifelightadventures.com
https://gritandgraceclothing.com

This week's WE RISE episode is featuring Sandra Paglione, owner of Paglione Estate Winery.

Passionate about hospitality and travel, Sandra has enjoyed an illustrious career in the industry for over 10 years, but despite having vineyards on a vision board in her early 20’s, she never would have dreamed she would be at the helm of a winery one day.

 She began her career with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, armed with a diploma in International Business and a specialized Finance degree in Hospitality and Tourism. Her first role was in Worldwide Sales at their corporate headquarters in Toronto, before moving into Sales and Marketing at one of their South Asian resort properties in the Maldives. It was actually during this time that her Dad, a builder and developer in Windsor Essex County, bought a vineyard on 37 acres as a retirement project to fulfill a boyhood dream he had growing up in Italy to one day own a winery.

 When she returned from Asia, she decided she wanted to take a different direction within the travel business, and landed her first role with American Express Travel & Lifestyle Services in Toronto where she managed strategic partnerships and marketing for their premium card products. During this time her Dad had broken ground and began building the winery. She leveraged her expertise to help with the business plan, while also focusing on growing her career with Amex, a company she loved.

 The winery officially opened in July 2013 and while her parents were growing the business, she took on various roles with Amex, the majority being focused on travel and lifestyle benefits in the luxury space, while also helping with the winery on weekends during large events and festivals. It was 2018 when the opportunity to take over the winery came to be. Her Dad had passed away from cancer three years prior and her Stepmom was ready to retire, so the option was presented to Sandra, her sister Becki and their partners as to whether they wanted to take it on.

 Sandra spent the next 8 months pulling together a new business plan, running numbers, and thinking about a growth strategy because she knew they would have to take the winery to the next level to make it work with the restructuring. In Feb 2019, Sandra and her partner Robin moved from Toronto, the four partners bought the business, and life hasn’t been the same since.

 Sandra now works virtually for American Express on the Global Premium Products & Benefits team, and when she’s not working her 9 to 5 she oversees strategic planning, finance, and marketing for the winery.

 In the last year, Paglione Estate Winery has become a well-known destination in the region, growing sales by 300%, and has just won its first three wine medals at the Great American International Wine Competition. Paglione Estate is also the official wine of Made it Happen Podcast!

We talk about: 
- How the winery got started & where the idea came from
- Deciding to take over the winery when she had the opportunity 
- Working a full-time job along with running the winery
- Creating a strong financial plan
- What has contributed to the massive growth of the winery in the last year
- How the pandemic has affected the business 
- Challenges of taking over a winery 
- Producing 3 award-winning wines
- And more!

Jessica Silverman is a Business Startup Coach to aspiring entrepreneurs seeking greater clarity + simplicity to live their true life’s purpose. Through her coaching, she guides her clients with mind-body empowerment tools to spark the transformation of a physical and spiritual awakening to live + feel her most ALIVE self.

At an even deeper level, the core foundation of her teachings unleash a deep understanding of one's energy, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. 

From the place of energy insight, she can awaken this wisdom towards healing, enlightenment, and a deeper awareness of one's divine purpose.

We talk about:
- How a podcast inspired her to quit her corporate job to start her own business
- Going from a wellness coach to a business startup coach
- How she grows her business using organic marketing strategies 
- Learning that less is more
- Creating her online courses & masterclasses and what she has learned from them
- Advice for someone starting a business 
- And more!

This week's WE RISE episode is featuring Linda & Gloria, owners of Magnolia Ranch! When Linda & Gloria began working together with the Neighbourhood Charitable Alliance (NCA) on the Spring Bling Gala, they realized how similar their work ethic was as well as their "eye for design". They have established a reputation that you can trust and are excited to use their skills to work together and make the vision for Magnolia Ranch come to life. This gorgeous, four bedroom, newly renovated house is much more than a Bed and Breakfast. It's a magnificent property with stunning views everywhere you look. In the heart of wine country and across the street from Lake Erie, there are endless possibilities of ways to enjoy your stay. Cycling, birding, fishing, golfing and wine touring are just stone throws away. They also offer catered events and their unique property is the perfect place to host your wedding. At Magnolia Ranch, the possibilities are endless.

Linda is a wife and mother of 3 beautiful children. She has worked in finance at Mucci Farms, her family operated business, for the past 23 years. Linda has also spearheaded the mitten and toques campaign with the NCA, and gives back any chance she can. Her flare and design approach are what is going to make any event at Magnolia Ranch truly unique!

Gloria is in a committed relationship and has 2 beautiful children. She has been a local business woman for 35 year, and sits on T2B's board of directors for the past 20 years, as well as the NCA for the past 5 years. Her experience in the "fundraising world" has helped her to raise over 1 million dollars for T2B and Erie Shores Hospice. Much like Linda, her design approach and attention to detail will help ensure your event to be truly unique!

We talk about:
- How Magnolia Ranch got started & where the idea come from
- Why they decided to go into business together
- Working full-time while running a business
- How they've created fun events to market their business
- How the pandemic has affected their business and how they've made the best of the situation
- One key element that makes a great experience for guests
- What they've learned about themselves while running a business
- Their favourite part of running Magnolia Ranch
- And more!

Website: https://www.magnoliaranch.ca/ 

New Special Edition Segment in partnership with the Libro-EPIC Social Impact Initiative!

More than ever before, we face several social and environmental challenges across the globe. These challenges are often complex, multilayered and have great impact on local and global communities and regions. Social entrepreneurship welcomes changemakers to be strategic and creative in tackling some of these challenges and are usually known for implementing widespread improvements in society. Every month on the 15th we will be highlighting a local social enterprise! This months episode is featuring Half Step Away:

Half Step Away is a full-inclusion music centre, that offers personalized music programs for people of all abilities. Their goal is to create a social impact through music and art, by providing opportunities to those who wish to embrace their creativity. Founded by Adrian Deschamps, Shane Trowbridge, and Jordan Bonneau, the Half Step Away team began their entrepreneurial journey in the EPICentre's Libro-EPIC Social Innovation Program. The team has proved its resilience by rising through the challenges they faced amid the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to work towards their goal of fueling artistic expression. 

We talk about:
- What made them decide to start this social enterprise
- How the process & programs work at Half Step Away
- What resources and tools they used when creating their business
- Their experience in the Libro-EPIC Social Innovation Program
- How the pandemic affected their business and what pivots they had to make in order to cope with the current situation 
- Big success moment that really stands out from their business journey 
- What they've learned from running their own business 
- What advice would they'd give to someone starting a social enterprise 
- And more!

Social enterprises primarily focus on a social purpose; it is a new lens through which we can view traditional businesses making a positive impact in the world. EPICentre's Social Enterprise 101 Coaching service, sponsored by Libro Credit Union, is aimed to support local community members who are working to start a social enterprise. Through this initiative, you will receive coaching, resources, tools and networks to help you build a thriving social enterprise. Learn more at https://www.epicentreuwindsor.ca/social-enterprise-101-coaching/