OV Boss Babes

Donna Saal and her husband Paul were unsatisfied with the quality of care in the facilities where they initially worked as physiotherapists in Niagara Falls and Sudbury.

They decided to open their own clinic, Physio in the Valley, in her hometown of Pembroke in 2001. Their goal was to combine the best of traditional physical therapy with osteopathic manual therapy, focusing on patient-centered care.

Donna utilizes her skills in manual therapy, exercise prescription, and years of experience in outpatient physiotherapy to meet the individual needs of each client. She also emphasizes early intervention and education for post-partum women and newborns to prevent long-term dysfunction and injury.

In this episode, we chat about:

🤰🏼 Why Donna has always prioritized providing early intervention for postpartum women and newborns in her specialized care, and the importance of rest, recovery, and healing after giving birth

🩷 How in the 80's and 90's, it was not common to have discussions about prenatal, postpartum, and menopausal topics. We learn how Donna took the initiative to publicly educate her patients during a time it was not common to talk about

🚫💰 Donna gets real about the financial challenges she experienced with banks when she first started her business, and why she had to fight to receive a business loan

🦵🏼We chat about all areas of physio, including pelvic therapy, pain management, newborn physiotherapy and so much more!

Jackie Rhind is a Canadian female founder of Ovry, an innovative, sustainable and low-cost pregnancy and ovulation test strip brand that is revolutionizing the pregnancy test industry.

Ovry’s business model sounds simple enough - sell pregnancy tests, ovulation tests, and male fertility tests at a more affordable price than the popular name brands, performing the same function the same as the other name brand tests that are just as accurate, but far less expensive than the leading brands. But although it seemed getting this business venture off the ground, Jackie and her business partner Christina got the go-around from retailer buyers when pitching their products to feature Ovry in retail drug stores.

In this inspiring episode, hear firsthand as Jackie shares her determination to create a brand that empowers women, the challenges she faced, and the impact her brand has on women's health.

Claudia Kerckhoff-Van Wijk has been immersed in the Ottawa Valley whitewater rivers since a young age and has inspired thousands of people to try whitewater canoeing, kayaking and rafting.

Claudia is also one of the proud co-owners of OWL Rafting in Beachburg, Trip Advisor's recommended #1 rafting resort in the Ottawa Valley and Destination Canada's Canadian Signature Experiences. Claudia is a long time athlete, as she was the Canadian women’s whitewater kayaking champion from 1974 to 1985, Gold Medalist at the 1976 Pan Americans, and the Bronze Medallist at the 1982 World Championships. 

In this episode, in partnership with Renfrew County Community Futures Development Corporation, Claudia and I chatted about:

🚣🏼‍♀️ How she and her father came to be the very first to kayak the Rocher Fondu whitewater rapids, and how OWL Rafting came to be

💰 How investing in financial aspects your business can be scary and nerve wracking, but leveraging funding avenues like RCCFDC can be helpful investment opportunities to allow you to grow and expand your business (and how RCCFDC helped contribute to the growth of OWL Rafting)

🙌🏻 Claudia reveals her greatest accomplishment in both paddling and in business

🚣🏼‍♀️ Community over competition, as Claudia shares how instrumental key community partners have helped contribute to the success of OWL Rafting, through acknowledging other OV whitewater rafting resorts like Wilderness Tours, Madawaska Coffee, and more!

Allana Robinson is a parenting coach of Uncommon Sense Parenting, business owner, mom of two, the host of the Mudroom Podcast, and has been featured on CTV, Global News, Today's Parent. Allana has been specializeing in helping frustrated parents understand why their child is misbehaving and how to fix it without yelling, sticker charts, or counting to 3 since 2015.

Alanna goal is to empower parents with the knowledge and skills they need to raise happy and well behaved children. Through personalized coaching sessions, she works closely with parents to develop effective parenting strategies, improve communication, and create a positive environment for families, while understanding their children's needs.

In this episode, this parenting expert is here to help you raise your little ones without yelling, shaming or time outs, while also:

✨ Sharing the real reasons why your child is misbehaving and how to implement effective strategies that actually work

✨ Talking about sensory overload, how much is too much screen time, implementing structured routines, and the importance of independent play

✨ Sharing how we can empower our children to understand kids that may be on the spectrum or neurodivergent

✨ Chatting about mom/parent burnout, mom guilt, and how to prioritize your own “me time” and setting boundaries for yourself

Michelle and Logan McLennon's journey began with a shared love for food and a dream to bring authentic Caribbean flavors to their community.

Logan, a talented chef from Jamaica, had a deep appreciation for the vibrant and diverse Caribbean cuisine, along with a natural talent for blending spices and creating unique flavor combinations that tantalized the taste buds. With a background in advertising and marketing,

Michelle, his partner, was ready to join Logan in launching Mackie's Golden Meals and helped get things going.

As word spread about Mackie's Golden Meals, the couple quickly opened their food trailer and soon, people from neighboring towns were making the journey to experience the flavors of the islands.

In this episode, we chat about:

🏝️ Logan's journey to immigrate to Canada, where he, along with his mother and siblings, reunited with his father, and how they adapted to a new country and navigated a completely different way of life

🧆 Introducing a new and different type of Caribbean-with-a-North-American-twist cousine to our community's accustomed rural tastebuds and how the response immediately took off

✨ The process of acquiring a food trailer and initiating operations, to managing finances and adhering to regulations, and even incorporating a catering aspect to the business

👏🏼 How Logan and Michelle are making a huge impact with a small footprint in the Ottawa Valley and championing for diversity

Meet Angie Hoysted, the boss babe butcher and co-owner of Valley Custom Cutting, who is shattering gender stereotypes in the meat industry and isn't afraid to get her hands dirty.

A construction project manager by trade and former interior designer, Angie joined the team at Valley Custom Cutting once the butcher shop was constructed, and immediately took control of all the financial, administration, and legal aspects of the business, along with processing and handling of the meat.

Together, Angie and her husband Dan have built a thriving butcher shop that has become a local favourite in Smiths Falls - and was the very first of its kind in the region!

In this episode, we chat about:

🥩 Why Angie changed careers completely and went into business with her husband (along with the reactions from people when she tells them she's a butcher!)

🤔 We dive into why there is a demand for butchers and the unfortunate reality as to why it is a dying trade

🤯 We talk about why meat seems to taste better and fresher from a butcher shop vs grocery store meat

🙌🏻 Angie divulges the real truths of what goes on behind the scenes of being a female butcher and running this type of business

30% of Algonquin College Pembroke's student population has a military connection, and one of those current students is Shauna Holland, a military veteran who spent ten years in the Canadian Armed Forces. Shauna's last major position was at Garrison Petawawa and she is currently enrolled in the Business Fundamentals Program.

In this episode, Shauna shares what her transition has been like leaving the military and embarking on a new path as a civilian returning as a student at Algonquin College, speaking very highly of the campus and how welcoming it's been for her as a military veteran and spouse.

She also speaks to the various resources and supports that are now available through Algonquin College Pembroke Campus to the military community, including a transition course for military members, success strategies for military spouses, and even AC's annual Canadian Armed Forces Day event!

In the spring 2025, Shauna will be adding author to her resume, as she plans to release a book titled "Permission to Recover" which focuses on her transition out of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Being a funeral director is not just a job; it is a calling. It requires a unique blend of compassion, professionalism, and resilience. Being a female funeral director is a unique and challenging profession that requires compassion, empathy, and a strong sense of professionalism.

Through her dedication and unwavering commitment, Caitlyn Cybukski plays a vital role at Malcolm, Deavitt and Binhammer Funeral Home in helping families navigate the difficult journey of saying goodbye to their loved ones, leaving a lasting impact on their lives.

In a profession that demands long hours and a constant readiness to serve, the emotional toll of dealing with death and grief can be overwhelming, and self-care becomes crucial to maintain mental and emotional well-being. Despite these challenges, Caitlin finds fulfillment in providing comfort and closure to families during these sad and emotional times.

In this episode...

🤍 Caitlin shares how she discovered that she wanted to become a funeral director at a young age and why her passion for helping people in a time of sadness was her calling

🤍 We talk about COMPASSION FATIGUE burnout and why this is not talked about enough in all social service industries

🤍 Caitlin shares how her your outlook on death has changed since being immersed in her role as funeral director

🤍 We retire gender dominance stereotype as female funeral directors are changing the face of the industry

📣 Calling all business owners! 📣

Jaime Bell is a business lawyer and the founder of Contracts Market, who is here to revolutionize the way you think about legal contracts in your business!

Contracts are the backbone of any successful business, yet they are often overlooked or misunderstood. As a seasoned business lawyer, Jaime has witnessed the devastating consequences that can arise from poorly drafted or non-existent contracts. From partnership disputes to client disagreements, the lack of proper legal documentation can put your entire business at risk.

With Jaime's extensive legal expertise and entrepreneurial spirit, she is here to educate and empower business owners about the importance of solid legal contracts, providing legal contract templates for freelancers, coaches, consultants, influencers and digital creators, and more!

In this episode, Jaime shares her knowledge as we dive into:

📑 Why your website should have a data and privacy policy, terms and conditions, and more!

📃 Affilate marketing (influencer, paid partnership, collaborations) and what legal agreements and disclosures should be included in your contract

📄 Strategies for entrepreneurs who want to advise their direct clients, customers and followers that they're raising their prices so that you appear confident and ready to justify your price increase(s)

📝 Course agreement clauses course that digital creators should include for anyone purchasing their digital masterclasses, courses, and other online products

And so much more! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

At only 18 years old, Christelle Sam started her first business and never looked back. With her business education & background, and partner Andre's former experience working for the largest commercial landscaping company in Calgary, they relocated to the Ottawa Valley and together, launched their landscaping business, Stone Moss Construction.

With Andre leading the business, creating beautifully designed and constructed landscapes, and Christelle being the driving force for all marketing, financial and administrative aspects, the two are helping folks throughout the Ottawa Valley discover a life lived outside in a beautifully designed and constructed landscape.

In this episode....

🧰 Christelle shares how her journey into business at a young age helped her to develop an entrepreneurial mindset at only 18 years old

✍🏻 We talk about how landscapers and other entrepreneurs can feel confident in sticking to set prices and protecting their profitably

💁🏻‍♀️Christelle explains how landscaping builds equity on your home and cost effective ways to maximize your selling potential

🫱🏼‍🫲🏻 We talk securing jobs, building long term relationships, customer trust and loyalty and more!

With Christelle also being a sales representative for Century 21 Aspire Realty , she shares how landscaping builds property equity on your home and can help entice prospective buyers!