Originally from India, Aneeta Jacob knew that she wanted to study abroad and study social services in Canada, coming to Canada in 2018 and landed on Algonquin College Pembroke Campus' Social Services Worker Program after reading that it was one of the top colleges to attend in Canada, relocating to the Ottawa Valley and graduating from the SSW program in 2020.

Aneeta was one of Algonquin College Pembroke's first international student graduates and she reflects back on her time at school and in the Ottawa Valley fondly, reflecting on the skillsets she developed from her professors, the friendships she made and the community that embraced and welcomed her the minute she landed.

Aneeta is now enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta and is eager to share her story for how she wants to become a driving force for change in rural health care and is eager to make a difference in social services and in the health care field.

Stacy Taylor's entry into entrepreneurship was an interesting one that just happened to come at the right time with a once-in-a-lifetime contest opportunity that she didn't want to miss out on.

This former government worker turned business owner took a chance on herself and her business and left it all to go all in.... and was successful in winning the City of Pembroke's Win this Space contest in downtown Pembroke, securing her first location, courtesy of Sleepwell Property Management.

Stacy shares her personal journey of leaving her records management job and going all in with her canning and home cooked meals business, expanding and growing her team after a short period of time, becoming involved in the community and taking on the role as Board Chair of the PBIA Board - and all the ups and downs of entrepreneurship!

This month on our Babe Beyond the Brand Series, we are diving into the fascinating world of adult ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), which is a neurodevelopmental condition that seems to be affecting more and more adults, many in which are women.

Having ADHD affects how you pay attention, your sense of self control, simple forgetfulness, among other traits. And women specifically with adhd tend to not be diagnosed until later in life and end up with diagnoses of depression or anxiety for years before ADHD is ever part of the conversation.

But in 2024, we have more access to information than we’ve ever had. And People are more willing to share their experiences with ADHD, which is helping lessen the stigma around mental health. Traditional ADHD therapy often involves assignments to complete between sessions - leading to disappointment when it doesn’t get done (because HELLO, ADHD!)

I sit down with Jenna Free, certified ADHD therapist who sheds light on the often-overlooked world of ADHD, providing valuable insights and guidance for anyone navigating this complex condition.

OVBB is pleased to welcome Lindsey Gibeau, headshot and personal brand photographer!

✨STAND OUT.

✨GET SEEN.✨

✨BUILD AN ABUNDANT BRAND.✨

Capturing the essence of luxury, style, sought-after brand photographer Lindsey Gibeau takes a seat and shares what it takes for entrepreneurs to create a visual brand that stands out while appearing confident, captivating and professional, connecting with their audience in a bolder way. 👑🥂

In this exclusive Spotify and YouTube episode, Lindsey spills industry secrets and the lessons, tricks and knowledge she has learned in her years of experience as a brand photographer, including:

📸 How she elevates women and their presence online through a unique storytelling digital aspect by constantly showing up with confidence and ease

💁🏽‍♀️ Why it is important for a brand to show their face and who the individual or individuals are behind a business

🤳🏼 How entrepreneurs can effectively use their photos from their digital portfolio beyond using them on their website in the "about me" section or on an introduction social media post

👯‍♀️ How Lindsey collaborates with other women in similar and different industries, including other photographers, makeup artists, hair stylists, and personal stylists to help their clients take their photography session to the next level

Erin Grace always loved animals and was initially torn between becoming a registered veterinary technician or a veterinarian but didn't want to go to spend all her time in school, so thus she chose to become an RVT, finding her passion specifically with horses.

After moving to Smiths Falls and offering horse riding lessons, along with assisting friends with therapeutic care for their horses, Erin then became a certified Equine Massage Therapist, opening Equine Grace Therapy, providing therapeutic services to help improve the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of horses.

This is an industry that relies heavily on reputation, word of mouth and education, as Erin continually demonstrates to her clients that it is more than just a "feel good" massage that she offers but an investment in their horse's well being, working on their fitness, injury prevention, lessening anxiety, etc.

In this episode, Erin discusses:

🐴 The human-horse interaction and how we can gain their trust and develop a mutual partnership

🐴 The importance of horse business insurance and why it's crucial to protect your business, your horses and your clients

🐴 How she has structured Grace Equine Therapy to educate and encourage more people to consider horse therapy

✨💜 Ottawa Valley Fourth Annual Women's Collective 2024✨💜

This past International Women's Day, we welcomed four trailblazing boss babes: Jodie Primeau of Primeau Law, Kristin Leach of Hela Beauty and Medical, and Dr. Morgan Welburn of Renfrew Eye Clinic, where we will celebrated their personal empires and chatted intensely around three key themes:

✨Invest✨Inspire✨and Impact✨.

This year, our conversation focused on:

💰 How to invest for success - key fundamentals that every entrepreneur needs in order to become successful.

✍🏻🗣️ Addressing the complex challenges women in business are facing and areas that you yourself have faced over the years of breaking into specific industries

🫱🏼‍🫲🏻 The importance of key partnerships, catalyst organizations, making connections both in and outside of your field and the value they hold

👑🙌🏻 How these three boss babes are making an impact, through ongoing innovation, expansion, and growth

Many of us stumble into entrepreneurship by pure destiny. And often times, what we envision our business will look like typically changes once we do decide to go all in.

And that stands true for Jessica Yazdani, who initially had a dream of opening up a business in Merrickville but wound up purchasing a well known location in downtown Almonte. But her vision for carrying Canadian brands that values inclusivity, sustainability and quality was always a crucial component of her business values and when this opportunity presented itself to her, she was ready to go all in.

In this episode, Jess and I chat about:

🫶🏼 How Jess' love for the former store, Doree's Habit, led her to eventually purchasing the store from Brodie O'Connor (aka one half of the Blondie Apparel babes!)

👀 How she faced imposter syndrome after taking over the store and changing the name (and the surprising attachment of customers to the former name)

👗 Inclusive sizing, why fashion helps boost your confidence, and how Grace + Sparrow promotes body positivity

📲 We dive into the power of social media, the importance of an effective Instagram bio that stands out, and attracting more foot traffic

Located in Perth, ON, HLK Macarons is a micro-bakery born out of passion from baker and dessert enthusiast, Heather Kay, who specializes in making Italian macarons.

In this episode, Heather and I chat about:

🍥 How Heather started her micro-bakery and how she approached HLK Macarons with a business mindset

🍥 How Heather determined her price points by adding her mark up to calculated costs so that her customers are getting a quality product and she is making a solid profit

🍥 Tough hurdles Heather has experienced in the bakery business, from standing out on the socials, not worrying about her following count, and rude male counterparts

🍥 How Small Business Centre's Starter Company Plus Program helped Heather modify her business plan to help with her growth and success

Nala's Kitchen aims to provide delicious, authentic Indian cuisine, including rare South Indian delicacies, to the Ottawa Valley and surrounding areas throughout Ontario and Quebec. And with Divya Vivekanandan's expertise, traditional family recipes, and commitment to sustainability through local sourcing and eco-friendly practices, she ensures that you will enjoy a wholesome culinary experience through Nala's Kitchen !

In this episode...

✈️ Divya shares how at only 22, she immigrated to Canada and after relocating to the Ottawa Valley, knew she wanted to share her southern Indian cousine recipes

🥘 We talk about the challenges being a new cultural business, such as introducing foods to a rural community beyond traditional butter chicken and naan bread

💰We discuss Divya's pricing strategy - how she considered supply costs and preparation time to guarantee competitive yet profitable pricing

🫶🏼 We talk about rise of Indian cousine in the Ottawa Valley and why Divya thinks it has become so popular with locals