“Creating boundaries has been empowering, because when I show up, I do so with better, more positive energy.”

Sunshine Tenasco believes your business can positively transform your community. A First Nations mommy from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, this visionary social entrepreneur and author is committed to strengthening her community — by cultivating a culture of entrepreneurship within it, and drawing national attention to the critical issues they face.

From raising awareness for the 25-year clean water crisis with the David Suzuki Foundation through Her Braids, connecting with children on this issue through her book “Nibi’s Water Song”,  to empowering Indigenous entrepreneurs with community, mentorship and cash as the driving force behind Pow Wow Pitch, Sunshine is committed to keeping social impact at the heart of her work.

Today, Sunshine shares how you too can take action, build community, and drive meaningful change.

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This episode is brought to you in collaboration with Invest Ottawa. We teamed up to produce this special series in celebration of International Womxn’s Week, and the women leading in Ottawa. Visit investottawa.ca/iww to learn more.

“I believe that we can hold onto what we believe in one hand, and shake with the other.”

Nasrin Sadeghianpour wants you to do the thing that scares you most. A Senior Smart Grid & AI Scientist at BluWave-ai, she has dedicated her career to overcoming climate change by leveraging artificial intelligence — predicting the patterns of renewable energies so humanity can master this earth-saving resource.

Nasrin has enriched her studies around the world: publishing her research across notable international journals and successfully applying her knowledge of AI across a series of major industry projects, as a PhD scholar with the smart grid team at Ghent University’s IDLab in Belgium.

Today, Nasrin shares how you can embrace change — to discover new horizons in your field, make friends around the world, and fearlessly follow your dreams.

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This episode is brought to you in collaboration with Invest Ottawa. We teamed up to produce this special series in celebration of International Womxn’s Week, and the women leading in Ottawa. Visit investottawa.ca/iww to learn more.

“The connection between women and economic growth is extraordinarily powerful.”

Sandra Ng isn’t going to wait for more women to access venture capital. As a founding investor and champion of Invest Ottawa x Capital Angel Network’s SheBoot, a Startup@Berkeley Law Venture Capital University alum, and limited partner with The51 Venture Fund, she’s leading the charge to bring them in.

Over the last 25 years, Sandra has empowered women and underrepresented groups through international development projects across 18 countries and public equities in Asia and North America. In Ottawa, she champions companies with social and environmental agendas as an investor with the Capital Angel Network.

Today, she shares how entrepreneurs and professionals can chart a mission-driven path — and grow wealth along the way.

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This episode is brought to you in collaboration with Invest Ottawa. We teamed up to produce this special series in celebration of International Womxn’s Week, and the women leading in Ottawa. Visit investottawa.ca/iww to learn more.

Paula Whitelocke is synonymous with curly hair care in Ottawa, as a professional hairstylist and the owner of Curly Hair Designs. A mentor, community builder, and musician, Paula recently performed at the National Arts Centre and launched her debut single, “Never Thought” in 2019.

“It's important for me to be friends with the child and be friends with the shadow, as opposed to shunning it for existing. It's gotten me to where I am now.”

Nothing can stop Paula Whitelocke. A professional hairstylist, the owner of Curly Hair Designs, and educator behind Curls Understood, The Academy, Paula is synonymous with curly hair care in Ottawa.

A business owner, mentor, community builder and musician — performing at the National Arts Centre and releasing her debut single, “Never Thought”, in 2019 — Paula shares how creatives and entrepreneurs alike can create a practice of self-reflection, care and compassion to set the boundaries they need to find abundance within themselves.

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This episode is brought to you in collaboration with Invest Ottawa. We teamed up to produce this special series in celebration of International Womxn’s Week, and the women leading in Ottawa. Visit investottawa.ca/iww to learn more.

Solange Zindzi was born and raised in Amsterdam and has roots in Curaçao, which is an island in the Caribbean. Solange started dancing at the age of 4, and at the age of 10, her mother enrolled her into dance classes to learn more about dance techniques and developing more in her craft. After years of training several times a week, in 2011, Solange graduated from the Lucia Marthas Institute of Performing Arts in Amsterdam, Netherlands as a dancer and dance teacher.

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Solange Zindzi is a professional dancer who has worked with our favourite, internationally-recognized artists. She has worked with recording artists such as Irene Cara, Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, Justin Bieber, Chayanne, Far East Movement and LMFAO’s Redfoo.

Solange is also the author of Solo Jump – a book that explores her lessons learned as someone who jumps and moves towards her wildest dreams. Solange wrote this book to: “inspire and motivate people around the world to believe in their own abilities and desires so they can live their personal best lives”.

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Christie Noua is the Founder and CEO of In Wholeness - a holistic nutrition and wellness company and brand where she works with people clients to help them construct nutrition and fitness programs that actually becomes a part of their lifestyle.

Christie is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and personal trainer who believes that we need practical ways to nurture our lives and health. She has a BSc with a major in Biology and minors in Chemistry and psychology. And in 2019, she graduated from the Natural Nutrition program of Canadian School of Natural Nutrition.

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Lola Plaku is the founder and CEO of Lola Media Group – a firm focused on artist management and brand development. And she is also the founder of Girl Connected - a mentorship program for women looking to build in the music and entertainment industry.

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Stephanie Harrison is the Founder and CEO of The New Happy – a platform that is focused on lasting happiness and how we can actually focus on changing the world for the better.

Stephanie is focused on delivering the best content and does so every week, on Sundays. You can check out her newsletter here. You can expect writings and research where she will help you to redefine happiness (for yourself) so that you can flourish.

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Victoria Klein is an Author, mindset-meets-business strategist, and systems nerd who helps 6-and-7-figure service providers become streamlined business owners with a business backend overhaul. Over the past 15 years, Victoria has exemplified what it means to “just start”. She started 5 difference business, build skills and is now focused on her zone of genius.

What I appreciate about Victoria is that she strategizes with people so that they have more time to think and live their life. Currently, Victoria is focused on her one day intensives – where she helps people complete up to 3 months of work together in 6 hours. That’s right, 6 hours.

She’s also writing her 3rd book: a memoir-meets-self-improvement-guide through 15 years of depression, anxiety, false starts, wrong turns, + getting the f*ck out of your own way. Keep up to date with Victoria on Instagram as she shares updates for her book launch!

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Rebecca Mazzara is the Founder and CEO of Calita Intimates - a sustainable women's underwear line made in Canada.

I first heard Rebecca’s story at a live conversation at the Tease Tea HQ in Ottawa. I was inspired by her journey and the steps that she has taken to build her company from the ground up.

Rebecca spent a couple of years at Shopify (in sales) – so she was very comfortable making cold calls, getting outside of her comfort zone and finding the answers to all of her questions. This was helpful when she ultimately decided to start her own business.

And in this episode of the Power of Why, Rebecca gets REAL about what it was like starting a product-based business for the first time. Rebecca breaks down her experiences started an intimates line for women with no prior experience in the fashion space.

The challenging search for beautiful, yet breathable underwear inspired Rebecca to start Calita Intimates. Her passion for women's health as well as sustainable fashion led her to discover a natural fabric that is more breathable than cotton, biodegradable, and is so, so, so SOFT.

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Some Fun People & Things We Mentioned

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