The Brand is Female

This week, host Eva Hartling interviews Heather Marshall, a Canadian author who has just published her debut novel, Looking for Jane. A historical novel set between 1960s and present-day Toronto, it follows a group of inspiring women who dared to fight for their own rights, united by an underground abortion network known only by its code name: Jane. Heather holds a Master’s degrees in Canadian history and political science, and she worked in politics and communications before transitioning full time to her true passion, storytelling. At a time where women’s rights are still under attack, we’re excited to see untold-until-now women’s stories that have shaped history. ..... This season of our podcast is brought to you by @td_canada Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women in Enterprise: td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

This week my guest is Mungi Ngomane, Social Justice Advocate and Author of the book Everyday Ubuntu, inspired by the lessons from the South African philosophy and way of life. Mungi is the grand-daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid and Human Rights Activist who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his efforts in resolving and ending apartheid in South Africa. In this exchange Mungi and I spoke about grief, because she lost her grandfather earlier this year. Grief is a topic we often leave out when it’s time to speak about mental health or wellness, and it is something we all experience - whether it’s caused by the loss of a loved one, or the grief we feel when something ends or is taken away in our lives. I hope you find this exchange helpful and comforting. Here is our conversation.Whether wellness means sports, rest, mental health or all of the above to you, we’re thrilled to partner with Athleta, a purpose-driven brand whose mission is to ignite the limitless potential of women and girls and is designed for women by women. The brand offers clothing in sizes XXS to 3X -- empowering all women to lead active lifestyles with confidence. Athleta’s dedication to uncompromising product perfection means their clothing is beautiful, technical and sustainable and supports women and girls who are on the move. Shop Athleta at athleta.gapcanada.ca, visit Athleta at Vancouver’s Park Royal or Toronto’s Yorkdale Mall, and follow them on Instagram @athleta. #Athleta #PowerofShe ..... This season of our podcast is brought to you by @td_canada Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women in Enterprise: td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

This week, host Eva Hartling speaks with Monica Ruffo, founder of Well Told Health. A serial entrepreneur with passion for health and wellness, Monica enjoyed a prolific career in the advertising agency world when she received a diagnosis of aggressive breast cancer. Throughout her 18 months of cancer treatment, she put her passion for health and wellness to work on herself, researching every aspect of her lifestyle and treatment options and advocating strongly for both traditional and natural treatments. As a result, she fared extremely well both during and after cancer treatment, and uncovered what she felt was a huge gap in the market. The more digging she did, the more she realized that most “natural health” products are not natural at all. As she continued her quest to better understand natural health products, she successfully completed a Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University and decided to found Well Told Health.Whether wellness means sports, rest, mental health or all of the above to you, we’re thrilled to partner with Athleta, a purpose-driven brand whose mission is to ignite the limitless potential of women and girls and is designed for women by women. The brand offers clothing in sizes XXS to 3X -- empowering all women to lead active lifestyles with confidence. Athleta’s dedication to uncompromising product perfection means their clothing is beautiful, technical and sustainable and supports women and girls who are on the move. Shop Athleta at athleta.gapcanada.ca, visit Athleta at Vancouver’s Park Royal or Toronto’s Yorkdale Mall, and follow them on Instagram @athleta. #Athleta #PowerofShe ..... This season of our podcast is brought to you by @td_canada Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women in Enterprise: td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

This week, host Eva Hartling speaks with Saroya Tinker, a professional women's ice hockey player for Toronto Six. A graduate of Yale University where she played on the Varsity Women's Ice Hockey team, Saroya has found a passion for educating others and using her social media platforms to encourage and share resources for other women in sports. She now runs a mentorship program and is committed to educating and providing a positive impact to inspire young women to pursue careers in sports. Whether wellness means sports, rest, mental health or all of the above to you, we’re thrilled to partner with Athleta, a purpose-driven brand whose mission is to ignite the limitless potential of women and girls and is designed for women by women. The brand offers clothing in sizes XXS to 3X -- empowering all women to lead active lifestyles with confidence. Athleta’s dedication to uncompromising product perfection means their clothing is beautiful, technical and sustainable and supports women and girls who are on the move. Shop Athleta at athleta.gapcanada.ca, visit Athleta at Vancouver’s Park Royal or Toronto’s Yorkdale Mall, and follow them on Instagram @athleta. #Athleta #PowerofShe ..... This season of our podcast is brought to you by @td_canada Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women Entrepreneurs: td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

This week, my guests are Jen Murtagh and Sonja Baikogli Foley, the founders of Maturn, the platform they created to shift the narrative and support systems around maternity leave in Canada, so that more working mothers can continue to advance in their careers and retain positions of leadership with greater support from employers, partners, and like-minded mothers along the way. Whether wellness means sports, rest, mental health or all of the above to you, we’re thrilled to partner with Athleta, a purpose-driven brand whose mission is to ignite the limitless potential of women and girls and is designed for women by women. The brand offers clothing in sizes XXS to 3X -- empowering all women to lead active lifestyles with confidence. Athleta’s dedication to uncompromising product perfection means their clothing is beautiful, technical and sustainable and supports women and girls who are on the move. Shop Athleta at athleta.gapcanada.ca, visit Athleta at Vancouver’s Park Royal or Toronto’s Yorkdale Mall, and follow them on Instagram @athleta. #Athleta #PowerofShe ..... This season of our podcast is brought to you by @td_canada Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women Entrepreneurs: td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

The New Year is here and our resolutions are too. But focusing on our self-care and wellness should always be the focus, no matter the time of year. That’s why we’re happy to introduce a special series on The Brand is Female podcast. Presented by Athleta, these conversations feature women who embody different aspects of wellness — from sports to mental health and more — and by the same token, who empower women and girls. Our first guest on this series this week is Jane Wang, a serial health tech entrepreneur, University Professor, Cancer research fundraiser, and Founder/CEO of Optimity, a popular wellness app that rewards users for integrating healthy habits into their lifestyle to reach their health and financial goals.Whether wellness means sports, rest, mental health or all of the above to you, we’re thrilled to partner with Athleta, a purpose-driven brand whose mission is to ignite the limitless potential of women and girls and is designed for women by women. The brand offers clothing in sizes XXS to 3X -- empowering all women to lead active lifestyles with confidence. Athleta’s dedication to uncompromising product perfection means their clothing is beautiful, technical and sustainable and supports women and girls who are on the move. Shop Athleta at athleta.gapcanada.ca, visit Athleta at Vancouver’s Park Royal or Toronto’s Yorkdale Mall, and follow them on Instagram @athleta. #Athleta #PowerofShe ..... This season of our podcast is brought to you by @td_canada Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women Entrepreneurs: td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

We welcome Pulitzer-Prize winner and New York Times bestseller author, Dana Canedy. This episode of The Brand is Female is brought to you by Sony Pictures Entertainment Canada and their latest film, A Journal for Jordan, based on a memoir by Dana Canedy, directed by Denzel Washington. A Journal for Jordan is a powerful recollection of love and family, telling the story of First Sergeant Charles Monroe King, played by Michael B. Jordan, who, while deployed in Iraq, keeps a journal of love and advice for his infant son. Back home, then-Senior New York Times Editor Dana Canedy, played by Chanté Adams, revisits the story of her life-altering relationship with King, and his enduring devotion to her and their child. You can catch A Journal for Jordan exclusively in movie theatres this Holiday season, and support work created by a woman author. In this conversation, learn about Journalist, Author and Publishing Executive Dana Canedy’s fascinating career ascension, and the life events that led to her writing A Journal for Jordan.This episode of The Brand is Female is also brought to you by L'Oréal Paris Women of Worth grant award program. Do you know a Canadian woman who passionately volunteers her time and energy to help people in her community? Recognize her dedication with a nomination for the 2022 Women of Worth — a philanthropic program which recognizes the achievements of ten non-profit leaders from across Canada who are making meaningful change addressing some of society’s most pressing issues. Each woman will receive a $10,000 donation to their cause and be celebrated during a gala on International Women’s Day. Head to lorealparis.ca/en-ca/women-of-worth by December 23rd. ..... This season of The Brand is Female is brought to you by TD Bank - Women Entrepreneurs. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women Entrepreneurs: td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

This week on the podcast, Eva Hartling welcomes Jennifer Abbott, a Sundance and Genie Award-winning Canadian filmmaker best known as the co-director and editor of the acclaimed documentary THE CORPORATION. Last year, she released THE MAGNITUDE OF ALL THINGS, a new film which explores how we face and accept the reality of climate catastrophe while cementing our determination to engage in the only thing we can now do – resist. It’s been met with critical praise and has garnered over 10 awards around the world, from South Korea, to Italy, France, California and Canada.This episode of The Brand is Female is brought to you by L'Oréal Paris Women of Worth grant award program. Do you know a Canadian woman who passionately volunteers her time and energy to help people in her community? Recognize her dedication with a nomination for the 2022 Women of Worth — a philanthropic program which recognizes the achievements of ten non-profit leaders from across Canada who are making meaningful change addressing some of society’s most pressing issues. Each woman will receive a $10,000 donation to their cause and be celebrated during a gala on International Women’s Day. Head to lorealparis.ca/en-ca/women-of-worth by December 23rd. Instagram: @lorealparis Facebook: facebook.com/lorealpariscanada Website: lorealparis.ca/en-ca/women-of-worth ..... This season of The Brand is Female is brought to you by TD Bank - Women Entrepreneurs. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women Entrepreneurs: td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

Carmen Liu is the founder of UK-based Carmen Liu Lingerie, the first lingerie company offering products designed specifically for the needs of the LGBTQ2S+, trans and non-binary community. Carmen, a trans woman herself, created the brand out of frustration for the lack of options for trans people when it comes to lingerie, and to push the social binaries of femininity to higher bounds. This episode of The Brand is Female is brought to you by L'Oréal Paris Women of Worth grant award program. Do you know a Canadian woman who passionately volunteers her time and energy to help people in her community? Recognize her dedication with a nomination for the 2022 Women of Worth — a philanthropic program which recognizes the achievements of ten non-profit leaders from across Canada who are making meaningful change addressing some of society’s most pressing issues. Each woman will receive a $10,000 donation to their cause and be celebrated during a gala on International Women’s Day. Head to lorealparis.ca/en-ca/women-of-worth by December 23rd. Instagram: @lorealparis Facebook: facebook.com/lorealpariscanada Website: lorealparis.ca/en-ca/women-of-worth ..... This season of The Brand is Female is brought to you by TD Bank - Women Entrepreneurs. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women Entrepreneurs: td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

This week’s episode features Vancouver-based Entrepreneur Nisha Grewal, the founder of Ambari Beauty, a line that’s captured the attention of retailers such as Neiman Marcus, and A-listers including Kourtney Kardashian and her lifestyle platform Poosh. In creating Ambari, Nisha was inspired by her Indian upbringing which she credits for her use and knowledge of natural ingredients to tackle beauty challenges. Today her potent beauty products including Ambari’s famous Evening Serum or famed Hydrator Cream are international best sellers — not bad for a first time Beauty Brand Founder! ——————— This episode is brought to you by Goodfood. Goodfood makes it ultra easy to try new food and flavours with same-day delivery. Choose between their restaurant-quality meal kits, ready-to-eat foods and quality grocery selection which gives you access to fun and healthy meals whenever you want. Visit makegoodfood.ca to learn more about how to get farm-fresh ingredients and chef designed meals, delivered to your door, fast. This season of The Brand is Female is brought to you by TD Bank - Women Entrepreneurs. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Find out how you can benefit from their support!———-Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women Entrepreneurs: td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale