The Brand is Female

SheEO Founder Vicki Saunders describes herself as an entrepreneur, mentor and advisor to the next generation of changemakers. Through her experience running several ventures in Europe, Toronto and Silicon Valley, Vicki realized that fundamental change was needed in order to see the barriers preventing women entrepreneurs to tap into financing resources and overall support be lifted. To help make that change happen, Vicki went on to create SheEO in 2015, a concept which she sums up as #radicalgenerosity, allowing activators from around the world to invest a small amount of money into a fund that goes on to benefit female founders who have a project that helps make our world a better place, a brilliant idea which has already seen over $4 million raised globally and over 73 female-led ventures supported.Learn more about Vicki’s journey and what inspired her to create a platform in support of women in business.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!

In 2012, Montreal native Florence Gagnon created a platform to provide resources to the lesbian and queer communities, LezSpreadTheWord, the first bilingual website of its kind in Canada. Two years later, she launched the FÉMININ/FÉMININ fiction series, along with director Chloé Robichaud, a filmmaker known for several award-winning productions including Sarah Préfère la Course and Boundaries. The series went on to win two Gemini Awards in Quebec, and several international prizes. In 2016, she published the first issue of LSTW magazine, a bilingual Canadian publication, now distributed nationally as well as across the US and Europe, including London and Stockholm, and MoMA PS1 in New York. Tegan and Sara as well as Lena Waithe have been featured on its cover, among other high-profile personalities. Florence has been an advocate for the representation of the lesbian and queer community — and womxn in general — throughout her journey.Listen to our conversation where we talk about gender equity, including the challenges all wxmen face when it comes to representation in mainstream media, and find out how LSTW is aiming two help change the narrative around inclusion.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.

A true globetrotter who has lived around the world before settling in Toronto, Elle AyoubZadeh launched Zvelle in 2015 for women who are global citizen themselves. She wanted to create a brand known for its quality — but not while selling at unattainable prices; and she wanted to lead a company that would be aligned with the social values that matter to her as a founder. Her line of shoes and handbags are timeless and well-made so that you won’t throw them out after just one season; a great way of aiming for sustainability when it comes to fashion. She personally works with all her suppliers to make sure the best materials and the best craftsmen are behind her designs. Discover her journey building a brand from the ground up!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.This podcast was recorded at Hoame, our favourite meditation studio in Toronto.

Jennifer Brodeur, or JB Skin Guru as she is called on Instagram is well known for the celebrity clientele she services, with devotees who include Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama and Gwyneth Paltrow. Now if these women come back to her you know her facials and products are next level. But Jennifer’s real superpower is her passion for wellness, health and improving women’s skin everywhere, which she relates to helping women feel empowered — all through a holistic approach to beauty. We’re completely here for this, of course. Her book, La Peau et ses secrets, or “The Skin and its secrets” is just about to launch in French (English version coming soon, she promised) and in it you’ll have access to Jennifer’s secrets and tips for natural beauty and amazing skin, which she has perfected over her 20-year career. Listen to our conversation with Jennifer and discover her unique journey - there may even be a few health and skincare tips in there!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.

This bonus episode features an interview with Chantal Pitre who heads TD’s brand new Women Entrepreneurs program as well as Camille Beaudoin from UN Women. Listen to a conversation about the challenges faced by women in business, especially as it relates to banking and financing and learn more about WE EMPOWER — an initiative from UN Women, the European Union and the ILO as well as the #FlexForEmpowerment campaign which seek to promote gender equality and women empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community.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.

The New York-based duo has been getting buzz in part because of its famous family connections, namely Neely and Chloe’s aunt, Tory Burch. But the two sisters have built an empire all of their own: Neely & Chloe is a successful line of affordable yet sustainable bags, footwear and accessories that aims to fill the void between fast fashion and luxury without sacrificing quality. You can find their designs in retailers across the US, over 150 at this point including Anthropologie, in addition to their own e-commerce boutique. Neely and Chloe’s success has been fuelled by their authentic approach with their consumer base, or what they call “the founder effect”, as well as the appeal of their wide range of products, with something to fit women’s various lifestyles, no matter their age.Listen to Neely and Chloe’s journey and discover what they’ve learned along the way!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.

Connie Lo and Laura Burget are the co-founders of Niu Body, a natural skincare brand they launched in 2017 after being frustrated with the lack of clean beauty options on the market. Starting their company at 23 and with just $4,000 in their pockets, their grit and determination has definitely paid off as today the brand can be found in over 350 retailers across North America, including The Bay in Canada and Kohls in the US. Listen to Connie and Laura’s story of growth as well as the lessons they learned along the way! 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.

Our first guest of the third season of The Brand is Female is Salima Visram, founder of Samara, a brand of vegan leather goods based in Toronto, founded in 2017. The company is a favourite among influencers and fashion editors and it grew to sell over 70,000 vegan bags last year which were shipped to more than 22 countries. Made of 100% cruelty-free materials, Samara is a spin-off which also helps fund Salima’s first business venture, Soular Backpack, a not-for-profit she created with the goal of providing solar-battery backpacks to children in East Africa, so that they could do their homework at night without needing access to kerosene, an expense their families can’t always afford. Soular Backpack drew attention from the likes of Disney and actress Lupita Nyong’o who both became involved. Originally from Kenya herself, Salima has always had the goal of making our world better through her business concepts.Find out how Salima applies sustainability principles to her company’s strategy and how she’s building a brand based on the belief that we should live in a world where fashion can do good, not just look good!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.

This week, our guest is Stephanie Kersta, co-founder of Hoame, The Brand is Female’s favourite meditation studio in downtown Toronto. Stephanie is a registered psychotherapist who holds a Masters in Psychology. She pursued additional certifications, including post-grad studies in Addictions and Mental Health Counselling, and she has incorporated additional evidence-based holistic practices to her training; she is now certified in Applied Mindfulness Meditation, Stress Reduction, Cognitive Therapy, and Mindful Eating. Stephanie opened the meditation studio Hoame with her business partner Carolyn Plater a little over a year ago. One of the things Stephanie specializes in is sleep therapy, and we thought she’d be the perfect interview to end the year with, as we all need support with our sleeping habits, especially this time of year! It can also be a difficult time for anxiety overall, and we asked Steph to share a few tips. If you’re finding yourself triggered or wondering how to get the best rest in the middle of the Holiday break; this episode is for you!

Mary Alice Malone is the founder of New-York and London-based Malone Souliers.Mary Alice’s eponymous brand of elevated women’s shoes was founded in 2014 in London, and quickly rose to become a leading name in International luxury footwear. Picked up by leading e-comm fashion retailers such as Net-a-Porter and Matches shortly after the brand was launched, Malone started appearing on every cool girl’s feet. Launching in the UK first, the brand won over customers in the Middle East and Europe, then North America.Mary Alice Malone was born and raised in the heart of the Pennsylvania countryside. Passionate about horse riding, Mary Alice didn’t expect she’d become a footwear designer one day, but she was always interested in craftsmanship and the process of designing objects.She later honed her craft at the London College of Fashion, further refining her skills at a number of renowned ateliers, before launching her own brand.Mary Alice took a short break from leading Malone when she became pregnant with her first child, leaving co-founder Roy Luwort in charge; but she came back, determined to continue to lead Malone’s love story with customers across the world, and carry on the brand’s expansion.Listen to our interview with Mary Alice where we talk about the obstacles she has faced breaking through footwear glass ceilings — after all, luxury women’s footwear is traditionally designed mostly by men for some odd reason… and discover the many lessons she has learned along the way.