This week, on the podcast, host Eva Hartling speaks with Jane Riddell, President of GoodLife Fitness. With over 40 years of experience, Jane has worked in various roles within GoodLife and its parent company, from selling memberships to C-suite. As a member of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, Jane is committed to creating inclusive environments and supports diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. She has played a key role in shaping the company's culture at GoodLife Fitness, and ensuring decisions align with its core values. She believes that people are the heart of any business and actively shares her knowledge and experiences for personal and professional development. Recognized for her contributions, she has been named one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women and one of the Most Influential Women in Sport and Physical Activity. Beyond her professional life, Jane is passionate about animal welfare and serves as a board member for Golden Rescue, an organization dedicated to rescuing and re-homing Golden Retrievers. She holds a bachelor's degree in anthropology and a master's degree in physical education from Western University, where she excelled as a varsity athlete and captain of the basketball team.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! Please 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, on the podcast, host Eva Hartling speaks with Anna Sinclair, a former actor and performer who had to pause her career when she became pregnant. That’s when she started her business, Total Mom, which serves a community of mom entrepreneurs through its programs and partnerships, including Total Mom Pitch, where entrepreneurs across Canada can apply for $50,000 in grants and services. As the Founder and CEO of Total Mom Inc., Anna is dedicated to offering a professional community network to help women founders start and grow their businesses while juggling motherhood. She is also the Founder of the Canadian Women Entrepreneurs Gala, which recognizes and honours leading companies' influential programs, campaigns, and CSR initiatives that have paved the way for a more equal and diverse ecosystem for women in business.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! Please 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 Melody Adhami, the “Queen of Apps.” Melody launched Ontario’s first private testing operation during Covid, with labs that conducted over 350,000 COVID tests for individuals and companies. Her latest tech venture is also in health, supporting women's fertility journey. Melody had quit her steady job working on brands like Dove, Hellmann's and Lipton to launch Plastic Mobile, a company that focuses on the emerging world of mobile apps. After a successful exit, she co-founded FH Health, Ontario's first private testing operation that helps businesses keep their workforces safe. FH Health became a leader in the Covid response with 20 clinics that provided individuals and clients such as Amazon, Apple, Netflix and BMO with a sense of relief and safety. Melody’s latest venture, Pollin, is based on a fertility-focused technology platform to power a full suite of person-centric reproductive health services. As an influential leader in tech and a recognized voice in the industry, Melody also spearheads an executive women’s dinner, bringing together top female executives to discuss how to get more women into more senior leadership roles. In 2017 she was awarded Canada’s Top 40 under 40, followed by recognition as one of Canada’s Top 100 Powerful Women in both 2018 and 2019 in the Tech and Trailblazer categories.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! Please 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, on the podcast, host Eva Hartling speaks with Emily O’Brien, founder of Comeback Snacks. Emily’s unlikely journey into the popcorn business began in 2018 while serving time at a federal prison for drug smuggling. Despite being behind bars, she managed to produce a product and support its launch, making it a successful business. Emily transformed an obstacle into an opportunity. The idea for a popcorn brand came to her while watching the 2018 Super Bowl when she was enjoying the flavoured popcorn her fellow inmates had created. Emily used her network outside of prison to conduct market research on the popcorn industry. A few months later, her brand became a viable business, with approval from Correctional Service Canada. When Emily was released from custody in December 2018, she was ready to take her business to the next level, and today, Comeback Snacks line of products is available in close to 1,000 stores throughout Canada. Where possible, Comeback Snacks hires people with criminal backgrounds or helps them find work through their partners. As well, the company aims to provide a portion of profits to organizations focused on reintegration programs and prison reform.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

Dans le cadre de ses fonctions, Yolande accompagne Radio-Canada dans ses projets liés à l'inclusion et la diversité, en plus de développer et renforcer les liens de Radio-Canada avec les communautés et l'industrie. Elle contribue aussi à l'atteinte des objectifs de recrutement et de promotion en matière de diversité. Cette conversation a lieu juste au moment où nous publions un rapport spécial sur l'équité entre les sexes en milieu de travail, en collaboration avec nos partenaires à Randstad Canada. Dans le monde d'aujourd'hui, où la pénurie de talents, le vieillissement de la population et un contexte commercial post-pandémique axé sur la technologie et où les frontières se sont effacées, il n'est pas surprenant que la création d'un environnement de travail inclusif, équitable et accessible produise de meilleurs résultats en termes de performance et d'engagement. Mais les entreprises mettent-elles vraiment en pratique ce qu'elles prêchent ? Pour les femmes canadiennes, la situation n'est pas aussi brillante que les entreprises pourraient le laisser croire. Selon une étude nationale menée par Randstad Canada, les femmes estiment que le rythme du changement est lent. Malgré une sensibilisation accrue à l'équité, les femmes disent qu'on ne leur offre toujours pas les mêmes opportunités qu'aux hommes.Dans cette conversation avec Yolande James, nous explorons comment et pourquoi la mise en œuvre de l'équité entre les sexes garantit une culture du travail où chacun peut s'épanouir, et où les femmes peuvent sentir que les éléments appropriés sont en place pour une expérience positive qui soutient leur croissance. Pour en savoir plus sur notre rapport sur l'égalité des sexes, consultez le site thebrandisfemale.com.

This week, on the podcast, host Eva Hartling is having a special conversation about gender equity in the workplace, and her guest is Yolande James, Executive Director, Diversity and Inclusion, for French-language broadcaster Radio-Canada. A lawyer and mediator, Yolande James became the first Black woman elected to Quebec’s National Assembly in 2004, and the first person from the Black community appointed to a Government of Quebec cabinet position when she was named Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities in 2007. In her role, Yolande leads Radio-Canada’s inclusion and engagement initiatives, providing support and guidance to departments and teams on their diversity and inclusion projects. She also helps the public broadcaster achieve its diversity recruitment, promotion and development targets. This conversation takes place just as we release a special report about gender equity in the workplace, along with our partners at Randstad Canada. In today’s world, where talent scarcity, an aging population, and a borderless, tech-driven, post-pandemic business context make up our reality, it comes as no surprise that building an inclusive, equitable and accessible working environment yields better results in terms of performance and engagement. But do companies really practice what they preach? For Canadian women, things are not as glossy as companies might make them appear. According to national research conducted by Randstad Canada, women feel the pace of change is slow. Despite increased awareness around equity, women say they still aren’t offered the same opportunities as men. In this conversation with Yolande James, we explore how and why implementing gender equity ensures a work culture where everyone can thrive, and where women can feel like the proper elements are in place for a positive experience that supports their growth. For more about our report on gender equity, head to thebrandisfemale.com.........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, on the podcast, host Eva Hartling speaks with Bojana Sentaler, Founder and CEO of SENTALER, a Canadian luxury outerwear brand with impressive growth and a celebrity cult following. Bojana’s designs have been worn by the likes of Kate Middleton, Jennifer Lopez, Halle Berry, Heidi Klum, Gigi Hadid and more. Bojana moved to Toronto from Serbia when she was still a child. She knew she had an interest in style and design early on, but chose to study marketing and finance instead. After graduating from university, a chance encounter with Karl Lagerfeld while on a work trip led her to reconnect with her interest in fashion. Finding herself in Peru, Bojana discovered alpaca, which inspired her to create high-end outerwear. In 2009, SENTALER was launched, and the brand was quickly picked up by major department stores throughout North America, from Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, and Holt Renfrew. Editors and celebrities alike endorsed the brand and in 2021, Bojana opened the SENTALER Atelier, a retail store in the heart of Yorkville, Toronto, where she launched her first men’s collection, SENTALER MEN. A true visionary, Bojana built her business from the ground up, and applied perseverance and resourcefulness to create a brand that stands out and has demonstrated its worth in an overcrowded fashion industry.........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, on the podcast, host Eva Hartling speaks with Taneka Clarke-Powell, Founder and Designer of Slayedbyten. Taneka began making her own clothes at home while in her last year of law school. When people on the street started asking her who had designed her outfits, she knew there was a business there. Taneka applied her corporate background and skills to the launch of her new business. Fast forward to six years later, Taneka’s company, Slayedbyten, is a thriving operation with six employees, a physical store location, garments sold worldwide, and appearances at Vancouver and Paris Fashion Week. Taneka designs for her couture label and leads the company’s strategy and growth, all while being a present mom of four kids.........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, on the podcast, host Eva Hartling speaks with April Pride, Founder of cannabis brand Van der Pop, which April sold to the world’s largest cannabis company, Canopy Growth, in 2018. Following her successful exit, April launched Of Like Minds, which develops brands for women who are changing their lives thanks to altered states of consciousness — a topic April also explores as host of The High Guide podcast. A serial entrepreneur who has been developing brands and products for 20 years, April now invests exclusively in women entrepreneurs and innovative businesses that serve women consumers. April is also a brand consultant in the legal cannabis space. In this conversation we explore the challenges and opportunities that exist for women in the cannabis space, and we talk about what business is starting to enter the field of psychedelics, an area April is exploring through Of Like Minds.........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, on the podcast, host Eva Hartling speaks with Valerie Pringle, former host of CTV’s Canada AM and CBC’s Midday and host of several television series, breaking glass ceilings for women in television, and paving the way for a new generation of women in the media. She is a member of the Order of Canada, awarded for her work in broadcasting and philanthropy, and one of Canada’s most respected television broadcasters of the last 50 years. When Valerie took a pause from her broadcast career, she engaged with the non-profit world, championing HIV research and the end of stigma for CANFAR (The Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research) and led efforts to build the Trans Canada Trail, working for over two decades to see it come to life. In her current role as Chair of CAMH (the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation), Valerie continues to advocate for the treatment of mental illness. Recently, Valerie decided to come out of “semi-retirement” to become Host and Producer of CANADA FILES, an interview series broadcast on PBS Network, featuring discussions with prominent and successful Canadians. Valerie is an inspiration for all women working in front or behind the screen.........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