“The people of Ottawa deserve delicious donuts! ”
All in Community
NL Fitness - Jamil Abiad
“ Being involved in the community is something I always try to do. I have been fortunate enough to be part of the OC Express basketball team & at times the Ottawa Police Hoopstars. Both of these programs were created to bring the community together through Basketball.”
Les Moulins La Fayette - Ghummaz, Veda, Aditya
“The staff is the heart and soul of our café. Each person contributes to their very best because they care, they are part of the family, they are part of this community. Two of our 3 partners live in Hintonburg because they have fallen in LOVE with the community. Our philosophy is very simple, having a positive impact, in the community that we serve, will leave a legacy that is greater than the size of our foot print. As a result, we sit on the Wellington West Business Improvement Area (BIA) Board and contribute to the local business advocacy initiatives. We often collaborate with various local businesses and community organizations. We are not merely selling products, we have become a home to so many families that come and stay because they enjoy the experience, the staff and the food.”
PROCARE Family Centre - Tiffany & Erin
“ The core idea behind PROCARE was a centre that's inclusive, educational, FUN, safe, vibrant and supportive for children to blossom into their individual beings all while learning through a play base program. “
allsaints event space - Leanne Moussa
“From the get go we have been an open and inclusive space. We are always delighted in sharing the rich history of the building. Many people we've met over the years attended church, got married, and celebrated all sorts of occasions here, and it was important for us to continue the tradition of having this building serve as a space of celebration and community. “ Leanne Moussa
Maison Noi - Robin, Emilie & Sonia
“All of us were reaching the 15-16 year mark in the business and it was becoming clear that we needed a challenge, we were ready to grow professionally. It was important to create a salon where we could bring our shared values to life, with our skills and hard work. The three of us wanted the same positive change, so we decided to take the leap together.”
White Cross Dispensary - Chantal & James
“We are blessed to have very loyal customers. When we started in 2006, we were pleasantly surprised with the number of patrons that had been loyal for decades. Many shared stories of how they have been clients for 50 years and continue to this day.”
Backcountry Wok + Wok Fresh - Melanie Ang
“ Backcountry Wok started from our desire to create better tasting and less wasteful dehydrated meals for camping. It is really important to me for our meals to be as sustainable and local as possible. That’s why we source all our produce from local producers here in Ontario. We prep and dehydrate all the ingredients in-house. “
True Bijoux + Howard Fine Jewellers - Lindsay & Stephanie
“It is a lot of work. It helps that we each take a lead in a specific store. Working in any partnership requires respect, communication and a shared set of core values. “
Treatwell Pet Care & Veterinary Services of Ottawa - Mike Mossop
“Personally, I was getting burnt out with traditional practice and needed a change. It took some time and some soul-searching to figure what type of change was right for me, but mobile practice seemed to offer so much of what I was looking for that, in the end, I couldn't resist.”
Timm Holmes - Timm
“ I’m an author of children’s books but I’m also a father to two young sons that my wife and I adopted in 2013. Our bond as a forever family was formed over our mutual love of reading books and storytelling. I knew I wanted to tell stories after I won a storytelling contest in grade one telling Robert Munsch’s “Mortimer”.
HEXO Corp - Adam Miron
“Dig in. Starting a business is awesome. It's exciting and fun. But it isn't fun when you are a year or two in, broke, stressed, and having a hard time seeing the other side. If you start a business thinking it's going to be super fun the whole time, you are probably setting yourself for a major let down.”
Moe's BBQ - Mobeen
“ I initially started BBQing because southern style halal smoked meat is extremely rare in all of North America. As a practicing Muslim, I only eat halal. Therefore, to enjoy smoked meat I had to learn to smoke it myself. “
GEM Conference - Amanda
"By building community, we all rise up together. Gem Conference was built out of the desire to offer inspired experiences that delivers deep, meaningful content"
Venus Envy - Sam
“I feel really lucky to be part of a network of thoughtful, conscientious, community-oriented business owners in Ottawa. There is something so special to me about businesses who see it as their mission to give back to the communities they’re a part of. I think that also resonates with people living in Ottawa, and has helped to build the strong ‘Shop Local’ ethic here.”
Pure Kitchen - Kyle & Olivia
“We believe it is important not only to be a community for people, but to also give back to our communities. Whether it is partnering with a community organization for our monthly smoothie, taking teams over to Parkdale or The Mission to cook or hiring clients from Causeway, we want to help at the local level to break down barriers for those in need.”
Urban Reifen - Kenny & Twinson
“ The idea was to offer traditional beverages akin to the origins of our ethnic culture (Hong Kong). While customers get their vehicle serviced, they can enjoy a serene café-like atmosphere with a beverage of their choice while they wait. “
This Is Healthful - Cheryl
“ …something always pulled me towards health and fitness from high school into post secondary and into my career. But if you would have asked me when I was 10 yrs old I wanted to own/operate a zoo. Things have changed. “
Capital Barbershop - Ankur
“Ever since I've started learning how to cut hair, I’ve wanted a barbershop of my own.”
Epic Fitness - Stephanie
“Business to me feels like home just like a gym does. I love the mindset of entrepreneurs and it's nice to know I'm not the only outlier. Ottawa is a bigger hub for business than people give it credit for. I am proud to be apart of the business community here. It's inspirational.”