The Box of Life

When The Box of Life founder Akil Mesiwala first entered the business of composting solutions, he had no way of knowing how quickly consumers would flock to his product. By creating a beautifully simple home composting solution that allows everyone from homeowners to renters to reduce their waste and produce the world’s highest-quality living soil without bugs or odour, Mesiwala is offering all Canadians the chance to reduce their carbon footprint. The company produces what they call “Worm Studios,” which are essentially indoor worm bins used to convert kitchen scraps into healthy soil in a hygienic way without any hassles.

“We support a vision of a society that creates no waste,” says Mesiwala on how the company lives up to its mantra of sustainability. “That said, we want our business to be a shining star in the zero waste, circular economy movement and try to be as conscientious as possible when it comes to our own operations. Typically manufacturing operations create a lot of industrial waste but we are really proud of the fact that our workshop sends almost nothing to landfill. Scrap pieces of wood are either remade into practical products or works of art. Our sawdust is composted in the summer and used as grit on sidewalks in winter.”

After leaving a job that didn’t align with his values of sustainability and environmentalism, he moved to Canada and officially launched The Box of Life in 2019. Soon after, the pandemic hit, but with much of the country working from home and looking to enliven their new workspaces, Mesiwala has managed to keep his business thriving behind his e-commerce platforms on Facebook and Instagram.

Saint Lyon

As a Black women-led premium athleisure brand, Saint Lyon has quickly disrupted the fashion industry and produced an array of eye-catching collections. From conception in the label’s Montreal and Ottawa-based studios to wardrobes around the country, Saint Lyon puts each product goes through a series of detailed steps including feedback-driven design and stress testing. The outcome is a fit that is crafted for performance, comfort, and confidence both in and out of the gym. Now, with the help of Facebook, Saint Lyon’s reach has grown across the country and continues to do so after being highlighted in the pop-up event.

“Initiatives like this help immensely with visibility,” says Saint Lyon co-owner Elom Tsiagbey. “Being a small e-commerce business, we rely a lot on word-of-mouth referrals. Having a temporary brick-and-mortar showcase in the heart of our national capital will help drive traffic to our online business and help fulfil the impact of our mission: to create products with a purpose.”

It’s not only the clothes that have kept customers coming back but the values of the label and its founder, Abby Boadi. By supporting mental health education, food banks, and facilities for women and children who need shelter, Saint Lyon is redefining how small businesses can impact their communities. Today, the brand makes contributions from each sale through Shopify to an eco-organization to help offset its carbon footprint.

Brenda Made This

After learning how to knit during the height of the pandemic, founder and Ottawa-native Brenda Lam’s designs quickly evolved to the point of designing her own clothes. Not long after, she decided to open up an Instagram Shop and by the next year had gained traction selling her knitted patterns as a small business. Now, Lam sells not only her knitted wears – which included gorgeous jumpers and vests – but the patterns themselves. She posts her most popular patterns on her website for sale with extensive instructions and a charming narrative, making the entire business feel as though you’re shopping from an old friend.

For those hoping for an even more personalized piece, Lam has created an order form where customers can make custom requests. But despite her success, like most small businesses today, Lam relies heavily on e-commerce platforms to grow, with 75% of her sales coming from Facebook and Instagram alone. When she launches a pattern, 90% of the immediate traction/sales will come from Facebook and Instagram.

Birch Bark Coffee Company Inc.

Few small businesses are as organically cause-driven as Birch Bark Coffee Company Inc. By committing to producing only Fair Trade, organic coffee from small producers of indigenous descent, the brand has provided the most refreshing, guilt-free way to kick off the morning.

Founded by Ojibwe Mark Marsolais-Nahwegahbow, Birch Bark Coffee Company Inc. has also committed to advocating for Canada’s indigenous communities by raising money to ensure clean water for all. To date, the company’s efforts have raised funds for 200 water filters. With Facebook being his primary referral source for sales, Marsolais-Nahwegahbow attributes approximately 80% of his sales to the platform. By nurturing a journey for people to determine their own economic and cultural improvement while still providing a refined product, Birch Bark Coffee Company Inc. has created a perfect blend for Canadian consumers.

Gather Food Truck

After being laid off from her job as a sous-chef in 2020 due to COVID-19, Emily Anderson saw this as the perfect opportunity to take a leap and pursue her dreams. A year later, that leap took on the form of Anderson’s Gather Food Truck. The mobile pop-up café offers customers plant-powered bowls, espresso energized drinks, sweet and savoury baked goods, and handmade pantry staples to sate any appetite.

Anderson says approximately three-quarters of her customers have discovered her business through Facebook, helping her to flourish when so many others in the food industry have struggled during the same period. But more than anything, it’s Anderson’s array of inclusive menu options, selection of creative merchandise, and entrepreneurial spirit that have made Gather Food Truck such a staple in Ottawa.

Nurture with Botanics

When Lashawna Phillips set out to start her small business, Nurture with Botanics, in March of 2020, she was emboldened by her grandfather’s love of herbal medicine. By using only local, natural ingredients, Nurture with Botanics lives up to the core values instilled in traditional herbal medicine. Phillips’ business sells the products directly – including beautiful sets of candles and teas – while also offering customers a wide variety of incredible botanical recipes for free on its website.

Nurture with Botanics also does seasonal tea bundles, with a portion going to a different non-profit with a mental health initiative. This year they picked a charity that focuses on supporting refugees coming to Canada from Afghanistan who may need mental health support. Yet despite her success and philanthropy, like so many other small businesses, the beginning of the pandemic was hard on Phillips’ brand. But after readjusting and emphasizing her e-commerce presence, her business is set to become a future pillar of Canada’s self-care industry.