You can now nominate and vote in the 5th annual SavvyMom Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. Since 2007, SavvyMom online parenting network has celebrated business-minded mothers by offering up a $15,000 prize to what their judges deem the most successful and most influential company of the year in the mom entrepreneur world.
I profiled two local finalists in 2009 and once again Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley have a strong showing in this national competition.
So what makes a mom entrepreneur? Nominees must be the founder, developer, day-to-day operator of a business that was founded after becoming a mother (see full contest rules and regulations).
I emailed back and forth with one of the nominees, Jennifer Thornton, who founded Geekling Designs in 2009. She was trying to find something unique for her eldest daughter to wear when she was a baby and failing to locate just the right styles, she took it upon herself to start designing outfits.
“Having always had a passion for anything crafty, I made a bodysuit for her to wear, which showed off my and my husband’s love for video games,” Jennifer told me. “After a lot of compliments on her bodysuit, Geekling Designs was born and we started selling at local swap meets and online.”
Jennifer said that her target audience is “fellow geeks” who will get the Harry Potter, gamer, and computer-oriented references that are printed on her child-size outfits. “Due to the popularity of video games and movies such as Harry Potter, ‘geek’ has gone chic, and parents are gobbling up wares for their geeklings!”
Should she win the Savvy Mom award, Jennifer would use the $15,000 prize as an investment in her home-based business, streamlining production and getting in more equipment. Winners receive $5,000 cash along with other goods and services that make up the remaining $10,000 value. This includes a full-year business mentorship with Laura Berg, winner of the 2010 award, and founder of My Smart Hands.
With such stiff competition and a growing “mompreneur” sector, I asked Jennifer how she feels she can compete in this market. “I found a niche market in providing geek-wear for children, and am passionate about what I do,” she replied. “If you believe in yourself and your product and put in some hard work, the rewards can be amazing.”
She said that when you can combine a career-driven woman with being a motivated parent, “You get the best of both worlds–being able to have complete control over your work, and able to focus on your children at the same time.
As for the effect of social media and online networking, which would be key to a building home-based business, Jennifer said that sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Etsy have been invaluable. She’s been able to expand her business beyond her Chilliwack home and reach customers in Europe, the UK, Australia, the US, and the rest of Canada.
“The rewards from social networking have been amazing. Not only can you connect with friends and family around the world, it has become a great avenue for self-promotion and brand awareness. I highly recommend using social media to help grow business.”
You can read more about the SavvyMom Entrepreneur Awards, nominees, winners, and judges online. Nominations are still open and the voting round is also open. The contest closes and voting ends September 12, 2011.
Where can you find sassy sword swallowers, titillating tassels and some of the region’s best local brews? The answer is Beerlesque at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown. Their annual fundraiser next Friday will showcase some of Vancouver’s most talented performers along with craft beer and the city’s favourite food cart creations. They’re calling it a “Feast for the Eyes and the Palette; a Carnival for the Senses!”
Performers will include Blackberry Wood, Jenny Magenta, Valery Vyntage, Rebel Valentine, Ruthe Ordare, Teddy Smooth, Bad Girls Burlesque, Big Red, M.Pyress Flame, Cosmo the Clown, Savage Cream Puff & Gordon White, Kata Sita, The World’s Youngest Female Sword Swallower, and the Lace Embrace Atelier fashion show.
Event partners Vancouver Craft Beer Week and CAMRA Vancouver will serve up Driftwood Brewing, Phillips Brewing, Russell Brewing, Red Truck Beer, Vancouver Island Brewing and many more. ReUp BBQ and Ursu Korean BBQ food carts will also be on site.
I asked Brenda Racanelli, Arts Programmer for the Roundhouse, why they decided to go with this format for their annual fundraiser. “The idea came about when we at the Roundhouse wanted to feature the amazing artists we support and who use our Community Arts Centre everyday by including them in a fundraising event,” Brenda told me by email. “The next step was to find an event partner who would bring something different to the table – we found CAMRA Vancouver and Vancouver Craft Beer Week who are like agents for craft beer – and that is how BEERLESQUE came to be! A celebration of local art that you can see, hear, and drink!”
Your $50 ticket includes all entertainment and beer, and will support the Roundhouse Community Centre as will proceeds from the raffle. You can also dress up (it’s encouraged) to enter to win the costume contest. Tickets can be purchased in advance online, by phone (604) 713-1800, or at the Roundhouse Front Desk. The event (for those 19 years of age and older) will run Friday, August 19, 2011 from 7:00pm until 12:00am.
The Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre is located in Yaletown and serves Yaletown and the Downtown East Side communities of Vancouver.
Sade is bringing her soulful soft rock to Vancouver this Saturday with a concert at Rogers Arena on Saturday. A hit in the 80’s with Smooth Operator this UK group (fronted by Sade Adu) has had staying power over the last two decades. Ordinary Love topped the charts in the 90’s and in 2002 they won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album.
Last year they released their sixth studio album, Soldier of Love, and once again took over smooth jazz countdown charts and earned a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group in 2011. Ranked at #50 in VH1’s “100 Greatest Artists of All Time” you can grab tickets to see Sade with guest John Legend from Live Nation for $49.50, $99.50 and $149.50.
I also have a pair of front row tickets to give away, here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment on this post naming a Sade song (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I entered to win front row tickets to see #Sade from @LiveNationWest & @Miss604 http://ow.ly/60Xrf
Since the concert is just a few days away, I will draw one winner tomorrow morning, Friday August 12, 2011, at 9:00am.
This weekend Brentwood Town Centre in Burnaby will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. There’s quite a bit of history at Brentwood, which has grown from an open-air mall to a major shopping centre with SkyTrain station access over the years.
Brentwood Shopping Centre opened in August of 1961 with anchor stores Eaton’s, Loblaw’s Supermarket, and Zellers (which is still there). At the time, it was the largest mall in BC.
As was the trend with many malls in the 70’s and 80’s, the open-air stip was covered and enclosed to form a permanent roof over the shopping centre in 1970. In 1980 they changed again, added a second level of stores and their iconic Teflon fabric roof (that mimics the North Shore Mountains). It was renamed Brentwood Mall in 1990.
In recent years Sears and London Drugs moved in, they added a children’s play area, and have completed other cosmetic upgrades. The name changed once again, to Brentwood Town Centre, in 2003 with the addition of the SkyTrain station.
My first time at Brentwood was in 1988 when it was the drop-off point for the summer camp I used to attend. Parents would line the parking lot as the big yellow bus pulled up and whisked us kids away to the Sunshine Coast for 7 days of outdoor adventures. The mall was of special significance to me again in 2006 when I purchased my wedding dress at Bryan’s Bride. It’s not everyday you get nostalgic about a shopping centre.
Stop by Saturday, August 13th, for a free concert from live bands, a cake-cutting ceremony, a kids’ zone (face painting and activities), an outdoor mini-market, and the London Drugs Tech Fair, starting at 10:00am.
I recently found out about Surrey’s Natural Areas Partnership (“SNAP”) thanks to a reader email and it reminded me of some of the initiatives I’ve seen from the Stanley Park Ecology Society over the years. Little did I know that SNAP has been around since 2001, “to promote the stewardship of Surrey’s natural areas.”
What started out with a handful of students doing habitat restoration has turned into a society that employs over a dozen post secondary students and over 30 volunteers.
Through programs like Eco Rangers, SNAP has helped beautify and maintain natural habitats in parks and public spaces like Blackie Spit Park, Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest, Green Timbers Urban Forest and Bear Creek Park.
Photos courtesy of SNAP
Last weekend they hosted a community care ‘invasive plant removal’ event at 69A Ave and 150B Street and over 40 people showed up to help. When you volunteer at a SNAP event like this you can learn about wildlife in your area, help plant native plants, get seeds for your garden, and enjoy refreshments. Tools and gloves are also provided.
The next SNAP event is this coming Saturday, August 13th, at Hyland Creek Park (6542 – 138 Street).
Find out about future events and initiatives by following @SNAPnature on Twitter. You can also email snap.program [at] gmail [dot] com to reach the program coordinator.
