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IWD Spotlight: 8 Women-Owned Canadian Businesses
Women are changing the face of entrepreneurship. While still underrepresented, their influence is undeniable with research showing that 90% of women reinvest their income back into their families and communities, creating a ripple effect of economic and social growth.
At Scout, we're proud to be a woman-owned business that actively supports and uplifts other women entrepreneurs. When you choose to shop with us, you're not just buying unique, handmade goods – you're also becoming part of our ecosystem that invests in women, advances gender equality and drives impact in your community.
This International Women's Day, we're celebrating eight remarkable Canadian women entrepreneurs who are redefining success on their own terms and making a real impact with their businesses. From ethical jewelry and sustainable skincare to inclusive employment and Indigenous-led businesses, these founders demonstrate that investing in women means investing in a more resilient, connected and positive future for all.
Meet Dr. Leigh Joseph of Skwálwen Botanicals
Skwálwen Botanicals is a skincare brand rooted in Indigenous plant knowledge and ethnobotany. Made in Squamish, BC.
1. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? Being an entrepreneur allows me to bring my creativity and vision to how I work with culturally important plants. It means a lot to me to be able to showcase the Squamish Indigenous language on my packaging and in our brand storytelling. Skwálwen is contributing to increasing Indigenous representation in the skincare space as well as more broadly in business. I set out to start Skwálwen as a business that honours cultural teachings and ethics and as I grow the brand I consistently come back to teachings from my elders and community mentors to ensure I am being respectful, responsible and reciprocal in how I run my business. Entrepreneurship has many benefits, it is self directed, it is a way to bring your imagination and vision to the world exactly in the ways you want to, but it certainly has its challenges too.
2. What keeps you motivated to keep on going when things get tough? I always come back to my greater "why" for starting this business when things get tough. Reconnecting with the reasons why I started Skwálwen is a powerful way to remind myself of the impact I want Skwalwen to make and how I honor my ancestors in the work that I do through my business. When I started Skwálwen I wanted to increase Indigenous representation in the skincare space as well as business in general. I also have found that Skwálwen offers me a creative outlet for my academic work with culturally important plants. Also, having a way to give back to Indigenous communities and to the land is an important aspect of Skwálwen that motivates me to keep going when times are tough.
3. What is one way your business contributes to your community? The most important goals of the company are to continue to increase Indigenous representation and continue to give back to the land and to Indigenous communities. We do this through our initiatives in the business found here: https://skwalwen.com/pages/giving-back As I continue to grow Skwálwen I continue to follow the teachings of my ancestors and elders in prioritizing the impact of my business over profit. As the business scales and grows in profitability I will be able to grow the ways we give back to Indigenous communities and the land.
Meet Nancy Mac of Freon Collective
Freon Collective is a low-waste lifestyle brand crafted with small-batch production practices. Made in Toronto, Ontario.
1. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? I have always been passionate about design, sustainability, and supporting local businesses. When I first opened Freon Collective, we were working with various local businesses to manufacture and sew products for their brand. Seeing how other brands operated and ran their business inspired me to open my own in-house brand, and I have loved every minute of it over the past six years!
2. What keeps you motivated to keep on going when things get tough? The community! Whether it's other business owners or our own customers, I always think about how supportive this community is and has been over the past few years. From sharing local brands to making an effort to #shoplocal, everyone in our community has been wonderful and is a huge motivating factor for me to continue doing this business.
3. What is one way your business contributes to your community? As a BIPOC woman-owned business, we are committed to supporting programs that support women, such as donating a portion of our WOMAN SERIES sales to Nellie's Shelter. Their mission is to operate programs and services for women and children who have and are experiencing oppressions such as violence, poverty and homelessness. In addition to Nellie's Shelter, we have also been able to donate a portion of our sales to The 519, Black Women in Motion, Nia Centre for the Arts, and The Legacy of Hope Foundation with the support of our wonderful customers!
Meet Christine Riediger of Bush Berry
Bush Berry is a small-batch, organic loose-leaf tea company. Made in Nakusp, BC.
1. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? I've always been a creative person and I love to challenge myself. This led me to take a gap year after high school and open a brick-and-mortar shop that sold skateboards and clothing. This didn't feel like my calling, so I eventually went to school to study horticulture. When my husband and I decided to start a family, I also decided I wanted to stay at home and try selling tea. Two years later, I was able to stay at home full-time and run my business. It was a dream come true!
2. What keeps you motivated to keep on going when things get tough? I think of everything that I have accomplished and remember what those moments of doubt and despair feel like, but also how you feel when you work hard and overcome the tough times. I also don't like to give up ;)
3. What is one way your business contributes to your community? The most important thing our business is doing is reducing waste for future generations. I have researched single-use packaging extensively and only felt good about a product that would quickly regenerate back to soil. This will benefit my community, country, and the world for many generations to come. We are also BC Green Business certified, so we strive to reduce our business waste and better our local environment. We also have a tea called "Womanly" releasing on March 8 where we will donate all of the proceeds to help empower women in the tea industry.
Meet Dr. Roohi Qureshi of Leaves of Trees
Leaves of Trees is a modern apothecary that makes all-natural products that will leave your skin feeling smooth, rejuvenated and healthy. Made in Toronto, Ontario.
1. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? I like to make things and I am really interested in the idea of transforming simple things to add value to them. I didn’t plan to become an entrepreneur but I was encouraged to give it a go by the positive response to my ideas and my products.
2. What keeps you motivated to keep on going when things get tough? Hearing feedback from our loyal customers is what keeps me motivated to keep going when things get tough. We have many very loyal customers who enjoy our products (especially the deodorants) and who are enthusiastic about recommending us to their friends and family.
3. What is one way your business contributes to your community? We buy fair trade raw materials as far as possible and we are able to buy our argan oil and rose essential oil directly from the cooperatives that produce them in order to maximize the benefit to the people who are actually doing the work to produce them.
Meet Lichia Liu of Gotamago
Gotamago creates small-batch paper and gift products with an emphasis on building local partnerships and sustainable processes. Made in Toronto, Ontario.
1. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? I’ve always loved creating and figuring out how things work, and in the beginning, I was obsessed with the process of starting a business, making it entirely my own, and understanding how to become profitable. Now that my kids are older, I see myself through their eyes, and being an entrepreneur takes on new importance as a role model. To them, a woman leading a team and calling the shots is completely normal, as is the idea that you can make a living from doing something creative.
2. What keeps you motivated to keep on going when things get tough? My payroll, to be honest! Knowing that we are providing financial security to others keeps me hustling and finding ways to grow or pivot the business. The support of our customers and retailers is also crucial, and kind words make a huge difference.
3. What is one way your business contributes to your community? We are proud to have given back to our community for a decade, from products that donate a portion of proceeds back to non-profits (like our Alphabet Dog tote bags), to donation drives like our annual Give-back Black Friday weekends (which benefit organizations working in food security). When we support one another, we all win.
Meet Tanya Gluvakov of Roots + Raven
Roots + Raven is a botanical body care brand made with indigenous plants and medicines. Made in Alliston, Ontario.
1. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? I've always had an entrepreneurial spirit since a very young age. I was a dog walker, a groomer and most recently the face behind this brand and teachings we do.
2. What keeps you motivated to keep on going when things get tough? When things get tough I allow myself to feel and discover the beauty in rest. Rest is so important for driving us forward from the heart in its restful state.
3. What is one way your business contributes to your community? We are continuously working on ways to help folks delve deeper into connecting to land by way of teaching workshops, medicine walks and most recently medicine resurgence projects.
Meet Kara Yoo of Kara Yoo
Kara Yoo is a jewelry brand that mixes softness with structure and aims to limit their impact on the earth. Made in Vancouver, BC.
1. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? My parents inspired me to start my own business. I saw them work tirelessly over the years on their own businesses to succeed in Canada as South Korean immigrants. When I was a teenager, my sister taught me how to make beaded jewelry. I would recreate designs I saw in magazines and continued to make jewelry as a hobby. During business school, I met successful jewelry designers from NYC and did a case study on a Canadian jewelry brand - I found their career path intriguing. This is when I decided that I wanted to be a jewelry designer!
2. What keeps you motivated to keep on going when things get tough? Remembering that things get tough before getting better, and that effort and perseverance do eventually pay off - within reason of course. Having that reminder can help push through challenges, especially when things seem overwhelming.
3. What is one way your business contributes to your community? One way my business contributes to the community is by collaborating with local vendors for our castings and supporting a team of seven women working in our Vancouver studio. We also love to create posts that highlight local brands.
Meet Holly Singer of Milk Jar
Milk Jar is a candle company that donates $1 from every candle sold to non-profits supporting children with disabilities. Made in Calgary, Alberta.
1. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? Entrepreneurship wasn’t something I planned for—I actually have a Kinesiology degree! But my experience working with children with disabilities changed my perspective on what I wanted to do in life. While in university, I did a practicum in pool therapy with a boy with cerebral palsy, and we ended up swimming together for seven years. That experience, along with working at the Cause and Effect Foundation, gave me a deep passion for supporting people with disabilities. When I started making candles, I saw an opportunity to merge business with a greater purpose, even if it didn’t fit the traditional mold. I believed that Milk Jar could be a vehicle for inclusion and giving back, and that belief pushed me to take the leap into entrepreneurship.
2. What keeps you motivated to keep on going when things get tough? There have been many moments of doubt and challenge, especially in the early years when I was doing everything on my own. But what keeps me going is knowing that Milk Jar is about more than just me—it’s about the people we support, the team we’ve built, and the community we serve. When I see the impact we’re making—whether it’s through donations, employing people with disabilities, or simply creating products that bring joy into people’s homes—it reminds me why I started. Passion for helping others has always been my driving force, and that’s what keeps me going even on the hardest days.
3. What is one way your business contributes to your community? From the very beginning, Milk Jar has been about giving back. One of the ways we contribute to our community is by donating $1 from every candle sold to nonprofits that support children with disabilities in Alberta. But beyond financial support, we also create inclusive employment opportunities by hiring individuals with disabilities to be part of our production team. We want to show that businesses can—and should—be a force for good, and for us, that means making our community more inclusive and accessible.