For the first time, a permanent collection of my favorite curated travel photos will be yours to own — yours to put somewhere special in your home.
Affordably priced and available in a wide range of sizes and museum-quality frames, you’ll find beautiful options in three distinct collections: SEA, SUN, and SURF.
As a photographer, I always thought that having a website and a consistent social media presence was all I ever needed.
You see, 8 years ago I bootstrapped my business. I put all my entrepreneurial energy into my art and my client relationships. I focused on the immediate and built a strong word-of-mouth business.
But lately, something just wasn't clicking. I was having trouble imagining what the future of my business would look like. So many things have changed. The clients are bigger. My team is bigger. The creatives I'm being asked to dream up and produce are more complex.
I concluded that I needed to step back and re-evaluate.
Then the pandemic hit.
Once the shock of it all wore off and I was left with an empty calendar, I decided to put this at the top of my priority list.
I had no idea where to start but I figured, my partner, Adam would know.
Adam is a Brand Strategist. If anyone could help me evolve my brand, it would be him. Funny to think that I actually hadn't asked him earlier. I guess I was just so caught up in business, that I wasn’t focusing on the big picture.
We spent weeks just talking about the basics: my purpose, what I do, and who I do it for. I thought that after all these years I knew my business inside and out, but this exercise made me realize that I was still missing some pieces to communicate clearly what I do.
The reality is, that even though I spent the past decade creating, most of the time, I wasn’t alone at all. I couldn’t have done my work without the like-minded individuals who have slowly become an extension of my brand. It’s people like me, who love what they do, love working hard, and always thrive to provide the best possible final product. It’s producers, retouchers, art directors, assistants, and the list goes on. All vetted by me. All incredibly talented.
I decided to give this carefully curated collective a name. And this is how Bogar Inc. was born.
So what does this really mean? With this extension of my brand, I’m able to communicate that I have been creating on a large scale for many years now. That I’m not always the photographer on certain projects, because I also hire some of my other talented photographer/videographer peers. That I, very frequently also take on creative directing/art direction.
Does this mean I’m going to stop shooting? No. Absolutely not.
Will I be launching a big agency? Nope.
New website? Maybe at some point.
This really just means that I split my business into two sections - photography and full-service production.
And because all this foundational brand strategy work resulted in a clear vision for the future, I was fully set up for the next step, articulating my plan to a designer. And of course, when it comes to talented designers, I had to go with Rachelle from Saevil Row.
With Adam’s help, I developed a creative brief, a mood board, and a list of collateral I needed her to create. Three weeks later, after some constructive back and forth, she delivered my new visual identity package. It was pure magic.
This is what the new Bettina Bogar looks like and feels like...
and I can't wait to hear what you think about it.
This process was not easy but it's something I would recommend to anyone who's hit a wall with their business and needs some help breaking through. If you have any questions or want to know more about my experience going through this process, I’m happy to set up a video chat and we can jam more about your business. If you know what you need and you’re ready to get to work, I can’t recommend these two enough.
Adam Meery - Brand Strategist
Rachelle Saevil - Founder & Designer, Saevil Row
When the stay-at-home order came into effect in April, I wasn't able to leave the house or create the same way I'm used to. I wasn’t able to photograph people. But I was still craving human connection and had a strong desire to create.
Then an idea hit me. What if I can co-create with others while social distancing. What would that look like?
So I put a call out to my social media community asking if anyone wanted to participate in a 30-day selfie challenge. The only task was to take a selfie every day, without a filter.
To my surprise, a LOT of people signed up — people from all over the world. Old friends from high school, front line workers, other artists. And what surprised me more was that many of them fulfilled the commitment and submitted selfies every day.
But what started out as an art project turned out to also be an incredible social experiment.
My selfie-takers shared their most vulnerable moments with me. Grief, laughter, happiness, boredom, exhaustion. The participants had no idea what the others were submitting nor how similarly these vulnerable moments were.
After seeing these results I no longer feel alone, even though I’m still in self-isolation. I think this project made me understand the emotional impact of the world pandemic even more. I believe that at some point throughout the past months we all felt one or all of these emotions - alone, but collectively.
This project isn't really over. I still have a few ideas up my sleeve. But in the meantime, I wanted to highlight just a few of the ways we really and truly are 'all in this together'.
Stay safe out there friends.
xx
Bettina
PS: Which one of these emotions can you relate to? Let me know in the comment section.
Visual storytelling is what I do best, so I figured, I’d just let the pictures speak for themselves. Here’s our 13 day journey in a quick recap :)
Day 2 - Chicago, IL
A Chicago must-have!
View from Cindy’s.
Day 4-5 - Soybean-lands for 2 days until we hit Colorado.
Day 6 - Beautiful Keystone Lake (and dog-friendly!) resort. We loved our stay here.
Day 7 - Dillion Reservoir - aka Windows screensaver
Lonely Adam at sunset.
Day 8 - Leaving Colorado :(
Roadtrip buddies.
Adam’s getting artsy.
Not bad, Adam, not bad.
Crossing into Utah.
One of the most scenic days for driving.
Quick stop for Benzina Bocar.
Worth the stop!
Day 9 - An attempt for a family photo at our airbnb in Utah. Guess what. This was the best out of 20 tries. Gave up on having all the dogs in the shot.
Our Airbnb was in a middle of a massive ranch, so we could all make some new friends.
Bruce trying to befriend Mr Rooster
Bruce being scared by a “Cock-A-Doodle-Doo”
Forever alone.
Country looks good on Adam.
Our trip to Zion National Park.
Day 10 - Climbing Angels Landing in Zion National Park
Day 11 - Back on the Road
Day 12 - Mammoth Lakes, California
Horseshoe Lake, CA
Day 13 En Route to Yosemite.
Can’t get over the air traffic.
Special Princess Treatment
Overlooking Yosemite
When good things have to end.
WORDS By Anastasia Barbuzzi
SOURCE: CANCULTURE MAG
Creative Director Katherine Murdick chats with a visitor about the skinwork exhibition. (skinwork/Bettina Bogar)
In a new photo exhibition called skinwork, Toronto-based photographer Bettina Bogar managed to highlight the female form, raise awareness for skin cancer, and pay tribute to a late friend, Heather Mundle, with a humble grace unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.
At the exhibit launch event on International Women’s Day, a teary eyed Bogar stood before an audience ready to listen to a panel discussion about skin cancer prevention. She thanked friends and family for their attendance and took almost no credit for the alluringly curated, completely unedited collection of photos she put together with creative director Katherine Murdick.
“Heather was so passionate about skinwork and making it something bigger than us,” Bogar said. “We want to honour her life and her goal by doing as much as we can to encourage everyone to be aware of their skin’s health.”
The finer details
Featuring 60 Canadian women who have a special connection to the cause, Bogar’s exhibition took a unique approach to advocating for cancer prevention by focusing on skin markings left by melanoma. And for every skinwork print that’s sold, all profits go straight to the Melanoma Network of Canada – the movement’s official charitable partner.
Bettina Bogar shoots a close-up photo of a skinwork model. (skinwork/Bettina Bogar)
Bogar initiated skinwork last year with a select group of women including Heather Mundle. It was Mundle who passionately advocated for the project to be about skin cancer prevention having personally experienced melanoma earlier in her life. Unfortunately, Mundle’s cancer returned shortly after the project started and she sadly lost her battle to a metastatic melanoma in September of 2018.
While walking down the long hallway of wall to wall prints inside Artscape Youngplace with Murdick, skinwork’s creative director, a silence hung in the air as she described the last few months of working on the project with Mundle. Mundle never told anyone involved in the exhibition that her cancer came back.
“Being on-set, working with over 60 women was very emotional and empowering,” said Murdick. “This project has already touched so many people, myself included, and it feels incredible.”
A personal and sensory experience
As we watched launch party-goers and influencers float throughout the room, I was surprised to have recognized some of them in the photos displayed. With the slightest clue, like a strand of blonde hair, a freckled shoulder, or pair of sun-spotted cheekbones, I was able to match a person to a photo. It became easier for me to understand how every women that bared all for Bogar’s camera felt more confident about themselves afterward. Thanks to the direction of her and Murdick, they were able to see parts of themselves that they never appreciated before as truly beautiful.
Bettina Bogar (center) and Katherine Murdick (right) on set of the skinwork photo shoot. (skinwork/Bettina Bogar)
That’s when viewing skinwork became a very sensory experience for me. I came across a print that emphasized a woman’s midsection and hips. She had a small scar on her side that was shaped like an irregular circle and it reminded me so much of one of my own - an imprint from a recent kidney surgery. Without knowing what I was really doing, my hand moved to touch that scar on my side. I then quietly reminded myself to love that little part of me even harder and get my skin checked for cancerous spots this year.
The girl with the scar in "SWG65", a print included in the skinwork exhibition at Artscape Youngplace. (skinwork/Bettina Bogar)
Over the course of the two-day photoshoot that Murdick and Bogar orchestrated to capture skinwork, they became overwhelmed by the amount of generosity that local businesses showed them once they learned about the project’s mission.
“My dream is that skinwork becomes a movement. That this project emotionally connects with people so deeply that they take action – make a doctor’s appointment – get themselves checked and start taking care of their skin’s health,” said Bogar.
Though skinwork is no longer on display at Artscape Youngplace, I’m so happy to have seen it in the flesh while it was. You can now follow the movement on Instagram, purchase a print, or visit the website for more information. Hopefully we’ll be able to see skinwork travel to other Canadian cities soon.
Teachers don’t get enough credit or recognition. Period. It’s not an easy career path and your successes and rewards are measured in… well, not in cash. But teachers play a key part in our lives. They influence who we are - they shape us. We wanted to know what it’s like to be a teacher today - in the age of smartphones, fake news, and the fight for equality, - so we reached out to Emily McInnes, a young Teacher at the Toronto District School Board.
I grew up on Prospect Road, in Nova Scotia. Anyone who has been to Nova Scotia, and driven from Halifax to Peggy’s Cove, has likely driven past my house and didn’t know it. My childhood was wonderful and privileged: supportive parents; great friends; sports teams; creative outlets; summer camps; water sports; etc. It also had some challenges: my parents were separated when I was in Gr. 7; I struggled to fit in in Middle School (who didn’t?); and I uncomfortably wriggled through finding my own identity in a small community that was both nurturing and isolated.
It was actually less Journalism, and more the Foundation Year Program (FYP), that made me apply to King’s College. FYP is essentially the world’s toughest reading list. It sounded like a challenge and I was up for it. I decided to try the Journalism elective but it wasn’t for me – I preferred making up stories instead of reporting on real events that were unfolding. Not a great habit for a journalist. So I finished my elective and then completed a Combined Honours in English, History, and Philosophy.
I think I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. When I was younger, I wanted to be a firefighter or a teacher; and then an artist or a teacher; and then a lawyer or a teacher. Always a teacher though. I worked as a camp counsellor for a few years as a high school student; and as a Writing Tutor at university. After my undergrad, I travelled to Latin America and taught with my cousin at a school in Ciudad Vieja, in Guatemala. I remember our first day: we assumed we’d be shadowing a teacher and oriented to the building. Instead we were given a boom box with some random CD and taken to a room with 30 children. We spoke zero Spanish. The class was awkward to say the least, but we managed to get them playing Follow the Leader, Simon Says, and by the end of the class, we had taught them a few English words, thought on our feet, used our creativity and communication skills to make the teeniest of impact. That was it.
I have been lucky to have had several. Mr. Stewart was my middle school Social Studies teacher, and basketball coach. We would start each class with a ‘Current Events’ discussion where we would read the paper and discuss what was affecting the world. I will never forget that and as a teacher, this has become integral to my own classroom: we always discuss current events and I connect texts and curriculum to current issues to make the learning relevant and meaningful.
While studying at OISE, there were some incredible teachers. Rob Simon and Patrick Finnesey may have had the biggest impact on me and my teaching. My understanding of critical literacy – connecting literature to real world events – came from Rob; and my passion for social justice – understanding that teaching is necessarily political – was fostered with Patrick. I wouldn’t be the teacher I am without their inspiration, knowledge, and support.
The problem with teaching is there are many people trying to get into the profession, and very few who leave before they absolutely need to. I think it is reflective of the kind of people who tend to teach – most of us are sincerely and passionately committed to education and love the job. Even retired teachers are continuing to supply teach. The year I entered Teacher’s College, Ontario put into effect Bill 274 which meant that hiring practices would be based on seniority first. The Bill meant a tedious process of becoming a permanent teacher: first step: get on the supply list; work at varying schools tirelessly attempting to leave great impressions; then apply to be on the long-term occasional list (LTO) covering teachers away on maternity or long-term sick leave; at this point every day feels like a job interview where you need to make yourself indispensable. Many teachers get stuck in this stage for years and years. I was lucky: after 3 years of LTOs, I managed to apply and get a permanent teaching job.
I’ve come to think of it like most professions – it takes a few years to make a name for yourself and begin to move through the system. The lack of stability is frustrating though. I was surplussed from my school’s needs this year, and moved to another school- luckily, an amazing one. This is the first but likely not the last time this will happen to me. I have friends who have been permanent teachers for 9+ years and continue to be bumped from one school to another based on staffing needs, but little consideration for their sense of stability and lives.
Both. Ironically with more access to a wider breadth of knowledge, student research skills have weakened. There’s a focus on teaching tangible research skills like assessing the credibility of a source and properly crediting that source. It’s frustrating because students can plagiarize easily – they have access to hundreds of ready-made essays, analyses, and assignments. This challenges me to design new and innovative assignments that they won’t be able to find online – which is good for all involved. Access to information is also invaluable as a teacher to find resources and lessons. I can discover articles, TedTalks, podcasts, and easily share them on Google Classroom with the whole class. It means teaching and learning can take place outside of the classroom much more easily.
I’m so relieved that social media was non-existent when I was a student. At best, it’s a constant distraction; at worst, it’s an addiction and a dangerous tool for constant bullying and social pressures. It’s especially bad for girls. Recent findings from CAMH’s Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey shows that girls in Ontario are twice as likely to feel stressed, hopeless, and overwhelmed and social media appears to be a leading cause.
My dad wanted me to be a lawyer. A hotshot executive was never my style. There is a beautiful concept in Judaism called “Tikkun Olam” which means “healing or repairing the world”. The belief is that the world is fundamentally broken, and it is humanity’s shared responsibility to heal, repair, and transform the world for better. I feel like my way of helping to heal the world is through education. It’s where I feel I can make an impact. Teaching is a person to person profession and you really can make a difference in the lives of the students you teach. It’s a lot of pressure and a lot of responsibility that some days, quite honestly, I don’t feel up for. But it’s pretty amazing to know that a student decided to pursue Law because you inspired their interest in the subject. Or that you were the one person a student felt they could talk to about the shit going on in their lives, and without which, might not have survived high school. Or that you were able to change someone’s perspective about inherent bias in a way that will forever impact the way they interact with others. I also love the creativity within teaching. I can read a cool article one day, and teach it the next. I can learn constantly as well – I learn alongside my students and they teach me so much – including the latest slang and best new music. Summers off aren’t terrible either.
I think some people don’t understand that teaching isn’t a career; it’s a lifestyle. You teach people, but it’s one of those jobs where you deal with every element of life. It’s not just planning and instruction in front of the classroom; it’s people skills; it’s noticing a student has been absent for two weeks and trying to figure out why; or observing that a student is struggling socially or emotionally and connecting them to helpful resources; it’s social work; it’s psychology; it’s coaching; it’s parenting; it’s giving advice to a student whose friend just overdosed; it’s teaching life skills; it’s modelling positive balance and attitude and correcting negative behaviours and attitude. It comes with long hours and significant pressure because teachers are an essential support network for some students. It’s a lot of weight to carry. It’s rewarding but it’s exhausting.
Sure, some truth. But with any generalized statement like this, it’s also far from true for many students. I have been fortunate to teach a number of students who are truly inspirational. They are more open-minded, progressive, and engaged in politics than I ever was at their age. They are creative and multi-talented, respond to kindness with kindness, and appreciate being treated with respect. I taught one of the young women who helped create Ontario’s new Sex-Ed curriculum (now outrageously rescinded). I taught several students who turned a Black History Month Show into a school movement for racial equality. I have been in many classrooms where students who are a little different were welcomed with patience and acceptance.
I would say alongside high rates of depression and anxiety, there’s a lack of resilience that’s concerning. Students experience academic, social, emotional pressures and the fear of failure is real, and if/when they do fail, there is a panic that isn’t healthy. Rather than considering failure as a necessary step to success, failure is viewed as an end point you must avoid reaching. I’m planning to start September with a lesson about people who have failed first, and then succeeded; like Albert Einstein, who almost dropped out of university, Dr. Seuss, whose first manuscript was famously rejected 28 times, Vera Wang who failed to make the Olympic Figure Skating Team, prompting her to take a job as an assistant at Vogue which got her started in the fashion industry.
Along with the recent sex-ed curriculum cuts – the government retracted the newly created 2015 curriculum and reverted back to the 1998 curriculum – we are moving dangerously backwards in many ways. Education is often called “society’s great leveler” and this content is important for us all to understand. Growing up, I was only given an opportunity to study indigenous communities through a problematically ‘exotic’ lens. The Ontario curriculum has made significant strides forward, emphasizing not just tragic content like the legacy of Residential Schools and the Sixties Scoop, but also content that celebrates the incredible resilience and successes of indigenous people – like Richard Wagamese, Wab Kinew, Tanya Tagaq. Thanks to workshops by the TDSB’s Aboriginal Education Centre, and the Ontario Federation for Indigenous Friendship Centres, my eyes have been opened to a side of our history that is just starting to be told widely and publicly, as it was suppressed for so many years. Students don't know this. Most adults don’t know truly what happened. We need to teach indigenous history in Canada because we can’t understand our country without it.
Words by: Adam Meery
Photography: Bettina Bogar
August 26, 2018
As a photographer, my number one marketing tool is obviously, Instagram. I started using it in 2012 and it’s been key in helping me make meaningful connections and to showcase my photography. I feel pretty confident in saying it’s a big reason I was able to build my business into what it is today.
Last month everything changed.
With no warning, my account got shut down.
Here’s the story of how it happened, how I got it back and a few lessons I learned along the way:
During Saadia's childhood she was often told that she was 'too much.' She wasn't. She was just curious. And that curiosity unravelled into answering the question, "why can't girls do this?" The answer has always been: they can. And Saadia is making sure girls know that. She's the founder and CEO of TechGirls Canada, a non-profit organization committed to developing solutions that address barriers in the fields of STEM - Science, Tech, Engineering and Math. TechGirls is about creating diversity and equality for girls.
We had a lot to talk about during our walk through High Park where Saadia often goes to clear her mind with a walking meditation. We talked through what it’s like to be an immigrant woman of colour, childhood revelations, and how adopting a dog completely changes your life. The hard hitting stuff.
My childhood was spent questioning my place in the world. I remember telling my third grade teacher that I feel too much. I think that was my way of saying the world, and what was happening around me, was overwhelming to me. I was fortunate to have parents who encouraged my curiosity and I drowned myself in books, art, travel, and asking "why can't girls do that?" over and over again until I started getting told I was too much. Too bold, too clever, too curious, too sure.
I moved from Pakistan to Canada when I was 19. At that age, you're very aware of having to straddle two worlds, and the feeling that you don't belong anywhere. But I was also excited by the notion of getting to reimagine who I could be in this new reality. That I could rewrite some of the narratives I had been forced into for 19 years. To my mother's horror I landed here and chopped off my hair as a sign of starting fresh. Years later, she would tell me she did the same thing when she started college. People are funny in what they forget and what they choose to remember.
A strange thing about being in large systems like this is that you're forced to accept it and integrate into it. But my nature always ensured that I didn't accept the status quo. But I didn't know what the alternative looked like. I also didn't have the vocabulary to express the million paper cuts I was feeling every day being a woman, a person of colour, and an immigrant. I fought back the best I could, but you can see that it wasn't always easy.
TechGirls Canada, or TGC, was born out of frustration. When we started five years ago, there wasn't a lot of talk on diversity. And when there was, it referred to "women" which translated to mostly straight, abled-bodied, white women. Someone like me had almost no place in this conversation with my many intersecting identities and experiences. TechGirls Canada (TGC) is the hub for Canadian women in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM). Proudly supporting Women of Colour, LGBTTQ, and Indigenous trailblazers. TGC is committed to fostering collaboration in designing solutions to address the barriers for diversity and equity in the technology sector. TGC works to advocate for resources, funding, private and public sector partnership opportunities, and catalyze joint programs.
The world needs more people saying, "Huh, I hadn't thought of it that way." We are drowning in a lot of performance of allyship with not enough of us doing the work of unlearning what terrible social systems like toxic masculinity, racism, and patriarchy have taught us. We squander so many opportunities for becoming better humans when we get defensive. Next time you are presented with information that counters what you believe about someone's lived experience that you don't share, try saying "Huh, I hadn't thought of it that way," and taking a step back.
Build a group of supportive people around you who will lift you up when these sectors weigh you down. Stay focused on doing your best work. Keep your receipts. Ask for help. Don't drink the Kool-aid of "always be closing" - give your body the sleep it needs.
“BUILD A GROUP OF SUPPORTIVE PEOPLE AROUND YOU WHO WILL LIFT YOU UP...”
It takes guts to make art and put it out there for people to see. It takes raw courage to make a living doing it. That why I love Sarah. She's my go-to girl for conversations about what it’s like to be a full-time artist and how important it is to believe in yourself, your art and your talent.
But Sarah's no starving artist. Her hard work has paid off. Her pieces hang in the homes of celebrities and have been featured in publications around the world. I hung out with her to find out more about how she did it.
My first position out of university was a Wildlife Biologist for the Ministry of Natural Resources where I tracked and surveyed amphibians, reptiles, and mammals in the field. I also traveled to Australia and worked for the Queensland Institute of Medical Research analyzing mosquitoes, ran a koala survey for the Gold Coast City Counsel, and worked with a PhD student capturing and releasing wallabies. These jobs were all so amazing and soul fueling. My extensive experience in nature is continually expressed in my paintings, as my work has an organic vibe with modern edge and flare.
I've been an artist my whole life and intended on going to university for fine arts, but at the last minute I changed my mind and pursued wildlife biology. I love animals. It wasn't until I started moving up in the environmental industry that my passion as an artist started brewing inside of me. After 10 years of wildlife biology, I threw caution to the wind and paint to canvas and soon realized that abstract painter was my true calling. The stars aligned and before I knew it, I was offered an artist studio and my first solo art exhibit was a great success. The rest is history.
I am inspired by my present life, past experiences, future dreams, and positive energy. I allow my emotion to pour and flow onto the canvas through interesting textures and intriguing colour palettes. My paintings create a story for the viewer to interpret. There is nothing better than someone connecting deeply with one of my paintings. I believe each piece is meant for a specific person and eventually they will find one other.
You can see my latest works on my website www.sarahphelps.ca and in person at my art gallery & studio in the historic Distillery District of Toronto.
“UNDERSTAND THAT IT WILL TAKE HARD WORK, DETERMINATION, CONFIDENCE, AND SELF LOVE TO BE TRULY SUCCESSFUL.”
Artists need more support from arts & culture sectors of government, more available and affordable work spaces, more opportunities to expose their work, and more support from the community to buy and invest in art/artists.
Follow your passion, take a chance and go full throttle. Keep that side job until you feel the timing is right to become a full time artist. Understand that it will take hard work, determination, confidence, and self love to be truly successful. Anything is possible :)
CONNECT WITH SARAH:
If you live in Toronto’s east end, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of Sue Love and Sapna Flower. In 2012 they opened Restore, a naturopathic health clinic, which quickly became Leslieville's favorite. Partnerships are really hard and as someone who’s tried (and failed) to work with a partner, I wanted to know their secret.
Sapna: At school! We liked each other's names - haha!
Sapna: We opened in January of 2012. Sue and I wanted to create a warm and comfortable health hub where you can get support with any concern you may be having. We wanted to have a strong team of like-minded regulated practitioners who took the patient's needs in mind to help them through whatever is going on in their lives at the time.
Sue: We knew Leslieville was where we wanted to be, as it was right between where we both lived, and where we had spent lots of time studying together. We designed our space in a way that feels comfortable, and also clean and professional, and thankfully the Leslieville locals seems to like the vibe we created.
Dr. Sue Love, ND
Dr. Sapna Flower, ND
Sue: Just about everyone we sought advice from warned us that having partner was a terrible idea. We somehow knew it would work, and went forward against everyone’s advice. I can’t imagine having done this on my own. Having a partner to live through the ups and downs of business and life together has been key to keeping me sane over the past 6 years. Sapna is the best partner I could imagine!
Sapna: With opening a business and having an 8 month old at the time, I could not have imagined going through all that work without Sue. Now that I have 2 young children, the support of my business partner has gotten me through the most challenging times and I wouldn't change it for anything! My thoughts on having a partner, despite being discouraged by people to not have one, is that you need to treat it like a marriage. You need to have the tough conversations, compromise and honesty all while nurturing the relationship as your business grows. Essentially, you need to really know your partner before jumping into the business venture with 2 feet.
"MY THOUGHTS ON HAVING A PARTNER, DESPITE BEING DISCOURAGED BY PEOPLE TO NOT HAVE ONE, IS THAT YOU NEED TO TREAT IT LIKE A MARRIAGE. YOU NEED TO HAVE THE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS, COMPROMISE AND HONESTY ALL WHILE NURTURING THE RELATIONSHIP AS YOUR BUSINESS GROWS. "
Sapna: Absolutely, but we always seem to find understanding or compromise a resolution that suits both of us and the business as a whole.
Sue: Of course, and I see this as a key component of a healthy partnership. The process of working through different perspectives will foster growth for the business and your relationship.
Sapna: Turning off work when you get home...and having a great partner!
Sue: Hiring great people and trusting them, so we can turn off work when we get home! Setting boundaries and sticking to them – for example, when we opened the clinic we decided that we would close the clinic every long weekend so that we, and our practitioners, would have that time with family.
Sue: Be thorough in doing your research but also trust your instincts. They’ll never fail you. Don’t let others discourage you. If you have a clear vision, you can make it happen.
Sapna: Know your business, have a clear vision and surround yourself with positive and smart people who can foster your ideas.
www.restoreyourhealth.ca
647-725-2525
info@restoreyourhealth.ca
Once a successful producer at MTV in New York City, Suzanne decided to drop it all and go for the dream. She went to culinary school, moved to a different country and opened up a hip little diner. Spoiler alert, it’s unbelievable and the food critics agree. With this much hustle, I had to know more about this incredible woman so I dropped by for some brunch and mimosas. Edit: I did this story back in May 2017, when Saturday Dinette was still open. The restaurant closed due to issues with the landlord but Suzanne is now the Co-Executive Chef at the Gladstone Hotel, about to open up Kid'Chocolate Bar and is hard at work on a cookbook.
I was an executive producer at MTV Networks in NYC. I officially hit a wall and needed a change as I had been working in Film/TV for over 10 years.
My culinary career began when I graduated from a small culinary school in NYC called the Natural Gourmet Institute. Then I moved to Kauai, HI for my externship and never looked back.
My first chef job was working as a private chef for a family in Bridgehampton, LI. I worked for the family as their chef for almost 4 years. They are still apart of my life.
Many things influence me, including: music, photography, conversations, memories, history or travels. I typically am inspired to create menus that are seasonally driven but mostly, connected to something I am watching, eating, talking about, and dreaming about.
I am currently working at the Gladstone Hotel as Co-Executive Chef and I am also awaiting the next stage of development of a cookbook, “ A love letter to my mother”.
The Dinettes program came to me as we were planning the opening of Saturday Dinette over 4 years ago. It is a work/life training program where we work with young women of colour to help them gain culinary skills and life experience in the hospitality industry. We are currently working to confirm a long-term agreement with The Gladstone Hotel as our permanent incubator home for the program. I am excited to announce this come 2018.
My advice would be to do what feels right, special and magical. Make sure you are committed to the sacrifices that come with becoming a mother and a working mom. There will be moments of insecurity and doubt, but it will pass. The most important advice is to keep in conversation with your partner, make time for date night, go home early when you can and make sure to always allow for family time. Love, love, love every day - even in the moments of confusion.
I was lining up at the post office the other day when a new email landed in my inbox. As I skimmed through the lines I heard myself asking out loud: "Ummm... what?"
I could not stop shaking my head while I was filling out the customs forms. From the outside, it could have seemed like I'm just one of those people who hates the whole admin struggle, but in my mind, I was somewhere else. I was recapping the offer in my email coming from one of the biggest retail chains in Canada asking me to photograph their 6-figure event for free.
Read MoreWords can't describe our trip with the Oshiis Surf & Yoga Retreat to Costa Rica. In less than a few days we were all up on our surfboards, riding the waves the Caribbean Sea had for us. If you're looking for an active holiday with the adventure factor and local, authentic experience, this might just be the perfect vacation for you.
Check out my little gallery of the highlights of this trip.
Special thanks to SPL Water Housings for my camera housing that made this trip and the photos extra amazing.