Invested in our new reality

with Shavonne Hasfal-McIntosh

This new podcast features honest conversations with Ottawa’s entrepreneurs and business owners. Every episode welcomes a local leader to the mic. They’re sharing their experiences – hardships and triumphs. How do they manage to persevere? Listen in to find out.

Listen to the latest episode

S3 E7

Digital Main Street: BIAs and a Shift to Digital

Mark Kaluski, Chair of the Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas (OCOBIA), talks about the challenges small businesses have faced since the pandemic began, and how critical the shift to digital is for survival. He explains why some government programs are too complicated for business owners to consider, and others are met with skepticism. Digital Main Street, he explains, is the real deal which is why he’s decided to become an ambassador and champion the program.

January 18, 2021 | 16 minutes

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	S3 E7 Digital Main Street: BIAs and a Shift to Digital Mark Kaluski, Chair of the Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas (OCOBIA), talks about the challenges small businesses have faced since the pandemic began, and how critical the shift to digital is for survival. He explains why some government programs are too complicated for business owners to consider, and others are met with skepticism. Digital Main Street, he explains, is the real deal which is why he's decided to become an ambassador and champion the program. January 18, 2021 \| 16 minutes
	S3 E6 Digital Main Street: Marie Pierre Faye on breaking into a crowded market Breaking into the food and beverage industry is difficult during the best of times. With the added challenges of COVID-19, it can prove to be exceptionally more difficult. Despite these challenges, Marie Pierre Faye has adapted her beverage business, Faye Beverage, swiftly to successfully continue serving customers the exotic flavours of hibiscus flowers and fresh fruits from West Africa. Thanks to a strengthened digital strategy and a passion for sharing all that her West African culture has to offer, Marie has managed to build a successful and delicious juice business. Marie’s story is one of adaptability, courage, and enthusiasm. January 11, 2021 \| 8 minutes
	S3 E5 Digital Main Street: Justin Assaly of PerfectPRO Painters on taking the family business online Since the pandemic, home improvements and renovations have been booming. In this episode of Invested Pod, host Shavonne Hasfal-McIntosh speaks to Justin Assaly of PerfectPRO Painters about how the Digital Main Street program helped enhance their online presence and streamline their digital assets to adapt to the challenges of the pandemic and beyond. December 14, 2020 \| 12 minutes
	S3 E4 Digital Main Street: Lina Jimenez on taking her spa business online Personal care businesses have taken a hit during the pandemic, at a time when we could all use some relaxation and self-care. In this episode, we speak to Fifth Ave Spa owner and recent Digital Main Street graduate, Lina Jimenez about how she’s shifted her services and created a more cohesive online presence. She also shares her personal story of navigating her small business during these trying times, and what she believes entrepreneurs should keep in mind when they are working toward success. December 7, 2020 \| 12 minutes
	S3 E3 Digital Main Street: Karen Marcotte on using creativity to adapt to changes As a relatively new entrepreneur, Good Eats Cafe owner Karen Marcotte has learned a few things in a short amount of time. Leaving a stable career in mechanical engineering to take a chance on a café, she knows all about risks. Having faced many challenges which forced her to shift her business model before the pandemic, she's now navigating her business through COVID-19, Karen’s story is one of resilience, staying creative and embracing change. November 27, 2020 \| 16 minutes
	S3 E2 Digital Main Street: Soloman-St. Lewis on staying sustainable during these times If there’s one thing entrepreneur Resa Soloman-St. Lewis has taken away from 2020, it’s that nothing is guaranteed and you have to be ready to adapt to change. Learn more about how she pivoted her popular Ottawa restaurants Baccanalle and Capital Fare Café over the course of this pandemic and why she became a Digital Main Street Ambassador. November 24, 2020 \| 17 minutes
	S3 E1 Digital Main Street: helping you future proof your business Season 3 of Invested in Our New Reality will focus on Digital Main Street, a new program to help businesses reach new customers, build or improve their website, create a marketing campaign, and find innovative ways to boost revenue - all at no cost to the business owner. It's Invest Ottawa and the provincial and federal governments' ways to help businesses make it through these difficult times. In our first episode, Paula Hopkins explains more about the program and what it can do for entrepreneurs. November 16, 2020 \| 12 minutes

	S2 E10 Area X.O: driving the future of Ottawa tech Invest Ottawa President & CEO, Michael Tremblay, joins Shavonne Hasfal-McIntosh to talk about Area X.O, Ottawa's futureplex of innovation and collaboration. Find out how the facility will help Canadian SME's and attract multinationals to our region as well as drive the development of future tech. October 23, 2020 \| 16 minutes
	S2 E9 Komal: developing resilience and investing with impact She’s an interviewer, impact investor, and resilience educator. In this episode, Komal Minhas talks about how she has grown in the face of adversity caused by the pandemic, lessons learned through the people she interviews, and offers concrete advice for women looking to start their own business. October 2, 2020 \| 23 minutes
	S2 E8 Keeping networks fast and secure: Gigamon With so many workers shifting to a work from home model, digital transformation during COVID-19 put networks to the test. Gigamon, a worldwide leader in network visibility, analytics, threat detection and response, is helping companies and organizations respond. President and COO, Shane Buckley, talks to Shavonne Hasfal-McIntosh about how COVID-19 has affected Gigamon's business and explains why the company is expanding its international footprint into Ottawa with a new R & D centre. September 18, 2020 \| 13 minutes
	S2 E7 The push for a COVID-19 vaccine: VBI Vaccines Jeff Baxter, President & CEO of VBI Vaccines talks about research being done in Ottawa toward the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, and how companies and governments around the world are working together in unprecedented ways as the world anxiously waits. September 11, 2020 \| 20 minutes
	S2 E6 Causing disruption through gender, race and tech. Ellie Ardakani, an accomplished geoscience advisor and award-winning energy-tech entrepreneur, talks about disruption. How her company is disrupting the way the oil and gas sector uses data, how the pandemic disrupted the company’s path, and how she is tackling the realities of being a woman in a male-dominated field, and an immigrant facing systemic bias. August 28, 2020 \| 20 minutes
	S2 E5 How COVID-19 changed market research. Erin Kelly, CEO of Advanced Symbolics Inc., talks about how market research changed during the pandemic, how her company is disrupting the way it's done, and how entrepreneurs can use the insights they have to decide when to stay the course and when to pivot. August 21, 2020 \| 19 minutes
	S2 E4 #NavyInnovation. The Royal Canadian Navy has existed for over 100 years, but technology and innovation remain integral to its survival – and to the safety and security of the people who serve in it. In this episode, Shav is joined by Lieutenant Commander John Faurbo to discuss collaboration and modernization in one of Canada’s most venerable institutions. August 14, 2020 \| 17 minutes
	S2 E3 Sport, concussions and tech: How Neurovine is changing the game. Ashleigh Kennedy, founder and CEO of Neurovine talks about concussions and how her technology aims to empower concussion patients by measuring brain health and optimizing their recovery process. August 7, 2020 \| 15 minutes
	S2 E2 Howie Kahn, Food for Thought. Howie Kahn is a best-selling author, journalist and successful podcaster focussed on the food industry. He talks restaurant re-invention & re-opening on the latest episode of Invest Ottawa’s popular new podcast Investing In Our New Reality. July 31, 2020 \| 16 minutes
	S2 E1 Russel Coltess: I am held to the standard of not being able to fail. Sweatcrew CEO Russell Coltess talks about adapting his business model through COVID-19, his experiences as a black business leader, and what has to happen to truly move the needle on racial bias and diversity in the workplace. July 24, 2020 \| 16 minutes

S1 E7

Cynthia Labelle, Syntronic R&D Canada.

Cynthia Labelle, Vice President Of Engineering at Syntronic R&D Canada talks about the challenges of doing R&D during a pandemic and the key to successful communications during a crisis..

June 12, 2020 | 16 minutes

S1 E6

Andrea Winter, Martello Technologies.

Andrea Winter, VP, People at Martello Technologies talks about the critical role of HR departments during a crisis such as COVID-19 and how organizations can put the "human" back in Human Resources..

May 29, 2020 | 16 minutes

S1 E5

Sheena Brady, Tease Tea.

Sheena Brady, Founder and CEO of Tease Tea talks about her business journey, how COVID-19 affects women entrepreneurs, and what companies should focus on now to ensure they can thrive post-pandemic.

May 22, 2020 | 20 minutes

	S1 E4 Laura Mindorff, COO, Wicket + industrial. Laura Mindorff, COO of Wicket and industrial, talks about the impact of COVID-19 on her companies, and what new approaches being taken now are here to stay post-pandemic. May 15, 2020 \| 15 minutes
	S1 E3 Derick Cotnam, Owner, My Catering Group. An honest discussion with Derick Cotnam, owner of My Catering Group, about how COVID-19 has affected his business and how he plans to ramp back up when he's able. May 8, 2020 \| 15 minutes
	S1 E2 Kelly Gregoire, TryCycle Data Systems Shavone Hasfal-McIntosh talks to TryCycle's VP of Operations, Kelly Gregoire, about how the company is helping doctors, therapists, and clinicians reach people in treatment for addiction, substance use, mental illness, depression or trauma through this pandemic. May 1, 2020 \| 13 minutes
	S1 E1 Michael Tremblay on how Ottawa businesses are tackling the impact of COVID-19. Invest Ottawa's President and CEO talks about how Ottawa businesses are evolving in the face of the new realities brought on by COVID-19 pandemic. April 24, 2020 \| 17 minutes
	S1 E0 Invested in our new reality teaser. Welcome to Invest Ottawa's new limited-edition podcast, providing honest observations about how leaders from Ottawa’s business community are navigating our new reality during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. “Invested in our new reality” will provide a platform for business leaders to share their experience of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and offer authentic observations and practical advice on leading through this crisis. April 22, 2020 \| 32 minutes

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About the host

Shavonne Hasfal-McIntosh

Shavonne Hasfal-McIntosh is the Diversity and Belonging lead at Shopify, where she leads a team that supports the organization in attracting, growing and retaining a diverse array of people with a focus on groups historically underrepresented in the tech space. Shavonne sits on the Board of Directors for Invest Ottawa, the lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries in Canada’s Capital as well as Manifesto, a non-profit organization that inspires, develops, and amplifies diverse communities of young people through the arts, culture, and media. She believes in the power of galvanizing community, fostering culture, and ensuring that all people feel included, valued, and heard.

About the podcast

Invested in Our New Reality

Launched in the spring of 2020, Invested in Our New Reality is a dynamic new podcast hosted by Shavonne Hasfal-McIntosh. The podcast features business leaders offering honest observations about navigating our ever evolving reality. Through intimate discussions, each episode provides a space for the Ottawa business community to speak candidly about the challenges and opportunities they’ve faced during these unprecedented times and aims to arm listeners with practical advice on how to innovate and thrive into the future.

podcast microphone and sound beats on screen

Sponsors step up

Great companies have stepped-up in this time of need, including many of our corporate sponsors and community partners.

Explore the insights, toolkits and resources they’ve made available:

Sponsors step up

Great companies have stepped-up in this time of need, including many of our corporate sponsors and community partners.

Explore the insights, toolkits and resources they’ve made available:

	S3 E7 Digital Main Street: BIAs and a Shift to Digital Mark Kaluski, Chair of the Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas (OCOBIA), talks about the challenges small businesses have faced since the pandemic began, and how critical the shift to digital is for survival. He explains why some government programs are too complicated for business owners to consider, and others are met with skepticism. Digital Main Street, he explains, is the real deal which is why he's decided to become an ambassador and champion the program. January 18, 2021 \| 16 minutes
	S3 E6 Digital Main Street: Marie Pierre Faye on breaking into a crowded market Breaking into the food and beverage industry is difficult during the best of times. With the added challenges of COVID-19, it can prove to be exceptionally more difficult. Despite these challenges, Marie Pierre Faye has adapted her beverage business, Faye Beverage, swiftly to successfully continue serving customers the exotic flavours of hibiscus flowers and fresh fruits from West Africa. Thanks to a strengthened digital strategy and a passion for sharing all that her West African culture has to offer, Marie has managed to build a successful and delicious juice business. Marie’s story is one of adaptability, courage, and enthusiasm. January 11, 2021 \| 8 minutes
	S3 E5 Digital Main Street: Justin Assaly of PerfectPRO Painters on taking the family business online Since the pandemic, home improvements and renovations have been booming. In this episode of Invested Pod, host Shavonne Hasfal-McIntosh speaks to Justin Assaly of PerfectPRO Painters about how the Digital Main Street program helped enhance their online presence and streamline their digital assets to adapt to the challenges of the pandemic and beyond. December 14, 2020 \| 12 minutes
	S3 E4 Digital Main Street: Lina Jimenez on taking her spa business online Personal care businesses have taken a hit during the pandemic, at a time when we could all use some relaxation and self-care. In this episode, we speak to Fifth Ave Spa owner and recent Digital Main Street graduate, Lina Jimenez about how she’s shifted her services and created a more cohesive online presence. She also shares her personal story of navigating her small business during these trying times, and what she believes entrepreneurs should keep in mind when they are working toward success. December 7, 2020 \| 12 minutes
	S3 E3 Digital Main Street: Karen Marcotte on using creativity to adapt to changes As a relatively new entrepreneur, Good Eats Cafe owner Karen Marcotte has learned a few things in a short amount of time. Leaving a stable career in mechanical engineering to take a chance on a café, she knows all about risks. Having faced many challenges which forced her to shift her business model before the pandemic, she's now navigating her business through COVID-19, Karen’s story is one of resilience, staying creative and embracing change. November 27, 2020 \| 16 minutes
	S3 E2 Digital Main Street: Soloman-St. Lewis on staying sustainable during these times If there’s one thing entrepreneur Resa Soloman-St. Lewis has taken away from 2020, it’s that nothing is guaranteed and you have to be ready to adapt to change. Learn more about how she pivoted her popular Ottawa restaurants Baccanalle and Capital Fare Café over the course of this pandemic and why she became a Digital Main Street Ambassador. November 24, 2020 \| 17 minutes
	S3 E1 Digital Main Street: helping you future proof your business Season 3 of Invested in Our New Reality will focus on Digital Main Street, a new program to help businesses reach new customers, build or improve their website, create a marketing campaign, and find innovative ways to boost revenue - all at no cost to the business owner. It's Invest Ottawa and the provincial and federal governments' ways to help businesses make it through these difficult times. In our first episode, Paula Hopkins explains more about the program and what it can do for entrepreneurs. November 16, 2020 \| 12 minutes

	S2 E10 Area X.O: driving the future of Ottawa tech Invest Ottawa President & CEO, Michael Tremblay, joins Shavonne Hasfal-McIntosh to talk about Area X.O, Ottawa's futureplex of innovation and collaboration. Find out how the facility will help Canadian SME's and attract multinationals to our region as well as drive the development of future tech. October 23, 2020 \| 16 minutes
	S2 E9 Komal: developing resilience and investing with impact She’s an interviewer, impact investor, and resilience educator. In this episode, Komal Minhas talks about how she has grown in the face of adversity caused by the pandemic, lessons learned through the people she interviews, and offers concrete advice for women looking to start their own business. October 2, 2020 \| 23 minutes
	S2 E8 Keeping networks fast and secure: Gigamon With so many workers shifting to a work from home model, digital transformation during COVID-19 put networks to the test. Gigamon, a worldwide leader in network visibility, analytics, threat detection and response, is helping companies and organizations respond. President and COO, Shane Buckley, talks to Shavonne Hasfal-McIntosh about how COVID-19 has affected Gigamon's business and explains why the company is expanding its international footprint into Ottawa with a new R & D centre. September 18, 2020 \| 13 minutes
	S2 E7 The push for a COVID-19 vaccine: VBI Vaccines Jeff Baxter, President & CEO of VBI Vaccines talks about research being done in Ottawa toward the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, and how companies and governments around the world are working together in unprecedented ways as the world anxiously waits. September 11, 2020 \| 20 minutes
	S2 E6 Causing disruption through gender, race and tech. Ellie Ardakani, an accomplished geoscience advisor and award-winning energy-tech entrepreneur, talks about disruption. How her company is disrupting the way the oil and gas sector uses data, how the pandemic disrupted the company’s path, and how she is tackling the realities of being a woman in a male-dominated field, and an immigrant facing systemic bias. August 28, 2020 \| 20 minutes
	S2 E5 How COVID-19 changed market research. Erin Kelly, CEO of Advanced Symbolics Inc., talks about how market research changed during the pandemic, how her company is disrupting the way it's done, and how entrepreneurs can use the insights they have to decide when to stay the course and when to pivot. August 21, 2020 \| 19 minutes
	S2 E4 #NavyInnovation. The Royal Canadian Navy has existed for over 100 years, but technology and innovation remain integral to its survival – and to the safety and security of the people who serve in it. In this episode, Shav is joined by Lieutenant Commander John Faurbo to discuss collaboration and modernization in one of Canada’s most venerable institutions. August 14, 2020 \| 17 minutes
	S2 E3 Sport, concussions and tech: How Neurovine is changing the game. Ashleigh Kennedy, founder and CEO of Neurovine talks about concussions and how her technology aims to empower concussion patients by measuring brain health and optimizing their recovery process. August 7, 2020 \| 15 minutes
	S2 E2 Howie Kahn, Food for Thought. Howie Kahn is a best-selling author, journalist and successful podcaster focussed on the food industry. He talks restaurant re-invention & re-opening on the latest episode of Invest Ottawa’s popular new podcast Investing In Our New Reality. July 31, 2020 \| 16 minutes
	S2 E1 Russel Coltess: I am held to the standard of not being able to fail. Sweatcrew CEO Russell Coltess talks about adapting his business model through COVID-19, his experiences as a black business leader, and what has to happen to truly move the needle on racial bias and diversity in the workplace. July 24, 2020 \| 16 minutes

	S1 E4 Laura Mindorff, COO, Wicket + industrial. Laura Mindorff, COO of Wicket and industrial, talks about the impact of COVID-19 on her companies, and what new approaches being taken now are here to stay post-pandemic. May 15, 2020 \| 15 minutes
	S1 E3 Derick Cotnam, Owner, My Catering Group. An honest discussion with Derick Cotnam, owner of My Catering Group, about how COVID-19 has affected his business and how he plans to ramp back up when he's able. May 8, 2020 \| 15 minutes
	S1 E2 Kelly Gregoire, TryCycle Data Systems Shavone Hasfal-McIntosh talks to TryCycle's VP of Operations, Kelly Gregoire, about how the company is helping doctors, therapists, and clinicians reach people in treatment for addiction, substance use, mental illness, depression or trauma through this pandemic. May 1, 2020 \| 13 minutes
	S1 E1 Michael Tremblay on how Ottawa businesses are tackling the impact of COVID-19. Invest Ottawa's President and CEO talks about how Ottawa businesses are evolving in the face of the new realities brought on by COVID-19 pandemic. April 24, 2020 \| 17 minutes
	S1 E0 Invested in our new reality teaser. Welcome to Invest Ottawa's new limited-edition podcast, providing honest observations about how leaders from Ottawa’s business community are navigating our new reality during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. “Invested in our new reality” will provide a platform for business leaders to share their experience of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and offer authentic observations and practical advice on leading through this crisis. April 22, 2020 \| 32 minutes