Inspiration for Pie Junkie was deeply personal

November 7, 2025 0:15:21

Nancy Goemans is the founder and co-owner of Pie Junkie, a Calgary artisan pie shop she established in 2015. Prior to launching the business, she spent more than 25 years running a boutique marketing and design agency focused on the hospitality and food industries—building brands, developing menus, styling cookbooks, and shaping food-centric experiences.

The inspiration for Pie Junkie was deeply personal. Nancy’s daughter, Taya, who lives with Williams syndrome, loved baking pies with her grandmother. After Nancy’s mother passed away, Taya asked, “Who will make pie with me now?” Nancy replied, “I will,” to which Taya responded that she wanted to make pie for a living. That exchange sparked Nancy’s mission to create a space where exceptional pies would be crafted by hand and where all people—particularly those facing employment barriers—would be welcomed.

Toward the end of Pie Junkie’s inaugural year, Nancy partnered with her longtime friend Jo-Anne Caza, who brought financial and operational expertise to complement Nancy’s creative vision. Together, they have grown Pie Junkie from a single storefront into five Calgary locations, while preserving the brand’s commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and community.

Under Nancy and Joanne’s leadership, Pie Junkie has become celebrated for its all-butter crusts, scratch-made fillings, seasonal menus, ethical sourcing, sustainable practices, and dedication to social impact.

Stay Connected with #CanadasEntrepreneur!

Join our growing community of entrepreneurs across Canada! Don’t miss out on inspiring interviews, expert insights, and the latest business trends from the people shaping the future of our economy.

👉 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@CanadasEntrepreneur
🌐 Explore more on our website: https://canadasentrepreneur.com
💼 Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/canadas-entrepreneur
📸 Follow behind-the-scenes on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canadasentrepreneur
👍 Stay in the loop on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/canadasentrepreneur
🐦 Join the conversation on X: https://x.com/CanadasPreneur

💡 Want exclusive updates on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news?

Make sure to subscribe and never miss a beat! Your support helps us continue bringing you the best stories from Canada’s top business leaders.

PLAY VIDEO

Turning a personal passion into a thriving business

October 29, 2025 0:21:52

Sweet Bella is one of Calgary’s top chocolatiers, known for its bold, adventurous approach to flavour. Pastry Chef Kevin Conniff founded Sweet Bella as a labour of love, turning a personal passion into a thriving business with products now available in over 20 locations across Western Canada, as well as in Connecticut, Texas, and Colorado.

The name Sweet Bella means “the sweet beautiful”—a concept that comes to life in the brand’s signature eccentric flavours and intricately engraved chocolate bars. While early creations were inspired by tea and spice blends, the company has since evolved to focus on a broader and ever-changing palette of creative ingredients.

Kevin is a classically trained pastry chef with over 25 years of experience. He currently teaches as a Pastry Chef Instructor at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). In 2023, he was featured on the Food Network’s “Holiday Baking Championship,” Season 10, where he was the only Canadian contestant and finished as runner-up, showcasing the exceptional talent Calgary has to offer.

Originally from New York, Kevin’s culinary journey began in 1992 with a job washing dishes at a local bakery. He quickly became captivated by the craft, working his way up and eventually attending pastry school—where, ironically, tempering chocolate was once his greatest challenge. Today, chocolate is his passion and his art form.

Kevin and his wife Melissa share a love of coffee, red wine, sweet treats, and great conversation. Their two sons are often found in the chocolate shop, learning about life, business, and the joy of creative work, usually to the soundtrack of ’90s hip-hop and alt-rock.

Stay Connected with #CanadasEntrepreneur!

Join our growing community of entrepreneurs across Canada! Don’t miss out on inspiring interviews, expert insights, and the latest business trends from the people shaping the future of our economy.

💡 Want exclusive updates on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news?

Make sure to subscribe and never miss a beat! Your support helps us continue bringing you the best stories from Canada’s top business leaders.

PLAY VIDEO

On a mission to help others embrace a holistic, healthier lifestyle

October 22, 2025 0:17:44

Amanda Schmidt is the heart behind Purely Inspired Living. The 28-year-old’s own path to wellness began with a lot of frustration and self-doubt. She spent years investing time, energy, money, and resources into her health but still felt stuck — constantly fatigued and holding so much grief of not feeling well. That’s when she discovered ONDAMED®️, and everything shifted.

As Calgary’s only certified ONDAMED®️ practitioner, her mission is to help others embrace a holistic, healthier lifestyle through personalized, non-invasive care. With Purely Inspired Living, she’s building not just a wellness practice but a community that supports self-empowerment, confidence, and discovery — rooted in the belief that we all carry the innate ability to heal.

Stay Connected with #CanadasEntrepreneur!

Join our growing community of entrepreneurs across Canada! Don’t miss out on inspiring interviews, expert insights, and the latest business trends from the people shaping the future of our economy.

💡 Want exclusive updates on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news?

Make sure to subscribe and never miss a beat! Your support helps us continue bringing you the best stories from Canada’s top business leaders.

PLAY VIDEO

Known for his extraordinary celebrity clientele and philanthropic efforts

September 30, 2025 0:29:12

Chris Tutty is a local boy, born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. His love of the arts could be observed in every school he attended: poetry books, yearbook covers, coloring contests, large murals, paintings, and his participation in various school productions and talent shows. After high school Chris stopped painting and drawing all together to pursue a Geology degree. It seemed more practical to follow his father’s footsteps into the oil and gas field.

Chris has also sold real-estate, and has worked on many different movie projects, and commercials throughout the years, from The Assassination of Jesse James to Passchendaele. Currently he is co-producing a television show called the Chevy Boyzzz with co-star David “Shark” Fralick of The Young and the Restless and The Hollywood Way.

Over the years Chris rarely had a spare moment to explore and express his truly passionate side through art. With the passing of three incredibly influential people in his life, Chris found himself drawn back to what always helped him convey his raw unfiltered emotions-ART!

Stay Connected with #CanadasEntrepreneur!

Join our growing community of entrepreneurs across Canada! Don’t miss out on inspiring interviews, expert insights, and the latest business trends from the people shaping the future of our economy.

💡 Want exclusive updates on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news?

Make sure to subscribe and never miss a beat! Your support helps us continue bringing you the best stories from Canada’s top business leaders.

PLAY VIDEO

How to survive and thrive in today’s restaurant industry

September 25, 2025 0:29:12

Ryan Blackwell is a Calgary chef and restaurateur known for concept-driven menus and polished, approachable cooking. Raised in Cochrane and trained at SAIT, Blackwell sharpened his craft in Vancouver’s restaurant scene, including a turn as chef de cuisine at the acclaimed Bin 941, before returning home to open Elbow Room in Britannia in 2017 with partner Josh Brennand. The restaurant earned quick acclaim, landing in Avenue’s “Calgary’s 25 Best Restaurants” and on OpenTable’s national “100 Best Restaurants for a Big Night Out.”

Since then, Blackwell has helped shape several Beltline concepts, founding Sensei Bar in 2021 and later leading the culinary program at Olea, an all-day café and bar inspired by Mediterranean coastal cooking. His current remit spans culinary director and partner roles across Olea and sister venues, where menus lean into handmade pastas, local market produce, and shareable plates that balance comfort and flair. His kitchens favour seasonality, clear flavours, and hospitable service, reflecting a belief that memorable dining should feel both special and easy to love.

Stay Connected with #CanadasEntrepreneur!

Join our growing community of entrepreneurs across Canada! Don’t miss out on inspiring interviews, expert insights, and the latest business trends from the people shaping the future of our economy.

💡 Want exclusive updates on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news?

Make sure to subscribe and never miss a beat! Your support helps us continue bringing you the best stories from Canada’s top business leaders.

PLAY VIDEO

A Hug in a Bowl personified

September 23, 2025 0:29:12

Sharon Hapton, a successful Calgary-based businesswoman and mother of two, is the founder and CEO of Soup Sisters and Hug in a Bowl Enterprises.

In 2008-2009, leading up to her 50th birthday, Sharon channeled her belief in the healing power of homemade soup into founding Soup Sisters, a grassroots organization. Recognized nationally and regionally for her work, Sharon has led the movement that has delivered over 4 million ‘Hugs in a Bowl’ to families and individuals in crisis. She has received numerous accolades, including being named one of Chatelaine’s and CityTV’s Women of the Year and receiving the Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada in 2016.

“I am a soup maker. I have cared for family and friends with soup for most of my adult life. If someone was down or needed some extra care, I would show up at their door, most often unannounced and with soup. I knew that this simple gesture had the power to change their day, and in the process of making it, I was letting them know how much I cared.

The whole exchange – the soup-making, the visit, the comfort it provided and the appreciation it returned – created a fulfilling cycle of giving. Here is the recipe for Soup Sisters. All it took was for me to realize that I didn’t need to look beyond my truest self and that what I was looking for had always been inside me, just waiting to be recognized. After all, I am, and always have been, a soup maker.”

Stay Connected with #CanadasEntrepreneur!

Join our growing community of entrepreneurs across Canada! Don’t miss out on inspiring interviews, expert insights, and the latest business trends from the people shaping the future of our economy.

💡 Want exclusive updates on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news?

Make sure to subscribe and never miss a beat! Your support helps us continue bringing you the best stories from Canada’s top business leaders.

PLAY VIDEO

Turning a passion into a viable and very satisfying career

September 19, 2025 0:29:12

Calgary artist Paul Van Ginkel has been a full-time painter for 42 years. With over 2200 paintings created so far in his career, his work can be found in private and corporate collections around the world. After recently turning 65 he has no plans to retire and strongly feels his best work is ahead of him. While being pleased with his artistic abilities, he’s most proud of the fact that he’s able to turn his passion into a viable and very satisfying career. This has been achieved by his focus on the business side of his profession.

Stay Connected with #CanadasEntrepreneur!

Join our growing community of entrepreneurs across Canada! Don’t miss out on inspiring interviews, expert insights, and the latest business trends from the people shaping the future of our economy.

💡 Want exclusive updates on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news?

Make sure to subscribe and never miss a beat! Your support helps us continue bringing you the best stories from Canada’s top business leaders.

PLAY VIDEO

Helping create businesses that are not only profitable but truly impactful

September 16, 2025 0:16:16

Shawn Freeman is the founder of Impactful MSP, a coaching business dedicated to helping Managed Service Providers scale, lead, and grow beyond seven figures. After building and successfully exiting his own MSP and then partnering to build a second one, Shawn now coaches other MSP owners to create businesses that are not only profitable but also truly impactful. He believes an exceptional MSP business empowers its owner, uplifts its team, delivers real value to clients, and strengthens the community it serves. With deep experience in technology, leadership, mentorship and entrepreneurship, Shawn provides the strategic insight MSPs need to shift from overwhelmed operator to confident, visionary leader.

Stay Connected with #CanadasEntrepreneur!

Join our growing community of entrepreneurs across Canada! Don’t miss out on inspiring interviews, expert insights, and the latest business trends from the people shaping the future of our economy.

💡 Want exclusive updates on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news?

Make sure to subscribe and never miss a beat! Your support helps us continue bringing you the best stories from Canada’s top business leaders.

PLAY VIDEO

Shifting organizational culture through human-centred design

September 10, 2025 0:19:39

Jocelyne Holland brings nearly two decades of experience to her role as Partner at Holland Licensed Interior Design. With a wealth of knowledge and experience across a range of industries, including wellness, hospitality, medical, residential, and corporate interiors, she is a highly sought-after resource within the industry for her diverse expertise and focus on human-centred design. Jocelyne’s impressive portfolio speaks volumes, showcasing an extensive list of loyal, repeat clients who have entrusted their projects to her unparalleled skills. A native of Alberta, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design from Mount Royal University.

Stay Connected with #CanadasEntrepreneur!

Join our growing community of entrepreneurs across Canada! Don’t miss out on inspiring interviews, expert insights, and the latest business trends from the people shaping the future of our economy.

💡 Want exclusive updates on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news?

Make sure to subscribe and never miss a beat! Your support helps us continue bringing you the best stories from Canada’s top business leaders.

PLAY VIDEO

Creating unique but not too unique beverages

September 2, 2025 0:18:11

John Eresman is a Co-Founder and Director of Brand at Gradient Beverages, a Calgary-based beverage company pioneering bartender-grade drinks and innovative beverages, including their award-winning Inversion Nitro Cocktail range. Prior to founding Gradient, John worked in advertising and marketing for more than a decade. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the University of Calgary.

Stay Connected with #CanadasEntrepreneur!

Join our growing community of entrepreneurs across Canada! Don’t miss out on inspiring interviews, expert insights, and the latest business trends from the people shaping the future of our economy.

💡 Want exclusive updates on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news?

Make sure to subscribe and never miss a beat! Your support helps us continue bringing you the best stories from Canada’s top business leaders.

Canada's #1 Community for Entrepreneurs Canada's #1 Community for Entrepreneurs

Calgary