Growing brands customers come back to, with Janet Zuccarini and Paige Cey

Recorded live in Toronto before an audience, this episode brings together two founders building consumer brands in different categories: Janet Zuccarini, founder and CEO of Gusto 54 Restaurant Group, and Paige Cey, co-founder and co-CEO of Benny.Over three decades, Janet has built and evolved some of Toronto and Los Angeles’ most recognized hospitality concepts. Paige is rethinking the energy drink category for a new generation with Benny, a better-for-you alternative that has grown from a bootstrapped start to more than $4 million in lifetime revenue, with national distribution at Target in the U.S. and Canadian retail expansion underway. Though their businesses are at different stages, both founders have had to find room to stand out in crowded markets and keep pace with changing consumer tastes. In this conversation, they share how they identify opportunity, build brands that give customers a reason to return, and stay connected to what those customers want as a business grows. They also discuss the choices founders face along the way: when to protect the original vision, when to adapt, and how to keep a brand relevant as expectations shift.This live conversation offers candid perspectives on building enduring consumer brands in food, beverage and hospitality.This season of our podcast is brought to you by TD Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Find out how you can benefit from their support, visit td.com/wieVisit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

THIS WEEK, WE’RE AIRING AN EPISODE IN FRENCH. Qu’est-ce qui fait réussir une transaction? Au-delà de l’expertise financière et juridique, la confiance, le jugement et la capacité de comprendre les personnes autour de la table jouent un rôle déterminant.Dans cet épisode spécial, présenté par le Club M&A et Dentons et enregistré devant public il y a quelques semaines à l’invitation de l’Association des femmes en finance du Québec, on reçoit trois leaders du milieu des fusions et acquisitions : Christine Pouliot, CFA, MBA, associée directrice, Montréal, PwC; Saloua Benkhouya, vice-présidente, Placements privés et investissements d’impact, Divertissement et services, Fonds de solidarité FTQ, et présidente du conseil d’administration de l’AFFQ; et Dominique Babin, associée, Droit des sociétés, Dentons.À travers leurs parcours et leurs expériences, elles expliquent pourquoi les compétences relationnelles, souvent qualifiées de soft skills, méritent d’être reconnues comme des compétences stratégiques. Elles abordent la dimension émotionnelle des transactions, l’importance de poser les bonnes questions et la nécessité de comprendre les enjeux d’une entreprise bien au-delà de sa valeur financière.La conversation explore aussi ce qui permet aux femmes de progresser en finance : l’accès aux mandats d’envergure, les réseaux, les personnes qui appuient leur candidature aux occasions clés et un environnement de travail qui soutient leurs ambitions.Un échange franc sur le facteur humain en M&A et les conditions qui permettent à davantage de femmes d’accéder aux rôles décisionnels.Cette saison du balado The Brand is Female est présenté par TD Femmes en entreprises. Visitez www.td.com/wie pour apprendre comment TD peut vous soutenir!This season of our podcast is brought to you by TD Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Find out how you can benefit from their support, visit td.com/wie.Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

In Canada, women make up more than half of the workforce at banking and financial services employers, yet hold fewer than four in ten senior management roles, according to the most recent data. What helps women advance in finance, and how are they shaping the mergers and acquisitions that determine the future of businesses?In this episode of The Brand is Female, presented in collaboration with M&A Club and National Bank, Host  Eva Hartling speaks with Meaghan Kappel, Partner, Deals, at PwC; Geneviève Martin, Partner and Lawyer at BCF Avocats d’affaires; and Andreea Ivanescu, Vice-President, Investment Banking, at National Bank of Canada. Together, they explore their unexpected paths into mergers and acquisitions, the importance of trust and human insight in dealmaking, and the mentors, sponsors and male allies who have supported their careers. They also discuss how to bring more women into the profession and offer practical advice for founders preparing to buy or sell a business, from planning early and choosing trusted advisors to understanding the people and cultural dynamics that can shape a transaction’s success.This season of our podcast is brought to you by TD Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Find out how you can benefit from their support, visit td.com/wieVisit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

THIS WEEK, WE ARE AIRING A CONVERSATION IN FRENCH ON THE BRAND IS FEMALE.Comment transformer des textiles destinés à être jetés en une entreprise capable de grandir sans perdre de vue sa mission?Pour inaugurer cette minisérie de The Brand is Female réalisée en collaboration avec The Unscented Company, Eva Hartling reçoit Gabrielle Huppé et Maude Girard, les cofondatrices de Next Chance, ainsi que leur mentore, Anie Rouleau, fondatrice de The Unscented Company. Cette série met en lumière l’entrepreneuriat à impact et la transmission entre femmes entrepreneures, à travers des conversations sur les décisions, les défis et les relations qui permettent de bâtir des entreprises durables.Après avoir quitté la finance, Gabrielle et Maude ont créé Next Chance pour donner une seconde vie aux surplus textiles. Elles les transforment en emballages cadeaux réutilisables, en accessoires et en objets pour la maison, fabriqués ici. Leur ambition : proposer des produits que l’on choisit autant pour leur beauté et leur qualité que pour leur impact environnemental.Dans cet épisode, elles racontent comment elles ont construit leur modèle d’économie circulaire, développé leur collaboration avec Simons et appris à composer avec un approvisionnement qui change constamment. À leurs côtés, Anie partage sa perspective sur la croissance, l’importance de rester concentrées et les défis de faire reconnaître la valeur d’une entreprise à mission auprès des partenaires financiers.Une conversation sur le mentorat, la maîtrise des finances et les conditions qui permettent de faire grandir une entreprise fidèle à ses convictions.Cette saison du balado The Brand is Female vous est présentée par TD Femmes en entreprises. La TD est fière de soutenir les femmes entrepreneures et de les aider à réussir et à faire croître leur entreprise grâce à des ateliers de formation, à des solutions de financement et à des occasions de mentorat. Découvrez comment vous pouvez bénéficier de ce soutien, visitez td.com/wieCet épisode vous est présenté par The Unscented Company, une entreprise certifiée B Corp et détenue par une femme. The Unscented Company redéfinit la notion de propreté grâce à des essentiels naturels pour la maison et le corps, sans fragrance ajoutée, offerts en formats rechargeables ou solides afin de réduire notre consommation de plastique et d'eau. En restant fidèles à ses valeurs et à une chaîne d’approvisionnement locale, l’entreprise démontre que la rentabilité, la raison d’être et le respect de l'environnement peuvent aller de pair.Visitez: thebrandisfemale.com // Suivez-nous sur Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

Catherine Lunardi founded GenAIz in 2016, long before generative AI entered the mainstream. After years of implementing technology in the life-sciences industry, she saw how valuable information was often trapped in disconnected systems or abandoned along with unsuccessful projects. She set out to build a better way forward.In this episode, host Eva Hartling speaks with Catherine about what it takes to build a company before the market is ready, earn the trust of a highly regulated industry and turn complex technology into a scalable business. They also explore the advantages of building a technology company in Montreal and Canada, the responsibility that comes with applying AI to life sciences, and what a decade of entrepreneurship has taught Catherine about leadership, conviction and growth.Catherine is the founder and CEO of GenAIz and a 2026 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year finalist for Eastern Canada.Today’s episode is part of a mini-series highlighting the journeys of inspiring women in engineering, presented by Gestion FÉRIQUE and Services d'investissement FÉRIQUE. Visit ferique.com for more!Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

Today we are re-airing a season favourite: our conversation with former NASA rocket scientist, entrepreneur, and citizen astronaut Aisha Bowe.Aisha has built a career defined by bold decisions—and even bolder execution. She’s also, as you’ll hear, not opposed to naming a few favourite [fictional] aliens along the way. From discovering her passion for math in community college to working at NASA, founding two companies, raising venture capital in a system where fewer than 2% of women reach that threshold, and ultimately funding her own journey to space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard, Aisha’s path is anything but conventional.In this episode, we talk about what it really takes to bet on yourself. Aisha opens up about overcoming self-doubt, navigating environments where she wasn’t expected to succeed, and why she believes imposter syndrome is often misplaced. She shares her perspective on building companies with purpose, challenging broken systems—from venture capital to education—and creating access for the next generation through her edtech platform.We also explore her journey to space—not just as a personal milestone, but as a mission to expand representation and visibility in STEM. For Aisha, space is not just about exploration; it’s about who gets to be seen there, and what that unlocks for others.At the end of the episode, Selwa Rafi, founder of Canadian aerospace company KEPLR Intelligence, joins the conversation to bring a complementary perspective on leadership, entrepreneurship, and the future of the space industry.A conversation about ambition, resilience—and yes, a few unexpected favourites from beyond our planet.Today’s episode is part of a mini-series highlighting the journeys of inspiring women in engineering, presented by Gestion FÉRIQUE and Services d'investissement FÉRIQUE. Visit ferique.com for more!Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

As we get ready for a new season launching this September, we are re-airing some of our (and your) favourite episodes of 2026. This week: Canadian Industry Minister Mélanie Joly.Mélanie Joly has held some of the most demanding roles in Canadian federal politics — from Minister of Canadian Heritage to Minister of Foreign Affairs to her current role as Minister of Industry. But before any of that, she was a 34-year-old who founded her own political party and ran for mayor of Montreal. That gutsy move set the tone for everything that followed.In this episode, we talk about what power actually means when you're someone who thinks more about impact than authority. We get into the realities of being a woman in politics today — why it's arguably harder now than it was ten years ago, the role social media plays in that, and the very real mental load of maintaining a public identity while protecting your private self. We also talk about imposter syndrome, why women need to be asked six times on average before agreeing to run for office, and what it takes to back yourself when there are no role models who look or sound like you.Mélanie is candid, sharp, and genuinely thoughtful about where we are right now — and what it'll take to keep moving forward. This one's worth your full attention.This season of our podcast is brought to you by TD Canada Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Please find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women in Enterprise: td.com/wie // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

What does it take to become the first?In this bonus live episode of The Brand is Female, Eva Hartling sits down with Dr. Gina Cody, engineer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, Chancellor of Concordia University, and the first woman in Canada to earn a PhD in Building Engineering.Recorded live at the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science, this conversation traces Dr. Cody's remarkable journey from arriving in Canada from Iran with just $2,000 to building one of the country's leading engineering firms and becoming one of Canada's most influential champions for women in STEM.But this episode is about much more than career milestones. Dr. Cody reflects on the mentors who changed her life, why kindness is one of the most powerful leadership skills, how she overcame fear and self-doubt, and why being "the only woman in the room" became an advantage rather than a limitation.She also shares her philosophy on leadership, lifelong learning, balancing ambition with family, and the importance of giving back once you've achieved success.Whether you're an engineer, entrepreneur, student, or leader, this conversation offers timeless lessons on courage, resilience, generosity, and building a career with purpose.In this episode, you'll learn:-Why courage isn't the absence of fear—it's acting despite it. -How to turn obstacles into opportunities. -The leadership power of listening, humility, and kindness. -Why women belong at the forefront of engineering and innovation. -How Dr. Cody defines success after a lifetime of achievement.Today’s episode is part of a mini-series highlighting the journeys of inspiring women in engineering, presented by Gestion FÉRIQUE and Services d'investissement FÉRIQUE. Visit ferique.com for more! Follow The Brand is Female on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

Purpose and profit are often framed as competing priorities. But what if the most successful businesses are built by refusing to choose between them?Recorded live in Vancouver last week during The Brand is Female Conversations Series, this episode brings together two leaders who are redefining what entrepreneurship can accomplish.Carla Guerrera, Founder and CEO of Purpose Driven Development, is transforming how we think about housing by creating communities designed around inclusion, affordability, and long-term social impact. Kirsten Koppang Telford, CEO of The Forum, has spent her career helping entrepreneurs harness innovation to solve meaningful problems and now leads one of Canada's most influential organizations supporting women entrepreneurs.Together, they explore what purpose-driven leadership actually looks like in practice: making difficult decisions, resisting short-term thinking, building profitable businesses without compromising values, and challenging the systems that continue to underestimate women founders.The conversation also examines the powerful links between housing, entrepreneurship, economic opportunity, and community building, and why supporting women entrepreneurs isn't simply an equity issue, but one of Canada's greatest economic opportunities.Whether you're building a company, leading a team, or simply rethinking the kind of impact you want your work to have, this conversation offers an inspiring reminder that purpose and profit don't just coexist—they can reinforce one another.This season of our podcast is brought to you by TD Canada Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Please find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women in Enterprise: td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

In one of our favourite episodes of the season, Eva Hartling speaks with Chantel Chapman, founder of the Trauma of Money Institute, to explore the deeper forces that shape our relationship with money.After starting her career in finance and working as a financial literacy educator, Chantel realized that knowledge alone doesn’t always translate into healthy financial behaviour. Her work now sits at the intersection of finance, psychology, and trauma-informed practice, helping individuals and institutions better understand the emotional dynamics behind financial decision-making.In this conversation, Eva and Chantel discuss why many women struggle with confidence around money, how patterns like underearning and overgiving take root, and how women entrepreneurs can begin to build a healthier, more empowered relationship with their finances.Order Chantel’s book, “The Trauma of Money: Mapping Compassionate Pathways to Healing Financial Trauma and Disempowering Financial Shame”.This conversation originally aired in March.This season of our podcast is brought to you by TD Canada Women in Enterprise. TD is proud to support women entrepreneurs and help them achieve success and growth through its program of educational workshops, financing and mentorship opportunities! Please find out how you can benefit from their support! Visit: TBIF: thebrandisfemale.com // TD Women in Enterprise: td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business // Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale