The Brand is Female

Laura Kraber | Co-Founder, Fluide | a new definition of beauty

31 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Eva Hartling is joined by Laura Kraber, Co-Founder of Fluide, a gender-inclusive beauty start-up that offers a line of affordable, hig...

Maggie Marilyn | Founder, Maggie Marilyn | Courage over comfort

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Courage >> comfort. This week, Maggie Hewitt joins host Eva Hartling to talk about finding purpose and doing good. Maggie is the founder of sust...

Nicole Doucet | CEO and Co-founder, Open Water | Making bottled water go circular

17 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week’s guest thinks plastic water bottles should be history. Nicole Doucet is the CEO and Co-Founder of Open Water, a bottled water company tha...

Missy Koefod | Co-founder, 18.21 Bitters | Brash is Better

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Eva Hartling is joined by Misty Koefod. Alongside her wife Kristen, Missy co-founded the famed cocktail mixers and spiked seltzers bra...

Nana aba Duncan | Journalist & Carty Chair in Journalism, Diversity and Inclusion Studies, Carleton University

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Eva Hartling is joined by Nana aba Duncan. Nana aba is a Canadian Journalist who was recently appointed as Associate Professor and the...

BONUS: Koa Beck | Journalist & Author, White Feminism: From the Suffragettes to influencers and Who They Leave Behind

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In case you missed it, this week, we’re re-airing one of our season’s most popular episodes again! Meet Koa Beck, acclaimed author of the best-sel...

Hannah Alper | Activist, Blogger, & Motivational Speaker | GLAD for Change

20 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Eva Hartling is joined by Hannah Alper, a Canadian Activist, Blogger, and Motivational Speaker who addresses issues such as the enviro...

BONUS: Soraya Chemaly | Author & Executive Director of The Representation Project

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In case you missed it, we’re airing one of our season’s most popular episodes again! Soraya Chemaly is an award-winning journalist and author whos...

Maayan Ziv | Founder, AcesssNow | Mapping an Accessible Future

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Eva Hartling is joined by Maayan Ziv, activist, photographer and founder of AccessNow, a connected, global platform with information o...

Saron Gebresellassi | Lawyer, Activist, and Entrepreneur | It all Matters

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever thought your voice couldn't have impact, this episode is for you. Saron Gebresellassi is a Toronto-based lawyer, activist and entrepren...

A Conversation with Filmmakers Tracey Deer and Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Brand is Female Studios just launched a new podcast called Maple Popcorn, and this episode features a conversation our host, Marriska Fernandes, h...

Maxine Bédat | Executive Director at New Standard Institute and Author, Unraveled: The Life and Death of a Garment

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered where your jeans come from, or where they’ll end up once you’re done with them? This week's guest did the research for you....

Christy Baskauskas | Founder and Designer, Christy Dawn | Farm-to-closet

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve heard of farm-to-table, but have you heard of farm-to-closet? This week, host Eva Hartling is joined by Christy Baskauskas, founder of the Ca...

Shelby Taylor | Founder and CEO, Chickapea | You Don't Do it All

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s guest is Shelby Taylor, founder and CEO of Chickapea, the all-organic, high-protein, plant-based pasta, sold in 3,000 stores across North Am...

Nikki Sanchez | Indigenous Advocate, Journalist & Environmental Educator | Reconnecting with the land, and with ourselves

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Nikki Sanchez is an Indigenous Advocate of Pipil and Irish/Scottish heritage with a mission to raise awareness for the climate crisis, which she does ...

BONUS: Carrie Ellen Phillips, Penny Abeywardena, and Oxiris Bardot | Mothers in the Covid era

07 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

More than a year into the pandemic, we know it is women who are bearing the brunt of COVID-19's impact. Around the world, women are disproportionally ...

Michelle Bilodeau & Karen Cleveland | Authors | Rewriting the rules of matrimony

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Eva Hartling is joined by guests Michelle Bilodeau and Karen Cleveland, authors of ‘The New Wedding Book: a Guide to Ditching All th...

Stephany Lapierre | CEO and Founder, Tealbook | Trusting your Instinct as a Business Leader

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Eva Hartling is joined by Stephany Lapierre, Founder, and CEO of Canadian tech company Tealbook, which offers an innovative B2B platfo...

BONUS: Britt Wray | Eco-Distress Researcher | Climate Change, Feminism, and Mental Health

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Britt Wray, PhD is a globally renowned expert on Climate Crisis Dread, studying the link between mental health and the eco-crisis. Between her new...

Carrie Ellen Philips | Co-founder, BPCM | Choosing sustainability

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This episode features Carrie Ellen Phillips, and it originally aired August 18, 2020. In honour of Earth Day, we’re bringing back this important con...

Tori Telfer | Author, Lady Killers and Confident Women

13 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“We judge women criminals more harshly. Women get judged twice: once for being a criminal and once for being a woman." When you hear the names Anna ...

Chris Bergeron | Author, and VP Content Experience, Cossette

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

"At work, I see the orders from my male bosses as suggestions; and from my women superiors, as orders. And it doesn’t matter who ranks up to who in ...

Dr. Juveria Zaheer | Clinician Scientist specializing in suicide, gender and culture

30 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest on The Brand is Female podcast is Dr. Juveria Zaheer, a Clinician Scientist whose research focuses on suicide, gender, and culture. ...

Nancy Smithers | Founder, Nova Scotia Organics

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“I’ve had some very rough times in life. When tragedy or anything gets, you go in and you want to blame everybody else. You don’t look at it for...

Bonus episode | Sandi Treliving | Philanthropist and Board Member, CAMH Foundation

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sandi is a dedicated philanthropist, supporter of Canadian arts and culture, and a champion for the advancement of women in sport. These passions, ski...

Bonus episode | Deborah Gillis | President and CEO of CAMH Foundation

17 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As a recognized thought leader on gender equality, diversity, and inclusion, Deborah has dedicated her career to driving social change. Prior to joini...

Koa Beck | Journalist & Author, White Feminism: From the Suffragettes to influencers and Who They Leave Behind

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

"Power has been so successful at denigrating women. It’s a specific pattern of patriarchy in terms of taking us away from one another. So what happe...

Bonus episode | Carole Dagher | VP, Legal, Loblaw & Mental Health Advocate

10 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Would you be brave enough to share your own struggles with mental health, if it meant helping just one other person? Meet Carole Dagher, VP of Legal a...

Hajer Nakua | Ph.D. Candidate, Science Communicator, Mental Health Advocate

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hajer Nakua is a mental health researcher and advocate for Muslim women in STEM. She uses her online platforms to share the latest research about ment...

Soraya Chemaly | Author & Executive Director of The Representation Project

02 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Soraya Chemaly is an award-winning journalist and author whose writing appears regularly in media around the world. Her work centres around defining w...

Tina Bhojwani | Co-founder, AERA | The industry veteran turned eco-pioneer

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you met the woman behind the vegan shoe? Meet Tina Bhojwani, co-founder and CEO of fashion brand AERA. A high-powered fashion executive for over ...

Dr. Britt Wray | Eco-Distress Researcher | Staying sane while watching the world come to an end

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Britt Wray, PhD and post-doctoral fellow, is a globally-renowned expert on Climate Crisis Dread, studying the link between mental health and the e...

Erin Beatty | Founder, Rentrayage | Rejecting the status-quo

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Erin Beatty is a well-known name in the fashion world. You may know her from the former globally successful womenswear label Suno, but do you know wha...

Dr Cara Miller | What kind of leader do you want to be?

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Cara Miller has held several roles in the fields of leadership, organizational change, spiritual and adult development. She has taught at the Unive...

Marissa Freed | President, FREED and FREED | Taking over the reins

26 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Marissa Freed is the President of FREED and FREED, a Canadian garment manufacturer founded over 100 years ago. Since taking over the reins from her fa...

Sinead Bovell | Founder, WAYE | The futurist

19 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sinead Bovell made the transition from Fashion Model to Futurist, Speaker, Youth Tech Leader and Founder of WAYE, a platform that aims to bridge the g...

Anne Martel | Co-Founder, Element AI | The elusive woman in tech

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Anne Martel is the co-founder of Element AI, a Montreal-based AI startup that was deemed an almost overnight success—it was backed by some of the wo...

Penny Abeywardena | NYC Commissioner for International Affairs | Creating impact

05 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Brand is Female is starting the year with the one and only Penny Abeywardena, New York City’s Commissioner for International Affairs. In her rol...

Chloe Songer | Co-Founder, Thousand Fell | Going full circle

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Chloe Songer is the co-founder of Thousand Fell, the New York-based sneaker company which offers a line of biodegradable shoes to promote circularity,...

Amel Karboul | CEO, Education Outcomes Fund, Politician & Entrepreneur | The changemaker

08 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

H.E. Dr. Amel Karboul is an author, politician, business leader and overall changemaker, who today serves as CEO of The Education Outcomes Fund, a UNI...

Dianna Cohen | Founder and CEO, Crown Affair | The start-up life

01 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Dianna Cohen is the founder of Crown Affair, a revolutionary haircare brand that launched less than a year ago — pre-Covid — and was met with almo...

Abigail Spencer | Actress and Founder, County Line Florals | The multi-hyphen life

18 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Better known as an actress, writer and producer who, incidentally, still dreams of appearing on a Broadway stage, Abigail Spencer began her acting car...

Eva Barboni | Founder and CEO, Atalanta | Building that dream job for yourself

27 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week’s episode features a conversation with Eva Barboni, Founder and CEO of Atalanta, a consultancy that helps women candidates and candidates ...

Janice Engel and Carlisle Vandervoort | Director and Producer, Rise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins

20 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week’s episode features a conversation with Janice Engel and Carlisle Vandervoort, director and producer of the award-winning documentary ‘Ra...

Vanessa Barboni Hallik | Founder and CEO, Another Tomorrow

13 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Vanessa Barboni Hallik left a successful career in finance to launch her own brand of sustainable luxury garments, Another Tomorrow, with every decisi...

Myriam Maguire | Co-founder, Maguire | Taking more risks

02 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Myriam Maguire is the Co-founder and Creative Director of Maguire, a design-led footwear brand that got its start in Montreal. In this conversation, M...

Sage Paul | Designer and Founding Member, Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto | Honouring the know-how passed down from other women

25 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest this week is Sage Paul, Founding Member and Creative Director of Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto. An urban Denesuliné tskwe and a member of...

Laura Nezri | Founder, Maison Tess | Don't feel guilty about juggling business and family

18 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Laura Nezri was focused on raising her family until she founded Maison Tess, based on an idea that came to her after she searched high and low for the...

Jo Notkin | Chef and Owner, Zoe Ford Catering | Always do things your own way

11 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jo Notkin has turned a passion for food into a career, although she used to have a completely different job, working in the jewelry industry and later...

Melanie Ellezam | Founder and Creative Director, Olmsted Outerwear | Entrepreneurs who do good

25 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Melanie Ellezam created Olmsted Outerwear with the desire to do things differently. By committing to a sustainable supply chain and manufacturing proc...

Carrie Ellen Phillips | Co-Founder, BPCM | The art of marketing sustainability

18 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we’re taking a deep dive into sustainability — all aspects of it — and the changes that need to take place in our world, both from a ...

Rachel Lambo | CEO and Co-founder, Sade Baron | Building a successful brand from a side hustle

27 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel Lambo founded body skincare brand Sade Baron with her mom after some convincing. While the brand has been a side hustle, it took off organicall...

Chantal Carter | Founder, Love & Nudes | Disrupting the lingerie industry

13 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Chantal Carter has revolutionized the underwear industry by introducing nude undergarments that actually match everyone’s skin tone, including BIWOC...

Bianca Osbourne | Chef and On-air food expert | Feeling good about food

06 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As women, we often have a complicated relationship with food. From the society we live in where diet culture and pressures around body image and “he...

Liz Cabral | Founder, Purpose & Perspective | Are brands rising up to meet consumers' expectations when it comes to sustainability?

29 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This episode features a conversation with Elizabeth Cabral, Founder and Creative Director of Purpose & Perspective, a platform that promotes mindf...

Afiya Francisco | Founder, The Style House: how to talk about racism and support Black entrepreneurs

18 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This episode features an interview with Afiya Francisco, Style Expert for on-air and print media and the Founder of The Style House.Afiya has built an...

Elizabeth Vazquez and Marie Muldowney | Council on Scaling Women-Owned Businesses

08 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This episode features an interview with Elizabeth Vazquez, CEO and Co-Founder of WEConnect International, and Marie Muldowney, Managing Director at th...

Kassandra Churcher | Advocate for Education and Women's issues

06 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This episode features an interview with Kassandra Churcher, former Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies and the c...

Nontombi Naomi Tutu and Mungi Ngomane

01 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This episode was recorded in the midst of a racial crisis in North America. To discuss the issue, we called on two inspiring black women leaders: Nont...

Karen Marshall and Tina Barkley | Co-founders, Fleurs de villes

25 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Four years ago, Karen Marshall and Tina Barkley founded Fleurs de villes — a unique, experiential concept that brings luxury floral installations to...

Alison Gordon | Founder and former CEO, 48North

18 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Alison Gordon was known as one of the only women CEOs leading a publicly-traded cannabis company until she left her position at 48North to the surpris...