The Brand is Female

Dr. Nathalie Gabra is an otolaryngologist, head and neck surgeon, and Dermapure practitioner who brings a deeply medical lens to aesthetic medicine. But before the treatments and the protocols, she grew up watching her father and grandfather operate, and knew from a young age that surgery was her path. That foundation shapes everything about how she practices today.In this episode, airing on the last day of Women’s Month, we talk about what responsible aesthetic medicine actually looks like from the inside, and why the goal has never been to change your face but to help you look as good as you feel. We get into the shift happening around how women approach aging, why the so-called expiry date is finally losing its grip, and the very real stigma that still follows women who choose to invest in their appearance. We also talk about where skincare ends and medical aesthetics begins, what a long-term treatment plan looks like versus a one-stop-shop mentality, and why sunscreen is still the most underrated tool in any routine.Dr. Gabra is thoughtful, precise, and refreshingly honest about what's worth it and what isn't. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the options, or unsure whether any of this is for you, this conversation is a good place to start.This episode is presented by Dermapure. Visit  https://www.dermapure.com/en/offers/360-consultation/ to book a free skin consultation today at one of their clinics across Canada! 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

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

This week’s episode is exceptionally airing in French!…..Sophie Larivière-Mantha voulait programmer des robots — et c'est un stage de cégep qui l'a redirigée vers le génie. Depuis, elle n'a jamais programmé un seul robot professionnellement… mais elle dirige aujourd'hui l'Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, une institution de 77 000 membres dont la mission fondamentale est la protection du public.Dans cet épisode, Sophie parle avec franchise de son parcours atypique — de l'industriel au biomédical, du conseil d'administration à la présidence — et de ce que ça représente d'occuper ce rôle à un moment charnière pour la profession. En 1989, les femmes représentaient 4 % des ingénieurs au Québec. On est aujourd'hui à 16 %. C'est une progression réelle, mais Sophie est la première à dire que le travail est loin d'être terminé.On aborde la culture d'entreprise, le recrutement, les alliés masculins qui font une différence concrète, et pourquoi les affichages de postes peuvent, à eux seuls, décourager des candidatures féminines avant même qu'une entrevue ait lieu. On parle aussi de leadership — du sien, collaboratif et ancré dans le travail d'équipe — et de ce que ça veut dire d'arriver dans de grandes chaussures sans essayer de les remplir de la même façon que ceux qui les portaient avant.Et parce que Sophie est, de son propre aveu, résolument optimiste : on termine sur l'avenir. La crise des infrastructures, la transition énergétique, l'intelligence artificielle — autant de défis qui vont exiger des milliers de nouveaux ingénieurs au Québec dans les dix prochaines années. Et pour elle, il n'y a qu'une façon d'y arriver : avec tout le monde dans la même direction.L’épisode d’aujourd’hui fait partie d'une mini-série d’épisodes portant sur le parcours de femmes inspirantes qui ont du génie, vous étant offerte par Gestion FÉRIQUE et Services d'investissement FÉRIQUE. ……Connect with The Brand is Female on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

Patrizia Libralato is the founder and Executive Director of the Toronto Biennial of Art — Canada's first and only international art biennial. What started as a bold idea in 2014 has grown into a free, 90-day contemporary art event that draws audiences from across the country and puts Canadian artists on the world map.In this episode, Patrizia shares what it really took to build cultural infrastructure from scratch — navigating skeptics, securing multi-year funding commitments, and proving herself in rooms that weren't always ready to take her seriously as a female founder. She also gets candid about the state of women in the arts: why visibility alone isn't enough, why museum acquisitions matter, and why she's doubling down on gender parity at the Biennial even as DEI becomes an increasingly fraught conversation in North America.This one is for any founder who's ever been told their idea is too big, too early, or too ambitious — and built it anyway.The Toronto Biennial of Art opens September 26th. Learn more at torontobiennial.org.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

In recognition of Women’s Month, 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 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

What does it really take to scale a food brand when your standards make everything harder?In this episode, Eva sits down with Tara and Megan, the founders behind Canadian functional food company Rawcology. What started in a family kitchen with a dehydrator and a mission to remove inflammatory ingredients from everyday snacks has grown into a nationally distributed brand now carried by retailers including Whole Foods, Bulk Barn and Costco.But growth didn’t follow the typical startup playbook. They chose to self-manufacture instead of co-packing, prioritized ingredient integrity over margins, and navigated fundraising as a women-led company in a category dominated by massive incumbents.They share the realities behind building a CPG business — the economics of distribution, why the system favours cheap food, the bias they encountered raising capital, and how staying close to customers shaped their product strategy.This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, resilience, and defining success on your own terms when your values come first.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

Canada is facing a women’s health crisis: three in four women over 40 experience menopausal symptoms that disrupt their daily lives — yet access to care is inconsistent, fragmented, and often out of reach.In this episode of The Brand is Female, originally recorded during World Menopause Month, Eva Hartling speaks with Dr. Michelle Jacobson, a leading OBGYN who decided to take her expertise beyond the clinic and into entrepreneurship. As co-founder of Coven Women’s Health, she is transforming how women access hormonal health support in Ontario with a virtual platform offering expert, continuous, and personalized care.Dr. Jacobson is joined by her co-founder and CEO, Jennifer Patterson — a seasoned business builder with experience at Google and TD, who, after her own frustrating experience of feeling unwell, became passionate about making women’s health solutions easier to access.Together, they discuss why hormonal health remains stigmatized and overlooked in Canada, what’s missing from our current system, and how Coven is reshaping the future of women’s healthcare through integrated programs that support women navigating menopause, perimenopause, PCOS, postpartum recovery, PMDD, and more. 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

Hi! Eva here.This episode is a little different.In the first part, I take you behind the scenes of my work and share what has always driven me — an obsession with precision when it comes to messaging, thought leadership, and reputation. I talk about why I’m launching Hartling Communications as a sister agency to The Brand is Female, and why this isn’t a pivot, but a clarification.I reflect on the experiences that shaped how I think about communication — from my time as Chief Marketing Officer, to working alongside founders, executives, and institutions. I also spend time on a topic that comes up constantly in my work and in this community: imposter syndrome — how it shows up, why it persists, and how clarity in communication can be a powerful tool for confidence and credibility.In the second part of the episode, you’ll hear a live conversation recorded at The Brand is Female Conversation Series in Vancouver with Carlyn Loncaric, founder and CEO of AquaEye / VodaSafe. Carlyn shares her journey from lifeguard and engineer to building a life-saving technology company, and we talk candidly about fear, resilience, leadership, and what it takes to scale a business in spaces where women are still underrepresented.This episode is about clarity — of message, of purpose, and of direction — and about the conversations that shape how we lead.This season of our podcast is brought to you by our sponsor, 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! 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

This conversation originally aired on Women Are Players Too, where it quickly became our most popular episode of the season. Recorded at the end of the Northern Super League’s inaugural season, this episode captures a defining moment for women’s professional sports in Canada, when the scale of what had been built was coming clearly into focus.This episode features a conversation with Lara Murphy, CEO and co-owner of Calgary Wild FC, Alberta’s first professional women’s soccer team, and the co-founder of Calgary’s only female-run commercial construction company. Long before stepping into professional sport, Lara had already established herself as a respected business leader, board member, and community builder in Calgary, known for her hands-on leadership and commitment to creating opportunity.In this conversation, Lara reflects on a path shaped by sport, construction, and entrepreneurship, and on the journey from volunteer to CEO at a pivotal moment for women’s sports. She shares what it means to build something that didn’t exist for the generation before her, the responsibility that comes with being first, and the influence of visibility on the next generation of girls who can now see a future in professional sport.This episode is about leadership, community, and legacy, and why women-led movements in sport are reshaping not just the game, but culture itself.This season of our podcast is brought to you by our sponsor, 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! 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

This is part 2 of last week’s conversation. To kick off the year, host Eva Hartling sits down with Sophie Boulanger — founder and former CEO of BonLook; advisor and investor — for a season-opening conversation about what retail transformation really means in 2026.Because this is not the year for surface-level change. Brands will either evolve at the core… or fall behind.In this episode, Sophie shares the lessons behind building one of Canada’s rare modern retail success stories — and what she believes today’s brands need to understand about changing consumer expectations, experience design, and the return to proximity and independent retail.Eva and Sophie also zoom out to unpack what legacy retail can teach us right now: what the Hudson’s Bay fallout reveals about adding digital to a broken model, why Simons continues to win, and how smart operators are building resilience in a shifting market.And finally, they look ahead — to what AI and technology integration can genuinely unlock for modern companies, and why the opportunity isn’t about gimmicks, but about becoming faster, smarter, and more connected to the customer.A must-listen for founders, marketers, and business leaders navigating the next era of retail.This season of our podcast is brought to you by our sponsor, 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! 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

To kick off the first episode of the year, host Eva Hartling sits down with Sophie Boulanger — founder and former CEO of BonLook; advisor and investor — for a season-opening conversation about what retail transformation really means in 2026.Because this is not the year for surface-level change. Brands will either evolve at the core… or fall behind.In this episode, Sophie shares the lessons behind building one of Canada’s rare modern retail success stories — and what she believes today’s brands need to understand about changing consumer expectations, experience design, and the return to proximity and independent retail.Eva and Sophie also zoom out to unpack what legacy retail can teach us right now: what the Hudson’s Bay fallout reveals about adding digital to a broken model, why Simons continues to win, and how smart operators are building resilience in a shifting market.And finally, they look ahead — to what AI and technology integration can genuinely unlock for modern companies, and why the opportunity isn’t about gimmicks, but about becoming faster, smarter, and more connected to the customer.A must-listen for founders, marketers, and business leaders navigating the next era of retail.This is part one of this conversation, to be continued next week.This season of our podcast is brought to you by our sponsor, 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! 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 really take to help women entrepreneurs scale in Canada — and where are we still falling short?In this episode, Eva Hartling sits down with Julie Dimitri, National Manager, Women in Enterprise at TD, for an in-depth conversation on the realities women founders face when navigating financing, growth, and long-term sustainability.Drawing on TD’s recent research with the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, Julie unpacks why access to capital remains a persistent barrier, why Canada has a scale-up problem — not a start-up problem, and how confidence, timing, and banking relationships can make or break a business’s growth trajectory.Together, Eva and Julie explore:Why women entrepreneurs tend to wait too long to seek funding — and the cost of that delayWhat women actually want from their banking relationshipsHow bias and confidence gaps still show up in financial decision-makingThe importance of relationship-based banking and integrated financial supportWhy ecosystems, mentorship, and intentional connections matter as much as capitalThis episode offers practical insights for women founders at every stage, as well as a candid look at what financial institutions must do differently to truly support women-led businesses.A must-listen for entrepreneurs, advisors, and anyone committed to unlocking the full economic potential of women in Canada.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! 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 this special live episode recorded at the Poppy Barley boutique in Calgary, host Eva Hartling sits down with co-founder Kendall Barber for an unfiltered conversation about building — and sustaining — one of Canada’s most beloved women-founded footwear brands.Kendall shares the real story behind Poppy Barley’s 13-year journey, from the early days of selling custom boots and dreaming in wildly optimistic spreadsheets, to becoming a B Corp–certified brand rooted in purpose, craftsmanship, and comfort.Together, we explore what it really takes to scale a retail business in Canada: balancing purpose with profit, navigating volatility in fashion and supply chains, building community-driven design, and learning how to take care of yourself while you take care of the business. Kendall also opens up about co-founding with her sister Justine, the evolution of their leadership, and the realities of risk, financing, and longevity for women entrepreneurs.Recorded live as part of The Brand is Female Conversation Series — presented in partnership with TD Women in Enterprise — this episode brings you honest insights, hard-earned lessons, and a thoughtful look at what it means to build something meaningful that can truly last.A must-listen for founders, creatives, and anyone building a brand with heart and staying powerThis 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! 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

For more than a decade, best friends and business partners Dani Kagan and Victoria Marshman have been building community and empowering women through entrepreneurship. From their early days as co-founders of City MOGULS and Stratus Events — connecting thousands of entrepreneurs and raising over $250,000 for Canadian charities — to launching Mave & Chez, the women-founded slipper brand featured on Dragon’s Den, their journey is one of purpose, creativity, and resilience.In this episode, they join Eva Hartling to talk about growing together through multiple ventures, what it takes to build brands with impact, and how confidence, community, and courage can shape the legacy women leave behind.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! 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

En collaboration avec Gestion FÉRIQUE, nous présentons une édition spéciale de la série « Les femmes ont du génie », enregistrée en direct à Montréal devant public.Animée par Eva Hartling, cette table ronde réunit quatre ingénieures d’exception :Hélène Brisebois, ingénieure associée, vice-présidente et chargée de projet chez SDK, experte reconnue en ingénierie structuraleSuzanne Demeules, associée et première vice-présidente, Transport chez CIMA+Caterina Milioto, présidente et fondatrice d’Intervia, une entreprise pionnière en ingénierie de transport et gestion de la mobilitéCatherine Tremblay, vice-présidente, Agences de transport chez AtkinsRéalis, où elle dirige de grands projets d’infrastructureElles partagent leurs parcours inspirants dans un domaine encore majoritairement masculin, des chantiers de construction aux projets d’envergure qu’elles dirigent. Ensemble, elles discutent de confiance, de mentorat et de visibilité, mais aussi des obstacles systémiques qui freinent encore la progression des femmes dans les professions techniques.Une conversation franche et inspirante sur la représentation, la collaboration et l’importance d’intégrer les perspectives féminines pour bâtir un futur plus inclusif et durable — un futur véritablement conçu par et pour toutes et tous.Cet épisode fait partie de notre mini-série portant sur le parcours de femmes inspirantes qui ont du génie, et qui vous est offerte par Gestion FÉRIQUE et Services d'investissement FÉRIQUE. Gestion FÉRIQUE est un gestionnaire de fonds communs de placement qui sont offerts exclusivement aux professionnels en génie, ainsi qu'à leurs familles et leurs entreprises, par le biais de Services d'investissement FÉRIQUE. Visitez ferique.com.This episode is airing in French.Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

Scientifique et entrepreneure, Selwa Rafi, Ph.D. est la fondatrice et cheffe de la direction de KEPLR Intelligence, une entreprise montréalaise spécialisée en science des données et en intelligence artificielle appliquée à la compréhension du comportement humain dans des environnements complexes — de l’aviation à l’aérospatiale.Dans cet épisode, Selwa revient sur son parcours exceptionnel : de ses débuts en recherche jusqu’à la création de sa propre entreprise technologique. Elle partage avec authenticité les défis rencontrés dans un domaine encore très masculin, les moments qui ont façonné sa vision du leadership, et l’importance de bâtir une innovation plus éthique, inclusive et humaine.Une conversation inspirante avec une pionnière qui redéfinit le rôle des femmes dans la science et la technologie.Cet épisode fait partie de notre mini-série portant sur le parcours de femmes inspirantes qui ont du génie, et qui vous est offerte par Gestion FÉRIQUE et Services d'investissement FÉRIQUE. Gestion FÉRIQUE est un gestionnaire de fonds communs de placement qui sont offerts exclusivement aux professionnels en génie, ainsi qu'à leurs familles et leurs entreprises, par le biais de Services d'investissement FÉRIQUE. Visitez ferique.com.This episode is airing in French.Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

Maud Cohen est la première femme à diriger Polytechnique Montréal depuis sa création en 1873 — une étape marquante pour le milieu universitaire et de l’ingénierie au Québec. Forte d’un parcours ancré dans l’innovation, la rigueur et le leadership humain, Maud a dirigé plusieurs grandes organisations, dont la Fondation CHU Sainte-Justine et l’Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec. Dans cet épisode, elle revient sur l’évolution du leadership en sciences et en ingénierie, l’importance de la représentation et la manière dont l’agilité, la collaboration et l’empathie peuvent inspirer la relève.Cet épisode fait partie de notre mini-série portant sur le parcours de femmes inspirantes qui ont du génie, et qui vous est offerte par Gestion FÉRIQUE et Services d'investissement FÉRIQUE. Gestion FÉRIQUE est un gestionnaire de fonds communs de placement qui sont offerts exclusivement aux professionnels en génie, ainsi qu'à leurs familles et leurs entreprises, par le biais de Services d'investissement FÉRIQUE. Visitez ferique.com.Maud Cohen is the first woman to lead Polytechnique Montréal since its founding in 1873—a historic milestone in Quebec’s academic and engineering landscape. With a career built on innovation, integrity, and human-centered leadership, Maud has led major organizations including the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation and the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec. In this conversation, she reflects on the evolution of leadership in STEM, the importance of representation, and how fostering agility, collaboration, and empathy can shape the next generation of changemakers. This episode is airing in French.Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/thebrandisfemale

October is World Menopause Month — and it’s time to challenge one of the most persistent myths in our culture: that women’s careers, beauty, and relevance come with an expiration date. Graydon Moffat, founder of Graydon Skincare, has made it her mission to defy that idea. She’s spoken openly about ageism in entrepreneurship and about how women navigating perimenopause and beyond deserve to be seen, supported, and celebrated — not sidelined.Before becoming a skincare founder, Graydon had already reinvented herself more than once — from plant-based chef to yoga teacher — and it was through these experiences that she earned the nickname “The Skin Chef.” Her approach to beauty was never about anti-aging, but about nourishment and vitality. That same philosophy drives the formulas at Graydon Skincare, where super-powered superfoods meet proven clinical actives to create products that are as effective as they are ethical.Today, Graydon leads a female-founded, values-driven company grounded in ingredient transparency, sustainable packaging, and accessibility — proving that looking good and feeling good can go hand in hand. In this conversation, she shares her insights on aging, entrepreneurship, and building a conscious beauty brand that stands the test of time.This episode originally aired during Season 6.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

Canada is facing a women’s health crisis: three in four women over 40 experience menopausal symptoms that disrupt their daily lives — yet access to care is inconsistent, fragmented, and often out of reach.In this episode of The Brand is Female, highlighting World Menopause Month, Eva Hartling speaks with Dr. Michelle Jacobson, a leading OBGYN who decided to take her expertise beyond the clinic and into entrepreneurship. As co-founder of Coven Women’s Health, she is transforming how women access hormonal health support in Ontario with a virtual platform offering expert, continuous, and personalized care.Dr. Jacobson is joined by her co-founder and CEO, Jennifer Patterson — a seasoned business builder with experience at Google and TD, who, after her own frustrating experience of feeling unwell, became passionate about making women’s health solutions easier to access.Together, they discuss why hormonal health remains stigmatized and overlooked in Canada, what’s missing from our current system, and how Coven is reshaping the future of women’s healthcare through integrated programs that support women navigating menopause, perimenopause, PCOS, postpartum recovery, PMDD, and more. 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

Kelsey Irvine is part of the mother/two-daughters trio behind Birch Babe, a Canadian skincare brand that's making waves in the natural beauty industry. Kelsey's career is a blend of creativity, commitment to sustainability, and a keen eye for storytelling. With a background in commercial advertising and documentary directing, she has a unique ability to craft content that looks good and connects on an emotional level.Kelsey isn't just about making things look pretty; she's deeply invested in making a difference. Her work as an Oscar-nominated producer highlights her dedication to narratives that drive positive change. This passion is a perfect match for Birch Babe's ethos, which prioritizes natural and ethically sourced ingredients, waste reduction, and minimizing carbon footprints. As CEO and Head of Creative and Communications at Birch Babe, Kelsey has helped the brand grow into a leader in the natural beauty market, earning a dedicated following and a reputation for excellence. In this episode, we delve into how Kelsey's blend of creative talent and strategic thinking and her commitment to eco-friendly practices helped shape a successful brand that stands for more than just beauty products. She also brings up her sobriety journey and commitment to living intentionally.This episode originally aired as part of our 2024 season.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