New BDC Web series showcases inspiring entrepreneur stories
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As part of this year’s advertising campaign, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is launching today Beyond Business, a new Web series that showcases inspiring, relentless entrepreneurs and the challenges they overcome to successfully grow their companies.
The first three episodes of the Web series feature entrepreneurs across Canada as they wonder how they can take their business to the next level and face growth challenges while staying true to their values. The three-minute videos will be broadcast on social media and focus intimately on the people behind the business, making them highly relatable to entrepreneurs. The series aims to touch entrepreneurs by portraying unique, authentic experiences and demonstrating that successful business growth is inspiring.
The first three episodes feature inspiring Canadian businesses:
Fair Trade Jewellery Co.
Fair Trade Jewellery Co. is North America’s first Fairtrade certified jewellery store. This Toronto-based company designs, manufactures and commercializes ethical jewellery and has achieved multiple certifications for its high ethical and environmental standards. It is a global pioneer in working with artisanal miners, sourcing ethical diamonds and improving traceability in the mining industry. Cofounders Ryan Taylor and Robin Gambhir used BDC financing to create a spin-off company, Consensas, that digitizes the supply chain paper trail for precious metals in conflict areas.
Kin’s Farm Market
Kin’s Farm Market is a family-owned fresh produce retail chain in the Vancouver area. Kin Wah Leung and his family had little money and no business experience when they started a produce stand in 1983. They’ve since expanded to 30 produce stores. They work hard to give back to the community, helping newcomers with advice and offering employees a franchise program and other opportunities. The company has enrolled in BDC’s Growth Driver Program to strengthen its management team and further its expansion.
Green Beaver
Green Beaver is a quickly growing maker of natural and organic skin care and cosmetics products in Hawkesbury, Ontario. Husband-wife partners Alain Ménard and Karen Clark were inspired by the birth of their son to create their wildly successful line of all-natural products. Through the Growth Driver Program, BDC helped them create a business plan, a new vision and a marketing team to launch their next phase of growth and expand internationally.
The Web series builds on the achievements of BDC’s annual advertising campaigns, which demonstrate the close connection between the Bank and entrepreneurs by showcasing its deep understanding of their reality. Entrepreneurs take centre stage in this year’s national multichannel advertising campaign, led by Cossette. The campaign launched earlier in September also includes TV spots, radio messages, out-of-home and airport ads, and digital media.