It all began for Candace Alper when she was on maternity leave. In Canada, new moms are able to take up to a year off which has led to a growing number of mompreneurs in the country. Having a year to herself and her new baby, Candace was able to take the time to think about her life and her career. With an infant daughter, she started singing the songs all moms know and love but she would incorporate Hannah’s name to personalize the tunes.

Before long – “If You’re Happy and You Know It” became “If You’re Hannah and You Know It” and the idea of Name Your Tune was born. Candace’s husband, Eric works in the music industry and he supported the idea of the new business venture and also brought significant skills and expertise to the table. From the beginning, the focus has been on making music fun for children and parents alike. By customizing songs with a child’s name, this wife and husband team have been able to take classic children’s songs to a new place. Read Full Story

When Pam Beattie, a stay at home Mom, married for 20 years had a yearning for something more, she focused on her passion for French furniture to launch a new business. Venetian Décor is her boutique upholstery and design house that specializes in creating down duvets, custom filled seat cushions and reproduction French furniture, to name just a few of her offerings. Pam is the ultimate recycler using vintage fur coats to bring a new life to these heirlooms and re-purpose them for something new and unique.

Pam designs custom pieces that act as windows in time and reflect old world craftsmanship, dedication, and attention to detail. Venetian Décor does not promote the trapping and killing of animals but works exclusively with vintage fur coats to ensure that these historic resources are refashioned into useful and appreciated products. Read Full Story

Ana Talukder Simpson was raised in an East Indian household where straight A’s were demanded, perfect SAT scores were expected, and an Ivy League education was the ONLY real education.  This all came from a place of love, but her parents really focused on academic greatness and equated it to success. She had always been drawn to and excelled in the creative arts, but lacked the joy that was supposed to be found in studying molecule arrangements or solving a proof.  Ana knew early on that she was not going to become the Doctor or Engineer that her parents had hoped for and decided that law school was in her future, which allowed her to major in Political Science and Philosophy and still use those skills for a realistic career.  Read Full Story