OV Boss Babes

After Chelsea Malowski, an east-coast military spouse got posted to Petawawa with her husband, she noticed that there was a lack of home décor, gifts, and local products for purchase in Petawawa.  Starting in 2017, as a home-based e-commerce business, Chelsea began developing and expanding relationships with Canadian vendors. With a growing list of artisans and a need for more space to showcase th...

We've been hearing this familiar voice on the radio for years, as she used to be the General Manager at Lapointe Chrysler, another local dealership but she has since relocated to her hometown of Petawawa's local dealership and is now the General Manager at Petawawa Kia. Tiffany Schroeder has taken this opportunity to restructure her team, renovating the dealership, creating more of a presence for...

Many of us start our businesses, without even really much of a game plan, and the majority of us are figuring it out along the way. But learning how to run a business is getting out of your own head and taking control of the steering wheel. 👉🏼 How do we navigate the hurdles? 👉🏼Prioritize our time so that we can finally have the financial freedom we've been manifesting? 👉🏼Actually have that w...

Armed with nearly two decades of experience as early childhood educators and sports coaches, Connor Bell and Emily Prud'Homme had a vision to create fun, engaging, and high quality music and movement classes and soccer programs for babies, toddlers, & children in the Carleton Place area. Speckled Frogs delivers fun and engaging parent & child experiences which encompass their three pillars of lear...

Helping others keep their bodies healthy and thriving has always been a lifelong dream for Valerie Beaulieu, a certified athletic therapist, who's dream came true in the fall of 2013 when she opened ProActive Athletic Therapy, Lanark County's ✨ONLY✨ athletic therapy clinic in downtown Downtown Carleton Place. Valerie and her team of athletic therapists and "first responders" specialize in the pr...

Kelly Middaugh is a Canadian curler from Victoria Harbour, ON who relocated to the Ottawa Valley to pursue her education at Algonquin College Pembroke Waterfront Campus and is a student currently taking the Outdoor Adventure Naturalist (ODAN) Program. Kelly currently plays lead on Team Laurie St-Georges and recently represented Team Quebec at the Scottie Tournament of Hearts! For curling sports fa...

Initially starting out as a nurse in long term care homes and working multiple jobs as a retail manager and working at a spa was what pushed Carley Jameson Patterson's drive towards her career goals. But doing nails is what she enjoyed most and she knew she wanted to pursue her aesthetician career full time and become her own BOSS. 👏🏼 When Carley first opened the doors to Trending Nails Pembroke...

For years, Tarwyn Lane has created customized and unique personalized products with your favourite design on them, including tumblers, mugs, wooden signs, charcuterie boards, door mats and so much more! You've seen her work around town , working with His & Her Grazing, Century 21 Aspire Realty, and Enterprise Renfrew County just to name a few. We all know her biz as Tarwyn Lane Designs.... but she...

Hannah Lopes, a former ER nurse had decided to leave her career as a front line worker and focus on her two little girls at home...but the creative itch got to her and she started her own infant apparel company. After wholesaling her products at the local children's boutique in downtown Almonte, she started working there casually until the opportunity to co-own the business was presented to her an...

Hey biz owners - you know it's that time of year again.... tax season (groan!) And we all know that running a business is a lot of work...and naturally, you want to keep as much of what you make as possible, get your taxes filed without any penalties or late fees, and PRAY that you don't get audited. Laura Stevens from Valley Accounting & Tax is here to help! She and her business partner opened up...

After Diane Bosse received the disheartening news that she had Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disease, she discovered that healthy eating and natural products could help her deal with the condition. However, Diane realized that most grocery store products contained an abundance of man-made chemicals that only made her symptoms worse. Diane already knew that she didn't want to be consuming...

In the 1920's, this well known building in Downtown Carleton Place started its legacy as a food store, selling everything from produce and eggs to canned goods and cleaning supplies. It closed in the 1960's as other businesses occupied the space, until it reopened in 1978. It has since has many different owners over the years but has faithfully remained a bulk and health food store. Dena Comley, a...

Social norms have popularized drinking as a form of self-care for exhausted parents. Motherhood is a stressful job, and it goes without saying that alcohol helps to take the edge off after a long week. The only problem is, it shouldn't be and its potentially harming our health.  Hear how Sarah Kate's relationship with alcohol changed and what led her to want to live an alcohol-free lifestyle (beca...

A career in the healthcare sector is not only rewarding but it provides you with the opportunity to serve and work with people on a daily basis, whe people face serious health challenges or injuries, witnessing the moment of birth or the end of life—you get to know the patients very quickly and have the opportunity to play an important role in their lives. Avery Jackson, a former Algonquin College...

Luxury glamping has on in the rise for quite some time but dome glamping is the alternative experience for an unforgettable holiday close to nature... and where cozy meets comfort! Chantal Duffy and Jenna Jean-Marie are just two of the biz owners behind Hillhaus Domes Pontiac, a new form of outdoor hospitality that has grown in popularity with geodesic domes where you can unplug, retreat and recha...

Young or old, we enjoy looking our best. Unfortunately though, seniors who face mobility issues, are restricted to retirement residence or other limiting abilities can have a difficult time getting personal care on a regular basis. What the rest of us tend to take for granted by getting our hair done on a regular basis, those in long term care homes or are restricted to their homes are unable to b...

Growing up as a competitive rhythmic gymnast, Alexis Officer discovered the joy of movement at an early age. She’d spend hours in the gym immersed in the flow of putting her body in motion. She also experienced the reality of injuries and learned how failing to take care of your body can drastically reduce your quality of life. This physical therapist and her team works to balance the art of human...

There are no words for the magnitude of loss and pain a family can experience when losing a child - especially one taken quickly, unexpectedly and at such a young age. Reesie Elizabeth Olmsted wasn't even two when she caught the flu that took a turn for the worst last November. 3 months later, the Olmsted family is honouring her memory this February for what would have been her 2nd birthday, start...

Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Taylor Gagne knew that she didn't want to help build someone else's dream and instead, at the age of 24, returned home to Pembroke and started her very first business, Ottawa Valley Promotions. Fast forward a few short years later, Taylor has built a successful brand, creating Insoired Events, and most recently, The Party Shop. Taylor continues to inspire us...

Brenna Jansen is a third generation farmer but getting into agriculture wasn't something that she had initially envisioned herself doing. After studying commerce in school, relocating to Germany and working an 8-5 job in the petroleum Brenna Jansen is a third generation farmer but getting into agriculture wasn't something that she had initially envisioned herself doing. After studying commerce in...

Although Michelle Letourneau studied psychology and criminology in school, after relocating to the Ottawa Valley and discovering limiting jobs available in her field but realizing the need for mortgage brokers, she decided to become a licensed mortgage broker. Michelle eventually moved out of her home based office and opened her own brokerage office and has since expanded her team - and this babe...

As birth and postpartum doulas with over 15 years of combined experience, Christine Crook and Erin Kasungu of Rooted Family Wellness Centre in Kanata have worked with countless new parents and understand first-hand the positive impact that community has on growing families. The journey of bringing a baby into the world is a vulnerable and life-changing time and they wanted to create a single sourc...

Growing up, many of our most fondest memories are recall spending time outside and learning and exploring the outdoors is crucial to every child's development. Aria Bunkis is an outdoor enthusiast who initially saw herself as a marine biologist or geologist but when she realized that her passion for education, child psychology, and well-being was a career that she wanted to pursue. Arija is a firm...

Are you hungry?! Because these two friends were and they didn't want the usual pizza delivery and the time it was going to take to go out and grab a bite, just wasn't in their schedule. . and so the idea for supporting local businesses, delivering hot food straight to your door, with the best customer service experience possible was born. Ryan Schmidt and Dan Renaud created a groundbreaking app an...

We all want our businesses to stand out - but it first starts with 👉🏼BRAND IDENTITY👈🏼 with crucial elements such as color, design, and a logo, that identifies the brand, making it recognizable and most importantly, memorable. Jaana Brett of Paaper Studio (yes - that's spelt correctly 😅) is a graphic designer and brand specialist who creates functional, fun & inspiring branding for businesses,...