International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Here at Peggy@99-1 we are proud to celebrate International Women’s Day this March 8th. To commemorate this day, we are are highlighting a few local female owned businesses!
Body Measure – We tell you what’s going on inside your body Replace the guesswork with Science! For weight management, fitness, performance athletes or those wanting to promote their own healthy aging.
Erica Henderson and Melina Elliott have worked together for the last four years on a longitudinal research study at the University of Manitoba. Through their work, they identified an opportunity to fill a gap in the current health and wellness market, a body composition analysis service.
Erica is a certified x-ray technologist who has been working in the health care industry for the last 20 years. Erica is registered with the CAMRT and the MAMRT, as well as, certified in essentials of densitometry. Erica has also worked in the fitness industry for over 25 years, working as a fitness instructor and a trainer. Body Measure combines both of Erica’s passions; her love of fitness and health and wellness technology.
Melina has a Master of Science in Community Health. In her career, Melina has focused on working in the area of wellness among Canada’s older adults. In her work as a research coordinator, Melina saw firsthand the benefit for people having access to their body composition. Body Measure combines Melina’s love of research and helping others.
Erica and Melina are also certified through the World Obesity Federation as obesity management counselors.
We asked Erica and Melina what advice they have for future female entrepreneurs:
“Do it! It was certainly scary, but it was the best decision we ever made. Also remember that you cannot do everything, or be an expert in everything. Understand what you are very good at, focus your efforts there and get someone to help you with the other stuff. One last little tip! Don’t forget to value your time and expertise! If you don’t, no one else will.”.
The Joy Smith Foundation works to provide access to information so that every Canadian man, woman, and child is educated and empowered to stay safe from manipulation, force, or abuse of power designed to lure and exploit them in the sex trade or forced labour.
The Foundation gives a voice to the survivors and to implement Prevention strategies and Intervention strategies. The Prevention Programs provide information about how the traffickers operate and how families can protect themselves and their children from predators. The Intervention Program provides support for the survivors to restore their lives. The Joy Smith Foundation has worked with over 6000 survivors and their families to help them restore their lives.
During the pandemic it was necessary to provide more programming online for schools, churches, community organizations, police forces and others. Human trafficking increased during the pandemic due to the isolation that Canadians experienced. The National Human Trafficking Education Centre filled the gap to help families acquire much needed information about human traffickers used online channels to lure our youth.
The National Human Trafficking Education Centre was launched in October 2021. They currently have over 60 instructor led courses available and are working to develop that content into self-guided sessions that are accessible online.
Our goal is to provide free education to every Canadian to stop human trafficking. Everyone can access free courses.
Lisa Reid Audiology – Better hearing leads to a better life. Local, trusted hearing loss experts! At Lisa Reid Audiology, their mission is to improve their patients’ total body health by addressing the issues that affect their hearing and their connection with others.
Dr. Lisa (Reid) Hirayama received her master’s degree in audiology at State University of New York (Plattsburgh) in 1994. She and her husband founded Lisa Reid Audiology in 2002, and the practice has been helping hearing-impaired Manitobans ever since. She obtained her doctoral degree in audiology from A.T. Still University in Mesa, AZ, in 2010.
Dr. Hirayama is a member of the Manitoba Speech and Hearing Association, holds a hearing aid dispensing license through the Manitoba Consumer Protection Division, and has been chosen by Audigy, LLC, as the leading practice in Manitoba. She specializes in adults with hearing disorders and uses a total body approach to address and rehabilitate their hearing and communication challenges.
Mr. Furnace – Heating and AC. Over 70 Years Of Combined Experience In Dealing With Heating & Cooling Brands.
Tara Smith, General Manager of Mr. Furnace.
Tara’s leadership has gone beyond technical expertise and day-to-day operations, as she has instilled a win-win-win customer-employee-company attitude in the recombined firm, and has made some bold strategic moves to grow revenue.
“I had worked for my father’s company for years, and then for a corporation. I learned a lot from both environments, but what I came to realize was the type of leader I wanted to be and how I wanted to have an impact on my community, how I wanted to treat staff and customers, and how I wanted to give back to a community & industry that I lived in & loved. The best choice was to start my own business where I could grow my ideas and the family values I was raised with and help others to do the same.”
We asked Tara what advice she has for future female entrepreneurs:
“Be confident in your choices, if you aren’t, figure it out first. Be prepared for any and all situations, have a plan, have a contingency plan, have a budget, follow that budget. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, it lets others know you are confident to admit what you don’t know, and smart enough to ask the right questions. Be prepared to work hard, the world is not fair, but you can do anything if you believe in yourself (and plan)!”
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