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Feature with Le Petit Spa!

Friday, February 26th, 2010

Tucked in on the corner of Alma & Broadway, Le Petit Spa is a must-visit french day spa. Combined with a comfortable atmosphere and top-of-the-line services, CRAVE recommends Nancy Mudford’s creation as one of Vancouver’s best. Nancy is a cheerleader for women in business and is constantly hosting events at her location! Check out our feature with the one and only- Nancy Mudford.

What is the story behind the salon’s name, Le Petit Spa?

I’m from Montreal so the French connection; we also have a smaller spa than average…the average day spa is 6,000sq ft. I started with 2,340 sq ft.

What makes Le Petit Spa unique?

I focus on education of both the employees and our customers. Constant training means Le Petit Spa’s estheticians are always up to date on the best possible skin care solutions. We help to empower our clients to find the right solution for their skin.

Tell us about your highly sought out Dermalogica Mircrozone Facial:

This interactive facial is done in a barber style chair, using highly active products and allowing the esthetician to teach you about your skin and the best products for you. A highly popular service revolutionized by Dermalogica, this results oriented service is the best option for a quick skin refresher. Le Petit Spa is Vancouver’s only recognized provider of the Microzone, and we are thrilled to provide this new opportunity that will fit into even the busiest schedule. $45 for the 20 minute treatment.

Posted in Enhance | No Comments »

Feature with Emelle’s Catering!

Friday, February 19th, 2010

Emelle’s Catering is a great combination of caterer meets urban diner. This marvelous cafe serves breakfast & lunch Monday through Friday and they offer catering 24/7! Emelle’s has set the precedent for remarkable service and a delectable cuisine. Mary Lee Newnham, owner of Emelle’s Catering, is proud to state that her mandate is to use only the freshest ingriendents & to create a hospitable ambience!

What was the motivation behind starting your business?

It was the pefect marriage of my business background (BComm & CMA) and culinary creations.

People may be surprised to know…

We are a member of GreekTable Network promoting sustainability in our industry.

How do you spend your free time?

Creating in other mediums- pottery, sewing, & cooking! I love traveling to explore other cuisines & I also spend my time volunteering.

Posted in Style | 1 Comment »

Canada’s Golden Girl!

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

GO CANADA GO!

Born and raised in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Maëlle Ricker has made her mark in history! Maëlle is the first Canadian woman to have won GOLD on home turf and we cannot be any happier! As an amazing role model for young female athletes and a true Canadian champion, we would like to extend our heartfelt Congratulations to Maëlle!

Posted in Style | No Comments »

Feature: Vetrina Moda

Friday, February 5th, 2010

Vetrina Moda invites you to experience European designer fashions in their elegant salon-style boutique. Each piece has been hand-picked in Italy to enhance the beauty of our ladies. With exclusive European fashion lines, gowns by Jenny Packham, personal consultations, very feminime plus sizes, and complimentary refreshments, Vetrina is the best kept secret in town! Check out our feature with owner Rachel Kapsalis!

What was your inspiration behind starting your own business?

I have always enjoyed fashion, travel, and working with people!

People may be surprised to know….

An independent boutique has such a selection of exclusive designers. We carry Paciotti and carry various show sizes and some of our designer fashions go up to a size 24!

Where is the best place to get a pedicure?

Thorough no frills- I see Simon at Sukhis, for a shanghai treatment. When I have time to relax – Jelena at La Raffinage and for cheap and cheerful – I go to Pro Nails.

Check out Vetrina Mona: Elegant, Addictive, and Exclusive!

Posted in Adorn, Interviews, Style | No Comments »

Friday Feature: JC Studio

Friday, January 29th, 2010

We recently took a trip down memory lane and stumbled upon one of our favorite shopping boutiques in Vancouver! JC Studio is the home of the Jacqueline Conoir Collection, and Vancouver’s most modern shopping experience. Designer RozeMerie Cuevas embodies current trends without compromising the modern, yet timeless elegance of fashion today. It is RozeMerie’s absolutely pleasure to combine creative looks that bring out your unique and individual personality. Once you wear Jacqueline Conoir, you will be noticed!

People may be surprised to know..

JC Studio is not just a suiting collection. They have the perfect modern outfit, for everything from work to casual, and from clubbing to formal.

What is the most popular service a JC Studio?

The “Fashionista Brunch” books up quickly! On Saturdays, enjoy mimosas, a light brunch, a mini fashion show, a fashion seminar and shop like a star!

Enjoy your modern shopping experience at JC Studio! Let us know what you LOVE about this must-visit hot spot!

Posted in Interviews, Style | No Comments »

Friday Feature with SugarCane Skincare!

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

Vancouver’s leading lady Melissa Joaquin- a true cheerleader & supporter of CRAVE- has ventured into a new business: organic skincare. Coined SugarCane Skincare , Melissa’s concept is fresh, fun, and unique! We recently had a chance to catch up with Melissa to hear all about her new biz.

What is your story behind your business?

SugarCane was born out of my love of beauty and lifestyle products and growing up in the natural health product industry due to my family’s business. I wanted to provide a well formulated skin care line out of natural, organic and fair-trade ingredients and create a brand that was approachable, fun, chic and non-hippy. I think we’re all becoming very aware of our human affects on the environment and its resources. And we’re becoming more and more aware of how harmful chemicals and other foreign materials can be for our bodies and out skin. With a little bit of sugar, SugarCane brings a fresh new outlook on natural beauty. And P.S. sugar is a natural anti-aging property…we’ve got to hit those fine lines and wrinkles while we’re young.

What is your best kept beauty secret?

Lots of water throughout the day and tons of shut eye at night. Your skin (and body) needs to rest and be away from the elements. Though I’m always running around from meeting to meeting, it is essential I take in loads of water and get my beloved eight hours of sleep at night.

What was the biggest challenge with opening your own business and how did you overcome it?

My biggest challenge for starting my own business is the whole “bootstrapping” concept (i.e. not buying any shoes!). It’s definitely something to get used to, especially when you’ve been an avid shopper and have an affinity for the finer things in life Other than that personal mountain, creating a position in the market and keeping it fresh and creative is a challenge, but a fun challenge at that. The markets are ever-changing so you need to be up to the task of keeping your brand and your products new and exciting.

What is your favorite quote and why?

“Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.” ♥ I love it because it reminds me of why we do what we do. At the end of the day, its not about how many deals you sign, not about the dollars in your bank, but about those around you and the ultimate goal of happiness, however you define it.

Posted in Interviews | No Comments »

Feature with Kiwano Marketing

Monday, January 18th, 2010

We are extremely excited to inform our CRAVE readers about a full-service marketing agency that comes with a spin. Kiwano Marketing focuses on sustainable marketing. Their goal is to make eco-friendly products go mainstream and each marketing campaign that they develop incorporates the environment, embedding and addressing eco concerns in every step of the process. Learn about Kiwano Marketing with their superwomen: Sofia Ribeiro & Cecilia Lu.

1. What makes Kiwano Marketing unique from other Marketing firms?

Kiwano Marketing is a full-service marketing agency with a spin: we focus on sustainable marketing. When we were brainstorming our company’s strategy, we decided we shouldn’t only focus on profits: our agency was to make a difference, to represent a new, responsible way of doing business. We work with sustainable, small and medium businesses. We also opted to work with local businesses, so we’re keeping our clients’ money within our community, while showing them – and our business peers – that you can have great marketing with little impact on the environment. We also wanted to revolutionize work relationships. This is why our clients rave about our unique and personal approach, where they’re free to contact us anytime, anyhow – even through text messages and social media tools such as twitter or Facebook. All in all, at Kiwano we strongly believe it is possible to provide environmentally-friendly marketing programs that work – generating more sales for our clients while serving our local community.

2. What is your dream travel destination and why?

South America. I’d love to jump on one of those old Volkswagen vans and go on a road trip across that pungent continent for one or two years. My dream is to live their culture, their ways, their music, and bring it back to my day-to-day life.

3. What is your favorite go-to hang out in Vancouver with your girlfriends?

Naam. The food is great, the restaurant is cozy and they always have smooth, live music – usually a single performance jazzing a Spanish guitar. Plus, you always run into interesting people.

4. What are your top five ways to make an event eco-friendly?

When deciding on the event’s location, pick a place close to public transit and bike lanes. If this isn’t possible, facilitate car sharing: it’s a great way to reduce emissions, save money and get to know some of the guests attending the same event. And if you’re serving food or drinks at the event, why not going for organic, local suppliers? It’s amazing how much eco-friendly stuff you can get. For our launch party, we served food from organic farms just out of Vancouver, and were even able to find organic, local wine and ethical coffee! This is a great talking point and will definitely go a long way to promote your event. And, obviously, paper and plastic cutlery are out of the question.

If you want to take this one step further, you can offset the remaining carbon emissions. There are reliable carbon offset providers out there, and some are even local. Plus, by offsetting you’re closing the circle, ensuring your event is 100% eco-friendly and carbon-free.

One of the most important points when making an event environmentally sustainable is communicating your efforts. Promote what you’re doing, so your guests feel they’re part of something bigger than themselves – they’ll be likely to continue your work and will be more aware about how their habits impact the environment. You will also be raising the bar on event planning!

Posted in Interviews, Style | 2 Comments »

Learn how to organize your life one step at a time!

Friday, January 8th, 2010

shelleydavies

Have you ever found yourself stuck in a mess at your home or office? With papers literally piled up in places where they shouldn’t (ie: the kitchen table) or with paperwork so disorganized that it gives you a pounding headache even thinking about it? Well we have the perfect solution! Shelley Davies from MODERN ORDER & NEW details MODERN CLOSET has created a business around de-cluttering and reorganizing your humble abode & your personal office space. Her team will come in and magically transform your mess into organized paper files and a whole lot more!

How did you come up with the concept of details MODERN ORDER?

I realized how full everyone’s lives had become. They were no longer enjoying their spaces- homes and offices. The generation who once wanted it all, were now ready to let it all go and lead a simpler life. I combined that modern day goal with my love of people and organization. Modern order is about living with less. Living with only those things you love, cherish, use and that work. details MODERN ORDER coaches clients past their challenges and empowers them to minimize and simplify what they can control in their lives so they are able to maintain order even in the busiest times.

What advice would you give to women who would like to open their own businesses?

Dream big and believe in what you do. Take what you love and figure out how you can become successful doing it. Have a short (1 year) and long (5 year) term plan and realize that it is a work in progress. Now comes the fun part…. tell the world and get to work doing what you love to do!

How do you manage to balance your home and work life?

Two words- Time Management. Create work boundaries and leave time for quality family time. Multi-tasking between the two just doesn’t work. Put on your mom/Wife/Partner hat or your work hat but never the two together. Learn the power of “no” at home and at work. Time is a very precious commodity in our modern work and by filling your day only with commitments that you enjoy will bring you closer to a more calm and balanced life

Posted in Details, Interviews, Style | No Comments »

Friday Feature: Benita Soni from Pure Smile Studio

Friday, December 11th, 2009

puresmile

As everyone knows, the CRAVE Vancouver team tends to hit up Yaletown on a regular basis! Benita Soni, the owner of a savvy teeth-whitening lounge called Pure Smile Studio, is one of the women we must visit! Benita invited us to get our teeth whitened and how could we resist? The experience includes a one-on-one consultation with the Tooth Fairy (as we like to call them) & it only takes 30 minutes! We were CRAVING some down time and that is exactly what we got!

What was your inspiration behind starting the business?

I love white teeth. Plain and simple. I found a easy way to feel good about yourself without suffering so I built a business around it.

What advice would you give to women who are planning on opening their own business?

You should have a business plan ready to go. You should also look at all avenues of your business and network with an organization such as CRAVE!

How do you spend your free time?

I love taking my dog on a walk! You’ll find me working a sweat at the gym or doing yoga and meditation. It’s important for me to spend time with myself as well!

Posted in Business, Connect, Interviews | No Comments »

Our Coffee Chat Review!

Friday, December 11th, 2009

fionachat

Last week, we hosted the lovely Fiona Walsh at Yaletown’s Fine Finds Boutique. We learnt how to ignite our sales as Fiona provided her tips & tricks with our attendees! The number one trait to selling is empathy: The ability to look at a product or service through the eyes of a consumer. Here are some highlights from the evening:

Some ways to Ignite your Sales:

- Stop assuming it takes one call to close a deal: The average to catch someone’s attention is seven to eight times. Don’t stalk someone but don’t be unrealistic. Build Visibility, Build Credibility and once those two are in place you will build profitability.

- Be clear on what you sell: Don’t justify the price. Understand why people buy your product and decide what part of the market to stake out.

- Features versus Benefits: Features are what the products look like and a benefit is what the product does for the consumer. Every buying decision comes down to “what’s in it for me?”. Define the need and match what you want to sell to what people want to buy.

- Ideas for Exposure: Get creative- Do cross promotion with other companies in your area & Create your number one sales pitch for your product.

Fiona spoke about how to get your business from A to B. She said that entrepreneurship is about courage, passion, and vision and its important that each of us be proud of our accomplishments. It was a pleasure having Fiona at our Coffee Chat this month!

Posted in Business, Connect, Events | No Comments »