Enterprise Olympics Conference

29^th Annual Enterprise Olympics Conference

The 29th Annual Enterprise Olympics Conference was a huge success! The YMCA of Newfoundland and Labrador celebrated the accomplishments of the 2022 Top 15 high school student participants with a two-day event held in St. John’s at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel. Participating schools of this years’ program include:

Holy Trinity High (Torbay)
Waterford Valley High (St. John’s)
Holy Spirit High (CBS)
Holy Heart of Mary (St. John’s)
Corner Brook Regional High (Corner Brook)
Eric G Lambert School (Churchill Falls)

The students had the opportunity to meet 20+ local entrepreneurs from various industries and backgrounds, 25+ industry experts who attended the Student Entrepreneur Expo Event at the Conference, each with the intention of fostering meaningful connections, forming future mentorships, and sharing enterprising resources. Each of the student participants demonstrated excellence and passion for their developed business ventures, and grew that entrepreneurial spirit the Enterprise Olympics Program strives to build!

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Enterprise Olympics Conference Winners

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Enterprise Olympics. The winners for this year’s competition are:

1st Place – Katie Parsons (Business: Wink Lash Studio) from Holy Trinity High, Torbay
2nd Place – Madison Chislett (Business: Madison. Co) from Eric G Lambert School, Churchill Falls
3rd Place – Sommer Mosher (Business: The Spot) from Corner Brook Regional High, Corner Brook
Best Written Venture Marketing Plan Award – Jayden O’Brien (Business: Solutions Tutoring Services), Holy Trinity High, Torbay
Best Exhibit Award – Emmett Adamson (Business: The Comfort Palace), Corner Brook Regional High, Corner Brook

Congratulations everyone!

News Release – The 29th Annual Enterprise Olympics Conference is Underway

Click here to read the news release

The 29th Annual Enterprise Olympics Conference takes place on May 26-27, 2022 at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel in St. John’s. Throughout this two-day event, selected participants from various high schools across the province will take part in workshops, luncheons and panel discussions featuring many invited entrepreneurs and guests. The participants’ virtual pitches leading up to the event will determine who the 2022 Top 3 Provincial Winners are. Stay tuned!

Mentor Luncheon Guests

We are extending a BIG warm welcome to our incredible lineup of local entrepreneurs in various industries and entrepreneurial journeys, to network and build mentorships with our Enterprise Olympics participants.

Steve Ryan

The Convenience Crew

Steve Ryan - The Convenience Crew

The Convenience Crew is a lawn care, gardening, and landscaping service based in St. John’s. In 5 years of operations, The Convenience Crew has helped countless customers realize their garden dreams and make the most of their outdoor space.

Constanza Safatle

Newbornlander

Constanza Safatle - Newbornlander

Newbornlander (NBL) is a Social Enterprise that manufactures baby accessories with the goal to create employment opportunities for newcomer women. NBL is a proud Atlantic Social Enterprise owned and operated by Immigrant women.

Stephen Ryan

PolyUnity Tech

Stephen Ryan - PolyUnity Tech

Dr. Stephen Ryan is a practicing physician and co-founder of PolyUnity Tech. PolyUnity Tech Inc. delivers value and benefits to healthcare organizations via a complete Additive Manufacturing as a Service (AMaaS) solution that reduces the cost, time and complexity of traditional healthcare procurement and builds supply chain resiliency.

Isaac Adejuwon

Metricsflow

Isaac Adejuwon - Metricsflow

Metricsflow works to shape the future of data attribution for a new kind of relationship between customers and companies. Advocating for privacy-first practices and a smarter, deeper, and non-invasive customer learning. They are passionate about the internet and how data is treated.

Emily Hickey

Studio VERSŌ

Emily Hickey - Studio VERSŌ

An independent spin and row studio in St. John’s. VERSŌ offers four programs—spin, row, yoga, and recovery—and have over 50 weekly classes. Their unique programs were created in VERSŌ is challenging long-standing barriers and creating real change within the fitness industry. The studio evolved from a shared vision to offer a safer, healthier, and happier space for the community.

Maria Snow

Studio VERSŌ

Maria Snow - Studio VERSŌ

Gord Genge

PragmaClin Research Inc.

Gord Genge - PragmaClin Research Inc.

PragmaClin is transforming neurological disease monitoring by using innovative digital tools to manage movement disorder assessments from home.

Gill Philips

Gingerly Plant-Based Bakery

Gill Philips - Gingerly Plant-Based Bakery

Gingerly Plant-Based Bakery is Newfoundland’s only fully vegan bakery and aims to prove that a cookie is just a cookie when it comes to taste and quality. Owner/operator Gill Phillips does restaurant takeovers, where she pops up at different restaurants all over the city with vegan offerings. She also founded The Trinity Market on George Street.

Precious Familusi

JustFocus Photography

Precious Familusi - JustFocus Photography

JustFocus Photography and Videography is a small business that focuses on providing their clients with affordable and high-quality services. Precious Familusi is a co-owner of JustFocus has been in operation since late 2020 and they are continuing to expand.

Kathleen O’Dea

Sweet

Kathleen O’Dea - Sweet

Kathleen has been interested in business since she participated in Junior Achievement’s Company Program in high school. Sweet offers a wide variety of gluten free baked goods including custom birthday and wedding cakes, cookies, and breads as well as catering to other dietary restrictions like dairy and eggs. Kathleen plans to open a storefront bakery café in the future.

Entrepreneur Panel Forum

Get to know our inspiring panelists for the upcoming 2022 Enterprise Olympics Conference! This panel consists of four locally owned and operated entrepreneurs in NL who all identified a gap in a community they are a part of, and developed a business opportunity that filled that gap. To learn about what these businesses offer, hear from the change-makers themselves.

Tj Jones

Full Picture Management

Tj Jones - Full Picture Management

Driven to help improve the workplace and consumer experiences of his fellow queer and trans humans, Tj Jones launched his consultancy Full Picture Management in 2021. He supports organizations in expanding their ability to meaningfully include and serve 2SLGBTQIA+ folks.

Frank Holdbrook

One Nation Apparel

Frank Holdbrook - One Nation Apparel

When Frank Holdbrook moved from Ghana to NL in 2019, he noticed a lack of African representation in the fashion industry and built his business on the notion of supporting and shedding light on African designs and artists. One Nation Apparel’s vision is to inspire others to express themselves uniquely. It represents togetherness, inclusivity, uniqueness, and inspiration.

Alex Antle

Bunchberry Beadwork

Alex Antle - Bunchberry Beadwork

Alex Antle (she/her) is an emerging L’nu artist and entrepreneur originally from the central region of the island and currently located in Elmastukwek, Ktaqmkuk (Bay of Islands, Newfoundland). She has been learning and practicing beadwork for a number of years with the guidance of a community of Mi’kmaq beaders. Website: bunchberrybeadwork.ca

Pearl Ashibuogwu

Capearla

Pearl Ashibuogwu - Capearla

A Black Owned Business in NL that started as an online store and now expanded to owing an in-house salon. Capearla was founded by Pearl Ashibuogwu. Due to lack of products, Pearl’s online store sells items that represent the Black community, this way there are products that actively represent the Black community in NL and are easily accessible.

Workshop Facilitators

We are proud to announce our Workshop Facilitators. We are looking forward to their talk on important aspects of business and providing our participants with engaging content that they can take with them on their entrepreneurial journeys.

Jordan White

Capelin Creations

Jordan White - Capelin Creations

Capelin Creations was formed to introduce a new way for businesses to market themselves. With a focus on digital advertising and brand building, we work hands on with local business owners to effectively represent themselves online.

Chad Decker

People Stuff

Chad Decker - People Stuff

People Stuff Inc. is a boutique HR Consulting firm that works directly with our clients as partners, and we help improve engagement in a real and measurable way. We are a one step HR solution and we help accelerate business performance through your people in a way that is mutually beneficial for your employees and your bottom line.

Judges

Please join us in welcoming our 2022 Enterprise Olympics Conference panel of judges. These local entrepreneurs are going to be hearing pitches from our participating high school students later this month to help us determine our 2022 Enterprise Olympics Provincial Winners! We are so grateful for their expertise, lived experience, and support in empowering youth entrepreneurship in NL. To learn more about their own ventures, see below.

Alison Butler

Alison Butler Consulting

Alison Butler - Alison Butler Consulting

Alison Butler is a Chief Wellness Officer. She is a Certified Mental Health First Aid trainer and gives training to groups all across the country, as well as training on stress management, burnout prevention, and mental wellbeing. Website: alisonbutler.ca

Mike Loder

Biolantic Services

Mike Loder - Biolantic Services

Mike Loder is the entrepreneur behind a Healthcare Technology Management company that maintains and services medical devices. They provide critical services to Health organizations, medical device manufacturers, and private clinics in Atlantic Canada.

Justine Anderson

Wildflower Co.

Justine Anderson - Wildflower Co.

Justine Anderson specializes in self-care products made from local and garden grown flowers and plants. Justine creates products to be used with intention in daily rituals of self-care that seek to nourish the connection between body, spirit, and the earth. Website: wildflowercoshop.com

Kathleen O’Dea

Sweet

Kathleen O’Dea - Sweet

Kathleen O’Dea is an entrepreneur and employee at Junior Achievement NL. Kathleen’s business offers a wide variety of gluten free baked goods including custom birthday and wedding cakes, cookies, and breads as well as catering to other dietary restrictions. Facebook: @SweetBakedGoodsNL

Purvikalyan Pallegar

Nucliq Biologics Inc.

Purvikalyan Pallegar - Nucliq Biologics Inc.

Purvikalyan Pallegar owns and operates an early stage biotech start-up based on microbial genomics. NB allows the healthcare providers, patients and citizen scientists to uncover the gut microbiome, to help people understand their health. Website: www.nucliqbio.ca