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Host Vanessa Smith welcomes Toven Crockett-Allen of Active Islanders, an elementary-aged athletics program on PEI that uses physical activity as a vehicle to teach confidence, leadership, perseverance, and teamwork in a supportive, screen-free environment. Toven explains how Active Islanders began as a small summer camp in 2022, then broke through with an after-school program at West Kent Elementary in 2023, addressing a real childcare gap for working parents.  The business now runs after-school programs at West Kent, West Royalty, and Sherwood, plus PD day and storm day camps, birthday parties, and team-building sessions. He discusses scaling through trained partners while protecting program quality, highlights traditions like “Coach of the Week” and older kids mentoring younger ones, and shares how the program collaborates with schools by giving back financially and through equipment donations. Toven outlines organic early marketing, word-of-mouth growth, and a future focus on expanding after-school programming across the island. Connect with Active Islander’s here:  https://activeislanders.online https://www.facebook.com/Activeislanderspei https://www.instagram.com/activeislanderspei This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay.  A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here: Provincial Credit Union Hijinks Design Agency  Fiddling Fisherman Lookout Want to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/

Host Vanessa Smith interviews Natalie Haddad, founder of Cordial Picnics, a luxury pop-up picnic and event business in Charlottetown operating mainly May to October with elaborate setups in picturesque settings on PEI. . Natalie shares how she began creating extravagant picnics for friends in 2019–2020, turned the concept into a business during COVID, and developed it through Creative PEI’s Creative Hive incubator, learning business planning, finances, and marketing. She discusses early overbuying décor before refining themes, running the business largely with help from her sisters while also working full-time as a social media coordinator at Murphy Hospitality Group, and managing weather challenges with indoor backup locations. Natalie also describes Cordial Soirée, an intimate winter dinner-party series, her cake picnic community event, marketing tips focused on authentic iPhone content, and future growth possibilities including curated weddings and expanded community events.Connect with Natalie’s business here: www.cordialpicnics.com  https://www.instagram.com/cordialpicnics/ https://www.instagram.com/cordialsoiree/ This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay. A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here:Provincial Credit UnionHijinks Design Agency Outline SocialWant to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/

In the first episode for Season 4, host Vanessa Smith welcomes Christine McQuaid, owner of Blue Mussel Cafe, Slaymaker & Nichols, and Helen’s Pastry Company. Christine shares how she and her partner Steve, left stable careers in Ontario (Christine as a lab technologist, Steve in sales) to sell everything and move to PEI in 2013 without a plan, ultimately buying the Blue Mussel Cafe after spotting a for-sale sign.  She describes learning hospitality on the fly, the restaurant’s growth, their commitment to fresh local seafood, and how their opposite skill sets drive success. She details Slaymaker’s 2019 opening and tight European-inspired concept while wading through the pandemic, Steve’s role in branding and social media, and operational choices like no reservations and a staff-run, role-weighted tip committee.  Christine explains how Hurricane Fiona and loss of flood insurance led to relocating Blue Mussel in 2026, plus her outlook on growing PEI tourism and evolving work-life balance. Connect with Christine’s businesses here:  https://www.instagram.com/bluemusselcafe/ https://www.instagram.com/slaymakerandnichols/ https://www.instagram.com/helenspastryco/ This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay.  A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here: Provincial Credit Union Hijinks Design Agency  Fiddling Fisherman Lookout Want to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/

For the finale episode of Season 3, host Vanessa Smith interviews Toshia Noye, owner of Toshco Home Store. Toshia shares her background growing up in Ontario as a high school dropout, experiencing a dark period, then moving to Fredericton where she met her Islander husband and became a mom of three. At 27 she returned to complete her Grade 12 diploma and began decorating for friends, launching Tosh Interiors on Facebook, which grew into five years of full-time work and key community connections. During COVID in 2021, encouragement from retail-owner friends helped her secure a location and open the store in February 2022, later expanding from 1,200 to 3,000 square feet and buying out partners. She discusses differentiating from big-box competitors through service and quality, designer trade relationships, social-media-led sales, seasonal retail cycles, and the importance of rest. Connect with the Toshia here: https://www.instagram.com/toshcohomestore/ https://www.toshco.ca/ This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay. A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here: Fiddling Fisherman Lookout Consolidated Credit Union Want to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/.

Host Vanessa Smith interviews Julia Campbell, co-owner of PEI's family-run North Shore Group, which includes the Anne of Green Gables Museum (connected to author Lucy Maud Montgomery), multiple Anne of Green Gables retail stores, Kindred Spirits Wholesalers, JEMS Boutique, and PEI Fashion Weekend. Julia shares her unexpected path from classical piano studies to teaching English in Korea, working six years in the motor yacht industry, then returning home to join the family business, build community, and raise a family. She discusses balancing authenticity and commercialization of the Anne legacy, JEMS' focus on inclusivity and confidence through fashion, and the multi-day PEI Fashion Weekend featuring a 19+ show and free Fashion City Day programming. Julia also describes retail pressures and revitalizing JEMS by sharing space with another business, emphasizing mutual support for local businesses. Connect with the Julia here: https://www.instagram.com/oneandonlyjewls/ https://www.instagram.com/jemsboutiquestyle/ https://www.instagram.com/theannestore/ https://www.instagram.com/peifw/ https://www.instagram.com/monarkthebrand This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay. A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here: Fiddling Fisherman Lookout Consolidated Credit Union Want to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/.

Host Vanessa Smith interviews Moyna Matheson, former owner of Samuel's Coffee House in Summerside. She discusses starting the business at 40 in 2011 after years in hospitality and self-employment, focusing first on specialty coffee and baked goods before adding food. Moyna shares how Samuel's grew from a 900-square-foot shop with six staff to a 4,000-square-foot operation, expanding into catering, wholesale, a tea line, and additional locations including Cavendish and a COVID-driven drive-thru. She explains the brand's timeless design and Samuel Holland family-history tie, then details deciding to sell, using a brokerage, and transitioning ownership on October 4, 2024 to Receiver Coffee Company. Moyna discusses her next chapter as a life coach/mentor through The Authentic Change Project, helping people navigate change authentically, and shares lessons on listening to customers and teams, curiosity, and hopes for Summerside's continued revitalization. Connect with the Moyna here: https://www.instagram.com/moynamatheson/ https://www.instagram.com/theauthenticchangeproject/ This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay. A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here: Fiddling Fisherman Lookout Consolidated Credit Union Want to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/.

Host Vanessa Smith interviews siblings and co-presidents Devin and Chelsea Cudmore about the Cudmore Group's fourth-generation retail legacy, from a 1914 PEI haberdashery to 17 stores across Canada (18 planned in June) spanning brands including Coastal Culture, Sea House, Cool as a Moose, Big Bear Trading Company, and the upcoming Canoe & Cabin in Montreal. They discuss shifting from department-store retail in 2001 into destination/resort retail, their intentional focus on iconic tourist locations, and how they split responsibilities—Devin in back-office analytics, sourcing and supply chain, Chelsea in culture, merchandising, and in-store standards. The conversation covers western expansion starting with Whistler, managing seasonal staffing and short peak windows, COVID-driven e-commerce and opening Big Bear during the pandemic, relaunching Christopher's Beach Club, optimism for summer 2026 tourism, and the importance of tools like Microsoft Teams and relationship-building. Connect with the Cudmore Group here: https://www.instagram.com/peicoastalculture/ https://www.instagram.com/seahouseshops/ https://www.instagram.com/bigbeartradingco/ https://www.instagram.com/coolasamoosecanada/ This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay. A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here: Fiddling Fisherman Lookout Consolidated Credit Union Want to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/

We welcome Jeff Ellsworth, co-owner of the HEAL Wellness franchise in Charlottetown, to discuss his path from municipal recreation director and elite softball player/coach to entrepreneurship. Jeff recounts inventing the Exit Speed Swing training device, appearing on Dragons' Den in 2017, securing an endorsement with Toronto Blue Jays player Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and how COVID disrupted momentum. He explains partnering with Pete Hill to launch the first HEAL east of Ontario, opening December 6 at the Kirkwood Mews building, and credits detailed franchise systems for product consistency. Jeff highlights rapid growth, a 32-person youth-focused staff culture, community “refueling stations,” and plans for a HEAL mobile unit. He shares daily routines, his favorite order, and advice about taking chances. Connect with Jeff here: https://www.instagram.com/heal.wellness/ https://www.instagram.com/jeffellsworth19/ This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay. A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here: Fiddling Fisherman Lookout Consolidated Credit Union Want to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/.

For Episode 32, Host Vanessa Smith interviews Jessica Fritz, a German-born entrepreneur who, with her husband Mike, owns The Gallery Coffee House & Bistro in Charlottetown, the seasonal Black & White Cafe & Bistro in St. Peters Bay, and Fritz Chocolates. Jessica shares moving from Germany to Toronto in her 30s, then relocating to PEI in 2015 for the ocean, affordability, and lifestyle, while transitioning from pharma and marketing into food service. Their business began with Maritime Marzipan, expanded into Fritz Chocolates after customer demand, then added coffee and sandwiches in St. Peters Bay, later opening The Gallery in 2021 to create a year-round base and enable Jessica to leave her full-time job. They discuss local wholesale with Sobeys, competition, staffing challenges, tourism trends, recent renovations and the importance of community, resources, and authenticity. Connect with Jessica here: https://www.instagram.com/thegallerycoffeehouseandbistro/ https://www.instagram.com/blackandwhitecafeandbistro/ https://www.instagram.com/fritzchocolates/ This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay. A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here: Fiddling Fisherman Lookout Consolidated Credit Union Want to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/.

In this episode of the Business in the Open podcast, host Vanessa Smith sits down with Brett Poirier to unpack his journey from a media and journalism background to building Red Sands Group, which began in property management and has now expanded into vacation rentals, plumbing, electrical, cleaning, insulation and pest control divisions. Brett shares how buying his first duplex in Charlottetown at 19 helped jumpstart his real estate path, how the business grew through necessity and referrals, and why clear vision and strong customer service matter as much as operations. He also discusses working with friends, learning business through books and mentoring, the demands of managing multiple companies, and plans to expand Red Sands Vacations beyond PEI into New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Connect with Brett & Red Sands here: https://www.redsands.ca/ https://www.facebook.com/RedSandsProperties This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay. A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here: Fiddling Fisherman Lookout Provincial Credit Union Want to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/.

For Episode 29, we chat with PEI restaurateur Richard Court, owner-operator within Oyster Island Hospitality, including Pilot House, Sea Rocket, and Pink Crow in downtown Charlottetown, and opening this summer on the Rustico harbour, The Rustico Cannery. Richard shares how he started in restaurants at 13, later joining the Pilot House and eventually taking over ownership from founders Doug and Judy Harvey. He describes expanding post-COVID as opportunities arose, building Sea Rocket in six months in a challenging heritage space, transitioning the former Piatto restaurant into what is now known as Pink Crow, and opening the seafood-focused Rustico Cannery this June. Richard emphasizes hands-on hospitality, coaching teams, reading guest needs, and balancing growth, family life, and operations while expecting another busy tourism season. Connect with Richard's businesses here: https://www.instagram.com/thepilothouse/ https://www.instagram.com/sea_rocket_oysters/ https://www.instagram.com/pinkcrowcharlottetown/ https://www.instagram.com/rusticocannery/ This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay. A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here: Fiddling Fisherman Lookout Provincial Credit Union Want to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/.

For Episode 28, we welcome 24-year-old Harrison Duffy, owner of Somerset Ice Cream Bar (opened July 7, 2018 at age 16) and the Harry's Dairy Bar brand. Harrison shares growing up around entrepreneurs, starting a car detailing business at 10 and working various hospitality jobs before planning his dairy bar at 15. He describes researching and refurbishing used equipment, securing land with his parents' financing help, and his growth from three employees to now 30 across his locations. Harrison discusses lessons from mentoring young workers, learning to delegate and the importance of reinvesting to streamline operations. He also shares insights into renovating Somerset to more than double its size ahead of an April 18 opening and announces the Harry's brand is moving to the Mariner's Cove boardwalk in Cavendish this summer. Connect with Harrison & Somerset Ice Cream Bar here: https://www.facebook.com/somerseticecreambar https://www.instagram.com/somerseticecreambar/ This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay. A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here: Fiddling Fisherman Lookout Provincial Credit Union Want to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/.

Today's episode features Sheila Kerry, co-owner of Double Loop Running Co.. Sheila details launching a boutique running specialty store with her husband Mike after she began running as an adult and trained for her first Marathon in 2023. Sheila shares her background in competitive sport, a 15-year communications career, and the shift from being “content” to feeling aligned through running and entrepreneurship while still working full-time at Veterans Affairs Canada. We discuss the fall 2024 “aha” moment, creating a business plan, securing their Milky Way location, DIY renovations, and building an inclusive, community-first store with products chosen through local run-club feedback and ongoing trial and error. Sheila covers imposter syndrome, mentorship support, tourist traffic surprises, the meaning behind the Double Loop name and infinity logo, community events, online expansion, new brands, and her plans to run the upcoming Philadelphia Marathon. Connect with Sheila & Double Loop Running Co. here: https://www.instagram.com/doublelooprunning/ https://doublelooprunning.com/ This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay. A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here: Fiddling Fisherman Lookout Provincial Credit Union Want to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/.

For episode 2 of Season 3, host Vanessa Smith interviews Sarah Ellen Clark, owner of The Seagull Grab & Go in Mount Stewart, PEI, which she opened October 1 in her late father's former restaurant building on his blueberry farm. Sarah Ellen shares her background, including years away traveling and working in marketing and hospitality, and how her father's passing motivated her to bring the space back to life as a bakery and cafe. She describes the stress of permits, staffing, learning espresso and baking, and being unexpectedly slammed from opening week through word-of-mouth and social media. This conversation covers her focus on homemade, elevated menu items, her social media approach, community support, intense time demands, and plans to renovate an event space for weddings and conferences, with future expansion ideas. Connect with Sarah Ellen & The Seagull. here: https://www.instagram.com/theseagullpei/ https://www.instagram.com/sarahellenclark/ This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay. A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here: Fiddling Fisherman Lookout Provincial Credit Union Want to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/.

In the first episode for Season 3, host Vanessa Smith welcomes Marsha Doiron to share her background growing up on PEI and a career that evolved through tourism and hospitality, including roles with a Japanese tour operator, the Confederation Bridge, and Holland College before joining and later leaving Coach Atlantic Group in 2019. Marsha and her husband Adam then expanded into multiple ventures, including renovating and selling a downtown building, purchasing a seniors' home in Fredericton, acquiring a campground, retail properties in Cavendish and Kindred Spirits Country Inn & Cottages, buying the PEI Preserve Company in 2022, launching seasonal Stoked Pizza, franchising three Mezza Lebanese Kitchen locations, and most recently acquiring Linkletter Welding. Marsha discusses burnout recovery through coaching, working boundaries with her husband, building strong teams, and her new focus on writing, a blog called Nourished, a lifestyle cookbook, and future women's retreats. Connect with Marsha & PEI Preserve Co. here: https://preservecompany.com https://preservecompany.com/blogs/nourished https://www.instagram.com/marshaldoiron/ This episode was audio-produced by Adam Ramsay ([email protected]). A big thanks to our sponsors for making this episode possible. Learn more about them here: Fiddling Fisherman Lookout Provincial Credit Union Want to support the show? Click follow wherever you are listening and leave us a review! And lastly, head on over to our Instagram so we can connect https://www.instagram.com/business.openpod/.