Who or what is your inspiration in business?

Miss Vickie's potato chips. I remember being a kid on a family camping trip and hearing a vendor at a farmer's market talk about how good her chips were. Vickie Kerr wanted to make a healthier snack for her family, and share it with the world. She started with local markets nearby, and eventually sold it to Frito-Lay. I have a healthy, high quality pepper sauce - we put flavour first, heat second, and don't add any water. It's a family secret that I want to share with the world.

How do you stay motivated?

I stay motivated through connection with people who inspire me and those I care about -- because there is nothing more important than our connections to others. I listen to the stories of entrepreneurs told on podcasts, and in articles. I see out mentors. I connect with friends and family, even if it is a simple call out of the blue just to say "hi." I often find those conversations lead to a question about how much little business is doing, and those conversations bring me energy.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would pay-it-forward. I have already done a number of cause marketing campaigns with Red Cap and charities such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Second Harvest, and our local hospital (Joseph Brant). These 'give back' campaigns have included donations to the named charity for each bottle sold, but part of my struggle has been in raising awareness. I would invest the $25k in a marketing campaign to help raise awareness for my brand, while also helping to give back to local charities.