Who or what is your inspiration in business?

My inspiration comes from resilience and the power of creativity to rebuild lives. As an artist and educator, I’ve seen how making with your hands, especially through textiles, can restore confidence, dignity, and belonging. I’m inspired by people who were underestimated or told they didn’t belong, yet found strength through creativity. Studio.Art.Lab exists to create those spaces where art becomes empowerment and community.

How do you stay motivated?

I stay motivated because creativity saved me. Through personal challenges, including illness and loss, sewing and working with textiles became a grounding force in my life. It reminded me that making something with your hands can bring clarity, healing, and purpose. Every time someone discovers their creative voice in our studio, it reinforces why this work matters and why access to the arts is so important.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Winning this would help secure and equip a permanent home for Studio.Art.Lab in Montréal, an inclusive creative studio focused on textile arts, fashion, and hands-on learning. The funds would provide sewing machines, tools, and subsidized workshops for youth, seniors, and underserved communities. It would help us expand access to creativity and build a space where art, skills, and community can thrive.