Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

In business, I look up to Sara Blakely (Founder, Spanx), Anastasia Soare (Founder, Anastasia Beverley Hills), Susie Ma (Founder, Tropic Skincare), and Tara Bosch (Founder, SmartSweets). They are all female founders who didn't know the most in the industries they founded companies in, yet nonetheless were capital-efficient in growing category-changing brands. I try my best to embody their attitude in business every day: to be grateful, resourceful, and relentless in executing my vision.

How do you stay motivated?

My family keeps me motivated. My parents immigrated to Canada in 1998. I saw how much they sacrificed (and still sacrifice) for my sister and I to have opportunities in Canada. Everything I do—self-financing business and law school, working retail jobs, starting my own company—is with the hope that, one day, I can show my parents that their sacrifices were worth it.

What would you do with the $25,000?

With $25,000, I will be able to produce my first batch of product with a co-packer in Toronto. I will then sell my product (protein bars) through e-commerce, at local stores, and directly to downtown offices for $50/month subscription. I am bootstrapping my startup and trying to be very capital efficient until I nail down product-market fit and can raise money to scale nationally into retail.