{"id":1417,"date":"2026-03-19T21:47:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T21:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advisor.wellington-altus.ca\/julieshipleystrickland\/?p=1417"},"modified":"2026-03-19T21:47:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T21:47:02","slug":"five-women-owned-businesses-to-support-this-spring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advisor.wellington-altus.ca\/julieshipleystrickland\/2026\/03\/19\/five-women-owned-businesses-to-support-this-spring\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Women-Owned Businesses to Support This Spring"},"content":{"rendered":"

As many of you know, International Women\u2019s Day recently passed on March 8. This is an important day for me every year\u2014not only because I\u2019m a female business owner, but because I so luckily get to spend the day with some of the most inspiring women I know. For the last few years, I have been jet setting down to Mexico with a great group of Calgary-based female entrepreneurs to partake in The Rare Method Haven Retreat<\/a><\/span>.<\/strong> Together, we learn, move, and grow, further developing our capacities when it comes to work and life\u2014allowing us to come back refreshed and fulfilled.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For this month\u2019s blog, I want to focus on some women-owned brands that I love in Calgary. Thinking about this year\u2019s International Women\u2019s Day Theme, Give to Gain, we are all reminded of the importance of supporting one another. In supporting others, we build up our community and therefore support ourselves. Without further ado, here are some amazing local brands founded by women that I use daily or recommend to all my friends.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Candy by JCo<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

With Easter just around the corner, it would be worth stocking up on Candy by JCo. Jennifer O\u2019Connor, a gal whom I\u2019ve known for years, has really nailed the boutique candy experience with her company. Each candy pack is fun, colourful, and sweet\u2014just what we all need! I especially love the Hippity Hop Candy Box<\/a> and the Sweet Hatch Carton<\/a> (both available for preorder). Can\u2019t forget about the pre-filled eggs<\/a>, making your Easter Egg Hunter extra convenient this year. If you have a sweet tooth or know someone who does, you really don\u2019t need to look any further.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lusom\u00e9<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This is an amazing Calgary-based brand created by Lara Smith, an entrepreneur who has demonstrated to all of us that some of the most impactful businesses are born out of personal stories. Her vision for high-quality sleepwear and sheets that keep the body cool at night started when her sister, who was diagnosed with cancer, was experiencing uncomfortable night sweats. Lara set out to create a solution, made from Xirotex\u2122 fabric that pulls moisture away from the skin\u2014big bonus is Lusom\u00e9 products are free from polyester! I\u2019ve gifted many sleepwear sets from this company to family and friends, and I\u2019d do it over and over again.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hedkandi<\/a> <\/span>and Butter<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

These two businesses, owned by Wray and Jeremy Bokitch, have been leaders in their industry for over 25 years (wow!). With locations across Calgary\u2019s downtown core, you have lots of options where you can find a booking in a pinch. Hedkandi specializes in all thing\u2019s hair, while Butter Beauty Parlour focuses on nails, brows, medical aesthetics, and more. Some of my best weekend days start with a trip to Butter, followed by a croissant from La Boulangerie in Mission, and a walk along the river.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Milk Jar Candle Co. <\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been so impressed by this brand since they first came onto the Calgary candle scene at Market Collective. Owned by Holly Singer, Milk Jar is known for far more than just amazingly scented candles and diffusers\u2014they have made their mark by supporting non-profits that promote inclusion for people with disabilities. Over the years, the company has donated over $485,000 to local organizations, and the impact is felt across the city. You\u2019ll be hard pressed to find a Calgary boutique that doesn\u2019t carry Milk Jar. Their workshops are also incredible team building opportunities! Take a peek here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bedside Business Plan<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, it wouldn\u2019t be a blog of mine without a great resource for entrepreneurs (though you don\u2019t have to be a business owner to get value from this journal). The Bedside Business Plan was developed by a sister and brother duo, geared towards turning your ideas into reality. Since they launched in 2021, they have expanded their journal lineup to also include \u201cEmployee to Entrepreneur\u201d and \u201cThe Anti-Retirement Plan\u201d. I think these are great resources for anyone\u2014you can grab one yourself or gift one to a friend!<\/span><\/p>\n

Learn more about the journals on Instagram<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Financial Takeaway<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

To conclude, here\u2019s a little financial tip to help you shop smarter this season: before you buy, create a \u201cWishlist\u201d in your Notes app (or wherever you like to jot down ideas) and add these items to it. Set a budget, and once you\u2019ve had something on your list for at least<\/em> 3 months, you can consider if it\u2019s truly worth purchasing right now. Thoughtfully think through making these purchases\u2014we want to minimize impulse spending! This can help you in the long run, and it feels that much more satisfying purchasing off your wish list when you know you won\u2019t have any guilt or buyer\u2019s remorse.<\/span><\/p>\n

More to come from me next month!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As many of you know, International Women\u2019s Day recently passed on March 8. This is an important day for me every year\u2014not only because I\u2019m a female business owner, but because I so luckily get to spend the day with some of the most inspiring women I know. For the last few years, I have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":116,"featured_media":1418,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/advisor.wellington-altus.ca\/julieshipleystrickland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/advisor.wellington-altus.ca\/julieshipleystrickland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/advisor.wellington-altus.ca\/julieshipleystrickland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advisor.wellington-altus.ca\/julieshipleystrickland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/116"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advisor.wellington-altus.ca\/julieshipleystrickland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1417"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/advisor.wellington-altus.ca\/julieshipleystrickland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1417\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1424,"href":"https:\/\/advisor.wellington-altus.ca\/julieshipleystrickland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1417\/revisions\/1424"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advisor.wellington-altus.ca\/julieshipleystrickland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/advisor.wellington-altus.ca\/julieshipleystrickland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advisor.wellington-altus.ca\/julieshipleystrickland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advisor.wellington-altus.ca\/julieshipleystrickland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}