Founded by Jenelle Simpson, the global magazine is built on a simple but demanding premise, that truth, when told without dilution, has the power to shift how people see themselves. Through interviews, reflections, and deeply personal narratives, Simpson has created a platform that does not just publish stories, it invites people to confront them, carry them, and ultimately be changed by them.

What is your business called and what does it do?

Mirror to the Mic is a global magazine and media platform that amplifies real stories of healing, identity, and legacy. Through powerful interviews, personal reflections, and editorial storytelling, we create a space where truth-telling becomes a form of liberation and where voices that are often silenced are finally heard.

What made you want to do this work?

This work was born out of lived experience. I know what it feels like to carry stories that were never given space to breathe. I created Mirror to the Mic because I wanted to build something that does not just tell stories but transforms people through them. It is about breaking generational silence and giving people permission to reclaim their voice without apology.

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

There is a gap in media where real, raw, and deeply human stories are often filtered, softened, or overlooked entirely. Many people are navigating trauma, identity struggles, and personal transformation without ever seeing themselves reflected honestly in mainstream platforms.

Mirror to the Mic was created to solve that. It provides a space where truth is not edited for comfort and where people can see their experiences validated. It bridges the gap between storytelling and healing, allowing individuals to feel seen, understood, and empowered to rewrite their own narratives.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Our audience is global but deeply rooted in community. We primarily serve women and men who are navigating personal growth, healing, and self-discovery. This includes entrepreneurs, creatives, professionals, and individuals who are committed to breaking cycles and building intentional lives.

Many of our readers are in their mid-twenties to mid-forties, but our message resonates across generations because the themes of identity, truth, and legacy are universal.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

Mirror to the Mic generates revenue through magazine sales, both digital and print, brand partnerships, sponsored features, and advertising placements. We also collaborate with aligned brands and individuals who want to share meaningful stories with our audience.
The platform operates as both a publication and a movement, where storytelling drives connection and connection drives growth.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

While Mirror to the Mic is a global platform, I am based in the Greater Toronto Area. My work lives both online and within the community through media, events, and collaborations that bring people together in meaningful ways.

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

The best question someone can ask is, will my story be told with truth or just for content?

At Mirror to the Mic, the answer is always truth. We do not approach storytelling as something to package or perform. We approach it with care, intention, and respect for the person behind the story. Our goal is not just to publish content but to create impact.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

The best part is witnessing people see themselves differently after sharing their story. There is a shift that happens when someone moves from silence to expression, and being part of that is powerful.

The hardest part is carrying the weight of those stories. When people trust you with their truth, it is not something you take lightly. It requires emotional presence, responsibility, and care.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

People think running a magazine is all photoshoots and glam, but most days it is me answering emails, editing stories, and building something from the ground up in real time. The joke is that it looks effortless, but it is actually a full-time commitment to vision, detail, and purpose.

Where can we follow you?

Website | Magazine | Instagram

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

Trending Painters

The post Homegrown Business: Jenelle Simpson of Mirror to the Mic appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your business called and what does it do?

Tonica Kombucha; we make delicious, lightly sparkling kombucha here in Toronto, and we bottle it up and ship it across Canada to over 2,500 stores. Our kombucha is authentic (which means it has living enzymes that are great for gut health!), made with organic ingredients, and is low in sugar.

What made you want to do this work?

I fell in love with the digestive benefits I got from drinking kombucha and started to make it for myself, friends & family. When I started brewing kombucha, there was no kombucha available in Canada in stores, back in 2006. At that time, I had no plan to build a business, but it organically blossomed into a larger and larger operation as demand grew. Little by little, I stopped my day job of teaching yoga, and Tonica became my full-time job.

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

I wanted to make kombucha taste delicious so that everyone could benefit from the digestive boost it contains. Often, the kombuchas on the market are very strong and have an overly vinegar type taste, which can turn off many who would otherwise benefit from it, so my goal was to make a sparkling and delectable fruit-forward flavour profile that everyone would enjoy.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

The kombucha demographic is fairly wide ranging, from young folks and families looking for low sugar and alcohol free alternatives, to baby boomers with declining digestive fire. Kombucha is the perfect lightly sparkling beverage for all those looking for functional beverages to add to their daily lives because it is both delicious and has the added digestive boost benefit.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

We sell our product, Tonica kombucha, across Canada to retail grocery chains, independent shops, cafes, gyms, and yoga studios.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

In Toronto, you can find Tonica Kombucha at Metro, Farmboy, Rabba, Sobeys, No Frills, Fortinos, Longos, Healthy Planet and many more wonderful stores!

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

A great question to ask is: Is all Kombucha the same? Do all kombuchas have digestive benefits?

The answer: while authentic kombucha is fermented for up to 60 days and is filled with living enzymes and natural probiotics, many kombuchas today are made using synthetic probiotics that will die in packaging before they reach the consumer. Not all kombuchas are created equally!

For maximum digestive benefit, make sure your kombucha is living, or “raw”. It should say “always refrigerate,” and the real living kombucha will only be sold in refrigerated coolers (if it is shelf stable, it can’t be an authentic living kombucha, or it would explode in its packaging). And look for the KBI seal on packaging, which is a 3rd party international seal that certifies the kombucha is pure and unprocessed.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

There are so many “best” parts, but a couple that tie for best: bringing together amazing people on our team and giving them tools and space to grow into their superpowers and watch how they transform themselves and the Tonica team around them.
I also LOVE when I meet random people and find out they are Tonica customers and they tell me how much they love our product, or how much it has changed their lives.

On the other hand, seeing so many “greenwashed” kombuchas on the market that are riding the coattails of real functional kombucha, and confusing the customer by making products that don’t actually have any digestive benefits.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

That my company grew organically just like our kombucha SCOBYs do! First selling one case, then doubling, then tripling…same with every batch we make; every scoby creates a “baby” and doubles with each brew!

Where can we follow you?

Follow us on Instagram @tonicakombucha and @zoeytonica and visit our website.

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

I love the snacks from Nudfood & the organic pumpkin seeds from Prana

The post Homegrown Business: Zoey Shamai of Tonica Kombucha appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your business called and what does it do?

Our business is called Jöey Nordic Seed Crisps, and we are a clean-label seed crisp that is powered by 7 super seeds, including watermelon seeds, offering 22g of protein and 13g of fibre per bag. We’re USDA Organic, gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, kosher, and strictly avoid seed oils, hitting every requirement for the modern, health-conscious shopper.

What made you want to do this work?

Over the last 15 years, I have worked for several global food & beverage companies such as Kraft, Unilever, Hershey, McDonald’s, and Mondelez International as a consumer strategist, understanding how and what consumers want to eat and drink.

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

My trip to beautiful Sweden in 2019 inspired me to create Jöey Nordic Seed Crisps. I discovered crisp bread on the trip, but most crisp bread is wheat-based, and given we are a gluten-free household, I decided to recreate crisp bread and make it gluten-free and better for you!

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Health-conscious foodies who value functional benefits and culinary elevation

How does your business make money? How does it work?

We sell in retail such as Loblaws, Farm Boy and Whole Foods, in natural grocery, also food service and directly to consumers.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

Our crackers can be found at multiple locations across the city, including Loblaws, Whole Foods, Real Canadian Superstores, Summerhill Markets, Farm Boy, Eataly, Healthy Planet and Nature’s Emporium.

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

What differentiates your brands from other healthy crackers on the market?

At Joëy, culinary exploration means drawing inspiration from ancient Nordic tradition and global food culture to create something truly unique.

We only work with rare, thoughtfully sourced, super premium ingredients such as Blue Salt, Truffle, and Saffron to develop a cracker that elevates your everyday snacking.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

The best part of what we do is bringing to life a product that consumers genuinely love, and seeing the many ways they enjoy our crackers across different moments and occasions. The toughest part is the pace: we’re constantly on the go, which makes it challenging to carve out personal time. It means we have to be intentional about protecting our calendars and creating space for ourselves.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

We spent $40k on a consumer focus group just to confirm that people, indeed, like things that taste good and cost less

Where can we follow you?

Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | Website

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

We are huge fans of Pod Squad! They make crispy waffle bites made with organic beans, whole-grain oats, and milled flax seeds, high in protein, fiber and all natural!

The post Homegrown Business: Joseph Chen of Jöey Nordic Seed Crisps appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your business called and what does it do?

Boodles of Baskets is a Canadian, woman-owned gift basket company that creates and delivers handcrafted gift baskets across Canada. We specialize in gourmet, corporate, baby, and personalized gifts designed for all occasions.

What made you want to do this work?

I started the business so I could be available for my children while they were growing up, while still building something meaningful of my own. It grew beyond all my expectations and imaginations!

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

I wanted to make it easy for people to send thoughtful, high-quality gifts that feel personal and arrive beautifully presented, especially when they can’t be there in person.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Our customers include individuals sending personal gifts as well as businesses across Canada managing corporate gifting programs, employee recognition, and client appreciation.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

Customers order gifts and gift baskets through our website or corporate ordering process. We design, assemble, and ship each gift and basket from our location in Ontario, with Canada-wide delivery, including multi-address corporate orders.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

We are based in Windsor, Ontario, and operate as an online business serving customers across Canada.

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

What will the gift actually look like when it arrives?”

The answer should be: exactly as shown or better, with careful packaging and attention to detail so it arrives fresh, secure, and presentation-ready.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

The best part is knowing our gifts help people connect and celebrate important moments, even from a distance. The worst part is dealing with factors outside our control, like bad weather.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

We don’t just think outside the box — we build the box, fill it, wrap it, and ship it across the country

Where can we follow you?

Website | Instagram

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

SAKSCO Gourmet Basket Supplies

The post Homegrown Business: Cherylann Stachow of Boodles of Baskets appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your business called and what does it do?

Our business is called Amino, and it’s an AI-powered nutrition app that helps people better understand what they’re eating. Instead of manually logging food or trying to interpret complicated nutrition labels at the grocery store, users can simply take a photo of their meal or scan a barcode with their phone and instantly receive nutritional insights.

Since launching in September 2025, the platform has grown quickly, surpassing 100,000 users and more than 2 million meals scanned, with 40,000+ meals now being analyzed each day.

The goal is to make nutrition tracking easier and more accessible so people can make better food decisions in their everyday lives.

What made you want to do this work?

I’ve always been interested in building technology that people actually use in their daily routines. Nutrition is something everyone thinks about, but most tools for tracking food have historically been frustrating or time-consuming to use.

When AI image recognition started getting good enough to identify foods from photos, it became clear there was an opportunity to remove a lot of the friction from nutrition tracking.

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

Traditional nutrition apps require people to manually log every ingredient they eat, which is tedious and usually leads people to stop using them.

We wanted to solve that problem by making the process almost effortless. If someone can simply take a photo of their meal or scan a barcode, and immediately understand what they’re eating, they’re much more likely to stay engaged and make informed decisions.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Our users range widely, but generally, they’re people who want to be more mindful about their health and nutrition.

That includes people trying to improve their fitness, individuals managing specific dietary goals, and everyday consumers who simply want to understand their food better. We’ve seen strong adoption across both Canada and the United States. Amino is great because it appeals to such a wide audience. People of all ages, genders, ethnicities, and backgrounds love using Amino!

How does your business make money? How does it work?

Amino is free to use, with no subscriptions, paywalls, or hidden fees for our core features. Anyone can scan their meals and instantly receive nutritional insights.

Over time, we plan to introduce optional premium tools for users who want deeper analytics, advanced tracking, and more personalized insights to support specific health and wellness goals.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

We’re based in Toronto, but the nature of building a technology platform means our work happens both locally and globally. Much of the development and strategy work happens here in the city, while the app itself is used by people all over the world.

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

A great question to ask is: “Will I actually keep using this product after the first week?”

The biggest challenge with nutrition apps historically has been user retention because manual logging is time-consuming. Tools that make the experience faster and simpler tend to be the ones people stick with. We currently have 40,000+ meals being scanned every day, with a high number of active users who continue using Amino as part of their daily routine.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

The best part is seeing people use something you’ve built to improve their daily habits. When users tell us the app helped them better understand their food choices, that’s incredibly rewarding.

The hardest part is that building consumer technology requires constant iteration. You’re always learning from users and improving the product, which means the work never really stops.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

A classic one in tech is:

“It works on my phone.”

It’s a reminder that building software often involves solving problems you didn’t know existed five minutes earlier.

Where can we follow you?

Instagram | TikTok

You can learn more about Amino at aminoapp.com, and the app is available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store: aminoapp.com/download

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

I really like Lightbulb Daily, which was created by another Toronto entrepreneur. Right now, you can sign up for their free newsletter, and every morning at 8 am, you’ll receive one clear thought to start your day, paired with a wallpaper designed to stay with you. Lightbulb is going to be a really cool app that’s set to launch later this year to help other entrepreneurs act on their business ideas.

The post Homegrown Business: Andrew Shore of Amino appeared first on Toronto Guardian.