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Small business is the backbone of Canada’s economy, but it isn’t for the faint of heart. Every year in Canada tens of thousands of businesses are born, however every year almost the same number fail. A lot can be learned from failure, but that’s just sad and depressing. “Yes, We Are Open” is a podcast that tells the stories of those that survive. How did they do it? What can we learn? Al Grego, of Moneris travels the country to tell these stories of challenge and perseverance. Whether you’re ...
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This week Al is back in Ontario for a visit with Dave Guenther, owner of Door World in Tillsonburg. Dave balanced a growing family and an expanding business during an unprecedented global pandemic. Hear how together with his wife Breanne, their resilience and adaptability helped them build a thriving company from the ground up. You can learn more a…
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Things get spicy in episode 3 when Al visits Nikhil Dutt, owner of Spice Circle. His family opened the restaurant in 2019, despite having no prior business experience. Nikhil opens up about his early emotional struggles of receiving customer criticism and the determination that drove him to keep improving their service and food quality. Today Spice…
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Al visits Katrina Tessier, Owner of Scout Coffee: + Community. Katrina shares her journey of opening the unique Winnipeg café, providing a welcoming space for parents to relax while their children play. Tune in for the story of how a mother turned her idea into a reality. Learn how Katrina navigated financial hurdles, the pandemic, and a change in …
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In the season 7 premiere of ‘Yes, We Are Open’ Al flies to Winnipeg, Manitoba. His first visit is with Ashley Lyons and Mikol Markiw from The Real Escape Canada to delve into the intricacies of the escape room industry. Tune in to hear how a family’s shared passion for puzzles turned into a successful escape room empire and how they navigated the c…
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Season 7 of the award-winning 'Yes, We Are Open' podcast starts October 7th, 2024! In this season, Al visits Winnipeg, Manitoba. Here is a little teaser for the upcoming season. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris p…
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Yes, Kawartha TV & Stereo Is Open! In the season 6 finale of ‘Yes, We Are Open’, Al visits Peterborough, Ontario and Scott Stuart, owner of Kawartha TV & Stereo. They’ve been fixtures in the city for over half a century! In that time, their industry has gone through countless disruptive technology changes but they’ve been able to adapt and today th…
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Yes, Italian Ice Cream Is Open! Back from His Calgary trip, Al heads down to the “Honeymoon Capital of the World” Niagara Falls to visit Andrew Vergalito, owner of Italian Ice Cream. The business was opened by Andrew’s parents Joe and Anna in 1978 and for 46 years they’ve been serving the locals and tourists alike. There have been many challenges a…
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Al’s final stop on his Calgary trip is to Heritage Park Historical Village. It’s one of Calgary’s premier tourist attractions, originally opened in 1964 with a mission to connect visitors with the history of Western Canada. Al visits with Dominic Terry, a spokesperson at the park. Dominic talks about the park’s origins and how it has evolved in the…
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Virginia Borges came to Canada in 2014 from Venezuela with the dream of starting her own business. She wanted her business to give back to the community in some way. She then opened Re:Grub Burger Bar. Known for their highly instagrammable milkshakes and burgers, Re:Grub has become a popular Calgary hotspot for their unique and delicious creations.…
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Al’s next stop in Alberta is beautiful Canmore, home of Sara and Joe Titus, owners of Going With The Grain. For almost 20 years Sara and Joe have been installing and restoring hardwood floors in the Canmore area. They are one of only two husband & wife teams in North America to hold the designation of ‘Bona Certified Craftsmen’. All this to say, th…
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This week Al goes to picturesque Banff, Alberta to visit Ken McMurdo, owner of Mountain Chocolates. Ken started his business in 1989 when Banff was just beginning to grow into the tourist attraction it has become. But it hasn’t always been a sweet time for Mountain Chocolates. Being so heavily reliant on tourism has meant many ups and downs for Ken…
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In this week’s episode of ‘Yes, We Are Open’ Al heads downtown to Calgary’s Beltline District to visit KAKS Bar & Podcast. You read that right. It’s a bar, with a built-in podcast studio! Needless to say, Al is more than a little excited. He speaks with the owners Kass Kielly-Burke and Shawn Chan. They opened KAKS in June 2023, so they’re approachi…
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You can learn more about River Café at river-cafe.com. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Al Grego, Sal Howell, Bruce Soley, Craig Hodel, Vijud Lincoln, Jordan Anderson, Neha Sharma, Scott Mackenzie
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Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts to hear them as they publish each week, or visit yesweareopenpodcast.com. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.…
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You can learn more about Maritime Fun Group at maritimefun.com. Credits: Duri Alajrami - Leadership Amy Maraone - Leadership Rick Stephan - Leadership Cass McPhee – Moneris Ad Voiceover Caleigh Ellis – Graphic Artist Chetan Dhananjaya – Webmaster Niyati Budhiraja – Webmaster Mallory McWhirther – Social Media Tanya Nagi – Social Media Kelly Servos –…
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You can learn more about Tech Fuel at techfuel.ca. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Al Grego, Robert Thompson
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You can learn more about Strikers Den at strikersden.ca. Check out Ash's History book "India And Faraway Lands". Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.…
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You can learn more about aaniin at aaniin.shop. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Chelsee Pettit, Al Grego, Elle Yip
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You can learn more about Torpedo Rays at torpedorays.com. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Jason Weickert, April Weickert, Al Grego
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You can learn more about Bradford Academy of Music at bradfordacademyofmusic.com. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Al Grego, Tyler Tossounian
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You can learn more about Lane Gallery at lanegallery.com. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Don Lane, Al Grego, David Tucker
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You can learn more about Ocean Quest Adventures at oceanquestadventures.com. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.John Olivero, Al Grego, Rick Stanley
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Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts to hear them as they publish each week! Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Al Grego, John Olivero, Jason Weickert, April Weickert, Matthew Jelly
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You can learn more about Top Talent Entertainment at toptalent.ca. Credits: Duri Alajrami - Leadership Amy Maraone - Leadership Rick Stephan - Leadership Cass McPhee – Moneris Ad Voiceover Caleigh Ellis – Graphic Artist Chetan Dhananjaya – Webmaster Niyati Budhiraja – Webmaster Mallory McWhirther – Social Media Sydney Lupton – Social Media Tanya Na…
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You can learn more about SugarKane at sugarkanerestaurant.ca. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Al Grego, Nicole Charles, Donna Charles, Renée Charles, Florence Charles
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You can learn more about Timber Lounge at timberlounge.ca. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Al Grego, Darren Hudson, Bree Stewart, Eddie Arsenault
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You can learn more about Döghaus at ledoghaus.com. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Al Grego, Evelyn Couture, Sarah Miller Barrington, Katherine Dupuis
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Yes, Landscape Ontario Is Open Landscape Ontario is Ontario’s premier horticultural trades association. For the past 50 years, they’ve been supporting their members through professional development, trade shows and conferences, consumer events and cost savings benefits. Their premier annual event is the Landscape Ontario Congress, Canada’s largest …
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Yes, Spin-IT Records and Video Is Open This week Al is in Moncton, New Brunswick visiting Patrick Parise, owner of Spin-IT Records and Video. From file sharing to streaming, Patrick has seen a lot of disruption in his chosen industry over the past 20 years. In spite of this, Patrick was able to persevere and build a successful company. So would the…
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Yes, Brooks Pepperfire Foods Inc. Is Open Al’s next stop in season 4 of the podcast is Rigaud, Quebec to visit Greg and Tina Brooks from Brooks Pepperfire Foods Inc. Pepperfire Foods are more than just hot sauces. They specialize in co-packing and private-labelling fresh food products for many specialty food companies. But BOY are their hot sauces …
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In the season 4 premier of ‘Yes, We Are Open’ Al heads east to New Brunswick. His first stop is the Sackville Curling Club. At 128 years old, it’s the oldest business Al has featured on the podcast—by a lot—but that doesn’t mean they’re impervious to struggle. With lockdowns and severe capacity restrictions, the pandemic posed the club’s greatest t…
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‘Yes, We Are Open’ Season 4 Teaser Season 4 of the award-winning 'Yes, We Are Open' podcast starts April 3rd, 2023! Here is a little teaser for the upcoming season. Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts to hear them as they publish each week! Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your…
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Bear Cave Silent Booths On the season 3 finale of ‘Yes, We Are Open’ Al visits Trevor and Andrea from Bear Cave Silent booths. Learn how they turned a one-off job into a manufacturing business. While the pandemic may have actually helped them get new customers, the resulting shortage of building material threatened to shut them down before they eve…
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Kidsworld Pediatric Dentistry Dr. Priya Kothari studied and specialized in pediatric dentistry in the United States, before returning to Canada to be closer to family and to open her own practice 12 years ago. Today Kidsworld Pediatric Dentistry in Aurora, Ontario is a busy practice, treating children from all over Southern Ontario. But what happen…
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Impact Kitchen Personal trainer and nutrition expert Josh Broun had a vision for a restaurant focused on providing simple meals with real, wholesome ingredients to ”provide energy to take on the day with purpose and optimism”. In 2015, he teamed up with Frank Toskan, co-founder of MAC Cosmetics to open Impact Kitchen despite neither of them having …
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Downunder Travel This week Al goes downunder in downtown Toronto when he visits with Jason Webb from Downunder Travel. Jason and his team have been helping travelers get from Canada to Australia and the South Pacific and back since 2004. Business got off to a strong start for Jason and his team, but the travel industry can be quite a turbulent one……
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Stylephotos This week Al is in Concord, Ontario visiting twin brothers Khasan and Husan, the owners of Stylephotos, the #1 eCommerce photography service in Canada. Khasan and Husan started out looking for ways to improve the quality of the photography for their family’s eCommerce fashion store and ended up building a fully automated in-house produc…
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Lakeside Dog Biscuits This week Al is in Kingston, Ontario to meet Laurie Hannah, the owner of Lakeside Dog Biscuits. 20 years ago, Laurie’s Golden retriever became ill from eating commercial dog food, so Laurie set out to create natural, healthy treats for her pets and thus created Lakeside Dog Biscuits Today Laurie is retired from her career as a…
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Matriarch In this episode Al goes to Kitchener, Ontario to visit Ankush Raina, owner of Matriarch. Ankush moved to Canada from India in 2018. His ultimate goal was to start his own business, something he’s been dreaming about since he was a teenager. Everything he’s done since arriving in Canada was with that goal in mind. He turned that intense fo…
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In the Season 3 premier of ‘Yes, We Are Open’ Al goes to Port Sydney, Ontario to visit Heather Huff-Bogart, Owner of The Green Bouquet Cannabis Inc. Heather opened her dream business in the middle of the pandemic lockdown. In addition, she had to navigate the restrictive and ever-changing regulations in Ontario’s cannabis industry, overcome objecti…
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‘Yes, We Are Open’ Season 3 Teaser Season 3 of 'Yes, We Are Open' starts October 3rd, 2022! Here is a little teaser for the upcoming season. Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts to hear them as they publish each week! Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podc…
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You can learn more about Parry Sound Friendship Centre at psfc.ca. Credits: Duri Alajrami - Leadership Amy Maraone - Leadership Rick Stephan - Leadership Mat Belanger – Moneris Ad Voiceover Kelly Servos – Merchant Liaison Caleigh Ellis – Graphic Artist Jameson Di Nucci – Webmaster Mallory McWhirther – Social Media Tanya Nagi – Social Media Kelly Fo…
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You can learn more about Studio Brewing at studiobrewing.ca. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Kathryn Mckinney, Ryan Voigt, Brendan Sharp, Mat Belanger, Al Grego
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You can learn more about Power Yoga Canada at poweryogacanada.com. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Aneta Pietruszko, Al Grego, Mat Belanger
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You can learn more about Meraki Beauty Bar at merakibeautybar.ca. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Al Grego, Michell Tran
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You can learn more about SuperKick Karate at granicsensei.com. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Al Grego, Vic Granic, Mat Belanger
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You can learn more about Jess’ Restaurant and Bar at jessrestaurant.ca. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Al Grego, Mat Belanger, Winson Ho
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You can learn more about Bitehaus Toronto Dental Clinic at bitehaus.ca. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Al Grego, Aisling Whitaker, Anand Iyer, Felicia Sprague
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You can learn more about Climb Base5 at climbbase5.com. Subscribe now! If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us to help tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com. Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production hosted by Al Grego.Al Grego, Mat Belanger, Danielle Poggi
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This is the 'Yes, We Are Open' Season 2 trailer. In this season, Al heads to B.C. in search of new stories about small Canadian businesses and their perseverance.Subscribe now!If you're the owner of a small business in Canada and you'd like us tohelp tell your story, email us at podcast@moneris.com.Yes, We Are Open is a Moneris podcast production h…
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