Keeping It Authentic With Katherine Johnsen As the opportunities and the audience grow, it can be easy for one to find themselves being pulled in a million directions with outside influences taking over. For Katherine Johnsen, creator and VP of Growth and Partnerships for Counter Culture agency, she has learned the importance of staying true to herself and ensuring that you grow with authenticity and passion. This has led to countless incredible experiences and the creation of lifelong relationships that Katherine attributes to her happiness and success. We got the chance to speak with Katherine about all of this and learn some of her secrets to building the next generation of opportunity for creators and brands. Read the full conversation below. Hi Katherine! Thanks for chatting with us today. For those who don't know, can you tell us a little about yourself? Excited to chat! So, my name is Katherine Johnsen and I'm the VP, Growth & Partnerships of Counter Culture agency which creates culturally relevant program with creators and for brands, amongst many other things. I've been with Counter Culture for 2 years and before that I spent a lot of time leading partnerships for some of the biggest tech and startup conferences in North America. I'm also a creator myself and on the brand side, have worked with tons of brands in tech, fashion and footwear, food and CPG so I like to think that I know the landscape pretty well and that can really help our partners. Throughout your time in the tech partnerships world and now at Counter Culture, has there been anything that you have learned that is a common thread across it all? Definitely! The biggest thing is that your relationships are everything. I spent a lot of time with company founders in the tech space and bringing that time into partnerships, I've seen how much those connections that you build can lead to success. I'm constantly trying to expand my network and stay connected with those who are close to me. That's a great point! As the network builds, how do you always stay in touch with so many people? I travel a lot and one of the guys I worked closely with at Microsoft who was one of the Top 5 People To Know in the NY startup scene used to tell me to divide my flights into 5 minute intervals and use that time to reach out to as many people as you can, just to check in on them. Just give when you need nothing and then when you need to tap people, they're more than happy to help you because you maintained a relationship there. With all of the different projects and travel, how do you stay organized? My calendar is everything and I'm a big advocate of time blocking. I allocate different blocks of time in my schedule to focusing on certain tasks without distractions and that's very helpful. I also make sure to prioritize. We all have so much going on but if you can prioritize 3 tasks for the week and get them done, then that's a win. I love this quote which is, "you don't always have to climb the whole staircase. You just need to take the first step." Oooh love that! As a creator yourself and a coach so many other creators out there, what is one piece of advice you stand by? I'm a firm believe that if you like something, then it's cool. I think it's so important to shed the weight of other people's opinions and just focus on liking what you like. A through line to all of the coolest people in our lives is that they are all authentic to themselves. What we often tell creators is that, by just looking at what other people are doing and looking at other trends, you will fall flat. We always say just listen to "what makes me excited to wake up in the morning?" and if you share that, I think it builds authentic community. That definitely shows in your content! For sure! My channels are really just an extension of my daily life. I like to share what I'm doing as opposed to doing things to share them. Love that! Lastly, on the business side, what advice would you give to creators looking to make a living out of this? 2 things! The first is when working with brands, be mindful of your value and your identity and always stay authentic to that. Brands will often come in with their own idea of how they think something should look and will try to use money to push that forward. The key is finding a way to make it your own - that will be the sign of a good partnership - and not being afraid to walk away if it's not a good fit. Secondly, it's important to think about your long term goals and understand the best ways for you to build your community and ultimately drive revenue. Partnerships are just one way to make money but there are so many other ways to expand your channels and revenue streams. Maybe that's building a mailing list, maybe it's connecting through events or selling product. At the end of the day though, the biggest thing is always prioritize your community. The people out there that are able to do all of these cool things as their full-time job are able to do so because of the community that they built. Make sure to check out Katherine and Counter Culture on Instagram and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with cool creatives and industry leaders!

July Guest Picks: Books with Jay Yoo of Bolstr Guest: Jay Yoo, founder of Bolstr AntiFragile by Nicholas Taleb Nassim "Counterintuitive insights on the nature of all things. Why nature is our greatest teacher of evolution? It gains from chaos. Humans don't work like that as we accept comfortable positions in life (taking advice from expert "Fragilistas" that make us fragile (although it may not appear that way). Like your doctor, who is the third leading cause of death in America. Ideas on preparing forward by building optionality into your life (dismissing expert news) allow us to benefit from inevitable "black swan" events that are unpredictable and catastrophic to most." Who Owns the Future by Jaron Lenier "All about rebuilding the middle class by humanizing the digital economy. A critical and credible take on creating commerce for all vs. redistributing wealth. The book was written in 2011, and much of what Jaron predicted is coming true. Specifically, how a free digital economy is destroying jobs as new centers of power (Google, Facebook, Snapchat, et al.) make money on our use of their ecosystems and are socially engineering us to stay in them. But what makes their systems valuable does not get an equitable stake (you and me). He lays it all out on how to get paid for making any content (as long as others are viewing it). It's entirely possible with the blockchain, which makes crypto ever more relevant. Importantly, the idea that our world can be automated via tech is a farse; without human influence, it will have no soul. Sorry, Ray Kurzweill and the whole singularity movement. No thanks." A Short History of Progress by Richard Wright "Where are we going? This is the central theme of the book. It's an incredibly illuminating book on impending doom and how man destroys everything. He goes through the history of humans from prehistoric times until the present and how we have destroyed the planet and the lives of millions (approaching billions), all in the pursuit of progress. He examines several civilizations from Neanderthals, Easter Island (an important microcosm), Sumerians, Romans, and Egyptians. Each crippled their existence by overproducing, exhausting resources, and then waging war to expand and gain more. There are no everlasting examples of civilizations, and they all fall victim to their progress. It took 3 million years to go from a stone arrowhead to smelted iron, but only 3,000 years to go from smelt to a nuclear bomb. Where are we going?" Big Bang by Simon Singh "The Origins of The Universe. One of my favorite books that walks through the history of science. I love learning about the cosmos and space but am more interested in how humans figured it out. It's a fascinating account of science's struggle to overcome dogma and human's persistence for truth. But, as important, are the pitfalls of incumbency (egos that stifled scientific progress), to which Einstein both abhorred and fell victim. Incredibly interesting and great for anyone who would like to know the Big Bang theory in layman's terms." 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson "Life is a bitch. Historical, spiritual, and personal antidotes for leading a life of purpose and ultimate happiness. It's more than a self-help book; it's a serious eye-opener on building a relationship with oneself, others, and the world in times of immediate gratification. Fun is fleeting, and joy is work; I welcome this confrontation with what more I can do to be and influence "good."" Check out all of our guest picks for July here and stay tuned to Pier Five for more stories and interviews with the coolest people around.

The AI Studio: How Pier Five and HP Canada Empowered Canadian Small Businesses with AI To kick off small business month in Canada, Pier Five and HP Canada came together in Toronto to host The AI Studio, a one-of-a-kind workshop experience designed to help Canadian small business owners discover how AI and HP’s Next Gen AI PCs can transform the way they work, create, and grow. The event welcomed 20 entrepreneurs and founders from industries including hospitality, health, media, fashion, tech, retail and restaurant for a day of hands-on learning, collaboration, and innovation. Every detail of the experience was crafted around real challenges and opportunities shared by attendees in a pre-event survey, ensuring that each moment was personalized, relevant, and actionable. Swipe through images The day unfolded through two interactive sessions that reflected the dual nature of entrepreneurship, the balance between operations and creativity. The first session focused on productivity and operations, helping business owners learn how to integrate AI into their day-to-day tasks, streamline workflows, and unlock new efficiencies. The second session shifted gears toward creative strategy and marketing, offering insights into how AI can support content creation, copywriting, and campaign planning for founders looking to amplify their brand stories. During the sessions, attendees were invited to explore HP’s Next Gen AI PCs and devices, guided by HP Commercial Category Business Manager, Towen Chrea, who demonstrated the power of AI-driven hardware in real time. From adaptive tools that anticipate workflow needs to features that make creative work more intuitive, the demos showcased how HP is reimagining what’s possible for small businesses in the age of AI. Beyond the learning, The AI Studio offered what every entrepreneur values most; connection. Guests shared experiences, swapped insights, and formed new relationships. They also took part in professional portrait sessions to elevate their personal brands and left with co-branded Pier Five x HP Canada merch as a reminder of the day’s inspiration. Swipe through images Ultimately, The AI Studio wasn’t just an event, it was a celebration of Canadian entrepreneurship and a glimpse into the future of work. It gave small business owners the knowledge, confidence, and tools to embrace AI not as a buzzword, but as a genuine growth partner. Pier Five and HP Canada are proud to have built this experience together, supporting the small business community, empowering innovation, and continuing to champion the incredible founders shaping Canada’s creative economy.

2022 Recipient: Aaniin Introducing Aaniin, one of the five recipients of the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund 2022! Who: Chelsee Pettit Where: Toronto, ON Instagram / Website Aaniin, which means hello in Ojibwe/anishinaabemowin, started as a streetwear brand that uses syllabics as the design focus to raise awareness for Indigenous culture. Each garment, made by Chelsee herself, includes a tagged QR code which allows the wearer to start the conversation about indigenous languages as well as pass on the information to others. Most recently, the business has developed into a full-time pop-up at Toronto's Stackt Market which houses products from Aaniin as well as other local Indigenous artists and designers. The main goal of the brand is to serve as a platform that can help create opportunities for other Indigenous creators and spread awareness around the beauty of Indigenous culture. Why was mentorship from Mastercard so important for you? As first time founders, many of us are getting into positions where we can pave paths for others but it's first very important for us to be able to learn from others who have already been out there themselves and done that. Being able to take their insights and established practices and find ways to turn that into opportunity for marginalized communities has been really important for me as a small business owner. "The fund has allowed me to hire staff for my store and give me the time and freedom to fundraise further, while keeping control with indigenous minds and allow me to build economic prosperity within the indigenous communities." "We think the future of small business in Canada is Indigenous." Learn more about the Mastercard & Pier Five Small Business Fund, and discover the other 2022 recipients here.

Protecting Your Brand With Zak Kurtz of Sneaker Legal Almost every creative entrepreneur starts their business out of passion but as time goes on and the business grows, the legal matters of the business become more important but also often fall to the wayside. Zak Kurtz, lawyer and founder of Sneaker & Streetwear Legal Services dba Sneaker Legal, has turned his passion for kicks and coveted streetwear into a business designed to help creative entrepreneurs with all of those legal matters so that they can focus on their passions, while he focuses on his. We got the chance to chat with Zak about how he found an opportunity in a niche legal space, his tips for new creative entrepreneurs and what some of the keys have been to his success. Read the conversation below! Hey Zak! Thanks for chatting with us. Can you tell us a bit about you and your firm? Hey guys! So, my name is Zak Kurtz and I'm the founder of Sneaker & Streetwear Legal Services, also known as Sneaker Legal. Sneaker Legal works with clients in the sneakers, fashion, sports and entertainment space to help them protect their brand across a number of legal matters. You've built a very cool career in an admittedly niche space. What was the key to getting there? If you like something, go do it. I read a good book last week, and a line that I remember from it is, "let your joy be your GPS", meaning, whatever brings you passion, whatever brings you joy, do that in your life. Let that guide you. My grandfather was a judge, so I knew I wanted to be a lawyer but I wasn't sure about what in. I played soccer soccer in college overseas, so I thought I wanted to be a sports lawyer but in law school, while I was doing sports law, and I was president of all these things, and I was making a lot of money, I wasn't happy. I would sit on my computer and I would just look at trademarks like drawings of sneakers. Never did I know that one day I'd have a special law firm that's niche was in sneakers and streetwear. If you never giving up and follow your passions, that will definitely lead you to a good career and also a good life. We love that story and the self awareness about what makes you happy. At the end of the day, just be you. Staying true to yourself and what you love is the most important thing. If you're passionate about something, maybe it's sneakers and law or maybe it's something else, that will find a way to shine. If you want to build a brand and you're a good human being, people will come to you. We only live so long and I think it's important to be yourself and that really attracts people and brings good things into your life. You seem to have a great capability at getting clients. Any secrets there? A lot of the time, people don't reach out to legal because they're afraid of legal's answer always being "no". Due to this, most of the time when people come to lawyers, it's reactive. It's after you're getting a cease and desist or after you're getting a lawsuit. So, it's very important just to be upfront and work with your client so that that stuff doesn't happen. If you're releasing a shoe, come to us and we could say, "hey, this looks like an Adidas or a Nike. You might want to change this" or "this name is already trademarked by another company so you might want to change your name". We always take a very open approach because we believe it's important to be proactive with legal and I think that openness has helped create a welcome environment for new clients. Once you get a new client, what's often the first legal item that they might need help with? Starting is the hardest thing for your brand but once you start, you need to start thinking about all the stuff like establishing an LLC, registering trademarks, bringing on a lawyer or having someone around that you can ask those types of questions to. I can't tell you how many questions I get daily about little things like "should I have a contract for this?" or "do I need an NDA for that?". These are simple questions that a lawyer could answer for free or in a few minutes and I think it's good to start building that network and have that team environment. If I was to focus on one thing though, It would be the trademark. Anyone could actually do their own application or do some research but if you take it the next step and actually hire a lawyer, working on the trademark will really help protect your brand. That way you're boxing out the other people from using that name or that logo. Lastly, outside of the legal field, what's one piece of advice you'd give to a new entrepreneur or small business owner? You need to have a great team and be able to rely on other people because you can't do everything yourself. Then, once you find the right people, you need to trust them and let them do their job. I'm very cautious about every micromanaging them. I want my team to know that, as long they get the work done, they can be creative and flexible with their approach and I feel like that's been a key to the success of my team. Make sure to follow Sneaker Legal for all of your sneakers and streetwear legal info and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with creative entrepreneurs and small business owners. Legal Disclaimer: The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. Readers of this website should contact their attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal matter. No reader, user, or browser of this site should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information on this site without first seeking legal advice from counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. Only your individual attorney can provide assurances that the information contained herein – and your interpretation of it – is applicable or appropriate to your particular situation. Use of, and access to, this website or any of the links or resources contained within the site do not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader, user, or browser and website authors, contributors, contributing law firms, or committee members and their respective employers. 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Small Business Activation Grant Winner: Grays Introducing Grays, the grand prize recipient of the Pier Five & Intak Printing Activation Grant! Founders: Julia Gray & Connor Dudgeon Location: Toronto, ON Discover Grays online: Website // Instagram About Grays Grays is a Toronto-based clothing brand specializing in 100% Ontario made garments (using 100% Ontario wool) and a multi-brand clothing and home goods shop. Their mission is to reconnect consumers with the origins of their textiles, emphasizing transparency, sustainability, and craftsmanship. Grays collaborates with local artisans and mills to produce limited-run collections that celebrate Canadian wool and traditional textile practices. Through their retail space and brand, Julia and Connor aim to create a platform for education, storytelling, and connection, inviting customers to engage with the process behind what they wear and use every day. Whether it’s a jacket made from Ontario wool or a hand-bent steel wine rack, every item at Grays embodies the belief that knowing the maker and the materials matters. What is your vision with the grant funds and support from Pier Five & Intak Printing? With support from Pier Five and Intak Printing, our vision is to bring the story of Ontario wool to life through a special event that blends art, education, and hands-on engagement. We'll showcase the journey from farm to finished garment through a gallery exhibit, creative talks, and interactive demonstrations, giving our community a deeper appreciation for local textiles, craftsmanship, and the people behind them. We also want to integrate other aligned elements of natural craft into the experience, including natural Ontario wines and farm-to-table food for guests to enjoy, creating a holistic and immersive celebration of local artistry. How will this grant help you realize your long term goals? This grant helps us take a major step toward our long-term goals by giving us the platform to share our story and values with a wider audience in Toronto. It allows us to showcase why we focus on local textiles and ethical production, which is something we've never had the budget to do at this scale. By amplifying the full narrative of our process, from farm to mill to maker, we can deepen community connections, raise awareness about regenerative farming and Canadian wool, and lay the groundwork for national and international growth. This activation is a pivotal moment in our journey to establish Grays as a recognized leader in sustainable, locally made clothing. Photos supplied by Grays Learn more about the Pier Five & Intak Printing Activation Grant and discover the runner up recipients here.

Shaking Up An Institution With Colin Li of Hong Shing The restaurant industry is cut throat and one that is constantly evolving, which requires drive, creativity and an attention to detail and consistency to stay alive. For Colin Li, owner of Hong Shing, one of Toronto's most well-known Chinese restaurants, this challenge is one that he loves and his ability to innovate has led him to great heights. Since taking over the restaurant from his parents 8 years ago, Colin has built Hong Shing, a 25 year-old institution, not only into a notable location for Chinese eats but also a locally recognized brand and we got the chance to sit down with him to learn about his journey. Read through the interview below! Hey Colin, thanks for having us into the restaurant. You took over from your parents 8 years ago and the growth has been incredible since then. Can you speak more about that journey? The pleasure's all mine. It's definitely been a pretty wild 8 years and I'm really proud of that growth but the real accomplishment is that Hong Shing has been around for 25 years. When a restaurant, especially a Chinese restaurant which do not often stick around this long, gets to that point, it becomes an institution and being a part of that has been incredible. I came into this with no formal restaurant training but have been working hard over the last 8 years to learn every aspect of the business, from dishwashing and serving to everything in the kitchen and bar, to ensure that I can run a tight ship and turn Hong Shing, not only into a known restaurant, but also a well rounded brand. Can you speak more about Hong Shing the brand and what that entails? Yes, of course. Once I took over the restaurant, I started doing some research and came to understand that people really only think about restaurants at 11am and 6pm, right before meals when they're hungry. This means that for all of those other hours during the day, I needed to find a way to be top of mind. This is where stuff like the merch or the basketball team sponsorship comes in. I've always been into fashion and the merch idea first come from just wanting to re-invent my staff's uniform to be more casual, comfortable and approachable and it has become a really fun project that I work on with my team. For the basketball team, we sponsor a youth girls team which has been an awesome opportunity to get more involved in the basketball community and watch these girls grow into great basketball players and human beings. Wanting to uplift youth seems to be something you are passionate about. It definitely is, especially with young chefs. In the Chinese restaurant industry, almost all of the chefs are over 50 years old. Traditionally, Chinese restaurants only hire based on experience, like how many years do you have behind a wok, so no young chefs are getting into Chinese restaurants and if they do, older Chinese chefs are not normally so welcoming so young chefs out of culinary school choose to go to fine dining restaurants or other European cuisines. I'm really trying to break down those barriers and support young chefs in the Chinese community. Many of them are more experienced in the kitchen than I am but I believe I have a lot to teach them about running a successful restaurant. It's great that you take on that mentality to share your knowledge. Did you learn that from your time as a kid growing up in your parents restaurants? Not at all actually. My parents never used to speak with other Chinese restaurant owners. They would undercut each other and just tell me to focus on myself. There wasn't anything wrong with them. There was just a real sense of competition in the Chinese restaurant community back then. I wanted to change that once I took over so the first thing I did was put all Chinese chefs that I knew, young and old, into a group chat to exchange ideas and learn from each other. We can only grow so far on our own. Building this together is what will really take things to the next level. I always tell my managers "what's the point of being in first class if your friends aren't with you?" We couldn't agree more. What is something you did learn from your parents that you think was very valuable? There's a saying that my parents used to say which was "You need to learn how to be a human before you can run a business." If you know how to be a human that is kind hearted and respects others, then you will run a good business. That's a good one. Before we let you go, what are some things for the restaurant that you're looking forward to? There's a lot. Lunar new year is going to be big this year. I've spent a lot of time designing a menu that draws inspiration from my childhood which I think our customers will love. I'm also working a lot more on our retail business, so creating products for grocery stores like pre-made frozen meals and spices and sauces. As we continue to expand, that will become a huge part of our business. Lastly, we're also about to completely redo the bar area which is going to be great. It will allow us to expand our drink offerings, such as focusing on baijiu cocktails, and make for a better space to throw events this year. I want to make the space one that different creatives and groups from the community can host their own events here. I think that will be a great way to expose new people to Hong Shing but also continue to uplift other creatives which I'm passionate about. So stay tuned for that! Make sure to check out Hong Shing at 195 Dundas St. West in Toronto and check out their Instagram for updates on the restaurant and HS brand and keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews with entrepreneurs and creatives just like this!

On The Map With Free Agent Wearhouse Pier Five got the chance to meetup with local legends Rob Echevarria & Kim Barrera of Free Agent Wearhouse, Toronto's premier apparel design and decoration company, in their downtown Toronto showroom for an awesome chat about business through the pandemic, empowering local designers, the value of Canadian-made products and staying dedicated to your craft. Having worked with dozens of Canada's top brands and designers as well as a special project for one of Toronto's most loved Raptors, there's a good chance that you've walked past someone wearing something made by Free Agent Wearhouse and the stories they had were endless. Read through the conversation below and check out the sound bites to hear from Rob & Kim first-hand. Hey Rob & Kim! Thanks for having us in your showroom today. For those who aren't familiar with you and Free Agent Wearhouse, can you tell us a little bit about this all? Rob: I'm Rob, the owner of Free Agent Wearhouse. We specialize in premium quality clothing production and decoration, probably best known for our intricate embroidery. Kim: I'm Kim. If I had to give myself a title it would probably be lead designer or maybe assistant project manager. I kind of do a little of everything since it's just the two of us here. I connected with Rob during the pandemic through a mutual friend and have been helping him with the business as it's been scaling. What do you think sets Free Agent Wearhouse apart from the other design and decoration companies in Toronto, or maybe even all of Canada? Rob: Our biggest focus right now is on helping smaller fashion brands get the look and feel of the bigger brands. While what we do is not necessarily innovative, when it comes to design, decoration and production quality, there aren't a lot of companies out there that will put in the time and attention like we will and I think that has gone a long way with our clients and the brands that choose to work with us. Kim: We're always thinking about the future and how one project can lead to the next. We're more than just an embroidery company. We can advise on design work, help the brands out with their concepts, make connections to other brands or suppliers and so much more. In that sense we're almost like an agency and are always making sure that we are putting our best foot forward with every single client. How did the pandemic affect the business? Rob: Things were crazy in the beginning. We transitioned to face masks for a while and that was very busy. That's when Kim came in to help out. The pandemic really just created more of a desire to work within the community and do things locally. There's a lot of buzz around "Made In Canada" in fashion. Why is this important and how does Free Agent Wearhouse fit into it all? We're all about this (of course)! As consumers, we've all bought bigger brands for the logo or design but you know "that sweater" is just ok when it comes to the quality. There's a reason why people are proud to wear Canadian-made. It's because you know the quality is there and it's really made to last. The idea for us is to bring that type of high-value production back into Canada as much as possible. FAW x Adidas For Kyle Lowry Recently you got to work on a very special project with Adidas for Kyle Lowry. What was that like? Rob: This one was different because we really had full creative control over the entire project. For a big company like Adidas to give control to a smaller design company really exercised every aspect of our capabilities. Kim: It was amazing. Witnessing Kyle win a championship, leave and then be a part of something that was presented to him when he returned; that was really special! We were able to add those little personal touches that paid homage to him, not only as a Raptor but as a world champion. (Listen to more below) What advice would you give to someone looking to get into this business? Learn every skill that you might need. If you can do it yourself, you'll always go further than if you have to lean on somebody else. Just keep creating. Make something wack? Who cares! Stay dedicated and learn from your mistakes. The thing that you think might be the worst thing you've ever made might be the best thing in someone else's eyes. Now that the world is opening back up, we imagine you must have some big plans in store? Definitely! We're setting up a much bigger space which will be great for clients to be able to come by, see the work and hang out. We'll hopefully have some other big projects come up soon and we really want to get more and more into cut and sew. Lots to come. Rob: At the end of the day though, even if we shut down again, the grind doesn't stop. I need to always be doing something. Even if the money's not flowing, you can catch me in the factory. There's always going to be something to learned and to do. Kim: We're looking forward to all of it! Make sure to keep up with Free Agent Wearhouse on Instagram and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more out there.

The May Roundup Welcome to Pier Five monthly round ups, a look back at some of the people, brands & things that caught our eye this month that we thought you should know about. Mentl Sesh x Staple We were pumped to see our friend Liz Beecroft join forces with Jeff Staple to come up with the “A Staple of Your Wellbeing” collection. The collection is intentional in helping provide actual tools & resources to improve our daily mental health practices and features a journal, pill box & stress reliever in addition to some apparel items. All profits will be donated to the Made of Millions Foundation, a non profit organization focused on changing how the world perceives mental health. The collection is currently still available here. Collegium “Customs & DIY” Collegium is an emerging sneaker brand based in California that has caused quite the storm with it’s clean retro-inspired silhouettes, well thought out colourways and premium Italian made construction. Their sneakers have recently been a staple for customizations, namely the “Vintage Sapphire Metallic Destroyers” created by well known customizer @Andu.c and the “Dip Dye” pack by @bahb.o worn by NBA star Russel Westbrook and Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton respectively. Also tune in to Collegium’s Instagram for news on an upcoming collaboration with sneaker YouTube star Richie Le. Styll 59/50 Caps If you’re into New Era fitted caps then you need to check out Styll. Bringing together unique colour combinations, patches and embroidery detailing, Styll is taking your boring old team caps to the next level. Our favourite right now is the Blue Jays - Toronto bias of course - “Cherry Blossom” cap that was recently released. Make sure to follow @styll.ca and keep an eye out for your team as their drops come and go very quickly. Bricks & Wood x New Balance This past week, Bricks & Wood paid homage to its roots of South Central Los Angeles with a special edition collaboration with New Balance on the NB57/40. Bringing together premium materials and a beautiful colour palette of green, brick red and light yellow, the pair was inspired by The Liquor Bank, a staple in the Crenshaw District of SCLA. Down to the packaging (each pair comes with an awesome paisley box), this pair is one for the books! The release was also supported by an awesome apparel and accessories collection dawning the same palette and paisley motif. The Forest Hill Collection by Studio S Sylvia Hoang, owner of home goods and apparel brand Studio S recently graced the world with her latest release featuring new concrete sneaker planters and a tasteful sweatsuit set that will keep your home and back looking fresh this summer. We recently had the chance to speak with Sylvia on her latest drop (read the interview here) and while most of the collection is now sold out, make sure to follow Studio S on Instagram as a restock is coming soon! Stay tuned to The Roundup series to discover the coolest new people, brands and releases each month and keep it locked to all of Pier Five for stories and interviews with our favourite designers, entrepreneurs, creators and more.

2022 Recipient: Apricotton Introducing Apricotton, one of the five recipients of the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund 2022! Who: Jessica Miao & Chloe Beaudoin Where: Toronto, ON Instagram / Website Apricotton is a Toronto-based teen bra brand that helps girls feel confident in their first bra. The brand is the only bra brand globally that designs bras that grow as the girl grows, lasting multiple stages of puberty. This means that you can wear the same bra when you develop from an AA to a D cup! The story of Apricotton started when Jessica took her 12-year-old sister, Cindy, bra shopping but struggled to find options that fit her body type. The mature lingerie stores and intimidating sales associates made Cindy feel uncomfortable. To make matters worse, the only bras that were suitable for her age group were the smallest sized sports bras. 90% of girls feel uncomfortable and intimidated when buying their first bra. Every girl wears a bra, so why is it such a struggle to find a perfect fit at traditional lingerie or department stores? How will you use the $10,000 CAD for your business? Half of the $10,000 in funding is being used to grow our community through professional content creation and the other half to conduct product development to launch our next adjustable bra line. We have seen great success with content creators supporting our platform and helping to build our community and that has been a big focus to help build Apricotton’s awareness for teens through our community. As the community grows, having more products to offer them will also be important. We have also begun working on our next 3 bra launches which has always helped to increase order value with our customers. "It can be really difficult as founders to meet other incredible entrepreneurs. The priceless experience helped us meet so many other incredible women small business founders." "We think the future of small business in Canada is forward-thinking, with ambitious people." Learn more about the Mastercard & Pier Five Small Business Fund, and discover the other 2022 recipients here.

A Conversation With Ostrya Equipment Photo: @samuelpasquier As a new brand, it can be very hard to go up against the big dogs. Finding a hole in the market and filling that space with a unique offering is key and Ostrya Equipment, a technical wear brand from Montreal, Canada is doing just that. Having observed many of the Canadian outer and activewear brands like Arc'teryx and Lululemon, which are designed in Canada but not actually made there, Ostrya founders Francois and Simon are putting Canada back on the map with hand made, top quality technical garments designed and produced here in Canada. With a team of less than ten but a passion as large as hundreds, Ostrya is showing that the best things can be achieved locally and has attracted a very large network of tech heads and fashion lovers alike. Taking things day by day but with visions of the future, Ostrya is focused on its mission and making big waves one stitch at a time. Hey guys! Thanks for taking the time to chat. Over the last year and a half, GorpCore - outdoors technical fashion - has become a mainstream style choice for many. While Ostrya is technical first, how important is the consideration around fashion for the brand? It’s great that technical wear has been adopted so heavily into mainstream fashion. We’re always thinking about this but we try not to let it influence the designs too much. Our main focus is creating products that can outperform any other. It’s cool to see that the fashion clientele are starting to look more at technical wear and made in Canada products and we’re happy they like our pieces but it’s always function first for us. We also know that price point may be a factor that can impact who is consuming our products. We sell expensive products because they’re the best and made by hand here in Canada. There’s no fashion or hype tax here. We’re breaking our backs to make the best product. If people are down to support that, then that’s great, no matter how they’re consuming it. Would there ever be an expansion into more fashion first products do you think? We’ll definitely make some product that is less technical down the line but not necessarily as a way to please the fashion clientele. Our goal is to continue to show that we can make more great products in Canada so that will always be the core meaning behind our product lines. I don’t think we’d ever just make a fashion line though. While fashion may not be the core focus, you’ve definitely caught the eye of some top tier fashion retailers. How does it feel to be a technical first brand selling in stores like SSENSE and Better Gift Shop? It’s definitely a pretty cool thing [laughs]! SSENSE was actually the first retailer to place a wholesale order with us which was awesome. They can buy from the biggest brands all over the world so to see them support us as the smaller local brand was an incredible feeling. It’s wild thinking about how they carry our chalk bags and people buy them. It’s funny because we don’t really know what people are buying them for though. Maybe people are buying the chalk bags to put a wine bottle in and that’s fine with us. It’s a really nice and well made bag so maybe that’s enough for them to buy and if it then inspires them to try climbing one day because they have the bag, that would be the best possible thing to happen. Love that attitude! The both of you come from technical design and production backgrounds so the foundation for creating the garments has always been there. What was it like coming at Ostrya from an entrepreneurial angle where you were now also responsible for things like brand development, finances and building a team? Oh man, it’s really intense. It’s a lot of work but it’s super fun. We both really complete each other. We have the same vision and that is super important to run a business. We’re learning every day. It’s like a never ending puzzle. There’s constantly new problems that you need to solve and things can take a long time and it can take a while to see the money. We have some nice days and some tough days but overall when I think about it, having Ostrya is great. When we were shipping things to retailers a while back, I just looked at it and thought “this is crazy'', seeing those boxes that used to be just rolls of fabric and now we’re packing garments. It’s crazy to step back and see it all happening now and having those moments where the team can chill and have a beer and just be happy about all the progress we’ve made makes all the hard times worth it. Do you have any tips for new entrepreneurs just starting out? It’s funny because we get asked this every now and then but we’re still super young and learning every day. I guess there must be some things we’re doing right though [laughs]. The main thing I’d say is that there’s no right time to start or launch your project. It’s easy to work and wait to launch forever but you’ll never be totally ready. You just need to start and then learn as you go. Once you’re going, don’t be afraid to seek out for help and advice and get another opinion. There are a lot of people around you that know things better than you and will be willing to give their time if you ask for it. Those are great tips. What would you say is the biggest mistake you’ve ever made? Hmm, that’s a tough one. It’s not necessarily a mistake but sometimes we laugh about how it would have been so much easier not to establish ourselves as a made in Canada brand. That’s what we are and our passion is in quality made in Canada goods so we’ll never change that but we know it would be so much easier if we just made it overseas. That’s our differentiator though so we know we have to stick with it. Lastly, while we bundle up for a brisk winter, what can we expect to see from Ostrya over the next few months? For Spring 2022, we’re making trail running and climbing gear as well as some more casual gear like hemp shirts and shorts. That will be more of a line or full collection than this past Fall/Winter line was and we’re super excited to have a bigger offering. While we’re growing so much though, we want to keep things small and close to home. We don’t want to grow too quickly to a point where we lose control. We want to ensure things are always enjoyable for everyone here on the team. Interesting. Have you thought about that growth more long term, like where you might want to be in 5 or 10 years? We’re taking everything one day at a time but we’re also trying to think about things more long term now. It’s hard for a young business to think like this because there’s a lot of uncertainty but, at the moment, we’re thinking about 5 years down the line a bit. We want the vibe of the company to be really great and focus on the culture for all of the people that work here. That’s key no matter what the growth looks like long term. If we can have a great culture and keep putting out the best possible product, that’s the win. Love that! Any final thoughts? Come to your showroom! It’s so good to be able to feel these clothes in person and try them on. Every time people come by and try on the jackets, they absolutely love them and it’s always a good time chilling here. For updates on new releases and events coming from Ostrya Equipment, follow their Instagram and keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews and stories with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more.

Building Your Own Spaces With Monday Girl The job market is a complex one to navigate but if one thing is certain, it's that results won't come without effort. For Rachel Wong & Istiana Bestari, when the market wasn't giving them what they needed to find their next big opportunity, they took matters into their own hands and developed the tools they needed to succeed. Quickly identified as a solution for a major gap in the market, Rachel & Istiana launched Monday Girl, a networking, events and digital platform to help women navigate the workforce and it's been a major success ever since. Now taking their 6-year side hustle full time, we got the chance to speak to the co-founders about their journey and expert tips, from networking to brand partnerships. Read below! Today, Monday Girl has become such an empowering place for women in the workforce. What was the motivation for starting the platform? Istiana: We built the platform that we wished we had, to solve a problem that we were struggling with. When we first met, we were both fresh to Toronto. We didn't know anyone and were trying to get our foot in the door. Rachel: All these rooms that I would walk into, I just felt, wow, I'm very much like the "only", whether it's the only woman, person of colour, or both. I was not getting any shortage of advice but it was a lot of advice that wasn't applicable for myself as a young woman of colour entering the workplace for the very first time. Istiana: For me, I remember attending so many networking events and just very quickly realizing how most networking events were not designed with women in mind. Typically, they were so exhausting. They were awkward. Also, I struggled with connecting with people on LinkedIn and I remember ranting to Rachel when we first met and she felt the same way. Rachel: In that same chat, we came up with the name of Monday Girl. We came up with the next action plans, and then we split up responsibilities. We were at it. You two seem like great business partners. How have you nurtured and grown your own relationship with each other over the years? Istiana: We really are each other's biggest cheerleaders. I don't think either of us could do this by ourselves and every day we're constantly hyping each other up. I think that's really important with having a co-founder is being each other's support systems celebrating our wins together. Rachel: I remember so many times where, for example, Istiana crushes it on a call or nails a presentation and I'm always just so proud of her and it goes both ways when I do things well. We really just hear each other out and hype each other up and that's helped us be such strong business partners. At least on the outside looking in, you seem very busy. Now that you're both in this full time, how do you keep it exciting and fun and not just feeling like a job? Rachel: Every so often, we get this really amazing message from one of our members about something that Monday Girl helped them with, whether that's overcoming a really tricky job situation where they had to deal with micro-aggressions at work or hearing that they used our resources to get a job or a mentor to get a referral. All these things keeps us going. Istiana: Another thing that's really important for us in keeping this excitement and momentum is that what we decide to do is always stuff that we're excited about. We're always planning things that we would love to attend, that we want to go to ourselves, all projects that we're excited about. It definitely is very hard work but it makes it a lot easier when we're building something that we're excited about. You’ve done a really good job working with some major global brands and organizations on events and content for your community. How do you approach getting partnerships like that? Rachel: The first thing I'd say is don't be afraid to get ghosted and constantly reach out. After a certain point, people will get back to you and you just have to be okay with being persistent. Cold emails still work. The second piece is show that you put some level of thought - and it doesn't have to be super comprehensive or a full proposal - into your outreach and articulate how it can help the partner achieve their KPIs. If there's a specific collection or campaign that they're putting out, and you think there's a really strong synergy, talk to that in that very first sentence. People don't have the attention span to read through a long email, so just make that your only point if you have a point. The the third piece of advice is just to keep maintaining and building and give back where you can. Even if it's not always a paid thing, support the brands when you can. I think brands really remember that and that's when they want to work long term with. That's great advice! Lastly, what's a key networking tip you have for anyone that is looking for a new job? Istiana: A lot of people think, when they're starting out, "how can I connect with the CEO of my dream company?" and you're always looking for the most senior person in the room. Later, you'll realize that the most valuable people to network with are your peers. Start with the network that you already have. Tap into the people that you already know because there's a lot of connections there, whether it's your alumni, like clubs, sports teams. Rachel: Those are the people that as you grow, they grow with you and they're going to be able and have much more bandwidth than a CEO to actually help you and connect you with those openings or those roles when they do come up. I'd also say, don't be afraid to do this in an industry agnostic way too. Sometimes we think, "I'm in fashion and I'm only going to network to people in fashion". The reality is they're probably not going to tell you something opens up because they're going to want to go for it. However, if you're networking with people in different industries, there's a little bit more of a gap, so finding open spaces like that can be helpful. Make sure to check out Monday Girl for news about their events and mentor opportunities and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with small business founders.