Access funding for your small business or creative project in Canada from Pier Five. Pier Five Funding Programs We know how important access to capital can be as you launch and scale your business. With the help of our community and brand partners, Pier Five has helped connect Canadian business owners with $250,000 CAD in support and funding since 2022. If you are an organization interested in working with Pier Five to support emerging small business owners, send us an email at community@pier-five.com ! Pier Five x Intak Printing Activation Grant 2025 Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund Pier Five Creators Grant

2022 Recipient: Parkerview Brews Kombucha Introducing Parkerview Brews Kombucha, one of the five recipients of the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund 2022! Who: Amy Kaban Where: Saskatoon, SK Instagram / Website In 2017, only a handful of kombucha brands were available in grocery stores. After trying all the kombucha Amy could get her hands on with little satisfaction, her natural inclination was to create her own! The goal was to brew kombucha that tasted better than existing ones - less tangy (vinegary), lightly sweetened, bubbly - and to incorporate local ingredients from Saskatchewan growers. Together with her husband, she began experimenting and created a kombucha that was better than any other brand she had tried previously. Today, Parkerview Brews Kombucha is the largest commercial kombucha brewery in Saskatchewan and can be found in 200+ stores across the province. The brand also has their own cafes and e-commerce making them a go-to destination for all things kombucha. Parkerview Brews is known for making kombucha that simply tastes great - it's sparkling, balanced in flavour and uses unique Saskatchewan ingredients like Saskatoon berries, sour cherries and chaga mushrooms. The business also supports local charities that help provide at-risk youth and families with food throughout the year. How has the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business fund helped you? Being a recipient of the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund has been a game change for our business. The $10,000 injection has allowed us to scale and get into canning, which has been a huge goal of ours. Having the opportunity to meet other women entrepreneurs has been amazing and also to get to meet with experts in their fields, providing us with advice and motivation and connecting us with resources is just the cherry on top. "When we support other small businesses, we are supporting our local economy. When customers support me, I'm able to then put my kids into another program or course that is being run by a small business owner, which is a beautiful thing." Learn more about the Mastercard & Pier Five Small Business Fund, and discover the other 2022 recipients here.

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.

June Guest Picks: Music with Kishan Mistry Guest: Photographer Kishan Mistry "The playlist is motivated by the nice warm weather entering Toronto; something to throw on while going on a road trip / kicking it in the backyard. Good vibes all around!" His & Hers Internet Money ft. Don Toliver, Lil Uzi Vert & Gunna (Single - 2021) Waves of Blue Majid Jordan (Single - 2021) Down to Miami Emotional Oranges ft. Becky G (Single - 2021) The Weekend Mac Miller ft. Miguel (Single - 2015) The Thrill Wiz Khalifa (Single - 2011) Check out all of our guest picks for June here and stay tuned to Pier Five for more stories and interviews with the coolest people around.

July Guest Picks: Music with Jazz Alba Guest: Graphic Artist Jazz Alba "OK so let me preface this by saying that most of what I’m listening to right now is with my son. When I’m working, I’m usually listening to podcasts and a couple songs here or there." That Chapter "A YouTube series on unsolved crimes and murder mysteries" True to Size Podcast - Canada Got Sole A podcast on all things sneakers by Toronto's Canada Got Sole group. The Channel 8 Podcast - Sean Go A podcast by Toronto based sneaker content creator Sean Go "Heartbreak Anniversary" - Giveon Leave the Door Open - Bruno Mars & Andersen Paak 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.

A Conversation With Vinyl Art Not A Toy Edgar Nunes, know by his Instagram page Vinyl Art Not A Toy is an art collector based in Miami. As a young kid, Edgar grew a strong interest for toys, collecting legos and then transitioned to vinyl toys in the early 2000's. Over time, Edgar became enthralled with the art of contemporary artists like Kaws, DFace, Ron English & Shepard Fairey and has now amassed one of the most impressive collections of vinyl art in the USA with over 700 pieces. @vinyl_artnotatoy For those newer to the space, what are five things that differentiate vinyl art from toys? This is actually hard to define and everyone's definition can vary. Toys inspire art. Art inspires toys. People classify pieces based on their past, their interests and their tastes. That being said, these are some points of differentiation that often apply. Quality, materials & price. Vinyl art is made from premium vinyl as opposed to plastic found in toys. Vinyl art is heavier and feels more solid and usually comes at a higher price. As children we collect toys and mature to collecting vinyl art. This is often influenced by higher prices for vinyl art. Uniqueness. Vinyl art is created by an artist. There are characters that are thought out and developed. This makes them original and unique. Toys are more simple and designed for consumption by large corporations. Production quantity. Toys are mass produced and mass distributed. Vinyl art is often produced in limited quantities. Decision by authority: That which we find in galleries and museums is usually in the art class and not a toy. This is a much more subjective point but often influenced by the above 4 points. Your page heavily focuses on Kaws, one of the most popular artists when it comes to vinyl art. For those who might be less familiar with his work, what are 5 things that make Kaws such a well regarded artist. Original and Authentic Work: Kaws in the 90s began to do graffiti on the streets, which contributed to Street Art in New York and other cities such as Paris, London, Berlin and Tokyo, intervening on billboards, phone booths and bus stops with his graffiti and characters. Created his own style and brand: During that time he created a distinctive art expression, a brand with his pseudonym "KAWS" and his signature XX's as eyes in all of his works. Strategic Alliances: The projects that he had in collaboration with others artists, designers and brands was strategic in creating his own brand known as OriginalFake in Tokyo, from 2006-2013. Through OriginalFake he produced a variety of items, such as clothes, objects and vinyl art, all with the iconic graphics and characters that characterized it. He thinks big and without limitations: Taking risks with his work to include other materials and formats, such as presenting his toys as large wood and bronze figures and inflatables which are exhibited in outdoor spaces and museums around the world. He harnesses the power of social media such as Instagram which contributed greatly to his art being known worldwide. This helped attract the attention of collectors and critics, and today we see the result, a living artist, achieving major recognition a way that not even KAWS could have imagined. Brands he's collaborated with: Realmad Hectic, Bounty Hunter, Kubrick, Bearbrick, MediconToy, Nigo, Bape, Neighborhoud, Blitz, Sorayama, Robert Lazzarini, Undercover, Wonderwall, Disney, Peanuts, All Right Reserved, Dior, UNIQLO, Sesame Street. Etc. You seem to have a pretty substantial collection of vinyl art yourself. What are your top 5 pieces in your collection and why? "Can I break this into three parts? [laughs]" For most meaningful: The Rocky and Mugsy (vinyl) couple from 1994, produced by Loony Tunes, which I bought at the Warner Bros. Studio store on my first trip to NY. My first KAWS piece the “Passing Through Companion” (Black). I never imagined that this TOY would be the one that started this great addiction for Kaws Toys. It was a birthday present. “Boba Fett” from the KAWS Star Wars series. The level of detail achieved in the piece is amazing and it was a difficult piece to acquire due its popularity. Yoshitomo Nara. Pup Cup, 2003. and The Little Wanderer, 2003. Injection molded and rotomolded plastic. I love it because it differs in style with the whole collection of vinyl art and toys that I have. An custom 8” Dunny that I hand painted myself inspired by a trip I made to Alaska. The 5 best pieces in my collection if we talk about only Kaws are: Boba Fett Astroboy (Monochrome) Passing Though Companion (Black) Kaws Companion by Roberto Lazarrini Kaws Companion: Resting Place (Flayed) The 5 best artists I have pieces for in my entire collection: Kaws Mark and Sven (Coarse) Huck Gee Jon-Paul Kaiser (Customizer and Creator) Brandt Peters and Kathie Olivas With the rise in popularity of vinyl art, there have been more and more counterfeit (FAKE) products coming onto the market. What are 5 things people can look for to help them find authentic vinyl art? Pay attention to the artists and galleries. The best place to get art (and release information) is from the artist themselves or galleries exhibiting them. Information Gather! If you're buying from a third party site, make sure to get: Origin and quality/condition of the toy Year of production Pictures of all angles of the toy and the packaging Weight of the piece If not brand new - Information on its use Ask for help! Contact collectors or experts in collectibles for a second opinion. Know where to buy. Acquire vinyl art directly from specialized stores or galleries that deal in the Vinyl Toys industry. Be ready to invest. If you want to have an original piece of vinyl art you have to invest a little more money. Great pieces come at a price. Who are 5 up and coming artists you have your eyes on that we should also check out? I cant't stop at 5. These are some artists venturing into Vinyl material and they have presented some very interesting proposals: Arkiv @arkivvilmansa (Indonesia) Danil Yad @danil_yad Matt Gondek @gondekdraws Theodoru @Theodoru Fidia @fidia Javier Calleja @javicalleja Edgar Plans @edgarplans Mike Lee @immikelee Mark Whalen @mark__Whalen (Resin not vinyl) LY @ly_painter

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.

2023 Recipient: Colour The Trails Introducing Colour The Trails, one of the ten recipients of the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund 2023! Who: Judith Kasiama Where: Vancouver, BC Instagram / Website Colour the Trails was launched in 2017 to improve access to outdoor activities for BIPoC (including those who lay within the intersection of BIPoC and 2SLGBTQAI+ community) adventurers after seeing a severe lack of representation of racialized individuals in the outdoors space. With chapters across Canada, CTT has reached over two thousand individuals through various intro clinics and mentorship programs to equip folks with the knowledge and skills to feel confident, safe in the outdoors, while working alongside Indigenous outdoor organizations to stand in solidarity and further ongoing reconciliation. How will you use the $10,000 CAD for your business? The $10,000 will be used to help launch or Wellness in Colour programming across Canada. Wellness in Colour is a Colour the Trails initiative that aims to cultivate and promote wellness for Black Indigenous and racialized folks. Our well-being encompasses not only our physical health but also our mental, emotional, and social well-being. Creating a safe space to amplify and support the community of Colour is essential for healing and promoting well-being. Each event will be tied to a specific healing modality such as meditation, yoga, therapy, art therapy, mindfulness practices, or traditional cultural healing techniques. What is your big goal for the future of the business? Within three to five years, we hope and believe that participation and interest in the programming will have grown to enable us to move from single event programming and into a mentorship program for Wellness in Colour. Mentorship enables us to support community members by offering workshops or training opportunities based on interest and focused on personal growth, professional skills, and community advocacy. We would also then pair individuals in the community with experienced mentors who can provide guidance, support, and encouragement on a more ongoing basis. Ultimately, we would operate this with a “pay it forward” approach and expectation for participants to reinvest in the community using their newfound skills. Learn more about the Mastercard & Pier Five Small Business Fund, and discover the other 2023 recipients here.

2023 Recipient: Loba Introducing Loba, one of the ten recipients of the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund 2023! Who: Kate Bouchard Where: Vancouver, BC Instagram / Website Kate Bouchard, founder of Loba, started the business as she began her own health journey, a naturopathic treatment plan, which included vitamins and supplements. When looking for a way to organize her pills, monitor her intake and set reminders, Kate noticed that there were no products that suited both her needs and her aesthetic. So, Kate developed a beautifully designed, modern pill box and built the Loba app to help herself and her now thousands of customers stay on top of their health regimen with products that look great and are easy-to-use. How will you use the $10,000 CAD for your business? The funds would be used for getting our new and improved packaging to market. We have completely redesigned the look and feel of our boxes to feel ultra-premium and present beautifully with all of the best information front and center for retail. Secondly, as we’ve seen great success with creators on social media, I hope to leverage some of the funds to lean into our influencer and affiliate strategies more in 2024. What is your big goal for the future of the business? We have our sights set on becoming a global wellness tech brand at the intersection of health and wellness apps, smart home, and the herbal supplement markets. One long term goal is to reach over $1million in annual revenue supporting people with our device, app, and software and be able to begin giving back through our Contribution Program. Learn more about the Mastercard & Pier Five Small Business Fund, and discover the other 2023 recipients here.

Pier Five Creators Grant Lookbook Photographer: Mark Gallardo Location: Crayon Studios, Toronto View the Collection (Soon) Creators Grant Home

2024 Recipient: Shawish Market Explore the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund Introducing Shawish, one of the ten recipients of the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund 2024! Founder: Amanda Bernard Location: Toronto, ON Discover Shawish Market online: Website // Instagram About Shawish Market Shawish Market is an Indigenous, fee-free platform - similar to an Etsy - empowering entrepreneurs by eliminating vendor fees and fostering sustainable growth within communities. It stands out for its rigorous vendor verification, ensuring authenticity and direct benefits to Indigenous communities. The platform incorporates Indigenous Ways of Knowing, responding to community feedback, and has reintroduced trading, a key cultural practice. Recognized as a 2023 MIT Solve Fellow and featured in several public platforms, Shawish Market supports Indigenous creators while fostering meaningful connections with customers. How will the fund make an impact with your business? With the Mastercard x Pier Five Fund, Shawish Market will invest the $10,000 CAD into hiring an Indigenous employee to help scale the business, focusing on marketing and vendor relations. This will not only create meaningful employment but also strengthen our capacity to support Indigenous entrepreneurs. Additionally, Shawish will allocate part of the funds to implement key feedback from Indigenous communities, such as integrating AI tools to streamline the platform for vendors and adding PayPal as a payment option. My ultimate goal is to ensure Shawish Market evolves to meet the needs of its vendors, as the platform is designed for their success. What is your long term goal for the company? One of my long-term goals is to transition to working on Shawish Market full-time. I currently work at a foundation supporting Indigenous youth, but my dream is to dedicate myself fully to growing Shawish Market and expanding its impact. I also aim to expand Shawish Market to include Indigenous artisans from around the world, creating a global platform for showcasing their work and cultures. I envision adding a feature that allows customers to filter products by specific Indigenous communities, fostering global connections and economic empowerment. Learn more about the Mastercard & Pier Five Small Business Fund, and discover the other 2024 recipients here.

Spice Girl Chai Spice Girl Chai Who: Rebecca Pereira Where: Toronto, ON Instagram Website How would you use the $10,000 CAD fund for your business? See All Winners