MAD LOVE MONDAY | Megan Renner - Styled By Tangled
Hello! I am Megan Alexandra, a girlfriend, dog mom, sister, dreamer, hairstylist and the creator of Styled by Tangled, and I am so passionate about love, family, charity, design and of course the beauty industry. I am so excited to be able to establish a project and wrap it all into one and to be able to share it with you, beautiful.
Photo | Kristen Huggett @kmhforte
Photo | Kristen Huggett @kmhforte
Hello! I am Megan Alexandra, a girlfriend, dog mom, sister, dreamer, hairstylist and the creator of Styled by Tangled, and I am so passionate about love, family, charity, design and of course the beauty industry. I am so excited to be able to establish a project and wrap it all into one and to be able to share it with you, beautiful.
I've decide to create and build Styled By Tangled around, Be your own kind of Beautiful. To me, this is such a strong, powerful statement, in fact it is how my business came to be. There were a few times along the way building Styled by Tangled that I thought to just give it all up, that the market already has multiple, local handmade scrunchies, however I had to do some soul searching and it resonated with me, Be your own kind of Beautiful. Sure, there may be many amazing local babes who have their own scrunchie line, however we have each individually made our own, unique lines that is special to us in our own way. Beauty comes from near and far, big and small, in different shapes and sizes, but at the end of the day if you can appreciate yourself and be proud of the person you are and continue to become... that is beauty.
From a very young age I took interest in the Beauty Industry. I was forever painting my nails or bugging family members to let me style their hair but becoming a hairstylist was much more to me then just cutting or styling hair. I wanted to be able to build meaningful relationships and truly make a positive impact on those who sat in my chair. I've been so blessed in this industry where I have had the opportunity to do just that, in particular pampering those from our local Bissell Center. Now, it was time for me to take it one step further.
My hope for Styled By Tangled, is that through this brand it becomes more than scrunchies and accessories, my hope is that together we can create a safe space for women to uplift and empower one another. To create a community where we encourage each other, guide each other, cry and rejoice with each other.
So here is to you beautiful, thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing this amazing journey with me. I hope my scrunchies allow you to create styles that you feel confidant in and celebrate the woman that you are.
Megan Renner
Photo | Kristen Huggett @kmhforte
Photo | Kristen Huggett @kmhforte
Photo | Kristen Huggett @kmhforte
MAD LOVE MONDAY | Jamie Guzovich - Zulula.ca
After being a stay at home mom for the past six years, I had this burning desire inside me to finally make my lifelong dream a reality, to be my own boss without compromising on the responsibilities of motherhood.
After being a stay at home mom for the past six years, I had this burning desire inside me to finally make my lifelong dream a reality, to be my own boss without compromising on the responsibilities of motherhood. I knew I had to create a business that would allow me flexibility to work outside the normal hours of an 8-5 job and I wanted to bring something brand new to the northern American market. It all started when I went shopping for a pair of sneakers and a handbag soon after arriving on Canadian soil in 2019. I just couldn’t find what I was looking for, I missed some of my favourite South African brands and there was just nothing similar around. We decided to create an online platform that would offer something extraordinary with a product range that displays a piece of my heart and South African heritage, and so Zulula.ca was born.
Photo Credit | Karen Mackridge
The first hurdle was coming up with a name that did not already appear on a search engine. The name Zulula comes from ‘Zulu’ which is the largest ethnic group of Southern Africa and the ‘la’ is taken from ooh-la-la, which is said when you think that something or someone is surprising, unusual or very attractive.
We started to carefully select suppliers that focused on immaculate workmanship to ensure that we could offer exceptional products. All our products are handmade in South Africa from genuine leather and bring a new sense of luxury to northern America. We also chose to include an exclusive fabric range, which we are growing with exciting new fabrics over the coming months.
We wanted a range of products suitable to women, men, children and even babies with our gorgeous diaper bags. We are currently also working on our travel collection and adding a business executive range for all the hardworking men and women.
I live by a motto written by Jay Danzie that says ‘Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how you leave others feeling after an experience with you becomes your trademark.’ My aim is to ensure that this is displayed to each and every person that has an interaction with Zulula.ca. We designed the logo for the business with a pineapple, which is seen as the queen of all fruits because it has a crown. For centuries, the pineapple held the symbolic meaning of luxuriousness, friendship (and family) and good vibes amongst others.
These expressions build the foundation on which Zulula.ca was born. My journey thus far has been one of extreme excitement, from shopping for new products, becoming part of a new community to a Hollywood actress following us on instagram; sometimes I have to pinch myself that it is all real. I do, however, have to continually remind myself about patience and that building a business takes time. I am finding I spend more time in the gym than ever before, as it forces me to take time out, really helps my stress levels and head space.
I am so grateful to have found the YEG BOSS BABE community and look forward to interacting with like minded women in the industry. I have a whole new market to learn about, along with a new way of working. I believe the YEG BOSS BABES deliver such a high standard of principles, I cannot wait to get involved.
Jamie Guzovich
MAD LOVE MONDAY | Blessing Okpala - 511Kitchenamour
My business 511Kitchenamour is a private hosting and city hopping event curating outfit. 511kitchenamour is vested in the creation of unique and healthy recipes, fusing African and north American ingredients to create signature dishes.
Photo | Stories by Sahil
My business 511Kitchenamour is a private hosting and city hopping event curating outfit. 511kitchenamour is vested in the creation of unique and healthy recipes, fusing African and north American ingredients to create signature dishes.
The reason for the interest in healthy wholesome fusion meals was as a result of my childhood experiences emanating from observing my mother’s extraordinary culinary skills and her creation of mouth -watering dishes as she constantly hosted friends and family. These experiences left an imprint in my heart that would late become a driving force to start my private hosting event curating outfit.
My inspiration to start my own business came after immigrating to Canada for educational opportunities and I was always in constant search of meals that reminded me of my childhood. Not having too many options or having to pay top dollar which was not readily available for the existing options, I began to conceptualize methods of recreating these African meals in healthier ways than back home (which features a heavily carb focused diet) and by so doing, integrated African and Canadian cultures. In the early Pilot years, of my fusion menu, I hosted private events and cooked for associated, friends and Family. Several successful events and with ChefB gradually becoming a house-hold name, I launched 511kitchenamour with the aim of bringing people of various backgrounds and ethnicities together to enjoy FOOD.
Photo | Stories by Sahil
My favorite quote is “Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.” -Alan D. Wolfelt”
A personal goal to accomplish is to introduce the vision of 511kitchenamour to various cities in Canada and in time globally through my city hopping pop-up event. I want to change the narrative that a certain type of foods belongs to a specific culture, rather that, food is an important way to unify individuals of different races and background and celebrate the diversity of culture. I hope to accomplish that as I host these pop-up food events.
Being an entrepreneur is the most challenging and the most rewarding journey I have ever embarked upon. Entrepreneurship has presented me with the opportunity to create value with what I do, to work and to develop my passion and while constantly learning how to run a business and connect with other people who are also passionate about growing their business. As an Entrepreneur, I am a Finance Manager, a Sales person, an event planner, a Hostess, an avid network enthusiast and above all, a philanthropist of sorts. I enjoy volunteering and giving back to my community which has been so good to me.
Yes, there were many times where I thought about giving up due to the pressures and challenges of growing a business. I had an event once and by T-2 days, people had not RSVP’d or even bought tickets to the event. Of course, by the day, the event was sold out. This and many other stories of success have helped me stay strong, focused and not looking back. However, I believe the biggest thing that helps me to overcome that feeling of giving up has been my WHY- Why I started 511kitchenamour.
When I remember what 511kitchenamour stands for, I remember the early days under my Mother’s tutelage, my journey to Canada, my first sold out, fully capacity event. When I remember that I have brought Africa to North America through the my Kitchen and I remember the power that the little girl from Lagos, Nigeria has not only in the Kitchen, but in the greater World at large, I remain inspired and know that there is no turning back.
My moment of assurance was when I read up on what YEG BOSS BABES were all about and I spoke to Kayla. I have always believed in the camaraderie of Ladies coming together and the great things we can achieve when we combine our varied skills and talents. Above all, giving back is something very dear to my Heart and I had a greater appreciation for this when I read the YEG BOSS BABES story. 😊
I find Instagram provides a greater interaction, sometimes real-time with people. It is also a source of inspiration sometimes, since being one who easily connects dots, I see ideas on IG sometimes and decide to re-create it to some degree in the Kitchen. Think about seeing someone eating corn in Africa and deciding to grill Watermelon.
I love to dance and travel. I find that dancing helps me unwind and loosen my muscles which sometimes get tense from standing for hours when hosting an event or whipping up the meal of the month in the Kitchen. I enjoy traveling too, as it exposes me to many different culture and people’s way of life, especially their food. Other time, I just curl up under a duvet watching a nice movie with FOOD. My must have moment of the day is the time before bed when I unwind and plan for the next day or projects coming up.
I am looking to learn about the passions, skills, interests and challenges of other YEG BOSS BABES in their various spheres and endeavours of life. I also hope that our interactions will scale to great things that will be experienced and beneficial by and to our great city of Edmonton.
This summer Chef B is launching her first dinner series and the first event of its kind in the beautiful city of Edmonton - "Savory Bites and Jazzy Vibes". In an intimate setting, guests will be serenaded with poetry, Jazz and live music while they savor each carefully selected culturally inspired, healthy option four course menu.
The event will be taking place at the beautiful Café Lavi nestled in the extended wing of the historical Gariepy Mansion on Saturday, 17th August 2019 at 7pm.
More information on the event and menu is available HERE.