This is a tough time for many local, small businesses. Our heart goes out to all the businesses owned by moms who are doing double duty running a business and managing their families. So we want to help by spreading the word about these businesses. We’re compiling a list of shops, services, and restaurants from across Canada owned by moms who are working hard every day to keep their businesses open during this not-so-great time. Want to submit your business? Email us here and answer the questions that pop up in the email. TIP: The description you send in is what we are using so make it count!
NATIONALLY
Admiral Road Designs: Admiral Road has been making fabulous fleece personalized blankets, handmade with loving care, in Toronto, Canada for nearly 20 years. The product line has grown to include a wide variety of original designs with an emphasis on beautiful, practical blankets for babies and big kids.
Alli’s Originals: Give yourself a gift while in self-isolation. Alli's Originals creates hand stamped one of a kind custom jewelry, handmade textiles, art, and giftware. You can view more of their beautiful products on their Instagram page. Use discount code AO10%07.
Anita Volikis Coaching: Anita is a certified life coach who specializes in separation and divorce coaching helping people navigate all stages of separation/divorce with integrity, clarity and confidence so that they are empowered to live their best lives.
A To Z Fertility: A naturopathic team serving patients looking to grow their families. We provide informed, natural, fertility care. We work in an integrative setting within a fertility clinic, alongside our patient's care team. We practice evidence-based care that is individualized.
Autoniche: In short, we fix cars! Through COVID-19 we offer contactless pick-up/drop off, and we sanitize high touch points in your car before and after service. We perform digital vehicle inspections, vehicle maintenance, and repairs, MTO safety inspections, as well as electrical and mechanical diagnostics. We service domestic and import models, hybrid vehicles, and we comply with all manufacturers' warranties.
Baby Sleep Love: Baby Sleep Love is run by Mom of two and Certified Pediatric and Newborn Sleep Consultant Rosalee Lahaie Hera. Rosalee helps families with children 0-6 years old get more sleep. She offers virtual private and group coaching options. Rosalee is also a Certified Potty Training Consultant and helps parents with toddlers fix their potty training woes. Use code 'YMC2020' for 15% off private sleep coaching packages.
Bella's Bears & Company: Creates one-of-a-kind stuffies using your kids outgrown clothes or using sentimental clothing items from a loved one who has passed on. Clara makes stuffies, pillows and quilts but will also do special orders.
Career Love: Allison Venditti is the owner of Careerlove - a Career Coach, advocate working mothers & creator of Canada’s first online program to support mothers as they transition back to work from maternity leave – Ready to Return. She is also a mom of 3 young boys
Caribou Gifts: Want to stay busy and also be creative during this time? Caribou Gifts is currently selling giftable Busy Boxes for babies, kids, and adults and will soon be adding on a full range of gift baskets
CAVEA Studio: CAVEA Studio offers business support for start-ups and established companies to take them from their lightbulb moment to ramping up operations. Their core services include business development, branding, marketing, content strategy, design and operational efficiencies, and they have a deep network for everything else.
Centauri Summer Arts Camp: With overnight summer camps closed this year, Centauri Summer Arts Camp has launched a complete virtual program, using Zoom and running through July. Campers aged 9-18 can choose from 20+ different camps, each 2.5 hours a day for a 2 week period. By selecting based on interests, kids spend their time doing activities they love! Arts options include Creative Writing, Podcasting, Dance, Theatre, Music, Film, Photography, Digital Arts, Stop Motion Animation, Cartooning, Screenwriting and Murder Mystery Creation.
We’re also offering 2 leadership courses for ages 16-18, focusing on career and personal skills as well as camp counselling and teaching. Campers can also select a recreational program for 2.5 hours each day, including social ‘dorm’ hours, workouts, yoga, games and evening activities such as talent shows and scavenger hunts.
With so many parents returning to work and most camps forced to close, we recognize child care is a challenge this summer. If your tween is home alone, our virtual camps provide companionship and regular online check-in with a responsible adult. Plus, if you request it, we will text you if ever your child does not sign in on time. The aim is to provide kids and teens with an enriching summer, and parents with peace of mind.
Choulala Box: Keep your kids' style simple! This is the only kids' fashion box that was designed to empower kids while simplifying shopping for parents by going back to wardrobe basics! 10% OFF use code: WELCOME10
Craft Loots: Keep your kids busy at home! Craft Loots create craft kits with materials and instructions for kids to craft independently or as a family. Each project has been chosen based on stylish items that are admirable for all ages. We really dig the Design Your Own Tote Bag kit.
Ecole Chocolat Chocolate School: Offering online programs that teach chocolate making knowledge & skills to students interested in starting a chocolate business.
Elizabeth Larrivee Agency: Elizabeth provides expert content marketing for the health and wellness industry. You can help Elizabeth by hiring her to write engaging, optimized content, such as blogs, emails, or landing pages, that will grow your business.
Family Matters Magazine: Family Matters Magazine is a family-focused publication in Milton, Ontario. You can help support the magazine by purchasing advertising space or submitting an article.
Feel Good Together: Feel Good promotes positive mental health and well being for kids. The Feel Good Toolkit and Feel Good Activity Book are fun activities that a child can do with a parent or teacher that gives them tools to tackle negative feelings and maintain a positive attitude. The more practice kids get at an earlier age dealing with negative emotions and developing a positive attitude, the better!
Green At Home: Thousands of moms and moms-to-be trust me to help them reduce toxins at home without feeling overwhelmed through my online programs and resources. As an environmental engineer (and mom), I have 15 years of professional training in green buildings and toxins. I have done the research so you don't have to!
Green Beauty Expert: Maria is a makeup artist and green beauty expert who provides virtual product consultations and makeup lessons to help women transition to cleaner Canadian beauty brands. Take 10% off on all products and services with code ymcbeauty10.
Healthful Communications: Photography & Videography services for businesses and the general public. 20% off of all services during this time.
Hockey Snacks: Currently Hockey Snacks is offering free online videos of quick, easy, and healthy snacks to help parents at home with young athletes. Join them on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for nutrition information, recipes, and fun content!
Inkling Design: Inkling Design is a full-service graphic design and website development studio that specializes in helping small businesses and non-profits with their branding, marketing materials and websites.
Innovatex Solutions Inc: An award-winning, promotional products company driven by brand elevation and bold results. Innovatex Solutions is an extension of your brand and together, will discover the perfect promotional product solution for your next project or virtual event. Use the code YMCFREESUP for one Free Set Up on any product up to a value of $100.
Intentional Parenting: Julie Binmore is a parenting coach who focuses on bringing intention, empathy, and joy to parenting! As a teacher with more than 20 years of experience, she supports parents online, in person and through workshops.
Jessica Foley Copywriting: A copywriter, with experience writing Featured Articles for businesses, and Blog Posts on various topics. Whether you need more content for your blog roll, copywriting or ghostwriting services, or promotional copy, she can take that task off your hands.
Jolly Bark: Calling all Gardeners! This Ontario-based business design garden-themed puns on items you can reuse over and over again, such a t-shirt, tote bags and tea towels. All products are designed and printed in Canada. 10% of your first order with the code YMC10.
Kidevolve: Kidevolve’s mission is to provide fun, playful, truly engaging mindfulness training for kids aged 6-12 - giving them a unique 'toolkit' of imaginative audio stories to notice the feelings they have inside, foster a sense of inner calm, improve their ability to focus and have empathy for others, and help them self-regulate as they face life’s ups and downs. Our first-of-their kind audio stories mix music, sound fx, incredible voice talent and pure whimsy to deliver highly imaginative tales that double as smart guided practices. Each story addresses a different challenge or opportunity, helping kids strengthen aptitudes for an underlying psycho-social-emotional skill.
Lala Soap Company: Organic green beauty wellness products; handcrafted small-batch aromatherapy bath, body & skincare that is eco friendly, toxin-free & one of a kind.
Lemonwood: You can still purchase beautiful cashmere clothing and accessories at Lemonwood but this female run business is now also making silk non-medical face masks that ship for free and they've created Thinking Of You Kits which contain essential items as well as some items just to make you feel good. For every kit or face mask purchased, Lemonwood will donate $2 to the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital COVID-19 Response Fund.
Let's Make It: Tired of doing worksheets with your kids? Science Maker Kits that include activity sheets and instructions for learning about the science of: Wax, Bath Bombs, Nail Polish, Soap and More! Learn science by exploring raw material and making practical items.:
Lindsay’s Candles & Stuff: Handcrafted candles, soaps and bath & body products! Customize our jar candles colour & scent to match the decor of your home. Relax in the bath with our beautifully crafted soaps. Use code YMC15 to save 15% on your order.
Little Lotus Yoga: Little Lotus Yoga provides virtual Prenatal, Postnatal and Children’s Yoga classes. With over 16 years of experience specializing in supporting families on their wellness journey LLY has recently gone virtual! Feel supported on your pregnancy and motherhood journey through Little Lotus Yoga’s movement classes and education series.
Little Robot Friends: Little Robot Friends teaches kids age 7-12 coding, electronics, and how technology works in a way that is fun and engaging for them. They make their own educational products and teach classes, now online!
Looking Glass Adventures: Looking for something fun to do? This family-friendly escape room venue which was voted number 1 in Toronto now offers their adventures ONLINE! Teammates connect from their home devices through Zoom and work with their host in the escape room. Hosts will be a team member on the ground and together you work to search for clues and solve puzzles to complete your adventure. Use YMC15 to save 15% off a game.
Medical Image Wigs: Located in Oakville, ON (but can ship nationally), Medical Image Wigs has been providing wigs, hairpieces and hats for women, men and children for 22 years. Their areas of expertise include: Chemotherapy, Alopecia, Thinning Hair, Post-Partum Hair Loss, Male & Female Pattern Baldness, Transgender, Trichotillomania, Psoriasis, Brain Tumors, Telogen Effluvium and Lupus. Free shipping on orders over $100.
MINDmgt.com: Bite-sized meditation? Yes, please! MINDmgt is an online meditation library offering short, simple meditations for busy people on topics like: Relaxation, Sleep, Stress & Anxiety, Movement, Focus, and Productivity. All offered in an accessible, no-nonsense language. No incense required. Use discount code YMCcalm for 30% off an annual or monthly subscription.
Mom Leader: Helping mom entrepreneurs with time management and productivity strategies so that they can grow their businesses without sacrificing themselves, family or dreams.
Mountain View Compassion: Based in Oakville but now online, these two moms are offering an eight-week course in Mindful Self Compassion. Throughout the eight weeks you will learn to motivate yourself with kindness, not criticism, foster goodwill thoughts towards yourself and others, manage uncertainty, and practice self-compassion in your daily life. We don't know about you, but we could definitely be kinder to ourselves.
My Starry Chart: My Starry Chart is a 3-in-1 interactive chore chart, personal kid’s calendar and educational character-building game. It comes with over 200 reusable stickers and 50+ character-building chores so it grows with your child through every milestone. It also teaches goal setting, math, reading, writing and more. There are so many uses for My Starry Chart during social distancing, including helping establish daily healthy habits, setting expectations with visual routines and empowers kids to help out around the house. Use discount code Stayhome10 when you order.
Naughty North: Psssst..... don't open this website if your kids are around. Run by a mom, her sister, and niece, this female trio wants women everywhere to know that pleasure products are a necessity, not a luxury and they are striving to educate Canadians about how quality products can enhance their sex lives. Use code YUMMY for a 10% discount off your order.
NEAT Method Toronto: Who else has wanted to clean out their house during this time? NEAT Method is the most effective way to transform your home from chaos to composed. We recognize that life gets hectic and that maintaining an organized home can become a challenge. NEAT Method will design and implement a customized home organization solution that is not only effective but sustainable. We also specialize in pre-move preparations, and unpacking and organizing post-move.
Oak Learners: Since 2015, Oak Learners teachers have nurtured children’s natural curiosity about their world with student-centered experiences. Oak Learners is a not-for-profit alternative school for children Kindergarten through Grade 6 as well as a Learning Centre, offering Tutoring, Academic Coaching, Art Classes, Music Lessons, Day Camps and more.
One Lit Place: Get specific personalized writing coaching and editing support for all your creative, academic, and business writing projects. For writers looking to grow your skills or boost your creative energy, our online writing courses and community give writers of all levels and interests the opportunity to learn and connect on any schedule.
Oxygen Yoga and Fitness: We are an infrared yoga and fitness studio located in Oakville, ON. We offer a mixture of yoga and fitness classes in the infrared heat to high beat and low lights to keep the classes upbeat and fun. Since we are not able to run classes, we have partnered with and a premium Natural health company and sell many supplements and brands online at very competitive prices, that gets shipped to your door. Use discount code OAKVILLEJC for 10 percent off your first order. Also free shipping over $60 in Canada.
Oz & Ella: Want your jewelry to do double duty? These beautiful fashion-forward designs made with silicone are not only beautiful, they incorporate the element of therapy, especially if you are a toucher or chewer. We're diggin' the Kyle.
Pretty Smart: Think you can't wear earrings because you have a metal sensitivity? Think again! Pretty Smart earrings are metal-free plastic post earrings, and invisible clip on earrings handmade for metal sensitive and non-pierced ears. Modern, classic, and fun earring designs for everyday to special occasions. Pretty smart, right?
PRK Jewelry: Vintage-inspired jewelry like cameos and lockets to fun personalized gifts from the heart. Perfect for the modern romantic who loves to be spoiled affordably.
Q For Quinn: We create happy and healthy organic cotton socks for the entire family. Our socks are gentle on the skin and on the environment. For every pair of socks we sell we donate a school meal. Our matching Daddy and Me socks are the perfect Father's Day gift! Use discount code YMC15 for 15% off your order.
Red T Media: Are your kids feeling bored at home? Red T Media creates award-winning books and apps that provide hours of thinky fun for kids! Their books are colorful, funny, and engaging, and even better, they ask amazing questions to help your little learners learn to think big!
Rubach Wealth: Holistic Family Advisors, helping you do your financial planning with multiple disciplines included (lawyers, accounting, asset management, insurance, etc).
Sarah Rosensweet Peaceful Parenting: Parent coaching is the fastest way to get the tools, strategies and support you need to end the yelling and power struggles so that your kids will listen and cooperate and you can enjoy your family time. It is possible to go from overwhelmed and frustrated to "I've got this!"
Spark Journals: We could all use a little spark in our lives right now! Spark Journals are a simple way to introduce a growth mindset, gratitude and mindfulness in an engaging, age-appropriate way. You can also sign up for their newsletter and receive a free gratitude journal for your kids. Use discount code YMC15 for 15% off entire order.
Strong and Free Emblem: Show your pride for Canada! Strong & Free clothing and accessories represents the Canadian spirit of compassion, honesty, integrity and our strong support of the rights and freedoms of all humankind.
Switch Grocery Canada: Switch Grocery finds specialty food products (keto, paleo-friendly and delicious) and brings them to our customers faster than traditional retail. We ship across Canada to your door!
Teachers On Call: Need help with homeschooling? Teachers on Call is a family business of over 35 years, offering online personalized tutoring by professional OCT Teachers in all subjects and grades from K to 12.
The Learning Garden Coaching Services: Tutoring for students of all ages in all curriculum areas, academic coaching for children and teens, counseling for children and teens, fitness and nutritional coaching for all ages.
Tuck Top: Do you love pockets as much as we do? Tuck Top offers unique tops with lots of pockets for phone, keys, hand sanitizer, wallet and more, so busy moms can keep their hands free for what matters. Our shirts are sewn in Ontario for quality that lasts. Use code YMC20 for 20% off plus a small gift with purchase.
Video Power Up: Has "do video" been on your to-do list for a really long time? With over 15 years of experience producing marketing videos, Video Power Up helps make it easy! Together, we do this in 2 steps, the first step is strategy and script outline, the second step is jumping on a Zoom video chat with me, where together, through an interview process, I capture your video, edit it and return it to you to share on social media! Angela is currently offering her service to 200 businesses for FREE by helping them to create a short marketing video.
Vintage Map Co.: Looking for a unique gift? Vintage Map Co. takes real vintage maps of favourite places around Canada and has them printed onto fabric which are then sewn into pillows and tea towels. Which one will you choose?
VM ID Inc.: They offer visual merchandising services to retailers, focusing on supporting small businesses specifically. Understanding that every retailer has a different set of capabilities and constraints, VM ID helps to diagnose the opportunities to maximize the productivity of the selling space and elevate the store image, while catering to each business’ specific needs.
Watershed Magazine: Watershed Magazine celebrates life in Northumberland, Quinte and Prince Edward County with page after page of award-winning editorial and design. We are an advocate for female-run businesses with a unique story to tell.
Wee Sleep: WeeSleeps team of Certified Infant & Toddler Sleep Consultants, helps parents who are having challenges with their baby and toddlers sleep by providing a very personalized and high level of professional support to aid them in becoming independent sleepers. WeeSleep is for exhausted families who want their babies to sleep properly. Use YUMMYSLEEP15 for a discount.
Wish & Give: Do you have a little one who is going to celebrate a birthday while we're in isolation? Wish & Give online invitations are helping to raise the next generation of philanthropists! Each party invitation sent through Wish & Give invites your guests to contribute to a group gift and a donation to charity in lieu of individual gifts. The birthday kid gets what they want and everyone feels great about giving back and supporting a local charity.
WP Creations: Create a keepsake that will last forever. WP Creations can help you create 3d lifecasting, raised impressions, fingerprint jewelry and more, so you'll always have something to remind you of your children's precious little hands and feet.
Your Shop Girl: Time to update your wardrobe? Your Shop Girl specializes in closet cleanses, capsule wardrobes and colour analysis. We teach people how to find clothing that they will love and that will love them back so shopping and getting dressed is not only easy, it is also enjoyable. Use ysgyummymummy for 25% off in person sessions and 15% off virtual.
LOCALLY
ONTARIO:
Anemone Hairstyle Lifestyle: Anyone else starting to have issue with their roots? Anemone Hairstyle Lifestyle is currently selling root touch up kits locally in Oakville, ON.
Beverley Daniels Photography: Beverley Daniels is a Toronto photographer specializing in maternity, newborns, kids and families, as well as headshots and product photography.
Danforth East Wellness: Chiropractic care, naturopathic, acupuncture and registered massage therapy. Virtual consultations with chiropractors for ergonomics for work at home assessments as well as body stretches and tips. Full naturopathic care virtually available with a free 15 minute initial consultation!
Ds2 Designs Inc: Tammy is an interior designer who specializes in accessibility after her son became a quadriplegic. Services available locally, Toronto to Muskoka.
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