The CEO and founder of a Kelowna company is dedicated to helping aspiring women entrepreneurs enter the beauty industry.
For her work highlighting other brand owners, Julie Michaud received the BDC Woman of the Year Award from Kelowna Women in Business on September 16.
Through her skin care and makeup retailer Portia-Ella, Michaud has launched a “Business Incubator” program that provides management, mentoring and shelf space for other women in the industry who focus on clean, low-waste beauty be able to take off.
“It’s really really special to work with so many women who are absolutely determined to make this industry something and really change the way things were done,” she said.
While working to open doors for other entrepreneurs, Michaud also advocates mindful consumption, leading people to a more holistic view of beauty. She said Portia-Ella’s goal is to bring clean beauty to everyone and to change the mentality that clean and organic beauty comes at an unattainable price.
To be named Woman of the Year for her work is an honor and a humbling experience, especially as many other business owners continue to seek to transform and develop themselves in a challenging year.
“That was really special because I feel like we’re so passionate about what we’re doing as we work towards our goal and we want to go ahead and make those changes.”
“And we forget. Sometimes in the midst of all the work we forget the implications and forget how people’s lives change (because of our work), ”Michaud said.
For others who, like her, juggle many roles in their lives, Michaud has a few words of encouragement.
“Don’t let your ego get in the way of the decision you have to make … I find that a lot, we are so proud and want to offer something great and we have this vision but the work that we do in the right order having to get there is not always nice and we have to deal with it. “
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Twila Amato
Video journalist, Black Press Okanagan
