Black Canada Talking™ is a live online event that provides Black Canadians opportunity to give their takes and POVs on stories that are of importance to them.
On the June 26, 2022 edition of Black Canada Talking™, our guest was Janice Bartley. Janice is the founder of Foodprenuer Lab based in Toronto.
With over three decades of entrepreneurial experience, she actively assists in providing access, particularly for women, to funding and information.
Prior to starting Foodprenuer Lab, Janice supported similar program initiatives such as HER Startup, a program that helps minority refugee women arriving in Canada. Through the Syrian Canadian Foundation and Jumpstart Refugee Talent, groups of five to ten women in the program graduate with access to business training by corporate partners and venture capital, seed funding of at least $100,000 CAD and one-year incubation participation along with access to a business consultant.
During our conversation, Janice talked about:
– How Foodpreneur Lab started – Janice’s journey into the food industry – Where Janice’s journey in entrepreneurship started – The first-person Janice talked to about Foodpreneur Lab – What the first year of Foodpreneur Lab was like – What the first big win for Foodpreneur Lab was – How Janice and Foodpreneur Lab were able to navigate through the pandemic – Are the challenges BIPOC women face the same as when Foodpreneur Lab started? – The barriers the BIPOC community faces when trying to enter the food industry – Some recent events Janice has been to – Are there still barriers with the “big people”? – Janice’s message to “non-melanated” and “melanated” people about what she does – Where Janice gets her tenacity – What is next for Foodpreneur Lab