Hard-earned recognition, rejuvenation

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This article was published 28/01/2025 (302 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Christa Bruneau-Guenther wasn’t expecting accolades when she opened Feast Café Bistro, but she’s managed to accumulate a number of awards over the years anyway.

She added more to her collection when she won in two categories at the 2024 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, presented Jan. 23 by the Women Business Owners of Manitoba (WBOM).

Bruneau-Guenther was named the overall Woman Entrepreneur of the Year and also won in the BIPOC category.

The executive chef, who opened her Winnipeg restaurant and catering business at the corner of Ellice Avenue and Sherbrook Street in December 2015, said she was “a bit shocked” to receive the recognition, given the talent among the nominees.

“2024, in nine years of being in the restaurant business, was one of my hardest years,” she said. “So to come out on the other side and win two awards like that was very empowering and meant more to me than people might know.”

Feast offers food rooted in Indigenous tradition, made using local ingredients.

Changes to labour laws, the rising cost of food and packaging, needs of the surrounding community the restaurant tries to meet and physical impact of working 50-60 hours a week for nine years in a row were among the challenges Bruneau-Guenther faced.

“(Awards do) rejuvenate you,” she said, adding the recognition belongs as much to her employees and supporters. “It makes you remember all the hard work pays off. I’m still blown away by it all.”

Denise Turanli, co-founder of Lullaland Sensory, can relate. She and business partner Fran Hiebert picked up the 2024 emerging business award after “a very gruelling, intense year.”

Started in 2019, the company offers interactive sensory classes meant to stimulate babies, support caregivers and foster community.

In April 2024, Turanli and Hiebert opened the door to franchisees; in September, they opened a second corporate location in Ottawa.

By March, the company will be offering 79 classes at more than 15 locations across the two cities, serving more than 800 families. Turanli and Hiebert employ 20 people, 95 per cent of whom are women. Meanwhile, they are close to awarding their first franchisee.

“It was just so great to be recognized alongside so many other talented business women in Winnipeg,” Turanli said.

For Lana Bakun, co-owner of Kendrick’s Outdoor Adventures, receiving the gig-economy award meant three honours in three years.

In 2022, her business received a Spirit of Winnipeg award from the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. In April 2024, Kendrick’s was named small business of the year at Travel Manitoba and Tourism Winnipeg’s annual Tourism Awards.

The Winnipeg business, which employs 10 people, rents outdoor equipment year-round at FortWhyte Alive and each winter at The Forks as part of its goal to get people moving outside.

“It’s great to be recognized,” said Bakun, who works in sales and marketing full-time and runs Kendrick’s on the side. “I won this award, but it’s never me doing everything.

“It’s our team’s award, our business’ award, our community’s award. There’s a lot of people with a lot of passion out there and we’re just lucky to be a part of it.”

Other winners included: Elizabeth Andree of Sunset Veterinary Care (rural award) and Amanda Buhse of Coal and Canary candle company (contribution to the community award).

WBOM received more than 140 nominations, according to Christine Thiessen, the organization’s chair. Entrepreneurs were nominated by others and a panel of six judges chose 22 finalists.

The awards were handed out during a ceremony at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Alyson Shane, a finalist who died in November, received special recognition during the ceremony. Shane, who ran Starling Social, a digital marketing agency, was known for donating her time to a number of local organizations and had worked with WBOM in the past.

Starting with next year’s ceremony, WBOM will offer a new award in Shane’s memory that honours an entrepreneur whose business contributes to health and wellness in the workplace or community.

“At the end of the day, I think it is beneficial to the province that we have these awards to highlight the homegrown companies that we have here,” Thiessen said.

Bruneau-Guenther said she was “inspired and proud” to see how many women entrepreneurs call the keystone province home.

“I just want to continue to encourage (them),” the chef said. “We don’t grow in the easy, we grow in the hard and sometimes those challenges are extremely rewarding in the end. Just keep pushing forward and believe in yourself.”

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca