Meet The Member - Deepa Ojha Khakurel, Make Art Studio
What began as small paint gatherings slowly grew into something bigger. Families were looking for a space where their children could explore art without pressure. Adults wanted a place to reconnect with creativity in a supportive environment.
Today we’re sitting down for an interview with Deepa to learn more about Make Art Studio.
Tell us more about you and your business! We’d love to know about your business today and the story of how you got here.
Make Art Studio is rooted in a very personal journey.
Art has always been part of my life, and my dad was the one who introduced me to it. He supported my interest in painting from a young age and believed in my creative path. After he passed away, art became something even more meaningful. It was a way to stay connected to him and to myself.
For a period of time, I stepped into web design and corporate work. It was stable and practical, but it was not where my heart was. After becoming a mom of two boys, I felt a strong pull back to art. Watching my children explore freely, create without fear, and express themselves so honestly reminded me why creativity matters.
What began as small paint gatherings slowly grew into something bigger. Families were looking for a space where their children could explore art without pressure. Adults wanted a place to reconnect with creativity in a supportive environment.
Today, Make Art Studio is a process-based art studio in Edmonton offering classes for toddlers, youth, and adults. It is a space built on creativity, resilience, and the belief that everyone deserves room to create and grow.
Let’s dive more into your business. What products/services do you offer? What do you do for your clients that sets you apart?
Make Art Studio offers process-based art classes and creative experiences for toddlers, children, youth, and adults in Edmonton.
For ages 1–2, we offer Tiny Art Play, a sensory-focused class where caregivers and toddlers explore color, texture, and movement together. For ages 3–5, our preschool classes introduce foundational techniques while encouraging independence and confidence. Youth programs focus on skill development in drawing, painting, mixed media, and realism. We also offer adult painting classes, themed workshops, private events, birthday parties, and community collaborations. In addition, we host creative networking events and corporate art experiences that blend connection with creativity.
What sets Make Art Studio apart is our strong emphasis on process over perfection. We do not focus on copying a final image. Instead, we teach technique, encourage experimentation, and give students the freedom to make creative decisions. Children are guided but not controlled. Youth learn structure while still developing their own artistic voice. Adults are supported in reconnecting with creativity without pressure.
Our classes are intentionally small to allow for meaningful interaction and individual guidance. Every program is designed to build confidence, resilience, and independent thinking through art.
What is your favourite part of what you do?
My favourite part is watching confidence grow in real time.
There is always a moment when someone hesitates, whether it is a child unsure about a brushstroke or an adult saying they are not creative. Then they take the risk, try it anyway, and something shifts. You can see the pride immediately.
I love creating a space where people feel safe to experiment without fear of being wrong. Seeing students surprise themselves and realize they are capable is the most rewarding part of what I do.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
One of my biggest challenges was building the studio from the ground up while balancing motherhood and financial uncertainty. In the beginning, I was doing everything myself, and growth felt slow at times.
What I learned is that consistency matters more than quick wins. Showing up, refining programs, listening to clients, and staying adaptable builds long term trust. I also learned that asking for help is part of strong leadership.
Progress is often gradual, but steady effort truly compounds.
Do you have a go-to motto or quote that inspires you?
“Create your own path.”
It reminds me that the journey does not have to look traditional to be meaningful. Building Make Art Studio did not follow a straight line, and neither does creativity. Staying consistent, being willing to adapt, and trusting steady effort has shaped both my art and my business.
That phrase grounds me whenever things feel uncertain.
Is there anything you'd like to share with the YBB Community?
Building a business is not always linear. There will be fast seasons and slow seasons, and both are part of growth.
Start before everything feels perfect. Stay consistent, listen to your community, and stay rooted in your values. Collaboration and connection make the journey stronger.
Most importantly, create your own path.
Where can people find you to learn more?
We regularly share class updates, events, and behind-the-scenes moments on Instagram, and all program details and registrations are available on our website.
Make Art Studio, 8743 53 Ave NW #2FL, Edmonton, AB
Meet The Member - Paula Welz, The Balanced Mom
Hi there! I’m Paula, the founder of The Balanced Mom, a space created from both personal experience and a deep desire to support other moms navigating the wild, beautiful, and often overwhelming journey of motherhood.
Today we’re sitting down for an interview with Paula to learn more about The Balanced Mom.
Tell us more about you and your business! We’d love to know about your business today and the story of how you got here.
Hi there! I’m Paula, the founder of The Balanced Mom, a space created from both personal experience and a deep desire to support other moms navigating the wild, beautiful, and often overwhelming journey of motherhood.
The Balanced Mom started after I became a mom myself. My first son was born in the middle of the pandemic, and it was a whirlwind, a traumatic birth, postpartum anxiety, and the deep isolation that came from trying to figure out who I was in this entirely new season of life. I found myself constantly pouring into everyone else, leaving little time or energy for my own healing, growth, or joy.
It took therapy, medication, community, and a lot of small, consistent steps to start feeling like myself again, or really, a new version of myself. That experience sparked a passion in me to make sure no other mom felt as lost or alone as I once did.
Today, The Balanced Mom is a growing business and community that offers support, digital self-care tools, and honest conversations for moms who are ready to take care of themselves while they care for everyone else. Through resources like The Balanced Community, the 3-Day Reset, and ongoing workshops, I help millennial moms rediscover themselves, set boundaries, and create sustainable rhythms that bring peace and purpose back into their daily lives.
At the heart of it all, The Balanced Mom exists to remind moms they matter too, and that they don’t have to do it all alone.
Let’s dive more into your business. What products/services do you offer? What do you do for your clients that sets you apart?
At The Balanced Mom, I offer digital self-care resources and community-centered support for millennial moms who are craving balance, identity, and peace in the chaos of motherhood.
My main offerings include:
The Balanced Community – A supportive membership space where moms can connect, reflect, and grow. Members get access to weekly journal prompts, monthly expert calls (think: postpartum pros, chiropractors, and more), self-care challenges, and beautifully designed mantras — all with a focus on reconnecting with yourself in realistic, doable ways.
The 3-Day Reset – A free starter guide to help overwhelmed moms take small, powerful steps toward mental clarity, emotional rest, and self-care that actually works in real life (even if you're interrupted 10 times an hour).
Workshops & Mini Courses – Bite-sized, action-oriented classes designed to help moms set boundaries, release guilt, and reclaim their time and energy without needing to overhaul their whole life.
What sets The Balanced Mom apart is that I don’t believe self-care is just spa days or quiet mornings (though those are lovely!). I meet moms where they are, messy bun, toddler tantrum, mental load and all, and give them tools they can actually use, without adding more to their to-do list. It’s real, gentle, and deeply supportive care from someone who gets it because I’ve lived it.
More than anything, I help moms feel seen, supported, and empowered to pour into themselves, not just for their families, but for their own wholeness.
What is your favourite part of what you do?
My favorite part of what I do is helping moms realize they deserve so much more than what society tells them they're allowed to ask for. Moms are often expected to carry everything with a smile, to give endlessly, and to never need support, and I love being the voice that gently challenges that.
Watching a mom go from burned out and unseen to feeling empowered, supported, and worthy of care is the most rewarding part of this work. The real magic happens in the honest conversations, the vulnerable shares, and those “me too” moments that remind us we’re not alone. Making those genuine connections and creating a space where moms feel safe to be real, that’s everything to me.
What's a challenge you’ve overcome as a business owner, and what did you learn from it that you can share with others?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as a business owner is battling self-doubt and imposter syndrome, especially while navigating motherhood. It’s hard to build something when you're still healing, still figuring out who you are, and constantly questioning if you're “enough” to lead others.
For a long time, I felt like I had to have it all together before showing up. But what I’ve learned, and what I now share with other moms, is that your imperfections are not a weakness. They’re actually the bridge that helps others feel seen, understood, and safe.
The lesson? Start before you feel ready. Lead from your lived experience. And remember that the version of you who’s still growing is exactly who someone else needs to hear from.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
It's okay to choose the life YOU want. Instead of having the life you were told you SHOULD want.
Do you have a go-to motto or quote that inspires you?
You can do hard things.
Is there anything you'd like to share with the YBB Community?
I believe in supporting and empowering millennial moms. I also run PW Design and Co. as a paper artist and part-time VA.
Where can people find you to learn more?
@TheBalanced.Mom | www.thebalancedmom.ca | info@thebalancedmom.ca
@PW.Design.and.Co | www.pwdesignco.ca | pwdesignandcorp@gmail.com
Meet The Member - Dara & Dawn-Marie, The R.A.K
We’re two besties and YEG moms who turned a dream into reality! Every piece here is handpicked with heart, proving that small acts of kindness (and great style) can make a big impact.
Today we’re sitting down for an interview with Dara & Dawn-Marie to learn more about The R.A.K Consignment Boutique.
Tell us more about you and your business! We’d love to know about your business today and the story of how you got here.
We’re two besties and YEG moms who turned a dream into reality.
Located in the heart of Old Strathcona, we make shopping sustainably easy with unique finds as bold as you are — all in a perfectly organized space, labeled, sized, and designed for a stress-free shopping experience.
Every piece here is handpicked with heart, proving that small acts of kindness (and great style) can make a big impact.
Fashion should feel like you, whatever that looks like. Our hand-picked collection is designed for all styles, all sizes, and all kinds of self-expression. We celebrate individuality and body positivity with a carefully curated mix of clothing, shoes, and accessories, so you can find pieces that match your unique identity. without the hefty price tag.
Let’s dive more into your business. What products/services do you offer? What do you do for your clients that sets you apart?
We offer a wide range of carefully curated secondhand pieces and accessories. We're more than a boutique; we're a movement, fueled by love, kindness, and the belief that a little bit of love goes a long way.
What is your favourite part of what you do?
THE PEOPLE! Always and forever, haha, watching someone score a gem or watching their confidence skyrocket when they come out of the fitting room! OH, or, hearing customers talk about how much they love the welcoming vibe of the shop.
What's a challenge you’ve overcome as a business owner, and what did you learn from it that you can share with others?
The pressure to stay relevant on social media, to churn out content like a content-making machine, and to always be "on." Spoiler alert: we're not always "on." Sometimes, we're tired, and that's okay. We're slowly learning to give ourselves permission to rest, to recharge, and to come back stronger.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
That not everyone is going to give us their blessing, or even like us! And you know what? That's okay! It was a tough pill to swallow, but it taught us the importance of staying true to ourselves, even when the world tells us otherwise.
Do you have a go-to motto or quote that inspires you?
Haha, honestly, one of our faves is “don’t take life too seriously, you will never get out of it alive.” This is what we use when we’re creating social media or overthinking decisions!
