Growing in Tandem: Kayla Kaliszuk and Kirsten MacDonell Talk Motherhood, Business, and YEG BOSS BABES

Not too long ago, Kirsten MacDonell was having a lunch meeting at Earl’s. She noticed her server—a woman in her early twenties—eavesdropping on her conversation, clearly interested in the words being exchanged over shared appies and salads. When Kirsten signed off on the bill, the server saw an opportunity to jump in.

“Are you from YEG BOSS BABES?,” she asked, the same way you might ask a celebrity to confirm their identity.

“I am!” replied Kirsten.

“I love what you’re doing,” the server said. “Keep doing what you’re doing.” 

For Kirsten, moments like this illuminate the true value of what she and YEG BOSS BABES co-founder, Kayla Kaliszuk, are doing. “It’s like, ooh, they’re into it,” says Kirsten. “Our work makes a mark in society, and we want to continue.” 

When you think of a typical “networking event,” what comes to mind? Probably a lot of suits. Probably a large, nondescript conference space or a ballroom full of business types, chatting stiffly about growth or returns or establishing a brand identity. Probably lots of greys. Lots of blacks. Lots of men. 

This, at least, is the atmosphere Kirsten faced most often while working in sales for a large company.

“The networking stuff we went to was 95% men. There weren’t a lot of women attending,” she says. “And the feedback I was getting from coworkers was like, ‘I was so uncomfortable going to those events because I didn’t feel like I could relate to anybody.’”

Kirsten decided to create a space where networking wouldn’t be such an intimidating, dude-driven experience. As a “solopreneur” herself (Kirsten has her own photography business in addition to a sales job) she knew how hard it was to gather resources and grow a business without a support network. She texted a few friends, including Kayla, a fellow small business owner, and asked if they were interested in starting a wine club (a terrific way to generate interest). “We can go to each other’s houses, meet women who are doing similar things, and swap resources,” Kirsten said over the group text.

“Kirsten sent us a logo and we were like, ‘this is awesome, let’s do it!,’” says Kayla. 

Fast forward a couple of years and YEG BOSS BABES—the outcome of the wine club—is now a thriving business with over 139 members and 1700 email subscribers. Their mission? To connect women entrepreneurs with the resources and community they need to grow and thrive in business.

“I feel like more and more women are wanting the freedom to start their own business, but they don’t have friends or resources to lean on,” says Kayla. 

That’s where YEG BOSS BABES (YBB) comes in. Led by Kirsten, Kayla, and additional co-founder Amy Bender, YBB hosts everything from vision board workshops to holiday mixers to seminars with award-winning women entrepreneurs—“yegsperts,” as they’re called. They also have a membership program. Perks include a space on the YBB directory page (a beautifully-designed online database of women-run businesses in Edmonton), event discounts, and professional headshots.

Read more about this featured article at the Hillberg + Berk website here.

Writer: Mica Lemiski
Photos: Janelle Dudzic Photography & Nicole Constante Photography
Location: @homebyblondy

MAD LOVE MONDAY | Fanny Kung

My FK*IT Lash business started on my drive to work one day. It was dark, cold and early, and my falsies were NOT cooperating. FK*IT. I’d worked in retail for a decade, cosmetics for a large portion of it, but I’d never been able to find anything that would work on my Southeastern, Asian, mono-lid eye.

It was rare that I met a makeup artist who knew how to work with my eye shape until I entered the industry myself. It’s amazing that brands are becoming more inclusive, and I hope to be able to contribute to that growth, even a little bit.  

I reached out to many different sources to find false lashes that could truly be comfortable on all eye shapes and look badass at the same time. I got samples from all over the world and asked friends in the cosmetics industry for their feedback.

The best decision I made was to hire a professional graphic designer once I had secured my product.

I ran into a friend who’s a graphic designer, and I’m so happy I invested in the packaging and marketing from the get-go as opposed to waiting until the business picked up before re-branding. Not only did a professional help me gain a sense of confidence in my vision for my brand, but it also helped me to make sure I stayed true to myself. At the end of the day, this is my business, and the packaging is me—on a box. No one who knows me can say they are surprised by the color palette, design, and accent details!

FK*IT Lashes is a brand-new venture for me. Despite having just launched September 7th this year, I’ve already had the pleasure of being invited to showcase my products at four events. I’ve learned to refine what I do to better reach my target customer base and had the opportunity to meet and learn from so many amazing entrepreneurs in our welcoming city. 

My parents are both entrepreneurs, so I saw all the benefits and hardships first-hand very early on. I love the flexible work hours when it comes to work-life balance, but I also know how that scale can tip dramatically the other way whenever things at work get stressful. Ultimately, this is a project that I can feel very fulfilled working on after a long 9-5 at my day job.

No matter what, you’re your own boss, and every dime you make goes towards your own future.

My husband and parents have been incredibly supportive. My friends have been amazing cheerleaders. Other entrepreneurs are now my close confidants and trusted advisors. Together they have pushed me out of my comfort zone in ways I couldn’t have imagined within such a short period of time. People I’ve met have generously introduced me to their connections in the industry, openly rave about my products, and think of me whenever opportunities arise.

I hope to be able to do the same for them and pay it forward.

I have connected with so many amazing #BossBabes over the past 13 weeks, and I cannot wait to meet more. There are so many more exciting events and launches to come, and I am hoping to collaborate with even more local #YEGBOSSBABES! 

Fanny Kung | FK*IT Lashes
instagram.com/fkitlashes

MAD LOVE MONDAY | Stephanie Truong

Have you ever wondered where all the great spots are when it comes to food in Edmonton? Or have you ever been amazed by all the food spots that actually exists here and you didn’t realize it until you saw a post on well, Instagram?

The social media is a wonderful thing. Overtime the world of marketing has evolved and eventually we were all introduced to Influencer Marketing. Influencers range from different niches to help raise brand awareness locally, nationally or globally. Today, we have Stephanie Truong, an Edmonton based foodie influencer who shares her love for food has given us a glimpse of her story.

Stephanie Truong runs an Edmonton-based food blog where she reviews different restaurants and eateries throughout the city. Her blog name was originally The YEG Foodie but she wanted a name that defined her more which is why she rebranded a few years ago. 

Photography by: Galeevant Social

Why Did You Start Food Blogging

I’ve been asked quite a few times about why I started blogging. My love of food stems from my childhood. As a child, I grew up in an Asian household where I mainly ate Asian food, particularly Vietnamese food. When I grew older, I yearned for non-Asian food. During high school, I finally had the freedom to go out to eat and try new foods. This freedom took me to different restaurants in Edmonton where I tasted food that was never cooked at home.

Although I still ate home-cooked food, I started to explore restaurants beyond the chains and franchises. My friends would see my food photos on social media then ask me for my opinion. This is when I was inspired to create a food blog - to share my tastes and thoughts to those who didn’t know me personally. Today, I still love to try out new cuisines but I will always appreciate the home-cooked Vietnamese dishes that my mom makes for me. 

What Exactly Do You Blog About?

I mainly blog about places in Edmonton but I have written about other countries I’ve traveled to. My blog is more of a side hobby or a side hustle, as I like to call it. I would love to become a full-time blogger one day but it is not a priority for myself at the moment. I spend most of my work time doing social media marketing, particularly at North America’s largest mall.

Many have asked me - how do you balance working and blogging? For me, I believe that you should leave work at work. Once I leave my workplace, I focus on other priorities which would be gathering content (eating) and creating content (on my blog & social media). Time management and prioritization is a big part of maintaining a blog.

I like to think that what started out as a blog has turned into a personal brand for me. 

What Advice Do You Have For Anyone Interested In Wanting To Start a Food Blog or Become A Food Influencer?

If you want to become a food blogger or a food influencer, you need to genuinely LOVE food. For me, that’s the most important thing as that will be reflected in your work and be your motivation. My love of food drove me to eat at different restaurants, not the same place over and over again. My love of food was the reason why people started asking me for my opinion on a restaurant instead of looking up a Google Review.

My love of food is why I still write about it to this day. 

Starting a food blog is not hard and doesn’t require any money but takes time and effort. There are many free blogging platforms nowadays: Blogger, Wordpress, Squarespace, Wix. Once you’ve chosen a platform, you will need content to write about. Obviously, this means that you’ll have to go to restaurants to take photos of the food/interior and share your opinion about it. Don’t worry about having any following at the beginning, everyone starts off at the same place.

Photography by: Galeevant Social

As you start blogging more and more & posting food photos on social media, you’ll begin to build a brand or name for yourself. Make sure that you’re consistent and that your personality is showcased. Lastly, never feel embarrassed or ashamed for taking photos of the food before you eat it. It also helps if you eat with people that don’t mind having cold food! 

You can easily catch Stephanie hopping from one food spot to the next on her Instagram or Facebook. She’s always open to DMs for anyone who has further questions about food blogging or suggestions on where to eat!

Stephanie Truong ! MS. HANGRY FOODIE
instagram.com/mshangryfoodie
facebook.com/mshangryfoodie