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Local business owner named semi-finalist in Total Mom Pitch

December 18, 2020   ·   0 Comments

A local business owner has been named as one of the top 100 semi-finalist in the Total Mom Pitch presented by the Scotiabank Women Initiative.

Jenn Newark, owner of the Pet Grocer in Alliston, was excited to hear she had made the cut from over 730 nation-wide entries.

Canada’s Total Mom Pitch is an exclusive competition encouraging mom entrepreneurs to follow their dreams and launch their passion projects. The contest is open to women who are in business and also juggle the responsibilities of having children.

The Pet Grocer has been open at its Victoria St. E. location for three years and has specialty pet food that is healthy and different than your average bag of chow for your pet.

Jenn has a background working with animals after being a Veterinary Tech at local animal hospitals.

“We are very holistic and whole food-based,” Jenn said of the products in her store. “We’re a health food store for pets.”

The store has a lot of products and treats you won’t find in the typical pet food section of a regular grocery store.

“There are these two ladies and their business is called The Total Mom Show,” Jenn explained of the competition. “They try to empower other women-led businesses that are run by women who are mothers. Being a mom and running a business can have its own unique challenges. They have this pitch where they recognize the top performers in their fields. You can apply to say you want to be part of the pitch this year. This year they had over 730 applications from across Canada. They give you business criteria and you have to have kids.”

Business owners must fit a certain conditions. Those include length of time in business and number of employees. You also must be an independent business owner.

From the initial group of applicants, the field is narrowed down to 100 semi-finalists, and from there, down to 50, then down to five finalists. The panel of judges includes women in various positions in business.

The top five finalists receive mentoring from several business professionals. The final winner receives $20,000 in business services and $10,000 in cash.

“It’s helping ambitious moms across Canada by networking with powerful women, asking for recommendations, and getting valuable support when we need it most,” said Anna Sinclair, CEO & Founder of the Total Mom Show Inc., which produces the Pitch initiative. “It was a no brainer to partner with The Scotiabank Women Initiative and Visa, both leading the industry with action to ensure women entrepreneurs have access to powerful resources.”

Jenn is hoping to make the top five so she can meet with some of the top professionals in the country.

“We have unique opportunities here at the store that I think they will see from a business standpoint and appreciate. We have people from all over Ontario who come to see us. They consider us a destination.”

The Total Mom Pitch finale will be hosted on March 15, 2021 where the top five will compete for the grand prize in front of a panel of exclusive judges.

The top five will receive a membership with The Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce and the Women’s Executive Network.

By Brian Lockhart
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter


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