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Join us for a coffee and chat with Alana Tollenaar, Owner of Backyard Birds Nature Shop.

Alana Tollenaar’s path to owning Backyard Birds Nature Shop was paved by her childhood as the daughter of a zookeeper, where she helped hand-raise snowy owls. Though she briefly considered engineering, a university course in Environmental Management revealed her true calling: a perfect blend of math, science, and nature. In May 2021, she and her father launched their business in Spruce Grove selling birdseed and birdfeeders. Today, the shop is a thriving community hub featuring over 150 vendors, offering nature-based classes, and producing their own bird seed logs. It’s also home to Sweets, a rescued stray who transitioned from a pregnant parking lot find to a professional shop cat with her own business card.

Beyond the storefront, Alana is a dedicated educator who loves sharing the quirks of the 215 bird species found around Edmonton. Whether she’s discussing her favorite Alberta wetland bird, the Sora, or explaining how vultures aid public health by consuming disease, her enthusiasm is contagious. She even successfully converted her husband—a local physiotherapist—into a dedicated birder who now chases rare sightings across the province.

Through her shop and community outreach, Alana continues to foster a deep appreciation for the outdoors, proving that a passion for the environment is best shared with those around you.

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Grab a coffee and join us for an inspiring conversation with Rachelle Dubeau, the driving force behind Dani & Madi Boutique in Spruce Grove.

Raised by entrepreneurial parents in St. Paul, Alberta, Rachelle’s work ethic started early—from her first job as an 11-year-old janitor to her years as a competitive college hockey player. Though she eventually earned her Chartered Accounting designation and began a career in industry, she found herself missing the personal connection of face-to-face interaction, which sparked the vision for her own women’s clothing boutique in 2018.

The road to her storefront was far from easy. After launching her online store in 2019, Rachelle faced the ultimate test when the pandemic hit just as she was searching for a physical location. Refusing to quit, she pivoted by hosting Facebook Lives and even building a "mini-store" shed for contact-free try-ons. Her creativity and grit through the unknown, including a series of successful pop-ups in Stony Plain, eventually led her to a permanent location

Now celebrating five years in her Spruce Grove storefront, Rachelle’s story is a masterclass in perseverance and finding joy in the pivot. From high-stakes accounting to the dynamic world of fashion retail, she proves that the path to success is rarely a straight line, but rather a series of brave leaps into the unknown. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to find their own path and turn a vision board dream into a thriving reality.

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Grab a coffee and settle in for a fascinating look behind the scenes of professional hockey with Brooklyn Rasmussen, an Arena Technician at OEG Sports & Entertainment.

As the first woman to drive the Zamboni for the Oilers—and one of only about five in the entire NHL—Brooklyn’s journey took her from power plants in BC to the high-stakes environment of Rogers Place. She shares the thrill of moving up from the "minors" to the NHL, where every turn is captured by cameras and the ice quality is scrutinized by the world's best players.

It isn't just a slow cruise around the rink; it’s a high-precision science involving temperature, humidity, and a massive blade. Brooklyn deconstructs common myths—like how the steering wheel actually controls the blade depth—and explains the intense 18-minute intermission sprint required to maintain Edmonton’s #2 NHL ranking for ice quality. From grueling late-night shifts that end at 2:30 AM to the incredible logistics of converting a hockey rink into a concert stage in just a few hours, she gives us a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the grit and expertise required to keep the arena running.

Please keep in mind that we experienced some technical difficulties during the recording; while Jennifer might sound like she is speaking from the other side of the rink, we promise she was right there for the whole conversation.

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