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Hello friend,

With Mother’s Day one week away, I’m inspired by women who manage mothering along with running their businesses. It’s trite to call it a balancing act when two monumental responsibilities compete for every waking moment in your day. The women I feature this week do it with such grace and in some cases, with the assistance of their children. I hope you enjoy their stories.

When my children ask me what I want for Mother’s Day, my answer is always the same: peace, love, and happiness. It’s my way of saying they don’t have to actually buy something to mark the occasion. Sometimes, I treat myself to something special to acknowledge another year of trying to do it all and coming out the other side in one piece!

Today, I’m happy to share a way for you to treat yourself, whether you’re a mother or not. The Genuinely Stellar Discovery Box is now available for pre-order. The box ships in June and is full of surprises from some of my favourite woman-owned brands for summer. It’s a limited edition. We are only selling 50 boxes. Once they’re gone, they’re gone! Go on, treat yourself. You deserve it!

Thank you to Viktor for sponsoring this week’s issue of the newsletter. I’m grateful for the support! Allow me to introduce five incredible women and the products that caught my eye this week. And did I mention we have a new website? I hope you like the new look!

Enjoy!

  The woman entrepreneur behind this shoe brand didn’t just want a better running shoe for women. She wants her daughters to experience equality in sport, starting from the ground up.

Imagine giving birth to your second child shortly after giving birth to a new business venture? This entrepreneur did just that and her glow tells me she’s got this.

The daughter who launched this quaint home goods shop did it as a love letter to her mother. They had a dream to open a shop of their own.

This fashion designer wanted to show her nine-year-old daughter what resilience looks like. So she stepped out of her comfort zone and launched a brand that combines their names.

When your daughters are athletes and skincare obsessed, and you realize there is nothing on the shelf that’s appropriate for them, what do you do? Create a brand of skincare and a regimen to call their own.

Go On, Treat Yourself!

I started Genuinely Stellar with a singular purpose: to support woman-owned brands. I tell the stories of female founders and their exceptional products as a way to introduce them to you. Putting some of my favourite products in your hands felt like a natural next step.

The Genuinely Stellar Discovery Box is a curation of beautiful items for summer. I can’t tell you what’s inside (that’s part of the fun), but I can tell you each product is inspired by Alannah, a woman I admire for her great style, appreciation for nature and diligence about self-care. Her zest for life is contagious. If you’re anything like Alannah, you will love the Summer Discovery Box!

As a subscriber, you are entitled to special pricing. A gift to you from me.

Use code: STELLAR10 to get $10 off the first box.

I hope the brands you unbox become perennial favourites and you continue to support the women behind them.

Watch this space for five quick things to make your life a little richer.

Flowers for Mother’s Day? Skip the bouquet and let her eat cake! This one is a crowd pleaser and has rose petals sprinkled on top.

How often do you wash your face? If you’re somewhere between too much and not enough, you’re probably right on track.

Yes, you should definitely go see The Devil Wears Prada II. I loved it from beginning to end, but don’t just take my word for it. Read this writer’s take.

A rave in a sauna? Thumping beats in the heat is a wellness trend that’s gaining momentum, as people are looking for new ways to socialize without the hangover. Would you?

Remember writing letters? This woman is putting pen to paper again and she’s picked up some pen pals along the way.

The ops hire that onboards in 30 seconds.

Viktor is an AI coworker that lives in Slack, right where your team already works.

Message Viktor like a teammate: "pull last quarter's revenue by channel," or "build a dashboard for our board meeting."

Viktor connects to your tools, does the work, and delivers the actual report, spreadsheet, or dashboard. Not a summary. The real thing.

There’s no new software to adopt and no one to train.

Most teams start with one task. Within a week, Viktor is handling half of their ops.

Add Viktor to Slack for free.

Last week, we visited La Belle Province, through the eyes of five women entrepreneurs who bring style and European sensibility that is uniquely Quebecois. If you missed it, you can get La Belle Province issue here. 

It’s almost linen season and I just spoke with a fabulous founder in Vancouver who’s entire line is made from natural fabrics like linen. It’s a minimalist’s dream. Stay tuned for her story.