Music store owner awarded Brockville’s 2024 businessperson of the year for inclusivity

Samia O'Day was awarded the Brockville Chamber of Commerce 2024 Businessperson of the Year award last week.

It's given to the person in the Brockville, Ont. region who serves as a positive role model for other businesses in the area.

O'Day teaches music lessons at All You Need Music, a store she co-owns in Brockville. The lessons are taught through the Canada Music Academy, which O’Day also founded. It has locations all over the country.

"I think that it's really important to meet the student where they're at and where their interests are, and just be kind," she told CTV News on Sunday.

O'Day's promotion of inclusivity through music is company wide. There are roughly 300 teachers at locations in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, parts of British Columbia and in the Maritimes.

Collectively, the teachers speak about 40 different languages, so they're well equipped for students that come from a variety of backgrounds.

Syttana Barbara El Mubarak moved to Brockville from Vancouver 12 years ago, and wanted to make sure her three sons kept up with their music lessons.

Moving to a small town like Brockville made her nervous, feeling the resources wouldn't be up to par. But the minute she met with O'Day, those nerves were squashed.

"We're very lucky," El Mubarak explained. "Samia was able to understand our perspective as parents, but she also was able to see the kiddos and their interests and match them with the right teacher."

But the music store isn’t the only place O'Day teaches.

She spends her Sundays working as the director of music for the Wall Street United church.

O'Day is Palestinian-Christian, and says she chose the Wall Street church because of it's inclusivity.

"Music really brings people together. So that's really my 'raison d'etre.' It's what I've done my whole life. We used to sing with my family when I was younger."

She humbly credits music for bringing people together, but her peers suggest otherwise.

"She's good at bringing people together," said Pastor Kimberly Heath with the Wall Street United church.

"She has an amazing presence. Her gift of music is extraordinary. It's not just that she's good in herself, she's good at creating a team."