Ottawa Valley women in business podcast hits milestone

A podcast based specifically in the Ottawa Valley is gaining popularity for highlighting the successes of local women in business.

Holly Molenaar launched the Ottawa Valley Boss Babes podcast at the beginning of the pandemic with one goal in mind.

"To provide a platform for women to share their stories," she told CTV News.

"And to be able to encourage other women who are entering entrepreneurship to be inspired that maybe they might be able to embark on their own journey."

To date, the podcast has more than 300 episodes and recently reached 50,000 downloads.

Molenaar, 33, says it was when support was gathering for small businesses during the pandemic that the idea was born and that, in turn, helped her create her own brand and business.

"[Women] were managing households, they were doing the online learning with their kids, and they were making sure that everybody was sane and taking care of so many things. And I think that this is really when employers and businesses really started to value the women in their workplace."

OV Boss Babes' latest episode was recorded Wednesday featuring Kayla Janke, who owns and operates four businesses in the Ottawa Valley: Valley Tent and Party Rental, Parvati & Athena Events, Ottawa Valley Roast House, and Nature's Compass.

"You get to actually learn about a business owner at a personal level," says Janke. "Just like at our businesses, we don't really showcase who the owners are behind anything."

Molenaar has also expanded her guest list to women outside of Renfrew County, touching the Pontiac and Lanark County as well.

"I love the real stories," says Michele Banks, who listens weekly to Molenaar's new episodes. "I love the raw messiness of what happens behind the doors of business."

According to the 2021 census, women in Renfrew County make up 43.4 per cent of those who identify as self employed.

Laurentian Valley's community development officer Katie Tollisflabbi predicts that number grow will grow.

"[Entrepreneurship] lends itself to flexibility and I think that's the biggest thing women are looking for right now. Needing the flexibility for their families, whether they're growing or starting their families."

"I think [Molenaar] is building a community that makes us feel stronger," adds Janke.

"She's making a safety net around us with all us women wanting to support each other."

New episodes of OV Boss Babes are released on Mondays and Wednesdays, and can be found on popular podcast streaming platforms.