What motivated you to start your business and what is your vision for the future of the company?

Jolt has humble roots - it actually started in my kitchen before it became a business. I found myself becoming passionate about health and fitness a few years before entering University. This stemmed from having various health issues in my knees, which caused me to lead an inactive and unhealthy lifestyle. As I found my body getting better, I found it so important to lead a healthy lifestyle, filled with activity, nutritious food, and anything that would increase my energy levels. This led to me attending college classes in the evenings and weekends, while I was in high school, in order to become a Certified Fitness Instructor. As soon as I entered University, I started teaching fitness classes part-time, and this was my job (and also passion!) throughout my years at University. Of course being a busy student, working part-time, and also involving myself in the community at school, I was always on the run and looking for quick, nutritious snacks. I honestly tried every single protein bar and granola bar on the market, but just couldn't find a bar I loved. Sometimes they were filled with syrups and junk ingredients, other times they were too chewy or hard, and sometimes they would get stuck to my teeth right before a fitness class! After all this, I thought, how hard could it be to make them on my own? Well, it was harder than I expected! I went through hundreds of iterations until I loved them. Along the way, I shared the bars with my friends at University, clients in fitness classes, and of course my family. Everyone absolutely loved the bars, and I was known to be the girl with Saran-wrapped protein bars in my bag, ready to share. After graduating, I found myself working long hours in a high-stress corporate job - and reaching for way too many cups of coffee (or going on too many latte runs!) This wasn’t great for my health, nor my wallet! At this time, is where the idea of a caffeinated bar came to mind. Why not add caffeine to my bars to save some time and money? And so I did! I tried many forms of caffeine - the type that we see in pre-workouts and energy drinks, coffee, and so on, and eventually settled on green tea. This gives a long lasting energy boost, without the jitters or crashes that often come with caffeine or coffee. It was important to me to have a high-functioning bar that was nutritious and full of energy to keep up with the demands of life. Eventually, I saw the need in the market for a bar like this and decided to leave my corporate job to launch Jolt bars into the world!

Why do you deserve to win the Best Youth Entrepreneur Award?

As a company founded by a young entrepreneur, we have transformed a personal challenge into a thriving business that fills a critical gap in the market. Jolt Performance was born from a struggle to find a nutritious, convenient, and energizing snacks to align with a busy lifestyle. From our founder's passion for health and fitness, combined with a relentless drive to create something better, led her to develop a unique protein bar that not only tastes great but also supports active individuals with natural energy from green tea. Jolt has gone from kitchen experiments to a fast-growing brand that is now available in grocery stores across Canada. This journey reflects the innovation, determination, and leadership that define the spirit of youth entrepreneurship. Winning the Best Youth Entrepreneur Award would recognize the hard work, creativity, and impact that young entrepreneurs can achieve.

Why do you think you should win the Premier’s People’s Choice Award?

Jolt Performance started from a personal journey toward health and wellness and has grown into a company that is revolutionizing the protein bar market. We are proud to offer a product that not only meets the dietary needs of our customers but also enhances their energy levels naturally. Our green tea-caffeinated bars cater to a wide range of dietary preferences, including plant-based, gluten-free, and soy-free options, while also being free from added sugars. From humble beginnings in the kitchen, we have scaled to retail presence across hundreds of stores in Canada, thanks to the support of our community and customers. Winning the Premier’s People’s Choice Award would be a testament to the value we provide and the positive impact we have made in promoting a healthy lifestyle through our innovative and delicious products.