Tell Us Your Story. What motivated you to start your business? Why are you passionate about what you do?

Mental health and wellness concerns are increasing among Canadians, and were further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the disparity between the number of mental health providers and the number of individuals who require mental health and wellness services, there have been calls to address mental health at a systemic, community-level. Research demonstrates that providing group-based education about mental health topics and psychological principles is an effective and scalable avenue to addressing the mental health crisis at a broader level. Equipping individuals with the information and skills needed to proactively address their own mental health and wellness can reduce the number of people who require individualized care, and in turn, alleviate the burden on the healthcare system. Providing group-based wellness education within the workplace is a particularly relevant and accessible pathway to achieving this. Although wellness stakeholders (i.e., employers, human resources personnel) are increasingly seeking ways to support employee mental health and wellness, there are several barriers to doing so. First, despite the abundance of scientific evidence delineating strategies that individuals can use to support their mental health and wellness, there are very few avenues for this research to be shared with the lay community. Consequently, wellness stakeholders are often unsure about how to best support their teams’ mental health and wellness, and about what solutions or strategies are credible. Second, if wellness stakeholders are interested in supporting their personnel through evidence-based education, it can be difficult to find an appropriate and qualified educator. This is a significant problem as unqualified individuals who share misinformation about mental health and wellness can influence other individuals to implement advice that may be harmful and further exacerbates the problem. These barriers highlight the need for 1) an innovative solution that increases access to evidence-based, reliable mental health and wellness group-format education, and 2) an improved process for stakeholders to procure qualified speakers to facilitate such wellness education. As Doctoral researchers ourselves, we noticed how infrequently scientific information is shared with the broader community. We became committed to addressing this disconnect and making high-quality wellness knowledge more accessible and digestible for everyone.

Describe and demonstrate, including metrics, your community support. How do you support and uplift your community, and how do they show that support in return? Minimum 25 words, maximum 2500 characters.

WellIntel Talks is deeply committed to addressing wellness concerns and building resiliency within our communities by increasing access to reliable mental health and wellness knowledge. Our Mission is to equip individuals with science-backed mental health and wellness education to manage their own health, thereby reducing the burden on the healthcare system and enhancing overall community well-being. In our first year of operation (Sept 2022-23), WellIntel Talks delivered 11 talks across various Canadian cities. Within our second year (Sept 2023 - current), we significantly expanded our reach, delivering 24 talks for 18 unique clients, including to corporate executive teams, municipal employees, and professionals from diverse industries such as tech, finance, graphic design, marketing, hospitality, and healthcare. This growth is a testament to our ability to meet the diverse needs of our clients and the increasing demand for our wellness services. Our Speakers collective has also grown in both size and diversity. We now have signed on 15 expert Speakers to our collective - each with a minimum of a Master's degree in their field - who cover a wide range of wellness topics including burnout, emotional intelligence, diversity and inclusivity, brain health, stress and anxiety, mental health, and more. Although we operate out of Vancouver, our collective includes Speakers from Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Toronto, all of whom also provide their talks virtually. Our range of Speakers allows us to serve a broad audience and ensures that our services are accessible to a wide range of communities. We have also expanded our services to offer both concise talks, and more in-depth half-day workshops. Further, we have released over 22 original blog posts and countless social media posts that provide science-backed wellness information and strategies to the community. Our impact is evident in the feedback and testimonials from our clients, who consistently highlight the value and effectiveness of our talks. Notably, all our bookings and revenue have come from word-of-mouth referrals from clients and community groups, with only $300 total spent on marketing efforts. Our commitment to evidence-based education and our growing network of expert Speakers position us as a vital resource for communities across Canada. We look forward to continuing to expand our reach and impact, helping more people live healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Why do you deserve to win the Business Impact award?

WellIntel Talks deserves to win the Business Impact Award because of our significant contributions to addressing the mental health and wellness crisis and our commitment to fostering healthier, more resilient communities. Our innovative approach to mental health education, through accessible and evidence-based group talks and workshops, has made a substantial impact on individuals and organizations across BC, as well as Canada more broadly. Tangible Impact: In under two years, we have expanded our reach, delivering 35 talks (and counting) to diverse clients including corporate leaders, municipal employees, and professionals from various industries such as tech, finance, healthcare, real estate, marketing, and more. Our rapid growth (without formal/paid marketing efforts) and the increasing demand for our services demonstrate the real-world, positive impact we are making on mental health and wellness in the community. Evidence-Based Education: We bridge the gap between the scientific wellness research that is conducted, and ensuring that such research reaches the broader community so that people are equipped with the most up-to-date, science-backed information to autonomously manage their own wellness. We are also combatting an era of wellness misinformation as all of our talks are grounded in empirical evidence rather than personal anecdotes or opinion. Community Connection and Client Support: Our business has thrived primarily through word-of-mouth referrals, with minimal spending on paid marketing. This organic growth underscores the value and effectiveness of our services, as evidenced by the glowing feedback and testimonials from our clients and talk attendees. Our clients consistently highlight the positive impact of our talks on both their personal and professional lives. Winning the Business Impact Award would recognize and increase awareness about our efforts to create meaningful change around mental health and wellness through the power of education. It would also provide us with additional resources and visibility to expand our reach and continue to support individuals and organizations in their pursuit of well-being. We are dedicated to making a lasting impact on the communities we serve, and this award would be a significant milestone in our journey to achieve that goal.

Tell Us About Your Culture. How are you creating a sustainable and healthy workplace where everyone feels welcome? Provide examples of leadership you show in interactions with clients, vendors, contractors, staff and others.

While WellIntel Talks currently has several contracted Speakers, our team also consists of 4 baccalaureate-level volunteers. We prioritize creating a sustainable and healthy organization where everyone feels valued and supported in working towards their individual goals. Our culture is built on principles of continuous growth, inclusivity, respect, and prioritizing work-life balance. For our volunteers, we offer flexible hours and encourage regular breaks to disconnect from their work with us and prevent burnout. Our volunteers also select tasks that interest them the most and will be most beneficial to their long-term career goals; we work with each volunteer to find tasks that suit their skillsets and goals. We also believe in the power of education, not just for our clients, but for our team as well. To show appreciation for their contributions, we provide regular professional development opportunities to our volunteers including information sessions on topics such as getting into grad school, becoming a psychologist vs. counsellor, etc. as well as practical skills training such as writing development, communications and client management skills, and assistance with writing grad school and job applications. We also offer one-on-one mentorship meetings to each of our volunteers as needed and frequently write them reference letters. We actively foster an inclusive environment by ensuring that our collective of Speakers represents a wide range of perspectives and backgrounds. This diversity enriches wellness topics and helps us connect more meaningfully with various community groups. We also work closely with our Speakers to help develop their talk, speaking style, and help them build connections and opportunities throughout the community. We hold annual meetings with each of our Speakers to discuss their goals within our organization, their self-identified strengths and areas for growth, and collaboratively discuss how to support them in these areas. For Clients, we prioritize clear communication, reliability, and mutual respect. We work to develop genuine, personal, and trust-based relationships. We are committed to client satisfaction; we personally meet with each of our clients to hear what they are looking for in our services, their needs and roadblocks, and to ensure our services are customized to be most helpful and impactful to them. We also send out surveys to receive feedback after each of our talks to continuously improve our services.