Montreal is a hub of commerce, creativity, and culture. Not only do we have a booming arts scene, but with any city that is experiencing growth and development there are also plenty of entrepreneurial opportunities popping up right and left. Making this global city a great place to plant and cultivate a career. That said, some ambitious Montreal women stand out and are occupying and building some serious goal-worthy careers for themselves. If you're looking for some career inspo, then read on!
Over the next few pages we will look at some women who have made a mark in their respective industries. First, we will explore some female entrepreneurs and independent business owners from around the city. Next, we will look at some female journalist and film makers who have made an impact in the media, film and TV industry. We will also show you some Montreal girls with serious girl boss jobs.
We will also look at the very important arts and design industry of the city and show you some of our favourite hard working women who have carved a niche for themselves in the tough creative industries. Last, we will look at those corporate girl badass jobs in the cut-throat business world of Montreal.
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Shadi Asadi // @shaydakid
DJ/Performer
Shadi Asadi AKA Shaydakiss is a Montreal-based bad girl DJ extraordinaire. She spins high-energy dance beats all around the city from low-key clubs and intimate after parties to massive outdoor festivals such as Osheaga, Shaydakiss does it all.
Samantha Tara Mainville // @heirloomhats
Hat Designer/Founder of Heirloom Hats
Samantha-Tara Mainville is Montreal-based hat designer, owner and founder of Heirloom hats, designing beautiful, contemporary and unique hats out of premium materials.
Karolina Jez // @Karolinajez
Content Creator/Photographer/Co-founder of The Sundae Collective
Karolina Jez is an entrepreneur to the bone. She is a renaissance woman, a fashion and lifestyle blogger, content creator, photographer, and all around badass woman. Along with her friends they launched a creative agency called The Sundae Collective which specialized in content creation and photography.
Robyn Crump // @habitsjewlery
Jewellery Designer/Owner & Founder of Habits Jewelry
Robyn Crump is not only a very talented jewellery designer but she also conceptualized and launched her very own brand - Habits Jewellery, based right out of Montreal. You can check out all her beautiful pieces on her website or Instagram page.
Kayleigh Peddie // @Kayleighpeddie
Lingerie Designer
Kayleigh Peddie is based right out of Montreal, where she designs and sells her unique and retro-inspired lingerie collections. Check out all her beautiful creations on her Instagram page!
Sabrina Barila // @S.Barila
Owner of Boutique La Montrealaise Atelier and Barila Clothing
Sabrina Barila is the woman behind all those "Je Parle feministe" t-shirt that you've seen lurking around the streets of Montreal. She is a fashion designer and owner of Barila clothing and on top of that runs and operates a boutique La Montrealaise Atelier right out of the Mile-End.
Natasha Thomas // @natashathomas
Fashion Designer
Natasha Thomas is a Montreal-based fashion designer and owner of her very own self-named brand By Thomas. She designs beautiful contemporary and minimal pieces for women of all ages.
Stephanie M Arthur // @smartrevents
Event Planner/Founder of Smartr Events
Stephanie M Arthur is in the business of planning, organizing and executing events. Not an easy task. Like a true entrepreneur she launched her very own agency, specializing in fashion networking events, all based right out of Montreal.
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Goth Shakira // @gothshkira
Digital Creative & Meme Queen
Montreal-based digital media creative Goth Shakira is what we call an "influencer". Although this term can be loosely interpreted many ways, Goth Shakira is a digital entrepreneur and creative body. She is in the business of creating and dissecting viral content and really knows what makes the internet go round.
Liz Plank // @feministabulous
TV Producer/Correspondent
Having studied at the London School Of Economics Elizabeth Plank is Montreal-based journalist and feminist-rights activist. She currently working as a Producer and correspondent for Vox Media. Check out her all stories on her Instagram page!
Josiane Stratis // @Josianes
Editor In Chief of Ton Petit Look
Josianne Stratis is the founder and editor-in- chief of online blog/magazine Ton Petit Look. Founded in 2009 and with 28K followers and climbing this is not just any blog. Oh, and on top of being a girl boss, Josianne is also a full-time mom.
Gina Hara // @gina_hara
Documentary Filmaker
Gina Hara is a young Montreal-based documentary film-maker. With a MFA in film production, her first fiction film was nominated for Best Canadian Short at the Toronto International Film Festival. In her more recent projects she directed Geek Girls Film, a documentary feature exploring nerd culture from a female perspective.
Vanessa De Montigny // @vanessademontigny
Food & Lifestyle Editor
Currently working as Quebecor Media, Venessa De Montigny is based out of Montreal and specializes in food and lifestyle content. Follow her adventures on her Instagram page above!
Ella Katz // @ellakatzz
Social Media/Founder Agence Frenzr
Based out of Montreal, Ella Katz is a digital artist, influencer and founder of social media agency Frenzr. Her agency specializes in content strategy, community growth and social media management for businesses. Check out her Instagram page for more!
Audrey Hubert // @audreyhubert
Digital Content Specialist
No matter what anyones says about being an influencer, making a simple tube of lipstick look amazing in a picture is a lot easier said than done. Audrey Hubert knows how to make products look beautiful online. Don't believe me? Check out her insanely curated Instagram feed above!
Garihanna // @garihanna
Comedian/Performer
Garihanna is Montreal-born Comedian and performer. Working between Montreal and Haiti she has been on the stage since the age of 6. Check out her Instagram page to see all her work!
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Katrina Stubbs // @katcs
Public Relations Specialist
Katrina Stubbs is a public relations specialist working for Montreal-based e-comm company and entrepreneurial success story SSENSE. Check out her lovely Instagram feed above!
Kimberly Lallouz // @kimberlylallouz
Chef/Entrepreneur
Kimberly Lallouz is a Montreal-based culinary entrepreneur. She is a chef and restaurant owner, successfully building her businesses from scratch. Making her a true girl boss.
Alexandra Apple // @alexandra.apple
Salon Owner
Alexandra apple is a true girl boss because not only does she own her own business, she's a full time mom. Owner of Unlistd salon she specialized in tricky colouring. If you're looking to go platinum, you know where to go.
Francoise Cournoyer // @ohohcournoyer
Creative Director
Francoise Cournoyer is a Montreal-based mom, boss lady and creative entrepreneur. She works as a creative director, her portfolio boasts campaigns for local and international brands like Adidas and Little Burgundy. Check out her super cute Instagram page.
Fisun Ercan // @fisun.ercan
Executive Chef
Fiscun Ercan is executive chef at not only one, but two Montreal-based restaurants. You can follow her healthy and vibrant recipes at her blog or her Instagram page above!
Madhuri Kumar // @madhuri_madhura
Owner of Pandan Cremerie
Madhuri Kumar is a Montreal-born girl-boss entrepreneur. As an owner and founder of local business Pandan Cremerie she's worked hard to bring a new and unique ice cream concept into the Montreal food scene.
Tatiana Londono // @tatlondono
Real Estate Maven/Founder Of Londono Realty Group
I bet you've seen Tatiana Londono real estate signs all around the city. You probably didn't know that Londono group was founded by ultimate girl-boss Tatiana herself. But it doesn't stop there, she's also an author and real estate coach on the side.
Valerie Plante // @val_plante
Mayor of Montreal
Of course, the ultimate girl-boss in all of Montreal, is the first female mayor of our city, none other than Valerie Plante! Following her Instagram page is not only inspiration but a great way to keep up on local and current events and news from around the city.
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Celia Spenard-Ko // @ceeesk
Photographer
Celia Spenard-Ko is a Montreal-based photographer. With a keen eye for textures, shapes and subtle details, her Instagram feed is beautifully curated collection of inspirational photographs of everything from architecture, food and fashion.
Amlyne Phillips // @amlynephillips
Interior Designer
Montreal-based Amlyne Phillips specialized in furniture and designing of commercial interiors. If that's not every girls dream job, then I don't know what is. Check out her lovely Instagram feed above!
Meagan Goeb // @meagangoeb
Tattoo Artist
Meaghan Geob is a Montrea-based private tattoo artist who does some incredible work. If the picture above isn't enough to convince you, visit her Instagram page to see other photos of her truly amazing work.
Jess Abran // @jessabran
Musician & Travel Host
Jess Abran is a disciplinary creative that also loves to travel. Working for CTV news and outpost magazine, check out are all her adventures and her music on her Instagram page.
Maude Nibelugen // @mnibelungen
Knitwear Designer
Maude Nibelugen is a Montreal-based knitwear designer that dreams up and created some insanely intricate and beautiful knit pieces out of natural and premium fibres. Check out all her pieces by visiting her Instagram page!
Jessica Lee Gagne // @jessicaleegagne
Cinematographer
Jessica Lee Gagne is a Montreal-based director of photography boasting an impressive portfolio with work ranging from music, fashion and commercial work. Check out her Instagram feed for some beautiful images.
Heart Streets // @heartstreets
Singers, Songwriters and Performers
Gabrielle Godon and Emma Berko make up Montreal-based hip hop duo Heart Streets. With seriously catchy beats and inspo-worthy style you will want to follow them on Instagram now.
Ryan Playground // @ryanplayground
Singer/Songwriter
Laval-native Ryan Playground has serious envy-worthy style but is also a solo-artist making some incredible music. A single off her new album just recently dropped this November. Check out all her latest work and awesome Insta feed above.
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Lisa Kubler // @lisakblr
Personal Shopping Manager
Lisa Kubler is a serious business girl boss working at SSENSE as an e-commerce personal shopping manager. No easy feat considering the impersonal nature of online shopping and the ever-changing needs of the luxury consumer.
Genvieve Ringuet // @genevieveringuet
Public Relations Manager
Genevieve Ringuet is a serious corporate badass girl, working for one of the biggest cosmetics and beauty conglomerates in the world - L'Oreal, she specialized in public relations for Maybelline and Essie. Dream job.
Kristina Spino // @yourdailyspino
Product Merchandising Manager
Currently working for WANT Les Essentiels Kristina Spino is business badass and a maven of product merchandising in fashion industry. Merchandisers are the one's carefully working behind the scenes of the fashion and retail industry.
Ingrid Enriquez // @ing514
Co-Curator Of Alcove Micro Conferences
Ingrid Enriquez-Donissant solves business and brand puzzles. In other words, she's a business badass. She is also the co-curator of Alcove, a business which specializes in hosting exclusive talks featuring inspiring visionaries from different fields.
Maria Varvarikos // @maria_varvarikos
Owner Zoi Agency
As the owner of Agence Zoi - a PR agency with offices from Montreal to New York - she is a true business badass. With over 15 years of experience in the field her work is a testament to hard work, determination and expertise.
Joanie Pietra Cupa // @joaniepietracupa
Multi-platform Editor-In-Chief
Joanie Peitracupa is a real badass of the media business as the editor-in-cheif of Vero magazine. She oversees all of the content for not only print, but online media and social media of the brand. Now that's some serious responsibilities.
Alix Rutsey // @alixelinrutsey
Menswear buyer
Toronto-born Alix Rutsey is a menswear buyer at Montreal-based e-comm company SSENSE. Check out her insta and follow her buying trip to Milan and Paris.
Alyssa Whited // @alyssa_whited
Global Senior Manager of Public Relations
Alyssa Whited works as the Global Senior manager of Public Relations and Social Media at Aldo. AKA the ultimate corporate badass. Check out her Instagram page to follow her adventures as a corporate maven.
