What if your makeup routine is secretly harming your eye health? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Nieka Sabeti, a practicing optometrist and founder of CHESHMA, a groundbreaking line of eye-friendly cosmetics. After countless patients broke down in her exam room—struggling with dry eye disease caused by cosmetics and feeling they had to choose between their appearance and their eye health—Dr. Neeka had a middle-of-the-night revelation that changed everything.

The Knuckleheads talk to each other. Two retail veterans with a combined 50+ years of experience sit down for honest conversations about Canadian business, brands, and the challenges facing small and medium-sized companies.

When Nana Daniels returned from a trip to Ghana in 2016, she experienced a severe lupus flare-up that left her skin severely burned. What happened next changed her life forever. After seven hours in the emergency room with no real solution, Nana turned to her Ghanaian roots and created her own remedy using raw shea butter, vitamin E, and essential oils. The results were so remarkable that friends started asking for their own supply—and Honam Naturals was born.

From Auto Mechanic to Artisan Sausage Maker: D-Original Sausage Haus Story Join us as we sit down with Clint from D-Original Sausage Haus in Steveston, BC, who shares his unconventional journey from automotive mechanic to box manufacturing to crafting premium German-style cured meats.

From Cologne to Canada: What We Learned Walking 10 Football Fields at Anuga Phil and Kenny take the podcast on the road to Anuga, one of the world's largest food trade shows in Cologne, Germany. Recording their raw observations while navigating German parking lots and autobahns, they share what surprised them most: Bulgaria's emerging food innovation, the surprising absence of crowds at the Chinese pavilion, and how geopolitical tensions are reshaping international food trade.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Shauna Fidler, founder of Design Farm and producer of the Basin Food Summit, as she takes us deep into British Columbia's Kootenay region—a place where local food culture thrives and producers connect directly with buyers who care. Warning: This episode may cause extreme hunger and an irresistible urge to book a trip to the Kootenays.

From Ice Cream Cart to National Brand - The Hazel's Ice Cream Story In this episode, hosts Kenny and Phil sit down with Sam Vermeulen, co-founder of Hazel's Ice Cream, to discuss the remarkable journey from a COVID-era ice cream cart idea to a growing national frozen novelty brand.

Scaling CPG Brands with Roadmap CPG's Michelle Prychidny and Koreann Webster In this episode of This Commerce Life, hosts Phil and Kenny welcome the dynamic duo behind Roadmap CPG - Michelle Prychidny and Koreann Webster. Together, these industry veterans share their combined decades of experience helping emerging CPG brands navigate the treacherous waters of retail scaling.

We sit down with Sanaz Bahrami, founder of Melts Infusions, who shares her remarkable journey from aspiring surgeon to herbal wellness entrepreneur. After nerve damage derailed her medical career dreams, Sanaz discovered the power of adaptogenic herbs during a challenging period in graduate school studying biomedical engineering.

From Stadium Cleaner to Craft Brewer - The Latina Beer Story Phil and Kenny sit down with Carlos Castro, the Venezuelan-Canadian founder of Latina Beer, for an inspiring conversation about entrepreneurship, immigration, and following your passion.

The Kristina Farrell Episode: Fighting for Canada's Food System from the Inside In this episode, hosts Phil and Kenny sit down with Kristina Farrell, CEO of Food & Beverage Canada, to explore the complex world of Canadian food manufacturing policy. Christina, who represents domestic food and beverage manufacturers across the country, breaks down the critical distinction between companies that actually make products in Canada versus those that simply sell here.

CHFA Now Toronto 2025 Preview with Aaron Skelton & Lynsey Walker Join Phil and Kenny as they chat with Aaron Skelton (CEO) and Lynsey Walker (Chief Marketing Officer) from the Canadian Health Food Association for an exciting preview of CHFA Now Toronto 2025, happening September 19 - 21, 2025

From Bartending Tips to 24 Locations: The Foxy Box Story. In this episode of This Commerce Life, we sit down with Kyla, the bold founder and CEO of Foxy Box Laser & Wax Bars, bar tips and brazilian waxes in her dining room into a 24-location franchise empire across Canada.

A celebration of success. Re-sharing Caitlin Vanderhaeghe's episode from 2022 on the evolution of Kidstar. In light of her announcement last week of getting National distribution, we thought it'd be a good time to re-share Caitlin's journey with Kidstar.

Mid-Summer Update - Road Trips, Trade Shows, and What's Next Phil and Kenny reconnect for a candid mid-summer update on what's been keeping them busy and what's coming up for This Commerce Life. After spending five hours together booking travel (and learning they should have let Keelin handle it), the duo shares their exciting plans for the fall.

Amy Rempel - From Third-Generation Grocery to Pioneering Kids' Skincare In this episode, we sit down with Amy Rempel, owner of Elevation Brands and founder of Fresh Faces Skincare, Canada's first skincare line specifically designed for kids. Amy brings a unique perspective to the natural products industry as a third-generation grocery professional whose great-grandfather helped bring Metro stores to Ontario.

Trading Cards to Facebook Fame: How One Collector Built a Digital Empire Join Phil and Kenny as they dive deep into the fascinating world of modern card collecting with special guest Anthony from Red Light Sports. What started as a COVID hobby digging through childhood collections has evolved into a thriving Facebook Live business that's redefining how collectors buy and sell.

Burgoo Restaurant's Justin Joyce on 24 Years of Comfort Food & Vancouver's Evolving Food Scene

Food Fraud and Authenticity Testing with Deleo De Leonardis, CEO of Purity IQ In this eye-opening conversation, Kenny and Phil sit down with Deleo De Leonardis, CEO and co-founder of Purity IQ, to discuss a critical issue that affects every consumer: food fraud and adulteration.

Automating Food Safety with Normex In this episode, we sit down with Tanguy Etoga, founder and CEO of Normex, to dive into the often overlooked but critically important world of food safety management. Tanguy shares his fascinating journey from a childhood in Cameroon—where a conversation with his father about preserving mangoes year-round sparked his passion—to becoming a food safety consultant and tech entrepreneur revolutionizing how small and medium food businesses handle compliance.