Great Storytelling Begins Here
Blog
Montreal Marketeers
I’m always fascinated by brands that have a great story to tell. Understanding where it all started and how a company became a brand and got to where they are today. Not only does it shape how the brand is perceived by the market, but it also plays a role in determining the culture that drives their growth and success.
Most success stories wouldn't see the light of day without perseverance and dedication. Creating a winning brand isn't easy, that's what makes it an interesting story to tell.
MM26 - Ben Levesque: Director of Marketing at Webrunner Media
Ben started his digital marketing adventure while he was pursuing his dreams of making it into the NHL. At the time, a normal day would consist of strict practice and training regiments followed by downtime in the afternoon. Instead of playing video games like most of his teammates, he spent his time learning about SEO.
MM25 - Seth Feingersh: Audio Engineer at VaynerMedia
As Gary Vaynerchuk's audio engineer, Seth plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the podcasts are consistent in terms of audio quality and content. And when you release as much content as Gary does, you know that the bar is set high. Whether it's publishing native content or re-purposing content, Seth is always focused on delivering the very best.
MM24 - Sabrina Prioletta: Customer Centric Focus
This time around, we do a deep dive into customer service/experience. In our connected world, companies have the unprecedented ability to get up close and personal with their customers. At the same time, customers now have the capability to broadcast their brand experiences on the internet for everyone to see. The importance of listening and interacting with your clients has become essential.
MM23- Mario D'Amico: Founder at Spiritueux Iberville
Mario's passion for liqueurs and spirits started as a teenager. Although he didn't drink at that age, he became obsessed with understanding the art of the cocktail and the stories behind some of the biggest brands. Throughout the years, he's managed to assemble an impressive collection of over 400 bottles. Not going to lie, he puts our collections to shame!
MM22 - Marc Levesque: Co-Founder at Webrunner Media Group
Marc is a self-described lifestyle entrepreneur. After working in sales and marketing for over 10 years, he decided to start his own marketing agency in order to take control of his life and focus on what he really liked doing. He co-founded Webrunner Media Group in 2012 with the goal of helping businesses increase their leads through paid acquisition.
MM21 - Nick Messina: Sicilianu Di Montreal
Nick was born and raised in Montreal by two proud Sicilian parents. His heritage has always played a big role in shaping his life and he is determined to keep his family traditions alive. In 2015, he began posting on Instagram regularly and started to build an audience. He eventually decided to take on a new persona: Sicilianu Di Montreal.
MM20 - Zach Stoner: Copywriter at Vaynermedia
It's clear that Zach is passionate about two things: sports and copywriting. When he was in college he realized that he wouldn't make it as a professional soccer player so he decided to focus his attention on journalism. The road to getting his journalism degree wasn't always easy but in the end he persisted and found his true calling: copywriting.
MM19 - Pierre-Paul Schiltz: Owner-Operator at Cycle Paul
Cycle Paul was founded in 1948 by Pierre-Paul's grandfather, Paul Schiltz. The business originally sold bikes, ammunition, hunting and hockey equipment. Customers could even rent bicycles and guns. Much as changed since the 1950s and Cycle Paul has pivoted their business accordingly. They now focus solely on servicing the needs of cycling enthusiasts and professionals.
MM18 - Dez Price: Co-Founder at BN3TH Apparel
Dez Price is a passionate entrepreneur, snowboarder, and skateboarder. It shouldn't come as a surprise that his career path has always revolved around the sports industry. In 2010 he co-founded the apparel brand MyPakage in order to bring top of the line men's underwear to an underserved market.
MM17 - Johnny Russo: E-commerce & Digital Marketing Associate Vice-President at Mark's
Johnny's passion for learning and continuously improving is quite evident. His approach to marketing is strongly driven by understanding consumer behaviour and challenging the status quo. Whether it's reading books authored by other Marketing experts or experimenting with innovative digital strategies, he is always working on improving his skills.
MM16 - Scarlett James: Showgirl and Montreal Burlesque Festival Founder
Scarlett has been credited with making burlesque more mainstream in Canada. Besides growing her own personal brand, she also founded the annual Montreal Burlesque Festival. However, her success isn't limited to the Canadian market as she travels around the globe to perform her acts at theatres and corporate events.
MM15 - Andrew Neumann: I'll Have an Espresso with my Cut!
We are storytelling with Andrew Neumann, the owner/founder of an espresso barber shop. Yes you heard heard correctly, his primary business is to provide customer's with Montreal's best coffee experience, while providing a tailored haircut.
MM14 - Montreal Marketeers: 2017 Recap
On episode 14 of the Montreal Marketeers podcast, we recap 2017 and talk about future plans for 2018.
MM13 - Sabrina Prioletta: Brand Strategist at Siva Marketing
Sabrina is a fellow storyteller. She believes that entrepreneurs should show their true colours and align their branding accordingly. This allows consumers to identify with a brand and connect with it on a whole new level. In other words, a brand's story needs to become the soul of the business.
After working for large brands like Adidas and Molson, she decided to start her own business. Her original idea was to create an Italian ice cream shop but quickly realized that her true passion was and still remained Marketing. She founded the consulting firm Siva Marketing in 2012 and has been helping businesses with their branding ever since.
MM12 - Gabrielle Panaccio: Cocktail Fanatic at Bar Le Lab
Gabrielle is a true go-getter. She started in the restaurant business as a cook but developed a passion for cocktails while working in Australia. That experience changed her life and she set out to create one of the best cocktail bars in Canada.
Le Lab was founded by mixologist Fabien Maillard in 2008. He wanted to create a bar where his passion, vision, and creativity would become a reality. Gabrielle joined Le Lab 2 years into its inception and is now a part-owner. She begged Fabien to let her work for him with the promise that she would be the best employee he would ever have. He accepted and she has been fulfilling that promise ever since.
MM11 - Nicholas Melka : Beekeeper & Honey Connoisseur at MIEL MTL
Nick discovered raw honey when he was looking for a better way to treat his lyme disease. He needed to take about 60 pills a day and it was taking a toll on him. At one point it got so bad that the pills caused a tear in his stomach. He decided to start eating raw honey as an alternative treatment and his health improved within days!
Since then, he dedicates himself to giving back to the bees that helped him so much. He founded MIEL MTL to increase the number of bees in communities across Quebec and to create a superior raw honey that is packed with medicinal properties.
MM10 - Alaa Hassan: The Most Passionate eCommerce Expert
Alaa is the Director of Digital Marketing at Linen Chest, the founder of the eCommerce Training Academy, and an eCommerce advisor.
MM9 - Vivian Yen and James Anderson: Co-Founders at Ratloop Games Canada
Vivian and James are business partners as well as life partners. Vivian's passion for entrepreneurship mixed with James' passion for designing video games led to the creation of Ratloop Games Canada in 2017.
They received a government grant to create Vroom Kaboom: a duelling game where two adversaries face-off against each with cars. The goal is to defeat your opponent's arsenal and be the last player standing. For the gamers out there, think of it as a hybrid game between Rocket League, Twisted Metal, and Hearthstone.
MM8 – Craig Johnson and Jim Monopoli: Changing the Rules with Buzzfit
Craig and Jim have taken the Quebec gym industry by storm since opening the very first Buzzfit in 2011. Buzzfit separates itself from it's competitor by catering to the everyday person looking for a relaxed and affordable environment to workout in.
At $10.99 a month with no cancellation fees, the two founders created a business model that is sustained by a high volume of members. (about 5 times more than a typical gym)
They are able to reach and maintain such a high membership count by providing excellent value and top notch customer service. It's not surprising that they have been able to expand to 9 locations within 6 years.
MM7 – Isabelle Tremblay : Fondatrice et présidente de Forma
Isabelle travaille dans l’industrie du textile depuis plus de 25 ans. Elle a débuté sa carrière chez une des plus grandes compagnies au Québec, Gildan. Après plus de 20 ans au sein de Gildan, Isabelle était à la recherche de nouveaux défis.
Les opportunités emplois dans l’industrie du textile au Québec étaient rares. Déterminée de continuer sa carrière dans le secteur qui lui avait permis de s’épanouir, c’est lors d’une partie de golf qu’Isabelle a eu l’idée de fonder sa propre compagnie. Elle savait qu’elle possédait tout le talent, les connaissances et la persévérance pour devenir entrepreneure. Avec le soutien de son conjoint, Forma a vu le jour.