Sudbury’s Bell Excellence Award winners survived during difficult times
Thursday evening, the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce hosted the 25th annual Bell Business Excellence Awards.
This year, the chamber received 146 nominations for its 10 award categories.
Among the winners was Black Labb, a clothing company that was founded by two Sudburians in 2020. It won the Business Start-Up award.
One of the co-owners, Linda Audette, said winning was a surreal feeling
“We’re still taking a little time to process it," Audette said.
"It’s really nice to get a tap on the back. It’s truly our customers that are designing for us, we’re just bringing all of the ideas to the table and making it happen.”
“I mean, you don’t actually go to an award ceremony thinking you’re going to win, and we were up against some amazing businesses,” added co-owner Becky Calabakas.
Audette owns The Plus Size Factor, where Black Labb clothing is sold. She had to close the doors on multiple occasions due to the pandemic, but she said it all led to where they are now.
“We were deemed non-essential, but continued with our curbside (sales), with our online store and also continued with our manufacturing," Audette said.
"There was a lack of shipping, a lack of goods available, even throughout Canada -- our Canadian manufacturers were suffering just like we were. So, we said, let’s do this and we went right into manufacturing and we (held) our first launch party in September 2020."
The Entrepreneur of the Year award went to Kyle Marcus, owner of The Alibi Room.
He said he couldn’t have won the award without his staff.
“It’s absolutely overwhelming,” said Marcus.
“It’s really hard to take credit for things, especially when you don’t really feel like you did them all on your own. I have an exceptional team that I honour every chance that I get."
Now that lockdowns seem to be a thing of the past, he is looking forward to a busy summer.
“We’re really excited for patio season," Marcus said.
"We have an even larger patio coming this year. You know, we really see that community aspect, COVID really showed people that we need each other, that we need to be together … Having my team back to work is an incredible blessing.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE B.C. seeks ban on using drugs in 'all public spaces,' shifting approach to decriminalization
The B.C. government is moving to have drug use banned in 'all public spaces,' marking a major shift in the province's approach to decriminalization.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.