Dear Reader,

If you didn’t see our very first business week featuring our sister city to the south ~Seattle, Washington~ this past September, head to our Instagram page and check out the rad businesses we featured in this part of the Pacific Northwest. Right now on our page, we are giving away a 2 night stay in the most precious tiny home on the most beautiful farmland: Shirewood Farms. Get your own eggs in the morning from their chickens, explore the surrounding forest, & get cozy listening to the rain on the roof of your lil’ home away from home. We loved getting off the grid and into the peace that surrounds this area ~ be sure to enter to win for your chance to experience this magic!

The welcoming of fall brings that familiar back-to-school vibe. There is this sense that you get another shot at a New Year’s resolution, a momentum to get out there and try new things, & a spark to get organized so that you can follow your passions.

During this season of inspired action, we were accepted into The Chamber’s New To Canada Program, which aims to empower and support immigrant owned businesses and entrepreneurs through two years of membership.

It was a great honour to be accepted into the program; as well as to have immigrant-owned businesses recognized as bringing a particular value to the economy and to the community. Immigrant-owned businesses and their stories that come with these great ventures are important and an important part of our cities multi-cultural and growing history. Stay tuned to read a blog post featuring some of our favourite immigrant owned businesses this fall!  

October is a rollar-coaster for me. I’m anxious thinking about the winter that is incoming as I slightly dread the cold… on the flip side I’m always excited about the holidays, & then I get grounded and think about how much I love the present: spooky season!

Plus, it’s still soup season!!!

Thanks for being here & thanks for being What’s Good.

With Local Love,
Sam + What’s Good Gals

~What’s Good Monthly Forecast //
O C T O B E R ~

October is a moody gal… & we’re here for it. October always seems to bring sobbing at reruns of Gilmore Girls, a gloriously spooky Halloween, a fall to never forget, & everything that comes in between (which yes, includes freshly baked chocolate chip cookies).

As much as we miss summer and market season, there is something necessary about needing to have a lil’ human hibernation and to stay cozy, warm + snuggled up inside. There is nothing like having your need to be wrapped like a burrito with a blanket fulfilled on a crisp fall night during dusk… or staying in a cocoon till noon.

October’s swirling leaves brings a mixture of spookiness with sweetness, kinda like a really good bitter sea salt dark chocolate caramel from Roger’s Chocolate. I’ve always had a major sweet tooth & it’s one of my favourite things to see all the local bakers in town like Darling Cake Co., Fairy Nice Baking, & Pammie’s Cakes playing with the fun mixture of spooky + sweet!

~ What’s Happening This Month ~

~ A Super Secret ~  

From Sam’s Brain

The struggles of immigration have been weighing on my mind heavily as I navigate the celebration of getting my Permanent Residency card and simultaneously, still waiting for many friends to join me… and of course, still recovering from the 9 year journey itself. If you are an immigrant-owned business or know one, I highly recommend looking into applying for the Chamber’ New to Canada Program. I deeply believe in the power of knowledge and hope that sharing this resource is one of many that we can send you to explore to make your lives easier… and know if you’re really in it right now, that you’ve got this—just keep going. We also recently connected with Shourav at Victoria Professional Business Consulting and highly recommend his support services for immigrant-owned businesses and start-up companies!

With Local Love,
Sam