THE CREW
Get to know the team
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I founded What’s Good YYJ in November of 2020 in order to help me get back to my roots & loves ~ exploring local, indulging my curiosity in different industries & lifestyles. and getting behind my camera more often to try to capture it all. Since our amazing lil’ team has grown, I have had the pleasure of getting to spend more time doing photography, content creation, & consulting for small businesses. I adore problem solving and love finding creative alternatives, as well as am constantly inspired by how so many entrepreneurs have forged a solution for us as well. I have loved every minute of getting to explore the brilliant brains, superb stories, and incredible ideas of the humans behind these businesses… that just is What’s Good!
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Forest Green & Light Pink
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- I moved to the island by myself in 2015 from America, just barely 18 years old
- I have an English Bulldog who was born in Victoria & also loves and supports local
- Growing up, I always went to a coffee shop near my house & Fern Bakery Cafe makes an oat chai latte that tastes like home to me (thanks folkx)
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black & white photography
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It helps me express myself & problem solve, two things I find I desperately need to do to feel ease. Photography has always allowed me to show what my little eyes see to others in a way I feel they can best understand. I’ve always loved to write and so enjoy looking up definitions and etymologies so I can finagle exactly what I want to say... photography just feels like an effortless version of that process somehow. I’ve always loved the challenge of trying to capture something in a certain ~light~ too; as though to bring forward a thought or feeling from the viewer, or perhaps to teach them something or to learn something from their reaction. Black & white photography let’s me play with the light in a way that can totally change what you focus on in a that captured moment, and I love that idea.
Sam R.
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I bring my background of business & marketing to create content that helps small businesses grow! I love experiencing new local finds and learning what makes them special & unique.
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Light Sage Green
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- I am currently obsessed with Annex Fitness and their spin classes! Exercising in the dark is amazing, plus they have really nice smelling towels. (T*hey also have 1 spin class a week for $5 & the proceeds are given to local charities*)*!*
- I was born & raised right here in Victoria!
- My Favourite Victoria brunch is the Herb Hudson at Floyd’s.
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Interior design
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I create for self expression, but I started primarily to alleviate stress. I started painting in school, but I now dabble in many different medias… My favourite being interior design. I love adding new pieces to transform a space, adore working with dimension, & strive to create unique, personal vibes. However, my downfall is not having enough space to display everything, so I rotate décor items up whenever I want to shake things up a bit!
Jenn
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I bring over a decade of experience of graphic design to the What’s Good YYJ team & have had the pleasure of building their branding out. I am so passionate about helping small businesses create branding that identifies with their core purpose and their personality. I also help do features and have loved getting to explore, support, and get inspired by so many creative businesses, individuals and industries.
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Terracotta
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- Self-care with Sasha at Nurture & Flo (IYKYK)
- Iluka is my favourite coffee spot when I want to escape the rainy day blues
- Favourite thing about living on the island is being a short drive away from a body of water I can paddle board on!
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A meal to share with the people I love.
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I create for myself to encourage flow in all areas of my life. When I can walk away from what I make or create knowing it’s complete, it’s the best feeling. I create for others to bring to life a vision they have stuck in their head but can’t put into words or pictures. Supporting clients making their “brand” feel real and that it has a place in the world is my souls purpose.
Donna
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I started with What’s Good YYJ when I started working with Sam to bring to life the ~Colour the Coast~ colouring book project. As an artist myself, I find myself constantly intrigued by the local art scenes, and I feel so much love and connection to the art scene here in Victoria! My interest with the ~Colour the Coast~ project began with the idea of being able to highlight local artists and encourage community building amongst the artists here in Victoria. Since starting this project with Sam in the summer of 2021, I have grown to have a huge appreciation for the local business scene at large… due to its highly creative and innovative nature. I love being able to help pick out and bring to light the creativity and art that is so abundant in local businesses through my work with What’s Good YYJ.
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Orange
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- personally believe the BEST tattoo artists are here in Victoria, and I worry that I will run out of skin and won’t be able to get a tattoo from all the artists I want to see!
- I have an unusual fear that when I re-pot my house plants, I’ll somehow do it wrong and they’ll die. So, I take them to VI plant shop to get them re-potted (it’s actually VERY affordable).
- I moved to Victoria in fall of 2015 for school, and I 100% see my future being here on the island, always.
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I LOVE making very creative and artistic personalized cards for the people I love!
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A big part of why I create is to communicate a message. When I create art, I might be trying to communicate something political, communicate my feelings, or communicate to someone that I care about them! As I’ve started to create more in a way that isn’t necessarily my own art ~ such as putting together the local colouring book, or creating a local event or display ~ I still find that I am creating in a way that sends a powerful message. Creating is something I’ve always done in some shape or form, and even if I don’t know ~quite~ what I’m trying to communicate, creating is something I feel that I have to do, and is an integral part of who I am.
Kat
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I started at What’s Good YYJ in March 2021. During the pandemic, I started seeing what Sam was doing and asked if there was anything I could do to help support local businesses. While living in Whistler, I organized the Sea to Sky week, featuring businesses across Squamish, Whistler, and Pemberton. Connecting with local businesses fueled my passion for photography and slowly transitioned to becoming a marketing and social media consultant for What’s Good YYJ. I adore building relationships with businesses, getting creative, and watching them grow!
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Sea Moss
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- I grew up on Vancouver Island, but I’m originally from France
- My favourite activity is discovering hidden coffee shops around Vancouver Island
- When my brother and I were little, on the last day of each school year, my mom would bring us to Mattick’s farm for a mini golf game & an ice cream at Adrienne’s coffee shop
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Portrait and lifestyle photography
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I’ve always had creative side. When I was a toddler, I would go through many pieces of paper a day and experimenting with paint, crayons, and other mediums. As I grew up, this creative side morphed into a love for photography. I bought my first camera at 14, and switched to DSLR in 2018. During lockdown, photography was an outlet. I lived in Whistler and would explore the mountains with my camera by my side. It’s one of the only times where I feel in a flow state, and completely mindful. Pairing photography with supporting local businesses is the perfect combination of purpose and passion. I can’t wait to see what I will capture next!
