Karen Zuccala

lululemon will proudly outfit Team Canada at the Paris 2024 Olympics as their official apparel sponsor. This partnership marks a significant milestone for the brand, showcasing its commitment to athletic excellence and national pride. lululemon’s contract, which started in 2021, covers Beijing 2022, Paris 2024, Milan 2026, and Los Angeles 2028. 10% of Olympic gear sales goes to funding the development of Canadian Olympians. Prior to lululemon, Hudson's Bay was the official apparel sponsor for Team Canada. HBC took over from Roots, starting with Torino 2006. Financial terms of lululemon’s deal were not disclosed, but based on other Olympic apparel contracts, I approximate the deal is between the $40 million to $50 million CAD range.  lululemon’s investment reflects a strategic move to enhance brand visibility on a global stage. The opening and closing ceremonies offer unparalleled exposure to millions of viewers worldwide. Apparel sponsorships are a key aspect of the Olympic experience, providing brands with global visibility. Nike is the official sponsor for Team USA, ensuring that American athletes showcase Nike’s latest innovations. Nike gets immense international exposure, especially through their basketball teams. Team Great Britain is sponsored by adidas. This partnership highlights Adidas' commitment to high-performance sportswear, reflecting the brand's deep-rooted history in supporting athletes. For Team France, Le Coq Sportif serves as the official apparel sponsor. This collaboration emphasizes French craftsmanship and style, promoting national pride through elegantly designed athletic wear. The visibility gained from sponsoring Olympic teams extends beyond the Games themselves. Brands enjoy heightened media coverage, increased consumer interest, and a lasting association with athletic excellence. For lululemon, sponsoring Team Canada aligns with their mission to inspire and elevate the human spirit through their products. The global platform provided by the Olympics amplifies this message, reaching a diverse and expansive audience. As the Paris 2024 Olympics approach, all eyes will be on the athletes and their performances. Equally significant will be the brands like lululemon that support them, enhancing their visibility and solidifying their place in the world of sports. #SportsBusiness #SportsBiz #LinkedInSports #Paris2024 #Olympics

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The average Canadian man is 5'10, over 15% of American men are over 6 ft. So why is it such a struggle for them to find clothing that fits well? Whether it is shirt and jacket sleeves that are long enough, pant hems that don't make them look like they borrowed a pair or shoes for size 12 feet and over. If you are saying to yourself "Yes, these are fashion challenges that grind my gears!", then click the link below. We have rounded up the top brands that you need to know and shop so you can focus on more important things like building your career and not what you are wearing to your next meeting. Bookmark the list for later and make this annoyance non existent. And if you have a tall friend, send it to them too. https://lnkd.in/gJqFuBjj

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Check out this great podcast by our co founder David Moskowitz and how wellness businesses are reshaping the downtown Toronto landscape.

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Toronto-based founder and designer, Elle AyoubZadeh, launched her company, Zvelle with women’s footwear in 2016. That same year, Zvelle made a custom hot pink shoe for Sophie Gregoire Trudeau’s most high profile function, visiting the Obamas at the White House after Justin Trudeau was elected. It put Zvelle on the international map. Celebrities like Bella Hadid, Heidi Klum and Sharon Stone went on to wear Zvelle shoes. Despite finding early success, last month Zvelle discontinued its women’s line and is now a men’s only footwear brand. As Elle told Yahoo Finance, “I never intended to make men’s shoes. I made a few pairs of sneakers and made a short list of leading men I wanted to see them on. Every single one wore them and loved them.” In less than a year since launching its men’s line, Zvelle has quickly built an impressive celebrity following that includes Dwyane Wade, Kieren Culkin, Pablo Schrieber, Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown, Chase Stokes and the demands keep coming from celebrities and stylists. At the 2019 Yara Leadership Conference, Elle talked about her inspiring entrepreneurial journey. She was born in Iran, grew up in Dubai, studied in Australia, and lived in New Zealand, before ultimately settling in Toronto to pursue her passion. Pivoting is nothing new for this global citizen. A decade ago, Elle left the world of finance and took a leap of faith to become a shoe designer and luxury retail entrepre­neur for women. Now she is pivoting again. As Elle noted “there is nothing more exhilarating for a designer than creating during a time of change. That’s right now for men.” 📷 Zvelle #entrepreneurship

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This month, I have the lovely Kim Olowa as my #𝙛𝙚𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 feature for April, Founder and Owner of @beautyedit.yyc. Beauty Edit is a local medical aesthetics clinic that focuses in on creating restorative connection by way of effective, skincare treatments. Kim is focused on shifting the perception of Medical Aesthetics from intimidating to approachable, operating under the belief that self-care is not synonymous with vanity. I love her refreshing take on the industry! At the end of the day, Kim feels proud when she and her team are able to make people feel seen. 🖤 In chatting with her, Kim told me her biggest lesson learned in business, as well as the best piece of financial advice she received and her favourite local businesses. You will have to sign up for my newsletter on my website to get all of this info - link below! 1. What is the biggest lesson you learned in your first year of business? The first year was full of so many lessons, but the biggest lesson that I took away from my first year was to always come back to my why. To remember why I started Beauty Edit and to come back to my ethos and my core values. When I made decisions out of fear, panic, or scarcity, they were never the right decisions. When I stepped back and made decisions from a place of authenticity and intention, the results were infinitely better. https://lnkd.in/gXVYTtn #investinfutureyou #womenofwellington #wealthmanagement #wealthwithjulie #seniorinvestmentadvisor #wealthbuilding ⁠#wealthadvisor #riskmanagement #personalfinance ⁠#womensentrepreneurship #femmesandfinance #femaleentrepreneur

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Thank you to Josie Wise for interviewing me (and Unbreakable Female Athlete😉) What an incredible article surrounding the rise of women’s sports and how businesses like UFA are helping bring more attention to female athletes! #UnbreakableFemaleAthlete #SmallBusiness #WomenSportsMedia #WomenSports

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🚀 Navigating Leadership Transitions at adidas Canada: Insights from former Presidents of Adidas Canada - Alim A. Dhanji and Michael Rossi. 🎙️ Gain invaluable lessons on succession planning and organizational change from industry leaders Alim Dhanji and Michael Rossi, who navigated a seamless leadership transition at Adidas Canada. 🔍 Key Takeaways: According to the Harvard Business Review, efficient succession planning can boost company valuations and investor returns by 20-25%. Today, we launched an exclusive interview, unveiling Alim and Michael's journey, sharing their strategies for successful transitions. 🗣️ Michael Rossi's Perspective: After 15 years with Adidas and five years as President of Adidas Canada, Michael decided to pursue new opportunities. As the company was concluding a five-year strategic plan, it was the perfect moment to introduce new leadership. 💡 Alim Dhanji's Insight: Alim, who succeeded Michael in 2021, emphasized leadership capabilities, engagement, culture, and technical competencies. "Regardless of the role, key qualities around leadership, engagement, and culture are essential," he notes. Transitioning during the pandemic required heightened empathy, relationship-building, and vulnerability. 🔍 Transparency and Co-Governance: Michael underscores the importance of transparency. "We were really transparent about what was going on," he explains. 🌐 Virtual Transition Challenges: Leading and connecting with the team virtually was challenging for Alim. "Doing that virtually was difficult," he admits. However, their low-ego approach and mutual support made the process smoother. 🔑 Lessons for Other Organizations: The leadership transition at Adidas Canada exemplifies the importance of strategic planning, transparency, and servant leadership. #Leadership #Succession #Adidas ♻️ Repost this for your network if you found these insights valuable. 🔗 Listen to this episode now on the CPO PLAYBOOK podcast: https://lnkd.in/ggU2SuDz

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Always enjoy seeing Ron Bremner show up in my feed, and I enjoyed listening to his take on Leadership in the Post-Pandemic Era. Ron's trademark humor and humility show through in the interview. What struck me as I listened was that these conversations often get framed in the "What do we need to do differently?" perspective, while in reality, much of what leaders need to do is very much the same. All that's changed for much of it is the medium. ✅ Employees want to feel connected to purpose, and to each other. ✅ They need recognition and feedback on their work to feel valued. ✅ They expect opportunities to learn and grow. None of those are all that hard to provide in a hybrid world. In fact, technology makes much of it easier and more flexible to both give & receive... 📣 Voice notes allow for a personal touch in saying 'job well done' 📽 Video technology allows for leaders to share messages & content easily when you can't make the meeting in person 📚 Online training tools are better and more available than ever ☕ Coffee still exists (thank god!) and leaders can make time for either in-person or virtual chats to stay connected. As Ron points out, leaders may not have the benefit of the spontaneous chat at the coffee station everyday, and may need to put effort into teeing up a 15-minute chat on Zoom now. But the building blocks of leadership remain timeless: ❤️ Genuine care and communication with your team 🤝 Consistent connection, regardless of the medium 🎯 Clarity of "why" the company/brand/people do the work you do 👀 Visibility and presence, in good times & bad 🌱 Commitment to helping your people grow. The more things change, the more many stay the same. #leadership #growth #development #fulfillment #purpose

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This page has turned into something new. All about helping unleash the potential of Toronto to drive positive change and become the Challenger City it should really be. A bit like a Challenger Brand doesn’t seek to become a market leader by emulating the strategies of the market incumbent and instead differentiates themselves through being something more unique, innovative and creative. A Challenger City is one that doesn’t look to what other cities do and try to replicate that approach back home. Toronto is currently at a low ebb. According to the current mayor, the coffers are empty. Existing infrastructure projects are endlessly delayed and over budget. Congestion snarls the streets while transit infrastructure is no longer fit for purpose. School buildings stifled learning in recent heatwaves. House prices prevent many from making the city home, while NIMBYs block much needed new development. Toronto should be a truly global city. It's big, brings people in from all over the world, celebrates diversity and is the biggest single urban driver of economic prosperity for all Canadians. "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." This series is all about changing the thinking so we can make Toronto challenge itself and challenge the global competition. https://lnkd.in/gq5FT5tb

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Excited to share that I'll be a panelist at "Digital Marketing and the Fatigued Consumer" during Vancouver Startup Week! 🎉 Join us on June 5th at 5 PM for some insightful conversation, drinks, and snacks. Can't wait to see you there! #vsw #vsw2024 #networking #digitalmarketing #leadgeneration #ecommerce #growthmarketing #marketingstrategy #consumerinsights #branding #event #marketingevent #digitalstrategy

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17 Million Canadians Can't Be Wrong It wasn't needed, but we finally have the compelling argument for supporting professional women's sports that challenges businesses to rethink traditional marketing strategies and emphasizes the potential influence of 17 million Canadian fans of women's sports, advocating for a shift from saying "NO" to "YES" in sports sponsorships. It is Time to shun outdated business practices that ignore the significant and growing audience for women's sports. It is Time to urge companies to adopt a progressive sponsorship model that values long-term partnerships and integrates women's sports across all business operations. The business rationale is supported by data from the report It's Time: Unlocking the Power of Pro Women's Sports Fans, which highlights the large, untapped market. It is Time for a call to action for brand champions to listen to their consumers and seize the opportunity to be part of a transformative movement in sports marketing. #blog Canadian Women & Sport | Femmes et sport au Canada Canadian Tire Corporation IMI International Allison Sandmeyer-Graves Laura Janes Stacey Allaster C.C. Jayna Hefford

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My latest article for ADRENALIN Magazine takes a look at Volleyball Canada 's successful (and very fun!) merchandise strategy. Thanks to Courtney Killion for sharing insights. https://lnkd.in/gCi38DAF #merchandising #sportbiz #sportsbiz #volleyballcanada #volleyball #brandedmerch #merchandizingstrategy

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🔥💪 Dive into the future of fitness with Chris Smith, the president and CEO of Fitness World Canada! In this video Q&A for Club Solutions Magazine, Chris breaks down the biggest trends and opportunities shaping the fitness industry. 🏋️‍♂️ From strength training’s rise in popularity, especially among women, to the strategic rethinking in gym layouts and equipment — find out how the industry is evolving to meet consumer strength goals. 🧐 Skeptical about GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic? Chris discusses the crucial need for a balanced approach to health and warns about the side effects linked with these treatments. 👟🤸‍♂️ Think personal training is fading? Discover why it’s thriving at Fitness World and how it’s a vital part of their gym culture. 🔄🧘‍♀️ Chris also delves into the growing importance of recovery in fitness routines, revealing how investments in recovery technologies are transforming member experiences and extending membership tenures. 📺✨ Watch the full interview below. #FitnessWorld #ChrisSmith #FitnessTrends #StrengthTraining #HealthAndWellness #Recovery #PersonalTraining #GymCulture #InnovationInFitness

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CANADIAN APPAREL MARKET OUTPERFORMS OVERALL RETAIL WITH STRONG SALES IN WOMEN'S AND LUXURY SEGMENTS: TRENDEX REPORT A new report by Trendex North America, a marketing research and consulting firm, said Canadian apparel retail sales growth slowed in 2023, but certainly exceeded the reported 2.2 per cent in total retail sales last year. The report said the specific growth rate cannot be determined as Statistics Canada changed during 2023 its methodology for reporting apparel sales. But what can be determined by Statistics Canada’s new data set are: Apparel sales totaled C$37.6 billion in 2023; Sales in apparel specialty stores increased a strong 6.8 per cent; and Women’s apparel sales increased at a faster rate than men’s sales. Full story: https://lnkd.in/gJKHhijQ #business #news #retail #apparel #fashion #clothing #retailers

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🚀 Let's talk lululemon ! 💬 What's your take on CEO Calvin McDonald's insights into the brand's growth challenges and opportunities? Share your thoughts in the comments! #Lululemon #CEOInsights #EngageWithUs

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Architects of Advocacy, a Destinations International podcast, is one of my top three favorite industry podcasts. In the latest podcast episode, Andreas Weissenborn interviews Michael Crockatt of Ottawa Tourism and Cassandra McAuley of MMGY NextFactor about the latest ground-breaking research study - Destination Promotion: A Catalyst for Community Vitality. Five Key Takeaways: 1. Destination promotion drives economic development: Highlighting the integral role of promoting destinations in fostering economic growth and vitality. 2. Education is key: Continuous education efforts are crucial to emphasize the significance of the tourism industry and its impact on local communities. 3. Investing in destination development: Ottawa Tourism's destination development fund illustrates the importance of investing in new attractions and experiences to enhance the visitor economy. 4. Unified branding is essential: Stakeholder engagement and alignment on a unified brand strategy are critical for leveraging the destination's identity for economic development. 5. Embracing a Halo Effect strategy: Acknowledging the interconnectedness of various factors such as economic development, workforce diversity, and visitor economy, and leveraging them to uplift the overall quality of place and life for residents. Relic Advertising Applegarth Strategies https://lnkd.in/gaiBw6yM

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Katherine’s drive to create more resilient and sustainable materials, with the aim of revolutionizing the apparel industry, has led her to build one of Canada’s most impactful tech companies. In a recent interview with BetaKit’s Siri Agrell, Endeavor Entrepreneur Katherine Homuth explains her commitment to build a company in response to an obsession with solving an unmet need. “I started to become extremely jaded that so many people I was chatting with seemed to be doing what I call ‘technology for technology’s sake…Tell me the problem you’re actually trying to solve.” While many founders aim to build businesses based on prevailing tech trends or as derivatives of products and services that already exist, Katherine’s success with SRTX is proof of the value of focusing on the problem and building what needs to be built to solve it. Check out the full article here: https://bit.ly/3YgU0Yv

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