VirtualZone, a virtual reality arcade located in the old Bank of Montreal building on Provost Street, opened its doors in January. The business is owned by tech enthusiasts Courtney Fanning and Nick Clark, who bought the former VirtualZone in Stellarton and upgraded it with the latest tech advancements. The arcade offers over 500 virtual experiences, including reminiscence therapy for seniors with dementia, educational experiences for students, sports training packages, and corporate training sessions. It features private gaming cubicles as well as one of the largest free-play spaces in the region, which can be used for escape rooms and other group activities. The arcade is open seven days a week, with flexible hourly rates and 15-minute blocks for those with limited time.

www.virtualzone.ca

New Brooklyn Media is a full-service production company offering video, photo and design services based in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Every client is unique and every bit of content should reflect that. We work closely with our clients to produce content that is authentic, beautiful and impactful.

www.newbrooklynmedia.com

BRAEVR is a Virtual Reality video production company. We create fully immersive storytelling experiences in the 360°, 180° Stereoscopic and Virtual Reality space. Our specialty is our creativity, craftsmanship and ability to bring engaging storytelling experiences to life. Our clients range from the federal government, tourism boards and industry sector development but the sky’s the limit for this technology. The future of storytelling lies in the virtual reality space and we are here to help connect brands to this incredible ever emerging technology.

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Green Oil Solutions is a leader in eco-filtration in Canada, developing state-of-the-art solutions to solve environmental problems in our waters. Their bilge filtration systems remove oil and other contaminants from bilge water before it is discharged overboard. They also use innovative technologies to clean stored diesel fuel, furnace oils and lubricating oils that would normally be disposed of.

www.greenoilsolutions.ca

The Meadows Retreat & Creative Space welcomes all travelers, creatives and artists wishing to explore the northern shore of Nova Scotia – whether this ocean playground is their home, or if they come from away.

The future of The Meadows not only includes this beautiful three-bedroom farmhouse, but also an artist studio for residencies and retreats and small cabins to allow for groups to stay on this 25+ acre property.

https://www.facebook.com/themeadowsretreat 

Bruff and Associates works closely with clients to help them see where they can enhance their contribution to their family and organizational goals. They guide clients on how to be effective communicators and create positive relationships in life and business.

Personal Coaching

Communicating with family and friends while dealing with your own emotions can be challenging at the best of times. When we encounter loss or change, the situation can create tension for everyone. Bruff and Associates have coaches that offer a wide variety of workshops that dive into how we have learned to communicate and how we might be able to improve our relationships with a few new tools.

Professional Coaching

Recognizing the importance of EQ (Emotional Intelligence) in your leadership style and developing active listening skills are valuable when managing change. We offer a wide variety of training from licencing to communication, as well as, sales and servicing skills training.

https://www.bruffandassociates.com/

Next Level Skin Care was established in February 2023 by Melissa MacIntosh. Melissa’s initial inspiration to create a skin care cream began when she was preparing to become a certified manual lymphatic drainage therapist in August 2022. This training allows her to work with and help individuals with chronic swelling, lymphedema. Knowing that this condition compromises the integrity of the skin, and puts those individuals at higher risks of infection, Melissa wanted to create something natural that her clients could use. Their product is great for all skin types including those with eczema and acne prone skin. Next Level Skin Care is made with all natural ingredients to help you have peace of mind knowing you have a quality product for your skin. 

Student Entrepreneur

Elwood Pens is a  handcrafted wooden  pen and pencil  manufacturer based out of northern Nova Scotia.

The business began as a school project making handmade wooden pens and mechanical pencils in September of 2014, and after many different names was registered as an official small business as ‘Elwood Pens’ on June 6th of 2016. Elwood Pens will be incorporating over the summer of 2023.

The business will be beginning production in May of 2023, after stopping operations for approximately 3 years. The first batch of pens will be available to the public on October 1st, 2023.

The company has made pens from over 40 different types of wood from around the world as well as a number of different styles of pens/pencils. Wood from as far away from as Ukraine, and Brazil. But also, local hardwoods from Nova Scotia such as Birdseye Maple.

The name ‘Elwood’ comes from Elwood Mackay, the paternal grandfather of Dylan Thompson-MacKay. Who is the founder of Elwood Pens.

The brand Elwood is all about inspiring people to Write Their Own Story.

Elwood Pens is built around the 3 values of: Quality, Authenticity, and Sustainability.

Elwood Pens is committed to providing the highest quality handmade wooden pens and mechanical pens possible, and to be a business leader in Atlantic Canada.

www.facebook.com/ElwoodPens

Student Entrepreneur

Camilla Thompson is an author and educator who is passionate about increasing the peace and positivity in our post pandemic world. She is developing a new business, , which promotes mental health and pro social skill development through children’s literature, educational resources and engaging workshops for youth and families.

Camilla has introduced individuals of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to tier two mental health practices like Meditation and Mindfulness, Gratitude, Kindness to Self and Others, Mindful Eating and Movement, and Creative Self Expression. She was the cofounder and Director of Programming for The Dream Candy Organization, and the a Director of Student Support for Bridgeway Academy. She has worked as a Social Skills and Social Emotional Learning instructor.

Student Entrepreneur

Sam Thompson, the 20-year-old entrepreneur behind the business, has been creating and selling unique products since he was just 12 years old. It all began with Christmas tree ornaments made from pumpkin seeds, which quickly sold out at local markets. Encouraged by the market manager, Sam began experimenting with different products and eventually settled on creating birdhouses from wood salvaged from a barn. As his business grew, Sam continued to experiment with new products and eventually found success with his surprise soap – a bar of soap with a toy hidden inside, including popular characters like Lego. In addition to his soap business, Sam recently launched Melmerby Adventures, renting paddle boards, kayaks, and a pedal boat from his grandmother’s property on the inner bay at Melmerby Provincial Park. We look forward to supporting Sam as he continues to grow his businesses.