Highlights from the Growth Sector

IDG is excited to introduce Barbie Bent, Co-Founder and CEO of Jaybird Studios, as one of the standout participants in the 2024 Canaccord Genuity Advisory Program for Women Entrepreneurs.

The Canaccord Genuity Advisory Program for Women Entrepreneurs is designed to empower women to take their businesses to the next level. Participants are paired with executive mentors who offer industry-specific insights and entrepreneurial guidance, helping them achieve their goals. Alongside this mentorship, a dedicated team of Canaccord Genuity professionals provides strategic advisory support, assisting in setting objectives and creating actionable plans for success. The program also includes professional networking opportunities and workshops, such as participation in the prestigious CG Global Growth Conference, where participants can refine their pitch and connect with investors. As David Kassie, Chairman of Canaccord Genuity Group Inc., states, “The Canaccord Genuity Advisory Program for Women Entrepreneurs offers a solid combination of strategic advice, networking, and mentorship. We achieve this by integrating the talents of our Canaccord Genuity people, who are excellent at working with emerging businesses, and our external advisors who offer a wealth of experience as successful world-class entrepreneurs.”

Barbie Bent, a dynamic leader in the health and wellness industry, is one of the exceptional entrepreneurs taking part this year. As the visionary behind Jaybird Studios, Barbie has redefined how people experience fitness and mindfulness, creating a unique, sensory-driven movement studio with locations in Toronto and Vancouver.

Prior to founding Jaybird, Barbie launched Lagree West, a successful high-intensity Pilates brand with six locations in British Columbia. She is also an active investor in early-stage health and wellness ventures, such as Othership, 101 Cider House/Pulp Culture, and Vine Ventures—a venture fund focused on innovative health solutions through psychedelics and longevity research. Read below for her dynamic interview, where she shares insights on her journey, the challenges she’s faced, and her vision for the future.

Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about Jaybird Studios and your journey with mindful movement?

Hi, I’m Barbie Bent, Co-Founder and CEO of Jaybird Studios. Jaybird is a mindful movement studio designed to “get you out of your head and into your body.” With four locations across Toronto and Vancouver, Jaybird is more than a workout—it’s a sensory experience. From infrared heat to immersive soundscapes, every detail is designed to guide our guests inward, helping them shed the noise of the outside world and connect deeply with how they feel.

I’m also the CEO and founder of Lagree West, a high-intensity Pilates brand with six locations in BC. Movement is where I feel most alive, whether it’s mindful and meditative or powerful and intense.

What is the mission behind Jaybird Studios, and how do you foster mindfulness in your classes?

In a world with infinite distraction, our mission is to rekindle the essence of mindfulness and guide our community toward enduring mental and emotional well-being.

Our Pilates and yoga-inspired classes are held in a dark, candle-lit space with no mirrors, encouraging participants to release comparison and instead tune into how they feel. At Jaybird, movement becomes a form of meditation. Infrared heat and immersive music create a sensory-rich environment, aiding attendees in connecting with the present moment.

Jaybird was born at the intersection of mindfulness and fitness. Both my Co-Founder, Ariel Swan, and I were driven to make mindfulness practices more accessible and fitness more impactful. We wanted to create a workout that connected with people on a deeper level, beyond just physical movement. Our aim is to inspire personal growth through movement and to create a gateway that encourages people to explore mindfulness. The idea was to blend the mental and emotional benefits of mindfulness with the physical intensity of fitness, giving people a space to grow holistically.

As a brick-and-mortar service business, scaling Jaybird has unique challenges at every stage. Our most acute challenge was navigating the pandemic, as it forced us to rethink how to continue delivering our services to our community and take care of our team without being able to operate in our physical space. Currently, our focus is on creating systems and processes that allow us to expand into new markets while consistently delivering the high-quality experience that our customers deserve. It’s one thing to deliver an amazing experience once or twice, but doing so hundreds of thousands of times is the real challenge we are working to solve as we grow.

Our next stage of growth involves expanding Jaybird’s footprint into the U.S., and we are currently exploring which city will be the best fit for our first location. Our goal is to share the benefits of Jaybird with as many people as possible, maintaining the integrity and mindfulness that define our brand as we grow. We also aim to continue innovating within the fitness space, ensuring our community has access to resources that support not only their physical health but their mental and emotional well-being as well.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs who are just starting their journey in the wellness and fitness industry?

Trust in your vision and stay grounded in your purpose. Building a business is full of challenges, but if you’re clear on your values and mission, you’ll have the resilience to navigate those difficulties. It’s also important to build a strong support system, both personally and professionally. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and remember that you don’t have to do it all alone. Finally, be patient with yourself—there’s no single path to success, and mistakes are part of the journey. Learn from them and keep moving forward.