"Real prosperity is about creating a new economic system that is driven by different ideals, not simply greening our existing economy. Real prosperity is an economic system that regenerates the environment, builds social capital, and enhancing the arts and culture. Real prosperity values beauty, happiness, respect and the human experience."
Toby infused his own values of giving and recognition into his company, Eclipse Awards, which he founded in 1998. He will be talking about his experience as an entrepreneur and about branding and marketing for values-based businesses in general.
Details
Come join us at Groundswell to hear and chat with Toby Barazzuol: Tuesday, March 17th, at 5:15 PM, at the Groundswell Café, 566 Powell St.
Bio
Toby was born and raised in the rainforests of Vancouver, BC. He is Board Chair & President of BALLE - bealocalist.org, (where this bio is sourced). Toby also serves as the Chair of the Strathcona BIA, which includes Groundswell. Toby believes that understanding sustainability is the single greatest investment that a business can make towards its future success and he volunteers 20 percent of his time to building a resilient community in one of Canada’s most challenging neighborhoods. Toby is fascinated by the intersection of business, the arts, and the environment, and is inspired by the idea of communities and ecosystems.
Impact
Created the Strathcona BIA Resource Park to build a place for local businesses to address waste reduction and organics recycling.
- Hosted Canada's first small business sustainability expo, Sustainability 1.0, an event that galvanized the Strathcona community around sustainability and provided a collective vision for the neighborhood.
- Subsequently hosted Sustainability 2.0 and 3.0, further building collaboration and sustainability in the Strathcona community.
- Through the work with Strathcona BIA and Building Opportunities through Business, Toby built support for SOLE Food Street Farms, an urban farm project in the Strathcona Green Zone that provides opportunities to learn to grow local, organic food.
Awards
- Faces of Change Award from the North American Association of Asian Professionals
- British Columbia’s Top 40 Business People Under 40, 2004
- British Columbia’s Best Employer, 2012
- Best Green Business in British Columbia, 2014