BUSINESS UNUSUAL
A documentary series.
Watch the full series
Business Unusual - Ep. 1 Apollo Cinema
Watching movies by herself in a 300-person cinema for over a year wasn’t Cara Watson's plan going into 2020. Find out how Apollo Cinema got creative and persevered.
Business Unusual - Ep. 2 Crafty Ramen
Miki and Jared of Crafty Ramen always wanted to share Japanese-inspired cuisine with their community. Little did they know the pandemic would help expand their reach and help their relationship grow even stronger.
Business Unusual - Ep. 3 Cyclone Spin Studio
Erika Siegner put everything on the line to start her dream business mere months before she would face her toughest battle.
Business Unusual - Ep. 4 LenJo Bakes
The long road to opening Lenore Johnson's shop, LenJo Bakes, by age 30 led straight into a global pandemic and left her stranded without government support.
Business Unusual - Ep. 5 TWB Brewing
Operating as a co-op with 8 owners, TWB Brewing leaned into this model in order to adapt to lockdown after lockdown.
Business Unusual - Ep. 6 Arabella Park Beer Bar
Before the pandemic, Arabella Park was a family-run beer bar known for its communal vibes and personality. But 2020 brought more challenges than just pivoting to takeout for owner Natalie Schnurr and her business partner and father Bobby.
Business Unusual - Ep. 7 Vincenzo's
Welcome to the world of COVID, cheese. Carmine and his staff at Vincenzo's, one of Waterloo’s most beloved family businesses, were some of the few that had to become frontline workers in order to keep serving their community.
Business Unusual - Ep. 8 Big Bliss
Jade put everything into her small business to grow it to nearly 350 members by February 2020. Being a yoga studio, lockdowns were very challenging for Big Bliss.
Business Unusual - Ep. 9 Red Academy of Soccer
In a year that threatened youth participation sports around the world, Red Academy of Soccer made player engagement their top priority in order to keep their players in the game.
Business Unusual - Ep. 10 Ellison's Bistro
As the owner and only employee, lockdown restrictions mean Elvis Ellison of Ellison’s Bistro has to rely on his community to get by. That’s what got him through previous lockdowns and it’ll be sure to happen again this time around.
Business Unusual - Ep. 11 Cafe Pyrus
The pandemic was all too real right out of the gate for Tyzun and Cafe Pyrus. But for a business where the community is everything, they found a way to reach a new level of service.
Business Unusual - Ep. 12 Cambridge Restaurant
As a classic style diner known for its breakfast and lunch, Cambridge Restaurant had a steeper challenge than most eateries that had to pivot to take out. But shortly after lockdown began, that challenge paled in comparison to what owner Josh and his family faced next.
Business Unusual - Ep. 13 Jane Bond
The beloved Jane Bond had to jump through more hurdles than just the lockdown. Legal troubles with their landlord loomed and caused unnecessary disruption which only added more stress to their business in an already difficult time.
Business Unusual - Ep. 14 The Whip Boxing Academy
Fighting for his business wasn't the type of fighting Fitz Vanderpool envisioned in his career. Nevertheless, it was a fight he was prepared to win.
Business Unusual - Ep. 15 La Lola Catering
What started as a catering company bringing authentic Spanish food to Cambridge, La Lola Catering had to quickly evolve in order to keep this family business afloat.
Business Unusual - Ep. 16 We Are All In This Together
This episode is a little bit different. It doesn’t feature a small business, but a couple in Waterloo that started a grassroots initiative to inject money into our local small businesses. What they were able to achieve is nothing short of incredible.
Business Unusual - Ep. 17 #DumpTheHate
The challenge of the pandemic for Jannell Lo began with her in-home restaurant, Monty's. But wider events in the world made her take action by doing what she loved in order to make a change and a difference.
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