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Talking Purpose: The Purpose and Profit Business Podcast
Welcome to Talking Purpose, the podcast. I'm your host, Katie Boothby-Kung, a sustainability expert who has worked with thousands of brands to help them find sustainable and profitable solutions for their company. Talking Purpose is a podcast for small and medium sized businesses looking to build sustainable brands that make an impact. But branding isn't just about some key messages and a flashy logo. Brand runs deep and if you are creating a sustainable business, these values should be ingrained in every part of your company. From operations, culture and hiring through to how you communicate and tell your story. In some of the teasers, you heard from from experts who join me to share their tips, tricks and hot takes on sustainable brand building so you can create a business that’s good for people, the planet and your profits too! Check it out!
Talking Purpose: The Purpose and Profit Business Podcast
Why This Indigenous Founder Left Amazon After 10 Years
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Welcome back to Talking Purpose!
What does it take to walk away from Amazon when your business is growing?
Vanessa Marshall, founder of Jack59, made that exact decision after 10 years—and she's never looked back.
Vanessa built Jack59 from a bad vacation experience with a shampoo bar into an indigenous-owned sustainable haircare brand now in 500+ stores across Canada. Along the way, she's helped eliminate over 1 million plastic bottles from entering the environment.
This conversation is about values, innovation, and finding your voice as a founder.
What we cover:
Zero packaging origins – How Jack59 launched with literally no packaging at all
The Amazon exit – Why Vanessa decided to leave Amazon despite the revenue
Seven Grandfather teachings – How Anishinaabe values guide business decisions (Honesty, Bravery, Humility, Wisdom, Truth, Respect, Love)
Compostable innovation – Engineering fully compostable resin containers from a dream
1 million bottles eliminated – The tangible impact of concentrated haircare products
Finding your voice – Why it took 10 years as CEO to fully trust herself
Internal culture – Living wages, flexible hours, health benefits for all staff
The easy change – Why shampoo bars are the simplest switch for sustainability
Collaboration over competition – Sharing warehouse space and resources with other brands
Learning from failure – Expensive agency mistakes and what they taught
Key takeaway: "If I was just simply chasing the money, we would be a lot bigger and making a lot more money. We're doing fine—we're not suffering. But those values aren't easy to stick to."
About Vanessa Marshall: Vanessa is the founder of Jack59, an indigenous-owned sustainable haircare brand based in Edmonton, Alberta. With a chemistry background and deep connection to environmental values, Vanessa created shampoo and conditioner bars that work beautifully while eliminating plastic waste. Jack59 is rooted in the Seven Grandfather teachings and available in 500+ stores across Canada.
Seven Grandfather Teachings (Anishinaabe): Honesty, Bravery, Humility, Wisdom, Truth, Respect, Love
Connect with Vanessa:
Website: jack59.com
Instagram: @jack59inc
TikTok: @jack59inc
Store Locator: jack59.com
Ready to build a for-purpose business?
Visit www.talkingpurpose.ca for resources and free guides.
Learn more about starting and scaling a for-purpose business at www.talkingpurpose.ca
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