Small Business Month has kicked off with a bang for a St. Thomas woman.
Catharine Janssen and BRACAShirts are one of five Canada Post 2023 Tales of Triumph winners.
The program celebrates small business stories and accomplishments across the country.
The apparel is high-quality and fashionable shirts and hospital gowns to help surgical patients manage their post-surgical drains, explains Janssen.
Janssen will receive a $100,000 marketing and promotion package from Canada Post for her win in the Employee’s Choice category.
This past spring, Janssen was announced as a finalist in this year’s awards for her BRACAShirts.
She is also a certified holistic cancer coach and tells myFM her plans for the $100,000 promotion and marketing grand prize.
Janssen explains her mantra is “Educate to Advocate” and “Knowledge is Power.”
In August, Janssen was spotlighted as one of five St. Thomas and area individuals in the 94.1 myFM Hooray for Coaches feature. You can read that story here.
Created in 2020 to help support small businesses, the Tales of Triumph contest is open to Canadian companies with less than $5 million in annual gross sales.
The contest lets small businesses share their stories of creativity and resiliency for a chance to win prizes such as credits for Canada Post Parcel, Smartmail MarketingTM services and paid advertising in local markets and national exposure.

