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OUT For Business Youth Entrepreneurship Cohort 2021 – B Adair, Founder, Just B Diversity and Inclusion Consulting

January 13, 2021

The CGLCC Youth Entrepreneurship Program empowers LGBT+ entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 39 by providing them with support and tailored guidance to help them establish or grow their own businesses. The one-year program has four components:

  • networking
  • access to funding
  • building business skills
  • mentoring

Launched in 2017, the program helps a new group of young entrepreneurs each year. Each week, we will be spotlighting a member of our 2021 OUT For Business Cohort.

Thank you to our program partners: TD Bank Group, Scotiabank, Higgins & Burke Naturals, City of Toronto and Shopify.

Meet B! (Pronouns: he/him)

After coming out as gay and trans in a rural / conservative farming community in Alberta, B Adair now facilitates community conversations to increase knowledge and improve diversity and inclusion practices with educators, business owners, healthcare practitioners, students, and community organizations to bridge the gaps and eliminate stereotypes and stigma.

It’s B’s ultimate goal to create a nation-wide network that showcases LGBTQ2S+ affirming businesses in fields like health and wellness, retail, hospitality, financial, automotive, tech, entertainment, etc., so that Canadians can access safe and supportive services.

In his spare time, B is an author of queer fiction and loves spending time camping, hiking, and anything else in the fresh air. B is happily married to his partner Alix and together they have a furbaby family (read: zoo) of foster fail cats, a rambunctious mutt named Lola, and her brand new little brother (rescue puppy) named Maskwa.

Name: B Adair (he/him)

Name of Business: Just B Diversity & Inclusion Consulting

JBC provides education and training opportunities for groups of all types: businesses looking to create safer and more affirming workplaces, community groups, medical professionals, schools, non-profit organizations, or families.

What drew you to this program and what are you looking forward to most? 

I’ve spent the past 10+ years working as a paramedic, so when my passion for advocacy and education became more than just a hobby, I knew that I’d need some help getting into the business-mindset.  I’d had next to zero experience running a business and I knew this opportunity was too good to let go.

What does having access to a program like OUT For Business mean to you? 

It’s been incredible. I live in very rural Alberta where there are very few queer resources and even fewer groups of passionate folks from the LGBTQ2S+ community working on their businesses together. I’ve made some amazing additions to my networks, as well as some truly great and inspiring friends that I’m sure I will remain in contact with long after the program ends. This sense of community is so critical, particularly right now with the pandemic really limiting social interaction. It’s been a true blessing.

Why do you think it’s important to support LGBT+ businesses? 

We already have the odds stacked up against us. I have extreme the privilege of being a white, gay / transgender guy who could be mistaken for straight and cisgender. It’s my responsibility to use that privilege to promote and support other queer owned businesses, just like it’s my job to stand up for and amplify the voices of underrepresented folks. We are all on the same team – even if we’re direct competitors!

What inspires you? 

Young people! The upcoming generations are making so much noise and with that, incredible social, environmental, and political change. It’s truly heart warming, encouraging, and I’m so proud of them. They’re not taking any crap anymore and I think it’s just awesome.

Interested in learning more? Click here for more information about our OUT For Business Youth Entrepreneurship Program.