Good afternoon everyone.
“How do we keep you younger, for longer?” This line stuck with me from a L’Oréal education session at the Ace Hotel this morning and feels connected to almost every conversation I’ve had in the health and beauty space lately, from a drop-in with my aesthetician to an interview with Felix co-founder Emma Stern (read on for this). Our collective desire to look and feel younger is not new, but it feels like there’s more money to be made from it than ever.
In today’s newsletter: Felix Health raises $53 million in growth financing, why every bank wants to be a media company, Toronto’s first romance-only book shop.
NEWS:
Toronto sports bars are getting letters from the Blue Jays reminding them not to use their logo to promote games. Trademark protections are also why companies often say “the big game” instead of the Super Bowl.
Every bank wants to be a media company. Neo Financial is pushing into brand-owned content by launching a newsletter and online magazine led by Ex-Money Sense editor Lisa Hannam. A couple of years ago, when the economy took a turn for the worse, media companies and financial firms started racing to create destinations where people could find the answers they needed to feel more in control. For banks, the bigger picture was to bring existing and potential customers into their ecosystem, and efforts like Wealthsimple’s editorial arm were a huge success. But now, the space is saturated (and is about to get busier as another large firm I’m aware of quietly readies its own media arm), the world is changing, and budgets are limited. Everyone will have to do some corporate soul-searching to pick their spots.
Wealthsimple has rolled back on its content (in a farewell (for now) episode editor Devin Friedman said hopefully they “will be back with something amazing”) but the TLDR newsletter is still going strong.
Global News chief meteorologist Anthony Farnell promised more cold, more snow this year. Everyone at last night’s Ikon Pass event cheered.
A bookstore dedicated to romance novels just opened on Queen Street. Harley Finkelstein posted about Hopeless Romantic last week, but I had the chance to visit the space and speak to co-founder Kearston Bergeron last night, who told me the idea came about after seeing similar concepts take off in the U.S. A year after setting up shop with short-term lease at STACKT Market, it’s now the romance-only book store in Eastern Canada.
Their story is a testament to STACKT’s role in giving entrepreneurs a space to test ideas without the high cost commitment of a regular retail lease. Haydn’s, a frozen yogurt shop, is a similar success story.
INK Entertainment will replace Byblos Uptown with a new concept. After a six-year run, I wonder what’s next: another supper club, maybe?
Felix has raised $53 million to “be aggressive and grow the platform.” The company has capitalized on an overburdened healthcare system to become one of the largest (and now it says, profitable) telehealth startups in the country — in just six years since its launch in 2019. I caught up with co-founder Emma Stern this morning to talk about the announcement:
What does this news mean for the health ecosystem, where patients are now navigating both the public system and private companies?
Felix was founded with the goal of increasing access in Canada. We have a lot of respect for the current system, and universal healthcare, and Felix creates another pathway by using technology to break down barriers in that system. We are not a general care platform, or a virtual healthcare clinic, we have specific therapeutic channels you can enter through, where we offer end-to-end solutions across 20 categories. When Kyle (Zien) and I started Felix, we thought we’d reach people who wanted an easier solution for treating health problems, but what’s surprised me is how many patients have never addressed those issues.
What are you most excited about? The move into longevity testing makes me think of sleek, Medcan-like clinics. Is that in Felix’s future?
I mean, never say never. We really follow our users in terms of what we add to the platform, and the prevalence of therapies tracks the needs in Canada. We’re so excited about the raise and giving ourselves more resources to be aggressive and grow the platform. We see potential in our original four categories — acne, contraception, ED, and hair loss — and we’re excited about longevity, which is a departure from our more prescription-focused care. Weight loss has been a monumental shift, and prices will be coming down in the New Year as generic drugs enter the market, which will open up access. We are getting ready for that.
Air Canada is expanding routes for business travellers out of Billy Bishop. New access to four U.S. cities, including New York and Boston, will rival Porter. The airline also cut 300 management-level jobs today.
Trade talks with the U.S. have been paused over an Ontario government TV ad. The ad includes anti-tariff quotes by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, taken from the same speech but presented in a different order.
As far as the data goes, you can either complain about e-scooters or use delivery apps. St. Michael’s Hospital saw a 600% increase in e-scooter injuries between 2020 and 2024, and a 240% increase in e-bike injuries.
I will not pretend to understand the gambling scandal that has rocked the world of sports. But enjoy reading
’s thoughts.A monogramed leather goods station at the Luca Faloni Toronto launch was a very nice touch. Craig Harding from La Prima also served truffle agnolotti against a backdrop of buttery soft, $800 cashmere cardigans.
Jays are going to be swept in 4 regardless.