Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award
Winning Small Business of the Year is an incredible honour and a meaningful milestone for our team. What started as a small studio with a big vision has grown into a full-service creative agency working with global brands and innovators. This recognition validates the years of hard work, creativity, and belief we’ve poured into building Otherlife. We’re grateful to the CanadianSME Awards for spotlighting businesses like ours, and to our team, clients, and partners for being part of the journey. It’s a proud moment – not just for us, but for Canadian creativity on the global stage.
A special message or advice to small business owners
Build something you believe in. The early days won’t be easy – they rarely are – but purpose and persistence will carry you forward. Bet on yourself and your team – that belief becomes your edge. Surround yourself with people who challenge and support you. Say yes to the hard things, the weird ideas, the unproven paths. Small wins lead to momentum, and momentum becomes scale. Focus on creating value, not just revenue, and never lose sight of why you started. Your journey won’t look like anyone else’s – and that’s the point. The future belongs to those who are bold enough to shape it.
Otherlife
Otherlife is an award-winning creative agency headquartered in Toronto, specializing in brand, digital design, and engineering. Founded in 2018, we’ve grown from a small studio into a 35-person team building immersive experiences at the intersection of design, technology, and innovation. We partner with forward-thinking clients – from fintech and blockchain pioneers to global cultural brands – to bring bold ideas to life.
