Empowering community through Fatso Peanut Butter
In the second episode of the refreshed Vital Victoria Podcast, our host Lucky Budd talks to Jill Van Gyn, CEO and founder of Fatso Peanut Butter. Van Gyn shares her unique and powerful story, from getting sober in 2010 and earning a post-graduate degree in International Development in 2015, to becoming CEO of Canada’s 18th fastest growing startup for 2021. They also talk about how to build community by giving back, Victoria’s civic pride and love of a home-grown success story.
Vital Signs Issue Area
Healthy work and economic growth support job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation. They help achieve full and productive employment and decent work for everyone. In Greater Victoria’s 2021 Vital Signs Report, survey participants gave ‘Economy’ a B- grade (see pages 14-15). This issue is connected to Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth.
Episode 2 Guest
Jill Van Gyn: Jill launched Fatso in the back of a health food restaurant in Victoria, BC in August 2016. Before Jill launched Fatso, she developed a strong passion for issues of social justice. Driving this was her experience getting sober in 2010 and her post-graduate degree in International Development 2015. Today Fatso has donated to and supported a wide range of charities and organizations that focus on harm reduction, housing issues, food security, LGBTQ+ communities, Black Lives Matter (both Canada and US), and First Nations communities.