Community Panel
Off the record: Entrepreneurship & community-building in 2026
Join your fellow community members for an evening of storytelling, networking, and thoughtful conversation.
This Community Panel is an unfiltered look at entrepreneurship and community-building in 2026, the behind-the-scenes truths, hard conversations, and defining moments that rarely make it to social media.
Featuring four panel members with diverse entrepreneurship experience:
Dr. Jolene Gough, D.C. — Chiropractor
Kira Paran — Inflencer
Stephen Quinn and Branden Barnes — Property managers and influencers
(see full bios below)
The evening will include light snacks and refreshments in one of Sherwood Park’s newest coffeehouse spaces, Gratitude Coffee.
The agenda for the evening is as follows:
6:30 p.m. — arrival and networking
7:00 p.m. — panel discussion
8:30 p.m. — wrap-up and networking
All are welcome to attend. Tickets are available for purchase in advance. Click below to purchase your tickets.
Tickets are non-refundable. Proceeds from ticket sales are being donated to Art on the Ave Edmonton Society.
Meet the panelists
Dr. Jolene Gough, D.C.
Dr. Jolene Gough graduated from Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) in 2007 and has been practicing chiropractic medicine in Sherwood Park, AB ever since. Her adventures began as an associate at Sherwood Chiropractic Centre, where, after a few years, she became partner there with two other chiropractors. She then felt called to having her own wellness centre and, in March 2020, opened Phoenix Chiropractic & Wellness. Two years after opening the doors of Phoenix, she expanded to include more treatment rooms and a community space, with the intention of bringing the community together by offering a variety of classes and events. Many learnings were had and after four years, it became evident to Dr. Gough that Phoenix Chiropractic & Wellness was not in alignment with what her soul was calling for. She closed the doors of Phoenix July 1, 2024. After taking some time off to recalibrate life, Dr. Gough landed at Synapse in January 2025. She has enjoyed her time there, specifically the ease and receptiveness of collaborating with many skilled practitioners and has also found some different and welcomed freedoms of not owning her own clinic. Let the adventures continue…
Kira Paran
Kira Paran (@northern_style) blends cozy Canadian aesthetics with real-life connection. As a mother of two and a full-time content creator for 12 years, I’ve built a strong Canadian based community of almost 50,000 followers on Instagram alone. I’ve partnered with brands like Disney, Canadian Tire, and Ford, creating trusted, relatable content rooted in everyday life. While my feed highlights family, home, travel and the Edmonton area, the heart of this space is genuine connection—especially through candid parenting conversations in direct messages. Whether you’re here for inspiration, conversation, or community, @northern_style invites you to slow down, connect, and appreciate the beauty in the everyday.
Stephen Quinn and Branden Barnes
Stephen and Branden are the founders of Visionary Properties Canada, a short-term rental business and property management company, and the creative duo behind The Visionary Husbands, their social media presence focused on DIY projects, home renovations, lifestyle, and a bit of humor.
Their journey began in 2014 while in university, renting out their guest bedroom on Airbnb as a small side income. What started as a modest hustle grew beyond their expectations. Today, they own three short term rentals, have hosted guests from every continent and earned over one thousand airbnb reviews. About three years ago, Stephen left his full-time career as a social worker for the City of Edmonton to focus on short-term rentals and their growing digital brand.
Through The Visionary Husbands, they share creative projects, renovations, and lifestyle content that informs their rental business, helping them create unique, design-forward listings while monetizing their social media and collaborating with brands like Canadian Tire, Home Depot Canada, and Cricut USA.
Tickets are non-refundable. Proceeds from ticket sales are being donated to Art on the Ave Edmonton Society.
ABOUT THIS EVENT’S HEART CAUSE
Arts on the Ave Edmonton
Arts on the Ave Edmonton Society welcomes more than 100,000 people each year to its free Kaleido Family Arts Festival and Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter festival, removing economic barriers and reflecting our City’s cultural richness in Alberta Ave District. Through year-round arts programming, food security work, and community-led projects, the organization helps break isolation and strengthen a sense of belonging. The Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse serves as a true third space for creativity, connection, and skills development. All of this is guided by values of dignity, inclusion, creativity, and community-building.