Startup Canada Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award

Linda Manziaris | Founder, Body Bijoux

2014 Young Entrepreneur of the Year Linda Manziaris is a 14-year-old, grade nine student living in Toronto with her family. ‪ Linda’s interest in jewelry design started during a special art unit in school. She used birthday money to buy tools and materials to create hand-made jewelry pieces for friends and family. As interest for her jewelry spread and she quickly found herself filling orders, Linda wanted to explore selling online. In 2012 she created her own website to sell her pieces at BodyBijou.com. 50 percent of the net profits go to girls’ education in the developing world. ‪Linda generates sales through online marketing, showcasing at galas, fairs and marketplaces, and hosting “Bijou Bashes”, wherein party hosts receive a portion of sales and through wholesaling. Recently, Linda auditioned for the Dragon’s Den! Understanding the importance of good press, Linda has been featured in 2 print profiles and 6 TV appearances and is currently being featured on ‘Liberty Treehouse’, a TV shows that spotlights kids helping to make the world a better place. Most recently Linda auditioned for the Dragon’s Den.