Photo: Contributed
Okanagan Edge and the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce are partnering to showcase some of the region’s most exciting entrepreneurs through the “Top 40 Over 40” program.
Sponsored by BDO, the “Top 40 Over 40” recognizes high-achieving professionals in our community and showcases their accomplishments. This marks the seventh year the chamber has conducted a “Top 40” showcase. Honourees will be featured throughout the year on Okanagan Edge.
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Trent Kitsch was born in Kelowna in 1979 and raised in the community before graduating from Kelowna Secondary School in 1997.
Kitsch played baseball for Team Canada and was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 1997. He went on to compete in the NCAA and then graduated from the University of Western Ontario’s Ivey School of Business in 2007.
He founded Saxx Underwear in 2007 and sold it in 2016, and he co-founded Doja Cannabis Company before selling to Canopy Growth in 2018 for approximately $630 million. He co-founded Kitsch Wines in 2015 and has worked with his wife, Ria, to build the brand. He also co-founded Stately Capital Corporation, which amalgamated with Gold Flora earlier this year.
Kitsch has been a leader and member of teams, and has benefited from those experiences. He believes one doesn’t need experience in any given sector to start a business in that field. He believes a leader is someone who makes three to five good decisions a year and sets the vision for the future—a person who has strong values and whose values show in the brand.
He doesn’t believe there is a substitute for hard work and dedicated focus. Leadership is part hard work and exampling that focus, and part being different than typical. He has found that setting the sail and the direction of the company is something to know before you set off on the adventure of starting a business.
In terms of volunteerism, Kitsch asks for abundance to help others; some things he does publicly and some things he does privately. Some examples are giving to Mamas for Mamas both personally and through Kitsch Wines as well as to Kelowna Women’s Shelter. Locally, he also coaches both minor baseball and hockey.
More widely he is a part of Baseball Canada as a member of its advisory board. He often donates his time to help aspiring entrepreneurs and also donates his speaking time. For example, he gave a speech for Restore International and donated his $5,000 fee; more than $50,000 was raised locally.
Kitsch is a also co-founder of the “founders hike”—a weekly hike where entrepreneurs and founders connect to help each other.
Finally, he’s a proud Kelownian and part-time historian who advocates for the future of the Okanagan.
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