ONSIDE Entrepreneur Spotlight: Kehinde Ekpudu, Founder, Twin Ocean
Kehinde Ekpudu, Based in Calgary, Alberta, is the founder of Twin Ocean, a mental health platform dedicated to supporting immigrant, Black, and Indigenous communities across Canada. With a focus on culturally rooted care and trauma-informed support, Kehinde empowers individuals to build self-trust, confidence, and resilience. By combining her professional expertise as a clinical social worker with a passion for community healing, Twin Ocean helps people navigate life with greater agency, confidence, and wellbeing.
The Impact
Community & Connection
“Participating in ONSIDE’s Start Now Incubator programs was incredibly impactful. Hearing the stories of other female entrepreneurs really resonated with me at the time I was building my business. It reminded me that the challenges I was facing were part of the journey and helped me not feel discouraged.
The programs also gave me opportunities to learn from financial advisors, accounting experts, and professionals in technical infrastructure and website development. Even though I didn’t participate in every workshop, the connections I made and the insights I gained from other entrepreneurs opened my eyes to new possibilities and strategies for growing Twin Ocean.”
— Kehinde Ekpudu
“ONSIDE showed me the importance of finding your network and building relationships with others who are on a similar path. Entrepreneurs, especially newcomers to Canada, can learn so much from connecting with others, sharing experiences, and supporting each other. We grow together, thrive together, and that sense of community is invaluable.”
— Kehinde Ekpudu
Practical Business Growth
Learning, Branding & Strategic Investments
“Listening to the stories of other founders and entrepreneurs was exactly what I needed at that stage of my journey. It helped me overcome feelings of discouragement or ‘stuckness’ and reminded me that challenges are part of building a business.
Through the program, I also learned the importance of branding and how it shapes the way people perceive and connect with my business. Additionally, I was introduced to grant opportunities, which encouraged me to explore funding options for Twin Ocean the following year.
Another key takeaway was investing in my website. Building an online presence became a practical step to strengthen my brand and reach the community I wanted to support. These experiences were instrumental in guiding my growth and the strategic decisions I made to move my business forward.”
— Kehinde Ekpudu