Welcome to Behind the Brand—a series that brings you closer to the brands we’re proud to showcase at the edit by Style Canada, right here in the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake. We’re sharing real stories from the people behind the products—the makers, the dreamers, and the doers. This is your inside scoop on what drives them, what inspires them, and how their journeys brought them to the edit. One brand at a time, we’re pulling back the curtain and celebrating the creativity, resilience, and homegrown passion that make our space so special. Today, we talk to Jillian, the founder of Niyama Wellness!
Meet Jillian, the Founder of Niyama Wellness
Website: https://niyama-wellness.ca/
Socials: @niyamawellnesscanada
Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m Jillian, founder of Niyama Wellness and self-confessed supplement geek. I’m currently based in Toronto (where I was born and have grown up), but we are planning to leave the city for a more rural lifestyle later this year. I’m married to my soulmate, also a supplement geek with a brand of his own, and we both spent our entire corporate careers in the Canadian vitamins and supplement space. When we got together, he came with 3 very young kids from his first marriage, and then we made one more together, so in total we have 4 kids, with the youngest turning 18 this year and the oldest turning 25. And we have a Covid dog who will soon be the only “kid” at home with us this coming fall – we are entering our empty nest era!
I’m a type A person and a recovered insomniac who is no stranger to burnout. I firmly believe in good wellness and self-care habits, especially for women, as we leave our 30s behind, everything becomes really tough to balance and do well. I love learning and have a couple of degrees & diplomas, as well as being a registered yoga teacher and sleep coach. I live for slow mornings and elevated coffee, moving my body every day, good books and hot baths.
Share the story behind your brand.
I spent my entire 20+ year corporate career in vitamins and supplements, and I consider myself so lucky to have only worked in a category that so personally resonates with me and the way I live my life, and also actually improves the lives of others. We can’t all say that. But even with access to so many supplements, I still found I was mixing up my own little elixirs, combining single-nutrient capsules and powders to get what I wanted and needed for my own health goals, and it was just complicated and expensive. With so much experience in the category, I knew I could create something that was perfect for me, and that my needs and wants were not unique. And that was where the idea for Niyama came from.
In Sanskrit, Niyama loosely translates to “good habits”, and our supplements and self-care essentials are designed to make those daily wellness habits easier and more enjoyable. Our product names tell you what the product is for, making it easy to understand. The formulas are expertly formulated and extremely effective, so they work very quickly and reinforce that good habit, because you feel them working. Most of our supplements are in powder form to reduce pill fatigue, and they are absolutely delicious, making your daily supplement habit something you look forward to, not forget, or avoid.
All Niyama wellness products are vegan, non-GMO and made in Canada. That is so important to me because it supports other Canadian businesses and nourishes communities. Even our packaging is made in Canada. Our supplements are free from gluten, soy and sugar with no artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners or preservatives.
What inspires you?
That’s such a thought-provoking question. So many things inspire and light me up. A morning walk in nature with the dog. Sunshine after a few days without. A good night’s sleep – I’m such a better human with 7-8 hours of sleep. My kids – they are all so different and yet they all amaze me in the different ways they think and approach life. Being away for a couple of days with just my husband. We visit a lot of supplement and natural wellness stores when we travel to other countries – it’s always so cool to see new and different ways to naturally support different health goals, and see how that is communicated. And I also find it so inspiring how women brand and business owners are so willing to share experiences and help each other. I’m in a couple of founders groups, and the WhatsApp chats are always so active – both the women’s ones and the all-founders one. When you work mostly from home, it’s so great to connect to a community of founders and really share.
Where’s your favourite summer vacation spot?
Anywhere with great food, an ocean or lake, and the people I love. Last year we went as a family to Portugal, and that was amazing, with time spent between cultural sightseeing in Lisbon and some beachy chill time in Algarve. I love to lose myself in a great book while sitting in the sun, liberally coated in sunscreen. And we are a very foodie family. This summer, we’ll be staying closer to home as we plan our fall move and get our youngest off to university, but will definitely squeeze in a trip to Prince Edward County and NOTL.
What can we expect from your brand in 2025?
I’m so excited to see how 2025 plays out for the brand. We are still really a start-up, even though it’s been 6 years. Though 2 and a half of those were COVID. We built up so much momentum in 2024, and that has carried into 2025 – this will absolutely be our best year yet! Look for us in more natural wellness and clean beauty retailers across Canada as we add more amazing partners and stockists, and a couple of new product launches. In May, we will launch Bloaty capsules, a companion product to You’ve Gut This Pre & Probiotic Fibre, which we launched in 2024. YGT is meant for daily digestive support; it reduces bloating and digestive discomfort, improves regularity, blood sugar and cholesterol management. Bloaty is like the sister product – a capsule you take with meals that you know might trigger uncomfortable bloating and gas, either at home or at meals out. The perfect digestive duo – and more and more of us need help in that area now. And I’m waiting on Health Canada for a couple more approvals for more new products.
As a product 1% For The Planet member company, Niyama donates 1% of revenue to two Canadian environmental causes; this year, we’ve partnered with Water First to help improve access to clean drinking water for Indigenous communities across Canada. Because you can’t have wellness without clean, safe water.
We are also connecting with and building community at several consumer shows this spring, summer and fall. You’ll find Niyama at Planted Expo in May in Toronto, as well as The Women’s Healthy Living Show and the National Menopause Show later this year.
And I’m so excited to be part of ‘the edit’ with STYLE Canada in Niagara on the Lake, from May to October. It’s such an honour to be selected and invited, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to create more awareness for Niyama within the STYLE community.
