Melanie Little- Bringing local businesses to the forefront

Fresh new start-up, vlife by Quantum Link, opened their “doors” in December 2019. This social enterprise connects the community with local businesses through their online platform, vlifeapp.ca. Today, vlife is focused on businesses located within the HRM, and they have big plans for the future. They plan to expand their business to the rest of the Maritimes, Canada and then internationally. Melanie Little is the co-founder and CEO of vlife. Her vision for the business came when she asked herself the question “how can we better leverage technology to empower people”? From her research, she learned that connecting people with more small local businesses online helps grow local economies - as these small businesses hire more local employees, give more to local charities and contribute more municipal tax dollars. “It’s a snowball effect” says Melanie, “when we buy local, we are giving back to our community in ways we don’t even realise.” Offering scalability and new solutions, technology goes beyond one industry. Technology can open doors to new possibilities for individuals, businesses and this is the vision for vlife. vlife is a social enterprise platform, connecting customers with more small local business options for their goods and services needs. With different categories to choose from, there is something for everyone. So, how does it work? Small local business owners showcase their unique local offerings via vStores, which help you connect with whichever goods and services catch your eye. Founding Providers in HRM get: 3 months free ($20/month after – no strings), promotional mentions on social media and to vlife subscribers, and white-glove vStore set up with co-founder, Melanie. Not only does vlife help Haligonians realise what amazing businesses are located in the HRM, but it’s also a great tool for tourists to use when visiting Halifax. The company helps you “live like a local” by giving you access to the best local businesses and hidden gems in the city. Locals and tourists want to know the best restaurants, local artists, must-do tours and neat places to explore. Who can provide that information better than someone who knows Halifax and the great local businesses scene? Since their launch in December 2019, vlife has hit the ground running. And with so much local talent in the HRM how could they not be destined for success? People want to shop locally, they want to know the talent in their community, and vlife offers the technology they need to discover it. A part of the thriving start-up community here in Nova Scotia, the team at vlife runs their operations from local innovation hub, Volta. Learn more about vlife here at vlifeapp.ca Written by: Abby Murray, Communications Coordinator