Gardina Group: Inspiring Children to Explore Nature Through Creativity and Play

This story is part of the Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada Retail Incubator Program, presented by RBC and supported by Meridian.

The program provides hands-on retail experience and business training to help immigrant entrepreneurs launch and grow their ventures in the heart of Ottawa.

At the ByWard Market Vendor Village, you will discover more than children's products. Behind Gardina Group is a story of creativity, resilience, and a passion for helping children build meaningful connections with nature through imagination and play.

For founder Atieh Vahdatpour, starting Gardina Group was about creating something that reflected her experiences, values, and lifelong passion for working with children.

"I always wanted to create something meaningful that brings together my experiences, knowledge, and passions."

Rather than simply designing products, Atieh wanted to create experiences that encourage children to explore nature, express their creativity, and develop their own stories.

One of the most unique aspects of Gardina Group is that children become active creators in the process. They help shape the characters and stories, then watch those ideas come to life as companions they can cherish long after playtime ends.

"The product becomes much more than an object. It becomes part of a child's imagination, memories, and personal journey."

Her vision reaches beyond creating products. She hopes to build spaces and programs where children can connect with nature, develop life skills through hands-on experiences, and discover the joy of creativity in everyday life.

Moving from Iran to Canada strengthened that vision.

Like many newcomers, Atieh faced the challenge of adapting to a new culture, building relationships, and creating a sense of belonging in a new country. Through those experiences, she developed resilience, adaptability, and a new appreciation for seeing opportunities from different perspectives.

Since arriving in Canada, she has worked with children and youth while volunteering in creative arts, hands-on activities, and life coaching programs. These experiences helped her better understand how Canadian children learn, express themselves, and connect with the world around them.

Combined with her previous experience creating nature-inspired products in Iran and her journey of adapting to life in Canada, these experiences inspired Gardina Group.

Building a business in a new country has not been without challenges.

Learning the Canadian market, understanding customer needs, building professional connections, and introducing a new brand all required patience and continuous learning.

Like many small business owners, Atieh also found herself balancing many roles, including product design, branding, marketing, customer relationships, and business planning.

"Every challenge has pushed me to develop new skills and become more adaptable."

One of her proudest moments came when she created her very first prototype.

For Atieh, it represented much more than a finished product. It brought together years of experience, creativity, and purpose into something children could enjoy.

Seeing children connect with the characters they helped create and build stories around them continues to remind her why she started this journey.

Positive feedback from families has also been an important milestone, reinforcing that people connect not only with the products themselves but also with the values and experiences behind them.

The Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada Retail Incubator Program played an important role in helping Atieh transform her vision into a business.

"The incubator brought everything together through a structured learning process that gave me a clear roadmap."

Through mentorship, practical business education, and constructive feedback, she strengthened her skills in branding, customer understanding, business planning, and communicating her vision with confidence.

She also found encouragement through the community of entrepreneurs she met along the way.

"Being surrounded by other entrepreneurs reminded me that entrepreneurship is not something you have to do alone."

Today, Atieh encourages other immigrant entrepreneurs to believe in themselves and embrace their unique experiences.

"Don't wait until everything feels perfect. Start with what you have."

She believes every challenge becomes an opportunity to learn, and every small step brings entrepreneurs closer to building something meaningful.

At Gardina Group, every creation is designed to spark imagination, strengthen children's connection with nature, and remind them that their ideas have the power to become something real.

Visit Gardina Group at the ByWard Market Vendor Village to discover creative, nature-inspired products that encourage children to learn, imagine, and grow.

Explore Gardina Group or stay updated on their latest creations and projects. Follow them on Instagram @gardinagroup to follow their journey as they continue inspiring children through nature-based learning, creative play, and thoughtfully designed educational experiences.

This story is part of the Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada Retail Incubator Program, presented by RBC and supported by Meridian.