Rooted is all about the people and the places that make us proud to call our community home.
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Through her digital content, Alisha Mackenzie brings North Bay to life—engaging longtime residents while offering visitors a glimpse into what makes the city unique. She has carved out a career for herself in the digital space and lately her goal has been to showcase the best of North Bay through engaging and dynamic social posts. Whether it’s highlighting local restaurants, outdoor activities, or hidden gems, her work connects both visitors and residents with the many experiences the city has to offer.
“It’s a happy marriage of entertaining the people who have been here their whole lives and showing visitors what makes North Bay special,” says Mackenzie.
Through her content, Mackenzie aims to spotlight both well-known attractions and overlooked treasures. She takes pride in introducing locals to places they may not have considered before, proving that there’s always something new to discover.
“I like to highlight outdoor activities during the winter,” she says. “People are looking for things to do then, so it makes sense to focus on those experiences.”
Mackenzie keeps her approach simple. She shoots all her content on an iPhone, avoiding large camera setups that might be intimidating for businesses and individuals. With just a tripod and her phone, she captures multiple angles, ensuring she showcases the best aspects of each location.
“I usually go in and let people know I’m filming,” she says. “It’s free promotion, and most are happy to be part of it.”
Mackenzie’s work has allowed her to experience North Bay in a whole new way. Born and raised in Elliot Lake, she has lived in North Bay since 2012. But even as a local, she continues to uncover new places and activities.
“One of the biggest surprises for me was the virtual reality escape room,” she recalls. “I had never heard of it before, and I thought it was just for kids. But it was so fun and felt so real.”
She’s also stepped outside her comfort zone, trying activities like curling for the first time. And, as a self-proclaimed foodie, she loves exploring the city’s growing culinary scene.
“New restaurants are always popping up, and the diversity in our food scene is one of my favourite things about the city.”
That passion for exploring the city and its culinary scene stems from a trip to Australia where Mackenzie’s career path took a sharp turn.
“I came to North Bay in 2012 to take Nursing at Nipissing University. I got hired as a nurse but quickly realized that it wasn’t for me. I didn’t have the right mindset or the passion for it. Some people are really called to that role, and I wasn’t one of them,” says Mackenzie.
“I sold everything that I owned—my car, my clothes. I got rid of everything except a backpack, and my fiancé and I ended up backpacking through Australia for just under eight months. That’s where we really fell in love with content creation because we were in a place where that just naturally happens. But we never really thought it could be a full-time career. When we got back, the pandemic hit, and I worked a bit more just to pay the bills. But that’s when I decided, you know what, I’m going to try this. I originally started with a photography business called Prettiest Little Co. If I could go back, I never would have named it that because it just sounds silly—like I make children’s toys or something.”
She laughs before continuing, “We rebranded to Alisha Audrey Visuals, and we sort of got involved with tourism because we were just naturally treating North Bay like we were tourists. We were always looking for the best places to go, what we could do on the weekends. We had that travel mindset, and since we were stuck here due to the pandemic, we just started making our own content.”
Her fiancé, Joe, made a video called North Bay – My Home, which was picked up by CTV. The exposure helped put them in front of the right people, opening up new opportunities in the content creation space.
“Tourism in the North was already starting to pick up, but I think the pandemic really accelerated it. People in the cities were stuck in what I call ‘the concrete jungle,’ where there’s nowhere to go. It really opened their eyes to the wilderness, to nature, to getting outside and appreciating the outdoors. And North Bay is perfect for that,” says Mackenzie.
“How many kilometres of hiking trails do we have? How many lakes? Trout Lake, Lake Nipissing—there are all these amazing things so readily available. I think sometimes we take it for granted. During the pandemic, I always said we were the lucky ones. We could still go outside, take that 10-minute walk, breathe fresh air. You can’t do that when you’re in the city. Once people saw that, there was a demand for it, and that demand created opportunities for people like me.”
While tourism is a key part of her business, Mackenzie’s work extends far beyond it.
“When I first started, it was portrait photography. I had friends who wanted nice pictures for the internet, and they were the greatest free models,” she says. “I really liked it and was good at it, so I kept going. Now, I work with brands all across Canada, creating content to promote their companies. Tourism is just a part of it, although it’s probably my favourite because I love being a tourist.”
Looking ahead, Mackenzie sees her business evolving even further. She’s interested in teaching others how to create content, particularly local business owners who either don’t have the time or don’t know where to start.
“There’s a market for it, especially here in town. There are so many business owners who want to learn but don’t know the first thing about it,” she explains. “I think that’s something I’ll be expanding into.”
As for her ultimate dream? “I’d love to pitch a place in Thailand, like a resort, and go experience the culture, the food, and get paid to show people what it’s like,” she says with a smile. “If I wasn’t doing tourism here, I’d still be doing it—just somewhere else.”
She acknowledges that the journey hasn’t always been easy.
“There were a lot of days with no money coming in, a lot of risk and self-doubt. It’s a very saturated market, and there are so many people who are really good at it,” she says. “But I’ve learned that it’s not just about talent—it’s about persistence. The people who make it are the ones who just don’t give up.”
Her determination has paid off, and she’s excited for what’s ahead. “This isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon. And I’m in it for the long haul.”
If you have a story idea for “Rooted” send Matt an email at [email protected]