38 SPRING 2015 | womenofinfluence.ca
These 22 women were selected from over 4,000 nominees to become the finalists for the 2014 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards. From construction to retail, communications to industrial services, they manage more than 2,300 employees and over $190 million in gross profit. We asked them about their biggest lessons learned so far.
BY CARRIE FISCHER
PENNEY MURPHYOwner, Penney Murphy & AssociatesWinner, Micro-Business Award
After a 20-year career in radio, Penney began
to crave new challenges. At the age of 35 she
went to university, completed three degrees, and
then started her own counselling and consulting
business, offering a variety of inspiring services
for individuals and businesses. MELODIE BISSELLPresident and CEO, Plan to ProtectFinalist, Micro-Business Award
While acting as executive director of a charity running programs
for kids, Melodie was shocked to find the organization did not
qualify for abuse coverage from their insurance company. This
sparked her entrepreneurial spirit, and in 2007 she launched Plan
to Protect, that today equips over 7,500 clients with customized
policies, procedures, and training to help protect children, youth,
persons with disabilities, and the elderly from all types of abuse.
SPOTLIGHTInto the
“Don’t worry about the competition. Focus on excellence, customer service, and providing people with more than they expect... and business will come. Happy and satisfied customers are the best ambassadors a business can have.”
“The best advice I ever received was to nurture and build relationships with ideal clients, thus growing the business. I spend time every day meeting potential clients, writing notes, making phone calls, responding to proposals, and following up on opportunities.”
MIA PEARSONCo-founder, North StrategicWinner, Deloitte Start-Up Award
At 29, Mia believed that she had what it took to
become an entrepreneur. Her instinct was correct:
she built and sold her successful first business,
High Road Communications, and then started
again with North Strategic, a public relations
and social media agency. Headquartered in
Toronto with offices in Montreal and Calgary, the
firm works with some of the most sought after
brands in the industry.
“What matters the most to me personally is that my daughter grows up in a world where women are equally represented at the C-Suite and play an equal role in business at the most senior levels. I want her to believe that being a woman will not limit her opportunities or potential in business.”
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RBC CANADIAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS
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PAMELA STREETER Executive Director/Owner, Creative Kids Education Centre/Birch Hills AcademyFinalist, Micro-Business Award
After two of Pam’s children failed to learn
how to read in public school, she took matters
into her own hands and formed what would
ultimately become her proprietary reading
system, Creating Readers. Beginning as a home-
based licensed childcare program, Creative Kids
Education Centre has become one of Nova
Scotia’s most innovative private schools, with
plans to launch an online learning platform.
“The worst mistake I ever made was not taking advantage of networking with other women entrepreneurs until later in my entrepreneurial career. In the beginning, I wish I had known how to promote myself effectively.”
CAROLINE NÉRON President, Néron Inc.Finalist, RBC Momentum Award
Already a successful actress and singer, in 2004
Caroline decided to become an artistic entrepreneur
with her own self-titled brand, designing jewellery,
accessories and bags. A decade later, she has
20 retail stores, 200 employees, 2 franchises, and
almost 80 points of sale in Europe.
“I’ve learned to always trust my instincts, and not
get too emotional when someone refuses an idea
or product. It is a part of the process.”
KYLE MACDONALDCEO, Phoenix Interactive Design Inc. Winner, RBC Momentum Award
Phoenix designs and develops mission-critical
software that operates ATM’s for banks around
the globe. Founded in 1987 at Kyle’s dining
room table, she credits building a reputation
and earning trust for getting Phoenix software
into large financial institutions in Canada, the
U.S., Europe, and Australia.
“Initially, we underestimated how much marketplace power and influence the existing players in our industry had, and how much money and effort they would use to counter our competitive challenges.”
SARAH SAJEDIChief Technology Officer & CEO, ERA Environmental Management Solutions Inc.Finalist, TELUS Trailblazer Award
In 1995, Sarah put a Ph.D. on hold to launch ERA Environmental with her
husband. Stepping in as CTO & CEO, the company has found success under
her leadership, producing software to help manufacturing businesses
comply with environmental regulations and reduce their carbon footprint.
“My mother told me: focus on your education, it will be your ticket to freedom. Her advice completely changed the trajectory of my life, resulting in ERA. As an entrepreneur I’m always learning and pursuing new knowledge to grow ERA.”
JANET STIMPSONPresident/Designer, White House Design Company Inc./SympliFinalist, RBC Momentum Award
A fashion industry veteran, Janet launched the
White House Design Company in 1992, after
recognizing a gap in what the market was
offering. She designs its signature Sympli line
to help women feel confident and beautiful,
regardless of age, shape or size.
“Women should engage confidently within the business community. There are always others out there ready to mentor you if you’re willing to make the first step.”
Janet (right) and her
daughter, Abbey.
Pamela and her husband, Graham.
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SARRAH SHEINER President, Show & Tell FashionFinalist, Deloitte Start-Up Award
Show & Tell is a bi-coastal fashion distribution
company with offices in Montreal as well as
Vancouver, bringing sought after retail brands
from the USA, Europe and Australia to Canada.
Sarrah co-founded the company in 2008 and
now has over 400 customers in Canada.
“Relations in business are everything. Sometimes it is more important to work with like-minded people with smaller brands, than people with different values who have the biggest brand.”
JENNIFER CARLSON Founder, Baby Gourmet Foods Inc. Winner, TELUS Trailblazer Award
As a new mother, Jennifer decided she would
never serve her six-month-old daughter anything
she wouldn’t eat herself. She introduced her
homemade baby food at the Calgary Farmer’s
Market in 2006, and by 2010 she was entering
the mass market with Walmart Canada as
her first customer. Today, Baby Gourmet is
Canada’s leading brand of organic baby food.
“What matters the most to me personally? The happiness and overall health and well-being of my family, including myself.”
JENNIFER GILLIVAN President & CEO, IWK FoundationWinner, TPH Charitable Giving Award
In 2012, Jennifer stepped into her role as president
of the IWK Foundation, the fundraising partner of
the IWK Health Centre, which provides critical
and specialized care to women and children in
the Maritime Provinces. Guided by her “donors
are everything” approach, they raised over $20
million in 2013, and opened a world-class mental
health unit for children and their families in 2014.
“The best advice I ever received was from my father. He told me to never look down on anyone but also never look up too much to anyone either, in the end we are all equal and on the same journey.”
CYNTHIA ESP, JULIE COLE, TRICIA MUMBY & JULIE ELLIS Co-founding VPs, Mabel’s LabelsWinner, PROFIT Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award
Mabel’s Labels was created in 2002 by four frustrated moms tired of their children’s belongings
leaving home and not returning. What began as a basement start-up is now the leading provider
of personalized children’s labels in North America.
“We have a saying on our wall at the office, ‘World domination is a full time job,’ so we will continue to climb this mountain and enjoy every moment.” -JULIE E.
40 SPRING 2015 | womenofinfluence.ca
STEPHANIE ASH President & CEO, Firedog Communications Inc. Finalist, TELUS Trailblazer Award
Born in England, Stephanie enjoyed a successful public relations
career spanning Europe and Australia before moving to Canada
in 2002. In her new home of Thunder Bay, Ontario, she found local
businesses weren’t investing in corporate communications. She
convinced them of the benefits and launched her own PR business,
which has seen revenues double over the past few years.
“Ignorance is bliss. Starting a business and having nothing to lose means it’s easy to take risks and be bold.” -CYNTHIA
“We hear a lot about young professionals leaving northern Ontario to go to larger centres, so we’re really trying to show them that you can build a successful career in northern Ontario, even in public relations.”
Stephanie (left) and Chinmaya Thakore, Deloitte.
Sarrah and her husband, Greg.
Left to right: Cynthia Esp, Tricia Mumby, Julie Ellis, and Julie Cole.
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RBC CANADIAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS
LARA MURPHY AND KAREN RYAN Co-founder, Ryan-Murphy Construction Inc.Finalist, Deloitte Start-Up Award
Lara and Karen hadn’t worked with many
women when they met as project managers on
a construction site in Banff. In 2008 they formed
Ryan Murphy Construction, a general contracting
firm with expertise in construction, renovation, and
management. Going on instinct (“trust my spidey
senses,” as Lara puts it) has brought the co-founders success: with corporate, commercial, and
residential projects across Canada, they tripled their employees in 2014, and doubled their revenue.
“Don’t be afraid to turn down a job. Saying no as an entrepreneur is difficult, but essential.” -KAREN
BRITTA MARTINI-MILESExecutive Director, The Lighthouse for Grieving ChildrenFinalist, TPH Charitable Giving Award
Born in Germany, Britta studied International Relations in the U.S and then worked around the
world in a variety of roles before stepping in as Executive Director of The Lighthouse in 2011. She’s
since helped grow the registered charity, which provides peer support groups and companionship
for grieving children, teens, and their families who have experienced a life-altering death.
“What I wish I had known from the beginning? Knowing that I give the best of myself every day, and yet I cannot control everything.”
MADELEINE PAQUINPresident & CEO, Logistec CorporationFinalist, PROFIT Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award
Logistec Corp provides specialized services to the marine, municipal
and industrial sectors, including cargo handling, environmental services,
trenchless aqueduct rehabilitation and woven-hose manufacturing.
Founded by her father in 1952, Madeleine stepped in as president and
CEO in 1996, and has since focused on growing the business.
SHANNON BOWEN-SMEDPresident & CEO, BOWENFinalist, PROFIT Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award
For more than 40 years, Calgary-based BOWEN has been providing the energy sector with workforce solutions, from managing recruiting projects to management support. Shannon joined the company at 19 (ten years after it was founded by her mother) and became president in 1996. What matters the most to her? To “leave this world
with a reputation for making it a better place.”
“Apply the 24-hour rule; If I can sleep on a decision I always make a more sound and less emotional choice.”
“It is not all about accomplishing things; the process or way in which you carry them out is equally important. For example, you must get buy-in from the team before you execute important changes.”
RHONDA CONWAYPresident & CEO, Providence ChildFinalist, TPH Charitable Giving Award
Rhonda began working at Providence in 1984,
shortly after graduating from college in Early
Childhood Education. Appointed president and
CEO in 2006, the organization has since opened
five additional schools (now totaling six in
Calgary) and continues to provide therapeutic
and educational programs and services for
children with all types of disabilities.
“Being an entrepreneur is not a 9-5 job, and it certainly hasn’t been for me, but realizing the importance of having a good work-life balance has led to a more productive, healthier, and happier workplace.”
Nominations open March 9th for the 2015 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards. Visit womenofinfluence.ca/rbc-cwea
Britta with her husband, Trevor, and RCMP Const. Farrow.
Rhonda and her husband.
Karen Ryan (left) and Lara Murphy.