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.