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Canada’s Top Women Business Owners

Each year we recognize Canada’s leading female entrepreneurs. These women have not only made substantial contributions to their local community—they’ve also influenced the Canadian and even global economy.

Eighteen women were selected from a record-breaking 5,000 nominees to become the finalists for the 2015 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards. Their companies range from boutique construction firms to Canada’s most well-known seal of approval for children’s products. Together, these women manage more than 900 employees and earn over $130 million in gross profit. We asked them to share the story of their journey to success—and the key lessons learned along the way.

Early bird pricing now available for our 2016 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards Gala (Prices go up July 15). 

By Meghan Jeffery


 

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DELOITTE START-UP AWARD
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Wendy McClelland
President & CEO, Vets to Go Inc.
WINNER

After Wendy returned from maternity leave, she found it difficult to organize her work schedule around her family—including her children and her pets. Realizing that other mothers were likely in a similar position, Wendy created Vets To Go: the first veterinary service in Canada offering home visits. Vets To Go began as a small startup in Calgary and has since expanded to three surrounding cities, and has also extended their offerings with a new Private Surgery and Wellness Centre in Calgary.

Q: If you were in a room full of entrepreneurs, what is one piece of advice that you would give?

A: Get help before you think you need or can afford it. This goes for both business help (such as hiring a receptionist) and personal help (like hiring a housekeeper.) Starting a business is not a one-woman show—you have to guard your time and focus it on the highest leverage and value activities if you are going to grow successfully.

“I’ve learned that success comes from choosing a very small number of essential ideas and focusing on them, while saying no to many more.”

Noemie Dupuy
Founder & Co-CEO, Budge Studios
FINALIST

Noemie’s winning business idea was inspired by the release of the iPad in 2010. While her daughters, aged one and three, were obsessed with the device, there was a noticeable lack of content designed for them. Noemie decided to solve the problem by creating a children’s app development company. Budge Studios now has a user base of more than 100 million children worldwide, and partnerships with Nickelodeon, Disney, Mattel, Warner, Ludorum, DHX Media, Crayola, Sony and Iconix.

“At the beginning I was shy and modest, and I thought it was better to have “realistic” dreams. I’ve learned that dreaming big sets you up for bigger achievements.”

Lisa Jacuniak
Co-Owner, Paris Crane Inspection
FINALIST

After a demanding career in the oil and gas industry, Lisa co-founded Paris Crane Inspection Services with her brother-in-law, Richard, and found her true calling as an entrepreneur. With Lisa’s business and finance background combined with Richard’s 25 years of crane and hoist experience, she knew they had a winning business model—and she was right. Lisa humbly credits her success to their team, growing from ten customers in the middle of the 2009 recession to over 500 customers to date, and a recent expansion into Nunavut.

“Build your plan, and work your plan every day. Success will follow!”

 

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RBC MOMENTUM AWARD
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Allison Grafton
President & Co-Owner, Rockwood Custom Homes
WINNER

Allison left her high-profile career in the world of investment banking to follow her passion of home building and design. After renovating over a dozen luxury homes in her “spare” time, Allison witnessed first hand the lack of business sophistication and customer care of other builders. She started Rockwood Custom Homes with a mere $5,000 investment, and capitalized on her solid financial and design expertise to give her company a competitive edge in Calgary’s luxury development market.

Q: What is your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

A: Follow your instinct. As an entrepreneur, I’ve always trusted my gut when making important decisions. It’s the times I haven’t that I erred. Also, expect to work tirelessly. It is the reality of entrepreneurship. For the first few years, you will be working around the clock to make your business succeed. Love it. Embrace it. Know that you are doing this to ensure your future success.

“Constantly evolving and improving the processes of your company across all areas—finance, accounting, operations, customer service—is the key to growth.”

Mene Conley
President & Owner, Mom’s Group of Companies
FINALIST

Mene’s original goal was to simply survive and be self-employed. Currently owning four incorporated (and successful) companies, it’s safe to say she’s surpassed her original aspirations. Mene purchased her first restaurant, a business that had previously gone bankrupt, in 1979 and from there grew her love of entrepreneurship. Mene’s most successful company to date is Mom’s Place Limited, which has survived and profited for 36 years through recessions, high interest payments, and the changing economy. Mene credits her success to education, perseverance, and hard work—values she inherited from her mother.

“Believe emphatically in yourself and your ability to make your vision a successful reality. Do it with passion, determination, and perseverance. The world is waiting for you to make a difference!”

 

Shastri Ramnath
President & Principal Geologist, Orix Geoscience
FINALIST

Shastri combined her passion for geology and creative thinking to develop a boutique geoscientific service to the mining and exploration sector. Her company, Orix Geoscience, has truly filled a gap in the marketplace by combining established manual methods of geological interpretation with newer 2D and 3D visualization methods. Under Shastri’s influence, Orix Geoscience has successfully expanded their service base to include field management of drilling and mapping programs, scanning of historical datasets, and the development of new software programs. Shastri is proud to note their workforce is primarily women, and the young, entrepreneurial culture within her team has set the company up for long-term success.

“Life is short, being an entrepreneur is incredibly demanding, and it’s a lot easier to invest your heart, soul, and financial future when you’re doing so in the company of people you respect and enjoy.”

 

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TPH CHARITABLE GIVING AWARD
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Marcia Nozick
Founder & CEO, Eastside Movement for Business and Economic Renewal Society (EMBERS)
WINNER

EMBERS (Eastside Movement for Business and Economic Renewal Society) was sparked from a conversation Marcia had with a resident of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside who struggled on and off with alcoholism. The biggest problem in this disadvantaged neighbourhood? Employment. Marcia started EMBERS Staffing Solutions to focus on finding jobs for people coming out of addiction, recovery, and prison who were sober and struggling to find employment due to their past. EMBERS has successfully supported hundreds of people who are eager to get back to work.

Q: What do you wish you knew at the beginning?

A: When you’re starting from scratch, you need to take time to build the right team. Find people who are equally driven by your purpose but bring different skills, talents, and expertise to the table.

“Whether you call it your purpose, your “why,” or your passion, don’t lose sight of what drives you and your business. When the going gets tough, your passion and purpose will be a source of strength that reminds you it’s all worth it.”

 

Sharon Wood
President & CEO, Kids Help Phone
FINALIST

While holding titles like CEO of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and Director of the Trillium Foundation is impressive, Sharon’s work as President and CEO of Kids Help Phone is important beyond measure, for the unique need the organization fills. Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only national helpline for kids, and under Sharon’s guidance, now a global knowledge-leader in youth mental health and well-being. Kids Help Phone not only helps youth across Canada, it is continually increasing its ability to reach youth by incorporating new means of communications, including message-based services and Live Chat, projects made possible under Sharon’s fresh take on leadership.

“Don’t be afraid of failure. Failure isn’t the end. It’s the starting point for the next idea, the next improvement, the next chance to think, plan, and implement differently by incorporating your lived experience.”

 

Millie Colbourne
CEO, Breton Ability Centre
FINALIST

Millie leads by example. As a caring and compassionate individual, it’s only natural she became CEO of Breton Ability Centre, an organization that provides support for those living with disabilities. Since 2012, when Millie jumped from senior administrator to CEO, her focus was to guide the transformation of Breton Ability Centre from a medical model to a social model, allowing individuals residing at their Centre to live socially inclusive lives. She’s accomplished that and more. The company is now recognized as a leader in service to persons with significant disabilities, including autism and other behavioural disorders, an accomplishment that inspires her to passionately pursue her journey.

“Confidence and self-esteem and knowing your value are important so you never sell yourself short.”

 

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TELUS TRAILBLAZER AWARD
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Janice Larocque
President, Spirit Staffing and Consulting Inc.
WINNER

Janice set out to bridge the gap between corporate Alberta and Indigenous people. As a manager at an Aboriginal Employment and Career Centre, Janice was alarmed by the challenges professional Aboriginals were faced with when applying for corporate positions. Janice founded Spirit Staffing, an Aboriginal-Women owned employment and training agency to help solve the issue. Spirit Staffing proudly employs 65 Aboriginal contractors and has placed over 1,000 professional Aboriginals in lucrative careers. Spirit Staffing helps small to large international companies achieve their diversity hiring initiatives and recruit top talent to assist their team.
Q: What do you wish you knew at the beginning?

A: “Life balance is necessary for success. As a single parent, I learned this the hard way while launching my company and going to school. My daughter pushed me to create balance in a chaotic world, which I still practice every day.”

“It is important to understand your strengths and weaknesses. Fill those gaps with positive people who believe in your vision and will help you excel your business.”

 

Aneela Zaib
CEO & Founder, emergiTEL
FINALIST

With experience in the IT and telecom industry, Aneela saw firsthand the struggle tech employers had trying to find skilled employees. emergiTEL’s multifaceted approach to recruitment allows for highly accurate placements and ultimately, a better outcome for the employer and the employee. emergtiTEL’s model ensures the company stays current with industry trends, allowing them to truly excel in the world of tech. While Aneela started emergiTEL from her basement in 2006, by 2009 she was already named one of seven preferred staffing suppliers for Telus and by 2011, chosen as Rogers preferred staffing partner.

“If you have an idea for the world to see, then put it out there and move forward. You have nothing to lose, because losing only comes from not trying at all.”

 

Judith Bobbitt
President, Oceans Ltd.
FINALIST

When Judith realized government departments and universities traditionally carried out ocean research for offshore users, failing to meet the requirements of the private marine sector, she set out to capitalize on this gap in the marketplace. Oceans Ltd. is an ocean research and tech company that provides marine weather forecasting, physical oceanography, environmental studies, iceberg profiling, and fish health assessment. The company’s combined expertise of physical oceanographers and meteorologists has led to several technological advancements, including 3-D iceberg displays in near real-time and highly advanced biomedical research using extracts of bioactivity in cold-water seaweeds. After 34 years in business, Oceans Ltd. continues to disrupt the private marine sector—for the better.

“Evaluate the importance of your idea with respect to the goals you want to achieve.”

 

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PROFIT EXCELLENCE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARD
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Ann Kaplan
CEO & President, iFinance Canada Inc.
WINNER

Coming from a family of medical doctors, Ann was well aware of the demand to finance medical procedures not covered by public healthcare. Ann started iFinance Canada in 1996, providing loans to Canadians for medical, dental, veterinary, and more recently, home improvement and payday lending. Starting her company by personally knocking on doctor’s doors to register them for the program, Ann’s hard work paid off. Nineteen years later, iFinance Canada has processed nearly $1 billion in loan applications and 10,000 medical clinics offer iFinance’s patient financing options (under the company’s original name, Medicard.)

Q: How have you overcome your biggest obstacle?

A: My biggest obstacle was finding the balance between family and work. I never stopped to say either was impossible, but life kept happening and raising eight children while trying to build and expand a corporation was extremely challenging. Perhaps having so many challenges on my plate (as all working mothers do) helped me to become extremely organized, intuitive, and focused.

“Think big. If you are going for it, there is no limit.”

 


Ashley Rice
President, Techni-Craft Equipment Services Ltd.
FINALIST

Ashley and her husband started their commercial refrigeration business with one truck on the road and a small home office. Today, they have fifteen trucks on the road and their own building. Ashley has continually won large accounts with multiple national companies, including 7-11, Starbucks, Mac’s Stores, and Husky Energy sites, which have been awarded through their exceptional customer service and extended offerings. To support a changing marketplace, Ashley has morphed Techni-Craft from a refrigeration company into a full-fledged facilities management company, allowing it to become a one-stop shop for any convenience store in Alberta and Saskatchewan, with plans to expand into the rest of Canada.

“Just do it. Don’t over complicate things and don’t sweat the details, just continue to move forward and you will find that many of those things will fall into place as you go.”

 

Dolores Richardson
President, At Pac Auto Parts Inc.
FINALIST

After working in administration at her father’s auto body shop, Dolores was determined to lower the cost of aftermarket automotive replacement parts. In true entrepreneur fashion, she recognized the business opportunity and became a licensed automobile appraiser, the first woman in Quebec to hold the title. Dolores, alongside her father, created At Pac Auto Body Parts, a manufacturer and distributor of auto parts. Starting with a 6,000 square foot warehouse with 100 SKUs, they now have three warehouses with over 100,000 square feet and 28,000 SKU’s. A woman of many firsts, Dolores was also the first woman elected to serve as an executive board member on the Automotive Body Parts Association in the United States.

“Being a woman in a male dominated industry was an obstacle that I overcame with the unconditional support of my family and my constant drive to further my knowledge of the automotive industry.”

 

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MICRO BUSINESS AWARD
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Sharon Vinderine
Founder & CEO, PTPA Media Inc.
WINNER

Parent Tested Parent Approved (PPTA) isn’t Sharon’s first entrepreneurial venture. As an inventor of a baby product, Sharon realized the importance of having credible reviews (and approvals) from other parents and peers, and so set about creating a trustworthy rating system. With no credibility at the outset, PTPA is now one of the top three most recognized seals of approval in the US, and has an impressive community of over 70,000 families and over 42,000 authentic product reviews. Sharon was even approached by Disney (who acquired her biggest competitor) to purchase remaining assets after Sharon drastically impacted their market share after three years.

Q: What is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

A: “Never stop innovating. If you get too comfortable with the status quo, you provide your competition the opportunity to catch up to you or even exceed you.”

“I learned that I could be a risk taker while simultaneously being anxious and fearful of what the next day might bring.”

 

Andrea Heilemann
Owner, International Business Services Ltd.
FINALIST

Coming from a background in finance and economics, Andrea credits her company’s success to the goals she set in the beginning: credit rating, liquidity, and internal financing. Focusing on the distribution of high-end industrial tools in Canada and the US, the company has proudly earned the trust of three major innovative manufacturers in Germany—allowing them to be a leader in the North American marketplace.

“Don’t lose faith in the plan when the going is slow at first.”

 

Connie Parsons
Director, Connie Parsons School of Dance Ltd.
FINALIST

At 21 years old, Connie purchased her previous dance instructor’s company and began Connie Parsons School of Dance. Beginning with 85 students, in three years Connie tripled enrolment and moved into a bigger space. She then opened a second company, The Dance Spectrum Inc., purchasing a second dance studio and diversifying class offerings and genres. Not only are the students and parents happy—the company’s financials are in check, too.

“Don’t focus on the money, focus on doing your absolute best. Success follows hard work.”

 


A version of this appears in print in our Spring 2016 Women of Influence Magazine, Pages 34-42.