Stories

“There is going to be a lot of change over the next 20–30 years, and the most important thing is going to be our ability to change.” Meeting Dr. Stephanie Simmons is to marvel at her intellectual horsepower while simultaneously appreciating her humility and dogged...

Creating generational wealth through the sale of a company is often portrayed as the finish line for many family-run businesses. In reality, however, it can mark the beginning of an entirely new chapter - one filled with uncertainty, emotional complexity, and...

Like many women in leadership, Rebecca Pang has worked tirelessly for decades. Now, after achieving many of her career goals, she is rediscovering the artistic expression that shaped her youth, incorporating music into an already full life that includes family,...

There are leaders we constantly read about, see online and in the paper, and then there are leaders who occupy some of the most influential positions in Canada, yet fly under the radar while brilliantly running some of the country’s largest organizations. Tina Osen is...

I first saw Joanna Cameron speak at a Cause We Care charity luncheon several years ago. As a partner at Osler law firm, she was one of the luncheon sponsors and spoke, but not in the way sponsors typically do at these events. She held the room rapt as she told a raw,...

I originally met Dawn Jia through our daughters and first knew her as the mother of an academic standout and international public speaking champion. Over time, however, I came to realize that the apple does not fall far from the tree. Dawn is the CEO of UBC Investment...

“One thing that has really hit me right now is the impact I can have on younger women simply because of the three letters CEO behind my name. The role modelling, the inspiration, the experience-sharing. All that feels like an important contribution I am excited to...

In my Op-Ed for BC Business, I reflect on the challenges women can face in male-dominated workplaces. When I was 25, I began my career as an investment advisor. Out of 55 advisors in the office, only five of us were women. Looking back, I realize how much workplace...

As I move past middle age, I often reflect on the privilege of my many decades of life and the inner strength and authenticity that accompany aging. Recently, when I was invited by BC Business to write an op-ed about my experience as a woman in finance, I was given...

“We ourselves are pieces of Nature. When we forget that, our health suffers.” Dr. Melissa Lem is a woman on a mission. She is at the forefront of an important and growing movement within the medical system known as social and nature prescribing. She has been...

“What we often dismiss as ‘extras’, art, music, routine, connection, young people tell us these are treatment.”   When speaking with Dr. Danya Fast, I am struck by both the emotional potency of her work as an academic and her deep knowledge of how policy and...

At a recent conference, I met one of Canada’s most inspiring female entrepreneurs, Andrea Bielecki. Her story of growing and selling INVIVO, a medical communications company, is not widely known, yet it was groundbreaking in Canada for its significance within the...

“In a world where women are constantly told what they’re not, knowing your own value is everything.”   In the world of finance, Abi Coman-Walker stands out for her dynamism and charisma, as well as for her expertise and leadership. Originally from London,...

When I speak with Andrea Paquette, I am struck not only by her courage but by the steadiness with which she carries her story. There is nothing performative about the way Andrea speaks about mental health. Her advocacy is rooted in lived experience, hard-earned...

“The beauty of being a black, female leader is that there is kinship with many of the clients that Rise serves. I get that systemic barriers exist; if you are from an equity-deserving community, you don’t need to convince me. We need to work together on how to lower...

WNORTH is the vision of Heather Odendaal, an accomplished Canadian entrepreneur, brand builder, and event producer whose experience in corporate environments inspired her to found WNORTH in 2015. WNORTH facilitates a powerful membership community that supports a...

Personal and Professional Journey   1. Your career spans over two decades across corporate and non-profit sectors, culminating in your role as a leadership coach and co-founder of Maturn. Can you share pivotal moments that influenced your transition into...

“We are judged as a society by how we treat our most vulnerable and older people. People who have a disability, people who are struggling with a serious mental illness are often vulnerable. So I take up the space someone gives me in trying to advocate for people who...

“Read history. Read about cycles and business success. Read Barbarians at the Gate. Read a biography of Warren Buffet. Read about Winston Churchill. It not only informs you and helps you avoid past mistakes, but it makes you an interesting person to your clients.” In...

Two things are clear when speaking to Andrea Mestrovic, founder of Vancouver-based global PR firm, Very Polite Agency — she is tenacious and highly intelligent. She also has a sense of humor, and hence the name, Very Polite Agency, which came about as a cheeky nod to...