Heather Latter
In celebration of International Women’s Day, about 50 women—and even a few men—gathered at La Place Rendez-Vous here last Thursday evening to hear keynote speaker Barbara Stegemann offer an inspirational and motivational message.
From a humble beginning in rural Nova Scotia, Stegemann has become a successful entrepreneur and author.
After her best friend, Capt. Trevor Greene, was severely wounded in Afghanistan, Stegemann wanted to do something to support the war-torn country’s economy to help build stability for its people.
That’s when she created The 7 Virtues Beauty Inc., a company that sources organic oils from Afghanistan, Haiti, and other countries experiencing turmoil to encourage change and reverse issues of war and poverty.
“I wanted to shine light on Afghanistan,” Stegemann said during her address.
“We’re here to leave a better footprint than we found,” she stressed.
And Stegemann has made a difference in Afghanistan, paying comparable rates so farmers can grow orange blossoms for perfume, instead of poppies for opium, while giving them some dignity and stability.
At the same time, she is running a successful business, with her fragrances being sold at 91 Bay department stores across Canada.
“It’s a business model that engages all people and it makes money,” she remarked.
Stegemann is called the “woman who slayed the ‘Dragons’” because she is the first woman from Atlantic Canada to get a venture capital deal in the history of the CBC reality show, “Dragons’ Den,” when she made the “Dragons” cry with her compelling pitch back in February, 2011.
Stegemann also spoke about her book, “The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen: A Woman’s Guide to Living and Leading in an Illogical World,” explaining the seven virtues: wonder, moderation, truth, courage, justice, wisdom, and beauty.
And she urged the women to “take a risk,” surround themselves with “people who challenge you,” and have a mission statement for their lives.
“If you try and you fail, who cares? Try again,” she reasoned.
Diane Schwartz-Williams, manager of the Northwest Business Centre, said Stegemann provided both an inspirational and entrepreneurial message to women, especially local female business owners.
“In order to succeed as an entrepreneur, you need to be inspired and you need to have inspiration because that’s what keeps you going,” Schwartz-Williams said.
“It can be a very difficult grind,” she conceded. “There can be obstacles, but there’s rewards.
“Sometimes you need the tips and tricks from someone who has done it, and the encouragement she brought showed around the room.”
“I think most people went away from the dinner inspired and motivated,” enthused Angela Halvorsen of the local Business Women’s Network.
“I personally felt very motivated to look at my goals in my business life, in my work life, and my personal life.”
Schwartz-Williams added Stegemann was “down-to-earth, smart, and has high energy—she’s everything someone should be who is speaking on International Women’s Day.”
Stegemann has strong ties to International Women’s Day since it was on that day in 2008 that she launched her book.
And on International Women’s Day in 2010, her company launched its first fragrance, Afghanistan Orange Blossom.
“She took a small idea and turned it into something huge,” Schwartz-Williams lauded.
The event was hosted by the Northwest Business Centre, in co-operation with the local Business Women’s Network, and also was sponsored by the RBC Royal Bank.
Schwartz-Williams said the Northwest Business Centre’s next focus will be on the BizKids Camp (for those aged nine-12) and Summer Company (for full-time students aged 15-29) programs.
For more information, contact Schwartz-Williams at 1-807-467-4643 or via e-mail at diane@nwbiz.ca
