Blog

The most important starting point for a rural community to reverse economic decline is to have a place where people can connect. In our small Eastern Ontario town, that anchor was The Quirky Carrot. It was a point of reference, a place where people of all ages and...

The American Psychological Association defines resilience as a process of overcoming adversity, where individuals recover from significant stress by applying mindsets and behaviors that can be learned and developed over time. Some psychologists think resilience is no...

In my research on entrepreneurial resilience, the most frequently cited approach to solving a problem, relieving stress, and boosting resilience was this: go for a walk. Study participants were busy women business owners who juggled demanding work and family...

The number one reason keeping women small in business is the fear of being a bitch. We’re afraid to disagree to take a stance, for fear of offending. I see this most vividly in my work with rural women business owners. In a small town, where tongues love to wag,...

When I reflect on my 25-year entrepreneurial career the #1 mistake I made was acting like a mom when I should have been a leader. For many women, parenting becomes a default mode in business because we care about our employees, our clients, and our community. But...

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash When I started my business 23 years ago it was because my VP Marketing job didn't allow me the flexibility to be a mom to my toddler. I purposefully created a family-oriented culture in our small marketing firm. The problem was, I...

The above photo from 2015 shows my dear friend Betty Healey and I at the Rachel's Kids 11th Annual Garden Party at the Ramada in Cornwall. I remember the day so well because that's when I told Betty of my plans to significantly cut...