Sobey School of Business Chosen as a PRME Champion for 2023 Cycle

Attendees of the 4th Annual Responsible Leadership Day Event, Digital Future: Ethics, Integrity & Values

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The Sobey School of Business is pleased to announce that we have been selected as a PRME Champion for the 2023 cycle. PRME, or the Principles for Responsible Management Education, is a United Nations supported initiative that provides a framework to advance the broader cause of corporate social responsibility and incorporate universal values into curricula and research. As a voluntary initiative with over 800 signatories worldwide, PRME has become the largest organized relationship between the United Nations and management-related higher education institutions.  

The Sobey School of Business, along with 46 other PRME Champions, was chosen from a pool of strong and diverse PRME Signatory Members, based on our track record of impactful contributions in thought and action leadership. The Sobey School of Business has been a Signatory to PRME since 2014, and became a Champion in 2020. PRME Champions represent a group of dedicated business and management schools from across the PRME membership, committed to working collaboratively to develop and promote activities that address shared barriers for the PRME community, and which deliver value for business and society at large. Previous collaborations of the PRME Champions include the Climate Literacy Training for Business Schools, the Blueprint for SDG Integration, the SDG Library, and more. 

The focus of the 2023 Champions cycle will be on action leadership to inspire our global community, specifically through the Inspirational Guide on SDG Integration on Research, Curriculum, and Partnerships, which serves as a repository of inspiring examples that will build on the work of the existing Blueprint for SDG Integration. A unique feature of the 2023 cycle is engagement in the Impactful Five (i5) Project, a project in collaboration with the LEGO Foundation that is applying the Foundation’s longstanding work on playful learning to business education. The Sobey School of Business will participate in a series of workshops throughout the year to source, develop, and implement innovative pedagogies, inspired by the five characteristics of playful learning: joyful, socially interactive, actively engaging, meaningful, and iterative, and the development of the five skills: cognitive, emotional, creative, social, and physical. 

Dr Chantal Hervieux and Dr Margaret McKee will be piloting the i5 program. The School has also committed to contributing to the Inspirational Guides and participating in the Global Forum in June. 

As a flagship PRME programme, the PRME Champions Programme provides faculty members, students and industry leaders with a space for developing and sharing collaborative educational methods and a ‘living lab’ for ambitious new ideas for developing the next generation of sustainability-driven business schools and management-related higher education institutions in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

To learn more about the Sobey School of Business’s commitment to PRME and our PRME-based initiatives, we invite you to read our 2022 Sharing Information on Progress (SIP) Report. 

Student-managed venture capital fund invests in Quebec-based online insurance distributor

The 2022 Venture Grade: Student Venture Capital Fund team.

An innovative Quebec-based online insurance distributor that removes barriers and offers affordable plans to young parents has received a boost from a student-run venture capital fund at Saint Mary’s University.

Venture Grade: Student Venture Capital Fund, a student-raised and managed venture capital fund, invested $12,500 in Quebec-based Emma Labs. Emma Labs is an online insurance distributor that focuses on distributing low-barrier life insurance, specifically targeted to younger demographics between the ages of 29 – 40 years of age, who have young children or are expecting children. To make life insurance more accessible and affordable, Emma Labs has removed cumbersome barriers to entry such as mandatory health checks, five to seven week wait times, and the requirement to speak to an insurance broker to streamline their process. In their role as an insurance distributor, they offer plans on behalf of insurance carriers.

The fund’s first investment outside of Atlantic Canada, Venture Grade chose to invest in the Quebec City start-up based on both company and market attributes. The company CEO and co-founder Felix Deschatelets is a serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in financing and marketing financial services start-ups. CMO and co-founder Jacomo Deschatelets has substantial experience in growth marketing strategies and financial security advisory.

“In terms of market attributes, the life insurance market is projected to grow over the next few years giving proven market demand,” says Hiro Tsuchiya, an associate investment analyst at Venture Grade.  “We expect that Emma Labs will add significant value to our investment portfolio as it has excellent exit prospects.”

Founded in 2016, Venture Grade is a venture capital fund raised and managed by graduate and undergraduate students attending Saint Mary’s University located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Nick Perrin, the Fund’s General Partner noted that Venture Grade liaises with Silicon Valley’s C100 group, Boston’s Canadian Entrepreneurs in New England, and most of the Atlantic VC funds like Innovacorp, Build Ventures, Sandpiper, NBIF, East Valley, Last 40, and Concrete.

“The Venture Grade student venture capital fund is designed to formulate a win-win-win scenario,” says Dr. Ellen Farrell, co-founder of Venture Grade and a professor at Saint Mary’s Sobey School of Business.   “The fund contributors win by providing great opportunities for an unparalleled education experience; the students win by gaining scholastic opportunities not offered elsewhere; and the entrepreneurial ecosystem wins by having the funds go to worthwhile ventures in our entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

A place for possibility: the new Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre

Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre team members review and discuss the building plans. From right to left: Jada Joseph, Project Manager; Natasha Fernandes, Student Project Assistant; Michael Sanderson, Director and Chirag Narang, Project Manager.

Saint Mary's University has a rich history of fostering economic growth in Atlantic Canada and the people who are the driving force behind it, and its Sobey School of Business is synonymous with entrepreneurial success. More than 75 start-ups have been created by Saint Mary’s students, faculty members, alumni and partners in the past five years alone.  

Building on this strong track record of helping launch new businesses, and with the generous support of the university’s donors and supporters, the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre (SMUEC) is preparing to move into its new home in the Sobeys Inspiration Hub. Set to open in fall 2023, this 43,000-square-foot four-storey building is the cornerstone of a 62,000-square-foot capital project that extends from the Sobey School of Business to the Loyola Academic Building.  

"We envision a space that provides a full suite of services that enable students to take a start-up or business idea from concept to actualization—all in one place on campus," says Michael Sanderson, the Director of SMUEC. " We are a place for people to come together and develop entrepreneurial skills that can help further their studies and career. 

With a focus on growth, innovation and cultivating the entrepreneurial mindset, the Saint Mary's University Entrepreneurship Centre is committed to helping the Atlantic Canadian economy grow and prosper. A university-wide and interdisciplinary support centre, SMUEC's physical expansion will support the vast array of programming, such as training, mentorship and coaching, offered by the centre and provide the foundation to expand and fill the growing demand for their services. 
 
“I am so honoured to have been supporting students through their entrepreneurial experiences over the past two years,” says Shannon Byrne Susko BCom’89 BSc’92, a former Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Saint Mary’s and the Founder and CEO of Metronomics. “The new space for the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre will allow for further collaboration between faculties, and also bring in an additional level of innovation that we’ve been working towards with initiatives such as the March Madness Pitch Competition.” 

As the Sobeys Inspiration Hub takes shape, so does the entrepreneurship centre’s new home. What remains constant is that a variety of opportunities that will be made available to entrepreneurial-minded students and faculty from across all faculties. 

The services envisioned include: 

• digital prototyping lab 

  • This area will be dedicated to digital product design, enabling students to ideate and create prototypes in a virtual environment using state-of-the-art prototyping software. 

• podcasting studio 

  • From weekly podcasts to influencer videos, this space is open for booking to support students creating original content for online audiences. 

• collider spaces 

  • Open collaboration spaces that are modular and feature additional smaller areas to focus on different styles of collaboration and projects. 

• incubator space 

  • A start-up area dedicated to supporting local community businesses and emerging entrepreneurs as they move on from the idea phase.  

• dedicated interdisciplinary space.  

"While the exact nature and dedicated areas may change, we are focused on providing opportunities for our students, faculty, staff, alumni and local community to come together and exchange ideas," shares Sanderson. 

Alumni and the local community play a critical role in the support and services provided by the SMUEC. From the entrepreneurs and alumni-in-residence programs supported through the philanthropic investment of the RBC Talent Hub to guest speakers and mentorship, SMUEC connects students with the larger community. Through co-operative education and internship placements, training, Entrepreneurial Mindset Success Certificate, and experts, the RBC Talent Hub provides students more hands-on learning opportunities. The skills developed through this program give students a leg up in the job hunt and help them to excel in the workplace post-graduation.  

"From my time as a student to now working at the entrepreneurship centre, our alumni and connection with the local entrepreneurship community have been so important to supporting students," says Leslie Arsenault Bcomm’19, Project Manager with SMUEC. "I've seen student-led businesses receive key advice from community mentors at vital times in their growth. I've heard from students and alumni whose careers and businesses wouldn't exist without what they learned at Saint Mary's University and the support they received from SMUEC."  

"We are excited to create new memories and opportunities for collaboration and innovation," says Monique Boudreau, the Manager of Operations and Community Engagement with SMUEC. "We've received great feedback and insights from different university areas to get to this stage, and we are incredibly grateful for that support. We can't wait to celebrate the opening of the Sobeys Inspiration Hub, the Exchange and the new entrepreneurship centre." 

Celebrating excellence: Saint Mary’s faculty recognized for external research funding

Dr. Gavin Fridell, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in International Development Studies and Dr. Adam Sarty, Associate Vice-President, Research.

Dr. Kevin Kelloway, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Occupational Health Psychology and Dr. Adam Sarty, Associate Vice-President, Research.

Researchers at Saint Mary’s University continue to be recognized for their important work in their fields, securing over $11 million dollars in external funding in the form of research contracts, Canada Research Chair positions and tri-council grants, over the last 12 months.

A celebration to honour 90 researchers from faculties of Science, Arts, and the Sobey School of Business took place in the McNally Theatre Auditorium on November 10th. A few examples of how their research contributions will impact our communities include investigating healthcare resource planning for older adults, exploring how to retain international students in Atlantic Canada, and enhancing Canadian vaccination strategies using machine learning and business analytics.

Special recognition was given to Dr. Gavin Fridell, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in International Development Studies (2012 to 2022) and Dr. Kevin Kelloway, Tier 1 CRC in Occupational Health Psychology (2008 to 2022) for completing their CRC terms during their academic careers at Saint Mary’s University.

Our ecosystems will benefit from Saint Mary’s researchers that are implementing small-scale fisheries guidelines, conducting salt marsh restoration and community-based watershed monitoring. Other research is determining the future impacts of freezing and storing sperm to assist the endangered Inner Bay of Fundy Salmon population.

The quality of research happening here at Saint Mary’s University is something that we should all be proud of, congratulations again to the CRCs who recently completed their terms, and all of those that have been recognized.

Nancy Foran Appointed Chair of Sobey School of Business Advisory Council

Nancy Foran BComm’92

The Sobey School of Business is pleased to appoint Nancy Foran BComm’92 as Chair of the Sobey School of Business Advisory Council. With over 25 years of experience spanning numerous industry sectors, Foran brings a focus on sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) to the school’s council of business experts.

“I welcome this opportunity to work with the council to leverage our collective expertise and networks,” says Foran. “My goal is to amplify the voice of the Sobey School of Business, and to support its focus on sustainability in business.”

Foran, a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), a Fellow of the profession (FCPA), and a Chartered Director (C. Dir.), is educated in the leading global sustainability standards and frameworks including GRI and TCFD. She is also an FSA Credential Level 2 candidate in ESG with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). In 2021, Foran founded ESG Partners, where she provides guidance to companies and investors, boards of directors and senior leadership teams as they incorporate ESG factors into their organizational strategies and define their purpose to create long-term, sustainable value.

In addition to Foran’s appointment as Chair, Bruce Bowser BA’17 has been appointed as Vice-Chair. Bowser is a highly respected Canadian business leader and CEO of AMJ Campbell Van Lines. A well-known business authority, Bowser is frequently sought out by the media to provide his innovative and entrepreneurial point-of-view. He has also been featured in notable publications such as the National Post, The Globe and Mail, and Business Edge.

The Advisory Council of the Sobey School of Business is a group of notable business experts who lend real-world experience and knowledge to the school, with the goal of providing insight and support to the school. The Advisory Council provides advice that will ensure graduates from the school succeed in the current business world. In addition to the Chair and the Vice-Chair, Martha Casey BA’01, Cynthia Dorrington, Saeed El-Darahali BSc02 MBA’04 and Joanne Hames serve as the other external members of the Advisory Council.

“We are excited to have Nancy Foran appointed as Chair of the Advisory Council,” said Dr. Harjeet S. Bhabra, Dean of the Sobey School of Business. “Her experience in sustainability and ESG is closely aligned with key elements of our strategic plan. Her leadership will help us further our goal of integrating sustainability in our curriculum and other school initiatives.”

Foran is also a speaker at this year’s 4th Annual Responsible Leadership Day event on November 18. This year’s theme is Digital Future: Ethics, Integrity & Values, and Foran will be providing context and sharing her perspective on the Sobey School of Business and ESG. The event will also include a keynote speech by Juliette Powell, a panel on how artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics can support an organization’s climate action initiatives and goals, and a circular economy student challenge.

Recent grad making a splash in the world of entrepreneurship

Combining passion and problem solving is the key to successful entrepreneurship, a mentality that Marlee Armour MTEI’22 embodies daily through her work. Having spent the last decade as a swim instructor, Marlee founded Summer Swim Academy in 2015, providing private backyard swim lessons and on-demand lifeguarding services across Southern Ontario. Through this endeavour, she and her team of instructors noticed a glaring issue with children’s personal flotation devices (PFDs).

“We swim with our arms, but PFDs don’t allow for this horizontal movement,” says Armour. “Typical PFDs train kids to swim vertically in what we call the drowning position. Three years ago, I started cutting the PFDs and turning them around, making it easier for the kids to learn to swim safely and properly from the beginning.” 

Armour entered Saint Mary’s Master of Technology Entrepreneurship & Innovation (MTEI) program as a passionate entrepreneur. Her instructors gave her the knowledge and confidence to solve this problem and make the SwimTrainer a reality. Armour also benefited from the entrepreneurial expertise of the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre (SMUEC), which she says played an integral role in helping her learn to pitch her product, supported her with networking opportunities and broadened her horizons through events.

With over five years of entrepreneurial experience under her belt, Armour has now developed a prototype for SwimTrainer and looks forward to applying her knowledge from Saint Mary's to her business.

Did you know? Each year, the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre organizes a national entrepreneurship competition for post-secondary students across Canada. Modelled after the NCAA basketball competition, March Madness sees 64 participants compete to win $10,000 toward their business. With SwimTrainer, Marlee Armour MTEI’22 tied for third place in the 2022 competition.

Related stories:

• Breaking down barriers for women

• International students connect to the start-up community and industry leaders at Volta Labs

• Double-silver at VCIC: Students’ success highlights a unique entrepreneurial environment

Building more inclusive workspaces

To see the change, you need to be the change. This is the mentality that Dr. Vurain Tabvuma, Sobey Professor in Management, and his PhD student Katelynn Carter-Rogers BA’11 CertHON’12 MSc’15 bring to their teaching and research practices. Their research, focused on understanding how inclusion within organizations can increase well-being and performance, has been built into the Sobey School of Business Management 1281 curriculum —a foundational course for all Bachelor of Commerce students.  

“My research with Dr. Tabvuma has taught me a lot about current practices in organizations and the changes that need to be made to make them inclusive," says Carter-Rogers. "It’s one thing to be included, it’s another thing to feel like you truly belong.”

This addition to the course curriculum reinforces the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion in the minds of tomorrow’s business leaders. This is a big step forward in fostering more inclusive workplaces.  

“It’s important that organizations are able and ready to support people who come from very different perspectives, and include people who understand the world in very different ways,” says Dr. Tabvuma.

Did you know? The Sobey School of Business is a proud signatory of the United Nations Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative. The school is also one of just two in Canada to be selected as a PRME Champion (2020-23), a leadership group committed to advancing corporate social responsibility in education and research.

Related stories:

• Saint Mary's Hosts: Black Business Initiatives - 25 Years & Beyond

• Saint Mary’s University Signs Charter on Black Inclusion and Fighting Anti-Black Racism

• School of Business Impact Speaker Series launches with ‘Elevating Indigenous Businesses’ event

Sobey School of Business takes its place among top business schools in the world with EQUIS accreditation

The Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University joins the top business schools in the world with EQUIS accreditation by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) Global. Less than two percent of business schools worldwide hold this prestigious accreditation. The Sobey School of Business is also AACSB accredited, and only one percent of business schools worldwide are both AACSB and EQUIS accredited. 

The EQUIS accreditation benchmarks the Sobey School against international standards in terms of governance, programs, students, faculty, research, internationalization, ethics, responsibility, and sustainability, as well as its engagement with the world of practice. 

Dr. Harjeet Bhabra

“We are very excited and extremely proud to be a part of the EQUIS community. Achieving EQUIS accreditation endorses our school’s vision which is to lead in discovery and learning for global impact,” says Dr. Harjeet Bhabra, Dean of the Sobey School of Business. “EQUIS will provide us with the mechanism for international benchmarking with the best, grow our international partnerships, and keep us focused on achieving the highest quality in everything we do.” 

The EQUIS peer review team, consisting of representatives from universities in Spain, Belgium and Canada plus a corporate reviewer from IBM, highlighted the Sobey School’s action on ethics, responsibility, and sustainability initiatives as a reference that can serve others concerned with educating responsible leaders. The business school was commended for its innovation in program development and its responsiveness to the region’s business, societal and economic development needs. 

The Sobey School of Business is named after Frank H. Sobey, founder of Empire Company Limited and Sobeys Inc. The Sobey School of Business offers a well-respected Bachelor of Commerce program, with a wide range of specialties, including accounting, computing and information systems, entrepreneurship, finance and human resource management and industrial relations. The most comprehensive business school in Atlantic Canada it also provides a range of graduate-level programs including a Master of Business Administration, an Executive Master of Business Administration, a Master of Finance, a Master of Applied Economics, a Master of Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation, a Master of Management in Cooperatives and Credit Unions and a well-respected Ph.D. program.  

In Fall of 2022, the Sobey School introduced two new graduate programs, the Master of Business Analytics (MBAN) and the Executive Doctorate of Business Administration (EDBA), both designed to give students the skills to succeed in the modern business world. The school is also home to the internationally renowned David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services and four other research centres of excellence.  

The EQUIS accreditation is valid for a three-year period. EQUIS is the leading international system of quality assessment, improvement, and accreditation of higher education institutions in management and business administration. EQUIS is managed and run by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) Global and its fundamental objective, linked to the mission of the EFMD Global, is to raise the standard of management education worldwide. 

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Nerve, Balance, Community and Boldness: A reflection on Women in Retail: Impacting Our Communities With Purpose

On October 13, 2022, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, attendees of the Sobey School of Business’s fourth annual Women in Business event, Women in Retail: Impacting Our Communities With Purpose, gathered in person to highlight women in retail, their journeys and the impact they have on their communities.

Women in Retail included three panels of women experts in retail, a Keynote address by Founder & CEO of The 7 Virtues Barb Stegemann, a discussion with journalist and author Janice Landry, and The Pop-Up-Shop & Networking Hour, a mini-event created for entrepreneurs to promote their products, business or services to attendees. A post-event social at The Cable Wharf Kitchen & Patio followed.

Women in Retail: Impacting Our Communities With Purpose

The emcees of the event, Amber Grosse, Entrepreneurship Engagement Manager with the Black Business Initiative, and Crystal Garrett, Broadcast Journalist and CEO of Crystal Joy Garrett Media, conducted the day with effortless skill. Both women leveraged their humour, lived experiences and charisma to facilitate discussions both amongst speakers and attendees. We would like to formally thank both Amber and Crystal for their phenomenal work!

Although the panelists, Stegemann and Landry all come from diverse personal backgrounds and business focusses within the retail world, four common themes emerged from their experiences: nerve, balance, community and boldness. These themes united the not only the women on stage, but throughout the room. The feeling of support and togetherness was palpable, with attendees and presenters sharing experiences, advice and stories with one another throughout the day. By the end of the event, a community of women in retail and their allies had formed in the Loyola Conference Hall.

Attendees of Women in Retail lining up to ask questions to presenters.

We would like to thank all of our speakers, attendees and our sponsors (with special thank you to our changemaker sponsor, Sunlife Financial) for making Women in Retail: Impacting Our Communities With Purpose a resounding success. Without your dedication, this event would not have been as impactful as it was! Additionally, we wish to thank Ambassatours CEO Dennis Campbell for use of The Cable Wharf Kitchen & Patio as a post-event space to debrief and network.

As for what comes next, the Women in Business Steering Committee is excited to announce that next year’s event plans to build upon the impact of Women in Retail. The Committee is highly engaged in working with community members, and will be moving towards to establish a fund to uplift and support women in business.

We cannot wait to see what’s next for Women in Business!

If you would like to see photos from Women in Retail: Impacting Our Communities With Purpose, they have been posted on the Sobey School of Business’s Facebook Page.

Two new Sobey School of Business programs welcome first cohorts this fall

Inaugural EDBA cohort

The Sobey School of Business welcomed the inaugural cohorts of two new programs this fall: the Executive Doctorate of Business Administration (EDBA) and the Master of Business Analytics (MBAN). EDBA has a cohort of 8, while MBAN has a cohort of 22.

“We are excited to launch the EDBA and MBAN programs this year,” says Dean of the Sobey School of Business, Harjeet Bhabra. “Curriculum innovation is a key element of our strategic plan Elevating Impact, and these two new programs add to our portfolio of program offerings that meet the growing and changing needs of the business world today. To our first cohorts, I am delighted to welcome you to the Sobey School of Business.”

The EDBA program is the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada. It is designed for seasoned executives and brings the possibility of development and support to distinguish their value in the job market, while rewarding them with critical knowledge and skills to succeed in today’s complex business environment. The program will be offered every two years and is designed for a cohort of 8 to 12 students. Dr. Wendy Carroll, Academic Director of the EDBA Program, is thrilled to launch this program that meets the needs of highly active business leaders in a number of fields.

“Our EDBA students come to us from a variety of backgrounds, including entrepreneurship, medicine, law and the federal government," says Dr. Wendy Carroll, Academic Director of the EDBA program. "We look forward to working with them through rigorous scholarship and community practice.”

The MBAN program is another first of its kind for Atlantic Canada, designed to meet the growing need for business analytics professionals. MBAN gives students the ability to fuse data science and business competencies, while cultivating an analytical mindset to lead and sustain efforts in small, medium and large organizations.

“Our students come to us from 10 different countries, with diverse background in math, science, engineering and business,” says Dr. Michael Zhang, Director of the MBAN program. “Many have strong working experience in project management, financial management, data and technology management. Our multidisciplinary teaching faculty are thrilled to be part of the launch of this new program.”

MBAN’s inaugural cohort

Canadian citizens and permanent residents entering MBAN also have the opportunity to apply for the Dr. Robert P. Kelly Master of Business Analytics Scholarship, valued at $10,000. These scholarships are funded by the generous $1 million gift from Dr. Kelly to A World Without Limits: The Campaign for Saint Mary’s University.

Learn more about graduate programs at the Sobey School of Business.

Women in Retail Keynote Speaker: Meet Barb Stegemann, social entrepreneur and Dragon slayer

When Barb Stegemann made her pitch on Dragon's Den she reduced two of the Dragons to tears and came away with three investors, making her the first woman from Atlantic Canada to land a venture-capital deal on the CBC show. Ten years later, her company, The 7 Virtues Beauty, is an international leader in the cosmetics industry for its mandate to source organic, fair trade essential oils from countries experiencing turmoil (such as Afghanistan, Haiti the Middle East and Rwanda). Now, the best-selling author and social business innovator and entrepreneur will share her knowledge and experience at the Sobey School of Business’s fourth annual Women in Business event, Women in Retail: Impacting Our Communities With Purpose, on October 13.

Attendees will hear from diverse voices of women in retail leadership and participate in discussions on how to impact their communities with purpose. In addition to our keynote speaker, Women in Retail: Impacting Our Communities With Purpose will feature three panels of women retail leaders sharing insights and answering questions. Attendees will also have the chance to network at the Pop-Up-Shop & Networking Hour and attend a post-event evening social at a local venue.

Barb Stegemann

Despite the wealth of female retailers that Women in Retail will be featuring, there is still much work to be done regarding gender diversity in retail. In 2021, women held just 12% of chief executive roles in retail. Stegemann is one such woman, whose business started out of her garage in Bedford and has grown to an international powerhouse of social enterprise.

Raised in the Maritimes, Stegemann’s entrepreneurial vision began when her best friend was severely injured in Afghanistan while serving in the Canadian Forces. As her friend recovered in a Vancouver hospital, Stegemann began thinking about how she could contribute to stabilizing the region.

“I didn’t even set out to make perfume, I just wanted to help farmers in Afghanistan,” Stegemann shared when she sat down for an interview. Initially, she found that she didn’t fit the already-established paths to helping countries in turmoil.

“I’m not a soldier, I’m not a world leader. So, I created a new way.”

Stegemann began by writing a bestselling book, The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen, which seeks to empower women to reach for their dreams. After her book Stegemann began making contacts with essential oil merchants in Afghanistan, Haiti and Rwanda, and realized this was her way to carry on her mission of peace. The company The 7 Virtues was realized, and through the ups and downs of launching and running a social enterprise, Stegemann has been trailblazing as a woman in retail ever since.

Barb Stegemann and Ella Webster BA’22 at Ella’s Convocation in Spring 2022.

“There was no word for social enterprise when I started,” Stegemann told us. The 7 Virtues is now an award-winning social enterprise and is the only Canadian brand to be sold through Sephora’s “Clean at Sephora” fragrance space across the US, Canada and in 13 countries across the EU.

As for her connection to Saint Mary’s University, Stegemann’s connection does not stop at simply being from the Maritimes. Her daughter, Ella Webster BA’22, is a recent SMU graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. Ella and her brother Victor work with Stegemann at The 7 Virtues, a fact that is very meaningful to her.

“The most rewarding part owning a business is that I get to work with my two children. I’m so grateful that I created something out of thin air that lets me be around my family and gives me the freedom the decide what I want to be, what I want to do. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.”

Stegemann brings a wealth of experience as a women entrepreneur in the retail space, and her story shares messages of overcoming adversity and empowering women to embrace their inner disruptor. In our interview, Stegemann shared not only the story of The 7 Virtues but wisdom on living life as an entrepreneur.

“It’s very important to design and live the life you want. We’re only here for a short time, so while we’re here we should live life with meaning and purpose. Entrepreneurship gives you that.”

Learn more about Barb, our other speakers, and buy your tickets now to Women in Retail: Impacting Our Communities With Purpose!

Watch Barb’s full interview where she discusses her entrepreneurial journey here:

Sobey School of Business launches Dean’s Annual Community Report

The Sobey School of Business has released its Dean’s Annual Community Report (PDF), a publication that highlights key projects, initiatives and events at the Sobey School of Business from January 2021 to April 2022.

During the 16-month period of the report, the students, faculty, staff and alumni of the Sobey School of Business showed their commitment to a world without limits. Through their efforts, the school played and continues to play a key leadership role in the Atlantic business community. The report highlights activities and initiatives that reflect Elevating Impact, the 2020-2025 strategic plan of the Sobey School. Elevating Impact states the three key commitments of the school: to advance teaching and learning, foster an environment of intellectual discovery that inspires research excellence, and to engage with the broader community to address issues of local and global significance.

This year’s report touches on a wide variety of highlights. New academic programs were launched while old programs were revamped to address emerging education needs in the business world, while research initiatives that targeted our local communities in Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada were undertaken. Events to support and uplift diverse communities were created, and Sobey students went above and beyond in their pursuit for academic excellence.

“The Sobey School of Business has a proud history of excellence in business education, and the outstanding work of our faculty, staff and students,” says Dean Harjeet S. Bhabra. “Reading through this publication, I am sure you will see how the Sobey School of Business is making an impact with purpose.”