CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP Entrepreneur Kelsey Ramsden Reluctant hero Dr. Joanne Liu of Médecins Sans Frontières on being bold, kicking cancer fi ghts against indifference and outworking them all What I learned from failure Mogens Smed of Dirtt Environmental Solutions on the benefi ts of losing it all Testing the waters conversations with Frédéric Dugré of H2O Innovation on how a John Risley, Nancy Gougarty, Canadian tragedy revealed his true calling Shannon Rogers, Fred Davidson and Audrey Mascarenhas DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH

The pursuit of a dream is rarely easy.

Oftentimes, it’s about taking risks, seizing opportunities, confronting obstacles that seem insurmountable and powering your way through them. It can also mean In today’s global market, staying home means missing out. falling down along the way and ˆˆnding nding the strength International trade can mean more complexity, but HSBC can to pick yourself back up again. help make it easier with tailored solutions for your business. At HSBC, we aim to help businesses thrive and people With a market presence that covers 87% of the world’s trade  ows*, we’ve got the experience and coverage to help you succeed. realize their goals. In the pages of this magazine, we’ve assembled bold entrepreneurs, See how Canadian companies are taking advantage of business leaders, innovators and humanitarians. the global market at When faced with a door, they had the courage to step hsbc.ca/connectingforgrowth through. We hope you’ll be as inspired as we are by their stories of success and determination.

CONTENTS

14 8 10 5

2 Kelsey Ramsden 5 John Risley 8 Audrey Mascarenhas 10 Shannon Rogers 14 Frédéric Dugré 16 Dr. Joanne Liu 18 Nancy Gougarty 20 Mogens Smed 22 Fred Davidson 24 Parting Words

EDITOR THE GLOBE EDGE TEAM Shelley White Teena Poirier Liz Massicotte ART DIRECTOR Director, Content Program Manager, Globe Paul van Dongen Marketing Group Edge

CONTRIBUTORS Sean Stanleigh Isabelle Cabral

Doors I’ve Walked Through is Paula Arab, Jordana Divon, Jennifer D. Managing Editor, Globe Production Co-ordinator, designed and produced by The Globe Foster, Brett Gilmour, Gail Johnson, Content Studio The Globe and Mail and Mail Custom Content Group on David Israelson, Robert Karpa, Daina behalf of HSBC Bank Canada. Printing and prepress by Metagraphic Lawrence, Aaron McKenzie Fraser, Simon Beck Network Angus McRitchie, Patrick Mével, Senior Editor, Custom *Source: Global Insights, UNCTAD COVER PHOTOGRAPH: MARGARET MULLIGAN; THIS PAGE, FROM LEFT: PATRICK MÉVEL, BRETT GILMOUR, ROBERT KARPA, AARON McKENZIE FRASER FRASER McKENZIE McKENZIE AARON AARON KARPA, KARPA, ROBERT ROBERT GILMOUR, GILMOUR, BRETT BRETT MÉVEL, MÉVEL, PATRICK PATRICK LEFT: LEFT: FROM FROM PAGE, PAGE, THIS THIS MULLIGAN; MULLIGAN; MARGARET MARGARET PHOTOGRAPH: COVER ©2015 Globe Edge Shannon Moneo, Margaret Mulligan Content Group Issued by HSBC Bank Canada DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH 1 Born with entrepreneurial spirit in her blood, Kelsey Ramsden founded two companies before she turned 30. Now a mentor, speaker and all around ‘business badass,’ Ramsden’s juggled kids, career and cancer and she’s far from nished nished

BY JORDANA DIVON PHOTOGRAPH BY MARGARET MULLIGAN CAN’TCAN’T WON’TWON’T STOP,STOP, STOPSTOP

ELSEY RAMSDEN ISN’T ANSWERING HER E-MAIL. It’s not because the construction com- pany maven, inter- national keynote speaker and business mentor is swamped with tasks. It’s because Ramsden, the 39-year- old woman PROFIT magazine named Canada’s No. 1 Female Entrepreneur for two years running, is making a deliberate effort to apply her skills to a task that still proves challenging: vacation. “It’s hard, but I’m getting better at it,” she admits (when she ŽŽnally nally replies). Each year, the Ramsden clan heads west from their home in London, Ont., to visit family. They start in Ramsden’s Kelsey Ramsden at the Oxford Street trestle on the Thames Valley Parkway hometown of Kelowna, B.C. (also the site in London, Ont. of the two multimillion-dollar compa- nies she founded: civil construction ŽŽrm rm Belvedere Place Development and Tallus Development Ltd., a residential project

2 DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH 3 TITLE SWIMMING WITH THE management company). Then they pile into a car Mentor, was spread on B.C. streets in the winter. and drive through the Rockies until they reach Keynote Speaker, “Then we set up a little barricade and stood at Entrepreneur Calgary. the mouth of where we swept up and charged all They’re still in the middle of their trip, but COMPANY the homeowners to pass the gate on these clean Belvedere Place BIG FISH Ramsden’s made time today for a phone inter- Development new streets when they came home from work,” view. With blunt wit, she makes note of the fact she says. “We held them captive with cute little HEADQUARTERS that she’s in a hotel room chatting with the a jour- eyes.” London, Ont. nalist while her three kids are having breakfast Ramsden also observed how risk, failure and downstairs: “My husband’s probably down there NOTABLE AWARDS picking yourself up again actually manifest in 2013 WXN Canada’s thinking, ‘Come on, seriously?’” Most Powerful the real world. “Growing up in an entrepreneur- She’s only half-joking, of course. If there’s any- Women – CIBC ial family, odds are you probably saw high times one who understands what it takes to succeed at Entrepreneurs and low times,” she says. “I know we certainly her level, it’s her husband, Andrew Ramsden, a Award, PROFIT did. I think it’s a bene” t for the next generation of successful entrepreneur in his own right (he runs magazine’s No. 1 entrepreneur because you understand that get- Female Entrepreneur manufacturing company Ramsden Industries in Canada for 2012 ting low doesn’t mean you’re out, whereas a ” rst Ltd.). Andrew has been part of her “A-Team” since and 2013 generation entrepreneur can really get knocked the two met at the Western University’s Ivey DOOR SHE WALKED out of the game when things get tricky.” Business School’s MBA program. He supported THROUGH Ramsden’s own road to success had a number his wife’s decision to quit her consulting job six When diagnosed with of detours and delays. She admits her grades were months after graduation and, at age 28, start her cancer, she pivoted into less than exemplary, noting she was more into own construction company. new career paths sports, friends and hanging out with her brother. “[Andrew] wasn’t even in town when I decided By her mid-20s, she was living between Victoria to leave. I called him and I was like, ‘I quit my job’ and Vancouver, working the co• ee shop circuit in and he said, ‘Great, what’s your plan?’ I don’t have a plan. My the winter and construction in the summer. plan is me,” she says. “I know how to build roads and bridges. I “All systems pointed to, ‘This is a good life.’ But is this my life? had learned that from the ground up.” No. Not mine,” she remembers thinking. That much was certainly true. As the daughter of Bruce With her brother Trent considering his MBA, Ramsden’s Kitsch, a player in the B.C. construction industry, Ramsden grew competitive streak kicked in. She applied to schools across the up on site, rolling up her sleeves and working her way around country and got rejected by all but Ivey. various jobs at both her father’s company and others. “I under- Armed with people skills from her mother, whom she stood construction from doing it,” she says. credits with having “more street smarts than anyone she But while the environment was familiar, Ramsden wasn’t an knows,” Ramsden graduated and surrounded herself with the engineer, and when she decided to take a crack at her own ven- right crowd. People like her father’s long-time lawyer, Grant ture, she still had to convince others to take a chance on her. Shirre• , became mentors and friends. “I was lucky that there A ” rm believer that anyone with hustle, grit, work ethic and were a lot of people who wanted to see me succeed,” she says, smarts can get ahead, this was one time she felt her MBA really and she made good on her promise at that ” rst funding meeting paid o• . to outwork everyone in the room. “As a girl looking to start a construction company, I needed The two companies she founded in 2005 thrived. Ramsden and a piece of paper [for] some fellow in a bank in Ontario to say, her husband started a family. She agreed to relocate to Ontario in ‘This person has been vetted,’” says Ramsden, observing that 2009 so Andrew could be closer to his manufacturing company, the Ontario way of doing business is often about who you are but continued to oversee her two companies from afar. and who you know, while the B.C. way involves more of a gut Yet if there’s a lesson even someone with the ” ercest work feeling and good faith. But she also knew what she could bring ethic eventually learns, it’s that biology is ultimately the boss. to the table. A cancer diagnosis in 2012 forced Ramsden to face her mor- In the beginning, John Risley was a university dropout “[At] my ” rst funding meeting I said, ‘I may not be the smart- tality and adjust her plans accordingly. As she recovered, she est person in the room and I may not have the most money, but delegated control of her companies to trusted hands, and piv- with a young family and no skill set. Then he turned a two-man I will outwork every one of you and I will tell you when things oted into initiatives that would free up more time to put into her operation into a seafood empire are wrong,’” she says. health, well-being, and family. The entrepreneur gene has been kicking around Ramsden’s For most people, that would mean semi-retirement. For BY DAINA LAWRENCE bloodline for generations. Her grandfather, Rudy Kitsch, Ramsden, that meant pivoting into coaching, speaking and PHOTOGRAPHS BY AARON McKENZIE FRASER started Kelowna’s ” rst taxicab stand, Rudy’s Taxi, in the late being a mentor for the Richard Branson Centre of Entrepre- 1930s. Once her kids packed off to high school, Ramsden’s neurship. She retains a leadership role with her two companies, mother Esther Kitsch launched several ventures out of the and she launched SparkPlay in 2012, a mail order company that family home. And long before he founded his men’s underwear provided curated play-boxes for kids. But she recently shut company in his 20s, Ramsden’s younger brother Trent Kitsch down SparkPlay when it failed to turn a pro” t. would join his sister in their idea of after-school fun: solving “It’s an awesome idea, but I am here to make money. So I’d business problems. rather spend time with my kids than help you spend time with She recalls an early initiative when she was seven and her your kids and lose money,” she says. brother was four. The pint-sized entrepreneurs would grab And with that said, she ends the call and heads downstairs to brooms and sweep their cul-de-sac to clear away the sand that join her family. Vacation beckons.

4 DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH 5 TITLE THE President and CEO [that] program, good at? The answer, of course, is nothing. All I speaks about his mentor and it’s clear the impact COMPANY “Anybody that starts a business today really had was a whole bunch of energy and lots of ambition and he had runs deep. Risley credits his former Clearwater Fine Foods needs to have a mentor,” he explains, “just then you look for an opportunity to channel that.” landlord with imparting crucial advice when his Inc. to have the ability to have somebody to talk LEGEND He adds matter-of-factly, “So we channelled it into a business business knowledge was in its infancy. HEADQUARTERS things through with. I think that makes a big that had a very low barrier to entry.” “We were able to climb up the learning curve Bedford, N.S. di erence in the extent to which the business It wasn’t a love of crustaceans or a lifelong desire to run a very quickly as a consequence of having a NOTABLE AWARDS is likely to succeed.” small business that brought Risley to sell shell sh out of his mentor,” he says. O cer of the Order of It’s clear Risley is not a man caught up OF JOHN truck in 1976. Rather, it was his ability to recognize an oppor- Risley is a great supporter of mentorship, Canada, Nova Scotia with his own legend, but he admits stress is tunity and – perhaps most importantly – the need to support saying it’s the greatest component of a successful Business Hall of something that comes along with running a his family. “I had nancial responsibilities and a young wife and Fame, 1988 Canada business venture. He backs up his claim by Award for Business business – or, in his case, an empire. But he says son, so you sort of say, ‘Hey, I’ve got to do something,’” he says. working with young people as chair of the board Excellence in his surroundings are what keep him grounded. RISLEY, “It wasn’t any more complicated than that, frankly.” of Futurpreneur Canada, a national non-profit Entrepreneurship “Nova Scotians and Atlantic Canadians are The first years were long and arduous as Risley and his that provides  nancing, mentoring and support DOOR HE WALKED lucky because living on the water is just a huge co-founder, president and co-founder and brother-in-law, Colin MacDonald, worked the to aspiring young business owners. THROUGH stress reliever,” he says. hours of a corporate lawyer, but without the robust paycheque He stresses that the environment in which Sold seafood out of a “I’m not saying going off to climb in the CEO of Clearwater Fine to match. “We worked and lived at the oœ ce and never went Clearwater was conceived and eventually thrived pickup truck mountains isn’t the same thing, but if you’re born home and worked all the time. But there’s only so many hours is much more complex today – a world he would to support his young and brought up alongside the water, then the family Foods Inc., is one that many in a week and once you’ve worked all the hours, where do you like to help the younger generation navigate, like water is a wonderful time, a great stress reliever go from there?” Mac Swim once did for him. and I can’t imagine living anywhere else.” Canadians have heard The pair knew they had to grow the business, but they needed a clear vision. before: the tale of a young The answer came to Risley while he attended a business seminar at Harvard University in entrepreneur in the mid- 1978 – the rst time, he says, he actually took John Risley on his property in Chester N.S.: “Living on the water formal education seriously. The concept of is just a huge stress reliever.” 1970s selling lobsters out of competitive advantage came up and it sparked something in the young entrepreneur. He the back of a pickup truck in a needed an edge. “So we asked, ‘How can we make technology our value-added service, so Halifax parking lot. that it’s going to be diœ cult for our competitors To be sure, it’s an admirable rags-to-riches story, considering to duplicate and that’s going to give us some the multibillion-dollar, global enterprise that early venture advantage in the marketplace and the ability to would become. But spend time with the 67-year-old seafood charge some sort of a premium?’” baron and you’ll quickly realize that anecdote is just one chapter The latest technology for seafood storage in a fascinating, four-decade-long entrepreneurial journey. was adopted (keeping lobsters in individual In the beginning, before the international seafood empire, compartments in a closed, chilled seawater before the Order of Canada and the accolades from the business circulatory system), the premium was world, we arrive at a young John Risley, playing in the yard of his charged and Clearwater was set apart from childhood home on Quinpool Road in Halifax. its competition. This eventually led to the Like many little boys, this kid has aspirations, to grow up company’s expansion of its small retail shop, to be a reman, a policeman or seated behind the wheel of an located in a former restaurant space. “We just ambulance. But stick around a few more years and you can see kept adding on, if you like. The house next these childhood dreams start to shift. door became an oœ ce.” To this day, that space “I went from wanting to be a driver of something that had a remains the company’s headquarters. siren to saying that I wanted to make a million dollars,” recalls The hours didn’t get easier though; the Risley. He was often ridiculed for having such a lofty goal. nature of the work simply changed, explains “Everybody would chuckle and say, ‘Yeah sure.’” Risley. “The work went from pure labour to While some people might have crumbled under the snickers sitting at one’s desk,” he says. “I remember all of naysayers, Risley says the laughter simply fuelled his dream. the jeers and catcalls from all the guys who “I’m one of these people where, the more people laugh at me, thought they were working hard down on the the more determined I am,” he explains. “It’s an ‘I have to prove £ oor as I disappeared into an oœ ce, [and] spent them wrong’ sort of a thing.” a lot of time on the telephone as opposed to Ambition was not something a young John Risley lacked, but working down alongside them.” his climb to the top also involved good timing and a lot of luck – An essential part of Risley’s success came especially since he dropped out of Dalhousie University in his in the form of a man named Mac Swim – the 20s after realizing academia was not for him. landlord for the Clearwater Seafood retail store “I think what characterizes most startups today is that the and Risley’s mentor. entrepreneur has a particular skill set and an idea arising out Swim, a soft-spoken man, was “a business of that skill set,” he says. “But I wasn’t in a situation where I conscience, a school of sober second thought had any skill set. What is somebody that spent two years in a [and] a board of directors rolled into one,” says [bachelor of arts] program, that wasn’t particularly good in Risley. His voice gets more intense when he

6 DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH 7 As a child growing up in Kenya, Audrey Mascarenhas dreamed of being a concert pianist. But it was her passion for the hen Audrey Mascarenhas joined it was her godfather who showed up from the U.K. for a visit. environment that led her to take a Questor Technology Inc. in 1999, She remembers the conversation, word for word. “He said she knew she was taking a risk. In ‘Audrey, how long have you tried to solve this?’ I said, ‘My whole chance on Questor Technology Inc. fact, she says that decision rep- life.’ He told me to go follow my dreams, to go get an education resents the greatest risk she has and to then come back and make a di erence. Those were the BY PAULA ARAB taken in her professional life. wisest words anyone had ever said to me. PHOTOGRAPH BY BRETT GILMOUR “I was the laughing stock of the “Throughout my whole life, every step of the way, there are PLAYING A oil patch,” says the 54-year-old these amazing people and words of wisdom.” CEO from her 11th floor office at Another mentor was the pharmacist where she worked Questor headquarters in Calgary, part-time as a cashier and assistant during high school. When which overlooks the shimmering Bow River and the Rocky he learned she was going to university, he insisted he pay her a F Mountains. “People said, ‘Nobody is ever going to care about retainer in case an “emergency” came up at the pharmacy and D F E E N T TUNE the environment.’” he needed her to come into work. I R Now, Questor is an international oil- eld service company “I look back on that and realize it was his way of making sure whose environmental solutions and clean combustion technol- I made it through and got an education,” she says. ogies are in demand around the world. The company designs Mascarenhas wanted to be a doctor but chose engineering and builds high-e” ciency waste gas incinerators that destroy “by accident,” because it was more practical. She didn’t even noxious or toxic hydrocarbon gases, providing an alternative know what engineers do. But she knew they were well-paid, to flaring the gas, which releases emissions into the atmo- and it only took four years of school. sphere. At university, her life path was set and she flourished. But back in 1999, Questor was a struggling startup. At the Mascarenhas studied chemical engineering at the University of time, many in industry denied global warming. Leaders who Toronto and after her rst year, she was recruited by Texaco to stepped up to protect the environment were few. Mascarenhas, work in the pumphouse of their new re nery, which ended up however, had a vision of using her engineering background to being the “most amazing summer experience.” help improve the company’s technology, and allowed herself She loved eldwork, and got along well with the mostly male to be wooed to Questor by her former mentor and then- CEO workforce. “They teased me a lot because I was so naive. I loved Daniel Motyka. the logic and the sense of humour,” she says. “Everyone around me was saying, ‘You are one of the bright- Even now, connecting with the workers in the eld, she says, TITLE est engineers around, and this company will never be success- is one of her greatest strengths. Her leadership style is to be CEO ful. You’re wasting your future.’ But in my heart of hearts, I felt herself, rather than emulate a man’s style of management. COMPANY the work Questor was doing was important,” she says. “I’ve never looked at it like I can’t do this because I’m a woman, Questor Technology “It wasn’t about the money, it was about the passion.” or the doors won’t open for me because I’m a woman. I just Inc. In the small African town where Mascarenhas grew up, fol- wanted to be recognized for being a good engineer.” HEADQUARTERS lowing her passion was not an option. Life in Nakuru, Kenya, After climbing the ladder to success during a 17-year career Calgary was a world of wild animals, chickens and dreams of being a at Gulf Canada Resources, the chemical engineer took early NOTABLE AWARDS concert pianist. The eldest of four girls, Mascarenhas loved retirement to be a stay-at-home mom. Realizing she got her 2011 Ernst & Young playing piano. energy from talking and being with people, Mascarenhas Entrepreneur of the Year Award – However, at the tender age of six, her dad sat her down one decided to return to the workforce. When the Questor oppor- Cleantech (Prairies), night and explained the hard facts of life. There is no future in tunity came up, so did many other opportunities, and she had 2014 Business in music, he told her. her pick of well-paying job o ers. But her gut told her to join Calgary Leader of “He wanted me to study math and science. It devastated me,” Questor, and she followed her passion because she “really Tomorrow she recalls of the conversation. “There were many tears.” wanted to give back.” DOOR SHE WALKED Then came the culture shock of her life. The family immi- From today’s rear-view mirror, the company was ahead of THROUGH grated to Canada. its time and is reaping the bene ts now that the world is catch- Followed her passion for protecting the At 13, they moved to Toronto. Mascarenhas had skipped a ing up. As environmental regulations become more stringent environment to the few elementary grades, and she found herself in high school, around the world, Questor’s market continues to grow. Demand helm of a struggling, taking classes with girls much older and more mature than she. for Questor technology has gone beyond its traditional oil and but promising, startup She had to adapt to a new country, a new culture and a lan- gas base to industries that include agriculture, land ll, sewage guage she spoke with a British accent brought along from her and water treatment sectors. old private school, along with the uniform her father made her In Mascarenhas’s corner o” ce, awards and mementos re• ect wear. her career success. Distinctions include the Ernst & Young “I didn’t t in. I went to school in a navy blue skirt, a blazer, Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 Prairies Award and the Business white shirt and tie. As you can imagine, I looked like a geek,” in Calgary 2014 Leader of Tomorrow. She has presented inter- she says. nationally, at the World Petroleum Congress in Johannesburg At home, things weren’t much better. Her dad, in his 50s, and the Eco Expo Asia in Hong Kong. Audrey Mascarenhas, playing piano couldn’t nd work. Nor could her mother. That caused stress Like Questor’s journey from a small startup that was losing on stage in the Rozsa Centre on the and escalating problems. As the eldest, she felt responsible to money in the ’90s to becoming an industry leader today, University of Calgary campus. x things. “The only path I could see was to quit high school Mascarenhas’s life has followed a similar path of unpredictable to start working so that I could support the family,” says turns and detours. Mascarenhas. One thing endures – her philosophy: “If you’re passionate In what she describes as one of several pivotal moments in about it, that’s all that really matters,” she says. “Life is too short. her life, the right person appeared from nowhere. In this case, Really enjoy and be passionate about what you are doing.”

8 DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH 9 HEADHEAD IN IN

THE CLOUDCLOUDD

When a career in law just didn’t feel right, Shannon Rogers took a leap into the startup world. Back then, they couldn’t pay their rent. Now, she’s leading Global Relay to global domination

BY SHANNON MONEO PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROBERT KARPA

10 DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH 11 IN 2003, SHANNON ROGERS CLOSED THE

During a daylong hike on Vancouver’s daunting Grouse her twin brother Russ and younger brother Glenn since they DOOR ON AN AUSPICIOUS LAW CAREER Grind, Rogers met a fellow trekker named Warren Roy and the all attended West Vancouver’s Hillside Secondary School in the two struck up a conversation. Rogers was so intrigued by Roy’s early to mid-1980s. Calling her modest, an excellent listener “brilliant idea” of storing data in order to protect a business that and someone who takes a genuine interest in others, Saunders she decided to ditch her job for a no-pay position with his com- isn’t surprised that Rogers is a tech-world star. “She’s got an pany Global Relay, which was at the time a bootstrapped startup analytical mind and a great ability to focus on what’s important. with no revenue. She doesn’t get fussed by noise going on around her,” he says. AND WALKED INTO A PLACE THAT WAS “There were a lot of years of going without,” says Rogers. “No “But she probably downplays how successful she’s been.” money to hire sta . We were a year behind on our rent.” When The two reconnected when Rogers returned to Vancouver she got into a car accident, she used her insurance settlement from Toronto, and not long after, Saunders nominated her for to pay the bills. an award, one of the many she has won. Rogers has been named “There are a lot of dark days when you’re an entrepreneur. Canada’s top female entrepreneur, top lawyer and most power- HIGH ON INGENUITY, LOW ON CASH. But you just keep believing. We were so busy building the com- ful woman by various organizations. pany, we didn’t even notice we lacked money. I went back to my Beyond her workaholic tendencies, there’s one more ingre- Rogers was working as a corporate lawyer at Borden Ladner Gervais in Vancouver, having completed several years before that at university poverty days,” she recalls. dient to her success, says Saunders: “She’s got book smarts and a top-tier
rm in Toronto. But she was unsure whether she had chosen the right career path. “When I started as a lawyer, it was the Now, the Vancouver company is one of world’s top provid- street smarts.” Rogers credits some of that to her father Bill, last refuge for uncommitted overachievers,” says Rogers. “I always knew I was on the wrong side of the board table. Something in ers of electronic message archiving and compliance. Global who ran a property development company but now works for your gut tells you that you don’t want to be a lawyer at a big law
rm.” Relay has 20,000 customers in 90 countries, including 22 of the Global Relay, along with her brother Glenn. world’s 25 leading banks. “[My father] told me I don’t have to have a 9 to 5 job. He told In simple terms, Global Relay makes me to build my skills and go for it,” she says. money by very securely capturing and Global Relay certainly faced challenges in the early days, preserving e-mail, instant and mobile when someone with street smarts and a law degree would messaging, data from LinkedIn, Twitter, prove invaluable. A victim of the dot-com crash from 2000 to Facebook and other sites for global 2002, no one in Canada would ˆ nance the startup. “Suddenly, TITLE clients in the ˆ nancial, health-care and everyone was afraid of dot-com companies,” says Rogers. President and General Counsel government sectors. Using cloud-based But when Enron and other gargantuan accounting scandals message archiving, petabytes (one came to light in the early 2000s, the need to keep e-mails secure COMPANY Global Relay equals one million gigabytes) of data and intact became paramount. Well-acquainted with the ˆ nan- are stored at Global Relay’s secure nerve cial industry, Rogers’s entry was timely. When Global Relay was HEADQUARTERS centre in North Vancouver. building its framework, she would phone key agencies like the Vancouver “When we started, the word ‘cloud’ U.S.-based Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and NOTABLE AWARDS didn’t exist,” recalls Rogers, who is now get information about new regulations. Global Relay then built 2014 Sara Kirke Award for president, legal counsel and in charge its system to match FINRA’s rules. Entrepreneurship of business strategy and development Fond of the business development side, Rogers says that her and Innovation, at Global Relay. (Roy, her partner in comprehensive legal knowledge serves her well when she’s PROFIT magazine No. 1 business and in life, is CEO.) “We really brokering deals in a rapidly changing and still male-dominated Female Entrepreneur were pioneers.” Global Relay officially industry. in Canada for 2011, 2014, 2015 launched in 1999, but it took seven years At Global Relay, about 30 per cent of the employees are female. before it broke even. Though it’s not an environment that has traditionally attracted DOOR SHE WALKED THROUGH “We had a saying, ‘As long as you’re women, Rogers would like more females to pursue technology Gave up her day job going two steps forward and one step careers because they excel. She says that when she walks into and took a chance on back,” she says. “It’s so ironic. No one meetings, people sometimes don’t think she’s the boss. an innovative idea gave us the time of day.” Now, custom- “But, male or female, if you have a good attitude, smarts and ers and others make weekly o ers on the excellent ideas, you’ll be ˆ ne,” she says. company. When she isn’t managing about 180 sta members, cutting Before starting law school at McGill deals in New York City or checking out Global Relay’s Singapore University in 1992, where she earned o£ ce, Rogers loves to soak up nature, one of the reasons that both common law and civil law degrees, she returned to Vancouver. “I’m deˆ nitely a West Coast girl. I Shannon Rogers at Lighthouse Park in Rogers spent a year backpacking solo in came back to the mountains and ocean.” She’ll hike or spend West Vancouver: “I’m India, “before e-mail existed,” she says hours alone in her back yard, binoculars in hand, watching ani- defi nitely a West Coast wryly. One day she showed up at Mother mals. Or Rogers and Roy will ply the water in their 21-foot boat. girl. I came back to the Teresa’s Home for the Dying Destitutes in “My passion is orcas,” she says. mountains and ocean.” Calcutta, meeting the hospice’s namesake Already sponsors of events like the Global Relay Gastown 30 minutes later. Rogers stayed for sev- Grand Prix, Rogers says Global Relay is investigating how it can eral months, calling it a “profound” expe- do more to preserve ocean species like orca whales and salmon. rience. “It’s very humbling to care-give to In August, Rogers and Roy again challenged themselves by cir- someone on their deathbed,” she says. “It cumnavigating Vancouver Island in their Boston Whaler. really makes you think about life.” With no plans to sail away from Global Relay, despite huge Chris Saunders, an investment adviser money o ers, Rogers says the company intends to keep grow- based in Vancouver, has known Rogers, ing. “We’re only halfway through our journey.”

12 DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH 13 rédéric Dugré remembers it may seem like an odd choice for a budding the moment he heard the entrepreneur, he says it was the blend of the radio story that would technical and the tangible that made sense for change his life. him. Frédéric Dugré always dreamed of It was May 2000 and the lead story of the “It was probably the best combination in the day was about a little town in southwestern sense that I had the capability to understand being an entrepreneur, but it wasn’t Ontario called Walkerton. Its water supply a technical issue and translate it into a ‰ nan- until disaster struck that he found had been contaminated with Escherichia coli cial opportunity,” says Dugré. “And that’s what (E. coli) bacteria – 2,300 residents fell ill and I’ve been doing for the past 15 years now with

the passion to make it happen seven people died. H2O.” “That was the big eye-opener for me to see Like many young people after they grad- BY DAINA LAWRENCE that we’ve got to do something to improve the uate from university, Dugré found himself PHOTOGRAPH BY PATRICK MÉVEL way we’re treating our water in Canada,” says at a desk job, working for a Montreal-based Dugré. “It’s nonsense that we had so many gas company. While he acknowledges it was water reserves and were doing such a poor job a “fine job,” it was clear from the first days managing it and treating it.” that this was not going to work for him in the Frédéric Dugré at the Chutes-de-la-Chaudière That same year, Dugré founded his com- long run. in Quebec City. pany, H2O Innovation Inc., a water and waste- “I knew that I had to take greater risks, take water treatment company that specializes in the leap of faith and just jump, because I was high-tech membrane filtration technology looking at the other [workers] and thinking, and combines this mechanical engineer’s pas- ‘I’m not going to do this, I’m not going to do sion for the science and design of mechanical this,’” he says. “That wasn’t me.”

systems with his ‰ rst love, the business world. H2O Innovation was the grand leap he was

Now, H2O Innovation is an internation- looking for. In the early days it was a stressful ally successful company with eight locations adventure that began by gathering what Dugré across North America, three manufacturing calls “love money” from family and friends to plants and over 550 water treatment systems sustain his dream until he could raise his own in operation around the world. But Dugré’s capital. Success was not immediate – the ‰ rst entrepreneurial beginnings were much more ‰ ltration system the team decided to market humble. was discovered in a lab at the University of “For me, it was clear that one day I’d be Victoria, and the young startup licensed it only managing and leading a business,” says the to have it not be the right ‰ t. 41-year-old president and CEO, telling stories “Unfortunately, we did not succeed with of his early business ventures as a kid in his [that ‰ rst] technology,” he says, “but it was the Quebec City neighbourhood. He would gather ‰ rst step that we took into starting to create TITLE leaves into garbage bags and charge his neigh- these new innovations.” President and CEO bours $2 a bag for his labours. Early roadblocks like this were not seen as COMPANY “I was even ramping up the business with setbacks for Dugré. Instead, he saw them as H2O Innovation Inc. friends and touring around on my bicycle col- opportunities to improve upon his idea. He has HEADQUARTERS lecting the money,” he recalls. “I’ve always spent the years since building upon a cause he Quebec City been motivated by the fact that if I want to believed in – while still making money. NOTABLE AWARDS earn something, if I want to have something “I’m totally a capitalist. I’m about making Deloitte Technology more, I need to do it, I need to build it, I need to money, otherwise I wouldn’t be in business, Fast 50, Deloitte Technology Green 15 keep pushing.” but there has to be a line where there’s the eth- Award At 17, Dugré discovered the stock mar- ics and a noble cause behind it,” he says. “This DOOR HE WALKED ket and his passion for business was further is a pretty noble cause and the technologies THROUGH ignited. He saw Wall Street and Bay Street we’re [creating] are all green technologies. Gave up a desk job to “as something that was big and fascinating,” We’re pushing and promoting green technol- launch his water and despite his young age and inexperience in ogies so that with small steps, we try to change treatment company ‰ nance, he took it seriously. the world in our own way.” “At that time the Internet did not exist, so I From the kid bagging leaves in a quiet Quebec was doing all the graphs and charts, every day City neighbourhood to the head of his own reviewing the quotes from a stock and putting company, Dugré says he wouldn’t change one it on a piece of paper to establish some trend- part of his journey and attributes his success to ing,” he explains. a combination of timing and opportunity. Though he knew from a young age he “There was no preformatted route for me, wanted to be a business leader someday, except that I can tell you that what I’m doing Dugré decided to complete a bachelor’s degree today is exactly what I’ve been dreaming of in mechanical engineering at Laval University since I was young,” he says. “I’m 100 per cent instead of attending business school. While sure of that.”

14 DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH 15 Dr. Joanne Liu on “Indifference is paralyzing the campus of us. We are numbed and don’t McGill University in Montreal, the school react to the death of a child, where she fifirst rst dying of a preventable disease studied medicine. or in a war-zone country.”

death of a child, dying of a preventable disease or in a war-zone country. Not doing something isn’t the solution. That’s why I ŠghtŠ ght the status quo. And deep down, everyone has the ŠbreŠ bre to help someone else.” Liu’s desire to help was cemented when she was 18 and went to Mali, where children asked for leftover food. The comfort of her own life was laid bare. “You’re privileged if you don’t live in a war zone, you have access to education, three meals a day and a place to sleep,” she says. When choosing how to best improve lives, Liu considered going into agronomy (the science of crops and soils), but the TITLE one-on-one interaction of a physician’s work won out. In 1987, International she started premedical studies at McGill University, followed President President by a residency in pediatrics at the University of Montreal and ORGANIZATION a pediatric emergency fellowship in New York City. In 2014, Médecins Sans Médecins Sans she earned another McGill degree, a master of management in Frontières health leadership. HEADQUARTERS HEADQUARTERS Liu did her ŠrstŠ rst MSF assignment in 1996, and since then, she Geneva has completed more than 20 missions in countries like Haiti, NOTABLE AWARDS Sudan, Uganda, Sri Lanka and Bulgaria. She was president of 2013 Royal College of Physicians and MSF Canada from 2004 to 2009 and elected MSF’s international Surgeons of Canada’s president in 2013. Teasdale-Corti Stephen Cornish, MSF Canada’s executive director, met Liu in Dr. Joanne Liu, international president Humanitarian Award, 1996 when he joined MSF and has witnessed her growth. “She’s 2011 YWCA of a regular person doing extraordinary things,” he says. of Médecins Sans Frontières, has Montreal Women of Distinction Award A seasoned MSF employee who has worked in Africa, South dedicated her life to alleviating the America and Russia, Cornish considers Liu a fearless and “trans- DOORS SHE WALKS formational leader” because of her tireless ability to shift from su ering of others. But she’d rather be THROUGH Spends much of her doing hands-on doctoring in mission hospitals to full-on cam- known as ‘one of 30,000’ time in war and paigning at the international level. “She’s just as comfortable disaster zones around extending care to children in West Africa as she is at her home BY SHANNON MONEO the world hospital in Montreal or as she is speaking to the United Nations PHOTOGRAPH BY ANGUS McRITCHIE Security Council about Ebola.” As MSF’s top official, Liu may arrive for a visit and end upup going straight into triage as she did in 2014 during a violent time in the Central African Republic. “For me, what is important is being there to support operations in a tangible way,” she says. When not in the ŠŠeld, eld, which is about 70 per cent of her time, she advocates at organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization and the United Nations, raising issues like the underwhelm- hen Dr. Joanne Liu goes to work, bombs amputating the nation, and faced 200 war-wounded one she knowingly chose. ing response to the Ebola epidemic and the need for could drop metres away or safe water in less than 24 hours. “We do what we sign up for. I’m one of 30,000,” generic drugs to remain a‡a‡ordable ordable and available. W could be a mirage. Sometimes she sleeps “No time for self-pitying, sorrow,” says Liu she says of MSF’s committed contingent. “There are Liu lost count last year of the number of countries with her boots on in case of attack, or she is forced from her base in Geneva, headquarters of MSF people holding the bottom of the ladder to allow you she has visited. Married, her partner is an engineer. to go under cover to avoid abduction. International. “The goal is to save lives that can be to climb.” They have no children. Her widowed father thinks A pediatrician and emergency room physician, saved and everyone knows that there will be loss.” A Liu’s ascent started in Quebec City, where her his daughter is doing odd work. “He tells me to get Liu, 49, is the international president of Médecins lack of drugs and supplies can make the job harder, Chinese immigrant parents opened one of the city’s a real job,” she says. He left China’s poverty and Sans Frontières ( MSF), also known as Doctors she says. As well, “There’s always risk, always first Chinese restaurants. The youngest of four worked hard in Canada so that his daughter could Without Borders. She’s the second Canadian to lead moments we might be at the wrong place.” children, at age 13 she read a book written by an attend university and become a doctor. And now, the independent humanitarian organization that But don’t call her a hero. MSF physician. The humanitarian seed was planted. she goes to “miserable” places, he says. “It’s surreal operates in over 70 countries. Founded in 1971, MSF “I have diŠ culty with the cult of a hero,” she says. A second book, The Plague byby AlbertAlbert Camus,Camus, waswas for him,” she adds. delivers emergency aid to people in need aˆ ected Heroes are her patients who cross war zones to bring particularly in‚uential,in‚ uential, especially the phrase, “I am While Liu doesn’t live with regret, she admits that by armed con‰ ict, epidemics and natural disasters, their sick infants for treatment, or the resident staˆ still not used to seeing people die.” she’s taken big career risks via her devotion to MSF. irrespective of race, religion, gender or political who ceaselessly provides care. Meanwhile, after That quote has endured for Liu. Even today, she’s “I’m not a successful doctor in Canada,” she says. aŠ liation. she provides emergency medical aid and supports amazed by what she sees as a general disinterest “When I’m not in good spirits, I think I could have Liu and her MSF co-workers spent late July in operations, she is able to return to a safe home. After in human su‡ering.su‡ ering. “Indi‡“Indi‡erence erence is paralyzing us,” been a pediatrics professor. But I don’t want to be Yemen, where a Middle Eastern power struggle is all, it’s her job, says Liu, one not everyone wants, but she says. “We are numbed and don’t react to the complacent. That’s why I’m with MSF.”

16 DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH 17 IN THE DRIVER’S

of natural gas engines and vehicles. “Mao While she attributes much of her professional do what I needed to do. When we went to China, he SEAT Zedong said that women hold up half growth to the opportunities that GM provided her took nine months o to help the kids get settled. the sky, and China was a good place for throughout her career, Gougarty says that what has “Having a true partner, and being able to work professional women. At the same time, it played the greatest role in her success is a factor that through things and have someone you can depend When opportunity knocked, Westport Innovations was really underdeveloped at that point. people often overlook: a supportive relationship. on, is so important. It’s about ­ nding someone who president and COO Nancy Gougarty packed up her It was a dynamic period to be in China. By “So many people struggle today in relationships can partner with you in life and finding the right the time I left in 2012, wow, that country and career,” she says. “One standout point for me is balance for both of you. It’s so good for you and for family, headed to China and revved up her career changed in many di” erent ways. It was a my husband and the support he gave me in order to the entire family.” fabulous time to have been there to live BY GAIL JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT KARPA it versus just reading about it.” Gougarty says she got used to the idea of relocating early on in life. CASE STUDY Born in Cincinnati, she and her family moved frequently at a young age due to the professional demands of her nuclear physicist father, living in places like ALTUS GROUP: A CANADIAN SUCCESS Australia and Germany. “You learn a lot of things STORY ON THE WORLD STAGE TITLE about yourself when you President and COO have to pick up and move To go global, you need the right partners. For 150 years, HSBC has been at the forefront of COMPANY someplace new,” she says. “I helping small, medium and large companies grow and compete on the international stage. Westport Innovations felt that my life was richer Here’s how HSBC is helping one ambitious Canadian business expand in the U.S. and beyond HEADQUARTERS having done that on so many Vancouver occasions growing up. It was NOTABLE AWARD every ˆ ve years, whether we 2011 Shanghai liked it or not.” Almost from its inception, Toronto-based real estate Further acquisitions around the globe – more than 40 in Municipal People’s service company Altus Group established its desire to the last decade – have consistently provided Altus Group Government Magnolia Having studied at the Gold Award University of Cincinnati, become the one-stop shop for the world’s commercial with a strategic advantage over the competition. More real estate industry. recently, ARGUS Software, the industry’s most com- DOOR SHE WALKED where she earned her THROUGH bachelor of science in Established in 2005 as an income trust, Altus Group prehensive asset and portfolio management platform, Moved her family industrial management, spent its first two years building on a loyal Canadian was obtained through a purchase in 2011. from Ohio to Asia for Gougarty started out as an client base. But by 2007, the company began reaching Throughout every phase of its growth strategy, Altus an exciting job o­ er industrial engineer in 1978 beyond its borders and expanding into global markets – Group has relied on international partners like HSBC to with GM’s Packard Electric fi rst in the U.K., then in the U.S. and Asia. provide sound advice and seamless service in every cor- division. She was involved It was a growth strategy that worked. Now, Altus ner of the globe. in the heart of the production process, a Group is an international provider of professional advi- “International perspective and local knowledge has position she looks back on with fondness. sory, consulting, software and data solutions for its been benefi cial when partners such as HSBC and Altus Nancy Gougarty at global commercial real estate clients, with more than 75 Group have worked together,” says Barry Eisen, exec- Westport headquarters “They gave you a clipboard and you in Vancouver. went out to the factory floor,” recalls offi ces and 2,500 employees worldwide. utive vice-president, mergers and acquisitions, Altus Gougarty. “It was fun. Some of my best While Altus Group has clearly proven that Canadian Group. “Just as our clients are looking for that consis- friends today are from that factory companies can successfully go global, it wasn’t tent messaging and trusted advice, we’re looking for the š oor.” something that happened overnight. Rather, it was same from our advisers.” With GM, she took on roles in appli- a decade-long journey involving intense research, Because HSBC has a presence in some 80 countries cation engineering, ˆ nance, operations trendspotting and the ability to choose the right and territories around the world, it can offer clients the ancy Gougarty has never been afraid of making big and sales. Following her move to Shanghai, she strategic partners. advantage of a truly international banking platform, says moves to create opportunity. earned a series of appointments accountable for The company’s path to international success began David Ahern, HSBC’s senior corporate banking manager One of her boldest moves was sparked on a Friday strategic growth in Asian countries for companies with extensive knowledge gathering of prospective mar- and Altus Group’s relationship manager. afternoon in 1997, when a colleague half-jokingly like Delphi Automotive Systems and TRW Automo- kets. Altus Group called on key partners such as invest- “HSBC is uniquely placed to be able to provide clients suggested that she consider the position of managing tive Corporation. ment banks, clients and professional associations to with a single bank solution for all their international bank- director for General Motors’ joint venture in Shanghai. Impressed by Westport’s mission to help build a provide insight into the operating environment of these ing requirements,” says Ahern. “Altus Group can lever- At the time, Gougarty was business unit director future of cleaner energy with lower carbon content, new markets. age the HSBC relationship in Canada, and could quickly for GM’s Packard International in Warren, Ohio. Gougarty joined the company’s board prior to being Once the company had identified key regions, the establish other banking relationships in new markets Her three daughters were in grades six through appointed president and COO in 2013. next phase was about strategic acquisitions, designed to worldwide, be it in Thailand, China or the U.K.” nine, and her husband was running a small family “I love the fact that I continue to learn,” says separate Altus Group from the competition and provide After eight successful years of international business. That night, Gougarty went home and Gougarty, who is also an adviser to the president of state-of-the-art technology and solutions to its clients. expansion, Altus Group isn’t done growing, says Robert talked it over with her spouse. She went back to the Marietta College in Ohio and a member of the board In 2007, Altus Group acquired U.K.-based property Courteau, the company’s CEO. o ce on Monday to say yes. of TriMas Corporation. “I’ve learned a lot of new consulting firm Edwin Hill in order to break into “Investments in high-growth areas have paid off in the “Less than ˆ ve months later, we were on our way technology, and I work with a lot of very talented the European markets. Then in 2010, Altus Group U.S., and we’re making great progress against our strat- [to Shanghai],” says Gougarty, now president and people in a very interesting industry. And I couldn’t established a beachhead in the U.S. by acquiring a real egy,” he stated in a release announcing Altus Group’s chief operating o cer at Westport Innovations, a imagine a more beautiful or easier place to live than estate appraisal management practice that has become strong fi rst-quarter results in spring 2015. global leader in the engineering and manufacturing Vancouver.” an integral part of its data and analytics capabilities. “There’s global growth opportunity ahead of us.”

18 DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH 19 HOW TO SELL TO

Mogens Smed: “[Poker] THE WORLD taught me fi rst, about honesty. You don’t get into Some companies may ask: Why go global? The answer is those games unless you’re “My hardest lessons have been from the mistakes I’ve simple: Because you can. an honest person.” made – when I went bankrupt, when I got over my ego. It Despite the fact that Canada has more than 40 free trade was the mistakes that we made ourselves that caused us agreements established throughout the world, only 10 per to go bankrupt,” he explains. cent of Canadian companies are generating sales beyond “My father always said, ‘When people buy from you, our borders. what are they paying for?’ I told him what they’re pay- ing for is that we won’t make the same mistakes that we Clearly, there is opportunity for signifi cant growth in made for our other clients over the last 40 years. both established and emerging markets, and more “For you, [we say], we’ll make new mistakes.” companies need to identify their place in global markets Smed is not afraid to highlight more recent mistakes to ensure Canada’s economic stability, productivity and that helped him re„ ect on how to improve his business. competiveness. “The very worst decision I’ve ever made was building a HERE ARE HSBC’S FIVE STEPS TOWARD TAKING YOUR TITLE 769,000-square-foot factory BUSINESS TO THE WORLD STAGE. CEO in Calgary, instead of staying COMPANY in our smaller factories and 1 IDENTIFY THE OPPORTUNITY The fi rst question should POKER FACE DIRTT Environmental making them work on a con- always be: Where is there a need for this business? The Solutions Success hasn’t always come easy for Mogens Smed, but you won’t hear him complaining. tiguous basis,” he says. next question should be: Who is going to buy it? HEADQUARTERS “It’s still to this day the Sure, it’s nice to win a hand, but he’ll tell you he learns more when the chips are down Calgary 2 UNDERSTAND YOUR MARKETS Once a company largest single-level struc- has identifi ed the market best suited for its product or NOTABLE AWARDS ture in Western Canada. I’m BY DAVID ISRAELSON PHOTOGRAPH BY BRETT GILMOUR 2013 Ernst & Young processes, the next step should include extensive research Entrepreneur of pretty sure you can see it about that market – the culture, the key trends and age the Year Award – from the space station.” demographic – to ensure the best possible marketing Cleantech (Prairies), It’s not so much a busi- approach is being used to attract foreign customers. 2004 Environmental ness setback as much as an Questions to ask would be: What is the local perspective in Champion Award from example of when he went Interiors & Sources this market? How could a marketing strategy best address magazine against his better judg- this perspective? ment, bowing to so-called DOOR HE WALKED 3 SELECT THE RIGHT TEAM There should be a deep THROUGH outside experts: “We were influenced by Wall Street commitment by executives and employees to partake in After his rst business the research required to set up a business in a new market. failed, he learned and Bay Street. You know, from his mistakes and ‘Make it bigger.’ It’s the Team members with international experience could be ogens Smed’s secrets for success are not exactly mentally sustainable building interiors for o‘ ces and founded another dumbest thing I’ve ever a signifi cant asset, as well as employees with cultural what you’ll nd in textbooks. A prime example of other workplaces. done.” experience or language skills in a particular market. An M his words of wisdom? Hit the card tables. “Sustainability no longer costs more money. In fact, it There’s nothing wrong entrepreneurial drive among team members is also a key “In university, I didn’t go to classes. I played poker. I played costs less money than conventional solutions,” he says. with making counterintuitive decisions if you stick to advantage because it may be necessary to go the extra mile to address the needs of new clients. in the joints,” says Smed, 67, CEO of the Calgary-based People should have homes “that don’t burn up $200 a your principles, Smed says. He o“ ers an example from company he founded, DIRTT Environmental Solutions. month in operating costs.” his second company. 4 SET UP A GLOBAL NETWORK Whether it’s a supply “[Poker] taught me rst, about honesty. You don’t get In March, the publicly traded company reported “In 1993, we had a recession. I realized that if we company in Mumbai or a marketing fi rm in Beijing, creating into those games unless you’re an honest person,” he nearly $58-million in fourth-quarter sales. Though couldn’t — nd a way to reduce our prices by at least 25 per a global network can be a critical part of breaking into a new explains. not shy, Smed gives credit for DIRTT’s success to his cent and give the client better quality and more respon- market. Having trusted partners on the ground in a new Walking through doors into darkened rooms to hang co-founders: VP of software development Barrie Loberg sive service, we wouldn’t survive.” market can serve many functions like identifying cultural out with poker-playing palookas taught Smed to under- and head of design Geož Gosling. Rather than wait out the bad times and stick to regular trends, exploring new market opportunities and navigating stand – literally – what other people bring to the table. “It shows you how bright I am not,” says Smed. “When pricing, Smed says they changed their way of manufac- government red tape in unfamiliar territory. Companies Poker players can be tough, but they’re not necessarily Barrie showed me the technology [to develop sustain- turing, changed their processes in the factory, changed that make use of industry resources to help acquire foreign dumb. able construction], it took me six months to recognize it.” the finishes they used and then went to market. The market information and establish links with the industry’s “You learn respect. There are people you meet every Being slow ož the mark is just one of the many mis- strategy worked, and the company „ ourished. key players are going to be better connected. day who are much, much smarter than you and much, takes Smed says he has made – errors which, he stresses, The lesson is that “you can’t get pro— tability on the 5 BE INNOVATIVE Uniqueness – whether through a much better than you at what they do,” he says. “You he wears with honour. He doesn’t think that plain suc- backs of your customers,” says Smed. If you try, they marketing strategy or a particular product – has been learn to give them the respect and have them work cess is particularly indicative of anything. will walk away; if you demonstrate that they’re getting the root of many international success stories. It’s together with you.” “No one has ever learned from success. I certainly value, they will stay loyal. about standing out from the crowd and, perhaps more As for failure, another of his aphorisms goes like this: have not.” Smed knows he has a big personality, but he believes importantly, differentiating from the competition. Research “It’s much easier coming from the bottom and working The son of a Danish furniture craftsman, Smed’s rst in humility too, he says. “Learning that I’m not good at and Development (R&D) is an integral part of innovation and your way to the top than starting at the top and working business – manufacturing furniture – failed and he lost everything” was a big lesson. He also believes that loy- requires the proper attention and resources to succeed. your way down.” everything. That was in 1982. Not long after, he started alty, compassion and empathy are absolutely necessary Getting customer input at the R&D stage is a way to ensure If Smed’s formula for winning in business is uncon- another business, called SMED International, which sold to run a good business. a product or strategy is addressing the latest consumer ventional, his results are more straightforward. DIRTT, modular furniture. He sold it for $300-million in 2000, His parting advice? Learn from failure, and know “the needs and remains fresh. which is Smed’s third company, stands for “Doing It then started DIRTT four years later. But he still looks di“ erence between a dreamer and a visionary. Right This Time.” The rm harnesses the latest advanced more to the business that went belly up for guidance “A dreamer never gets things done. A visionary design technology to plan and build modular, environ- than anywhere else. always does.”

20 DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH 21 Fred Davidson: “I get to know LIKE A how the people think, and that’s the best part.” ROLLING STONE As head of Energold Drilling Corp., Fred Davidson has travelled the globe. And it’s the people he meets who inspire him most TITLE President, CEO and BY GAIL JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT KARPA Director COMPANY Energold Drilling Corp. HEADQUARTERS n over three decades as a mining executive, Vancouver Fred Davidson has helped develop technology that NOTABLE AWARDS 2012 Ernst & Young minimizes the environmental impact of drilling and Entrepreneur of the Year – Mining and transformed his company into an industry powerhouse. Metals (Paci c), 2013 But the president, CEO and director of Vancouver’s HSBC Leadership in International Trade in Energold Drilling Corp. says the most rewarding part of his Latin America Award work is the people he’s met all over the world. DOOR HE WALKED THROUGH “The people are the fun part of this business,” says Davidson from across the board- Juggled work and room table at his company’s Granville Street headquarters. “If we didn’t have that, it’s family life as a single just drills and heavy equipment.” dad while building his career in the mining Energold is a global specialty drilling company with clients that include many of industry the world’s largest mining companies, o“ ering services from early stage exploration to mine site operations. With over 230 rigs in 22 countries, Davidson has travelled to Peru, Haiti, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Madagascar and beyond. An adventurer at heart, the father of two and grandfather of four has a passion for exploring other cultures and tells the kind of stories that rank right up there with the best novels. “When we go to di“ erent countries, we never see the tourist parts,” he says. “I’ve been to Ecuador, but I’ve never been to the Galapagos; I’ve been to Peru, but I’ve never been to Machu Picchu… But I get to meet people like the little lady in Bolivia who was living in the altiplano (high plain), wearing a bowler hat and petticoats, who was try- “For many, they get employment for the first time were just toddlers. “That initial phase was a little di - “Rather than building a road that creates all sorts of ing to sell us green eggs. She looked like a œ ower sitting in their life, they get cash for the rst time in their life. cult,” he says. havoc by going in 10 kilometres to drill a single hole, we in the eld, with a bunch of llamas. They’re participating in what you’re doing, not watching Davidson juggled work and family life, going on to designed it to be able to be taken apart and carried in by “Whether it’s out in the eld or at a restaurant with a a bunch of ‘gringos’ driving a Cat past them.” hold down key roles at various mines and exploration locals on their trails or moved in by helicopter and built client, we’re seeing the whole cross-section of the cul- Davidson has worked with the Shuar aboriginals projects, including the Golden Bear Mine in B.C. and Mt. on-site,” Davidson explains. “[That way], the total area of ture,” he says. “I get to know how the people think, and of Ecuador, who used to be best known for shrinking Skukum in the Yukon. He moved on to TOTAL Energold disturbance is four-by-four metres rather than several that’s the best part.” human heads, and with miners in Liberia who would don Corp., an energy and gold producer, and took on his cur- kilometres of road.” Learning how the locals act – and respecting their their safety gear when they went to the local dance hall. rent position at Energold Drilling Corp. in 2001. He is also Following the 2008-09 economic crisis, Energold ways and rights – has been a key driver of the success of “There they were in their orange coveralls on Friday president and CEO of IMPACT Silver Corp., a silver explo- has expanded largely through acquisitions, including Energold, a company recognized for its social and envi- night to go dancing,” Davidson recalls. “They wanted to ration company with a 500-tons-per-day processing companies in West Africa and the United Kingdom. ronmental approach to drilling. With more than 1,100 show that they were employed. It was a symbol of sta- plant in central Mexico. Davidson says the company’s growth strategy also employees worldwide, Energold hires within the coun- tus. So we provided them with extra uniforms that they One of Davidson’s priorities at Energold has been to includes expanding its water well drilling business and tries it’s working as much as possible and strives toward could wear to the dance hall.” reduce the industry’s impact on the environment. The the continuation of its technological advancements in a positive social impact, says Davidson. A chartered accountant who earned his MBA at the standard approach to drilling is to access rough, remote rig design and capabilities. “In Mexico, we have 400 employees, including manag- University of British Columbia in 1970, Davidson got his and forested terrain by cutting down trees and devel- But it’s the opportunity to immerse himself in other ers, and all but one are Mexican,” he says. “It allows us to start in the industry when a friend who had started a gold oping a road infrastructure to move in large equipment, cultures and get to know people from around the world work in all those countries, but maintain our health and mine asked him to be his chief nancial oŠ cer. At the a process that can negatively affect ecosystems and that keeps Davidson so enthused. safety standards. We can provide the technical support time, being CFO at a small company also entailed “shovel- communities. Realizing that existing drilling meth- “It’s a fascinating industry,” he says. “In most cases, from here, but to deal with the local culture, the business ling muck” and operating rock stoper drills, he says. ods weren’t sustainable, Davidson helped devise a new, the people working in it are very strong personalities. environment, the regulations and the people, you need It was also a tough period for Davidson personally. He smaller drilling rig that leaves a minimal environmental They’re very dedicated and very proud. It’s really an to understand the people,” he says. became a single dad following a divorce, when his kids footprint. interesting business. I just love it.”

22 DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH 23 PARTING WORDS It’s important to be willing to make Need some inspiration to walk through Let us help you that door of your own? Take it mistakes. The worst thing that can from these mavericks and trailblazers, happen is you become memorable. they’ve all been there before. chart the course Sara Blakely, Spanx to manage your Don’t spend Anything is possible if Not doing something isn’t the solution. wealth. time beating on you’ve got enough nerve. a wall, hoping That’s why I fi ght J.K. Rowling the status quo. And to transform it www.hsbc.ca/premier deep down, everyone into a door. Only put off until tomorrow has the fi bre to help Coco Chanel what you are willing to die someone else. having left undone. Dr. Joanne Liu, Médecins Leave the beaten track Pablo Picasso sans Frontières behind occasionally and dive into the woods. Every time you do you will be certain He who awaits much can to fi nd something you have I have not expect little. never seen before. failed. I’ve Gabriel Garcia Marquez Alexander Graham Bell just found Life is too short. Really You must be 10,000 ways enjoy and be passionate the change you wish that won’t work. about what you are doing. to see in the world. Thomas Edison Audrey Mascarenhas, Questor Technology Inc. Mahatma Gandhi Know the difference You must expect between a dreamer Your time is great things of limited, so Impatience and a visionary: don’t waste it is a virtue. A dreamer never yourself before you living someone Ursula Burns, gets things done. A can do them. else’s life. Xerox visionary always does. Michael Jordan Steve Jobs, Corporation Mogens Smed, DIRTT Apple Inc. Environmental Solutions

There are a lot of dark days I’m one of these people Turn your when you’re an entrepreneur. where the more people wounds into laugh at me, the more Issued by HSBC Bank Canada But you just keep believing. determined I am. HSBC Premier eligibility requires you to have an active HSBC Premier Chequing account and maintain a $100,000 CAD balance in wisdom. combined personal deposits and investments with HSBC Bank Canada and its subsidiaries, some exclusions apply. New clients have Shannon Rogers, Global Relay John Risley, six months from the date of account opening to consolidate the $100,000 CAD minimum balance needed to maintain their HSBC Clearwater Fine Foods Inc. Oprah Winfrey Premier status. For full details regarding eligibility and any fees which may apply please refer to the Personal Service Charges / Statement of Disclosure available at any HSBC Bank Canada branch or online at www.hsbc.ca/servicecharge. 24 DOORS I’VE WALKED THROUGH This is the story of human ambition

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