Who are Canada's Top Female Entrepreneurs? The 13th annual PROFIT W100 ranking unveiled today
Women on PROFIT magazine’s ranking of Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs
are role models with business smarts to share
TORONTO, Oct. 12, 2011 /CNW/ – They come from all corners of Canada and
their businesses couldn’t be more diverse, spanning all industries and
ranging in size from five to 1,300 employees. The women on the PROFIT W100 ranking of Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs do have some things in
common, however: fierce drive, deep resourcefulness and razor-sharp
business acumen.
Last year, the W100 firms generated almost $1.4 billion in revenue. They
are big-time employers, too, providing the equivalent of 9,000
full-time jobs in 2010. Furthermore, these entrepreneurs know how to
expand their empires: Over the past three years, their businesses have
grown by an average of 156%. And they’ve found success by skillfully
adopting the right strategies to make their businesses excel. For
instance, this year’s No. 1 entrepreneur, Shannon Rogers of Vancouver’s
Global Relay Communications, withstood the push of demanding clients on
one side and massive rivals on the other to become an industry-endorsed
leader in her company’s category.
Those seeking inspiration for how to run a successful company, no matter
the type or the size, need look no further than this year’s PROFIT
W100,” says Ian Portsmouth, Editor-in-Chief of PROFIT. “Through innovation, perseverance and effective management, they’ve
built profitable, sustainable businesses.”
Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs — the top 5 (ranked by size, growth
rate and profitability)
# 1 Shannon Rogers
President & General Counsel
Global Relay Communications Inc.
Vancouver
Hosted archiving of e-mails and other messages
Annual revenue: $15-25 million
Three-year revenue growth: 373%
# 2 Sally Daub
President & CEO
ViXS Systems Inc.
Toronto
Manufactures semiconductors for entertainment devices
Annual revenue: US $75-100 million
Three-year revenue growth: 317%
# 3 Susan Niczowski
CEO
Summerfresh Salads Inc.
Vaughan, Ont.
Produces salads, dips and appetizers
Annual revenue: $75-100 million
Three-year revenue growth: 57%
# 4 Madeleine Paquin
President & CEO
Logistec Corp.
Montreal
Provides cargo-handling services and marine transportation
Annual revenue: >$250 million
Three-year revenue growth: 25%
# 5 Elana Rosenfeld
CEO
Kicking Horse Coffee Co. Ltd.
Invermere, B.C.
Organic coffee roaster and distributor
Annual revenue: $15-25 million
Three-year revenue growth: 75%
To see the complete list of winners, visit http://www.PROFITguide.com/W100 or pick up a copy on newsstands across the country.
What do they do?
A sector-by-sector breakdown of the W100 companies
Business Services: 43
Manufacturing: 16
Consumer Services: 7
Wholesale/Distribution: 7
Construction: 6
Health Care: 6
Retail/Direct Consumer Sales: 6
Media: 4
Software Development: 3
Financial Services: 1
Social Services: 1
Advice from the W100
PROFIT magazine spoke to the entrepreneurs on the W100 list to get their
best advice on business success. Here are some of their top tips:
• strike a balance between work and home life
• don’t undervalue your product or service
• get a coach or mentor you can trust
• never hire in a hurry
• when in doubt, go with your gut
How we ranked them: The W100 were ranked by a composite of the size, growth rate and
profitability of their businesses. Figures were confirmed through
financial statements. For more data on the PROFIT W100, visit www.PROFITguide.com/W100
About PROFIT Magazine
PROFIT: Your Guide to Business Success is Canada’s preeminent
publication dedicated to the management issues and opportunities facing
small and mid-sized businesses. For 29 years, Canadian entrepreneurs
and senior managers across a vast array of economic sectors have
remained loyal to PROFIT because it’s a timely and reliable source of
actionable information that helps them achieve business success and get
the recognition they deserve for generating positive economic and
social change. Visit PROFIT online at www.PROFITguide.com.