Entrepreneur Arlene Dickinson may not have originated in Canada, but nonetheless we are still proud to include her in our ranks of influential Canadian women.
“I love the country. I’m truly passionate about Canada and I think we’re blessed to live in a land with so much going for it“, she commented in an interview for the Dragon’s Den.
Stylish, strong, and compassionate are just a few of the synonyms often used to describe Dickinson. These are a few of her many commendable attributes.
Arlene’s life did not begin with a silver spoon. Born in South Africa in 1956, but her family sold everything and emigrated to Canada in search of a better life. After years of working and saving, the family of five managed to afford a down payment on a small home in Calgary.
Arlene graduated high school at the age of 16. Her dream was of marriage and a great family. Unfortunately, life does not always go according to plan. Dickinson was married by the age of 19, and by her 28th year was divorced with four children all under the age of seven.
Having no post-secondary education, she struggled to make a living for her family. Jobs were hard to come by and often menial in nature. It was during this period, she has said, that she learned a lot about frugality, self-awareness and making mistakes.
With a bit of luck (though she believes one makes their own) Arlene gained a position with Venture Communications and discovered that she had a knack for marketing. She became a partner in 1988. Ten years of hard work and perseverance brought her sole ownership of the firm, which eventually grew from four employees to over seventy-five, with offices in three major Canadian cities.
The hit Canadian show The Dragon’s Den brought her into the limelight and made her a staple in Canadian television and the hearts of her fans.
Ms. Dickinson does wish she had been able to spend more time with her children as they were growing up, but with success must come sacrifice. She kept a floating schedule and guarded her personal time jealously, often opting to spend her free time at home rather than out making business contacts.
Now that her children are grown, with children of their own, family is still a priority. Arlene enjoys having the time and financial freedom to make each moment count: “Material things are wonderful to have, but, at the end of the day, nothing matters more than the people you love”.
Dickinson’s list of achievements continues to grow. From making Venture Communications into one of the 50 Best Managed Companies, to becoming one of Canada’s Top 100 most powerful women, Arlene also includes philanthropic work and motivational speaking in her repertoire of activities.
Taking the time to pass on her hard-earned wisdom and make a contribution to society, she is accessible to budding entrepreneurs and fans through a variety of social networks. She also helps by offering her marketing services pro bono to non-profit organizations.
Due to her past, she is especially empathetic to causes related to women and children. As a result she has served on a number of boards such as Kid’s Help Phone. Dickinson is also an active member of the International Women’s Federation and is involved with Dallair’s Child Soldier Initiative, which prevents the recruitment of child soldiers.
In an interview, when asked what kind of tree she would be, Dickinson said “I would be a Redwood tree. When they get knocked down, they continue to grow and are resistant. They are lasting and they get better with age. They don’t react to circumstance. Whatever happens around them, they continue to survive.”
This statement provides a glimpse into the nature of the business maven who did not sit back and let life ride over her, and instead decided life’s difficulties were not insurmountable. Despite the wealth and fame she has achieved, her motivations are not money, but personal success and, most important, her family.
Written by Jennifer Jenka
Edited by Lucinda Atwood
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