Arlene Dickinson is one of Canada’s most legendary business icons. She turned a small, Calgary-based agency into a powerhouse marketing firm as President and CEO of Venture Communications; written several bestselling books on the tricky balance of maintaining an entrepreneurial lifestyle; and has become a celebrity investor on the multi-award-winning series Dragons’ Den. Today, Dickinson speaks candidly about her entrepreneurial journey, and with light and warmth, shows us how we can constantly reinvent ourselves and our business to achieve success and fulfillment.
Arlene Dickinson has spent over twelve seasons as a venture capitalist on Dragons’ Den, where she guides budding entrepreneurs through the highs and lows of starting a new business. As someone who’s climbed the ranks to become one of the nation’s most highly sought-after entrepreneurs, Dickinson has the personal experience to back up her leadership skills. In addition to her role as CEO of Venture Communications, Dickinson is General Partner of District Ventures Capital, a fund focusing on growing companies in the food and health space. A wellspring of information on the unique emotional and personal demands of entrepreneurship, Dickinson shares her insights in her three books: Persuasion, All In, and her most recent release, Reinvention, a blueprint for rediscovering your purpose and transforming your life. In addition to her acclaimed role on Dragons’ Den, Dickinson has also appeared as an investor on The Big Decision, and a judge on Recipe to Riches.
Dickinson’s success and leadership have been recognized with multiple honours and awards, including Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100 Hall of Fame and the Pinnacle Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence. She has also been recognized by both PROFIT and Chatelaine magazine’s TOP 100 Women Business Owners Awards. A Marketing Hall of Legends inductee, Dickinson has recieved honorary degrees from Mount Saint Vincent University, Concordia University, Saint Mary’s University, and NAIT. For many years she has served as an Honorary Captain of the Royal Canadian Navy, and is also the proud the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal. Dickinson sits on numerous public and private boards and is dedicated to giving back to her community and country.