Speakers – Implementation
In continuously-changing economic times and increasingly complex environments that entrepreneurs face, you may wonder how these entrepreneurs do it – how did they manage to start up something and develop it to become what it is today? Listen to their stories and see what it takes to be an entrepreneur and how they managed to embrace opportunities while overcoming challenges, whether it is establishing a start-up, becoming a global business, or getting listed on the stock exchange
Florence Leung
Founder and President, PeerFX Inc.
Florence graduated from the Sauder School of Business in 2007 and has pursued her entrepreneurial career ever since. Her company, PeerFX, is an online currency exchange company that is “changing exchanging” in a big way with its peer-to-peer model: “regardless of the amount you are exchanging, you will always receive the best rate.” This is possible using the P2P model that eliminates risk factors inherent in competitor models.
In her last year at Sauder, Florence took the business plan for PeerFX across Canada and the US, where it was recognized in the Top 10 for numerous competitions such as New Ventures BC, IVEY MBA Business Plan Competition and BDC Enterprize Canada Business Plan Competition. PeerFX also placed first in the Colorado Business Plan Competition in 2007. One of the more memorable moments during PeerFX’s concept phase was PeerFX’s pitch on CBC’s Dragons’ Den. It certainly stirred up customer demand and provided motivation for Florence to continue with the business and to turn it from a stack of papers into reality. It took two years, a few employee changes and many supporting advisors to get PeerFX to where it is today. The company has been commercialized for 9 months and continues to gain traction in the North American market.
In her spare time, Florence is involved with non-profit organizations such as PoCoMo, a youth services society that reaches out to help more than 5200 youth at risk each year. She also actively contributes to the Sauder community through judging case competitions and retaining a teaching assistant position for select marketing courses.
Jack Gin
Founder, Extreme CCTV Inc.
Jack is a business executive, advisor, mentor and entrepreneur. Trained as a civil engineer and registered professional (APEG of British Columbia), Jack Gin has had significant, positive effects on all the companies he has involved himself in. He has a track record of building success stories and has traveled to 26 countries to market his products across the globe.
Jack is the founder and former CEO of Extreme CCTV, which he took to an IPO (EXC: TSX 2002) and its sale to Robert Bosch GbmH in 2008. Prior to that concluded exit strategy, he was recognized with the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2007 for the Technology category. As Extreme CCTV’s visionary, Jack was a well-known speaker at international security conferences on the topics of night vision and its importance for global security. He is now working full-time as a business consultant, advisor, director and philanthropist.
Janice Cheam
Co-Founder and President, Energy Aware Technology Inc.
Janice is a founder and entrepreneurial executive whose vision, commitment, and passion has been the driving force behind Energy Aware since inception. Before launching Energy Aware, she demonstrated leadership and visionary success with the marketing group of CTV, Canada’s most watched television station. Janice holds a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) with a specialization in Marketing from the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia.
Jaqui MacNeill
Founder and President, Escents Aromatherapy
Jacqui MacNeill started Escents at 23. The desire to become an entrepreneur was embedded in her from a very early age. Her parents had always taken risks throughout their lives, which enabled her to understand the ups and downs, benefits and challenges of running a business. The decision to follow in their footsteps was natural.
The only challenge was finding out what the business would be. While obtaining her business degree, Jacqui had already run a few different ideas through university to help pay for school. However, she wanted something she had a passion for. Trusting her instincts, Jacqui knew the right thing would come along – she just had to have faith. When she discovered what she wanted to do, what business she would be passionate about, it was quite by accident and took her by surprise.
Passing by a small shop that was selling bath products, the shop induced an emotion so strong in Jacqui that she felt compelled to research into similar businesses. She knew about pure essential oils from plants and decided to look into creating a luxurious line of bath and body products. They were designed to pamper the body and soothe the senses, letting customers indulge in nature through the use of pure, natural essences.
She began working with pure essential oils and botanicals, aromas and essences, learning how to mix and blend, what made an average aroma exquisite, and how to use essential oils for nurturing and healing. Her first shop was a table kiosk in a mall. Being young, energetic and full of hope, perseverance paid off.
Within 6 months Jacqui upgraded and moved into a retail location. She met her husband in the same mall; he was also running his own business and they joined together to create the current day Escents Aromatherapy. For 18 years, they have blended, built and developed products, systems and new sales channels into other countries and locations. Jacqui continues to do all the product development and John the operations of the company.
In her words, ” I have never woken up in the morning not wanting to go to work ” The Escents team is a decided group of people that is innovative and creative, intent on making products that are “beyond extraordinary” a reality.