About the Founder
Barbara Mowat, Founder and President
Barbara is President of Impact Communications Ltd. and GroYourBiz.com. She is known as a trade and international business development specialist. Impact is a multi-faceted consulting company that features three major activity areas: management training and consulting; international product, business and market development for the global marketplace; and, developer of training materials and business guides, specifically to assist small business owners make informed decisions about expanding their businesses.
Impact is committed to quality consulting services and offers a high degree of flexibility to both corporate clients and smaller business organizations. She was the founder and Publisher of Home Business Report, the first Canadian national newsstand magazine for micro-enterprises. She created the well respected Uniquely Programs, that assisted 12,000 Canadian entrepreneurs access increased markets. She is an international leader in the development of SME enterprises, with a special emphasis on women. Barbara’s work has assisted entrepreneurs and facilitated trade throughout Canada, South East Asia, USA, South America, Europe, Afghanistan, India and Africa.
Barbara is the Women Presidents” Organization Chapter Chair in Vancouver for three chapters, serving women presidents and CEOs of privately held, multimillion dollar companies who aim to increase their business success. In a public service capacity, Barbara has devoted considerable time and energy to sit on a number of boards and committees concerned with issues of promoting business development at the local, national and international level, including being one of the original advisory board members for the Global Banking Alliance for Women; she is a certified woman business owner of WEConnect Canada; and has recently been invited to be on the Global Membership Circle for the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women.
Barbara was winner of the 1993 Canadian Businesswoman of the Year Award for Impact on the Local Economy and was a recipient of the 2010 Governor General’s Award for the Persons Case, which recognizes individuals who have made ongoing contributions to improving the lives of women and girls in Canada.
Marg Hachey
Managing Director, Ontario and Eastern Canada
Margaret Hachey was previously the owner of Duocom Canada Inc. She founded the company in Toronto in 1980 and with organic growth and acquisitions expanded coast to coast. Its success earned it recognition as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Private Companies, by Arthur Andersen, CIBC and the National Post two years in a row. Chatelaine and Profit magazine recognized her over a 10 year period as ranking in the top 10 of the Top 100 Women business owners in Canada.
Previously, she has been on the Steering Committee of Step Ahead, and a mentor for six years with the program, helping women entrepreneurs whose businesses were in the second stage of growth. She was also Special Advisor to Youth in Motion Education Foundation a non-profit organization to help youth gain access to higher education and as a board member helped launch Top 20 under 20.
A sought after keynote speaker, Margaret has addressed audiences across the country on various topics. She is a regular guest lecturer at the University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management and York University’s Schulich School of Business.
As a founding member of WPO (Women Presidents Organization) in Canada, Margaret has an opportunity to network and support other women in like roles.