BEN BARRY

Entrepreneurship & Diversity

“Aren’t you something!” (as told to Ben Barry)

- Oprah Winfrey

Hailed as a “hero to real women everywhere” by the Boston Globe, Ben Barry is dedicated to changing the face and shape of the fashion industry.

At age fourteen, Ben helped a friend who was told she was "too big" to be a model by sending her pictures to a magazine editor. The editor called him back, hired his friend, and with that one phone call, Ben launched his modeling agency. Today, Ben serves as CEO of the Ben Barry Agency, a model consultancy headquartered in Toronto, Canada. His company scouts and sources models of all ages, sizes, colours, and abilities for fashion and beauty brands.

Ben has been the subject of feature interviews on Oprah, CNN, MTV, and Fashion Television, and his work has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Globe and Mail, and Glamour. He is the author of bestseller Fashioning Reality: A New Generation of Entrepreneurship. His book was acclaimed by Profit Magazine as “a manifesto for young entrepreneurs and a call to arms to everyone.” Ben has received the CIBC Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award and is the first male winner of the Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case for his leadership in advancing the equality of girls and women in Canada.

He holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Women's Studies from the University of Toronto, and a Master's in Innovation and Strategy from Judge Business School at Cambridge University. He is currently a PhD student at Judge Business School where he is conducting research on perceptions of beauty around the world. Ben serves on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Foundation of Women's Health and as Chair of the Toronto Fashion Incubator.

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COMMENTS FROM AUDIENCES

"At Saatchi & Saatchi we believe that good ideas come from anywhere . . . and more and more they come from people without experience, without years of knowledge, and without fear. People who are ready to fail fast, learn fast and fix fast. People driven by the “I” words—Intuition, Imagination, Inspiration and Ideas. People like Ben Barry. We live in the Age of the Idea . . . and this book will inspire entrepreneurs throughout the world to have faith in their ideas, and give them great insight on how to bring them to life and make them come true.”"

Worldwide Saatchi & Saatchi, Ideas Company

"Ben’s socially oriented, profit-driven approach to changing the fashion industry illustrates how young passionate entrepreneurs are changing the world. This is a compelling story and he is certainly a most deserving recipient of the CIBC Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award. "

Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship Inc.

"Part adventure, part activism, part business, part instruction manual. Above all, an inspiring story of Ben Barry’s attempts to transform girls’ and women’s experience of their bodies so that anguish can be replaced by pleasure and self acceptance. Where will he go next!? "

Susie Orbach, psychoanalyst, consultant to DOVE and author of Fat Is a Feminist Issue

"Like Moneyball did for baseball, Fashioning Reality takes on the time-honoured ‘truths’ of an industry—fashion modeling, in this case—and exposes them as nothing but stultifying myths. … Ben Barry combines a keen mind, an irreverent personality, and his own successful experience to show that for a committed and entrepreneurial change agent there is always a better way, despite the nattering naysayers! Readers old and young will gain the inspiration to forge a ‘Balanced Contract’ to change for the better a current reality they find unacceptable."

Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

"Inspiration is an understated way of expressing the impact of Ben Barry on our audience. His passionate message about challenging the social norms and empowering each individual taking responsibility for contributing to social change in our society, is heartfelt and impactful. Not only does he have a story to tell, but he tells it in such a way that left our audience wanting more...All I can say is Bravo! "

Glen Padassery, Manager, Youth and New Professionals Secretariat, Ontario Public Service

"Ben is an inspirational speaker who reminds every audience that social justice is not just a dream, it is a real possibility. Whether speaking to high school students or a university academic gathering, Ben draws rave reviews for his story of passion, wit and perseverance in challenging the status quo in business and the fashion industry."

Dr. Peter Jaffe, Professor, Faculty of Education
Academic Director, Centre for Research on Violence Against Women & Children, University of Western Ontario

"Ben Barry has the unique ability to get all types of audiences up and out of their seats when he speaks. He not only has an amazing success story as a young entrepreneur, but also exudes so much passion and enthusiasm for the causes he believes in that it is contagious."

Amy Harder, President, Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship

"It’s no wonder why Ben has been named “one of twenty-five leaders of tomorrow” by Maclean’s Magazine; he is a truly remarkable young man, speaker and entrepreneur. His message was powerful and passionate and encouraged everyone in the audience to take responsibility for social change. He made us aware that we, as consumers, have the power to influence such change. It was encouraging to see a young entrepreneur stand up for his beliefs, make every effort to challenge the status quo and develop a successful business in the process."

Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre