Bay Street Bull released their list of Canada’s 50 Most Impactful Companies of 2022 with three of our speakers recognized for building and leading game-changing companies.
As Canada continues to establish itself as a business leader on the global stage, meet some of the people that are redefining their respective industries to be more resilient, efficient, and thoughtful. As Bay Street Bull writes, these companies are “triumphs of ingenuity and compassion that embody what it means to build great (Canadian) businesses.”
Contact us to learn more about each of these incredible speakers and what they can bring to your next event.
Michele Romanow and Clearco
Clearco is one of only 23 fintech unicorns with a female founder. CBC “Dragon” Michele Romanow co-founded Clearco in 2016 with the goal of democratizing access to capital and empowering founders with equity-free capital solutions. It has since grown into the largest e-commerce investor in Canada, having invested more than $3.2 billion into over 7000 companies.
The platform uses AI to evaluate and fund companies, which eliminates bias from the equation in order to level the entrepreneurial playing field. Clearco has notably funded 25 times more women than the traditional venture capital rate.
Through Clearco, Michele has disrupted the venture capitalist industry to put power back into founders’ hands and to diversify the business landscape. She spoke with Bay Street Bull on their podcast, exploring equity and equality, humility, and how entrepreneurship can be a vehicle for solving today’s toughest problems — especially if we work together.
Wes Hall and BlackNorth Initiative
Another “Dragon” made Bay Street Bull’s 2022 list. Wes Hall founded BlackNorth Initiative (BNI) in June 2020 with the mission to end anti-Black systemic racism by using business as a vehicle of change.
Wes is challenging CEOs at Canada’s largest companies to reshape corporate structures that uphold racist practices and behaviours. More than 500 CEOs have signed the initiative’s pledge to create opportunities within their companies for Black people and to adopt measurable targets to track their progress. BNI also recently produced a Racial Equity Playbook to provide resources, tools, and tactics to companies looking to create more equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplaces.
Wes brings this same mission to his keynotes, outlining concrete steps that leaders and organizations can take to reduce anti-Black systemic barriers, advance BIPOC in the workplace, and foster equitable workplaces.
Joanna Griffiths and Knix
A pioneer in the leak proof underwear category, Knix has championed body positivity, self-expression, and menstrual health since day one under the leadership of founder and CEO Joanna Griffiths. She has grown it into one of the fastest growing intimate apparel brands worldwide with a Knix product sold every six seconds.
Today, Joanna has expanded Knix’s mission to also fight stigmas associated with period poverty and gender norms through initiatives like #periodovershare, which donates reusable pads and leak proof underwear to BIPOC and LGBTQ2+ communities.
Recognized nationally and internationally as a marketing disruptor and an award-winning entrepreneur, Joanna has proven that sticking to your values and reimagining the impact a business can have helps win the hearts, loyalty, and buying power of a community. As a keynote speaker, she walks audiences through her learnings of building one of the most successful and prolific mission-driven brands of the digital era.
Contact us to learn more about each of these dynamic leaders and how they can help your companies grow in this new world of work.
