Arlene Dickinson has been described as Canadian TV’s “beloved business woman”. For eight seasons she matched wits, brains and dollars with the suits and ties on CBC’s award-winning business show, Dragon’s Den.
Sometimes referred to as “the nice dragon” Dickinson is proof that the qualities of compassion and kindness are not necessarily liabilities in business. She is still happily and successfully involved with some of her choices while on the show. She cites OMG Candies, and Greenlid,the compostable compost containers, as examples of pitches she responded to without regret.
The CEO of Venture Communications one of Canada’s largest independent marketing and communications firms, with offices in Calgary and Toronto. Dickinson joined the company in 1988, and bought the partners out in 1998.
“My family landed in Canada with $50 to our name… there was a lot of anxiety about fitting into the Canadian culture”
Reported to have a net worth now of more than $80 million (Cdn) Dickinson’s story is inspirational. Born in Germiston, South Africa, the youngest of three girls, the family emigrated to Canada when she was three.
She remembers the flight and the very challenging early years. She says they were poor and struggled to adjust. “You have to embrace you know, where you are and for me I’m very grateful that my family chose to come to Canada”. In her positive and frank way, she concedes, “It was hard the first few years.”
Following graduation from high school in Calgary, Alberta, Dickinson married at 19 and had four children at the time of her divorce at 31. When the judge denied her custody of her children as she had no means to support them, Dickinson got to work. The rest is her story.
Her first book, Persuasion, published in 2011, was on the bestseller list for many weeks. In it she shares her insights into success. In her second, All In, subtitled “You, Your Business, Your Life”, she shares the cost of success. An honest account of the relationships that got sacrificed when she had to chose to forgo vacations and miss gatherings to deal with business emergencies. Both books are available in paperback and electronic formats.
In Montreal for the last two days to accept an honourary doctorate from Concordia University’s. John Molson School of Business, Dickinson said it was a moving experience to watch the grads accepting their degrees with a mix of joy and apprehension. She says her father, who earned a PhD in education, would be proud of her.
Dickinson is now enjoying giving back to the larger community and mentoring young entrepreneurs. Through her District Venture Accelerator based in Calgary, Dickinson is guiding and supporting the next generation of committed workers with great ideas.
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