Videos & Resources
Arlene Dickinson's advice to her younger self
Answering Questions on Her Success
2016 Concordia Honorary Doctorate
ARTICLES:
Interviewed by The Globe & Mail (Feb. 2014)
LATEST BOOKS:
Reinvention: Changing Your Life, Your Career, Your Future
In Reinvention, her latest book Arlene Dickinson shares this blueprint for locating your sense of purpose, realistically evaluating your strengths, assessing opportunities outside your comfort zone, and charting a bold new path. Whether you have a big career dream to achieve, or you need to rebuild after a personal setback, this step-by-step plan for reinvention will help you change your own life—for the better.
"ALL IN"
To be a successful entrepreneur, you don’t just need to know how to run a business. You need to know how to run your life when the boundary between work and personal time has essentially been erased. But while there are countless books on setting up a company, there hasn’t ever been a primer on navigating the unique emotional and personal demands of entrepreneurship. That’s what All In is all about: how to thrive in the entrepreneurial lifestyle—and how to avoid its pitfalls.
In Arlene Dickinson's book All In , she tells the truth about the dangers of believing your own hype, listening to naysayers—and ignoring naysayers, too. Dickinson explains why the need for control is a double-edged sword that can get a business off the ground, then cause it to stall. She also discusses what the need for control does to a marriage—and how success can test family relationships even more than failure.
"PERSUASION: A NEW APPROACH TO CHANGING MINDS"
Persuasion has become a dirty word–all snake oil and high-pressure tactics. But Arlene Dickinson argues that true persuasion is about connecting, not conning. It’s about cultivating authenticity, honesty and reciprocity in every relationship so you not only get what you want, but achieve an outcome that works for everyone.
In this book Arlene Dickinson will show you how nothing can replace proper preparation, how a great pitch involves far more listening than talking, and how the art of storytelling is crucial to convincing others that you understand the bigger picture–and that your way is the right way.
Arlene Dickinson
"Dragon" on Dragon's Den;
Founder & General Partner, District Ventures Capital
Arlene Dickinson is a visionary entrepreneur and leader with a remarkable track record of success. She is a member of Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100 Hall of Fame and continues to be celebrated for her leadership in business and investment.
One of CBC’s preeminent “Dragons”, Dickinson has over 35 years of experience launching, operating, and managing businesses, growing them from early-stage startups to multi-billion-dollar corporations.
As General Partner of District Ventures Capital, she leads a fund dedicated to supporting and scaling companies in the food and health sectors. Her expertise in marketing, brand building, and growth strategy has positioned her as a trusted advisor to entrepreneurs across Canada. Arlene is also widely known for her role as a venture capitalist on the multi-award-winning television series Dragons’ Den, where she'a appeared for over 12 seasons, investing in and mentoring numerous successful businesses.
Dickinson is the founder and general partner of District Ventures Capital, a venture capital fund that invests in innovative companies in the food and beverage and health and wellness sectors. Under her leadership, they have become a leading force in the industry, with a portfolio of ground-breaking companies transforming the way we live and eat.
In recognition of her leadership and entrepreneurial prowess, Dickinson has been honoured with numerous awards and accolades. She has been inducted into the Southern Alberta Business Hall of Fame and the Marketing Hall of Legends, recognized as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100, and honoured with the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee and Platinum Jubilee medals. Dickinson also served as an honorary captain of the Royal Canadian Navy for over 10 years.
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Arlene Dickinson's Speaking Presentations:
Leading Forward: Business, Patriotism, and Helping Build Tomorrow’s Canada +
In uncertain times, leadership rooted in purpose matters more than ever. Arlene Dickinson shares stories from her own journey and her growing understanding of just how much being Canadian means and why it’s worth protecting. She explores how businesses can lead from the front, rally their teams around a shared sense of purpose, and help shape a future where we stand a little taller because of who we are and what we believe in. --
Reinvention +
Every one of us will feel stuck at some point in our lives. One day, you recognize that you have followed a path—personal or professional—that suddenly seems closed off or unfulfilling. Whether it’s a relationship that doesn’t connect in the way it used to or a job that started out being exciting but now feels unrewarding, suddenly you look up from your life and realize there is something else you want to do or to be. You’re ready for a reinvention. --
Lessons from the Den: Succeeding at Business and Being an Entrepreneur +
In this talk, one of Canada's most high profile business women distills a lifetime of experience to reveal everything you need to know — and do — to start, to run, and to grow a great business. (A customized clip from the hit show Dragons' Den provides buzz; though that’s just a starting point.)
On stage, as on the small screen, Dickinson displays a palpable and infectious belief in the entrepreneurial spirit; she reminds us of the major contributions Canadians have made to international business and the entrepreneurial tradition. --
To inquire about hiring Arlene Dickinson as your conference speaker contact us.
Arlene Dickinson launched our ETFO Financial Health and Wealth Conference for Women in Toronto. Her keynote was inspiring and enlightening. Teachers from across the province were impressed by her sincerity, wisdom, skills, and motivational humour. Everyone absolutely loved her presentation and the feedback has been exemplary. She was phenomenal! A huge thanks from the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario.
–Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario
Arlene Dickinson launched our ETFO Financial Health and Wealth Conference for Women in Toronto. Her keynote was inspiring and enlightening. Teachers from across the province were impressed by her sincerity, wisdom, skills, and motivational humour. Everyone absolutely loved her presentation and the feedback has been exemplary. She was phenomenal! A huge thanks from the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario.
–Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario
Arlene is dynamic and energetic, the kind of person who brings a gust of air into a room and attracts notice without trying.
–Chatelaine