Canada is home to a number of successful entrepreneurs and these entrepreneurs have made significant contributions to boosting the country’s economic growth. According to a study, 99.8% of Canadian businesses are small-to-medium-sized companies that have up to 500 hundred employees and only 0.03% are considered large enterprises which means these small-medium companies are integral to the Canadian economy.
So in this article, we are going to let you know who the top Canadian entrepreneurs are!
Top Canadian Entrepreneurs
These are the top 15 entrepreneurs of Canada to watch and learn about for your entrepreneur journey.
1. Michele Romanow
The only Canadian on Forbes’ “Millennials on a Mission”, Michele Romanow has earned countless accomplishments. She earned her first $100,000 profit when she graduated with her engineering degree and successfully ran three companies when she was 25.
By the age of 33, she started five profitable companies. She also works with famous brands, such as Netflix, Starbucks, and P&G, to create innovative technology and digital solutions.
2. Kevin O’Leary
Kevin O’Leary, known as Mr. Wonderful has made a name for himself in business. In addition, he is a successful Canadian entrepreneur and businessman who launched SoftKey software products from his house’s basement with absolutely no money.
Then, sold SoftKey for $4.2 billion which is known today as “Learning Company”. He has engaged in successful investments and business ventures and currently holds an estimated net worth of $400 million per Celebrity Net Worth.
3. Martha Hall Findlay
One of the top Canadian entrepreneurs on this list is Martha Hall Findlay. Martha Hall Findlay is the CEO of Canada West Foundation. Moreover, she is described as a corporate lawyer and successful entrepreneur with over 25 years of domestic and international experience.
4. Jennifer Wagner
Considered one of the top Canadian Entrepreneurs who aim to make the earth healthier and a better place to live. Jennifer Wagner is the president of Carbon Cure which is a cleantech company. Under her supervision, the company has designed and developed a technology where it reduces the overall carbon footprint of construction projects.
5. Tonia Jahshan
Tonia Jahshan started by creating and selling her own loose-leaf tea products. Today, her humble beginning has become one of the fastest-growing Canadian companies specializing in home tea parties. Today, Steeped Tea earns over $20 million in annual sales. Aside from running her successful company, Tonia Jahshan also holds entrepreneurial talks to inspire others to follow their passion.
6. Joseph-Armand Bombardier
Another top Canadian entrepreneur is Joseph-Armand Bombardier. With his creative mind, he launched the largest railway equipment and civil airplane production company in the world, Bombardier Limited. This successful entrepreneur once dreamed of inventing vehicles that can operate in the snow and at high speeds. Due to his hard work, he then achieved his goal of developing and selling B7 snowmobiles.
7. Susan Niczowski
It seems that everyone knows about the Summer Fresh salads and dips, but what you might not know is the woman behind these products. Susan Niczowski is the one who leads the company for three decades. Because of her, the company has successfully changed the perception of food and directed people to consume healthy and organic food.
8. Leonard Lee
Leonard Lee is a Canadian entrepreneur and founder of an Ottawa-based retail store that specializes in high-quality gardening and woodworking equipment. On top of this, he is also the founder of Canica Design which is a medical design company. Because of his numerous achievements, Lee became a member of “The Order of Canada” in 2002.
9. Mike Lazaridis
Mike Lazaridis is a university dropout. However, he was driven by his commitment and dedication to doing business. Through this, he co-founded Research in Motion Limited, which is known today as Blackberry. Moreover, Mike runs various organizations such as the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and the Center for International Governance Innovation. On top of that, he is known to be the most successful Canadian Technologist.
10. Dani Reiss
Dani Reiss owns Canada Goose which is a famous clothing company in Canada. The company made billions of dollars because of its effort to maintain production in Canada without sending overseas manufacturing orders. Thanks to his business approach, Canada Goose now employs over 3,400 workers. Therefore, his company is vital to the country’s socioeconomic development.
11. Jenny Bird
Because of her passion for designing, Jenny Bird has launched her own self-named jewelry company. Her company has grown over the years and is now recognized worldwide. In fact, her company was included in Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies and took home the 2018 Accessories Designer of the Year at Project, and more.
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12. Tara Bosch
Tara started selling her own candy creations during her junior year. Her product makes sense to anyone who loves sweets but also wants to remain health-conscious. This means less sugar without compromising the taste.
After gaining popularity with her self-made treats, she eventually dropped out of school, pursued her career as an entrepreneur, and ran her own company, SmartSweets. By the year 2019, her company generated over $50,000,000 in revenue.
13. Stephanie Ciccarelli
Stephanie Ciccarelli is a graduate with a Bachelor of Musical Arts from Western University. She used her experience in the industry to develop an award-winning company of her own, Voices.com, an online marketplace to connect producers, marketers, and instructors with creative talent. In addition, Stephanie made it to PROFIT Magazine’s W100 list a handful of times.
14. Hamid Arabzadeh
The CEO of Ranovus, Hamid Arabzadeh easily makes the list of some of the most impressive Canadian entrepreneurs. Prior to Ranovus, Hamid held various senior management positions at famous firms including Identos Inc., Motive Health, and more. Plus, he’s been able to drive innovations including a secured laser technology that boasts 40 times the capacity of regular fibre optic cables without the carbon footprint.
15. Jodie Morgan
Jodie Morgan has successfully helped build five companies by serving as CEO/president. One of the companies she oversees is GreenMantra Technologies, an innovative firm that turns unused plastics into polymer additives, artificial waxes, and other chemicals. An accomplishment to target pollution and be profitable at the same time!
Famous Canadian entrepreneurs
There are a number of notable Canadian entrepreneurs who have made significant contributions to the world of business and innovation. Here are just a few:
1. Roberta Bondar
Dr. Roberta Bondar is Canada’s first female astronaut and a neurologist, author, and photographer. She founded The Roberta Bondar Foundation, which focuses on the environment and biodiversity. Her entrepreneurial spirit has led her to create innovative solutions for environmental sustainability, such as developing a compact imaging spectrometer.
2. Guy Laliberté
As the founder of Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberté is an entrepreneur who has helped revolutionize the world of entertainment. His creative vision and business acumen have made Cirque du Soleil a global phenomenon, with shows in more than 300 cities worldwide.
3. Alex Trebek
Best known as the long-time host of the game show Jeopardy!, Alex Trebek is also a successful entrepreneur. He and his wife have invested in various real estate ventures, including hotels and shopping centres. In addition, Trebek has used his platform to support multiple charitable causes and organizations.
4. Michael Serbinis
After successfully launching and selling two startups, Michael Serbinis founded League, a digital health platform connecting individuals with healthcare professionals. He has also invested in other tech startups and actively advocates for entrepreneurship in Canada.
5. Arlene Dickinson
As the CEO of Venture Communications and a former panellist on the business reality TV show “Dragons’ Den,” Arlene Dickinson is a well-known figure in Canadian entrepreneurship. She has also written two books and advocates for women in business.
6. Jim Pattison
Over $7 billion is the net worth of this famous entrepreneur. Jim Pattison is one of Canada’s wealthiest entrepreneurs. He built his empire through investments in various industries, including media, automotive, and retail. His company, The Jim Pattison Group, is one of Canada’s largest privately held companies.
7. Lorna Vanderhaeghe
As a naturopathic doctor and best-selling author, Lorna Vanderhaeghe has made a name for herself in the health and wellness industry. She founded her own company, Lorna Vanderhaeghe Health Solutions Inc., which produces natural health products for women. She is also an advocate for women’s health and wellness education.
8. Frank Stronach
Born in Austria, Frank Stronach immigrated to Canada and became a successful businessman. He founded Magna International, one of the world’s largest automotive parts suppliers, and ventured into various other industries, including real estate and horse racing.
Takeaways
Entrepreneurship can definitely improve your standard of living. Aside from the marketing books, operation management books, audiobook, and entrepreneurial magazines that we have provided in our previous blogs, we hope that this top Canadian entrepreneurs list can inspire and help you in striving to reach your entrepreneurial dream. Because you too, can be the next to join these famous entrepreneurs as the next big Candian success.
