Founder and CEO of The 7 Virtues...The 7 Virtues Story The 7 Virtues Beauty Inc. is a Canadian...

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For media inquiries, please contact: Marela Lucero-Lee | PUNCH Canada | E: [email protected] or [email protected] | T: +1 647 837 1260 Barb Stegemann Founder and CEO of The 7 Virtues Celebrated Entrepreneur Bestselling Author of The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen Honorary Colonel, Royal Canadian Air Force Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada WXN Top Game Changer History of CBC’s Dragons’ Den Author & CEO of The 7 Virtues Beauty Inc., Barb Stegemann is proof that every one of us can triumph over adversity and live our dreams. Barb was raised by a single mom on welfare in rural Nova Scotia, Canada and born with a hereditary hearing impairment. She educated herself out of poverty and holds degrees in sociology and journalism from the University of King’s College. She will tell you it’s her positive attitude that has lifted her through challenges. While living in British Columbia running her boutique PR firm advising cities and large clients on strategy and communications, tragedy struck. Her best friend was wounded in Afghanistan. Barb promised him she would support his mission of peace through economic development. She wrote a bestselling book, The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen, to empower women (and men) to live with the stoic wisdom taught through the centuries. She dedicated the book to her friend. Her fragrance collection, The 7 Virtues® supports suppliers in countries like Afghanistan, Haiti, Israel, Iran and now Rwanda to rebuild. Barb became known to millions of Canadians when she became the first woman from Atlantic Canada to land a venture capital deal on the popular CBC show, Dragons’ Den. Barb went on to win Top Game Changer in the history of the most popular reality show in Canada. Her partner, Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist Brett Wilson, is actively involved and frequently travels with Barb to promote the company. Watch their Canada AM interview to learn more about Brett’s involvement. Barb is also one of the few women in Canada to be made an Honorary Colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force with the role of advising the military. Barb was ranked as one of Profit Guide Magazine’s Top 30 Cool & Fabulous Canadian Entrepreneurs for 2012. Her fragrance collection won the Chatelaine Beauty 100 Award 2012 for being Eco Chic; essential oils that empower, paraben free and phthalate free. Chatelaine went on to rank her fragrances Top Five in Canada. Fashion Magazine dubbed her company a Canadian National Treasure as one of the top beauty trail blazers in the past 35 years (Nov issue 2012). She received the Women Innovator’s Award from the US Department of State at the APEC women and the economy summit for her business model. Barb is a popular key note speaker and has opened for keynotes including Erin Brockovich and emceed for Donald Trump and Rudy Guliani. She is also ranked one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women WXN. She won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2012 in the Emerging Entrepreneur Category. Barb lives with her husband, Mike Velemirovich and their children, Victor and Ella in Bedford, Nova Scotia.

Transcript of Founder and CEO of The 7 Virtues...The 7 Virtues Story The 7 Virtues Beauty Inc. is a Canadian...

For media inquiries, please contact: Marela Lucero-Lee | PUNCH Canada | E: [email protected] or [email protected] | T: +1 647 837 1260

Barb Stegemann Founder and CEO of The 7 Virtues

Celebrated Entrepreneur

Bestselling Author of The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen Honorary Colonel, Royal Canadian Air Force

Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada WXN Top Game Changer History of CBC’s Dragons’ Den

Author & CEO of The 7 Virtues Beauty Inc., Barb Stegemann is proof that every one of us can triumph over adversity and live our

dreams. Barb was raised by a single mom on welfare in rural Nova Scotia, Canada and born with a hereditary hearing impairment. She

educated herself out of poverty and holds degrees in sociology and journalism from the University of King’s College. She will tell you it’s

her positive attitude that has lifted her through challenges.

While living in British Columbia running her boutique PR firm advising cities and large clients on strategy and communications, tragedy

struck. Her best friend was wounded in Afghanistan. Barb promised him she would support his mission of peace through economic

development. She wrote a bestselling book, The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen, to empower women (and men) to live with the stoic wisdom

taught through the centuries. She dedicated the book to her friend.

Her fragrance collection, The 7 Virtues® supports suppliers in countries like Afghanistan, Haiti, Israel, Iran and now Rwanda to rebuild.

Barb became known to millions of Canadians when she became the first woman from Atlantic Canada to land a venture capital deal on the

popular CBC show, Dragons’ Den. Barb went on to win Top Game Changer in the history of the most popular reality show in Canada. Her

partner, Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist Brett Wilson, is actively involved and frequently travels with Barb to promote the

company. Watch their Canada AM interview to learn more about Brett’s involvement.

Barb is also one of the few women in Canada to be made an Honorary Colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force with the role of advising

the military. Barb was ranked as one of Profit Guide Magazine’s Top 30 Cool & Fabulous Canadian Entrepreneurs for 2012. Her fragrance

collection won the Chatelaine Beauty 100 Award 2012 for being Eco Chic; essential oils that empower, paraben free and phthalate free.

Chatelaine went on to rank her fragrances Top Five in Canada. Fashion Magazine dubbed her company a Canadian National Treasure as

one of the top beauty trail blazers in the past 35 years (Nov issue 2012).

She received the Women Innovator’s Award from the US Department of State at the APEC women and the economy summit for her

business model. Barb is a popular key note speaker and has opened for keynotes including Erin Brockovich and emceed for Donald

Trump and Rudy Guliani. She is also ranked one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women WXN. She won the Ernst & Young

Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2012 in the Emerging Entrepreneur Category.

Barb lives with her husband, Mike Velemirovich and their children, Victor and Ella in Bedford, Nova Scotia.

For media inquiries, please contact: Marela Lucero-Lee | PUNCH Canada | E: [email protected] or [email protected] | T: +1 647 837 1260

The 7 Virtues Story

The 7 Virtues Beauty Inc. is a Canadian company based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We believe we must flex our buying power to empower families in countries that are rebuilding. Our made in Canada fragrance collection is created with essential oils from nations that are rebuilding including Haiti, Afghanistan and the Middle East.

We source essential oils for our fragrances from our supplier in Afghanistan who provides seasonal employment for his tribe and community. Every time we purchase legal essential oils from Afghanistan, we are doing our part to provide alternatives to the illegal poppy crop which causes instability in our own communities.

We have grown, and through the matchmaking of our partners we found our supplier in Haiti who needs buyers of his products to rebuild his community. The Vetiver oil of Haiti is considered the best in the world!

Our goal is to encourage other businesses to do trade with business people in Afghanistan, Haiti, The Middle East and other nations experiencing strife as a part of the solution to building peace.

We encourage businesses to do trade with nations rebuilding. “Buy their saffron, buy their soaps, candles, essential oils, buy anything that will empower families to buy books and shoes for their children and take it to market.” We credit so many partners for helping us find suppliers including Trade Commissioners, Embassies, NGOs, The Clinton Foundation, Building Markets, Turquoise Mountain and CIDA.

The 7 Virtues fragrances are available for purchase at the following retail locations:

Canada

Hudson’s Bay Company

www.thebay.com

United States

Lord & Taylor (Garden City, Scarsdale and NYC locations)

www.lordandtaylor.com

United Kingdom

Selfridges & Co. (Oxford Street)

www.selfridges.com

Berlin

Galeries Lafayette

www.galerieslafayette.de

For media inquiries, please contact: Marela Lucero-Lee | PUNCH Canada | E: [email protected] or [email protected] | T: +1 647 837 1260

The 7 Virtues Fragrance Collection

Afghanistan Orange Blossom A joyous fragrance, Afghanistan Orange Blossom is layered with notes of freesia and jasmine. This precious organic oil is made from delicate orange blossoms harvested by Afghan farmers who bravely choose to tend these ancient groves instead of the poppy crop. We buy this excellent oil at fair market value from our supplier who is rebuilding his community. Poetry festivals are held during the harvest in Jalalabad to celebrate the historic orange blossom groves. Afghanistan Orange Blossom aired on CBC’s Dragons’ Den, making CEO, Barb Stegemann the first woman from Atlantic Canada to land a deal on the popular show. Stegemann went on to win the title of Top Game Changer in the history of CBC's Dragons' Den for her socially conscious company.

Noble Rose of Afghanistan A spicy fragrance, Noble Rose of Afghanistan is layered with notes of clove, peppercorn and carnation. There are 178 hand-picked rose petals in each 50mL bottle, harvested by Afghan farmers who courageously transport the oils on the world’s most dangerous highway. We buy this beautiful organic essential oil at fair market value from our supplier who is rebuilding his community. Noble Rose of Afghanistan was named by History TV viewers for a show called Name This. Click here to watch.

For media inquiries, please contact: Marela Lucero-Lee | PUNCH Canada | E: [email protected] or [email protected] | T: +1 647 837 1260

The 7 Virtues Fragrance Collection

Vetiver of Haiti Created especially for both men and women, Vetiver of Haiti is layered with notes of lime tree, bergamot and amber. This warm fragrance, with its musky vetiver base note, is the perfect fall and winter scent, popular with men and women alike. The organic vetiver of Haiti is considered the best in the world, grown by Haitian farmers whose country was devastated by the earthquakes in 2010. We buy this exquisite oil at fair market value from our supplier who is rebuilding his community. Vetiver of Haiti launched on September 21st, 2011, International Day of Peace. Chatelaine Beauty 100 Winner. Ranked top 5 Fragrances by Chatelaine Magazine.

Middle East Peace Inspired by the citizens of Israel & Iran and their respect for one another, we felt something so intense it could only be expressed in a thought provoking perfume. The enchantment of Middle East Peace eau de parfum is for all humankind. This ambrosial blend of sweetie grapefruit oil of Israel with the lime & basil oils of Iran captivates our hearts and ignites our senses. With a dry down of cedar wood and bamboo, this fragrance is for men and women. Sweetie grapefruit is a cross between a grapefruit and a pomelo and is harvested in the fertile Sharon Plain of Israel. The lime & basil oils of Iran are grown in Shiraz in the Fars province, known as the cultural capital of Iran. The fragrance launched September 21st 2012, International Day of Peace.

For media inquiries, please contact: Marela Lucero-Lee | PUNCH Canada | E: [email protected] or [email protected] | T: +1 647 837 1260

Latest Images from Rwanda

Download high-res images here | Photo credit: The7Virtues.com Learn how to create your own signature peace fragrance here

Check out more video content here

For media inquiries, please contact: Marela Lucero-Lee | PUNCH Canada | E: [email protected] or [email protected] | T: +1 647 837 1260

Video & Image Library Download high-res images here | Photo credit: The7Virtues.com

Learn how to create your own signature peace fragrance here Check out more video content here

For media inquiries, please contact: Marela Lucero-Lee | PUNCH Canada | E: [email protected] or [email protected] | T: +1 647 837 1260

Video & Image Library

Download high-res images here | Photo credit: The7Virtues.com Learn how to create your own signature peace fragrance here

Check out more video content here

For media inquiries, please contact: Marela Lucero-Lee | PUNCH Canada | E: [email protected] or [email protected] | T: +1 647 837 1260

Canadian Media Coverage

For media inquiries, please contact: Marela Lucero-Lee | PUNCH Canada | E: [email protected] or [email protected] | T: +1 647 837 1260

International Media Coverage