BIOGRAPHY:
BARBARA STEGEMANN
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 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.
She brought the thesis of her book to life with her award winning fragrance collection,
The 7 Virtues® that supports suppliers in countries like Afghanistan, Haiti and now the
Middle East 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.
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 and supporting the troops.
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.
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Chatelaine went on to rank The 7 Virtues fragrances Top Five in Canada for being Eco
Chic; made with essential oils that empower, paraben free and phthalate free and
vegan.
Fashion Magazine dubbed her company a Canadian National Treasure as one of the
top beauty trailblazers in the past 35 years! 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 keynote 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 Award 2012, Emerging Entrepreneur Category.
Known for her engaging talks that has audiences laughing and crying (even the
Dragons’ on Dragon’s Den cried when she went on the show), Barb is a popular interview
with media around the globe. She has been featured on History TV, Bloomberg TV,
Canada AM, CBC National News, Wall Street Journal Magazine, Tatler Magazine,
Deutsche Welle, Globe & Mail, National Post, Macleans Magazine to name a few.
Barb is also asked to facilitate and moderate panels. She moderated the panel on the
Middle East at the Halifax International Security Forum with the Deputy Minister of
Defence for Israel and the Minister of Housing for Palestine. She also writes a column for
Huff Post Canada.
The 7 Virtues fragrances and book are available at The Hudson’s Bay department stores
across Canada, Air Canada on Board Duty Free and Lord & Taylor, NYC department
stores.
Barb lives with her husband, Mike Velemirovich and their children, Victor and Ella in Nova
Scotia, Canada.
www.speakers.ca