Our Key-note Speaker
Barb 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 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 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. 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.
The 7 Virtues fragrances are available at The Bay department stores across Canada, Air Canada on Board
Duty Free and Lord & Taylor, NYC department.
Barb lives with her husband, Mike Velemirovich and their children, Victor and Ella in Bedford, Nova Scotia.