Barbara Mowat is the President and Founder of GroYourBiz™ and Impact Communications Ltd.

GroYourBiz™ brings a tactical and proven approach to meeting the needs of women business owners, by providing monthly MyBusinessMyBoard™ Advisory Boards, who want to take their business to the next level.

Like-minded entrepreneurs, along with the involvement of top private sector organizations (BMO Bank of Montreal, KPMG, TELUS, Fasken Martineau, Imprint Plus, Ondine BioMedical, Libra National, Concept Mechanical, etc.), benefit from the skills, expertise, inspiration and energy brought together each month.

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Barbara for a PowHERhouse Portrait feature interview.

Barbara, what fuels you?

I’ll ask you back, ‘What do you stand for?’

People talk about core values all the time but they don’t realize how important core values are in shaping your vision and your culture.  Everything that you do reflects what your company values.  That helps you with decision-making, educating clients and potential customers.  It really speaks to who you are.  Your core values take a long time to develop, and then put into daily practice.  It is my core values that fuels me.

GroYourBiz™ core values:

• We Champion and Connect
• We Art with Generosity of Spirit
• We Initiate Opportunity and Collaboration
• We Cultivate Environments for Sharing and Learning
• We Leverage Collective Wisdom to Help Ourselves and Others
• We Inspire Wealth Creation for Families, for Communities and round the World
• We Have a Passion for Growth – IT’S WHAT WE DO!

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give other entrepreneurs in terms of things you might do differently?

Prior to GroYourBiz, I had four other companies.  Looking back, one learning is the importance of an advisory board which I didn’t have in my other companies.  What I realize now is that advisory boards aren’t just for big, big companies (which I think many of us believe).  In fact, I truly believe feel that all new businesses should have advisory boards at the very beginning of starting their business.  An advisory board helps you to make those critical early decisions.  I now have my own Executive Advisory Board, and the impact it has had on my business growth is invaluable.

Another area is succession planning.  I’m now growing my business with an exit strategy in mind.  Whether it’s 5, 15 or 20 years, it’s being able to answer the question, ‘What do I want to do at the end of all this?’  That is so crucial because you actually set things up differently; you actually think differently.

Don’t be afraid to ASK those with wisdom and experience to sit on your advisory board to help you strengthen your weak areas and critique you.  Advisors help you to think strategically about your business.

David Suzuki & Balancing Environment & The Economy: Caring About OUR Planet panel

I thoroughly enjoyed the EXCELerate 2015 conference!  Can you share how it was born and what you were trying to achieve through EXCELerate?

I really wanted to help people think differently and not get the same business information from other conferences they might attend.  I wanted all of us to experience some of the “bold” changes CEOs are implementing and how they could change the way we think about our own business.

Business is changing.  The world is changing.  I wanted people to consider different ways to set up business, to be in business and to make a difference with their business.

I’ve worked for many years in developing countries, and one thing I learned is that it really is up to us to help each other grow.  What it’s all about for me is connecting with people and helping each other grow.  Collaboration fuels me!

Barbara with Cherie Blair, (at this time she was First Lady of Britain) and women in Tanzania, leading a project on “Accessing Global Markets”.

Where are you going in the future with your business?

I’m never, ever going to stop learning.  I always seek advice.  I want to seek advice from different people, and I want to share what I learn with others.

I want to create models, conferences, events that are practical and effective but are also transportable to other countries, including developing countries.

Right now we’ve been asked to set up GYB Advisory Boards in both Geneva and the UK.

What is your ASK of other women?

My ask is to never stop seeking advice, and when you get advice, take action and pass it on!

[Editor’s note, yes we have a PowHERhouse saying, “We grow stronger, together.”]

After 30+ years as an entrepreneur, if you could pass along 3 pearls of entrepreneurial wisdom, what would they be?

• I would ask PowHERhouse readers, “How well do you know yourself?”
• “What is your passion?”  “Do you know the impact you have on others?”
• Making an impact first of all starts with knowing yourself and then creating and setting your own goals and not what someone else thinks you should do.
  

  Barbara with Minister of Justice, Jody-Wilson Raybould

Biggest WIN of 2015?

The EXCELerate conference was a great and rewarding success.  I felt that my goals for the conference were realized, and everybody got what they were looking for out of the conference.

Biggest LEARNING and area of improvement for 2016?

In 2015, I was so focused on various projects and priorities that I let my health go.  My goal for this year is to do a better job of taking care of me.

I’ve seen too many friends around me with serious illnesses and so many of them are directly related to stress.

In 2015 I also likely rushed too many projects.  This year, I’m slowing down the process and taking it more methodically starting with a strategic planning session with my own Executive Advisory Board.

This year I’m going to aim to be more cautious and accountable.

Over and over, the importance of our PowHERhouse mission to ‘To Build Strong Women, Together’ by integrating Lifestyle + Leadership is affirmed. 

What are a couple things on your Bucket List?

I want to learn how to dance!

I’ve been asked many times to write a book, and maybe it is time to do just that!

Barbara in Vanuatu doing a project for Vital Voices Global Partnership (an initiative created by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Melanne Vermeer) with women from the Pacific Islands.

A main reason why we have created PowHERtalks is because we believe women have a big challenge ‘ASKING’ for what they need.  We want to get women – both the ones on the stage as well as in the audience – thinking about what they need and that it’s okay to ASK – in fact, it’s imperative that you do in order to move your mission forward.  

What would be your top 3 tips in terms of mastering your ASK?

Asking is such a valuable part of learning!  Every one of us has incredible gifts and skills in some areas.  No one expects us to be good at everything or to know all the answers.  “Sell your strengths and buy your weaknesses.”

• If you don’t ASK, you won’t get. What’s the worst that could happen?
• Don’t look at it as being selfish. Chances are what you are asking for, others are also wondering or needing.  So be the leader.    Seek the advice, and then you can share it with others.
• It’s not about getting, it’s about giving.

My final question is around mentoring.  I still don’t think that mentoring is as fully utilized as it could be in terms of building strong women and strong business.  What are your thoughts on mentoring?

I’ve been doing mentoring and setting up mentoring models for over 25 years if not more.  I’ve been an informal mentor to hundreds around the world.

We are all teachers.  And, we are all students.  In a mentoring relationship, we learn from each other.  Mentoring encourages a reciprocal relationship to be built, both in formal and informal mentoring.

• Choose a mentor/mentee where there is chemistry.
• Identify first where your weaknesses are. Where do you need help, and who do you admire in that area.
• Again, don’t be afraid to ASK. You are worthy, ASK!