Ruth’s journey began at nine years old when her father gifted her her first camera. She used photography to tell stories, as her family moved frequently because of her father’s career, and she found it hard to form long-lasting friendships with other kids.

To her family’s chagrin (as recent Canadian immigrants) Ruth went on to study photography. She soon learned that graphic design and art direction were marketable and necessary skill sets that she wanted to add to her resume to expand her career options. Today, Ruth boasts 20 years of graphic design experience and her creative direction skills allowed her to manage and direct her own projects.

However, even with her wealth of creative and management skills, when she first started running her own creative business Ruth found the administrative side of things to be an almost Herculean task as she juggled numerous and contrasting roles. She decided to grow her team so she could focus solely on her clients. This meant becoming a true creative director instead of juggling photography, art direction, and design.

Ruth’s passion for creative direction translates into her drive as a business mentor. She’s expertly positioned to help you make the leap from “doer” to “leader” in your business.

Averill understands from firsthand experience, the toll owning a business can take on your professional confidence, finances and personal life if you don’t have the right tools and resources in place.

He’s no stranger to the behind-the-scenes struggles. During Averill’s childhood, his parents separated after financial challenges caused strife in their relationship. He watched his father’s entrepreneurial career, where he struggled with a limited knowledge of marketing, relying on luck and being in the right place at the right time to acquire new clients. Averill saw the emotional toll this took. Ultimately, his parents divorced, which had a palpable effect on Averill and his siblings. Divorce was relatively uncommon in the 60s, so it spoke to how severely business troubles could impact personal life.

Many years later, Averill became a father and husband himself, and when financial challenges arose, he found himself in a similar situation. He had his own photography business, where in terms of marketing, he largely relied on luck and being in the right place at the right time to acquire new clients. Unfortunately, history repeated itself and despite over 20 years of experience, Averill endured a failed marriage and a less-than-prosperous business.

The unforgettable takeaway from all of this? The understanding that marketing is essential to a company’s success. It’s absolutely necessary as the foundation for making sales, which is the only way money comes into a business, and running a business that allows you to thrive in your personal life, too.