At thirty-one, Arlene Dickinson found herself stranded. Recently divorced, she had only a high school diploma, no savings and no clue how she was going to feed four young children. But just one year later, she was a partner in Venture Communications. Ten years on, she was CEO, poised to grow the business into one of Canada’s largest independently owned marketing firms. Today, as a co-star of the CBC hit Dragons’ Den, she is one of the country’s most sought-after female entrepreneurs. The secret of her journey from poverty to the corner office? The art of persuasion.

Blending her own frank stories with compelling social science, she explains how to persuade both in the boardroom and in everyday life: the crucial importance of a particular kind of listening; how to get people to buy into your ideas; how to attract followers and deal with naysayers; the art of storytelling; how to turn mistakes to your advantage; and how to seize opportunities where others see only roadblocks.

ARLENE DICKINSON is a venture capitalist on the hit CBC show Dragons’ Den, co-star on CBC’s The Big Decision and the #1 bestselling author of Persuasion. Dickinson is the owner and CEO of Venture Communications, a company she grew from a small, local firm to one of the largest independent agencies in Canada, and has recently launched Arlene Dickinson Enterprises, a company dedicated to promoting the advancement of entrepreneurs.

WEB: arlenedickinson.com and youinc.com
FACEBOOK: Arlene Dickinson
TWITTER: @arlenedickinson

Arlene Dickinson's profile page