Hey, this is Napkin Notes: the perfect dose of startup sunshine founders need on a Friday when their calendar consists of boring email follow-ups and accounting work ☀️

Today’s deep dive is all about the legendary entrepreneur, Arlene Dickinson, who we’re hosting for an AMA on Feb 16th.

*Do you have an upcoming demo day or other event scheduled on our Kernal calendar yet? If not, drop [email protected] a line and he can help you list them on our events page to grow your RSVP audience.

Don’t know Arlene? We’ll fill you in. She:

• is an investor on the award-winning show Dragons’ Den for 15 seasons

• has been a 3 time best selling author

• immigrated to Canada with her family at age three

• had her first hustle working at a TV station

• is the mother of 4 kids

Before we dig in more, here’s some of the latest startup news on the block.

📰 Latest News:

Neuralink installed its first implant. Elon is short on Delaware. Apple’s already sold 200,000 Vision Pro units. Amazon called off its $1.4B deal to buy iRobot. Reddit is rumoured to IPO with a ~$5B valuation. Hackers stole $112 million of the cryptocurrency XRP. And Shaan Puri’s startup idea has 149 upvotes.

Now let’s get to our main event 🥁

☕️ 7 Facts About CBC Dragon’s Den Investor Arlene Dickinson

Wanna be convinced why you should sign up for our event with Arlene next month? Here’s some reasons you’ll wanna cancel your coffee meeting.

• 💰 She started with “buying a business” before mircoacquiring was a thing: Arlene Dickinson's entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 30 when she purchased a Calgary-based marketing firm, Venture Communications. What's impressive is that she transformed it from a small business into one of Canada's largest independent marketing agencies.

• 📺 Dragon's Den Star: Arlene is a well-known face on CBC's Dragon's Den, where she has been a Dragon for 15 seasons. On there she’s seen hundreds of pitches and backed dozens of ventures. She knows what it takes to stand out from the crowd whether you’re pre-revenue or well on your way to raising your series A.

• 📚 She’s a Respected Bestselling Author: In addition to her successful line of business ventures, Arlene is also a bestselling author. She has penned books like "Persuasion," where she shares her wisdom on communication and persuasion techniques that can benefit both entrepreneurs and professionals alike. If this is on your 2024 list to learn, take note.

• 🌎 She Gives Back Through Philanthropy: Arlene’s not just about business; she's also passionate about giving back. She is involved in various charitable activities and supports causes close to her heart, making her a well-rounded and socially conscious entrepreneur. So if you’ve got a “not-for-profit idea”, she could be the dream person to share it with

• 🏆 Awards and Recognition: Arlene has received numerous accolades for her contributions to the business world. She's been named one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women and has received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. If that’s not a mic drop moment we don’t know what is.

• 📱 Media Personality: Beyond her business, Arlene is a sought-after media personality. She has appeared on various television shows and in print media, using her platform to inspire and educate aspiring entrepreneurs. Across her socials, she has close to 1 million followers

• ⚡️ Trailblazing Woman in Business: Arlene’s success is particularly inspiring because she's broken barriers in a male-dominated business world. Her journey serves as a beacon of hope and encouragement for women entrepreneurs striving for success.

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