“Retail is something that [resort owners] never knew anything about, nor did they ever really want to pay attention to, because they looked at it as an amenity,” says Lee Ann Sauter, founder and CEO of Seaside Luxe. “It was something they had to have – they didn’t expect to make money off of it.”

Seaside Luxe injects resort retail with a shot of life, transforming these monotonous shops into lucrative sources of income by enhancing the shopping experience with exclusive high-end apparel and custom, one-of-a-kind furniture and home décor items.

Each boutique is designed to reflect the environment of the resort, matching the luxury it exudes and complementing the lifestyle of its guests. “Every single detail, down to the fixtures, we design ourselves specifically to match the island, the resort and the client,” says Sauter, who also has over 20 years of experience in corporate retail.

With renowned designers such as Missoni, Emilio Pucci and Tom Ford lining the walls, Seaside Luxe has changed the mind-set of resort owners, revealing an untapped remedy that guests have come to love. As Sauter explains, “It’s literally looked at as something a hotel must have. It’s a new activity that they’ve created for guests in these
destination locations.”

Currently, Seaside Luxe boutiques can be found at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Hawaii, the Four Seasons Resort Maui, Hawaii, and at Terrana Resort and Spa in Palos Verdes, California. www.seasideluxe.com

Not a salt or pepper strand out of place, Mimran appears to live his life under the soft glow of a Floridian sun rather than the harsh glare of fluorescent lights. His navy suit fits like a cashmere-lined leather glove, and his feet look just as comfortable in his signature velvet Church’s slippers. In an industry where image is everything, Mimran gets a standing ovation. The conversation moves to a sleek long table in his contemporary glass office, where all the planks in the runway start to form a story. It’s there, glancing out into the expansive factory workspace reminiscent of a dressed-up New York newsroom, that one wonders how this silver fox pulled such a lucrative rabbit out of his hat.

With more than 300 locations across Canada, Mimran’s semi-eponymous Joe Fresh label debuted under Loblaw Companies Limited in 2006 as its private apparel line that would bring affordable fashion to the masses. Similar concepts had brushed the ears of consumers in the past, but this time the promise of more-for-less was being made by a man who co-founded upscale minimalist brand Club Monaco, which he sold to Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. in 1999. Needless to say, Mimran’s name was literally on the line. Collection after collection, he proved that classic cuts with trendy touches don’t have to empty clutches – not to mention the convenience of paying for peas and a peacoat in one swipe. “Joe is a strong visionary with an incredible talent for thinking outside the box,” says his designer wife, Kimberley Newport-Mimran of the Pink Tartan brand.

In an effort to further relay his message to the masses, Mimran put his unisex collections on the catwalk: an atypical business move that turned out to be one of his brightest. “There was nobody really doing runway at that price point here in Canada and to me it was important because it showed that we’re very credible in terms of fashion, that we wanted it to come from a very real place,” says Mimran. Today, his shows are at the crescendo of Toronto’s LG Fashion Week, featuring top models like Crystal Renn and Tiiu Kuik and consistently garnering crowds with front-row fashion editors from New York and London.

A few years after the inception of Joe Fresh, Loblaw’s announced that its in-house clothing line was on track to becoming a billion-dollar brand. The fiscal forecast foreshadowed the line’s next logical steps: stand-alone stores in Toronto and Quebec, and the precarious decision to test its selling power under a star-spangled banner. “The United States is sort of a graveyard for Canadian retailers, and so it’s always been a difficult decision to make,” says Moroccan-born Mimran, adding that the stigma of failure worries him far less than the thought of not trying. “There’s a limit to how much more we can grow in the market and I think to have reached the amount of penetration that we have over such a short period of time, we would be doing ourselves a disservice in not trying to take it internationally.” Joe Fresh kicked off its American crawl with permanent stores in New York and New Jersey this fall, including a fixture on Fifth Avenue.

If you consider Mimran’s genes, Canada’s flourishing fashion icon fits right in. “My mom was in the business and there was always fabrics around everywhere and she was always sewing and there was a form,” he says of Esther, who made sure her son was the most fashionable in school. His deep brown pupils expand as he remembers himself as the 11-year-old kid with the Beatle boots, Glen Check suit and made-to-measure lumber jackets sewn with love. “There was this amazing, navy suede sweater vest that I had to have – navy suede, can you imagine? I asked my mom, ‘Oh, would you mind making me a navy suede sweater vest with the double-knit back and the double-knit sleeves? She would whip them up for me.”

Busy expanding the runway of his apparel empire, Mimran manages to find time for golf, scrabble, and even sleep. “Kim says I sleep too well. She says a bomb could go off and it’s just incredible,” says the 59-year-old. He also finds time to collect contemporary art, but at 13-by-9 feet, his most recent Julian Schnabel piece is too big for his Toronto home. Perhaps it will soon follow Joe Fresh with a move to the U.S. “That’s what happens when you start to collect, you become a little bit obsessed, a little bit like slippers,” he says, looking down at his feet. It’s a rare moment to see Mimran without his chin up – it’s just not his style.
www.joefresh.com

Before Galen entered the picture, Hilary Frayne – daughter of an appliance salesman – had a vibrant middle-class upbringing in Dublin, Ireland. She was particularly drawn to the work of the Bloomsbury Group,  a famous circle of English authors, painters and intellectuals that included the great Woolf, Vita Sackville-West, Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, the artist who created one of her very first pieces. “It was a voyage of discovery through reading that finally brought me to be interested in art,” she says. While working as a fashion model around that time, she caught the eye of Galen, who came to Ireland to set up a grocery chain. He was following suit in the entrepreneurial successes of his grandfather George and father Garfield, who thrived in the food industry. A few years later, the two married, simultaneously sparking a union of art that, among a list of things, would later transmit to their children, Alannah and Galen Jr. “We became very interested in drawings per se, so we started to collect French and Italian Renaissance earlier drawings … In those days it was what one could afford, and we felt very fortunate to have been able to buy them at the time because prices for paintings were crazy,” says Weston, whose last name currently sits second on the list of Canada’s wealthiest, with an estimated net-worth of $8 billion, according to Canadian Business magazine.

Alannah vividly remembers growing up in a house where the walls could talk, particularly in the green language of new realism artist Christo, whose work her parents avidly collected. “Ever since I was a little kid I was surrounded by conceptual art, so I remember writing my final exam at Havergal [College] all about Christo and trying to defend the fact that his art was ephemeral, it was temporary even though it cost millions of dollars to create, and then it was gone within a few days,” says Alannah. She has been lauded as a transformative force in her current creative director role at Selfridges, the high-end British department chain her father famously added to an empire that encompasses Loblaw Companies Limited and Holt Renfrew & Co. in 2003. Coincidentally, it was Alannah who would introduce her parents to the world of contemporary art, which she discovered during her studies at the University of Oxford and subsequent stretch as an arts-beat journalist for London’s The Daily Telegraph. “It’s all my fault,” she says, laughing in her sprightly tone while looking back on her mother’s amusement when she would come for a visit and find video installations in the bathroom. Alannah’s laugh elevates and reddens when she tells the story of the time she posed nude for her friend, artist and photographer Beth Derbyshire. “I posed for her undergraduate degree work and my dad was a little shocked so he ended up buying all of the work … so that was a great introduction!”

With the curatorial influence of her daughter, Weston’s newfound affection for contemporary art would inevitably become the pulse of a private residential community her and Galen Sr. established in Vero Beach, Florida more than two decades ago. As creative director, Weston was at the helm when ground broke on Windsor, a 416-acre “village by the sea.” Consisting of 350 uniquely designed luxury home sites, its complementary grounds reflect Weston’s affinity for architecture and horticulture. Windsor was built by Andrés Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, architects of the new urbanism movement, on a verdant barrier island between the Indian River and the Atlantic Ocean. “Everything there was designed by my parents, really carefully, to kind of reflect all the essential human needs. So, of course, it’s a very privileged place, but at the end of the day, no matter how we live we all want to live in communities, we want to live close by each other, we want places to go to eat, to meet our friends, we want to play; we want to be inspired, and I guess art is part of that,” says Alannah, which is why she made a monumental move in adding a not-for-profit art gallery to Windsor in 2002 while filling in for her mother, who was serving her final year as lieutenant-governor of Ontario at the time. Suffused with natural light, The Gallery at Windsor has featured the works of important contemporary artists such as Peter Doig, Ed Ruscha and Alex Katz. Even the Weston family’s eccentric leading man Christo and his wife, the now-late Jeanne-Claude, have been by for a discussion. Of all its achievements, it’s Weston’s newest project that has her on the edge of her seat.

It’s an idea that came to light under a veil of stars at Windsor when the Westons were hosting Iwona Blazwick, director of the Whitechapel Gallery, London’s century-old art space acclaimed for premiering modern icons like Jackson Pollock and Pablo Picasso. “It just flowed over dinner one night,” says Weston of the conversation that led to a curatorial collaboration in which Whitechapel Gallery will bring three annual exhibitions to The Gallery at Windsor. “In a way it’s kind of paradoxical,” says Blazwick. “We are absolute opposites: the Whitechapel Gallery is in the east-end of London, it is the most dense, urban, edgy location you could possibly imagine, you know, the sirens never stop … so this seemed like a really exciting idea to go to a place which was like paradise: it’s tropical, it’s on the ocean, it’s got the most incredible lush vegetation,” she remarks, of an east-meets-Weston partnership that begins December 2011 to coincide with Art Basel Miami Beach.

For a range of reasons that include the scope of her cultural influence and geographical context, the vibrant, rhythmic screen prints and wood block editions of renowned Brazilian contemporary artist Beatriz Milhazes were selected for the first solo exhibition. “One doesn’t necessarily plan for any of these things, they just take on a life of their own,” says Weston.

Such off-the-cuff undertakings may be a recurring thread in Weston’s life, but it’s never before measuring depth that she decides to dive into a blue pool. Whether it was her decade-long tenure as deputy chair of the board for family owned Holt Renfrew, or her notable term as lieutenant-governor where she fought to bring awareness to youth homelessness and women’s issues, every venture is carefully considered.

Her cautionary approach was perhaps most transparent in 2002, when she accepted the ambitious philanthropic post of Renaissance ROM Campaign Chair, pledging to help raise hundreds of millions of dollars in Canada’s largest cultural fundraising movement. “She took a lot of time and interviewed our board chairs herself before she finally committed herself to lead that campaign,” says the ROM’s former director and CEO William Thorsell, adding that once she came on-board she was very willing to work in the trenches. Thorsell recalls many instances where he and Weston would park their car outside a potential donor’s office tower and strategize over the approach they would employ to get that person to make a massive contribution. “We’d come out and high-five after, so you know, I got to know her well enough that we could do this, but it’s not the Hilary Weston most people see. She’s actually got a great wit, she’s relentless, she doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer in the sense that if somebody says no, she’ll say, ‘that means not yet.’” Her effective persistence even made headlines in The New York Times, which applauded her for famously persuading businessman Michael Lee-Chin to donate the $30 million that revolutionized the architectural face of Bloor Street with the Daniel Libeskind-designed Michael Lee-Chin Crystal. “So much of these things are about understanding and respect, because I think that you can’t expect people to give you money, you’ve got to hope it’s a good fit and that they believe that it’s real,” says Weston, who elevated the campaign with a gift of $20 million split evenly between her and her husband, and The W. Garfield Weston Foundation. “You have to learn how to give money away, that is a lesson in itself.” On another philanthropic page, The Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction recently praised its first winning author with a substantial prize of $60,000.

Like acclaimed contemporary artist David Hockney has said, “The longer you look, the more you see.” Watching Weston articulate her passion for the arts, philanthropy and her upcoming Windsor collaboration is a bit like dipping photographic paper in developer and seeing a portrait gradually emerge. Canada’s closest connection to the royal family is an astute businesswoman, exemplary wife and fun-loving mother, who, according to her daughter, is filled with Irish catchphrases and wise advice like, “Always leave a party when you want to stay a bit longer.” In contrast to her descriptive interpretation of the Toulouse-Lautrec piece, it takes Weston a few moments to harness her definition of a happy life. Not for a lack of words, but for an abundance. “A happy life is being curious in life, and learning through your experience and enjoying it as a result of what you’ve learned … I think it isn’t just one thing, because curiosity brings you into so many different areas and you discover so much about yourself by learning through other people, and one’s always seeking the spiritual in life and I think sometimes you find, and sometimes you don’t, that it comes and it goes, but to have them all is really, truly, the sweet life.”
www.windsorflorida.com
www.westonfoundation.org

For over 25 years, this particular style of startling beauty has transformed residential and commercial properties around the world, delivering dramatic yet elegant interiors to high-profile clientele and celebrities. Founded by designer Stéphane Fréchette and business partner Robert Sauvé, the company first began in Montreal and Miami, and has since expanded to Toronto’s King Street West district. In 2012, the brand will stretch its reach to Mexico.  “I know that people are looking for something different and dramatic,” says Fréchette, who splits his time between the four cities. He’ll be in Toronto this January when NordSouth debuts its collections at the prestigious Interior Design Show.

Often referred to as the “King of Eclectic,” Fréchette ensures that his designs fill in the gap that’s left behind by inclusive interiors. He seamlessly blends various styles such as minimalism, art deco and gothic. “I love contemporary but I think it’s too cold on its own, so I mix different tastes and cultures together for a charming, warm atmosphere,” says Fréchette, who handpicks quality home accessories and furniture from various designer hot spots across the globe. He and his team of interior designers and artists are equipped with the vision and experience to transform every room in your abode.

Juxtaposing the simple things that make a house into a home with the grandness you’d find in a five-star hotel, NordSouth’s spaces spill with spectacularly balanced settings with not a replica in sight. “I’m very strong on art accessories and paintings. Everything I put in my décor is original – I never use fake flowers or mainstream prints. I work with artists.”

www.nordsouth.com

Design is going in a more global direction than ever before. Regional influences are flowing seamlessly around the world. We see western design in Asian homes, period French furniture in more contemporary spaces, and Asian influence in Parisian interiors. The world is getting smaller but this is also a reaction to the sameness in design. People want to reflect different points of view within their space. More and more homeowners are embracing a global esthetic.

Another trend in design is the growing interest in quality and longevity. Homeowners are buying art, furniture and architectural elements that reflect quality and craftsmanship. Investing in quality pieces whenever possible is a great guideline for homeowners, and the approach balances our current landscape centred on mass production.

Colour will become a strong element in interiors this year. The modern-style spaces in the recent past have leaned towards monochromatic neutrals. We’re going to see an introduction of colour that reflects the homeowner’s personality. Lavenders, apple greens and gray blues mixed with gold metals, rich woods and semiprecious stones will be key combinations in the year ahead. This approach to colour provides visual impact and pop throughout a space.

Accessories play nicely into the concept of eclectic spaces. Just as we see the trend in fashion of mixing vintage jewelry with modern dress, vintage accessories for the home can layer beautifully into a contemporary space. Think vintage glass and crystal, antique boxes, vintage silver including hotel silver, and classical paintings in gilded frames. These pieces create an interesting juxtaposition within a contemporary space or add a rich, layered effect in a classical space.

Brian Gluckstein Guest Design Editor
A graduate of Ryerson University’s esteemed interior design program, Brian Gluckstein has risen to become one of Canada’s leading designers. As principal of Gluckstein Design Planning Inc., his diverse portfolio includes high-profile projects like the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, One St. Thomas Condominiums, the Windsor Arms Hotel and 133 Hazelton Residences. His extensive self-designed line, Gluckstein Home collection,
is sold at The Bay, Home Outfitters and Lord & Taylor Home, and consists of everything from patio furniture to cutlery and duvet covers. www.glucksteindesign.com

If you craved speed in the not-so-distant-past, a Jaguar dealership would just be a speck in your rear-view. Not to say that Jags couldn’t move – the brand was simply more about style, status and luxury than performance. But as of late, Jaguar has been trying to get back in the fast lane. It’s been turning to its roadster past, remembering memorable autos such as the iconic E-Type of the ’60s and the XJ220, which held the title for highest top speed of a production car from 1992 – 1994. The last few iterations of the XKR, for example, may not have appeared as aggressive as the similar style of the Aston Martin DBS, but the menacing growl of its 510 ponies was cower-inducing. Even the newest XJs are impressively quick. Jaguar is serious about speed, and the XKR-S is its trump card.

The moment you plant the pedal, this beast makes is presence known, and boy, does it ever sing. The XKR-S’s recalibrated 5-Litre V-8 engine roars as if it’s on a thunderous vendetta. The machine-gunning is amplified through the Jag’s free-flow exhaust system, producing a sound that will make gear heads melt. And while the engine’s growl is arresting, when you pull back the throttle, the XKR-S tones down the vulgarity, bringing back that polished Jag poise.

The supercharged V-8’s blistering drumming isn’t just for show, either. Serving an additional 40-horsepower and 41 pound-feet of torque over the standard XKR, the XKR-S pumps 550-HP and 501 lb-ft of torque through the rear wheels, making this Jaguar’s most powerful car on the road. It peaks at 300 kilometres per hour and can reach 100 km in 4.4 seconds – astonishing speed, especially for a Jag. So much so that the XKR-S can easily hang with other sports coupes like the Mercedes SL 63 AMG, Aston Martin DBS and Audi R8 4.2.

To help keep the ferocity under control, Jaguar has fitted the XKR-S with a lightweight aluminum body and stiffer suspension, making steering far more precise. Even at high speeds, the XKR-S’s responsive handling keeps it planted in the corners. If you’re daring enough to disengage its traction-control collar, though, it isn’t afraid to flick its tail out. With its knife-fighter agility, you’ll be able to make this beauty dance on the track, no question.

Speaking of beauty, the XKR-S is a strikingly handsome machine. And while, again, it might not be as imposing as its Aston cousin, you certainly won’t be afraid to show it off.

Inside, that Jaguar luxury is still present. Optional Reims Blue micro-piping and stitching accents the interior’s soft grain leather, while blue ambient lighting glows behind the dash. Door panels are accentuated with carbon leather detailing for extra style and special performance; 16-way adjustable seats are correspondingly upholstered and exceptionally comfortable. You’ll find a 7-inch touch screen with satellite navigation, Bowers & Wilkins 525 W sound system, and Jaguar’s futuristic JaguarDrive Selector, which rises from the centre console once the cat comes alive.

The XKR-S is a bold departure for Jaguar, built with one thing in mind: speed. It’s a car that demands to be seen, discarding Jag’s usually discreet demeanour. It wails without restraint and moves, fittingly, with feline dexterity. If you’re on the prowl for a sporty, swift ride stamped with status and prestige, track down the XKR-S – it’ll make
you purr. www.jaguar.ca

Jaguar  XKR-S Coupe
Engine: 5.0-L V-8
Transmission: 6-Speed auto
Horsepower: 550
Torque lb. ft.: 501
Fuel L/100km: 18.9 City, 8.6 Hwy
0-100 kph: 4.4 sec
Base MSRP: $139,000

Dripping with glitz and glam, this couture cocktail dress by Tony Ward catches the eye with gold sequin embellishments and a train that will leave admirers starry eyed. www.tonyward.net

As the blush fabric seems to dance on its own, the sequined bow takes the lead in a ballroom full of suitors. This quietly flirtatious dress from the MLH Luxurywear Collection is swathed in self-confidence, a signature touch by designer Maria Lucia Hohan. www.marialuciahohan.com

Sparkle your way through the crowd with the season’s beauty must-haves. Perfect on its own or over lipstick, the Festive Gold gloss adds glints of stardom to a holiday pout, while a complementary palette of gold, smoked brown and burgundy eyeshadows and mascara smudge mystery across your eyes. www.lisewatier.com

Accessorize in luxurious warmth with Sutra’s 18-karat yellow gold natural rough diamond earrings. www.fragments.com

Ring in the new year with yellow gold and chocolate diamonds. www.levian.com

With a strong infatuation for ’40s and ’50s fashion, award-winning designer Huy Vo’s creation awakens the old soul with a contemporary kiss.
Dress by Huy Vo Atelier, Bracelet by Jewelmak, www.jewelmak.com
Photographer: Eniko Szucs, www.enikoszucs.com
Fashion Editor: Cameron K. Carpenter, http://cargocollective.com/cameronkcarpenter/
Makeup: Jennifer Nam, www.jennifernam.tumblr.com
Model: Marina P. at Red Model Management
Hair Stylist: Nicholas Shatarah
Fashion Assistant: Rossi Martini

Whispering shimmers of seduction, this gilded metallic gown surrenders to the floor in effortless glamour. www.ghadahparis.com

The luxurious !Xam Diamonds gallery showroom is a mere preview to the stunning stones it offers. www.xamdiamonds.com

What better way to express your admiration than with an ethically mined diamond ring? www.xamdiamonds.com

Silence may be golden, but the clink of Tiffany Locks bangles is music to your ears.
www.tiffany.com

Olivia Wilde, Angelina Jolie and Halle Berry have all turned to the design talents of Reem Acra for gowns that exude grace. A Hollywood look is as easy as slipping on this sequin show-stopper. www.reemacra.com
Dress by Reem Acra, necklace and earrings by Andy Götz, clutch by Paola Dangond.
Photographer: Eniko Szucs, www.enikoszucs.com
Fashion Editor: Cameron K. Carpenter, http://cargocollective.com/cameronkcarpenter/
Makeup: Jennifer Nam, www.jennifernam.tumblr.com
Model: Marina P. at Red Model Management
Hair Stylist: Nicholas Shatarah
Fashion Assistant: Rossi Martini

A symbol of longevity, the Jean Schlumberger Orchid clip blooms with emeralds, diamonds and a platinum turquoise pin in 18-karat gold. www.tiffany.com

Special Thank you to staff of Natuzzi Furniture showroom store for the gracious use of their space.

AUBERGE DU POMMIER
Huîtres &  Caviar
Peter Oliver: I feel that Chef St. Jaques takes oysters to the next level with this dish. The poached oysters are placed on a bed of leek velouté, then topped with toasted brioche and caviar. It’s magnificent.
Boeuf Quatre Façons
Michael Bonacini: I love this dish as it gives you the opportunity to taste not one, but four styles of beef: ribeye, short rib, oxtail, and a ragoût. This is a rich dish, perfect for a chilly winter day.
Macaron
Oliver: These French macaroons just melt in your mouth. They are the perfect finishing touch to a wonderful Auberge du Pommier meal.

BANNOCK
Bannock Bannock
Bonacini: House-smoked salmon and cream cheese on freshly made bannock.  This is such a fun dish that blends Canadian traditions in a unique and interesting way.
Arcadian Court Chicken Pot Pie
Oliver: When we first announced that we were opening a restaurant in The Bay, people would stop me in the street and ask me about this pot pie! It has been a Toronto family favourite for many years, and we are thrilled to carry on the tradition.
Sour Cream Donuts
Bonacini: Real Canadian, eh?
Oliver: We know we couldn’t serve Canadian comfort food without a glazed donut on the menu. These are warm, doughy, a little crispy on the outside. Simple food – elevated.

OLIVER & BONACINI CAFÉ GRILL
Grilled Calamari
Bonacini: This calamari dish is adapted from the Jump lunch menu, and is one of my favourites.
O&B Macaroni and Cheese
Bonacini: This is classic mac and cheese for grown-ups.  With aged white cheddar, goat cheese, roasted chicken and sweet garden peas, it’s a fun spin on an old favourite.
Carrot Cake
Oliver: This is a carrot cake for real carrot cake lovers – moist, perfectly spiced and topped with a not-too-sweet cream cheese icing.

LUMA
Burrata
Bonacini: I love that this dish is rich and creamy but still feels light.
Steak Frites
Oliver: This is such a classic, timeless dish – a fantastic match with a bold red.
Opera Cake
Bonacini: A perfect end to dinner and a movie! If you forgot to buy your date a snack, the popcorn ice cream and caramel popcorn will more than make up for it.

Peter Oliver and Michael Bonacini Guest Food Editors
Two of Toronto’s best-known culinary entrepreneurs put it all on the table nearly two decades ago when they partnered to open Jump Café and Bar in 1993. At the time, Peter Oliver was a thriving Toronto restaurateur, and Michael Bonacini was the executive chef of Centro. Today, their lucrative food enterprise dots the city with restaurants and event spaces, which include Jump, Canoe, Biff’s Bistro, Auberge du Pommier, Oliver & Bonacini Café Grill, Luma, O&B Canteen, Malaparte and Bannock. Oliver is also the founder and president of The Stephen Leacock Foundation, a charitable organization that helps disadvantaged children in Canada and the developing world. www.oliverbonacini.com

“The time felt right,” says the 55 year-old CEO of Venture Communications, explaining how her role on CBC’s Dragons’ Den brings a bombardment of queries all searching for that secret to her success. “I was getting asked so often about what it was that I had done that was different, and I wanted people to know that I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way and there was no straight path.”

With her back to the glistening city skyline and the golden aura around her iconic red hair projecting an image of absolute assurance, it’s surprising to hear a titan of her magnitude admit any personal shortcomings. But for Dickinson, persuasion isn’t about smoke and mirrors or creating a beguiling, chameleon-like persona. Her method is that of “principled persuasion,” an approach that requires authenticity, reciprocity, and as she makes clear early on, honesty.

She describes a childhood stamped with poverty and a broken home, a personality stacked with self-doubt and apprehension, and a failed marriage caused by her own infidelity. Slogging through a divorce, losing custody of her four children, and unemployed at 31, her past is anything but ideal. “I think people believe that you lead some charmed life and you never make mistakes and that’s how people become successful, and it’s so not true.”

Although flawed, the past is the past, and Dickinson would never let it dictate her future. A year after her marriage ended, she transitioned from a job selling ads for a local Calgary TV station to becoming a partner at a start-up marketing firm known as Venture. Ten years later, she bought out the remaining partner and became the CEO.

However, Dickinson has never been the fire-breathing type. Just as her book, she displays an unexpected openness and a clear contrast to the ferocity displayed by her on-air colleagues. “I always characterized that good guys can finish first, and you can do things in a way that doesn’t step on other people in order to be successful.”

Indeed, Dickinson dodges the ends-justify-the-means mentality of utilitarian businesses to instead lean towards a deontological approach, where universal maxims dictate your actions. To Dickinson, the methods used are just as important as the results achieved. “I think the minute you have to pretend to be somebody else in order to do something is the minute you lose control of your own voice and your own opinion, and I think that sets you up for failure. Because it’s like lying: eventually you get caught.”

Even with financial uncertainty incessantly looming on the horizon, Dickinson feels abandoning your values can only lead to catastrophe. Authenticity is crucial to principled persuasion – part of that authenticity is accepting who you are. “The more honest we are with ourselves, and the more OK with who we are, the less worried we are about doing things to impress somebody, the more, I think, the more people will appreciate and follow us. I really believe that, I do.”

All this boils down to is confidence. As she explains, persuasion entails believing in the person that you are, remembering your voice is important, and never fearing mistakes or failure. Her book echoes this sentiment, noting, “I find it much easier to live with failure than to live with regret over the road not taken.” But even as she explains the importance of strength and confidence, there is an air of fragility floating through her words. In that honest, Arlene way, she acknowledges her mastery of this art is still an “ongoing dialog,” and that fear of disappointing others perpetually lingers in the background.

This vulnerability isn’t necessarily debilitating, however. It keeps her humble, self-aware and away from perceived infallibility. “I always want to be a little bit of a pleaser,” she says, explaining her attitude may be seen as a weakness to some, but it keeps her grounded and gives balance to her life. She always feels the need to push for 150 per cent, staying clear of arrogance and selfishness.

The transparency Dickinson displays is an uplifting departure from the habitually iron-fisted nature of big business. While her book may illustrate the art of persuasion and how to maximize it, the dark days of her past proves that the sun will always rise again, and sometimes it shines unclouded.

www.arlenedickinson.com

We ran through massive sand dunes, occasionally visiting remote Saharan communities that were memorable and thought shifting. Our run became more about learning from the people of the Sahara than an extreme feat of endurance. When re-supplying through smaller desert communities in Niger, we learned how these incredible people have not only adapted, but thrived in such a hostile environment. Agricultural geniuses, I had some of the best tomatoes ever with couscous and roasted camel. An awesome meal, but the company made it even more memorable.

Completing the Running the Sahara expedition permanently stamped in my brain that we are all capable of  extraordinary in our lives. By far, travel is our greatest teacher. Experiencing the world we live in, reaching out to seemingly impossible places, and connecting with people from thousands of kilometres away provides us with so many answers to questions that cannot even be asked or comprehended until the journey is over.

Since 2007, I have completed expeditions all over the world, including a 33-day unsupported trek from the Hercules Inlet, Antartica, to the South Pole. I also dragged all of my food and supplies across Lake Baikal in Siberia – an outstanding frozen landscape in a remote part of the planet. That took 13 days. Awesome vistas, but for a food lover, the diet of dehydrated meals grew frustrating. I also ran the 1,200 km-length of the Atacama Desert in the summertime. Chile is a place to visit! Its famous wine destinations, like the La Serena, made post-expedition drinks incredible. The coastal scenery was mind-blowing, and the people friendly.

For me, the most rewarding projects are the ones organized through an organization I founded called impossible2Possible. The goal is to inspire, educate and empower youth through adventure-based education programs. Youth Ambassadors are selected – at no cost to them or their families – to join me on an expedition to a remote part of the world. There, they sometimes run up to a marathon per day, while learning from local cultures about a specific topic. These are then beamed live into classrooms via video-conferencing. They bring their expedition into classrooms, and classrooms onto their expeditions. Questions are asked from students, and the Youth Ambassadors answer live. They reach past any physical or mental limit they think they might have, and share the lessons they’ve learned to others. In the Amazon, the Youth Ambassadors took lessons on biodiversity from the indigenous peoples of the Amazon. There have also been projects to Bolivia, the Arctic, the Sahara and India – all told through live websites that accompany each project.

My hope is that through these experiences, young people everywhere will become engaged and inspired to see their world, to learn about it and preserve it. I hold a belief that in each of us is an adventurer, just waiting to discover what is over the next mountain or sea.

Ray Zahab Guest Travel Editor
Ray Zahab is motivated by challenge, distance and discovery. In 2007, he ran 7,500 kilometres across the Sahara Desert in 111 days to raise awareness for the water crisis in Africa. In 2008, Zahab founded impossible2Possible (i2P), an adventure-based organization that allows thousands of students from around the globe to experience the world like never before. www.rayzahab.com