| In my search for interesting people I recently decided | | | | still involved with. Please tell us about your |
| that I needed to focus on finding more women that | | | | entrepreneurial endeavours and your philosophy. |
| have done interesting and unusual things. So off I went | | | | The company Future SEA Technologies Inc was just |
| and searched on the Internet and sure enough, I | | | | an idea. Myself and two partner's one of them being |
| stumbled across a website called and I figured that the | | | | my husband founded the company. What a whirl wind |
| owner would probably be a woman herself and might | | | | of excitement, growth, learning, traveling and |
| have an interesting story to tell. | | | | opportunity. At one time we had almost 40 employees |
| Bingo. Valma Brenton sure has a very interesting | | | | and operations in Chile, across Canada, Tasmania and |
| resume which includes international travel, managing | | | | Japan. I got a lot of juice from being on the frontier and |
| businesses in Chile and Tazmania, working as a private | | | | the leading edge of new environmentally friendly |
| investigator, divemaster, aquaculture specialist, writer | | | | technology for the aquaculture industry. Working with |
| and photographer, to mention just a few of her | | | | other people to solve their problems and add value to |
| credentials. | | | | their lives as well as their businesses. Not to mention |
| The common thread through all these diverse | | | | being on the water and working with all varieties of |
| experiences is that Valma is a woman who loves to | | | | ocean and fresh water fish. I was trained as an animal |
| take on challenges, she has had a love of the Ocean | | | | behaviorist by Dr. Kees Groot which crossed over to |
| ever since she can remember, and she dedicates her | | | | people through the PI work and training with my father |
| time to empowering women, teaching them sailing and | | | | in Britain. |
| self-awareness skills to help them become vibrant, | | | | I think for me my philosophy about business is to get |
| successful and self-confident so they can create their | | | | clear about what I want, have a dream and dream |
| own miracles. Without further ado, here is Valma | | | | BIG. I always believe that I can do it if I believe that I |
| Brenton: | | | | can. I envision what I want to produce and then start |
| 1. Please tell us a bit about your personal background | | | | to manifest and create it. I ask the Universe for what I |
| and your work experience. | | | | want and then make space for magic to occur. I |
| I was born in Chester, England and immigrated to | | | | believe that it is up to the Universe to provide me with |
| Canada with my parents when I was just 3 months | | | | the opportunities and connections along with the |
| old. We traveled from England to Quebec by boat. My | | | | money. We raised over 10 million investment capital |
| mom told me she is not surprised that I like to travel so | | | | into our business. That was an experience just on its |
| much she said that we traveled to and around | | | | own. |
| Canada by boat, train, car and many other methods | | | | I think that this 13th century poet and mystic says it all |
| from the east coast and to the west before I was a | | | | "Let the beauty we love be what we do" Rumi |
| year old. We eventually settled in Gibson's Landing | | | | 3. You have also lived and managed businesses in |
| which is on the Sunshine Coast near Vancouver in | | | | other cultures in places like Chile and Tazmania and |
| British Columbia. I was raised there. | | | | are fully bilingual in Spanish. Please tell us about these |
| When I was 16 I got itchy feet and started to travel | | | | cross-cultural experiences. |
| oversees. My father was living in Britain so I headed | | | | I really loved traveling and working in these other |
| over there and then on to Europe. I eventually | | | | areas. Especially working and traveling in Chile. This |
| completed school in between my travel adventures. | | | | was so exciting for me because it was like being on |
| Fashions and trends were about 4 years ahead of | | | | the frontier. Every one in Chile is an entrepreneur. Ideas |
| where I was living. I found it so exciting to see all of the | | | | are always flowing and their creative ways to make |
| different trends, foods, cultures and people and thus | | | | money. I like being able to come up with an idea, take |
| really acquired a taste for travel. I am like a sponge full | | | | some action, get some feedback and make a course |
| of curiosity and really enjoy learning new things. | | | | correction until it comes out right. In Chile we just frickin |
| My father is a Private Investigator and whenever I | | | | did it. Here in Canada there was always so much |
| would travel to Scotland to visit him I would work in the | | | | paperwork and the work was always in convincing |
| field with him. We always had good fun and some | | | | someone of the idea first. I guess that is what I loved |
| amazing adventures together. I still visit him every few | | | | about Chile...we just tried it on a small scale...tested it, |
| years and head out on a PI adventure. We always | | | | modified and then made it happen. I also know from |
| end our day with a pint of beer afterwards and share | | | | my experience that no matter what language or |
| the stories of the day. The experience I gained | | | | religion or belief system that the people had, we were |
| working with my father in his business helped me | | | | basically all the same. We are the same make-up |
| understand more about business, people and behavior. | | | | physically, have the same needs for survival...we all |
| I was able to transfer this to many other areas in my | | | | had different perspectives based on our cultural and |
| life. My life is like a river flowing with magical adventure, | | | | other upbringing. I love seeing things through different |
| freedom, curiosity, creativity and recognition. | | | | eyes. |
| My years of curiosity and adventure have lead me on | | | | I think that I have been successful in working in these |
| a path of exciting career opportunities with a broad | | | | other locations because I am adaptable, flexible, curious |
| range of industry experience up to executive | | | | and open to learn new things and in new ways. I am |
| management levels, including research, project | | | | always curious about the people, culture, land and |
| management, sales and marketing, operations, public | | | | always try to speak in their native tongue. Even if that |
| relations, finance, business startup and development. I | | | | meant making a fool of myself. I gained respect for at |
| am enterprising and a resourceful individual. | | | | least trying and eventually succeeded. I am always on |
| My strengths are in identifying and analyzing | | | | the look out for new opportunities and look for the |
| opportunities, formulating strategies and implementing | | | | good in people. Treating them with respect and being |
| an action plan. Well-developed analytical, planning, | | | | open to see things their way. Having gratitude and |
| project management, thinking outside the box and | | | | being grateful for every moment and situation was |
| motivational skills have enabled me to achieve | | | | also a big PLUS. |
| repeated success in a variety of business situations. | | | | 4. You purchased HERIZEN (TM) Sailing for Women a |
| I have a varied business background with experience | | | | couple of years ago. Please tell us about the history of |
| as a Private Investigator / Security Consultant and | | | | that business, and why you decided to purchase it. |
| Business Administrator both in Canada and the United | | | | HERIZEN(TM) was started by Trish Birdsell-Smith |
| Kingdom. For twelve years my career has expanded | | | | back in the late 1980's. She had a passion for |
| into the aquaculture industry in Canada - British | | | | supporting women to be better sailors and raise their |
| Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and internationally into | | | | awareness about the differences between men and |
| Tasmania, Curacao, Scotland and Chile at a Business | | | | women's way of learning. After I came back from |
| Startup / Development, and Management, Operational, | | | | Chile a few years ago, I was working on another large |
| Sales and Marketing and Research level. Eleven years | | | | project here in Canada. One day I had a vision that I |
| prior, I worked in the West Coast Commercial Fishery | | | | was suppose to teach. I was not sure what that |
| and Charter Boat industry on the British Columbia | | | | exactly meant and asked the Universe to explain. I got |
| coast as a Captain, Divemaster, and Marine Engineer | | | | a response that it was to do with women and sailing. |
| and in Sales and Marketing. I hold a Fishing Master IV | | | | One day I saw Trish...we chatted and she mentioned |
| International Captain's license, CSC 2 Small Craft | | | | that she was going offshore for a few years. I asked |
| Masters training, International Occupational Scuba | | | | her what she would do with the business and she |
| Diving License, Canadian Yachting Association Sailing | | | | mentioned selling or folding. My vision came to me |
| Instructors Certifications and a Boaters License. | | | | suddenly and I said "What about me?" She was |
| Over the years I gained a passion for writing and | | | | excited and figured I would be the best fit...at the same |
| photography and became a successful author and | | | | time wondered how I would do it with such a busy |
| photojournalist specializing in fisheries and | | | | schedule of travel. Well, one thing led to another and |
| aquaculture-related subjects. I have published | | | | within a few months - December 15, 2003 I was the |
| numerous research publications of which appear in | | | | new owner of the company. I have not regretted it |
| scientific journals and government scientific updates. | | | | and am so pleased that I can add value to so many |
| Other feature articles and photography has been | | | | women's lives. Bringing experience, passion, vision, |
| published in magazines, newspapers, books and art | | | | creativity, transformational processes to help women |
| galleries. | | | | to really gain the confidence in sailing and assisting |
| 2. You have a great deal of entrepreneurial | | | | them to transfer this to many other parts of their lives |
| experience and started several ventures, more | | | | is important to me. |
| recently a company called Future SEA that you are | | | | |