Founder of TEDxGastownWomen heads her own communications firm and helped build e-commerce player Procurify

A self-described theatre kid, Brittany Whitmore set her sights on acting while growing up in Campbell River. Scouted by a modelling agent at 17, she moved to Vancouver to model full-time and enrolled in a musical theatre program.

Brittany Whitmore, 29

Founder, Exvera Communications; Founder and executive director, TEDxGastownWomen

 

Life Story: A self-described theatre kid, Brittany Whitmore set her sights on acting while growing up in Campbell River. Scouted by a modelling agent at 17, she moved to Vancouver to model full-time and enrolled in a musical theatre program. The lifestyle was glamorous—trips to Europe, gigs for Dolce & Gabbana, Guess and Holt Renfrew—but unsustainable, she says. So Whitmore enrolled in Langara College, where she earned a bachelor of business administration. Job hunting as graduation approached, she met Aman Mann and Kenneth Loi, founders of e-commerce startup Procurify. Whitmore took over in 2013 as director of communications, overseeing marketing as the company grew from a handful of employees to 40. After three years she left to focus on her own communications firm, Exvera. In 2015, Whitmore founded TEDxGastownWomen, an annual event that aims to empower women and girls.

The Bottom Line: Exvera has attracted clients such as tech conference operator SheTalks Technology and Vancouver-based Kater, a chauffeur-on-demand service. Last October’s TEDxGastownWomen drew some 350 participants.

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