On this week’s episode of The After Business School Special, host Carlee Snow is joined by Mackenzie Kilshaw to discus her journey as a full-circle entrepreneur, creating the award-winning boutique Two Fifty Two, transitioning into a new career, taking on creative projects like starting a podcast and writing a book, going back to school, and how she balances it all.

 

Mackenzie Kilshaw, Manager of Customer Success at SalonScale Technology chats with host Carlee Snow about all things:

· Full circle entrepreneurship

· Transitioning careers and starting new creative projects

· Following new paths and taking on new opportunities

· Lifelong learning and the pursuit of constant growth

· Balancing multiple opportunities at once

 

Mackenzie Kilshaw (Firby) is an accomplished Canadian entrepreneur. Raised on a farm near Kenaston, Saskatchewan, she currently resides with her husband, Craig, and stepson, Aiden in Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

Mackenzie earned her Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan in 2003. She began her career in the business community in Saskatoon, working as a Sales Representative for prominent companies like Hershey's and SaskTel.

Driven by her passion for shopping, fashion, and her business knowledge, Mackenzie founded Two Fifty Two Boutique in Saskatoon in 2014. Her boutique aimed to provide a unique and stylish shopping experience to customers. The success of her first location led her to open a second store in Regina in 2017. Mackenzie transitioned to an Online Exclusive platform for her boutiques in 2021 and sold Two Fifty Two Boutique in December of 2022, becoming a full circle entrepreneur.

Mackenzie's dedication to her business and community involvement did not go unnoticed. She received numerous award nominations, becoming a finalist for awards including Women of Distinction, SABEX, and ABEX. Her boutique received two Customer Service SABEX awards and the New Business Venture SABEX Award in 2016.

Mackenzie's commitment to her community is a central aspect of her life. She actively supports local charities and events as a way to give back to the community that had supported her business. Her efforts earned her the Canada 150 Medal in 2017 for her exceptional dedication to community involvement and volunteerism.

Her influence extends beyond her business ventures. She served on the Board of Directors for the Saskatchewan Heart and Stroke Foundation, and she currently holds a position on the Board of Directors for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Her involvement in professional speaking engagements, guest lectures at the University of Saskatchewan and appearances on Global and CTV television demonstrates her commitment to sharing her experiences and knowledge with others.

Mackenzie's expertise in business and entrepreneurship has led her to coach and consult with entrepreneurs and small business owners. Her guidance and insights are undoubtedly invaluable to those seeking to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the business world. In her ongoing pursuit of sharing knowledge and experiences, Mackenzie launched #WINNING podcast in 2022. The podcast features conversations with business leaders and entrepreneurs, who share valuable lessons from their entrepreneurial journeys. In 2023, she became a contributing author to Conversations Over Coffee Vol 3, where she shares her insights, experiences and inspiration alongside other esteemed business owners and entrepreneurs.

Show Notes:

Connect with Mackenzie and learn more about her work:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackenziefirbykilshaw/ 

SalonScale: https://salonscale.com/

WINNING Podcast: https://podcastwinning.wixsite.com/mysite 

 Conversations Over Coffee Volume 3: amazon.ca 

 

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