Barb Stegemann launched The 7 Virtues from her garage on a visa card, armed only with a dream to help communities in war-ridden nations rebuild. Her vision was inspired after her best friend, a soldier, was severely wounded in Afghanistan. Believing that economic empowerment creates stability, she began sourcing organic, fair-trade essential oils from countries experiencing turmoil — from Afghanistan and Haiti to Rwanda and the Middle East.
Fifteen years later, The 7 Virtues is an award-winning social enterprise — and the only Canadian perfume brand sold at Sephora, available in 1,700 stores across 19 countries. It is also the only B Corp certified perfume at Sephora, committed to paying employees a livable wage and leaving a better footprint on the planet. On Canada Day 2024, Barb opened her first perfume atelier in Halifax, where clients design and name their own perfumes — with more ateliers planned across North America.
Barb first came to national attention when she became the first woman from Atlantic Canada to secure a venture-capital deal on CBC’s Dragons’ Den (the Canadian version of Shark Tank). She later earned the title of “Top Game Changer” in the history of the show when viewers voted for her social enterprise.
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Her leadership has been recognized with numerous honors, including being named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women (WXN), Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” (Atlantic, Emerging Entrepreneur), and Profit Guide’s “Top 30 Cool and Fabulous Entrepreneurs.” She also broke barriers as the first female Honorary Colonel in the history of 14 Wing Greenwood, Royal Canadian Air Force.
Barb is the author of the bestselling book The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen, now in its 9th edition, and her story is the subject of the award-winning documentary Perfume War.