Take Off Your Hero Cape

Marina Byezhanova is a Soviet-born, Ukraine-raised, and Canada-based entrepreneur, whose goal is to scale the reach of people's voices. Growing up, she experienced what it was like to not have a voice. Her life's mission is to inspire people to own their narrative.

As Co-founder of a personal branding agency called Brand of a Leader, Marina has been quoted and referenced in publications such as Inc., Forbes, Fast Company, Success Magazine, Wall Street Journal, and The Financial Post. She has spoken to audiences of entrepreneurs and business executives in North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Marina is a proud member of Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) and is presently the Canadian Social Media Expert serving on the regional board of directors.

Marina Byezhanova, a serial entrepreneur, lives her life and builds her businesses centered around authenticity. She believes in the power of being yourself, being unique, and accepting who you are. However, this was not always the case. 

When Marina moved to Canada from Ukraine, she wanted to fit in with the young people in her new environment. She changed her lifestyle, way of dressing, and even her hairstyle just to fit in. However, she later realized that she was unique — and fitting in was not as important as she thought. Marina went on to start and build three companies and always ensured that she focused on authenticity, the companies' culture, and core values, even if at times she lost clients because of that.

In this episode of the Lead Like A Woman Show, Andrea Heuston is joined by Marina Byezhanova, the Co-founder of Brand of a Leader, to discuss the importance of being an authentic leader. They also talk about the importance of building a business around a culture, being guided by core values, and why entrepreneurs should understand their 'why' for going into business.