For fostering a pride of place

Denise Dow remembers the pride she felt looking at the red maple leaf on the Coast Guard ships on which her father sailed when she was young. In 1967, while attending elementary school, she felt proud of her nation during Canada’s centennial year. Forty years later, she translated those feelings into a business that allows others to publicly express their own sense of national pride.

After working for 30 years in the IT industry, in 2008 Dow left her job as a certified IBM project executive to devote herself to her passion. Working out of her Quispamsis, N.B., home, she designed an emblem featuring three maple leafs and the words that comprise her business name: Strong & Free. “It began as a project I wanted to do while my teenage kids were still at home so they could be part of it, and so I could set an example for them about following your dream,” she says. “I also thought it could help me pay their university expenses.”

Dow’s first product was a vinyl wall plaque. The product line has grown to include car decals, belt buckles, lapel pins, and hockey jerseys. Certain products are sold at Canadian Tire, Zellers, Sears, and Walmart, while others are available through www.strongandfreeemblem.com. “These are high-quality items made in Canada by Canadians,” says Dow.

Early this year, Dow crossed the country in an RV to drum up business while spreading her patriotic message. The tour included a two-week stop at the Vancouver Olympics; as a result, website hits increased by 300%. This is the year that will show if the sacrifices Dow has made have been worth it. “I risked it all—my career, reputation, life savings,” she says. “But I feel like I’m fortunate to be sharing my passion and acting as Canada’s cheerleader."