Mia Pearson

Co-Founder
North Strategic and Notch Video

A combination of entrepreneurial spirit and a passion to disrupt traditional business models, led Mia, a serial entrepreneur, to leave her position as regional president for FleishmanHillard Canada, and co-founder and CEO of High Road Communications, to go back out on her own and set a new standard in social PR.

In just four short years, North Strategic is the fastest growing public relations and social media agency in Canada, redefining how strategic communications is done in Canada. The company was recognized as 2014 PR Agency of the Year by strategy magazine and made Marketing magazine’s Top 10 Marketing Agencies in Canada list in both 2013 and 2014. This year, North was also named one of Canada’s Top Small and Medium Employers, as well as 2015 Canadian Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report and Small Business of the Year by Canadian Business magazine and Air Miles for 2014. Mia is in the top 5 listing of Profit magazine’s most successful female entrepreneurs in Canada.

Two years after starting North Strategic, Mia co-founded a second company, Notch Video. Seeing a huge opportunity to disrupt the traditional advertising industry around content marketing, Mia and her co-founders created a national marketplace to connect content creators and brands at a fraction of the price charged by ad agencies. Notch provides brands with engaging, cost-effective always on video content for social media, content marketing and media.

Ms. Pearson is known as an innovator, a creative strategist and a pioneer at fusing digital integration with traditional PR. Her focus on pushing the boundaries of conventional public relations and embracing new ideas and original thinking keeps her at the forefront of the industry. With more than 20 years of integrated communications experience, Ms. Pearson has partnered with some of the industry’s best known brands including Twitter, Samsung, Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, PepsiCo, airbnb and Transat on some of their most complex issues and creative opportunities.

In 2014, Mia was recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year in the Start-Up category at RBC’s prestigious Women of Influence Awards. She is also a three-time winner of both the 2014 Stevie Awards for Women in Business and Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by WXN.

She is a regular contributor to the small business section of the Globe and Mail as the social and earned media columnist. She is passionate about advancing the careers of women in business and is a regular speaker at industry events on the importance of personal branding for female executives.

Mia is a graduate of Queen’s University and was awarded an Honourary Degree in Communications from Humber College for her work in the public relations industry. A mother of two, she is an avid snowboarder and enjoys spending time at her cottage on Georgian Bay.

Speaking at: The Digital Toolbox: Everything you need to do digi right