August 23, 2005

Presenting: Valma Brenton - Owner of "Sailing for Women" - International Entrepreneur, Professional Sailor, Empowerer of Women

In my search for interesting people I recently decided that I needed to focus on finding more women that have done interesting and unusual things. So off I went and searched on the Internet and sure enough, I stumbled across a website called www.sailingforwomen.com, and I figured that the owner would probably be a woman herself and might have an interesting story to tell.

Bingo. Valma Brenton sure has a very interesting resume which includes international travel, managing businesses in Chile and Tazmania, working as a private investigator, divemaster, aquaculture specialist, writer and photographer, to mention just a few of her credentials.

The common thread through all these diverse experiences is that Valma is a woman who loves to take on challenges, she has had a love of the Ocean ever since she can remember, and she dedicates her time to empowering women, teaching them sailing and self-awareness skills to help them become vibrant, successful and self-confident so they can create their own miracles. Without further ado, here is Valma Brenton:

1. Please tell us a bit about your personal background and your work experience.

I was born in Chester, England and immigrated to Canada with my parents when I was just 3 months old. We traveled from England to Quebec by boat. My mom told me she is not surprised that I like to travel so much she said that we traveled to and around Canada by boat, train, car and many other methods from the east coast and to the west before I was a year old. We eventually settled in Gibson’s Landing which is on the Sunshine Coast near Vancouver in British Columbia. I was raised there.

Valma at the helm

When I was 16 I got itchy feet and started to travel oversees. My father was living in Britain so I headed over there and then on to Europe. I eventually completed school in between my travel adventures. Fashions and trends were about 4 years ahead of where I was living. I found it so exciting to see all of the different trends, foods, cultures and people and thus really acquired a taste for travel. I am like a sponge full of curiosity and really enjoy learning new things.

My father is a Private Investigator and whenever I would travel to Scotland to visit him I would work in the field with him. We always had good fun and some amazing adventures together. I still visit him every few years and head out on a PI adventure. We always end our day with a pint of beer afterwards and share the stories of the day. The experience I gained working with my father in his business helped me understand more about business, people and behavior. I was able to transfer this to many other areas in my life. My life is like a river flowing with magical adventure, freedom, curiosity, creativity and recognition.

My years of curiosity and adventure have lead me on a path of exciting career opportunities with a broad range of industry experience up to executive management levels, including research, project management, sales and marketing, operations, public relations, finance, business startup and development. I am enterprising and a resourceful individual.

My strengths are in identifying and analyzing opportunities, formulating strategies and implementing an action plan. Well-developed analytical, planning, project management, thinking outside the box and motivational skills have enabled me to achieve repeated success in a variety of business situations.

I have a varied business background with experience as a Private Investigator / Security Consultant and Business Administrator both in Canada and the United Kingdom. For twelve years my career has expanded into the aquaculture industry in Canada - British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and internationally into Tasmania, Curacao, Scotland and Chile at a Business Startup / Development, and Management, Operational, Sales and Marketing and Research level. Eleven years prior, I worked in the West Coast Commercial Fishery and Charter Boat industry on the British Columbia coast as a Captain, Divemaster, and Marine Engineer and in Sales and Marketing. I hold a Fishing Master IV International Captain’s license, CSC 2 Small Craft Masters training, International Occupational Scuba Diving License, Canadian Yachting Association Sailing Instructors Certifications and a Boaters License.

Over the years I gained a passion for writing and photography and became a successful author and photojournalist specializing in fisheries and aquaculture-related subjects. I have published numerous research publications of which appear in scientific journals and government scientific updates. Other feature articles and photography has been published in magazines, newspapers, books and art galleries.

2. You have a great deal of entrepreneurial experience and started several ventures, more recently a company called Future SEA that you are still involved with. Please tell us about your entrepreneurial endeavours and your philosophy.

The company Future SEA Technologies Inc was just an idea. Myself and two partner’s one of them being my husband founded the company. What a whirl wind of excitement, growth, learning, traveling and opportunity. At one time we had almost 40 employees and operations in Chile, across Canada, Tasmania and Japan. I got a lot of juice from being on the frontier and the leading edge of new environmentally friendly technology for the aquaculture industry. Working with other people to solve their problems and add value to their lives as well as their businesses. Not to mention being on the water and working with all varieties of ocean and fresh water fish. I was trained as an animal behaviorist by Dr. Kees Groot which crossed over to people through the PI work and training with my father in Britain.

I think for me my philosophy about business is to get clear about what I want, have a dream and dream BIG. I always believe that I can do it if I believe that I can. I envision what I want to produce and then start to manifest and create it. I ask the Universe for what I want and then make space for magic to occur. I believe that it is up to the Universe to provide me with the opportunities and connections along with the money. We raised over 10 million investment capital into our business. That was an experience just on its own.

I think that this 13th century poet and mystic says it all “Let the beauty we love be what we do” Rumi

3. You have also lived and managed businesses in other cultures in places like Chile and Tazmania and are fully bilingual in Spanish. Please tell us about these cross-cultural experiences.

I really loved traveling and working in these other areas. Especially working and traveling in Chile. This was so exciting for me because it was like being on the frontier. Every one in Chile is an entrepreneur. Ideas are always flowing and their creative ways to make money. I like being able to come up with an idea, take some action, get some feedback and make a course correction until it comes out right. In Chile we just frickin did it. Here in Canada there was always so much paperwork and the work was always in convincing someone of the idea first. I guess that is what I loved about Chile…we just tried it on a small scale…tested it, modified and then made it happen. I also know from my experience that no matter what language or religion or belief system that the people had, we were basically all the same. We are the same make-up physically, have the same needs for survival…we all had different perspectives based on our cultural and other upbringing. I love seeing things through different eyes.

I think that I have been successful in working in these other locations because I am adaptable, flexible, curious and open to learn new things and in new ways. I am always curious about the people, culture, land and always try to speak in their native tongue. Even if that meant making a fool of myself. I gained respect for at least trying and eventually succeeded. I am always on the look out for new opportunities and look for the good in people. Treating them with respect and being open to see things their way. Having gratitude and being grateful for every moment and situation was also a big PLUS.

4. You purchased HERIZEN ™ Sailing for Women a couple of years ago. Please tell us about the history of that business, and why you decided to purchase it.

HERIZEN™ was started by Trish Birdsell-Smith back in the late 1980’s. She had a passion for supporting women to be better sailors and raise their awareness about the differences between men and women’s way of learning. After I came back from Chile a few years ago, I was working on another large project here in Canada. One day I had a vision that I was suppose to teach. I was not sure what that exactly meant and asked the Universe to explain. I got a response that it was to do with women and sailing.

One day I saw Trish…we chatted and she mentioned that she was going offshore for a few years. I asked her what she would do with the business and she mentioned selling or folding. My vision came to me suddenly and I said “What about me?” She was excited and figured I would be the best fit…at the same time wondered how I would do it with such a busy schedule of travel. Well, one thing led to another and within a few months – December 15, 2003 I was the new owner of the company. I have not regretted it and am so pleased that I can add value to so many women’s lives. Bringing experience, passion, vision, creativity, transformational processes to help women to really gain the confidence in sailing and assisting them to transfer this to many other parts of their lives is important to me.

5. What programs does HERIZEN™ Sailing offer and what makes your sailing school unique?

HERIZEN™ offers unique sailing and self-awareness courses for women of all ages. We offer retreats in the Gulf Islands in BC, Canada as well as amazing Live Aboard Sailing Adventures for both women and couples in the British Virgin Islands. We offer Canadian Yachting Certification programs and provide seminars on sailing and personal awareness. We also offer training aboard clients sailing vessels from 24 to 60 feet.

6. You had an accident some time ago and sailing helped you in the recovery process. Please tell us about that experience.

I had an accident on the boat many years ago. I suffered with a disorder called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy and a spinal injury. I was unable to walk properly and lived in pain for many years. I found that sailing really assisted me to gain balance both physically and mentally. Single-hand sailing forced me to have to shift my body and way of thinking from the right to left side of my body and brain…constantly finding a balance between the two. This helped me gain the muscle strength in my legs, my hands and my thinking patterns. Being on the water helped me be in touch with my inner self, being present to each experience and having gratitude for my BEING helped me let go of resistance I had about shifting old belief systems. I gained back my confidence and took the Helm of my Life.

7. You commented on the "magic of the ocean" and that sailing is a really good sport to promote what you call "whole-brained thinking". Please tell us about the self-development aspects of your sailing programs.

One of my driving needs is magical adventure and freedom. I find that being on the ocean is amazingly freeing. The open expansiveness, the changes each moment in the water, the sky, the wind, the clouds. All of my senses are heightened and tested. My physical and mental balance is shifted constantly with the movement the sail boat makes from side to side. Sailing is like a circle. One side of the boat is the right side of the brain and the other side is the left. A sailboat is always moving from one side to the next…tacking constantly. In sailing we utilize the left brain for skills, analyzing, understanding and we also need to use the right side of our brain for the creative, artist and intuitive connection to sail with the wind and keep our sails full. We constantly shift between both sides to keep the boat balanced. Whole Brain thinking.

I am a balanced person using my whole brain.

HERIZEN™ programs provide training in meditation, yoga, breathing techniques, skill development, mindfulness, how to create confidence and maintain it. I find many women say they are right handed but use their left hands to do the work. They get confused and believe that they are not very good at developing some of the skill sets…like tying knots for example. Once they understand what is going on for them and we show them how to burn a pathway to make it easier for them they are relieved and then do believe that they can be good at developing the skill.

8. In your courses you also use techniques such as yoga and meditation. Furthermore, you are trained in a field of energy medicine called "consegrity". Please tell us about the wellness aspect of your programs.

My belief is that everything is energy. I also believe in the law of attraction. If I am clear about what I want and focus on that as opposed to what I do not want…I can create anything including wellness.

I also believe that I am not alone and that we are not separate. Each of us has the ability through our DNA in each cell of the body to heal and repair ourselves. As a consegritist I am not the healer, I am just holding a mirror and if I am open and do not have a specific outcome and listen closely I can connect with someone’s inherent wisdom or all knowing part of who they are. I can mirror back to a person what their inherent wisdom says it needs to do the healing. By being totally present for my clients I can assist them in expanding their awareness. If they can expand their awareness, boxes, and perspectives around what they think they know. This will then allow them more choices. If we have more choice, there is more opportunity, life is healthier and filled with more abundance.

9. Please tell us about the people that take your sailing courses. Where are they from, what age range do they fall into, why do they take your programs?

Women from around the world have been taking HERIZEN™ Sailing for Women programs since 1989. The average age group is between 40 and 65. We have had clients as young as 16 and old as 79 years. Women are attracted to our unique programs for a number of reasons. Some want to become more fun and skilled sailing partners, others want to take the helm confidently, get over the fear of the water or being yelled at, women like to sail and learn from women, many women have always wanted to learn to sail…it was a dream and now they have the time, the money to learn and they also want to have a fun adventure.

10. You use the term "inner sailing" to refer to an awareness process, please explain. We encourage mindfulness. Being in an awakened state or a state of aliveness which requires conscious participation.

We each have a whole brain. Most of us have been conditioned to believe the we are predominant as either left or right brained. Much of our society has been utilizing the left brain rather than the creative, all knowing and intuitive right brain. Sailing is like a whole circle. If you slice it down the middle you get two sides that mirror each other. To stay balanced the boat moves from one side of the circle to the other. This is like our brain….we are more of a whole person if we are moving in and out of both sides of the brain both physically and mentally. The inner sailing refers to the self-awareness of my body, my mind and my spirit. How I am part of my environment and the Universe. Sailing has a technical aspect and also an artistic or intuitive part. I note that once women learn the technical aspect. especially in a way they can understand…for example the why of how things work they naturally can connect at the intuitive level and make good sailors. They just need to get in touch with the all knowing part of who they are. I teach many of the processes that assist a person to get in touch with this part of who they are. Ideally, their higher self. Believe in themselves and their dreams will come true.

11. How do your sailing programs help women build self-confidence and gain a greater sense of awareness and empowerment?

We encourage mindfulness. Being in an awakened state or a state of aliveness which requires conscious participation. We have practices which have the client take time at the beginning of each day to come fully into the present moment, they create a solid framework for a mindfulness practice. The HERIZEN™ Way is unique in how it supports women to get in touch with their all knowing part of who they are. Sailing again is an excellent vehicle both physically and mentally to assist in this process. Understanding how a woman uses her male and female aspect of who she is, breathing techniques and ways to learn to stand in her power. We utilize meditation and teach women to clear the mind chatter and utilize success building techniques to help them reach their objectives. Often it really comes down to confidence. I find many women have the skills they just do not have the confidence on how to use and apply them. What I focus on expands. Where my attention goes, energy flows and results show.

12. How do your sailing courses help couples improve their relationships?

We offer a couples course that introduces them to "inner sailing where awareness of body, mind and spirit" together with respect, appreciation and understanding of the difference between men and women's ways of learning, promotes more effective communication, teamwork and makes sailing together more fun. The confidence gained in each other can enrich their relationship far beyond the sailing experience. We each have a male and female aspect of who we are. I find that if my clients have a better understanding of these differences and when each are coming from which aspect they can more effectively communicate. Making for a more fun, carefree and understanding relationship. The intention is to assist each of them to recognize these differences and use them to their greatest advantage rather than working against them.

For example: a male or yang aspect can be outcome oriented where as the female or ying aspect will be more process oriented. Another example is a male or yang aspect can figure out something by doing it whereas the female or ying aspect would figure it out and then do it.

13. You have a vision for the future. Where do you see your business going in the next few years?

As we connect HERIZEN™ is expanding. The operating company is now changing and the new name and programs will be announced shortly.

My vision or destination is:

- HERIZEN™ presents dynamic self-awareness adventures around the world for women, promoting growth and a strengthened faith in self.

- HERIZEN™ adventures are designed to show women circumstances of seeing themselves being confident, successful, vibrant and creating their own miracles.

- Our goal is to champion women through this unique transformational experience to allow for the personal experience of a higher self.

- HERIZEN Tm is the fastest growing personal success and wellness through self awareness Adventure Company in North America.

- My personal mission is to travel and create an enlightened world by spreading the light of consciousness.

Thank you, Valma, for taking your time to share your philosophies and experiences with us. We wish you all the best for your upcoming endeavours.