We're Not Just Dreaming Anymore

As a founding Board member at MaRS, Susan Smith beams with pride when Toronto taxi drivers get it right.

“I call it the taxi driver test,” says the long-time RBC Ventures President and CEO, who retired just last year and remains active in the city’s biotech community. “When I ask for 101 College Street and the response is ‘You mean the MaRS Centre’, I pinch myself when that happens – a nice reminder that we are real, and not just dreaming anymore.”

Susan recalls the early days of MaRS, hearing from John Evans, Cal Stiller and Ken Knox about saving the land at University Avenue and College Street from becoming a condo development and getting “hooked” on a concept aimed at improving commercial results from Canada’s research strength – a concept that is now a thriving reality.

“I was honoured that RBC gave a $1 million founding contribution in those very early days before there was a business case or a consensus of what this thing would look like or do. For those who entrusted me with this – and saw the vision of the centre representing Canadian capacity – I hope they are extremely proud of what has been created,” says Susan, who, as chair of the Board’s fundraising committee, is also a personal donor to MaRS. “I contributed financially in addition to giving time because I wanted to set an example.”

“Under Ilse Treurnicht’s leadership, the continued growth in the vision, now including social entrepreneurship, adds another level of excitement and a sense of continual renewal that will make MaRS stand out from its international competition.”

For Susan, the MaRS story itself leads to some excellent words of advice for the aspiring entrepreneur: “Nothing worth doing that is new and innovative ever comes easily.” She encourages new CEOs to tell themselves and their staff the story of where you are going, why you are going there and where you have been as often as needed.

“This storytelling can reinforce the vision, the passion and the drive that it takes to get there. Remember MaRS was just an idea a few years ago – one that many said couldn’t be done. And look at it now!”

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MaRS provides advisory services to entrepreneurs – from market intelligence and financing, to partnership building, sales and PR advice – through its team of Venture Group advisors.