Since 2009, Leah Costello has been building her Curious Mind Productions events production company, which brings high-profile speakers to Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.
She previously started Silver Spoons Catering, which she sold to Bread Garden, and Squeeze Juice and Smoothie Bar, which she sold to Booster Juice.
Costello also spent six years doing event planning at the Fraser Institute.
She's happy with where she's ended up, but looking back on her career, Costello wishes she'd spent a little more time planning and thinking about the kind of business she wanted to invest her time and energy in.
"I think I could have ended up where I wanted a little bit sooner had I been more deliberate about it," she said.
For instance, she always knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur – but got caught up running two food industry businesses when that wasn't really where her passion lies.
"I'm really passionate about ideas," she said.
And while the Fraser Institute provided a stimulating intellectual environment, it wasn't entrepreneurial.
A few years ago, Costello finally got serious about planning, and her business has benefited.
"My role in the business has changed to spend a lot more time coaching my team on them executing their plan as opposed to all of us just having a big list of tasks to do every day."
It's also made it easier to choose what projects to say yes to.
"All of a sudden decisions are easier in terms of what projects we do or don't do," she said.
"One of my strengths is seeing opportunities, but that's also a weakness because I see opportunities everywhere."
