Isabel Alexander is more commonly known by her employees and colleagues as her company's CCO than its CEO.
The founder and head of Brampton, Ont.-based Phancorp Inc. is fondly referred to as its "chief cheerleading officer" because of her sunny disposition and optimistic outlook.
And her 12-member company also has an affectionate name for itself — a "Phamily."
"It's what we call ourselves here. We help each other and we celebrate [each other]," says Ms. Alexander, 53.
Isabel Alexander’s chemical wholesale firm hit close to $11-million in revenue this fiscal year. (J.P. MOCZULSKI FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)
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"She's authentic, with strong values and good compassion. She cares about her people," says Sandra Parker, president and chief executive officer of Z Retail Marketing Inc., and a fellow entrepreneur and friend. "It's not just about work for her."
That attitude has helped Ms. Alexander's international chemical wholesale company hit close to $11-million in revenue this fiscal year, and to rake in high honours in the business community. Along with being named today as one of Canada's Top 100 most powerful women by the Toronto-based Women's Executive Network, she has made it to Profit magazine's Top 100 Canadian women entrepreneurs several times.
Ms. Alexander's success is even more remarkable when you consider that she launched her company alone at her dining room table in 1989, and remained a one-woman operation for the next decade.
"I was the chief cook and bottle washer. I lived, ate and slept Phancorp, as my children will attest. Wherever we went, Phancorp came in a box in the car, because I did the purchasing, the transportation, the sales, the accounting, the research and development—and I did that very happily," Ms. Alexander says of her 18-year-old company.
Basically, she saw a need for a company that could provide industries with lower-priced raw chemicals by becoming an expert at the best sources for them. Her business is all done remotely: Phancorp finds chemicals needed by its customers in various industries, such as plastics and automotive, and then hires transport companies around the world to deliver the products, eliminating the need to have its own warehouses or freight carriers.
"I'm shopping for the chemicals my customers need," Ms. Alexander explains. "They say, 'I don't have enough of this, I don't have the right grade, the right logistical advantage, can you go out and find that for us?' And we say, Yep."
Because Phancorp doesn't own its own carriers or warehouses, Ms. Alexander has been able keep the focus on finding the best chemicals for her customers' needs, at competitive prices.
"For fun, I'll tell people I've got the perfect job in the world for a woman: I talk on the phone and I shop all day," she says with a laugh.
Jokes aside, her savvy approach has allowed Phancorp to expand into markets around the world, including Asia, Europe and South America, and to open offices in China and India.
Mary Anderson, president of the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters, has known Ms. Alexander, who is chair of the association's board, for three years. She says Phancorp's achievements are due to Ms. Alexander's willingness to continue learning about an ever-changing industry and to take action to find better ways of doing business. Rather than simply being a figurehead at the Canadian association, Ms. Alexander has made a point of bending the ears of influential people, including International Trade Minister David Emerson and the Mexican and Chinese ambassadors to Canada.
"You can tell she's engaged in her situation," says Ms. Anderson, adding that her colleague "sees life with a great deal of humour."
That good nature helped Ms. Alexander through a childhood and early adulthood that had many challenges. She grew up in Shawville, Que., the eldest of four daughters in a farm family.
"It was a good life in that I learned a very strong work ethic," Ms. Alexander says. She was an excellent student, but clashed with her father and left home at 16. Soon after, she found herself pregnant; she had to rely on her own resourcefulness to find jobs in the retail and auto industry to provide for herself and her young son.
In 1986, by then married with a daughter as well, she was hired as a sales representative at a chemical company, Megaloid Labs. She says she was terrified.
"I was so scared because I knew nothing about chemicals and I thought I would make a fool of myself if I couldn't say those words, so I stood in front of the mirror and practised at night," she says, adding jokingly: "It's probably why I've got really good cheek muscles today."
Bill Sinclair, who worked with Ms. Alexander in the early years, says her tenacity helped her become an expert in the chemical industry. "She was at a disadvantage without a chemical background, but she overcame that."
Ms. Alexander joined another company, Chemfleet Chemical, and worked for them until 1988. When she decided to leave, the company asked her to continue to represent its products. She agreed — although she thought it would only be temporary; by then she was divorced, and was planning to buy a corner store in Port Franks, Ont., where she was living with son Jason and daughter Amanda.
But the corner store didn't happen, and instead a chemical sales business was born in 1989. Phancorp grew gradually, with Ms. Alexander adding a salesperson in 1999 and later more employees. The move from her home to a Brampton office came in 2005.Ms. Parker of Z Retail says part of her friend's talents are to bring out the best in people by listening and communicating with them, whether they're men or women. She also has a "softer side," Ms. Parker says, adding that the pair enjoy dressing up, whether it's for an industry event or to see the Rockettes in New York.
"She taught me that it's okay to be a woman and still be in business," Ms. Parker says.
Ms. Alexander loves what she does as an entrepreneur, but also believes in life outside work and in being socially accountable. She participates in the Weekend to End Breast Cancer walk, for example, as well as contributing time and energy to environmental organizations.
"I believe that because we have done well, we have the ability to give back. We have a great responsibility to do that."
Special to The Globe and Mail
