Guest Biography
"I'll take on the world ... After my morning coffee"
Overcoming obstacles, to leverage strength and resiliency.
With Kara Kennish - Owner/Operator Tim Hortons Canada - Speaker and Philanthropist - Universal Women's Networks 100 Women of Inspiration - Advocate for Equal Opportunity.
Kara Kennish is a female business owner of a busy franchise in Ontario, Canada, who evolved from being a competitive teenage athlete who was almost obsessive about her weight, to surviving as a single mum, to leading by example in her business and her community while serving and her philanthropy endeavours.
"I'm a third generation Tim Hortons franchisee with a desire to help change the world. I'm determined to utilize the unique platform I have to make a difference in our communities both locally and internationally."
Her athletic history has provided her with opportunities to share her story with young girls across Canada, representing Tim Hortons in their collaboration with Barbie for the "Dream Gap", "You can be anything" and "One-of-a-king-Barbie" campaigns.
She dives into being an ambitious teen in competitive sports, and rigorously managing her weight so that she could compete, and win. Her personal trauma happened several years ago, after returning from a georgeous European vacation with her husband being so in love with him. A month later he came home one evening to tell me he would no longer be a husband or father and that he was leaving us for his 20-something year old co-worker.
With her life thrown upside down in those moments while she tried to sort out her own life- while trying to help her (then almost 14-year old) daughter also battle the abandonment.
Her dream is to build her Tim Hortons empire, to empower women specifically through leadership and sport, to be a change-maker in this world through her philanthropic efforts, all supporting equal opportunity with the THFC - Tim Hortons Foundation Camps, Empowerment Squared, and the Grindstone Awards. A success story is one built on grit, determination and resilience - with an independent streak for good luck!
Learn more about Kara here:
