ABOUT US

DORIS VALADE
The Malabar Group Inc.

dorris valade

All business owners, presidents and CEOs know how lonely it can be to lead
a company, whether it is a start-up, a small business trying to grow, or an
established business that balances a team of employees while expanding sales.  I founded
Malabar Super Spice Company 37 years ago, and I understand firsthand
what it is to be alone leading a start-up, through the challenges of increasing revenue, hiring
employees, expanding our market across Canada, building international partnerships,
and eventually getting the company ready to be sold.

 

Now that I have sold the manufacturing and distribution company that took 30 years to build, it is my wish
to share the deep and broad lessons learned, and support business leaders in their fascinating entrepreneurial journey
towards great success.  My leadership training began in Grade 5, when I started to play competitive basketball (on a modified court).  
Understanding my best skills, and where I needed to improve, formed the foundation of my commitment to continuous improvement.  

In high school, I also played on the volleyball and badminton teams, and decided to focus on badminton and played on the
varsity team at McMaster University.  I later continued playing competitive badminton at the provincial level, always
looking for coaches to push me to improve, and strong opponents to make sure that winning wouldn’t be easy.  
I focused on making continuous improvement integral to the daily operations of my company, and to myself as its leader.   

 

Again, I found great coaches in business as with athletics, to support and help guide me to improve and always move forward.  
There were many ups and downs over the years, and it was fulfilling to be recognized for many successes……   
In 1999, I was included on the list for PROFIT Magazine’s Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs and remained on that list for the next six years.  
In 2016, just before I sold the company, I was again included on the Top 100. In 2008, I was presented with the
Entrepreneur of the Year award by Women In Food Industry Management (WFIM).  In 2019, I was awarded the Lifetime Member Award
by Meat & Poultry Ontario.  

I did not create business success all by myself – and I would not have achieved it without the mentors and coaches on my team.  
Now I ask, how can I help you?

 

Personal one-on-one leadership coaching, business plan development;
strategic growth planning; goal setting; profit and loss review;
operation/manufacturing efficiencies; building a team culture;
succession planning; getting ready to sell.