56 BCBusiness February 2015 carrie marshall
"i just think it's the right thing to
do," Cindy says. "I feel compelled to give back
to a community that has given us so much. It's
a privilege to give, but it's also about walking
the talk."
Part of walking the talk has been donat-
ing to the institution where the couple first met in 1986 ("our
business success would not be possible without the education
I received at
SFU," says Ryan, who took philanthropy advice
from Vancouver's feted benefactor Joe Segal) and connecting
people with resources to those who need them at the Powell
Place shelter.
Noting that the shelter for women at risk is a "little edgy,"
Ryan adds: "Whereas some people might shy away from that
and be uncomfortable, we are actually more attracted to it
because it's an area where there is tremendous need and is off
the radar. It's an eye-opening experience to see the lives some
people actually experience."
Just as Cindy suggests how many women at Powell Place
arrive there as the result of bad luck, Ryan points to the
couple's own good fortune as a driving force in their philan-
thropy. "In any business that's been successful, there are so
many factors beyond one's control," he says. "We have done
well as a company because the market's been there for us, and
we'd be nowhere if it hadn't been. So if you've been so lucky to
have had success, should you not reciprocate?"
Both express a desire for their children to know the impor-
tance of giving, and Ryan adds a further personal rationale
for the donations. "Selfishly," he says, with a laugh, "another
thing that motivates me is that I love it. It feels so good to know
that you're having an impact. The personal, human impact on
someone else is so powerful, and it makes me want to work
harder and continue to grow the business so we can do more
things like that."
Ryan + Cindy Beedie
rya n BeeDie , p r e side n t oF t He be e die de V e L op me n t gr oup,
a nd CinDy BeeDie , cH a ir oF p o W e L L p L ac e 's p ri Vat e c a pi ta L
c a mpa ign
W h y
T h e y
G i v e
"We have done well as a company
because the market's been there
for us, and we'd be nowhere if it
hadn't been. So if you've been so
lucky to have had success, should
you not reciprocate?"
—Ryan Beedie
