Igniting positive change through small business marketing
When Hayley Bohan attended her first class on Consumer Behaviour and Marketing while at University, she knew she was hooked for life. Two decades later, she is now the Founder of ‘Marketing on Purpose’, a Canada-based Branding and Marketing firm.
“I loved how psychology impacted why and what people chose to buy,” says the gregarious Hayley, who grew her marketing career with corporate jobs in progressively senior roles until about nine years ago.
However, travel and long hours did not give her enough time with her young children so she left corporate life and entered the more flexible world of small businesses. “When I was in corporate, I felt a lot of guilt. I felt that to climb the corporate ladder, I needed to be at work the longest, achieve the most, and prove myself over and over again. There is a lot that can be done to shift perception that we need to work longer hours to be valued more,” reveals Hayley, reiterating what many of us believe.
She goes on to add, “I left corporate to have more time with my family, but not because I wanted to work less or wasn’t passionate about what I was doing. I needed flexibility. I am now able to spend the time I want with my children and be there when it matters, because I make my own schedule. My lesson.. we all have the power to change our lives. We just have to be brave enough to take real action towards the vision of our lives we aspire to have.”
In 2017, after working as the Chief Marketing Officer for a small tech start-up in her hometown for four years, Hayley felt confident to launch her own company – Marketing On Purpose. The firm teaches small business owners how to build their unique brands-worth- loving. They help build the brand strategy and strategic planning that will lay the foundation of a successful and thriving business.
Speaking about the passion that drives her, Hayley says, “I want to live each day knowing that I am a catalyst for positive change. I believe our unique gifts and experiences can be harnessed to create a wave of positive change this world needs. I use my gifts to help business owners find and fulfill a meaningful purpose beyond profit for their businesses. There is nothing more fulfilling than helping ignite passion in someone and then seeing them go out and make the world better.”
Marketing On Purpose is now four years old, and Hayley has individually coached more than 150 small business owners and trained hundreds more. She’s been a guest speaker and trainer at post-secondary institutions, government agencies and a number of podcasts. She’s recognized as a 2021 Top 20 Business Coaches to Look Out For, and a 2021 Top 30 Women Disruptor by two American Magazines (Disruptor Magazine and The NYC Journal, respectively). Locally, she was a go-to coach to help small businesses adapt and pivot throughout Covid.
In awe of her credentials, we ask Hayley how she achieved all this. “I can take in a lot of information quickly and find connections and meaning where others see none. Also, I’m a bit of an empath so I get to know my clients on a deep level, I can feel when they are excited or we’ve hit on something meaningful to them, and this is invaluable for creating brands they absolutely love and want to share,” she reveals.
A perfect blend of emotional intelligence, talent and hard work, Hayley is also great at building relations. An inspiration to many, who inspired her? “My dad, Phil Jones. He grew up not having much and faced some real hardships, yet was always positive, hard-working and kind. Twenty-four years ago, he was diagnosed with cancer – and fought it with everything he had. This summer, we had a scare and the doctors wanted to ‘make him comfortable’, but he wanted to live. He said, ‘No, make me uncomfortable!’ And despite all odds, he lived for another seven months. His fight gave us more time together, more laughs, more memories, and for that I am eternally grateful. And, though we can’t control what life throws at us, he is proof that often – amazing things come when we are willing to be uncomfortable,” shares Hayley.
Hayley likes to push the boundary even in her ‘me time’. A fan of the outdoors, she loves walking, hiking, skiing, and lounging on the dock by the river. She also enjoys spending time with her friends and family, just talking and laughing. “And I love to see my daughter play basketball. I generally have fun no matter what I do!”