The leadership shift: Brandi McIlvenny Clarke

Brandi McIlvenny Clarke, founder of Brandi Clarke Consulting and COO at Shale Ridge Winery & Cider and Shale Ridge Nordic Spa, shares her unique perspective on what it takes to build and sustain a successful career

London Inc. is proud to present its second annual look at area women making a transformational difference in their fields. Sharing their secrets for success, these 31 women are making a significant impact across various industries. Their stories are about resilience, creativity and the power of passion; they break barriers, shatter stereotypes and pave the way for future generations.

Brandi McIlvenny Clarke
Founder
Brandi Clarke Consulting
brandiclarke.ca

Chief Operating Officer
Shale Ridge Winery & Cider and Shale Ridge Nordic Spa
shaleridge.ca

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OPERATING AT THE intersection of leadership, discernment and sustained performance, Brandi Clarke works with high-performing executives ready for more intentional alignment while serving as COO at Shale Ridge Winery & Cider and Shale Ridge Nordic Spa.

“Leaders often sense what needs to shift but have not had the space or structure to act,” she says. “I create the conditions for leaders to step back through advice, workshops and retreats designed for reflection, connection and clarity.”

To a great degree, her approach is shaped by personal evolution. “I had a version of success that looked right from the outside: the title, the results, the recognition,” she explains. “For a time, it was right for me. I valued that experience and what it gave me. Then things shifted. The system no longer served how I wanted to lead or live, and I was no longer serving it as I expected of myself.”

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With expectations and opportunities often pulling leaders in every direction, discipline becomes essential, Clarke stresses. Not everything warrants time or energy; clarity of direction guides focus.

“Many women become the doers, capable, reliable, always delivering, and in doing so are not positioned as strategic operators,” she says. “That is where they get overlooked. It is not a capability issue, it is how they are showing up, often at their own expense. The shift is defining your standard, making decisions from it and being disciplined in what you say yes to.”