Muriel Prichard, owner of Sun of a Beach in Sylvan Lake, accepted the award in Mississauga
Local Sylvan Lake business owner Muriel Prichard was named one of the Canadian International Black Women of Excellence at a ceremony in Mississauga.
For Prichard, recognition means many things.
“I’ve always had the mantra: It doesn’t matter where you start, it just matters where you want to go and how you want to finish. For me, this is another part of my roadmap and confirmation that I am on the right path.”
Prichard initially started in procurement consulting, which took her to various locations around the world where she met people working in many different business areas.
“When we tried to open our own business, it was just a continuation of that process of building those skills and really trying to build something that the community would enjoy,” Prichard said.
The recognition is simply a wonderful consequence of all that hard work, she added.
“Even as a woman of color, you never really think about receiving an award. You’re just trying to achieve something for your family that everyone can be proud of. And whether in consulting or starting your own company, that was always the goal.”
For Prichard, she wasn’t the only one honored at the award ceremony.
“It’s not just you who receives the award, but everyone behind you, from your business partners to your family, who supported you and helped you get there,” she said.
“For me, this award is like a thank you to my mother. And a thank you to my late brother. It took all three of us,” Prichard added.
After receiving the recognition, there was an outpouring of support from the Sylvan Lake community.
“I have received a lot of support from Mayor Megan Hanson herself, and everywhere I go people are just happy to see one of them recognized,” she said.
When it comes to advice for the next generation, Prichard thinks about it often.
“Keep working and never lose hope. “Where you start is not necessarily where you end,” Prichard said.
Prichard is the first Canadian in her family, originally from Ghana. Prichard is the owner of Sun of a Beach in Sylvan Lake.
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