Royal Gazette 2003
Jennifer Ward, managing director of emedia (a local advertising agency), is a successful entrepreneur, age 28, who is in business with her fiancé, Colin Murdoch. Together they make a terrific team.
"I handle all our accounts, our human resources and I am our senior project/account manager. I do the client side of our work, which includes budget and marketing plans, media planning and general project co-ordination for our clients.
"Colin handles our graphic designs and is our Creative Director. We are a twosome with me focused on business management and Colin focused on creative management," explained Ms Ward.
When speaking of her greatest achievements thus far she said that moving back, alone, to Bermuda from Canada at the tender age of 19 rates as the first.
"Starting emedia was a big risk. In 1998-99 I was the assistant manager of Rosa's Cantina on Front Street, Hamilton while I was attending the Bermuda College. Sometimes I was working 70 hours a week and doing business studies full time."
One of her greatest mentors was her primary six teacher, Katy Sheehey at Gilbert Institute.
"Katy is one of the best people that I know. I was age 10 when she took me under her wing. Today we are the best of friends."
"Also very important to me is my maternal grandmother, Dorothy Kuhn, who has always been there for me despite the fact that she has 10 grandchildren - I am the oldest."
One of the things she has learned is that nothing happens unless you do it.
"I am a strong person, independent, assertive, creative, artistic and patient".
"If you want to accomplish goals go forward and do so. Be smart and get off the fence, be smart and think it through."
Ms Ward feels that emedia is growing at a manageable pace and reports that it is doing very well as they are now a team of five and in their fifth year of business.
She and Colin plan to marry this July 10 and she is anticipating the joy of that event.
"I think that a decade from now we will be enjoying married life with children and our business will have grown. Ultimately the goal is to be happy doing whatever I'm doing now and in 10 years".