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Arlene Dickinson, the Canadian businesswoman, entrepreneur, and esteemed venture capitalist has lived a truly “rags to riches life”. The child of immigrants who came to Canada with nothing, Dickinson exhibited moxie, business acumen, and a steadfast resolve from an early age. She married young, and had four children in rapid succession, was excommunicated from With only a high school education under her belt, Arlene nonetheless was able to utilize her remarkable inherent understanding of marketing and advertising. Dickinson was a single mother, struggling to make ends meet. By the late 80s, she joined the renowned marketing firm, Venture Communications. Within less than a decade, she was the sole owner of the firm.
Arlene Dickinson is perhaps best known as a panelist and investor on the award-winning reality series, Dragon’s Den – a series that influenced ABC’s Shark Tank, and where Kevin O’Leary and Robert Herjavec first rose to prominence. Both Dickinson and O’Leary appeared together on several seasons of Dragon’s Den. She has invested in countless companies and serves as General Partner of District Ventures Capital, a venture capital fund focusing primarily on assisting entrepreneurs within the food, health, and wellness industries.
Given her prominence, we at Sophisticated Investor endeavored to answer the question, “How much is Arlene Dickinson worth?”. In order to find the aforesaid answer, we compiled all the publicly available data regarding Dickinson. Below, we offer the be an approximation of the entrepreneur and venture capitalist’s net worth.
It’s important to remember that these figures are estimates based on all available public data that was sourced, thus not a conclusive figure. Yet, in all likelihood, it represents an accurate total net worth.
 | Arlene Dickinson |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | October 8, 1956 |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Title | Businesswoman, Entrepreneur, and Venture capitalist |
| Companies Founded | Venture Communications, District Ventures Capital, Ventureplay |
| Best Known For | Panelist on the award-winning show, 'Dragon's Den' |
| Net Worth (USD) | $80 million to $100 million |
What Is Arlene Dickenson‘s Net Worth?
By all approximations, Arlene Dickinson’s net worth is between $80 million and $100 million US. Venture Communications (renamed Venture Play in 2021) is one of the largest marketing and communications firms in Canada. Additionally, Dickinson has appeared on a jaw-dropping 13 seasons of the award-winning Dragon’s Den, using her business acumen to invest in countless successful start-ups and entrepreneurs.
Arlene Dickinson Biography
Arlene Dickinson was born on October 8, 1956, in Germiston, South Africa. In 1959, she immigrated to Canada with her parents and two older sisters. In his native South Africa, her father had a doctorate in education, yet was unable to find employment so evidently supported the family as an electrician. Dickenson grew up in poverty in the Calgary, Alberta area. After graduating high school, she was married by the age of 19. In rapid succession, she had four children. By 31 years old, her marriage had dissolved in divorce.
As unfortunately so often is the case with single mothers, Dickinson struggled to remain financially secure for her children. In 1988, she was offered a position at Venture Communications, a marketing and communications firm. Exhibiting incredible resolve and moxie, by 1998 Dickinson was the sole owner of the firm. Subsequently, she deftly navigated Venture Communications into one of Canada’s most successful marketing agencies with a client list including the likes of Toyota, Unilever, and Subway.
Because of her tremendous successes in the world of business, Dickinson was offered a panelist role on the fledgling reality series Dragon’s Den (which also featured both Kevin O’Leary and Robert Herjavec) in 2006. In total, Dickinson has appeared on 13 seasons of the award-winning, hit show.
Throughout the course of her career as a venture capitalist, Arlene Dickinson has invested in numerous companies and has funded countless start-ups, enabling entrepreneurs to realize their dreams of success. In 2015, Dickinson launched Venturepark. To date, it has assisted over 100 companies, generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Likewise, Dickinson is the founder, and managing partner of District Ventures Capital, her $100 million fund focused on the food and health sectors.
If that wasn’t enough, Dickinson is a renowned philanthropist, sits on numerous public and private boards, holds honorary degrees from Saint Mary’s University, Mount Saint Vincent University, NAIT, and Concordia University. Moreover, she even has the distinction of being named an honorary captain in the Royal Canadian Navy.
How Did Arlene Dickinson Build Her Wealth?
The bulk of Arlene Dickinson’s wealth stems from having sole ownership of Venture Communications. Under her phenomenal leadership, it holds the distinction of being one of the largest, and most successful full-service marketing agencies in all of Canada. Additionally, through District Ventures Capital, and Ventureplay, Dickinson has invested in countless companies and start-ups.
Moreover, over the 13 seasons that Arlene Dickinson has appeared on Dragon’s Den, several of the companies she has invested in have proven to be incredibly successful.
Dickinson also collects royalty checks from three best-selling books that she authored:
- Persuasion (2011, Harper Collins)
- All In: You, Your Business, Your Life (2013, Harper Collins)
- Reinvention: Changing Your Life, Your Career, Your Future (2020, Harper Collins)
How Is Arlene Dickinson’s Net-Worth Calculated?
In essence, Arlene Dickinson’s net worth is calculated assets subtracted by her liabilities. She is the sole owner of one of the most esteemed marketing and communications firms in Canada. Its clientele includes not only start-ups, but multinational corporations generating billions annually.
Of course, it must be noted that the $80 million to $100 million USD figure is based upon estimates, and may not necessarily reflect her precise net worth.
Who Else Invests Like Arlene Dickenson?
Not all investors have the same style. To compare investors like Arlene Dickenson check out these investor profiles:
Want to Invest Like Arlene Dickinson?
Arlene Dickinson did not generate her sizable net worth by simply sitting on her couch, bemoaning her circumstances. With tenacity and resolve, coupled with formidable business acumen, she dragged herself out of poverty to become one of Canada’s most beloved self-made multimillionaires.
Although Ms.Dickinson’s fortune may not be attainable to the average investor, you can still aggressively and wisely invest to build your own net worth. One way towards that goal would be investing in a tax-advantaged retirement investing account, with an emphasis on investing in precious metals.
A diversified portfolio that appreciates in value on a tax-free or tax-deferred basis is certainly a wise trajectory. To build and protect your wealth, have a look at our reviews for Precious Metals IRAs, in addition to the Top 5 Crypto IRA companies.
