Lisa O’Donnell Fahoury, CBC Chief Creative Officer

Lisa Fahoury spent her formative years trying to overcome the double whammy of being a middle child who was born on Leap Day. This angst-filled combination molded her into a chronic overachiever with a wicked sense of humor and the ability to hurdle just about any business challenge for her clients.

Q&A with Fahoury Ink founder Lisa Fahoury

 

What do you love about what you do?
Every day is different. Over the past 25 years, we’ve been blessed to learn the ins and outs of so many businesses, from a seasonal Halloween haunted house attraction to a company that developed a revolutionary spinal implant. The focus may be different, but the marketing challenges are mostly universal — and we love figuring out the best way to overcome them.

 Favorite business book and why?
Creative Quest by Questlove. It’s a broad, brilliant conversation on what creativity is, why it matters and how to foster and harness it in your life. A close second is Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. The older I get, the more it resonates.

Business philosophy in a nutshell?
Wayne Gretzky’s quote captures it — “Skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it’s been.” If that’s not a perfect business mantra, then I don’t know what is.

Secret talent?
In a grocery store with 100,000 product SKUs, I will invariably find the one item that will not scan. Never get behind me in a checkout line because you will regret it.

Pet peeve?
The serial comma (I bet Lauren said the same thing!)

Most embarrassing song on your playlist?
It’s a toss-up between the DeFranco Family’s Heartbeat, It’s a Lovebeat and Wannabe by the Spice Girls.

What someone might be surprised to know about you?
When I was 10, my eight-year-old brother and I were thrown out of a bullfight at La Plaza México in Mexico City because we were cheering for the bull.