Meet the Board: Sharon Beasley, from banker to baker to CFO
From banking to baking: The entrepreneurial journey
Sharon Beasley's career path has taken her from banking in downtown Toronto to opening her own baking business in Nova Scotia and eventually back to finance as a Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Sharon’s journey has taken her in many directions, but her passion for finance and helping others has remained constant, leading her to become a member of NSCC Foundation's Board of Directors.
Growing up in Ontario, Sharon first landed in the Maritimes to attend university in Halifax and spent her summers in Bridgewater. She took a year off from school a few years in, leading her to Toronto, Ontario, where she completed her Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Toronto and earned her Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation while working in banking in downtown Toronto. In 1996, Sharon left the corporate world to pursue her entrepreneurial passions.
She returned to Nova Scotia and founded Mrs. Beasley's Cookies, named after her mother, a fantastic baker who inspired her love of baking. For a decade, she supplied her baked goods to hospitals, coffee shops, grocery stores and Costco. "I learned more in those 10 years than I could have working for a lifetime for someone else," says Sharon. “But I loved the joy on people's faces while eating cookies.”
Finding purpose in finance and teamwork
While she enjoyed the creative aspects of running her own business, Sharon eventually realized she craved more structure and teamwork. In 2006, she became the CFO for ACA Cooperative Limited, a poultry manufacturing company in Kentville. When joining, Sharon had been a non-meat eater for 20 years, saying, “I was always out about being a lesbian, but I wasn’t out about being a vegetarian,” she joked, regarding the irony. “But I decided I couldn’t be a hypocrite by working for a poultry company and tried it again.”
She is proud of her 15 years at ACA and Eden Valley Poultry, as her expertise played a big role in turning it into a profitable company. During this time, she continued her education while working, earning her Master of Business Administration from Saint Mary’s University.
After her time at Eden Valley Poultry, she wanted to continue helping clients with their problems. She was looking for interesting work as a CFO but didn’t want to work full-time. She became a Portfolio Chief Financial Officer with the CFO Centre. Today, Sharon leverages her extensive background in finance and food by helping her clients grow their small businesses in the food industry.
Championing education and community support
Her volunteer work began in her 20s at women's shelters and at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. As her daughters grew, she became involved with their school's advisory council in Wolfville, which sparked her interest in youth education. Later, she worked with Wadeng Wings of Hope, a charity building schools in South Sudan, serving as treasurer and Chair of the Board, helping to establish crucial community resources. This was later followed by her work as Treasurer for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Annapolis Valley.
"Small boards and organizations can be so effective even with few resources," Sharon notes. "I love how they do so much with so little."
This admiration for efficient, impactful organizations drew her to the NSCC Foundation Board. Sharon understands the importance of accessible education and student support, having witnessed her youngest daughter, Natalie, navigate post-secondary education as a neurodivergent student at NSCC. “I had been so impressed with the support of NSCC and the Foundation,” says Sharon. “So, when the opportunity to join the Foundation Board came up, I thought, ‘I could definitely get on board with that.’”
What's next for Sharon
Looking ahead, with a few more years of her career left, she plans to continue her volunteer work, saying, "It's time to give back even more," while travelling the world with her spouse, Nancy Newcomb. "I'd love to get a van and travel North America or visit Southeast Asia… It's faster to list where I'm not willing to travel."
Lastly, her advice to students is: "Opportunities will present themselves as you go through your career and education. It's okay to change your path. What you've learned along the way will help you so much. I'm a big believer in doing what you love to love what you do."
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