Wendy Kauffman: Winner of the 2025 Great Companies International Women Entrepreneur Award

Name: Wendy Kauffman

Business Name: Wendolyn Reputation Management

Location: Toronto , Canada

Category: Public Relations & Strategic Communications

Website: wendolynreputation.com

Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wkauffman/

Company Detail:

Not everyone understands what a communications professional does. So Wendy uses a metaphor to explain: Wendolyn Reputation Management is the speaker system organizations rely on to communicate their message with the right volume, clarity and tone. Services include crisis communications, thought leadership development and spokesperson training for organizations that:

1. Have a material threat to their business operation or corporate/brand reputation.

2. Want to build their brand as experts in their field.

3. Need a strategic and skillful manner to navigate media interviews, presentations and other public-facing situations.

Unique Selling Proposition or Competitive Advantage:

Wendolyn Reputation Management delivers communications services designed for the next decade. Based on 25 years of experience working with clients, the firm has pivoted from the traditional PR agency model to focusing completely on building, shaping and protecting reputations. The firm also does this the way clients want to consume services: project fees versus monthly fees, thought leadership versus promotion, supporting internal teams versus outsourcing.

Challenges Faced During the Journey:

One of the most significant challenges Wendy has overcome in the business was learning how to truly understand and communicate the value she brings—and to price accordingly.

In the early stages, like many consultants, she priced based on time, effort, or what she thought the market could bear. But she quickly realized that this approach did not reflect the depth of expertise, strategic insight, and clarity she was delivering, especially in high-stakes, high-impact scenarios where communications can shape reputation, drive decisions, and shift outcomes.

The turning point came when she started to shift her lens from the tasks she completed to the transformation she delivered. She invested time in identifying the specific outcomes her clients gained, from stakeholder alignment and public trust to crisis navigation and long-term positioning. She began reframing proposals and conversations around impact, not hours. And she practised communicating that value with clarity and conviction in every client meeting.

It wasn’t always easy. Holding firm on value pricing required a mindset shift, and sometimes turning down mismatched opportunities. But, over time, this clarity has attracted the right clients and allowed her to do her best work with people who value it.

Advice for Women Entrepreneurs:

Be clear, concise, and know exactly who you are.

In most industries, services are not radically different. What sets someone apart is their clarity, judgment, and the way they deliver.

Clients do not hire a company—they hire a person they trust. That means one needs to articulate with confidence what they do, why it matters, and how it helps. Say it simply. Say it with purpose. Say it just once and then wait.

When someone is the right fit, people recognize it, and they’ll invest in the value that person can bring.