Meaghan & Marie Wright
Co-Founders & Videographers at Mirror Image Media
Twin sisters, Meaghan & Marie Wright are Co-Founders of Mirror Image Media, a full service video production company based in Halifax. It all started after a passion for photography was fuelled after graduating high school early and backpacking New Zealand together. From there, they were hired onto the StFX Marketing Department to produce videos to promote the university they quickly fell in love with. Since then, the two have produced videos for wide variety of clients from Halifax Pride to Bell Media and from Ovarian Cancer Canada to LuluLemon. They have had the opportunity to interview individuals like Brian Mulroney, Craig Kielburger, Rick Mercer and recently travelled across Canada in a 1991 Chevrolet RV interviewing nearly 60 social entrepreneurs producing The Social Shift, a documentary on business shifting for the good through Common Good Solutions. Twin sisters are multitalented, as they both produce, direct, shoot, and edit. As recent business graduates and employees of Common Good Solutions, they are in search of a bigger story; one that incorporates business and social, environmental and cultural value.
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What are you most proud of professionally? And who or why?
Nearly a year and a half ago, we approached a key stakeholder that we wanted to feature in The Social Shift documentary. He told us that a cross-country trip interviewing that many people was too ambitious. It would be way too difficult to crowdfund and organize a trip of that scope. Just a few months after these statements, we packed our bags and went for it. That's the thing we quickly learned -- if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.
What's your vision for Atlantic Canada in 10 years? What’s our biggest opportunity now?
In University, we both were determined to move to Toronto post graduation. Grow up, get a big girl job, work in that agency life in the big city. There was no way there would be enough opportunities to make it work in Halifax. Quickly, we learned that was wrong. From the moment that we graduated, the incredible network of Haligonians has not only supported and encouraged us, but has connected us to bigger players in the game. The east coast has an amazing vibe. We all know that. We constantly hear from friends who left home that miss it dearly. In our mind, the lifestyle is the greatest asset. If you can sell someone on a different type of value, one that connects people, grows communities and is authentic in nature, then hey, the money will come.
What was your greatest stage of growth?
Both of us are Venture for Canada fellows and we credit a lot of our growth professionally to the program. Being surrounded by nearly 60 like-minded entrepreneurial recent grads can only push you to become better. It has been through this program that we have continuously shifted and grown as an organization and we are incredibly grateful for that.
What's your deepest learning from this past year? How did/will you apply it?
After watching our late mother lose a horrific battle to cancer when we were 14, we quickly learned to seize the day. That definitely pushed us to follow our passion. In the fall of 2017, Marie had a horrible accident and broke her neck. With a fractured spine in four critical places, her doctors were unsure of what would come next. With strength, perseverance and a little bit of luck, Marie would not only survive the fall, but would walk. Both situations were considered life or death, yet both had very different outcomes. These situations enabled us to live more fuller and better lives.
Who's inspired you, directly or indirectly? How have they inspired you?
Our mom was an entrepreneur and she continues to inspire and motivate us every single day. Her dedication to her business fundamentally taught us how to grow and scale from a very young age.
What would you have done differently?
Nada.
How have you recovered from fractured professional relationships?
We tend to avoid taking business personally. Yes, we have great relationships with our clients, but it's important not to take the business side of things too seriously. In order to avoid fractured relationships, we surround ourselves with not only like-minded individuals, but clients who have the same values as us. If you do that, broken relationships are rare to encounter.
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Entrepreneur, Videographer, Advertising, Marketing, Cofounder, Founder, Twins, Sisters
