Maya Saggar launched her very first business at the age of seven, making and selling bookmarks. By 15, she was selling car magnets engraved with the words ‘new driver’.
Today, the successful business leader is a Top 40 Under 40 Niagara Region winner and founder of Impact Learning, an education company specializing in designing and developing learning experiences, including programs, courses and resources for businesses and higher education institutions.
One of the earliest members of Sheridan EDGE’s Rise program, Saggar first launched her venture in 2021 as COVID-19 swept across Canada. It was thanks to the coaching and mentorship she received through the pilot of the Rise program that her business not only survived but scaled up, hiring 10 contractors for a major project just six months after its launch.
In 2024, Maya rejoined Rise, and at the time of writing this story, Impact Learning has doubled its revenue over the last year. Its quarter-on-quarter revenue has also more than doubled. Saggar currently employs one part-time team member and has one full-time employee starting in May.
“This will be my first full-time hire not subsidized by any external funding, it was a major goal for us and meeting this target is a huge milestone for Impact Learning,” says Saggar. She is expecting roughly 60 percent growth from last year’s revenue and has tracked an almost 300 percent growth rate since 2021, powered by the support she received through Rise.
“When I launched Impact Learning, Rise was part of the story from day one. It was my coach, Mark Rodford, who suggested my company’s name. We went back and forth for weeks about the perfect name,” says Saggar. “Mark’s coaching was invaluable. He is an incredible resource, not just for the growth and development of my business but also for me as an entrepreneur. His being attuned to both my well-being and my business meant a great deal to me. As an entrepreneur, it can be challenging to balance the demands of business and personal life. Mark’s support helped me navigate these challenges and move forward with clarity and confidence.”
She added that being in Rise pushed her to think outside the box when expanding her business, with information gleaned from workshops and seminars helping her plan future growth.
Her Rise mentor Mark Rodford, a serial impact entrepreneur with years of business, operational, and board experience, leveraged his expertise in strategic planning, business development, and branding to help launch Maya’s venture. Mark said Maya was always seeking to grow, learn and adapt to ever-changing circumstances. She was also juggling a doctoral program and a teaching career alongside her business. “Maya’s success story is one for the books,” says Mark.
“She works hard, is super smart and fully takes on board whatever inputs are suggested.”
Saggar says becoming a service provider for Rise* helped grow her client base as well as work with many Sheridan EDGE members, which she describes as “an incredibly rewarding experience.”
“It feels amazing to contribute to and support my community by helping other entrepreneurs achieve their goals, while simultaneously expanding my own professional network. This mutually beneficial relationship has been a highlight of my involvement in Rise,” says Saggar. Along with the benefits of coaching Maya’s immersed in a supportive and positive community of founders that have helped her in many ways, including getting referrals for a graphic design position she was hiring for.
“Rise is a community of people who want to see you succeed,” says Saggar. “Working with and having the support of the Rise community has been so impactful, including great friendships and relationships with other likeminded, passionate and driven creators, educators and entrepreneurs.” Maya aims to continue growing Impact Learning’s team and expertise to become the “go-to company for anything learning-related.” She also hopes to scale up her business internationally to reach more potential clients.
“I live and breathe education. It is in my heart, but my brain is in business. By working with other entrepreneurs, I’m able to use both my head and my heart in everything that I’m doing.”
About Sheridan EDGE
Visit Sheridan EDGE’s website to learn more about Rise, a program tailored for social entrepreneurs who have a viable product or service and have defined objectives grounded in social or environmental impact.
*Rise services are an exclusive perk of the program where participants receive credits towards expertise in marketing strategy, accounting to personal branding, web development and grant writing for new entrepreneurs. EDGE alumni can join this network of service providers to offer services to their peers. A list of these providers can be found here.
