Our Story

Celebrating 16 Years of Conversations that Count

2024 marked Barefoot Facilitation’s Sweet 16 anniversary! The past 16 years have been a pleasure, leading valuable conversations for clients across Canada and beyond. To celebrate, we’ve highlighted some of Barefoot’s many milestones and achievements below. We invite our clients and partners to join in and help us highlight the journey that brought Barefoot to where it is today!

Join the Sweet 16 Celebration!

Barefoot Facilitation wouldn’t have been possible without collaboration from our clients and partners. We invite those who have worked with us to join the celebration! Complete this quick form (2-3 minute) to send a brief ‘congrats’ or share the story of how we’ve collaborated. We’ll be sharing some of these stories on Social Media!

Barefoot’s Timeline

February 2008

Business Name Registered

February 2008

Gerard Becomes Qualified Personality Dimensions Level 1 Facilitator

March 2008

Barefoot's first Accountant/Bookkeeper

Amy MacIsaac creates and manages Barefoot's financial practices. Now a valued client at the Chartered Professional Accountants of Nova Scotia!

April 2008

Website & Branding First Launched

June 2008

First Client: Nova Scotia Environment

Barefoot Facilitation receives their first client, an Operational Planning Process with the Nova Scotia Environment team.

January 2010

First Strategic Partnership: Research Power Inc.

Barefoot Facilitation creates its first strategic partnership with Stephanie Heath, Research Power Inc. to collaborate with the Health Literacy Embedded Learning Demonstration Project.

August 2011

Barefoot Facilitation Becomes Incorporated

Spring 2012

Barefoot's First Part-time Employee: Lisa Olie

Lisa streamlined Barefoot's business practices. Today, she's working her magic over at Liquid Assets in Nova Scotia.

July 2012

Barefoot Awarded Contract with the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories

Barefoot Facilitation is awarded it's biggest project yet, the design and development of an online community platform for people with dementia and their care partners for ASANT. Tracey Bennett, Julian Gibbs, Tom Crilley & Fadi Khalil are brought on to support the project, led by Rachel Sumner.

October 2012

Gerard Delivers his first Keynote

Gerard delivers his first conference keynote speech, "The 6 Elements of Greatness".

March 2014

Joanna Butler Joins Barefoot

Joanna Butler joins Barefoot Facilitation as Administrative Coordinator.

March 2014

Barefoot Moves Out

Barefoot leases its first office space in Bedford, Nova Scotia to support the team and growing projects.

September 2016

Barefoot Facilitation Expands to Newfoundland & Labrador

Barefoot Facilitation contracts Consultant, Linda Carter to help extend Barefoot's reach to Newfoundland & Labrador.

September 2020

Barefoot Expands Digital Learning Capabilities

Returning from her previous work with Barefoot towards ASANT, Rachel Sumner joins the team as our newest Consultant, helping us to extend digital learning capabilities and opportunities.

September 2020

Barefoot Crosses Borders

Barefoot receives its first international client: Chartered Professional Accountants of Bermuda.

November 2021

Douglas Wetmore Joins Barefoot

Douglas Wetmore joins Barefoot Facilitation as Administrative & Communications Coordinator.

January 2022

The Barefoot Space Launches

Barefoot Launches it's new monthly newsletter, The Barefoot Space, full of resources for workplaces to rethink their conversations and ongoing project highlights within Barefoot Facilitation.

August 2022

Barefoot Expands its Circle of Consultants

Senior Consultant, Marg McClean and Consultant, Mark Williams joins the Barefoot Facilitation team to help increase Barefoot's capabilities.

February 2023

Karen Furneaux joins Barefoot's Circle of Consultants

Karen Furneaux brings her 'go for gold' motivation to Barefoot's Circle of Consultants as an occasional Associate Consultant.

April 2023

Kerri Miller Joins the Barefoot Team

Kerri Miller joins the Barefoot Team, expanding capacity to help our clients to co-create facilitation and training solutions.

September 2023

Joss Pirker Joins the Barefoot Team

Joss Pirker joins Barefoot Facilitation as Client Experience Coordinator.

February 2024

Nino Kovačević Joins the Barefoot Team

Nino Kovačević joins Barefoot Facilitation as an Associate Facilitator.

April 2024

Nino Kovačević facilitates his first in-person Workshop

In April, we celebrated Nino Kovačević facilitating his first in-person workshop for Barefoot Facilitation in his new role of Associate Facilitator.