As Ottawa-Gatineau’s local fibre optic network provider, Hiboo Networks is redefining the customer experience in every way. Behind the scenes, transforming our sales and marketing operations and empowering our team, is Brenda Smith.
As the Sales and Marketing Enablement Manager, Brenda develops, designs and implements sales and marketing operations and processes at Hiboo Networks. Through implementing technology solutions, tracking marketing and sales analytics and innovating workflows, Brenda enables the team’s day-to-day functionality and ensures a seamless customer experience.
Throughout her career, Brenda has seen customer experience from all perspectives, giving her unique insight into how to deliver exceptional customer support. Before joining Hiboo Networks, she worked at a diverse range of startups, spanning across AI, SaaS and cybersecurity. Beginning in business development, Brenda moved through various sales roles, from Account Manager to Channel Manager, before transitioning to operations. Her expertise includes planning and building go-to-market departmental functionality, including CRM management, strategic sales operations planning and team training.
For Brenda, working at Ottawa-Gatineau’s community-wide fibre optic network aligns with her longstanding passion for helping her community. In 2012, she received the Outstanding Contribution for Community Empowerment Award at the Youth Awards Gala in Toronto for her anti-bullying advocacy. When she’s not at work, Brenda takes full advantage of the nature around her. You’ll likely find her exploring the hundreds of kilometres of hiking and backpacking trails in Ottawa-Gatineau and taking in the waterfalls and historic sites along the way.
What do you love most about what you do?
I have a passion for building a foundation of marketing and sales operations, brand management, innovative solutions and growth. I love the opportunity to build a seamless customer experience to empower local businesses in any industry where excellence in customer service is typically overlooked.
What’s the best part about working in Ottawa-Gatineau?
Ottawa-Gatineau is not only a beautiful place to live with its history, visual beauty and active lifestyle buzz, it is also quickly becoming known as Canada’s primary tech hub and, in my experience, has excellent work-life balance. Fun fact: In March 2024, Made in Canada Media released an article discussing the work-life balance statistics in Canada and how it compares globally. Ottawa ranked 1st in Canada and 7th globally!
Where is your favourite spot in Ottawa-Gatineau?
Ottawa has an important twin-sister city in Quebec called Gatineau, home to the National Capital Region's conservation park, also known locally as Gatineau Park. Only 20 minutes away from downtown Ottawa, this is a personal favourite of mine for various adventures such as hiking, sightseeing, biking and skiing—making it difficult to choose one specific location in the park as a favourite!
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I enjoy the challenge of competitive sports. I actively participate in baseball and volleyball and previously in wrestling and cross-country running. I am also currently pursuing an exciting new interest in mounted archery.
About Hiboo Networks
Hiboo Networks is Ottawa-Gatineau’s municipally-owned fibre optic network. As the only fibre network built by and for Ottawa-Gatineau, our mission is to support innovation and growth in our region by helping businesses and organizations thrive.
Our solutions include enterprise-grade fibre optic Internet, Ethernet Services and Wavelength Services. We are proud to be a local, hassle-free internet service provider, exclusively servicing businesses in the National Capital Region.