From living on the streets of Halifax to scheduling meetings with some of Canada’s top executives, Fergus Dearden considers himself to be the “Rocky Balboa” of entrepreneurs. As a passionate intellectual with a disability, his “never give up, never surrender” attitude has enabled him to overcome incredible adversity, despite all the odds stacked against him. Despite obtaining a BA/BComm from Saint Mary’s University with majors in English, Philosophy and Entrepreneurship, he believes “the streets” will always teach what the classroom cannot. As a social innovator, Fergus invented “Blueprint” which is an economic overlay to target Canadian social issues. Fergus is currently a client of the Impact Incubator through Common Good Solutions as well as a member of the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Network.
The Blueprint Loyalty Program allows retailers to compete with larger corporations while increasing their bottom line and supporting organizations dealing with poverty. The consumers who use the Blueprint Loyalty application on their smartphone will receive discounts when shopping at participating retailers, who display the “Blueprint Lives Here” branding. Funds that would go to the individual can be used wherever Blueprint Lives and would help to address the issue of poverty in Canada.