Meet Michelle Weger
Michelle Weger is not your typical tech CEO. Based in Edwardsburgh, Ontario, Canada, Michelle built a thriving multimillion-dollar business, became a sought-after keynote speaker, and authored the best-selling book Don’t Snooze Your Dreams: Lessons from Life with Narcolepsy, all while living with narcolepsy, a sleep disorder that could have easily sidelined her ambitions. Instead, it became her greatest source of fuel. As the founder and CEO of Venture Creative Collective (VCC), Michelle has been leading digital transformation for over a decade. Her agency helps businesses launch high-converting websites and implement powerful automation, sometimes in as little as one day. Her unique edge? Efficiency born from necessity. Through speaking engagements across North America, appearances on CBC and the AMI Network, and her growing presence as a business strategist, Michelle continues to inspire audiences to take bold action.
A Nontraditional Path to Purpose and Productivity
Michelle Weger’s story doesn’t begin with a polished résumé or a straight path into the business world, it begins with an early curiosity about systems, a passion for problem-solving, and the kind of tenacity that quietly builds in the background. After completing her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science & Ecology from Dalhousie University, Michelle already knew the traditional 9-to-5 world wasn’t going to be sustainable. Diagnosed in her early twenties with narcolepsy, a chronic neurological disorder that affects sleep-wake cycles, Michelle was forced to reevaluate not just how she worked, but how she could live.
“You don’t get a restful sleep,” she explains. “It’s like if you stayed up for 48 hours straight and then tried to do your normal workday.”
While many mapped out their careers around office hours, Michelle redefined productivity, building powerful systems and workflows that maximized what she could do in short bursts of energy. What others might have seen as a setback, she used as a blueprint for something different. Something bold. Something built on her own terms.
The Leap Into Entrepreneurship: Launching Venture Creative Collective
Michelle’s professional journey began unconventionally, with a backpack, a camera, and a blog. Her first venture was Global Jaunt. As the founder of Global Jaunt, a travel blog launched in 2011, she traveled to over 20 countries, authored more than 100 SEO-optimized articles, and built her first website from scratch. What started as a content platform quickly evolved into a deep understanding of web strategy, user experience, and digital engagement. She designed and maintained her own website, managed marketing outreach, and built partnerships. This self-sufficiency and willingness to learn would later become a cornerstone of her leadership style.
In 2012, Michelle launched Venture Creative Collective (VCC), an agency built with a mission: to help business owners streamline their digital operations using website development, automation, and AI integration. Headquartered in Ottawa, VCC quickly established itself as a go-to firm for clients across North America. Today, Michelle and her team have built more than 300 websites and have become trusted advisors to businesses across North America. VCC’s offerings are designed around saving time, increasing profitability, and helping entrepreneurs work smarter, not longer. Michelle doesn’t just build digital systems. She builds freedom. Discover more here.
“You have bigger priorities to focus on than solving online problems,” the company’s website reads. “If it’s repeatable, it’s automatable, and that means you don’t have to do it.”
Don’t Snooze Your Dreams: A Book, A Message, A Movement
In 2023, Michelle published her first book, Don’t Snooze Your Dreams: Lessons from Life with Narcolepsy. It has touched a nerve among entrepreneurs, advocates, and readers facing personal challenges. A blend of memoir and strategic guide, it’s already topped 18 bestseller categories and is in use across classrooms, boardrooms, and community organizations.
“This isn’t just another self-help book filled with clichéd advice,” one reader remarked. “It’s practical, heartfelt, and funny.”
Get your copy of Don’t Snooze Your Dreams: Lessons from Life with Narcolepsy here
Part memoir, part mindset guide, and part action blueprint, the book introduced readers to Michelle’s DREAM Method, a framework to help people move from self-doubt to sustainable action. Her voice is unfiltered and full of sharp, actionable insight.
“Don’t Snooze Your Dreams isn’t about living with narcolepsy. It’s about how to stop living with your best excuse so you can have the life you dream about.”
The book includes reflections on entrepreneurship, invisible disabilities, fear, systems, and even her service dogs, Quinn and the late Maximus, who have walked alongside her through speaking events, flights, and everyday life.
Living with Narcolepsy: Turning Limitation into Leverage
For Michelle, narcolepsy isn’t a side note, it’s the lens through which she built her business, her systems, and her speaking platform. Narcolepsy, an often misunderstood condition, shaped the entire structure of Michelle’s professional life. Michelle’s life with narcolepsy is supported in large part by Quinn, her Great Dane service dog who travels with her to speaking engagements and business events. Quinn isn’t just a working dog, she’s a show champion, a viral video star, and a calming presence by Michelle’s side. “Yes, she’s a Great Dane. Yes, she’s a real service dog. And yes, she has more fans than I do,” Michelle jokes.
“I live with narcolepsy, which means I’ve mastered the art of getting big things done in small windows. And I teach others how to do the same,” Michelle shares.
Michelle has shared her experiences publicly on CBC, AMI Network, Rogers TV, and in her starring role on You Can’t Ask That, where she answered questions about service dogs and disability. In another standout moment, she appeared with Quinn in a video produced by the world’s top YouTuber, Mr. Beast. Discover more about Quinn here.
A Voice That Moves Rooms
As a motivational speaker, Michelle Weger has taken the stage at conferences, corporate events, and campuses across North America. Her signature keynote, Don’t Snooze Your Dreams, is part personal narrative and part call-to-action, a session where audiences are invited to let go of perfection and start taking bold steps forward. Her talks have been described as raw, funny, and transformative. Whether delivering her message on CBC’s Marketplace, AMI’s You Can’t Ask That, or at her own Founder’s Retreat for women entrepreneurs, Michelle commands attention with vulnerability and conviction.
In her own words: “This is not a narcolepsy story. It’s a wake-up call.”
“Stepping on this stage isn’t just about telling a story, it’s about owning the parts of it I used to keep hidden,” Michelle wrote. “It’s about showing what’s possible when you stop waiting to be ‘ready’ and start showing up anyway.”
She’s currently on a mission to speak on 100 stages in two years, and is already a third of the way there. In July 2025, she will compete at Speaker Slam, North America’s largest inspirational speaking competition, under the theme The Underdog. Explore more here.
More Than a CEO: Advocate, Coach, and Connector
Michelle Weger’s impact extends far beyond digital strategy. She has been recognized with multiple accolades, including the 40 Under 40 Award, honors from the Canada Prestige Awards, and her agency Venture Creative Collective being named 2023 SEO Agency Winner. These recognitions reflect not only her technical expertise but also her commitment to building smarter, more inclusive systems. Passionate about creating meaningful change, Michelle co-founded Narcolepsy Awareness Programs and Services, Canada’s first nonprofit dedicated to narcolepsy education and support. She also launched the Entrepreneurs with Chronic Illnesses, Disorders, and Disabilities group, providing connection and community for professionals navigating similar health challenges. Explore more about Michelle here.
She continues to mentor others through her DREAM Action Coaching, an 80-minute session designed to help people break through hesitation and take their first steps toward their goals. She also hosts a sold-out Founder’s Retreat, a three-night women’s mastermind focused on content creation, strategy, and connection that proves deep participation can lead to lasting transformation.
Looking Ahead: More Than a Mission, It’s a Movement
Michelle Weger is not just building a business, she’s building momentum. Through VCC’s growing portfolio, her best-selling book, a viral social media presence, and a message that continues to resonate with professionals of all backgrounds, Michelle is proving what can happen when people stop waiting for the perfect moment and take action instead. Michelle is currently preparing for her appearance at Speaker Slam, North America’s largest inspirational speaking competition. She will take the stage on the theme of The Underdog, sharing her story with an audience that includes influential judges, media leaders, and fellow changemakers.
“I used to think my story wasn’t worth sharing,” she once reflected. “But then I started noticing something; people didn’t just listen, they leaned in.”
Today, her work stands as proof that resilience is not about pushing through at all costs, it’s about getting creative, taking action, and refusing to let limitations define the outcome.
Empowering Lessons from the Path of Michelle Weger
- “Don’t let fear or doubt stop you from going for things, you never know what opportunities might be waiting around the corner.”
— Taking action often matters more than waiting to feel “ready.” - “Don’t Snooze Your Dreams isn’t about narcolepsy. It’s about how to stop living with your best excuse.”
— Excuses delay growth; courage fuels it. - “This is not a narcolepsy story, it’s a wake-up call.”
— Every personal challenge holds the potential to ignite change in others. - “You can always make time for what’s important.”
— Priorities define progress, especially in leadership and life.
Connect with Michelle
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleaweger/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelleaweger/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.weger.vcc/
Website: https://michelleweger.com/
Editorial Note: Building with Strategy, Speaking with Purpose
Michelle Weger’s journey is a powerful example of what it means to build success without compromising reality. Her systems-first, heart-forward approach is transforming the way entrepreneurs work, and how audiences listen.
With a book that inspires action, a company that scales impact, and a voice that’s just getting started, Michelle proves that business leadership can be both deeply personal and profoundly scalable.
Her question to all of us remains: What’s your excuse, and what would happen if you stopped using it?
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