​Bold Firsts and Big Lessons: An Entrepreneur’s Journey in Business and Sport with Lara Murphy

​​Event Overview

​​As a Calgary entrepreneur, Lara Murphy knows about breaking barriers in business. She is the owner of Ryan Murphy Construction, the only female-owned construction company in Calgary, as well as the cofounder, president, and CEO of Alberta’s first professional women’s sports team, the Calgary Wild FC. In this fireside chat with UCalgary Haskayne School of Business Dean Gina Grandy, Lara will reflect on her entrepreneurial journey, which has been shaped by resilience, bold firsts, and a deeply held belief that inclusivity and diversity are much more than values—they’re a foundation for stronger teams, businesses, and communities. .  

​​​​Schedule of the Evening

• ​​​​5:30 PM - Doors open, refreshments and networking

• ​​​​6:00 - 7:00 PM - Speaker discussion

• ​​​​7:00 - 7:30 PM - Networking and exit

​​​​What is the TC Energy Ingenuity Speaker Series?

​​​​Made possible thanks to the generous support of TC Energy, the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking is proud to present the TC Energy Ingenuity Speaker Series. Throughout the year, we host inspiring entrepreneurs on campus, featuring some of the most well-known members of the innovation community.

​​​​Who is it for and why attend?

​​​​Anyone looking to gain entrepreneurial thinking skills, network with the innovation community, or anyone looking to start a company in the future are invited to register. We showcase entrepreneurial leaders within the University of Calgary and the Calgary innovation ecosystem representing a diverse array of backgrounds and accomplishments. 

​​​​Who will you hear from?

​Honoured to be the first CEO of the Calgary Wild Women’s Football Club, Lara Murphy was born and raised in New Brunswick where she began playing soccer locally at six years old. Lara followed an athlete development pathway that led to a varsity career at Mount Allison University while earning a Bachand of Arts degree. She then played in Europe and North America. Experiences in soccer have taught her to continue to rise up over and over again and have introduced her to lifelong friends which makes her involvement with the Calgary Wild so meaningful. 

​Lara also has a history of successful start-ups that have fed her entrepreneurial and compassionate spirit. She is the owner of Calgary’s Ryan Murphy Construction (RMC), the only female-owned commercial construction firm in the city, where she and her team manage multi-million-dollar projects in corporate, commercial, health care and residential construction. RMC prides itself on being a diverse supplier advocating for inclusivity, authenticity, and supporting the underserved in our community and mentoring youth. Lara has educated herself further in inclusivity issues by participating in courses including Indigenous Studies, governance and completing the Diversity Inclusion Certificate at CCDI Consulting in order to more conscientiously drive change in the construction industry and Calgary’s business community.   

​She regularly gives talks about leadership, entrepreneurship, the construction industry and business, and outside of work, Murphy loves working with her community. Lara was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022 for community work and advocating for equity, inclusivity and authenticity, and supporting younger entrepreneurs through her service on the Boards of YW Calgary, SAIT, the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, and the Calgary Airport Authority.