Meet Lee Murphy, Export Advisor for the Lower Mainland

With more than 20 years of experience building and mentoring businesses in B.C.’s food and beverage sector, Lee Murphy brings deep entrepreneurial expertise to her role as an Export Advisor. Based in the Lower Mainland, she works with businesses across industries to help them prepare for growth beyond B.C. and navigate the realities of exporting with confidence.

What kinds of businesses do you mainly work with?

I work with businesses at all stages, from emerging startups to scaling companies in both product and service sector. Many are founder-led, that have built strong local traction and are looking at opportunities outside their home market.

I love working with founders who are curious, coachable, and ready to do the work. Whether it’s a specialty food producer, a tech company, or a small manufacturer, the fundamentals of export readiness are often similar. The questions are the same: Is your product market-ready? Do you understand your margins at scale? Have you done your homework on the market you’re entering?

That’s where I believe I’m the most effective, regardless of what the product or service is.

What is your professional background, and how did that prepare you to work as an Export Advisor?

I’ve been an entrepreneur for over 25 years. Along the way, I have founded several businesses, including an agri-food brand, The Preservatory, Vista D’oro farm and winery, and Plenty & Grace, a food hub and innovation centre. Before that, I also worked in the corporate world, and I think that blend of experience gives me a well-rounded perspective.

With The Preservatory, I didn’t just build a brand I loved. I took it to international markets and learned firsthand how much you don’t know until you’re doing it. Customs paperwork, labelling compliance, cultural nuances in new markets — none of that is theoretical for me.

What do you look for in a business to determine if they are ready to grow beyond B.C.?

First, I want to know whether the foundation is solid. Do they have consistent product quality, clear pricing, and a brand story that can travel? A lot of businesses are ready to grow before they’re ready to export, and those aren’t the same thing.

Second, I look at operational capacity. Can they fulfill larger or more complex orders without it overwhelming the business?

And third, and maybe most importantly, I look at the founder. Export is a long game. It takes resources, resilience, and a willingness to learn.

What are some early steps a business can take to become ‘export-ready’?

Start with your homework.

Before you think about entering a new market, really understand your own business. Know your margins, your minimum order quantities and your production capacity. You need to know your numbers cold because everything becomes more complex once logistics, duties and foreign currency enter the picture.

From there, I encourage businesses to get curious about their target market early. Who is the customer? What does the market already have access to? What gap does your product or service fill?

It’s also important to get familiar with the regulatory landscape sooner rather than later because those timelines can surprise people. Programs like Export Navigator exist for a reason, and connecting with an Advisor early can save businesses significant time, money and stress.

Why should a business work with an Export Advisor?

Because the learning curve is real, and you don’t have to climb it alone.

I made plenty of expensive mistakes when I was growing The Preservatory internationally. Mistakes that, looking back, I could have probably avoided with the right guidance.

An Export Advisor isn’t there to tell you what to do. We’re there to help you ask the right questions, connect you to resources you might not even know exist, and give you an honest read on where you are versus where you need to be.

We’ve seen a lot of businesses go through this process. We know what good preparation looks like, and that perspective is genuinely valuable.

How would you describe your advising style/approach to working with clients?

I like conversations that lead to actionable next steps, and I try to meet businesses where they are at. Some founders need help building long-term strategy, while others need operational guidance or help prioritizing what matters most right now.

I ask a lot of questions because good advising starts with understanding the reality of the business, not just the vision for it.

My instinct when I sit down with a client is to really listen first: understand what someone is trying to build, what’s keeping them up at night, and what they’ve already tried. From there, my job is to connect them with the right people, programs, and information.

What’s your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Don’t confuse passion with a business plan.

While passion is essential — you absolutely need it to get through the hard days — but passion alone won’t tell you if your margins work, if there’s a real market for your product, or whether you can scale sustainably.

I’ve seen incredibly talented, dedicated people struggle because they skipped the strategic foundation. Validate your idea, know your numbers, and build a plan. Then let your passion fuel the execution.

The entrepreneurs I’ve seen succeed are the ones who are deeply invested in what they’re building and disciplined enough to treat it like a business.

Aside from being an Export Advisor, what else do you like to do in your free time?

I’m never far from food. I do a lot of recipe development and food writing, which has been part of my life for years.

At home I’m happiest in the garden or in the kitchen. Growing things and figuring out what to do with them go hand in hand for me.

I also love to travel, spend time outdoors, and explore the coast and mountains here in B.C.

A lot of my interests still connect back to storytelling, food, and culture in some way. I’m endlessly curious about why certain brands, places, and experiences resonate with people, and I think that curiosity makes me a better Advisor.

Reach out

Export Navigator offers free, one-on-one support to help B.C. businesses explore new markets and grow with confidence. Get it touch today to learn more.