Hilary Borndahl Proving the Power of Marketing with Miix Analytics
Hilary Borndahl, Founder and CEO of Miix Analytics Inc., has created a boutique analytics organization that helps brands in Canada, the United States, and around the world answer one of the most difficult management questions: “Is our marketing truly effective?” With over 20 years of expertise in marketing analytics and market research, she is a recognized specialist in Marketing Mix Modelling (MMM) and ROI, and a vocal advocate for women’s growth and community building in Canada’s marketing sector.
From Global Analytics Leader to Canadian Founder
Hilary has a stellar career in senior analytics roles with global behemoths Nielsen and Kantar before founding Miix Analytics. She led advanced analytics practices, built talent pipelines, and drove accelerated growth in MMM and ROI products at these organizations, while advising Fortune 500 marketers and insights leaders across industries and countries.
She has worked with over 150 brands in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia, analyzing media data, brand lift, sales lift, price and promotion, assortment, and in-store audit modelling tools. She earned a reputation as a trusted advisor and “excellent problem-solver,” capable of transforming complex models into effective advice. In 2021, during the pandemic, Hilary founded Miix Analytics in Toronto’s Liberty Village to offer a unique, founder-led approach to MMM programs.
Founding Miix Analytics For Smart, Fast, and Affordable MMM
Miix Analytics is a boutique marketing mix modelling firm located in Liberty Village’s historic Toronto Carpet Factory building. The firm aims to be the leading MMM boutique supplier in Canada, providing world-class advice backed by powerful analytics.
Miix proposes a fresh approach based on three pillars:
- Smart, unbiased modelling demonstrates the short- and long-term worth of marketing and helps clients ask the right questions to promote growth.
- Fast – agile processes and coding dramatically reduce modelling time, providing marketers with insights while decisions are still being made.
- Affordable – boutique structures and tailored interactions make MMM accessible to advertisers beyond the top global brands.
The staff, which consists entirely of data analysts and data scientists situated in Canada and the Eastern time zone, has firsthand expertise with customers’ media and can collaborate in real time. Miix provides comprehensive assistance for brands’ MMM programs, including planning, data engineering, modelling, dashboards, and C-suite storytelling.
Core products include
- Full-service Marketing Mix Modelling to quantify the impact and ROI of various channels, including TV, radio, digital, out-of-home, in-store, promotions, and more
- Agile test-and-learn measurement for new campaigns
- Miix Marketing Research offers sponsorship ROI for sports and content partnerships
- item/UPC analytics, price elasticity modelling
- eCommerce analytics, and marketing research (creative testing, brand and customer satisfaction, staff surveys)
Customers characterize Miix as “top-shelf,” quick, and responsive, with personalized dashboards and visualizations that simplify performance and improvement options.
Proving the Value of Marketing Budgets
Miix’s primary purpose is to help brands demonstrate and defend the value of their marketing investments and optimize future strategies to boost return on investment. According to Hilary’s explanations in interviews and conference lectures, MMM quantifies the incremental impact of each marketing vehicle on sales and brand KPIs using sophisticated statistical approaches, such as multivariate regression on sales and media time-series data.
To determine what is going on, why, and what should be done next, Miix’s strategy begins with a thorough analysis of past sales and marketing trends. Hilary and her team then assist clients in responding to important queries, such as
- How much additional revenue each channel is generating.
- To achieve our growth goals, where should we reallocate our spending?
- Which media mix is best for a given market, product, or time of year?
She provides CMOs and CFOs with the facts they need to make confident budget decisions—even in uncertain economic times—by grounding her responses in solid analytics and 20 years of experience.
Advocate, Community Builder, and Public Speaker
Hilary is equally passionate about community, equity, and people. She is a mother of three kids and an ardent supporter of women’s advancement and of breaking down glass ceilings, particularly in executive and data-driven fields where women remain underrepresented. According to her, diversity is a “major value add” for any firm, regardless of gender, colour, life experience, or educational background.
She puts this dedication into real networks.
- She was a co-founder of WishList SEO in Southeast Oakville in 2017, a group of local women who organize community events, assist nearby companies, and raise money for charitable causes.
- Tens of thousands of dollars have been donated to charities such as Food4Kids Halton, Kerr Street Mission, SafetyNet, Home Suite Hope, Red Cross Ukraine, ROCK, and Lighthouse for Grieving Children and Families, thanks to their efforts.
- Through guest lectures, podcasts, conference keynote addresses, the Insights Association (Toronto Chapter & CEO Summit Squad), and the Canadian Marketing Association (Media Council), Hilary also contributes to the larger marketing and insights ecosystem.
Lessons for Canadian Small Business and Women Founders
Hilary’s story offers useful insights for entrepreneurs and small-business leaders.
- Women/entrepreneurs need to be our own biggest cheerleaders. As leaders, we need to be fearless. Fail fast; get up and try again when things you try don’t work out. Stay true to your passion and keep believing in yourself.
- Own your domain – by focusing on MMM and ROI, she established Miix as the go-to partner for marketers who require proof, not guesswork.
- Build locally, serve worldwide – retaining talent in Canada while servicing international brands demonstrates how Canadian boutiques can outperform their peers.
- Lead with both data and emotion – her dual commitment to rigorous analytics and community service (WishList, industry councils) exemplifies a holistic leadership style.
Conclusion
Hilary Borndahl represents the analytical, purpose-driven entrepreneurship highlighted by CanadianSME’s Businesswoman of the Month. She transforms complex marketing data into meaningful ROI stories while also encouraging women and communities.
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Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information intended only for informational purposes. CanadianSME Small Business Magazine does not endorse or guarantee any products or services mentioned. Readers are advised to conduct their research and due diligence before making business decisions.
