powerful women magazine spring 2010

Passions, Dreams &Milestones

Page 4

Coming in First in theTalent Race

5

Women Unitedfor Best Seller

Page 22

Powerful WomenWaterloo-Wellington Edition

Spring 2010

Ignite Your Passion for Success

Believe in Yourself

Page 12

Magazine

2 Powerful Women Spring 2010

Spring 2010 Powerful Women 3

Spring 2010

Passions, Dreams & Milestones . . . . . . . 4The Power of Your Dreams . . . . . . . . . . 5Communicating Your Brand . . . . . . . . . 6The Art of Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Making a Great First Impression . . . . . . 9Successful Marketing in the

21st Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Believe in Yourself & Take the Risk . . . . 12Staying on Track with Goal Setting . . . 13Record Management Made Easy. . . . . 14Coming in First in the Talent Race . . . . 15Planning & Preparation are Key . . . . . 16Make Time to De-clutter. . . . . . . . . . . 17Women in Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Women United for Best Seller . . . . . . . 22

No, that’s not a grammatical error.This Spring sees the launch of Powerful

Women, a magazine aimed at business women, female entrepreneurs and any woman in pursuit of her dreams.

Inspired by the fabulous women of the POWE networking organization, Powerful Women’s goal is to support female entrepreneurs in Waterloo, Wellington and beyond, by providing a medium in which they can promote their businesses; a medium in which they can share their knowledge and expertise, and one in which women who have already faced, challenged and overcome obsta-cles on their journey to success can inspire others considering a new career or starting a business.

I believe we all have the power within us to achieve our goals if we have the passion to suc-ceed. Powerful Women’s ultimate goal is to ignite your passion for success.

For several years, I have had the dream of publishing a magazine, but never found the right genre or felt that the timing was right. Until now. F inally, I have realized my own dream and, so, Powerful Women is born. I am excited to intro-duce the f irst issu e and hope that through this magazine, many more dreams will be realized.

Since this is the f irst issu e and my goal was to have it published within 10 weeks, the under-lying themes of the magazine are “f irsts” and “goal setting”. Thanks to the contributors who, with fairly short notice, were able to provide some interesting, informative and inspirational articles on these themes.

I am pleased to have been able to include Waterloo’s Mayor Brenda Halloran on the cover of this f irst issu e, and would like to thank her for being part of this exciting new venture.

The theme for the Summer issue will be “multi-tasking” and I look forward to sharing more informative articles and inspirational stories to ignite your passion for success.

K arenKaren Coleman

Publisher

Powerful Women is born

Designed and published byKaren Coleman, Kaz Design Works

www.kazdesignworks.ca

To advertise or contribute an article in the next issue of Powerful Women

call 519-267-5050 or [email protected]

Contents

S i 2010 Powerful Women 3

Available online atwww.powerfulwomen.ca

Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Computing for the Geekaphobe . . . . . 11Recipes for Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Trials & Tribulations: Beating the Odds 19

Regular Columns

What’s Inside

Publisher’s Note:The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the individual writers. If you have any concerns about any of the content, please write to the publisher at [email protected]

PPPPPooooowwwwwwwweeeeeeerrrrrrrrffffffffuuuuuuuuulllllll WWWWWWWWWWooooooooommmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnPowerful WomenIgnite Your Passion for Success


The creation of this new publication and to be given the

opportunity to write my f irst article had me thinking of

all the “f irsts” we experience in our lifetimes.

We all have special memories of our fi rst kiss, fi rst love, fi rst job, fi rst

child, fi rst home, fi rst grandchild and can all remember the feelings and emo-tion triggered inside us upon refl ection of these signifi cant events in our lives. With each momentous milestone, it brought us new courage, new experience and new wisdom to bring to our catchall and dared us to then look beyond the current exis-tence and look for more new “fi rsts” to replace those euphoric recollections.

As a young woman at the beginning of my career, I imagined great potential and possibilities for myself. I entered the world of fashion with starry eyes and a belief that a sense of style was the only thing that mattered. I worked hard to climb the corporate ladder, regaling in fi rst sales, fi rst promotion, fi rst bonus and the fi rst managerial position. After ten years in the industry, I eagerly en-tertained the idea of purchasing my fi rst business. The acquisition of a quaint cof-fee shop saw this born and bred city girl move to a small rural town. Imagine if you will, this would be fashionista, hav-ing to learn the art of cooking donuts in grease at 3am in order to have stock fresh for the 5am crowd, no less. Somewhat humbling but probably the most reward-ing experience as I was accepted into this

community with open arms and began a new lifetime of “fi rsts” including mar-riage and children.

Later on, another exciting fi rst includ-ed the purchase of a hardware store and a move to another small town. A couple of years later inadvertently led me to the Guelph-Wellington Business Enterprise Centre. Joining the centre as a small busi-ness advisor gave me the opportunity to help other small business owners begin their journey of “fi rsts”.

Upon refl ection of all the various posi-tions I have held and the different busi-nesses I have owned, it has occurred to me that I have always been a “jack of all trades, master of none”. In recognizing this trait, it has allowed me many varied opportunities of “fi rsts” and has brought great experience, skill and wisdom to my life. I also acknowledge that all these “fi rsts”, both triumphant and sometimes disappointing, are an integral part of the journey.

We should all be looking forward to the rest of 2010 and beyond in anticipa-tion of more of the “fi rsts” that await us. Refl ecting, acknowledging and integrat-ing both past and future “fi rsts” will em-power us all to reach our own personal passions, dreams and milestones that we dared to dream about in the fi rst place.

By Kristel Manes,Guelph-Wellington Business Enterprise Centre

Passions, Dreams & Milestones

all part ofour journey


It was early spring; I was driving along a winding road between remote towns in Northern Ontario. The

air was fresh; the sky clear blu e; each bend revealed a pond or brook; green spruce covered the hills

in every direction. The landscape reminded me of my island home and I soaked up the colours, the spa-

ciousness, welcoming the change of pace and scenery. My downtown Toronto off ice seemed far away.

On the nearly empty road my thoughts drifted to a dream during undergraduate days where my future self was travelling with briefcase in hand to a job as a pro-gram evaluator. Now a few years later, I was doing just that and refl ected on the role and power of that dream image.

This started me wondering with the thought “If I could do anything…” and, be-fore I could compose an answer, “I’d be in business for myself” It was like a fastball zipped into home plate while the batter’s attention is momentarily diverted. The idea hung there and I wondered where it came from; it was not something I’d considered before. Driving along, with only trees and sky and winding road for company, I waited for other answers to arrive, like what kind of business. But nothing else came.

A symbolic event occurred along the same stretch of road that has remained etched in my memory. From out of nowhere a bald

eagle swooped in front of my car, only feet away – a blurred expanse of wide feathered wings. One moment it was there, the next moment fl own away with only my pound-ing heart to prove I hadn’t imagined it.

It took less than a year to create a pri-vate practice providing therapy for chil-dren and families. This work fi t me like a glove and I loved the freedom of be-ing my own boss. Shortly afterwards, I delved into my life long passion of ho-listic and energy medicine. This business continues to expand in ways I could not have even imagined back in school.

I believe we dream our world into being. The eagle reminds us that life is a journey of discovery you take one step at a time. Some-times your possible future appears drawn on broad canvas; sometimes it’s a tiny window that opens. It’s true, the seed of inspiration can come when you least expect it. But real mastery is allowing it to take root and grow.

The Power of Y our Dreams...

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Where do you get your inspiration?


Roblynn HunnisettTouchstone Event

Management

What if we call it Verbal Business Card? How about Sellar Speech?

Would you understand what they mean? Would you know the purpose of having both? They are both part of your image, your brand. So, how do you create both of these very important marketing tools? And how do we make them memorable?

First impressions are critical in business and it is important that you communicate quickly, clearly, and precisely what you do and how your product or service might ben-efi t the listener. When your message is well constructed, it is also easier to communicate and usually results in more confi dence in the delivery by the speaker.

In short, a verbal business card would be used at networking events, possibly fol-lowing on different marketing pieces as an introductory paragraph.

The Sellar Speech is short, clear and gives the message, when you are in the air-

port and someone stops and asked you what you do. You say it never happens, believe me it does happen on a regular basis to me.

Always keep your brand strong which means YOU! Always carry your market-ing tools with you, especially your business card.

Here are a few tips to help you communi-cate your brand at a fi rst meeting:

Use verbs, action words hold another per-•son’s attention longerBe prepared at all times•Summarize in a few short sentences: who •you are, what the name of the company is and what you doDescribe the benefi ts your product or ser-•vice provides Be confi dent in your delivery•If time and interest allows, create a “Call •for Action”When creating a Sellar speech use only •seven words.

verbal business card

When new entrepreneurs hear the words, “you must create an elevator speech”, their f irst reaction is fear. It is basic market-ing we are all told by marketing experts. Words are very im-portant, so the perception we receive from words is important.

Communicating Y our Brand

A verbal busi-ness card and Sellar Speech

are part of your creative

marketing plan. Be your best cheerleader and build

them both with strength. Make

your brand strong!

with confidence

Hand out your


The Art of Networking

So you have started up your own business and you

sit by the phone and wait for the calls to come

f looding in.

Tanya RiemannOtter Ideas

www.otterideas.com

Based on your in-depth market re-search you know that what you of-

fer is unique and in demand and so you wait.

Since people don’t know you exist it is hard for them to discover the terrifi c product or service that will help them with their lives. One of the best ways to get your name out there is through net-working.

Networking can be done practically anywhere and it is based on making conversation with people and discover-ing who they are and what they do and in turn they fi nd out about you and your business. The most common places to network are through organized functions that business associations put together.

The primary concept to keep in mind when networking is that you’re not trying to “sell” to the person. It should be a ca-sual conversation where you listen to the person you’re speaking with and fi nd out if they are in need of some assistance.

As an example, if you fi nd this individ-ual is looking for a printer and you know a great one, you refer them to your printer.

You act as a connector. The person in front of you will be thrilled to get a referral and your printer will be equally happy if they get another client.

On the other hand you might fi nd that what you have to offer would be of value

to them and in this case you can tell them how you can help.

For those of you who are new to this scene it can be a bit intimidating. Howev-er, it is a good idea to challenge yourself to go to these kinds of events.

It’s a great way to get to know people and businesses within your community. It helps provide exposure to your business and can strengthen your understanding of your business and how it can serve oth-ers.

There is much to know about the art of networking. However, this should give you an idea of why you would want to consider it and how it should be ap-proached.

So sign up for an event and start net-working for business.

Your roleas connector

rkingg for business.

8 Powerful Women Spring 20108 P f l W

Cambridge Chamberof Commerce BA5

Guelph Chamberof Commerce BA5

K-W Chamber ofCommerce Breakfast Series

Guelph-Wellington Business Enterprise Centre Wake-Up Call

Kitchener-WaterlooPower of Women Exchange

Monthly Lunchtime NetworkingThe first Tuesday of each month

11 a.m. - 2 p.m.Royal Canadian Legion Polish Br.

601 Wellington St. N., KitchenerFor more info & to register visit

www.powe.ca

Calendar of Events

StratfordPower of Women Exchange

Monthly Lunchtime NetworkingThe third Wednesday of each month

11 a.m. - 2 p.m.The Stratford Rotary Complex

353 McCarthy Rd., StratfordFor more info & to register visit

www.powe.ca

Women’s Networking Groups

Chamber & Business Centre Networking

Monthly Evening NetworkingMondays from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

March 22nd, April 19thMay 17th, June 21st

For more info & to register visitwww.cambridgechamber.com

Monthly Evening NetworkingTuesdays from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

March 23, April 27thMay 25th, June 29th

For more info & to register visitwww.guelphchamber.com

Monthly Morning NetworkingThe third Tuesday of each month

7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.For more info & to register visit

www.guelphbusiness.com

Monthly Morning NetworkingThursdays from 7:30 a.m. - 9 a.m.March 11th, April 22nd, May 27th

For more info & to register visitwww.greaterkwchamber.com

Make Networking Events Part of Y our Regular Agenda

Guelph WomenIn Networking

Monthly Evening NetworkingThe first Tuesday of each month

5 p.m. - 9 p.m.Guelph Country ClubWoodlawn Rd., Guelph.

For more info & to register visitwww.gwin.ca

Cambridge WomenIn Networking

Monthly Lunchtime NetworkingThe third Thursday of each month

12 p.m. - 1 p.m.King’s Buffet

Hespeler Rd., Cambridge.For more info & to register call

519-242-7629


When you walk into a room, this is what it’s all about. Whether it’s a business meeting or networking event, you want to make a great first impression. Feeling confident and comfortable with your image will enable you to do just that. So ask yourself... Do you like the way you wear your hair or make-up? Are you comfortable in the suit or dress you chose to wear for the occasion? Do your feet hurt because your shoes are brand new?

How you feel about your appearance will be refl ected in your overall im-

age during a fi rst meeting. So making sure you feel confi dent in your appearance is key to a successful fi rst impression.

Boost your confi dence by scheduling regular appointments with your hairstyl-ist for haircuts, colour, or highlights. Ask them to recommend a hair style that you can easily maintain and use the products they recommend to keep your hair in tip-top condition between visits.

A make-up lesson will help you become familiar with current trends and tech-niques. Many salons have trained make-up artists available for make-up applica-tions or lessons to promote professional make-up lines they carry and retail.

But what if you don’t have a regular hairstylist or salon to go to? Ask for a re-ferral from a friend or co-worker whose hair or make-up you admire. Referrals are often a great way to fi nd the right per-son for you.

Another alternative is the internet which has become the most popular re-source for fi nding what you need.

More and more salons, who want to

reach out to potential new guests, as well as communicate with their current cli-ents, use social media sites, such as Fa-cebook and Twitter, or salon web sites to provide the most up-to-date information and testimonials of their work. Often sa-lons have downloadable coupons for you to save on products and services too.

Many now have reward programs to re-ward their guests for retail purchases and referrals. This will reduce your costs and keep you coming back as well as referring your family and friends.

Once you are wearing the right make-up and hairstyle, the rest should simply fall into place. A business casual look is often acceptable for early morning or luncheon meetings. Never wear shoes that are brand new or not suitable for the season. Knowing you look and feel great about your appearance, you will confi -dently shake hands and make your intro-duction (usually around 12 words). And with a confi dent image, you will defi nite-ly make a great fi rst impression whether you are 12 feet or 12 inches away!

By Paula Snow-Keough,The Cutting Room Salon and Day Spa

Your Image... 12 feet x 12 inches x 12 wordsMaking a Great F irst Impression

417 King Street WestUnit #6 in Ziggy Cycle Building

519 [email protected]

www.tcrsalonandspa.com

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Remember when you f irst learned how to drive? The excitement, the anxiety, the expectation? Jumping behind the wheel of socia l media can be just as great an adventure.

With these 5 tips, you won’t need to white-knuckle it on the road to so-

cial media success. 1. Pick a destination. There’s nothing

more fun than a road trip. But for it to be successful you need to know where you’re going. So fi gure out your objec-tives for social media, e.g. fi nd new cli-ents? Joint venture opportunities? Profes-sional development? P.S. make sure you bring a map in case you get sidetracked.

2. Get comfy cozy. Before you start the car, get comfortable in your surround-ings. Pick just two or three social media sites to start, and spend some time learn-ing how to use the site, what other people are posting, and what the “style” is. For example, Facebook is casual, friendly and fun while LinkedIn is professional, formal and business-like.

3. Rev your engine. Ready? Fill out a profi le that tells others a little about you and that shows some personality. You are on “social” media, after all. And defi nite-ly post a picture of yourself. No picture or profi le screams “Don’t talk to me” or “I’m a spammer”.

4. Put it in gear, baby! It’s time to en-gage. Nervous? Don’t sweat it. See what others are posting and simply comment or answer a question they’ve asked. Once you’re comfortable and ready to post, go for it. Post or comment on an article, a thought, an idea, a question, a picture, a video – the most important thing is to en-gage in a two-way dialogue.

5. Stick your head out the win-dow and enjoy the scenery. Remem-ber, you’re on a road trip. Have somefun, already!

Harp AroraPrincipal Brand ConsultantSedona Communications

5 Tips for Social Media Newbies5 Ti f S i l

Road TripSuccessful Marketing in the 21st Century

Helping entrepreneurs build brands that get noticed.

www.SedonaCommunications.com519-747-5793

Branding • Social Media • MarketingBranding • Social Media • Marketing


Windows 7 has to be the best operating system yet from Microsoft. We all loved XP, for many years; it was every (wo)man’s business tool of choice. We managed to hang in there for three service packs, and a gazillion updates over the years, waiting for the perfect replacement.

First Windows operatingsystem to make the grade

Rhonda CozzarinHelpMePC

Vista was meant to be just that, full of visuals that oddly resembled Mac. The

backlash was unpredictable – the business community disliked it, and so did the tech-nicians. Vista was too big, and too bossy for most of us to appreciate the complexities from within.

Vista launched at the end of January, 2007 – and crashed almost immediately. Windows 7 launched in October of 2009, and immediately people were dumping Vista – not XP. Sales of Windows 7 are up 82% compared with those for Vista during the same post-launch time pe-riod. Perhaps this is because Vista was market-ed too strongly, and everyone was in a happy place with XP. We could also surmise that us-ers were anxious to replace Vista. Whatever the reason, you will be pleasantly surprised with how easy Windows 7 is to use.

The fi rst operating system to make the grade, Windows 7 is perfect for business. It’s fast, clean and can be personalized to the way that you work.

10 highlights of Windows 71. Personalize your desktop in a new

and exciting way. 2. Preview open documents and pro-

grams in the task bar.3. View frequently used items in a jump

list.4. Pin frequently used programs to the

task bar or start menu5. Pin frequently used documents to an

applications jump list6. Customize your system tray7. Do searches from the start menu8. Tweak User Account controls to

reduce the number of security certifi -cates

9. Quickly locate Windows Updates in the Control Panel

10. A revised look to Paint that mimics the Offi ce 2007 Ribbon

Computing for the Geekaphobe

www.helpmepc.ca

Su� er from geekaphobia?We have your an� dote!

Computer training & supportwithout the geek-speak.

519-500-6163 [email protected]


Profile: Mayor Brenda Halloran

With a large set of transferable skills, help from her friends, she launched

a campaign as the in-experienced underdog and won by an astound-ing majority. Although many pointed to her lack of political experience, her campaign strategy focused on reaching as many people as she could in their homes and busi-nesses. While going door to door, she explained that she would always strive to work for the in-terests of the people of Waterloo and would help them fi ght for their rights. Brenda’s strong moral fi bre, values and ethics along with her willingness to “roll up my shirt sleeves and dig in” attitude helped her win by an overwhelming majority.

Many people would think they had reached the pinnacle of their career with such an achievement, but Mayor Halloran felt it was another venture in a life fi lled with new challenges. She has surpassed every goal she set for herself when she took offi ce and has set many new ones. When she sees a need in the community, she works to meet it.

Brenda champions the homeless and

supportive housing. Her joy and delight is clear when she describes the housing

project she initiated – the windows are about to be installed, and they’ve raised almost all of the funds they need. She looks for every oppor-tunity to make improve-ments for the homeless, seniors, students and her community.

Mayor Halloran be-lieves in a collabora-tive leadership style. She takes time to listen to all sides, looks at the big picture, and decides, with the help of council, how best to represent all citizens. “I fi rmly be-

lieve that democracy is about the voice of the people and making that voice heard.” She has a gift for seeing the big picture and how the pieces fi t together. Then she says, “Let’s do it!”

I asked Brenda what advice she would give women considering a change of ca-reer path or starting a business.

“Believe in yourself! It’s okay to take the risk because the best person you have to fall back on is yourself,” she replied.

She also offered other tips: Don’t be >

By Arlene Mahood, Campus Director, triOS College

Believe in Y ourself & Take the Risk

ptbrfltmsc

ltStb

Photo courtesy ofCity of Waterloo.


afraid to reach out and ask for help, or to offer help. Know that you can do what-ever you set your mind to do. Mayor Hal-loran has never let anyone or anything distract her from what she wants to do.

Brenda plans to spend the next year looking for opportunities to expand Wa-terloo’s profi le and continuing her active political agenda of bringing social and environmental change to this city she loves so passionately. She is very proud of what she’s done, and her record of ac-complishments speaks for itself.

In the words of her favourite quote by

Winston Churchill, “You make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give.” Brenda Halloran certainly gives her calling as Mayor of Waterloo her all.

Arlene Mahood is a writer and Cam-pus Director of the triOS College Kitch-ener Campus. triOS College helps adults make their career change dreams a real-ity. Her campus offers 25 adult education programs in the areas of business, legal, health care and technology, including two new programs: Addiction Work and Video Game Development and Design.

Goal setting is something that many people fi nd intimidating and yet it

is a simple and effective way to defi ne and achieve your dreams. Often, year af-ter year of failed New Year’s resolutions leave us feeling that we don’t have the willpower to achieve what we set out to. In reality though, resolutions are noth-ing more than an intention to act whereas goals are intentions with an action plan and a specifi c end point in mind.

As a business woman, you’ll constant-ly need to set goals. Following these fi ve strategies will help you stay on track.

1. Start with the big picture: Goals are dreams with a deadline so dream as big as you want to. Think about what it is you want to achieve in all areas of your life; fi nancial, family, career etc.

2. Know your motivation: People want things for different reasons. For one person “save $1,000 by December” could be the spending money for Christmas gifts while for someone else it could be the security of building an emergency fund. Knowing why you are working towards your goal will help you stay motivated and on track when the going is tough.

3. Set S.M.A.R.T. goals: To be most effective your goals should be Specifi c, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time Specifi c. “Book fi ve client meetings” is a great goal but attaching a realistic time frame, for example “book fi ve client meet-ings this month” or “book fi ve client meet-ings per week” sets clear expectations for when the goal should be achieved.

4. Write your goals down: Writing goals down is crucial to success. Writing things down is a subconscious commit-ment to action so make sure that you put your goals on paper and then place them somewhere you will see them every day to keep yourself motivated and on track.

5. Attach an action plan: Some goals can be completed with just one step; others need a series of actions to be realized. Make time to attach a clear ac-tion plan to your goals and celebrate your successes every step of the way.

Effective goal setting can help increase productivity, raise your level of achieve-ment and allow you to balance your life more easily, reducing stress and increas-ing happiness. Give it a try this month and see how much you can achieve!

Staying on Track with Goal SettingBy Sarah Yetkiner, Careers Services Consultant, triOS College, Kitchener

Profile: Mayor Brenda Halloran


Irene Pawlik,Investors Group

“I know it’s here somewhere.” “I’ ll have

to get back to you about that.” “Where’s

that............? ” Sound familia r? If so, chaos

has crept into your small business and if not

kept in check will spread like a virus.

Establish good habits and be persistent

Disorganization and confusion are irri-tating, but they’re also just plain bad

for business. Think of it as a formula: in-creasing chaos equals decreasing profi ts.

For purposes of income tax, many books of accounts, records, and source documents have to be retained for a mini-mum of six years after the end of the last tax year to which they relate.

In the case of records regarding capital purchases, they should normally be kept until six years after the end of the tax year in which the capital property was sold.Here’s what you can do to make

record management easy:1. Establish offi ce management rou-

tines and stick to them.2. Keep your business and personal ex-

penses separate.

3. Get suffi cient documentation for all business expenses.a) Always get a receiptb) Label your receiptsc) File your receipts

4. Get a separate bank account for your business – and use it.

5. Keep a mileage log of your business travel.

6. Keep all your business records for a particular tax year together and in one place.

7. Schedule the scut work.8. Make business planning a priority.

These eight things you can do to make your record management easy aren’t dif-fi cult. Like a lot of the administrative busi-ness related to running a business, they just require establishing good habits and persistence. But if you apply these rules of

good record managementnow and fol-low through, you’ll see a huge differ-ence next tax time and your ac-counting will be easier all year long.

Record Management Made Easy

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Lloyd LongfieldPresident & CAOGuelph Chamber

of Commerce

Talent is the life blood of a successful

business. K nowing who has the best talent is

one thing, but for your business to compete

you not only need to find it, you need to be

able to capture it and keep it.

Women are outpacing men in the race to the fi nish at Canada’s uni-

versities. In 2007 148,000 women gradu-ated from four year programs, compared to 95,000 men. Soon seven out of ten graduates will be women.

How does business react to, and take advantage of, the dramatically changing labour pool coming from our universi-ties? Pay equity is the perfect tool to en-able businesses to take advantage of the best talent that is available, and pay eq-uity is now the law for businesses with more than 10 employees.

Pay equity is an objective way for valuing jobs within an organization. It takes the guesswork out of where people fall in your company’s pay scale. Just like you need to follow health and safety guidelines under provincial law, you now

need to demonstrate you have a means to evaluate your staff equitably.

Four main groups for evaluation are Skill, Effort, Responsibility and Work-ing Conditions. These groups are further divided into 11 sub-factors, to which you can apply different weightings.

These weightings are used to determine a point scale for each worker, so that the value of each position in the company can be calculated. (Visit www.payequity.gov.on.ca/peo/english/pubs/tools_formu-la_mini1.html for formula.)

The old saying “The best man for the job is a woman” is becoming more appli-cable all the time. Businesses that com-pete best for the attraction of women to their workforce will come out ahead in the race for talent. And talent is the life-blood of a successful business.

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Brokerage Ltd

If you are a business woman caring for an aging

parent while running your own company, burn-out

can come quickly without planning and preparation.

Planning and preparationare key

As Baby Boomers age, it has become common for adults in a certain age

range to be in a situation where they are caring for at least one elderly parent and also raising children, working and taking care of other responsibilities. A special term has been created to describe this segment of our population – the sandwich generation.

Sandwichers, as the term implies, are right between adolescent children and aging parents and tend to lead hectic, busy lives trying to care for everyone. For example, a typical 30-something woman might have the following responsibilities in a given day: busy career, caring for children, picking up and dropping off kids, preparing dinner, meeting clients, performing presentations and networking, helping ailing parents with their needs and maintenance of two homes and housework, just to mention a few.

It comes as no surprise that those per-

forming all of these tasks tend to get burnt-out quickly.

Although no one wants to put their parent in a nursing home, there are occasions when getting extra help is necessary. If the parent requires frequent medical care, is bedridden or needs medication during times when the caregiver cannot provide care, then a senior facility may be the best option. There are also options for hiring in a nurse or senior caregiver to come into the parent’s home a few hours each day. This can be a great help to the professional, entrepreneur or execu-tive woman in removing some of the stress.

Planning and preparation are key. When the family home becomes too much to man-age or no longer safe, the process will be smooth and as stress free as possible with careful planning. Hiring professionals spe-cializing in seniors on the move will ensure that you are prepared for that inevitable day.


Cathy Mendler, A New Leaf

Did you know that 80% of clutter in most homes (and offi ces) is a result

of disorganization – not lack of space? Have you spent a whole day or weekend attempting to sort through your clutter and ended up with a worse mess?

There are many reasons for clutter. Procrastination, perfectionism, traumatic events, indecision and illness are just a few. Does your hectic schedule often leave you feeling like there’s not enough hours in the day? It’s easy for things to get out of control when our lives are so busy. Why does this happen?

It happens because we have become a society that likes to accumulate stuff. Why is there such a high value placed on having so many possessions? This compulsion to accumulate causes clutter. How do you deal with that clutter?

Make a PlanThe fi rst step is to set aside some time

to think about what you want to organize. Grab a pen and some paper. Did you know that if you write down your goals, you are more likely to achieve them?

Dream big – even if you think it’s unattainable. It’s amazing what you can accom-plish when you

Are you a business woman who’s found

the f irst quarter of this new year and

new decade already busier than ex-

pected? Have you already given up on

your New Y ear’s resolutions? If get-

ting rid of clutter in 2010 is on your

list, read on.

De-clutterMake Time to

break a big dream down into small projects.

Create a Master ListGo through your house and think about

one room at a time. If you take a picture of the room, you’ll look at it more objectively. Determine what function each room has to fulfi ll. Create a different zone for each ac-tivity if the room has to perform multiple functions.

Your master list should contain all of the projects that you want to complete with a realistic estimate of the time you think each project will take. The next step is to prioritize your list and determine which room you will work on fi rst.

ScheduleYou may not be able to complete a

room all at once. If necessary, divide it into sections, and work on one section at a time. If you only have one hour, pick a project from your list that you can com-plete in that time period.


During sleep the body is actively repairing its cells and eliminating its waste. Upon wak-ing it needs to be refuelled and provided with nutrients in order to work. Eating breakfast provides your body with the nutrients it needs to perform your daily functions.

by Erika Holenski, KW Health Connection

Eating breakfast everyday will increase your energy, mental capacity and over-

all productivity! If you do not eat breakfast because you

feel ill or are absolutely not hungry, start your day with a glass of warm water (before your coffee or tea) and after a few days your appetite will return.

Here are seven of my favourite break-fasts to help you refuel all week long:

1. 2 Eggs with a slice of toast and piece of fruit. Eggs can be poached, scrambled, fried (in a little bit of canola oil) or boiled. To poach an egg fi ll pan 3/4 full of water and bring to a bubble. Crack egg gently into water. Cook until desired yolk consistency.

2. Cup of yogurt (at least 2% fat), handful of your favourite nuts and seeds (I prefer sunfl ower seeds, cashews and almond slices), piece of fruit.

3. On the go shake: 1-2 scoops protein powder (without artifi cial sweeteners) or 2 tbsp. silken tofu, 1 1/2 cup milk (rice, almond, soy, cow),

Re ci p e s f o r Su cce s s

1/2 banana, 1/3 cup frozen berries, 1/2 avocado. Blend all ingredients together.

4. Amaranth porridge: 1 cup of amaranth, 3 cups of water, handful of almond slices, 1/2 cup apple or pear slices, 1/2 cup milk. In a saucepan combine wa-ter, amaranth, pear/apple slices and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10-15mins. Top with seeds/nuts and milk. A varia-tion is to use quick oats instead of amaranth; how-ever amaranth contains more protein than oats.

5. Buckwheat pancakes: 1 cup buckwheat fl our, 2 eggs, 1 cup milk (or milk substitute), 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. baking soda. To taste add cinnamon, nutmeg, apples, berries, bananas, chocolate chips. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Spoon desired amount into a hot and lightly greased frying pan. Flip when bubbles appear in the centre of the pancake and cook the other side. Add maple syrup or jam.

6. Muffi ns: 1 cup wheat bran, 1/2 cup oat bran, 1 cup milk (or milk alternative), 1 egg lightly beaten, 3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce, 1/4 cup molasses, 1 cup whole wheat fl our, 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 3/4 tsp. sea salt, 1 1/2 cup blueberries. Preheat oven to 350F. Mix wheat bran, oat bran, egg, milk, apple sauce together until wet. Add the remaining in-gredients. Bake for 20-25 mins. Enjoy with al-mond butter or tahini.

7.Turkey sausage (nitrite free) with a side of toast with humus, tomato and avocado with a dash of sea salt and pepper.

A few tips for thesurprising morning

Keep 1-2 hard boiled eggs in the fridge in case you need to grab on the go. Make extra on your day(s) off and keep for a quick reheat in the morning; double batch the porridge cereal and keep the second batch in the fridge; make 1 or 2 batches of pancakes and muffi ns, and freeze a batch for another week.

for your day aheadRefuelling

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Marcie Nolan after completing the 2008 Halifax Weekend to End Breast Cancer

A Y ear-Long Journey to Beat Breast Cancer.A modif ied excerpt from the Prologue (In the beginning…) and Chapter 1/F inding the Lump (I did not see that coming).*

My MarmoirsThe True Story of a Head on a Stick

Inever ever answer my phone. Ask any-one who knows me. Never. My friends

already have their voice mail messages composed in their heads while my phone is ringing. I love people; I just can’t talk to them on the phone. I’ve often won-dered what it is about the phone ringing that makes my heart race and my upper lip per-spire. Well, on April 28, 2005, I got my answer. Or a damn good theory, at least.

I was thirty-two years old, seven months preg-nant with my second child, and my daughter, Bryn, was two and a half years old. My husband loved me and I adored him. We had recently bought our fi rst house; a beautiful house in a great neighbourhood. We even had a cozy little fenced back-yard full of lovely plants, fl owers, and enough room for our kids to run around. I taught French as a Second Language at an elementary school. I had a close group of friends. Life was good. Really, really good. And then I answered my stinking phone.

“Marcie? It’s Dr. MacGillivray calling. Who’s there with you right now?”

Have you ever been really scared? So scared you couldn’t speak? Have you ever felt so terrifi ed that it seemed as though there was a lump in your throat? A big one? Me too, only it started in my right breast. The lump, I mean. Months

later, as I listened to my doctor tell me news that would change my life forever, that lump moved into my throat.

Here’s a lovely image for you: me, in the shower, in all my fi ve-months-pregnant glory.

As I absentmindedly soaped up my armpit (there’s another, even better, image for you), I distinctly remember the feel-ing of terror. The feeling of a large, hard lump in my right breast. Not the kind of lump you’d have to fi sh around

for. Not the kind that you feel and say to yourself, “Hmm, that’s odd. It’s probably nothing”. It was the kind of lump that sends a chill down your spine because suddenly you know. You may not even know yet what it is that you know, but you are certain of something.

At that moment in time, I pushed my gut feeling deep, deep down and began reasoning with myself. It’s amazing what we’re willing to believe, even from our-

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Continued on page 21 >

Trials & Tribulations: Beating the Odds


Arecent McKinsey report, The McKin-sey Leadership Project, interviewed

successful women around the world to understand the discrepancy. Their fi nd-ings reveal a leadership model best suited to women that comprises broad and in-terrelated dimensions including meaning, managing energy, connecting and engaging. McKinsey calls this model Centered Leader-ship. “As the name implies it’s about having a well of physi-cal, intellectual, emotional and spiritual strength that drives personal achievement and in turn inspires others to follow.”

McKinsey’s Centered Lead-ership mirrors what the Satir Model calls congruent lead-ership where SELF, OTHER and CONTEXT are equally valued and acknowledged. Using a congruent model is a way to remain centred.

The SELF is who we are, how we feel, how we judge ourselves, what expecta-tions we hold. Minimizing the self is an invitation to reduced energy, illness and under appreciation by others.

The OTHER requires equal attention in any relationship. Good listening and observation skills help to keep others in equal relationship.

The CONTEXT is the ever-shifting milieu in which relationships develop and

inform responses and reactions. Learning to hold these three aspects of congruent relating is vital to successful leadership.

“Motherhood and management drains energy in a particularly challenging way” not only for women who have children at home, but for women who are respon-

sible for co-ordinating care for their aging parents or for other family members.

The challenges can be intense when everyone is healthy, but what if a sibling is diagnosed with cancer or a mother in law is slowly disappearing through the maze of Alzheimer’s.

“If work-life balance is a myth, the only hope women have is to balance our energy fl ow. This means basing our

priorities on the activities that energize us both at work and at home and actively managing our resources to avoid dipping into reserves.”

McKinsey’s report suggests talented women thrive when meaning and con-necting are implicit parts of our experi-ence. “Meaning is the motivation that moves us. It enables us to discover what interests us and to push ourselves to the limit. It makes the heart beat faster, pro-vides energy, and inspires passion.”

Is meaning important for leaders? “Studies have shown that among pro-

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Gloria TaylorCT Consulting

Take Ownership &Find Your Voice

Women in Leadership

By Gloria Taylor and Deborah Cardiff, CT Consulting

As women, we start careers in business and other professions with high levels of intelligence, education and commitment. Y et comparatively few of us reach the top echelons in our respective f ields.


fessionals, it translates into greater job satisfaction, higher productivity, lower turnover, and increased loyalty.” When we are in leadership positions we can begin to serve a vision infused with a larger purpose. Our work can shift naturally from produc-ing results to encouraging the growth of others who produce results.

Successful leaders can be described as having a style that looks like a web of inclusion in which we do not see ourselves at the top of a hierarchy but in the centre of a web of connec-tions.

Our leadership is character-ized more by facilitation, directing infor-mation and transmitting data outwards, than by competitiveness. Our authority in the web can be just as powerful as in a hi-erarchy but manifests in different ways.

In fact the hierarchical model of lead-ership is becoming outdated. It seems

then that as women we are uniquely po-sitioned for a centred or congruent model of leadership.

The women interviewed by McKinsey said they needed to create their own luck.

To engage with opportunities by taking ownership of them, the fi rst step is to fi nd their own voice.

The women who wanted to grow as leaders also had to take ownership of their profes-sional development. This type of engagement is also about risk taking, fi nding the courage and confi dence to dive in.

As women we are all uniquely positioned to create

a new model of leadership in our world and our organizations. We can commit to the continual development of awareness. We have the capacity to choose to give ourselves to something larger than our-selves. In the process just maybe the old models and hierarchies will shift.

S i 2010 PPow ferf lul WWomen 2121

selves, when we really want to. That day, I called my family doctor, met with him and he quickly opted to send me for a series of tests, including a breast ultra-sound (since a mammogram was out of the question for a pregnant woman), a needle biopsy, and a core biopsy.

Driving home from that fi rst doc-tor’s appointment, I remember thinking to myself how much better I felt. I had been proactive, had gone to see my doc-tor right away, and we were taking ac-tion. Much better than assuming it was nothing (even though it was defi nitely

nothing). It’s nice to be taken seriously. Even though it was nothing (did I men-tion that already?). So, my denial ran deep. What can I say?

“Marcie? It’s Dr. MacGillivray call-ing. Who’s there with you right now?”

I hung up the phone, stunned. My shaking body was reacting to the news that I had breast cancer, but my brain was not. Not yet.

I don’t recall most of what that fate-ful phone conversation entailed, but I do know that, as I held the receiver to my ear, I believed that my life would never be the same. And I was right.

My Marmoirs: The True Story of a Head on a Stick

Marcie Nolan is a Writing Consultant for the Centre for Students with Disabilities at the Univer-sity of Guelph. We continue with Marcie’s story in the next issue of Powerful Women Magazine and learn how she managed to cope with every day challenges in the work place while battling breast cancer. Don’t miss it. Visit www.powerfulwomen.ca to subscribe.

Continued from page 19

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Deborah CardiffCT Consulting


Tina DezsiCEO/Founder, Power of Women Exchange

Every great big dream starts with an individ-ual thought, a single idea that can change the world. It all starts with the Power of One, the power in us to dream a dream, build a plan and the power we have to achieve it.

Women United for Best Seller

For most of my life I have been an entrepreneur screaming to get out,

taking some time to realize that I had the power to change any time I found the courage to do so.

Then one day, it happened; without bor-ing you with all the sordid details (you’ll have to read the book for that) I walked out of my cushy, well paying job and into the abyss. Well, not really the abyss, more like scariest place I had been to date! I woke up one day, got on a plane and meditated on the beach in the sunny south trying to fi gure out what to do next. Voila, the idea came to me - start my own business and so I did.

Along the way, I have had many fi rsts as ideas seem to seep into my brain every mo-ment of every day (yes, when I am trying to sleep too). One such idea came out of necessity; The Power of Women Exchange (POWE) was created to help women build relationships to grow our businesses.

Some ideas are good, some bad and some stand as a distraction to my focus. Our book, our pride and joy, the Power of Women United was an idea that Lia Bandola and I had together of giving

women a tool to light their path know-ing someone else had walked it before. Sounds easy right? Wrong; nothing hap-pens overnight!

The Power of Women United book was born after fi ve years and fi nally fi nd-ing the right 20 women to join us on this journey. Working hard together we pulled

this huge project off with vi-sion, stamina and belief! The process is just like birthing a baby. Birthing a book takes preparation, time to grow and a whole lot of talent to push out that amazing baby that the world will be in awe of!

Having our book be-come a Canadian Best Seller is a joy shared with all the women who read the book. I live my life every day being the

change I want to see in the world!True power exists when women unite,

collective voices that can move moun-tains as we surround it with love, under-standing and education.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has,” Margaret Mead said.

Living the Dream, One Idea at a Time!


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TransformationalLeadership

The health of any organization depends on congruent leadership. CT Consulting challenges

leaders to explore their leadership styleas well as their level of self mastery. Thefacilitators motivate the participants to

uncover their leadership blind spots and to move to a position of clarity and self mastery.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS:CREATING AUTHENTIC LEADERS

Who Should Attend? Women who are leaders or aspire to leadership roles in business, government, NGO’s, health care or education.

Transformational Leadership is Leadership from the Inside Out.

We explore enduring principles such as authenticity, courage and purpose. These principles in practice produce tangible, measurable results both within organizations and for the participants’ personal lives.

The program assists women to:

re-discover meaning in their work•

manage and restore energy levels•

sustain and expand networks•

take ownership for decisions and risk-taking•

CT Consulting helps organizations adapt to a rapidly changing environment. We work with corporate leaders, team leaders and their teams, as well as HR departments in business, government agencies and charitable organiza-tions. We believe that people are any organization’s best capital.

Call for information about the upcoming Women in BusinessLeadership Program or to discuss training or coaching services.

519-884-6059 • www.ctconsulting.ca • [email protected]

powerful women magazine spring 2010

Documents

launch of powerful women

business women

fabulous women

powerful womens goal

powerful womens ultimate

issue of powerful womencall

goal setting

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