Amandah Wood, Keynote Speaker - Getting in on the Ground Floor

Amandah Wood, Keynote speaker - Getting in on the Ground Floor

Join us for Getting in on the Ground Floor, Young Women in Business Toronto’s inaugural meetup.

Getting in on the Ground Floor is an exciting networking event for new grads to learn from like-minded women on their path to starting a career.

We’re thrilled to announce Amandah Wood as the keynote speaker at the event. Amandah is the Founder and Editor of Ways We Work, a digital publication disseminating stories and first-hand experiences of people doing the work they love. It explores both the successes as well as the challenges they face.

Ways We Work likes to ask the ‘behind the scenes’ questions to get a real sense of the grit, hustle and organizational skills required to succeed in an individual’s chosen career path.

Amandah will be providing both insightful and inspirational accounts of the numerous women she has interviewed. You will leave with various considerations for your own business or workplace, learning from women who are passionate about their work, to find a workplace that you will not just enjoy, but thrive in.

We enthusiastically welcome all new grads and young professionals interested in making new connections and flexing their networking muscles to check out our event. Come mingle with women of all different educational fields, careers and industries. Walk in with questions and walk away inspired.

“Getting in on the Ground Floor” is being hosted at the Tangerine Downtown Toronto Café, 221 Yonge St. on Wednesday May 25th, 2016 from 6:30-8:30pm. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased here on Eventbrite.

Not Where You Want to Be? That's Okay

It can be a hard pill to swallow when you’re not where you want to be. For some, that can mean in your personal life or your professional life. Maybe you’re stuck at a job that you dislike, but for the time being is temporary because you’re working towards something better, something that you’re passionate about. It’s a hard feeling when you don’t feel like you’re there yet, because when everyone around you seems to be finding new jobs or getting settled into a new one, you feel stuck, unable to reach that next level. Because frankly, there is no next level. Maybe you’re starting to realize that it’s not just a shaky feeling that will go away after a few days, maybe you’ve decided that it’s time to quit your job. Now I’m not saying go in tomorrow morning and tell your boss you’re leaving without having a backup plan first, but maybe you feel like it’s time to make a change in your life and you’ve decided you’re ready to look for something that’s more in lined with your interests. As a young professional in their early 20’s, I’m constantly exploring my interests outside of work. I like blogging, social media, movies, singing, and countless other things, so how do I narrow that down to find a job that can give me what I’m looking for?

I think you first need to understand what exactly it is that you’re looking for in a new job. My friends and I talk a lot about the importance of work culture and what that does for somebody who is young, ambitious and starting out in the work world. Work culture can mean a number of different things like how old are the coworkers you’ll be working with? Is there any room for growth in this company? Can I see myself working here for more than a year? Will I be working with a close knit group on something I am passionate about? It’s very overwhelming, and it's not easy job hunting and the expectations are extremely high for young people who are applying to jobs. I constantly search the internet to find a job that is right for me and lose track of how many places I have applied too. Maybe the problem isn't finding “the perfect job”, maybe I need to find companies that have a work culture that I can fit into and grow with. A place that allows me to be myself and help me become a better person. Now, how do I find that? Well the reality is you might not be so lucky on your first try, and that’s okay. We have all had less than stellar jobs and worked for companies that aren’t perfect for us, but that’s how we grow and learn from our experiences. My advice is to talk to your friends and reach out to your network of people and do research on a company that sounds interesting to you. Toronto is filled with so many amazing companies that I didn’t even know existed if it wasn’t for researching online, going to networking events and talking to my friends about what it is that I’m looking for.

So what’s my advice to you? Keep reaching for what it is that you’re looking for! Even if you’re not 100% sure what that is yet. Volunteer for a not-for-profit, join a club, go to networking events, or take a class of some sort. I think the biggest thing you can do to help yourself get out of this funk you’re in when you’re stuck in a job you dislike is to develop your interests outside your 9-5 life. It’s not easy, you’re tired after work and want to go home, curl up and binge watch but it’s important to make time for the things that count. The things that will take you to where you want to be later down the road. We all get stuck in something that doesn’t bring us as much joy as it could, but don’t worry it isn’t permanent, hang in there! Explore your passions as a young 20 something, because this is the time to do so. Take the risks you’ve been meaning to take and keep an open mind about new opportunities. Don’t lose the spark of optimism.

What I learned from Shatter: Breaking the Glass Ceiling

When you start your first job as a career woman, it’s safe we could all use a little advice. In the beginning we want it all; a great title, a sufficient salary to supporting myself yourself as an adult, but most importantly we want to be a part of a work culture that values us and what we’re doing, something that goes beyond our actual responsibilities. We want to make connections with people, and leave an imprint as we create our legacy. Now I realize that’s a lot to ask at once, and I know it doesn’t happen at the very beginning, but young professionals today want to know how we can get to this point, and advice on how to follow our passions without selling out. So where does one go for career advice? I recently attended the Young Women in Business- Toronto Chapter conference, Shatter:Breaking the Glass Ceiling, a conference inspired by industry-leading women who have worked their way up the corporate ladder, or have taken the entrepreneurial route and created thing awesome. Regardless of the industry, all of these women had one thing in common—hustle. And passion, but mostly hustle, because nothing comes easy and working for what you want is the only way to solidify what’s yours.

You don’t need to choose sides

Whether you have a passion for entrepreneurship or prefer working in corporate, at this conference it wasn’t about one or the other. All the women talked about how hard work (the hustle) is key to getting to that place in your career where you can sit back, breathe and say “I did it". You have to be a team player and push yourself in order to grow and be able to take that next step in your career.

It’s not a “No Boys Allowed” club

Now I know when someone says “Young Women in Business” you think it’s ONLY women and men aren’t allowed because it’s about women supporting other women. To be honest, there were a few men at the conference who strongly support more women in male-dominated workplaces. One guy was even brave enough to ask a question on how he can recruit more women to his company. To me that’s brave and exactly what a business conference should be doing.

It’s okay to ask the tough questions

The second half of the conference was the panel of women from the corporate side speaking about pay raises and how to initiate a conversation like that with your boss. This struck a chord with me because this it’s something I could see myself struggling with in the future. So I decided to raise my hand and ask the panel, “How do you talk to your boss about a promotion?” and even asking that question made me nervous. When it comes to salary, things get tricky and complicated and it makes me nervous because what if the price you set for yourself is too high? Or what if what you’re asking is too low and they think you don’t believe in yourself enough? I learned that in order to go in and ask for a pay raise, you need to have evidence to support your case.

Keep a list of your accomplishments, projects you’ve worked on, and contributions to the company and set up a meeting with your boss to discuss your status with the company.

It’s easier said than done, but it’s a start. Open communication with your boss is also key in establishing your success because no wants to be blindsided. Be honest, be respectful and stand your ground.

Don’t let anyone tell you your passion is “silly” or “useless”

I mean hello, this is why their called passions or hobbies. It’s something we enjoy doing every day and can’t picture our lives without. So if you can make a career out of it, then why wouldn’t you? This one seems like a no brainer and the typical speech of “follow your heart”, but it’s passion that gets you somewhere and even if you haven’t figured it out yet or found your dream job for the 40-50 years, it’s okay! Dream big and chase after what you want. You can mistakes and try different career paths because in the end it will lead you to where you need to be.

Entrepreneur Panel: Rachel Bartholomew, Managing Director at CyberNorth Ventures

Rachel Bartholomew is the Managing Partner at CyberNorth Ventures, and the Founder of The Mod Market. She is passionate about supporting and growing entrepreneurship, new product development and technological innovation. She has completed her Bachelors of Business Administration from York University with honours in Management of Technology. She then pursued her Masters of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology at the University of Waterloo. Rachel is currently in the process of completing her Chartered Investment Manager designation with the Canadian Securities Institute. At CyberNorth Ventures, Rachel is in charge of investment decisions, scouting great technology companies and getting to their business inside and out. Over at The Mod Market, Rachel currently runs a team of 6 programmers developing out a 3D/Virtual Reality software aftermarket automotive industry uses to showcase modifications on vehicles using brand name parts.

Rachel has another passion besides the tech industry. She has been involved in competitive motorcross racing since the age of 12! She has raced across North America, but due to an injury, she switched over to car racing and has been doing that for about 7 years. She also showcases her musical side by producing minimal techno music.

Rachel has two biggest accomplishments. The first is being able to provide guidance as an entrepreneurial advisor at the University of Waterloo and through her role at CyberNorth Ventures. Her second is the ability to be a leader in all her hobbies and careers that are all male dominated. Having the courage to build up a thick skin in both the tech and motorcross industry, while staying true and honest to herself has been a huge accomplishment Rachel would like to pass on to other people. So why Young Women in Business? Rachel states, “If we cannot help them get off the ground, how else are we going to have more women presenting investment opportunities to me? They are few and far between, and Young Women in Business helps gather a network of women who can really help them succeed while providing great mentorship and support opportunities.”

Entrepreneur Panel: Rachel Paulter, Inbound Marketing at Chalk.com

Rachel Pautler is an entrepreneur at heart. With a background in Nanotechnology Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Rachel has a diverse background with startup companies that have inspired her over the years. She is currently an Inbound Marketer at Chalk.com, an app that helps teachers and schools organize their classrooms and lesson plans more quickly and efficiently. Rachel spends most of her time absorbing and creating content for blog posts, eBooks, and webinars. The rest of her time is spent analyzing how the product works and speaks with users on how to make the product even better. Rachel is also involved in an organization called Hacking Health in Kitchener-Waterloo, a community designed to connect healthcare professionals to entrepreneur’s to help create medical technology that actually works. Rachel has previously been involved in a startup company called Suncayr, where she was one of the co-founders. This has been a significant accomplishment for Rachel because of her role of Business Developer, she was also involved in the technical development of the product. Although she has moved on to different projects, the team at Suncayr is currently working on getting their product onto store shelves soon!

Rachel likes to encourage young women in business to pursue careers that they might have never thought was possible. She states, “Giving women a place to meet others pursuing business provides them with a phenomenal support system and confidence that they can pursue their dreams.”

Corporate Panel: Karima Shajani, Communications Project Manager at Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care

Karima Shajani is a Media and Communications Graduate from Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Ryerson University along with her Master’s in Environmental Applied Science and Management. Karima is the Communications Project Manager for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care where she develops, coordinates and manages communication products and services to ensure public understanding of ministry policies and programs that are related to health capital projects and Ontario’s Healthy Kids Strategy. Karima acts as the key point of contact between program/policy areas and the minster’s communications staff. Karima has a passion for life-long learning and sharing her knowledge with others. She volunteers her time as a writer and editor for various non-profit organizations, while also providing communications advice to various non-profit organizations. Most recently, Karima has served as a script writer and editor for a community culture show. Karima thinks it’s important to look at her accomplishments big and small. She is proud of her day-day delivery of communications products on time and effectively handling a crisis at work. These types of accomplishments are motivation for Karima to do her best. Another notable accomplishment was being able to teach at Seneca College back in 2014.

So why is an organization like Young Women in Business important to Karima? She says, “Being part of Young Women in Business means I can share my time and knowledge as well as learn from the other members of this organization. It’s important to share our experiences with each other so we can learn and grow.”

Corporate Panel: Renata Vaccaro, Technical Director at Klick Health

Renata Vaccaro is the Technical Director at Klick Health. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Ryerson University. With over 18 years of experience in the technology industry, Renata manages a team of developers and other technical staff, while providing technical solutions to business problems. Another big part of her role as a Director involves maintaining lasting client relationships, particularly with IT departments through remote and on site meetings across North America. She has proven to be a dynamic force within the tech industry, and helps motivate and inspire other female colleagues while serving as a committee member on the Women in Leadership Committee. Other volunteer activities Renata is involved in are events such as the Toronto Tech Summit and Girls in Tech. Renata looks at where she is right now in her career as one of her greatest accomplishments to date. She hopes this will always be her answer because she continuously pushes herself to grow, learn and become better. She believes Young Women in Business is important because, “Research shows that women run successful businesses, and that having a woman on the executive team is more likely to result in higher company valuations. This type of success can benefit everyone.”