[made in vancouver] recap
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By: @CarolinaHorna
Sometimes the best and most relatable stories are the homegrown ones. This sentiment inspired Tuesday’s #MadeinVancouver event with Aki Kaltenbach from Hootsuite, Genevieve Ennis Hume from Hume Atelier and Marissa Iannacone and Andrew Zappavigna from Take Five Café. All our speakers have had diverse experiences before landing where they are today. It was no surprise they had words of wisdom and it is no mystery why we listened eagerly.
Before working for Hootsuite, Aki worked in London for 5 years at an advertising agency and later at her family’s restaurant when she returned to Vancouver. She confesses that she loves how everyone at Hootsuite is encouraged to be entrepreneurial beyond his or her day job description.
Believing the four most important words are “how can I help”, Genevieve from Hume Atelier shared how not knowing what she was doing was the best thing while growing her jewelry crafting business. It forced her to learn fast and she soon discovered that what made her stand out were the stories that got built into her jewelry. She recognizes that this would not have been possible had they gone for larger volume.
Marissa has been at Take Five Café from the very beginning, starting off as a barista and later growing into a Marketing Manager role. Having been at Take Five for so long, you know her advice, “it doesn’t matter what you do but who you do it with”, are words she follows.
Take Five Café’s retail opps manager, Andrew, was a treasure trove of stories and advice. He understands that in order to grow your business you must hire into areas where your weaknesses lie, it will elevate you and your company. He told our ladies that even after graduating, your education never stops because you never cease being a teacher or a student. That’s why it’s important to surround yourself with people you believe are better than you because you’ll naturally strive to succeed.
A BIG thank you to all the attendees for coming out and giving us your time and attention on Tuesday evening. And to the four speakers, we appreciated your stories and for generously volunteering your time. We are sure you inspired many to create their own path to success right here in this city we love, Vancouver.
To see the most quoteable moments from the evening check out #MadeInVancouver on Twitter. Also, visit our lovely friends at Networking in Vancouver who reviewed the event too.
Until the next event - all our #ywiblove! Cheers!!
