in the mind of...demi

Teams. I've been lying on my bed all day today.  As fate would have it, once again I could not avoid the annual fever.  For the past 3 years that I have visited Hong Kong I always end up with some sort of severe flu or infection.  At least it's not swine flu!

OK, so far, this isn't relevant to the fundamental pillars of YWiB, let me get to it.  I am an incredibly needy person when I am sick, and at the moment, I am living by myself somewhere in the middle of Hong Kong with no solid foods in my flat except for 3 pieces of rather dry sliced bread.

Which leads me to think - how great it is to have a team.

Humans are social animals, especially women, who are genetically disposed to prefer making connections and working in groups.  One of the things that YWiB does is connect people, and one of our fundamental pillars is the concept of a team.

In commerce, we learn that the most important thing is networking.  The simplified version is to go to events and retain as many business cards as possible (I know, I know, it's actually more work than that).  I am not bad at getting the cards, but I am horrendous at staying in touch.  Attending YWiB events feels more like team building.  After I get the cards of these fabulous women, even if I haven't emailed them back after the initial "thanks for coming/speaking", I feel more comfortable in getting in touch again.  I think it's because we all essentially share a common goal to change the world by the power of women. Even with members or attendees of the events, I feel so much more at ease in introducing myself (note: I am extremely socially awkward).

Networking is important, you can learn of opportunities and information you would otherwise not be able to attain.  This may sound superficial, but it is essential to self-advancement. Teams though, they support each other in times of need.  When one is down, the others immediately step up without grand expectations of something in return.  When someone has a great idea, the rest to support it (or if its not actually that great, then bash it) without calculating "how can this benefit me?"

There are many good reasons to become part of a team: multiplied resources, sharing experiences, avenues of knowledge, momentum for change, etc.  Or sometimes, it's just nice to have people give you snaps because you bought a cute sweater the other day - and that's just one of many things YWiB girls are always good for. =)

Cheers, -D

In the mind of...nicky

Mentors. Here is one interesting way to view your parents: Life Mentors. I never really thought about this until I started to think about the importance of having mentors in your life. Your parents are the first to teach you how to walk, how to behave, and the first teach you countless other “how-to’s” for you to successfully survive in this world. And for me the most valuable aspect of having these life mentors guiding me is the comfort of knowing that they are rooting for me when I dealing with a difficult situation. Not only that but they also act as a sounding board for important decisions or act as someone to put me in my place when I am acting like a total idiot.

Now relate this to your professional life. Do you have someone as a professional mentor?

I was lucky enough to gain a professional mentor while I was fairly young. At the beginning I did not even realize that he was acting as a mentor figure and it was not until a few years later that I realized what an impact he had on my life. There was definitely a “mentor relationship learning curve”. And as you grow, you may find what you want to learn will change and therefore may seek out other mentors that can teach you. Out of my experiences, I can share that the most challenging part is finding the right person to fulfill that mentor role. But once you do, the value you gain from that relationship is very much worth it.

One way YWiB's university chapters are supporting young women in gaining a successful mentor relationship is helping them define elements that constitute as a successful relationship to them. By knowing what they are looking for it can make their search for a mentor a lot easier.

Nicky

in the mind of... marica

an eager beaver Ask me what the most valuable lessons I’ve learned are? Now ask me where I learned them?

No. Not in the classroom. And no, this isn’t a stab at the teaching at UBC; in fact I’ve enjoyed my classes so far and admire and appreciate many of my professors.

This is about the other kind of education that is imperative to discover before graduating university and moving on into the real world; the practical education that I find I use much more often than the classroom knowledge. What I’m talking about is the skills gained through getting involved.

I’m a bit of an eager beaver and have been involved in extracurricular clubs and activities since high school. It’s through these clubs that I’ve learned how to communicate and collaborate with others and to solve problems outside of a math equation. I’ve learned to be accountable not only to myself, but to others, and I've learned the meaning and importance of teamwork. These are just a few, and these are the practical skills required in the workplace – the real world.

This is why one of YWiB’s pillars is education. YWiB strives to enhance the education that young women accomplish at school with a practical component. YWiB offers many opportunities to get involved whether at university, through the new internship program, or as a member. It is also why we hold a variety of events throughout the year, all with different topics, but all geared towards the same end goal – to give young women additional tools and skills to advance in the workplace and to achieve success on their own terms.

What are you doing to enhance your education? How can you further develop your own skill set? How does YWiB fit into your equation and how can we help you build your story?

Chat again next week!

marica

in the mind of... paulina

I have to start off by saying… this blog post was A LOT harder for me to write than I thought it would be! Not because it’s a blog post, but because of the topic we chose: What does YWiB mean to you?

I thought about it hard. The first word that comes to my mind is: everything. I’ve been involved with YWiB since before it was what it is today, I’ve seen it s great success and tremendous impact it has, and I have also seen the lowest point of its existence- well, really, the brink of non-existence.

The journey I’ve had with this organization has been tremendously humbling and, thus far in my, albeit not very long yet, career, the single greatest learning experience I have ever had. If I can tell you anything about what YWiB has taught me, is that everything is exactly what you make of it. That applies to any life experience or anything you ever get involved with. You have the incredible opportunity to make an impact wherever you are, and it is your attitude and your willingness to continuously challenge yourself to learn and grow that will make you stand out and achieve your own success. Every time you join a new initiative or start a new relationship, you stand at the crossroads of making it great and rewarding, or… I challenge you to never follow the “or” path.

On the organizational level, YWiB is the intersection between your best girlfriend and your mom. It can help you grow, provide you with the resources to help you with your unique challenges, and allows you to be involved with the organization itself through internship and volunteer opportunities. We open up our resources and connect you with exceptional leaders in the community in the hopes of getting to know your story and seeing your dreams come true.

On a personal level, YWiB has allowed me to build truly powerful connections with ladies I am inspired by every day. The YWiB team (around 50 team members right now!) has the potential to truly change the world through their excitement, passionate pursuance of their goals, and extremely kind and generous hearts. I’m beyond honored to work with them and be able to call them my friends. A girl can only be so lucky!

To those I have already met through YWiB: a tremendous thank you. To those I have not yet had the incredible pleasure to meet: please introduce yourself! We’d love to hear from you and see how YWiB can help build your story…

All my best,

P

in the mind of...nicky

My first YWiB encounter happened when I was studying abroad in Europe during the start of 2008. Paulina (current President of YWiB) and I had planned a SKYPE chat for a long overdue catch up conversation. Unbeknown to me, our chat was happening in the midst of YWiB’s planning for their first ever Beyond Pink conference. It was to my surprise when a black screen popped up in place of where Paulina’s face should be. Me: “Why can’t I see you? I can hear your voice. Is your camera working? Helloooo?”

Paulina: “Yes, it’s working.”

Me: “Why do you sound so tired? What the heck, what’s wrong with this screen?” Pressing random buttons on my laptop.

Paulina: “I just don’t have the lights on in my room.”

Me: “What? Why? Turn it on.”

Paulina: “No, I don’t want to because I have not been getting much sleep and I look really, reallly bad.”

Me: “That is ridiculous, just turn on your lights! Why? What have you been doing?”

Paulina then started to share her story with me, in the dark, of what she had been a part of for the past few months.

So while I was in la-la land skipping through a life of traveling and “cultural learning activities”, there was a group of amazing young women pouring their passion and energy into executing a magical idea into a magical reality.  And when I returned to Vancouver, I knew I wanted to be a part of this magic.

YWiB to me means a place where young women can learn from each other’s stories, everyone has something to share and everyone has something to learn. I love the thought that one person’s story can become an inspiration and motivation for another. My personal hope is that YWiB can be a place where you can find the trust and comfort to build your own story and share it with other young women.

Thanks for reading,

Nicky

in the mind of...demi

The story begins on a rainy night.  (Actually, I have no true recollection of the weather status of that particular night, but it's Vancouver, so rainy is a fair guess.) My sister had told me about a meeting with about a bunch of girls wanting to do something crazy that involves empowerment of women and business and such.  I decided to join - well, why not?  She really wasn't too clear on the description of what the topic is, but that's OK, because NJ Thompson and Claire Frazer announced their vision loud and clear, and I was sold.

Of course, I had many skeptical moments.  I am rather cynical and frankly, not a fan of pink (slowly converting though).  Working with YWiB constantly means radical ideas that are seemingly impossible to pull off, but that is exactly YWiB's magic.  There are a million causes in this world to volunteer one's time to, and there are plenty of intelligent people to work with and learn from, but not all organizations will have the same spirit that YWiB has, and that is the reason why I am proud to be a YWiB girl.

Someone told me that Power is the ability to control scarce resources.  I wish to dispute that and say that Power is the ability to effectively utilize boundless resources.  Resources today are no longer scarce and limited; and more importantly, it no longer only means oil or coal, the most valuable resources now are knowledge and information.

The thing I love about YWiB is its ability to really connect ladies with these resources in a way that makes sense and is not overwhelming.

Don't believe me?  Try us on and find out. ;)

Cheers, -D

In the mind of ... jen sung

YWiB to me represents an opportunity for young women to reach their full potential by sharing their stories with each other. Every person has a story.  Unique to each individual, everyday life lessons of happiness, hardship, accomplishment and more have an amazing impact on those around us.  There is an incredible connection made when two stories overlap, intertwine or are simply shared.  Our team works to ensure that YWiB is the catalyst of merging together the stories of young women today.  This will enable the learning, growth and success of our members.  Read YWiB’s story at http://www.ywib.ca/about and let YWiB be a part of your story.  Together, our accomplishments are truly limitless.

I look forward to meeting you and hearing your story.