Interview with Heather White

On Feburary 8th, Campus Ceo was graced with the fiery presence of Heather White. Her honest and engaging demeanor made for an inspiring evening full of questions, answers and connections. She shared her experience as a student and growing into her role of entrepreneur, the backbone of 2020 Communications and a member of the Ghost Ceo posse. So many women were captivated by the conversation; they stayed almost an hour after discussing business ideas, obstacles and wine. For those of you who missed it, here is an interview with Heather White that will leave you wanting more (trust me…).YWIB: What does the future look like for women entrepreneurs?

HW: Great question! Though I’m still working on honing my psychic powers, my general feeling is that women entrepreneurs will be the drivers of the new paradigm of business. Naturally gifted with intuition, their ability to form strong relationships and their solution focused mind-set, women bring a soft yet effective skill-set to the table.  I think entrepreneurs, in general, will thrive in the coming years as we look to do business with people/companies who are servicing more specific needs and wants, therefore more niche, versus the mass consumerism that we’ve become accustomed to.  I think the future is rich with opportunity and what we make of that is yet to be seen.

YWIB: What is the best way for women to support each other?

HW: Stop competing and start collaborating.  Throw age, race, looks, experience etc. out the window – it doesn’t matter. The most important way to support each other is show up as your whole self, look to add value in an enthusiastic and passionate way and synergize with the other women (and men) in your life.  Gone are the days of having to ‘know it all’ (not that I’m sure that ever existed) and now we must be clear on what we have to offer and find others who offer complimentary knowledge, skill and service.  This is how we will grow to the next level. No more one-upping each other, it’s about joining forces.

YWIB: Where do you look for inspiration? Do you have a mantra that keeps you going when times get rough?

HW: I’ve made a point of building a strong team around me to help nurture my personal and professional journeys. I have a two-hour standing appointment with my Life Coach once a week that keeps me grounded and committed to the things that are most important to me.  I have the most supportive Business Partner that I call on for professional advise and support in my business development.  Furthermore, I participate in a Mastermind group once a week (and have for the past four years) allowing me an outlet to ask for guidance and support when I need it. I’m a family girl, so much of my inspiration comes from my parents (I was lucky enough to have three), my 3 siblings, and my other half – all of whom are huge champions and supporters of me and I of them.  My office is decorated with vision boards and quotes to keep me going day to day and in terms of a mantra, my go to is: “Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t so you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t” – Author unknown .

YWIB: People often talk about what they wish they knew when they were in their twenties. What are a few work/life balance tips you have for young women entrepreneurs?

HW: Nothing is as big a deal as you think it is. Our mind is an amazing instrument, but, left mis-understood, or to it’s own devises and it can get out of control and create Mt. Everest out of a mole hill.  Having fun is one of the easiest ways to stay in the flow of life and when you’re in the flow of life, a lot can happen easily and effortlessly.  I was very much old school mind-set when I first entered in to business believing I had to “work hard” and put in super long hours in order to be successful.  Today I know what a myth that was.  I have had huge successes come out of just showing up, being curious, having fun and enjoying life.  I think when you take life too seriously you are in for an uphill climb. When you let go and let it flow, it rewards you in ways you didn’t know or believe were possible.

YWIB: What was your favorite part about speaking at Campus Ceo?

HW: The energy in the room. I travel all over North America speaking to groups and the vibe in the room that night was phenomenal. It told me that I was in the right place.

working on our fitness - postponed

YWiB is excited to partner with COS to offer an hour Bootcamp class on February 22 from 7:45pm to 9pm.  Entrance is a  $10 minimum donation; with all proceeds going directly to charity.  Specific charities will be announced soon. Visit www.YWiB-Bootcamp.Eventbrite.com to register. Location is 11 West 10th Ave in the back of the building behind Sport Check.

February is Health and Wellness Month

There are so many places to go for health advice I never know where to turn. Diet books, magazines, blogs, health food stores – you can get lost in it all. We all know it’s best to eat real food and move our bodies once in a while, but when it comes to overall health its best to talk to a pro. Luckily my dear friend Dr. Giselle Lefebvre, a Naturopathic Physician at Vancouver’s Sinclair Wellness Centre gave us a list of 5 simple things for us to do. First and foremost – •    Pay attention to how your body feels, how different foods effect your body, what happens when you stay hydrated all day. •    How are you sleeping? 7-9 hours waking rested? •    How are your bowel movements - ideally once a day. •    How is your cycle? Is your period regular? Future plans of having babies can be supported by doing the work now to ensure your body systems are healthy. •    How is your energy?

5 THINGS TO DO

Breathe - Pay attention to your breathing, it helps us deal with stress, keep our body oxygenated, and helps with our energy flow

Eat - Office work doesn't always support a proper diet. Have healthy snacks on hand. Whole food like fruit - apples are great and in season and travel well or try figs, dates or nuts. Make your own trail mix. Make sure to have lunch every day and don't spend that time at your desk. Give yourself a break from the florescent lights and get your body moving.

Drink - Workplace is full of coffee and muffins so do your best to not  get sucked in to the unhealthy lifestyle. Coffee is okay for the mornings but try alternatives for the rest of the day. Drink herbal teas such as rooiboos (antioxidants), mints (good for digestion) cold or hot.  Have lots of water and keep it by your desk at all times. Take movement breaks to fill it up every other hour.

Exercise - Movement is important.  Stretch every morning. Break a sweat at least three times a week. Since most jobs involve sitting all day, this affects posture, circulation and begs for weight gain. Move to help your blood circulate and rid yourself of the toxins of the work place.

Breaks - Take a technology break. Many of us spend ALL DAY with computers and then go home and do the same. Find space for nature and give your eyes a break. This will reduce eyestrain, carpal tunnel and headaches.

Starting a new job or semester means lots of change and a new schedule. It is good to take stock of where you are and also to pay attention to what your benefits are with the job. If you are spending all day in an office or library you need to take advantage of the support your job offers. Get a health team together to make sure those occasional aches and pains don't turn in to chronic problems. Remember this is the time to get a good understanding of your health - go see a naturopath to help you get yourself organized and learn simple natural ways to take better care of yourself.

For more questions visit Giselle at the Sinclair Wellness Centre located downtown Vancouver or email her at doctorgiselle@gmail.com.

January is Financial Planning Month

For the last few years, ever since we turned on the news to find out we were heading into the “second great depression”, money seems to be everywhere. People are losing it, governments are giving it away, schools want more of it.  It’s a discouraging scene as I begin my way to beef up my own bank accounts, and I know I’m not alone. I get asked often what its like being a young woman just starting to make it on her own, right when the rest of the world seems to be falling apart. I always reply with a quote from an unlikely source, Bob Dylan “when you got nothing, you got nothing to lose.” My main fiscal responsibilities (feeding myself, splitting a rent bill with my generous boyfriend, and supplying wine for the weekends) pale in comparison to those with women with student debt, four hungry mouths and a monster of a mortgage to feed. Because of this, I am a lucky one. We at YWiB are lucky, all of us. We live in a time where, yes there is financial stress, but it’s fashionable to be a penny-pinching Recessionista. It’s cool to be frugal and hip to be cheap. With hero’s like Smart Cookies blazing the way and support from our fellow YWiB members, we can find a fulfilling job and watch our saving account steadily grow. Together we can start money groups and discuss personal finance tips catered just to young women. We can halt our gym memberships, go for jogs around the seawall and bring Catey Hill's Shoo Jimmy Choo, The Modern Girls Guide to Spending Less and Saving More to the beach. And we are going to save our hard earned cash because we are smart enough too.

We know that in this uncertain world we have to have a safety net, money to fund living expenses for up to nine months.  We know we’ll live longer, change careers more often and that those daily $5 lattes really do add up. And we also know debt, although paralyzing isn’t permanent, and that it’s okay to ask for help ( Smart Cookies and Women's Institute for Financial Education are great places to start ).

For you YWiB members that have great money saving tips, are open for more or are just getting started planning your financial life come chat with us on ….. …

YWIB + Chris Flett: An Entrepreneurial Match Made in Heaven

Chris Flett in a room full of bright and beautiful young women. No, this isn’t the opening of a joke or a scene in a polygamous comedy. It’s Campus CEO – the life altering opportunity presented by Chris Flett and YWIB.  Helped run by the lovely Tara Clark, Campus CEO is a business bootcamp, offering advice, guidance and inspiration to YWIB members with an entrepreneurial dream. Over thirty women take time out of their busy lives to attend workshops once or twice a month.

Led by Chris, they cover the essentials of business development, or “how to make money”. By using stories of personal experience and the dissection of successful international businesses (including Starbucks and The Fairmont Hotels), Chris effortlessly debunks the myths that young women “can’t do businesses” and provides the framework to understand entrepreneurship. Televisions Dragons Den is used as a regular example to spur on conversations on negotiation and partnerships. It’s a steep learning curve with the banner event happening in May. Each participant gets the chance to pitch their business idea to a “Dragons Den” style Panel made up of established entrepreneurs with the hope of receiving financial backing.

To make it even more exciting, the ladies of Campus CEO are thrown into the trenches with prize-winning challenges. How would you like to have a spectacular lunch picking the brain of Chris Flett? All you’ve gotta do is get Obama, Steven Harper or Kevin O’Leary on the phone…

To find out more about Campus CEO and trace the progress of the incredible women involved check out the Campus CEO Facebook page, Chris' Blog (chrisflett.com) and visit YWIB for upcoming event announcements.