Celebrating trailblazers

“Forget China, India and the Internet — economic growth is driven by women.” - The Economist, 2006

Not only are they smart, go-getters and incredible leaders, but they're also trailblazing paths that will change the world. I'm not talking about an industry or a specific sector, but a generation of women ( particularly young women) that have an inspiring amount of determination, leadership and energy.

Here at YWiB, we have built a great support system to encourage young women step up and leave their mark. One of the main reasons for the success of this system, is due to our Board of Directors, whom we love dearly! Two days ago in the Vancouver Sun, one of our Board of Advisors, Frieda Granot ( Senior Associate Dean at UBC Sauder School of Business) was featured as a trailblazing scholar and we're so incredibly proud and privilleged to have her on our BOD.

Some of the highlights and personal favourites from the article include:

On awareness: I think one of the biggest things is that there is still a lack of awareness about what women bring to the table — in diversity of thinking, bringing different perspectives.

It’s not just a women’s issue. It’s a male issue, also. We need to recognize that there are continuing barriers in the workplace to women moving into leadership positions.

On the next generation: Some of the younger generation, women who are go-getters, see themselves moving up in the hierarchy, and [believe] we will see many more young women in leadership positions and in coming into the big corporations. I think if we see a few successful role models, the change will come.

On the current landscape: Three-quarters of the 1,500 biggest U.S. companies have no women in management positions. There are 28 female CEOs out of 1,000 of the largest U.S. companies.

Our role as women is to believe in ourselves, to say, “Yes, we can do it, and let’s go and get it.”

You can read the full article on the Vancouver Sun here. There is also a follow up blog post here on the Vancouver Sun as well.

September Feature: “It’s time to share your gift.” Lara Kozan

One of the things I get the most excited about in YWiB is the tremendous energy, enthusiasm and learning gets passed on. Last week was one of those beautiful moments in which there was an intersection between those things and self-discovery. It was at our first YWiB Dinner Series Event - The Way of the Entrepreneur: Hacking your Personal Brand. The event was inspiring and wonderful.

Entrepreneurs are an amazing group in society that challenges the status quo. Last Wednesday, Vancouver’s best shared stories of their challenges faced on their individual journies ranging from getting kicked out of business school to running an executive coaching company to being the chocolate guy.

For those of you who missed the event, here’s an insider’s look on Lara Kozan, Co-founder of Yyoga and one of our mentors last week.

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(Note: the interview below has been paraphrased. It’s hard to keep up with Lara’s enthusiasm, write and listen at the same time!)

1) What is the start-up story behind your business venture?

 I had grown up with entrepreneurs all around me – grandfather, father and older brother. I have been exposed to it and seen it in my family. As a little girl, I used to draw our pictures and diagrams of a wellness centre, although, looking back, at times it could have been a strip mall or dance studio!

 The first day I practiced yoga, I knew I was going to open a studio. I was hooked. I did yoga everyday until I went to teacher’s training. This was all about 10 years ago. I taught in many different studios, different cities, all the way from Vancouver to Halifax.

 At that time, interestingly enough, Yyoga was born from a conversation that had nothing to do with yoga. My grandma has just passed away and I had gotten together with a dear friend, Terry McBride, to speak about life. He had been teaching yoga at his company for about three years at that time, and the conversation blossomed into a new creation – how we felt when we practiced and how it would be possible to expand the yoga community and get more people to do more yoga. From there, it was about a year until we started Yyoga.

 2) What number 1 advice would you give to aspiring young women entrepreneurs?

 It’s time to share it; the world needs your gift. The only difference between a normal person and an entrepreneur is that entrepreneur steps forward to do it.

 3) Who has influenced you most and been your greatest inspiration through this process?

 Two people: my business partner Terry. He has been consistent and inspiring. Optimistic could not describe him powerfully enough.

 The second would be one of my most powerful teachers in my yoga practice – Baron Baptiste. He was my most inspiring yoga teacher and really has a way of inspiring me to be empowered, and to be a creator through his classes and teachings. I did his training and taught with him. He was the one who taught me to connect and give back.

 5) How do you achieve balance in your life? How do you define balance?

 Balance for me is like a daily check in. To see how centered I am. I step on the mat and meditate everyday. If I’m not centered, then I look for what is out of alignment. When I mean centered, it is in the context of yoga – in yourself. Grounded. When the body is fit, the mind feels calm. As a whole, and collected. Coming and moving from deepest intention and being very in tuned.

 4) In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur.

 Grateful, abundant and inspired are the words that are coming to me right now…but if I had to pick one, it would be:

 Abundant.

 ***

Speaking to Lara and meeting all the incredible entrepreneurs during the dinner was a reminder on how empowering your life can be when you share your passion. So those of you who weren’t there, here’s our challenge, with love:

It’s time to share your gift. The world needs it.

Why we love entrepreneurship

This month is all about new beginnings and entrepreneurship and we couldn’t be more excited to be sharing the start of a new school year, the beginning of fall and simply a month where we have been inspired by the people around us. One particular group stood out above the rest with their ability to power through obstacles, commit their lives to what they are passionate about and, in the words of Nike, just do it! They’re the entrepreneurs. The visionaries. The changemakers.

I recently watched this short, amazing little video that got me thinking about the strength it takes to do something that they truly are passionate about and follow through with it. There are so many people who have stood up to do something different, despite being rejected, denied, and ridiculed.

BUT, the world is changing.  We’ve changed our minds about what it means to innovate.  We’ve opened our minds to new ideas – we embrace them, accept them, even crave them.  So while this video got me thinking…I’m happy that the stories that will be told about our time will be different.

So to all the entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurs-to-be, thank you for forging the way, making change, and teaching the world to celebrate change.

The Way of the Entrepreneur: Hacking Your Personal Brand

"Your brand is the gateway to your true work. You know you are here to do something - to create something or help others in some way. The question is, how can you set up your life and work so that you can do it? The answer lies in your brand." - Dave Buck

This will be the first of YWiB's Dinner Series events - discover what it truly means to have a brand that transcends first impressions, reputation and business.   Learn how to hack your personal brand by learning from those who have perfected their to the word: the entrepreneurs.

This Dinner Series would be dynamic open discussion between you, your peers and 15 of Vancouver's top entrepreneurs.  You will discover how to leverage the world of personal branding in a entrepreneurship setting: dynamic networking, understanding your personal limits as well as what it means to be innovative. Dine with some of Vancouver's top entrepreneurs including:

Michelle Rupp, Lighthouse Communications Heather White, 2020 Communications Cybele Negris, Webnames.ca Jane Webb, The Brag Company Jill Earthy, FWE Judy Brooks, Blo Blow Dry Bar Lara Kozan, YYoga Ken Sim, Nurse Next Door Val Litwin, Blo Blow Dry Bar

Jump start the career you've always dreamed of and connect with an inspiring entrepreneur.  Start building your story... see you there!

date | september 29th 2010

time | 6pm

venue | azia restaurant [click here for directions]

price | basic member - eligible for your free event member price - $22.50 non-member price - $32.50

Click here to get your tickets today!

August Feature: An interview with Danielle LaPorte

Recently, we had the pleasure of interviewing the fabulous entrepreneurial Danielle LaPorte. She has trail blazed paths of inspiration and authenticity. She shares her knowledge generously through her website at whitehottruth as well as through a release of her new digital book, THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS, which are designed to help entrepreneurs rock their career with integrity, audacity and their truest strengths. What's even more amazing is that it’s also created to give back, with portions of every purchase going to The Acumen Fund or WomenforWomen.

Danielle delivers on every level: smarts, guidance, authenticity, deep wisdom, intuition, killer business acumen and practicality." - Danielle Vieth

1) In the news story of your life, what would the headlines be?

That's a great question! It would be: Rising from the flames

2) What is it that you know now that you wished you knew as an emerging young women?

I wished that in my early twenties, that I would have honored my feelings more. I wouldn't have gotten in the habit of making myself wrong if my opinions didn't match somebody else's. Now I'm very clear, and this is also about what I talk alot about to entrepreneurs and women. Your feelings are your best guide for your strategies. That's it. Ignore your feelings at your own peril. And every entrepreneur, male or female will give you examples of this, and one way or another they the same thing I'm saying: at the end of the day all you have is your instinct, your intuition, your small little voice: that's your power slot.

They're everything. I think you need to do all those things (research, facts, etc.) but at the end of the day: it's your instincts that makes the decision.

3) You're one of those people who is really authentic and real which we greatly admire. What are some mistakes you think that young professional women entrepreneurs make compared to their male counterparts?

They don't speak up, they don't push because we dont want to be seen as aggressive. We don't want to be seen as b*tchy or over emotional and alot of the times, what is required is that warrior spirit with a feminine impulse. We're far too quiet.

4) That's really interesting,  because how do you walk the fine line then, between being seen as too aggressive but also having respect when holding the power?

"Walk the fine line" is an interesting metaphor. I say forget the fine line, forget being contained, forget staying between the bounds of that "fine line!" Certainly you do business with respect, morality, elegance, integrity... but forget the "fine line." It is the death of your passion and heart-connected intellect.

Steamroll the "fine line!" karate chop the line! Sometimes you need to step over it, you need to bend it. It's gone! Genius and great things are never achieved if you stay on your side of the fine line.

5) In your About Me section, you wrote that " I think that feminine power and progressive power will revolutionalize how we live." Where do you see these two elements intersecting to make way for the future of women in business?

I met with the Dalai Lama in my late twenties, and he said "women are the future. They are the future leaders because they have peace implicit within them." That seed was planted.

I think that feminine principles are characteristic such as inclusivity, a true sense of what is holistic, an easy compassion. The world needs that. Period. All of those things can be applied to really shrewd business strategy to make this world a better place and make money while you're doing it.

6) What is your favourite quote?

I don't know who said this, but I read it on a card in San Francisco:

" love everyone, trust few and paddle your own canoe"

Thank you so much for your time Danielle, We wish you the best and continue rocking!

YWiB is Recruiting

The YWiB family is growing and we have some exciting new positions! We are on the look-out for energetic & ambitious team players who are full of heart & excitement to further the goals of our organization.  You have to be smart, willing to learn and an awesome lady to work with. We are recruiting for the following positions [please click on the position names for a description of the role & responsibilities]:

• manager, member relations
• legal affairs manager
• community coordinator
• grants coordinator
• administrative assistant

A complete application includes:

• your resume.
• a cover letter that clearly states the position you are interested in.  it should also outline your motivation to join the YWiB team, relevant experience to the position you are applying for and the contributions you plan to make to young women in Vancouver.
• filling out this my story template for us to learn more about you.

Applications are due by September 15th at 11:59pm – and should be emailed to info@ywib.ca with the subject field “YWiB Position Application – Position Name Here”."

YWiB – Introducing our new website

YWiB has launched a new version of our website – and we’re so excited!  It’s been in the works for quite some time and we’re thrilled with how it’s turned out. YWiB is growing up!

Yes, in the words of our webmaster, Tony Chu (to whom we are incredibly thankful!), “you’ve outgrown this website, it’s time we updated the look.” Taking that thought and adding the need for better functionality, the new website was born.

The overall goal of the new layout was to ensure there is more emphasis on the most pertinent information - most recent article or update.

Some of the updates include:

• simplified navigation
• calender of events
• events page: easier and more frequent interaction with YWiB members

What's also exciting is that CampusCEO and Ladies in Pink participants will also be able to find the most up to date information on their program-specific pages as well.

Of course, there are still a few bugs that we’re working out and features to be added but we’re always looking for feedback on how to better provide for our members – so please email us with your thoughts on the website.

Meanwhile, enjoy!