chatting with...maili wong

YWiB is lucky to have super inspiring women in our network, and couldn't be more pleased to bring you up-close-and-personal with some of these ladies through our series of blog interviews.  today we're chatting with maili wong, vice-president and investment advisor for CIBC Wood Gundy, and member of YWiB's board of advisors!

name three people you'd like to have a dinner party with. Hilary Clinton, Ayn Rand (author of Atlas Shrugged) and my Grandmother Poh Poh Yen (who passed away about 14 years ago).  These are some mighty women from different generations but oh the conversations we could have over dinner! what's the harder job: vp, portfolio manager and investment adviser at cibc, or mom of an 18-month-old? both roles are equally challenging and yet rewarding.  I would say the harder job is balancing the two!  I would love 48 hours in a day to spend my time doing both.

fill in the blank: i wish i could stop __________________ but i just can't! I wish I could stop my mind running and thinking all the time but I just can't!  Sometimes I get my best ideas as soon as I wake up in the morning and just let my mind play and wander.

advice you would give to someone wanting to make it big in the investment banking world. I would suggest trying to get some early and relevant work experience at a big firm (investment bank or wealth management company) in a major city like New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai or London.  Big firms often can give people starting their careers a broader perspective of the various roles within the investment banking world, while providing mobility and mentorship across departments.  Also, seek out really great mentors who will take the time to listen to you and coach you.

you lived and worked in new york city, which is something so many people only dream of.  how did that shape your career, especially being in the throes of 9/11? It was a total game changer for me, both personally and professionally.  Living through the crisis of 9/11 taught me to be resilient and to face challenges without turning back.  I was lucky to have had the chance to start my career in New York and also lucky that I was able to take that risk without having to be responsible for a family.  Facing those challenges early on in my career helped give me the confidence to take on other challenges in life knowing that if I fail, I am lucky to be alive and to live to fight another day, and that in the end life is too short and can end too suddenly to not just go for it.

what do you wish for your future self, and your daughter? I wish for my future self to continue to be happy, healthy and surrounded by the people I love.  I wish for my daughter to live in a world where she can and does achieve all of her dreams and that she makes a positive impact on others.

why do you think YWiB and the YWiB philosophy is important for our community? I believe passionately about what YWiB provides to its members and our community because it's all about empowering the right people.  Give young women who have the enthusiasm and ideas the right mentorship, confidence and resources to follow their instincts and we all will benefit from better businesses, stronger leaders and a more vibrant community.  YWiB fills a very necessary gap and provides so much value to people who are willing to step up and take advantage of it. I feel so fortunate to have been involved since the very early days of planning the first Beyond Pink event.  The girls came to me for my advice at a 7 am coffee meeting at the nearby Caffe Artigiano and I was blown away by their excitement about the idea (did I mention it was 7 am?) and all I think I said was "it's a great idea - do it" and here we are today.  Over the years I have enjoyed being a part of the YWiB experience as a speaker, a supporter, as an Advisory Board member and as a Mom to the Youngest YWiB member yet (she's 1.5 yrs old but has already attended her first YWiB panel discussion)!

for more on maili, check out this great article feature in the vancouver sun!

You Can Do Good Anywhere

Have you ever felt that you’re unable to create change in your company?  Most of us have been there but I write to encourage you to think positively.  We all have the ability to spark a little fire and create change.  It all comes down to approach and convincing others that change is good.  I’m not talking about those games we play where we convince a guy that something we came up with was really his idea (don’t judge me, you know you do it too).  I’m talking about truly owning an idea and pitching it in an effective manner. After reading “5 Ways To Do Good In Any Job” from Fast Company, I was inspired to think bigger than changing my company’s paper from regular to recycled (which you should get on changing if your company hasn’t done it already).  But dig a bit deeper.  Have you ever considered reaching out to a community group that is working to change something in your industry and presenting yourself as a translator willing to help them?   Dev Aujila, author of Making Good, a book on finding meaning, money and community, encourages you to take charge of creating change and make things happen in your job.

Personally, I think it’s all about your approach.  Consider communicating your message by identifying the problem while offering the solution that you want to help the company achieve.  Chances are your organization has thought about changing a few things but haven’t due to lack of the time, resources or people that take action and see things through.  I am a firm believer that anyone is possible of creating change; all it takes is a kind approach and an encouraging tone.

For more on Making Good check out http://makinggood.org or @mkngood on Twitter.

YWiB SFU is "Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures"

Written by Michaela Klassen, Marketing & Communications, International Women's Day Conference Last year, YWiB’s SFU chapter had the pleasure of hosting their first annual International Women’s Day conference.  The sold-out event was a truly inspirational day, featuring amazing speakers, a great panel session and plenty of new connections and friendships.  YWiB SFU will once again be hosting their signature event, but this year everything is bigger and better!

Following this year’s theme, “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures”, the event will be focused on making connections between people and experiences.  While most of us are, in fact, “Young Women in Business,” the event is relevant to girls from any industry and faculty.  Our keynote speakers will discuss challenges that all women face, such as over-coming adversity and achieving your dreams.  The panel will  discuss a variety of questions regarding the unique challenges women face in today’s world and ways to overcome them.  This year’s event will also feature entertainment and an expo showcasing entrepreneurs, start-ups, and non-profit organizations dedicated to women’s rights and advancement.

One of the panelists, Detective Lisa Kofod of the VPD, expressed how excited she is to be involved with this event as she feels it’s important to fill in the information gaps for women working in a male dominated industry.  How do we encourage women to find careers in roles that are often interpreted as unconventional?  According to Lisa, it‘s all about knowledge.  From her experiences, Lisa has observed that most often, women become interested in working for the VPD through their partners or spouses.  “Women often accompany their partner to the application process or information sessions and find that the VPD has more to offer than what society assumes.  By providing information sessions and getting involved with events like YWiB SFU's International Women's Day, we can provide women with the knowledge that is often missing regarding career possibilities in such a male-dominated industry as policing.”

For one of our keynote speakers, Anna Rice, the battle for women’s equality continues to be a top priority. As a member of the Canadian National Badminton Team, Anna has been an advocate for women's equality in badminton for all of her career.  One of the main highlights comes from her fight for equal salaries amongst female and male badminton players; it isn't easy to represent yourself in a world of athleticism dominated by the male superiority.  From the number of male athletes compared to females, to the average salaries between both genders, there are many inequalities that remain in the athletic world today.  It used to be that the females would play shorter games than the male players, and that was the justification for the unequal salaries.  However, when the rules changed and games became equal lengths, Anna took it upon herself to fight for equal wages.

Ultimately, this event will give students and professionals alike the opportunity to connect with other like-minded, motivated individuals who are interested in bettering the situation for women everywhere.

For more information about the International Women’s Day conference, check out www.ywib.ca/sfu/iwd/.  Tickets are on sale now!!  Be sure to follow @YWiBSFU and check out #IWDsfu on Twitter to join the conversation and for more conference updates!

The Young Social Innovators Event Series

YWiB is a presenting supporter of The Young Social Innovators Event Series: A Lightning Pitch Event on March 6th will feature 90 second presentations from some of the most exciting initiatives from under 30's in BC (and cash prizes!), and a relaxed environment to network with emerging and established social change leaders, including members of the Council.

On March 10th we're hosting a follow-up Speak Up! mini-conference for youth and youth serving organizations to generate more specific recommendations and feedback based on the Advisory Councils draft report (see below).

Information and registration links here:

Lightening Pitch Event on March 6th, $10 tickets (drink included!)

Speak Up! mini conference on March 10th, free!

Your Feedback is Needed - The BC Advisory Council on Social Entrepreneurship is about to present recommendations to the BC government on advancing social innovation in the province, and wants to hear from young social innovators before they finalize their report. Their draft report can be found here.

Please share your thoughts at the following link: http://bit.ly/wIp27x

upcoming event: Carving Your Path on March 19th!

Carving Your Path: finding or creating a workplace based on your values and passions, and creating goals to achieve personal and professional success- an evening with Andrea Scott, co-owner of skoah, and Deanne Schweitzer, V.P. of Global Brand at lululemon. YWiB invites you to join skoah co-founder Andrea Scott and Deanne Schweitzer for an evening conversation around creating and pursuing a career that brings together your values and passions. Andrea and Deanne will share their stories of the lessons they have learned from their businesses and share advice they wish they had known when they were a 20-something year old. 

for details, bios & tickets, visit the eventbrite link here.

hope we see you there!

Leadership Lessons Transcend the Workplace

Submitted by Christina Low, YWiB Marketing Team - photo c/o http://www.biv.com/lliwib/index.asp. In November 2011, 12 lucky girls had the opportunity to attend the 3rd annual Leadership Lessons from Influential Women in Business, presented by Business in Vancouver and the Professional Women’s Network with support from YWiB.  Sponsored by Fasken Martineau and  Vancity, and taking place at the Marriott Pinnacle in downtown Vancouver, this half day forum consisted of interactive panel discussions with some of BC's most influential business women; networking time and lunch.  This year’s overarching theme was Leadership - understanding the opportunity and the challenge, with discussions digging deeper into topics such as how to develop your personal leadership strategy, how gender affects business relationships and developing your leadership plan to strategically achieve your leadership goals.

YWiB was well-represented and of course, took away some great learnings from the afternoon.  Myriam Choma of UBC was grateful for the chance to attend and glean some inside info on the workings of the male/female work dynamic and how to succeed in both the workplace and life.  There were some surprises, too - “As a student who has not yet had to break out into the "big bad" working world, I was both shocked and outraged to hear of the harassment some of the delegates had experienced from male coworkers or superiors,” she reflected post-event.  “However, I was extremely grateful that they could use these experiences to produce thought-provoking discussions that had both the panel and delegates bringing some important lessons to light. From these discussions, I realized just how important it is to be passionate about your work, and that it is this passion which will provide you with both the will and motivation to overcome difficult situations like these. The wonderful panel also helped us understand that leadership is not always about being the first person out, making the decision. Stepping back, listening to others and contemplating decisions from the outside can be just as effective a method. These are lessons which I know will serve to be useful not just in my future workplace, but also in life in general.”

YWiB member Kiran Nagra agreed.  "I am so glad that YWiB provided me with the opportunity to attend BiV’s Leadership Lessons!” she said.  “Getting the chance to connect with successful professional women from all backgrounds and participating in the panel discussions left me feeling inspired, equipped with invaluable advice and information, and ready to take on the world!"

YWiB is proud to work in partnership with other womens' business groups such as Business in Vancouver and the Professional Women’s Network to offer opportunities like Leadership Lessons to our members and other young women in the community.  We are excited to do so again in the near future, so keep watching this space for more upcoming events!

The Keys to Unlocking Your Full Potential

Today's blog post comes from a YWiB fav, Amber Rae, @heyamberrae.  Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan, Priorities and Plans: the keys to unlocking your full potential. Check out the full post below!! --

I used to hate planning. It felt unnatural and forced. Life felt like less of a grand adventure. I enjoyed the thrill of spontaneity, improvisation, and watching things naturally fall into place.

For a while, this approach worked. I did things that interested me and opportunities fell into my lap. I felt in touch with the flow of life.

But then a point came when life stopped moving as smoothly. I found myself spread too thin, spending my time and energy on things that didn’t matter. I knew the work and purpose I was meant to birth into this world. But I wasn’t focusing on it. This felt devastating.

Going with the flow had led me to say “yes” to everything except my own interests and needs. A few months ago, I decided to focus all of my energy on changing this. I began refining the foundation of who I am and what I bring into the world.

If you’re in a transition, ready for change, or just want to tap into your highest creative potential, here’s the process that brought me to feeling like the very best version of myself:

1. Evaluate priorities.

One evening, I made myself a cup of herbal tea, put away my computer, and pulled out my moleskine. I asked myself three very important questions:

1) What is most important to you?

2) What makes you happy?

3) What would you do for free?

My immediate visceral responses were writing, helping others make positive personal changes, and inspiring people to do the things that inspire them. Aha! This is what I was meant to be working on.

What’s most important to you? What makes you happy? What would you do for free?

2. Let go of the things that don’t serve you.

Our best self feels energized, alive, and like contribution and progress are being made. With this in mind, I took a close look at my life and all of the things that I was doing. For each activity, I asked myself, does X… energize me? Help me move my priorities forward? Provide opportunities for learning and growth? Play a positive role in my life?

These questions shed light on what I needed to change. I ended side projects that weren’t aligned with my purpose, left New York, cut out alcohol, and let go of acquaintances who sucked my energy.

I moved to Boulder, drank more water and herbal tea, started working with a personal trainer, and surrounded myself with a tight-knit group of people who challenge me, share values, and make me feel like the best me.

What (or who) is no longer serving you? How can you let go?

3. Commit to three priorities.

Jim Colins says that if you have more than three priorities than you don’t have any at all. Taking his advice, I picked three areas of focus: 1) Hey Amber Rae (writing), 2) Passion Experiment (helping people make positive personal changes), 3) revolution.is (stories that inspire meaningful action).

The thought of working on only these things deeply excited me. That’s when I knew I was on the right path.

What are your three priorities?

4. Create a schedule structure that works best for you.

Inspired by Paul Graham’s “Makers schedule,” I structured my life so that I could be as creative and productive as possible. Being creative is about giving my brain the space to make more connections. When I have appointments all day, I lose that space.

I use Tuesday and Thursday for clients and appointments. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are “Amber Days.” This means zero appointments and my entire day is open for what I want to work on and do.

How can you restucture your schedule to give you space for creation? What isn’t working about your current schedule? How can you create blocks of time to make it work for you?

5. Plan for inspiration.

Based on my priorities and promises, every Sunday, I map out a week that gets me excited. I feel the most inspired when I do good work, am active, and include play. That’s why I created a work / fit / play framework.

Here’s how it works:

> Work. I have no more than 3 priorities each day. I map the priorities based on T/Th for clients and M/W/F for Amber.

> Fit. I make sure to do some form of exercise every day (and working with a trainer has totally changed my life). This gives me a surge of energy each day and helps my brain make creative connections.

> Play. Every day, I make time for play. (The play calendar wasn’t complete when I took this picture.) Play typically involves spending time with someone I care about and doing something creative or new. (For example, on Monday, I painted and cooked with a friend.) I also work in weekly “heartstorming” play dates with friends who make my heart and brain feel on fire.

> Schedule spontaneity. I love adventure, randomness, and the unknown. That’s why I leave Saturday open to whatever comes my way. It definitely keeps things interesting.

All in all, if you want to do work that matters, if you want to prioritize your purpose and continually build momentum toward it, you’ll need to plan your life accordingly. Life doesn’t happen to us. Life works with us when we learn how to work it.

xoxo Amber Rae

p.s. - Heart this post? Tweet it!

p.p.s - if you implement any of the above and it works for you, please tell me your story! I’d love to hear about your positive changes. They’ll make my day.

-- Thanks to James and Michael for inspiring this post and Nathaniel and Antonio for reading the draft.