my {YWiB} story – member highlight: Megan Rendell

name| Megan Rendellsocial| twitter: @meganrendell web| Linked In: Megan Rendell email| meganrendell@ywib.ca

why YWiB |  i joined YWiB’s new Marketing team in December 2011 because I wanted to get more involved with the team!  i had helped out with YWiB events in the past but wanted to commit to something for longer than a day at a time.  i love sharing my experience with others and YWiB lets me do that while meeting and learning about other fabulous women in Vancouver.  i studied Commerce at UVIC grading in summer 2009 and quickly moved to Vancouver without having much of a network base here.  shortly after settling in Van I heard of YWiB and its mission and begged to volunteer at Beyond Pink 2009!  where I got to meet some of the inspiring members.  fast-forward a couple years later, I just completed SFU's intensive Public Relations program and am looking for a career I'm passionate about in PR & communications.  you can never underestimate the wealth of knowledge you gain in working with like-minded, passionate women all while building a solid network via YWiB!!

childhood ambition|  marine Biologist (the interest is definitely still there)

my home|  Kitimat, BC, as much as I love Vancouver nothing beats Northern BC!

wildest dream|  travel the world learning about people and cultures all while changing the lives of others daily.  if you are doing this and want my help, please contact me!!

proudest moment|   being awarded an appreciation award for my work at the Department of National Defence.  it was humbling to be awarded something from such inspiring people that have devoted their lives for the everyday freedoms we have in our country.

biggest challenge|  balancing my personal needs with the demands of my professional development.  this is something that will probably take a lifetime to master!!

favorite quote| “And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” ~ Marianne Williamson

inspiration|  my parents – they have always prioritized their children’s needs before their own and that sort of love should never be taken for granted.

chatting with...azita ardakani

When we first launched this series of YWiB stories, I knew I wanted to get my foot in the door of Lovesocial.  See, when I’m not chatting up women of influence for YWiB consumption, I spend my days as a communications and social media coordinator, and the work of Lovesocial and its founder, Azita Ardakani, is a daily source of inspiration for me.  I approached Azita about sharing her story with the YWiB faithful, and she happily obliged.  I was ecstatic.  We talked conscious communication and “making it” over a chai latte (me) and piping hot green tea (Azita) in the very new Lovesocial headquarters, housed in Gastown, Vancouver. Name three people you’d like to have a dinner party with. Wayne Dyer [internationally renowned author and speaker in the field of self-development], Eckhart Tolle [author of The Power of Now and A New Earth], and Jay-Z.  Jay-Z is so cool.  And can I invite one more?  Maya Angelou.  That would be a very interesting dinner party.

Describe yourself in five words. Creative, stubborn, hopeful, nostalgic and quirky.  Not necessarily in that order.

You started Lovesocial three years ago, and in such a short time, you’ve acquired some pretty amazing partnerships and projects in its portfolio: documentaries like Miss Representation and Gasland, Zooey Deschanel and Sophia Rossi’s hellogiggles.com, Summit on the Summit, Oprah Magazine...tons more.  Which project crystallized the “ah-ha” moment for you?  Was there a specific experience that really told you that you made it? I actually don’t ever like to think that I’ve “made it.”  That kind of thought results in almost a complacency, or it makes you stop trying.  But having said that, there have been a few moments for me over the past three years where I’ve stopped and gone, “Hey, we’re really doing something here.”  One moment was probably after HBO launched Gasland, a documentary that sheds light on the process of hydraulic fracturing or fracking, and the local stories of the many lives affected by that.  The impact of this process is devastating, both on the environment and on people.  After airing, gas companies activated their PR powerhouses, notably with automated social media operations called astroturfing.  We got under the skin of gas companies.  That was a turning point.  Between that and our flagship project, Summit on the Summit (a campaign focusing on the global clean water crisis) I got to see how immediate and how impactful this beast known as social media was.  We created a business for an ever-evolving industry.  It’s like building a boat on an ocean.  The landscape is always changing, and so our goals and benchmarks.

Is there a project that you’ve worked on that’s very close to your heart? I’m really proud of everything that we’ve done and the people we’ve connected with, because many were the result of an organic, natural partnership.  Recently working on Miss Representation has been fulfilling as there is a desperate need for alternative mainstream media targeted at women.  Optimizing social platforms to promote messages of worth, and campaigns like #notbuyingit help consumers take the power back into their own hands.

You speak about “conscious communication” and “sharing with intention” – so the opposite of many companies trying to leave an indelible footprint in the social media landscape by throwing anything and everything at it and hoping it sticks.  Were you always so enlightened about conveying messages in the most authentic way possible?  How did you develop the Lovesocial philosophy of connecting people with things that matter? Sharing with intention and communicating consciously – these are the human components of all things business.  I have a degree in sociology, not business or marketing, so that is the lens out of which I tend to see things.  I think people want to connect with what’s real and what’s valuable to them.  Cluttering up Twitter and Facebook feeds with too much of anything – charities to support, TV shows to watch, food to eat, politicians to follow – creates a climate of apathy and over saturation.  Why should we create or contribute to such a convoluted space?  Share things in a way that matters.  Be innovative.  Add value.  That’s when you’ll affect change.

Why do you think YWiB and the YWiB philosophy is important for young women in the community? A network, a support system, a community – those things are so important for young women who have all these thoughts and ideas swirling in their heads.  Ideas can be scary.  YWiB offers that pillar of support and connection that can help breathe life and direction into those ideas.  Organizations like YWiB build confidence so that young women learn earlier that there is absolutely no reason why you can’t reach out for something you want today.  To me, boundaries aren’t real – they are by-products of our society and culture.  People create their own walls and they invent these notions of needing permission to go out and live their best lives.  Why?  Give yourself permission.  That’s enough.

Can't get enough of Lovesocial?  Stalk 'em on Twitter at @lovesocial.  Get on Azita's radar at @Azita.

Elevate Women, Elevate the World: A Book Review by Christina Low

A review of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide  by Nicholas D. Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn 

“Women hold up half the sky.” – Chinese Proverb

As YWiB’s resident bookworm, I read a lot of books.  Many of them are good.  A few have been not so good.  And every once in a while, a book will find its way to my bedside table and stay with me long after I’ve put it down.  Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide is one of those books.

Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist couple Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, Half the Sky is a startling, no-holds-barred look at what the authors cite as “the paramount moral challenge of the 21^st century” – the oppression of women and girls in the developing world.  Have you ever read a book and actually cringed, or furrowed your brow, or wrinkled your nose in bewilderment, indignation or plain disgust?  That’s what I did, several times, while paging through the incredible stories told by Kristof and WuDunn, weaved from firsthand interviews and visits with women all over Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, among other places.  This book is not for the faint at heart – the anecdotes are grim, describing in graphic detail the plight of girls as young as ten (!) sold into sexual slavery and prostitution, women who suffer horrible, life-threatening injuries from childbirth, and the consequences imposed on those who choose to speak up or offer support.  It was almost an assault on my mind and my heart, because I’m female, and the only difference between me and the twentysomething victim from India is where we live.  If I came away with anything from reading this book, it’s that I am so, so thankful for the opportunities, the laws and the life I’ve been given simply by being born, raised and educated in Canada.

By the same token, that twenty-something victim who survived a gang rape in Pakistan also did something unheard of for someone of her status.  Her name is Muhktar Mai, and she fought back, applying for redress for the crime inflicted upon her, and soon afterward catching the attention of the country’s then-president, who compensated her with $8,300.  She used that money to open the first school for girls in her Muslim village, which is still thriving today.  She was named one of Glamour magazine’s Women of the Year in 2005, and has since started a women’s crisis centre in Meerwala, Pakistan.  So that’s another lesson I took with me – it’s that some of these stories do not have to end hopelessly or in despair.  Some of these appalling problems can not only be solved, but done so by the very women who endured the torture in the first place.  Inspiring, yes?

This book, while brutal and harsh and violent, is probably one of the most important books I’ve read.  It opened my eyes to issues that I didn’t know much about; it is at once an awareness builder, and a call to action.  It is living testimony that opportunity can, and does, arise from tragedy.  It also shows us that when women and girls are given the chance to reach their full potential, amazing things can happen for their children, their partners and their communities.  The key ingredient to achieving this “girl effect” is empowering girls with education, which teaches them that “femininity does not equal docility.”  Education nurtures assertiveness.  When girls learn what they are capable of, everyone around her benefits.  Elevate women, and you elevate the world.  Go read this book now.

Channeling Wonder Woman

Happy Friday everyone! Aside from TGIF, nothing sparked more excitement for me growing up then superheroes. Growing up with a younger brother, there was never a lack of comic books lying around or a Sunday morning superhero cartoon missed. I watched them all, you name it; Batman, Spiderman, X-men, etc. However, even at a young age, I noticed the lack of female leads, super heroines I could play out in the backyard. Sure there were the Bat Girls, the Jean Greys and the Storms and Rogues of the comic book world, but all were part of a bigger team or a side kick to stronger male lead. The notion was disappointing until I discovered Wonder Women.

Wonder Woman was all kinds of special. She was strong, intelligent, assertive, independent, beautiful and kicked major butt all while sporting some killer red boots. To top it off, she had her own show and managed to inspire many girls (and boys) out there to take action during playtime, even throughout their lives. Wonder Woman may not be a breathing role model but she’s become a symbol synonymous with all the adjectives mentioned above and above all, female empowerment. It’s strong female leads like Wonder Woman that make an impact in our early lives, make us question societal norms, makes us push for something more out of life. It’s thought provoking characters like these that made stories like “The Paper Bag Princess” such a big part of my childhood too.

But, at the end of the day it doesn’t take super powers to inspire others or the next generation. Before my discovery of Wonder Woman or the Paper Bag Princess, my role model, the person I pretended to be, was my mom. The fact is we all have the potential to be a Wonder Woman to someone. We all have a lady in our lives that seems to be otherworldly and don’t be surprised if others believe the same thing of you. The good thing is, due to the progression of time, positive examples and the strides made by those before us, the next generation of girls doesn’t have to wait for new super heroines to be drawn since we already exist. :)

if the shoe fits: a review of Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie

I bought my first pair of TOMS last year.  I chose the black canvas, and wound up traipsing around Western Europe in them.  With each step I took through the back alleys of Venice and cobblestoned streets of Berlin, I silently thanked TOMS founder (and Chief Shoe-Giver) Blake Mycoskie for engineering such a soft shoe that was easy to pack and – bonus! – a do-good piece of footwear I was proud to own.  So when his book, aptly titled Start Something That Matters, appeared on my desk at work from my boss, no less, I was excited to dive in. The appeal of TOMS, I realized as I flew through Mycoskie’s 185-page tale of finding passion, profit and meaning, is in its simplicity, both in the company’s product and its underlying philosophy of One for One.  When you buy a pair of TOMS, Mycoskie donates another pair to a child in need – One for One.  In fact, when you buy a copy of Start Something That Matters, a new book is provided to a child in need as well.  TOMS is one of the fastest-growing shoe companies the world has ever seen, and for good reason – there really is a certain kind of beauty in its sheer ease of both style and philanthropy.  I think that in times like these, the simpler the concept, the better.  That goes for shoes and giving.

There isn’t anything earth-shattering in Mycoskie’s book – let’s know this.  But again, sometimes things aren’t meant to be earth-shattering in order to have an impact.  TOMS shoes themselves aren’t all that fancy.  They’re made of cloth, more or less.  And yet, TOMS has sold over one million pairs of shoes and given that same number to underprivileged children in more than 30 countries.

In Start Something That Matters, Mycoskie offers his readers six core lessons he learned while building his shoe empire from such innovative organizations as charity: water, FEED Projects, and (local shout-out!) the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure.  He writes in a fairly engaging voice, and I finished the book in a few days.  If you have, say, Malcolm Gladwell or Seth Godin on your bookshelf already, I doubt you’ll find anything super-mad-crazy-inspired or pivotal in Start Something.  But if you’re looking to flex your entrepreneurial muscle for the first time, or you just want to know how your red TOMS got to be on your feet, go on and pick this up for a quick and generally satisfying read.  Mycoskie, ever the minimalist, lives on a boat.  If there is anything to be taken away from his story, it’s that simplicity, simply put, works.  If the shoe fits, wear it!

Carving Your Path- event wrap up post

Last Monday we held an event: Carving Your Path, with Andrea Scott of skoah & Deanne Schweitzer of lululemon. The event focused on finding or creating a workplace based on your values and passions, and creating goals to achieve personal and professional success. We had a great time at the event and you can check out our full take-aways here or check out the tweets under #CYP. One of the things we really value at our events is hearing from our awesome attendees on how it went, what they loved, and what we can improve for future events! We've compiled all the feedback (thank you all so so much for taking the time to provide it, we had 95% of attendees provide their thoughts) and have gone through it- follow this link for the full list of all the feedback points given (we like to be super transparent with our events- after all, that's how we make sure we & you can hold us accountable to keep improving!).

To summarize:

• you loved our speakers and the topic we talked about, some great take-aways came out of it
• the atmosphere & feel of the event was super comfortable and open
• next time, we need to make sure the space we hold our event at is comfortable for all and everyone can see & hear clearly
• keep thinking about how we can balance the length of the event with providing additional networking and interaction activities
• always include the answer to the questions of "how" to apply what we're learning (I'll throw it out there and say that asking someone from a prospectus company out for coffee will tell you a lot about their culture- just ask them what they think the company's goals, mission, and priorities are- you'll learn lots!!)

Thank you for joining us for another great YWiB event! :) we can't wait to see you at future ones and as always, if you have any questions, please give us a shout! And if you're interested in hosting your own YWiB event, check this out.

when I learned to love what I do...

When I started my job, I was not happy, and my boss will be the first one to tell you: I wasn’t doing well at it either. I was kicking myself for not taking the corporate job with the big telecom company, where at least I could complain about it and everyone would nod and sigh, ‘ya, the corporate world is tough’.

But I stuck it out. Stubbornness? Yes –definitely. Persistence? Definitely. Fear of failure – TONS. But what was I afraid to fail at? Something I didn’t like anyways? Didn’t really make sense.

I learned to love my job because of the people I work for and with every day I saw through the situation into the person behind it–me. To quote Jim Collins (Good to Great) – I was in the completely wrong seat on the bus.  So I changed seats. Simple as that. Amber Rae (Hey Amber Rae!) posted on this exact topic recently and I was inspired to share my story about how this has changed my outlook and what I’ve observed about myself.

Lessons & Observations:

1. When you love your job, more opportunities come your way.

When I used to speak about what I did (while I hated it), I would look down, go quiet, and quickly say what I did, followed by a tsunami of excuses about why it wasn’t sexy or important and that I was hoping to maybe move at some point. This instills NO confidence in you or for you– as an employee or a person. I came across as timid and as someone who was unable (or unwilling) to take a stand in my own life and change my situation. Apathy = ick.

Now, I speak about my job with excitement and enthusiasm. I speak about the same company, but now instead of putting it down, I rave about it! I focus on what I get to do everyday and how it’s a privilege to work with such incredible people on such interesting projects. This instills confidence. Your audience gets excited and they want to hear more about you, or your company, or both. They want to do business with you. When I talk about what I’m learning and what challenges I face, I sound confident, capable and assertive. Proactive = yes!

2. When you love your job, you learn more.

I recently started taking a class again at UBC and I LOVE IT. I love learning. But I don’t remember loving learning quite as much when I was an actual student working towards my undergrad. And that’s because I never had a prof who engaged me quite like my current one does.

When you’re engaged and excited, you’re ready to learn and ready to take on more. A happy attitude makes for an open mind, and you become like a sponge. When you’re unhappy, friendly advice can sound like nagging and critical feedback can sounds like criticism. When you enjoy what you do, you’re open to learning more – so you do!

3. When you love your job, you have time to enjoy other elements of your life.

Unhappiness and the stress that accompanies it are time-consuming. I found that instead of making the time for the things I enjoyed, any spare time I had I was obsessing about how much I hated what I was doing. I would complain and had an ongoing feeling of anxiety and stress about Monday morning, when I’d have to go back at it. It was cluttering my mind and I put everything on hold – I stopped swimming, I stopped reading, and I even stopped contributing to YWiB (gasp!).

When I switched seats, I felt light and felt a huge weight lifted from my shoulders. I suddenly had space in my mind to think about other things – exciting things! I rediscovered what I loved and what I loved to do. I was biking more. I was hiking more. And I was YWiB-ing again. I don’t find it a burden to balance being busier now that I’ve re-added things to my life. In fact, if I wasn’t this busy, I’d be unhappy. I need everything I have in my life to feel complete. I need my work, my time for play (activities!) and my YWiB time.

SO WHAT’S THE BIG LESSON?

Don’t be afraid to ask to switch seats on the bus.

And if your boss isn’t open to it – you need to make a switch. Find a company that loves you for you and is willing to work to find the right seat for you.