my {YWiB} story - member highlight: Darya Niknamian

name| Darya Niknamianemail| darya@ywib.ca linkedIn| Darya Niknamian

why YWiB | I joined Young Women in Business for many reasons – to discover more about myself, learn more about business (specifically marketing), have fun, get to know amazing young women, and of course to make an impact! Coming from a Science background and being confused about what I wanted to do made it difficult for me to transition into the business world. I want to provide younger women an opportunity to gain mentorship and access tools that will help them feel confident and equipped when the time comes for them to make a decision about their career.

childhood ambition| to become a paediatrician because I love working with kids!

my home| Originally Berlin, Germany but Vancouver has been my home for most of my life.

wildest dream| Having a TV show with my sister where we would travel the world and showcase different peoples cultures and traditions.

proudest moment|  Skydiving - I am terribly afraid of heights! The next step is scuba diving because I am also afraid of deep water and sharks!

biggest challenge| Putting myself first.

favorite quote| “Tell me and I forget; show me and I remember; involve me and I understand.“ ~Chinese proverb

inspiration| My grandmother – she survived 2 wars, losing family, her house, and friends. She is now 90, works out 2-3 times a week, is the most supportive person I know and believes in living life to the fullest.

chatting with...pamela hart

Sitting down, anytime, with Pamela Hart of Release Your Voice is a special treat.  Having met Pamela through the SFU Public Relations Certificate program where she teaches, I knew she was a connection I wanted to hold on to forever.  Pamela is radiantly energetic and passionate about communication.  She has the magical ability to turn the most nervous public speaker into an impromptu pro in just a few sessions.  It's for this reason I approached Pamela to do an event with YWiB to share her impressive skills with our amazing members.YWiB's newest member, Liz Sauve, was incredibly excited to sit down for a YWiB chit-chat with Pamela and share it with our wonderful community.  Check out her interview and then grab your ticket for our May 12th Get Vocalized! strategic communication event.

name three people you’d like to have a dinner party with

The first would have to be Michelle Obama.  She just seems really cool! I admire her as she doesn't appear to take herself too seriously, yet is a force to be reckoned with.  She has her own style and is not defined by other first ladies that we have seen.  Tommy Douglas is one of the greatest Canadians who embodies what I love about Canada and fosters a real sense of community.  I like the idea that one voice and one idea can change things.  Julia Child would make a delicious dinner.  I met her years ago in Boston shortly before she passed away.  I was in a play and she had nice things to say about every cast member when we met her, she was so gracious.

your career path hasn’t necessarily been linear - you were a theatre princess turned advertising and public relations director, and then in October 2008, you founded your own company, Release Your Voice. what would you say was the biggest challenge you overcame, and how did you do it?

Being in theatre is harder than being up in front of people and speaking now.  I found in theatre I didn't have control over my destiny, directors, they have the control not the actors.  Your destiny in theatre can be decided by factors such as your height.  A turning point for me was when a big actor in Vancouver refused to work with me because I was too tall.  I've worked with Darren Aranofsky and have been on Law and Order, although the experience was great, directors can love you one minute and then the next, they've moved on to another direction.

My biggest regret in leaving theatre would be not having yet won a Tony, but there's still time.  I still feel like I act every day!  I wanted more control over my life and got tired of someone else telling me what to do, so I founded Release Your Voice.  I became an entrepreneur and it blossomed into this business.  Never be afraid to reinvent yourself.

why did you decide to go into the business of coaching others strategic communication skills?

The company was quite broad when it started. I took an entrepreneurship program and thought I'd just do Public Relations but then this woman heard me speak and told me I was an amazing speaker and should share these skills with others.  I discovered that I have an empathetic ear and am good at coaching others in a positive way where people leave sessions feeling good about themselves.  My business grew through word of mouth and the next thing I knew I was off to Kosovo to work internationally.  There was a definite learning curve to being an entrepreneur and there is no such thing as an overnight success.  To be successful takes hard work, but if you love what you do, it's worth it.

 what skills do you find most women are hoping to learn from you?

Often times I find young women are looking to work on their voice because they sound too young and perhaps not professional.  A lot of it is just getting rid of small habits, such as the flirtatious head tilt that a lot of women do.  That is a subordinate behaviour, as is nodding all the time.  You can listen without nodding your head!  It's small, non-verbal things like this that can lead to a woman not being taken seriously.

In different cultures some women have been silenced.  Women need to learn they have a right to say whatever is on their mind.  Women are strong but you'd be surprised how many times I have been told that I've helped a woman find her voice after she has left an abusive relationship.  It's sad to me that so many women find themselves in those positions but it feels really good to know I have helped someone find their voice and feelempowered.

you list your interests as theatre, yoga, reading, and Africa. you also travel a lot for your work with international dignitaries and women in foreign nations. how do you juggle running your own company, travel, and still manage time to focus on your own personal interests?

This work-life balance has been the hardest thing for me and I'm just now starting to get a handle on it.  The first step is being able to say that I can't do it all, nor do I want to do it all.  Be realistic.  Ask for help when you need it because it's okay to not be great at everything!  Once you become more established, it's important to spend your time doing what you most value and surrounding yourself with positive people.

Try to find at least 25 minutes every day of downtime.  In Kosovo, I work with a lady named Bonnie, who was the PR Director for Prime Minister Mulroney.  She encouraged me to schedule everything - yoga, lunch, etc.  Also, fixing my technology has been a big thing.  Getting everything to jive together and working with someone else so that you don't wake up to 300 e-mails before you can start your day.  I'd rather spend a minimum amount of time on e-mail and a maximum amount of time planning my business, my future.

why do you think YWiB and the YWiB values are important for women in local as well as international business communities?

I think that these types of communities are incredibly important.  They are all about support and as women it's good for us to be able to talk with one another.  These conversations and having a sense of community, knowing that we are not alone, gives us power and acts as a sanctuary - a place in which women can be women.  We allow ourselves to have open conversations and laugh, give feedback and get reinforcement for who we are and what we want.

It's important for women to recognize they are not competing all the time for everything.  We can do the same things and still work together. This is one of the reasons I look forward to speaking at the Get Vocalized! Event on May 12th - I am so impressed with what YWiB is all about.  In the African American community, we have women called 'play mothers'.  Your play mothers are the wise people in your life, in addition to your biological mother, and I think it is really important to pass legacies off to future generations.  You know that saying "I wish that I knew what I know now, when I was younger?", well I want you all to know what I wish I knew at your age.

To learn more about Pamela Hart and how to Release Your Own Voice – come to the next YWiB event Get Vocalized! On May 12^th.  Tickets are on sale today and they will go fast, don’t miss out!  Location to be finalized.

my {YWiB} story - member highlight: Christina Low

name| christina lowsocial| twitter: @christinal159 email| christina@ywib.ca

why YWiB| i applied for a marketing manager position at ywib in november 2011 with the intent of flexing my creative muscle in a way that gives back to the community and would help me meet inspiring women in my own city.  so far, so good!

childhood ambition| to be some sort of michael/janet jackson hybrid.

my home| burnaby, bc.

wildest dream| to be a guest on ellen.

proudest moment|  graduating from university.

biggest challenge| to push myself past my comfort zone.

favorite quote| "you see, there's something else i'm going to do - only i don't know what it is. all I know is this isn't it for me." - john lennon.

inspiration| my parents, my big brother, chaos, kindness.

Hidden Work Rules They Don’t Teach You in School

I’ve been doing the full-time work thing for almost five years now.  During university I also did four co-op work terms, which had me slugging it 9 to 5 every other semester starting in my second year.  I thought I had it all figured out when I graduated.  But there are certain things that you don’t necessarily learn until you’ve been on the job for a while, and I’m here to share, enlighten, or maybe just offer a friendly reminder of the hidden rules I’ve picked up.  Whether you’re an accountant, a teaching assistant, a marketing manager or a sweater-folder at the Gap, here are a few tips and tricks that are sure to get you moving up – fast.  See you at the top, ladies! Do every job well. On the first day at my first co-op job, my very first task was – I kid you not – getting an extra hot grande soy latte from the Starbucks across the street for the Executive Director.   I wrote down the order, went to Starbucks, fetched the coffee and brought it back.  The ED was pleased.  My next task was to make photocopies of a rather large document and collate the pages into a coiled book.  I made sure I had all the pages and that they were in order, and then used the in-house hole puncher to finish off the coiled book.  The ED took that to a Very Important Meeting.  Pretty soon I was being asked to write content for the web, create posters and flyers, and get on the phone with high-level people I didn’t think I would ever get to talk to, being the lowly co-op student.  Don’t be impatient for seniority.  The way to get promoted from assistant is to be a fantastic assistant.

Cover your tracks with emails. People are busy.  People are doing a million things at once.  I find that unless things are written down, it’s almost like they never happened.  After meetings or phone calls, I always write emails to those I’m working with to confirm action items and follow-up info.  Not only is this appreciated at the executive level, but it’s also a way for me to recap what I’m responsible for and make sure that I’m on the right track, too.

Keep a “Yay Me!” file. It doesn’t have to be called that, but you should keep a running list of all your accomplishments and successes.  Use this when it comes time for your performance review, or when you’re updating your resume.  When you’re able to demonstrate your success using tangible examples, good things happen – a promotion, a raise, a better job elsewhere, your boss’ utmost respect.  It’s a win-win all around.

Be honest if you make a mistake. Nobody is perfect, and no one expects you to be either.  If you make a mistake, own it.  Apologize once and then get to work trying to fix it.  Bosses like results and solutions.  You’re allowed to quietly beat yourself up for one day only (because I know all you YWiB-ers are perfectionists and probably stress big-time if you screw up – I’m one of you, too!), then move on.  Making mistakes means you’re trying, and the important thing is to learn from them.

Know when to trade up. I grew up with baby-boomer parents who worked because they had to take care of their families – not necessarily because they got a thrill from the jobs they were doing.  I personally want to like my work.  So when I found myself getting bored and complacent at a job I had done for about three years, I knew it was time to start looking for something else.  Of course, I could have stayed, because I was getting paid well, I knew everybody, it was downtown and I was comfortable.  The thing is, though, you don’t learn anything about who you are or what you’re capable of when you’re comfortable.  It’s only outside of your comfort zone that you really figure out what you can do.  Stretch yourself a little, and know that it’s perfectly fine – expected, even – to want something different.  You don’t have employment ADD – you just want to think more, do more, and be more.  And that’s okay.

And one last itty bitty rule that people seem to forget...it’s always better to be overdressed than under. Dress pants > jeans. Blouses > t-shirts. Heels > flats. If you have to ask yourself “Would this be okay at the office?” it’s probably not.

Are there any other rules you’ve learned while on the job?  Is there anything that you’ve learned the hard way?  Share with us!

Cheers To The Weekend!!

As spring is ramping into full swing in Vancouver I wanted to take this beautiful Friday to wish you a wonderful weekend filled with relaxation and much needed down time.  This time of year tends to be the busiest for most.  Whether you're  a student completing another semester of exams (yay!), an accountant winding down from a busy (and stressful) tax season (Yay!), or an employee recovering from year-end budget deadlines (New budgets. Double Yay!) it can be an extremely hectic time of year. Some stress saving tips from me to you:

- Maintain perspective and try not to let the 'small things' get you down.  It may be playoffs but don't let the intensity rocket launch your bloodpressure - it is afterall just a game :p - Take the time to smell the roses (or cherry blossoms before they wilt) and while your at it, take advantage of the sunshine and stroll our beautiful seawall - Do one thing this weekend that is for YOU! Get yourself a pretty cupcake or a puppy, the skies the limit - And ALWAYS do as Ellen would and "Be Kind to One Another"

Cheers to the freakin' weekend!

xoxo ~ Megan

chatting with...sally parrott

Getting in touch with Aritzia's Sally Parrott for a YWiB chat was easy.  I only had to email once, and she replied within a couple hours.  Sally's efficient and innovative, and I'm guessing that's how she moved her way up the ladder at one of Canada's best-selling clothing retailers for women.  Here we talked about her journey to the top. name three people you'd like to have a dinner party with. That’s funny, I just had this conversation with someone the other day.  I have so many but I think three that are top of mind for me now are Maya Angelou (every woman should know her name), Anais Nin (I just find her life fascinating) and Mick Jagger (I know, he’s not the most intellectual choice but I bet he has some amazing stories).

you’ve been with aritzia for seven years, starting as a one-person department and now overseeing both marketing and creative services as vice-president of marketing.  what’s the biggest change or shift you’ve seen in marketing strategy during your time at aritzia? I think the biggest shift, and the most obvious, has been in the emergence of social media.  We now have both the opportunity and challenge of interacting with our customers on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis.  Gone are the days of developing a campaign for a season and then leveraging it across three or four key mediums.  Now we have to be very clear about our brand and key messaging and then develop a content strategy and plan that can be leveraged across a host of mediums that are multiplying by the month.

after working at proctor and gamble for four years, you had an “early-life crisis” and travelled in southeast asia for 18 months.  what kind of influence did your overseas adventures have on your career?  I think the time away forced me to take a step back and identify what I really wanted out of my work and my life.  Ultimately I identified that I did like my chosen career (at that point I was open to anything from being a mountain guide to a travelling nomad) but that it was important to me to work in an industry I cared about and was fun.  Life is too short to be unhappy – we spend a lot of time at work so we’d better enjoy it.

That time also taught me to trust my gut and my instincts.  I don’t always succeed in this regard but it’s a lesson all of us should learn.

Finally, that adventure and the many I’ve had since have taught me that life is all about lessons and my career will grow and evolve as I do.  Taking a step away every now and again helps me to evaluate with a clear head.  To take the path less travelled means that I will make mistakes and sometimes find myself in a place I didn’t envision – and that’s ok…sometimes even great.   To walk this path takes courage and multiple life crisis and I’m convinced it’s all worth it.

what makes aritzia a great place to work? Aritzia is full of young, extraordinarily bright, motivated individuals (the majority of whom are women) who are all passionate about what they do.  I also think there is an enormous amount of trust in the leadership of the organization.  It’s difficult to maintain a successful company for over 25 years and Aritzia has done just that.  It’s confidence inspiring. Having respect for the leadership, right from the very top, is something I think is extremely important.

why do you think YWiB and the YWiB philosophy is important for young women in the community?  Regardless of our age, gender or career status I think having both a strong foundation of peers AND mentors is essential in becoming our best versions of ourselves.  I don’t think it’s wise to sit back and expect our educational institutions or employers to own our career development.  We need to own our owns paths and I think one of the best ways to do that is to reach out into the community and connect with people who are aligned in values and can help us to grow and learn.  YWIB gives young women that opportunity.  I’ve been so impressed and, frankly, awestruck by the talent and motivation of the young women (and mentors) I’ve met through the group.

knowing your worth – i know mine, thanks to my dad

I’m a writer.  I always have been.  I get to do a lot of writing for a living, which is pretty cool.  I get to be creative almost every day, and I get paid for it.  I’m very lucky. As a child, I would show my work to my parents.  They would read it, and laugh, or say, “that’s very good.”  i come from a humble family, so it usually didn’t go much further than that.  In fact, sometimes my dad would say, “Did you actually write this?  From your own head?  You didn’t copy it from somewhere?”  And I would say, “Yes, Dad, it’s from my own head.”  I think he was mostly joking about that, but he just didn’t want me to think i was better than i was, or something.  But his next question would always be, for as long as i can remember, “where’s your name?  where does it say that you did this?”

Not a lot of my work has my name on it for some reason.  I’m not really sure why.  It could be that i never asked for a byline.  Like I said, I was raised to know that although I am talented, someone else is always going to be more so.  Besides, I work in the charitable sector, where the majority of things come together collaboratively and bylines are simply not part of the culture.  and I’ve always felt that asking to be credited would be pretentious.  Even now, when I get recognized in a meeting for something i’ve done, my first reaction is “it was a team effort, don’t look at me, we collaborated on this!”  Anyway, I’ve explained as much to my dad, and he just shakes his head. “You should get credit for what you’ve done,” he always says.  ”You should ask for it.  You should know your worth.”

I wrote a rather large novella of sorts last year and for the first time, upon recommendation from another colleague and my dad’s advice, I asked for my name to included in the document as the writer.  I received copies of this project and sure enough, in the back, in rather small type, it says i wrote it.  and i have to admit, it feels pretty good whenever i look at it.  It’s a good piece of work.  I know it is.

So I guess the point I’m trying to make with this post is that my dad, in addition to driving me insane, up the wall and crazy (sometimes all at once), wants me to be proud of the things i create. He's proud, in his own way, and now I know that whenever he asked why my name isn’t on something, it’s because he wants me to know my worth.  He wants me to know i’m good.  And now i do.

Why do you think women feel like taking all the credit is wrong or inaccurate?  Why are men so quick to ask for it?  Do you “know your worth”?