Who's Who Women in Business

2018

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VOLUME 4, MAY 2018 PUBLISHER Bob Cox MANAGER OF NICHE PRODUCTS Barb Borden Barb.Borden@freepress.mb.ca EDITOR Pat St. Germain pstgermain@mail.com WRITERS Sherry Kaniuga Wendy King Geoff Kirbyson Janine LeGal Todd Lewys Kristin Marand Jennifer McFee Holli Moncrieff Dean Pritchard Pat St. Germain Jared Story Jim Timlick PHOTOGRAPHY Darcy Finley Douglas Little Photography DESIGN Jane Chartrand View online at winnipegfreepress.com/ publications who's who special business edition women As spring approaches, we embrace the sense of awakening, an opportunity to seed growth, nurture prosperity and press forward with ideas and ambitions. That's why SHEday is held earlier in the year, to ensure time for reflection in setting the direction for growth. For the 1,500 participants who gathered at RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg on Jan. 26 for SHEday 2018, it was an opportunity to Share, Hear and Empower one another. SHEday was conceived by Marina James and Mary Jane Loustel in 2014. At the time, Mary Jane was Chair of the Board for Economic Development Winnipeg (EDW) and an inaugural member of the Winnipeg Police Board. Marina was President and CEO for EDW. For Loustel, a city that exudes economic and social success is one that is safe and ensures the well- being of women. For James, the power of inclusion and society health was always foundational in her work and vision for Winnipeg. Yet, in 2014, Winnipeg was front page news across Canada for Missing and Murdered Indigenous women. They agreed that more had to be done to mentor and increase opportunity so that all women could be included and excel as leaders in Winnipeg. The first SHEday, in 2015, was a resounding success and the continued momentum has been nothing short of amazing. It has expanded, and sold out, year over year, and the very generous participation of sponsors has been exceptional. A Winnipeg initiative that started well before the calls for 'MeToo' and 'TimesUp,' SHEday clearly demonstrates that it is time to expand conversations by women, for women, for the purpose of ensuring a society that is engaging women's powerful potential. SHEday is focused on developing women's leadership capacity and strength by building networks, enhancing communication and creating dialogue. A natural choice, the Women's Enterprise Centre of Manitoba (WECM) is the presenting partner for SHEday. Established in 1994 to help women successfully start and grow their own businesses, WECM provides business loans, advice and training. As an organization, it stands strong for women's inclusion in the economy and women inspiring women through their experiences. Throughout the day, speakers did exactly that. They each brought a unique perspective or idea to the table, and in turn, they each took something away. Entrepreneur Julie Michaud, founder of ethical beauty company Portia-ella, didn't have to look far for inspiration. She sat on a panel with Jessica Dumas, owner of Jessica Dumas Coaching & Training. Dumas is passionate about promoting the value of collaboration and mentorship, and she tries to create a network for other entrepreneurs to come together to share their strengths. "She raised the energy of the entire room," Michaud says. "It was empowering when she shared that we all hold the power to make changes. We hold the power to become who we want to be and we hold the power to create the changes that we wish to see." Michaud offers similar advice to women who aspire to leadership in any field: "Don't let anyone else define your 'you.' Be the one that creates and defines who you are and create your own standards." Norva Riddell, True North Sports + Entertainment senior vice-president of sales and marketing, was asked to share the wisdom she's gained during more than three decades in male-dominated industries. Having built a career in the beer business with Molson before switching to professional sports 14 years ago, Riddell spoke about her 'Uncommon Path,' sharing that anything is possible. In many ways, SHEday reinforced her key messages: Be supportive of one another and build relationships, work hard, be kind and persevere. Learn as much as you can from others, and apply those lessons, where applicable, in your own life. "I was very interested in what other people had to say," she says. "There was a such a mixture of stories and experiences, some about success, some about failure. What resonated most was when things didn't work out, they learned from it, moved on and tried something else." Social entrepeneurs at heart, James and Loustel established SHEACCELERATOR Inc. to host the SHEday brand and accelerate the inclusion of women in leadership across all aspects of society. Through the success of SHEACCELERATOR, Winnipeg will be seen as a city that launches programs that advance the success of women in professional, entrepreneurial, political, academic, research and other societal experiences. As you read the stories on the following pages, keep the messages of SHEday in mind: Embrace diversity, celebrate success but acknowledge there is still much progress to be made, know that you have the power to make change, and understand that collectively women wield enormous economic power. Use it wisely, and support businesses that support women. ❚ WHAT'S YOUR STORY? SHEDAY 2018

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