chatting with...val litwin

val litwin is a ywib kinda guy!  he doesn't shy away from anything different, which has led him on varying career paths - from non-profits to co-founding blo blow dry bar to operations guru at nurse next door.  we had the chance to chat with val about surfing, ice cream and everything in between.

name three people you'd like to have a dinner party with. First would be Dane Reynolds, my favourite surfer.  Then I suppose we’ll need a good chef for a good dinner party, so naturally I think Gordon Ramsey would have to join us, for the food and spicy conversation.  My third guest would be British philosopher Alain de Botton.  I know there are a lot of dudes at this table, but all three of these guys are really opinionated, hedonists and enjoy good drinks, so I’m sure we’re have some pretty interesting discussion.  Afterward...well, I’ll leave it at that.

so, english lit major - what's the last classic you read? Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.  It’s a brilliant story, a classic for a reason.  I'm into gothic thrillers as a genre, and I think everyone's human nature has that kind of dichotomy that we see in Jekyll and Hyde.  I like books that kind of make us see ourselves in the story.

fill in the blank: i wish i could stop eating ice cream but i just can't!  I just discovered toasted coconut at whole foods, and i’ll tell you...it’s delicious.  Because it’s not just coconut.  It’s toasted coconut.

what kind of advice you would give to someone wanting to make a major career switch, like you did (ie. from brand to operations)? Be fearless!  Even if you’re not, act like you are.  And if you’re hesitant about it...just do it!  Of course, that said, you need to be as prepared you can.  You would be foolish not to plan for it.  Perfect your craft and stay supple and flexible in your learning.  Your mind needs to stay stimulated to grow.  Keep stretching yourself.  Always keep stretching yourself.

favourite vancouver moment? That's an easy one! There is a little yellow boat anchored off Jericho Beach, and in the summertime, I swim to it and back, every day.  That’s my little daily ritual, and that would be my favourite Vancouver moment.  Actually, last summer, there was a mother and baby seal that would follow me out whenever I swam out there.

what's the hardest decision you've ever had to make? how did it turn out? Well...I grew up on the island, and only moved to Vancouver 5 years ago – that may not have been the hardest decision I ever made, but definitely the most significant one.  And obviously it’s turned out well, because if I didn't, I wouldn’t have been able to have the career I have now.

what do you wish for your future self? Happiness and lots of physical adventure (tons of surfing, lots of time in the water).  I’d like to be able to look back and say that I've taken care of the people that are close to me, as well as had a stimulating career in which I’ve grown something and made a difference.

want more on val?  check out this year's Business in Vancouver's Top 40 Under 40 list: he made it!

Must-haves for 2012: black dress, heels you can walk in, and a mission statement

I graduated university with what I thought was an unbeatable, winning combination that would set me up for success as soon as I peeled off my cap and gown: a bachelor’s degree, four co-op placements, extensive retail and volunteer experience and a passion for doing good.  But the contract I was on at my first full-time job could not be renewed, and I couldn’t seem to find something to replace it.  My boyfriend and I had also just broken up, and it was one of those splits that grabs your heart, grinds it into hamburger and hands it back to you, expecting you to just keep on going like nothing happened.  All my friends were already working, and I was feeling lonely and sorry for myself.  Before I knew it I was sitting at home on a weekday afternoon with a bachelor’s degree, four co-op placements, extensive retail and volunteer experience and a passion that was slowly dwindling by the minute.  Needless to say, this was NOT going well.  I had big dreams about "making it" after I graduated, and these road blocks were getting in the way of that.  It would have been easy to get discouraged, and I was for while.  That got boring pretty quick, though, so I gave my head a shake and I started telling myself every morning that I determine my future.  I am made for something/somewhere/someone special, and I will do everything I can to get there.  I didn’t know it right then, but this was, in fact, my mission statement.  And it seemed that as soon as I put that kind of spirited energy out into the world, my train started to get moving again.  Of course, it hasn’t been without bumps and stalls and at times, two steps backward.  But it’s been in those moments that my mission statement proved even more valuable, and helped me realize that things often don’t happen to you, but rather for you (shout-out to the way inspirational Amber Rae, for her poignant Ambergrams and whose blog us YWiB-ers turn to when days get rough!). So in addition to stellar high heels, a power black dress and a pen in your purse at all times, add “personal mission statement” to your list of must-haves for 2012.  It will give definition to everything you do (and we know you’re all doing a lot!) and help you find meaning when you're sure it isn't there.  Writing a 3,000 word paper on the history of agriculture in southern California?  Wrestling with the photocopier at work to print double-sided?  Struggling through training sessions for the Sun Run?  It’s all part of the journey, friends.  Your personal mission statement is the destination.

checks and balances

Not sure about you guys, but I’m already feeling a tad run off my feet and it’s only the second week of January.  Seems that returning to work or school after what many call the “silly season” (read: December) can be about as exhausting as the so-called holiday break itself.  Go figure. Last week we talked goals.  Which is awesome.  We gotta have ‘em, and we need to work toward achieving them, or else what are we here for, right?  “I will put $500 a month toward saving for a new car.”  “I will go to two aerobics classes a week for six weeks, then switch up my workouts.”  “I will not put my phone on the table during mealtimes with my family or significant other.”  And so on and so forth.

But just as it’s important to aim high, it’s also important to take a breath.  Ladies like us, who are always looking to think more, do more, be more – sometimes we forget what it’s like to just be.  So in this month of potential overextension in the name of those New Year’s resolutions you just set, do something different: forgive yourself every so often, and remember to check and balance yourself while you’re at it.

What does it mean to check and balance?  Well, for one thing, it’s a clever play on words (we at YWiB are quick and witty, after all).  In all seriousness though, what we mean is to check yourself for astronomically high stress levels, feelings of being overwhelmed or a mind going miles a minute when you really need it to slooooow down.  Then you have to balance yourself.  It can be as easy as inhaling and exhaling.  Or maybe you walk away and go bake cookies.  Whatever it is, whatever you want to do – bring yourself back from teetering off the edge of that really high cliff we tend to climb, just because we can.

Another thing, girls – checking and balancing is a year-round activity!  Working hard means we can and should be rewarded with playing hard.  Life is a balancing act, and we all need a reminder that keeping everything in the air Every. Single. Day. is an unfair expectation to put on ourselves.  Whether you want to lead the department at work, score a 4.0 GPA or learn how to code your own website, remember that it’s okay to take small steps forward and backward.  And it’s also okay to stay in one spot for a little while.  It’s all part of the balance.

Tell us how you check and balance yourself!  Do you go for walks?  Practice yoga?  Have a coffee?  Read a magazine?  Take a Youtube break (sometimes a sneezing panda is all you need!)?  Let us know on Facebook or Twitter (click @ywib to follow us!)!

And if you need another reminder...check out The Sabbath Manifesto: a YWiB favourite, slowing people down since 2010.  Ahhhh...

my YWiB story: sasha

With YWiB there is always a story to tell – featuring Sasha Evans  ~written by Darya Niknamian I sat down with Sasha Evans, a YWiB fan, a go getter and most importantly a good friend. Sasha’s story and overall YWiB experience drove me to volunteer with the organization and I am writing this in hopes of sharing a glimpse into one person’s experience with Young Women in Business.

Sasha’s exposure to YWiB began with the 2008 Beyond Pink Conference, an event she called “inspirational, welcoming and educational.” She met many inspiring women and speakers who taught her that you can do anything you put your mind to, you just need to follow your passion and have a vision. After the conference Sasha could not sit still, Beyond Pink and all of its elements provided her with a great platform and a spark that led her to develop a fundraiser.

Sasha knew she wanted to do something she was passionate about – dance! At the time she was involved with Global Agents for Change (a non-profit organization) and decided to incorporate her love for dance and desire to raise money for a good cause and voila, a fundraiser called “An Evening for Arts” was cooked up. Working to produce the event for four gruelling months, Sasha was able to raise a total of $10,000 in one night.

Throughout our conversation, Sasha reiterated time and time again that you can do anything you want but it is extremely important to know why you are doing it! She had to put up her own money to rent the dance hall and was turned down by several companies when searching for sponsorship and in-kind donations. At times the whole planning process was discerning and difficult and Sasha found herself asking “why am I doing this?” Her answer always turned out to be the same, I believe in the cause I am supporting and I love dancing.

Now working at a finance firm and pursuing her 3rd level CFA, Sasha is working towards another goal – to be taken seriously as a young female investor. One experience she reflected on at Beyond Pink was an activity where everyone had to write down their biggest life goals and whether or not they had the resources to help them. She remembers an individual writing ‘I want to cure cancer’ – a goal which reminds us to all aim high and let nothing stop you from following your passions.

New Year, New You!

We’ve all made promises, said the words, and probably even wrote down our resolutions for a new year telling ourselves that 2011 was going to be THE year for change!! ….But was it? It is important to set goals and actively monitor them to keep yourself on track but if you’ve found that your method isn’t providing results don’t give up, try another approach!

Recalling POP (Place of Possibility), an event hosted by YWiB in 2011, we wanted to share our insights collected over the year from some highly motivated goal setters to ensure 2012 is YOUR best year yet!!

Consider your goals, in detail, and then put them down on paper or if a goal of yours is to save paper, type them into an electronic document.

When setting your goals be SPECIFIC! If one of your personal goals is to save more money make note of HOW you plan to save that money. Ask yourself: Where will the saved funds come from? What will I cut out of my life to create this excess cash? And, how am I going to monitor my savings? For example, “By June 10, 2012 I plan to have saved $2,500 in a building block GIC account. I’ll save this money by dining out once a week and buying coffee once a week instead of daily.”

And if your goal is to be more physically active ask yourself in what ways do you want to be more active. “I plan to run the 10K Vancouver Sun Run on April 15^th in less than 50 minutes.” OR “Not only will I set aside 3-4 hours a week to commit to my gym membership this year but I am going to register for spin classes twice a week to keep me on track.”

Consider goals that may seem “out of reach”. A goal wouldn’t be worth setting if you didn’t have to work hard to achieve it. Keeping that in mind, push yourself by setting goals that are barely attainable so that you are challenging yourself!

Focus on timelines. Setting short-term (0-6 months or even 1 year) goals are critical to ensuring long-term (1 – 5+ years) goal achievement. Because you are setting specific goals for yourself deadline dates shouldn’t be a surprise. “I will host my first art showing on July 15, 2011.” OR “I will participate in my first competitive half-marathon in August 2012 and full marathon by October 30^th, 2012.” (Of course if you are a runner it would be best to choose specific races you wish to qualify for.)

Categorize your goals. “Personal/Health”, “Professional”, “Financial”, etc. This will help you to remain organized as well as focused on your objectives.

Add to your goals throughout the year. Goal setting shouldn’t be an annual thing you make yourself do, make it part of your routine. Keep a journal or agenda that is specific to your goals and put it somewhere that will remind you of them regularly.

Forget fear and don’t let failures get in your way! The most successful people in the world have ALL failed it’s no secret. The secret is that their failures taught them wonderful lessons and those lessons encouraged them to continue striving for their dreams. For those times when you feel like you’ve failed at something read this blog post. Bookmark it, it’s worth it!

Find a format that works for you and use it. There are a lot of goal-setting structures (and Apps) out there so find your favorite and use it. I have yet to find a great App for me but I like to write my goals down. If you find a good one please share it with me but until then, Lululemon Athletica is the creator of my personal favorite, I love the colours!

Final tip, accountability is key! Consider someone you can appoint to hold you accountable to your goals. A friend? A partner? A parent? Find someone you trust and can be honest with. It may be easiest to find someone who’s willing to make the same commitment to goal setting so you can support one another. We’ll call it “Goal Setting Anonymous”.

So if you only make one New Years Resolution this January make the best resolution for you, SET GOALS IN 2012!! “If you want something, go get it. Period.” Good luck and feel free to share some of those goals with us via @ywib.

And if all this hasn’t convinced you to stop making excuses – check out Matt Scott’s “No Excuses” Commercial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obdd31Q9PqA

Happy Holidays from the Ladies at YWiB!!

We wanted to take a moment to touch base with everyone who has taken the time to connect with us throughout 2011. Your support has been the most significant aspect of our year and we’d like to thank you for making it one of the most exciting and challenging years at YWiB! We look forward to more events, speaker series and conferences to come in 2012! Also, we wanted to take the time to encourage you to remember to connect with your network this holiday season. Sending a holiday greeting can go a long way. The holiday season is an excellent opportunity to lay the groundwork for your networking circle in 2012! The best part is that it’s quick, inexpensive and easy to do, you’ll also feel like you’re giving a little extra in the well-wishes department this year. Like any great networker will tell you, be selfless. It’s not what that connection can do for you but what you can do for them so reach out to remind them you’re thinking about them during the busiest time of the year (if you’re in accounting, the second busiest time of the year). Never underestimate the power of a simple “Happy Holidays & All the Best in 2012!”, we promise it will go a long way.

Alternative methods to keep you connected this time of year could be e-cards, paper cards, a small token of appreciation (everyone loves chocolate) or even if you have zero time, a short and sweet “Merry Christmakkah” email. It’s not the size of the message but the thought of the message itself that will go a long way in solidifying that professional relationship and leave you fresh in their mind all season long. Not to mention they’ll know you are a networking pro for reaching out to them before they had a chance to reach out to you.

So, from the bottom of our YWiB-y hearts….

~ Wishing You Happiest of Holidays & the Greatest Success in the Year to Come!!

YWiB's Miss Representation screening featured in National Post & Huffington Post!

Jane Macdougall, National Post, attended YWiB's screening of Miss Representation and shared:

The Vancouver organization Young Women In Business hosted Monday’s screening. They’re the ones on the battlefield right now and they get it. Miss Representation asks, “How can you become what you cannot see?” and it dawned on me: It’s hard to see past the cookie aisle these days.

For more, visit the full article here.

Amy Chan, Huffington Post, joined YWiB as a panelist for Miss Representation. Visit the story and experiences she shared here.