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.

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.

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.

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!

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.