Angie Ostojic Magazine Spring 2019

The Science of

HAPPINESS SPRING 2019

PERFECTLY

IMPERFECT FAITH in LIFE

and

BUSINESS

EMPOWERED WOMEN

as LEADERS and COACHES

MOVING FROM FEAR TO FREEDOM Volume 2 Issue 2

YOU CAN OVERCOME OBSTACLES BY CONQUERING YOUR FEARS DESTROYING YOUR LIMITING BELIEFS AND BY HAVING A SUCCESS-ORIENTED MINDSET. YOU MUST KEEP GOING

No Matter What.

- Angie Ostojic

OUR TEAM

ANGIE OSTOJIC Executive Editor

CHELSEA TAN Co-Editor

ALMA ARMADA Content Advisor

MIKE LESCANO Production and Print

KEN MURILLO Photographer

RITALY ORQUEJO Makeup Artist

SHIELA GAMAYAO Graphic Designer

TABLE OF CONTENTS SUCCESS STORIES From Contract Worker to Business Owner, p.24 Jeffrey Angeles The Leap: How Faith Can Play a Role in Life and Business, p.10-11 Michael Siervo How to Give Back to Your Caregiver, p.9 Tanya Eklund Hitting the Target, p.15 Sunny Singh Mid-life Career Change, p.16-17 Tony Ostojic 34 Happy Years of Marriage, p.14 Benito & Debbie Tan Turning Failure Into Opportunity, p.18 Chelsea Tan An Immigration Success Story, p.13 Mario Tolledo Overcoming Educational Barriers For a New Immigrant, p.12 Jasfer Nerio Perfectly Imperfect, p.25 Liz Perez PRACTICAL BUSINESS TIPS Building a Business Out of Thin Air, p.8 Jared Sarbit Empowered Women as Leaders and Coaches, p.21 Abe Brown Filing Taxes When You’re Self-Employed, p.27 Jacquelline Villanueva How to Ensure Business Partners Stay Friends, p.22-23 Henry Villanueva LIFE HACKS & ADVICE Fostering Emotional Strength and Resilience, p.19 Angie Ostojic The Science of Happiness, p.7 Dr. Gillian Mandich A Woman In Leadership, p.20 Luanne Whitmarsh Own your life! Cheryl Millner, p.29 Cheryl Millner Moving from Fear to Freedom, p.30 Angelika Christie Dealing with Conflict Through Empathy, p.28 Verna Marzo

ANGIE OSTOJIC MAGAZINE TEAM Owned by: AO Giving Heart, Inc. Published by: AO Giving Heart, Inc. Executive Editor: Angie Ostojic Co-Editor: Chelsea Tan Content Advisor: Alma Armada Media Developer: Shiela Gamayao Production and Print: Michael Lescano / Minuteman Press Photographer: Ken Murillo Makeup Artist: Ritaly Orquejo Graphic Designer: Shiela Gamayao Advertising Opportunities: team@angieostojic.com 403-835-4599 Mailing address: Franklin Atrium Unit 110 3015 5 Ave NE Calgary, AB T2A 6T8

Contents copyright © 2019 by Angie Ostojic Magazine; any form of reproduction of any content on this magazine without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Angie Ostojic Magazine Inc. assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate or incomplete information contained about each individual, event or organization. Angie Ostojic Magazine will not be liable for any damages or losses as a result of the use of the reader of any information, opinions, or products mentioned.

ANGIE OSTOJIC MAGAZINE TEAM

“Success is not what you have, but who you are. Your own character speaks about yourself.”

-Alma Armada , Content Advisor “Happiness is a hustle. No one, apart from yourself, is responsible for your success and well-being.

It’s something that you must consciously seek and bring into your life.”

-Chelsea Tan, Co-editor “The greatest things come to those who take risks.”

-Ken Murillo, Photographer “Don’t forget where you came from but never lose sight of where you are going.”

- Susan Gale (Mike Lescano, Minuteman Press) “We are all gifted with talents and abilities. It is our obligation to develop, utilize and share as much of it to have a significant contribution in this lifetime.”

- Shiela Gamayao, Graphic Designer

DEAR READERS,

I’m excited to share the Spring edition of the Angie Ostojic Magazine with you.

For a lot of us, Spring signifies a time for hope and change. My hope is for this magazine to inspire positive change in your life, whether it be in business or your personal relationships.

In this issue we explore stories on personal success, the struggles of starting and staying in business, life hacks, and other useful advice. Make sure that you read the article on “How to ensure business partners stay friends” (p.22-23) if you’re in business with a friend or thinking of starting a partnership with them. Our feature article titled “Midlife career change” (p.16-17) will inspire you to be open to radical changes.

We’ve packed so much value into this magazine for you to share with your friends and to keep as a reminder that success isn’t just for anybody-- it’s for everybody. If you’re interested in submitting an article, please read the guideline on page 26. In the meantime, happy reading!

Yours Truly,

THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS

By Dr. Gillian Mandich

T

he quest for happiness can be as confusing as Indiana Jones looking for lost treasure. Many people are waiting for happiness and they believe that if they aren’t happy now, they will be happy when their career finally takes off, they find Mr. Right, or they strike it rich. Yet, the science of happiness reveals that happiness is actually something you can create daily,1 it’s a lot like exercise because it requires discipline, regular effort, and a commitment to a continual practice.

Letting go of the idea that you will one day arrive at happiness, and instead practicing happiness habits is the most effective way to increase your happiness. Research shows that committing to one new happiness habit at a time and practicing it regularly can make a big difference towards living a happier life.2 Here are some of the most powerful happiness habits, backed by science: SAVOUR

MONITOR YOUR MEDIA

Stopping to smell the roses (which in the scientific literature is called savoring) means recognizing the good things in your life (e.g. a beautiful flower, a delicious cup of coffee, or the sun shining on your face) and then basking in the positive feelings associated with them. Instead of letting a positive experience pass by with little attention or appreciation, savoring means taking time to acknowledge, appreciate, and fully enjoy it. Research shows that savoring can be a potent happiness booster, and it doesn’t really matter exactly what you choose to savour (as long as you enjoy it).3

Have you ever watched the news and noticed that you feel less happy or more anxious after? Scientists have found that watching the news can trigger negative feelings and can have an immediate effect on your happiness.4 One study found that people who watched just 3 minutes of negative news in the morning had a 27% greater likelihood of reporting their day as unhappy 6-8 hours later compared to people who watched positive news or no news at all.5

INSTEAD OF LETTING A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE PASS BY WITH LITTLE ATTENTION OR APPRECIATION, SAVORING MEANS TAKING TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE, APPRECIATE, AND FULLY ENJOY IT.

Try to slow down 2-3 times per day to notice what is good or makes you feel happy in that moment. Once you’ve found something to appreciate, take at least 10 seconds to really enjoy the feeling of that moment, and notice how that affects your mood.

Citations 1. Sheldon K, Lyubomirsky S. Is It Possible to Become Happier? (And If So, How?).

Soc Personal Psychol Compass [Internet]. 2007;1(1):129–45. Available from: http:// doi.wiley.com/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2007.00002.x 2. Sheldon K, Lyubomirsky S. How to increase and sustain positive emotion: The effects of expressing gratitude and visualizing best possible selves. J Posit Psychol.

2006;1(2):73–82.

3. Bell S, Bell S, Lane N, Miluzzo E, Lu H, Peebles D, et al. Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life. Lomranz J, editor. J Happiness Stud [Internet]. Belmont, CA: Springer Netherlands; 2010 Jan 1;29(2):33. Available from: http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/45280/ 4. Szabo A, Hopkinson S. Negative psychological effects of watching the news in

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Social media can also affect your mental health. In a recent study, researchers found that emotions expressed by others on Facebook can influence your emotions.6 Social media can also be a happiness drain, and a study from the University of Michigan found that the more time people spent on Facebook, the less happy and satisfied they were with their life).7

Happy people often limit their news consumption and are intentional about what media and social media they consume. Try to notice your media and social media habits, and make an effort to eliminate or limit the ones that made you feel less happy.

the television: Relaxation or another intervention may be needed to buffer them! Int J Behav Med [Internet]. 2007;14(2):57–62. Available from: http://www.embase.com/ search/results?subaction=viewrecord&from=export&id=L47021040%5Cnhttp://resolver.ebscohost.com/openurl?sid=EMBASE&issn=10705503&id=doi:&atitle=Negative+psychological+effects+of+watching+the+news+in+the+television%3A+Relaxation+or+anot 5. Achor S, Gielan M. Consuming Negative News Can Make You Less Effective at Work. Harvard Business Review. 2015; 6. Guillory J, Hancock J, Verma I, Guillory J, Hancock J, Guillory J, et al. Editorial Expression of Concern: Experimental evidence of massivescale emotional contagion through social networks. Proc Natl Acad Sci [Internet]. 2014;111(29):10779–10779.

Available from: http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1412469111 7. Vigil T, Wu H. Facebook Users’ Engagement and Perceived Life Satisfaction. Me-

DO SOMETHING NICE FOR SOMEONE

When you do something nice for someone it releases endorphins (feel good hormones) that activate the parts of your brain associated with happiness, pleasure, and social connection. There is a positive feedback loop created by doing something nice for someone and happiness: when you are happy, it increases the likelihood that you will be altruistic; and when you are altruistic it makes you feel happier.8

Doing something nice doesn’t need to mean a grand gesture. Small things (such as buying a stranger behind you in the coffee line a cup of coffee, putting a coin in an expired meter, or giving someone a genuine compliment) can make a big impact on someone’s day.

PRACTICE GRATITUDE

Gratitude is a feeling of wonder, thankfulness, and appreciation,9 and it can significantly increase your happiness as well as protect you from stress, anxiety, and depression.10 A recent study found that 90% of respondents said that practicing gratitude helped them to feel happier.11

By intentionally focusing on things you are grateful for, happiness and life satisfaction increase.12 A regular gratitude practice is one of the easiest ways to counter the brain’s negativity bias (the tendency to cling to negative thoughts and things in the environment).

GET MOVING!

Have you ever noticed that you feel great after an intense workout? There is a reason for that! Happiness and exercise are both independently associated with the release of endorphins (feel good hormones) and an increase in immune function; it also decreases cortisol (a stress hormone).13

Exercise is not just good for your body, it’s also sublime for your mind! Regular physical activity increases happiness and can help reduce anxiety, stress, and depression.14 LET IT GO, LET IT GO!

THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS REVEALS THAT HAPPINESS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING YOU CAN CREATE DAILY, IT’S A LOT LIKE EXERCISE BECAUSE IT REQUIRES DISCIPLINE, REGULAR EFFORT, AND A COMMITMENT TO A CONTINUAL PRACTICE. dia Commun [Internet]. 2015;3(1):5. Available from: http://www.cogitatiopress.com/ ojs/index.php/mediaandcommunication/article/view/199 8. Post S. Altruism, Happiness, and Health: It’s Good to Be Good. 2005;12(2):66–77.

9. Emmons R, Shelton. Gratitude and the science of positive psychology. Handbook of positive psychology. 2002.

10. Ouweneel E, Le Blanc P, Schaufeli W. On being grateful and kind: Results of two randomized controlled trials on study-related emotions and academic engagement. J Psychol Interdiscip Appl. 2014;148(1):37–60.

11. Emmons R, McCullough M. Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2015;84(2):3.

12. Wallis A. The New Science of HAPPINESS. 2018;1–11.

13. Richards J, Jiang X, Kelly P, Chau J, Bauman A, Ding D. Don’t worry, be happy:

Happiness comes down to basic math. It requires both subtraction and addition. If you want to be happy now you need to let go of the past.15 The past is valuable (it provides a solid foundation for the present), you can learn from it (both the mistakes and the successes), and then let it go.

Dr. Gillian Mandich is the creator, producer, and host of Health Science Radio. She’s a public speaker, yoga teacher, and academic focusing on the impact of Health Promotion.

Cross-sectional associations between physical activity and happiness in 15 European countries. BMC Public Health. 2015;15(1):1–8.

14. Zhang Z, Chen W. A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Happiness. J Happiness Stud [Internet]. Springer Netherlands; 2018;1–18.

Available from: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-018-9976-0 15. Cloninger C. The science of well being: An integrated approach to mental health and its disorders. Psychiatr Danub. 2006;18(3–4):218–24.

16. Csikszentmihalyi M. If We Are So Rich, Why Aren’t We Happy? Am Psychol [Internet]. 1999;54(10):821–7. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.ur i?eid=2-s2.0-84905921183&doi=10.1115%2FICEM2009-16181&partnerID=40&md5=43720fa2c94a8a785c9ae7562fe184b1 17. Lyubomksky S, Sheldon K, Schkade D. Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Rev Gen Psychol. 2005;9(2):111–31.

| AOM | www.angieostojic.com | Spring 2019 Edition |

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BUILDING A BUSINESS OUT OF THIN AIR

By Jared Sarbit

SOMEONE WHO NATURALLY PLANS AND FOCUSES WILL QUICKLY SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM THE REST. Write a business plan, understand the market, define your goals, your mission, and your business values.

W

hat does it take to build and sustain a successful business? For Jared Sarbit, nothing takes the place of self-discipline and persistence.

8x more likely to trust the company, and 7x more likely to forgive them. The forgiveness part is huge. In this nature of business, things will go wrong from time to time.”

PERSISTING THROUGH THE STARTUP PHASE

MAKING SMART BUSINESS DECISIONS

It took a few years after launching their business before Sarbit and his partner started seeing regular cash flow.

“We literally didn’t pay ourselves for the first year and a half, and it wasn’t until year three that we saw regular monthly income”, he shared. Him and his business partner saved on costs by living in the same small condo, doing cleaning jobs at night and waking on the kitchen table to do cold calls the following day. “There were many days in the first few years that I questioned if we should keep going”, he mused. It was the fear of failure that kicked his entrepreneurial spirit into gear and pushed him forward.

As a new entrepreneur, Sarbit suggests getting a line of credit for those that qualify for one. “Especially in a business that has accounts receivables, and you have to wait to get paid, that line of credit will really help you cover your costs while you wait for the payments to come in,” he advised. He doesn’t invest in unproven marketing strategies either. Sarbit prioritizes creating a system that accommodates business growth. “This way, when you grow, your systems can easily be filled by other people, as you focus more on working on your business, versus in your business.”

FINDING & CULTIVATING TALENT

Sarbit believes that people are the biggest cost and greatest asset, which is why they hire slow and fire fast. “We invest heavily in finding and developing the best people. If someone isn’t a cultural DNA match with our business, we quickly look to move this person out of the business”, he said. The best employees, according to Sarbit, are the ones that show empathy and truly understand their customers’ needs. He places emphasis on the difference between reactive and proactive customer service. The former focuses on efficiency while the latter focuses on creating real, authentic relationships with the customers so that they become loyal to the company. “Customers that have a ‘wow’ experience with a company are 9x more likely to recommend the company,

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And scale he does. From doing cold calls in his kitchen to seeing a minimum growth of 30% in his business year by year, Sarbit continues to set goals for expansion. Asked what he thinks will lead to surefire success, and he pointed, “Someone who naturally plans and focuses will quickly separate themselves from the rest. Write a business plan, understand the market, define your goals, your mission, and your business values.” They are now on their eighth year of success, which we know had nothing to do with coincidence, and everything to do with persistence.

Jared Sarbit the Co-founder of Picture Perfect Cleaning which was established in 2010. They currently operate in Calgary and Edmonton.

How To Give Back to Your CAREGIVER

By Tanya Eklund

GIVING LOVE TO YOUR CAREGIVER COMES BACK TO YOU TENFOLD.

C

hildcare is one of the most stressful things in life to deal with. Who could you possibly trust, apart from yourself and your partner, to take on this position?

Our journey started five years ago when we were looking for a nanny to help take care of our first born.

BE CONSIDERATE OF YOUR CAREGIVER’S EXPERIENCES

I came across a woman who’d told me that she’d treat my children well as long as our family treated her well.

I found out that her previous employer had been verbally abusive towards her, berating her and making her clean the grout in their bathroom floors. Living in the countryside, it was near impossible for her to reach the city on her own. My heart broke for this woman who clearly had so much pride but was forced to take care of a cruel family and endure their abuse. I thought of reporting her employers but I knew that it wasn’t my place to put her work in jeopardy.

APPRECIATE WHAT THEY DO FOR YOUR FAMILY

We eventually found the right match for our family.

We met Marizen, who is a Godsend straight out of heaven.

She gave us the gift of not only caring, but also educating and loving our daughters like they were her own. The love she shows our family and our daughters is nothing like I’ve ever seen. I’ve been a working mom since the day my babies came into this world and having someone that I can fully trust to take care of our daughters has brought so much peace to my life. She disciplines them and she tries to teach them the difference between right and wrong. It saddens me when I hear of employers who treat their nannies and caregivers like they are less than they are. I believe in respecting all elders, most especially the ones who spend their time helping me to raise my children.

TREAT THEM WITH UTMOST RESPECT

We should be treating the caregivers of our children equal to how we would treat our parents and our best friends in life. We should be encouraging them, loving them and showing them grace because without them we would not be able to focus on doing the things that bring us more income and joy into our lives. They play one of the most important roles in our children’s lives. I hope with so much awareness going on in this generation that we can have a mindset change and come to realize what role the caregiver plays in our family’s life.

Tanya Eklund is the president of the Tanya Eklund Group, a real estate company based out of Calgary, AB. She’s been recognized as the leader of the #1 Team at the #1 Re/Max office in the world.

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The Leap: HOW FAITH CAN PLAY

By Michael Siervo

FAITH IS CRUCIAL AND A VITAL PART OF BEING WHO YOU ARE MEANT TO BE.

T

he year 2006 was a very challenging year in my life.

My business ventures were barely surviving, and my lines of credits were maxed-out. Looking for an injection of positivity and maybe a miracle, I attended a conference which was geared to motivate financial advisors. As the day went on, I met a gentleman named Chris. Standing at 6’6, he was a mountain of a man. We were both getting some fresh air during the break and started making small talk.

There was something about his kind demeanor that allowed me to open up. For the first time, I took my brave face off and admitted that I was filled with fear, doubt, and insecurities.

After 10 minutes of spewing my soul to a complete stranger, he did something that no one had ever done for me. He put his hand on my shoulder and started to pray. As if the power of God was speaking through him, I was overcome by feelings of hope as tears began to stream down my face.

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Sadly I didn’t get Chris’s full name and never saw him again. However, a few days later, our secretary informed me that a tall man had dropped off a gift for me. It was a book by Rick Warren called “The Purpose Driven Life”. In it, Chris had inscribed some words of encouragement that I really needed to hear at the time.

“Mike, what an incredible decision you made today. I am so excited to see God work in and through you, and there is no question that he has been working on you personally over the last many days.”

A ROLE IN LIFE AND BUSINESS

I’m reminded that not only do we need to have faith; we must have a clear purpose for everything that we do. Venturing into business on your own can be a lonely world of uncertainty and can drain even the most optimistic visionary. You must have confidence in your potential to build and execute a plan, raise your resources and evolve with every obstacle. Then all you have to do is take that leap of faith to get where you deserve to be!

BELOW ARE 5 REASONS WHY WE MUST HAVE FAITH: FAITH ENCOURAGES US TO DREAM BIGGER. Who is bigger in this universe than its Creator? Faith in God allows us to reflect and visualize what a purposeful venture can accomplish. Your business is meant to grow, why not grow it as big as you can?

FAITH OPENS UP OUR CREATIVE MINDS. We must use our creativity and have an open mind. Tap into the God mindset; the same mindset that created the giant 52,500 cubic feet sequoia tree in California or the superficial layer of skin that allows a Chameleon to change colors.

FAITH HELPS YOU CONVEY YOUR PURPOSE TO OTHERS. Investors will not invest in you unless you show faith in your vision. Sell your passion with the unshakeable confidence that you are worthy of the opportunity.

FAITH REMINDS US THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE. The entrepreneurial journey is scary. Friends and family will often try to sway you from the life of uncertainty to the steady paycheck of employment. In times of darkness, God sends a message to remind us that we’re not alone. Statistics have shown that those with faith tend to be the most resilient and have a greater tolerance for positive risks.

FAITH REMINDS US OF OUR PURPOSE. Maybe your product helps save lives or protect a family from financial loss. Whatever it is, faith in a greater purpose will help us in answering the question, “If not me, then who?”

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New Canadian:

OVERCOMING EDUCATIONAL BARRIERS

By Jasfer Nerio

LIFE IS SHORT, AND WE MUST TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO STEER OUR PATHS TOWARDS THE DIRECTION OF OUR DREAMS DESPITE OUR PERCEIVED LIMITS.

M

y family immigrated into Canada in the Spring of 2016. My siblings enrolled back in school just a few months after our arrival, but the high school that I applied to had turned me down because of my age. I ended up working at a meat processing plant just 30 minutes South of Calgary. I endured the long-hours and scorching heat at work because I wanted to support my family financially. It felt good to fulfill that purpose, but I know that my ultimate dream is to become a successful entrepreneur.

I want to learn about social entrepreneurship, corporate responsibility and philanthropy.

I joined the school’s track and field team and played one season in the Javelin and Discus Throw event in the city finals. I also joined after-school programs aimed in developing one’s communication skills and confidence through mentorship, volunteering and workshops. Overall, I would say that I was fortunate to have come from a school that offered a considerable amount of support and opportunities for students like me. My hard work paid off as I finally received my High School diploma here in Canada.

GOING THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL TWICE

Today, I just smile and give thanks every time I remember how I was able to overcome my struggles. I could still be working at the meat processing plant if I didn’t surround myself with people who believed in me. I’m now finishing my first year of business school at SAIT, actively volunteering for the Phi Theta Kappa Honour society and giving back to the Filipino community by volunteering for the Filipino Chamber of Commerce. Since the people around me have faith in my capabilities, it’s allowed me to do the same.

Life is short, and we must take the initiative to steer our paths towards the direction of our dreams despite our perceived limits.

I found a way to get back into high school to finish my diploma, but I quickly realized that getting through would be a challenge because of the language barrier. The language difference made it difficult for me to excel academically and I had to retake Math 30-1 because I lacked the comprehension to understand the complicated questions.

Apart from academia, I was involved in a few extracurricular activities at school.

FINDING NEW EXPERIENCES

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GETTING INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY

AN IMMIGRATION SUCCESS STORY

By Mario Tolledo 2018 was an amazing year for my family and me. I got promoted to Restaurant Manager, we gained our permanent resident status, and we finally purchased a house!

M

ario Tolledo grew up from an impoverished family in the Philippines. For twenty-five years, he and his family lived in poverty-stricken conditions. Wealth disparity is very common in a country like the Philippines, and those that get beaten down by the system often stay beaten. For a while, Mario was one of those people.

Even with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and his clerical job, he still struggled to make ends meet for his family. “There were times when I couldn’t afford to buy my son’s milk”, he opened up.

SAYING YES TO A NEW LIFE

In 2013, he heard from a friend that job interviews for food service crews were going to be conducted in Manila.

The company was looking to hire temporary foreign workers to work in the food service industry in Alberta. “At the time, a few years had already passed since I quit my last food industry-related job, so I was apprehensive about applying but I felt it was my chance to change the course of our life, in God’s will”, he shared. He took a leap of faith, submitted an application and landed an interview along with hundreds of other hopeful candidates. Thinking of his wife and young son, he had all the confidence during a tough interview, which later lead to a job offer to work as a Food Counter Attendant.

Although the opportunity was exhilarating, it came with the caveat of leaving his family behind in the Philippines.

GETTING THROUGH THE HURDLES OF LIFE ABROAD

All foreign workers can relate to the loneliness of living and working abroad, a great distance apart from their loved ones. “ The painful separation was the trade-off to be able to provide a better life for my family; I lived in faith and trusted God that I was doing the right thing”, he added. Apart from being homesick, Mario went through a very stressful period where he lost his working status and had to stop work-

ing due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control. There were many major changes to the temporary foreign worker program, and so many foreign workers had to return to their home country. Losing his job meant no income to support his family in the Philippines. “Getting off the bus after receiving the email that I’ve lost my status was the saddest and fearful moment I’ve had here in Canada”, he admitted. Mario’s faith in God grew more intense as it was all he got to get by his loneliness and fear. Luckily, Mario had moral support from his employer’s management team and Alma Armada & Company Ltd. He recounted receiving a phone call from Alma Armada herself, the very person who gave him the chance to better his life after the interview back in 2013. She said to him, “Don’t worry, Mario, everything will be fine, the application to rehire you has been approved, and we will get your working visa back as soon as possible.” Within a few months, they were able to obtain a new work permit for him, leading him to continue living the kind of life for his family which was only a dream when he was in his home country.

FINALLY MOVING FORWARD

Going fast forward-- “2018 was an amazing year for my family and me. I got promoted to Restaurant Manager, we gained our permanent resident status, and we finally purchased a house!” he exclaimed. Thinking back during the days when couldn’t afford to buy milk and some the other necessities in life for his family, reaching these milestones seems like an astronomic feat. He feels grateful-- “I’m thankful for my guardian, Rebecca, who treats me like her son. I am grateful to my employer, Brian DeHaan, for being the most wonderful boss anyone could have and supporting me in good and bad times. Finally and of course, to Alma Armada, without whom all of this wouldn’t be possible if she hadn’t given me a chance.

Mario credits his success his faith in God, optimism, and having good people in his life. | AOM | www.angieostojic.com | Spring 2019 Edition |

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34 YEARS STRONG: THE POWER OF COMPATIBILITY for Lifelong Partnership

By Benito & Debbie Tan

I

t’s hard to guess what the secret to lifelong partnership or marriage is but for Ben and Debbie who are celebrating 34 years of marriage this year, compatibility and faith have had a lot to do with it. The couple, who are originally from Bacolod City, Philippines, met when they started to play for the same band. Both had professional jobs in the day and played for the restaurant scene a few nights a week. Ben, a Certified Public Accountant, worked full-time at the bank while Debbie worked for an accounting firm. Who knew that pursuing their passions on the side would lead them to love and a lifelong marriage?

COMPATIBILITY IN MAJOR INTERESTS

Music brought this couple together and it still remains a constant in their lives to this day. “We’ve joined many faith-based communities over the years. As of today we’re still active volunteers for our community Church and we sing for the choir every Saturday. Performing together is very much part of our married life and brings excitement into our weekly routine,” shared Ben. They’ve been able to keep their faith and passion for music alive through the global movement Couples For Christ which they’ve been members of for over 24 years. Being part of a global community like CFC has helped ease their transition from the Philippines to Canada by connecting them with other members of CFC here in Calgary. Being part of a group that promotes faith, community service and healthy relationships has played a paramount role in the success of their marriage. Having similar values, and in this case, religion, has enabled them to travel in the same social circles and engage in the same activities on a weekly basis.

WE TRY TO BE SENSITIVE TO EACH OTHER’S FEELINGS AND AVOID BLAMING EACH OTHER WHEN THINGS DON’T GO AS PLANNED. WE COMPROMISE ON MATTERS THAT ARE TOUGH TO HANDLE, We also try our best to make unified decisions regarding family life and work life.

COMPATIBILITY IN CAREER AND LIFE OBJECTIVES

Both Benito and Debbie graduated with Bachelor of Commerce degrees majoring in accounting. Debbie’s encouragement gave Ben the push to pass the bar exam in 1984 and become a Certified Public Accountant. In the year 1989, the same year that they had their first child, Ben opened up his accounting practice with business partner Ellen, and Debbie worked as the Finance Administrator for the company. Running the business together allowed the couple to work side by side for 20 years before moving to Canada with their two children to start their new life there in 2007. Ben is currently working as a manager for an accounting firm here in Calgary while Debbie works as an accounts administrator for a large property management company. “It’s been a blessing for us to continue working in our chosen fields,” Debbie expressed.

CREATING A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP

Asked of how they’ve handled conflict-resolution for a happy marriage, Ben explained, “We try to be sensitive to each other’s feelings and avoid blaming each other when things don’t go as planned. We compromise on matters that are tough to handle.” Debbie was quick to add, “We also try our best to make unified decisions regarding family life and work life.”

From building a relationship in their 20’s, to starting a business and having two daughters in their 30’s, to successfully integrating to Canada in their late 40’s and now planning for retirement in their 60’s, Benito and Debbie have proven that the secret to a happy marriage is in being able to connect on the things that matter the most to each other: practicing their faith, supporting each other’s career goals, and of course adapting to what’s best for their family life.

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HITTING THE TARGET

By Sunny Singh

PEOPLE SET GOALS, BUT I SET TARGETS. YOU NEED TO SACRIFICE BEFORE YOU COME TO THIS LEVEL. IT’S NOT ABOUT BEING BUSY, IT’S ABOUT CHOOSING TO BE DISCIPLINED.

FOCUS ON THE TARGET

ENDURE FAILURE, EMBRACE PAIN

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Sunny’s success is built on hard work and consistency. “When i’m learning how to do a kick, I will practice that kick a few thousand times to build strength and muscle.

I believe that practice is key.” Singh would train for 7 to 8 hours per day for an upcoming tournament. Although he appears immovable on the outside, he does have a soft side.

One of his goals is to help women and children learn how to defend themselves. He is currently a Taekwondo, Karate, and Self-defense instructor for the City of Calgary teaching children and adults of all levels.

marpal “Sunny” Singh is nothing short of a legend.

He’s served with the Calgary Police for 12 years, received a lifetime achievement award from the Obama administration, and has won gold three times in the World Police and Fire Games. A resident of the UK, he moved to Canada in 2003 after getting recruited to play for the Canada Team by world acclaimed Taekwondo coach Paul Green.

Singh has competed in over 200 martial arts fights altogether.

SET GOALS, NOT TARGETS

“People set goals, but I set targets. You need to sacrifice before you come to this level. It’s not about being busy, it’s about choosing to be disciplined.” Singh likens his target analogy to other forms of sportsmanship. “A goalkeeper can keep you from hitting your goal, but once a bullet comes out of a pistol, it’s going to hit something no matter what happens. That, to me, is a target.” Targets are unstoppable, and that’s exactly what he aspires to be. Upon finding out that his father had passed away during the World Police and Fire Games he was competing in in 2009, he used his pain as fuel to help win the Taekwondo competition, emerging as the gold medal winner for that year.

“Everytime I teach, I try to instill a positive attitude in my students. I show them how to handle stressful situations,” he expressed. “Martial arts creates discipline, keeps your mind fit, and has the ability to keep you away from trouble.” Martial arts was just the starting point for Singh, but little did he know that it would lead him to a life in Canada and now, a career in acting. “Getting into this art has opened doors for me to work in other fields.” Winning the title of Taekwondo world champion paved the way to a 12-year career in law enforcement, which in turn led to opportunities for him to play action roles in film projects. These days, he is working on stunt choreography and various projects. You can catch Singh on movies such as Future Shift and Replecan, and the upcoming Reality TV show Bodyguard Wars. | AOM | www.angieostojic.com | Spring 2019 Edition |

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YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE IN ORDER TO REALIZE YOUR DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS IN LIFE.

FINDING THE COURAGE TO CHANGE

DELVING INTO DIRECT SALES

Tony Ostojic decided to make a career change in his late 40’s. For seventeen years, he worked in the transportation industry, first as a driver then later moving into an office position as a dispatcher. He was in charge of the day-to-day operations at the company that he worked for. “It was a decent job, but I knew there wasn’t much room for advancement. We were getting by, but our debts and not our savings were increasing every year”, he shared. On the other side of the spectrum, his wife, Angie Ostojic, had been working in direct sales for many years. “She was doing well as an entrepreneur, earning in a week what I was making in a month.”

This simple fact, along with the assurance that she would be there to support him, gave Tony the courage to take the leap into entrepreneurship. Two years into business, the power couple earned over a million in direct sales and now they have the flexibility to spend more time with their family and decide what the future will look like for them.

“If we’re not growing, then we are dying and going backwards. That’s not something that I ever want to do,” Tony explained of his massive career change. “You have to get out of your comfort zone in order to realize your dreams and aspirations in life”, he explained. For seventeen years, he felt stuck doing the same type of job because it was all he knew and it had become second nature to him. “Like a lot of people, I wasn’t ready to get out of my comfort zone. I was pushing 50 (years old) and I felt it would be too difficult to learn new things. What I’ve found is that it’s never too late to try something new or explore other options. Despite being afraid of the unknown, I decided that one can never be too old to dream another dream or pursue something new, regardless of where they are in life.”

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Staying at the job that he was familiar with would’ve meant being able to rely on a steady paycheck, but there

Mid-life CAREER CHANGE

By Tony Ostojic

Written by: Chelsea Tan

wasn’t any room for him to advance. Prior to their success as entrepreneurs, the couple struggled to build up their savings account and acquired more debt as the years went by. Saying yes to entrepreneurship has allowed them to spend more time together and devote more attention to their four children.

“I’m now a lot happier thanks to this new career path and it’s positively influenced my relationship with my family. We work when we have to, but now we can clear up space and be there for school events. This was important to us since we’ve always felt that at least one of us had to be there for our kids to give them the love and support that they need in a stable family.”

THRIVING OUTSIDE OF HIS COMFORT ZONE

Venturing far beyond his comfort zone, Tony now regularly works and interacts with people from different walks of life to help them succeed in sales. As a self-confessed introvert, talking to people tends to wear him out, but he continues to push for improvement. “At the end of the day, I just do my best to be empathetic and support those that we work with. I’m also committed to growing and improving my communications skills.”

work.” God remains centre in their lives and Tony believes that there’s more to life than just having the ideal career. “Our life is defined not by earthly prosperity and things that will pass away, but by growing in the virtues of faith, hope and charity.”

LIVING THE DREAM

It has been said that fortune favors the brave. The choice to become self-employed may not be for everybody, but for Tony and Angie, the desire was strong enough to have more time for their children and the financial freedom to withstand life’s adversities. Faith has been a north star in the couple’s journey, along with the search for balance to enjoy all their hard work. When asked about his thoughts on his ideal career, Tony answered, “I think it’s important to have balance between work, family, and faith life. Maintaining a lifestyle that makes our kids feel safe, loved, and valued.

Making a difference in other people’s lives is very important to both Angie and I. We love being able to build something meaningful with other like-minded individuals. It motivates us to do more every day and to grow.”

Tony shared that one advantage of becoming a leader is getting to work with other leaders, learning from their advice, expertise and experiences.” That is one advantage, but the best advantage is getting to work with his wife, Angie. “One of the things that I admire most about Angie is that she is driven to inspire others. She is very good at seeing the potential in people and believing in them long before they believe in themselves. Her gift is to read people and get down to their deepest desires, dreams, and hopes. It’s a trait I hope I can develop one day.”

TAKING OWNERSHIP OF HIS SUCCESS Breaking free from decades of the employee mindset and finally saying yes to becoming his own boss has paid off for Tony in high dividends. However, you’d be surprised to know that this isn’t the first time he’s made a radical career change. Early in his life, Tony decided to dedicate his life to his faith and the Church, but realized on his fourth year that it wasn’t for him. “I’m very grateful for the time I spent with the Franciscans in both Europe and the US. It was a blessing and a great experience which cemented my conviction to always keep my priorities straight: God first, family, and | AOM | www.angieostojic.com | Spring 2019 Edition |

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Turning Failure into Opportunity

By Chelsea Tan

IF YOU WANT TO TURN FAILURE INTO OPPORTUNITY, SEEK OUT MENTORS THAT WILL HELP EXPAND YOUR MIND. LEARN NEW SKILLS, SAY YES TO OPPORTUNITIES, OR BETTER YET… CREATE THEM.

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n the Summer of 2018, I got laid off and qualified for 4.5 months of Employment Insurance. I received only half of that amount in the 6 months that I was jobless.

Within 2 months of working again, I paid off $10,300 worth of debt. This article isn’t about finance, it’s about thriving despite tough conditions and when you feel like there’s no way out. There is always a way out. Over the years, i’ve been following the same formula and it has supercharged how I deal with failure.

LOOK FOR A MENTOR

A common theme that I see with successful people (yes, even Millionaires!) is that they always look to grow and improve themselves, even when they’re at the peak of their careers. A mentor is simply someone that you look up to and would like to learn from. My mentors consist of authors, public speakers, and motivational coaches whom i’ve come across online, in bookstores, or through networking events and workshops. I’m fortunate enough to have met my real life mentors Angie Ostojic and Alma Armada who are both self-made, successful women.

BE A CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVER

By creative, I mean creating solutions that fit your specific interests and needs, instead of following what everyone else is doing. When I lost my job, I made the radical decision to cut down my spending by 60%. I stopped driving, cancelled my monthly subscriptions and traded shopping for

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walks around my neighborhood. I used to hear terms like “diversified income streams” and never understood them until I learned what it felt like to lose my one income stream. I could no longer allow that to happen so I attended financial literacy classes, watched videos and read books on how to pay off debt.

I spent my free time building my portfolio as a writer, which led to opportunities to sit down interviews with CEOs and celebrities. The more I tried and succeeded in implementing my creative solutions, the higher my self-esteem grew. The act of learning, doing, and feeling good became a virtuous cycle. The first thing I think when I encounter a problem is “What can I learn to do to solve this problem and to feel good again?”

EXPLORE DIFFERENT PATHS

I saw getting laid off as an opportunity to explore self-employment and went from watching “How to” videos at home, to starting my freelance writing business and working with clients. Thanks to my mentors Angie and Alma, I’m now working on my first project as a magazine co-editor. No amount of research will ever replace practical experience so go out there and just get started. When life hands you lemons, don’t get bitter, get better. Novelist Margaret Drabble once said, “When nothing is sure, everything is possible.” If you want to turn failure into opportunity, seek out mentors that will help expand your mind. Learn new skills, say yes to opportunities, or better yet… create them.

Fostering Emotional

STRENGTH and RESILIENCE By: Angie Ostojic

YOU ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE IN HOW TO REACT AND LEARNING TO EXERCISE THAT CHOICE WISELY WILL HELP YOU BECOME EMOTIONALLY RESILIENT, STRONG, AND HAVE GREATER OVERALL CONTROL OF HOW YOU’RE FEELING.

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anaging your emotions can be tricky. Emotional instability will often cause immediate damage to you and those around you. It can lead to burned bridges and ruined relationships in your personal or business life if not managed properly.

BECOME A POSITIVE THINKER

Here are six ways to get grounded when you feel yourself becoming emotionally unstable. These tips will help you foster emotional resilience that will, in turn, allow you to become stronger and more emotionally stable.

It’s easy to let negative thoughts ruin our day. If we reflect negatively on the small things, they will eventually snowball into an overall feeling of dissatisfaction. If not corrected, this negative cycle can end up consuming us. Try this: every time you find yourself having a negative thought, try to turn it around into something positive. The more you do this, the more you’ll begin to think positively naturally, without any prompting.

DON’T TAKE EVERYTHING PERSONALLY

BREATHE AND TAKE A STEP BACK

Try not to take anything personally! If you come from the perspective that you have handled yourself in the best way possible, then you will see the other person’s comments or attitudes as their issues, not yours. You will be much less apt to become defensive.

If you feel yourself approaching an emotionally unstable state, take a few minutes to breathe deeply, close your eyes, assess your emotions, and re-center your mind into a positive place. Don’t react. Don’t get worked up. Just back up, and breathe.

BE IN CONTROL

LEARN THAT YOU HAVE A CHOICE

Learn that you can control your emotions - they do not have to control you. Really believe it, because it’s the truth. Become aware of negative thought patterns that serve to break you down, and begin changing those thought habits.

Your emotions result from the choices you make about them. You can wake up unhappy, but choose to be happy. Every day you have the choice to create the kind of day you’ll have emotionally. If something happens during the day to anger or frustrate you, it is your choice to stay in that mindset or allow the anger or frustration for a few moments, then choose to let that anger or frustration go.

DON’T HOLD EMOTIONS IN

Emotionally stable people know that suppressing emotions is a kiss of death. It fosters emotional instability by allowing a situation where you’re likely to have a substantial harmful explosion of emotion. So, learn to become assertive and say what you need to speak to those who you feel need to hear it.

You always have a choice, and learning to exercise that choice wisely will help you become more emotionally resilient, emotionally healthy, and have greater overall control of what you’re feeling. | AOM | www.angieostojic.com | Spring 2019 Edition |

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A Woman In Leadership

By Luanne Whitmarsh

You have the ability to bring others to a happier and more productive place when you are a leader.

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eing a strong and confident woman can be a blessing and a curse. You have the ability to bring others to a happier and more productive place when you are a leader. The curse is that you are often not looking after yourself because you’re too busy looking after others. Your drive for success is so strong that you will sometimes sacrifice your ‘normal needs’ like sleeping, eating healthy, and visiting family and friends.

GROWING RESILIENT

At the age of 5, I went through a life-altering accident. You can say that resilience has been developed in me at a very young age. To make life even more interesting, I lived my teenage years refusing to listen to anyone in authority. I started working when I was 13 years old and became a teenage mom. My son went to school as I worked and studied. I became a social worker and enjoyed a fabulous career working in many areas of direct services.

DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP SKILLS

I’d like to believe that i’m a natural leader. My first leadership role was being a supervisor at the age of 19. I like to manage people, help them grow and learn, challenge systems, and have the opportunity to give back. Being a leader is a huge responsibility. You have to balance working with different team members, clients, sponsors, and community partners. It is vital to ensure that they all have a voice in the overall plan and that they know what’s at stake and how they

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can contribute to the plan. Leadership is a test of endurance and resilience. I found that it tested my self-confidence when things didn’t go as planned. It taught me to be accountable for my errors and how to have ‘buy-in’ for moving in a new direction.

UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENCES IN PERCEPTION

Being a female leader has proven to have its challenges. If a female leader disciplines a low-performing employee, they can be seen as ‘nasty’ or ‘unprofessional’. If a male does the same, they are often seen as being ‘in charge’ and ‘handling matters’. I have come up against this conflict time and time again in my career and have had to work doubly hard to ensure that I am treated fairly and equally. Sadly, this hasn’t always meant being treated fairly or equally.

As I morph into my next career, I feel proud of everything i’ve accomplished and overcome. I have led people, learned from my mistakes, and made hard decisions. I’ve learned to value myself. I am looking forward to see what the future holds. I intend to continue to lead, to learn and to now make the space to look after myself too!

Luanne Whitmarsh is a registered Social Worker and Certified Professional Consultant on Aging based in Calgary, Alberta.

EMPOWERED WOMEN as Leaders and Coaches

By Abe Brown, MBA

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report by the Credit Suisse Research Institute drew data from 2360 companies worldwide with a market value of at least $10 Billion USD and examined their boards of directors. Their research uncovered that companies with women on their boards outperformed companies with all-male boards over a 6-year period between 2005 and 2011. Coincidence? Not likely.

Empowered women have profound impact as leaders and coaches, both in the corporate and personal space.

Many of the most effective leaders and coaches are empowered women, and here’s why:

Empowered Women Nurture. Nurturing provides direction when there is confusion, offers to heal when there is pain, and supplies hope when there is despair. Without nurture, even the most gifted among us struggle to reach our full potential. Marvin J. Ashton said: “Be the one who nurtures and builds. Be the one who has an understanding and a forgiving heart one who looks for the best in people. Leave people better than you found them.”

Empowered Women Navigate. There is something in empowered women that allows them to navigate, lead, and provide direction. When women step into their power as leaders and coaches, they have an amazing ability to find a way when the way is not clear, plot a course when the path seems dimly lit, and steer the ship through waters that are turbulent and rough.

Empowered Women Negotiate.

Empowered women add value to their surroundings by seeking middle ground during extremes, searching for respect in the place of difference, and delivering an agreement in the sphere of conflict. With empowered women who lead and coach, it is not about winning and conquering, but partnership and collaboration. It is about facilitation, supporting, and building capacity.

Empowered Women Notice. Qualities such as attention to detail, 360-degree awareness, emotional and social intelligence, and accountability are attributes which empowered women often exhibit naturally. Betty Spence, President of the National Association of Female Executives, said this: “If Lehman Brothers had been Lehman Brothers and Sisters, we probably wouldn’t have had our financial meltdown.”

Ouch for the men! But oh, so true! Empowered women,

Live fully, love authentically, lead gratefully, serve effectively, and make a difference. who are leaders and coaches in either the personal or professional fields, often have developed a heightened level of awareness-- this empowers them to hold others accountable and deal with issues when they are small, before becoming large.

Eleanor Roosevelt famously said: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” As women and men, we all can grow as leaders and coaches, and as we do, to make a positive difference in people around us. Hone your skills as a leader and a coach and be empowered to do your best! One of the best places to hone your skills as a coach, and receive internationally recognized certification, is with the Certified Coaches Federation. Check out our full range of options for Life and Executive Coaching Certification right here: https://certifiedcoachesfederation.com/schedule-of-events/ Abe Brown MBA is an Entrepreneur, High-Performance Leadership Coach, Speaker, Executive, and Best-Selling Author. He is the Coach’s Coach, and is the President of the Certified Coaches Federation, the Founder of Wellness Innovate, and the Founder of Momentum Coaching. The Certified Coaches Federation has trained and certified over 13,000 Life and Executive Coaches in the last 10 years. Abe does Leadership and Executive Coaching and works with organizations around strategic planning, leadership and culture, workplace wellbeing, and cultivating fully engaged employees. His mantra? Live fully, love authentically, lead gratefully, serve effectively, and make a difference.

| AOM | www.angieostojic.com | Spring 2019 Edition |

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How to Ensure

BUSINESS PARTNERS

Stay Friends

By Henry Villanueva

A UNANIMOUS SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT (USA) WILL GIVE YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS PARTNERS PEACE OF MIND TO FOCUS ON HAVING FUN IN RUNNING AND GROWING YOUR BUSINESS, RATHER THAN SPENDING VALUABLE TIME AND EMOTIONAL EFFORT IN RESOLVING CONFLICTS.

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fter registering your corporation, it’s normal to want to dive right into business, market your brand, and sell your products and services. This excitement usually overshadows critical thoughts regarding future hardships in the business. Before you hit the ground running and start raking in the dollars, you may want to consider one more thing: signing a Unanimous Shareholders Agreement (USA).

WHAT IS A USA?

When you have a business partner or partners, there are a few factors that you must consider discussing, such as death, divorce, financial disagreements and how to run the day to day business operations. How will you and your partners deal with these issues?

USA is a written agreement signed by all shareholders of the corporation laying out the steps and solutions to be taken in the event that such issues arise while doing business.

It covers both present and future shareholders, and outlines which powers are transferred between shareholders or which powers remain with the corporation’s directors.

Common reasons for not doing a USA. Some business owners think it’s too expensive. Others take too long to agree on the terms of their USA that they simply put it off. Those that start a business with their close friends think they’ll be able to work it out amongst themselves.

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Benefits. A USA sets expectations among shareholders. It helps to minimize and manage risks, and it provides shareholders with a peace of mind in knowing how future disputes will be handled. A USA can help to prevent conflicts and avoid expensive lawsuits by outlining important matters ahead of time. Business partners usually start off as best friends but ‘life happens’ and factors arise in each others’ personal lives that may negatively affect the corporation. If a shareholder dies, his shares may go to their widow or children. If a shareholder gets divorced, the ex-spouse may be entitled to a portion of their shares. An unexpected bankruptcy may also throw a curveball. A USA may prevent shareholders from selling their shares to competitors, hostile ex-spouses or random individuals who will not contribute to the company. If a shareholder leaves the country, the corporation may lose certain tax advantages that come along with having a Canadian-controlled private corporation status, resulting in having to pay more taxes.

Dispute Resolution. No one wants to go to court to solve problems. It’s expensive, stressful, time consuming

ISSUES THAT MAY BE AGREED UPON IN A USA: 1. Limitations on the issuance and transfer of the corporation’s shares 2. Insurance for shareholders and directors 3. Procedures on how to settle disputes among shareholders 4. Providing protections to minority shareholders so they won’t be bullied by majority shareholders 5. Determining what decisions require unanimous or majority approval 6. Governance and management matters related to the directors and shareholders 7. Meetings and voting procedures of directors and shareholders 8. How the corporation will raise money whether it be borrowing from the bank or from shareholders 9. How debts or liabilities will be shared and how personal guarantees will be signed 10. When or if dividends will be issued and to whom 11. Valuation of shares 12. Confidentiality, Non-competition and Non-solicitation 13. Various shareholder rights such as: A. First priority in subscribing for new shares in the corporation B. First priority right of existing shareholders to buy shares of any departing shareholders C. Special rights to buy or sell shares when the whole corporation will be bought by an outsider D. Exit or shotgun provisions

and diverts focus from the business. Dispute resolution provisions in a USA help to avoid this by providing out-of-court settlement options such as mediation and arbitration. This way, conflicts are discussed in private instead of public court.

Getting out of the corporation. A USA may also provide a way for you to get out of the corporation at any time. These “exit or shotgun provisions” may allow a shareholder to offer to buy all the shares held by another shareholder at a specified price per share. The other shareholder may then either choose to sell their shares at the offered price, or instead ‘shotgun’ the offeror and buy all the offeror’s shares at that same price per share.

shareholder from competing with the corporation or poaching its employees.

Share Valuation. If a shareholder were to leave the corporation, a common issue is the value of their shares. A USA may provide valuation methods for valuing transferred shares, such as setting an agreed price at the outset, the mutual agreement of the parties, establishing a formula or obtaining a valuation from an independent third party.

A USA will give you and your business partners peace of mind to focus on having fun in running and growing your business, rather than spending valuable time and emotional effort in resolving conflicts. With a USA in place, business partners are more likely to stay as friends, and that makes it worth its weight in gold.

Protection. Agreed upon provisions on confidentiality are useful when shareholders are also employees and have access to sensitive, confidential information. Provisions on non-competition and non-solicitation restrict a departing

Henry Villanueva is a lawyer specializing in Corporate & Commercial Business Law; Banking & Finance; Commercial Real Estate; Wills & Estate Planning; Taxation; and Oil & Gas.

Tailored but flexible. Your USA should be tailored to your business and unique needs of the business partners to address specific risks and objectives. It should anticipate events that would likely occur in the future but also be flexible enough to respond to unexpected events. While it may take a long time to negotiate a USA, it is often easier to negotiate fair provisions at the outset (while everyone is still in good terms) than to do so once the event or conflict has occurred.

| AOM | www.angieostojic.com | Spring 2019 Edition |

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FROM CONTRACT WORKER TO BUSINESS OWNER

By Jeffrey Angeles

THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JUST WORKING HARD, AND WORKING HARD TO ACHIEVE RESULTS. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND YOUR ROLE, FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS, AND GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY WANT.

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effrey Angeles came to work in Canada in 2011 with professional experience as a chef in the Philippines.

He arrived in Calgary as a contract chef for a well-established restaurant chain. After a year of working for that business, Angeles moved to another fast food chain, this time in the role of a supervisor. His commitment to the job got him promoted to the district manager position within just a few years. For Angeles, getting results is what gets you noticed. “There’s a difference between just working hard, and working hard to achieve results. You have to understand your role, follow instructions, and give your customers what they want.”

SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE Stepping into the district manager position was a turning point for Angeles. It allowed him to see the bigger picture.

“As a manager, you need to be able to execute systems. This job challenged me to resolve issues that were unique to each store, with the goal of increasing the overall net profit for the district”. As he grew into these managerial roles, he realized that besides finding the capital to start his own business, he already had the skills and the know-how to run one.

STAYING ON TRACK NO MATTER WHAT In 2015, Jeffrey Angeles finally had enough capital and support to open the first Adobo Experience restaurant in Calgary along with his founding partners. Within 1.5 years, they’d expanded to 7 locations in Canada, three of which were in

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Calgary, one in Red Deer, Edmonton, Regina, and British Columbia. I asked what one major challenge he’s had to overcome in building and maintaining this franchise, and his answer touched on a pain point in the Filipino community. “One of the biggest challenges that I found was the reluctance to embrace the entrepreneurial mindset. My vision is to show our kababayans (fellow Filipinos) that we have the ability to reach the wider Canadian community.”

BUILDING A LEGACY Jeffrey Angeles’ goal is for Filipino food to be enjoyed by everybody, for it to become mainstream and global. He fully understands the value of a good team in making this happen.

After all, it was through his grassroots efforts to mobilize investors and members of the Filipino community that started his restaurant business in the first place. Angeles has only been running Adobo Experience for three years. He’s had to face a lot of failure in the process, but he remains steadfast in his resolve. “I believe we should remove the word ‘quitting’ in our vocabulary. Don’t be afraid of failure because it’s a normal part of the process. As long as you find your purpose in business, you will always be motivated to keep going in building your legacy.”

Jeffrey Angeles is one of the co-founders of Adobo Experience, a popular Filipino restaurant chain based in Calgary, Alberta.

Perfectly IMPERFECT

By Liz Perez

I AM WHO I AM, AND I AM PERFECTLY IMPERFECT.

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never knew what fears existed in my life until much later into adulthood when I was already in my prime and making my own decisions. As I stepped into adulthood, I started to gain awareness of these fears. My biggest fear was the fear of failure. I did this by becoming my idea of the ‘perfect person’. I honestly thought this was the only way that I could succeed and be happy. I thought it was the only way I wouldn’t feel like I was letting everybody down.

IN BUSINESS

REFOCUSING ON FAITH

Stepping into adulthood and adding business into the mix, I couldn’t even allow myself to fail. I felt like I had to offer each and every service available for my niche so that my customers wouldn’t look in a different direction. Little did I realize that even though I had worked hard to be that perfect flower, I was self-sabotaging and not accomplishing much of anything. I was wilting.

Throughout my years of aiming for perfection, I never once asked myself who I was to God. I was trying so hard not to fail at pleasing everybody and being the person everyone wanted me to be, that I ended up failing anyway.

When I turned my attention to increasing my faith, my fear of failure diminished. I began to feel a kind of happiness that I’d never felt before. Joy entered my life, and I started to truly embrace my authenticity and walk in my path to self-discovery.

ACKNOWLEDGING THE STRUGGLES

It wasn’t until I endured the constant struggles of self-sabotage that I began to understand my fear of failure and self-doubt and honestly walk with faith. I realized that I wasn’t competing with anyone but myself. If I struggle, it’s because I let myself fight. This reminds me of a quote by Zig Ziglar: “Forget Everything and Run or Face Everything and Rise”.

I chose to acknowledge my struggles and to embrace my fears, and I was able to face it all by embracing my faith.

I no longer subscribe to the idea of ‘perfection, and I’ve started focusing on my relationship with God instead.

Now I’m more focused on pondering what my purpose in life is. I’ve grown to love who I am through Christ, and it doesn’t matter that I’m not perfect. I am who I am, and I am perfectly imperfect.

Liz Perez is a high performance lifestyle coach as well as the founder of Empower Media, which strives to empower the voice of the community.

| AOM | www.angieostojic.com | Spring 2019 Edition |

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WORKING WITH Angie

“I had never set my goals before. No one has ever convinced me to make one except Angie. She’s inspired me to do the same; inspire others to become successful & help them how to do it.”

-Debie Marzo “Educational & entertaining at the same time. You are really motivational and inspiring. The workshop made me realize that if you don’t control your emotions, visualize your dreams, write down your goals, commit to positive habits-- goals will be harder to achieve. Kudos to Angie & the team.”

-Florence Elumir “I enjoyed this workshop and I learned lots of things especially about facts of life and how to be successful through improving our own selves and developing emotions and state of mind. Angie’s energy is much observed and I love the way she presents and talks to people.”

-Arissa Mae Matias

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FILING TAXES WHEN YOU’RE SELF-EMPLOYED

By Jacqueline Gedaria-Villanueva, CPA-CA

THE TIME TO CONSIDER INCORPORATING IS WHEN YOUR BUSINESS IS “PROFITABLE ENOUGH THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO TAKE EVERY PENNY OUT TO LIVE”.

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here are many things to love about being self-employed.

However, filing your taxes without a T4 slip or salaried income may sound like a daunting task. I’ve compiled the best tips to ease your tax-season stress. Organize, organize, organize!

Keep track of all your income sources and expenses. Start by labelling categories of expenses that you expect to incur in conducting your business. Having a separate tab of miscellaneous category to park items you’re unsure of will help with filing. At the end of the year, expenses are all summarized with reference to supporting receipts. For miscellaneous items, you can either sort it out with the help of an accountant or by checking the CRA website.

If your business is making over $30,000 gross revenue a year, then you need to register for GST/HST. Some supplies are exempt from the GST/HST –no GST/HST applies to them. This means that you do not charge the GST/HST on these supplies of property and services, and you are generally not entitled to claim input tax credits on property and services acquired to provide these supplies.

4. FILE AND PAY QUARTERLY TAXES

You need to keep records and copies of all your receipts, otherwise, risk getting your deduction denied by the CRA. In that regard, I would also advise using a separate credit card(s) and setting up a different bank account for your business-related transactions to make bookkeeping easier.

Salaried employees get payroll deduction for taxes. Withholding taxes are remitted monthly to CRA. If you’re self-employed and your cash flow fluctuates wildly, it’s advisable to make regular income tax payments at least on a quarterly basis. It helps avoid having a huge tax bill at the end of the year. All you need to do is set up the CRA as an online vendor through online banking and figure out which tax bracket you’re in. To note, if you owe more than $3,000 in taxes in a year, the CRA will require you to start paying your taxes on a quarterly basis.

1. BE REASONABLE WHEN DEDUCTING EXPENSES

5. CONSIDER INCORPORATING

CRA has a general guideline when it comes to business expenses. “You can deduct any reasonable current expense you paid or will have to pay to earn business income.” Attempts to portray what are personal expenses as business costs may well trigger an audit. The key is to make sure that the expenses fit the guidelines. You can write-off 50 per cent of food and beverage costs incurred during a meeting with clients. However, you can’t deduct your coffee while working at your home office. Ask yourself if the expense has, or will have, helped to earn income.

Lastly, if you’re operating a business other than regular commissions, you may want to consider incorporating. Often enough it’s deemed to be costly and time-consuming. However, there are two reasons to incorporate: one is limiting liability; the other is deferring taxes. Incorporating may protect yourself from being sued. This is one thing we accountants learn from school. I’m not a lawyer, so I won’t go any further on this subject. From a tax point of view, the time to consider incorporating is when your business is “profitable enough that you don’t have to take every penny out to live”. Corporate profits are taxed at a much lower rate than what you would pay on your self-employed income. That is until you decide to take the money out of the corporation and pay yourself a dividend.

2. AVOID FINES AND KEEP YOUR RECORDS FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS

Keep your paperwork at least six years after filing your return. Having been audited a few times, CRA will nitpick even the inconsequential earnings or deductions years after you tuck them away. Failing to maintain adequate books and records or provide CRA their requested documents may result in penalties and prosecution. If you have backlogs and arrears with the CRA, they can go after government benefits you may be entitled to.

3. REGISTER FOR GST/HST

To round it all up, it is possible to handle your own taxes.

Once it becomes complicated and starts pulling you away from your business, I recommend hiring a professional to help you with them.

A good accountant won’t cost you that much, and their fees would typically cover the time and money saved on your taxes.

Jacqueline Gedaria-Villanueva is a Chartered Professional Accountant residing in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. | AOM | www.angieostojic.com | Spring 2019 Edition |

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I’M Choosing YOU

By Verna Marzo

BE COMPLETELY HUMBLE AND GENTLE; BE PATIENT, BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE. EPHESIANS 4:2

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ave you ever noticed that whenever you get involved in an argument, you always want to win? Do you find yourself raising your voice and refusing to concede or acknowledge the other person’s point of view?

A lot of friendships, families and relationships have been shattered because of this attitude. We can cultivate better relationships by choosing to be kind and trying to understand the real enemy which is ignorance and pride. Keep in mind that the other person holds different belief systems and has a different understanding of the truth based on their own experiences. Trying to analyze your differences from them may help you to better understand them.

Embrace their WHY. For example, a teenager comes home late, and as soon as they open the door, they’re welcomed by their angry mom. It seems that no explanation is acceptable to her. As a result, resentment builds between the two. However, the reason for the mother’s anger might be

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fear, but she doesn’t have the communication skills to express this in a calm manner.

We’re all created and wired differently so let’s be more considerate of each other. Doing so doesn’t weaken us or make us look stupid. It’s a wise decision because we are choosing to examine the truth instead of magnifying the wrongs. We are choosing kindness instead of our pride. We are choosing to love instead of driving a wedge between our relationship. We are choosing peace instead of chaos. We are choosing the other person because they’re more important than anything else in this world.

Learning to be level-headed and expressing our thoughts in a calm manner is not easy. It takes a lot of patience, inner strength and confidence. Next time you find yourself fighting with an opposing view, pause, take a deep breath and let love and kindness take over. Now that’s real power.

OWN YOUR Life!

By Cheryl Millner

I’ve found that calendarizing my schedule helps keep me organized and stay on task. Leading me to the path of success and productivity.

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ime management has given me the ability to improve my productivity and reach my goals by as much as 75%. I understand that life happens and sometimes our best laid plans won’t work exactly how we’d like it to, but i’ve found that calendarizing my schedule helps keep me organized and stay on task, leading me to the path of success and productivity. Here is my step-by-step guide to organizing my calendar and workflow.

INPUT EVERYTHING ON YOUR CALENDAR

COLOR CODE YOUR SCHEDULE

Include your work schedule, appointments, family and personal time, social occasions, meal prep days, kids’ activities, workout schedule, your goals, and even date night with your spouse. I’ve been using Google calendar because it has been the most user friendly for me.

Color code all of your different activities. For example, you can assign blue as your ‘work’ color and yellow as ‘personal time’. Using these different colors will allow you to be able to glance at your calendar and know what your week is going to look like without reading each event description.

ORGANIZE YOUR TIME SLOTS BY FREQUENCY

• First, input repeating events and things you do fairly regularly such as your work, gym schedule, or meal prep times.

• Second, you can input all your monthly bills and expenses into your calendar. Doing this can help keep you on your budget with no surprises coming out of your bank account. Sharing the calendar with someone else in your household can keep you both accountable and aware of your monthly expense schedule.

• Next, input your date nights, self care days, wedding events, and holiday plans. These events are so important! Having a routine is important, but you need to have to fun and have a social life.

• Another tip that I have is to save your grocery list into your calendar as a note, and to utilize the note section in general. The best part is that you will never leave your grocery list on the fridge anymore! | AOM | www.angieostojic.com | Spring 2019 Edition |

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Moving from Fear to FREEDOM

By Angelika Christie, ND, CHT, RMT

We talk about fear as if it’s a tangible thing, but the truth is that fear is a chemical and energetic response to a physical or mental event that manifests in our bodies.

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believe that fear is one of the most destructive influences in our lives. We’re living in the information age, where news travels quickly and propaganda messages can spread overnight. Fear robs freedom, steals happiness, and it can even spark wars. We talk about fear as if it’s a tangible thing, but the truth is that fear is a chemical and energetic response to a physical or mental event that manifests in our bodies.

THE ROLE OF THE EGO

Letting go of doubt and fear will rejuvenate every cell in your body.

Did you know that you are naturally fearless? I’m not talking about primal fear, which you can’t control or eliminate, because that kind of fear is necessary for your survival.

I’m talking about the fear that holds you back and stands in your way. It is your Ego’s Fear of failure, of not being good enough, and all other false and limiting beliefs and assumptions.

Do your realize that your Ego uses fear as a mechanism to give you the illusion of safety? Fear keeps you stuck and prevents you from experiencing the freedom that is your birthright, and your natural desire to be free.

Here is the remedy that will evaporate Fear from your life: Your Soul holds the key to your freedom.

Doubt and Fear rob your energy physically, mentally, and emotionally.

The path from Fear to Freedom comes from the power and wisdom of your Soul Self. You can contact that power through your Inner Hero who has been waiting for eons to guide you to your highest realization. Heroic self love (leading to self knowledge) is the master key to your freedom.

It is scientifically proven that in the presence of fearful thoughts and feelings, your cells contract, shorten, and are deprived of life force energy. This leads to a lower immune system response that puts you in greater danger for degenerative disorders like cancer, heart disease, and hypertension along with an acceleration of the aging process.

LETTING GO OF FEAR AND DOUBT

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USING SELF-LOVE TO ELIMINATE FEAR

It’s time to align your heart and mind with your soul’s perfect blueprint for your life. It’s time to experience the power and beauty of your unapologetically magnificent self. The curtain on FEAR must fall now. You are worthy of experiencing overflowing happiness!

The AO Giving Heart Community offers an unparalleled shopping experience designed to save consumers money AND provide visibility to partnering entrepreneurs and businesses, altogether generating funds for charities and non-profit organizations. Our goal is to enable fundraising for charitable causes while giving consumers true value for their dollar and giving businesses the clientele they need to thrive as we provide access to an ever- growing list of exclusive goods and services.

WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU ARE A NON-PROFIT OR CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION: Our platform can support your fundraising efforts at very little cost to your organization. We will help you create your page, highlight your story and show you how to link this in your social media and newsletters. From here your supporters can shop our line of unique consumables knowing that 10% of their retail purchase will go directly towards your organizations fundraising effort. All purchases and shipping are handled by AO Giving Heart and its partners.

The AO Giving Heart Community experience is a low cost and low effort way for your organization to generate funds by providing your supporters with a valuable repeat shopping experience. All that you have to do is direct your supporters to your personalized link. They will be your customers and their shopping will benefit your organization.

WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU ARE A CUSTOMER: We wish to provide you with the best value for your dollar. The difference between other online shopping platforms is that we are trying to make a difference. By connecting you with businesses in your community, or around the world, we hope to provide you with the products and services your are looking for. Also know that when you purchase through AO Giving Heart, a portion of the proceeds will go to a charitable cause. New causes are being added regularly, and you can recommend your favorite charity as well.

WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU ARE BUSINESS: By partnering with AO Giving Heart, you can increase your visibility and improve your bottom line. We provide an online platform for you to showcase your products and services. There are various ways to participate in the platform. The simplest is to create a consignment agreement where you provide product details and pricing and we list the products for you. Your orders are fulfilled when they come in. Depending on the nature of your business, we do also consider wholesale agreements. Finally, we provide promotional partnerships for a more widespread impact. The objective is to generate more sales for you, which will generate happy customers who shop to support the organizations that we support. Together we can make a difference! | AOM | www.angieostojic.com | Spring 2019 Edition |

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A N G IE OSTOJIC CEO (CHAMPION ELEVATING OTHERS) INVITE ME TO SPEAK

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JOIN MY TEAM

Roller Coaster Ride to Millions: Angie Ostojic creates movements to empower lives & inspire hearts

Angie Ostojic can bring you great results in your personal and career endeavors. With 19 years of experience, she continues to teach and share success principles through her motivational speaking, training, and coaching events. Her business training and relationship-building classes have helped to build up hundreds of individuals from all walks of life in the US & Canada region.

Angie and her husband Tony Ostojic have a proven track record in sales, earning over a million dollars during their second year of working in direct sales. Angie leads and coaches with passion to help her clients perform with success in mind.

One of her missions is to give back to the community by helping feed the hungry and educating less privileged children in the Philippines.

As CEO of angieostojic.com and Founder of the AO Giving Heart Inc., a company focused on building community between business owners and consumers, Angie has dedicated her life to a mission of service. Just as she is committed to offering a legacy for the future to these families and children, Angie can help you learn to write the next chapter of your own life story!

ATTEND MY FUTURE EVENTS: MY FUTURE SPEAKING EVENTS: MAY 25, 2019

S.L.A.Y (SELF LOVE AND YOU) (CALGARY)

JUNE 1, 2019

ELEVATING LIFE & BUSINESS (CALGARY)

JUNE 8, 2019

ELEVATING YOUR LIFE & BUSINESS (EDMONTON)

JUNE 15, 2019

LEADERSHIP & BUSINESS NETWORKING CONFERENCE GUEST SPEAKER (TORONTO)

JUNE 16, 2019 FORMULA FOR SUCCESS: FINDING YOUR SPARK (OAKVILLE, ON) JUNE 17, 2019

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS: FINDING YOUR SPARK (MONTREAL)

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