Celebrating Women in Business by Quirk Magazine

CELEBRATING

Women in Business 21 TOP

Southern Alberta Entrepreneurs

From the Publisher

SHABELLA

Publishing www.quirkmagazine.net

It’s with great pleasure we at Shabella Publishing (publishers of Quirk Magazine) bring you this special publica.on. This feature edi.on is a ﬁrst for Southern Alberta, and we are proud to be the ones to bring it to you.

In terms of history, it hasn’t been that Jean Van Kleek long since women have been accepted Photo: MoonSong Photography in the workplace. It was during the second world war that women were u.lized to take the place of men at work in factories and military facili.es while the men went to war. Post‐war, most were laid oﬀ and sent to back their “righ-ul place” as housewives. Despite the stereotype of the "1950s housewife," by 1950 about 32% of women were working outside the home, and of those, about half were married. World War II had solidiﬁed the no.on that women were in the workforce to stay.

We’ve come a long way since then, but there is s.ll a long ways to go. Women s.ll face inequi.es in pay, ge0ng a seat at the table, securing ﬁnancing and a myriad of other hurdles in business and the workplace. In this publica.on we celebrate 21 top women in business who exemplify what it takes in terms of tenacity, forward‐thinking, innova.on, mo.va.on and character in order to succeed.

Each of these women is very diﬀerent as you will see, but they all have common traits and o en the same message. Never be afraid to fail. Learn from mistakes. Know what you don’t know. Have a good support system… and don’t quit! These women have helped shape the face of women in business in Southern Alberta, and we are honored to share their stories with you!

ISSN 1929-2112

SHABELLA PUBLISHING

1010 ? 10th Ave. N., Lethbridge, T1H 1J8 403.382.7240 Printed by Warwick Prin.ng Lethbridge, AB. Publisher Jean Van Kleek infoDquirkmagazine.net Design & Layout UniVerse Graphics Writers Merecedes Fawns Jean Van Kleek Chris.na Sco/ Angie Provost

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CELEBRATING

Women in Business 4

Execuserv Plus Inc.

Mocha Cabana

Honkers Pub & Eatery

6 10 14 16 18 20 22

Lodestone Leadership Burton & Co. (Insight LLP) Tamaraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dental Hygiene

Back in Balance Wellness Centre Cornerstone Funeral Home

One Spirit Integra've Medicine Spa Doing Death DiďŹ&#x20AC;erently INC MoonSong Photography

Stage Right Home Staging & Decora'ng

Intrigue Lingerie

28 32 34

Urban Cowgirl

Flair Travel Planners

La Di Da Lane Photography

Kenegdo Salon Spa

Custom Real Estate Solu'ons

Shabella Publishing

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WOW Communica'ons & Training

Directory

Execuserv Plus Inc. Celebrating

Photo: La Di Da Lane Photography Writer: Jean Van Kleek

If you’ve done business in Lethbridge for any length of -me, chances are you’ve met, or at least heard of Gillian Nish. Gillian is a very well‐ respected and integral member of our business community. Born and raised in Cardston, AB, Gillian always had a penchant for the entrepreneurial spirit. A er receiving a diploma in Business Administra-on at Lethbridge Community College in 1970, Gillian took a posi-on as CEO at Chinook Country Tourism Associa-on in Lethbridge, an organiza-on promo-ng tourism throughout Southern Alberta. She then moved to Calgary to head the Tourism Associa-on of Alberta, leaving her mark as creator of the brand “Smile, you’re a tourist a.rac-on!” the signature slogan and very successful campaign that was u-lized by Alberta Tourism for many years.

A er eight years in this posi-on, the combina-on of a desire to return “home” and the entrepreneurial bug that is a large part of her DNA, brought her the decision to move back to Lethbridge and start her own company. She says her family and friends thought she was crazy leaving a good, secure job for the unknown, but as with all driven entrepreneurs, she did it anyway.

Execuserv Plus Inc. came into frui-on in 1988. Gillian shares, “As I sat there signing the incorpora-on papers, I thought, wow, this is real! This is my re-rement, I have to make it work!”. And make it work, she did. She picked it up and ran with it, a.ending workshops and seminars and anything that would help her grow. The ﬁrst few years as a home‐based business, Gillian says were very tough. “I did a lot of scrambling. I knew people had to get to know me, I had to get out, I had to be seen. I joined the chamber & ironically, Chinook Tourism. Much of my work at that -me was for the tourism industry with business plans and market research”.

COACHING

A pivotal turning point came a er ten years as a home‐ based business. Gillian saw a pos-ng for a government contract that was accep-ng applica-ons from the private sector. She put together a proposal for a self‐ employment training program and was up against some very large companies. As she put it together she thought, “What am I doing?” but once again, did it anyway. It was a HUGE risk. In order to be considered

for the contract, everything needed to be in place, including the facility. She won the contract and twenty years later, the contract con-nues to be awarded each year. The quality of the program and its high success rate are definitely factors. Gillian says the success rate for Execuserv Plus Inc. is 72%. This is almost unheard of with 50% being the standard. Gillian’s self‐employment course is 26 weeks in length with a class size of 18 people. The first six weeks are very intense and host a variety of facilitators including lawyers, accountants, marke-ng professionals and other business professionals who provide resources to assist in crea-ng a solid founda-on. The business plan is a huge component of the program, as well as first year cash flow projec-ons. The program also teaches sales, proper marke-ng research, how to find out who your customer is and who your target market is. They also train in bookkeeping, customer service, how to conduct yourself at a business func-on, business e-que.e and even naming the business.

One of the most important messages Gillian has for students is to network. She says, “You have to get up, get dressed, and get out”. Even in the beginning when it’s tough, like it was for her, Gillian says, “Go out and be seen, and when someone askes you how it’s going, say ‘great’! You have to live it and believe it, even before it’s actually true”. Gillian con-nues to learn and says you keep learning by surrounding yourself with people who know more than you. While there are no plans for expansion of Execuserv Plus Inc. in the future, she is always looking for new ways to grow exis-ng courses and keeps an eye on business trends. Gillian enjoys doing workshops in customer service, goal se/ng and business plans and especially enjoys being invited for keynote presenta-ons for various organiza-ons. This entrepreneur leads by example, and with her warm, posi-ve personality and drive, it’s no wonder she has achieved a con-nuing high level of success.

Gillian Nish

Lodestone Leadership Celebrating

Photo: MoonSong Photography Writer: Mercedes Fawns

Horses have a unique system of roles to ﬁll which protects the herd. In every herd there is: the Leader, the one who keeps the herd moving; the Dominant, the one to set boundaries; the Nurturer/Companion, the one to care for the herd; the Sen+nel, omniscient, the one to watch over the herd; lastly the Predator, the one to maintain balance by seeing what needs to be purged from the herd. Ancient herding cultures studied these behaviours and developed a sophis+cated form of leadership by forming rela+onships with their animals and learning how to implement each of these roles when necessary.

One might say that Janet Murray, CEO of Lodestone Leadership, has been nurturing rela+onships her whole life, star+ng as number ﬁve of six brothers and sisters growing up in Calgary. “I was raised by really good people… With good values ins+lled in me as a young child,” she tells. These values stayed with her as she grew up and had six children of her own. “I had one s+llborn boy and raised ﬁve children,” Janet says. She describes how the heartbreak of losing a child ins+lled in her a newfound passion for raising her children. “Those kinds of [events] help you see the very most important things in life.” She explains how she wanted her children to grow up with similar values, being able to see what is truly important to them. “That was my mission for the next 20 years.”

LEADERSHIP

But kids grow up and ﬁnd paths of their own, and Janet found herself wondering what to do next. It came down to two things: Flying and riding, which also happened to be two of her biggest fears. “My husband owned an airplane, so I started taking ﬂying lessons, and I had always wanted to ride a horse, so I took riding lessons. I started both those things at the same +me, and they both scared me,” she chuckles, and says it took a lot of convincing to get back on a horse a second +me.

Her fear turned into love as she con+nued with riding, and soon realized horses were her passion. “Equine learning fell into my heart and soul just like a puzzle piece; all of it made sense to me.” It was through studying horses and their leadership behaviours that she discovered world‐renowned Equine Learning Instructor,

Linda Kohanov, and the pair met at one of Linda’s workshops in Montana. “That was the beginning of a long journey,” she reminisces. “I spent the next ﬁve years studying with her and learning how I could take what she knew and turn it into my own passion.” That passion was realized in 2016 when Janet established Lodestone Leadership.

An eﬀec+ve leader must know when to take on each role; there is a +me for compassion or a +me for strength, but the key is to recognize how and when to use each role appropriately. “If you start looking at those roles, and then looking for them in the human world it’s fascina+ng,” Janet enthuses. She leads clients through exercises with the horses that encourage them step into these roles. “Most people shy away from certain roles because they’re uncomfortable with them… We give you the opportunity to learn how to access those roles in yourself.”

Janet’s connec+on with the animals is profound. “The horses, to me, are spiritual beings; they understand things that we can’t see, but we can learn from them if we’re willing,” she explains. Occasionally these workshops are met with skep+cism, but her clients leave a erwards saying, “WOW. Everyone should do this.”

The skills learned through Janet’s prac+ce can be applied to any life situa+on, and she encourages aspiring entrepreneurs, team leaders, teachers and even individuals to visit Lodestone Leadership. “It’s powerful work. I can teach the concepts… but the horses are the real teachers.” It’s about connec+ng; it seems we are moving towards isola+ng ourselves by being connected to devices instead. “Being around the animals has helped us to pay a,en+on, and understand the world and those around us in a whole new way. Horses are good at opening us up, because they refuse to take anything less!” Janet’s hope is for more people to ﬁnd this sense of connec+on in their daily lives, because true meaning in life stems from the rela+onships we develop.

Janet Murray

Mocha Cabana Celebrating

Photo: La Di Da Lane Photography Writer: Jean Van Kleek

“The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneﬁcial way” is the deﬁni-on of “serendipity”, and serendipity is the perfect word to describe how two young women ended up owning one of the most unique, signature restaurants in Southern Alberta.

While Jaclyn Geddes and Angel Harper grew up in diﬀerent provinces, they were des-ned to meet through a course of “work events” beginning in 2007 that culminated in a las-ng friendship and now, a very successful business partnership for the past ﬁve years.

Although raised a distance apart, they will both tell they grew up in much the same way. They were each raised in small town farming communi-es where hard work, caring for your neighbor, and suppor-ng each other was a way of life. It was simple, straight up and honest. These core values have stayed with them both and have served them well as they navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship and restaurant ownership.

Angel grew up in Kelowna, BC, and Jaclyn in Foremost, AB. Both women trained to be chefs and worked in the restaurant industry for a number of years before transi-oning into food services in hospitals and seniors’ homes in their respec-ve provinces. It wasn’t un-l Angel took a posi-on with SYSCO Foods that the two were introduced as Angel became the SYSCO Health Care Account Manager for Southern Alberta, while Jaclyn worked as Pa-ent Services Manager at Lethbridge Regional Hospital. The two became fast friends, and when Angel took a posi-on with SYSCO handling independent businesses she encouraged Jaclyn to replace her previous posi-on.

RESTAURANT

The two travelled together o en for mee-ngs and got to know each other be.er. They would talk about every chefs’ dream of opening a restaurant. Angel met Karen Ohno, the previous owner of Mocha Cabana, through SYSCO and when the opportunity came up to purchase the restaurant, she knew she wanted a partner to share the journey; and that partner was Jaclyn. Mocha Cabana already ﬁt their philosophy of suppor-ng local producers and suppor-ng upcoming chefs, so it was an easy transi-on of ownership in 2014.

These two ladies built on the already successful restaurant and added their own brand to the restaurant. They incorporated their years of experience and crea-vity to the menu, oﬀering the unique and delicious fare that Mocha Cabana has built their reputa-on on. Mocha Cabana is also proud to be a training ground for upcoming chefs from the Lethbridge Community College. One of their biggest rewards is watching these upcoming chefs grow as they hone their skills at the restaurant.

Over the years, Jaclyn and Angel have always been aware of trends; and the rise in those who prefer to dine at home has become an increasingly popular choice. Home delivered meal kits have become a huge market in major centres for a few reasons. Firstly, people are looking for healthy op-ons, but don’t always want to or have -me to shop for the ingredients. Secondly, the meal kits provide the opportunity to try new recipes without le over ingredients (which can be costly!). The meal kits also contain proven, delicious recipes designed by chefs to be nutri-onally balanced, easy to follow recipes and an opportunity to have fun as a family making dinner together.

Jaclyn & Angel are very excited to introduce this new dynamic component of their business to Southern Alberta with the ﬁrst 100% local meal kit service, “Mocha Local.” With over a year of research and development into this project; they have successfully designed over 150 proven recipes ready to be assembled in your home. Not only does Mocha Local provide locally sourced ingredients with their meal kits whenever possible, they have added an online farmers market component to their lineup. Now customers can shop the farmers market without having to leave their home! Once established in Southern Alberta, Jaclyn and Angel plan to go province‐wide with Mocha Local. These two “small‐town” ladies and best of friends have kept their roots intact throughout their business model. They have integrity, honest business prac-ces, support for other local businesses, and a sincere desire to make a diﬀerence in their community. Jaclyn and Angel are excellent examples of entrepreneurial leadership and the future of women in business.

Angel Harper & Jaclyn Geddes

Burton & Co. (Insight LLP) Celebrating

Chartered Professional Accountants Photo: La Di Da Lane Photography Writer: Mercedes Fawns

The team at Burton & Co. Chartered Accounts is thrilled to announce some exci,ng new changes coming to the firm. As Loralee Burton, CPA/CA, Nicole Barne-, CPA/CA, and Joanna Kappel, MPAcc/CPA/CA become equal partners at the firm, here, they offer a sneak peek at some of their future plans, and provide insight into the philosophies that make their firm one‐of‐a‐kind in Southern Alberta.

This fall, Burton & Co. is changing its name to Insight, LLP Chartered Professional Accountants. “It’s about all three of us now,” says Loralee, and one thing the community can count on are the same friendly faces providing excellent accoun,ng services to business owners in the Lethbridge area. It is evident each partner brings her own flair to the table, providing insight into local businesses’ financial futures in her own unique way. With a passion for rela,onships, Loralee is the public face and loves connec,ng with clients. Nicole is the teacher of the group, who says she considered ge.ng into teaching before deciding on accoun,ng, while Joanna is the detail‐oriented and deadline‐driven member of the group, keeping the internal opera,ons of the firm running smoothly.

ACCOUNTING

The trio aims to bring something diﬀerent to the table, and with a focus on helping new businesses to establish themselves and grow, they have found their niche. “Being able to see how these businesses evolve is amazing,” Nicole explains. “Seeing a business grow from a one‐person show to having a huge plant and 30 employees… it’s the coolest thing to be a part of,” she says and stresses the importance of ﬁnancial plans that are tailored to each business’s unique needs.

As a full‐service firm, Burton & Co. (Insight LLP) allows business owners to customize their bookkeeping and accoun,ng needs, which can include everything from bookkeeping packages and GST returns, financial statements, corporate and personal tax returns, to offering audit insurance as well. This team believes in year‐round strategic planning that empowers businesses to a have a proac,ve rather than reac,ve approach to their growth.

Business owners can even opt into monthly payment plans which are helpful when businesses are star,ng out. “I think that’s why we appeal to new businesses,” Nicole explains, “We can help them with everything right away. We are here to oﬀer advice, guidance, and even help to business owners in dealings with CRA and bankers”. She says educa,ng clients to help them maintain these prac,ces in‐house is important to the team and that is why consul,ng is a large part of what they do “It’s about rela,ng to the client and making them feel comfortable, ensuring that they understand what we are talking about,” Loralee adds.

As Loralee, Nicole, and Joanna unveil the accoun,ng firm’s new name and look this fall, one thing they can guarantee is that the same energe,c atmosphere and vibrancy of the office will never change. “Being an accountant is so much fun; we get to help people become be-er business owners every day. And we are anything but boring,” Loralee chuckles, and enthuses over the fun ac,vi,es she and the team are involved with over the next few months including rotary events, charity golf tournaments, and networking ac,vi,es through Business Network Interna,onal (BNI). They also offer small business start‐up courses a few ,mes a year to help budding entrepreneurs learn about key informa,on required when first star,ng a business. A piece of advice the partners offer to aspiring entrepreneurs is to be proac,ve, ask for help when you need it, and focus on your strengths. Loralee says business owners o en get swept up in the minu,a of their tasks and forget to focus on the areas that made them want to own a business in the first place, affec,ng their passion for what they do. “If you love what you do, that shines through,” she exclaims. Loralee, Nicole and Joanna encourage businesses to call their firm and book a 30‐minute strategy session with a member of their team today to see how the Burton & Co. (Insight LLP) team can help with your accoun,ng needs and get you back to focusing on the work you love and do best.

Loralee Burton, CPA Joanna Kappel, CPA Nicole Barnett, CPA

Honkers Pub & Eatery Celebrating

Photo: MoonSong Photography Writer: Mercedes Fawns

Volunteerism and charity are o en the first words that come to mind when we are looking to make a difference in our community. We forget that the li,le things like memorizing a customer’s name, going the extra mile to help someone, or smiling at a stranger can create a huge ripple effect. Vicky Vanden Hoek, owner of Honkers Pub & Eatery, has found a way to use her career to embody this philosophy to the fullest: from the way she encourages her team members and values her customers, to the ways she has contributed to various community ini+a+ves over the years.

Vicky says her strong work ethic and passion to help people stems from growing up and working on a farm in Milo, AB. By the age of 18 she was living in Lethbridge and working at what is now Exhibi+on Park, ul+mately becoming the Agriculture Coordinator.

It was during this +me Vicky discovered she had a drive for business. A friend suggested she start her own company and, together, they started Palate Pleasers Catering Service. “I knew nothing about catering,” Vicky explains. “I knew about entertaining and hos+ng, but Deborah was a chef so, under her exper+se, we started in 1988.”

RESTAURANT

Vicky con+nued to operate the catering business through a career transi+on into television, where she wanted to work in promo+ons. “I’ve always believed if you want something bad enough, you teach yourself or learn from others how to do it,” says Vicky. She explains how she started at the bo,om and worked her way up because she didn’t have the diploma required for the job she wanted. She learned how the sta+on operated by oﬀering to help coworkers with their du+es in diﬀerent departments. Soon she was wri+ng sales promo+ons and working in that department.

“Life was crazy working full +me and running a catering business on the side, all while raising two young boys!” she exclaims. But that didn’t stop her from buying a pub with some partners. On March 17, 1997, Honkers Pub & Eatery was born, with Vicky working her ﬁrst shi as owner. It con+nues to operate at the same loca+on to this day. In 2018 Vicky expanded Honkers, adding two private Mee+ng/Event rooms that allow minors under a special license. This new sec+on is called The Nest and oﬀers anything from early morning breakfast mee+ngs,

lunch & learn, to celebra+ons of any kind. The pub looking great with renova+ons and oﬀers awesome Homestyle Food and Live Music on the weekends.

Vicky is now the only solo female pub owner in Lethbridge. “I had a lot of female mentors in other business roles who were inspira+onal,” she explains, and goes on to say, “as a woman in a male‐dominated business, it can be frustra+ng to encounter situa+ons where people are surprised to discover the owner of Honkers is a woman”.

Vicky knows that change lies in equal opportuni+es for all members of the community and believes one of the easiest ways to give back is to +e in your business’s services to a charity. “It would be great if every entrepreneur could do that,” and Vicky leads by example. One such ini+a+ve was a YWCA project in which Vicky rallied together her staﬀ and customers, as well as various community organiza+ons to help with some much‐needed renova+ons. “That project was really close to my heart,” she smiles. She received the 2012 YWCA Women of Dis+nc+on Community Commitment Award and has been Top BNI South Networker for ﬁve years running. Vicky believes there is no ‘I’ in team, doesn’t like to use the word ‘boss’. She says, “I may be the leader, but I am nothing without my TEAM; together we are be,er”.

Vicky says living on an acreage with her husband Tony and enjoying +me in her ﬂower gardens helps her to destress. Their “two young boys”, Braydon and Trevor Miller are now “two young men” and Vicky is very proud of their journeys in business in their communi+es.

In the future, Vicky says she would love to be working on a business instead of in it, as she loves the marke+ng aspect and coming up with new ways to expand.

Her ongoing focus is helping others to ﬂourish. She says life is supposed to slow down, but that is not on her agenda because she s+ll has energy, enthusiasm, and loves working with people. “I would like to be someone who inspires somebody else, help them to succeed or get through a hard +me… that would make my heart smile.”

Vicky Vanden Hoek

Tamara’s Dental Hygiene Celebrating

Photo: La Di Da Lane Photography Writer: Mercedes Fawns

It used to be, that regular cleaning and maintenance for your teeth involved a trip to the den+sts’ oﬃce. All of this changed in 2006 for Alberta when dental hygienists became able to operate independent clinics. This was an exci+ng opportunity for Cardston raised entrepreneur, Tamara Jensen, whose extensive experience in this ﬁeld and a sincere desire to help people led her to pursue independent dental hygiene.

Every career ques+onnaire Tamara ﬁlled out in high school pointed her towards a profession in human services. Consequently, it was no surprise when she fell in love with dental hygiene in 1999 while job shadowing a hygienist in Lethbridge. The reward of seeing improved oral health in pa+ents and the way hygienists could make a diﬀerence in their lives was immediate. “I just loved it. I thought, ‘That’s what I want to do; I want to help people,’” she says. Subsequently, she enrolled at the acclaimed Sheridan College in Wyoming. “It was the only school I applied to,” she says. Once there, Tamara ambi+ously added summer and night classes to cram an extra year into her program, allowing her to graduate with both a bachelor’s and an associate degree in Dental Hygiene in 2004.

DENTAL HYGIENE

Upon gradua+ng, Tamara returned home to Southern Alberta, where she has worked as a hygienist in Lethbridge for 15 years. In 2016 she established her private prac+ce, Tamara’s Dental Hygiene Incorporated, where she now oﬀers services under the umbrella of Halo Dental Hygiene. The decision to prac+ce privately came, in part, from a desire to develop her own periodontal exam and cleaning protocol. “I’m very thorough,” she explains. “I like to spend the +me with my pa+ents to get to know them and educate them so I can oﬀer the best possible care and experience.”

Dental hygiene is centred on preventa+ve care and educa+on. Tamara loves mee+ng new pa+ents and spending +me with them so that she can help them relax and be more engaged with their oral health. She says the idea is to customize each pa+ent's appointment to meet their needs, and to make the clinic as quiet and comfortable as possible so they leave with a posi+ve

experience. “It’s about spending +me with pa+ents to do a quality job… and know they leave feeling their best,” she enthuses. “I try to give the same level of care to all my pa+ents as I give my family or a close friend.” As for the relaxing aspect of a visit, pa+ents won’t hear the buzzing of drills in the background during their +me at the clinic, and she says this is helpful when youngsters are ge,ng an exam for the ﬁrst +me as they can establish a posi+ve rela+onship with dental care.

Se,ng her own schedule is another facet that en+ced Tamara into owning a business, as she and her husband are raising two young boys. “As women a lot of +mes we wear many hats,” she says. “It’s nice to have that ﬂexibility to be there for my kids, and also not give up what I love.” That isn’t to say that star+ng up a private prac+ce doesn’t come with its set of challenges; Tamara ﬁnds that hers lie in the paperwork and marke+ng tasks that are required on top of focusing on pa+ent care. But she says, “The challenges, they just help you grow,” and men+ons that her advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs is to make connec+ons and listen to your mentors. She couldn’t have started her business without her inspiring mentors and their advice. The key is to “Always remember your why.”

Tamara’s goal is to grow the business and expand the already diverse array of services she oﬀers. Her vision is to raise awareness to the public that independent dental hygiene clinics exist. In the future she hopes to see more private prac+ces that provide members of the community with high‐quality and aﬀordable dental hygiene services.

Tamara’s business model reﬂects these philosophies, and she sets her fees below the Alberta Dental Fee Guide’s standard for services in the province. “My passion with dental hygiene is the pa+ents… It’s a huge beneﬁt to the community to have these clinics and these services available.” Her purpose is to empower the pa+ents who walk through her door, providing equal care in a posi+ve way to all.

Tamara Jensen

Back in Balance Wellness Centre Celebrating

Photo: MoonSong Photography Writer: Mercedes Fawns

A er falling in love with small towns during her travels, Dr. Pardip Athwal le her home outside of Toronto in 2008, and set out to explore Canada. She had no idea that heading west to northern BC would lead her to open her own wellness centre in Lethbridge, AB. “I knew that the busy rat‐race feel of a large city didn’t appeal to me. I wanted to ﬁnd a place that felt more grounded.”

Growing up in Oakville ON, Pardip was fascinated with the human body and its ability to heal itself. She completed a work term as an admin assistant at a chiroprac+c oﬃce during her undergrad degree. “That work term changed everything,” she explains. “I would see pa+ents going into the rooms and coming out feeling be,er. I would think to myself, ‘What just happened in the last ﬁve minutes?’ So, I started ge-ng treatments myself.”

Going to a chiropractor and acupuncturist helped Pardip in immense ways. She no+ced that her lifelong asthma and allergies almost disappeared. Inspired, she completed her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo, obtained her diploma in Tradi+onal Chinese Medicine Acupuncture, and ul+mately completed her Doctor of Chiroprac+c from the Canadian Memorial Chiroprac+c College, in Toronto.

WELLNESS

While most of her friends and classmates started their careers right away, Pardip, always ﬁlled with wanderlust, went to Ireland and Australia for six months instead. She returned to work in Toronto and Oakville for a year and a half. “But I s+ll had itchy feet,” she smiles. It was those itchy feet that led Pardip to locum in Ontario’s co,age country and smaller suburbs, and then drive across the country to complete various contracts throughout BC. In 2009, Pardip made her way to Lethbridge. Ten years later, she’s s+ll here!

Dr. Pardip established Back in Balance Wellness Centre in 2012. “I always had an entrepreneurial mindset, and wanted to be self‐employed doing something I am

passionate about, that’s rewarding, and helps others. I want to live a life I believe we should all aspire to; to spend every day doing something that doesn’t feel like work, in a posi+ve environment.” She also con+nues to travel o en. “The world is full of adventures to be had, places to explore, and people to meet and grow with.”

Pardip brings this philosophy into her business. “I feel that there is a disconnect as a society between our minds, bodies, and what makes our spirit happiest. People have become used to a rou+ne of busyness, and don’t understand what this does to them. Some+mes we need to be reminded to slow down and take care of ourselves.” We live within a medical model in our society, where we go to the doctor if we are hurt or physically ill, but Dr. Pardip believes in op+mal wellness; educa+ng pa+ents about the link between their body, mind and soul. She o en asks: “’Do those things that keep you busy make you happy? If not, why are you doing them?’ People need to ul+mately be in charge of their own health, and make personalized decisions, crea+ng balance and preven+ng illness. They just need guidance at +mes. It’s important to remember that if you don’t take care of yourself, how are you going to support everyone else who needs you?” Dr. Pardip is excited about her plans to expand Back in Balance Wellness Centre in 2020. Stay tuned by joining their facebook page for updates! If you are interested in joining her vision as a therapist, please contact her. Her goal is to oﬀer an integrated space with a variety of natural health care services, so that Lethbridge residents can explore their op+ons and take charge of their own health. “Having a whole community of like‐minded, caring prac++oners under one roof is important,” she enthuses. “Lethbridge is my home base now. I want to create a welcoming space for the community, where people feel heard, where they can heal, and enjoy some laughter, connec+on, and joy in the process. I want to help people ﬁnd what wellness means to them.”

Dr. Pardip Athwal

Cornerstone Funeral Home Celebrating

Photo: MoonSong Photography Writer: Fay Braden

Kinga Zentner brings her own style and personality to the funeral business, without apology. While most people have an assumed or presumed no1on of what a funeral should be, Kinga will show you what it could be.

Her journey to becoming a funeral director came at her unexpectedly. Her husband Travis and his family, including his parents, Faith and Ralph Zentner, owned Cornerstone Funeral Home where, occasionally, Kinga would assist with a funeral by ushering or helping with ﬂowers. At the 1me, she had an excep1onally successful career in ﬁnance. It was her mother‐in‐law, Faith, who has since passed, that suggested she train as a Funeral Director. Then later, her father‐in‐law, Ralph, asked her to join the team at Cornerstone Funeral Home as a full 1me Funeral Director and Embalmer. Like all challenges and opportuni1es that have presented themselves to her, she jumped in and brought her bold personality with her.

“I like all aspects of decedent care; but most importantly mee1ng with the families. It’s important to me that they have a meaningful memory of their loved one, so I spend a lot of 1me just talking with them. In the end, we’re all here to walk each other home,” she says.

Kinga embraces the opportunity to create a unique and memorable funeral, one that is respec0ul and reﬂec1ve of the life that was lived. And if you read the client feedback, they are embracing her style. In a 1me when many are discoun1ng the importance of a funeral, she’s here to say your loved one deserves to be celebrated.

GRIEF JOURNEY

“A big goal of mine is to get people comfortable with death, you know, we don’t talk about it and people are afraid… and then there’s no value a2ached to it, when there should be.”

Her gi! is being present. She listens, truly listens. And when those li2le things she hears are reﬂected back to you, it’s amazing.

On one occasion, she met with a family who described the importance of Jujubes to their family member. That he loved them, shared them, always had them. At the

funeral, she took it upon herself to have a bowl of Jujubes at the entrance of the chapel for all to enjoy. Everyone who knew the deceased understood why they were there. As people came in, they had one, and they told stories of their friend. The simple act of placing the candies for all to enjoy was a gi! she silently gave the family.

While many clients s1ll choose a very tradi1onal path, Kinga opens the door to a personalized celebra1on. A bu2erﬂy release. A barbecue. Respec0ul, but unique. Her father‐in‐law and husband o!en rib her about the trailers required to haul the elements she needs to create a space for a grieving family to share the story of their loved one. A trip to the greenhouse to get po2ed trees so they could create a forest. Bales of hay and tack for the horse‐lover. Or, everything needed to convert their funeral home into a bright and colorful ice cream parlor. With Kinga as your funeral director, the sky is the limit.

Helping families with their grief journey can be intensely sa1sfying. It’s not unusual for Kinga and Travis to build las1ng rela1onships with families they’ve served, including the parents of two‐year‐old Sloan. The loss of a child is perhaps the most diﬃcult and this situa1on brought the two families together in a powerful way. Kinga’s commitment to lovingly caring for their child so!ened the harshness of their loss. Kinga is also very dedicated to service in the community – it’s an important part of who she is; including contribu1ng as a Rotarian, Co‐chairing the Wood’s Home Youth Shelter Gala and si3ng on the Chinook Regional Hospital Christmas Tree Commi2ee.

Kinga’s life is full. Mother of three, wife to Travis. Work at Cornerstone Funeral Home. Volunteering. However, for her, there are always new adventures and opportuni1es on the horizon. She is always in mo1on and open to whatever lies ahead. One thing is certain, no ma2er what’s next, she will con1nue to bring her energy to everything she does and all in her circle should be prepared to be Kinga‐ﬁed.

Kinga Zentner

One Spirit Integra ve Medicine Celebrating

Photo: MoonSong Photography Writer: Mercedes Fawns

There have been countless debates about what the best medicine is when it comes to healing or dealing with chronic illness: Is it laughter? faith? hope? Regardless of the belief, pharmaceu*cals rarely make it to the debate table. While we live in a world dominated by allopathic medicine, on a subconscious level many are beginning to navigate towards the idea that the best form of healing lies beyond medical interven*ons. Even medical professionals have witnessed inexplicable miracles or have reported the diďŹ&#x20AC;erence that compassion has made through a pa*entâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recovery. There is something else going on that allows for these miracles to happen. What is it?

Heather Gunn, RN, clinical hypnotherapist and owner of One Spirit Integra*ve Medicine in Fort Macleod, believes it comes from within the individual. Working strategically with both sides of the brain â&#x20AC;? the logical side and the crea*ve side â&#x20AC;? and through an approach tailored to individual needs, Heather melds the two together. She explains, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Typically, when the client is deeply relaxed and connec*ng to their bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innate wisdom, they describe sensa*ons within the body that indicate something posi*ve is happening. Many clients have some serious illnesses. Once they bypass the conscious, thinking mind, the miracles happen.â&#x20AC;? Heather says eďŹ&#x20AC;ec*ve hypnotherapy is about ge,ng past the brain, and into the heart.

HEALING

Heather knew this was her calling when she was employed as an RN in hospice for several years in the U.S. She tells the story of a woman who was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer at the oncology clinic where she was working: I was in the room with her, when the oncologist told her she had around three months to live. She was shocked, and all she could do was stare. The doctor then stepped out of the room to answer his pager at such a delicate moment. I sat with her, held her hands and asked her, â&#x20AC;&#x153;How do you feel about what the doctor just said?â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awful. I have three children at home.â&#x20AC;? She was devoid of emo*onâ&#x20AC;Śu+erly stunned.

Fully aware that she was stepping way outside the usual pla*tudes spoken at this juncture, Heather chose to follow her ins*ncts and said to the pa*ent: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let me ask you a ques*on: Do you want to die, or do you want to live?â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;You mean I have a choice?â&#x20AC;? Staring at the ďŹ&#x201A;oor for nearly a minute, deeply entrenched in the gravity of her situa*on, she replied â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well, I want to live.â&#x20AC;? And so, she did. Three years later she showed up at the college where I was teaching nursing, with roses and chocolates in hand. She said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;When you gave me the choice, that was all it took. Instead of a death sentence, I was given a choice. I chose life.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

A er a 40â&#x20AC;?year career in nursing, Heather believes that pharmaceu*cals are a major contributor to our decline in health. That is not to say that modern medicine doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have its importance in emergencies or in trea*ng infec*ons, but when it comes to chronic disease, she believes we tend to overâ&#x20AC;?prescribe, thereby masking the symptoms that carry deeper messages about what our thoughts, feelings, emo*ons and beliefs have created as the body follows direc*on from faulty commands from the thinking mind. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My prac*ce is successful because people are looking for answers as to why they are unwell,â&#x20AC;? Heather adds. Folks from all walks of life have come from around the world to see her. She explains that she goes straight to the deepest seed of the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health challenges and that this seed may go as far back as concep*on or even earlier.

Heather endeavours to empower her clients through an understanding that they are ul*mately in control of their own healing process. â&#x20AC;&#x153;[Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about] ge,ng out of here,â&#x20AC;? she points to her head, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and into here,â&#x20AC;? smiling, she points to her heart. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want my clients to understand that the mind is a powerful instrument and that healing is not just about the body. The body knows how to heal itself. Science tells us so. We just need to step aside with the dignity and the grace to give it the opportunity to do so.â&#x20AC;?

Heather Gunn

Doing Death Diﬀerently Inc. Celebrating

Photo: Nathalie Turbina Writer: Jean Van Kleek

Death and dying is a subject that, in our culture, we have diﬃculty talking about. This is one of the reasons why when faced with someone passing, we aren’t equipped to deal with what is surely one of the most trauma(c and emo(onal moments we will ever experience in this life. Michelle Lemon suﬀered several trauma(c losses beginning at a very young age. It was through the search to heal her own grief, depression and loss that she discovered she had the to ability to assist others in their healing.

The path to becoming an end of life doula began in 2001 when Michelle had young adults live with her who struggled with daily life, depression and suicidal tendencies. She worked with them, helping them develop skills to cope with everyday life and is cer(ﬁed in Suicide Preven(on. A er a few years, she happened upon an opening with a funeral home in Calgary, where she subsequently worked for several years. Michelle found this work very rewarding and says, “Through the years I had wonderful opportuni(es in the industry which gave me irreplaceable bereavement experience. I felt honored being involved with them. It was eye‐ opening and educa(onal for me and my life. What I was not expec(ng, is that every family I met, assisted and supported with their grief and loss, I also healed. Li)le by li)le, I was able to grieve my own personal losses with each and every family. I was honored to be a part of these family moments at the most painful and diﬃcult in(mate (mes. They taught me how to heal which in turn, I helped the families heal”.

HEALING

Around this (me, Michelle was also hired by a vet in Calgary to co‐ordinate in‐home pet euthanasia, animal crema(ons and grief counselling. While this work was very fulﬁlling, Michelle s(ll felt there was a void. She discovered end of life doula training, and ins(nc(vely knew this was her calling. What really drew Michelle to this modality, was the opportunity to work with the families and help support their loved ones. She had been through it, and wanted to help guide others through it. She studied at the Conscious Dying Ins(tute in Vancouver and received her cer(ﬁca(on, becoming an End of Life Doula four years ago. Although she began her prac(se in Calgary, her services are available across Alberta.

As an end of life doula, Michelle supports the family with many of the diﬃcult ques(ons and situa(ons that come alongside death and dying. Things like; what to expect, what can I do, reducing emo(onal fa(gue and demys(fying the stages of dying. She will ini(ate conversa(ons about the dying process and provide emo(onal and spiritual support and help families learn to be with intense emo(ons in themselves and others. Michelle is trained in holis(c care modali(es, bringing comfort and peace to those at end of life and their families and will assist through grief, forgiveness, crea(ng ceremony or ritual and bring healing prac(ces to the sacred process of dying before, during and a er death. Michelle brings support, step‐by‐step, and helps the family iden(fy life and care priori(es, using life coaching exercises and the planning guide made by the choices of yourself and your family. Michelle says, “I don’t believe grief ever goes away. I explain that, but they may not take it in at the (me. I educate them, let them know it’s normal and I help coach them through it”. She works with the pa(ent and family separately and will ask the hard ques(ons: how they would like to make their rela(onships be)er, what they believe. Michelle explains, "When ac(ve dying begins, our body starts the transi(on. And when death is near, I help them understand: There is nothing to be afraid of".

When does someone contact a death doula? As early and as o en as you need her. It can be for helping face possible death, advance care planning, coping, or even several years a er for support. While Michelle works within a framework, there is no set script. Each person and family are individuals and the care they receive is as individual as they are. Michelle believes one of the greatest gi s we have is to serve others, and her gi is to let people know they are understood, they are never alone, and we are all here to walk each other home.

Michelle Lemon End of Life Doula and Grief Coach

MoonSong Photography Celebrating

Photo: La Di Da Lane Photography Writer: Jean Van Kleek

Utah born Rebecca Orr made Lethbridge home a!er many years spent in Calgary, followed by Magrath, AB. She is a mom to ﬁve children ages 10 to 26… and now, oﬃcially a grandma. “One in every stage of life”, she laughs. Rebecca always had a love of photography and has fond memories of her dad pulling to the side of the road to get a shot during their travels. It wasn’t un/l her dad bought her a DSLR camera that Rebecca began studying the camera in earnest, photographing things she loved while hiking.

Rebecca was an administra/ve assistant for the Center for Health and Human Services at Lethbridge College for ten years before her maternity leave with her fourth child. She then served as administra/ve assistant for a year and a half with the Southern Alberta FASD Network a!er her ﬁ!h child. Five years ago, with the kids ge1ng a li0le older, she was ready to go back to work, but not full‐/me.

PHOTOGRAPHY

It came to her, that perhaps she could turn her love of photography from a hobby into a business, giving her the freedom to work on her own terms. Along with this decision, came the angst most entrepreneurs experience; and it was certainly diﬀerent working with people, rather than “shoo/ng a tree”. Rebecca says,” It was scary to share something that was just mine… something that I did for me, with someone else… and have their opinion on it, but so far it’s worked out great!” She adds, “Beyond learning how to do business and develop my skills was just learning how to relax and just have the conﬁdence.

Why the name MoonSong? While in her teens, Rebecca’s parents sent her to a wilderness survival boot camp in Utah, essen/ally, a “rehab for wayward teens”. Although Rebecca didn’t consider herself excep/onally wayward compared to many teens she joined, this became a pivotal /me in her life.

Boot camp was just over four months in dura/on, with no soap, no shower and a change of clothes every three weeks. They hiked anywhere from 8‐15 miles a day and received food drops once a week with very small

por/ons of rice, len/ls and oats. Three of these weeks, she was completely alone. It was called “Solo”. She learned how to survive off the land, providing for herself in the most basic way. They gave her the name “MoonSong”, saying she was mysterious like the moon and her laugh, like a song. These four months defined her for the rest of her life, giving her strength, courage and confidence in herself. Rebecca maintains, “this experience was the greatest gi! to me”. Rebecca very much enjoys connec/ng with the people she works with. Every shoot is different, has its own dynamic and every session is a new puzzle to figure out. She especially loves performing couples’ sessions and adds, “Engagement photos, wedding photos…even if it’s just two people like a mom and a child, I just really like shoo/ng two people; expressing a connec/on. It’s more personal, more in/mate, and I can get closer”.

When Rebecca ﬁrst started, she says people were into more posed shots, but now they are looking for more candid, natural shots. Maternity sessions have become very popular, especially “milk baths.” The milk bath photos have a bathtub full of milky water with fresh ﬂowers with the woman wearing a lacey gown and pictures of the baby bump, crea/ng a beau/ful photo. While Rebecca no/ces trends, she isn’t “ruled” by them. She says,” You can go out and do what you think is trendy or what you think people want, but you have to shoot for yourself, always. You have to own it and love it for yourself, or its not worth it, with anything”.

What advice does she give to those looking to be photographed? “Just enjoy the session, come and enjoy the family, play with the kids. Photos are special, they really are. I’ve gone and gathered every picture of my dad since he’s passed, and just put them in my oﬃce. They mean everything to me. Taking a photo is not so much about having the best picture on social media, its about catching moments, because eventually, the moments are all you have, make them special.”

Rebecca Orr

Stage Right Celebrating

Photo: La Di Da Lane Photography Writer: Chris,na Sco-

Wendy Herbers’ life is full of passion: for the picturesque prairies she calls home; for her husband and two successful daughters; for the opportunity to support future genera,ons; and the chance to follow her dreams while giving back to the community.

Wendy was born and raised in Lethbridge, and married a man who also grew up in the city. Soon, parenthood came knocking and the pair se-led into the busy, but sa,sfying life of dance lessons, soccer prac,ces, and career juggling. For almost three decades, Wendy was employed by the University of Lethbridge’s Faculty of Health Sciences, where she worked behind the scenes in support of student internships and prac,cum experiences.

STAGING & DECORATING

In her down ,me, Wendy can be found golﬁng, camping, spending ,me with friends and family, or, watching HGTV. She was doing just that one a ernoon in the mid‐2000s when one of the sta,on’s programs sparked the ﬂame for her passion and a new business venture: home staging and interior design. Wendy says she has always loved design and the concept of helping people. She adds,” on HGTV, the programs started coming out with home staging and I thought, that would be so fun to get to work with people to transform their homes. Everything just kind of fell into place”.

“I have always enjoyed making spaces beau,ful,” says Wendy. “When I heard the term ‘Home Staging,’ I thought it would be fun to assist people with improving the presenta,on of their homes when preparing to sell.” With her daughters grown and on to careers of their own, Wendy didn’t waste any ,me moving to the next chapter; beginning Stage Right, a business specializing in several services, including pre‐lis,ng consulta,ons, staging vacant homes to sell, and residen,al and commercial decora,ng. To get there, she completed QC Design School’s Home Staging and Redesign and Professional Colour Consultant programs, as well as Furniture Installa,on and Styling training with Canadian designer Kimberly Seldon.

One of Wendy’s strongest messages to others star,ng a business is to believe in yourself and embrace your conﬁdence. She adds, “People o en think of themselves as imposters and they ques,on their skills”.

Thanks to Wendy’s conﬁdence, her ability to build posi,ve rela,onships, and her powerhouse team of four Stylists, Stage Right’s services have helped sell more than $1 billion in real estate in Lethbridge since 2008. The secret to successful staging? Comfort.

Wendy says it’s important to give poten,al buyers the opportunity to envision themselves living in the home. This can mean removing the owner’s personal photographs or every‐day clu-er to make the home look spacious and invi,ng, or, crea,ng a reading nook with a rocking chair and books to evoke a feeling of warmth. Wendy says staging is about conveying an unspoken message, telling a story. “I love the clients’ reac,ons when they see the space,” says Wendy. “They say, I never thought of doing that… maybe I should just stay.”

Wendy and her team currently have 20 vacant homes staged to sell in Lethbridge and area, complete with sofas, dining sets and other important touches.

Stage Right’s success has also allowed the team to secure decora,ng projects, such as an update to The Penny Coﬀeehouse, the Town of Taber’s council chambers, Lime Physio, Pinnacle Security and more.

“There have been great opportuni,es in a lot of sectors,” says Wendy. “When you open the door, you never know what is on the other side”.

She feels Lethbridge, and Southern Alberta, are the perfect place to work, taking full advantage of the vast networking opportuni,es and the ability for like‐minded professionals to help each other by sharing ideas and exper,se.

“I have been fortunate to meet other women who are also passionate about transforming spaces and helping people. I’m a big believer in looking for what you love to do, and spending your ,me doing what makes you happy. The best part about this is, not only does it make us happy, but it makes others happy as well.”

Wendy R. Herbers

Urban Cowgirl & Co. Celebrating

Photo: La Di Da Lane Photography Writer: Mercedes Fawns

Linnden King, CEO of Urban Cowgirl & Co., found a unique and inspiring way to break into business in Lethbridge in 2013. However, her knowledge of the corporate world, and how to effec/vely manage a business goes further back in /me. A er a0ending the University of Lethbridge’s kinesiology program for two years, Linnden found herself working at Goodlife Fitness in 2006 where she says she got her first introduc/on into entrepreneurial life. “I helped open the [fitness] club here,” she explains. “I did everything from personal training, to group exercise management, and then I worked on the corporate side in club management.”

By 2011 Linnden had learned about the corporate side of running a business, from marke/ng and goalse1ng to op/mizing customer experience. With young children to raise, she realized she wanted something that oﬀered more ﬂexibility in her schedule. “Working in a demanding corporate role was physically, mentally and emo/onally exhaus/ng,” she recalls.

Linnden le Goodlife Fitness to start her own fitness company with a focus on pre and post natal exercises for moms. “I was able to incorporate my family into my work life,” she says; thus, Mamalicious Fitness came to frui/on. It was the first company in Lethbridge to introduce mom and baby fitness classes. She also started Mommy Connec/ons branch in Lethbridge which con/nues to this day under a new director.

FASHION

As her children grew older, Linnden no/ced she was organically moving away from Mamalicious, focusing more a0en/on on her crea/ve pursuits. This is when Urban Cowgirl & Co. an online‐centred business specializing in handcra ed one size fits all products, blossomed. “It was just a hobby. Just something to fill /me in between everything else,” she says. But the demand for her Kimonos and Chiffon Dusters con/nued to increase every year. In 2016 she found herself at a crossroads: Con/nue with fitness or handmade clothing? Linnden knew she wanted the flexibility offered by the online store, so she said goodbye to fitness, and officially established Urban Cowgirl & Co.

Now, she has a team of four seamstresses, a warehouse and showroom in Lethbridge, and ships products to customers across Canada, the US and interna/onally.

“That was my goal from the very start: Create an ecommerce‐based business that would allow me the ﬂexibility to be present for my children,” she enthuses. “And to be honest, I love the online world… Crea/ng digital content and serving online customers through social media and emails ‐‐ I love those things a lot, and we can s/ll develop close connec/ons with people.”

Linnden says 90 per cent of her business comes through her online store, and some of the biggest challenges can be staying on top of the latest trends, choosing the next line of products six months out of the season, all while con/nuing to promote current products and services. That’s where organiza/on comes in. “I think you can make the most of your day if you make a schedule and s/ck to it,” she says. Linnden sets weekly, monthly and yearly goals and men/ons that being consistent with yourself and se1ng goals will help you manage your business eﬀec/vely.

Like most business owners, Linnden aspires to con/nue to grow her business, and hopes to see Urban Cowgirl in a larger warehouse one day. She is also working on building a mobile bou/que so she can take Urban Cowgirl on the road to fes/vals and markets. Part of her passion lies in helping other women develop their businesses online as well. “It’s not easy,” she explains. “You have to be hands‐on and involved. Collabora/on is key; there is room for everybody to succeed. I really believe that.” She says she’s seeing increasing trends and the poten/al for ecommerce to con/nue growing in our community. “It’s not going anywhere,” she smiles. She loves the rela/onships she’s already built with members of the community and loves the feeling of support between her and other business owners. “It’s so amazing to see how many talented ar/sans and business owners there are out there,” she exclaims.

Linnden is always thinking about ways to serve her customers and oﬀer them even more services. “That’s the glory of an online business – there’s no ceiling, the sky is the limit, and when you think about that, you can reach anyone.”

Linnden King

Intrigue Lingerie Bou que Celebrating

Photo: La Di Da Lane Photography Writer: Mercedes Fawns

Some things are just meant to be, and this story holds no excep-on. Rita McArthur and Colleen Armstrong, Owners of Intrigue Lingerie Bou-que in Lethbridge were friends for many years before they opened for business in 2008. Their husbands worked together, and the pair got to know each other at various work func-ons over the years.

In April 2007 everything changed. “Our husbands, through their work, had to go to a conference in New York, and we were going with them,” Colleen retells. “I had just watched an Oprah Winfrey TV special on [the importance of] a proper bra ﬁ/ng.” According to a US Na-onal Library of Medicine study, more than 80 per cent of women tested reported experiencing pain or discomfort due to their bra. “I checked out the bou-ques [in New York] and booked myself in for a ﬁ/ng while we were there.” Then she called Rita to suggest that she get one as well.

“And we came home with a suitcase full of new bras!” Rita chuckles.

But the New York trip inspired Rita, who realized there was no access to bra‐ﬁ/ng services in Lethbridge. She was looking for a change of pace, and Colleen was re-ring from her career.

“[In October 2007] Rita called me and said, ‘Hey…do you want to open a store?’ And I said she was crazy,” they both laugh as Colleen con-nues the story. But Rita had planted the seed in Colleen’s mind, and she started contac-ng lingerie vendors while on a trip to Palm Springs. Upon her return Colleen called Rita to say, “I think we can do this.”

FASHION

Everything a er that came together in a ﬂash: The perfect rental space, the interior design, and the demand for their services from women in the community. With the help of their husbands, Rita and Colleen completed the renova-ons and partnered with Lethbridge College Interior Design students to remodel the inside of their space at 313 Seventh Street South. “We wanted a bou-que, and downtown for a bou-que made sense,” explains Colleen. Rita adds, “Downtown has a unique feel in every city.”

One of Rita’s favourite memories from that -me was when the stock started showing up at the store. “It was like Christmas every day!” They never knew what was coming, and relied on their vendor representa-ves in the beginning un-l they learned how to predict upcoming trends.

On May 15, 2008, only six months a er Rita suggested star-ng the business, Intrigue Lingerie Bou-que opened its doors to a lineup of women wai-ng outside. “We weren’t going to open un-l the end of May,” explains Colleen. However, women in the area started showing up at the door halfway through the month to see if maybe they would open early, proving there was a definite need for proper bra‐fi/ng services in Lethbridge. To this day, Intrigue is the only lingerie bou-que that offers this level of services in Lethbridge. Since then, these ladies and their staff have enjoyed the rewards of helping their patrons feel confident and empowered. Many of their customers have never had a proper bra fi/ng. “They have no idea how [the bra is] supposed to feel or what it should look like when it’s fi/ng,” Rita explains. A bra should never feel uncomfortable, and if it does not offer the right support, women can suffer from health implica-ons such as: neck and back pain, headaches and muscle damage.

“Everyone is an individual,” enthuses Colleen, and says many of their customers have been referred by doctors or chiropractors. She tells the story of a woman who was able to cancel a breast reduc-on because she finally learned how a properly fi.ed bra should feel. Rita says the team knows they have done well when, “We see the transforma-on and receive grateful hugs, or see tears of joy,” she smiles. “Some girls just transform in the change rooms. That makes it all worth while.” Rita and Colleen are excited to say that the story doesn’t end here. While they may pass the torch to the right candidate one day, they’re not ready yet. This year, the pair will announce the new services Intrigue Lingerie Bou-que will offer breast cancer and mastectomy pa-ents as these two friends forge ahead, con-nuing to meet the needs of women in Lethbridge, regardless of their shape or size.

Rita McArthur & Colleen Armstrong

Flair Travel Celebrating

Photo: MoonSong Photography Writer: Jean Van Kleek

Many of us dream of travelling to distant lands, exploring various cultures and experiencing exo/c countries, but Pat Johnson lives the dream. Born and raised in Lethbridge, Pat didn’t travel much growing up, but she was always cap/vated by foreign places as long as she can remember. She graduated from the U of L with an English degree, married and started a family in Lethbridge. At that /me programs in Travel and Tourism were not being oﬀered locally and with a young family, studying in another city wasn’t feasible. In the fall of 1986, a Travel and Tourism program was oﬀered at Lethbridge Community College and that opened the door to a career in Travel for Pat. One of her instructors was a founding owner of Flair Travel and employed her a er gradua/on. Flair Travel was subsequently sold and Pat con/nued to work with the new owner for 15 years. When he re/red in 2003 Pat had the opportunity to buy the business and hasn’t looked back, aiming for innova/on and growth at Flair Travel.

Pat has visited over 40 countries and con/nues to ﬁnd at least one new des/na/on to travel to each year as do each of her travel consultants. Travelling enables them to share ﬁrst‐hand informa/on about des/na/ons with their clients. Pats’ agents are a cohesive team that have worked together for several years, some, even right from the beginning. Flair Travel’s experienced Travel Consultants have lived in or were raised in Poland, New Zealand and Italy and bring a wealth of informa/on about these des/na/ons. Pat says, “When someone walks through the door of Flair Travel asking about a des/na/on, chances are at least one of us has been there. In fact, their company slogan is “We’ve Been There!”

TRAVEL

Is there a need for a travel agency in the internet age? “Definitely!”, Pat explains, “There are so many facets of travel, and changes that affect travel decisions can happen very fast. While deciding where to go is the most exci/ng part of your trip planning, there are many other things to consider. Things like: your passports and the extended validity some countries require, visas you may need, health requirements, customs and restric/on of different cultures and even the currency used by different countries. Flair Travel is well connected and can provide expert advice on the current safety condi/ons and up to date advice.

Pat adds, “We have resource people available if something goes wrong, and work on a solu/on while at your des/na/on. My office is part of the Travelsavers Consor/um which is an umbrella of successful, independent agencies and through them, I have incredible support when something must be addressed immediately for our client’s safety and travel success. When volcanos erupt disrup/ng flight routes, hurricanes strike or flights are cancelled, we are there to help. Without a Travel Consultant you are on your own”.

Studies show use of travel agency services is on the rise, and for good reason. They give you more value for your travel dollars. Consultants have access to promo/ons travellers may not and top travel agencies, like Flair Travel, receive special considera/ons from their suppliers by way of bonuses and special offers. Pat’s office is an “Elite” office with Travelsavers, which are agencies worldwide recognized for their excellent service and dedica/on to matching the right product and des/na/on to each client.

Most importantly, with a travel consultant, it’s personal. They want to know you, your travel expecta/ons and dreams as they work with you to plan each step of your adventure.

Popular requests these days are river cruises, adventure travel, African safaris and spiritual/wellness travel into exo/c places like Bhutan or Katmandu. The South Paciﬁc including Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahi/ and the Cook Islands is growing for adventure, cruising and independent travel. Des/na/on weddings have also become very popular. Mul/‐genera/onal travel is really expanding with healthy, young minded baby boomers wan/ng to share experiences and make memories with their kids and grandkids. Flair Travel also organizes sports and student groups going on interna/onal study tours.

The travel industry s/ll excites Pat a er all these years, and her team is family. She loves to travel, loves her work and has no plans to re/re any /me soon. What’s most rewarding for Pat is helping people plan their dreams and crea/ng a posi/ve experience. And she does it all with FLAIR.

Pat Johnson-CTC Certified Travel Counsellor

La Di Da Lane Photography Celebrating

Photo: La Di Da Lane Photography Writer: Mercedes Fawns

If you asked Jennifer Aquila to write a thousand words about why she loves her career, she would show you a picture instead. The owner of La Di Da Lane Photography says she was always the girl with the camera growing up, but the idea of star'ng a career in the ﬁeld never crossed her mind un'l she turned 30. Jenn’s background is in early literacy and teaching. It wasn’t un'l a er her ﬁrst son was born that she realized she wanted to start her own business.

Teaching grade one can take up a lot of energy, and Jenn wanted the ﬂexibility to put more of her 'me and focus into motherhood. Her husband was in college at the 'me, so she had to think of a career that would allow her to earn an income, while maintaining the freedom to be there for her family. “I tried a few things: I taught yoga, took a nail course… and I was a waitress at the 'me too,” she tells. “I’ve always been a hard worker, and the entrepreneurial spirit has always been inside me.”

It was while Jennifer was doing her friend’s nails one fateful day, that she realized photography was the route she was going to choose. “My friend was showing me some pictures of her kids that she’d had done in Utah,” she explains. “As soon as I saw [the photos] I knew that’s what I wanted to do.” Her friend told her that the photographer was a mom who owned a home studio. “I know that’s common now, but 11 years ago there weren’t as many home studios,” she says. Jenn ﬁgured if this was a possibility elsewhere, she could make it happen for herself, and she did.

PHOTOGRAPHY

In 2008 Jenn bought a camera, dressed up her son, and took her ﬁrst photo. “It was terrible… I cried,” she laughs about it now. But everyone starts somewhere, and this was her mo'va'on to take photography courses both online and with local instructor, Henrie(e Plas. “Honestly, it was overwhelming trying to learn everything,” she says, and describes how when she started learning there weren’t as many free resources and tutorials online as there are now. “There were a lot of tears and frustra'on, but I was so passionate – almost obsessed.” She encourages others to strive for that passion as well because that is where the reward in your work stems from.

Jenn kept studying and prac'cing on her friends. In 2009 she was ready to establish La Di Da Lane and launched her website. She was busy within the year. “It has been a long road of learning balance,” she says. “I would say I took on way too much in the beginning.”

The source of Jenn’s passion lies behind the idea of freezing 'me. “When I was in grade 11 my dad passed away… and I cherish every photo I have, which isn’t very many,” Jenn tells. She says you never know when you are going to lose someone, and your loved ones will enjoy those photos in years to come. “Which is why it’s so important for families to get these photos and have these memories,” she emphasizes. Jenn also thrives on helping to bring families together during the photo shoot. “My favourites are the ones where the mom is connec'ng with her child, or the parents are laughing at their kids because they’re being crazy… it’s real emo'on,” she enthuses. Jenn says she is now living a dream come true, with a home studio on her acreage, and the ﬂexibility to travel and be there for important family moments. Her goal for the future is to get back to her teaching roots and help other aspiring photographers with online marke'ng strategies, wri'ng How‐To blogs, and providing mentorship.

Her main piece of advice is that life is not sta'c; be aware of opportuni'es that present themselves and don’t think you need to work the same job for the rest of your life. Jenn believes that a lot of 'mes we grow up thinking about the tradi'onal career paths we can take ‐‐ doctor, teacher, etc. But the best thing she ever did was take a leap of faith into her passion. “Just do it,” she exclaims. “Risks are worth taking.”

Jennifer Aquila

Kenegdo Salon Spa Inc. Celebrating

Photo: MoonSong Photography Writer: Jean Van Kleek

Tanya Kellington was born in Milk River and raised on a farm near Foremost, AB. This dynamic, young, “country girl” entrepreneur has always been very focused and driven. From the age of sixteen, she knew she wanted to open a hair salon. In 2010, she won Business of Year award in Young Entrepreneur from the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce for her ini/a/ve with a back to school project, where she co‐ordinated 19 salons in the community to give haircuts to children and provide care packages for them. It was her passion for hairstyling and her innate desire to give back to the community that made this project a huge success. She won the award in October, and si0ng there she said, “this is it… it’s /me”. She wrote down her /meframe, blocked her deadlines and just knew she would open shop in June, eight months later.

She researched business plans on the internet, approached banks, secured a lease, renovated the leasehold, hired staﬀ and somehow brought it all together, opening her doors in September. During this /me, she was reading the book, “Cap/va/ng: Unveiling The Mystery Of A Woman's Soul”. The book spoke of helping and serving others and it resonated with her. In the book, the word “Kenegdo” (pronounced Ken‐ay‐doe) is referred to. In biblical terms; it is the word that is said God used when making the ﬁrst woman to be a strength. It’s meaning; “similar to Him, corresponding with Him.”

BEAUTY

The name also refers to serving people. It came to Tanya, this would be the perfect name for her new venture. Tanya says, “what’s more beau/ful than to have that on our wall as a reminder everyday!? That’s what we do, we help and we serve people. Most people in this industry want to love and take care of people.” Tanya adds,” The industry isn’t about vanity, it’s about giving conﬁdence, empowerment, self‐care and making people feel good about themselves”. It’s been nine years since Tanya opened her doors, and Kenegdo con/nues to grow strong.

Tanya maintains a team of 10 beauty professionals who have been hand‐picked by her, not only for their professional abili/es, but their ability to connect and care for their customers. She is very proud of her

talented and cohesive team. Tanya says, “At Kenegdo, we have an educa/on fund to support us in staying up to date and being able to give you the best service possible. To ensure consistency, every specialist completes an advanced training program. We take this seriously. Taking care of you is serious business. We are real and genuine, we naturally want to give you the best experience possible because it is literally a part of who we are”. Tanya learned about balance a!er the birth of her daughters, Victoria, 4 and Nadia, 2. Taking /me oﬀ to have her children taught her about se0ng priori/es and not obsessing on ge0ng everything done perfectly, with many “to do” lists. This was a hard lesson for a perfec/onist! Now she views success not as a des/na/on, but the journey along the way. She balances work/life these days spending /me with her husband, Blair, her kids, and Bernedoodle, Zoe, and has taken the role of overseeing Kenegdo's opera/ons, along with mentoring and coaching. She helps build her team and guides them in the development of their careers helping and serving people. This is what she has found to be her true calling. She loves connec/ng with people and helping them grow.

Tanya says she has come to realize she needs to be a voice and is using her past experiences to help others. This realiza/on has led her to a very exci/ng new venture that will be rolled out over the next year. She is unable to share details at this /me, but promises it’s going to be amazing! Her eyes light up at the men/on of the project. Whatever it is, one thing is certain; Tanya Kellington will put her heart and soul into it just as she has with Kenegdo. This young entrepreneur demonstrates that passion, a lot of hard work and never giving up are the cornerstones to a successful business.

Tanya Kellington

Custom Real Estate Solu ons Celebrating

Photo: Chris Yauck Photography Writer: Jean Van Kleek

For the majority of us, buying or selling a home is one of the largest and most important investments we will make in our lives. And the reasons for buying or selling are as varied as the purchase itself. For some, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an exci*ng *me, looking for the perfect home to start a family, begin a new life together, or to simply ďŹ nd a home a er years of ren*ng and saving. For others, it may be following the death of a loved one or a divorce. Regardless of the reason, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very stressful *me, and the less complicated, the be+er.

It used to be, that ďŹ nding a realtor to list and adver*se your house or show you homes was almost your only op*on. Sure, you could put an ad in the paper and try to sell a home yourself, but you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have access to MLS and you were completely on your own. The internet has completely changed the world of real estate and subsequently, op*ons for buying and selling have changed as well.

REAL ESTATE

When Kimberly Campbell and her husband, Trevor, were looking to sell their home in Edmonton to move their family to Lethbridge they discovered a realtor assisted, for sale by owner brokerage that combined the beneďŹ ts and exper*se of a realtor, along with the savings of lis*ng by owner. It was through the selling of their own home that Kimberly became interested in becoming a realtor herself. She was fascinated with the industry, especially with this concept, and wanted to help others navigate their way through what can be a daun*ng as well as expensive experience. She received her license in 2012 and two years ago, became a broker, launching her own brokerage with her husband to bring this innova*ve concept to Lethbridge. Custom Real Estate Solu*ons was the perfect name, as each package is custom designed for the individual they are working with. In one word, what makes this model stand out is: â&#x20AC;&#x153;choicesâ&#x20AC;?. You can choose to be represented by a realtor in the tradi*onal sense, list by owner, or list by owner with realtor assistance. Each of these choices oďŹ&#x20AC;er substan*al savings.

Owning their own company has provided the opportunity to develop more op*ons and expand on the realtor assisted/for sale by owner concept. It has aďŹ&#x20AC;orded Kimberly more control over her website, keeps things simple, and most importantly, provides even more ways to save clients money. The company has three main components; for sale by owner, representa*on package and buyer package. Custom Real Estate Solu*ons oďŹ&#x20AC;ers buyers up 25% of the commission it receives. To Kimberlyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knowledge, their company is the only one that oďŹ&#x20AC;ers this as standard prac*ce. Realtor assisted for sale by owner is a fresh approach to selling a home, saving realtor fees while s*ll giving you access to realtor exper*se. Realtors have access to actual â&#x20AC;&#x153;soldâ&#x20AC;? prices on homes and can provide realis*c guidance in se,ng your asking price for best results.

Kimberly is excited about this new venture and looks forward to building the business and growing even more op*ons as they move forward. She may add more realtors to her team but has no plans so far to become a large network. She wants to keep it personal and know her customers. With over 25 years working in the healthcare ďŹ eld, Kimberly has combined her personal background in healthcare and translated the philosophy of pa*entâ&#x20AC;?centred service for the brokerage. Her company is transparent, honest and upfront about every facet of a sale throughout the en*re process. Kimberly is a mother to three young adult children, who she is encouraging to save and invest in a home. They have each expressed an interest in real estate, and may very well join her company, making it truly a â&#x20AC;&#x153;family aďŹ&#x20AC;airâ&#x20AC;?. Kimberly Campbell is one of a growing number of women in Southern Alberta who have become established business owners, and is an excellent example of how forwardâ&#x20AC;?thinking, tenacity and a real desire to make a diďŹ&#x20AC;erence can create a true path to success.

Kimberly Campbell

Shabella Publishing Celebrating

Photo: MoonSong Photography Writer: Angie Provost

Edmonton born, Calgary raised, Jean Van Kleek had a love of music since she can remember. She recalls when she was about five, the back of a box of cereal had a guitar to cut out and a.ach rubber bands to in order to create an instrument. She couldn’t wait for the box of cereal to be empty and play her first “guitar”. She also always loved to write, and would create li.le verses that her mom sent to Readers’ Digest. While none were published, she kept wri-ng because it was just something she enjoyed and felt compelled to do. A er high school, much to the chagrin of her parents, Jean decided to forego university to begin a career as a musician. This choice turned into a fi een‐year career as she travelled throughout Western Canada with a variety of bands, duos and as a single. During this -me, she wrote several songs, some she recorded and some for other ar-sts in Calgary. She also wrote the theme song for a Na-onal Film Board documentary on child sexual abuse.

As she headed into her thir-es, the gruelling schedule of working six nights a week and moving gear on Sunday to start back at it again on Monday lost its’ lustre for Jean. She decided to go back to school and chose the CTSR program at S.A.I.T. to train for a career in television. One of the highlights of comple-ng the program at that par-cular -me was the opportunity to work on the 1988 Olympics, where she was hired to oversee a team of six audio assistants at the venue in Canmore. There were great life-me memories made over the six‐week period as she met media and athletes from around the world. The teamwork and camaraderie in crea-ng a successful event like this was amazing, and one she will never forget.

PUBLISHING

Jean took a posi-on at 2&7 Television Lethbridge (now Global) in 1989, working in general opera-ons for a few years, then joined the news department, edi-ng and direc-ng news. She never gave up the music, o en wri-ng instrumentals for the TV sta-on that were edited with video and run as ﬁlls on air. She then worked in Edmonton for a -me direc-ng news at CFRN, but a er a round of layoﬀs’, moved to Summerland BC, hoping to

work in Kelowna eventually but no posi-ons came open. She returned to Lethbridge, this -me, in the sales department as an assistant. A er a few months as a sales assistant, the company made some changes and all the assistants became salespeople. Jean dreaded it, and was as surprised as anyone when she did very well.

She became the top representa-ve at Global and was then recruited by CTV Lethbridge where she remained for another ten years. Within the first year at CTV, she had the highest per centage of new business sales in the country. As with everything, things change, and so did the television landscape. Being out of work at 57 was a challenge for Jean to say the least. With very li.le in the way of job openings with her skillset, she found herself in a precarious posi-on. A er months of stress emo-onally and financially, Jean decided if she can’t find a job, she’d have to create one. She took her last bit of money, registered the name “Quirk” and began selling ads for the magazine she had just created and knew nothing about bringing into frui-on. But it worked. It worked because it came from the right place. It came from a place of wan-ng to share people’s stories in a posi-ve way and provide a voice for the community. One of the highlights for Jean as a publisher, was a few years ago when, a er a fall that required major surgery, she came out of hospital and instead of taking -me to recuperate, had to get the next issue of Quirk on the stands. It was at this -me, friends rallied around to help, and a couple of months later, the magazine won an award for “Outstanding in Media”. It was a very poignant moment for Jean, and such a fi/ng acknowledgement of what true success is. It’s the journey. It’s the people along the way. And it’s finding the place you can best serve others. Jean says, “We each have a purpose, a gi , and it’s up to us to find a way to use our gi s to make a difference in the world around us”.

Jean Van Kleek

IG Wealth Management Celebrating

Photo: La Di Da Lane Photography Writer: Mercedes Fawns

Barbara Wensley always had a love of numbers growing up in Saskatoon, but she never thought that love would turn into a 27‐year career in finance. In fact, her aspira,ons were quite different in her youth: “In high school I didn’t want to get into business; I wanted to get into the medical field,” Barbara explains, “I was going to become a veterinarian ‐ that was my focus.” Yet somehow that dream led her to become the Southern Alberta/East Kootenay Regional Director with IG Wealth Management almost nine years ago.

Her story begins in Brooks, AB where Barbara moved with her husband, and followed her interests from high school by working as an animal technician at one of the veterinary clinics. However, a short ,me later a friend of Barbara’s asked if she would like to work at the local Credit Union with her, and that’s where her love of numbers came to the forefront. “I was able to help people, and yet easily ﬁgure out the numbers and look at the big picture detail,” she says.

It was the financial planning aspect of the job that helped Barbara realize her poten,al to help people in her community. “I saw a lot of situa,ons where smart, successful business owners weren’t quite looking at their business in the right way…” she explains. “I went back to school to get my Cer,fied Financial Planning Professional Designa,on. Then I went looking for something that would allow me to do the financial planning I wanted to do, and I found that opportunity through IG Wealth Management.”

INVESTMENT

Seeing clients’ dreams come to frui,on, such as re,ring early, or pu-ng their children through university without student debt is easily one of Barbara’s favourite aspects of ﬁnancial planning. In her role as Regional Director she oversees the recruitment, training, and coaching of new consultants which allows her to perceive these eﬀects on an exponen,al level ‐ not only for the clients, but the consultants as well. When recrui,ng, Barbara hires consultants who put their

clients ﬁrst, and she thrives on watching them succeed and grow their businesses as they make their own dreams come true.

She says other rewards lie in the way she was able to maintain a career she loved while never missing one of her children’s sports games. “You can do it all, but you have to do it in a way that increases your energy, not one that sucks it out of you. That’s been my biggest challenge: how to juggle it all,” and goes on to explain that ,me management skills are most crucial when balancing work and home life.

As a woman in business who wanted a family, Barbara said it was challenging at first to allow herself to do it all. She would hear people say, “You won’t have ,me for yourself,” and found herself holding back because of these self‐limi,ng beliefs. “That’s one of the most important things I wish I could reach out to young women and say: You can make decisions that make having a great marriage, great kids, and a great career very doable. Decide what you want to do, and then go for it. But is it all going to be exactly the way you want it? ‐No.” Last year, IG Wealth Management joined a new program called Taking the Stage. “I didn’t have very many female role models in Southern Alberta. That was hard. I have spent a lot of ,me reading and ge-ng outside educa,on because I needed to find those role models somewhere else. That’s something that IG is trying to change.” This new program allows her the opportunity to present to women in the company across the country and help empower them to make their businesses flourish. Barbara says her goals for the future are to con,nue to encourage women to become business owners. “I would love it if 50 per cent of our consultants were women. [At IG] we just want to make a difference and put our clients first.”

Barbara Wensley

WOW Communica ons & Training Celebrating

Writer: Fay Braden

If anyone understands that adap,ng is the way to succeed, it’s Lynda Kavanagh.

She was in her mid‐thir,es, a mother of two when she realized she needed to make some life and career decisions. Fast forward to the crea,on of WOW Communica,ons & Training where she is the CEO and #1Wow Gal. (aka Wildly Outrageous Woman) Providing brand development, marke,ng and sales advice for over 25 years, Lynda has a proven track‐record in both Lethbridge and Calgary.

But she doesn’t limit herself to a region – she goes where people need her skills like Whitehorse, Yellowknife, Kamloops, Edmonton, Red Deer, Montana and even into Europe. She has worked with mom and pop shops right up to companies with over $10 million in gross sales. Her specialty is helping people develop their brand to stabilize or diversify their business. For Lynda, the fun comes when they discover they CAN diversify. “When you ﬁnd what the customer needs and the light comes on; when you see the relief they feel; it’s very sa,sfying.” Some free Lynda advice, “adapt to the world, adapt to the customer.” And that is what Lynda has always done with her company and why she feels the demand for her services have stayed strong for over 25 years.

It’s really about Brand Development and this is her strong suit. She will cut to the chase and coach you with straight talk. Then, she’ll help you create a strategy for success. It’s no wonder her business webinars and workshops are so popular.

BRANDING

Is her life all work and no play? For over 30 years, Lynda and her husband D’Arcy have been avid travellers and spend about three months a year cycling and touring around the world. In 2000, they started a company called WOW Tours Interna,onal, a travel guiding and consul,ng business. In 2018, they no,ced that consumers are demanding more travel help but online, so Lynda and D’Arcy adapted to presen,ng Bucket List Webinars.

Most people have a travel des,na,on on their bucket list. Barcelona. Paris. Mediterranean. Scotland. Instead of spending hours on the internet researching a trip, the Bucket List Webinars offer video and boots‐on‐ the‐ground, first hand experience of what loca,ons have to offer and how best to see them. For the hesitant traveller, these are brilliant.

For her personally, she finds travel teaches empathy, it broadens her horizons and makes her grateful for all she has. For WOW Communica,ons – she’s able to garner ideas from around the world, which has been terrific for her business and clients. Lynda understands what she needs and what makes her happy. Being married to D’Arcy makes her happy. Travelling, having an office with a terrific view of her backyard and flowerbed, family, work she loves to do. All make her happy. Plus shoes. If they are stunning and whispering her name – they will be going home with her and she will be smiling every step of the way.

Add wri,ng books to her list of accomplishments. Her first book is, Sales Suck, now what?© In the works is, Be the Unicorn, it starts with your Brand© that will be released next Spring. She’s also wri,ng Abroad Escapes© complied of short, humorous‐true life stories and ,ps on travel safety for women. A book she is well‐aware will become a staple for bathroom reading. The life of an entrepreneur suits Lynda perfectly. If she chooses to work in the evening in front of a cozy fire or out on her pa,o, she can. If she wants to work 7 days a week, because she loves what she does, she can. She’s adapted technology so she can work from anywhere in the world. Check her out online and you’ll find a picture of her as a small child, standing in the palm of her Grandfather’s hand. It’s a WOW of a picture. And she has con,nued to embrace the concept of WOW into her business, career and life.

When asked if she has any thoughts about the future, she said, “when I’m in a wheelchair, I’ll be wearing red high heels and s,ll be working.

Lynda Kavanagh Atop a castle in Barcelona, Spain

Celebrating Women in Business Directory

Back in Balance Wellness Centre Phone: 403.331.3331 Address: 1315 3 Ave S, Lethbridge, AB Website: www.backinbalancelethbridge.com

Barbara Wensley CFP – Regional Director IG Wealth Management Phone: 403.328.2600 Address: 4079 4 Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB Email: Barbara.wensley@investorsgroup.com Website: www.lethbridgeigwealthmanagement.ca Burton & Co. (Insight LLP) Chartered Professional Accountants Phone: 403.524.4878 Address: #1 ‐ 1718 3rd Avenue S, Lethbridge, AB www.burtonaccoun(ng.ca Cornerstone Funeral Home Phone: 403.381.7777 Address: 2825 32 St S, Lethbridge, AB Website: www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com Custom Real Estate Solu)ons Phone: 403 308 2184 Email:kimberly@cresleth.ca Website:www.customrealestatesolu(ons.ca

Doing Death Differently INC. Phone: 587.586.4628 email: info@michelle‐endoflifedoula.com Website: www.doingdeathdifferentlyinc.com Execuserv Plus Inc. Phone: (403) 320‐5604 Address: 520 5 Ave S, Lethbridge, AB Website: www.execuservplus.com

Flair Travel Planners Phone: (403) 329‐1030 Address: 722 4 Ave S, Lethbridge, AB Website: www.ﬂairtravelplanners.ca

Honkers Pub & Eatery Ltd. Phone: 403‐327‐9405 Address: 2808 ‐ 5 Ave North, Lethbridge, AB Nest Events/Mee(ng Rooms 2806 ‐ 5th Ave North, Lethbridge Website: www.honkerspub.com Kenegdo Salon Spa Phone:403.380.3858 Address: 406 Staﬀord Dr S, Lethbridge, AB Website: www.kenegdo.ca

Intrigue Lingerie Bou)que Phone: 403‐329‐1810 Address: 313 7th Street South Lethbridge, AB Email: ilbl@telus.net Website: intriguelingerie.ca La Di Da Lane Photography Email: Ladidalanephotography@gmail.com Website: www.ladidalanephotography.com

Lodestone Leadership Phone: 403.320.5604 Address: 51026 Range Rd 222, Magrath, AB Website: www.lodestoneleadership.ca Mocha Cabana Phone:403.329.6243 Address: 317 4th St S, Lethbridge, AB Email: mochacabana@shawbiz.ca Website: www.mochacabana.ca

MoonSong Photography Phone: 403.894.2236 Email: moonsongphotography@gmail.com Website: www.moonsongphotography.ca

One Spirit Integra)ve Medicine Spa Phone: 403‐894‐2622 Email: onespiritall@gmail.com Website: www.onespirit.ca Youtube: QHHT Regression Hypnosis – The Truth Be Told Shabella Publishing Phone: 403.382.7240 Email: jeanvan@shaw.ca Website: www.quirkmagazine.net

Stage Right ‐ Staging to Sell / Decora)ng to Stay Phone: 403.360.7909 E‐mail: designer@stageright1.ca Website: stageright1.ca Facebook: Stage Right Lethbridge Tamara’s Dental Hygiene Phone: 403.388.8841 Address: # 6 ‐ 1702 23rd St. N, Lethbridge, AB Urban Cowgirl Email: hello@urban‐cowgirl.com Website: www.urban‐cowgirl.com Instagram and Facebook @urbancowgirlco

WOW Communica)ons & Training Corp Phone: 403 329.0179 Website: Wowcommunica(ons.ca, Wowtours.com

Need Space? Locally owned and operated - our team is proud to call Lethbridge home! • Premises monitored 24/7 by 28 high definition cameras • Dedicated RV & vehicle storage, fully fenced and finished with packed gravel • Moving & packing supplies available on site • Authorized U-Haul dealer • Rates starting as low as $40 per month Offering 260 clean & secure storage units, with convenient, easy, ground level access 7 days a week from 6 am to 11pm Contact us today for more information on current promotions, long and short term leasing information

We Can Store That! Office Hours Monday - Tuesday Wednesday Thursday - Friday Saturday Sunday & Holidays

8:00am - 5:00pm 8:00am - 12:00pm 8:00am - 5:00pm 9:00am - 12:00 pm Closed

587.486.9888 3656 - 32 St. N.

www.bridgecityselfstorage.ca

Sherring Business & Industrial Park (two blocks North of Wal-Mart)