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Sponsored Content • The Chronicle Herald Tuesday, April 20, 2021
‘Create your own blueprint’ Halifax Chamber Wonder Women Conference challenges and connects ERIN ELAINE CASEY
Presented by
“W
ake up. Daylight is coming. The birds are already singing. Our Earth is beautiful.” These words from the Cree Morning Song were the perfect opening to the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s fifth Wonder Women Conference, held via Zoom on Feb. 19. For a morning that both celebrated the diversity of women in business and tackled challenging conversations about equity and inclusion, this metaphor of waking up to a new day with new possibilities for change was a powerful one. Fiona Kirkpatrick-Parsons, National Adviser/Ká-nákanít, Deloitte Indigenous, shared the song as part of her land acknowledgment and welcome offered in both nîhithawîwin — or Woodland Cree — and English. Perhaps without realizing she was even doing it, KirkpatrickParsons set the tone for the day simply by showing up as her full self — a Woodland Cree woman and member of Lac La Ronge First Nation, Treaty 6, as well as a respected pillar of the Halifax business community. Kirkpatrick-Parsons beamed as she shared her personal experience learning her mother’s language. “Today marks the first time that I’ve said that many words in my nîhithawak language in public.” As we moved through the morning under the warm guidance of host and moderator Ann Divine, the CEO and Founder of Ashanti Leadership and Professional Development Services and a long-standing voice for equity in Nova Scotia, it became clear the small matter of Zoom wasn’t going to get in the way of networking. All morning, the chat feed was alive with introductions, compliments, questions and connections. Of the 400 women in attendance, 150 received complimentary tickets through the Chamber’s partnerships with African Nova Scotian Decade for People of African Descent (DPAD), Ulnooweg, BBI, ISANS, CEED, reachAbility, Junior Achievement, Women Unlimited, The Youth Project, Halifax Pride, My East Coast Experience and EduNova. A number of tickets also went to university students. “We know it’s been a long, hard year on Zoom,” Divine acknowledged, noting the tremendous impact COVID-19 has had on women, particularly women from equity-entitled groups. “Women today are still primary caregivers for children and the elderly, we still do most of the housework … and we manage the unpaid work. We lack access to capital and the pandemic has amplified these structural barriers.” She ended her introduction with a call to action: “We are
The Whole Truth Panel took place during the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s fifth edition of the Wonder Women Conference on Feb. 19. Ryan Williams Photography
done talking about inequalities. It’s time for us to get to work.” The keynote was delivered by Dr. Ingrid Waldron, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health at Dalhousie University, Director of the Environmental Noxiousness, Racial Inequities and Community Health Project (The ENRICH Project) and Flagship Project Co-Lead of Improving the Health of People of African Descent at Dalhousie’s Healthy Populations Institute. Waldron is known for her groundbreaking book about environmental racism in Nova Scotia, There’s Something in the Water, and the documentary by the same name co-produced by Elliot Page. “Always stay open and say yes to new ideas, opportunities to meet new people … opportunities to learn new skills, even if you fear getting it wrong,” said Waldron. “While it is true that it may take you longer to get where you want to go because of your race, your gender, your sexual orientation, socio-economic status, disability, immigrant status and other social factors, don’t allow those issues to stop you in your tracks.” “Create your own blueprint,” she continued. “Get out of your own box and push past the limitations that others have put on you and that you have put on yourself. And for all the wonder women listening today, tap into your superpower … the reason you were put on this Earth, the things that you do better than anyone else, your specific genius, your thumbprint, your brand, your secret sauce.” With that, we were off to Workshop 1: Goals Gone Wild, with Lisa Weatherhead, Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation; Liz LeClair, QEII Foundation; Sarah Lyon, Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia; and Marni Tuttle, Nova Scotia SPCA. As part of a
collective of women leaders in the not-for-profit sector, they’re on a mission to help women overcome the biases and barriers holding them back. The workshop focused on creating a network based on shared success; one of the most powerful ways women can help themselves and each other, effective networking means surrounding yourself with close connections who will “amplify you, challenge you and give you the inside scoop.” And when you find that group of women to sponsor and advocate for you? Get comfortable with praise. Reiterate, repeat and give credit. Acknowledge successes. Be generous. Be accountable — to friends and peers. “Shift your thinking to the bigger issues, like Black Lives Matter,” said LeClair. “We may not all have experienced systemic racism personally, but we all have a role to play in changing the way the system works …. A rising tide lifts all boats. We know the system is based on biases and that hard work will only get you so far.” In Workshop 2: Perfect Imperfection, Champion Foundational Change Agency Founder Ann-Marie Flinn got us thinking about how hard we can be on ourselves. Flinn described herself as a “recovering perfectionist.” This is something a lot of us can relate to, but when women focus on being perfect, they can get trapped in a vicious cycle of anxiety, depression and self-doubt. “What would you do if fear, self-judgment and perfectionism were not in your life?” she asked. “How do you thrive in a perfectly imperfect world? It’s not about giving up on your goals, but giving yourself a little bit of slack. The only thing I can control is my own mindset and outlook. Follow your values .... When you embrace self-acceptance and authenticity over perfection, you
are already a wonder woman.” Armed with a stronger resilience muscle — “Resilience is a process, not an end state,” said Flinn — we were ready for The Whole Truth Panel, starring Kirkpatrick-Parsons; Tova Sherman, CEO of reachAbility; Nicole JohnsonMorrison, President and CEO of EduNova; Martha Casey, CEO of Volta; and moderator Divine. The talk turned immediately to the disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on women, how women are showing up for themselves and each other and what we need more of. “Across the world, many times I’m on Zoom calls … I don’t think I’ve ever seen a male counterpart balancing childcare,” said Johnson-Morrison. “Women are talking to me, balancing babies on their legs. This is affecting diverse women so much more because their support systems are impacted.” When she witnessed a woman CEO leading a Zoom meeting while caring for her three-year-old, KirkpatrickParsons decided to name what she saw, saying — during the meeting — “Can I just call this out? This is a superwoman you’re talking to .... We are watching something phenomenal: a woman at work right now! No one really understands how hard this is — don’t make apologies; we’re showing our power by being who we are.” Johnson-Morrison wants to see organizations move beyond policy to operationalization when it comes to issues around women and diversity. “It’s the values — what are the things we’re embedding in our children, our organizations, in youth? What are we saying to them when they look to us for leadership? Understanding who you are and what your voice is and what your platform can be is critically important. It’s not enough to have leaders with
top-down policies.” As a woman of colour, she said, “Some colleagues don’t see me in a leadership role … but that is learned and we can change that. What is the place of a woman? A person with a disability? A person who is LGBTQ? Indigenous? We have an opportunity to have a voice and speak out. The impact you can have on the lives of people you will never meet is fantastic.” Sherman wants every woman to find her resilience. “I live with ADHD, depression, anxiety disorder. We’ve been beat up, we’ve got stigma, not just from others. We experience self-stigma: we hear it, we believe it, we buy into it. We must look in that mirror and say, ‘I am resilient, I care, I am important.’ … I want every woman here today to ask herself, ‘What are my values, what matters most to me and how are we going to find those in this world? Tough is a beautiful word. I have to be tough … there are many things I cannot do, but there’s plenty I can do.’” “Every single person … has a responsibility to use whatever platform they have to stand up and say what’s right and what’s wrong,” added Casey. “Take action, consult with community, understand what people need and partner. Until there is a new [boardroom] table, we have to be very deliberate about bringing people along, lifting people up, be conscious of who we’re inviting, give other people profile. That’s how we can support women of all generations.” In her last, resonant remarks, Kirkpatrick-Parsons said something radical. “What our workplaces really need is for all of us to be exactly who we are … The moment anyone stands in their power, others can’t help but notice. Speak the truth. Others cannot turn away from it.” Wake up. Daylight is coming.
POPULATION GROWTH IS ECONOMIC GROWTH. We advocate for immigration, because we advocate for business. Become a member today. HalifaxChamber.com
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Sponsored Content • The Chronicle Herald Tuesday, April 20, 2021
NEWSMAKERS
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS How our members are growing Halifax
FINDING A BETTER WAY DURING COVID-19
During COVID-19, we have found our sales numbers reducing due to clients’ concerns of outsiders in their homes. And with so many family members at home, they were able to care for their own loved ones. As a small business, we had to adjust fast to keep our staff employed. Nurse Next Door had the resources to help out during a crisis and focused on vulnerable areas of the health sector that were in great need. We started reaching out to facilities and hospitals to see how we could assist. Through this process of lending a hand, we have established great relationships with other health-care organizations to help with staffing levels. OFFICE INTERIORS RECEIVES AWARD
Office Interiors received Haworth leadership’s award of 2021 Best in Class status. This distinction is based on exceptional performance in market development, sales, customer satisfaction, operational excellence and enterprise development. In 2021, Haworth named 23 dealerships as Best in Class. This distinction is reserved for dealers who operate at the highest performance levels and are successful in maintaining rigorous standards over time against high-performing peer dealers. Haworth Inc. currently has 650 partners in its dealership network worldwide.
WORKSPACE BEDFORD ADDS MEDIA ROOM DIGITAL ADOPTION REMOVES BARRIERS
Debbie Adams understands barriers to entrepreneurship. As a visually impaired entrepreneur, breaking down those barriers is part of her strategic plan. The Digital Adoption Program has allowed her to level the playing field and increase her export potential in the digital space. Having an in-home recording studio allows her to bring her course, Money Mindset: Charging Large with Confidence, to the world. KIDS HELP PHONE’S RECORD DEMAND IN 2020
For more than 31 years, Kids Help Phone has been Canada’s only 24-7, national e-mental health support service for young people. Kids Help Phone offers professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support in both English and French. In 2020, Kids Help Phone experienced unprecedented increases in volume as a result of COVID-19. More than 4.5 million young people reached out to Kids Help Phone in 2020 — an exponential increase compared to 1.9 million in 2019. With the help of local emergency services, Kids Help Phone conducted more than 4,000 active rescues across Canada in 2020.
Workspace Bedford is setting itself apart in the business community as a remote work destination, with upgraded, onsite tech and the launch of its Media Room. The first of its kind in a co-working space in Atlantic Canada, the Media Room is equipped with everything required for audio and video content creation, from a mixer, to professional lights and backdrop, Yeti microphones and cameras. An onsite staff is also available to assist with post-production services, including video editing and creation. PAYSTONE, UNITY VALUES PARTNER TO BRING BUSINESSES A NEW TOOL
Unity Values has integrated with Paystone. This innovation in the loyalty space allows businesses to work hand in hand with their customers to create community impact. Businesses now have the ability to make corporate giving a more integrated part of their dayto-day business. The heart of the program is that now businesses can build relationships with each customer by allowing them to choose which charity they would like their loyalty program to support. Contact Stephen.Skinner@UnityValues.com or OmarOkadray@paystone.com for more information.
ALPHA XPERIENCE ATLANTIC HOSTS ONLINE TOURNAMENT
Now here, Alpha Xperience Atlantic (A|X|A) hosted its first-ever online tournament, featuring Rocket League on March 23 and March 25. Shaped by the 14-year success of Sports & Entertainment Atlantic as Atlantic Canada’s largest sport and event-management enterprise, A|X|A is the region’s newest Esport venture looking to provide gamers of all genres with a new homegrown Esport competition hub. DIGGING INTO SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AT MSVU
Mount Saint Vincent University business and tourism students dug into the world of social enterprise, while lending their expertise and creativity to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colchester. Dubbed Social Enterprise for a Day, this annual workshop, unique to MSVU, gives students an opportunity to learn while problem solving for local non-profits. A key part of the event was an expert panel featuring community and business leaders Nick Sharpe, Executive Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colchester; Lori Barker, CEO, Ronald McDonald House Charities Atlantic; Mary Gordon, Founder and President, Roots of Empathy; Connie McInnes, CEO, R Studios; and Kate Pepler, Owner, The Tare Shop.
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Sponsored Content • The Chronicle Herald Tuesday, April 20, 2021
DISTILLERY TAKES HOME ANOTHER BIG WIN
EXPANDING NEW LEAF BAKING PROGRAM
Compass Distillers is no stranger to winning, with 64 awards already to their name in just more than three years of operation. The grain-toglass distillery took home another big win for Nova Scotia: Best in Class Contemporary Gin for the distillery’s crown jewel, Gin Royal, at the Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition. Compass Distillers also received two silver medals and five bronze medals at this year’s competition. The Best in Class Contemporary Gin win for Gin Royal is especially meaningful for the Halifax distillery, which partnered with the Nova Scotia Beekeepers’ Association for this unique gin. $1 from every bottle sold is donated to the Nova Scotia Beekeepers’ Association.
After many successful years of its annual Christmas Baking program, New Leaf Enterprises tried out Valentine’s Baking and sold out. For $15, each Valentine Box included six large and three mini sugar cookies wrapped in a beautiful gift box and a Valentine’s Day card. New Leaf thanks CTV Atlantic and all those who ordered for their help in making this project an absolute success. New Leaf is a social enterprise that provides supported employment, skill development and workplace training opportunities to Nova Scotians with cognitive and/or physical disabilities. Baking programs and sales from New Leaf Cafe (22 Fielding Ave.) and home decor support this pillar program of Easter Seals Nova Scotia.
NSAR WELCOMES NEW BOARD
SPRING LOADED LAUNCHES BACK BRACE
The Nova Scotia Association of REALTORS appointed its new board of directors. Donna Malone of Exit Realty Interlake in Bridgewater takes over as President from Chris Peters of Royal LePage Atlantic Dartmouth. Serving as President-Elect is Tammy Hines of Keller-Williams in New Minas and Vice-President is Matt Dauphinee from Domus Realty in Halifax. The executive will join a team of eight regional directors from around the province to serve its membership of 1,600 REALTORS in Nova Scotia.
Spring Loaded released Lumbrella, designed to give more motion while wearing a brace for back pain. According to CEO Chris CowperSmith, Lumbrella provides spinal decompression while allowing patients to move more freely. Costing about $1,800 to own, the brace is covered by most insurance policies. Medical articles state that working from home is causing bad posture due to prolonged sitting, which causes more back pain. The release of Lumbrella comes at a very opportune time.
Photo: Riley Smith
OUTSHINE JOINS GOOGLE’S GROWTH PROGRAM
Digital marketing and analytics agency Outshine was hand-selected by Google to join the International Growth Program, an exclusive, invite-only program for a small number of Google partner companies in North America. Given the growth of Halifax's burgeoning tech community, even amid the pandemic, and the ability of teams to work remotely, it’s a demonstration of our province’s success on the global stage. Joining this program means that Outshine is working closely with Google’s team on behalf of clients when expanding their business overseas. The company also has access to specific international training, market insights and support from Google’s team of specialists. VOLTA’S EIGHTH COHORT PROGRAM INTAKE/PITCH COMPETITION LAUNCHES
Volta, Canada’s East Coast Innovation Hub, launched applications for the eighth intake of its Cohort program. Early-stage Atlantic Canadian technology startups get to pitch for a shot in the program, which provides them with mentorship, resources, $25,000 in investment and more.
Every six months, Volta hosts the pitch event as an intake to the program, to help early-stage, high-calibre founders to attract and secure venture capital sooner. Fifteen finalists will present their business ideas at the Pitch Event on Wednesday, May 19, and up to five companies will be invited to join the one-year program, which includes the $25,000 investment. The investments are provided through a micro-fund co-founded by Volta, Innovacorp, BDC Capital and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), which began back in 2017. FOX HARB’R NAMED BEST RESORT IN ATLANTIC
U.S. News & World Report just named Fox Harb’r Resort the best resort in Atlantic Canada, and the 12th best in Canada. U.S. News ranks the best resorts by considering reputation among professional travel experts, guest reviews and hotel class ratings. Since opening in 2000 by Founder Ron Joyce, the resort has a long-standing tradition of setting new benchmarks for excellence in the Canadian resort industry and is committed to continuing this tradition in this new normal.
Are you launching a new business or product? Celebrating a new partnership? The Halifax Chamber invites you to share your Members in the News story in Business Voice. Upload your content here: halifaxchamber.com/business-voice. Note: We do not publish event promotions.
FROM BOAT TO DOOR LIVE AND PROCESSED SEAFOOD DISTRIBUTORS World Link Food Distributors carries a wide range of live, fresh and frozen seafood. Our extended network of fishermen across Atlantic Canada catch the best of Atlantic Canadian seafood. Our partnerships with market leading processing facilities and our unique hands on quality control enables us to bring the best quality live, fresh or frozen seafood to domestic and international markets. We have dedicated shipping and handling platforms across 3 continents to deliver live, fresh and frozen products to the most demanding customers as far away as Asia and as close as local restaurants. We can work with you to customize your order in any way you want as fast as we can. Simply put, we will deliver the freshest and finest seafood the world has to offer.
• 8 million pounds of live lobster shipped last year. • Partnerships with over 400 local fishing vessels to assure a consistent supply of quality product. • Full logistics services to ship to 24 countries in North America, Europe and Asia. • Our range of products: lobster, crab, shellfish, & fresh fish.
www.atlanticlobster.ca
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Sponsored Content • The Chronicle Herald • Tuesday, April 20, 2021
MAINLAND NOVA SCOTIA’S MECHANICAL CONTRACTOR FOR 50 YEARS • Commercial / Institutional / Industrial • Design Build Mechanical Contractor • Complete plumbing services • Piping contractor; compressed air, hydronic heating, chilled water, fuel/oil, low/high pressure steam • Licensed backflow prevention installer • Nova Scotia certified boiler, pressure vessel contractor • Class 1 petroleum license holder • Commercial ventilation systems; dealerships, fire departments, schools, Hospitals, retail spaces and restaurants • Exhaust Systems; General Exhaust, Emergency Vehicle, Commercial Kitchen, Dust Collection, Point of Use Welding, Chemical and Fume Hood • All trades people are red seal certified or indentured apprentices
J.C. Mechanical Contractors Ltd. (902)-893-8972 www.jcmechanicalcontractors.ca jcmech@ns.sympatico.ca