While most Calgarians are hitting the malls today to pick up Christmas decorations and holiday gifts, a group of Calgary women are heading to Kananaskis to get tips on how to be more successful in business.
They’ll be attending eWomenNetwork’s 5th Annual Women’s Success Summit today and Monday at the Delta Lodge Kananaskis in the beautiful Rocky Mountains.
Themed “Living Brave: Step Into Your Power”, the success summit is “all about empowering women entrepreneurs to harness their own potential for success” say event organizers.
Women entrepreneurs are among the fastest growing segments of the Canadian economy, with four out of five businesses started by women. These businesses contribute approximately $18 billion to the Canadian economy according to RBC.
Someone who understands the challenges and opportunities faced by women entrepreneurs is Calgarian Catherine Scheers who, along with Yvonne Basten, is a Managing Director of eWomenNetwork in Calgary and a host of the event.
Described as a Transformation Expert (www.empoweringsuccess.ca), Catherine specializes in developing training for corporations and not-for-profit organizations. She is also co-author of the bestselling book, The Success Secret, along with Chicken Soup for the Soul co-founder Jack Canfield.
As a business coach, Catherine helps entrepreneurs realize their potential, and develops a plan to help them achieve the success they want.
According to Catherine, “many successful women put their heads down and do what needs to be done — what is directly in front of them, handling the crisis de jour, being supermom, super-employee, getting it all done.”
“But where are we on that list?” she asked. “Often we come last, or don’t even make the list at all. We need to find a better way, for ourselves, and for our families.”
“What are you modelling for your children? If you want them to be successful and well balanced, making time for themselves, are you modelling that?” asked Catherine.
She encourages women business owners to make time for themselves by attending the Meet You in the Mountains: Living Brave Success Summit. The event will address many of the challenges women entrepreneurs face, which Catherine said include:
• How to put yourself on your To Do list.
• How to sell without being “salesy” — serving instead of selling is much more effective.
• How networking ends isolation, which is the kiss of death for entrepreneurs.
• How to lift as you climb, and be mentored by others who have gone where you want to go.
• How to sort your business priorities to make sure you are focusing on your core genius.
• How to bravely step into your greatness and succeed in business.
The event is also “an opportunity to access the knowledge of seasoned, successful entrepreneurs,” said Catherine.
One of those successful entrepreneurs is Sandra Yancey. Twelve years ago, with limited bank loans and entrepreneurial experience, she launched eWomenNetwork, a professional women’s business networking community, from a spare room over her garage.
Sandra said she created eWomenNetwork because she was not good at networking. She knew if she could create a networking solution that worked for her, she could help other women too. Not only has she helped thousands of women all over the U.S. and Canada grow their businesses, she now runs a multimillion dollar enterprise in six countries.
eWomenNetwork now has 118 chapters, including two in Calgary. The company produces over 2,000 women’s business events yearly, making it the largest women’s business event company in the world.
“Product and service innovation is constant and mandatory if you want to keep and grow your customer base,” said Sandra. “The question is how do you effectively innovate while performing the revenue-generating tasks that face you each day?”
“Through my interactions with thousands of women entrepreneurs, and with my personal learning while growing my own multimillion dollar business, I’ve discovered some solutions and answers that I am excited to share with others,” she said.
Also speaking at the event is eWomenNetwork’s Co-founder, Chief Marketing Officer, and President Kym Yancey, along with speakers and coaches Tiffany Peterson, Kathleen Seeley, and Jo Vacing-Dibblee. I wrote about Jo in my November 10 column (“An honour to serve”).
In addition to the speakers, the event will also include a Christmas shopping marketplace, a fashion show, and an activity called “Coaches Corner,” along with plenty of networking opportunities and potential contacts.
It starts this afternoon at 3:00 p.m.with informal networking and the formal event begins at 4:00 p.m. For more information about the event visit https://events.ewomennetwork.com/event/details.php?eid=19027. For more information about eWomenNetwork visit www.ewomennetwork.com.