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All new world for women in business

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K: I stumbled upon this quote the other day, and it really left its mark on me. As an undergrad student, especially in a field like business where career options are as numerous as they are daunting, I feel that this message is an important one. To me, it’s about staying true to yourself, being confident in your abilities, and making a commitment to discovering and pursuing your true aspirations – regardless of how wildly impossible they may seem.

We are fortunate enough to be entering the workforce at a time when the word impossible seems to be heading towards extinction.

 

We have paper thin, powerful, handheld personal computers that serve as everything from a television, to a game console, to a personal office; women are making their way into the ‘C-suite’ (though this is certainly still a topic deserving of attention); and one of the most celebrated and controversial entrepreneurs of our generation created his fortune by connecting the world through a website.

 

The world is what we make of it – there are so many opportunities to do something great. However, we often get so caught up in the idea of “risk” that it paralyzes us from pursuing our passions. I recently attended a conference for the Young Women in Business (YWiB) network (www.ywib.ca), and attended a workshop delivered by Ken Sim, co-founder of Nurse Next Door. He said something during his workshop that really stuck with me, which was that “there really is no risk in anything - worst case scenario, you can live in your parents’ basement”. Certainly everyone’s circumstances are different, and it’s important to plan, prepare, and assess ideas, but I think Mr. Sim has it right. We shouldn’t let the fear of failure hold us back from pursuing an opportunity – career or otherwise – that could be seriously satisfying. Consider it a dare.

 

Video #2 – Sheryl Sandberg: Why we have too few women leaders

 

  

S: Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, pitches three ways she believes women can get to the top: sit at the table, make your partner a real partner, and don’t leave before you leave. My favourite message delivered through this talk is crystal clear: keep your foot on the gas pedal.

 

K: We hope that this compilation has served as an introduction to the two of us, as well as our attitudes and opinions. Before we sign off, we wanted to leave you with one more thought that really hit home with us, which is this:

 

To be successful, the first thing to do is fall in love with your work”.

- Sister Mary Lauretta

 

Like many other young women, we’re still searching for this type of true love relationship. We hope that you’ll join us for some insightful conversation, advice, and ideas as we set out on a journey to find it.

 

Katie & Steph

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