February is the right time to tell you my story, a love story about food. It taught me about “The Romance vs The Reality of Entrepreneurship”. Why now? You Jia Lee hashtag#CuriousToCreation, “Jean, February is perfect!” She’s right.
Has there been a a time in your life when a loss left an indelible impression, scars even, on your soul? You know what I’m talking about. Love lost. Yes, THE one. That one!
In the past, I’ve alluded to family, friends, students, and strangers about my loss. I’m quick to crack a few jokes about it, thinking this will help heal my scars faster. But I’m at a loss for the right words and the right reason for the right audience….. so the scars remain.
It’s 2026 and it’ll be almost 20 years to the day. Now is the “right” time. You are my “right” audience. Yes, you, emerging and new entrepreneurs, eyes and hearts wide open, ready and poised to hit “launch”. And yes, you, too, the curious, wondering what is she talking about. Can it be THAT bad? And I shall have the “right” words.
But I’ll admit this won’t be easy. I can’t boast I’m now a billionaire but an every day entrepreneur. I might wince and waver and there’s a chance I’ll get emotional. I might be judged so please be kind, be compassionate.
I’m willing to take the risk because maybe you’ll:
– sit a little taller,
– listen a little longer,
– connect a little easier.
– take away a few lessons from how a little love grew to a lot of love and why they will last a lifetime. hashtag#imstillstanding
“Love is an action” ~ bell hooks so register below:
http://bit.ly/4t0wpIk
Who: Open to everyone, including UofT community and beyond! In-person!
When: Friday Feb 5th from 5pm to 7pm EST
Where: Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus., 105 College, Toronto, near Queens Park station
University of Toronto
University of Toronto Faculty of Arts & Science
Centre for Entrepreneurship at U of T
VMS Centre for Entrepreneurship
University of Toronto Entrepreneurship
Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
UofT Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology
Translational Research Program (TRP)
University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies
Department of Economics, University of Toronto
School of Engineering, College of Engineering & Physical Sciences, University of Guelph
Toronto Public Library
Futurpreneur
Venture for Canada
hashtag#lifelonglearning hashtag#smallbusiness hashtag#entrepreneurship hashtag#entrepreneurs hashtag#innovation hashtag#ideation hashtag#imagination
Category: Events & Engagements
Networking Knows No Boundaries in Business and Science
Last week I attended two back to back in-person events – University of Toronto – Rotman School of Management and WSTEM TO ‼️
Dean Susan Christoffersen hosted hashtag#InsidetheCSuite hashtag#ceos Heather Chalmers GE and Penny Wise 3M who shared stories on their successful career paths, and thoughts on hashtag#innovation, informative and inspirational. Thank you!
WSTEM TO event was a celebration of their hashtag#mentorship program and partners Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO) FLOW Coaching Institute . Each group of hashtag#mentors and hashtag#mentees , proudly presenting at the podium,
Guest speaker Jackie Rafter, MBA CEO Higher Landing shared her successful career path, offering hashtag#motivation and hashtag#inspiration .
Many thanks Daphna Mokady Anna Khimchenko and Sowmya Shivanna for your kind invitation. Extraordinary progress from inception to celebration 👏👏👏
hashtag#daretoshare one event hashtag#science and hashtag#business ? 🤔 hashtag#cometogether
hashtag#communitybuilding
hashtag#csuiteleaders
hashtag#allyship hashtag#mentorship hashtag#leadership
hashtag#womeninbusiness
hashtag#womeninstem Activate to view larger image,
Dream Network Drop-in Event – Networking through random collisions!
Dream a little? Dream a lot? Dream big!
We love “random collisions” and meeting new people!
How It Works
The Dream Network Drop-in is a fun, free, friendly, and no-frills approach to speed-networking once a month. We are a curated audience, i.e. by invite only. It’s easy! If you’d like more information and an invite to our next Dream Network Drop-in No. 33 on Wednesday May 26, 2021 18:00-19:30 EST, please contact Jean Chow at [email protected] . And yes, you can add friends! Just email Jean!
Pre-COVID, we met at the Art Gallery of Toronto or Assembly Chef’s Hall, both located downtown Toronto, usually with 30 – 40 members in attendance.
Given the extraordinary circumstances of COVID-19, our highly diverse Dream Network Drop-ins are now being held virtually on Zoom with 20 to 50 members attending. In 90 minutes, we would go through 4 rounds of introducing new people, 1 on 1, and you would have 10-minutes each round in breakout rooms to get to know one another.
Post COVID, we’ll continue to host both virtual events and in-person events.
How We Started
We started the Dream Network Drop-in as a “social experiment” after I was invited by University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies to design and deliver “Hacking the Networking Code now titled “Fearless Networking: Connecting Creatively and Confidently” on July 8, 2017. At that time, my “secret outcome” was creating a new network for our learners by the end of the workshop. Also after our all-day workshop (yes, I can talk about networking for 7 hours!), I saw the need for a physical (and now virtual) safe space for our lifelong learners to practice their newly-minted networking skills.
So the Dream Network Drop-in was launched April 28, 2018 as a think tank with six members! Now 450+ member strong, we continue to build and grow our Network organically by inviting young professionals, former students, emerging and recent graduates, early to mid-careerists, mentees, and adult learners from all over the world.
May 2021 NEWS FLASH – Dream Network Drop-in is now a case study in recently published “Organization Theory and Design” Chapter 4 by University of Toronto Rotman Professor Ann Armstrong and her colleague, Richard L. Daft.
Be fearless! Put your networking skills to practice at our next Dream Network Drop-in No. 33 on Wednesday May 26, 2021 18:00-19:30 EST .
Contact Jean Chow at [email protected] .
“It’s not what you know. It’s not who you know. It’s who you can help!”
How to Fit in Field Trips While Working and Why it Matters
People are not only looking for ways to cope with and combat COVID but also ways to deal with sudden feelings of doom and despair.
Time for another “field trip” with Creative Mornings! I know I’ll return refreshed and recharged. Members choose from a weekly “menu of field trips”.
We owe huge thanks to Tina Roth Eisenberg (Swissmiss) who started Creative Mornings in 2008 out of a desire for an ongoing, accessible (and free) event for New York’s creative community. Read more …
Our network zooms in from 216 cities across 67 countries to listen and learn about an astonishing range of topics.
Proudly volunteer driven, the fine folks at Creative Mornings know how to host and have fun.
Since COVID, thanks to Creative Morning field trips, I’ve:
- Untangled and jumped “Punk Rope”
- Searched public domains for beautiful images “Archival Magic”
- Used sound to wash away stress “Ignite My Creative Fire Through the Power of Sound”
- And today, crafted and shared my “5 Word Life Story”
Don’t let COVID stop you from taking a field trip . Keep calm and connect with Creative Mornings soon. Everyone’s creative!
I am Canadian
As children, we are all the same. Then something happens when we become adults. But on this day, Canada Day 2018, I’m reminded fondly of the conversations I have had with both children and adults at our round table at the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum). As volunteer hosts, we facilitated conversations among soon-to-be Canadian citizens on behalf of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship.
“Why have you decided to become a Canadian citizen?” Canada is safe. “What were your first impressions of Canada?” Snow! “What do you love most about Canada?” Freedom … and snow!
I’ve been hosting since 2016 and I can guarantee:
- When I hear “safe and freedom”, my heart literally swells with gratitude.
- When I sing our national anthem “God keep our land, glorious and free, my voice quivers.
- When I witness our new Canadian citizens raise their hands and swear their allegiance to Canada, my tears fall.
I am immediately reminded of the hard sacrifices our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents have made over 70 years ago.
As all immigrants, then and now, continue to work tirelessly so that next generations are safe and free, we must remember not only on Canada Day but every day that new Canadian citizens have given up their homes so that we can call “Canada” our home.
Citizenship Ceremony July 1, 2018 at Royal Ontario Museum
O Canada, “Thank you” is not enough.
3 Important Lessons Learned on International Women’s Day 2020
Stunned, we listened intently while our keynote speaker, Maya Kolaczynski from McKinsey Canada gave us the stats and facts from McKinsey’s report: “Women Matter – The present and future of women at work in Canada” June 2019.
I was still reeling from the stats as I sat with our panel which followed Maya’s talk last Thursday at JLabs Toronto’s “International Women’s Day: From the Classroom to the Boardroom – Navigating Your Career as a Woman”. How could so little change from 40 years ago when I was an earnest young tax auditor at the start of my career? What lessons did I learn from my time at JLabs Toronto?
IWD 2020 – Lesson #1
The “leaky” talent pipeline reminded me that the under representation of women has been around for a very long time – 40 years and counting? The report showed modest progress since 2017 toward gender equality at the entry level. But the biggest gap still exists between men and women beyond the entry level
“None of the companies on the TSX 70 index – a cross section of the largest and most heavily traded Canadian stocks – listed a woman as its CEO.” 5.
IWD 2020 – Lesson #2
I have been and still am a strong proponent of mentorship, having developed a successful professional mentorship program for newcomer professionals. But I had neglected to also include sponsorship.
And although I also understand the importance of sponsors, I was abruptly “woke” when Maya presented the power of sponsorship on one’s career.
“Sponsors play a critical role in an employee’s career development and advancement … sponsors will introduce their proteges to influential connections, highlight their work to senior leaders, and recommend them for jobs and promotions.”
IWD 2020 – Lesson #3
The moment I made this immediate and gigantic mind shift towards sponsorship, I realized how I can help young women plug “the leaky talent pipeline”! Young women like our emerging and new scientists in the audience and who introduced themselves and overwhelmed me with their honesty, transparency, and vulnerability. Their authentic desire to up-skill was refreshing and I left the event knowing they will leave the world a better place. And there is no time like the present!
My sincere thanks to Amanda Raponi and #JLabs for hosting this special IWD event, Caitlin Gagnon, our moderator Global Head of Executive Search-Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, and my co-panelists: Jennifer Moody, COO Morphocell Technologies, Drew Taylor, CEO & Co-Founder, Acorn Biolabs and Marian Nakada, VP, Venture Investments, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JDCC for sharing their sage advice, and Maya Kolaczynski for sharing McKinsey Canada’s “Women Matter” report. #womenhelpingwomen #menhelpingwomen #whywenetwork