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
Tag: entrepreneurship
Learning for Life
I am both a public speaker and a writer. But that’s not what it says on my LinkedIn Profile nor my C.V. I have not eked out a living from doing what I love. Not Yet. Practice. Practice. Practice. But I have a group of Grade 12 students to thank for helping me realize who I am.
I’ve not spent much time with high school students aside from shopping trips with my now 21-year old niece. So when I walked into the Toronto Public Library a week ago to deliver a talk about entrepreneurship, all I saw were arms and legs, long limbs everywhere.
They’re so tall. Who are they? Have they come to hear me speak? “No, we’re studying Grade 12 English. Our teacher is just outside the room.” I was concerned that no one would show up for my talk so I persuaded them to stay.
As I clicked through my slides – “The Romance of Entrepreneurship” followed by “The Reality of Entrepreneurship”, I paused and shared the story of the demise of my small business. I saw their eyes widen as if I had just poured a bucket of ice water over their heads. I had not realized that I’ve become inured to telling my story about the cold, cruel, and crushing reality of losing a livelihood (my livelihood) and that my Grade 12 students, not even 18 years old, were listening.
They said, “You scared us. No one has ever talked to us like this.”
Followed by tenderness, “Are you ok?”
With heartstrings stretched, then snapped, I answered wholeheartedly! “Yes, I’m ok. Don’t worry. Life is grand.”
I later received a text from Justin.L. that day: “Thank you for the inspiration. Despite I’ve always wanted to go in the medical/science field, it opened my eyes to something I’ve never really given a lot of thought to. Thanks!”
I replied, “Thank YOU!”
When you say you want to make a difference, choose your words wisely. Be mindful, be respectful, and be compassionate in the public space and in your space. The responsibility is real and the impact can be more powerful than you’ve ever dreamed. I am both a public speaker and a writer… and a lifelong learner.
#whywespeak #whywewrite #whywelearn
The Power of The Library
As the “Illustrator – , Writer – , Innovator – , Entrepreneur – , or Comic Artist – in – Residence” at the Toronto Public Library, we are privileged to have and to hold a platform to help empower all library patrons from all walks of life and countries who come through our doors .
It’s been five years since I was the second Entrepreneur-in-Residence in the Small Business Program thanks to the good grace and kind generosity of the late Norman G. Hinton who left a large legacy for the Library in 2009. His remarkable story can be found here.
This week I was part of the audience and as I scanned the learning theatre and am reminded of the importance of our patrons’ perspective. They are diverse and at times, our patrons come from (very) modest neighbourhoods and other times, not so modest. The entire world walks through those doors.
When did you last visit your local library? If it’s been awhile, you will be delightfully surprised to find that the Library has become a place for innovation, a place for story-telling, and a place for sharing knowledge. Branches may have a Fabrication Studio, Digital Innovation Hubs, a Writers’ Room not to mention free access to digital software, hardware, tablets, laptops, equipment such as light therapy lamps, Museum and Arts Pass, musical instruments, book printing service and so much more.
You might also notice that the Library is a safe and warm place, a sanctuary where the hinges literally have come off to facilitate open doors as reflected in the official Mission Statement and “provides free and equitable access to services which meet the changing needs of Torontonians. The Library preserves and promotes universal access to a broad range of human knowledge, experience, information and ideas in a welcoming and supportive environment.”
Having a residency or being a guest speaker at the Library is a humbling honour.
We are here to serve our patrons and be sensitive to their needs. It is their agenda we seek to help make successful and this requires a certain level of awareness, care, and compassion.
There is one thing that is not on loan from the Library and therefore, has no expiry date. When patrons leave the Library, they leave with a sense of dignity and dignity cannot be borrowed. At the Library, dignity is granted.
Small Business, Big Dreams
Her first flight took her 13,400 kilometres away from her home in Chennai ten months after her wedding day. Selvi Thambimuthu landed at Lester B. Pearson International Airport, Toronto on December 4, 2004.
“I felt really happy to see my new husband and new country but also a little bit sad leaving my family back in Chennai. I was also very curious about snow,” she recalls.
Now thirteen+ years later, Selvi and Siva, her husband, and their three handsome sons Pragadheesh (12), Harshan (10), and Vadhanan (8), are busy getting ready to open their second restaurant franchise next week in Toronto – “Starving Artist”!
Stars Align – A Love Story
A match made by both our parents and confirmed by 4 different astrologists, Selvi and Siva were married within eighteen days of meeting one another in person for the first time in 2004. They came to know one another long distance by phone and her first thought was “he looks just like his photograph”. Strong faith in family and even stronger faith in dreams bridged the distance then and now.
Living the Dream
“Work for your dreams. It will happen whatever you dream. It will come true. You need to believe.” she repeats to her sons. “I want my sons to have their own dreams and I will support them as my parents always supported me. Education is important, first and foremost!”
She remembers how her parents set her up for success, always reading, exploring, and fuelling her curiosity about the world. At age 12, her father gave her a black radio and brought the world inside their home each night at dinnertime.
Her earliest memory of Toronto was “Everyone on the subway was reading!” She used to buy “packages of books” for her sons and read Dr. Seuss’ favourites including “Cat in the Hat” twenty to thirty times a day.
Entrepreneurship & Education in Progress
It’s not clear if “Green Eggs and Ham” set the tone as Selvi and Siva bought their first waffle restaurant franchise in 2016 and opened “Starving Artist” in Midtown Toronto. It was also the year Selvi started (and now graduated!) George Brown College’s Office Administration – Health Services two-year diploma program. And 2016 was the year Selvi’s Mom came from Chennai to help them realize their dreams.
The entrepreneurial spirit thrives in their family. Her father once owned a machine shop in Chennai. And as all entrepreneurs know, you do what it takes to make things work so they live above their restaurant which makes a whole lot of logistical sense.
Soccer Dreams
Listening to Pragadheesh talk about his passion, soccer, with his eyes shining brightly, he is like most young first generation Canadians. They are strivers, strong-willed with extraordinary grit and determination.
When his father suggested they should book their tickets for the World Cup 2026 (Canada, U.S. and Mexico will be hosting), Pragadheesh reassured his father, “Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll be playing so I’ll have tickets for everyone.”
The Next Big Dream
And what’s next you might wonder from the lady who once pushed a stroller dubbed “The Rocket” by her co-workers to get her son to school on time?
Selvi now dreams about how she will furnish their next house, a much bigger house as their home as she remembers fondly her childhood home in Chennai, 10’ x 50’, where her dreams began. And now 13,400 kms away, I have no doubt this dream will also come true. Small business, big dreams!
The Power of Belief
I forgot my parachute when I finally made the leap into entrepreneurship All I heard were Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous words “I believe … I believe… Now is the time …”
Entrepreneurs believe. We believe as we power through the doubt and the many naysayers so we can follow our passion in our hearts and heads. “I believe … this is the best idea. ever. I believe I can build a company. I can sell. I can create jobs. I can because I believe and I will.” Sound familiar?
I believed as I dove head first into the food industry where I had no business being in. Armed with little knowledge and no experience, somehow not knowing what I didn’t know became the catalyst for courage in my beliefs. I knew no fear.
Year 1 quickly became 2, then 3. We grew and grew until we were looking at Year 12 and when the unthinkable happened. Our bread-and-butter client of ten years wiped us out with no notice. We were one of many small business vendors de-listed by the big grocery giant when they decided to streamline their distribution and forgot to tell us they didn’t need us any longer.
The cash suddenly stopped flowing.
Without a parachute, we landed hard. SO hard. I wrestled with the “why’s, how’s, and what next’s”. Exhausted, I turned to a good friend who said, “ There is a way out albeit a painful way out. Everybody deserves a second chance.” He was right. Now ten long years later, I have the clarity and trust to believe once again.