Advisory Email – March 2020

In the view of transparency, below is an excerpt from an advisory email I sent this month:

COVID-19 is starting to really impact a lot of things eh.

(Seriously, just wash your ass. Also, stock up on food/water before toilet paper? First world problems much?)

Angsty rant aside, stay safe folks:

UPDATES 🎉

• Amazing turnout for the Networking Workshop – 125 checked-in.
  • Here are some key takeaways.
• 37 people attended the Negotiations Webinar.
  • Positive feedback from attendees but there’s still room for improvement.
  • If you’re thinking of doing a webinar yourself, here’s a quick post on what I’ve learned about hosting webinars.
• Launched a free community portal on MightyNetworks to help people learn from each other and continue to share resources.
  • TBD if MightyNetworks is the right tool, might have to migrate to a Facebook group if that’s what people prefer.
• Due to COVID-19, All upcoming workshops are now online webinars.
  • Mar 23 –  Accessing The Hidden Job Market (NEW)
  • Apr 8 – Ideation
  • Apr 22 – Language of Persuasion
  • May 6 – Time Management & Productivity (Still scheduled for Unbounce but we’ll see how things develop)

LESSONS 🎓

• The donation model isn’t working too well at the moment (or I’m not doing it the right way). Financials specific to the workshops:
  • Money Out: $169.43
  • Money In: $65
  • I still don’t intend to sell in my workshops (I personally hate it when I sit through a workshop to hear a sales pitch at the end), but may have to explore a mix of paid + free workshops to make ends meet.
  • Has anyone experienced applying for EI under self-employment? Could probably use some advice on qualifying + pros/cons of doing so.
• The virus pandemic is really throwing a wrench in my plans (read about them here):
  • Plan A: It’s much more challenging to build community virtually. Also not a big fan of virtual masterminds – members are less engaged/present.
  • Plan B: In-person corporate training will also need to be virtual, an uphill climb to get noticed amongst all the alternative options.
  • Plan C: With markets plunging, companies will cut back on hiring and will reduce their HR improvement spend.
• If you look hard, you can always find some good in the bad:
  • Online means that I can serve much more people and go global.
  • Without having to secure venues, arrive early to set-up the room, travel time… I can now do workshops more frequently. I will be moving to do weekly workshops (and possibly more if there’s demand).
• Thanks for the suggestions, keep an eye out for some upcoming topics that have yet to be scheduled, more suggestions welcomed!
  • Entrepreneurship Workshops
    • Startup Basics & Common Mistakes to avoid.
    • How to find your ideal co-founder.
    • Designing a better company culture using Pull vs. Push Values.
  • Personal + Career Development Workshops
    • Purpose & Value Discovery
    • Decision Making
    • Storytelling
    • Building confidence and overcoming “Imposter Syndrome”

GRATITUDE WALL 🤝

• Thanks again Laura Zubick & Jennifer Cin from Unbounce for hosting the Networking Workshop!
• Those who generously donated for my hosting of the event.
• Volunteers:
  • Networking Workshop – Hilda Khajehamiri, Huyền Trang, and Joel Harrison.
  • Negotiations Webinar – Rosalyn RainDancer.
• Paul Brassard from Volition Advisors for bringing out his entrepreneurship class from Tamwood College to the workshop and for providing invaluable feedback.
• Leah Coss for the opportunity to get involved with the Build A Biz Kids Program.
• Mat Boyer and Winston Yeung for sharing about the workshop in their community. Our friends at VoiceStory are also looking for volunteers for their talks, more details here.
• Cijaye DePradine, Learning & Development Manager at Unbounce for sharing some amazing insights on improving training & facilitation. Read more about it and link to resources in my key takeaways blog post.
• Crystal Lee for the opportunity to contribute and get involved with the YWCA Tech Connect Program
• Danielle Perrett & Colby  Harder for offering the new Worklife Co-working space as a venue.
• Jason Wong from Beta Collective for offering their co-working space in Surrey as a venue.
• UBC HRMC for inviting me to speak on a panel at HR Industry Night and sharing insights with aspiring HR professionals.
• Henrique Castro for some of the great workshops he’s hosted through Thirty-Seven Eight Education.
• Kenneth Ip from CareerIn.co for the great brainstorming session.
• Nipun Mehta, Melissa Tieu, and Shirley Huang for offering to volunteer and support future sessions.

ASKS 🙏
Nothing pressing this month. Instead, I’d like to know how I can help you. With social distancing in place, I’d like to volunteer my time & expertise to help this amazing community. Here are some ways I can help:

• Brainstorm ideas around business strategy & sales.
• Provide career advice if you’ve been laid off and are wondering what to do next/how to get a job.
•  Provide entrepreneurship advice if you’re considering starting your own business.

Next: April 2020 Advisory Newsletter