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Amoryn Engel – society columnist, mother and Young Women of Influence emcee.


Who are your favourite business people? 
Heather Reisman, Bonnie Brooks. They’ve got the “it” factor.

Who were your role models?
Barbara Walters and Diane Sawyer, early on from my days at ABC News in New York and Washington, as well as other strong women who didn’t mind lending a hand to other strong women coming up after them. The business can get nasty and competitive and it’s very special when you find a mentor or a role model that you look up to. We all need mentors.

What career would you have if you weren’t doing what you are now?
Something creative and entrepreneurial. Maybe I will write a book one day.

What is your strength?
My strength is connecting people and using my common sense.

Who was your favourite Woman of Influence this past year?
I think that Heather Reisman and the work she is doing around “Saving Sakine” is extaordinary.

What is the most incredible journey you’ve experienced?
The journey to marriage and mother hood was pretty amazing. There were so many twists and turns… peaks and valleys along the way. All of that led me to the amazing life I share today and sometimes I really have to pinch myself. An incredible husband and fabulous kids don’t just land in your lap. It’s all about the journey and with age life just seems to get better and better.

What are your words of advice yo young women starting out?
YOU can make your dreams come true. I believe that you can create your own destiny in many situations with a positive mental attitude. Your attitude or your energy will draw people in or will send them running them in the other direction. No one likes a whiner.

What skill or trait are you still working on?
Patience and flexibility.

What is your most marked characteristic?
Getting the job done.

What do you wish you knew 15 years ago?
That life could be this incredible.

Whose life would you like to live for a day?
I wish I had the strength and courage to live my sister’s life for one day. She is a nurse practitioner in the burns and plastics unit at Sick Kids Hospital. She is doing amazing things there – making a huge difference in the lives of little patients who have suffered the most unimaginable pain and suffering. What I do doesn’t quite compare.

What is the key to balancing career and life?
Having a great attitude. Knowing when to say no. Being organized, having a schedule and being on time. And of course volunteerism aswellisjustpartofwhoIamand what I do. I just make it happen.

What is the trait you least favour in other professional women?
Women who are self important and phony and women who aren’t willing to help other’s in their industry. I’ve seen a lot of that in my day and it’s pretty gross.

What is your happiest work-related moment?
Being asked to work for both the National Post and Hello! Canada. Both are truly dream-jobs. As a matter of fact, I don’t really consider them jobs at all because I enjoy what I do so much.

What was your first job?
Seriously? My first job was pumping gas at the corner of Bathurst and St. Clair when I was a teenager. I really wanted to make my own money and at the same time really tick my parents off. I loved every minute of it.

How do you celebrate success?
With my family and friends with wonderful food and champagne!

When are you most happy?
When I am with my family.