by Jennifer Reynolds

“Skills of the future” is a topic that is starting to dominate talent discussions today. Technology is rapidly shifting the landscape in all industries, and as a result, continuously changing the skill sets that are in high demand. The question professionals today need to ask themselves is: how do I ensure that I am developing skill sets which have longevity in the workplace? And employers need to consider: how do we attract and retain a talent pool with those skills of the future?

A recent Toronto Financial Services Alliance study done in partnership with PwC looked at how roles and skills will change in the financial services industry across key functional areas, including customer service and sales, product development, technology, operations and controls. In the context of automation, big data, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain, the study sought to identify the skills people working in the
industry will require to harness the value of these technologies.

The study identified four key skills of the future:

1. Human Experience Skills

Emotional intelligence, empathy, communications, and influencing skills will be critical to allow individuals to meet increasingly high expectations of customers and employees when it comes to the value they demand in their interactions with organizations.

2. Re-imagination Skills

Curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, and business acumen will help individuals reimagine the future and develop new solutions to meaningful business problems that have commercial value.

3. Pivoting Skills

The willingness to change, the capacity to learn and adopt new skills quickly, and the ability to lead people through change and build resilience will help people adapt in an environment of volatility and uncertainty.

4. Future Currency Skills

Developing and staying current on key technical skills will be a baseline requirement for people as the digital and information age continues to evolve. Holding key technical skills will be critical for employees; however, those in-demand skills will evolve and shift, so employees and employers will need to proactively build new pools of expertise.

To support this more agile, innovative and skilled workforce, talent management will need to take on a more integral role in the strategic planning process and in the performance evaluations of leaders and managers at all levels in the organization. A greater focus on anticipating the new skill sets that will be required and on developing strategies to attract and retain that talent will be key competitive drivers for organizations. Hiring for core skills which can adapt to new job descriptions and adopt new competencies will provide a stronger talent pool with lower friction costs. Retraining and regular education will need to be a principal element in any successful talent strategy.

Undoubtedly, all this will mean managers and leaders will spend considerably more time managing and developing talent. As the investment in the talent pool increases, attracting and retaining that talent will be increasingly important to organizations.

“Academia and the private sector will need to work together to ensure Canadian post-secondary institutions are equipping students with skills that are relevant and in-demand.”

To facilitate the evolution and development of the skill sets required for the future, academia and the private sector will need to work together to ensure Canadian post-secondary institutions are equipping students with skills that are relevant and in-demand. A critical role that the private sector can play will be to create more work-integrated learning experiences for students. These practical work experiences will allow students to graduate with more sophisticated and well-rounded skill sets and enable them to transition into careers more effectively. The financial services industry is increasingly recognizing the value of these programs for students and is creating a growing number of co-op and internship opportunities, both through independent programs and as part of collective initiatives like ASPIRE, a TFSA-led sector-wide work-integrated learning program. Reaching students earlier ensures organizations can help equip the future workforce with the skills our economy requires, not to mention it allows those organizations to define the value proposition its organization can provide to new graduates.

Organizations will need to prioritize bench strengths like people development and coaching skills much more highly than in the past. Rapid change and continuous re-skilling will challenge both employees and managers, but if successfully navigated, can be a defining element of success. Today, more than ever, strong talent management will be a key competitive advantage for senior executives and their organizations.

Jennifer Reynolds is the President & CEO at Toronto Financial Services Alliance. Her 20 year career in the financial services industry has included senior roles in investment banking, venture capital, and global risk management. Prior to joining TFSA, Jennifer was the President & CEO of Women in Capital Markets (WCM), Canada’s largest industry association and advocacy group for women in the financial sector.

Photography by Morgan Hotston. 
 
 
 
 
 

My first job ever was as a freelance caterer when I was a teenager. I made crazy dishes like duck breast in puff pastry. My Mom and sister were my unpaid staff whom I barked at a lot.

Growing up in the prairies was…wonderful. Most people in the Prairies are straightforward, friendly and hardworking and those are traits I try to emulate.

I decided to leave the corporate world because…I could do more interesting things outside the bank than if I stayed. Also 2009 was the height of the financial crisis, so executives were given incentive to leave.

My proudest accomplishment is…the family Andrew and I have raised. Right now our 4 young adult children are ages 18 to 23 and each of them is a good solid person making his or her way in the world. I like them as well as love them!

My boldest move to date was…opening a cupcake business. But I always had a good feeling about it…

I surprise people when I tell them…I’ll become a registered psychotherapist next spring. Telling people this often catches them off-guard. Then they change the subject!

My best advice for someone looking to start their own business is…stop talking about it and do something. There are so many things to read about, develop, explore and just do to even decide if it is viable. Simply talking about ideas doesn’t get the momentum going, and in order to open and run a business, creating and sustaining momentum is essential.

My best advice from a mentor was…don’t have a partner. This advice came from my Dad, also an entrepreneur. I know some people thrive in partnerships but for me, owning a business can offer such independence so I feel, why weigh myself down?

My biggest setback was…opening the 3rd store and realizing the revenue wasn’t nearly what I had forecast for that location.

I overcame it by…working hard on building the local customer base and using that location’s kitchen for a new division, Cakes by Prairie Girl.

 

Related: Interested in becoming an entrepreneur? Learn more about the 3 signs that say you should take the plunge.

I balance work and life by…frequently reviewing my priorities and just focusing on those things. Also, I’m well organized and this helps me not to spin my tires, wasting time in frantic mode. For example, if I know that in 3 weeks I want to give someone a present, I’ll add buying it to my list now. That old saying “Don’t put off till tomorrow what can be done today” is golden.

Being an entrepreneur, a mom, and a wife is…really fun. I love having such variety in my life. Also I don’t have time to meddle in my kids’ lives and I’m sure they appreciate that!

My diverse experience helps me…run my business in a professional way. If I didn’t have my law and corporate experience I don’t think I would be so inclined to try to create a work environment where people are treated with respect. It makes me sad to read about small businesses that try to get away with not paying severance or overtime, for example.

If you Googled me, you still wouldn’t know…I’m a slave to my cat Betsy. She is mostly indifferent to me but I love seeing her little grey and white face when I come home every day.

Creativity is an important part of my job because…to stay relevant a business needs to keep evolving and growing. When we opened 5 years ago I never imagined having the big menu we have now but it’s important to stay fresh in the customers’ eyes through products, website updates, social media and so on.

I stay inspired by…my husband. Andrew has a big job but he always has a sense of humour and keeps work in total perspective. And he is so encouraging of everything I do.

The future excites me because…I have many more things I want to do and I feel that I’m just hitting my stride now.

By Jan Frolic

I am always amazed but not surprised by the number of our keynote speakers who credit their fathers with inspiring their success. To be honest, I am also always slightly annoyed….so few mention their mom. However, I am no different. I have a mother who is inspirational, who instilled all of the power in me and stayed up at night crying with and for me as I moved through life. I have that mother.

But when I became President of my own company and colleagues and peers whom I had worked with for several years all of a sudden started to tell me I had an ‘edge’ (which was a nice way of saying ‘you’re a bitch’ now that you’re the boss) it was my father who said these words:

“Consider the mountain….it is beautiful, it is respected, it can endure the changes of time, it has hard edges. Take it as a compliment Janice. You have what it takes. You have confidence, you have chutzpah, you have a sense of people, business and a general savvy beyond your years. You have what most people will never have…being a loving caring person who is intelligent, respected, funny, empathetic, lots of integrity and a great smile. Having an edge does not in any way mean that you are a hard-nosed so and so. It is a positive trait and a poorly worded way of saying that you are truly an exceptional business woman. Consider the beautiful mountain with its hard edge. Love Dad xoxo”

I carried those words in my day timer for about 15 years. It is now taped to my wall so my own children can read it.

With that in mind, I would like to invite fathers like mine to our next two events. I want the fathers who want to be engaged with their daughter’s successes. The ones who believe in their daughter’s potential. The ones that know it’s not going to be the easiest path. The ones who know they have powerful, smart women that they have been given the opportunity and privilege to raise.

I am offering you the ultimate father/daughter date.

On October 27, bring your daughter to our Women of Influence Evening event and listen to Natalie Panek, a space-robot-building rocket scientist and an advocate for girls and women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), and tell your daughter that you’ve got her back and she can do anything. Dream big girls…your dad believes in you.

By Shelley White

This past June 21st, the sounds of singing and drumming echoed through Scotiabank’s main banking hall in downtown Toronto. In honour of National Aboriginal Day, Scotiabank invited the youthful Sun Spirit drummers from Toronto’s First Nations School to lead celebrations with Scotiabank employees and customers.

“It was a historic event,” says Ravina Bains, National Director, Aboriginal Financial Services for Scotiabank. “There was a drum circle and dancing and singing, and it was the first time anything like that has been done in Scotia Plaza.”

That memorable day was a reflection of Scotiabank’s long-standing commitment to Aboriginal communities and clients, says Ravina. “We have a long history of partnering with Aboriginal communities.  We are committed to supporting Aboriginal individuals and businesses across the country.”

Forty five years ago, in 1971, Scotiabank became the first Canadian bank to open a branch on a reserve. Now, Scotiabank has Aboriginal banking centres that are located across the country both on and near Aboriginal communities.

“And our commitment goes beyond financial services,” says Ravina. “Our branch employees are involved in volunteering with local community events like powwows, and in supporting and partnering with Aboriginal youth sports teams. We believe strongly in being part of the community.”

She notes that Scotiabank’s long-standing relationship and work with Aboriginal communities has been honoured by groups like the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.

“We have a gold level rating from the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business for not only our financial services, but also our Aboriginal relations with communities across the country,” she adds.

When it comes to employees, the Scotiabank Aboriginal Network is an active employee resource group (ERG) made up of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal employees who meet regularly and organize cultural events, such as the historic Scotia Plaza drum circle. The group also hosts “lunch and learn” events where employees can come together to learn about Aboriginal culture.

“We have also created programs, like our mentorship circle, which partners new Aboriginal Scotiabank employees with senior Aboriginal employees who offer career advice and support,” she says.

Scotiabank uses a variety of tools for recruitment, including a career website called Aboriginal Talent.  The site enables job-seekers to self-identify as Aboriginal and explore different career opportunities with the support of a recruitment consultant.

This focus on Aboriginal recruitment is about ensuring the bank’s employee base reflects the diversity of their customers, says Ravina. “Scotiabank’s culture of inclusion and diversity of talent is a critical success factor in our ability to serve our customers around the world.”

“Young people are our future leaders, and our goal at Scotiabank is to ensure that young people across the country have the necessary skills and resources they need to support their success.”

Youth success is also the focus of many of Scotiabank’s initiatives. The bank supports numerous programs aimed at supporting Aboriginal youth, from sports teams to bursaries and scholarships to on-reserve youth entrepreneurship programs.   

“The Aboriginal population is one of the fastest growing and youngest populations in the country. And Aboriginal youth across the country have some of the lowest graduation rates and lowest participation rates in post-secondary education,” says Ravina. A recent report from the C.D. Howe Institute found that only four of 10 young adults living on reserves have finished high school, compared with nine out of 10 for non-aboriginals.

“We’ve made supporting Aboriginal youth a real focus here at Scotiabank,” says Ravina.

Scotiabank has partnered with charitable organizations like the Martin Aboriginal Educational Initiative, a charitable organization founded by former Prime Minister Paul Martin that focuses on improving educational outcomes by adapting specialized programs to suit the needs of Aboriginal Canadians. They’ve also worked with Indspire, a charity that has awarded more than $87-million through more than 25,000 scholarships and bursaries to Aboriginal students. “We also have an internship program that’s been very successful with Aboriginal youth,” adds Ravina.

“Young people are our future leaders, and our goal at Scotiabank is to ensure that young people across the country have the necessary skills and resources they need to support their success,” she says. “We are invested in our communities, and young people are the path to any community’s future prosperity.”

Following on the heels of their successful National Aboriginal Day drum circle event, Ravina says Scotiabank plans to continue the celebration throughout the summer.

“The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is on August 9 each year, and we are celebrating by focusing the month of August as Indigenous Awareness Month at Scotiabank,” she says.

By Paola Girotti

What is in a brand? In my entrepreneurial experience: a lot! Knowing my brand and developing it has kept me grounded on the busy days and guided me in future plans for SUGARMOON. It has allowed SUGARMOON to grow in the competitive skincare and beauty market. It has allowed us to care for our clients, our employees, and our earth.

The SUGARMOON brand is embodied in our marketing, including our tag lines: “Good for your skin. Good for your body. Good for the earth.” and “SUGARMOON – Toronto’s “sweet” alternative to waxing.” It is also embodied in our packaging, in our salon atmosphere, and in our customer service.

The brand is ultimately integrated into everything we do; It encompasses our salons, our treatments, our customer experience, our commitment to organics and all natural beauty, our branded skincare products, and the other items we offer online and in store. Our packaging, communications, social responsibility initiatives, online academy, and our vision for the future are all embodied in our brand.

Developing the SUGARMOON Brand

The SUGARMOON brand began when I was a young girl. As an adolescent, I suffered extreme hair growth on my face (a common problem for pubescent girls). Luckily my mom was pretty hip to the idea of me not shaving and encouraged me to wax instead. At that time sugaring was not very well known, but when I turned 17, I found a sugarist that I visited nearly every 2 weeks. I saw amazing results with this method of hair removal and the benefits to my sensitive skin were outstanding.

With this passion for skincare in mind, and sugaring as a niche market, I decided to take the chance of opening my first sugaring salon—SUGARMOON. My partner and I wanted to make sure the option for a safe approach to hair removal and skincare was available. We also wanted to support that salon experience with high quality skincare products that would be good for people and good for the earth. I was passionate about helping people and our earth.

Related: Entrepreneurial Expansion: Knowing Your Brand and Market 

Evolving the SUGARMOON Brand

The SUGARMOON brand has always reflected my vision and focus as an entrepreneur. It supports our earth and our health—both mentally and physically.

When SUGARMOON opened, we spent a long time searching for the right products to carry. We found a host of skincare products, but also decided to develop products around our clients needs. We hear a lot inside the treatment rooms, and this typically inspires new ideas. This is also a part of our brand—being “sweet” in our sugaring products and in our approach; we are open, approachable, and supportive of our clientele and their needs.

SUGARMOON’s relaxed approach comes though with our employees and our casual, yet professional approach. We believe in good skin, good health, and we ensure our practitioners are well educated.

In developing SUGARMOON products, we found the best antioxidant and vitamin-rich ingredients that would be kind to our clients’ skin and our earth. SUGARMOON prides itself on bringing the most eco-friendly products on the market in every category. This includes the upcoming launch of our BABYMOON line, an organic baby skin line, as well as our SWEETMOON line, a brand for teens that will include healthy deodorant options, shampoo, face washes, etc.

Our tag line nicely summarizes how our brand reflects our business:

SUGARMOON – Toronto’s “sweet” alternative to waxing. Sugaring is sweet and our product is so natural that you can eat it (we often showcase this at events or in house). Also, our salon and our organic products are truly “good for your skin, good for your body, good for the earth.” Our carbon footprint is very different from many spas that wax because sugar is water-soluble and completely biodegradable.

How Branding Has Helped the SUGARMOON Business

An understanding and integration of our brand has helped SUGARMOON in a host of ways—from sustaining the relaxed approach in our salons to supporting the development of new, organic products—the brand supports our clientele and our staff (including myself). This has helped us retain clients and expand our business beyond our salons and into their homes. It helps us stay the course in the face of competition and accurately assess our vision for growth.

As a bonus, an understanding of our brand (and its focus on supporting each other and our earth) has helped SUGARMOON develop its social responsibility initiatives. We are dedicated to helping young girls and boys through Plan Canada as well as World Vision. We have loans with KIVA that help entrepreneurs all over the world get started, and we support a variety of schools and local charities in our area. We are very dedicated to giving back.

Finally, the SUGARMOON brand also keeps me passionate about my business. It helps me see my vision come to life and that motivates me to continue with expansion and product development. It helps me make it through the everyday experiences of employee management, customer service issues, product ordering, maintenance, bookkeeping, and the other daily business struggles that sometime make you forget why you start a business. My brand keeps me grounded in my vision and keeps me moving forward.

During her fourteen years as the owner of SUGARMOON, Paola has experienced both the triumphs and the trials of being a female entrepreneur. In her Women of Influence web series, The Truth About Entrepreneurship: My Life on the Moon, she’s sharing stories and lessons from her journey as a business founder and owner. From financing, to expanding, to balancing motherhood, Paola offers a candid view and valuable insights for aspiring and fellow entrepreneurs.

Interested in more? Read other articles from Paola’s web series, or learn about her business at sugarmoonsalon.com

We asked their best advice for other entrepreneurs:

Sharon Wood joined Kids Help Phone as President and CEO in 2009, and brought with her extensive knowledge and experience from the non-profit and charitable sector, coming from roles such as CEO of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and Director and Organizational Development at the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only national helpline for kids, and it now leads the world in knowledge of youth mental health and well being. Sharon took on her role when the company was in need of new direction and strategy, and she has successfully integrated new processes and technologies to positively do so. Kids Help Phone not only helps youth across Canada, it is continually recalibrating its ability to reach youth by incorporating new means of communications including message-based services and Live Chat.

Q: Do you have any unique procedures, processes or approaches that have contributed to the overall success of your organization?

A: Kids Help Phone actively engages young people in all areas of our work. We have a National Youth Advisory Council that provides leadership and guidance on youth engagement. We have an active base of hundreds of youth volunteer ambassadors who connect with other young people through activities in schools and communities. We continuously seek feedback from youth through surveys on our kids and teens websites, and we also strike short-term youth advisory groups for every new resource or service we create.  We believe that engaging youth is critical to the success, effectiveness and relevance of Kids Help Phone.

EMBERS (Eastside Movement for Business and Economic Renewal Society) sparked from a conversation Marcia had with a resident of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside who struggled on and off with alcoholism, mentioning a big issue with Vancouver’s disadvantaged neighbourhood: employment. Marcia started EMBERS Staffing Solutions to focus on recruiting people coming out of addiction, recovery, and prison who were clean and sober to assist them in finding a job, many who struggled to find employment due to their past. EMBERS is Canada’s only not for profit, socially responsibly staffing company, and Marcia has successfully supported hundreds of people through who are job ready and eager to get back to work.

Q: What do you wish you knew at the beginning?

A: When you’re starting from scratch, you need to take time to build the right team. Find people who are equally driven by your purpose but bring different skills, talents and expertise to the table.

Breton Ability Centre (formerly known as Braemore Home) is an organization in Nova Scotia that provides support and services for persons with disabilities. Having worked as a senior administrator with the company, Millie jumped at the opportunity to take on the role of CEO when the position became available, and take Breton Ability Centre into the next level of success. Under Millie’s influence, the company is now recognized as a leader in service to persons with significant disabilities including autism and other behavioural disorders. Breton Ability Centre’s goal is for individuals residing at their Centre to live socially inclusive lives as full citizens in our community, and BAC’s programs and activities are designed with the end goal of achieving just that.

Q: What has helped contribute to the overall success of your organization?

A: Relationships are key and a can do attitude is necessary to inspire your team to achieve your vision. Build your team with competent people who believe in life long learning. As Theodore Roosevelt would say “nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”

The collective impact of our country’s female entrepreneurs cannot be overstated. The RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards is the premier national awards program celebrating the achievements of the most successful in this inspiring group. Now in its 23rd year, over 120 women have been recognized for demonstrating excellence—from economic growth to social change, from local to global reach, across multiple sectors. We’re honoured to shine a spotlight on them.

We asked them what advice they would give to another entrepreneur facing uncertainty about their own trailblazing idea:

With experience in the IT and telecom industry, Aneela saw firsthand the struggle technical employers had trying to find skilled, technical employees. Working with recruiters lacking technical knowledge made it difficult to identify certain skills sets in employees, and Aneela founded emergiTEL to solve this issue. emergiTEL’s multi-faceted approach to recruitment allows for highly accurate placements and ultimately, a better outcome for the employer and the employee. emergtiTEL’s model allows ensures the company stays current with industry trends, allowing them to truly excel in the world of tech. While Aneela started emergiTEL from her basement in 2006, by 2009 she was already named one of seven preferred staffing suppliers for Telus and by 2011, chosen as Rogers preferred staffing partner.   

A: “In my opinion, an idea is merely imagination if not put into action. If you have an idea for the world to see, then put it out there and move forward. You have nothing to lose, because losing only comes from not trying at all. It takes a lot of courage to start, and I encourage you to get going, and not to wait for the right time or golden opportunity. Opportunities come when you start, and there is no better time to start than now.”

Janice set out to bridge the gap between corporate Alberta and Indigenous people. As a manager at an Aboriginal Employment and Career Centre, Janice was alarmed by the challenges professional Aboriginals were faced with when applying to corporate Alberta. Janice founded Spirit Staffing, an Aboriginal-Women owned employment and training agency, to solve this issue. Spirit Staffing proudly employs 65 Aboriginal contractors and has placed over 1,000 professional Aboriginals in lucrative careers across various industries. Spirit Staffing helps small to large international companies achieve their diversity hiring initiatives and recruiting top talent to assist their team.

A: “If you have a unique idea, this is the best time to sit down and develop your plan – define what the strength of your company will be, the roadblocks you will face, and how you will thrive through the journey. This will help convince you to keep your head up, be the face of your passion, and surround yourself with driven and successful people.”

Judith found a gap in the marketplace when she realized ocean research for offshore users was traditionally carried out by government departments and universities. Often, this research did not meet the requirements of the private marine sector, and Judith set out to capitalize on this. Oceans Ltd. is on ocean research and technology company with a highly qualified team to provide marine weather forecasting, physical oceanography, environmental studies, iceberg profiling, and fish health assessment. Their combined expertise of physical oceanographers and meteorologists have led to several technological advancements to benefit their clients. Some of these include Oceans’ advanced wave model for weather forecasting, and the methodology and software to measure and display three-dimensional images of icebergs in real-time. Their most recent success is their biomedical research, producing extracts of bioactivity in cold water seaweeds as anti-cancer and antimicrobial activity.
A: “I would advise them to evaluate the importance of the idea with respect to the goals of what they would like to achieve. If the imitative is important, keep moving forward in a positive manner to accomplish the goal and do not waste time focusing on the negative setbacks.”

The collective impact of our country’s female entrepreneurs cannot be overstated. The RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards is the premier national awards program celebrating the achievements of the most successful in this inspiring group. Now in its 23rd year, over 120 women have been recognized for demonstrating excellence—from economic growth to social change, from local to global reach, across multiple sectors. We’re honoured to shine a spotlight on them.

The collective impact of our country’s female entrepreneurs cannot be overstated. The RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards is the premier national awards program celebrating the achievements of the most successful in this inspiring group. Now in its 23rd year, over 120 women have been recognized for demonstrating excellence—from economic growth to social change, from local to global reach, across multiple sectors. We’re honoured to shine a spotlight on them.

 We asked their best advice for other entrepreneurs.

Allison had an extensive career in the world of investment banking, and left her high profile career to follow her passion of home building and design. Allison had renovated over a dozen luxury homes in her “spare” time, and witnessed first hand the lack of business sophistication and customer care of other builders. She started Rockwood Custom Homes with a mere $5,000 investment, working strategically to build her company from single-family custom homes, to winning competitive contracts like the Villas at Aspen Heights in Calgary and on target to launch many more exciting initiatives by the end of 2015.

Q: What do you think is the key to positioning your business for continued success and future growth?

A:  Ensure that your company’s processes are current and directly aligned with the reality of your business. Constantly evolving and improving the processes of your company across all areas—finance, accounting, operations, customer service—is key to growth. Your foundations always need to be solid and that can be achieved through current and intelligent processes and procedures.

You must be very clear about what type of business you are in as this will (should) dictate what type of business you undertake; you should always focus on accepting only the business that fits your business model. Focus is key. Don’t dilute your core business or muddy it with projects that are not right for you.

Protect your brand. Maintain integrity in all of your operations and ensure all arms of the business are working together. Always deliver what you promise (or more!). For Rockwood, this translates to delivering top-notch quality, superior customer service and stringent financial processes with every build.

While Mene’s original intention was to simply survive and be self employed, she has far surpassed her original goals and currently has not one, but four incorporated companies. Mene purchased her first restaurant, a business that had previously gone bankrupt, in 1979 and from there grew her love of entrepreneurship. Mene’s most successful company to date is Mom’s Place Limited, which has survived and profited for 36 years through recessions, high interest payments, and the changing economy. Mene credits her success to education, perseverance, and hard work, which are values she inherited from her mother.

Q: What do you wish you knew at the beginning?

A: At the beginning of my entrepreneurial road, I wish I knew how to delegate more effectively and was more aware of the positive results and advancement that can be attained at a much quicker pace for everyone. I could have steered the ship with clearer vision from the bow rather than repeatedly rowing from the sides with the team.

Shastri combined her passion for geology and creative thinking to develop Orix Geoscience, a boutique geoscientific service to the mining and exploration sector. The success of Orix Geoscience is credited to filling a gap in the marketplace, by combining older, established manual methods of geological interpretation with newer, 2D and 3D visualization methods. Under Shastri’s influence, Orix Geoscience has successfully expanded their service base to include field management of drilling and mapping programs, scanning of historical datasets, and the development of new software programs. As the president and principal geologist, Shastri is proud to note their workforce is primarily women, and she has encouraged a young, entrepreneurial culture within her team.

Q: What do you wish you knew at the beginning?

A: In the beginning, I wish I knew how quickly I would experience the positive ups and the negative downs of being an entrepreneur that is growing a business.  In normal life, the wavelength of the ups and downs happens on a monthly or yearly basis as broad ups and relatively modest downs.  In entrepreneurial life, the wavelength of ups and downs can be mere hours!  I wish I had known how confident and forward moving I’d be one moment, and wondering how to solve a major challenge the next.  I’ve learned over time to appreciate the extremely high ups when they happen, and to know that the extreme lows will quickly dissipate.

The collective impact of our country’s female entrepreneurs cannot be overstated. The RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards is the premier national awards program celebrating the achievements of the most successful in this inspiring group. Now in its 23rd year, over 120 women have been recognized for demonstrating excellence—from economic growth to social change, from local to global reach, across multiple sectors. We’re honoured to shine a spotlight on them.