I met Christopher Crowell at an event to kick of the next phase of building at the Rotman school this week. Chris is the President of East Coast Connected.
There are lots of ways that ECC and MSVU Toronto Alumnae can work together to develop stronger connections. We look forward to a great association!
Here are the details about ECC from their website:
Brain drain is a well known phenomenon. Individuals from Atlantic Canada are drawn to major economic centres, like Toronto, in pursuit of higher salaries and advanced career opportunities. A 2004 ACOA sponsored survey found that 38% of students from the 18 Atlantic universities planned to leave the region upon graduation. Some speculate that the actual number ends up being much higher.
Atlantic Canadians who have moved away still represent a valuable resource to the Atlantic Provinces. Instead of brain drain, East Coast Connected (ECC) will promote brain circulation - allowing both Atlantic Canada and Toronto to benefit from the best of what each region has to offer through the free flow of capital, knowledge and creativity.
Mission & Objectives
Simply put, East Coast Connected will bring the best of Atlantic Canada to Toronto and bring the best of Toronto back to Atlantic Canada. Specifically, East Coast Connected will:
* Create a community hub and strengthen the bonds between Atlantic Canadians living in Toronto.
* Extend this community's scope to include those who have ties to the Atlantic Provinces through extended families, business or schooling.
* Promote regional development in Atlantic Canada through the exchange of capital, knowledge and creativity.
* Provide a forum in which business, political, academic and cultural leaders in Atlantic Canada can engage the Atlantic community in Toronto and vice versa.
The benefits of joining the ECC community
Individuals can become a member of the East Coast Connected Community simply. Membership is free and all members are invited to participate in all applicable ECC events and programs. There are three categories of programming offered by ECC.
Toronto-based Events
* Social Programs & Networking Events - Regular social events and themed business networking events will offer a chance for the community to come together. Visit this website or sign up for the ECC Newsletter to keep up-to-date on the latest.
* Civic Engagement Initiative - Bonds within Toronto's Atlantic community will be strengthened through the shared experience of making a positive contribution to Toronto.
* East Coast Arts Events - A kitchen party is easy to find almost anywhere; even in Toronto! What can be more challenging is finding an opportunity to experience the diversity of East Coast art and music. ECC will partner with arts organizations to expose community members to established and up-and-coming Atlantic Canadian artists from a wide range of media.
Connecting to the East Programs
* Mentorship Program - Recent graduates from Atlantic Universities can benefit from the experience of Atlantic Canadians on similar career paths already living in Toronto or become a mentor yourself.
* Atlantic Leaders Series - A forum for Atlantic Canadian political, business, academic and cultural leaders to engage the Atlantic community in Toronto. Initially, these events may be held in partnership with existing speaker series a few times a year. Eventually, the series will grow into a dynamic program featuring both large formal addresses and more informal and intimate dinners and chats.
* Policy Forums - ECC will bring together leading thinkers from Atlantic Canada and Toronto alike to focus on issues relevant to improving prosperity in Atlantic Canada and Toronto.
Atlantic Region Programs
* University Chapters - ECC Chapters will be rolled out at universities across Atlantic Canada. University chapters will have the opportunity to host business, cultural and academic leaders who are also affiliated with ECC. University chapter members are also eligible to participate in the mentorship program.
* Provincial Councils - Each Atlantic Province has its own council that is committed to expanding the ECC network and promoting the exchange of knowledge, resources and creativity between Atlantic Canada and Toronto. These councils will host their own events and programs, drawing upon the resources of the Toronto community as required.
East Coast Connected will benefit your organization
The ECC Board of Directors is dedicated to creating a dynamic community of Atlantic Canadians transcending the borders of Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Toronto. To accomplish this, the Board and the Provincial Councils will produce events and offer programs that community members can rally around.
It doesn't stop at this though. As with all communities, there is room for your organization's message within ECC. We will partner with your organization to help you advance your objectives and provide you with opportunities for exposure to our members. East Coast Connected will provide the medium, you provide the message
If you are interested in being a contributing author to this blog, please leave a comment and we will be in touch!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Melissa Sparks: Woman of Influence
Thanks again to Steven Rayson and Deloitte for their generous donation of two tickets to try to help MSVU Toronto Alum connect.
Here is the field report from winner Melissa Sparks!
My name is Melissa Sparks, a mortgage consultant with Invis and alumni of Mount Saint Vincent University, BSc.87.
Yes, I am the lucky winner of the two tickets for the Women of Influence Luncheon Series held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on October 22, 2008. Actually, I was very surprised because I usually do not win anything and because I had an extra ticket I took my good friend and girlfriend, Ferenah Karimullah,( a certified financial planner) . That's me in the beige jacket.
The event commenced with a reception before the luncheon which gave many of the women and some men, the opportunity to network and peruse the vendor’s booths. After 45 minutes, we were ushered in the room to start with lunch. Lunch was a very simple cannelloni dish with salad along with a light dessert. It was actually very tasty, but I am a pasta lover anyway.
What I liked the most was the diversity of women who attended this luncheon. I had the pleasure to have lunch with a Director, a VP, an account manager, a financial planner, a lawyer, and an executive assistant and they all were women looking to be inspired. I have to mention also, the head table was made up of a very impressive lineup of women who hold positions are directors and Vice Presidents of various firms and organization in Toronto.
The host for the event was Erin Davis, from CHFI and she was the perfect individual to host an event of this nature.
The main speakers for the luncheon were Janet Kestin and Nancy Vonk, Co-chief Creative Officer for Oglilvy Toronto. These two women are the masterminds behind the “Dove Evolution” and “Diamond Shreddies” campaigns. The key message I gather from listening to these two women is to follow your passion, and do what makes you happy. Here you have two women who were moved into a career that is dominated by men, and a career that demands a lot of commitment and time and probably not the type of career suited for a woman who wants to have a family, but these two women have worked through the challenges offered by the advertising industry and followed their passion and had their families.
I encourage any of you if you get the opportunity to attend one these events, you will carry away some valuable information that will help with your personal development. The next event is November 26, 2008 with guest speaker – Maureen Kempston Darkes, President , GM Latin America, Africa, and Middle East. Check out the website for further details – www.womenofinfluence.ca
If you are interested in being a contributing author to this blog, please leave a comment and we will be in touch!
Here is the field report from winner Melissa Sparks!
My name is Melissa Sparks, a mortgage consultant with Invis and alumni of Mount Saint Vincent University, BSc.87. Yes, I am the lucky winner of the two tickets for the Women of Influence Luncheon Series held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on October 22, 2008. Actually, I was very surprised because I usually do not win anything and because I had an extra ticket I took my good friend and girlfriend, Ferenah Karimullah,( a certified financial planner) . That's me in the beige jacket.
The event commenced with a reception before the luncheon which gave many of the women and some men, the opportunity to network and peruse the vendor’s booths. After 45 minutes, we were ushered in the room to start with lunch. Lunch was a very simple cannelloni dish with salad along with a light dessert. It was actually very tasty, but I am a pasta lover anyway.
What I liked the most was the diversity of women who attended this luncheon. I had the pleasure to have lunch with a Director, a VP, an account manager, a financial planner, a lawyer, and an executive assistant and they all were women looking to be inspired. I have to mention also, the head table was made up of a very impressive lineup of women who hold positions are directors and Vice Presidents of various firms and organization in Toronto.
The host for the event was Erin Davis, from CHFI and she was the perfect individual to host an event of this nature.The main speakers for the luncheon were Janet Kestin and Nancy Vonk, Co-chief Creative Officer for Oglilvy Toronto. These two women are the masterminds behind the “Dove Evolution” and “Diamond Shreddies” campaigns. The key message I gather from listening to these two women is to follow your passion, and do what makes you happy. Here you have two women who were moved into a career that is dominated by men, and a career that demands a lot of commitment and time and probably not the type of career suited for a woman who wants to have a family, but these two women have worked through the challenges offered by the advertising industry and followed their passion and had their families.
I encourage any of you if you get the opportunity to attend one these events, you will carry away some valuable information that will help with your personal development. The next event is November 26, 2008 with guest speaker – Maureen Kempston Darkes, President , GM Latin America, Africa, and Middle East. Check out the website for further details – www.womenofinfluence.ca
If you are interested in being a contributing author to this blog, please leave a comment and we will be in touch!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
We have a Winner! Melissa Sparks
Hi everyone! We have a winner of our membership drive contest sponsored by Steven Rayson at Deloitte.
Melissa Sparks, Bachelor of Science 1987 will be heading off to the Women of Influence event tomorrow.
Melissa is busily calling up her friends right now to see who can go with her, but she has offered to take along one of her fellow alum if you get in contact with her first. The clock is ticking!
If you are interested in joining Melissa at the event tomorrow I can put you in touch with her, just email me at mgcayley (at) hotmail.com.
This is a great event and thank you again to Steven and Deloitte for their generous support of our efforts to get MSVU Toronto Alum reconnected.
If you are interested in being a contributing author to this blog, please leave a comment and we will be in touch!
Melissa Sparks, Bachelor of Science 1987 will be heading off to the Women of Influence event tomorrow.
Melissa is busily calling up her friends right now to see who can go with her, but she has offered to take along one of her fellow alum if you get in contact with her first. The clock is ticking!
If you are interested in joining Melissa at the event tomorrow I can put you in touch with her, just email me at mgcayley (at) hotmail.com.
This is a great event and thank you again to Steven and Deloitte for their generous support of our efforts to get MSVU Toronto Alum reconnected.
If you are interested in being a contributing author to this blog, please leave a comment and we will be in touch!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Looking for Leadership? Invest in Your Networks
by Michael Cayley & Jonathan Salem Baskin
Lincoln and Roosevelt are heralded as great American leaders in times of crisis, and their vision and fortitude are recognized as drivers of their historic accomplishments.
However, we think their greatness had far more to do with their abilities to be catalysts for network effects.
If we’re right, it reveals a very different interpretation of the calls we’re hearing for “leadership” to restore confidence in our economic system. In fact, there’s a good chance that no government policy gesture or announcement will mollify the worries of businesses and consumers, let alone stabilize the markets.
Confidence must emerge from the networks in which we all participate. We need to lead ourselves.
This raises intriguing issues and opportunities for corporate marketers looking to craft a way forward.
“In times of uncertainty consumers rely more on trusted relationships when making purchasing decisions,” says Dr. Brent Simpson, an expert at the University of South Carolina who specializes in understanding how social order is formed.
Stanford University’s Matt Jackson, a leading social network theorist, adds: ``People's friends and trusted social relationships are important in influencing their behavior, and people learn from and emulate their friends. Attitude certainly can play into that, especially in turbulent times.''
So what does this mean for businesses directly impacted by the financial crisis, like banks, brokerages, and insurance companies, as well as any consumer business facing the prospect of declining (or less profitable) sales?
First and foremost, you can’t brand your way out of it. You can’t rely spin doctors to declare your path through the crisis; your customers must see and verify it. While your hired guns are hatching ads and press releases to statically “position” the situation, your networks are trading information and defining it in real-time.
And that information, whether accurate or not, has absolutely nothing to do with how the brand has been envisioned, promised, or promoted. Every network is founded upon the tangible realities of action and reaction, just as the mechanism of their function is cause and effect.
How do you empower these networks to step up and lead?
• Know your networks. Invest in software to map connections between people and content.
• Move your enterprise closer to customers, employees, partners and investors. In the past we talked about flattening hierarchies; now it is time to integrate internal & external sources of value.
• Trust opportunities that emerge from the exchange (don’t just talk, and certainly don’t lecture).
• Make information a utility as ubiquitous as electrical light. If what you share isn’t affirmed and forwarded, don’t repeat it...instead, recast or reimagine it, and find new ways to prove it to your networks.
• Demand feedback and ideas.
• Stop looking for ‘home runs’ and play ‘singles and doubles’ by finding small wins, frequent trials. Make constant adjustments. Allocate resources to winners and abandon losers without blame.
The larger revelation of today’s various crises is that the era of symbolic branding is waning, if not over. The woes of the financial institutions have graphically illustrated to us why.
It was always untenable for lenders to ignore the details of weak/bad relationships and to expect instead that homes or property (i.e. commodities) would appreciate in value with no accord to the strength of home owners (i.e. the source of value that differentiated the commodity). Instead of accessing and fostering the relationship to make the loan a better product, the banker chooses to focus on the derivatives.
All businesses face similar risks. From toothpaste to software services, consumer brands invite significant downside threats when they focus on manufactured identify and perception, and not on the drivers of true business strength: connection, interaction, involvement, collaboration, consumption and the other aspects of human behavior.
There are no brands, or businesses, without the networks of people who make them real. It is in, and through, the behaviors of these networks that the Lincolns and Roosevelts for our business and social communities will ultimately arise.
Jonathan Salem Baskin and Michael Cayley met through the concurrent release of their manifestos in the 50th issue of ChangeThis.
Jonathan Salem Baskin recently released the book Branding Only Works on Cattle. This post also appears on Jonathan’s blog at http://dimbulb.typepad.com.
Michael Cayley recently released the ebook Introducing Social Capital Value Add: Value Based Management for the Networked Age. This post also appears on Michael’s blogs at www.socialcapitalvalueadd.com and www.memeticbrand.com.
If you are interested in being a contributing author to this blog, please leave a comment and we will be in touch!
Lincoln and Roosevelt are heralded as great American leaders in times of crisis, and their vision and fortitude are recognized as drivers of their historic accomplishments.
However, we think their greatness had far more to do with their abilities to be catalysts for network effects.
If we’re right, it reveals a very different interpretation of the calls we’re hearing for “leadership” to restore confidence in our economic system. In fact, there’s a good chance that no government policy gesture or announcement will mollify the worries of businesses and consumers, let alone stabilize the markets.
Confidence must emerge from the networks in which we all participate. We need to lead ourselves.
This raises intriguing issues and opportunities for corporate marketers looking to craft a way forward.
“In times of uncertainty consumers rely more on trusted relationships when making purchasing decisions,” says Dr. Brent Simpson, an expert at the University of South Carolina who specializes in understanding how social order is formed.
Stanford University’s Matt Jackson, a leading social network theorist, adds: ``People's friends and trusted social relationships are important in influencing their behavior, and people learn from and emulate their friends. Attitude certainly can play into that, especially in turbulent times.''
So what does this mean for businesses directly impacted by the financial crisis, like banks, brokerages, and insurance companies, as well as any consumer business facing the prospect of declining (or less profitable) sales?
First and foremost, you can’t brand your way out of it. You can’t rely spin doctors to declare your path through the crisis; your customers must see and verify it. While your hired guns are hatching ads and press releases to statically “position” the situation, your networks are trading information and defining it in real-time.
And that information, whether accurate or not, has absolutely nothing to do with how the brand has been envisioned, promised, or promoted. Every network is founded upon the tangible realities of action and reaction, just as the mechanism of their function is cause and effect.
How do you empower these networks to step up and lead?
• Know your networks. Invest in software to map connections between people and content.
• Move your enterprise closer to customers, employees, partners and investors. In the past we talked about flattening hierarchies; now it is time to integrate internal & external sources of value.
• Trust opportunities that emerge from the exchange (don’t just talk, and certainly don’t lecture).
• Make information a utility as ubiquitous as electrical light. If what you share isn’t affirmed and forwarded, don’t repeat it...instead, recast or reimagine it, and find new ways to prove it to your networks.
• Demand feedback and ideas.
• Stop looking for ‘home runs’ and play ‘singles and doubles’ by finding small wins, frequent trials. Make constant adjustments. Allocate resources to winners and abandon losers without blame.
The larger revelation of today’s various crises is that the era of symbolic branding is waning, if not over. The woes of the financial institutions have graphically illustrated to us why.
It was always untenable for lenders to ignore the details of weak/bad relationships and to expect instead that homes or property (i.e. commodities) would appreciate in value with no accord to the strength of home owners (i.e. the source of value that differentiated the commodity). Instead of accessing and fostering the relationship to make the loan a better product, the banker chooses to focus on the derivatives.
All businesses face similar risks. From toothpaste to software services, consumer brands invite significant downside threats when they focus on manufactured identify and perception, and not on the drivers of true business strength: connection, interaction, involvement, collaboration, consumption and the other aspects of human behavior.
There are no brands, or businesses, without the networks of people who make them real. It is in, and through, the behaviors of these networks that the Lincolns and Roosevelts for our business and social communities will ultimately arise.
Jonathan Salem Baskin and Michael Cayley met through the concurrent release of their manifestos in the 50th issue of ChangeThis.
Jonathan Salem Baskin recently released the book Branding Only Works on Cattle. This post also appears on Jonathan’s blog at http://dimbulb.typepad.com.
Michael Cayley recently released the ebook Introducing Social Capital Value Add: Value Based Management for the Networked Age. This post also appears on Michael’s blogs at www.socialcapitalvalueadd.com and www.memeticbrand.com.
If you are interested in being a contributing author to this blog, please leave a comment and we will be in touch!
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