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Canadian Networking and Its Impact on

Careers, Business and Economy

A Survey of Networking Practices, Systems and

Opinions

Study Sponsored by

Connect Us Communications Canada & PeopleCoach

To connect with ConnectUs, visit www.connectuscanada.com

Or email Donna at dmesser@connectuscanada.com

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This document is protected under the copyright laws of the Canada and other countries. This

document contains information that is proprietary and confidential to ConnectUs Communications

Canada & PeopleCoach and shall not be disclosed outside the recipient's company or duplicated,

used or disclosed in whole or in part by the recipient to any third party. Any other use or disclosure

of this information in whole or in part without the express written permission of ConnectUs

Communications Canada & PeopleCoach is prohibited.

© 2009 ConnectUs Communications Canada & PeopleCoach

All rights reserved

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CONTENTS INTRODUCTION: THE POWER OF PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING …...........................4

STUDY BACKGROUD................................................................................................................6

KEY FINDINGS ….......................................................................................................................7

STUDY DEMOGRAPHICS…...................................................................................................10

DETAILED FINDINGS..............................................................................................................13

Section 1: Networking Practices and Social-Media...................................................................13

Section 2: Impact of Networking on Business, Career and Income…………………................18

Section 3: Role of Networking in Generating New Business and Career Opportunities………21

Acknowledgments …...................................................................................................................29

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Connect Us Communications Canada Donna Messer is the President of ConnectUs Canada, an action-oriented company supporting the business and professional community through effective relationship building. Donna’s contact network extends well into the tens of thousands – a network that she routinely and freely shares with her clients, associates and acquaintances via the extensive speaking engagements and workshops she holds around the world. "Speaker", "journalist", "author", "coach", "trainer", "advisor", "facilitator", "mentor" and "leader" are all words that describe Donna Messer to a tee. For more than two decades, Donna has been a renowned expert on and promoter of the often overlooked, true currency of business – personal relationships – how to forge, nurture and leverage them to enable those who properly cultivate these relationships to put them to mutual benefit. A dynamic, highly sought-after speaker, Donna has spoken throughout North America, the Caribbean, Mexico, Europe and Iceland on a host of topics dealing with the art of networking and the ties that bind. She has spoken before Federal, Provincial, Municipal and State governments, even serving as an advisor to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on issues relating to women in business. A noted author and journalist, Donna’s more than 4,000 articles have graced the pages of newspapers and magazines. Among her five books as a published author is Effective Networking Strategies, a Canadian bestseller written in 1993 well before "networking" became the de rigueur buzzword of the outplacement and executive search industries, selling over 50,000 copies over the past 15 years. Donna has directed and advised on numerous boards and committees and has won various awards including Woman of the Year - Women in Pursuit of Excellence WFIM, International Leader’s Award – Women and Diversity, and the Award for Outstanding Achievement – CACEE. She was also Ernst and Young’s nominee for Entrepreneur of the Year.

PeopleCoach Elizabeth Lengley is the CEO of PeopleCoach Canada. She has over 20 years of human resource experience in corporate information technology and financial sectors. Her major career highlights reflect upon: •Visioning and spearheading the implementation of long-range strategic plans, reorganizations, mergers, and programs addressing employer-employee relations, training and development, telecommuting, leadership, communication, change management, and recruitment/retention strategies. •Designing and facilitating executive forums to create dialogue for key human resource issues such as the workforce labor shortage and top workplace trends. •Mentoring project managers and leaders to help them hone their vision and leadership skills, clarify strategies, and identify steps to accomplish their goals.

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Elizabeth believes in and helps people achieve, a work/life balance. She coaches people on redirecting their talent, drive, and ambition to reconfigure their career, and creates a balanced life style. She has given career advice to hundreds of people in a wide variety of industries and PeopleCoach has helped them create meaningful career paths. Her clients, because of her coaching have direction, get energized, and find job satisfaction and joy.

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INTRODUCTION: THE POWER OF PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING

NETWORKING= MUTUAL BENEFIT=WIN/WIN

Networking is an overused word – it seems that everyone has become an expert in the field of networking. But if you really look closely at the real definition of the word – perhaps most of us merely give lip service to the world of networking. According to the dictionary networking is an extended group of people with similar interests or concerns who interact and remain in informal contact for mutual assistance or support. To network means to interact or engage in informal communication with others for mutual assistance or support. The key words here are mutual assistance or benefit. Unfortunately, most of the responses gained from the people surveyed show that most of us use networking to exchange business cards strictly to build a data base that will add value to their business or service, not for the mutual assistance or benefit of those they meet. “Integrity when it comes to networking” is an article wrote by Donna Messer who encourages everyone to recognize that networking is no longer exchanging business cards – it’s also exchanging reliable and respected resources.

The Network Expert: Donna’s Top Ten Tips for Business Networking

Tip 1& 2: Be prepared; Be open-minded. We already have a business network. The problem is many of us don’t know how to tap into it and use it wisely. Keep plenty of business cards with you, and an eye out for connections between people you know, far too many people fail to make the right connections because of narrow thinking. Re-evaluate your network.

The single most important networking skill to develop is lateral thinking. Try to look at your contacts differently; see connections between everyone in your network. It is all about helping fulfill someone else’s needs. Do your homework. Know the type of people you will be meeting and dress for success. Your attire makes a statement. If you have a name that can be related to something that helps people remember you, use it to introduce yourself.

Tip 3 & 4: Don’t be afraid to ask; Treat everyone in your network equal. Careful listening is another important tool. You will be amazed at how easy it is to connect people if you really listen to what is being said. Standing tall, giving a firm handshake, and delivering a brief introduction while looking your contact in the eye, is also very important. When networking with a new acquaintance in a business milieu, start your conversation with, ‘How can I help you?”

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Tip 5 & 6: Build your network on information, not status; Say thank you.

Remember, everybody benefits, when we network properly. It is about sharing your knowledge with others. Always thank those who made time for you. Even if you have not closed a deal, you have opened a door. And thanking people for their time and efforts is not only good business. It’s common courtesy.

Tip 7 & 8: Don’t waste your resources; Give without expectations. With lateral thinking everyone can connect. But not everyone will want to. Never force yourself on someone who is not interested. If you are hitting a wall, go around it. If they want to get back to you, they will. Use your time positively; nurture the contacts you have. Selflessly help those people whenever you can. They will not forget any favors and your effort will ultimately pay huge dividends.

Tip 9 & 10: Set realistic and achievable goals; Be committed and determined to do whatever it takes.

Be absolutely honest- with other and especially with yourself. Assess exactly where you are and where you want to be. Now remember rule three: do not be afraid to start asking. Somebody out there not only has what you want, but wants what you have to offer.

Networking Supremacy: Business Meetings-Make Them Work for You There is no avoiding networking these days. We all know the benefits of Networking, but how well do we practice it, particularly when attending that business meeting involving staff from other sectors of the company? Or, those meeting we schedule to really get to know our clients? Maximizing time at these events takes careful planning. Implementing an action plan guarantees you a successful event. One of the most important acts in your action plan is your appearance. You not only have to look good but you also have to feel good. Do your homework before meeting. Arm yourself with plenty of business cards and compile a list of key contacts that might be useful. Business networking is linking resources. Think of networking as a chain, and each link you add gives you another connection and that connection can provide another and another and another. Become part of that chain- it is networking resources that can help you reach anyone in your company. Think of ways to find common denominators – people like people who are like themselves- take the time to build the rapport between yourself and fellow employees.

The Right Relationship: Depth of Personal Relationship vs. Willingness to Recommend

Statistics show that people will refer more willingly when they know a person’s social capital as well as their business persona. Social capital refers to what they know about who they know. It’s a proven fact that if you can find “common ground” between people the introduction is smoother and conversation flows much easier. Recommending a student, because they go to the same church is only valuable when you can share additional information about the student, perhaps that information includes their major, volunteer interests, and their activities within the school. When

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recommending a colleague, it’s more valuable when you can speak from experience for example: I was on a board with so and so, we volunteer for the same organization. We worked together at ABC and he/she was a terrific team player.

The Right Relationship: Depth of Personal Relationship vs. Willingness to An Unbudgeted Networking Need: “Sticky Relationships”

Many students don’t volunteer because they need to spend all their time studying – often this is probably not the best way to build the relationships they need when it comes to looking for a summer job, an internship, a co-op position, or a full time career opportunity in their field. Networking should be built into their study pattern; their education isn’t complete until they know how to use the effective art of networking. It is a skill that can and should be taught in colleges and universities across the country. Statistics show that students that network – get work! Volunteering is one of the easiest ways to build the relationship that ultimately will generate a referral that could get that placement!

STUDY DEMOGRAPHICS

Question: Please select your gender type. Two hundred and twenty nine participants completed a web based survey with twenty seven questions. The breakdown of those involved in the survey shows that 75% percents of respondents are females and 25% are males. The predominant number of women respondents shows that females have a greater tendency to share information with other people as supposed to men. Men are most likely to complete the survey and never forward or share their experience with people they know. The majority of the respondents reside across Canada with a selected group of individuals that have international work experience. This provides us with a wide base of opinions and networking views that are not common in Canada.

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Question: Please select the age category that applies to you. The data shows a diverse range of age groups predominantly trained professionals in their mid to late career stages. The majority of the respondents are in their early to high forties (36%) followed by the second largest age category respondents who are in their fifties (26.2%). Only (30%) of respondents are young professionals or potential students that have just started their careers. At the other end of the spectrum (7%) of respondents are over sixty. The greater age distribution is geared towards trained professionals in their late career stages which allows for a better understanding of networking patters.

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Question: Please select your income category. Survey respondents earn significantly more income than the country’s average. According to Census Canada's 2006 analysis on current population and consumer income, the average household was 53,634 in 2005. Fourteen percent of this study's respondent earns from $100,000 to $200,000 annually. Three percent earn more than $200,000. Thirty-two percent of the study respondents earn from $55,000 to $99,000 annually. The remainder of this study’s respondents tallying forty-nine percent including students’ responses earn less than the average national income of 53,634.

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KEY FINDINGS

Section 1: Networking Practices and Social Media

1. Gender The respondents are 75% female and 25% male.

2. Which Networking Sounds More Like You When asked where they feel more comfortable when networking 47.6% of participants

responded that they preferred smaller, more intimate groups. This finding is particularly helpful for large corporations, Chamber of Commerce because it educates them on what kind of networking opportunities they should be providing their employees, so that the employees can build relationships.

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3. Age Category Most of the participants 36.7% were between 40-49 years old, followed by 26.2% who were

between 50-59 years old. This survey shows that Boomers and Zoomers are using networking for career opportunities. “Zoomers" is a word originally coined by Toronto-based media executive Moses Znaimer. It refers to a growing breed of senior Canadians who aren't just reasonably affluent, but remain extremely active, live large and still want to enjoy the best that life has to offer.

In Canada, there are just over 14 million Boomers and Zoomers age 44 to 62. This group accounts for almost 45% of the population and has more that 75% of our wealth. In as little as 10 years, according to Statistics Canada, this group could actually outnumber children under 15. The current life expectancy of Canadians is 82.5 years for women and 77.7 years for men. This means if they don’t network and get work – they will be a burden to society.

A market research firm reports that online networking activities once mainly popular with teens, now see more than 61 % of Boomers and Zoomers “connected”. Research shows that they are using social networks like LinkedIn, Facebook and MySpace for business and career purposes.

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Please indicate your occupation

5% 8%

32%40%

15%

Students

Entry Level

Business

Ow ner/Entrepreneur

Professionals

Management/Executives

4. Occupation Category Almost half 49% of the participants were determined to be professionals, followed by 32%

business owners/entrepreneurs. This finding supports the ideology that entrepreneurs are often unemployable individuals, who start their own companies

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5. Preparing for a Networking Event When preparing for an event 59.4% of the participants overwhelmingly indicated that they

evaluate an event before attending followed by 35% who simply show up for an event without taking the time to prepare in advance.

Since the majority of people evaluate the event, organizers should provide participants with the value of attending their events. An overview of the event should be provided and possibly the potential benefits that it will have on their investment.

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6. Style When Meeting People It was interesting to discover that most networkers are at ease with initiating conversations.

The results indicate that 41% of participants initiate conversation and 28% enjoy working the room.

Contrary to popular assumption, only 24% waited to be approached and only 6% were nervous about networking.

These results show that people understand the importance of being the initiator which may be due to some networking training. Those who are not yet comfortable with initiating conversations at networking events are in need of such networking training.

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KEY FINDINGS

Section 2: Impact of Networking on Business, Career and Income

Based on what we determined above, stating people's ease with initiating conversations, most people are fully confident with in-person network. Over 65% of the participants are at ease with approaching others and breaking the ice.

Since most people are comfortable with in person networking, it is important to know if they are building relationships that have measurable results.

In order to build a relationship that will keep the conversation flowing- it has to be of interest to both sides. To recognize each opportunity, evaluate it and to determine if this is a connection to pursue is all about training.

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There are three questions at the root of networking at ConnectUS. Who am I? What do I need? What am I willing to share?

To break the ice and start the conversation flowing, ConnectUs teaches - SMILE and ASK

Start by giving a smile.

Make eye contact.

Introduce yourself.

Let people know what you do

Explain what you need.

Ask how you can help.

Say thank you.

Keep in touch. It is also important to know that in order to keep the conversation flowing, one needs to learn

about their communication style. Are you auditory, kinesthetic or visual? Using a very simple series of exercises, ConnectUs can determine which style is most applicable. Once the style is identified, it is classified with a colour. We use links in our workshops - hence the system is called "Link and Think".

There are three basic types, orange/auditory, red/ kinesthetic /feeling and green/visual. Orange Links are the ice-breakers out there shaking hands, speaking to everyone, jumping from one topic to another. The Red Links like one-on-one conversations. They like to find out all the details before moving on to the next person. The Green Links know what they want before they get to an event. They are focused and go directly to their target. The three types are complementary. The secret is to determine your type then partner with the other two and work the room as a team drawing on each other’s strengths.

To generate meaningful conversation, the conversation should not be about buying or selling, it should be about building rapport, finding common interests. The conversation will flow when you recognize that people like people who are like themselves, they buy from them, sell to them and refer them!

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KEY FINDINGS

Section 2: Impact of Networking on Business Career and Income

1. Attending In-Person Networking Events When asked what type of networking events they attend 77.3% of the participants showed an

interest in in-person networking. They preferred an event with a workshop component followed by a preference for conferences. This shows that people want to be educated when they network.

If you are that person who does not know how to work a room and you feel that you require

more tools on how to network here is a simple process that never fails.

Initiate the conversation

You’re sitting at a table, there are 7 other people sitting there as well. Someone has to start the conversation flowing. It’s you! You reach into your right pocket and take out 7 business cards. You place them on the table in front of you, you clear your throat and say, “Hello everyone, my name is – I’m here to listen to the speaker, to learn about the topic or to network with as many people as I can.” You can share additional information that would include, “I took a course on

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networking and the best way to begin is to simply say who I am and what I do. If we all take turns introducing ourselves we can begin to find out what we have in common.” You have been the ice breaker and everyone will be happy to follow your lead.

Get to know them

Begin with what you want to know about the people around the table. If you want to know what they do – you tell them what you do. If you want to know where they come from tell them where you come from – be brief.

Use your business cards

Hand out a business card to each person at the table. Then turn and ask the person to your right to introduce them – they will follow your lead. As the introductions are made and the business cards are distributed, place them in front of you in order of their place at the table – now you have a reference whenever any of them speak and you can make a note on the back of their card if anything specific is discussed.

Keep the conversation going

Once everyone has completed their infomercial – you can expand the conversation by asking another question or sharing additional information about yourself – again, others will follow suit.

2. Networking Events Most Preferred It has been determined that 58.5% of participants prefer attending business oriented events

more predominantly outside business oriented events. There is an equal interest in attending social and industry specific events since most individuals are looking to network where the organizers (sponsoring companies) have some credibility. The comfort level of attending such an event increases. More and more individuals use this opportunity to explore their areas of common interest, whether work related or personal interest.

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3. Preference at Networking Functions Most people prefer attending networking events where there is a speaker and workshops. The

idea of a speaker attracts the crowd because there is focus on timing and topic. Organizations recognize the attendees of networking events that have guest speakers, brings together people with common ground that can be further explored.

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KEY FINDINGS

Section 3: Role of Networking in Generating New Business and Career Opportunities

1. On-line Social Networking LinkedIn is the most preferred way of networking on-line. Followed by LinkedIn, people

indicated their preference of Facebook and Blogs over other social networking avenues.

Benefits of LinkedIn Increase the quality and quantity of your network Enhances the results of your search by providing a platform where people are looking for

your skills and expertise Increase yours search engine listing: Your LinkedIn profile appear in keyword searches

thereby increasing the opportunities that are available to you or that are presented to you. LinkedIn profiles can be connected with your blog. Providing you the ability to share your

professional insight.

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2. Gain from Networking When attending networking events, people are mainly looking to be educated while others

tend to look for new business leads. The survey also indicated that a significant number of people, use networking as an avenue to help other but to also create close friendships.

Since people are looking to be educated, it is imperative that the event organizers provide information packages and resources relevant and timely to the topic covered. It is important to have this information available on their web-site and blog.

3. Time Spent Networking per Month We are all advised to network but we are never told how to go about it, how much time to

invest and how to make it valuable for us. Over a quarter of the respondents indicated that they spend over 10 hr. a month networking. Since such an amount of time is spent attending a networking event, it is evident that attendees understand the importance of the networking event they are attending. Networking done properly is not just attending an event, it is the ability to understand the value of one's time and the return on the time spent networking. It is understanding and measuring the "net worth" of one's network.

The first piece of advice for anyone is that networking is all about business. Your dealings with someone met through networking must be treated exactly that same way as you would dealing with someone you met through a trade show or other business related venture.

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What’s the Networth of your Network?

Networking is all about building the rapport that makes a positive interaction possible between two people. You have taken the time to find common interests and you have determined that you would like to take the next step. Generate a business relationship that will bring value and increase profit for you and your company.

Evaluate what you need versus what you have to offer – if this connection offers a potential strategic alliance or joint venture, put your cards on the table and find out if the interest is mutual. Both sides must come to the table with their offering and it must be in writing, with a commitment that is satisfactory to each side.

Take time to insure that you know the company as well as the individual, don’t let your heart rule your head. Be specific in your needs and your abilities. Draft up an agreement that states very simply what each of you are willing to share and make sure that it is time sensitive. We encourage our clients to make sure everything about the agreement is SMART. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.

Working together isn’t as simple as networking with each other. You need to consider their communication style, how they manage their business and where their goals and objectives will take them. Handshakes are important, but when money is involved a contract is a necessity.

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Don’t assume that you can draft it up yourself. Ask an expert; be prepared to spend a little to get the comfort you need to build the relationship.

Organize your thoughts and your potential business opportunities. Use your strengths and maximize those of your strategic partner. Don’t abuse each other – give value and expect to receive value in return. If you are thinking about buying or selling from that person in your network – the same rules apply. A contract, an invoice and a guarantee that what you are buying or selling is what both sides have agreed

Recognize that very much like a marriage, people in business grow at different speeds and don’t always seem to be running in tandem. When that happens, move on. Make sure that you recognize that a business relationship isn’t always forever. You give your best, you benefit from the relationship and you use your written contract to dissolve that relationship when necessary.

Think of all the ways that an alliance, or a partnership can benefit both sides. Have faith in yourself and others. Believe that what you conceive, together, you will achieve. One of the biggest hurdles we have is our own ability to see just what we can accomplish alone or in tandem with a partner.

Hear what people say; learn to really listen. It is incredibly important to tune into the

nuances of your potential partner or client. They may perceive that you understand, simply by a nod, or a smile. Be “in tune”, learn from the experts. Handle each new introduction with care; make sure both sides have the opportunity to speak.

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4. Career and Business Opportunities Most people learn about new business opportunities through word of mouth, referral and

networking. It is common knowledge that people share their experiences especially experiences that might be have value. There are many referral groups such as BNI, who use word of mouth referral as the base of their organizations. BNI has approximately 250 chapters across Canada, with about 100-120 new business referral per month amongst 30-40 members.

Amongst the survey participants 70% indicated that they experienced an increase in job opportunities due to networking. This indicates that when people network efficiently, build mutually beneficial relationships, and use a systematic process such as R.I.S.E, there are measurable results.

R.I.S.E is a method that helps build those mutually beneficial relationships such as:

Rapport – finding out what you have in common with someone

Information- find out what you can share and exchange information

Solutions- come up with a solution using that information

Ethically – operate ethically in all your dealings The bottom line is if you create real relationships, share your talents and information with

others and operate ethically you will succeed at networking.

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5. Business Owners

Professional networking is one of the tools that is crucial to the success of any business, and

especially to small businesses. Approximately 40% of business owners surveyed experienced an increase in business opportunities due to networking. Business owners are in the position to be all things to all people, no matter what services or products they offer. When a business owner networks it provides them with a receptive audience, relationships and visibility.

The results also showed that over 10% of new career and business opportunities were due to

networking. This is an important finding especially for students and people looking for their first real career role because this statistic indicates that young people who have been exposed at an early stage to networking training through groups like Camp Enterprise and youth in motion, have a significant advantage of securing their ideal role.

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6. Networking and Your Career Networking whether direct or indirect was credited in providing over 61% of news jobs and clients obtained. These results show that most organizations and educators are now including networking in their curriculum and their programming.

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7. Preferred Sources When Job Searching Most of respondents indicated that networking via Alumni networks was the main source of the jobs. This is interesting because they put networking ahead of going to recruiters. When people have a shared experience such as attending the same educational institution, they have common experiences and build a commodore. The finding that people use their networks, specifically Alumni networks, before approaching recruiters is reasonable as people use what is familiar. Recruiters are strangers and are inundated with resumes whereas Alumni and designations organizations are more supportive and have access to industry specific referrals.

8. Value of Networking The majority of the responses indicate that people network to increase their communication with other professionals. This shows that people are beginning to write more, communicating electronically. Coupled with the rise of social media, communicating with ones peers has become crucial.

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9. Networking Agenda Of significant importance is noting that over 60% of people used networking to building professional relations, followed by networking as the source of the personal relationships. Networking is about building relations: Professional and Personal. Often times social and business networking opportunities are interchangeable. People should, when appropriate, share resources that apply to the conversation. Networking provides a common ground. It is about what one does for a living and about what one does in life.

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10. In Person Networking and Career Advancement Over 65% of people credited networking for their career advancement. Networking shows you how

to get to the next step in your career. Over the last few years, there has been an increase in

corporations encouraging their employees to have mentors and take training programs.

Corporations see value in investing in their employees as this makes them better suited to do their

jobs.

11. Occupation Status When it comes to occupation status 43.7% were employed and 32.3 % were business owners. This

goes to show that networking is not just for the unemployed, but rather also for the employed and

for entrepreneurs. It also shows that networking is crucial not only to finding but also to keeping a

job. It is very simple if you don't network, you don't get work.

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12. Business owner The survey shows that networking is equally important to small business owners with 1-10

employees and to multinational companies with over 5000 employees. This shows that networking

is effective, regardless of the size of your company.

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Acknowledgments

This study is the result of the efforts of many hard-working professionals: reviewers, analysts, interviewers, and survey participants. We would especially like to offer a note of acknowledgement to the following people:

Donna Messer

Val Cummins, President and CEO of CAPSA Consulting Incorporated. CAPSA Consulting Incorporated is a Canadian owned computer firm specializing in software that maximizes Human Resources Management. Established in 1978 CAPSA also has packages that help manage Corporate Information Systems. After graduating from Brandon University with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Chemistry, Val relocated to Resolute Bay to work as a seismic surveyor. One year later he returned to Manitoba and obtained an Advanced Arts Diploma in Computer Science from Red River Community College. Strategic planning helped CAPSA grow to become a full service computer consulting firm offering services in software development, hardware and software sales, networks and education/training. As employers look for solutions for their human resources potential and information systems management, CAPSA has been there to help. From farm boy to CEO, Val Cummins is a Canadian success story. Nina Menezes, a professional Web site designer, and owner of InterDream Designs. InterDream Designs specializes in small business Web site design for women, but can create exciting, revenue generating sites as well. Nina Menezes graduated with a degree in Web site design, but her education didn't stop there. The nature of online marketing changes almost weekly, and to keep up, Nina is constantly attending workshops and seminars to learn the latest trends. This means that you'll always get up to date know-how and state-of-the-art services when InterDream Designs creates your next Web site. Nina believes every site is unique and should reflect the personality of its owner. InterDream Designs takes the times to explain - in simple language - what you need to know about your Web site design. InterDream Designs motto is "It's your Web site, and we're going to get it done the way you want it."

Tālyn McArthur is an entrepreneur with over six years of Promotions and Communications experience. She is the CEO of Let It Shine, an inspirational web-site for women. Tālyn graduated from the University of Toronto with degrees in Human Resources Management and Sociology. She has worked for some of Canada's top Broadcasters and is a published author and a Poet. Lavinia Sava Pascu is a full time student in the process of completing a four year Business Administration undergraduate degree, through Wilfrid Laurier University. She has been centrally involved in the world’s largest student run organization called AIESEC. As the Vice President of Outgoing Exchange she has gained a strong understanding of corporate identity and positioning issues for developing initiatives to enhance an organization’s image. Her dream is to be able to use her leadership skills and knowledge for traveling and languages to facilitate a platform where young people like herself can develop their potential and live their dreams.