Agenda, Speaker & Session Outlines
March 3, 2012 yoUnlimited Women’s Conference
8:30 to 4:30 pm – Mary Winspear Centre, Sidney, BC
Agenda, Session Outlines and Speaker Profiles
Registration (includes lunch)
February 1 – 6 – super early bird $99, February 6 to February 27 Regular $129, After February 27 $149
Mind: Professional and Business Growth and Development
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A “maker culture” or “indie capitalism” cares about the community that supports it. It is all about good things that come from people you can build relationship with. You can listen to their story and be inspired. Indie capitalism is social not technical. It is simple not complicated and its local not global. It is also about people and their craft, art, and passion. It is handmade, unique and seasonal, and usually has a finite limit of product, or time. This is such a new way of consuming and it is going to turn the big box stores on their heads.
Carol Hyland is an entrepreneur (CS Creative Inc.), mother of 4 (blended family) and most recently a local farmer (Alderly Farmers Collective) growing heritage food on the Saanich Peninsula. Carol has plunged into the “maker” culture and “food sovereignty” on Vancouver Island because of the overwhelming need for change in our community. She is a board member of the Growing Young Farmers Society, and a Mentor with Bridges for Women Society, and says “people’s stories inspire me. I love learning about people’s passions and pointing out business opportunities. I am so fortunate as a communcation designer and entrepreneur to collaborate with authentic and amazing people – helping them turn their dreams into reality.”
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Genuine BloggingIn some ways, blogging is one of the bravest things you could ever do. You’re putting yourself “out there” for everyone to read and you’re sharing thoughts that perhaps you’ve never shared before. At times you may feel vulnerable and scared – it’s hard not to think about who may be reading your words. You’re compelled to write, but find sometimes that it’s easier to avoid taking risks in what you say or share. If you’re blogging for your business, it’s even more important to know how to let your personality shine through your blog. Know that it is possible to blog in a genuine way while still preserving some of the things that you hold near and dear. Come to this interactive session to discuss how to share who you really are on your blog and how to engage and grow your audience by being real. Beth will talk about posting authentically and honestly while keeping in mind the parts of your story that you’d rather not share. We’ll discuss fears around starting a blog, what readers of blogs want, finding your authentic voice, how to decide what to share on your blog, and growing community through your blog.Beth Cougler Blom is a facilitator and motivational speaker who speaks on topics related to the themes of “do what you love, love where you work, and work effectively”. Beth comes from the education, public and nonprofit sectors where she has coordinated and facilitated training workshops for over 15 years. Beth possesses a Master’s degree in Education with a focus in Adult Education as well as certificates in volunteer management and intercultural studies. She lives in Victoria with her husband and daughter. Beth can be found blogging both on Shades of Bliss (her personal blog that she has kept for over six years) and on her business website at www.bethcouglerblom.com. |
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CASH Is Not a Four Letter Word! In this fun and informative workshop, you will discover how to clear up your money issues so your business can thrive, the signs that your relationship with money might be affecting your business, how to uncover your hidden money hold backs, and how to clean up your money map so you can start on the path to true wealth. You will take home an Action Plan on the Five Steps to a Fabulous Relationship with Money and learn about the Seven Keys to Fabulous Money Success for Women Business Owners. Sharon Hall is a Certified Executive Coach who has helped hundreds of small business owners grow their businesses more easily–and create happier lives. She is passionate about helping ambitious entrepreneurs become successful leaders who create great businesses. With years of business and management experience behind her, she believes that whatever is happening with you as a person will show up in how you run your business. Sharon helps you get out of your own way, discover your best path forward, and get accountable for achieving far more than you ever dreamed possible. Sharon has a particular passion to help women entrepreneurs claim their power and clear their relationship with money so they can reach their business, personal and financial goals more easily. www.w3women.com |
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Building Your NetworkOne obstacle that women have when they network is not planning what they want to achieve through their efforts. As the Managing Director of eWomenNetwork on Vancouver Island , Kerry connects women every single day through practicing what she will teach you in this workshop. She will help you to understand that networking is about collaboration and connection and help you to define where your circles of influence are, and how to leverage them. She will get you thinking about a strategic approach to your networking and how to get people talking about you.Kerry Brown is an inspiring and motivating internationally recognized business speaker and certified business coach with over 20 years experience. She is an expert in coaching women to achieve their goals and simplify their lifestyles, creating a balance between work and home. Her passion is for all women to making what they are worth, to not settle in their business and their lives and to make the biggest impact possible through their busines. Kerry delights her audiences with her unique blend of humour and wisdom, honest and openness and complete generosity of self and spirit. www.successbizcoach.com |
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Dress for SuccessYou’ll never get a second chance to make a great first impression What people see when they meet us for the first time will positively (or negatively) impact our business and/or careers. This informative session offers women creative options and simple steps they can take to immediately transform their professional image without a fairy godmother or magic potion (although you will feel like a princess if you take the optional complimentary shopping experience with Bonnie). You will: learn how a professional appearance can boost your chances for success, understand the difference between appropriate and inappropriate business dress, be able to define ‘business casual’ as it applies to your own situation, learn about accessories and how they contribute to your overall appearance, learn about resources for shopping and services and develop a personal action plan to dress for success.Bonnie Pollard has over 20 years experience in the fashion and beauty industry as an image trainer, guest speaker, fashion event coordinator and make-up artist. She is Mayfair’s Fashion Stylist and has wealth of knowledge to share with us, not only on dressing for success but also on the latest fashions and trends for Spring. |
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Body
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The Power of Touch and Free Movement – Essentials for HealthTouch and movement are such basic needs that people easily forget how fundamental they are to our health and well being.We are innately born with creative rhythm and the need to move and express. Research has shown that there are distinct biochemical differences between people who experience touch and those who are severely deprived of it. Yet, what stops us from connecting with others and dancing as though no one is watching? And, how does this affect our health? In this talk Theresa Gulliver will explore the common need we all share for touch and movement and the health benefits they provide that lead to functioning more optimally in our bodies and in our daily lives.
Theresa Gulliver has explored the healing aspects of movement and touch for 10 years through dedicated Yoga and Thai Massage practises. With a background in Kripalu, Iyengar and Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, Theresa offers a deep well of knowledge on the benefits of yoga in daily life. Through Thai Massage, she offers an experience of connection and release both in the body and the habitual patterns of the mind in order to return to wholeness. She believes it is in connection with ourselves and others that healing occurs. Her recent studies have taken her to India and Thailand and she is delighted to recently call Victoria home.
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GROOVE!The GROOVE method incorporates aspects from yoga/pilates/dance/fitness and more, to create music-driven movements for cardio, strength and flexibility. It is perfect for every age and every body. This session will be high-energy, simple and fun, and will leave you feeling invigorated, strong, healthy and full of happiness! Movements are purpose-driven and are deisnged to build strength in a full range of motion, so that you can feel stable and strong, and live a healthier and more vibrant life.Liz Zdunich is a yogini, teacher and coach, GROOVE ambassador and facilitator, blogger, business owner/operator of Namaste Inspired, and above all, a wife and a mumma of two. Liz has been professional involved in the fitness industry for over fifteen years, helping clients reach their wellness goals. She is a Yoga Alliance 200 hour certified Yoga Instructor, BCRPA Advanced Fitness Leader in group fitness, and Certified GROOVE Method Facilitator. Liz has a passion for helping people discover their own inner and phyiscal strengths, and believes in people’s ability to exceed beyond their own expectations of themselves! www.namasteinspired.com |
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In this experiential workshop, Clare Blanchflower will guide you to discover the essence of your wild, untamed feminine, where it is housed in your body and how to access it’s transformative power. She will lead you on a journey of your inner landscape, offer factual information, share ancient women’s wisdom and stories from her personal experience. You will learn simple practices to cultivate deeper connection to your body, increased self-love and your natural, inner radiance. Clare Blanchflower is an Holistic Coach, Teacher and Yoga Instructor focusing in the areas of Health and Wellness, Spiritual Practice and Creative Visioning. She guides and supports professional women to awaken and connect to their wild, untamed feminine spirit. With each of her clients she co-creates a unique personal practice to access the wisdom of their bodies, reveal a full expression of their inner radiance and realize a deeply meaningful life. www.clareblanchflower.com
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It’s a Balancing Act! Feeding the Body While Maintaining the MindWe are all reading more information lately about the importance of eating well. Balanced nutrition … slow carbs … slow food … cooking from scratch … 7-10 servings of veggies … all phrases being bandied around in the media and day-to-day conversation. We all want to do the best for our families, but have hectic lives that make it difficult to attain that perfect, home cooked meal on the dinner table each night — and we sometimes feel guilty about it! This session will provide busy women with some practical advice on how to balance busy lives with getting real food on the table. We’ll give you some some strategies for stocking your fridge so you can pull some healthy, nutritious options together without stressing out! and we’ll talk about time saving gadgets and appliances — where its worth investing, and where its not! Finally, we’ll share our perspectives on our mindset around food — are we over thinking things? Are you expectations about food becoming unrealistic? What do we really want from our food and dinner times? At the end of this session you’ll come away with a checklist of strategies, perhaps a new way of thinking about food and “whats for dinner” . We’ll leave you a checklist of pantry staples, and some basic recipes for you to build your future dinnertime strategies around.Janice Mansfield owns and operates Real Food Made Easy, a personal chef and catering business in Victoria, BC. Janice has worked one on one with clients to create menu plans and meals that meet highly restricted dietary requirements. Through the provision of these customized meal plans, she has developed the ability to easily customize many recipes (including gluten-free baked goods). Janice is also a classic cocktail enthusiast, and creates a line of artisinal cocktail bitters that are being used by bartenders across North America, and which she uses to create unique cocktail recipes for client’s catered events. www.realfoodmadeeasy.ca |
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The Art of StruttingWe seldom think of how we walk, but it is this simple and inherit motion can change how we control the space around us. A confident walk can help your confidence when walking into a certain situation, can send a message of interest, or even tell me people to leave you alone! In the Art of Strutting we will look at the Power Strut and the Sexy Strut. These two walks will display how walks can differentiate and how what we are feeling can be displayed through body language. Furthermore a confident walk is about a confident you, whether that confidence is sexual, powerful, beautiful, or all of the above it will help you to achieve whatever you’re strutting into!Twenty three year old entrepreneur Rachel Paish has created a variety of new classes at her studio Passion and Performance designed to help women express their sexuality, and embrace body type variation using dance as a tool. Working towards an understanding that sexy is a state of mind and a feeling or sensation that all women can achieve, rather than the socially dominant idea that sexy is a look that can be taught, or slimed down to – Passion and Performance has become rapidly successful in less than two years of operation. In her last term at the University of Victoria as a Women’s Studies Major, Rachel’s classes are fun, engaging and educational and she is a great representative of young, enthusiastic women entrepreneurs. www.passionandperformance.com |
SPIRIT: Personal and Spiritual Growth and Development
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Beauty from the AshesDespite all your best efforts, sometimes life slips through your hands and you feel like all you’re left with are ashes. That’s not the end of the story and in looking back and forward we can see that from those ashes, comes beauty. We may be battle weary and scarred, but continuing on in the journey will be worth it all.Receiving her degrees in Santa Cruz, California, Caron Somers traveled abroad teaching in California, Hawaii, Russia, Panama and Fiji. She moved to Victoria BC and opened a successful B&B. In 2001 she became a full time chaplain/life coach at the University of Victoria for 10 years. During this time she was a vendor at farmers markets every weekend selling her handcrafted original soaps, knitware and award winning gluten-free baking. Tuesday mornings will find her at Glad Tidings Church where she is the ordained women’s pastor leading a vibrant women’s group. In 2011, she left UVic to follow her dreams of motivational speaking and writing only to see her dreams come tumbling down with an illness that she is slowly recovering from. Despite adjusting to migraines and tears, she still believes she has a destiny. With this fortitude she encourages others continually. http://twoblooms.webs.com |
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Creating a Meaningful Destination for Your Life Going through life towards a destination that we think will make us feel successful can be hazardous. In this talk, Anna will help you connect the dots of how living passionately can dramatically improve the outcome of our lives. Let’s create a destination we’ll ultimately be happy to reach. She’ll provide information on, and how to use, your own Body Barometer as a tool for knowing when you’re aligned to a destiny that’s in sync with your heart, and provide the 3 keys to living a passionate life.Anna Harvey specializes in igniting the potential in women through exploring their overlooked or undiscovered passions. The result is a new-found clarity that enables them to make focused, meaningful choices and decisions that are aligned with a passionate, purposeful life. She is a Certified Passion Test Facilitator for Adults and Youth, and works with people privately one-on-one, or in public or private workshops. Before launching BOOST, she held career positions as the Sales & Marketing Director of Page One Publishing and the Communication Manager for the Victoria Hospitals Foundation and Travelodge Canada. Her personal passions include giving back to the local community through speaking events and to the world community by being a homestay for international students. Close to her heart is being a mentor and friend to 16-year-old Cassidy, singing in Spirit Rising Choir, and her commitment to family and friends. Every chance she gets, she continues to explore passion, purpose and potential. Her top 3 passions? Inspiring others, being mentored by masters, and experiencing joy in all I do. www.BOOSTcommunications.ca
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Creating a Resilient Mindset A resilient mindset helps us understand the risks that keep us stuck and how to capitalize on the opportunities that help us bounce forward. This session introduces techniques to help women develop their own resilience. In this session with Jacqueline, participants will learn to understand of the concept of resilience, increase their ability to cope and adapt to life’s challenges, and develop their sense of self efficacy. The workshop focuses on creating an understanding of self to enhance self-efficacy.Jacqueline McAdam has worked in the human service field for the last twenty five years as a counselor, teacher, researcher, trainer, facilitator, and evaluator. She has experience working with children and adults across cultures and contexts with a range of diverse needs. She has a B.A. and M.A. in child and youth care, an M.A. in human and organizational systems, a PhD in human development. For the first ten years of her career, Jacqueline worked as a counselor with at- risk youth and families in crisis. In the early 1990s, she began working in Africa, specifically in Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia, as an independent consultant for the United Nations and various non-governmental organizations. Her doctoral research focused on the factors that enhance coping and adaptation for children from war zones. Jacqueline is a confident adult educator as evidenced by over thirty conference presentations, numerous workshops, and work as a sessional instructor for the past six years at the University of Victoria. |
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Looking at life with Curiosity and OpportunityMost women are familiar with having to wear several “costumes” throughout their day, throughout their lifetime. Sometimes these get-ups don’t always seem to compliment one other, at least on the surface. How do you, for example, propagate your life’s purpose as being an advocate for women to celebrate one’s authentic self and honour one’s inner beauty while also building a career and a business within the field of advanced medical skin care? Meet Julie Atkinson. Among the many diverse outfits Julie wears on any given day, here are some of her most noteworthy: A registered nurse with over 20 years experience in such disciplines as the advanced burn unit, and cosmetic surgery, an award-winning cosmetic injector and educator, an active ambassador and mentor for Bridges for Women Society, an involved mother of two daughters, and grandmother to their five children, a self-identified reformed perfectionist, a business owner of an advanced skin care practice, New Look Skin Care & Day Spa, a networking leader with BNI, a sought-after speaker for women’s and networking groups, and a workshop facilitator for young women, with a particular focus on body imagery and self-perception.
How does Julie make peace with the fact that she makes a living from both instilling respect for women’s own inner beauty and offering a diverse range of cosmetic medical treatments? Quite simply, she doesn’t. She struggles with this everyday. She knows that it is the ultimate task that women must accomplish-to stay true to oneself while providing for others. But she knows that by challenging herself to walk this tightrope of contradiction, she opens the door for women-young, old, and anywhere in between-to be able to make conscious, well-informed choices about how to manage their skin concerns and their self- perception. An interaction with Julie, whether within the intimate setting of her spa or in the audience of a speaking engagement, is a deeply personal education in how to change your perception of who you appear to be, whether to yourself or others. Julie helps you unearth how you truly see yourself, and her many clients have gravitated to the personal connection she creates. Julie’s message is clear and consistent: “Acknowledge and honour your authentic self. Your beauty emerges from within.” |
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Empowered PassionJoin established business owner/photographer Frances Litman on a journey of inspired passion that has led to the founding of the Creatively United for the Planet Festival set to launch this April 20-22, 2012. Frances will share how she has turned adversity into a positive course of action designed to make a difference both locally and internationally. She draws on more than 30 years of experience as both a full-time professional photographer, artist and journalist to share what it takes to set your passion free to use the skills and experience you possess to make a difference.Frances Litman is a passionate artist, photographer and crusader for environmental & social causes. She has supported herself and numerous charities for her entire working life from her creativity. Her photography has graced book covers, magazines, newspapers, and can be found on websites and hanging on people’s walls far and wide. In addition to being a full-time professional photographer, Frances also teaches photography and creativity classes with a childlike enthusiasm that brings out the artistic genie in everyone. Her love and concern for the natural world has seen Frances grow into a champion of environmental causes that directly affect all of us from the food we eat to the air we breathe. Her desire to see others awaken to the beauty and importance of our host planet has led her to create the First Annual Creatively United for the Planet Arts & Cultural Festival to be held during Earth Week, April 20-22, 2012 in support of the many environmental charities working diligently to protect our oceans, forests, air, land and human rights. |
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