Connect the Dots Ottawa

WOW! I am so grateful to be participating in this amazing event. I first heard about Connect the Dots when I was doing some research for my business plan. I booked an appointment with business advisor, Mairi Miller, from OCRI and she connected me with Laura. When I first heard about CTD, my inner child was ecstatic! A pyjama party!  How fun AND how cute?! Connecting with Laura is literally ‘connecting the dots.’ It was just a week ago that I completed my life coach training and got my certification while helping out with this event in whatever way I was able to. It’s  been so much fun connecting with fabulous people and learning many new skills that stretched me beyond my comfort zones to empower me into my own purpose. Upon reflection in how participating in Connect the Dots has impacted my life and business, CTD is truly fulfilling it’s mission to connect you with incredible women, collaborating, inspiring and motivating. All to be done in a style to help bring out the best you building authentic relationships in such a fun way – a Pyjama Party! AND a POWERFUL line-up to follow the next day! Definitely not an opportunity to be missed.

After meeting Carissa last month I was about to learn more about the new directiom WEC is taking and the efforts they would like to make for the advancement of women entrepreneurs. I was asked to sit on the WEB board as the Ontario representative to identify, collaborate and recruite various potential affiliate organizations that would like to participate in the Ask/Answer Campaign and contribute to the bigger picture. Since the concept fits to my core beliefs of working together as a united team and that we will have a stronger voice as a combined force I graciously accepted the offer to sit on the board. I’m excited to get to know the other networking groups from across the province. CTD will be the first step in making a difference and creatiing collaborative stand for women entrepreneurs.

President of Silver Lining Ltd. Carissa Reiniger spoke at Staples in downtown Ottawa today. Her presentation focused on business development and the details behind the SLAP, Silver Lining Action Plan. Great stuff! I was more interested in the role she plays as President of Women Entrepreneurs of Canada (WEC). In her presentation she mentioned the new mission for WEC and how they wanted to create a collaborative effort between all women’s business networks across Canada. My mind started spinning. This was perfect, it would allow me to also to collaborate with WEC and bring together all the women’s networking groups in Ottawa and connect them to the many other organization across Canada. Carissa also told me about the Ask-Answer campaign and what it could mean for the advancement of women entrepreneurs as a whole. I”m so excited, for the entrepreneurs in this region because now with the Connect the Dots initiative underway, our region will lead the way for the country.

So by now, I’ve lived in Ottawa now for a little over three years and have interated well into the community. I love all the women entrepreneurs I have build relationship with and have been growing my own business steadily for the last few years. One of the ways I do that is by getting involved in the community and volunteering and attending networking events. I love getting out and meeting people from all over the city. One of the things I noticed was that I started to meet entrepreneurs from all over the region. Eventually, people started coming up to me asking me who I knew that did this type of work or that type of service. I was supprized by the amount of times people sourced me out for connections in the city when I was the new girl in town. I continued to meet amazing and talented women from all over the region, frustrated that all these women weren’t already connected, I started thinking of a way we could all come togehter in place to network, collaborate and celebrate our successes, that is when Connect the Dots was born.

I asked myself; why wasn’t there an event that connected all the women from across the region, rural to urban, north south east and west, soloentrepreneur to small business. Why couldn’t all the leading networking groups in the region come together to celebrate their members, share their community building stories and connect with eachother to make the industry of female entrepreneurship more successful.

I started asking the different networks if they thought it would be a good idea, they agreed. Then I asked various entrepreneurs if they would like an opportunity to meet women from all over the region at one event, they to agreed. Green light…now for the brand.