The Connector Next Door with Lisa Gareau

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Cathy Derksen is a catalyst and disruptor, supporting and inspiring midlife women to rediscover their brilliance and step into new possibilities.

As the founder of her company Inspired Tenacity Global Solutions Inc, Cathy helps women take on the courage to face major changes in their life.

Cathy is an international speaker and an 12x bestselling author who inspires her audience to dream big and take a leap of faith into reaching for their goals.

She has created a platform supporting women to share their own inspiring stories in books, retreats, and mastermind opportunities. With her all-in-one program, Cathy takes soon-to-be authors from chapter concept to published bestselling author in a simple, exciting process.

Cathy lives near Vancouver, Canada where she enjoys spending time in nature, travelling, meeting new people, and connecting with her community around the world.

Though our conversation you’ll hear loud and clear how Cathy is creating a ripple effect of impact by helping women share their stories and wisdom.

It takes courage to connect deeply with our own story and tenacity to share it even when it’s hard. I’m so glad you get to hear how Cathy helps women “Find the courage and take the leap”!  

You can find Cathy on LinkedIn HERE and explore what’s new in her world of collaborative publishing on her website www.InspiredTenacity.com HERE.

Meaningful connections matter now more than ever!

Your community, clients, or customers are ready to connect. Are you ready to be their connector? Events can grow your business, create an impact in your community, or motivate a group around your ideas. The Connection Architect Course and Community is for the everyday event planner that is ready to create connections that matter.

Sound like you? Start building at www.TheConnectionArchitect.ca

The Connector Next Door is produced by www.CandyConsulting.ca  

Are you planning or promoting events for your business, organization, or group? Reach out and book a 30-Minute Hello with podcast host, Candy Event Consulting Founder, and Connection Strategy Coach Lisa Gareau to share how you are creating connections through events!

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With three decades under her belt in the nonprofit sector, Joanne Toller has had the privilege of wearing many hats, primarily as a nonprofit coach.

Joanne is the Founder of The Cause Charity Specialists, where she specializes in fundraising and nonprofit marketing consultation. Her expertise lies in strategic planning and the evolving digital landscape of fundraising and nonprofit marketing.

As a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Joanne has witnessed the sector's many changes and challenges, and she’s passionate about sharing her knowledge with others.

Now, in semi-retirement, her time is devoted to managing her exceptional team at The Cause, coaching nonprofits, and releasing free resources on The Cause YouTube channel.

Her love for teaching and coaching is a testament to her commitment to ensuring that the next generation of nonprofit leaders is well-equipped for the challenges ahead.

Semi-retirement has granted Joanne and her husband the beautiful opportunity to explore. Every winter, they traverse the US's vast landscapes; come summer, Canada is their playground.

In our conversation today Joanne shares how true connection is a combination of pulling back from toxic environments and leaning in with those that are ready to explore something deeper with their donors!


You can find Joanne on LinkedIn HERE and explore what’s new in her work as a fundraising coach on her website HERE!


Meaningful connections matter now more than ever!

Your community, clients, or customers are ready to connect. Are you ready to be their connector? Events can grow your business, create an impact in your community, or motivate a group around your ideas. The Connection Architect Course and Community is for the everyday event planner that is ready to create connections that matter.

Sound like you? Start building at www.TheConnectionArchitect.ca

The Connector Next Door is produced by www.CandyConsulting.ca  

Are you planning or promoting events for your business, organization, or group? Reach out and book a 30-Minute Hello with podcast host, Candy Event Consulting Founder, and Connection Strategy Coach Lisa Gareau to share how you are creating connections through events!

Send us Fan Mail

Jessica McBride is the The Tech Savvy Assistant and is committed to stay ahead of the curve in today's rapidly changing tech environment.

As a former Executive Assistant, she now provides executive support and administrative training.

A self-professed generalist, Jessica has spent a lot of time learning new skills and technologies just well enough so that they can make her life easier. Now it’s her goal to help others gain the confidence needed to to make their lives easier too!

Speaking from experience, Jessica shares how assistants spend much of their time reinventing the wheel and believes it's not necessary! Learning – and using – the technology available is an absolute game changer. 

I know as event planners, we never seem to have enough time in the day. What if we could work in a way that we’d have time to spare. Time to connect in more meaningful ways with our clients, customers, core teams, or community members! 

After some tough work experiences, Jessica is now stepping out as a Keynote Speaker, Community Mentor, Author of The Tech Savvy Assistant series, “ChatGPT for Administrative Professionals”, and “How to Set Goals as an Administrative Professional”. 

In our conversation today Jessica shares her passion to see women step up, take up space, and work in ways that advance their careers as Administrative Professionals. 

You can find Jessica on LinkedIn HERE and explore what’s new on The Tech Savvy Assistant website HERE! 

Meaningful connections matter now more than ever!

Your community, clients, or customers are ready to connect. Are you ready to be their connector? Events can grow your business, create an impact in your community, or motivate a group around your ideas. The Connection Architect Course and Community is for the everyday event planner that is ready to create connections that matter.

Sound like you? Start building at www.TheConnectionArchitect.ca

The Connector Next Door is produced by www.CandyConsulting.ca  

Are you planning or promoting events for your business, organization, or group? Reach out and book a 30-Minute Hello with podcast host, Candy Event Consulting Founder, and Connection Strategy Coach Lisa Gareau to share how you are creating connections through events!

Send us Fan Mail

Winnie Hsu came to Canada thirty years ago as a financially struggling student from China, working several low-paying jobs to sustain herself. Eventually, she started her own small accounting business.  

But that was 20 years ago. Today, she has a team of fifteen professionals serving over 200 small businesses in the greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley in B.C.

Winnie never stops learning. Wanting to achieve more, she studied for an MBA with the Jack Welch Management Institute (JWMI) in the USA by taking online classes during the pandemic.  

Using the 18-month fast track route, she graduated with all honours for all 12 of her courses at the end of 2021, also winning the distinguished scholar award with the JWMI at age 59 – all while working full-time to manage her business.

In Fall of 2021 - with three fellow co-founders - she started her dream impact project by founding Vision2Reality Foundation (V2RF) - a 100% online, free business community to help newcomers with their entrepreneur journey. 

As of this recording, the V2RF online community had 691 members on its platform who have and are all willing to share, learn and grow with local business owners and professionals. 

And it’s growing everyday!

In our conversation today Winnie shares that V2RF is a rare, truly multicultural, inclusive online community that welcomes anyone with a dream and the ambition to turn their visions into reality.

You can find Winnie via LinkedIn HERE, read more about her business HERE, and explore Vision to Reality on the website HERE! 

Meaningful connections matter now more than ever!

Your community, clients, or customers are ready to connect. Are you ready to be their connector? Events can grow your business, create an impact in your community, or motivate a group around your ideas. The Connection Architect Course and Community is for the everyday event planner that is ready to create connections that matter.

Sound like you? Start building at www.TheConnectionArchitect.ca

The Connector Next Door is produced by www.CandyConsulting.ca  

Are you planning or promoting events for your business, organization, or group? Reach out and book a 30-Minute Hello with podcast host, Candy Event Consulting Founder, and Connection Strategy Coach Lisa Gareau to share how you are creating connections through events!

Send us Fan Mail

Tim Gareau is a Calgary hometown lad, singer-songwriter who accompanies his originals with acoustic guitar and harmonica.

His carefully crafted lyrics speak of relationships, past and present love, the joys of nature, social issues, spirituality, bees, owls, dogs and even crocodiles!

His music is primarily influenced by folk - but he easily adds a slice of rock, a spatter of jazz, a smatter of blues, with a pinch of country.  And I'll say, as his wife a whole lot of "tongue n/ cheek" along the way.

Tim is a poet, and storyteller and likes his audience to come along for the ride.

As his wife of 13 years, I love how Tim has embraced his own gifts and how he shares his gifts - AND how he encourages others to find their gifts and share those with the world too!

In our conversation today we talk about the importance of finding our gifts, having the courage to use them, and then reaching out to create meaningful connections - and a sense of community - around those gifts.


You can find Tim's music - including his NEW album "Great Late Bloomer" on his NEW website at www.TimGareauMusic.ca on Facebook HERE or on Instagram HERE!

In this episode Tim and I talked about the "Blue Zones" and the new Netflix series called "LIVE TO 100: Secrets of the Blues Zones" .  You can watch the trailer on YouTube HERE! "Travel around the world with author Dan Buettner to discover five unique communities where people live extraordinarily long and vibrant lives."


Meaningful connections matter now more than ever!

Your community, clients, or customers are ready to connect. Are you ready to be their connector? Events can grow your business, create an impact in your community, or motivate a group around your ideas. The Connection Architect Course and Community is for the everyday event planner that is ready to create connections that matter.

Sound like you? Start building at www.TheConnectionArchitect.ca

The Connector Next Door is produced by www.CandyConsulting.ca  

Are you planning or promoting events for your business, organization, or group? Reach out and book a 30-Minute Hello with podcast host, Candy Event Consulting Founder, and Connection Strategy Coach Lisa Gareau to share how you are creating connections through events!

Send us Fan Mail

Grant Assenheimer grew up as a farm kid, worked as an engineer, travelled the world as a humanitarian worker, and landed as an executive leader.

His drive to find solutions is backed by a deep value of different perspectives and the patience to discover root causes, leading to sustainable, systems-level outcomes.

Grant has had an outstanding career as a water engineer, previously worked with Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chad and served as a Director on the MSF Canada Board.

Grant is now back in Edmonton, has recently completed the Executive MBA program at the University of Alberta, and is currently the CEO of Belongify, a workplace culture start-up that helps leaders improve team performance by creating cultures of Belonging.

Belongify co-Founders Lorne and Garrett Rubis set the Belongify Team - including an impressive list of certified Belongify Coaches - on a mission to help leaders create a culture of belonging where each individual's value is known, appreciated, and optimized.

As the CEO, Grant is excited to see leaders embrace and activate the Belongify system as he knows - when leaders help their teams eliminate feelings of isolation, increase a sense of value, and recognize individual contributions - these same employees can thrive anywhere they choose to live and work.


Watch for Grant's posts about Belongify - and connect with him - on LinkedIn HERE.

If you're a leader that is curious about creating a greater sense of belonging with your team check out the Belongify website HERE.

Wondering how strong the sense of belonging is in YOUR workplace? Take the Belongify quiz HERE to answer 7 questions to receive a rating of your group's sense of belonging in the workplace - Weak, Needs Improving, Strong.  


Meaningful connections matter now more than ever!

Your community, clients, or customers are ready to connect. Are you ready to be their connector? Events can grow your business, create an impact in your community, or motivate a group around your ideas. The Connection Architect Course and Community is for the everyday event planner that is ready to create connections that matter.

Sound like you? Start building at www.TheConnectionArchitect.ca

The Connector Next Door is produced by www.CandyConsulting.ca  

Are you planning or promoting events for your business, organization, or group? Reach out and book a 30-Minute Hello with podcast host, Candy Event Consulting Founder, and Connection Strategy Coach Lisa Gareau to share how you are creating connections through events!

Send us Fan Mail

Tracy Folorunsho-Barry is a Career Strategist and Founder and CEO of Grow Women Leaders, helping immigrant women get hired and advance their careers.

She is a passionate advocate for women's empowerment, with a focus on immigrants and BIPOC women. 
 
In 2017, through GROW Foundation, she launched Project150: Accomplished Immigrant Women in Canada and the Speak Out Women series.

Recognizing the gaps in empowerment, leadership, and career development services for immigrant women, she founded GROW Women Leaders in 2018.

With the GROW Digital Platform, they connect women with local and national companies, facilitating personal and professional growth.

In 2021, Tracy opened The GROW Space—a nurturing environment where success and community thrive. 

At the heart of this space lies "Nurture," an ongoing co-creative support with amenities like training rooms, workstations, and event space, along with childminding services. Importantly, proceeds from Nurture directly support women at GROW Foundation.

Throughout her career, she has dedicated herself to helping thousands of women access new opportunities and reach their full potential … and she’s only getting started! 

You can connect with Tracy on LinkedIn HERE, learn more about GROW HERE, and follow GROW Women Leaders on their IG HERE.


Meaningful connections matter now more than ever!

Your community, clients, or customers are ready to connect. Are you ready to be their connector? Events can grow your business, create an impact in your community, or motivate a group around your ideas. The Connection Architect Course and Community is for the everyday event planner that is ready to create connections that matter.

Sound like you? Start building at www.TheConnectionArchitect.ca

The Connector Next Door is produced by www.CandyConsulting.ca

Are you planning or promoting events for your business, organization, or group? Reach out and book a 30-Minute Hello with podcast host, Candy Event Consulting Founder, and Connection Strategy Coach Lisa Gareau to share how you are creating connections through events!

Send us Fan Mail

Richard Lee-Thai, doesn’t feel he’s a “natural connector” but is fascinated by people and has learned - over some lonely years - how to connect in authentic, meaningful ways!

These learned skills have helped him to both connect meaningfully with others and has helped him become an advocate and friend to those that want to learn to do the same.

Richard Lee-Thai is a TEDx Speaker, Connection Consultant, and co-author of “Become Your Superself: Connect with Yourself to Connect with Others.” 

His TEDx talk: "How to Find Excuses to Connect” outlines how people can make meaningful connections easier. 

We never grew up with a class on “How to Make Friends”, so his work focuses on lessening the gap in social health education. 

As a professional speaker and Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation, he empowers individuals and organizations with the social skills and confidence to make meaningful connections for the rest of their lives.

His motto is: "You never know how any connection can transform your life." 

In our conversation Richard shared that, “Every person you pass by has their own rich story. All it takes is initiating a conversation to enter that world with them.” He has worked to build a sense of community through storytelling and believes anyone can find excuses to connect!

Richard’s “North Star Vision”? Finding a way to create a world without loneliness. Not only an ambitious dream but one that he believes is possible if we all work to find "excuses to connect"!

Reach out to continue this conversation with Richard on Linked in HERE or learn more about “Excuses to Connect” on his website HERE! 
 

Meaningful connections matter now more than ever!

Your community, clients, or customers are ready to connect. Are you ready to be their connector? Events can grow your business, create an impact in your community, or motivate a group around your ideas. The Connection Architect Course and Community is for the everyday event planner that is ready to create connections that matter.

Sound like you? Start building at www.TheConnectionArchitect.ca

The Connector Next Door is produced by www.CandyConsulting.ca  

Are you planning or promoting events for your business, organization, or group? Reach out and book a 30-Minute Hello with podcast host, Candy Event Consulting Founder, and Connection Strategy Coach Lisa Gareau to share how you are creating connections through events!

Send us Fan Mail

Karla Combres is a certified Life-Cycle Celebrant, ceremony guide, facilitator, and speaker. 

She helps people to honour and celebrate life’s big moments – the joyful beginnings, difficult endings, and everything in between.

She believes in the transformative power of meaningful, authentic, story-based ceremonies to connect and inspire us as we move through life’s transitions. 

After spending over a decade living, working, and studying in other cities and countries, Karla is grateful to make her home once more in Saskatoon - on Treaty 6 Territory and the homeland of the Métis - along with her husband and three beautiful children.

Karla believes connection happens below the surface level – when we get to the heart of a person, a situation, a person’s story.

She has experienced that – when guiding her clients through the journey of death and dying – the only thing that matters is did they love well and were they loved well..

In our conversation, Karla shared how all our milestone moments can enhance our lives and how - if we are intentional with our connections - we can live well so we can also pass on well when the time comes.

Reach out to continue this conversation with Karla on Linked in HERE or learn more about her on her website HERE! Find Karla on her social channels with the handle @karlacombrescelebrant

Meaningful connections matter now more than ever!

Your community, clients, or customers are ready to connect. Are you ready to be their connector? Events can grow your business, create an impact in your community, or motivate a group around your ideas. The Connection Architect Course and Community is for the everyday event planner that is ready to create connections that matter. 

Sound like you? Start building at www.TheConnectionArchitect.ca

The Connector Next Door is produced by www.CandyConsulting.ca  

Are you planning or promoting events for your business, organization, or group? Reach out and book a 30-Minute Hello with podcast host, Candy Event Consulting Founder, and Connection Strategy Coach Lisa Gareau to share how you are creating connections through events!

Send us Fan Mail

I first heard of – and became curious about – Samantha Alexander in her role as the President of the Western Carnival Development Association, which produces the Cariwest Festival in Canada’s “Festival City”, Edmonton, Alberta.

She integrates her life in Edmonton with her frequent travels to the Caribbean. The combination has made her a dynamic leader for this vibrant, long-running, family-friendly festival!

Samantha says she excels best in collaborative environments that allow her to utilize her strong communications and project management skills.

She shows up in her day to day as Marketing Manager for MNP, one of Canada’s leading professional services firms. Through the development of strong relationships, they provide client-focused accounting, consulting, tax, and digital services.

In her role she helps organizational leaders clarify and achieve their strategic objectives. Her approach combines curiosity, strategic thinking and out of the box tactics to drive positive change.

In our conversation we talked about what connection means to her and how even the simple act of observation can create opportunities to connect over time.

Her take on leading event teams could be a masterclass on event leadership and empowerment. Listen in and get ready to learn how you can better lead your event team to create better connections year over year over year! 

Reach out to continue this conversation with Samantha on Linked in HERE or via the Cariwest Festival Website HERE!

Meaningful connections matter now more than ever!

Your community, clients, or customers are ready to connect. Are you ready to be their connector? Events can grow your business, create an impact in your community, or motivate a group around your ideas. The Connection Architect Course and Community is for the everyday event planner that is ready to create connections that matter.

Sound like you? Start building at www.TheConnectionArchitect.ca

The Connector Next Door is produced by www.CandyConsulting.ca  

Are you planning or promoting events for your business, organization, or group? Reach out and book a 30-Minute Hello with podcast host, Candy Event Consulting Founder, and Connection Strategy Coach Lisa Gareau to share how you are creating connections through events!