The Connector Next Door with Lisa Gareau

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Sharleen Gatcha is an energy professional with over 25 years of experience in the electricity industry, recently joining Hardline Engineering as the Vice President, Business Development.

I first met Sharleen in 2019 when she joined in on one of our Candy community workshops for in-house and do-it-yourself event planners called Planning with Vision : An Event Planners Vision Boarding Workshop.

At the time Sharleen was in the middle of founding her new initiative called Women+Power.

It was set to be a not-for-profit organization that would provide community-driven support to women that worked in - and with - the power industry.

She also knew, to be successful, she would need to open the doors to like-minded men who could support this new community of women as allies.

The organization that was established in 2019 and has since developed into a community of over 300 active members!

Sharleen and her team now provide opportunities for members to connect, exchange ideas, share information, learn more about the industry, mentor each other, and communicate industry news, events, challenges and opportunities.

She always has had a passion for developing meaningful connections and in her spare time she can often be found organizing, planning, and attending events of many different kinds!

That spirit to connect - together with her positive energy and influence - might be why we have so much fun when we get the chance to visit!


You can find Sharleen and continue the conversation on LinkedIn or explore Women+Power at www.WomenPower.ca


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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Nancy Milton is an international facilitator and executive coach who has been spearheading her leadership and communication organization, Nancy Milton Inc., for 13 years. 

Based out of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Nancy touches hearts through anything does, but she also puts her head and her hands to her work as well.

I was introduced to Nancy a couple of months ago when I was searching for just the right Mentors for Candy Event Consulting's new Course and Community, The Connection Architect.

Our first call was a meeting of the minds - and the hearts - and I knew I had just met a new friend that I might someday call an old, trusted, and true friend.

Nancy’s track record of community building is a result of her keen ability to see a need and then rally others to help meet that need.

The Fresh Start Program started in just that way as she saw a need and rallied her community to help meet the practical needs of individuals and families transitioning from shelters to their own apartments or houses.

Now, thanks to local sponsors, donors, and volunteers, truck-loads of packages - filling cupboards, shelves and drawers with basic household and personal items - help to create the feeling of "home" for these families.

Now the Fresh Start Program has found a “home” in 4 (soon to be 5!) locations and has grown a “family” of over 2000 community members!

In our visit with her we dove into her ability to connect others and the power of bringing like-minded energy together for good.


You can find Nancy and information about The Fresh Start Program at https://www.thefreshstartprojectontario.com to continue the conversation!


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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For over a decade, Tanya Koshowski has led the team at Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids as the Executive Director. For 30 years Brown Bagging has inspired Calgarians to take meaningful action by feeding and caring for kids who would otherwise go hungry.

As a leader who has walked the path of change and challenge, Tanya now also works to empower other leaders to listen to themselves, know their purpose, and care for others so that they can be impactful in their lives and work.

With that belief, Tanya founded Tanya K Leadership Consulting, where she broadened her work and inspires leaders as a coach and guide. She has a clear passion to help leaders have the courage to be more authentic and human centred in their practice of leadership.

I first heard of Tanya and the work of Brown Bagging in 2010 when I had moved back to Calgary as a single mom with 2 young girls in my care. As we landed and started to create connections for our lives and my work, I joined board of Entrepreneurial Moms of Calgary. 

Our group leader was enthused about the work of the organization and raved about the role Tanya was having in caring and feeding for Calgary’s kids.

Amazingly it wasn’t until 2020 when we first officially connected. Our conversation was easy, fun, and familiar. We have since shared a few virtual coffees, and just last month, our first face to face coffee thanks to eased restrictions here in Calgary!

It’s incredible how life has a way of bringing people into our lives to encourage us and challenge us to be more of who we are meant to be. 


You can find Tanya at http://www.TanyaK.ca to continue the conversation!


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

Jay Baydala is a serial entrepreneur with 25 years’ experience in Corporate IT Project Management and is making his mark as a pioneer and thought leader with 18 years in the digital social impact space. 

Jay’s enthusiasm to shift the Corporate Social Responsibility landscape led him to create Goodpin 2011, a platform to help companies democratize their CSR efforts and truly engage the communities they are trying to serve.

In true Jay fashion, he didn’t stop there, founding Evrywork in 2018, this time on a mission to connect both coworking spaces with each other and entrepreneurs looking for coworking spaces.

Like airbnb for coworking, Evrywork has become a platform that is supporting communities and promoting needed collisions that improve society.

When I first met Jay about 4 years ago, it was in a coworking space that my Candy team called home. We settled in on the cool couches, lattes in hand, and a real, long-lasting, meaningful connection was born.

As you’ll hear in our discussion, Jay always cares about people first and I sure felt that from our first meeting.

Based in Toronto, Jay lives to experience life through friends, swimming, cycling, and travel. Thanks to Zoom we were able to reconnect and discuss what connection means for him ... and  entrepreneurs today.


You can find Jay and continue the conversation on LinkedIn or explore Evrywork at https://evrywork.com/


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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Kyle J. Mason is an experienced award-winning Indigenous Leader, Change Agent, Speaker, and as you will hear today, a natural connector.

The son of Indian Residential and Day School Survivors, Kyle grew up in the North End of Winnipeg in a single parent family.

They often struggled to make ends meet, for secure housing, and had to make use of food banks and other social programs.

Determined to succeed in life, Kyle avoided unhealthy life options and has built a career that has empowered thousands.

In the Fall of 2008, Kyle and I first met. Kyle had moved back to the North End of Winnipeg where he was getting ready to launch the North End Family Centre.

At that same time I was launching my new venture, Candy Event Consulting, and Kyle reached out for help.

I believe were meant to connect. As Kyle gave me a tour of the open, unfinished, space that was going to become the centre's "community living room", we became fast friends and future collaborators.

How great to reconnect, 12 years later, to talk about his life-long work as a community connector.

Connect with Kyle J. Mason on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylejmason/



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

The Connector Next Door is your invitation to meet the natural connectors all around us.

They represent the everyday event planners who are energizing their communities every single day. Their stories are familiar, fun, and full of charm.

Your host, Lisa Gareau, is a lifelong Event Planner and has been a Connection Strategy Coach for over a decade.

She knows events can become energized connecting points where communities can gather and grow.

Subscribe at www.CandyConsulting.ca to hear her conversations with Connectors Next Door.


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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 impact-driven event planner that is ready to create connections that matter.

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