SFU’s own Young Women in Business (YWIB) club held their fourth annual International Women’s Day conference at the Century Plaza Hotel in Downtown Vancouver. Attendees joined with women around the world in spirit to celebrate all that they have achieved and will achieve.
Beginning in 1911, the main goal of International Women’s Day has been to empower, encourage, and inspire. As designated by the United Nations, the day also examines political and human rights, and the current struggles faced by women internationally.
With powerful speakers, non-profit organizations and local entrepreneurs in attendance, the atmosphere at the conference was nothing short of inspirational.
From its early morning start, the event carried a simple and understated beauty. White tables filled the ballroom, accented with pastel dip-dyed flowers. YWIB explained that they strive to portray a sense of class and business professionalism, along with a welcoming atmosphere that instantly invites you into the YWIB SFU family.
The event was hosted by Lien Yeung of CBC radio, who kept things professional yet lighthearted. The keynote speakers for the day were co-creative directors of Dare Vancouver, Addie Gillespie and Mia Thomsett, “bully doctor” and life coach Dr. Valerie Mason-John, and the founder of Beauty Night Society, Caroline MacGillivray.
There was also a panel discussion made up of Jill Earthy (Canadian Youth Business Foundation), Suzanne Siemens (Lunapads), Paulina Cameron (YWIB; Canadian Youth Business Foundation), Jennifer Maloney (Yulu PR), and Chantelle Krish (YWCA Metro Vancouver).
Each speaker shared her definition of success, and often her path to finding it.
This year, the event and all of the speakers focused on a theme of “Defining Success.” As the day progressed, it became clear that each woman in the room had her own unique definition of the statement, while also appreciating “success”, as defined by her peers. Along with career advice and personal anecdotes, each speaker shared her definition of success and often her path to finding it.
Mason-John captivated the audience with her personal struggle to finally acknowledge success in her own life. She said, “Once upon a time, I would have thought success was having the perfect body.” But after fighting eating disorders, she came to the realization that beauty is not the definition of success, and that true success is “being who you truly want to be.”
She warned that, “if you treat yourself badly, it is an open invitation for others to do likewise.”
Jill Earthy spoke of her personal definition of success as five distinct categories: “Work, community, family, friends and self. Success in fulfillment, not necessarily balance, in each of these categories.” Paulina Cameron, co- founder of YWIB, believes that success can be had in “surrounding yourself with people who know who you are and reflect your moral compass and principles.”
Leading the YWIB executive committee for this event was Sasha Rudenko, the IWD Chair, and her IWD organizing committee. After the event, she described the mood, saying, “Everybody was happy and inspired, and that was my real goal. It wasn’t [about] the amount of people. [ . . . ] The feeling I wanted to get was the inspiration and the empowerment to pursue whatever you want to do. It certainly met my expectations, exceeded them.”
Rudenko offered her own personal definition of success: “Success to me is being content within yourself. If you feel happy with what you’re doing in life, that’s what makes you successful.”
All in all, this year’s International Women’s Day conference proved why it is a highlight of the YWIB year, attracting students and community members alike, for a day of inspiration and a celebration of all that hardworking women can achieve.
