The SFU chapter of the Young Women in Business (YWiB) organization held their fifth annual International Women’s Day conference on March 7 at the Pinnacle Hotel in downtown Vancouver.
The event brought together young SFU women and men alike to connect, get involved, and take part in workshops to prepare them for their future careers.
International Women’s Day has been celebrated on March 8 of each year since 1911. The day was created to celebrate the achievements and empowerment of women around the world.
Organized by SFU student Joscelyn Tan, this year’s event brought in successful industry professionals to lead workshops and give keynote speeches for the attendees.
As stated on the YWiB SFU website, the conference was intended to celebrate women in business as well as those who will be in the future: “I find that a lot of networking events are very geared towards people who are already professionals, and [for] people who are starting out, sometimes there isn’t as much support in that area.”
YWiB SFU’s annual International Women’s Day conference provides tools and motivation from peers and mentors to allow its members to achieve professional success in their own lives, through chances to meet and learn from female heavyweights in the business industry.
Starting at 9 a.m., the conference was an all-day affair. The theme of “Make it Happen” — encouraging the proactive advancement of women — was punctuated throughout the day by keynote speakers such as Narges Nirumvala, CEO of the speech coaching service, ExecutiveSpeak, and Leah Jeannette Boyle, founder and director of The Lipstick Project, which offers free spa treatments to people with serious health issues.
Speeches and workshop were set up for attendees to learn from women who have come before them, gaining advice on aspects of the business world such as appropriate clothing for different environments and how to hone leadership skills. The aim was to provide the skills necessary for attendees to embody the theme of the conference, and make it happen for themselves.
The day began with an exhibition of local businesses and organizations, such as The Lipstick Project and Sole Girls, where attendees mingled in the foyer before being ushered into the conference room for the opening address and the first keynote speaker, Nirumvala.
Nirumvala urged guests to aim for excellence through impacting others. Her speech focused on her own personal story of being fired from her job and almost filing for welfare. Through her failure, she managed to discover her true talents, and soon became a public speaker and published writer, working with nationally renowned companies.
When asked what she wanted to impart to the young women listening to her speech, Nirumvala said, “Failure: that’s where the learning is.”
She continued, “I want people to learn from my growth.”
Following Nirumvala’s speech, attendees were broken up into smaller groups and led to the first of two of their selected workshops. Lunch broke up the day, with another chance to network with other young attendees and professionals alike.
The second keynote speaker, Boyle, took to the podium after the conclusion of the second workshop of the day, leading the conference into its final hour.
According to Tan, the conference was meant to be a place to establish connections between peers and friends and build a support system.
This system is what she believes will allow each young woman to find success. “As a soon-to-be young professional in the workforce, I’m not alone,” said Tan.
