CanWIT National Fall/Early Winter Newsletter

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December 12, 2012

Season's Greetings Canadian Women in Technology!

We've had one busy and transformational Fall! As the air gets colder and we prepare for the winter season and a New Year full of new possibilities, we wanted to provide our members and partners with an overview of the growth and expansion our organization has undergone over a period of just a few months! As you may know, CanWIT has expanded both its mandate and member benefits to ensure its sustainability and to better serve our members. Over the summer we welcomed Dr. Catherine Aczel Boivie [view bio] as our new CEO and Chair, as well as an incredibly talented Advisory Council. This Fall, we also welcomed three new Chapter Chairs to the CanWIT family, including: Sheila Eddin [view bio], new Chapter Chair for BC Vancouver, as well as Nastaran Bisheban [view bio] and Kathy Alexander [view bio], co-Chairs of the new Waterloo Region Chapter!

It's nearly been a year since we first launched our National eMentorship program. With this milestone, we're now sharing the success stories of the year-long mentoring relationships between some of our mentors and mentees. We now need to take our initial success to the next level. We need to continue to build up our team of mentors and mentees. Check out this short video on Why Mentorship Matters! Sign-up today as a mentor or mentee at canwit.workingrooms.com!

With ICTC's recently published 2012 Third Quarterly Monitor of the Digital Economy we know that the work we do with CanWIT is more important than ever. According to ICTC's report, "14,000 women left the ICT labour force in 2012 Q3, compared to 2,000 men. In contrast with a year ago, the number of women in the ICT labour force, at 155,000 in 2012 Q3, declined by 12% (-21,000) since 2011 Q3, while their male counterparts experienced a 5% (+27,000) YOY labour force growth (Source: ICTC, 2012). Our aim is to change these numbers, to ensure women are attracted to Canada's technology sector for the rewarding and creative careers within it, and that those already in the sector are provided with the support to get to the top! We would like to thank our sponsors, partners, volunteers, and you, our members, for supporting our cause!

From our CanWIT family, Catherine, Alice, Cathi, and I, wish each of you and your families a very Happy Holiday and a prosperous New Year!

Kindest regards,



Emily Boucher
Executive Director, CanWIT, a Division of CATAAlliance

Member Benefits

We want to make sure you're aware of all the benefits you receive as a CanWIT member, including access to industry-led teleforums, CATA's research repository, member pricing, group insurance benefits, up-to-date advocacy information, and much more. We continue to collaborate with like-minded organizations like CCWESTT, Springboard Enterprises, and Startup Canada to offer even more support to our members. Is there something we're not offering as a benefit that you'd like to see? Let us know! Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your feedback. In the meantime, we do have a short survey for you to fill-out on potential new benefits:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2TZQ2TS



Real World Entrepreneurial Training
Wendy Mayhew, Founder, Idea2Delivery

Q:
You have a great idea for a business - now what do you do?

A:
Everyone at some point in their life has an idea for some type of business, but many don't progress further than an idea. There are a couple of reasons why that happens. Firstly, the person with the idea has no desire to have their own business, and secondly, the desire may be there but they don't know what to do about that idea and instead of taking action they procrastinate.

Not every idea turns into a business, but if you keep thinking about the possibility of turning your idea into something more than a thought you owe it to yourself to test the market to see if it is viable.

Q:
Where do you start?

A:
Your idea will evolve the more you think about it. It is important to make notes of your thoughts and refer to them often. This will help shape your vision for your product/service. Once you have this in place it is time to start talking about it and see if others think it will be a viable product/service.

Q:
Who do you talk to about your idea?

A:
Reach out to leaders in the start-up community in your area. Tell them you would like to discuss a business idea with them and offer to buy them a cup of coffee. Talk to them and ask for their thoughts, take notes and never leave the meeting without asking for a referral and perhaps an introduction to someone else you should talk to. In many cases they will automatically give you other people that could help you.

Many people are afraid of competition and don't want to disclose too much. Remember, your idea is still only an idea at this point. Don't be afraid to share what you are comfortable with, but don't let the lack of information you provide hinder you getting the help you need.

Don't be afraid and discouraged. You will meet with individuals that will encourage you and give you some good suggestions on how to tweak and improve your idea. You will also meet with people who think your idea sucks. You will be upset and start having second thoughts about what you are doing. Maybe the numbers aren't in your favour right now - perhaps you have to go back to the drawing board and think through any changes that have been suggested, or perhaps your idea isn't as good as you think it is.

If you continue to think you have a viable business idea, don't let these people derail you. But, at this point, remember you have gone to business leaders who have successful businesses of their own - they do have experience and have gone through the same process you are going through.

Full steam ahead!
  Remember your original idea? By now, the original idea of your product/service has probably changed - not what the product/service is but how it will morph into something better than you had envisioned. It's now time to start putting your business plan in place - it doesn't have to be a formal business plan at this point but will help you move forward with the implementation stage of your business.

One last point - continue to reach out to as many people as you can. They will have answers to your questions, such as: where do I go to have a prototype made (if needed)? Do I need a patent? Copyright? Intellectual property? What do I need to know to start a business?

Wendy is offering all CanWIT members a 50% discount on her Real World Entrepreneur Training e-learning series. To receive your discount please use the coupon code: CATA.
Ask the Expert with Anne Raymond - Recordings Now Available from the 2012 4-Part Webinar Series!
Want to know what it takes to be a great leader in the constantly changing world of technology? Gain insight and practical knowledge on relevant hot topics with our Ask the Expert host, Anne Raymond. The National "Ask the Expert" Webinar Series was a 4-part national forum for Leadership Development for the advancement of women in the Advanced Technology Sector. Access the recordings and presentation material to gain practical knowledge on relevant hot topics, access experts and research, and expand your network of experience and knowledgeable professionals. Please note: CanWIT members receive complimentary access; there is a $45 fee for non-members.

Our 2012 four-part webinar series on Leadership Development includes:

Pay IT Forward

Mentorship Challenge -
Looking for 50 New Mentors by Dec. 31st!

Become a mentor today! CanWIT is seeking both male and female mentors to actively participate on the eMentorship program.
Sign-up today at canwit.workingrooms.com!
CanWIT in the News
Regional Contact
BC Vancouver

The BC Vancouver Chapter presents its Holiday Networking Event on December 20th! Network with other professional Women in the Technology community as well as learn about CanWIT BC's exciting programs for the New Year. During the event, we would like to hear from you about your interests and suggestions for future CanWIT workshops. Be sure to bring your business card for door prizes. We look forward to seeing you for some holiday cheer! Register online

Waterloo Region

The Waterloo Region recently hosted its launch event on Nov. 13th to a great crowd at the Bruce White Atrium, University of Waterloo. They had an amazing panel of leading women in tech, including: Mary Wells, P Eng, Associate Dean Outreach, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo; Olga Pawluczyk, President & CEO, P & P Optica, and Tina Venema, Founder & CEO, PhilanthroKidz Inc. The Waterloo team is holding their next event on Jan. 23rd. Stay tuned to www.canwit.ca for details!

Toronto

Our Toronto Chapter hosted their incredibly successful December Pub Night last evening, offering great informal networking opportunities for all attendees. The Toronto Chapter is currently planning a great line-up of events for the New Year. Stay tuned to www.canwit.ca for details!

Atlantic

The Atlantic Chapter and CanWIT National are hosting Canada's first 'Dolphin Tank' event in the New Year in partnership with the Centre for Women in Business and Springboard Enterprises. The Dolphin Tank is a pitch-practice session where chosen women business owners will deliver a 2 minute pitch to an expert panel and the audience. The expert panelists will provide actionable insight and friendly feedback which can be used instantly. A mentorship workshop is also planned for early February! Stay tuned to canwit.ca for details!
It's Time to Give Back
- Cathy Browne, PR and Communications Consultant
For the past several months I've been writing and consulting for an organization I admire greatly. Canadian Women in Technology, also known as CanWIT, is Canada's premier national grassroots organization dedicated to promoting tech careers for women.

And it's an organization facing a huge challenge - one that may surprise you a much as it did me.
  • Canadian women make up only 25% of the technology workforce, with only a small number hold management positions.
  • A staggering 52% of these highly trained and qualified women will leave their jobs after only 10 years. This doesn't bode well for young women considering careers in technology.
  • 38% of women hold leadership roles in Canada, yet only 16% hold leadership roles in the corporate sector (compared with 59% in the education sector and 37% in government agencies);
  • 37% of Boards of Directors and 17% of Senior Management Teams have no female representation in the corporate sector.
Read online...