Doing well by doing good

Growing up my father always talked about having a sense of balance.  What he meant was that when you were fortunate, you needed to balance out the scales and help someone else get ahead.

He was a real role model for me, always supporting the underdog.  He’d grown up on the “wrong side of the tracks” and never forgot his humble beginnings. It wasn’t until he died that I learned just how generous he’d been. You could say he was a dragon before we had the den, lending money to people starting a business. 

With giving back in my DNA, it should come as no surprise that it is also an integral part of Company of Women.  Over the years we have supported numerous charities – Opportunity International, Girls Inc, Because I am a Girl, World Teacher Aid to name but a few, as well as scholarships for women entering the skilled trades.  The common thread is that they all focused on women and girls.

And that makes senses.  When you are picking the organization or cause you want to support, there should be a strong tie or link to what your business does.   For example, if you are in real estate, perhaps Habitat for Humanity fits the bill.  Or if you are in the beauty industry, Look Good, Feel Good, a program for cancer patients might be a good fit.

We once had a speaker, who armed with copies of SNAP, got the women in the audience to check through the paper to see if there were local causes or events that they could get behind.  That isn’t a bad place to start, but make sure you do your homework on the cause selected, because not all charities are created equal.

As well as the business fit, there may well be a cause that tugs at your heartstrings. Perhaps a disease has inflicted someone in your family and you want to help raise funds for a cure, research or support for families.

You might want to get your feet wet and just dip a toe into the cause-related pool. See how that goes.  Working on a smaller project, gives you a chance to see how well the organization functions.  How much of the funds raised go towards the actual recipients, and how much is swallowed up in administration?  Who is on their board?  How many staff is involved?  These are good questions to ask.

This year we have chosen to get behind the Canadian Women’s Foundation, and particularly their program aimed at young girls and how they feel about themselves. I am excited about this partnership, and particularly interested in their As We Are Project 

Still need convincing that giving back is a sound business decision?  Putting sentiment aside, it earns you brownie points with customers and staff alike.  People, especially millennials, like to work for a company that takes corporate responsibility seriously.  It gains you credibility with your client base and bottom line; it fees good to be doing good.

Doing well by doing good

Now I am no Pollyanna, but I do believe in the power of giving back.

Growing up my father had the philosophy that you always helped the under dog,  someone who needed a hand up.  He called it a sense of balance – in that you created a more balanced playing field for others and that when you were fortunate, it was your role to help those less fortunate.

He grew up in poverty, with an alcoholic, abusive father who he and his brothers turfed out when my father was a teenager.  He dropped out of school at 14 to help earn money  but through hard work, grit and determination, ended up a successful business man. 

He never forgot his humble beginnings and was generous to a fault, as I discovered at his funeral as people came forward telling me about the loans he’d given them.  You could say he was a dragon before there was a denJ

So with that backdrop, it is not all that surprising that I have tried to follow in his footsteps – giving my time, my expertise or donations to good causes.  While this has been gratifying, it is not all altruistic, and in fact many of my volunteer positions have actually led to paid jobs.

As a business owner, I have also found that there are benefits to giving back, particularly from a brand perspective.  Customers and staff all want to be part of an organization that cares, that supports others.  Take TOMS.  For each pair of shoes you buy, Blake MyCoskie donates a pair to a child in a developing country.  His shoes are comfortable, not that expensive and so it is easy to support his business.

Recently on my birthday I was given a “Me to We” card where a portion of the sales went to one of their causes.  They provided a link so you could check in and see just where the money was going.  All great marketing and a real feel-good moment all round,

When you give from your heart, you’re not doing it for the accolades or potential awards you could receive, yet that is what happened to me when I got involved with Opportunity International, a charity that gives microfinance loans to women in developing countries.

I helped write a book Faces of Opportunity which shared the stories of some of the women. It was a real eye-opener for me in terms of the poverty most of the women faced, and one of the women had died of AIDS by the time the book was published.  That book raised over $20,000 for the cause, and as a result I received the TIAW World of Difference Award, which in turn led me to be invited to speak in Turkey, all expenses paid.

See what I mean.  You have no idea how much your efforts will not only impact others, but your own life too.

I encourage you to step back and see what cause you can align your business with.  When it fits with your mission and vision, perhaps as in my case, it made sense to support = women in developing countries, because that is what I am doing here in Canada.   Or it be could that you want to have an impact on the future generation?  We’ve done that too.

And just to be clear,  it doesn’t have to be money.  It could be your time or expertise.  When you sit on a board, for example, you broaden your networks and learn new skills.   

Start small.  But start.   I’ve found  that when you focus on others, you live a more fulfilled life and there’s a real buzz when you realize that you are making a difference.

There is a quote I like “All that you give into the lives of others, comes back into your own.”  How true that is.

Inspiring women wanted

Do you remember Sally Fields at the Oscars several years ago when she cried and said “you like me, you really like me.”  It speaks to how we all can second guess ourselves and need that pat on the back to say we are doing a good job.

I remember when I won the Entrepreneur of the Year award.  I felt such an imposter.  I’d been running Company of Women for six years then and it was still a struggle to make a profit.  I remember at the time thinking that while I may have the entrepreneurial spirit, I was glad they didn’t ask to see my financials, or they might have taken the award back J

Over the years I have received several awards and while it is often a humbling experience, it is also a proud one too.  It reaffirms that you are on the right path; that you are making a difference and your contributions have not gone unnoticed.

It can also be the confidence boost you need to go further in your career, business or personal life.  And so this year at the Journey 2 Success conference, I am thrilled to announce that we will be presenting the first Woman of Inspiration Award.

Now we are not looking for someone who has built an empire – we want to honour ordinary women who have shown extraordinary compassion for others; who’ve gone that extra mile in their business and in life.

Can you think of someone who has helped you in your business - giving you advice, helping you find customers or been there or provided support just when you’ve needed it?   Or maybe she volunteers in the community, giving her time to a special cause.

You can?  Good.  Because I want to encourage you to nominate her for our Woman of Inspiration Award.  So many women quietly go about their day-to-day lives without realizing the impact they have on others or expecting any recognition for what they do.

Well no more.  With this first Woman of Inspiration Award which we will present on May 26, we want to celebrate and recognize women who have had the courage to successfully launch a business and given back, helping others to succeed, be it through their volunteer work, mentoring or financial support.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, we want to launch this award as our way of celebrating the achievements of women within our Company of Women community.   The deadline for nominations is March 27, 2015.  To learn more, go to http://journey2success.ca/?page_id=418

Giving back

National Volunteer Week is just behind us and over the years, I have done my share of volunteering.  To be honest, I have gained way more than I have ever given.

Here are just some of the lessons I have learned along the way.

1.             There’s more than one way to help someone

As a volunteer probation officer, I was assigned to a young lad who was into motor bikes, especially those that didn’t belong to him.  I can’t say it was an easy match.  

I connected more with his parents, and in the end, it was through working with them, that I was able to support him.

2.             Small things make a difference

Early in my volunteer career, I used to run a mothers’ group for Children’s Aid.  I had this Pollyanna approach that I was going to “save” the women which I soon realized was so not the case. So I lowered my expectations, and was content if a woman wore lipstick one week, as that meant she was feeling better about herself. 

3.             People show you what they want you to see

It was through the mothers’ group that I learned this important lesson. I had been showing the mothers how to do crafts at home inexpensively, with shaving cream and food colouring. 

One woman refused to do it. It turns out that if she’d gone home smelling of shaving cream, she would “pay” for it.  (We later hooked her up to the local shelter and helped her on her escape plan.)

4.             Words are powerful

As a “reporter” for a newsletter – Halt-on-Abuse – I was fortunate to be mentored by the editor, who was my first teacher on the importance of words and how with the right ones, you can have an impact.

5.             Mutual respect and a shared vision makes things happen

I have served on numerous boards, and when they work well, much of it is due to people respecting each other, the contributions and talents shared and have a common vision of what has to be done.  When that is not in place, it is tough and often the group is doomed to fail.

6.             You can’t always win

As an entrepreneur I am used to making my decisions without too much consultation.  That strategy doesn’t work when you are part of a volunteer team, each with an equal voice on what happens.  So not only does it take longer to reach consensus, but you don’t always get your own way.  Sometimes you have to go with the flow.

7.             You don’t know where it will lead

Several times in my career, I have stepped up and taken leadership roles within an association.   Little did I know that as a result, I would have exciting work opportunities come my way such as Editor of Today’s Parent.

8.             You broaden your network

I have met people from around the world as a result of my volunteer work.  Folks I would never have met except for our common interest in the organization that recruited us as volunteers.

9.             Know when to leave

No matter how much you may believe in the cause, there are times when the frustrations and dysfunction make it impossible to stay involved.  That’s when you have to step back and ask yourself if your contribution is worth the personal grief involved.  It may be time to leave and share your expertise elsewhere.

10.         Bottom line, it has to be fun

I have made some wonderful friends through my volunteer work and to me that is one of the biggest gains.  If you are not learning, growing and having fun, then it may not be a good match.