HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

This summer my daughters wanted to start a vegetable garden and I was thrilled that they wanted to do so. Although in hindsight it has become a bit like the time they wanted to get a rabbit. “Oh yes, mummy we will look after it.” “Oh yes, mummy we will clean out the cage.” Right. Guess who ended up with the maintenance of the rabbit?

Likewise with the garden, the major watering and weeding seems to have landed with me. However, it has been an interesting experience and as I reflect on it – very similar to starting a business.

Being novice gardeners, we started by planting all sorts of vegetables and strawberries. I have to say, we rather leapt in and read up what we should do after we’d planted – not always a good idea. Just as in starting your business, it’s helpful to do some homework so you can determine what you need to do and when.

We had a broad selection of vegetables from tomatoes to broccoli to pumpkins. The first to take off were the radishes which is when I started to question our choices. You see none of us like radishes, so why are we growing them? Similarly when you start a business you tend to offer a broad range of services and products because you are not sure what will take off, what will prove popular. My lesson from this – don’t choose something you don’t like to do, or in our case, like to eat. It’s a waste of your time.

Watching our garden grow has also been a lesson on flexibility and not guessing at outcomes. Given our lack of knowledge, the weather and other tests of nature such as local critters who are also keenly interested in our produce, it has paid to diversify. You never can tell, especially when you are starting out what is going to fly. So as you offer a range of products, give it time, you will soon learn what works and you may even be surprised at what ends up being your niche market. And like the garden, it pays to cultivate and nurture your customers.

We planted the seeds too close together, making it impossible for some to grow which makes me think of how we can take on too much and squeeze too much into a day when we start, not realizing how much time all the different tasks will take. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Prioritize.

And as for the strawberries, they were a lost leader. The weeds grew up so strong around where we planted them that we were unable to discern which were weeds and which were the strawberry plants! The solution– we dug it all up. We’ll start over next year and be a tad more attentive as to what they look like. As you grow your business, there will be lost leaders too. The trick is to learn from your mistakes and move forward.

Next year I think we will be a little more selective and realistic about what we will plant. We know more about what works, what we like and have a better sense of the work involved. If you have just ended your first year of business, no doubt you will have grown too and be better prepared for the next season in the life of your business.

Tonight we are sampling our beans – one of the joys of gardening – be it a business or vegetables - you get to enjoy the fruits of your labour.

CONFIDENCE BOOST

I met with Andrew Patricio from Biz Launch ostensibly to explore ways that we could work together in providing training and support for would-be women entrepreneurs.

I had heard Andrew talk at a women’s conference and was impressed with what I saw and heard. He clearly knew his stuff and from the stories he told, was truly supportive of women entrepreneurs. So I contacted him to suggest a meeting. It took us a while to find a mutually convenient time, but we persevered and we met at Andrew’s Mississauga office – Starbucks.

As we familiarized each other with the programs and services we offered, it was clear that we were working with similar groups, albeit at different levels as BizLaunch delivers workshops across Canada for Staples and Company of Women is based in the GTA.

When I initiated the meeting, my goal was to look at how BizLaunch could help my members and other women build and grow their businesses. I never expected that the main focus of our discussion would be on how to build and grow mine!

Like other entrepreneurs, there are times when you feel you are working in a vacuum not sure if you are moving in the right direction or making the right moves. My conversation with Andrew was a real boost as he enthused about all that we have done in Company of Women to date and encouraged me to think bigger.

I left that meeting on a real high – pumped and ready to take on the world! So thank you Andrew – for your time, your suggestions and your frank comments.

PS If you are looking for training and support – check out www.bizlaunch.ca

Dreams

We all have dreams that we want to realize, and often it takes us longer than we think to get there.

But a few weeks ago, I shared my dream with several women who are part of Company of Women and with their help, it is becoming a reality.

I have always enjoyed writing – real stuff – not fiction – but the facts of life. When I look back, I was even the editor of the school newsletter so it really should come as no surprise, that writing, sharing our truths and finding our voices are very much part of my future as well as my past.

So what’s the dream? To produce a publication that is meaningful to women; that gives you the information, tools and a touch of reality (and humour) to help you succeed and realize your dreams. The other weekend, we had the first meeting of a group of women who will be writing for Company – a new publication we plan to launch in September.

Sure, there are other publications out there – but few that address the needs of women in business, and few that acknowledge how busy we are, and how little time we have to read, reflect and relax. Our goal is that Company will be THE resource to accelerate your success.

Company will be a cross between a newsletter and a magazine – we’ve fondly nicknamed it a “nag” and it will be more a mini-magazine. Why now? Well I have decided, if I don’t get on with it, it will all be too late, and just a lofty dream. So sink or swim, we’re off.

Stay tuned, it could be quite the ride!

Life is precious

Life isn’t fair to some people, some of the time. Take some close friends of my parents, a really great couple who had raised two daughters and enjoyed their four grandchildren.

Then one of the daughters suddenly gets sick with leukemia, and within six weeks has died. The shock of her death took its toll on her parents. I mean none of us expect our children to die before us. It’s the wrong order of things. But being brave and having each other, they survive and life begins to resume some normalcy when two years later, their second daughter has a massive heart attack and dies instantly. Having two daughters myself, I can’t even begin to imagine their pain, their loss.

Now today I learn, eight months after Angela’s death, that Muriel, her mother has died also. The cause isn’t known, but I suspect from a broken heart. How tough can life be. Now her husband has to soldier on, instead of enjoying his golden years with his loved ones. Sure makes you appreciate that we should live for the moment.

Taking Time to Play

Every May, Megan and I escape from Company of Women for a mini-retreat. We started this a couple of years ago, and have found it works well – for both of us.

When mother and daughter work together, it can be too easy to cross boundaries in our relationships – as mother-daughter, employer and employee. Besides, by the time we reach May – having co-ordinated at least four events a month since September, we have almost had enough. We know instinctively that it is time for a break – it refuels us so we can carry on and finish “our year” still being professional, friendly and willing to tackle whatever comes our way.

This year we went to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Just an hour drive from Oakville, it is amazing how quickly you can slip off the business shroud and don your play clothes.

Our rule – one Megan devised (can’t think why) is that we don’t talk business, and as Martha Stewart would say, this is a good thing. It allows us to slip back into our other and more important roles of mother-daughter. We enjoy each other’s company and of course, share a love of shopping so spending time together is not difficult, except maybe on the pocket book!

Just three days … and you feel totally different. I highly recommend a mini escape – be it one day or more - as it allows you to catch your breath, see things from a different perspective and get back to work on a more even keel.

It is a small world

Last week was truly exciting on many fronts. We were hosting our first annual conference for women in business and by all accounts, it was a huge success. Knowing who we had coming as speakers, I was confident that it would go well, but what I hadn’t known was that we would be joined by some women from Africa and Pakistan who were in Canada as part of an international trade mission.

I had been able to spend some time with them for two days prior to the conference, and when four of them chose to join us on Thursday, it truly made the conference special.
In talking with them afterwards, they found as we do here, that the issues are the same world-wide and there is comfort and support in finding out you are not alone in your business.

I thank everyone for giving them such a warm welcome and I am excited to report that we have our first international member, as one of the women joined. Not only that, they are talking about coming back for next year’s event and bringing more women with them! Now that… as young people say, rocks.

Touching base

When did you last ask your customers what they wanted or needed?

So often we spend our time determining what we think our customers need, which of course somehow fits into what we have to offer. But is that good business? Does it work? And how long do you keep those people as clients if that is all they are to you – a pay cheque?

At our members only meeting this week, we actively sought feedback. You could feel the energy in the room as people discussed (and debated) the questions asked of them. It has been my experience that when you involve people, they feel more connected. When you ask their opinion, they feel valued and when you give them a voice, they clamber to be heard. People came up with some great ideas, many of which we hope to implement in the months ahead.

It’s good to touch base and check in with your clients. It keeps you honest and helps also clear up any miscommunication, so everyone is on the same page and expectations are realistic.

Why not contact one of your clients today – not to make a sale, just to chat. You might be surprised what you learn.

Our Hero

This week I had the great pleasure of attending the retirement party for Charlie Coffey, formerly of RBC Financial Group. This wasn't an official party sponsored by the bank, but one where women, many of who were recipients of the Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Award, came together to celebrate and honour this special man.

Charlie is a strong advocate for women, and especially women entrepreneurs, so it was no surprise that women from across Canada had come to this event. A champion of youth, he also supported their efforts over the years and so the age-mix at this party was also noticeable.

I’ve been to several events hosted by Charlie and what has always struck me was his unfailing interest in people – and not just his guests, but the wait staff and anyone else who crossed his path. One time on the 40th floor at RBC, he had the waiter give the grace according to his culture, and he introduced him personally.

He would always joke that with five sisters and his mother, he had to get women’s issues or he was “toast” at home. At the Women Trading Globally conference in Vancouver a few years ago, Charlie was made an “honorary woman” much to the enjoyment of the women participating in this event.

Naturally we all wish Charlie well in his retirement, but oh we are going to miss him.

SUCCESS COMES WITH A PRICE TAG

Work ON your business, not in your business was the key message to Bev McMaster’s talk on Wednesday night. And she should know. She grew We Care Health Services from a home-based business to 50 franchises across Canada, but it wasn’t without a price.

She found it hard to let go, and insisted on being involved in every aspect of the business, all this while working to maintain a marriage and raise four children. Something had to give and it did. Her marriage ended and her health suffered. It wasn’t until she was through her depression that she realized she needed to trust the people she’d hired to get on with their job, so she could get on with leading the company.

She called it Founder’s Syndrome and cautioned the audience not to fall into this trap of believing that they were indispensable. Today, while she is still a shareholder in We Care Health Services, she is very much arms length from the business and she likes it that way.

However, once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur and she has gone on to start another venture – Blue Sky Personnel. This time she has taken all the lessons she learned from running We Care, and launched a business where she is very much in the back seat. She’s not even a back seat driver, critically directing traffic from behind the scenes.

No, she’s realized that she has a very competent team working for her, including at one point, her son, and she doesn’t need to be involved in the day-to-day running of the organization. On the personal front, she has moved to Collingwood, and has a new partner. Life is good.

When you read Bev’s bio, you assume that this is someone who has her life together in order to achieve all that she has done, including the awards she has won such as Leading Woman Entrepreneur of the World in 1998. So to hear her presentation on Wednesday was an eye-opener. I always encourage my speakers to be honest… and she sure was. It took courage for her to reveal the darker side of success.

It felt like a cautionary tale of how ambition and the drive to succeed can take you down a dangerous path to self-destruction. And for many of us, as Bev discovered the hard way, that price is too high.

DIGGING DEEP

Recently I had the opportunity to participate in a media interview, and in preparation had to answer some really tough questions on topics we don’t think about on a daily basis.

It was an interesting process and I was surprised at how deep I had to dig to come up with honest answers. I had answered all the questions but struggled with some, waffling on what was the best and most accurate answer to give.

I mean… if you were asked what talent or skill you wanted to have … how quickly could you come up with an answer? I had narrowed it down to three choices – public speaking, painting or driving (I am a nervous driver). As I reflected on this, it struck me that no where had I ever really acknowledged that I wanted to learn to paint, and if I really wanted to pursue this, there was nothing stopping me from taking lessons. Hey – who knows I could be the next Emily Carr!

What did I pick? In the end I went with the driving, because my fears limit me and I need to overcome this one.

Yet other questions, were easy to answer, such as describing the perfect day. Straight away I saw myself with my girlfriends, chatting, laughing, supporting each other in the way that women do.

All in all a thought-provoking process, that caused me to think hard and to ask my friends and family how accurate and truthful I was being in describing myself.

I leave you with one of the questions – what five words best describe you?

YOUTH SPEAKING OUT

Have you heard of Theatre Sheridan? – To me it is one of Oakville’s best kept secrets. Each year the Sheridan students put on six productions, the best of which is Catch a Rising Star, where students showcase their talents and their own work. And, I might add at the fraction of the cost of going to the theatre in Toronto or Hamilton.

With Catch a Rising Star, you are never sure what you will see or hear. The students pick their own theme and often use their musical talents to speak out on issues that are important to them. This year’s show was no exception.

As I sat in the cabaret style theatre, I wondered how many of the audience, who seemed to be mainly part of the grey hair brigade, were agreement with the views voiced by the young students? Or whether they felt uncomfortable with their brutal honesty.

Two performances truly stood out for me. A young woman with a powerful voice, and a powerful message sang her song Dear Mr President, in which she asked how he could sleep at night, how he could look people in the eye, while young men and women were killed and mothers never got to say goodbye. She sang it with passion and I found myself thinking – good for you for speaking up and giving words to what others think but do not have the courage to say.

The next song was Earth, and focused on global warming. Again a strong performance and the message was emphasized as the students wandered among the audience with the chorus “What about us?”

I find it reassuring that our young people do care about these issues and as always I’m in awe of their talent.

If you get a chance, go see the show, you will be glad you did. It is on until April 21st.

Realistic Expectations

We expect so much of ourselves and often we stand in our own way with our unrealistic expectations of what can be achieved and what we can do.

Years ago I taught a parenting course on children’s self-esteem and one of my favourite sessions was the one on realistic expectations. Children don’t question whether our expectations for them are accurate and so if we aim too high for them, they fail, and if we aim too low, they fail also. In parenting, it is therefore key to have some understanding and knowledge of normal child development and the ages and stages that children go through, because with these tools in our back pocket, we can be more realistic about what our children can accomplish and as a result they flourish and grow, not hindered by unrealistic expectations.

So perhaps we need to take a leaf out of our parenting books, and develop some realistic expectations for ourselves, because as adults, we are constantly raising the bar. Last night one of our panel members shared how trying to juggle two young children and a thriving business caught her off kilter. No wonder – that’s a lot for anyone to manage – yet she thought she could.

But as she found, when she stopped, caught her breath and focused on her priorities - a toddler and infant baby – her customers were willing to wait. When you set boundaries and limits, it protects everyone. If you are good at what you do, people will wait, they won’t just switch to someone else.

As I listened to her share this experience, it struck me that when you have the courage to reveal your vulnerability, your truth, you seem real. I know the women in the audience identified with the situation and appreciated her honesty.

The truth is always simple, but living it is not always easy.

Spring Cleaning

With Spring just around the corner, it was interesting to read an article this weekend about decluttering your life.

The author, a life coach, was encouraging readers to be brutal with their “stuff” and clean out fifty items from their lives. Books, for example, just counted as one so you could not cheat by recycling 50 books from your collection. No, you had to take a systematic approach and work your way through your home. She also recommended keeping a list, so you can look at it later and actually feel lighter.

As someone who has lived in the same house for 23 years, raised two daughters who have left and come back but never empty-handed, our basement looks like a battleground. We have a two-car garage that has not seen a car in years, as it too is home to the leftovers of lives lived elsewhere.

And if I am really honest, I am a bit of a packrat. I’ve had several careers and still have the paperwork to prove it. I’ve kept every file, study or report that I have ever written… just in case … you know, I may need it again.

But what was really interesting about this article, was the premise that when you get rid of the clutter in your life, it is much easier to move on to letting go of the negative thoughts that litter your head and hold you back. And you can count them in your fifty!

She suggests you make a list of the old convictions, fears, negative assumptions and depressing voices that weigh you down and commit to letting them go. Every morning for two weeks, recommit to eliminating them from your day-to-day thinking and congratulate yourself on the progress, however slight.

One woman was concerned when she contacted the author because she’d only got rid of one thing – her partner. But as the coach said, that was perhaps all she needed to take control of her life again.

Her advice – spring is here, and it’s time to lighten up. Don’t let yourself be shackled to irrelevant debris of the past, either physical or mental.

So, as I start to sort through old files and boxes of stuff, it becomes very freeing, and already I feel lighter because of the process.

What are you going to throw away? Start counting…

Branding Yourself

In running Company of Women, I get to meet some wonderful women with amazing stories to tell. One such woman is Diana Bishop, who was our guest speaker last night. With no notes (which always impresses me), she told her story with humour - always keeping her audience attentive and entertained.

With self-effacing honesty, she shared her fascinating climb up the journalism ladder, from the early days when her assignment was to write about white asparagus, to her national break when she covered a story about three ducks stuck in the ice , to her years in China as one of the first female foreign reporters with CBS, CTV and then NBS.

There she was at the peak in her career, earning big dollars but something was missing. Many of us would have just stuck it out, but Diana felt compelled to follow her heart and see where it led. She left her job, unsure of what the future would unfold.

When she reflected back on her career, she realized that what she truly loved was the storytelling. She turned her seasoned interviewing skills into a business through which she helps people share their story and then packages it so they can use the material as a marketing tool to brand their business. And it works.

Her advice to the women in the audience was to find their passion, to think about their special talents and find the one thing that truly differentiates them from anyone else, because when you build your brand on who you are and what makes you unique; no one else can come close.

Many of the women told me that they'd been really tired when they first arrived, but following Diana's presentation, they felt energized and renewed. They left with a bounce to their step, full of enthusiasm and hope. Thank you Diana for your story - it warmed our hearts, let us laugh out loud and gave us food for thought. What is my one thing? Stay tuned.

You're not alone

This week I have had several emails from people just starting out. It takes me back to my early days when I first launched my consulting practice and was constantly second-guessing myself. Should I have done this… should I have done that.. What if…

It really is a time of uncertainty and there were days (and there still are) when I questioned my sanity and my ability to work for myself. Mind you these days, I joke that I am no longer employable. You get very used to calling the shots, but with that control comes the responsibility and knowledge that the buck stops with you.

One woman was asking if she should join a network and I really encouraged her to test out the ones in her city. Meeting up with other business owners helps reduce the sense of isolation you can feel and you quickly realize that you are not alone. One thing I have found in running Company of Women is that it doesn’t really matter what business you are in… the issues are usually the same – cash flow, finding customers, marketing, websites, finding and keeping staff, etc…

Through all the connections I have made at Company of Women, I enjoy linking people and it's been fun to match someone in a business in one city, with someone in a similar business elsewhere. To me that is what networking is all about. Listening and helping each other.

One of the joys of the Internet, is that it is so easy to connect and reach out for help. And that was my invitation to these women… email me, let me know how you are doing, and when you want to celebrate or vent… I’m just a click away.

Technically challenged

Deleting all my emails in error should have been my first clue that the day was not going to proceed as planned. Fortunately I managed to retrieve most of them, but it was a time-consuming exercise and for those of you who emailed me between mid-February and mid-March – I apologize. If I didn’t reply before, I can’t now because your email has been lost to email heaven. Hopefully you will get back to me if it was really important.

My computer started to go on the fritz yesterday. No Excel – there goes my database. No Internet – there goes my ability to google and search on the net. Scary stuff. It must be human nature but as soon as you can’t have something, that’s all you want. I felt myself stymied as if using the Internet was the only thing on my “to do” list.

And of course, it wasn’t. We are busy promoting our conference which is on May 17 and I am sure my graphics person is ready to fire me if I make one more change to our flyer. For a variety of reasons we’ve had to make several changes, some if I'm honest because of oversights on my part. At any rate, it is time to put this baby to bed.

I wait for my tech guy to come… he was due five hours ago and still no sign. I seem destined to have a day sans Internet, but wouldn’t you know it, today is the Day of Virtual Introduction, sponsored by The International Virtual Women’s Chamber of Commerce and I had signed up and paid to participate. At least some of it is done through email, so I am not totally missing out but much is also linked through the Internet.

My tech guy arrives. His car had broken down. I guess he’s not had a great day either!

Ah well, tomorrow – I will be online, onboard and moving onward…

Leaving a legacy

MJ DeCoteau was just 22 years old when her mother died of breast cancer. For many, this premature loss would leave a lasting scar and a feeling of emptiness, but for MJ it led to a new career, and a new charity ReThink Breast Cancer.

Realizing that she needed to check out her risks, MJ searched for health information and found that most literature showed an elderly woman doing self-breast exam. As a young twenty-something, she couldn't relate to this material and was sure she wasn't alone. So she founded ReThink Breast Cancer so that she could reach young women. Her organization set about developing innovative awareness campaigns and strategies that would peak the interest of young women. And it's working which is just as well, as contrary to the myth that breast cancer only strikes older women, sadly more and more young women are falling victim to this disease.

Last year, when I was participating in the 60K walk to end breast cancer, I was asked to be a media spokesperson. There were seven of us selected from the 5,000 walkers and as we met to be briefed on how to work with the media, we had to share our stories. Most of the other women were much younger than me and one in particular comes to mind. She had been diagnosed just after she had her first baby. How scary and it sure hit home to me that this is no longer an old lady's disease.

We should be grateful that women like MJ are stepping forward and helping young women come to terms with their illness and that her fresh, upbeat, marketing approach is putting a new spin on breast cancer and getting the message out there.

As I said to MJ after she spoke at our Company of Women dinner, her mother would be proud of her. Instead of leaving her lost, she's left a legacy.

To learn more about ReThink Breast Cancer, go to www.rethinkbreastcancer.com

You Go Girl...

This week I received an exciting news from Marissa McTasney, of Tomboy Trades.

I first met Marissa last September when I presented her with the Company of Women scholarship which is presented to a graduate of the Women in Skilled Trades program. At that time, Tomboy Trades was just a kernel of an idea; a concept she was pursuing.

Fast forward to March of this year, and Tomboy Trades will be launching its line of products - hard hats, work boots, safety glasses, tool belts and t-shirts in pink, blue, green and red. All of which will be available by the end of month through Home Depot!

This is huge! Not only has she sourced manufacturers in China, US and Canada, but she's persistently gone after Home Depot and it's paid off. I applaud her tenacity and determination to turn her dream into a reality. As a young mother of two, she's had to juggle her business start up with the needs of her family.

But best of all, Marissa is paying it forward and this year, she is presenting her own scholarship at the Women in Skilled Trades program. Now THAT is what it is all about.

To check out her products, go to www.tomboytrades.com

Building your team

Last week, our speaker Cynthia Richards of Event Spectrum shared some of her secrets of hiring and keeping gems on her team. Starting her business just nine years ago, she and her partner Zora Kriz, have built an amazing business which has led to Cynthia being listed in the top 100 Women Entrepreneurs in PROFIT magazine. Clearly they were doing something right.

And as Cynthia talked, it became obvious that they were on to something. Cynthia’s entrepreneurial philosophy is a simple one -- happy, motivated and challenged staff results in exceptional client service and loyalty that positively impacts your bottom line!

As they built their team, they offered all sorts of incentives not only to stay, but to work hard for the company – such as profit sharing, shopping days, an on-site gym, and opportunities to celebrate their successes.

Working in the fast-paced world of event planning, it was key to the company’s growth that staff had time to relax and unwind, and providing an on-site gym helped them to stay fit and healthy.

I also liked Cynthia’s approach to working with staff, assigning projects that work to their strengths, rather than focusing on their weaknesses. They take time to assess and determine each staff member’s talents, skills and interests so that they are given projects that will challenge and engage them.

Some of this she has learnt the hard way – as she said – the good, the bad and the ugly, especially when describing the situation when you hire the rock star, who doesn’t fit in with your culture and can undermine any sense of cohesiveness within the team. Her advice – if your gut is telling you it is not going to work out – don’t wait – let that person go before they do too much damage to staff morale.

Cynthia also walks the talk and her team of staff all attended the dinner, proud of their boss and keen to support her.

She shared a couple of situations where the team not only supported them, but came to the rescue – further speaking to the loyalty she has deservedly earned from her staff.

It is often said that you are only as good as your team, and building an effective, enthusiastic team has clearly been a priority at Event Spectrum, and it has paid off.

Making a difference

For some time now I have been looking for a new cause to get involved in. For the past seven years I had been an active volunteer with ATHENA - an organization that assists women in realizing their leadership potential but I was getting restless and knew it was time for me to move on and lend my time and talents to another worthy cause.

I met Lise just by chance. She was having lunch at the restaurant where we hold our breakfast meetings, and the owner introduced us. We did the business card exchange thing, and I really thought nothing more about it... until I checked her website.

Lise is the Senior Advancement Representative for Opportunity International Canada, an organization that "provides banking services and training - microfinance - to the entrepreneurial poor so they can work their way out of poverty."

Making a difference has always been my driving force in life and here was an opportunity to truly impact the lives of women globally.

Just in case I hadn't got the message then, who should be the closing speaker at the Empowering Women event, but the Vice President of Opportunity International. She showed a moving video of how just a small loan of $100 completely turned the life around for a woman in Peru and her family.

Clearly this was meant to happen and this week I met with Lise. I am really excited at what we can do together - both personally and professionally as we will also be involving Company of Women in supporting this initiative.

Opportunity International is holding an information luncheon on March 15 at the Toronto Board of Trade, if you want to learn more and you can reach Lise at lstruthers@opportunityinternational.ca. Or check out their website at www.opportunityinternational.ca