The 10 Most Empowering Women in Business, 2023

10

The Most in

Empowering 2023

Women BUSINESS

Danielle Cantor Danielle Cantor Jeweler

Persevering Excellence Jeweler

Pooja M Bansal Editor-in-Chief

CONTENT

Senior Editor Alan Swann

Executive Editors Abhishek Joshi

Alex Spellman

DESIGN

Visualizer Dave Bates

Art & Design Director Revati B.

Associate Designer Ankita P.

SALES

Senior Sales Manager Sihanee M., Rouniyar A.

Customer Success Manager Jack Ryan

Sales Executives John

TECHNICAL

Technical Head Prachi M.

Technical Consultant Victor Collins

SME-SMO

Research Analyst Eric Smith

SEO Executive Sagar L.

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March, 2023

Featured Person

Amy Brown, Director of Operations & Commercial Lines

Bettina Schaller Bossert President

Danielle Cantor Jeweler Partner and Executive Vice President

Company Name

Assured Partners assuredpartners.com

World Employment Confederations wecglobal.org

FAME famebb.com

Brief

As the Regional Director of Operations and Commercial Lines at AssuredPartners, Amy regularly and proactively collaborates with every department and sector of the agency, which helps her fine-tune her abilities.

Bettina Schaller oversees the Group Public Affairs activities of the Adecco Group, encompassing regulatory and policy issues and the Adecco Group’s memberships in Employers’ Associations at global and European scale.

Danielle Cantor Jeweler, Executive Vice President and Partner of F.A.M.E., is an NBPA Certified Agent, representing current and retired NBA talent.

Emily Dulin CEO

Kristin Ramlal, Vice-President Institutional Sales

Nikki Cockcroft CEO

Nnenna Uboma, Chief Strategic Officer & Analytics Senior Leader

Rachel Lemos Executive Director, Supply Chain

Roshni Wijayasinha Founder

Taryn Andersen CEO and Co-founder

Brooke USA BrookeUSA.org

Canada Life canadalife.com

The Digital Team digitalteam.dev

Beyond Math beyondmath.ca

Emily is an experienced not-for-profit executive with in-depth knowledge of branding and marketing, and a track-record of success in fundraising - from major gifts and planned giving to special events and direct mail.

With nearly 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, Kristin has gained experience in several areas.

Nikki Cockcroft is an executive leader in digital transformation, e-commerce, strategy consulting, marketing, data strategy and customer-led businesses.

As the world moves more and more into an automated black box, Beyond Math helps kids to begin early to develop and retain in-depth analytical, complex problem-solving skills required to succeed in a more digitally aware and interconnect global society.

BC Ferries bcferries.com

Prosh Marketing proshmarketing.com

Impulse4women impulse4women.org

Rachel has over 20+ years experience in Supply Chain and Procurement, proven track record leading teams in complex organizations, both in the private and public sector.

Roshni is a trusted marketing leader with 15 yrs of progressive experience helping companies bring brands and products to market.

Taryn Andersen She is CEO and Co-founder of Impulse4women, an international nonprofit association operating both online and offline.

Danielle Cantor

Persevering Excellence

The lasting impact I hope to make on my clients' lives—the opportunities and tools I hope to provide through educating them about business, introducing them to entrepreneurial opportunities, and empowering them to use their enormous platform to impact the communities around them—that's what keeps me engaged and motivated and challenged every single day.

ver Story

S t o r y

Danielle Cantor Jeweler Partner and Executive Vice President FAME

Paving her way in a challenging journey to success, facing numerous challenges and obstacles, has broken Danielle Cantor Jeweler the glass ceiling to become one of the most empowering women in business.

As the at , Partner and Executive Vice President FAME Danielle is passionate and dedicated to her clients with a result-driven approach. Her achievements have inspired many women to pursue their dreams and break barriers in their respective fields.

Danielle's success is a testament to the power of determination, hard work, and perseverance. She continues to set an example for women everywhere to strive for excellence in their careers.

We caught up with Danielle to learn more in-depth about her professional journey.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

Brief our audience about your journey as a business leader until your current position at FAME. What challenges have you had to overcome to reach where you are today?

I always knew I wanted to spend time in or around the professional sports business. I wasn't sure if I could necessarily make a career in the sports industry because it simply wasn't on my radar back then. I had several relevant and impressive summer jobs/internships in the sports industry. However, I

didn't believe there was a real future for me in the business side of professional sports. I thought I was going to work in finance or marketing, like most of my friends and peers coming out of the University of Pennsylvania and Wharton at the time. I figured I could volunteer, find "passion projects" to do, get involved with Boards and non-profits in the sports world, etc., while 'making a living' in the finance industry. But, after contacting SFX Sports Group, because I had read that David Falk sold his company, F.A.M.E, to SFX (a large media conglomerate making waves in sports and entertainment at the time) for a large sum of money, my heart was set on pursuing a potential career in sport. I was hired for the summer as an unpaid "intern" (they didn't even have such a thing as interns at the time) in marketing and finance.

I quickly realized that I had to follow my passion for the business of sport, regardless of the SIGNIFICANT difference in pay from the job opportunities I was offered in finance, accounting, and marketing. Eventually, I was offered a full-time position at SFX in the Talent Marketing division. Over the next 5-6 years, I worked my way up from Manager to Director to Vice President of Basketball Marketing.

When I started at SFX in May of 2000, it was a growing full-service sport and entertainment agency with about 1,100 athlete clients and approximately 900 employees across 7 SFX Sports offices across the United States (and another two offices in Europe). In 2007, SFX (owned by ClearChannel Entertainment) was acquired by Live Nation, and the sports-related business was not part of Live Nation's long-term vision, so each agent/sports division restructured and moved on. I was weighing my options at the time, as I was working closely with/for several prominent basketball agents and their respective clients, so I was conflicted about my future. Ultimately, when David Falk told me about his plan to relaunch FAME, this time as an ultraboutique sports agency, and he shared with me his vision and the opportunity for me to become his partner in the business, I was all-in, and we relaunched the new version of F.A.M.E., together, in 2007.

I did not PLAN to become an NBPA Certified Agent. As I said, I always knew I wanted to have a career in sports, but I decided to focus more on financial management or marketing/endorsements. This role evolved, naturally, over many years in the business. Over the years, I tried hard to lead with my values and avoid getting caught up

We saw our clients as partners rather than just another asset in our extensive inventory of business.

in the 'rat race' of the NBA agent business. This industry is filled with unethical people and questionable business practices. It was tough not to 'walk away' many times when I constantly felt that no matter how hard I worked or how unconditionally dedicated I was to my clients and colleagues, people continued poaching clients, cheating, and cutting corners all around me.

I never lost focus and never tried to push too hard. I think staying focused on relationships—earning and gaining the respect of the NBA owners, General Managers, top executives at big companies, and NBA athletes alike—is how I thrived. I always cared more about my relationships than accolades, media attention, salary increases, job titles, or anything else. As long as the folks with whom I continued to workwhether daily internally or with key stakeholders and executives

negotiating across the table—respected me and valued my role, I felt that was enough!

Everyone has a different path and a different journey. There isn't a blueprint, a formula, or a roadmap to becoming a successful agent. Working for a huge sports agency was the perfect way to gain exposure to and

experience in all aspects of the industry. I was willing to do whatever kind of work was needed on any given day, so I had the opportunity to learn about each area where our agency focused, including public relations, media training, client services, real estate services, investments, financial literacy, tax prep, legal services, branding, marketing, and so on. I didn't realize it at the time, but it allowed me to see the world of representing professional athletes from a holistic perspective, and I was able to do so through many different lenses.

Then, once I became a Partner at F.A.M.E., I evolved into the leader that I am today; I continue to rely on the knowledge and experience I gained throughout this 23year journey working with NBA athletes to add value for my clients, my partner, and colleagues, and the folks with whom I'm working, negotiating, and collaborating every single day. I grew the most as a leader from challenging times, obstacles, and failures. I became the confident leader I am today because of the years of grinding, hustling, and patiently observing the ecosystem around me.

Tell us something more about your company and its mission and vision.

David Falk originally sold F.A.M.E. to a large media company in 1998. He was a visionary. SFX was one of the first large full-service sports agencies, and David Falk saw the market opportunity before anyone else. The many talent

agencies in sports today (like CAA, Wasserman, Klutch, Excel, etc.) wouldn't have the proof of concept or the business model without companies like SFX and visionaries like David Falk. Before David Falk changed the landscape for professional athletes to become brands (what he did with Michael Jordan really didn't exist before, and certainly not for black athletes in team sports), there were very few business opportunities for those athletes beyond their playing contracts on the court or the field.

Then, David saw the industry trending towards huge full-service agencies representing hundreds of athletes. He decided to buck the trend again, returning to being a small, ultra-boutique agency to be different from everyone else in the space at the time.

When we relaunched F.A.M.E. in 2007, the vision and model were about being small, highly personal, individualized, and selective with our clients. In an era when sports agencies were a one-size-fits-all, highvolume, transactional business, we aimed to provide our clients with the highest quality individualized service and guidance. We saw our clients as partners rather than just another asset in our extensive inventory of business. Our business model was, and still is, built on quality service, a holistic approach to each athlete as his own business and brand, and only having a maximum of 10 active NBA clients under management at a time. We're able to be more selective with the clients we recruit and sign, we're able to spend more time with each client and their families, have

deeper connections, and make more of an impact, both on and off the court.

After spending the first seven years of my career in a massive agency with hundreds of clients, it became increasingly more challenging to provide the level of service I wanted to provide, and to add value for my clients in ways I wanted, simply because of the sheer volume of clients. What I enjoy most about my job IS the relationships I build and maintain with my NBA clients, from the time they transition from college into the NBA as rookies, throughout their careers both on and off the court, and into retirement/post-NBA playing days.

The contracts I negotiate for my clients, both on-court and marketing/branding/endorsement contracts, provide financial security for them, but those are transactional. The lasting impact I hope to make on my clients' lives—the opportunities and tools I hope to

provide through educating them about business, introducing them to entrepreneurial opportunities, and empowering them to use their enormous platform to impact the communities around them—that's what keeps me engaged, motivated and challenged every single day.

Enlighten us on how you have impacted the sports talent management niche through your expertise in the market.

As one of the very few women to crack the glass ceiling—being a successful agent in a male-dominated space—I believe it’s my responsibility to make sure more and more women have an opportunity to be successful, and to make a lasting impact, in this industry. Just a few short years ago, I was recognized as the only agent who identified as a female representing active NBA players. I was shocked to learn that statistic at the time, and I made it my mission to ensure that every talented young woman, and each little girl, could do the same. I spent time mentoring women in the sports business and taught and still teach classes in Collective Bargaining, salary cap, and negotiations.

I am constantly finding new ways to connect with and inspire other females looking to pave their way in this industry. Of course, I believe I make an impact on my clients’ lives and on helping to build their legacies. But I think the most significant impact I can make in this industry is opening doors for others to shine and continue championing other womxn in the field and elevate their stories.

Women often find themselves set up against one another, competing for a single seat at the bargaining/Board table. Women must champion each other. We must remember that we’re not competing against each other; we’re competing, together, with each other…for MORE seats at that table. We must amplify each other's voices. Call out each other's wins and, just like we do on the field, remember that we're all in this TOGETHER…your win is OUR win.

Where do you envision yourself in the long run, and what are your future goals for FAME?

I have been here, doing the same thing, for 23 years. F.A.M.E. expanded our business by launching a venture arm, investing in, and advising, early-stage companies intersecting the world of professional sport in some way. That business is flourishing, and it is constantly evolving! I spend time mentoring young folks, doing speaking engagements, teaching classes in law school, and serving on advisory boards for a handful of companies and organizations. I am always ideating and pushing myself and our group to reach new heights.

What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into this sector?

It's not enough to have a passion for sports and think that equals a career in the business side of sport. Many humans enjoy professional sports. It must go deeper than that. Try to find a way to differentiate yourself. Create value and become an expert in something, but don't try to be an expert in everything. You have to bring something to the table. You can't expect others to help you, so you have to give them no choice—bring the value they can't afford to miss.

If you can't find a way to do that, be willing to do whatever it takes to learn the craft and create that value. Use the network you already have to make connections. Be present. Connect and passionately engage when talking to people. When you disengage, leave the person wanting more; you do not need anything from that person other than a new connection. The best opportunities come unexpectedly, so focus on personal relationships rather than the potential associated opportunity.

In today's business world, being a leader is a challenge on top of facing hurdles on a daily basis. To overcome these hurdles, one must have key elements, such as the right attitude, ability, and accountability, to successfully translate into a resultdriven team and organization.

Implementing these elements in her work and keeping the continuous learning approach, Amy Brown has defined herself as a charismatic leader who cares about her team, employees, and people.

As the Regional Director of Operations and Commercial Lines at AssuredPartners , Amy regularly and proactively collaborates with every department and sector of the agency, which helps her fine-tune her abilities.

Amy's career has been exciting, and she kept climbing the corporate ladder learning new skills and understanding various situation and being taught by her mentors. She says, "I would be remiss if I also didn't give credit where credit is due, with extraordinary mentors helping me along the way. I'm thankful to have met those along my journey, and I look forward to learning from those I have yet to meet.”

We reached out to Amy and discussed her professional journey and her plans for the future.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

Brief our audience about your journey as a leader until your current position at AssuredPartners. What challenges have you had to overcome to reach where you are today?

Bolstering Powerful Business Partnerships

Overall, I've had a typical journey in my professional and leadership path. I entered the insurance industry a few years after college. It has changed me for the better - the people, the knowledge acquired, the uniqueness of every situation, and most importantly, the chance of limitless professional growth. The expression 'hard work pays off' is not a cliche; it's reality. Showing up isn't enough if you want growth.

My experience with leadership has been a progression. I started as an Operations Leader with a smaller team, but it quickly expanded after being a part of this team with a specific niche in the industry.

AssuredPartners also played a significant role in the timing of our team's expansion with their unprecedented growth in the industry.

The challenges of leading a team that is growing exponentially are the same as other industries – finding qualified candidates, ongoing training, and producing quality products and services. Now in a Director role, I can connect with a larger platform at AssuredPartners to learn more and offer more.

Tell us something more about AssuredPartners and its mission and vision.

Simply put, Assured Partners puts people first. We are leaders in our industry because of that concept. The mission statement of AssuredPartners is not only something that defines us but, when put into action, is something that emanates from us.

P assion + R espect + I ntegrity + D iligence + E xpertise = PRIDE

We take pride in what we do each day. I enjoy telling the

story of my insurance journey to others as it is relatable for many and, more importantly, why I choose this every day. People relate to those conversations, and it can create a spark in the individual and team.

Enlighten us on how you have impacted the Insurance industry through your expertise in the market.

There must be a team attitude for success in our business. Our local team embodies this, and I've not only been a part of it from the beginning but helped build it. This starts from the very first interview I have with potential candidates. During this process, I'm not only trying to find a great candidate but also thinking about how I can set them up for success in our agency and industry. I am the first person candidates meet who can explain first-hand the possibilities and opportunities with our elite team. People want to make a difference and be a part of something unique.

Describe in detail the values and the work culture that drives AssuredPartners

AssuredPartners encourages employee engagement at every level: nationally, regionally, and locally. It is sometimes forgotten that we are such a large organization. Leadership at every level has an open door, and they regularly demonstrate their care for the employees. This often translates into support with professional development, education, training, and encouraging team-building events. AssuredPartners is an organization that doesn't shy away from change and continually seeks to improve teams and individuals.

Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in almost every sector. How are you leveraging technological advancements to make your solutions resourceful?

Our team, in particular, within AssuredPartners, is undoubtedly a data-driven team. We use the strengths of individuals, systems, and software to dovetail strategy and solutions to clients. It is essential to be adaptable to provide the best outcome for the agency and clients alike. Big data is no doubt the buzzword in most industries these days, but interpreting data and strategizing are still critical components in helping clients. To accomplish this, we invest to be able to provide these solutions. We use the software during recruiting, training, and professional development, all

the way to every level of client services. Finally, we are also in the process of rolling out the best available systems in our industry across the country and automating as many workflows as possible so the team can truly focus on the client. What change would you like to bring to your industry if given a chance?

Continue to change the narrative. Historically, the narrative may have been pushy sales, mundane service work, no creativity, working on an island to service a client, etc. Being in the industry for almost two decades, I have experienced the opposite of this old-school thinking. Insurance is essential because it touches every human in one way or another and is a challenging, innovative, and rewarding industry. There is still work to be done in changing the narrative, but there have been tremendous strides in the right direction. It's important to remember that a positive experience from an influential client goes a long way for our team and the industry. I look forward to being a part of this continuous change.

What, according to you, could be the next significant change in your sector? How are AssuredPartners preparing to be a part of that change?

We hope to have a wave of people excited about insurance and the opportunities within the industry. It

AssuredPartners has been ahead of the curve regarding its culture. With established programs for development paths, this feeling has also tangibly reached our clients.”

starts with creating a culture across the sector focusing on insurance's significant impacts. AssuredPartners has been ahead of the curve regarding its culture. With established programs for development paths, this feeling has also tangibly reached our clients. When we partner with our clients, we have a unique opportunity to be risk managers and agents. This opens to door to bringing additional talent familiar and excited about specific types of business.

Where do you envision yourself in the long run, and what are your future goals for AssuredPartners?

Operations will continue to be my focus. I've recently transitioned to focusing on large accounts; my main goal is to help make the operations of servicing and retaining these accounts a success within our region. We will implement resources within our teams so they can provide high-level, consistent service for these clients, who are leaders in their fields. With success at the regional level, spreading the same concept across all platforms at AssuredPartners would be a long-term goal.

What would be your advice to budding leaders who aspire to venture into the Insurance sector?

Two main pieces of advice: Be flexible with where the opportunities may first arise. The second is education, education, education. We need people willing to learn the business, knowledge, and expertise with coverage and strategy. Someone can go extremely far in this business with coverage expertise and a learning strategy to see the big picture.

Bena Schaller President World Employment Confederaons

Leading in the changing world of work, the World Employment Confederaon strives for recognion of the economic and social role played by the industry in enabling work, adaptaon, security and prosperity in our sociees.

Bettina Schaller Bettina Schaller

Exhibiting a Staunch Leadership Acumen

OOrganizational leaders aim to do what is best for

both the individual and the organization as a whole. They work to empower employees at every level, applying their understanding of personality, relationships, work ethic, business and a leadership mindset to help ensure success for the company and its people.

In a world where most Leaders seem to thrive on adversities, Mrs Bettina Schaller’s path has been one of believing, accountability and engagement. Currently, Mrs Schaller is the President of the World Employment Confederations

The World Employment Confederation is the voice of the employment industry at the global level, representing labour market enablers in 50 countries and 7 of the largest international workforce solutions companies.

Mrs Schaller had an incredibly privileged upbringing, and, in a way, she is extremely focused to live up to that. Mrs Schaller says, “So, I always held up my hand when required and more often showed initiative and proactiveness.” With that said, climbing up the ladder in the environments that I moved in was not a given.

“There were no defined career development structures, so ensuring that my work was seen and considered impactful was always a key driver. Call it “the politics”: the fact is that you don’t progress in organizations if you don’t know those rules and who the key stakeholders are, and position yourself within those structures ,” adds Mrs Schaller.

Benchmarking Excellence

Mrs Schaller is admittedly more bullish in supporting female talent. She takes every opportunity to highlight and praise performance. However, she raises a point of

recognizing efforts that are less visible, which often is still the case when women are executing them.

She has a few succession plans that feature diverse candidates, and she demands that recruiters submit diverse portfolios of candidates when hiring. Sharing some facts on the work culture, Mrs Schaller incorporates values like Respect. Transparency. Accountability. Collaboration. Trust. Safety. Authenticity. And Fun.

The Odyssey of Prominence

World Employment Confederation is the voice of the private employment services industry at the global level, representing national federations as well as workforce solutions companies from across the world. Members of the World Employment Confederation represent a wide range of HR services, including agency work, direct recruitment, career management, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) and Managed Service Provider (MSP). It is an influential and recognized advocacy organisation that sets and contributes to the World of Work’s Policy Agenda. The mission is to enable better-functioning labour markets.

“I have been focusing on bringing transparency into the system and increasing the methods of collaboration. That releases energies that lead to growth and impact. Well, that is a broad invitation. Let me zoom in on one aspect: the business world depends on people and the relationships between them. If a business does not have the right talent, it cannot operate.

And if there is no trust among those involved in business, the business will not thrive; the deal will fall through,” expresses Mrs Schaller.

Embarking Innovations with Technological Advancements

Sharing her opinions on the significant transformation in the industry, Mrs Schaller says, “The next change will come from the disruption of technology. And it will be positive: it will increase efficiencies and reduce costs (the World Employment Confederation is working on a blockchain wallet which holds every individual’s training and career history. As background checks are costly and take a long time, this will be a step-change).”

“And it will create value: the sector will shift from transactional to value-creation, in all the solution areas it touches: the sourcing, recruiting, onboarding, contracting, transitioning, coaching, development, and skilling areas to only name a few,” she adds

Mrs Schaller looks to preside over the Confederation till the end of her current mandate end of September 2023, and if the stars align, she may be re-elected for another 3-year term.

She also sees growth for the Confederation as the world needs to build the appropriate, efficient, fair, productive, and sustainable frameworks for work and employment solutions to unfold, responding to the big transforming shifts out there but also taking advantage of the great opportunities that notably digitalization offers.

Pearls of Wisdom

Sharing a piece of advice for the budding aspirants, Mrs Schaller shares, “Make opportunities happen, build networks, be a “good” person–and I am known for inciting young women to raise children.”

Changing the Perceptions in the Financial Industry

K r i s t i n Kristin

Ramlal

Aveteran of the financial services

industry— Kristin Ramlal, Vice-President of Institutional Sales at Canada Life Institutional Investment Solutions— is breaking down barriers in the industry with her passion and persistence.

Kristin was featured in the Top 10 Admired Women in Wealth Management (2022), was awarded by Wealth Professional Canada as a 5-Star Leading Women in Wealth (2021), and by the Knowledge Bureau as a Distinguished Young Advisor (2018). She has been a 2019 Knowledge Bureau Feature Grad, been featured in Winnipeg Free Press, Investment Executive, Wealth Professional Canada, Aspioneer Magazine and on CBC radio.

Kristin also volunteers her time as the Chair of the Society of Real Wealth Managers, an international network of financial professionals who collaborate under the Real Wealth Management framework to enable financial peace of mind, and Membership Chair for the Women in Leadership Employee Resource Group at Canada Life.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

Brief us about your career path as a staunch woman leader up until your current position. What were the challenges that you had to overcome to scale your progress?

Aggressive, persistent, difficult– these are of the gender-biased words I have had to overcome throughout my career. Instead of dwelling on the misconceptions, I’ve decided to gracefully accept that

it’s ok to be aggressive with my goals, persistent with overcoming barriers, especially when presented with difficult circumstances.

By the age of 25, I was a mother of two boys under the age of 5, completed my Bachelor Commerce honors degree in actuarial mathematics and finance from the University of Manitoba, had five years of financial services industry experience at two of the six big Canadian banks (Royal Bank and BMO Nesbitt Burns, including a US subsidy, RBC Centura), and completed an actuarial internship at a North American insurance company (Allianz Life) in Minneapolis, MN (USA).

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The business world can appear to be complex, but by taking it step-by-step, and learning from the bottom up is ultimately the best way to navigate.

Kristin Ramlal, Vice-President of Institutional Sales

It was not an easy task to juggle all the balls being thrown at me from all angles, and to add to the challenges I often felt discriminated and faced gender biases as a young “teen mom” destined to drop out of university, while being a visible minority and one of the very few women trying to find a path to success in the financial services industry.

At a young age, I was faced with making life-altering decisions independently, continuously managing my time and energy efficiently, while trying to remain balanced and healthy for my boys and me. In hindsight, without taking this untraditional and challenging path, I don’t think I would be where I am today.

Learning these simple, yet ever so hard fundamental life skills early in my adulthood, 100% contributed to where I am today and my ability to give back to my teams, partners, and community. For that, I forever grateful to have been delt these cards.

What methodologies do you implement that contribute to new growth opportunities?

My perpetual curiosity and desire to try to understand the why behind everything, keeps me inquisitive, thinking outside of the box, and always ready to level up. As a result, I do not shy away from asking questions, making suggestions, brainstorming new ideas and entertaining different perspectives.

I believe that this has contributed to the success and new growth opportunities, personally and professionally, throughout my career. I’ve learnt that asking the right questions can be just as impactful, if not more, than giving the right answer; this is where growth happens.

While in university, I remember my business professors highlighting the importance of networking, and at the time, although I did my best to network within the business school, I wasn’t quite sure how this “lesson” was going to make an impact on my growth eventually.

Nearly 20 years later, I can honestly say that building a network, personally and professionally, within my university, community, organizations of employment, and the financial services industry at large across

Canada, has been one of the biggest contributors to my knowledge, perspective, and growth.

Through networking I landed my first role after graduation, was blessed with finding a mentor and sponsor, have been invited to do public speaking engagements, received nominations and industry accolades and most recently was promoted to a new role within at Canada Life as a result of my individual development plan networking goals and initiatives. It’s not always about what you know, but who you know. Networking is an investment in YOU and will often provide the greatest growth opportunities possible.

Please share your learning of the business world.

The business world can appear to be complex, but by taking it step-by-step, and learning from the bottom up is ultimately the best way to navigate.

In order to start, I would suggest focusing on a business area that you are passionate about; from there it will become easy to expand your depth of knowledge. This can be accomplished through structured postsecondary educational programs, workplace experience, networking and self-study, to name a few.

It is unrealistic to think that one can learn the business world inside out and backwards, which is why I would suggest creating an individual development plan focused on business awareness and set micro S.M.A.R.T goals that can be accomplished over time. Such as, attending virtual and in-person networking and professional development sessions, keeping up with business news, coffee chats with leaders and peers, and delegating time to self-study. Invest in yourself, as it will pay the greatest return to you over the long run!

What strategies do you implement to promote gender diversity for various leadership positions at your company?

In the financial services industry, there continues to be a gender gap due to the barriers to entry and the growth limitations women face throughout their careers while juggling family commitments and overcoming gender biases preventing and minimizing professional career growth.

As a result, I have made it a personal leadership goal to do my part by mentoring young, and young at heart, women who are interested in growing personally and professionally, but struggle to see a clear path to success.

Throughout each mentorship partnership, I share my best practices, tips and life experiences to help guide my mentee throughout the creation and implementation of their unique individual professional development plans, but also seem to take away as much as I put in. learning from my mentees while being open to reverse mentorship and self-awareness re-discovery.

What values do you incorporate to enhance the work culture of your company?

I value trust, teamwork and communication. I strive to connect and learn from others different perspectives, contribute my time and energy to thought leadership and mentorship, and enjoy collaborating within others in and outside of my organization for the greater good.

What, according to you, could be the next significant change in your sector? How are you preparing for the change?

Not only are we going through the greatest intergenerational wealth transfer of all time, but we're also seeing a large volume of skilled professionals retiring. This presents a new opportunity set for the advisor of the future and will present opportunities for new experienced financial professionals to grow with the industry.

In order to be best positioned, in 2019 I become the chair of the Society of Real Wealth Managers, a network of financial professionals with complementary skillsets (tax, bookkeeping, legal, financial planning, portfolio management and estate and insurance) who collaborate within the Real Wealth Management™ framework to enable financial peace of mind of clients, their families, communities and causes important to them.

As a network, we regularly connect to share best practices, discuss real-life case scenarios, analyze trigger events impacting clients today from a 360degree perspective and brainstorm effective wealth

management solutions taking into consideration taxes, fees and inflation for inter-generational wealth sustainability.

Please note that the Real Wealth Management™ framework is exclusively taught via the Knowledge Bureau’s Real Wealth Management™ Program.

Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run, and what are your future goals for your company?

As a passionate wealth professional, I hope to always be able to contribute to the financial services industry as a financial literacy and Real Wealth Management™ advocate. I strive to be a modern millionaire; helping millions of people achieve financial peace of mind, while doing my part to support and promote opportunities for women to grow within the industry.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders willing to venture into the modern business arena?

What may have been someone else’s paths to success may not be the best route for you. Start with a selfdiscovery to understand what you are passionate about; this will propel and drive you. From there, explore self-study, networking, and get your toes wet within the industry taking it step-by-step, day-by-day. Never forget to stay true to you and your individual development plan. This is a continuous and evolving road map to your success. What you manifest is what you will have the potential to achieve, so do not hesitate to cease the moment to allow your dreams to become a reality.

Nnenna Uboma

e Campaigner for Human Intelligence

Will we lose what makes us, us? The

ascendence of Artificial Intelligence raises questions, not just whether it will put us out of jobs but also whether, in the allurement of using the technology, we will abandon our human selves.

This is the story and fact that Beyond Math highlights. In a world plunged into digitalization, it strives to keep human intelligence intact. It wants to increase, support, and equip human thinking, the ability to solve problems, to be resilient, and to keep at it until it gets done.

Nnenna Uboma, Chief Strategic Officer of Beyond Math, believes that even as the usage of artificial intelligence becomes increasingly common, it will become essential to develop critical thinking skills in kids. They shouldn’t believe that everything will be done for them or lose their ability to problem solve. She thinks that we need to keep learning as humans, just the same way machines keep learning.

To that end, Nnenna, with her two teenage children, launched the Beyond Math company to help youngsters of the world learn. The company is helmed by her kids, as Nnenna believes that kids learn from other kids best.

In an exclusive interview with CIOLook, Nnenna shares her endeavor to preserve human intelligence in the digitally advanced arena.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

Brief our audience about your journey as a business leader until your current position at Beyond Math. What challenges have you had to overcome to reach where you are today?

I started my career in corporate. I have worked with different organizations, such as BlackBerry and big Canadian banks. I worked and rose to the position of Director of Global Risk Management at Scotiabank, which I currently hold.

The journey of Beyond Math started when I picked an interest in kidpreneurship. I wanted to nurture my teenage children on the journey of entrepreneurship. During COVID, I wanted my daughter, who was 16 at the time, and I to go on this journey together, where she would also get exposed to how a business runs and how to be a leader. It was also one of the ways for us to do something together.

One of the key common points between us was math. She was very good at math, and my career has been in data analytics and data science. So, we said, “Okay, let’s build a company that will enhance analytical and critical thinking in young children between the ages of 8 and 13.”

That was how Beyond Math was born because it is a platform where we equip, rather than teach, children to come into analytical skills early in life so that they can be able to navigate the future of AI, where the world that has really gone digital. Currently, I’m the chief strategic officer of Beyond Math, driving its initiatives and getting it out there.

Tell us something more about Beyond Math and its mission and vision.

Beyond Math is a platform that we created to equip kids early on in life to enhance their analytical skills, analytical reasoning, and critical thinking skills. It uses symbols and principles of mathematics to do math puzzles which the user has to solve by filling in the gaps.

We live in a digital world where everybody is on TikTok, watching movies, and their attention span and problem-solving skills are very low because everybody expects AI to do everything. We want to keep the human brain alive. Therefore, our mission is to equip children with critical and analytical thinking in a world that is highly digitalized and automated.

My goal is to start the early development of analytical and critical thinking in children so that they don’t completely forget it in a fully automated and digitalized world.

Nnenna Uboma Chief Strategic Officer, Beyond Math & Analycs Senior Leader. Author - Lessons to my younger self

Describe in detail the values and the work culture that drives Beyond Math.

Beyond Math is a platform enabled for ages 8 to 13, and in everything we deliver, we want to be accessible to that age group. So, the key thing that we do is to make sure that we keep fun as part of our culture, a part of our driving ethics.

We are also all about collaboration and teamwork. We encourage games and competition. It is something that we have incorporated into our culture, making it very innovative. We are always thinking about how we reach out to the kids in a fun gaming way.

The CEO of Beyond Math is actually my daughter, Jasmine Uboma, who is just 19. The reason why a CEO is a young person is to maintain that culture of reaching out to kids and helping them connect with other kids. Basically, it is assisting in adhering to the mindset that a kid is leading other kids for their future.

What methodologies do you implement that contribute to new growth opportunities?

We are focusing on sustainable growth while continuously engaging the 8-13 age group while aligning with new things as the world evolves. So, one of the things that we are implementing is competition. We are planning to run competitions every year for children between the ages of 12 and 13 and give out rewards to the top winners.

Another thing that is in the pipeline is incorporating digitalization into our work. Currently, Beyond Math is available as workbooks on Amazon, and we are looking into how to digitalize them. In the future, we will also develop an application where we can engage the children.

Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in almost every sector. How are you leveraging technological advancements to make your solutions resourceful?

We are leveraging technology for the competition that will be held over the web, accessible to all children between ages 12 and 13 all over the

world. We are also converting the puzzles in our analytical reasoning workbook into a technology app form. We are thinking of using AI to generate our puzzles and questions automatically.

It is the future of AI, and we see that it could contribute to significant changes in the industry. We are also considering how to reduce screen time for kids, as nowadays, they can spend too much time online studying from morning to night.

However, we’re a young company still, just about two years old. We have kind of finished our first phase and beginning our second phase, which is the competition. Our third phase will now be AI and automation. What, according to you, could be the next significant change in your industry? How is Beyond Math preparing to be a part of that change?

During COVID, most people went online, even to schools. These schools are returning back to offline because, for the age group of 8 to 13, there is a need to keep them offline. But digitalization will have an impact on the education industry. That is why it is a focus of ours to use technology like AI and ML to support our work.

Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run, and what are your future goals for Beyond Math?

My goal is to get Beyond Math in the hands of every child between the ages of 8 and 13. I think that the worst thing that technology does that it blocks the human mind. It’s removing our resilience, problemsolving skills, and analytical thinking from us because everybody just goes to Google or goes to ChatGPT to search for everything. Over time, I see, innovation starts being difficult because people just can’t process it.

So, my goal is to start the early development of analytical and critical thinking in children so that they don’t completely forget it in a fully automated and digitalized world. I just want to keep the human brain working. That’s really what I hope for myself and Beyond Math. And I will keep working towards my goal until my story’s heard.

What advice would you like to give the next generation of aspiring business leaders?

My advice to the future generation is to embrace digitalization completely when it comes to optimization and efficiency, but also to keep the human intelligence. We call it Artificial Intelligence because it is very, very artificial.

Human intelligence is something that God gave all of us, and it is something we should hold, ensuring that it is intact and in place. You should not fall into the deception that Artificial Intelligence is going to do everything. Because without human intelligence, Artificial Intelligence cannot work.

Roshni Wijayasinha Founder Prosh Markeng

Commencing her career on the agency side and quickly moving to big tech companies like Microsoft and Sony, Roshni Wijayasinha had the opportunity to work at a startup; she saw herself falling in love with the ability to build something from scratch, the amount of creativity needed to stretch lean budgets, and the fast pace.

After a few stints as the Head of Marketing at local tech companies and seeing the impact of her work on their businesses, Roshni decided to help more startups be able to grow and launched Prosh Marketing

Prosh Marketing initially started off as an independent consultancy where she helped startups and small businesses grow by leveraging my marketing experience. She soon learned that consultants were viewed negatively in the marketing world, known for creating PowerPoint decks and not executing.

This was actually a core strength and key area of interest for Roshni, and so she soon evolved into a Fractional CMO who was able to not only develop a strategy but also help build the people, processes and tools to help businesses also implement these plans.

The business soon expanded as its strategic partnerships grew. Roshni brought on more Fractional CMOs to help its clients and introduced a new layer of Fractional Marketing Directors who were more hands-on and tactical, coaching our clients’ in-house marketing teams.

In an interview with CIOLook, Roshni shared valuable facts highlighting her professional tenure and the traits that helped her to scale the horizons of success.

Below are the excerpts from the interview:

Tell us something more about your company and its mission and vision.

Prosh Marketing was created to help startups and small businesses maximize their marketing potential through access to fractional or part-time marketing leaders. I noticed a gap in the market where startups were trying to attain lofty goals like hitting a Series A investment with a junior marketer or sometimes even an intern.

With a little bit of marketing expertise and experience, we have been able to help many businesses expedite their growth. One important offering we provide is training – we believe that startups need eventually become selfsustaining. Unlike agencies that might do all your marketing for you, we coach our clients to learn how to do this themselves or with a series of partners who can support them.

I aim to connue growing Prosh Markeng into more markets (we’ve already helped companies in Canada, the US, Europe and New Zealand) and expand our network of Fraconal CMOs.

Enlighten us on how you have impacted your niche through your expertise in the market.

Leveraging my marketing expertise and experience, I’ve been able to assist in building several businesses across the globe. To date, I’ve helped launch over 50 companies, brands and products to markets worldwide and mentored many startups and Founders to build their own businesses and grow their marketing function.

In addition, I teach Startup Marketing at the Schulich School of Business at York University, influencing many budding entrepreneurs and startup marketers.

Describe in detail the values and the work culture that drives your organization.

At Prosh Marketing, we value the following:

Kindness – we treat our colleagues and clients with respect and compassion because we want to be treated with kindness in return.

Excellence – we are high achievers and know that our clients have a lot at stake. Therefore, we must work to the highest degree of excellence.

Integrity – we believe in transparency and are trusted with our client’s growth. That’s why we uphold the highest level of integrity when it comes to our work.

Collaboration – by working together, we can all learn from each other and grow. It is also impossible for us to do our work independently, so it is in our interest to collaborate deeply.

Curiosity – as marketers, we are always exploring new possibilities and learning. Asking questions, challenging the norm, and asking why, are some ways we show this.

Optimism – we strongly believe that we can help our clients grow, and we’re excited about this opportunity so we’re optimistic about our work, industry and customers.

Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in almost every sector. How are you leveraging technological advancements to make your solutions resourceful?

Because the majority of our work is delivered remotely, we’ve had to rely on technology to help us work with startups. For example, we’ve been using tools like Miro to help with virtual whiteboarding sessions, helping client groups participate in workshops like they might in person, with sticky notes and all.

We also leverage tools like Airtable to track social content feedback and approvals more seamlessly from a client perspective.

The marketing technology we implement with our clients also helps them run efficient, profitable marketing departments. We use tools like Asana to keep track of projects, Hubspot to keep track of leads and clients, and a variety of tools for email automation as well.

What change would you like to bring to your industry if given a chance?

If given a chance, I would love to see marketing work more as an integrated function with other departments.

Marketing plays such an important role in product development; for example, they also need to work closely with Finance for budgeting and forecasting, they support sales in many ways, they help create an employer brand to

help HR attract the right kind of talent, and they also work with operations to deliver and optimize customer experiences.

A stronger, more integrated function within these teams could help better collaboration.

What, according to you, could be the next significant change in your sector? How is your company preparing to be a part of that change?

With the rise in gig work and the growth of SMBs, I believe there will be a rise in fractional workers providing part-time solutions for growing businesses. Prosh Marketing is perfectly positioned with our network of Fractional CMOs, all experienced marketing leaders.

Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run, and what are your future goals for your company?

I aim to continue growing Prosh Marketing into more markets (we’ve already helped companies in Canada, the US, Europe and New Zealand) and expand our network of Fractional CMOs. There are more startups and SMBs that we can help with our program and team, and we also offer fractional marketing leaders a great place to work, learn and collaborate.

What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into your sector?

Consider yourself as a product or service. What is your value proposition, differentiation, and competitive advantage? Does your target market care about these things?

Trying to be a jack of all trades can make you a master of none and ultimately, you’ll need to figure out how to position yourself in your market to attract and close business.