DARE TO LEAD™ WITH JENNIFER PORRITT

April 14 - May 19

6 sessions | Fridays | 9 - 12pm | Delivered via. Zoom

Based on the research of Dr. Brené Brown, Dare to Lead™ is an empirically based courage building program designed to be facilitated by organizational development professionals.

The Dare to Lead™ program focuses on developing these courage building skills through workshops, trainings, and coaching to help individuals, teams, and organizations move from armored leadership to daring leadership.

To register: jp-consulting.ca/events

Jennifer Porritt, CHRL, CTDP Organizational Development Consultant www.jp-consulting.ca

Reach out to jennifer@jp-consulting.ca for Guelph Chamber

By: Amanda

Suzanna Geerlinks is no stranger to the construction and skilled trades industry. With her parents running a general contracting company in the Royal City, construction is what was talked about around the dinner table.

In 2005, Suzanna wanted to start a new chapter. Having young children at home, she had a desire to get back into the workforce, but to balance family and work, she didn’t want a fulltime job. Instead, she was looking for something she could enjoy doing on her own schedule.

With low input costs and low barriers to entry, Suzanna took up her own painting gig. In her first year, she took on one job a month, in her second year, she took on two jobs a month, and by year three, she was ready to hire employees for her ever-growing business. She hasn’t looked back since and has built her business, Refined Painting Service, into one of the most trusted and experienced painting contracting companies in the region.

As we see more women entering the skilled trades, I asked Suzanna what advice she has for them. “In my experience, it’s not as daunting as one may think. The men who work in the construction and skilled trades industry are more accepting of women than the stereotype we often hear about. It’s also a good, steady job with good money. The opportunity for self-employment is very high, and this can offer great flexibility and work-life balance.”

There’s no doubt that Suzanna is a leader in what she does. As her business continues to grow, I asked Suzanna about the secrets to her success. She replied, “Know what you know. Understand your wheelhouse and know what your talents are. Also, know when to say no.” Simple, but sage business advice from a successful entrepreneur, and recipient of our 2018 Excellence in Business Award. We can’t do it all, and Guelph has a robust network of small businesses and entrepreneurs to help business owners execute the parts of their business that they’re not the experts in.

If you are, however, looking for an expert in residential or commercial painting, give Suzanna at Refined Painting a call for a refined experience from a hardworking team of painters with decades of experience in the industry. q