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SHARP WOMEN team Ranchelle Van Bryce Co-Founder
Danielle Klooster Co-Founder
Ruby Cole-Ellis Editor-in-Chief Central Alberta
Karla Howatt Editor-in-Chief Heartland
Rachel Braun Assistant Editor
Kelsey Evans Administrative Assistant
Luci Morales Executive Assistant
Sissy Bustamante Lead Designer
GUEST CONTRIBUTORS THIS MONTH’S
Andrea Saruk Business Column
Lynn Gagne Finance Column
Jackie Kobsar Health & Wellness Column
Karla Lotzien Relationships Column
Patricia Simoneau Professional Development Column
Jennie Ward Personal Growth Column
letter from the editor
Reset
/rē’set/ verb To set again or anew.
The closest I can think of to describe my feelings over
After a few full-blown meltdowns, a few ugly cries,
the last month is the state of my poor computer after
and a massive pity party, I took that advice myself.
a 12-hour, non-stop run… Programs are crashing,
I can tell you, I am already feeling the benefits of
windows are slow, battery is low, surfaces feel hot,
it. Cutting a few toxic relationships out, taking
and the internal fan is going on full-blast making
some time to rest and heal my body and resetting
it very obvious it is a couple hours away from a full
my priorities has invigorated me to crush the last
crash. At this point, the only apparent solution is a
quarter of this insane year.
dreaded CTRL + ALT + SHIFT forced restart. You will also see that the energy of a fresh start Does this ring a bell? I know I am not alone. Almost
has been channeled throughout this edition. From
everyone I have talked to over the past month has
a fresh look in our magazine layout to amazing
mentioned to me that life, as of late, feels like a
content to inspire you to slow down to revv up.
grind. Everyone is feeling tired, stressed, grumpy and depleted. The COVID-19 pandemic feels like a
Allow this change of season to be that time to
bad dream that is never going away. The worst part
restart. Stop being so hard on yourself of what you
is that it seems to have brought the worst in human
“could have”, “should have”, or “would have” done.
kind. Personal views on how to navigate this crazy
For example, take baby steps to improve your overall
world have created a huge divide in our society,
health with Jackie Kobsar’s tips in her piece, “Do
breaking relationships amongst colleagues, friends,
You Want to Improve Your Digestion?”. Be inspired
and even families.
by following the “BE. DO. HAVE.” paradigm explained by Jennie Ward, where you can begin to open up to
In addition, financial stress and career uncertainties
higher and higher levels of success, however you
have taken a huge toll on everyone’s mental health.
define success in your life.
When you add on top of that the implications of letting healthy habits go down the drain during
I hope you enjoy the read… and happy “reset”!
lockdowns, a massive systemic breakdown is on the horizon.
With love,
So, what can we do? In the great words of Anne Lamott: “Almost everything will work again if you
unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” A force reset of yourself will be very much appreciated by your mind, body, and soul.
Ruby Cole-Ellis
Editor-in-Chief Instagram: @rubycoleellis
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Photo by Amy Cheng Photography
Full page ad
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October 2021 TABLE OF CONTENTS
08
10 10 02
RANCHELLE IN THE RAW By Ranchelle van Bryce
16
PERSONAL GROWTH By Jennie Ward
20
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT By Patricia Simoneau
FINANCE By Lynn Gagne
FOOD RECEPIE By Carla Howatt
44
22
38 SOCIAL MEDIA By Carla Howatt
12
RELATIONSHIPS By Kari Lotzien
BUSINESS By Andrea Saruk
18
HEALTH & WELLNESS By Jackie Kobsar
32 26
YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR FEATURE: ASHLEY KING By Rachel Braun
SHARP WOMEN FEATURE: CHRISTINE SWIFT By Rachel Braun
42
LEADERSHIP
48
BUSINESS DIRECTORY Central Alberta
from the ceo
Ranchelle
in the Raw "Peace be with you..."
By Ranchelle van Bryce The sign of peace was always one of my favourite parts of Mass. The eye-to-eye contact, the feel of someone’s hand; warm or cold, dry or soft… you could tell a lot about a person by their handshake, even their livelihood. I was taught to never judge someone by their handshake but to make sure that I had a firm handshake and to look someone in the eye. To connect with them. This connection is what I felt when I went to Sunday Mass. I found this great reference when it come s to the meaning of Peace Be With You Over the years I have come to understand at a deep level that Peace is an inside job. It can’t be given to you. It’s not something you “find”; it’s created. In the link above it talks about what Jesus meant and why he uses the statement. This isn’t a lesson in religion, however, I love what it says which says that Jesus used Peace to address fear. I think that is an appropriate time to wish everyone in our lives peace.
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Feel the statement in your heart; Peace be with you.
Everything.
You do not have to be religious to feel the love that goes
I used to think if I was doing the Law Of Attraction the
with that statement. In fact, I would refer to myself as
RIGHT way then I wouldn’t experience any problems
more spiritual than religious.
or challenges but what I know now is …. When I AM experiencing challenges, it is the “right” way. How
In Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), there is a prayer
do I know? Because there is no wrong way. That a
that is read, the Serenity Prayer. It reads, “May God
challenge is nothing more than an opportunity.
grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and
I used to believe that if I was doing this the right
the wisdom to know the difference”.
way that the result would be peace. What I learned over the years is that peace is only created when I
I’ve lived my life by that prayer. Peace is created, is felt,
BE peace. Love, when I BE love. If I am experiencing
when I live in that moment.
fear, anger, frustration, it is because that is what I am BEING.
Peace is granted (by me) when I decide to live in Faith. How are you feeling? That is who you are being. If Does Spirit “give” me Peace? I don’t believe so.
you would like a different experience it is possible. It all starts with you. Which is so empowering.
I have free will to choose, every single moment, how I am going to show up. I believe peace is a conscious
Peace be with you. Xo
choice. One that you may not know how to access, but still, a choice.
Ranchelle ▼
I love my life. I’ve learned to live in my present moment. To know that everything is happening for me, nothing happens to me. I believe that the Universe (some will say God, Spirit, Source, Creator) conspires WITH me. The thoughts that I think manifest in my life; which is why peace is so important. This belief that thoughts manifest into things, into experiences is the base principle behind the Law of Attraction. Do you know what happens when you create with peace in mind? When you create through love?
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business
BREAK FREE FROM THE SHAME OF DEBT TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR FINANCIAL WELLNESS By Andrea Saruk
Debt is much more common than you’d think! All across the province, fellow Albertans are struggling to manage their debt, often too ashamed or unsure of where to reach out for help. Having debt does not make you a bad person Almost everyone experiences the shame of debt at some point in their lives. When paid on time, debt—whether it’s a mortgage, rent, credit cards, utility bills, taxes—can be a normal and healthy part of daily money management. But unexpected situations can happen that throw us for a loop and leave us unable to pay our bills. The Covid-19 pandemic, sickness, loss of commission, unemployment or under-employment, relationship breakdown, and unexpected expenses are just some of the situations that can send your finances into chaos. Debt can take a toll on more than just your finances. It can impact your mental health and well-being by stealing your happiness, selfconfidence, time , and finally, your self-worth. And then there are the creditors; they can make you feel like nothing more than a number. Don’t let the shame of debt keep you from reaching out for help and finding a debt solution that’s right for you and your financial situation. Budgeting One of the most important aspects of ensuring financial wellness is to budget regularly. Understanding how much money you have coming in and how much is going out is key to maintaining an affordable, shame-free lifestyle. If you want to create a balanced budget, you have two options: you can make more money or you can spend less money. The real difficulty comes in understanding just how much money you are making, and how much it is costing you to maintain the lifestyle you are living. The act of tracking your income and expenses monthly will put you in a great position of awareness and will be the first step in the direction of creating and maintaining a balanced budget.
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One really important expense to track is the interest payments you are making on your credit cards. You could be paying a substantial amount of money on interest each month while making only a small dent (or no dent at all) on paying down your balances. But what happens if you are paying your minimum payments each month? Is your debt decreasing? Yes, but very slowly. Even if you weren’t to touch that credit card again, here is an example of what would happen if you continued to pay your minimum payment on a $6,000 balance, set at an interest rate of 21% Paying Only Minimum Payment
• Your Balance: $5,000 • Annual Interest rate: 21% • Your Minimum Payment: 3% of balance (3% is a common amount usually set by credit card companies. Your credit card may vary). • Total Time to Eliminate Your Balance: 51 months • Total Interest Paid on Top of Original Amount Owed: $3,083
Now, lets look at what happens if you were to pay the minimum plus an extra $100 a month
• Your Balance: $6,000 • Annual Interest Rate: 21% • Your Minimum Payment: 3% of balance + $100 • Total Time to Eliminate Your Balance: 28 months • Total Interest Paid on Top of Original Amount Owed: $1,585
Putting a bit more down each month can make a significant difference in how much you owe and how long you will be paying. Creating a budget and finding where you can decrease expenditures to pay off your debt faster will take the shame out of debt and have you feeling better. The better you budget, the more you will have to decrease your debt owing and get back on the path to saving money and building a stronger financial future.
You deserve a fresh start! ▼
Andrea’s passion is helping people with financial difficulties and working with them to create a budget and a plan to pay down debt quickly and transform their lives. She focuses on getting clients on the path to financial success and becoming debt free. Andrea helps client’s with credit card debts, student loans, payday loans, tax debt and more.
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relationships
FIVE
SIMPLE ACTIVITIES TO FACE THE BACK TO SCHOOL/WORK STRESS WITH EASE By Kari Lotzien I love summer. I feel like I can breathe more fully and
chaotic schedules and trying to catch up with our
time seems to move more slowly. Less commitments,
long to-do lists. Have your sleep patterns changed
more nature, more movement, more connection,
this week? Are you eating on the run as you fill
more laughter and more fun. As the cooler weather
school supply lists and frantically schedule haircuts
moves in, I feel my anxiety rising… commitments,
and dentist appointments that you meant to do all
schedules, to-do lists…my breath becomes shorter,
summer?
my mind busier and more cluttered. These 5 simple actions can help you and your family Are you noticing the same? Maybe you crave the
to manage the stress that can creep in this time of
comforts of routines and settling into schedules, but
year. Try one or all 5 and begin to notice immediate
I wonder how many of us feel the impending dread
results in the way you feel.
settling on our shoulders, weighing us down with
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“White space”
the ground and we take in the sights and scents
Find “white space” in your schedule and
of nature, it is easy to put things in perspective.
mark time for yourself. Self care is the
The grand scheme of nature reminds us not to
most important investment we can make in our
sweat the small stuff as everything happens in
own lives. When parents demonstrate good self
time and most of the happenings around us are
care, it demonstrates that we care more about
beyond our control.
how we feel than what we haven’t accomplished. If we slide into bed at the end of the day haggard and dishevelled, feeling like we have been in a game of dodgeball all day, we may notice that we have sacrificed time for true connection with our families. Resist the temptation to “be busy” and embrace the space. Recognize that our kids will need time to adjust to the school routines and new expectations. They need downtime to integrate all of this. Play outside, allow time after school for kids to play and reset from the busy day. Be gentle with yourself, resist the temptation to fill your kid’s lunches with
Breathe… Notice your own breath without trying to change it at first. Then take a nice big breath, deep into your belly, hold for a second or two and let it all out. Try sighing and giving that release a sound. Two or three nice big releasing breaths can activate our parasympathetic nervous systems and release tension. Take a few breaths in the car before heading into school in the morning with your kids and know that this simple practice will help them to deal with new situations and the hallway busyness.
Pinterest quality snacks and grab good healthy, whole foods that are easy to manage.
Get in nature
Move your body
Get outside and notice the smells, the
When we move and challenge our
change in temperature, notice the sky,
physical bodies, we increase our
the plants and the sounds. When we
somatic awareness. This means that our awareness
stop and notice our surroundings
of our bodies increases. Why is this important? Well,
using all of our senses it
have you ever come home at the end of a long day,
brings us into the present
irritable and tired and realize that you missed lunch?
moment. Anxiety increases
Did you run in the door feeling as if your bladder will
when we are thinking ahead of
explode? These are physical signs that your mind
the moment, worried about what
is cluttered and not connected with your physical
is to come. When our feet are on
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become “tuned into” our body’s signals of stress. We
I will start… Today I am grateful for the perfect cup
are better able to pick up on the subtle cues of muscle
of coffee in my butterfly cup that my teenage son
tension, the change in our breath or how our minds
delivered to my bedside, I am grateful for cooler
start to race when stress comes in. And even better,
weather that inspired me to write this morning and
as our awareness increases, we become better able
I am grateful for the new blossom on my morning
to manage our stressors in the moment, to respond
glory that reminds me to open up and to grow new
efficiently and prevent the exhaustion and burn out
ideas and inspiration for others. ▼
that can happen. Take your kids to the playground, wrestle, play tag, laugh and sweat together.
Grasp gratitude Before you get out of bed each morning, reflect on 3 things that you are looking forward to or are grateful for in the moment. This can be as simple as looking forward to your morning coffee, gratitude for a full tank of fuel in the car or the beautiful colors of fall slowly emerging. At the end of every day, spend the last few moments of the day being grateful for 3 things that happened that day. When our minds are grateful, we train ourselves to attract even more positivity into our lives. I encourage families to practice this routine together during mealtimes or at the end of the day.
Kari Lotzien is an occupational therapist, speaker and owner of To the Stars Wellness Centre and Be the Anchor in Lacombe, AB. She is passionate about building aware and connected communities where children will grow and flourish. Kari offers inspiring workshops and presentations for businesses, community groups, educators and families across North America. You can learn more about her work at: www.tothestars.ca www.betheanchor.ca
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personal growth PERSONAL GROWTH
Be. Do.
Have.
By Jennie Ward
This summer, I ran a course called “Master Your Anxiety”. This is a course for women to learn strategies to cope with anxiety and live their best lives. It’s a mix of learning and support from both me and the other group members. The group members left with not only practical knowledge and skills for managing anxiety, but also a deep feeling of understanding and camaraderie that comes from being vulnerable and open with each other.
and work, write your licencing exam and finally achieve your goal. You’ve achieved it. You can BE a doctor.
One of the concepts that I taught in the group is an advanced-level paradigm shift that I wanted to write about here. It’s a concept called “Be, Do, Have” and I believe that if you’re the type of woman that is reading this magazine, you’re ready to begin incorporating this information into your life.
What I propose is that you consider embodying a different paradigm that focuses on the identity level of consciousness. It’s the Be Do Have model.
Before I explain Be, Do, Have, let’s begin with the paradigm that most of us are operating from. In society today, we tend to believe that we have to work so very hard to get what we want. We work, work, work, then eventually, we get what we’re working to achieve (God willing). Then we believe that we can be the person that has that thing. To give you an example, let’s imagine that you want to become a medical doctor. You work hard in high school, then in your undergraduate degree, then write the MCat and volunteer, then interview, then slog through a decade plus of training, learning
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Revisar doc
This is the Do, Have, Be model that our society emulates. Do the thing. Have the success. Be the person who has it. It’s a very masculine model that emphasizes hard work, hustle and grind. It’s the “American Dream” personified.
In this model, you focus on Being the person who has what you want first…before you’ve done the work or have the thing. It’s a model that’s more feminine in nature and is a more foundational level of change. For example, if you want to BE a leader in your field, how would that leader go about her life? What choices would she make? How would she behave? What energy would she give off? As you embody the notion of BEing the person that has what you want, you can work on DOing the things and then over time, you will HAVE what you want to achieve.
Let’s use another example…money. Have you ever
This is all, of course, completely below our level
heard the statistic that over 70% of those who win
of consciousness, as if you ask anyone, they will
the lottery lose the money within 3 to 5 years?
say, “of course I’d welcome in more success, joy,
Incredibly, they’re more likely to go bankrupt than
money, etc.” But in reality, we all fall prey to these
the average person.
counterproductive patterns.
This is because they haven’t changed their identity to BE the person with that amount of money.
But there’s some good news…
First BE, then DO, then you can HAVE what you
By following the BE, DO, HAVE paradigm, you can
want in a way that you’re likely to maintain it and
begin to open up to higher and higher levels of
enjoy it. You create identity-level change. Lasting
success, however you define success in your life.
change. Foundational change. Paradigm-shifting
You can begin to transcend the upper limit problem
change.
and allow in the blessings that are waiting for you. It’s the feminine way.
Have you heard of the book, “The Big Leap” by Gay Hendricks? It focuses on a concept called the
The most powerful way. So, who are you ready to BE?▼
“Upper Limit Problem,” which describes why so many people hit a ceiling with regard to the level of success and happiness they allow in their lives. We have a metaphorical upper limit of what we believe we deserve and if we experience greatness beyond this limit, we engage in self-sabotaging behaviors. These behaviors allow us to get back to our comfort level of where we believe we deserve to be with regard to success.
Dr. Jennie Ward is a clinical psychologist and owner of Ward & Associates Psychological Services, a psychology clinic in Sherwood Park. She specializes in treatment of anxiety and trauma and also offers spirituality-based approaches to therapy. She runs a group called “Master Your Anxiety” for women who want to reduce anxiety and live their lives to the fullest.
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE
Your Digestion? By Jackie Kobsar
One thing I had to learn the hard way was how to
When you’re having the “Semi Truck” first, it moves
properly eat. Yes, there is actually a way to eat for the
very slowly through the digestive tract as it’s heavy
best digestion and absorption of nutrients.
and slow moving with minimal fiber.
And it’s super simple, eat light to heavy!
Then you are putting a “Porsche” after the semi, in which the Porsche can go through the digestive
That’s right, start your day with the lightest meal
tract very fast because it is light and full of fiber.
and then have your heaviest meal at the end of the day. I have been studying nutrition for about 16
Essentially you are creating a traffic jam of food.
years, and it was only 10 years ago that I discovered the correct way to eat. I discovered why I was
When you’re eating bacon, eggs and toast, and then
having so much digestive discomfort, including
a few hours later having a smoothie, that smoothie
gas, bloating, indigestion etc. It was because I was
wants to move through the system fast, but cannot
starting my day with a heavier meal, like cereal or
because it’s blocked by the heavy breakfast. It has
eggs on toast, bacon, hash browns etc. (This is one
no choice but to wait.
of the worst food combinations, by the way, but more on that another time) and then having my smoothie,
And when food is sitting in the gut that is full of
and salads later in the day.
fiber and nutrients, it starts to ferment, creating gas, bloating and indigestion.
I was unknowingly creating a “traffic jam” in my body. It wasn’t until I switched to having my
The best way to eat is having a smoothie first,
smoothie as my first meal of the day, and then
then your other fruits, salads and any other raw
eating my heavier meals later, that my bloating and
vegetables, nuts and seeds, all before having your
gas went away almost immediately.
heavy meal, including any meat or starches or even cooked veggies.
Think of a heavier meal like a Semi Truck, (your standard American breakfast, like bacon and eggs
The thing about our bodie s is that we are 98
with toast), and think of a smoothie like a Porsche.
degrees fahrenheit, normally. Our digestive tract
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from mouth to anus is approximately 30 feet. Food is technically still cooking as it’s going through our system. Also, all animal flesh is lacking fiber, it doesn’t have any. So you should be having meat at the end of the day as well. To still give your body time to digest the food before bed, it’s best to not eat 3-4 hours beforehand.
You will also notice a huge
improvement in your digestion if you follow this rule too. Some of the easiest ways to improve your digestion are simple changes like these. I am not even telling you to stop eating your favourite foods, I just would love to hear that you’re improving your digestion and how you feel has improved by eating the
Jackie currently lives in Red Deer Alberta living life to the fullest with her family. Together they love experiencing adventures from roller coasters and bungee jumping, to hiking mountain peaks. Along with www.internalsynergyinc.com Jackie also started www.jackiekobsar.com to help others switch to a healthy diet and lifestyle, because everyone deserves to thrive and not just survive.
“correct” way. Always eat light to heavy. Try this out for yourself starting today, tomorrow or this weekend so you can feel better next week. Because you’re worth it. Love, Jackie ▼
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Space
BETWEEN By Patricia Simoneau
Just like that, it was over... The job I had loved for four years was gone. I sat in my home office in June 2020, separated from my colleagues as our manager broke the news that we were being released. As we each took our turn to say our final goodbyes to one another, I had an incredible sense of calm acceptance wash
over me. There was no fear. Like a whisper, I heard, “You’ll be OK.” For the first time in my 35 years of building a career, I had no plan. I also had no options. Living in small town Alberta, I had done all I could possibly do in a community this size. It was disconcerting for this lifelong workaholic. I always had a purpose with my work. I had goals and aspirations. To-
do lists, appointments, and meetings. My work was how I identified myself. Who am I without a job description? I will, in future, call this part of my professional life “the space between”: Too old to hire, too young to retire. Then again, I’ve always shunned the word “retirement”. I was already tired, why would I re-tire?
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Rather than retire, I would rather repurpose. And
saw 90 to 100 years on this planet, I believe I am
this past year provided the opportunity I needed to
preparing to launch my second 35-year-career.
do that. This was my chance to close the chapters on what I thought the world expected of me, and
At long last, confidence finally showed up at my
live a life of my own choice, and of my own design.
party. After years of “working hard” to impress someone else, I can now focus on what best serves
I started at the only place I could: I started with
me. I’ve put down the things that others say I
me. I focused on my health: physically, mentally,
“should” do, and do what feels right for me. I got
emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. I dropped
off the merry-go-round of over-committing, over-
50 pounds. I began journaling every morning and
working, and overwhelm. I’ve packed up People
devouring self-development books and podcasts. I
Pleasing and replaced it with Patti Pleasing. It’s a
picked up painting again, and got out in the garden
heck of a more natural fit.
and the fresh air. What has been the most fascinating part of this Of course, I was still sending out résumés, selectively
“space between” has not only been the journey of
considering jobs that would make a lengthy
self-discovery and personal growth. It’s how my
commute financially viable. Yet even though I got
focus on the positive outcome has resulted in so
a couple interviews, something happened when I
many doors opening. Commissioned paintings.
would send out those applications. A knot in my
Publishing ideas Creative writing and blogging.
stomach, a feeling of being dragged back onto a
New connections and partnerships. The variety,
hamster wheel that ultimately would lead nowhere.
promise, and potential of all these opportunities
It felt like it would only be a matter of time before I
give me even more ‘good feeling vibes’. Optimism
would find myself right back in the place I just left
breeds more optimism.
– discarded, sick, frustrated, and frankly, broke in every way imaginable.
The last half of any book is where all the exciting stuff happens. I can’t wait to turn the page tomorrow
It was like my soul was saying, “...not that way…
to see what unfolds. ▼
come over here…” I’ve come to accept that there is an entirely new chapter to be written in this biography of mine. I call my lightened hair my “silver crown of wisdom”. There is value to be found in this silver, in the knowledge gained and the experiences lived. Many women have built empires at this stage of life. Martha Stewart started her business at 50. Louise Hay launched Hay House Publishing at 60. Grandma Moses didn’t begin painting until she was 77 years old. What might my calling be, a media mogul or a reclusive artist? Who knows? But given that my mother celebrated her 90th birthday this year, and all my grandparents
Patti Simoneau is a recovering graphic designer and ‘chaos coordinator’. She is making the most out of her “space between” as she explores new opportunities, ideas and creative pursuits. She currently lives in Olds, Alberta with her husband, two adult children, a dog, a bird, a fish, and enough art and scrapbooking supplies to see her through the Apocalypse.
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finance
TAX TIME! By Lynn Gagne
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Calling
all
small
business
owners,
both
written off over time, often 10 years or more. In 2021,
incorporated and sole proprietors! Guess what
there is an incentive to purchase certain assets and
time it is?
write them all off in the first year. That is a huge tax saving opportunity! If you wait until January 1, the
It's tax time!
opportunity is going...going...gone!
I know you don’t believe me, but October is when I
Avoid costly repetitive mistakes
tell my customers, “Tax season has started”. Even though we want to put it off, there are many good
So many small businesses put off their bookkeeping
reasons for you to consider October your tax month
until the end of the year. However, if you make
and not December.
a mistake in January, then you will repeat that mistake for 12 more months. By checking your books
Taxes are an inevitable part of being in business.
in October, you have the opportunity to step back the
The more money you make, the more taxes you pay.
clock and (with luck) correct the mistake until the
Right? Every year, I start doing tax prep in October,
end of the year or you have enough time left over to
and it can end up saving customers hundreds, if not
fix the problem and recapture the correct costs.
thousands, of dollars in taxes if they pay attention to the important pieces in their business. If you own
Example: I had a customer that did not charge GST
your own business, it (literally) pays you to start
because they didn’t make the $30,000 threshold in
paying attention in October.
2019. We did a “pre-tax” checkup in October 2020 to find out that they should have registered and
You cannot turn the clock back once
charged GST in July of that year! They did not
December strikes!
realize their sales had increased so much. If we had not done that checkup in October, they would have
The tax system is built from January to December.
continued to not charge the GST for that year, and
Once December 31 is gone, you lose most of the
Canada Revenue Agency would have caught up to
ability to do any planning, purchases, tax savings or
them when they did their taxes. Owing GST when
anything else that potentially saves you money. By
you have not collected it is a burden you don’t want
understanding where you sit financially, you have
to have!
the opportunity to react and minimize your taxes.
March is NOT the time to do your taxes Example:
Many
businesses
purchase
“assets”.
Those are the tangible purchases, such as vehicles, furniture, machinery. Almost anything that you can sell at a garage sale that was purchased for over $500 is considered an asset. Typically, an asset is
The Canadian tax system is built so that millions of businesses go through their accountant and bookkeeper in four very short months. It is busy and the accounting professionals often don’t have enough time to spend quality time with their customers. SHARP WOMEN
23
Get them in. Get the taxes done. Get them out
opportunity to do any tax planning with you. Being proactive here really does pay off with real dollars.
Everyone needs your bookkeeper or tax professional’s attention between February and May. For you, as
How much will you pay?
our customer, it is more to your advantage if you are prepared, organized, and you have asked us your
Especially in a time when COVID-19 money is being
questions prior to the end of the year. There is, quite
paid out, knowing how much you will pay in taxes
simply, not enough time for professionals to answer
is important! Those who received COVID-19 benefits
everybody’s questions effectively and efficiently. We
and worked at some point throughout the year may
all try....but it is just impossible to keep all the details.
very well end up owing money this tax season. When you look at your taxes in October, you will
By preparing for taxes in October, you have my full
have a good estimate of how much money you have
undivided attention. I can listen to your challenges,
to save to pay that inevitable tax bill in April. Avoid
ask how your year is going, give you tips, tell you
costly interest and penalties by paying on time.
about this year’s changes, and give you time to ask questions. The time to get my full undivided
So, have I convinced you that October should be
attention is before December. Don’t settle for the
“tax season month”? ▼
default pay grade Especially if you are incorporated and a very small business, you must pay attention to this one! Dividends vs payroll. T5 vs T4. It is a hot topic, and it can seriously affect how much money you make, or how much money collectively you and your partner/ spouse make. By having your conversation with your tax person prior, you are able to control the amount of money on which you pay taxes. You get a better sense of the amount of money you have taken from your business. You get a better sense of what taxes look like. If you are not proactive and look at your income before the end of the year, then you leave your accountant or tax person almost no choices when they do you taxes. They have simply lost most of their
24 SHARP WOMEN
Lynn of BWize Consulting & Training is a certified professional bookkeeper who spent more than 30 years running different businesses, including owning a professional bookkeeping firm with more than 300 clients over a period of ten years. She built her company around providing tools to small business owners so they can keep more money in their pocket.
Located inside Float Wellness at #108-111 Broadway Blvd (Liberty Place) Sherwood Park, AB. 780-905-6003
Hydrafacial Microneedling Microdermabrasion Dermaplaning Chemical Peels, Facials Laser Tattoo removal Laser pigmentation Laser hair removal.
SHARP WOMEN
25
printables
Vision Board
26 SHARP WOMEN
Whenever we gain nuggest of revelation we typically think, “Ooooh! I am going to start doing those things!” Usually, though, within a few days, we’ve forgotten what we heard, read or watched, and life goes on. This worksheet is a printable resource for you to use each month, to collect the treasure of insight and wisdom you fin each month in Sharp Women Magazine (or anywhere else!) and create action steps. Written goals are eight times more lokely to be achieved, so this is a great practice! You can make small (or big) changes by writing things down and holding yourself accountable.
Insights I have gained
New ways I will think
New things I will do
New results I will see
SHARP WOMEN
27
FEATURE feature
By Rachel Braun
28 SHARP WOMEN
Have you ever thought about the people who made you “you”? Christine Swift gets to think and act on it every day in her work owning an insurance agency and during her perpetual pursuit of a positive mindset, an appreciation for her mentors, and an impactful leadership practice dedicated to helping people help other people.
The keys to the kingdom Christine was born in Ponoka, Alberta. She has spent much of her life between Ponoka, Red Deer, and Calgary. From a young age, she wanted to be the woman in charge with the keys to the kingdom. “I wanted to be the lady that locked the bank at the end of the day,” Christine laughs. “My mom worked at a bank and sometimes I would see a woman close it. I thought she was awesome, like the boss or someone in power”. After high school, Christine studied Business Administration at Red Deer College, and earned a place on the Dean’s List. “I was 17 when I finished school. After that, I worked at Value Village. I started off as a cashier and moved my way up to Operations Supervisor. I worked there for four years, and then decided to move to Calgary. I didn’t have a plan, but some of my friends had moved there and I loved live music and snowboarding, so I thought, why not go on an adventure?”. Shortly after moving, Christine got a job at State Farm Insurance, which is where her insurance career began. “I did well there,” Christine reflects. “I was a life insurance agent, and we were top 5 in Canada and a lot of that had to do with me, which was awesome. My boss there was a great mentor to me. I use much of what he taught me in my business today. After a while, I decided to quit and open another State Farm agency in Red Deer. Back then, there was just one location, but when the owner found out I wanted to open my own agency, he wouldn’t let me work there anymore. After agency-hopping for a bit between Red Deer and Ponoka, I got into Cooperators, which is where Swift Insurance and Financial Solutions is housed. The rest is history”.
Naturally, I was curious if Christine sees herself today like “the woman who closes down the bank”. “Absolutely!” she laughs. “I am the owner of Swift Insurance and Financial solutions. I am a leader. I am a mom. My brother lives with me. I am in a leadership role in Business Network International. And that’s just the start”.
The impact of mentors Back when Christine moved to Calgary, she also met her son’s father, who lived in Red Deer. Today, they are divorced, and she is in a loving relationship with her boyfriend. Looking back and without knowing it at the time, was a key point for her and her family. Christine remembers: “We decided to get married
SHARP WOMEN
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and move back to Ponoka, but who knew that when we moved back, my mom would be diagnosed with cancer. She died soon after. This was over a decade ago”. As we carried on our virtual interview, Christine thoughtfully turned our conversation to her mom with many of our questions. After hearing some of her story, one can easily understand why. As Christine shared, “My mom grew up with five sisters. When they were young, their father died. My mom was eight and the second oldest. Soon after, my grandma went back to school and raised them all herself. Growing up, being surrounded by women raised by strong women, was pretty cool”. After only conversing with Christine for a short period, it was clear to me that the impact of her upbringing can be seen in how she engages in her leadership practice. Within moments, we were in deep conversation about the power of mentors. For Christine, a good mentor was someone who leads by example, is a good communicator, and has good problem-solving skills. “My mom was such a good listener,” Christine shares. “That’s one of the things I miss the most about her. She would never tell you what to do, which would encourage you to figure it out on your own”.
The power of mentees For Christine, mentees have an impact all their own. When one is open to learning and willing to have a positive mindset, they become a stronger and more empathic person. Christine shares: “You become a better person and you aren’t ‘flipping your lid’ over the little things in life. Maybe before, if something triggered you, you might get angry and defensive. Now, you may think ‘I can see they’re hurting’. Usually when people call insurance, they’re in a crisis. If they’re mad, it’s usually not about you… I always try to keep my heart open for people because you just never know what they are going through. Everybody’s got something. Be kind, especially now”.
30 SHARP WOMEN
Christine is owning her insurance career on her own terms. In her own words: “Now that I own my own agency, I want people to come and say, ‘I want to do this myself’. I welcome it. Let me teach you so that we can work together. We’ll know when you’re ready to fly the nest. In the future, I would love to see a larger agency where we have grown together, and we are attracting the type of employees who want to improve themselves. I want to help people to be able to help people”.
What does it mean to live your life on point? After a pause, Christine reflects: “To live your life on point is to live a balanced life. You can’t always be working all the time or always thinking about working. You must take time off for yourself, and legitimate time – not taking your work laptop on vacation – That just means you are working in nice place. Take the time to be with your children. My son is 10. Soon enough, he won’t want to be around me”. “That’s not true, Mom”, he says in the Google Meet background. Christine laughs, “Cherish those times with your family and don’t always be focused on work. As an entrepreneur, that’s very easy to do”▼
Christine Swift is a Financial Advisor for Swift Insurance & Financial Solutions Inc. Connect with her via her website
SHARP WOMEN
31
young entrepreneur feature
Ashley King: ON KNOWING HER WORTH By Rachel Braun
32 SHARP WOMEN
Ashley King knows her worth. Ashley knows the process of balancing a new business model to both ‘pay your bills’ and ‘fill your cup’. Ashley knows the costs of operating her photography and beauty businesses. Ashley knows the power of positive self-talk. Ashley knows the value of time spent with her son. Ashley also knows it’s her calling to amplify this sense of self-worth in others through her photography.
SHARP WOMEN
33
workshops. Through trial and error, I fell in love with professionally”. Over time, Ashley’s style and subjects evolved as her skills did. When she first started, Ashley tried as many things as possible to try to figure out what she loved the most. Today, Ashley specializes in couples, weddings, and boudoir. Ashley states, “I now know what my niche is, what I love doing, and what ‘fills my cup’.”
Solopreneur extraordinaire Today, Ashley owns and operates two businesses. She started Ashley King Photography over 11 years ago. It soon formed the basis of her beauty company, Gloss Makeup + Beauty. Ashley reminisced, “At one point
Every picture tells a story Ashley was born in Miami, Florida. Growing up, Ashley moved around often and widely. Quickly, photography became a method of expression of and reflection on her travels. Ashley recalls, “We lived in Columbia for a bit when I was 7. The hard part was trying to remember all the places and the people. I started taking photos when I was 4. My mom bought me disposable cameras, or I would steal hers and take photos everywhere we went. To this day, my mother still has a wardrobe full of pictures that I took. Photography was always there for me”. At age 14, Ashley moved to London, Ontario to live with her dad. After college, Ashley moved to Central Alberta, and it’s been home ever since. “Photography fell into my lap again really quickly after that,” Ashley remembers. “I didn’t know anyone at the time, so I started reading up on photography and taking online
34 SHARP WOMEN
we moved from Alberta to Saskatchewan. We were in the middle of nowhere and I was so concerned about finding a makeup artist for my clients that I decided to take a makeup course. I enrolled in the program at Eveline Charles, and I loved it! I’ve always been a huge fan of makeup and soon I was able to offer that to my clients”. Since then, this photoshoot service has evolved to skincare, facials, and chemical peels. “The best face for any makeup application is flawless skin, plain and simple”, Ashley believes. With such a diverse portfolio of services, Ashley’s time and talent are naturally in high demand. To achieve a sense of balance, Ashley has learned to balance her schedule seasonally. “I do not like shooting outside when it’s cold!” Ashley laughs. “If I do photography in the winter, it’s boudoir. That can sometimes come and go as the economy changes. Having my businesses serve as the backups of one another is huge for me, and great for my clients. They all love getting skincare from someone that they love
getting photographed by”. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, this business model allowed Ashley to continue her photography business. Through, she felt sincere empathy and concern for those who work lost work during the first year of the pandemic. True to her positive mindset, Ashley reflected on this time by focusing on the positive: “The biggest blessing [of COVID-19] was being able to have time with my son that we never would have had. We love spending time outside. Last year, they cancelled the season after one game, so we had a lot of time practicing outside together”.
“Know your worth” Ashley passionately believes in the value of knowing your worth: “Know your worth. That’s my biggest advice”, Ashley states. For those looking to enter photography for the first time, this looks like: “Figure out your costs of doing business, and don’t charge less than that because it’s not sustainable. Owning a photography business is not as simple as taking photos. A one-hour shoot could easily involve at least one hour of administration, 2-3 hours of editing… When you are thinking about your costs of business, think about everything from childcare to wear and tear on your vehicle. It all adds up, and you need to price your services for it”. Ashley’s philosophy of “knowing your worth” extends beyond the business realm. “Knowing your worth applies to all aspects of your life,” Ashley ruminates. “It’s part of your friendships, your romantic relationships, your work… Knowing your worth is about not allowing people to take advantage of you. I feel like it applies to so many areas in our lives and
SHARP WOMEN
35
mirror at least 3 times a day and tell yourself, ‘I love you! You are beautiful! You are strong! You are smart! You have a great butt…’, whatever you need to hear. This should be a daily practice. I promise it will make a difference. Once you start saying it to yourself, you will believe it eventually”. To spread her message even wider, Ashley has created the Facebook Group, “Ashley King Photography | Boudie Babes | After Dark Women’s Group”. In this space, Ashley showcases her work while shining the spotlight on women’s thoughts, experiences, and questions on all things life and work. In 10 years, Ashley sees herself doing even more of the boudoir photography work that allows her to empower others to see themselves as beautiful, every day. She also sees herself keeping her weekends free for her son. “Ultimately, all kids go and live their own lives,” Ashley laughs. “Our time together is so is probably the most important lesson I’ve learned as
important to me”.
an adult I can thank my therapist for that. You really don’t know these things until you go to therapy, talk
What does it mean to live your life on point?
about your problems with a professional, and they’re like, ‘try this’, and it works!”
Be you. Honour you. Honour your values. Live as authentically as possible because that is the legacy
Ashley regularly witnesses her clients transform
you leave behind with your name.▼
their self-knowledge in her boudoir photography sessions. Once the lighting, lingerie, and makeup are on, it’s up to Ashley to capture the unique beauty she sees in each of them. “During the shoot, I’ll show them the back of my camera and they’ll say, ‘I can’t believe that’s me’, but it is! It’s all you!”, Ashley says. To make the glow of confidence from a good boudoir session last, Ashley regularly recommends her clients practice positive self-talk. Her advice: “Look in the
36 SHARP WOMEN
Ashley King is a Central Albertabased photographer that loves to capture connection and adventure (especially if it involves mountains or beaches). She specializes in boudoir, families and couples (elopements are also her favourite) around Red Deer, but also travels to the Canadian Rockies and internationally. Check her out on Instagram (@ashleykingphoto) or via her website
SHARP WOMEN
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social media
5
Tips to Taming
Social Media By Carla Howatt
38 SHARP WOMEN
People tend to love it or hate it
One of the most detailed I
Be on brand
and very few are ambivalent.
have found is at a site called
If your business is about elegance
Social media can open the world
Omnicore Agency. They provide
and exclusivity, don’t post about
to your small business but it can
a breakdown for most platforms.
the latest fishing tackle. Yes, I
also be the biggest time gobbler
know that sounds ridiculous,
ever.
Once
you
have
figured out the one or
but you would be surprised what people will post!
But one thing almost all will
two platforms that will be most
agree on is that social media
useful for connecting with your
Be helpful
can be overwhelming and time
audience, create accounts under
Think about your audience and
consuming. People often respond
your business name and focus on
where their pain points are and
to this by either wasting way
those two only. It is better to do
post to help them. Your audience
too much time trying to figure it
one or two very well than to do
is
out or they ignore it completely.
them all half-assed.
because of COVID? Share links
Neither response is very helpful.
struggling
with
childcare
to resources and information on Search for leaders in
childcare during the pandemic.
What if I told you, it is possible for
your field and follow
Set yourself up as an informative
you to spend half an hour a day
or like them. Do searches for your
and have a robust social media
audience. For example, if you
presence for your business? Here
are selling consulting services
Be human
are a few simple steps you can
to small business owners, then
Even huge brands get the most
follow to get you there.
search using terms that relate to
attention
them.
some human qualities. Laugh
The very first thing you need to do is find out
and helpful person to watch.
at Now that you have
when
yourself,
they
express
show
concern,
commiserate about Mondays.
where your audience hangs out.
accounts
Of course, you know precisely
platforms where your audience
Be careful with humour, but don’t
who your audience is… right?
hangs out, and you are following
be afraid to use it.
on
the
or liking a bunch of accounts, it’s If you are looking to connect with
time to start posting. Remember,
Post using the 3:1 rule.
middle aged women, the best
there are a few things that are
For every sales post, you should
way to find them is not to hang
important to remember.
post three non-sales related. That
out with teenagers. You need to
doesn’t mean it has to be non-
home in on one or two platforms
Be consistent and regular
business related, but not an actual
that have a lot of your target
Posting once a month is not
call to action, sales post.
audience as users.
enough but posting every day for a
To find out who hangs out where,
week and then not again for three
Now that everything
there are many sources online
weeks isn’t great either. Depending
that give you statistics and
on your business and the platform,
is up and running, you
demographics on each platform.
aim for one or two posts per day.
may find yourself getting more comfortable with things. Perhaps SHARP WOMEN
39
a little too comfortable? Once you
Do it as part of your morning
are in the swing of things, it can
routine or at the end of the day. If
be incredibly tempting to spend a
you have to, set a timer.
lot of time scrolling, responding, and engaging. While this is great,
Social media is like any other tool
in the end you need to consider
for your business. Done properly,
your return on investment. If you
and executed strategically, it can
find yourself spending hours on
help move your business forward.▼
social media but haven’t made a sale, connection or anything else of value, you may be using it as more of a procrastination tool than anything. Schedule in half an hour to schedule posts and to engage and respond to posts.
40 SHARP WOMEN
Carla Howatt is the editor of Sharp Women Heartland magazine, the owner of a company called By the Book which guides and nourishes amateur and professional writers. She is the author of five books and likes to spend her time writing for herself and others.
SHARP WOMEN
41
leadership
SIX LEADERS SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVES ON LEADERSHIP DURING COVID-19 As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, so does the need for leaders to respond to the diverse needs of their teams and projects. This month, we asked six leaders: “How has your leadership approach pivoted during COVID-19?”
Janet Ma, Director, Facilities & Infrastructure and Space Management, Research Institute
Dr. Karen Leslie, Staff Physician, Adolescent Medicine
Overall, it hasn’t changed a
I’ve done differently as a result
whole lot except maybe more
of the pandemic is to be more
compassion,
and
intentional about checking in
flexibility given all the stressors
with people at the beginning of
that everyone is experiencing
meetings, acknowledging that
during COVID. However, I do think
we all have lot more going on
these are core values that most
and being able to bring that into
leaders at SickKids demonstrate
how we approach whatever the
already.
project or activity on which we
empathy
I would say the biggest thing
are collaborating.
42 SHARP WOMEN
Sandra Moro, Deputy Chief Information
Officer (CIO) and Director, Office of the CIO, Information Management & Technology
“Since the start of COVID-19, I have spent more time speaking openly with team members about the challenges we all face with the pandemic. Especially now, with many of us still working remotely, finding opportunities to stay connected and check in with the team has become more important.”
Lisa Goos, Director, Clinical Research Services, Research Institute
The pandemic not only required the Clinical Research Services
Dr. Rulan Parekh, Associate Chief, Clinical Research, and Senior Scientist, Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Research Institute; and Staff Physician, Nephrology
(CRS) team to adapt to working
“At the beginning of last March,
remotely, we also needed to
we wanted to ensure decisions
provide support and guidance
were
to help the SickKids clinical
empathetic to worries of the
research
adapt
first lockdown. As the pandemic
their research to the realities of
continued, we created forums
COVID-19.
for stakeholders to listen to
community
compassionate
and
concerns on the potential impact of
of COVID-19 on their research
adaptability,
and productivity. We continue to
commitment and quality CRS
advocate for research and have
has displayed from the initial
committees addressing issues in
shutdown in 2020 to this very
this ever-evolving pandemic.
I the
am
incredibly ingenuity,
proud
moving, big-ideas kind of person,
Throughout
I was a bit unsure how that would
advocated
translate over video calls. But
opportunities for research on
COVID-19 has meant we all bring
COVID-19.
Across
a little more of ourselves (and our
Research
Institute
children, and our pets, and our
and operations, we pivoted to
bad hair days…) to work. In such
support teams to study key
a state, I’ve seen that dedicated,
questions with COVID-19. There
hard working people still give
is lots of exciting SickKids studies
traction to good ideas, as long as
ranging from mental health to
they are cushioned by kindness,
vaccine development that are
empathy
contributing to the health of
and
a
sprinkling of humour.
generous
and
year,
we
highlighted the
During this unprecedented time, my leadership approach hasn’t changed
much.
Recognizing
that everyone is experiencing various levels of stressors and fears, ensuring that each person feels supported for their own needs was and continues to be important to me. Thinking about each person not just as a colleague but as a parent, child,
partner,
grandparent,
friend, neighbour, for example, is especially important during this time. Being flexible and
day. As a high-energy, fastthe
Karen Sappleton, Senior Manager, Child and Family-Centred Care and Health Equity
entire
leadership
recognizing
various
external
factors impacting their lives as a result of COVID-19 has made it critical to see the person in their environment to truly support the balancing act required of so many of us. ▼ Originally Published March 8, 2021 www.sickkids.ca
Canadians.” SHARP WOMEN
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food recepies
By Carla Howatt
44 SHARP WOMEN
Ingredients 2 cups white sugar 1/3 cup cocoa ½ cup milk ½ cup butter 1 tsp vanilla Dash of salt 1 cup flour
We all know that eating well is important. Getting enough water, not overdoing it on the bad fats, sugars, and salts will ensure we stay as healthy as possible. Equally important is knowing when to treat yourself and indulge in a little bit of nostalgia. For me, the ultimate is a recipe called “Aunt Hattie’s Fudge.” It has been in my family for as long as I can remember. I don’t even know who Aunt Hattie is, but I do know her fudge! My mother would often make it at Christmas
Boil the first six ingredients in a saucepan until not too hard. Then place a drop of the mix in cold water and then stir in flour. Set on a buttered plate. Enjoy! ▼
and other special occasions and the smell of it bubbling would bring a smile to my face.
SHARP WOMEN
45
46 SHARP WOMEN
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