Business - Volume 2 Issue 10

Superfly

and a quadruple threat

Niagara native April Mullen on acting, writing, producing, directing & following her dreams.

[ plus[ Cool food jobs, the mechanical farmer, the imposter syndrome and how to harness your creativity.

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 1

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MEET THE

CONTRIBUTORS

FLAVIO IAMMARINO

MARIANA BOCKAROVA

LYNN OGRYZLO

JILL THAM

GABRIELLE TIEMAN

Mariana Bockarova is a PhD Candidate at the University of Toronto, where she teaches Psychological Resiliency, the Science of Happiness, and the Psychology of Relationships.

Her research explores narrative medicine and mental health. She also holds a Master’s degree from Harvard University concentrated in Psychology.

Lynn is a food, wine and travel writer, author of three international award-winning cookbooks and regular contributor to REV Publications.

Lynn specializes in culinary tourism covering regional cuisine destinations, slow food, culinary holidays, wine, spirits and “la dolca vita”. She can be reached for questions or comments at lynnogryzlo.com.

Convinced she would have made a better teen in the 80s instead of the 90s, Jill’s passion for writing came after seeing the movie Stand

by Me. When Jill is not moonlighting as a freelance writer, she is an Elementary teacher juggling her three children. Along with being a regular contributor to Today Magazine, Jill’s articles have been featured in Canadian Running, Pedal, Allergic Living and @OECTA. @JillBT jilltham.wordpress.com.

Gabrielle is a passionate about the written word.

A newcomer to Niagara, Gabrielle is a graduate of the University of Ottawa’s Journalism program and has written for a number of newspapers and publications across Canada.

Her passion lies in profiling members of the community and uncovering the hidden gems within a city.

When she is not writing you can find her on her bicycle most likely with a large coffee in hand.

PH.D., SW.,C.CHT

Renowned for his amazing ability to affect profound change in people within an impressively short period of time, Flavio works with professional athletes, corporate clients and individuals. He has trained and instructed in the martial arts for over 30 years. He has established an excellent reputation as an effective and skilled therapist working largely on referrals from physicians, psychologists and lawyers.

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PAT FLYNN @patflynn Flynn is a thought leader in online marketing and his twitter account offers up all kinds of strategies for helping your business succeed.

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BEHIND THE SCENES Photos: Tina Lanzillotta

Get a peek into the creative process of shooting a cover with famed photographer David Haskell and our cover girl April Mullen.

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ON THE COVER April Mullen

(see page 12) Cover Photo: David Haskell

Superfly

and a quadruple threat

Niagara native April Mullen on acting, writing, producing, directing & following her dreams.

[ plus[ Cool food jobs, the mechanical farmer, the imposter syndrome and how to harness your creativity.

facebook.com/RevPublishingInc @revpublishing @todaymagazine www.revpublishing.com Business by Today Magazine is published by Rev Publishing Inc. All opinions expressed in Business by Today Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of Rev Publishing, it’s employees or owners.

Reasonable care is taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is as up-to-date and accurate as possible, as of the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by Business by Today Magazine for any errors, omissions or comments made by writers or interviewees that are contained herein.

Furthermore, responsibility for any losses, damages or distress resulting from adherence to any information made available through this magazine is not the responsibility of Business by Today Magazine. All unsolicited manuscripts and/ or photographs submitted are assumed to be intended for publication or republication in whole or in part. The right to alter, edit or refuse photos and/or manuscripts intended for publication is assumed. All unsolicited material submitted to Business by Today Magazine are submitted at the author’s risk. Manuscripts and or photographs intended to be returned must be accompanied by sufficient postage.

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COVER STORY

INNOVATION

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE

TOOL KIT

April Mullen on set.

Photo courtesy of April Mullen

12

SUPERFLY & A TRIPLE THREAT

Hollywood called to April Mullen at a young age, and this fearless Niagara native continues to break new ground both off and on the silver screen.

20

THE MECHANICAL FARMER

Designer, inventor, maker of machines and pumpkin farmer, Jerry Howell is the brains behind Nessy, the first mechanical, pumpkin dinosaur.

23

COOL FOOD JOBS

In the Niagara Region companies are more innovative than ever with a dedication to research and creating new, fresh products using homegrown produce while staying relevant in today’s evolving culture of fickle product loyalty.

33

MIND BLOCKS

Exploring the origin of creativity and our abilities to harness it. What is it that awakens a creative mind?

36

REDEFINING RETIREMENT, PART III

The rise of the retirement revolution and being proactive in creating a beautiful life.

40

THE IMPOSTER PHENOMENON

Why you might be better, faster and smarter than you think.

47

MILLENIALS

What you need to know about the new workforce.

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 11

COVER Story

S U P E R F LY AND A Q UA D R U P L E T H R E AT

BY JILL THAM

AC TO R . W R I T E R . P R O D U C E R . D I R E C TO R .

Hollywood called to April Mullen at a young age, and this fearless Niagara native continues to break new ground both off and on the silver screen. >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 13

AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER, WE HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED A CONNECTION WITH A MOVIE. Perhaps it was the plot, characters, special effects, or the lasting impression the film made. Actor, director, and producer, April Mullen, was drawn to the performance side of acting at a young age. “I did a bunch of theatre and would produce my own performances in my backyard for the neighbours,” says Mullen, who recalls performing in a production of Alice In Wonderland at the age of 13 at the Mayor’s picnic. She enjoyed how the stage allowed her to be who she wanted to be. “I was a bit shy, but on stage I could be bigger than life,” explains Mullen.

Throughout her high school years, Mullen remained focused on acting. After completing a B.F.A. Honors in Theatre from Ryerson University and then attending the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, in the United Kingdom, she moved to California to begin her career in acting. Mullen arrived in the midst of a stage and writer strike, but that didn’t deter her from pursuing her goals. “At Ryerson we focused on creating our own work from nothing. A friend, Tim Doiron, and I, created a theatre show and I directed it,” says Mullen. When Mullen and Doiron realized there was little return on their project, they set their sights on film. “Tim wrote a mockumentary called Rock, Paper, Scissors: The Way of the Tosser, I directed it and we produced it together. It was our first feature and we had to self-finance the film which is risky to do,” says Mullen.

From this point on, Mullen and Dorian were infected with the buzz. “We got addicted to the aspect of creating an entire film based on our own work and seeing it through from beginning to end,” says Mullen. The pair started their own production company, Wango Films, which is named after the catchphrase “Wango Baby” from their second film Gravytrain. “Wango Baby” means happiness. It’s the joy of us creating our work and the excitement of our final product. The Wango stamp on it is to inspire others and bring positivity to the world,” says Mullen.

Mullen and Doiron often have to work on a very tight schedule. Wango’s latest film, Farhope Tower, was filmed in fourteen days. “To accommodate the tight schedule, we used a lot of steady cam which created suspense,” says Mullen, who put her steady cam operator on roller blades. “Our goal was to push the limits on what we could accomplish in a short time frame while staying true to the cinematic parts of it,” explains Mullen.

As the first woman to direct a Canadian live action fully stereoscopic 3D feature film, she is gaining a solid reputation as a female in the industry. “I’ve been a part of the small percentage of women working in the industry,” says Mullen. “I would say the challenge is where you come from and how focused you are.”

“There are few people in the industry who are magnetic. They draw you in and make you want to be a part of it,” says Robert Lalonde, Talent Agent and Manager of the Niagara Integrated Film Festival. >>

“I FEEL B L E S S E D T H AT I AM A B L E T O C O N STAN T LY C RE AT E .

I T H AS N EV E R B E E N ABO U T H OW B I G O R SMAL L T H E PR O J E C T I S. I G ET L O ST I N T H E C R EAT I V I T Y A N D C R EAT I NG SO M E T H I NG WI T H A T E A M ” TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 15

credits actor Farhope Tower Zoe (2015) 88 Lemmy (2015/II) Dead Before Dawn 3D Becky Fords (2012) Good God (TV Series) Kathy Duncan (2012) Papillon (TV Series) Nun (2011) Scare Tactics (TV Series) Valium of the Dolls (2011) GravyTrain (2010) Miss Uma Booma (2009) Howie Do It (TV Series) (2009) Rock, Paper, Scissors: The Way of the Tosser Holly Brewer (2007) A History of Violence Kid in Diner (2005) Rose (TV Movie) Vanisha (2005) Suburban Madness (TV Movie) Jesse James (2004) Cavedweller Dede (2004) True Crimes: The First 72 Hours (TV Series) Rachel Emery (2004) 1-800-Missing (TV Series) Cara Crenshaw (2003) The Ladies Man Teen Lover (2000)

director Badsville (post-production) Below Her Mouth (post-production) (2016) Killjoys (TV Series) (1 episode) - Heart-Shaped Box (2016) Real Detective (TV Series documentary) (2 episodes) - Misery (2016) - Vengeance (2016) Aftermath (TV Series) (2 episodes) - Episode #1.9 (2016) - Episode #1.10 (2016) Farhope Tower (2015)* 88 (2015)** Dead Before Dawn 3D (2012)* GravyTrain (2010)* Rock, Paper, Scissors: The Way of the Tosser (2007)** *producer/director credit **producer, writer and director credit – NOTE: Not all credits may be listed. –

When directing, Mullen isn’t set on a specific camera style, she simply lets the movie dictate. Mullen recently directed the film Below Her Mouth using an all-female crew to capture the intimacy and perspective of the two main female characters. She uses her instincts to make choices that achieve the best performance from her actors. “When two actors listen to each other and connect there is a spark. I like to get them to listen to their partner and forget they are on camera,” explains Mullen. “We could create a strong and unique sense of honesty and know what it is like to fall in love,” says Mullen. Her strive for perfection and willingness to step outside the box while directing makes her films unique. “I love watching actors interact and elevating their performance to the next level,” says Mullen.

Mullen has taken her kicks in the industry - literally. Just prior to the shooting of Farhope Tower, she was injured while participating in a kickboxing class in Los Angeles. “I was on crutches and we were debating how I was going to direct and act in the film,” explains Mullen, who knew she had no time to recover with the strict 14 day shooting schedule. “I didn’t know where to put my crutches, they were clumsy and big and I never sit down when I am directing,” explains Mullen. With swollen feet, she persevered to finish the film on schedule and it opened with a bang.

“Farhope Tower was the opening film at the 2016 Niagara Integrated Film Festival and definitely one of the highlighted events of the festival,” states Lalonde.

To date Mullen has filmed five of her movies in the Niagara Region. She appreciates the benefits of shooting here. “I travel a lot, so if I can shoot where I want, I shoot at home and my family is a part of that,” says Mullen.

“The Niagara Region is beautiful. Everything we need is at our fingertips.

We can put our crew up in a hotel here and create a team feel. You might not get that with a blockbuster,” explains Mullen. “The joy for the project shows on the screen and that is what Wango Films is all about.”

Her speciality is doing anything that is not a specialty. From horror to drama, Mullen and Doiron are not set on one genre of film and continuously look for unique ideas to push their envelope forward. “Tim wrote 88 after reading about someone who went into a dissociative fugue state. From there we created a narrative revenge thriller,” says Mullen. 88 was shown at the Pen Centre Landmark Cinemas and sold in over 25 territories.

Mullen is proud to be a self-made entrepreneur who has learned from the ground up. “I never feel indecisive. I’m comfortable because my tool belt is so heavy from doing many jobs,” says Mullen. “I don’t equate my career choice with success,” says Mullen. “I do feel very proud that I have the knowledge and freedom to create my own work and earn a living.”

Although Mullen admits that at times it is a miracle that any film gets to the final stages, she is grateful to be in a career she loves. “I feel blessed that I am able to constantly create. It has never been about how big or small the project is. I get lost in the creativity and creating something with a team,” says Mullen.

Mullen is just hitting the tip of the iceberg with her potential. She recently wrapped up directing Aftermath, a science fiction television filmed in Vancouver, BC and the premier of Below Her Mouth at the Toronto International Film Festival. Most certainly another original film from Wango is in the works. For more information visit www.aprilmullen.com TM

Tim Doiron, April Mullen & Christopher Lloyd on set of Dead Before Dawn 3D. Photo courtesy of April Mullen

April Mullen & Christopher Lloyd on set of 88.

Photo courtesy of April Mullen

April Mullen & production designer, Faye Mullen.

Photo courtesy of April Mullen

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 17

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THE INVENTOR & REINVENTOR

the mechanical farmer

By Lynn Ogryzlo

Designer, inventor, maker of machines and pumpkin farmer, Jerry Howell is the brains behind Nessy, the first mechanical, pumpkin dinosaur. It all started when Jerry was nine years old living on his family’s 43-acre pig farm in Fonthill.

One summer he watched as his neighbour and friend sold vegetables from the end of his driveway. It struck the entrepreneurial spirit in Jerry and he begged his mother for some vegetables from her vegetable garden to sell at the end of their driveway. As fate would have it, she gave him her pumpkins.

Jerry filled a wheelbarrow of giant orange globes and to his amazement, he sold them all in one weekend. He made his first $28 dollars and he was hooked.

Each summer after that Jerry’s father would plant more and more pumpkins and Jerry would sell them all. In between pumpkin season Jerry kept himself busy with his hobby, tinkering with machines and figuring out how they worked.

It wasn’t long before Jerry decided to up his pumpkin game. In order to give his customers added value, he carved a series of Jack-O-Lanterns and lined them up on the front porch and across the front lawn of the farmhouse. It was a beautiful display and when word got out that there was something

to see at Howells, more customers came and more pumpkins were sold.

Jerry’s little pumpkin business was a huge success.

Through Jerry’s vision, the family gradually worked themselves out of pig farming and into pumpkin farming. Some would say that going from pigs to pumpkins was a natural evolution if pumpkins were more lucrative than pigs, but Jerry knew even then that this was more of a reinvention than an evolution.

Around the same time Jerry graduated from Niagara College earning his diploma in Computer Engineering Technology. With a diploma, his entrepreneurial instincts, a pumpkin farm, a neighbour with a penchant for collecting old, broken machinery and Jerry’s passion for tinkering with them, the rest could still not have been predicted so easily.

It was a lark, a joke, just a fun thing for him to do. Surrounded by pumpkins, one day Jerry stuck a few of them on steel rods, rigged a motor to see if they would move. They did. His imagination took over and at the end of the day Jerry had made his first dinosaur. Jerry used pumpkins as the body, impaling them onto spears that stood 70-feet tall (yes, Jerry has a BIG imagination!). He rigged a big hydraulic press so it moved, he built a head and face and called it Nessy, the world’s first mechanical pumpkin dinosaur. To Jerry, Nessy was a fun project but little did he realize the insatiable appetite his customers would have for animated vegetables.

From a single wheelbarrow piled with pumpkins to a display of Jack-OLanterns, from 40-acres of pumpkins to a giant robotic dinosaur, it wasn’t long before the original Howell pig farm was in fact, reinvented into one of the regions first agri-entertainment destinations. Everyone came out to see Nessy.

When Nessy died, Jerry built Rex, a bigger and better pumpkin dinosaur.

Encouraged, Jerry built a coup of singing chickens, a talking donkey, a skeleton band and other singing and dancing displays that children loved.

They added a variety of food from pumpkin donuts to strawberry funnel cakes (that’s when Jerry began growing his own hydroponic strawberries).

Classes of school children came out for tours and weekend wagon rides were

INNOVATION

booked solid; they built a corn maze, a pumpkin slingshot, scarecrow alley and a haunted house. They sold Indian corn and bales of hay along with thousands and thousands of pumpkins. The pig farm that supported Jerry’s family now employed over 140 students from mid September to the end of October.

The road to success wasn’t always as straight as it appeared. Howell’s reputation as a farm theme park grew just as the pumpkin business declined. “Big box stores began selling pumpkins at reduced prices, I couldn’t compete,” says Jerry. Families stopped buying pumpkins from the farm but were coming in larger and larger numbers for the entertainment and for the display of expertly carved Jack-o-lanterns that still line the front lawn of the farmhouse.

But if pumpkins were a dying business, animated farm vegetables and talking animals was a booming one. Jerry began selling singing chicken coups and talking donkeys across Canada and throughout the United States. He filled orders from Holland, Britain, Scotland, Japan and New Zealand. Jerry became world famous.

In the beginning it was large farm markets that were ordering his mechanical characters but the word spread and Jerry began custom crafting animated displays and paintball shooting theatres for theme parks and grocery stores. As his clientele got more sophisticated, so did his materials and methods. Jerry was getting better and better.

Each order Jerry makes is custom crafted. He starts with a conceptual drawing and builds an animated display from the mechanical insides to life-like outsides.

The sizes of his shows can be anywhere from 2-feet tall or like Rex, 70-feet. He builds faces out of silicone flesh and wooden boats out of Styrofoam blocks. He paints the eyeballs and fashions the shoes. He builds the moving mechanics and synchronizes the music and voices. The barns on the farm that once held tractors, pig bays and plowing implements, is now full of 3-foot talking avocados, a 9-foot animated fishermen, zombie paintball theatres and musical skeletons. The barns that were once ready to fix any tractor now looks more like a theatre prop shop.

There isn’t a creature Jerry can’t craft and build life-like.

Since that day Jerry estimates he’s built and sold hundreds of animated animals from chickens to cows, skeletons, donkeys, singing cobs of corn, alligators and yes, he’s still crafting dinosaurs.

Over the years, this inventor of talking vegetables and farm animals has finely honed his craft and his creations evolved to Disney-like quality. Most of them talk, mouths perfectly synched to their voices. Others are motion activated ready to startle and delight anyone who walks by and others play based on two to three minute intervals.

Today Howell Family Pumpkin Farm is one giant pumpkin entertainment centre, the worlds best animatronics display and the home of the workshop that brings farm animals and vegetables to life. Rex is still the king of Howell’s fantasy land, the Jack-O-Lantern display still cascades across the front lawn but now it’s dwarfed by an elaborate, themed hay display. Just last year the theme was The Wizard of Oz and it included 15-foot characters made from giant bales of hay.

They were fashioned into the likeness of Dorothy, the cowardly lion, the scarecrow, the tin man, a tiger and a bear. The beautiful creations towered over the children that ran circles around them singing happy songs along to The Wizard of Oz music that was pumped throughout Howell’s theme park.

People still flock to Howell’s during the short, six week pumpkin season in the fall. It’s sad to know that there are very few pumpkins grown on the farm today, just enough for their retail and theme park needs. I wonder if part of Howell’s is considering staying open all summer long to take advantage of the new crop of animated vegetables and animals. It’s the way the farming goes in Fonthill.

This year Rex turns 20-years old and Jerry promises to have a bigger and better show than ever before. I can’t wait to see it.

Check the website for hours and fun activities, ahowlinggoodtime.com. TM TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 21

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by G A B R I E L L E T I E M A N

Have you ever been at store or market and wondered how certain products come to be? Who was the first person to decide to pre-slice bread? Who thought to package vegetables in cans to extend their shelf life or to swirl chocolate and hazelnut together and market a dessert for breakfast?

In recent years, the Niagara Region has turned its eyes towards innovation in our food industry. Harnessing the region’s bounty, companies are now researching how to not only create new, fresh products using our homegrown produce, but how to stay relevant in today’s evolving culture of fickle product loyalty, the on-the-go lifestyle and our love for everything bacon flavoured.

Welcome to the centre of the culinary stage the Food Technologist, Research Chef and Food Safety Coordinator – all branches of food science revolutionizing the food we fill our plates with and the production

processes behind our favourite products. Early food technology concentrated on food preservation and making produce last longer. Research Chefs have helped to discover and create some of the new food combinations and products we rave about. And Food Safety Coordinators make sure what is being created and marketed is born in a clean and safe manner so we can eat with ease.

Businesses are now turning their eyes towards this next generation of innovators to further their product development: individuals with the perfect combination of food science knowledge, basic culinary skills and diverse palettes to create the next big thing in food.

From creating natural ingredient based energy drinks to lab grown produce, the foods in development by local culinary innovators is reshaping tomorrow’s kitchens and how we see food. >> TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 23

WHAT MAKES YOUR JOB NEW AND EXCITING IN THE CULINARY WORLD? It’s the future of food. Influencing what products are available to consumers across the country (dare I say, one day the world) instead of just one particular restaurant is an exciting idea. Artisanal, local food companies are becoming more popular creating a need for more food technologists.

Here at PFC we are joining that trend toward all natural products that do not contain preservatives or additives. This is an exciting change in the world of processed foods.

HOW HAS YOUR CAREER AND PASSION HELPED TO INNOVATE THE FOOD INDUSTRY AND HOMEGROWN PRODUCTS IN THE NIAGARA REGION? Niagara is full of fresh and delicious produce that is right in our backyard.

As food techs we have the training and expertise to make sure that the agricultural wealth of this region is handled properly to get the products on the market for the whole nation to enjoy.

FOOD TECHNO LOG IS T, PR OVI SI ONS FOOD COM PANY WHAT IS A FOOD TECHNOLOGIST’S MAIN ROLE DAY TO DAY? A typical day in production at PFC means meeting a lot of standards. As a food technologist it is my role to ensure that the products being made are of utmost high quality and consistency to the level we set for our products. This means simple procedures like making sure the products have the right colour, flavour and texture to more complicated information like viscosity, sugar content, and pH level. The goal of a food technologist is to bring consistency to great tasting foods.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO CHOOSE THIS CAREER? Having worked in the food industry for almost a decade I have learned a few things. First, that there is a burning passion for food deep inside of me that needed to be expressed. And second, I learned first-hand that the food service industry is an extremely demanding and exhausting career.

This was not what I wanted for my life. I desired a career that made it possible to achieve a work/life balance at the same time pursuing my dream of working with food. This led to my discovery of Niagara College’s Culinary Innovation and Food Technology program which catered to my love for food and kept my career going down the path I set out for myself. Being part of a team that is creating a strong brand and exciting new product s is the perfect fit.

WHICH PRODUCTS HAVE YOU HELPED TO CREATE/ INFLUENCED AND WHAT MAKES THEM DIFFERENT? The newest product to join the PFC family is our asiago & sundried tomato short breads. This is in addition to our line of savoury short breads.

PFC started by asking what the wineries of Niagara needed to enhance their premium wines at the point of sale. Wine friendly short breads are one way. Another way is by producing fruit pastes (similar to jam but less sugar and more pectin). For this we used the same model the wineries use: a premium, single variety product that showcases all the great flavours the fruit contains whether it be Bartlett Pears, Damson Plums or Montmorency Sour Cherries.

HOW DO YOU STAY INSPIRED AND EDUCATED ON NEW FOOD TRENDS? Following Culinology is a great source of knowledge on what’s trending next in the food market and from that, ideas start to flow. Working with a small batch company like PFC is an excellent way to get a broad sample of all aspects of running and being a part of a food business. This ranges from creating new products or flavour combinations to going out to represent the company at events. What inspires me day to day is simply just having the opportunity to work with Lori McDonald at Provisions Food Company and learn from her experience.

WHY DO COMPANIES NEED YOUNG INNOVATORS TO HELP THEIR BUSINESS? One of the greatest sayings I learnt in my past experience in management is: There’s no better eye than a fresh pair of eyes. Having young innovators working with your company allows the opportunity for new things to be seen when you, yourself have become desensitized to. >>

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WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO CHOOSE THIS CAREER? As my mother would tell you, I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be either a chef or a scientist. As the years went on I leaned more towards food as my passion so I decided to pursue becoming a chef over the latter.

I went to Niagara College and graduated from the Culinary Management program. By this time I had already been working in restaurants for a few years and I decided that the lifestyle wasn’t for me. I still loved to cook and work with food, but I wanted a more conventional workweek, one that challenged me intellectually. So I enrolled in the Culinary Innovation and Food Technology program at Niagara College. During my third year I was hired as a Research Assistant and after graduating got the coveted role of Research Associate. My career now includes aspects both from the culinary and scientific backgrounds.

SPENCER RESEARCH LABORATORY TECHNICIAN AT THE CANADIAN FOOD & WINE INSTITUTE INNOVATION CENTRE WHAT IS A RESEARCH ASSOCIATE’S MAIN ROLE DAY TO DAY? The great thing about being a Research Associate is that your role can vary from day to day. One day you might be working in the kitchen to develop a new product for a client and the next day you could be working in one of the labs performing any number of analyses on another product: it all depends on the projects you’re working on.

Niagara College Research & Innovation’s working model is project-based which I separate into three categories: Product Development (PD), Laboratory Analysis, and Regulatory Assistance. PD can include anything from improving an already existing product to making an entirely new product based on the clients’ expectations. Laboratory Analysis encompasses microbiological, chemical, and quality analyses (which are also broad terms in their own right). A Research Associate can be involved in projects that require multiple lab analyses spanning weeks or even months (e.g. shelf life testing, challenge testing, etc.). Regulatory Assistance can be helping clients with their product labels, whether that is navigation of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website to figure out what claims they can make or what their product can be named to avoid being misleading. Many of the projects we work on combine elements from all three categories.

WHAT MAKES YOUR JOB NEW & EXCITING IN THE CULINARY WORLD? Instead of conducting academic research in order to publish papers, we do applied research for industry. Clients come to us in search of assistance with any food related problem and we work closely with them to find a solution.

We usually work with small to medium sized businesses that don’t have the capital to invest in expensive tests or equipment; by working with us they get access to both at much lower cost. This helps the business and the industry as a whole by expanding companies and creating new jobs and revenue streams.

CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF A PRODUCT YOU’VE HELPED TO DEVELOP? One of my most notable clients would have to be Emmanuel Jal. Jal is a former child soldier from South Sudan who escaped that life and came to North America where he is now a Peace Activist/Recording Artist. He had an idea for a healthy beverage mix based on plants that are indigenous to his home country, plants that he actually used to survive while escaping his old life. Since he had limited knowledge of the food industry he looked to Niagara College Research & Innovation for assistance. I sourced a co-packer (someone who will make the product for him on a large scale), found a supplier for the ingredients, defined what he could say on the label, and determined shelf life through microbiology testing. The product is now available in Sobeys across Ontario and Walgreens in the United States. Niagara College, Research & Innovation helped Emmanuel Jal to bring his idea to fruition.

HOW DO YOU STAY INSPIRED & EDUCATED DAY TO DAY? When your job is a combination of both of the things that you’re passionate about, staying inspired is no problem. On a day to day basis I am presented with new challenges to overcome and it keeps me sharp. Staying educated on food trends is simple when the team I work with is just as interested in food as I am. This doesn’t even include the fact that through school and work I have formed connections with chefs that I run into and collaborate with frequently.

HOW HAS YOUR CAREER & PASSION HELPED THE FOOD INDUSTRY? I love what I do and I put every ounce of creativity that I have into every project that I work on. I feel that there are no food-related issues that I can’t solve as a part of the Research & Innovation team. >>

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WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO CHOOSE THIS CAREER? In the food world innovation means “difference”. The food industry is always looking for their finished article to be different, to stand out. That falls into two categories: INVENTION: Identifying a gap in the market place and creating a brand new item in order to fill that gap. This is very difficult, the brand new idea is difficult to envisage, design, manufacture and sell. It’s far easier to adjust an existing item.

BEATRIX QUALITY ASSURANCE/ FOOD SAFETY COORDINATOR/ SQF PRACTITIONER, OLIV INTERNATIONAL INC. WHAT IS YOUR MAIN ROLE DAY TO DAY? I would say this is a combined role. Food Safety is under the umbrella of Quality Assurance. We are making sure that the product that we create/ manufacture at our facility is safe for consumption and it meets our high standards. Then SQF Practitioner has a similar but more specific role-document and implement Food Safety Programs, complete audits, monitor, record, verify.

An example of the two roles together: our oil dispenser must be cleaned and the task recorded after each use. Quality Assurance is checking the critical control/quality points through HACCP flow, SQF Practitioner is verifying the document is being updated and that instructions are followed correctly.

WHY IS YOUR JOB NEW AND EXCITING IN THE CULINARY WORLD? There are many great chefs/cooks/bakers in the food industry. However, there is a very important piece when it comes to innovation- the innovator needs to understand and apply the science behind cooking/baking/ developing new products. This is what we young food technologists can offer to the culinary world.

REVISION: Taking an existing product and revising it in some way to make it different from the rest of the market. For example, a steak is still a steak. You can’t turn it into a new kind of protein. How you treat, prepare, cook, dress and serve that steak can be different or “innovative.”

I have hands on experience when I’m working on revision and division but it also involves brainstorming as well as microbiology, chemistry and research on each project. Every project has its own story and it gives me the opportunity to learn something new along the way.

HOW IS YOUR CAREER AND PASSION HELPING TO INNOVATE THE FOOD INDUSTRY? The same as with any other passion: passion to succeed, create, improve. Just as a painter has a passion for colour, light, image, we have a passion for taste, texture, colour, nutrition with a striving to create a pleasing image.

CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF AN APPLICATION OF YOUR JOB? A catering company approached Chef Ted Reader (The BBQ king) with a challenge. They wanted to develop new products for the Royal Winter Fair Tradeshow. Of course with every project, they had their criteria that needed to be followed such as bite size, utilize their protein, stay within a specific price range, trendy, family friendly and easy to prepare.

Ted thought the best approach to give them results would be to bring this project to the 3rd year Food Innovation class. They tried each and every product that we developed then picked the best ones as their most innovative creation. The best product was created by my group, The Sweet And Sour Bacon Tender Balls.

A year ago, Community Living approached Niagara Research Innovation Center. They had a challenge and they needed a solution. They needed new formulations for their jams and sauces with a couple of criteria. I developed four different formulations for them: pepper peach salsa, Asian BBQ sauce, peach Icewine and a strawberry base jam infused with spirits. Pepper peach salsa is their biggest seller product since arriving on the shelf. It helped them to achieve more variety on their product list - which will lead them to the next phase of their non-profit organization.

HOW DO YOU STAY EDUCATED ON NEW FOOD TRENDS? Food Magazines, E-books, webinars. I’m a member of the Research Chef Association where I can attend conferences and learn about the most recent trend. I also have a great connection with Chefs and people who work in the Food Industry on a daily basis. TM

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LIFESTYLE & CULTURE

MIND BLOCKS [ ] CREATIVITY AND WHERE IT LIVES

BY FLAVIO IAMMARINO, PH.D, SW, C.CHT DOCTOR IN CLINICAL HYPNOSIS

The topic of creativity poses many questions. Where does creativity come from? Do we all have the ability to be creative? Why do some people seem to effortlessly come up with creative ideas or concepts? What is it that awakens a creative mind? When does creativity happen and what is the best way to spark a creative idea?

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 33

Creativity comes from a clear connection between the physical and the non-physical—our soul or what some may call our spirit.

This connection is where ideas can flow freely and amazing things can be achieved. Everyone has the ability to be creative! We just must learn to allow ourselves to open our creative mind. We all have the ability and are instinctively creative—we are born with it!

If you want an example of creativity in its purest form, just pay attention to the creativity in children. When young children say or do certain things we are amazed and wonder where their ideas came from. Children are very much connected to the non-physical world where all is known and created already. They are open to receiving new thoughts, information and ideas without boundaries or limitations and are open enough to allow their imagination to run free. Because children are still innocent, the information and creativity can easily flow because they live in the present moment.

They have not yet learned about, or been corrupted by, limited beliefs and negative emotions that block the flow of a creative mind.

They are not thinking about what others may think of their ideas, and quite frankly don’t care. Children are our greatest role models for creative thinking! Are you feeling a creative block at work or while doing a project? An afternoon spent with your five year-old child, niece, nephew, or grandchild may be all you need to realize your creative freedom.

People of different walks of life and in many different professions try to awaken their creative mind by turning to different sources.

Meditation, relaxation, and different forms of stimulations are all means to unleashing your creative thoughts. Although I do not suggest or condone it, some have even tried hallucinogenic drugs in a quest for their next moment of creative genius. Whatever the means, what you are trying to achieve is a “state-of-mind.” A stateof-mind where you feel free, and in the present moment, where everything is clear and flows easily.

Creativity can only happen when we are in a conscious state-ofmind—conscious means to be in the present moment. Creativity cannot happen when our brain is wandering in the subconscious.

When our mind is wandering in the subconscious it thinks of the past and to the future and creates anxiety, worry, and doubt. The mind never stops running in this state and people will create roadblocks for why they shouldn’t allow an idea to flow or surface.

Instead when we are conscious, or in the present moment, no distractions exist and everything will flow easily and effortlessly.

If you want to spark a creative idea first you must figure out what it is you want to achieve. Then make a clear image of it in your mind with positive feelings connected to it. Release your image to the universe without reservation or hesitation and keep your mind still and in the present moment. If you are focused, ideas will flow to you easily and effortlessly. If you trust, and believe in your ability the possibilities for a creative life are limitless.

For more information on this article, or to learn more about the power our mind has over our creative thinking contact our office at 905-684-1717.

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PART THREE

REDEFINING RETIREMENT THE RISE OF THE RETIREMENT REVOLUTION

BY LYNN OGRYZLO I have two really great girlfriends. We’re more like family than friends, as close as sisters, we’ve raised our children and are still strong in our careers. The traditional things we used to strive for, a house, a pool, a few cars and the European holiday are done. So when we find ourselves together on the back porch with a glass of wine in hand, sometimes our conversations come around to our future and what it will look like.

Statistically speaking, our husbands should pass away before us, so considering that we’d probably be alone, we’ve made a promise to live together (yes guys, we really do have these conversations). Of course, in our plans we won’t be old and sick, we’d be young, vibrant and healthy having loads of fun, supporting each other to the end. How realistic is this?

Ok, the young part maybe not, but the living together having fun is definitely a possibility. Almost two decades ago in the Paris suburb of Montreuil, France, a group of feminists lead by Thérèse Clerc had the same idea of living together.

Unlike my friends and I who just talk of these things, Clerc and her friends set to work and eventually convinced the French government to build them an apartment building considerate to their new retirement living concept. They call it Babayagas’ House.

Babayaga is the name for a one-toothed, feisty Russian witch and Therese felt it was an appropriate name for a group

of women who intend to grow old together. French women have the longest life expectancy of European nations and three quarters of them live alone and isolated. But Babayaga represents a new way of living among friends. The women do everything for themselves, no nurses or caregivers, no chefs, kitchen workers or social conveners, no staff at all.

Their ages range from 55 to 89, they look after themselves and have fun together.

The Babayaga House is in the centre of Montreuil so the women are totally independent, walking to buy groceries, meet friends at a café or attend the opera. It’s a place where those living on the poverty level live together with others of greater means, where the elderly are not defined by age but by desire to keep actively living.

On the first floor of the Babayaga House there is a community centre where the ladies organize workshops on writing or cooking, a speaker series and small concerts. All of these are open to the public. They also reach out to the community by teaching immigrants French and tutor children in academics.

The work and their value in the community is empowering their independence, activating their creativity, bonding relationships, creating greater health and happiness and building community interdependence. In essence, these women may have retired from the traditional sense of work but not from life. >> TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 37

TRADITIONALLY, RETIREES VIEW MOVING TO A SENIORS HOME WHEN WE ARE DISABLED AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR NOTHING, BUT THE BABAYAGA LADIES SEE THIS AS POWERLESS. INSTEAD, THEY ARE PROACTIVE IN CREATING A BEAUTIFUL LIFE. It’s the way my friends and I want to continue living when we retire.

Traditionally, retirees view moving to a seniors home when we are disabled and are responsible for nothing, but the Babayaga ladies see this as powerless. Instead, they are proactive in creating a beautiful life.

Babayaga ladies are not illusionists, they know they are seniors and growing old is inevitable, so there is an apartment reserved in case there is a need for an on-site caregiver or doctor, but so far it remains empty.

Because Babayaga is a new concept, they don’t know what they’ll do if one of them gets dementia or becomes critically ill, but they consider active independence the most important part of aging, and are willing to take it one day at a time.

While Babayaga is not for everyone, it’s a far cry from the helpless Canadian retirement home model where you’re not responsible for anything and where the structure is more like a day care centre than a place you’d want to live. In this type of environment we see people grow older faster.

I could easily be a Babayaga if it meant being valued, having opportunities to keep learning, contributing, keeping my autonomy and being needed by those around me. It would give me plenty of reasons to get up in the morning while offering a simpler and more joyous way of living.

It’s not surprising that the Babayaga concept is spreading throughout France and it’s exciting to learn it is also being developed in Canada, but with some key differences. In Toronto a group of women are working on Baba Yaga Place that will include couples and single men in their project.

Currently they are in the initial planning stages of their retirement dreams and you can track their progress at babayagaplace.ca.

There are other retirement revolutions happening in Canada. Seniors Cohousing is a concept, developed first in Denmark and now exists in Canada. Cohousing by definition is a group of people living and managing their living facilities together. More specifically they live in privately owned homes and share extensive common facilities.

When it comes to seniors, they take the cohousing concept one step further including caring for each other, depending on each other, companionship and community living, just like the Babayaga model. Wolf Willow, the first Canadian cohousing project opened in Saskatoon in December 2012.

As I write this story, I’m encouraged by the retirement revolution.

After all, we’re all headed in that direction. But I can’t help feeling it’s

still not for me. Just the name ‘Seniors Cohousing’ conjures up images of buildings of old people sitting around sleeping in reclined lazy-boy chairs.

I couldn’t do it.

Statistics show that I’m not alone. That’s why Royal Roads University (RRU) in British Columbia came out with a course called, Aging Well in Community. The 10-week course was an introduction to the revolution in retirement living.

The women of Babayaga in France were not afraid to say they want to grow old together, even if they hope to have 20 to 30 more years of living ahead of them. Canadians on the other hand prefer to live in denial.

Statistics show that most retirees don’t believe they will ever need support or community. In fact, just the thought that they are old is a shock for many Canadian retirees.

The RRU course tackles Canadians resistance to aging head on with three basic steps. First, all students must confront and accept the facts.

After that, it’s about freedom. Each participant designs a realistic plan to live the way they want to live, independent and unrestricted. The third step is about empowerment, understanding, building community, growing rewarding activities and living a healthy lifestyle. Perhaps what RRU is really saying is that it’s not so much a Canadian resistance to aging as much as it is a resistance to age in the powerless, outdated retirement models that currently exist.

Royal Roads worked with the Seniors Cohousing project on Victoria Island called Harbourside. It currently houses multi-generational families of both men and women ages 45 up. Here age is not a rule as much as circumstance. It’s not a community of old people but a mix of ages all living together as one community providing the kind of support friends would supply like a cooked meal, someone to walk with, someone to share interests, someone to give a ride to the grocery store.

Many people who retire from work find themselves isolated, bored, lonely and depressed. Statistics show that mortality risks associated with loneliness, isolation and lack of social relationships are similar to the mortality risk factors for smoking. Thérèse Clerc and Babayaga may have been way ahead of their time, but people all over the world like myself and my friends are having empowering thoughts of living together as a new way to retire. We’re redefining retirement as not an end to anything but an empowering new beginning. TM

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WHY YOU MIGHT BE BETTER, FASTER AND SMARTER THAN YOU THINK

BY MARIANA BOCKAROVA About halfway through my doctoral program, I was accepted into an elite club, where distinguished graduate students, decorated faculty, and wealthy and notable Canadians gathered for intellectual conversation, often over expensive wine and exotic meats, followed by port, cheese, and the most delicious chocolate truffles one could imagine. While I had always thought of myself as a good student -- a key component to gaining admission into the club -- finding objective proof in my school grades, standardized tests, and published papers reviewed by scholarly editorial boards, I felt, while conversing amongst my now-peers, like a fraud; not nearly intellectual enough to be amongst such lofty individuals. My thoughts began to be consumed with ideas of being “found out” for, in fact, not being intelligent or capable enough to belong to such an establishment, and I would often tell myself that my application surely must have somehow slipped into the “accepted” pile, a mere feat of luck, and it was only a matter of time before someone would take notice.

What was interesting to me was that my experience of feeling as if I was accepted on chance alone actually created

behavioural consequences. For instance, I was much more quiet than my ‘extroverted’ personality would generally indicate, much less opinionated, and would often keep my true thoughts, including that of feeling like a fraud, to myself.

It became harder and harder to attend club events without feeling as though I would no longer be able to hold my own at the next event. It wasn’t until leaving the club one particular night, with a fellow doctoral candidate whom I had admired for her rigorous research capabilities, that I realized I was not alone: As we walked towards the nearby subway station to head home, she turned to me, seemingly defeated, and said, “you know, I really have no idea how they accepted me.” Therein lied the proverbial “aha!” moment.

Particularly common for high-achievers, the Impostor Phenomenon describes an internal feeling of being a phony, while simultaneously being unable to internalize and receive success. As noted in the seminal 1978 paper describing the phenomenon, Dr. Suzanne Imes and Dr. Pauline Rose Clance found that people “who experience the impostor phenomenon persist in believing that they are really not bright and have fooled anyone who thinks otherwise…>>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 41

Numerous achievements, which one might expect to provide ample objective evidence of superior intellectual functioning, do not appear to affect the impostor belief.” It turns out, even the most accomplished amongst us can feel this way: In Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook says, “there are still days when I wake up feeling like a fraud, not sure I should be where I am.’’ Only after hearing a speech by a psychologist on the subject did she gain ample insight: “She explained that many people, but especially women, feel fraudulent when they are praised for their accomplishments. Instead of feeling worthy of recognition, they feel undeserving and guilty, as if a mistake has been made. Despite being high achievers, even experts in their fields, women can’t seem to shake the sense that it is only a matter of time until they are found out for who they really are- impostors with limited skills or abilities.”

While at first, Imes and Clance describe the Impostor Phenomenon as being unique to women, countless articles and research projects have revealed that it can be quite a common problem for both sexes, and the profession one finds oneself in makes little difference: Take Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslett, for instance, who has said, “Sometimes I wake up in the morning before going off to a shoot, and I think, I can’t do this. I’m a fraud.” Famed author Maya Angelou has also noted, “I have written eleven books, but each time I think, ‘uh

oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.’” Even the Chief of the World Health Organization, Dr. Chan, remarked, “There are an awful lot of people out there who think I’m an expert. How do these people believe all this about me? I’m so much aware of all the things I don’t know.”

The problem with the Impostor Phenomenon is that most will inevitably suffer in silence, for being vocal about feeling like a fraud can mean can even further chance of being exposed.

How does feeling like an impostor come about? According to Imes and Clance, being raised in a home where one’s sibling was designated the “bright” one and he or she, the “social” one.

Despite gaining achievements throughout life, one may attribute his or her success to simply being social, not worthy. Even the child praised early on by his or her parents for being “bright”, may feel as though perfection should come with ease and any effort that renders an achievement may lead to feelings of guilt for having to work for his or her brightness, thereby producing feelings of being a fraud. Growing up in a home that places high emphasis on achievement, where parents often oscillate between providing praise for their children and also harshly critiquing them can create confusion, where the child’s self-worth becomes reliant on achieving. Visible minorities are also prone to being victims of the phenomenon, attributing their success to affirmative action policies over their own abilities. >>

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Even after recognizing the impostor phenomenon, however, these feelings tend to maintain over time, as Imes and Clance found, due to certain unique behaviors. For instance, telling others who are superior what they wish to hear instead of one’s own ideas causes ‘intellectual flattery’ for the receiving party, but inadequacy in one’s beliefs in his or her own ideas. Further, using charm to win over superiors and gain their approval also adds to feelings of fraud. As Imes and Clance note: “Typically, [someone experiencing the Impostor Phenomenon] believes, “I am stupid,” but at another level she believes she is brilliant, creative, and special if only the right person would discover her genius and thereby help her believe in her intellect. She first finds a candidate she respects and then proceeds to impress that person. She studies the person carefully and perceives very accurately what that person will be responsive to.

She uses her friendliness, charm, looks, humor, sexuality, and perceptiveness to win the person over... This process of seeking (and usually gaining) approval from an admired authority figure is unsuccessful in changing the impostor system for two reasons. First, even when the mentor does acclaim her as intellectually superior, creative, and special, she does not believe him/her because she believes the mentor has based his/her opinion primarily on her other attributes. The current candidate is discounted as unable to judge her accurately. She begins a search for another mentor and will repeat the same self-defeating process. Second, the woman continues to believe that if she were really bright she would not need outside approval. She should have internally-based confidence in her own ability. Thus, efforts to gain approval give proof that she is intellectually phony.

After all, people who are geniuses or innovators in their fields manage to be productive and creative despite lack of support from others; they certainly would not resort to adaptive or placating behaviors to gain validation.”

Often, those who experience Impostor Phenomenon have anxiety, stress, low self-worth, depression, shame and self-doubt, dwelling on failures and any negative feedback received.

Luckily, however, there are a number of options to manage these feelings of phoniness, and with effort and guidance, change is possible.

1. FIND A MENTOR Find a mentor within your field, who you admire, yet who you can also be open with. As nearly 70% of the worldwide population experiences the Imposter Phenomenon, chances are your mentor will be able to enlighten you on his or her own experiences, or reassure you that you are worthy of your success. Not only will this help you realize that no one, in fact, is perfect, but that you are not alone.

2. TAKE TIME TO REFLECT Find some time to reflect on your own experiences in your own feelings. Try making a list of your accomplishments, any positive feedback given, and reflecting on a time where you did experience success and identifying the factories around your success will help you to realize that inevitably, at least some portion of your success is derived from your own skills and abilities, beyond any other factors. Recognizing your own expertise will help to internalize it and reframe your own worthiness for success.

3. KEEP A JOURNAL. Writing therapy, otherwise known as experiential disclosure therapy, has been proven to help alleviate a number of different psychological issues, including anxiety and depression.

4. SPEAK TO A PROFESSIONAL. Executive coaches, therapists, or psychiatrists are often well equipped with the tools to help you break your negative thinking patterns to march on, fraud-free. TM

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HIRING MILLENNIALS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEW WORKFORCE

BY MARIANA BOCKAROVA

As of 2015, millennials (the generation born between 1982 - 2000) make up the largest cohort in the North American workforce. While the millennial may be mighty in occupying the current labour landscape, study upon study suggests a keen and often aggravating clash between the generations, whether it’d be managers versus new hires; partners versus associates, or beyond. Attempting to explore the chasm, a study commissioned by ElanceoDesk, the world’s largest online workplace, and Millennial Branding, a millennial consulting firm, surveyed 1,039 millennials (21 – 32 years old, with a bachelor’s, Master’s degree or postgraduate degree) and 200 hiring managers (33+ years old and responsible for recruitment

or HR strategy within their business) on everything from their (in)ability to find work to generational perceptions to how work priorities change between the generations in order to glean some insight into how to best encourage the largest workforce to actually “work”.

The positive results of the study were as expected: 82% of hiring managers believe millennials are more technologically adept than prior generations, 60% of hiring managers and 74% of millennials agree that they are able to learn new things more quickly than prior generations, and 57% of hiring managers and 71% of millennials agree that they are more likely to come up with fresh ideas in the workplace. >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 47

For 26-year old administrative assistant, Amelia Chandri*, the statistics seem to ring true: “My first job out of University was working at an advertising agency in an administrative role. I went to school for sociology at Ryerson, something totally different, but I wanted to try something new. I had student loans to repay so I applied with a temp agency the summer after graduating and a job is a job… My managers were really impressed with some of my ideas, like putting a twist on the standard company slides or updating the website to make it more appealing for start-ups so that we could get more new faces coming in...[the managers] hadn’t thought of doing something like that before I came along and, frankly, I don’t understand how they didn’t consider it before me.”

While the advantages of hiring millennials are certainly noteworthy -remember, this is the generation which developed vast social and technological innovation including Facebook, Instagram, Uber, Air BNB and the like -- the downsides of millennials in the workplace, however, are quite grim: 53% of hiring managers report difficulty retaining millennial talent, while millennials, in turn, consider quitting their regular jobs in order to work for themselves at a rate of 79%. The overwhelming majority of millennials, in fact, believe that it is significantly easier to start a business now more than ever before, given technological

advances. The key differences between prior generations, which would otherwise be satisfied obtaining a secure, well-paying job, versus the current generation, waiting to flee the same security offered, however, are not particularly difficult to identify: Unlike previous generations where college degrees practically guaranteed a job with a relatively high salary and the proverbial American dream seemed within plausible grasp, the millennials have navigated their youth while exposed to devastating economic depression, a changing familial and social landscape, terrorist attacks which hit increasingly close to home, and a radical change in the education system, where rigor, merit and discipline were cast aside for a more favourable coddling and self-confidence-focused approach (for what else could yield the dramatic rise in the proportion of students who believe they are ‘above average’ in academic and mathematical ability, while standardized testing has seen some of the lowest scores in written and mathematical ability in years, as research suggests). More worrisome yet, a recent study indicates an increase of 30% in narcissistic attitudes in American students since 1979. Narcissism, defined as “excessive self-love or vanity; self-admiration, self-centredness” and has been shown in the business world to be either incredible effective or ineffective.

Research by Roy Lubit published in the scientific journal, Academy of Management Perspectives, for instance, found that healthy narcissism in the corporate world is characterised by high self-confidence in line with reality, an enjoyment of power, valuing others in the workplace, and the ability to follow through on plans. Destructive narcissism in the workplace, however, is characterized by grandiosity, creating relationships with workmates only at one’s own convenience and advantage, exploiting and devaluing others often without any remorse, and becoming easily bored, often changing course. With a shared admiration for constant stimulation coupled with an acceptance of the characteristic of ‘flakiness’ as the adjective du jour, one might say millennials tend to skew left. >>

As such, it should come as no surprise that hiring managers see millennials as 60% more narcissistic; 30% more money driven than their Gen X counterparts, yet 8% less confident and a staggering 46% less of a team player than previous generations. On self-perceiving narcissism, at least, 75% of millennials surveyed don’t particularly disagree: “Am I narcissist? My first answer is obviously to say no because no one wants to think of themselves in a negative way and narcissism tends to be thought of that way. But, if I really consider it and I’m being honest, or if you ask my parents, I probably am. I think my friends are, so I guess that would make me that way too… I know I take way too much time caring about my make-up and what I wear to work because I like the attention…I talk a lot about myself and my needs even at work and have to stop and remind myself sometimes when talking to a colleague to ask how they are. I think being on Facebook makes people more narcissistic and I’m on it all the time, even at work, posting selfies,” Chandri says.

With the perception (and data concurrence) of obsessively self-loving, sometimes skill-inept millennials as job applicants, hiring managers are increasingly focused on hiring for hard skills, with the near majority (41%) of hiring managers planning to increase the hiring of freelancers for this reason alone.

Perhaps the most astounding finding in the study, however, was how different a hiring manager’s perceptions of millennial priorities were versus the millennials’ own priorities. For instance, while 75% of hiring managers assumed earning potential to top the list of millennial priories, only 44% agreed.

According to Xavier Weitzmann, a UX (User Experience) specialist, it all comes down to meaning: “One thing I’ve noticed speaking with millennials—all university educated, many with graduate degrees— is although they value money and workplace incentives, they place greater importance on time and meaning.”

Thus, when hiring or wanting to retain millennials, the focus should not be on financial gains but other, less tangible values. For instance, 39% of millennials value learning from the people they work with and the team they belong to, and 25% value a good mentor, while 30% want exciting work. While earning potential is still a prime consideration for millennials, the data suggests that retaining a competent and qualified millennial will take more than just money. Instead, a greater emphasis should be placed on ensuring millennials have exciting work opportunities, good mentors and are surrounded by a team they can work with and learn from.

Weitzmann agrees: “Offering [millennials] either greater flexibility to enjoy their money, or opportunities to contribute greater meaning to society—or even in the workplace—would go far in retaining younger talent. People don’t want to think of themselves as replaceable automatons; and as the technologically literate, educated millennial seeks gainful employment, they also seek opportunities for their education, labour, and creative energies to generate greater meaning for themselves.”

Even when investing in a millennial employee, however, make note that the retention rate will nevertheless be slim, as 58% of millennials expect to stay in their job fewer than three years. With the overwhelming majority wanting to freelance, capitalizing on the attractive

characteristics of freelance work may further incentivize employee engagement: A flexible working time and place; choosing what projects to work; no office politics; and a control over work load were rated as the most attractive characteristics of freelance work. Needless to say, the millennials are not used to a standard working environment and would much prefer having flexibility and their own say in it: “If employers are able to offer opportunities to get more meaning from their life through work, they will be far better off in attracting the top talent. Even hearing their creative approaches to problems—and actually listen, not just as a token gesture—can offer mutual benefits.

They’ve been raised in an era of technological and informational abundance—leverage it!” Weitzmann says.

While harping on negative statistics and a looming undertone of instability and constant off- and on-boarding, keeping in mind that millennials are integral to the future of business and that they bring about creativity, innovation, and a large capacity to adapt can be an incentive to help foster millennials’ potential in the workplace; they may just reinvent it. TM *Name is changed for privacy reasons.

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 49

Guest Malcolm Lamont (also a i4C volunteer); Vineyard Manager Dean Stoyka, representing Stratus Vineyards; Suzanne Janke, Chair of the i4C Board (also from Stratus Vineyards). (MF)

photo: Steven Elphick

photo: Elena Galey-Pride

TODAY’S PEOPLE

Magic Moments

i4C

Mary Delaney & Violette Delaney-Bachelder of Bachelder Wines. (MF)

Edward Stone performs his latest show at Mystic Lounge at the Old Stone Inn.

“COOL” decor created with hundreds of corks and screw caps, and lots of volunteer hours! Behind, the tarmac of the Niagara District Airport. (FC) photo: Steven Elphick

i4C has been busy this summer: Cool Chardonnay World Tour Tasting & Dinner, July 23, 2016 at Ridley College in St. Catharines, Ontario. (WT) Flights of Chardonnay, July 22, 2016. Niagara District Airport, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

(FC) The Moveable Feast, July 24, 2016. Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. (MF)

photo: Elena Galey-Pride

As the sun set, the venue lit up, highlighting decor elements created by a team of dedicated volunteers in the months preceding i4C. (WT)

photo: Steven Elphick

Dianne Olsen, Catherine Banks, Sarah Yano & Margaret Chambers, of The Red Hat Society.

Winemaker Shauna White from Adamo Estate Winery in Ontario’s Hockley Valley. (WT)

Guests, Michelle Brennan-Allen, Laura Fiorentino & Lisa Cooke enjoy the evening.

The Picnic on the Q

Celebrity Roast photo: Steven Elphick

On July 5th, Heart Niagara celebrated it’s relocation to Queen Street with a street picnic where guests had the opportunity to meet the staff, tour the new location and learn about their many services and programs, including HeartCORE.

59 producers pouring Chardonnay.

Marche-style food options from five of Niagara’s favourite restaurants. (FC)

Chris Nylan, one of the Bad Boys of Ludzy’s 5th Annual Celebrity Roast & Don Cherry at the Scotia bank convention centre.

HAVE AN EVENT OR CHARITY YOU WANT TO SHOWCASE? CONTACT US AND YOU COULD BE PART OF OUR NEXT TODAY’S PEOPLE. TODAYSPEOPLE@TODAY-MAGAZINE.COM | 905.356.7283