Yesterday was International Women’s Day and it made me take pause for a moment to reflect on my career path. I thought about the start of my career in sales at Citytv at the tender age of 20. Back then, I was the first and only woman on the team. I still vividly remember how the fella in charge of my training took me on some sales calls for a day and pulled me aside for what I thought would be a mentor-to-student inspirational chat. I waited with anticipation for what I thought would be words of advice and encouragement. Instead, he warned me that I would most certainly make a fool of myself if I persisted. Apparently, just by being a girl, I was automatically classified as not tough enough for the role. With authority and force, he strongly suggested that I would be better off quitting as soon as I could — so I could leave with my dignity still intact.
I did not take his “advice”. Instead I persisted. As Calvin Coolage said so well:
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On!’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
With a determined mindset, I went on to break one sales quota after another. Within my first two years, I proudly received a letter from the CHUM founder, Alan Waters, on his signature yellow stationary congratulating me on my success.
Fast-forward to now and I have just passed the two-year anniversary mark of my own agency, Chime Digital, where I work with a predominantly female team of incredibly smart and hardworking women. I am so grateful that I get to work with both my sister and my daughter. I believe that everything you imagine is real. I only imagined positive things. Through sheer grit, perseverance and this unwavering positive attitude, I have been blessed to attract many clients with meaningful and inspiring campaigns that are fuelled by positivity. We have helped raise much needed funds for Sick Kids with Vaughan Mills. We have helped create beautiful, tear-filled, heartfelt moments with our Share Beauty campaign for Shiseido. We have helped a Canadian conservation charity achieve their biggest Giving Tuesday ever to help protect Canada’s natural habitats. We are not just a digital agency. We are a positivity agency whose greatest passion is helping brands connect with their customers in a positive and emotional way.
