Client Feature: Wendy Kerkhoff

We sat down with Wendy Kerkhoff, President and CEO of Intellidig to learn more about her business, her methodology and her experience with AWE and the PeerSpark™ program.

Q: Wendy, tell us, how did you end up becoming an entrepreneur?

There’s a part of me that just always knew that I would start my own business. While I was working the recruiting industry, I honestly felt there was a lot of dissatisfaction about how the service was being traditionally provided. I knew there had to be a better way, so I went out and started working to fine-tune my efforts.

I knew that eventually, companies would reach a point where they would recognize that all of their prospective talent came from the same data and talent pool. It was becoming a race to see who could get to that person and people became tired of it. 

That’s where research came into play. I knew that we had to find the people who weren’t looking and that the internet was an amazing place to find everything about people. This targeted approach about identifying candidates is what makes us different and is also why we have been in business for 15 years.

Q: Wow, 15 years! That is incredible. How many people do you have working with you now at Intellidig? 

It ranges depending on the size and scope of project we are working on. On some projects, I’ve had as many as 20 contractors. My core team is made up of five to seven people.

Q: What are you most proud of in your business?

There’s a lot of things that I look back on and am proud of, but I have to say surviving in business is something to be very proud of in itself. Many businesses don’t make it past the five year mark, it’s a milestone.

I’m really proud of what I have developed in the business and the high-profile organizations we have served. I’ve built a company that’s both functional and operational while surviving the odds.

Q: Would you recommend entrepreneurship to a friend?

It’s definitely not for everyone, but for me it’s the right thing. It’s something I was always trying to work towards and identify the right time to do it. Eventually, I just took the leap of faith and decided I was going to do my own work.

I would recommend it to people who feel they can think outside the box and wear many hats. I love the freedom and flexibility it provides.There’s really no constraints of job or position. It really is what you make of it!

Q: What would you say you have learned from other entrepreneurs?

Definitely how lonely it can be. You don’t have the same support that you get internally in a corporate job when you’re an entrepreneur. Being involved in entrepreneur organizations, like AWE, really surrounds you with other like-minded people. There is so much value in that. You begin to recognize that everyone has challenges and that regardless of industry, my challenges are not much different than other entrepreneurs.

Q: How did you find out about AWE?

I’ve known about AWE for many years, but became more involved a few years ago. When I found out about the programs for established businesses, like PeerSpark™, I joined right away.

Q: What do you want Intellidig to be know for?

I want us to be known as a trailblazer. We really started with the concept of providing something different, a different model to a traditional industry. The most consistent challenge has been trying to break the mold and let people know that there are alternatives to recruitment. It’s been a challenge, but I’ve stuck with it and paved the way!

To learn more about Intellidig and the work they are providing, visit their new website at www.intellidig.com or visit them on Facebook.

If you have questions regarding AWE or our PeerSpark™ program, visit our PeerSpark™ page to learn more. 

NextStep to Success: Business Plan Learning Series for Indigenous Women

With the New Year of 2018,  we look back with great admiration for the Indigenous Women who have participated in the NextStep to Success Business Plan Learning Series, which was launched in September 2017. We want to share some of the comments from the Siksika Nation participants.
 

“AWE is a great organization, which is truly focused on building Indigenous Women’s skills. Thank you so much for the opportunity.”
Sara

“Bev, our facilitator ensured a great environment
for learning. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the sessions
& hope nothing but the best for all of my colleagues”
Tracey

“To succeed in operating your own business you
must take risks. And that is to think outside the box,
always.”
Janis

“With this training, one can plan for a successful
business. The course renewed the dream of owning
your own business. Stay positive, be confident and
be proud of your vision”
Kathleen McHugh.
 

“Informative, Informative, Informative!”
T Yellowfly

“Definitely going to utilize the knowledge that was
planted in my mind and reap what I can from the
soil. Wonderful and inspiring experience working
with these ladies. Nothing but encouragement for
each other, loved it.”
Erin B

In March 2018, AWE will be opening sessions for registration for new and ready to start Indigenous entrepreneurs in Calgary and Edmonton. Please contact Bev Latter, Special Projects at 403-862-3490 or bev.latter@awebusiness.com to register.

2018 Award Nominees Announced

AWE is honouring female entrepreneurs from across the province. Nominated by their peers, these inspirational women are achieving growth and success in business. This year, we had over 75 applicants for our 2018 Awards!

Finalists will be announced at our upcoming nominee receptions happening in March.

On April 25, 2018 we will announce the recipients for this year's AWE Upsurge, Emerging, Emerging Innovator and Celebration of Achievement Awards.

The nominees for 2018 are:

• Alyssa Lau

• Amanda Hamilton

• Angela May

• Anita Dyrbye

• Carina Ludgate

• Carmela Gennaro

• Charity Callahan

• Cheryl Taylor

• Christina Forth

• Colleen Rice

• Colleen Heidecker

• Connie Stacey

• Deborah Barrett

• Diana Frost

• Donna McTaggart

• Glori Meldrum

• Jessica Maurice

• Jill Boychuk

• Julie Boake

• Kathryn Kolaczek

• Kathy Leskow

• Kelly Smart

• Kimberly Orlesky

• Kirei Yasunori

• Kristina Vanderwater

• Laurie Wright

• Lorena Prakash

• Louise Vernal

• Lucy Dunne

• Maureen Newton

• Merena Johnson

• Nicola Kozmyk Jones

• Sangeeta Sharma

• Shannon Lenstra

• Sheena Johnson

• Tracey Einarson

• Tricia Arsenault

• Vanessa Hernandez

• Voula Martin

• Nan Thiessen

• Shanna Mawer

• Vicki Zhou

• Teresa Kiyawasew

• Kim Titchener

• Akosua Nyarko

• Kimberly Carson Richards

• Karen Murdock

• Stacy Maurier

• Florence Murota

• Corinna Clark

• Rosanna Fischer

• Debra DeBernardo

• Victoria Armstrong

• Julie Flint

• Crystal Brown

• Pauline Robinson

• Kemi Ogundipe

• Dr. Jacqueline Shan

• Erika Serbu

• Annalee Butterwick

• Kathryn Valentine & Leanna Mohan

• Jesse Szymanski

• Emma Demaer

• Yvonne Irnich

• Shawna Miller

• Shani Gwin

• Lianne Ensminger

• Chelsea Barlow

• Sara Tharakan

• Dannah Davies 

2018 Reboot

I’m a big believer in the saying, “when one door closes, another opens,” but I will admit that sometimes it is the latter half of Alexander Graham Bell’s quote that rings true: “…but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”

For me, and maybe you too, 2017 was a challenging year. In addition to the loss of incredible people and other heartbreaks, I felt uncertainty swirl all around us as change happened rapidly and we were surrounded by an overwhelming amount of information. Personally, the year ended with events that forced me to slow down, reflect, regroup and refocus my priorities and my attitude.

Fittingly, the theme of this year’s AWE Learning Day is Enhancing Opportunities. To my earlier point, identifying and tapping into those opportunities can be easier said than done. Many of us tend to have #FOMOOO (fear of missing out on opportunities) without really evaluating whether the opportunity should be a priority to pursue and what is the actual cost of letting it go.

In my first year as CEO of AWE I felt as though I needed to stretch myself much too thin based on FOMOO. What if I am missing something really important? What if I let someone down? I used to be guilty of these thoughts until I shifted my mindset from scarcity to abundance.

I realized that there are not a finite number of opportunities available so if one thing does not happen as planned, it is not the end of the world. In fact, it could be a good thing since you now have the space to open yourself up to something that is a better fit.

I have learned a great way to avoid the #FOMOOO is to ask for help by calling on your team or network to take on opportunities that do not best fit your priorities instead of taking everything on yourself. In the end, you have embraced the opportunities that are a priority to you and created new opportunities for others.

We can’t always be prepared for the challenges life throws at us, but we can choose how to we respond and manage through them. The power of positive thinking is a great place to make decisions. In my opinion, leading with optimism over fear and having the mindset of abundance is the best way to enhance opportunities.

What fear is holding you back? How will you enhance and embrace opportunities this year? I hope you will join the conversation at our Learning Day event on February 20 in Edmonton.

Always with gratitude,

Marcela

NextStep to Success for Indigenous Women Business Plan Learning Series Coming to Edmonton

Join us for our NextStep to Success for Indigenous Women 2018 Business Plan Learning Series! This training program offers guidance on creating the key parts of a business plan. The first session begins on February 21 in Edmonton, AB. Contact Bev at 403-862-3490 to register! 

Find Out How Women's Enterprise Initiative (WEI) Lending is Making a Difference!

Women play an important role in the creation and operation of small businesses across Canada, yet they often face barriers and a lack of support. To help remove these barriers, Western Economic Diversification Canada established the Women's Enterprise Initiative (WEI) to provide business information and services to women entrepreneurs.

Find out how WEI lending is making a difference!

The WEI has offices in each of the four western provinces. These non-profit centres provide a variety of unique products for women entrepreneurs including advisory services, training options, networking opportunities, business loans and referrals to complementary services.

3 Reasons You Should Attend Learning Day

As an entrepreneur, you know that being in business for yourself is not always easy. Being an entrepreneur takes long hours, hard work and endless amounts of caffeine. It also takes a certain level of tolerance and the ability to make the most out of opportunities.

On February 20, 2018 we are bringing together the best of the best to present Learning Day: Enhancing Opportunities at the Chateau Lacombe Hotel in Edmonton. The day will be filled with countless opportunities to grow your network and grow your business with valuable advice from our kick-off speaker, Stacey Berger, specialists from within the entrepreneurial community and experts from organizations such as ATB Business and Business Link.

While there are many reasons to attend Learning Day, here are the top three reasons why we think you should attend!

1. Expand your business tool kit through a number of workshops

Education is the key to moving towards your goals. In a world that is constantly changing, continuous learning is vital as a business owner. At Learning Day you will be able to access a variety of workshops with topics including sales, human resources, marketing and scaling your business. 

2. Connect with like-minded professional women and the business community

Being an entrepreneur can sometimes be isolating. It can be hard to relate to friends or family about your business pains and peaks. At Learning Day you will be able to connect with like-minded women who understand what it's like to be in business for yourself. You will also have the opportunity to meet service providers and partner organizations who are doing amazing things to support entrepreneurs just like you! 

3. Learn best practices to grow your business

From accessing a variety of workshops to connecting with like-minded women and partner organizations, there is so much to gain from attending Learning Day. We are sure you will be inspired after attending the event and hearing from our speakers with topics ranging from digital marketing, human resources and more!

We are so excited to see this event come to life. It will be a day to remember!

Questions about the event? Reach out to us! 

Register today!

NextStep to Success for Indigenous Women 2018 Business Plan Learning Series Coming to Calgary

Join us for our NextStep to Success for Indigenous Women 2018 Business Plan Learning Series! This training program offers guidance on creating the key parts of a business plan. The first session begins on January 30 in Calgary. Contact Bev at 403-862-3490 to register! 

Interested in Export? Trade Missions are Key

There is a lot of attention on growing business via export these days, enhanced by things like the NAFTA renegotiation discussions and the signing of new trade agreements. Hopefully, as a business owner, you are asking yourself, “How can I benefit from these opportunities?”

All experts will agree that a good Export Plan should not be based on throwing spaghetti at a wall map of the world as the means of deciding where best to export your products and services.

Researching and planning are key elements to building your export strategy. “But how do I do that?” you are probably asking. Two words: TRADE MISSIONS. That what these women business owners did in 2016.

Nothing beats meeting and talking with people, and that is the beauty of participating in a trade mission. There is a wonderful trade mission called Go For the Greens, which will be held from February 13-17, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. I describe it as wonderful because it is a smaller event than most trade missions or trade shows. As a result, it is an excellent opportunity for women business owners who:

1. Are at the early stages of researching the possibility of exporting as a way to expand and
diversify their business,
2. Learn best by meeting and talking with people, and/or
3. Have done some research and know that there is potential for their products and services in the Florida region.

During this boutique-style Go For The Greens trade mission, you will:

• Learn about exporting into the U.S.
• Meet Canadian government trade commissioners and learn how they can help you grow the export dimension of your business; there is a fun and dynamic networking reception on the Wednesday (Feb. 13) evening for all the Canadian delegates, trade commissioners and other support staff; it’s always my favourite part of a trade mission
• Explore export opportunities in the Florida region, which is the fourth largest economy in the U.S.
• Participate in B2B (business to business) match maker meetings and get a clearer picture of what potential buyers look for when choosing suppliers.
• Meet other women business owners from across Canada and the U.S. that you will learn from and might also start doing business with (it happens!)

The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) has a free online guide called Step-by- Step Guide to Exporting, a must-read especially if you are at the early stages of growing the export dimension of your business. You may want to take a look at it before you attend Go For The Greens. If the U.S. is a market where you already know you would like to export, then you will want to check out the TCS online document on Exporting to the United States – A Guide for Canadian Businesses.
 

Written by Nancy Brommell, Business Advisor, Women’s Enterprise Centre of Manitoba.

Canadian Women Leading in Early-Stage Entrepreneurship: 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor

Edmonton, AB, December 12, 2017 – Canadian women entrepreneurs lead in early-stage activity (TEA) compared to other innovation-based economies, according to Global Entrepreneurship Monitor’s (GEM) Canada Report on Women’s Entrepreneurship. Canadian women also ranked fifth highest for established business ownership (EBO).

Alberta continues to breed entrepreneurship, with the rate of early-stage activity (less than 3.5 years) in the province (15.5%) surpassing the national average of 13.3%, up from 10.0% in 2014. Alberta is also among the top provinces for established business ownership (over 3.5 years) among women with an activity rate of 7.2% compared to the national average of 6.6%, though this has declined since 2014.

“Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) believes our economies are strongest when women participate in entrepreneurship,” says Marcela Mandeville, CEO of Alberta Women Entrepreneurs. “This is a proud moment for women entrepreneurs in Canada who are breaking barriers and helping close the gender gap on both a national and global scale.”

The GEM Canada Report on Women’s Entrepreneurs highlights success stories out of Canada including–Claire Theaker-Brown, the founder of Unbelts. Claire sought help from Alberta Women Entrepreneurs to scale and grow her company, where she received financial support, as well as mentorship support through AWE’s PeerSpark™ program.

“AWE services and programs, including PeerSpark™ , are designed to help women entrepreneurs build confidence, improve business acumen, and accelerate their business success by uniting like-minded entrepreneurs,” Mandeville explains. “By establishing an environment where women-led businesses can thrive, our economy will become stronger and more diverse.”

Additional key highlights in the report include:

• In 2016, 85% of women indicated they were motivated to start a new business by opportunities, up notably from 70% in 2014.
• Canadian women entrepreneurs are found across all age groups, though start-up rates are highest among women aged 25-44, while the majority of established business owners fall between 55-64 years of age.
• Established business ownership (EBO) activity levels is closest to parity, with 1.07 men for every 1.0 woman. This is interesting and important since established businesses are ones with longevity and proven success.
• With respect to industry location, early-stage women entrepreneurs continue to cluster strongly in consumer services (54.5%) and business services (28.2%), though global comparisons suggest that Canada has a strong presence of women in the high-tech (ICT) sector compared to other innovation-based economies.
• While men are more likely than women to assess their human and social capital highly, there are no apparent gender gaps in fearing failure, where a notable gender gap was reported in 2014.
• Exporting activity in start-ups also shows an increase with about one-third of women reporting that 25% or more of their customers are outside the country.
• Amongst the key assets Canadian women bring to their businesses are positive attitudes, opportunity-based motivations, high human capital, and strong interest in internationalization and innovation.

The full report can be found at www.gemcanada.org. GEM Canada is part of the Global
Entrepreneurship Monitor, the largest and longest running survey of entrepreneurship in the world.

The report was written by Karen D. Hughes, a Professor at the Alberta School of Business and the Department of Sociology at the University of Alberta.

Media Relations Contact
Stephanie Woods
Marketing@awebusiness.com
647-270- 7833