Leading the Charge: Presenting Janice McDonald

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She is a serial entrepreneur, a role model, and a constant innovator. Her name is Janice McDonald, and she is a change agent in today’s business landscape.

You likely don’t even know it, but chances are you have bought or heard of a product from one of her companies. For me, it was a onesie for my daughter that read ‘iRock’ from McDonald’s company, iStyle Originals. How cute, I thought – a play on words adopting the Apple culture.

But it’s more than cute – it reflects McDonald’s ability to identify trends, and develop unique products with a broad appeal. It’s a testament to her entrepreneurial roots and successes.

It’s also not surprising that WXN recognized McDonald as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2013 and 2014. Or that she was awarded a World of Difference 100 Award in Washington from The International Alliance for Women and a National Leadership Award in 2011 from Canadian Women in Communications.

On March 26th, McDonald will be at TEDxKanata. You’ll want to hear what she has to say.

This blog post was written by TEDxKanata’s Director of Public Relations, Jennifer Stewart.

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Worldwide TEDx Statistics Worth Sharing

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TEDx image with stats 2015

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TEDxKanata – The Burning Question

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As March 26th approaches, and I continue to discuss our upcoming TEDx event with anyone who will listen.  The burning question I am repeatedly asked seems to be Why?

Why are you doing this? Why do you want to bring TEDx to Kanata?

The answer for me is quite simple.  Why not?  Why wouldn’t we want to provide a stage for innovators and thought leaders to share their great ideas with our community?  Why wouldn’t we want to provide a forum of discussion around new, great ideas right here in Kanata.   It all just makes sense to me.

Our City is ripe with entrepreneurs, innovators, thought leaders.  Imagine the power of strengthening those networks and relationships and ideas.

It just makes sense.  The opportunities are endless.

So my question for you is – Why wouldn’t you attend?

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Jenna Sudds

Curator – TEDxKanata

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Roxanna’s Favourite TED talk

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Talk: Shawn Achor TEDxBloomington – The happy secret to better work.

Link: http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work

Why: When asked to write about my favourite TED talk, I thought this would be easy. I was wrong! I enjoy so many that I had a hard time narrowing it down to just one. After spending some time going through my list I decided to pick one that matches our TEDxKanata theme of “Driving Innovation.” Shawn Achor a speaker at TEDxBloomington speaks to his audience about “The Happiness Advantage: Linking Positive Brains to Performance.” A true and proven fact that when training yourself to think more positively you are healthier, happier and you have the ability to reach your business success. Shawn’s talk motivated me and reminds me to avoid the lows and find the positive in my personal and business life. I hope you find it just as insightful and entertaining as I did.

About Roxanna Grecco ( Sponsorship, Event Day Lead )

Sometimes jobs are tailor-made for people… With Roxanna Grecco she was tailor-made for her job, and she loves it!

With over 20 years of business, group insurance and pension experience there are not many people in Canada who are more qualified to head up and be the President of a Private Group Benefit and Pension Firm.

Roxanna started with Baird Benefits Plus in February 2011 and she has never looked back. Her work ethic and interpersonal skills have catapulted the firm to industry leading status. Outside the office you could find Roxanna on the school council, managing her son’s hockey team, skiing down a mountain with her family or thoroughly enjoying an evening of golf with the Women’s Golf Society at the Marshes Golf Course.

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All I want for Valentines Day…Is to go to TEDxKanata

I recently read an article in the Globe and Mail that resonated with me. It was about how marrying your best friend results in greater happiness than those that don’t. Of course, the notion isn’t earth shattering, nor is it really surprising when you think about it. It just makes sense.

But what truly is the key to overall happiness? Does any one really know the answer to this burning question?

Well, at TEDx Kanata, we have a happiness expert joining us.

John Zelenski is a researcher and director of the Carleton University Happiness Laboratory (CUHL), where he studies individual differences in happiness, and how personality manifests itself ‘in the moment’ as emotional and cognitive processes. Recent work has focused on the causes and consequences of social behaviour (e.g., in relation to the personality trait of introversion-extraversion), and the links among nature, people’s sense of connection to nature, happiness, and sustainable behaviour.

Find out what makes people tick, and what drives happiness. But be warned: TEDxKanata has only 100 spots open -.make your application count and unearth your key to happiness.

Jennifer Stewart (Committee Member)

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